White Chip and Cranberry Orange Dream Cookies

I love these cookies!

1 C. butter, room temperature
1/2 C. white sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 egg
2 to 3t. orange zest
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 1/4 C. flour
2 C. White chips
1 C. craisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add egg and zest. Add salt, baking soda and flour and mix until well combined. Stir in chips and craisins. Roll cookies into 1 inch balls and cook for 10 minutes. Drizzle with melted white chocolate if you like.

Chewy, Soft, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a favorite recipe from college. My roommates and I made these cookies just about every week! The recipe makes a lot of cookies. I usually cut it in half.

1 lb. softened butter
2 C. brown sugar
2 C. white sugar
4 eggs
1 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
2 t. baking soda
2 t. vanilla
4 1/2 C. oats (I usually use rolled)
4 C. flour
24 oz. chocolate chips. I like to use butterscotch chips!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cream butter, sugars and eggs. Add salt, baking powder, baking soda and vanilla. Whip until smooth. Add oats and flour. Stir well. Add chocolate and mix. Roll dough into 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 6 to 8 minutes.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

I found a recipe for Cheddar Cauliflower Soup in one of my cook books and I lightened it up a bit by using milk instead of cream. I also used less butter and cheddar and added cream cheese to give it a rich flavor. It turned out great and it's only about 3 WW points for 1 cup!

1 T. butter
1 lg. onion, finely chopped
2 cans low sodium and 99% fat free chicken broth
1 head of cauliflower, separated into small florets
1 potato, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1 1/3 C. skim milk
3 T. low fat cream cheese, cubed(I use Weight Watchers)
1/3 - 1/2 C. grated cheddar cheese (I don't use low fat because it doesn't melt well)
Chopped chives, for garnish

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until translucent. Add chicken broth, cauliflower, potato, salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower and potato are very tender, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. In batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth, or you can just use and immersion blender. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the cream cheese. When the cream cheese is melted, add the milk. Heat over medium-low heat until hot (do not boil), then gradually stir in the cheese until melted and smooth. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped chives.

Quinoa Salad

I just kind of made this one up. I eat it plain, but it's good with tortilla chips as well. If by chance you are on the weight watchers program, it's about 3 points for 1 cup.

1/2 C. dry quinoa
1/2 C. low sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 C. black beans (1 can)
1 1/2 C. canned corn (1 can)
1 can chopped tomatoes
1/2 avocado coarsly chopped
1/2 green pepper chopped
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 t. coarse salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
3 T. chopped cilantro

Bring quinoa and broth to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook quinoa for about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients and toss. Chill in refrigerator for about 1 hour.

Baked Gnocchi with Sausage and Cheese

This is a family favorite!

1 lb. gnocchi, cooked al dente, drained
2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1 t. fennel seed
5 T. butter
5 T. flour
2 C. chicken broth
1 C. half and half
½ t. kosher salt
About ½ lb fresh spinach leaves (use a 9 oz. bag of spinach)
½ lb. Munster or Gouda cheese shredded

Place the cooked gnocchi in a baking dish (9 x 13” works well). In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the garlic and sausage. Saute until no longer pink; add fennel seed and cook another minute. Remove to a bowl; in same skillet, add butter and melt over medium heat. Stir in the flour; whisking until combined. Stir in the broth, half and half and salt. Cook another 2-3 minutes until thickened slightly. Stir in the spinach leaves and cook just until wilted. Add the cooked sausage to the sauce. Pour over the gnocchi, sprinkle on the cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes in a preheated 375 oven. Serve at once. Serves 6-8.

Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds with Black Bean Cream

This is supposed to be a side dish, but I think it's a great little snack. My little girl loves eat this for lunch!

2 lg. sweet potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/4 C. olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 C. fat free sour cream
1 t. ground cumin
1 T. chopped cilantro

Heat oven to 425 F. Line 2 baking sheets with foil; lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. Place potato slices in single layer; brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 20 minutes, flipping potatoes over after 10. The potatoes should be slightly crisp. In a bowl, mash beans with a fork leaving some beans whole and others mashed. Mix in cumin, sour cream and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Evenly divide bean cream on potato slices; garnish with cilantro. If you don't care for cilantro, the original recipe actually called for scallions instead of cilantro. I'm not a fan of raw onion, so I went with cilantro.

Zupa Toscana

This is one of my favorites!

1 lb. Spicy Italian Sausage, crumbled
1/2 lb. smoked bacon, chopped
1 qt. water
2 cans chicken broth (about 3 2/3 C.)
2 lg. russet potatoes, scrubbed, cubed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 med. onion, chopped
2 C. chopped kale or Swiss chard
1 C. heavy whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces; set aside. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown bacon, drain and set aside. Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until tender. Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes. Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through.