Warm Brie Dip

Picture: Before it's baked. Don't forget to remove foil.

Makes 2 cups.

2 tablespoons butter 

1 medium onion, chopped fine 

2 teaspoons garlic, minced 

8 ounces Brie cheese, trimmed and cut into pieces

8 ounces cream cheese

3/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper to taste 

1 (8 ounce) round bread loaf

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Saute onion and garlic in butter until golden. Set aside.

Put Brie and cream cheese in a bowl and microwave until soft. Mix in onion and garlic, sour cream, lemon juice, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Hollow out the middle of the loaf and fill with mixture. Wrap in foil and bake in oven until bubbly, approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Dust with paprika if desired. Serve hot with bread pieces or crackers.

Chicken Piccata Pasta Toss

1 pound pasta of your choice (use package directions)

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 & 1/4 pound chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon of butter

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 medium shallots, chopped

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup white wine 

1 lemon or lemon juice (use half of lemon)

1 cup chicken broth 

3 tablespoons capers, drained

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Chives, if desired for garnish

Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the sliced up chicken to the pan.  season with salt and pepper, and brown until lightly golden all over, about 5 to 6 minutes.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Return skillet to heat, reduce to medium.  Add another tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter, garlic, and shallots and saute, 3 minutes.  Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes.  Whisk in wine and reduce liquid, 1 minute.  Whisk lemon juice (only use half a lemon) and broth into sauce.  Stir in capers and parsley, if desired.  Return chicken to skillet with sauce; stir and heat through a minute or two.  Toss hot pasta with chicken and sauce.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste.  Top with fresh chives and ENJOY!

Black Bean Tacos

Low Cholesterol/High Fiber

** Okay, so we made it into a burrito style instead of taco and used 100% whole wheat tortillas**

2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained.

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1 small green bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 jar (8 ounces) taco sauce or salsa (1 cup)

8 taco shells or tortillas

1/2 cup of shredded lettace

1 small tomato, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

** I also think avocado would go great with this meal!**

Mash beans from 1 can of beans; set aside.

Spray 10-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat.  Cook onion, bell peppers, and garlic in skillet about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until veggies are tender.

Stir in mashed beans, remaining beans, and the taco sauce.  Heat to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

Spoon about 1/4 bean mixture into taco shell and add lettuce, tomato, and sour cream.

Spring Chicken Pasta

Low Fat, High Fiber 

** Take out the meat and it's a great Vegetarian dish**

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves

8 ounces uncooked whole wheat spaghetti

1 pound asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces

8 sun-dried tomato halves (not oil packed), chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped (1 1/2 cups)

3/4 cup chopped red onion

2 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup fat-free ricotta cheese

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons reduced fat sour cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Remove fat from chicken.  Cut chicken into 1/2 inch strips.  Cook and drain spagetti as directed on package- except omit salt.

While spaghetti is cooking, cook asparagus, tomatoes, garlic, bell pepper, onion, and broth in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat 5 minutes.  Stir in chicken.  Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until asparagus is crisp-tender and chicken is no longer pink in center.

Stir in spaghetti and remaining ingredients (sour cream, basil, ricotta, salt and pepper).  Toss about 30 seconds or until heated through.

Teriyaki Chicken Stir-Fry

Low Calorie/Low Fat/High Fiber

1 pound cut-up chicken breasts

1/2 cup teriyaki baste and glaze

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 bag (16 oz) frozen broccoli, carrots, water chestnuts, and red peppers

Hot cooked couscous, rice or noodles, if desired


Spray 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat.  Add cut-up chicken; stir fry 3 to 4 minutes until no longer pink.

Stir in remaining ingredients except rice/noodles/couscous.  Head to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer about 6 minutes or until veggies are crisp/tender.  Serve with rice/noodles/couscous.

Our creative creation of Weck's Original Papa's

If you haven't had Weck's and/or don't have Weck's, then make this!

1/2 Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage (16 oz)

1 bag Ore ida frozen has browns

2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

4 eggs (or egg whites)

1/2 jar of 505 Green Chile Sauce (16 oz jar)

6 strips of bacon, if desired

Make sausage first-  If frozen, thaw pork sausage before placing in skillet.  Cook sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink.  Drain grease.

In a different 12-inch skillet, heat vegetable oil.  Pour in hash browns and cook till a light brown.  Pour in cooked sausage and cooked bacon into the hash brown skillet.  Stir together on low heat. 

Make your eggs however you like them.

In a small sauce pan (or microwave ;) ), heat up the 505 Green Chile sauce.  Serve your portion of hash brown mixture and pour the warmed up green chile sauce over mixture.  Add egg.  Add cheese. 

Enjoy! 

Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken

2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves 

2 tablespoons softened 1/3 Fat cream cheese

4 tablespoons chopped fresh Oregano, Sage, or Basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon Paprika

1/3 cup flour

1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water

1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Flatten open chicken breasts; spread 1 tablespoon of cream cheese on one half of each breast.  Evenly distribute the Oregano, Basil, or Sage on top of that and season with salt and pepper.

"Fold" the chicken breasts back up and press tightly, tucking in cream cheese.

In a shallow dish, combine the 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper, paprika and flour.

In another dish, pour the beaten egg mixture.

In a third dish, combine bread crumbs, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese.

First dip chicken breasts in beaten egg mixture, then flour mixture, then bread crumb mixture.  Place chicken on a lightly greased baking sheet, bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until cooked through (no pink) and tender.  Serve with side of your choice.