Creamy Chicken Pesto Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked
1/4 c. pesto
1/4 c. Miracle Whip
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
Mixed salad greens
Grape tomatoes, cut in half
Shredded Parmesan cheese

In a medium size bowl, combine the pesto and Miracle Whip together. Shred the chicken breasts into small pieces and add into the pesto mixture. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, salt and fresh pepper together. To assemble, mix the greens with the oil and vinegar. Place the greens on your serving plates, place a cup of the chicken pesto mixture on top of the greens and top with the sliced cherry tomatoes and shredded Parmesan.

Crispy Parmesan Potatoes

We just got back from Colorado, and I had little to no energy to make dinner last night. Usually my go-to is some form of eggs because I love eggs, and they are pretty simple to make. I wanted a good dish to go on the side, and since our fridge was pretty much empty I decided to use up some potatoes. These turned out great! They would also be good as an appetizer by themselves or as chips for a dip.

Ingredients:

2 large baking potatoes, scrubbed clean (not peeled)
3 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
1 Tbs. shredded Parmesan cheese
1-2 tsp. fresh chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the potatoes into 1/4 inch slices and place in a medium size bowl. Add the olive oil, garlic and onion powder, pepper, and 2 Tbs. grated Parmesan to the potatoes and toss with a spatula or your fingers. Place on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 15 minutes. Flip the potato slices over and bake for 10 more minutes. Transfer to your serving dish and sprinkle with the 1 Tbs. remaining grated Parmesan, the shredded Parm and fresh parsley.

Baked Parmesan Chicken for Two

This dinner was solely created by the fact that I have a massive fridge full of hodge podge and couldn't for the life of me figure out what to make. And then everything that I could think of used breading, so I decided to try and make a light version of chicken Parmesan nixing the bread. The chicken turned out super moist!

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
2 Tbs. Miracle Whip, light
1 tsp. roasted garlic
4 Tbs. shredded Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8x8 baking pan with tinfoil and spray with non stick cooking spray. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with the garlic salt and ground pepper and place in the prepared pan. Mix the roasted garlic with the Miracle Whip and spread on top of each piece of chicken. Top that with the shredded Parmesan cheese and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked on the inside.

Italian Parmesan Potato Salad

 

I made up this recipe back in 2013. It has become my husbands favorite potato salad and number one requested side dish when we have red potatoes in the house. It is a great vinegar based potato salad and adding the fresh herbs really gives it a fresh taste.

Ingredients:

6 c. boiled red potatoes, cut into around 1 inch cubes
2-3 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. chives, fresh or freeze-dried
1 tsp. fresh dill
3 tsp. dill weed
1 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese (shredded or shaved, NOT grated)

Add the hot potatoes into a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, oil, chives, dill, dill weed, pepper and salt together. Pour over the hot potatoes and stir together until they are completely coated. Let the potatoes cool most of the way in the refrigerator, and then stir in the Parmesan cheese. You don't want the cheese to melt, so don't add it to the mixture when it is still warm. Let the salad sit in the fridge for at least a half an hour to let the flavors soak into the potatoes.

(Makes 8 servings, 5 WW points per serving.)

 (The above picture was from the first time this recipe was created in 2013. It is still the same great recipe, the only thing I wanted to update were the pictures.)

Turkey Thyme Egg Bake

This past weekend was the first weekend my husband (our dog Tala) and I slept out at our new camp. When I was a Junior in high school (about 10 years ago) my dad's side of the family "camp" caught on fire and burned down. It only took 10 years, but my sister and I rebuilt it and I can't wait to be able to start going out there all of the time. Right now we have barely even the basics in the kitchen out there, so I decided to make this at my house and bring it up with us so that we don't have to deal with trying to make breakfast in the morning. It was one of those, "what's in my fridge?" kind of recipes, but let me tell you, it was one of the best ingredient combinations for a quiche that I have ever made!

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk, 1%
1/2 c. heart smart Bisquick
1/2 c. Hillshire cracked black pepper deli turkey, chopped
1/4 c. chopped green onion
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. fresh thyme
4 Belgioioso Parmesan snack cubes, chopped into smaller cubes (4 slices, turn, 4 slices the other way)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a quiche dish, casserole dish or pie tin with non stick cooking spray. In a medium size bowl, whisk the Bisquick, eggs, milk and garlic salt together. It is okay if there is still Bisquick lumps in the batter, they will bake out. Stir in the green onion and thyme. Pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with the turkey and Parmesan cubes. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until the middle is cooked through and the top is slightly golden brown.

Italian Chicken Strips with Tomato Basil Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, cut into strips (about 1 1/2 inches wide and 3-4 inches long)
2 eggs
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 c. milk
1 c. Panko Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place a wire rack (oven safe) on top and spray with non stick cooking spray. Place the eggs, garlic salt and dried basil in a shallow dish and whip together with a fork. In another shallow dish, mix the Panko and Parmesan cheese. Dip each piece of chicken into the egg wash mixture. Roll into the bread crumbs. Place on the prepared rack. Repeat for the remaining chicken. Bake in the oven to 30-35 minutes. Let cool slightly.

While this is baking....

Ingredients:
2-3 cups cooked pasta
1/4 c., plus 2 Tbs. Italian dressing (give or take on the amount, I used Paula Dean's sugar free dressing)
1 Roma tomato, seeds removed and diced
2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
1/3 c. Belgioioso Parmesan snack cubes, cut into small square slices.

When the noodles are still warm, add the 1/4 cup of dressing. When the noodles have cooled down, add the tomato, basil and Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with 2 more tablespoons of the Italian dressing and toss everything to combine well.

Chicken Cilantro Pesto Pizza

Ingredients:

1 c. Cilantro Macadamia Pesto
1 1/2 c. Easy Shredded Chicken
1 Archer Farms thin pizza crust
1 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 c. packed spinach

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the pesto on the crust. Top with the spinach, chicken, and then finish with the shredded Parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes. If you want a crispy crust, bake directly on the rack. This pizza is so delicious and fresh! The cilantro pesto and Parmesan combination is unbelievable.

Baked Green Bean Fries

Ingredients:

1 lb. green beans, washed and trimmed
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. Panko
2  tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh grated pepper
1 egg
1 Tbs. water

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the Parmesan, Panko, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and mix together. Whisk the egg and water in a large bowl and add the green beans. Toss to coat the beans with the egg wash. Add the breading mixture and toss again to coat.

Place the beans on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the bread is golden brown.

(Makes 4 servings, 1 1/2 c. per serving, 2 WW points)

Supreme Pizza Pasta

Ingredients:

1 large green pepper, chopped
1/3 c. onion, chopped
1/4 c. fresh basil, chopped
24 oz. can Hunt's Meat Pasta Sauce
1 c. Hormel Turkey Pepperoni (70% less fat), chopped
1/4 c. Pasta water
grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
2 c. any style pasta (I used hearts because Valentines Day is in a few days)

In a large skillet, add the onions and green pepper on medium-low heat and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently so that the vegetables sweat, but do not brown or caramelize. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the directions. Before straining the pasta, reserve 1/4 c. of the pasta water. Add the pasta sauce to the vegetables and stir together. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce is heated through. Stir in the fresh basil and the pepperoni. Add the pasta to the sauce and cook for another 2 minutes. Before serving, add grated Parmesan to each serving.

Turkey Meatball Sandwiches

Ingredients:

4-6 Garlic Parmesan Turkey Meatballs, cut in half
2 buns of your choice
1/2 c. Hunt's four cheese pasta sauce
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked pepper

Combine the pasta sauce and Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Spread evenly on the top and bottom of each bun. Place 4-6 halves of meatballs on the bottom bun. Crack fresh pepper on top of the meatballs and then add the top bun.

(Makes 2 servings, 6-8 WW points depending on the type of bun you use.)

Garlic Parmesan Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lb. ground turkey, lean
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 c. seasoned Panko
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
6-8 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. fresh pepper
1/8 c. parley flakes

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the above ingredients. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on top of the parchment paper. Bake for 23-25 minutes until they are golden brown and no longer pink in the middle. This recipes makes approximately 28-30 meatballs.

(Makes 28-30 meatballs, 1 WW point per meatball.)

Warm Parmesan Potato Salad

Ingredients:

2 c. baby potatoes, cut in half (red, finger, purple), and boiled until tender
4 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. cracked fresh black pepper (just eyeball it)
1-2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

When the potatoes are cooked and drained, pour them into a large bowl. Stir in the olive oil, black pepper and garlic salt. Cover the bowl with paper towel and let sit for 10 minutes so that the potatoes soak in the flavor. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir until combined.

Saucy Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

2 c. brussels sprouts, each cut in half
1/2 c. spaghetti sauce
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. fresh grated pepper
1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Spray a medium sized skillet with non stick cooking spray and set on medium heat. Add the brussels sprouts cut side down in the pan, season with the salt and pepper and let cook for 2-3 minutes to caramelize one side. Then stir in the spaghetti sauce. Let cook for another 2-3 minutes in the sauce until everything is heated through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.

(Makes 2 servings, 3 WW points per serving.)

Garlic Parmesan Marinara

Ingredients:

10 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 c. chopped parsley

2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced Hunt's tomatoes, basil garlic and oregano

1 Tbs. garlic salt

1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. fresh cracked pepper

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven on medium heat. Add the minced garlic and stir for about 2 minutes so that the garlic starts to get golden. Add the cans of tomato, parsley, garlic salt and cracked pepper. Stir together and let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir. Remove the sauce from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. 

Pour the sauce into a blender. Blend on low speed until the sauce is a smooth consistency. 

Place the sauce back on the heat until everything is warmed through again. 

Add to your favorite pasta dish or let cool fully and freeze in small containers. 

This is also great served over Turkey Italian Meatballs !

Loaded Spinach Parmesan Quiche

 

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1/3 c. Heart Smart Bisquick

1 c. milk, 1 %

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 c. onion, chopped

1/4 c. onion, sauteed

1/4 c. green pepper, sauteed

4 oz. chopped baby spinach

1/4 c. chopped Parsley

1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. fresh cracked pepper

1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 c. shredded Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized bowl whisk the eggs, Bisquick, milk, 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and minced garlic until smooth. Spray a quiche pan with non stick cooking spray. Add the chopped spinach in an even layer, topped with the parsley, green pepper and onion. Pour the liquid mixture on top of the vegetables. Top with shredded Parmesan. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

(Makes 4 servings, 5 WW points per serving.)

Mushroom Parmesan Orzo

Ingredients:

3/4 c. uncooked orzo
1 1/2 Tbs. butter
8 oz. sliced petite mushrooms
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. fat free, low sodium chicken broth
1 Tbs. white balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. fresh Parsley, chopped
1/4 c. fresh chives, chopped
1/2 c. shaved Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to the directions. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter is fully melted, add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes until the mushrooms start to get soft. Add the broth and vinegar and cook for another minute to 2 minutes. Stir in the orzo, chives and Parsley. Top with the shredded Parmesan.

(Makes 6 servings, 1 WW point each)

Garlic Parmesan Green Bean Salad

Ingredients:

4 c. fresh green beans
1/8 c. concentrated garlic juice (or you could use vegetable oil and minced garlic)
2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese


Preheat pan to medium heat. Pour the beans in the preheated pan and top with the garlic salt and garlic juice. Stir so that the beans are coated. Let cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese before serving so that the cheese doesn't melt all of the way.

(Makes 6 servings, 1 WW point each.)

Philly Quiche

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 c. milk, 1%
1/2 c. Heart Smart Bisquick
2 Tbs. chives
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 1/4 c. Skinny Slow Cooker Phillys
1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme
1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk the eggs, milk, Bisquick, chives, salt and pepper together in a large bowl. Fold in the slow cooked Philly mixture. Pour into a greased pie dish or quiche pan. Bake in the oven for 40-45 degrees.

(Makes 6 slices, 4 WW points each.)

Simply Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

1 medium English cucumber, sliced
1 Tbs. fresh dill, chopped
1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and toss together. It's that easy! Very few, yet bold delicious flavors combined together. (Serves 2, 2 WW points.)

Italian Turkey Sausage Hoagie

Ingredients:

8 ounces Butterball Everyday Sausage, Smoked Turkey, cut lengthwise, and then in half again
1 orange bell pepper, sliced thin
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked pepper
4 hoagie buns, hollowed out in the middle (save the leftover bread to make bread crumbs)
1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs. Extra Light Olive Oil

Heat the oil in a medium sized skillet at medium heat. Add the garlic and stir into the oil. Add the onions and peppers, and cook for three minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the Italian seasoning and garlic salt, and stir to combine. With a spatula, move the peppers and onions to the edges of the pan to make a well in the center. Slice the sausages 1/3 of the way through on the top, leaving vents for the heat to escape. Place slit side down into the pan and cook for one minute, flip over to the flat side and continue to cook for 1-2 more minutes. Place the onions and pepper on the inside of each hoagie. Top each with a piece of the turkey sausage, and top with a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan. (Makes 4 hoagies, 8 WW points per hoagie.)