guilt free chicken alfredo...

2 cups low-fat milk (not skim)

1/3 cup (3 oz) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (room temp)

2 Tbsp flour

1 tsp salt

dash of grated nutmeg

1 Tbsp butter

2-3 garlic cloves

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

sliced, grilled chicken

Place milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender.

Process until smooth and set aside.In a non-stick sauce pan, melt butter on med-high heat and add garlic. Let the garlic saute for about 30 seconds, being sooo careful not to burn it. Then add milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for about 3 or 4 minutes or until it just comes to a simmer. Keep stirring and let it cook for a few minutes more. It should be much thicker now. When it's nice and thick (it should look as thick as a normal alfredo sauce) remove the pan from the heat. Add the cheese, stir it up and then cover immediately. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before using. It will continue to thicken upon standing. Also, if you have leftovers in the fridge, the sauce will thicken almost into a solid. Just re-heat and add a little milk and it will be back to normal again.

This recipe (thanks to Our Best Bites) is phenomenal! I like the flavor of alfredo sauce, but it is way too rich for me in it's true form. This tastes EXACTLY like the alfredo sauce that we all know and love...minus the coat your tongue richness. The only thing I altered from the original recipe was that I added a little nutmeg (a must in cream sauces) and used a little less garlic. This would make an amazing pasta primavera if steamed vegetables were added.

lemon/garlic pasta...

3 Tbsp butter

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp fresh thyme; chopped

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

2 1/2 c cooked pasta (gemeli, linguine, etc)

2-3 grilled chicken breasts

Melt butter in a small pan. Add garlic and saute. Add lemon, pepper, thyme and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Add sauce to hot pasta and toss gently. Top with remaining cheese and grilled chicken and serve immediately.

When life gives you lemons...make and bake a lot of stuff with fresh lemon juice and zest...duh! This was another winner. Go easy on the garlic and lemon juice. Both come through with a very strong flavor when cooked this way. Unless you absolutely know you like a strong garlic flavor, start with one clove. For the lemon, I recommend starting with one Tbsp, taste it, and if you want a stronger lemon flavor then add more.

(1 cup pasta, 2 oz chicken=8pts)

penne parma rosa with grilled chicken...

1 pkg Knorr Parma Rosa sauce mix

8 oz penne

grilled chicken

grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta al dente according to pkg directions. Before pasta is completely finished, start making sauce. Toss with pasta, top with grilled chicken and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

This is one of those "need to make dinner quickly, something that is easy, etc." meals...especially if the chicken is already cooked. Throw a green salad or some fresh fruit on the side and you have a delicious meal. This really is a favorite.

(1 cup pasta with sauce , 2 oz chicken=7pts)

lemon chicken farfalle...

3 tsp olive oil

4-6 cloves garlic, minced

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; sliced

1 cup frozen baby peas

1 cup carrot, cut into small strips

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

6 Tbsp non fat cream cheese

6 cups farfalle pasta, cooked

9 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp lemon zest

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Heat a large, non stick skillet (med high heat) and add olive oil. Add garlic, saute one minute, being careful not to burn. Add chicken; saute until almost cooked through. Add carrots and peas and saute about 1-2 min. Remove from pan and set aside. Add broth and cream cheese to pan and cook over med high heat until cheese melts, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Stir in chicken mixture, farfalle, and next four ingredients. Cook about one minute.

I actually made this a while ago and just forgot to share it. The horror!! It was a delicious meal that we all loved. You could certainly use full fat cream cheese, but when it's melted like this, with so many other flavors...you really don't even notice or miss the extra fat and calories.

(serves 6; 8 pts per serving)

spaghetti pie...

10 oz spaghetti; cooked

1/2-3/4 lb lean ground beef (or turkey)

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 egg

1 egg white

2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook meat and add spaghetti sauce. Set aside.

Cool cooked pasta to room temp. Mix with eggs & half of the cheese. Press into a greased 10in pie plate. Spread sauce/meat mixture over spaghetti and bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 25-30 min. Remove foil, top with remaining cheese and bake another 3-5 min. Let sit at room temp for a few minutes before slicing.

I make pasta several different ways, but for some reason this one takes the cake with my family. My boys each had two servings and still wanted more. I agree that this is my favorite, too! If your pie plate is a different size (most are 9 inch) just cut back a little on the pasta & sauce. You could certainly use less or more cheese, depending on your liking & how forgiving your hips are!

(1/8th of pie=8pts)

pasta with brown butter & mizithra...

12 oz uncooked pasta

1/2 cup butter

mizithra cheese

Cook pasta until al dente. Melt butter in a small skillet over med to med high heat. Once bubbles start to form & butter turns a light golden brown, scrape milk solids off of the top and discard. Remove from heat. Pour butter & a sprinkle of cheese over pasta. Serve.

Three ingredients. Three ingredients. Three ingredients.

Love it!

This comes together so quickly. What more can I say about browned butter except that it is fabulous. If you frequently dine at the Spaghetti Factory, you've probably either seen or tried this dish.

A little goes a long way with the butter and the cheese. Start sparingly. Most grocery stores have a specialty cheese case, so it shouldn't be hard to find a small wedge of mizithra.

SOOOO GOOD!!!

(1 cup pasta, 1 Tbsp butter, 1 Tbsp cheese= 8 pts)

ravioli with balsamic brown butter...

18 to 20 oz ravioli (cheese, mushroom, or squash) fresh or frozen

6 Tbsp butter 

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 tsp pepper 

1/3 cup toasted, chopped walnuts 

1/4 cup grated Parmesan 

 Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the ravioli and cook 4 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. Drain ravioli onto a large serving platter. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan cook the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the foam subsides, and the butter begins to turn a golden brown, about 3 minutes, turn off the heat. Let cool for about 1 minute. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Transfer the ravioli to the pan saucepan with the balsamic brown butter. Sprinkle walnuts and Parmesan over the top. Serve immediately.

Mmmmmmm!!

One of the best things about this recipe was how fast and easy it was to put together. The sauce is VERY rich, so go easy on it. You can always add more. Perfect for a quick dinner!!

recipe from Giada De Laurentiis

thai peanut noodles...

1 cup julienned carrots

1 small onion; sliced

3 green onions; sliced into 2 in pieces

1 Tbsp canola oil, divided

2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

3 Tbsp rice vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 1/2 cups snow peas

1 lb pasta, cooked

1/2-1/4 cup peanuts

Heat 1 tsp oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and minced garlic; saute 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and the next 5 ingredients; stir until well blended. Reduce heat and simmer 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente. Heat 2 tsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add carrots and onions, season with salt & pepper and cook until almost tender. Add snow peas and green onions and cook 1-2 min more. Toss vegetables, pasta and peanut sauce together and sprinkle with peanuts.

This was a nice change from the usual pasta. My kids DEVOURED this...and they don't really like peanut butter that much! Was it good...yes. Is is a new favorite...probably not. I would like to tweak the peanut sauce a little. As it cools down the peanut butter starts to solidify back to it's normal state. That consistency bugged me a little, but it still tasted really good.

(1 cup 7pts)

baked pasta...

1 pound extra-lean ground beef

16 oz uncooked, short cut pasta (shells, penne, macaroni, etc)

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 bag (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook pasta for about 6-8 min. Brown ground beef & drain off any excess fat. Combine beef, drained pasta & spaghetti sauce. Place in lightly greased 9x13 pan. Top with shredded cheese. Bake, covered at 350 degrees for 15-20 min.

This is so easy that I'm almost embarrased to share it. If it wasn't so good...and so easy, I wouldn't have!

(7 pts for 1 cup)

pesto...

Have you tried this??? I've been wanting to try my hand at homemade pesto for a while, but my friend/neighbor introduced me to this little baby & I see no reason to make my own. It is fabulous with multi grain crackers (also from Costco), or...

...mix it in with pasta, add a little grated parmesan cheese (NOT the kind in the green can...) and dive in. This is seriously goooood!

Pesto can be a little rich, and has a quick expiration date because of the fresh basil, so if you don't think you will use it all up before then just freeze half for later (a little olive oil drizzled over the top before freezing helps retain the color.)

curried broccoli pasta...

1 1/3 cups pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon curry powder

3 cups broccoli flowerets

1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

4 teaspoons all purpose flour

1 teaspoon prepared mustard

Dash Salt

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat oil. Add curry powder and stir-fry over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add broccoli; stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes or till crisp-tender. For sauce, in a small saucepan, stir together the yogurt, chicken broth, flour, mustard, and salt. Stir into broccoli mixture. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Add pasta to broccoli mixture; toss to mix. Heat through. Serve immediately.

You really have to be a fan of curry to appreciate this one. I love curry and think it could have even used a bit more. I will say it is a little different, but there is nothing wrong with different...at least that's what I tell my kids!!

linguine...2 ways...

*Linguine with roasted asparagus & smoked mozzarella*

1/2 lb linguine (cooked approx 8 min)

1/2 lb asparagus

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup smoked mozzarella, cubed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring large pot of water to a rolling boil. Cut tough ends off of asparagus, and cut remainder into about 3- in pieces. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Roast in oven about 10 min or until tender, but still a little crisp. Meanwhile cook pasta according to pkg directions.

When pasta still has about 2 min left in cooking time heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over med heat. Add garlic & cook, stirring constantly (so garlic does not burn) about 1 min. Add pasta to skillet & turn to coat with olive oil & garlic. Add 1-2 ladles of pasta water. Remove from heat & add asparagus and mozzarella.

***

*Linguine with roasted shrimp*

1/2 lb linguine

1/2 lb shrimp

3 Tbsp olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook pasta according to pkg directions. Combine olive oil, juice of 1/2 a lemon, salt & pepper. Add shrimp & turn to coat. Place on baking sheet & roast 5-6 min (depending on size of shrimp). Drizzle remaining lemon juice over shrimp & pasta.

These are two recipes I've been wanting to try for a while. I am not a seafood lover...I repeat...I do not like seafood. However, I have a child who would do absolutely anything for shrimp. My mom used to tell me I really should cook things (aka...seafood, mushrooms, peppers...) for my kids, whether I liked to eat it or not. OK mom, I listened...finally. Well, it was a hit. The members of this house that ate it, loved it! The rest of us had the linguine with asparagus. YUM! I got the basic idea for this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis, but I tweaked it a little. Again, YUM! The roasted shrimp is another genius Barefoot Contessa recipe, I just added it to pasta & added the lemon juice.

mac & cheese...

2 cups dry elbow macaroni

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 1/2 cups milk

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1-2 slices bread, made into crumbs

1 Tbsp melted butter

Cook pasta in water about 8-10 min until tender, but still a little firm. Drain. In a medium saucepan cook onion in butter on med heat until translucent. Stir in flour, salt & pepper and cook & stir about 1 min. Add milk all at once, stirring constantly. Cook and stir over med heat until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add cheese, stirring until melted. Add macaroni to cheese sauce (or vice versa). Put in a greased baking dish. Add bread crumbs and drizzle with melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min.

This is no boxed mac & cheese! This one is for the adults...but the kiddies will love it, too...bonus! I use dried, minced onions (I do that in a lot of recipes) that way you get the flavor, but the kids don't even know it's there. As far as the amount of the dried onion...you really only need a large pinch...vague, huh? For the cheese...I'm not too much of an ingredient snob...but on this one, since it is the main ingredient, use a good one. I like Tillamook (sharp or medium cheddar). If you have less mouths to feed than I do, you can easily cut this recipe in half. Try this one...talk about comfort food!!

baked penne pasta...& buttery herb bread...

*baked penne pasta*

12 oz penne
1 jar pasta sauce
1 lb ground beef
mozzarella cheese
parmesan cheese

cook pasta for about 6-7 min (so there is still a bite to it), meanwhile brown ground beef. Add pasta sauce. When pasta is done, drain and add to meat sauce. Put in greased 9x13 pan and top with cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 25 min. Remove foil and bake a few min more.

ok...the real star of this meal is the bread. If you start having chest pains while reading the recipe, that is ok...it's still worth a try! The original recipe called for twice as much butter as I used...I just couldn't bring myself to do it. However, if your thighs are smaller than mine and you don't easily succomb to guilt...go for it.

*buttery herb bread*

1 stick of salted butter
1 loaf of french bread
parsley, thyme, rosemary (fresh and chopped)
use one type of herb, use all, use none, it really is good with or without

cut bread in half, lengthwise. Spread 4 Tbsp of butter on each half (original recipe calls for 8 Tbsp on each half.) Place on baking sheet and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 min. (The butter should be melted and soaking into the bread...yum, but not too much color on bread.) Then put bread under the broiler for 3-5 min until butter browns and bread is nicely toasted. Sprinkle with herbs (if desired), slice and serve.

OK, seriously, this is soooo good. If it helps, the richness of the butter prevents you from eating too much. Before adding garlic, try it as is. There is something about all of that lucious butter browning that adds plenty of flavor.

Hey, I never said this blog would have light recipes...

angel hair pasta with chicken...

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 cup broccoli florets

1 cup carrots, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

12 oz angel hair pasta

2/3 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Season chicken with salt & pepper and cook in 1 Tbsp olive oil over med heat about 5 min, or until cooked through. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towel. Heat remaining oil in same skillet; cook carrots about 4 min. Meanwhile cook pasta according to pkg directions. Add broccoli and garlic to skillet and cook for 2-3 min. longer. Add chicken , broth and cheese to skillet and simmer for 4 min. Drain pasta & top with chicken & vegetable mixture.

My husband thought the pasta needed some sort of sauce...the lack of sauce was exactly the reason I liked it. If you like a little flavor in your pasta you could certainly cook it in a little chicken broth. It would also be great with lemon pepper. Overall, it is a great, healthy dinner and it would make a fabulous lunch (if you ever actually get to eat anything besides someone's leftover pb&j or a few bites of mac & cheese...)