American Goulash

By Kathleen, November 26, 2012

Ingredients:

• 2 Pounds - Ground Beef, 80/20
• 1 - Large Yellow Onion
• 4 - Large Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 3 Cups - Water
• 2 (15 Ounce) - Canned Tomato Sauce
• 2 (14.5 Ounce) - Canned Diced Tomatoes
• 3 Tablespoons - Soy Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons - Dried Oregano
• 2 Teaspoons - Dried Basil
• 2 - Dried Bay Leaves
• 1 Tablespoon - Seasoned Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon - Black Pepper
• 2 Cups - Elbow Macaroni, Uncooked

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, cook the meat over medium heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks into small pieces. Cook until the meat is cooked through and there's no longer any pink. Stir in the onions and garlic. Cook and stir the mixture until the onions are translucent.
2. Stir in water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, soy sauce, oregano, basil, bay leaves, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in the pasta, cover, and simmer over low heat until the pasta is tender, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, discard bay leaves, and refrigerate, if possible, overnight. If you must, you could serve. :)

Creamy Garlic Pasta

2 tsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
¼  tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 cups chicken stock
½ lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
¾ cup heavy cream ( used less and you could use milk if you wanted)
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

In a pot, bring the olive oil to medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir, allowing it to cook for 1-2 minutes. Mix in the butter until melted. Add the salt, pepper and chicken stock. Raise the heat to high and let it come to a boil. 

Once it is at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook for as long as the box’s directions indicate. Reduce the stove to medium heat and mix in the parmesan until completely melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream and parsley. Serve immediately.

Chicken Pot Pie Weight Watchers Style

My MIL shared this recipe with us & we loved it!  

Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie
PointsPlus™ Value: 6
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 40 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

We made this comfort food classic lighter with reduced-fat crescent roll dough and a skim milk-based cream sauce. It totally hits the spot.

Ingredients
2 spray(s) Cooking spray, butter flavored
1 tsp Butter, regular, with salt
1 small Onion(s), uncooked, chopped
2 cup(s) Mushrooms, fresh, sliced
¼ tsp Paprika
¼ tsp Dried thyme, crushed
½ tsp Salt, table, or more to taste
¼ tsp Pepper, black
2 cup(s) Vegetables, mixed, frozen, unprepared
1 cup(s) Broth, chicken, canned
3 cup(s) Chicken breast, cooked without skin, chopped
2 Tbsp Flour, white
½ cup(s) Milk, evaporated, fat free, divided
4 item(s) Roll dough, crescent, reduced fat, unrolled

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat a 10-inch round shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Coat a large pot with cooking spray. Add butter and melt over medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms and cook, until tender, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Stir in paprika, thyme, salt and pepper. Add vegetables, broth and chicken. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
3. In a small cup, combine flour and 1/4 cup of evaporated milk; stir into chicken mixture. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup of evaporated milk and cook until mixture is slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes more.
4. Spoon chicken mixture into prepared baking dish. Unroll crescent rolls and arrange dough around inside edge of baking dish to form a border (there will be a hole in the middle). Bake until rolls are golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 15 minutes. Cut into 6 pieces and serve.

Notes
Make this recipe to your family's taste with different frozen vegetable blends such as an Asian mix or bell pepper and onion strips.

Taco Soup

Really quick to put together & delicious!

Ingredients:
1lb ground beef
1 onion, diced  (I used half an onion)
1 packet taco seasoning (used reduced sodium)
2 cans kidney beans, undrained (1 light, one dark)
1 large can crushed tomatoes
2-3cups water
1 cup frozen corn

Directions:
Brown ground beef with onion & taco seasoning.  Once meat is cooked, add rest of the ingredients (except for corn).  Bring to a boil.  Then simmer on low with lid on for 5 minutes.  Add corn and simmer 5 more minutes.

Top with shredded cheese & crushed tortilla chips!  Yum!