Taco Cupcakes

Taco Cupcakes

Yet another incredibly yummy cupcake recipe! These had just a smidge of spicy to them, not too much, but you could make it spicier or not as much depending on which salsa and queso you purchase to use. I have already eaten up all the leftovers of our taco cupcakes because they were so good!!! With all of these ingredients, they really filled up the muffin cups and some of the cheese and stuff kinda melted over as they baked, but it doesn't matter because they were just...that...good. I highly recommend trying these!

 

Ingredients:

½ lb. extra lean ground beef

16 wonton wrappers

1 T taco seasoning

¾ c. canned black beans, drained & rinsed

5 T + 1 tsp. white queso dip

1 c. chunky salsa

4 oz. (about 1 cup) 2% shredded cheddar cheese 

Directions:

1.   Preheat oven to 375, spray 8 cups in a muffin tin.

2.   Spray large skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium heat. Add ground beef and taco seasoning and brown the beef. Add the black beans and continue to cook, warming the beans.

3.   Put a wonton wrapper into each of 8 muffin tins. Using half the queso, divide evenly among the cups. Then using half the meat and bean mixture, divide evenly in the 8 cups. Using ½ c. of the salsa, divide evenly over the meat mixture. Lastly, using 2 oz. of the cheese, divide evenly among the cups. Then repeat layering with remaining ingredients: wonton wrapper, queso, meat mixture, salsa and cheese.

4.   Bake for 18-20 minutes and allow to cool a few minutes before serving.  

Yields 8 servings – WWP+ 4 for one, and 9 points for two.

(Pictured above with a 1 point salad – lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, and 2 T of fat free Caesar dressing)

 

Adapted from Emily Bites

Crock Pot Cheeseburger Soup

Crock-Pot Cheeseburger Soup

This was our delicious dinner tonight on this chilly winter evening...and it was so good! It may not look the fanciest, but it was really tasty! The hubs and I are both big fans of soup and salad for dinner and this one did not disappoint. It did take a few more steps to make than some of my recipes, but it was worth it. Bonus....it's a slow cooker recipe, however, you only put it in the slow cooker for 2 hours. I started my dinner around 2:00 since I knew we would be eating early tonight with other things we had going on. So if you're one that works a 9-5 job, I would save this recipe for the weekend, only because you can't stick it in the crock pot in the morning, and I would imagine that starting dinner at 5 that takes about a half hour to prep and 2 hours to cook would lead to a pretty late dinner. It was definitely worth the effort for us and I'm looking forward to my leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

Ingredients:

1 clove garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 rib celery, chopped

1 pound extra lean ground beef

2 T. all-purpose flour

3 c. chicken broth

1 c. low-fat evaporated milk

8 oz. low fat cheddar cheese, cubed

½ tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

24 baked tortilla chips

 

Directions:

1.   Spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Add garlic, onion and celery. Cook over medium heat 4-6 minutes or until cooked. Remove vegetables from skillet and put in slow-cooker (I always use crock-pot liners, if you don’t, spray the bottom of it first).

2.   In the same skillet, brown the ground beef and drain. Once cooked, add to crock-pot.

3.   In a small bowl, combine the flour with ½ c. of the chicken broth. Stir well until no clumps remain. Then pour into the same skillet you just removed the beef from. Add the remaining 2 ½ c. chicken broth and bring to a simmer (using a wooden spoon make sure you are scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan…good flavor!) Pour liquid into crockpot.

4.   Stir into the crock-pot the cubed cheese, evaporated milk, paprika, salt and pepper.

5.   Cook on low for 2 hours, no longer! Stir occasionally. With each single serving of soup, add 3 baked tortilla chips crumbled up on top.

Yields about 8 (3/4cup) servings – WWP+ 5 per serving.

***original recipe from www.weightwatchers.com

Mini Mexican Biscuit Casseroles

Mini Mexican Biscuit Casseroles

Okay, so I've been wanting to do this recipe since the day we started doing weight watchers again. This recipe is my absolute FAVORITE from my days of eating whatever I felt like without giving it a second thought. I love this, it's a casserole my mom has made for years and there is just something about it that I love. It's kinda taco, kinda chili, topped with cheese and biscuits...wonderful. It's because of this recipe that I used to love to make biscuits when I would make chili, then I would dip the biscuits in the chili. I just love it. I knew if I made it again, I would have to lighten it up though, so I made a few changes, but overall, it gave me the same flavor and the same comforting effect that this dinner has always done for me. Now, I'll admit, my intention was to take the 4 biscuits, and cut them across (kinda butterfly style) so I would end up with 8 round biscuits, just thinner. However, I had a bit of a challenege doing that as my biscuits weren't quite firm enough. You're welcome to try it! That would definitetly make it look a little more like the original recipe. And....I love that it heats up awesome for lunch the next day! In fact, sometimes I think the flavor is even stronger the next day!

Ingredients:

1 lb. extra lean ground beef

¾ c. cooked corn kernels

½ c. drained black beans

1 ½ c. drained kidney beans

4 large homestyle buttermilk refrigerator biscuits

2 T. taco seasoning

2/3 c. water

4 oz. 2% shredded sharp cheddar cheese

 

Directions:

1.   Preheat oven to 375 and spray 8 individual glass baking dishes with cooking spray

2.   Brown ground beef in skillet. Drain off excess fat/liquid. Add taco seasoning and water. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Add cooked corn, black beans and kidney beans. Cook a few minutes on the stovetop (just warming the beans and corn).

3.   Evenly fill 8 baking dishes with the meat and bean mixture. Shred 4 oz. of cheese and evenly sprinkle on top of meat mixture in the 8 dishes.

4.   Using 4 of the biscuits (my can came with 8), cut into small pieces, I did about 12-16 per biscuit. Evenly divide biscuit pieces over the cheese.

5.   Put all baking dishes on a large cookie sheet and bake for 14-16 minutes or until biscuit pieces are golden brown. 

Yields 8 servings – WWP+ 7 per serving.

(Pictured above with a 2 point salad – lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, and 2 T of fat free French dressing)

Recipe from: Yum to the Tum original!

 

Cheeseburger Cupcakes

Cheeseburger Cupcakes

This recipe we had for the first time a week ago. A cousin of mine has also decided to make a change in her life and has been doing AWESOME eating healthy, working out and losing weight!!! I'm super proud of her! We've been good motivators for each other and as a thank you from her, she came over after church last week and cooked lunch for us. These cheeseburger cupcakes were awesome!! They reminded me very much in flavor of the bacon cheeseburger wraps that I absolutely adore so I was totally in love with these! I'm excited to be making them myself this week for my own menu plan! Can't wait to have them again!

Ingredients:

¼ c. onion, finely chopped

½ lb. extra lean ground beef

1 T. McCormick Hamburger seasoning

4 oz. mushrooms, chopped

3 Weight Watchers White Cheddar soft cheese wedges

3 T. ketchup

1 T. mustard

16 wonton wrappers

½ c. tomatoes, chopped

4 oz. (about 1 cup) 2% shredded cheddar cheese 

Directions:

1.   Preheat oven to 375, spray 8 cups in a muffin tin.

2.   Spray large skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium heat. Add onions and sauté a few minutes until cooked. Add ground beef and hamburger seasoning and cook until meat is browned. Add mushrooms and cook a few more minutes until mushrooms are browned as well.

3.   Put meat mixture in a microwave safe bowl, add cheese wedges, ketchup and mustard. Microwave for 1 minute then stir really well until cheese is all melted and well-coated on the ground beef.

4.   Put a wonton wrapper into each of the 8 muffin cups. Using half the meat mixture, divide evenly among the 8 cups. Then using half the tomatoes, sprinkle evenly among the cups, followed with half of the shredded cheese, sprinkled evenly among the cups. Then repeat layering with remaining ingredients: wonton wrapper, meat mixture, tomatoes, shredded cheese.

5.   Bake for 18-20 minutes and allow to cool a few minutes before serving.

 

Yields 8 servings – WWP+ 4 per serving.

 

(Pictured above with a 2 point salad – lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, 2 T of low fat shredded cheese and 2 T of fat free Caesar dressing) 

Adapted from Emily Bites

Lasagna Cupcakes

Lasagna Cupcakes

I have yet to try one of these cupcake recipes that I don't love! They are so easy to make and are SO yummy and make really great leftovers AND are really easy portion control! The lasagna cupcakes last night were no exception. They took a little more work than some just because there were several layers to it, but what good lasagna doesn't have several layers? Come on! We served them with a salad and a little bit of garlic toast and it was a very tasty Valetine's Day dinner at home with my family!

 

Ingredients:

½ lb. extra lean ground beef

1 ½ tsp. Italian seasoning

5 oz. chopped mushrooms

16 wonton wrappers

1/3 c. part-skim ricotta cheese

1 oz. parmesan cheese

1 c. pasta sauce

3 oz. part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese

 

Directions:

1.   Preheat the oven to 375 and spray 8 cups of a muffin tin with cooking spray.

2.   In a skillet, brown the ground beef and Italian seasoning. When cooked, add the chopped mushrooms and cook a few minutes more until mushrooms are browned.

3.   Push one wonton wrapper into the bottom of each of the 8 muffin cups. Using half of the ricotta cheese, evenly divide among the cups. Using half of the meat mixture, evenly divide that among the 8 cups. Use ½ c. of the pasta sauce and layer on top of meat. Sprinkle about half of the mozzarella then half of the parmesan next. Repeat layering steps with remaining ingredients: wonton wrapper, ricotta cheese, meat mixture, pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese (evenly dividing all among the 8 cups).

4.   Bake 18-20 minutes and allow a few minutes to cool and set before serving.

 

Yields 8 servings – WWP+ 4 for one cupcake, 9 points for two.

Pictured with a 1 point salad – lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and 2 T. fat free French dressing. We also served it with garlic toast – 1 point bread sprayed with spray butter and sprinkled with garlic salt.

Recipe adapted from Emily Bites

Bacon Cheeseburger Wraps

Bacon Cheeseburger Wraps

Our dinner tonight was delicious, as usual! The first time I ever made these, I was a little unsure, but when my husband took his first bite, he said, "it takes like a cheeseburger," and I knew that I had accomplished what I set out to do. I think I've made these now 3 or 4 times in the last month and a half. They are so tasty and really very easy to make!!

Ingredients:

1 lb. extra lean ground beef

1 T McCormick Hamburger seasoning

3 wedges Weight Watchers White Cheddar cheese (soft cheeses, found near Laughing Cow Light wedges)

2 T ketchup

2 tsp. yellow mustard

1/3 c. 2% sharp cheddar shredded cheese

2 T real bacon bits

4 Light Original Flatouts (found with pita breads usually by the deli counter)

½ a medium tomato, diced small

1-1 ½ c. shredded lettuce

 

Directions:

1.   Heat a large skillet and add ground beef and hamburger seasoning. Cook until meat is browned, then drain meat.

2.   Put meat in a bowl and add cheese wedges, ketchup, mustard, shredded cheese and bacon bits. Microwave for 1 minute and stir really well until meat is well coated.

3.   Lay out 4 Flatouts on the counter, divide meat mixture evenly among the 4 flatouts, about ½ cup each. Spread mixture lengthwise, leaving about an inch on the end. Evenly spread tomato and lettuce on top of meat mixtures. Fold in the 1” ends of the Flatouts over the filling, then fold in the long ends to cover it.

4.   Lightly mist a large skillet or griddle with cooking spray and turn heat to medium. Place the wraps with seam-side (folded side) down on skillet (I did two at a time, that’s all I could fit on my skillet) and let them cook about 2 ½ - 3 minutes on each side. Cut in half and serve! 

Yields 4 servings – WWP+ 8 per serving.

(Pictured above with a 2 point salad – lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, 2 T of low fat shredded cheese and 2 T of fat free Caesar dressing)

Adapted from a recipe from Emily Bites

Spaghetti & Meatball Cups

Spaghetti & Meatball Cups

These little individual servings of spaghetti & meatballs are so tasty! And...not to mention, they look really cool and fancy! Pasta is yummy, I love it, but it's really hard to portion out and make sure that you're not overeating it, which is why I love this recipe. Now, I'll admit, of the recipes I've made, this one was a little more time consuming than some of the others, but it's totally worth it! It was such a delicious dinner and we had leftovers which we used for lunches for several days because it makes a full dozen of these! I would suggest making these on a night when you aren't in a huge rush!

Ingredients:

1 lb extra lean ground beef

¼ c. seasoned bread crumbs

1 egg

1 T skim milk

8 oz. whole wheat spaghetti (broken up into thirds or fourths)

3 egg whites

1 oz. parmesan cheese

¼ c. 2% shredded mozzarella cheese

1 ½ c. + 3 T marinara sauce (divided) 

Directions:

1.   Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

2.   In a bowl, combine bread crumbs, egg & skim milk and stir until mixed. Add the ground beef and stir very well. Divide meat into 12 equal balls and line on baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes at 350.

3.   Boil water and cook pasta according to directions on the box. Drain noodles and set aside to cool.

4.   When meatballs are done, remove from the oven and put in a saucepan with 1 ½ c. of marinara sauce. Keep warm over low heat, stir occasionally. Turn oven up to 400.

5.   In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites and add the pasta to it. Stir to combine then add the Parmesan, mozzarella and 3 T of marinara sauce. Mix together well.

6.   Spray all 12 cups of a muffin tin with cooking spray. Put about 1/3 c of spaghetti mixture into each cup. Using your fingers, press down in the center and up the sides, forming little cups. Bake for 15 minutes at 400.

7.   When cups are done, cool a few minutes, then remove from tin, top with 1 meatball and 1 T of marinara sauce from the pan.

(when storing leftovers, store spaghetti cups and meatballs separately)

Yields 12 servings – WWP+ 4 per serving for 1, and 8 points for 2

(pictured with a 2 point salad – lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, 2 T low fat cheese & 2 T fat free Caesar dressing and 1 point garlic toast)

Recipe from Emily Bites

Beef & Broccoli

Beef & Broccoli

Beef & Broccoli was our Saturday night dinner. I've had the ingredients for this one for a week or two, but as all the ingredients were freezer friendly or just in the pantry, non perishable, it has been getting pushed back on the menu. I was a little unsure about making this one, wasn't sure if I would like it or not, but thought I'd give it a try and man was good! It tasted so much like Chinese carry-outs! The hubs and I love to get Chinese, but can be so unhealthy and often leaves us not feeling very well afterwards, but this really hit the spot! We served it with brown rice, which was not included in the original points value, but it really tasted good together. I always like to put sea salt on my brown rice, and that was the only thing I would have changed, even with the low-sodium soy sauce, with that extra sea salt I added, it was plenty salty. No need for the extra salt and definitely use the low-sodium!

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. uncooked & trimmed boneless top round roast of beef, sliced thin and cut into bit sized pieces (I bought mine already thinly sliced, so I just had to cut it into pieces)

1 c. fat free beef broth

½ c. low sodium soy sauce

1/3 c. brown sugar

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 T. cornstarch

2-2 ½ c. frozen broccoli florets, unthawed

 

Directions:

1.   Combine the broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil and garlic in your slow cooker. (I always use a crockpot liner to save on clean up time). Stir well to combine then add your beef piece. Stir well enough that beef is well coated and covered by liquid.

2.   Put slow cooker on low and put the lid on. Cook for 4-5 hours, my beef was done after 4, but if yours needs a little extra time, then you have it.

3.   Remove ¼ c. of the liquid and mix with the cornstarch. Once well stirred, return to the slow cooker. Add in the frozen broccoli, stir and recover. Cook for another 30 minutes.  

Yields 4 (1 cup) servings – WWP+ 8 per serving. 

I served mine on a bed of brown rice. The serving shown here is actually ¼ c. of brown rice which is 1 point and ½ c. of beef & broccoli, which was 4 points. I wasn’t real hungry at dinner that night. My husband had ¾ c. brown rice which was 4 points and 1 c. beef & broccoli which was 8, so his dinner was 12 points. ½ c. of brown rice would be 3 points.

(Pictured above with a 1 point salad – lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, and 2 T of fat free French dressing)

Recipe adapted from Emily Bites