Hashbrown Casserole

This is my all time favorite, go-to breakfast casserole recipe. I've never met anyone who didn't love it, and I usually get asked for the recipe. Whenever we have company, I always make this for breakfast and its also a Christmas morning favorite around our house. This is sure to be a crowd pleaser no matter what occasion you choose!



Hashbrown Casserole

• 1 bag frozen, shredded hash browns
• 1 stick light butter/margarine, melted
• 16oz fat free sour cream
• 1 can 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup
• 2C reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.
Mix all ingredients together and pour into a sprayed 9x13 baking dish.
Bake for 45 mins - 1 hour until top is golden brown.

Friday Finds: Litehouse Salad Dressing

I am in LOVE with this salad dressing! The Lite Salsa Ranch flavor is my favorite, but their Lite Ranch is quite tasty as well. This goes perfectly on taco salads (recipe coming next week!) and it's a fantastic dip for nachos. In addition to great stats (60 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 2 carbs per 2T) its also gluten free. Bonus! Also just a tip, you'll find this in the refrigerated produce section, near the salad mixes.

Read more here!

Balsamic Zuchinni and Grape Tomatoes

With fresh veggie season right around the corner, I decided to pull out this old favorite! Its so easy that you don't even need measurements, you just throw it all in the pan and it does the rest. This is a fantastic side dish and even a satisfying meal if you're trying to keep it super light! If I have my way with my garden this year, grape tomatoes and zucchini will abound and this will surely be a summer staple. Enjoy!

Balsamic Zuchinni & Grape Tomatoes

• zuchinni, chopped
• grape tomatoes, halved
• 1-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• cooking spray
• balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray.

Saute garlic for a few minutes to soften, then add vegetables.

Cook until tender and during the last few minutes of cooking, put a few dashes of balsamic vinegar in the skillet and toss to coat vegetables.

Creamy Cheesecake

Alright, if you're a dieter look away. Look far, far away. One slice of this cheesecake is over 20 WW points. I told you to look away. This is your last chance!

However, if wish to gorge yourself on the best cheesecake EVER, weclome and continue reading! I was hesistant to try cheesecake again after my flop last year on Valentine's Day when I left out the sugar. Yes, that really happened. No, I don't want to talk about it. I didn't get it completely right again this go around, but I figure that's just incentive to try once more. Third time being the charm and all, and hey, it gives me an excuse to make another cheesecake!

The cheesecake part was divine, heavenly...perfect. The crust was a little soggy because I didn't wrap the springform pan as well as I should have when I put it in the water bath. My springform pans are practically brand new so I didn't think leaking would be an issue. Wrong. It was still very, very edible though! Not to mention gorgeous.

I'm accepting volunteers who would like to come over and finish this off for me so it will quit staring at me. Anyone?


Creamy Cheesecake

From: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/09/creamy-cheesecake/

 

 2 8-oz. packages cream cheese (NOT low-fat or fat-free), softened
3 eggs
1 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
3 c. sour cream (NOT low-fat or fat free)

CRUST:
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/3 c. white sugar
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Combine crust ingredients and very gently pat into the bottom of a 9″ springform pan. Set aside.

Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth then add the eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Add in the sugar, salt, vanilla, and almond extract and beat on high for 3 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides and making sure the mixture is completely smooth. Add the sour cream and mix well. Pour batter into pan and wrap the pan with aluminum foil or a turkey roasting bag. Place the wrapped pan into a larger baking or roasting pan and fill the larger pan with water so it comes up about 3/4 of the side of the springform pan.

Bake for 35 minutes or until filling is custard-like. The center shouldn’t be completely set–it should kind of jiggle like firm Jello, but it shouldn’t be liquidy, either. Just don’t overbake. Turn off the heat and crack the oven and allow to stand for another 20 minutes or so. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours. DON’T remove springform sides until cake has set for 8 hours. Makes 10-12 (or more!) servings.

Asian Glazed Chicken

This recipe takes a little patience, but the end result is worth it! The sauce takes quite a while to thicken up, but I promise it happens eventually. So save this one for a weekend, but make sure you save it, its delicious! Of course, being me, I had to change at least one thing about this recipe. It calls for chicken drumsticks, but I never have those on hand because we prefer boobies, so thats what I used. I'm sure its fine with either. So the next time you think about Chinese take out, try this instead, you won't be sorry!

Asian Glazed Drumsticks

recipe via Gina's Skinny Recipes
8 medium chicken drumsticks, skin removed
Pam spray oil
1 cup water
1 Tbsp Sriracha hot sauce (more or less to taste)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tsp agave nectar (or sugar)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp ginger, grated
2 Tbsp chives or scallions, chopped
1 tsp sesame seeds

In a heavy large saucepan, brown chicken on high for 3-4 minutes with a little spray oil. Add water, balsamic, soy sauce, agave, garlic, ginger, hot sauce and cook on high until liquid comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes. Remove cover and bring heat to high, allowing sauce to reduce down, about 8-10 minutes, until it becomes a thick glaze, turning chicken occasionally. (Keep an eye on glaze, you don't want it to burn when it start becoming thick) Transfer chicken to a platter and pour glaze on top. Top with chives and sesame seeds and serve.

Friday Finds: Falafel Chips

These are awesome! If you like falafel (me!) then you'll love these. Dipped in hummus? Heaven. Totally satisfies the falafel craving without consuming anything deep fried!

Check them out here!

Spicy Roasted Edamame

Edamame is one of my all time favorite snacks, and its so incredibly nutritious. I normally eat edamame right out of the little pods, sprinkled with a bit of sea salt. Don't you love it when one of those beans goes flying across the room at fifty miles per hour and smacks your toddler in the head? Good times.

Upon my recent mission of roasting every vegetable known to man, edamame was next on the list. If is is possible for it to taste even better, it does! It takes on a nutty flavor and a bit of a crunchy texture, which goes perfectly with the spicy coating. This one's a winner!


Spicy Roasted Edamame

1 1/4 cups frozen shelled edamame, thawed

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.

Pat edamame dry with paper towels.

Place in a bowl and give the edamame a few squirts of cooking spray and toss to coat.

Add in spices and mix well.

Spray a baking sheet and arrange edamame in a single layer.

Roast for 20-30 mins, flipping a few times during cooking.