Butternut Squash Carbonara and 100 Fans!

ok, we still do Emeals and I still love it. Because I get took cook things like Butternut Squash Carbonara and it's LOW FAT. Yum.

Here's how you make it:

6 slices turkey bacon

2 c diced butternut squash

1/2 box thin spaghetti

(2 egg yolks, 2 T FF milk, ¼ c Parmesan cheese)

(1 t minced garlic, 1 T sage - chopped, pepper)


First, get your water boiling for the pasta and start cooking that. then you can cook the bacon in a big skillet, i use my nice 10" skillet with a little FF cooking spray. Once the bacon is cooked, take it out of the pan and let it dry on some paper towels.
once you take the bacon out, cook your squash in the bacon fat. there won't be much at all since it's turkey bacon but it helps. at this point also add your garlic, sage and pepper to your skillet. you can also return the bacon to the pan too. if you need more cooking spray go ahead. i used quite a bit. 
the squash takes about 10 minutes so plan accordingly with your pasta because the rest of it goes fast. once your squash is done, take it off the heat. 
take your egg yolks, milk and parm cheese and mix it in a small bowl. then add your pasta (with a little water) to the pan, mix everything up.
add the egg/cheese mixture to the pan, let it coat everything nicely.
Done.

Delish, and I'm not much of a squash person. but, seriously yummy.

And....we've reached 100 fans on facebook!! YAY!

I'm so excited to have more readers!

Gourmet Chicken Quesadillas

This is by far one of the easiest meals to make and according to my husband "in the top 3" so here it is getting a shout out on the blog.

Ingredients:
Rotisserie Chicken (about 1 cup, shredded)
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Red Onion (1/4 cup diced)
Artichoke Hearts (1/2 cup diced)*From a jar
Roasted Red Pepers (1/2 cup diced)*From a jar
Cumin (2 tsp)
Garlic Salt (2 tsp)
Cooking spray
Burrito sized tortillas

In a bowl mix together all inredients except for the cheese and tortillas (duh!)
or you could skip the bowl and do it all in your skillet, save yourself a dish.
Heat up everything in the pan until the oninons start to go translucent, and the chicken is warmed through.
Pile up the mix on your tortilla, sprinkle on the cheese.
Fold it up and throw it back in the pan to grill, only takes a minute.
Take it out, cut it up and ENJOY!

This is seriously a yummy dinner and only takes about 3 minutes of prep and 8 minutes total of cooking. And since most of the ingredients I had in my pantry (everything but the rotisserie chicken in fact!) it was super cheap!

Here are some pics!

Super filling and so good!

Back in the pan!

Get in my belly!

Taco Cornbread Bake

I decided to also start blogging about what I make for dinner. Not every night of course but probably once a week, highlight my favorite dish. The husband and I use Emeals. Basically for $2.25 a week ($15.00 every 3 months) I get a 7 day meal plan (ours is the low fat any store for 2 plan) complete with sides and a grocery list. Coupled with my local market's delivery service meal planning has gone from a chore and the bane of my existence to something I actually enjoy.
This week our meals included:
Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
Spring Salmon with a Wilted Salad
Creamy Pesto Pasta
Chicken BLT Salad
Fried Rice
Taco Cornbread Bake*
Chicken Alfredo Pasta

Sounds good huh? It's pretty easy to stick to a "diet" with food this tasty!* Emeals says this isn't a diet plan, and it really isn't. It's just eating low fat food, but for those of you on WW they also have plans that correspond with the points program and the points are listed with every recipe so it's easy to log your meals!

So onto today's featured dish.
Taco Cornbread Bake, one of the easiest and most delicious (IMHO) recipies I've made while using Emeals.
All you need is:
1lb of ground beef (we've been using ground turkey instead and it's just as tasty)
1 packet taco seasoning
(optional) 8oz can of tomato sauce (i use this instead of the water in the taco mix, much tastier especially when substituing the turkey for beef)
1 box cornbread Mix
Milk
1 egg (or egg beaters)
shredded cheese
(optional) can of refried beans, I don't eat them so I leave this out
Fat Free Sour cream for garnish

Preheat oven to 425
Brown your meat in a skillet, once browned add tomato sauce and taco seasoning, simmer for a few minutes.
meanwhile mix up the cornbread, let it stand for a minute or two.
once meat smells like tacos, put it in the bottom of a 8x8 pan, layer on cheese, then spread the cornbread mix on top.
Bake for 15 minutes and it's DONE!

So yummy and it definitely feeds more than 2 people!
Here are some pics:

Corn bread!

Cheese!

Ready for the oven!

All done!

Eat up!