Tex Mex lasagna

Tex Mex lasagna
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
Makes 4 Servings

3/4 cup bottled salsa
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
1 (8-ounce) can no salt-added tomato sauce
Cooking spray
6 precooked lasagna noodles
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chicken, drained
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 450. Combine first 4 ingredients; spread 2/3 cup sauce in bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 2 noodles over sauce; top with 1/2 cup corn, half of beans and half of chicken. Sprinkle with a bit of the cheese; top with 2/3 cup sauce. Repeat layers once; top with remaining 2 noodles. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and bake for 30 minutes or until noodles are tender and sauce is bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes. Sprinkle with onions.

Nutritional Information: 439 calories, 61 carbs, 8 fat grams and 32 protein grams.

Review: Super easy, really good! This one took no time at all to put together, especially since you can use canned chicken. We did have to add some hot sauce afterwards, so if you're a fan of spicy i'd say to add it in the beginning! Other than that, easy, good and filling - love Tex Mex!

Bacon Ranch Wrap

It's not the prettiest thing I've ever made, but it was awesome!

Bacon Ranch Wrap
Makes 4 Serving
Recipe adapted from Hungry Girl

4 tbsp light ranch dressing
4 tsp taco sauce
1 bag Boca crumbles
4 tbsp salsa
4 slices butterball turkey bacon
4 large La Banderita tortillas
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat shredded fat-free cheddar cheese, divided
1 avocado
1/4 cup shredded lettuce

To make the sauce, combine ranch dressing with taco sauce in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside. Heat boca crumbles and salsa over medium heat in a large skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray for about 9 minutes, stirring frequently. In the meantime, cook bacon in the microwave per package instructions. Lay tortillas on a flat, dry surface and spread with sauce. Top with cheese, bacon, avocado, lettuce, and boca crumbles. Roll up and serve.

Nutritional Information: 438 calories, 49 carbs, 15 fat grams and 33 protein grams.

Review: YUM –loved the ranch/taco seasoning sauce, as well as the crunchy lettuce with avocado and bacon. Could have easily done without the cheese – couldn’t taste it! But the boca went well. If anything, you could do less boca to make sure the wrap stays together easier! Super easy, ready in under 15 minutes, and very filling. If you’re looking to take down the calories, reduce/remove the cheese or take down the boca a bit – I wouldn’t mess with the sauce – it was the best part!

Breakfast Casserole with Biscuit Crust

Breakfast Casserole with Biscuit Crust
Found on Food.com
Makes 8 Servings

1 can biscuit dough
1 pound reduced fat sausage
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
6 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Spray a medium-sized pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add to medium heat, and cook sausage for 7 – 8 minutes until no longer pink. In the meantime, spray a rectangular baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Press biscuits into bottom of dish, sealing areas to make a crust. Mix eggs, milk, salt and pepper together. Sprinkle now-cooked sausage on top, then cheese. Pour egg mixture over the meat and cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until firmly set in center.

Nutritional Information: 344 calories, 26 carbs, 19 fat grams and 16 protein grams.

Review: Fab - easy, peasy, 8 filling servings, not a lot of work - YES, a keeper. And bonus, it looks pretty and puffy and reheated well. Done and done and quickly to the top of our always-in-rotation dishes!

Loaded Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Loaded Scalloped Potatoes
Recipe adapted from Skinnytaste.com
Makes 4 Servings

22 oz. peeled, raw sweet potato, sliced
3 tsp olive oil
2 tsp paprika
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp cumin
Sea salt to taste
4 slices turkey bacon
1 tsp minced garlic, jarred
6 oz. raw sirloin, diced into tiny pieces
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
4 tbsp green onion
1 tbsp diced pickled jalapeno, jarred
2 tsp jalapeno juice (from jar)
4 tbsp reduced fat ranch, divided

Preheat oven to 400. Line two baking sheets with foil for easy clean-up. Lightly coat with cooking spray. Add all potatoes, olive oil, and spices (down to sea salt) to a gallon size bag. Toss to coat. Place potatoes in a single layer on baking sheets. Bake uncovered for 12 minutes; flip each potato over, then bake for another 12 minutes or until tender crisp. While potatoes bake, heat a large pan over medium heat. Spray with nonstick spray and add bacon. Cook about 2 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate and add garlic to pan. Stir for 30 seconds, then add steak and cook for 3 – 5 minutes until no longer pink. Add to plate with bacon. Dice now-cooled-off bacon into bite-size pieces. Remove potatoes from oven; place them into two piles in one large ovensafe dish. Top each of the two piles with 1 oz. cheddar cheese, ½ tbsp. jalapenos, 2 tbsp green onions, 2 strips diced bacon and 3 oz. steak. Spoon jalapeno juice carefully over the top of each pile and return to oven for 2 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Serve each serving with 1 tbsp ranch.

Nutritional Information: 339 calories, 39 carbs, 12 fat grams and 18 protein grams.

Review: Tasted great! Loved the idea and it had a lot of flavor from the potatoes, jalapenos and spices. I will say that because I used the food processor to slice, it made it to where you almost had to eat it with a fork (even though the original intention was "fries" that would be eaten with your hands). Oh well - we made it work and loved the loaded scalloped potatoes (even if the original name was texas cheese fries. hehe).

Taco Bites

Taco Bites
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from Emily Bites

16 oz. chicken
1 packet taco seasoning
24 wonton wrappers
12 tbsp salsa, divided
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
1 can Black beans, drained and rinsed
6 tbsp guacamole, divided (we used wholly guacamole)
Cilantro, to garnish

Preheat oven to 375. Heat a pan over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray, and add chicken, taco seasoning and 1-2 tbsp water. Cook until no longer pink, then shred with two forks. In the meantime, spray a 12-whole muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Push a wonton wrapper into each muffin tin. Spread no more than a tsp of salsa in each, then top with 1/12 of the chicken and beans. Top with a bit more salsa and a bit of cheese, then cover with another wonton and top with remaining salsa and cheese. Bake for 18 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes, then each with 1/2 tbsp guacamole and a few cilantro leaves.

Nutritional Information per serving (3): 435 calories, 49 carbs, 7 fat grams and 41 protein grams.

Review: Great little guys! Loved the crunchiness and the idea that I get 3! I will say that the chicken/bean mixture fills up those cups, so definitely consider  using half of the beans, which would take down the calories, too! I thought it was plenty of cheese, loved the layers of the bits of salsa and the guacamole topper (we used Wholly Guacamole) was perfect! I'll definitely make these again, too easy not too, and am still loving those wonton wrappers!

Caramelized Onion & Pork Flautas

Caramelized Onion &Pork Flautas
Recipe adapted from For the Love of Cooking
Makes 4 Servings

1 tbsp olive oil (divided)
1 sweet yellow onion, sliced
1 pound pork
Chili powder, Paprika, Coriander, Garlic Powder, Cumin & Oregano to tatse
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
8 small tortillas
4 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese, grated
1 avocado, divided
Optional: side of salsa

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 6-7 minutes until caramelized and tender. Remove from the pan and set aside. Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet over medium HIGH heat. Once the pan is HOT add the sliced pork then season, to taste, with all of the spices. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown but not yet cooked through (it will finish cooking in the oven). Remove from the stove. Wrap flour tortillas in wet paper towels and microwave for 1 minute or until soft. Place a bit of cheese in the center of the tortilla first then add caramelized onion on top of the cheese, then pork; roll. Place, seam side down, on a baking sheet that’s been coated with cooking spray. Finish rolling, then spray each with cooking spray. Place into the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes then turn over and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Serve with a side of avocado and salsa.

Nutritional Information: 449 calories, 37 carbs, 17 fat grams and 38 protein grams.

Review: Yum! Loved the soft yet crispiness, and the little bit of cheese went a long way! I also liked the avocado side, and the sprinkle of cilantro - it added a little something extra. The pork was definitely the star, and the small flour tortillas were great. You can easily take down the fat grams and calories by removing the avocado slices – we just really like them so we added them! I recommend this - easy and quick!

Stuffed Green Peppers

Stuffed Green Peppers 
Recipe adapted from Blog Chef
Makes 6 Servings

½ tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp. minced garlic
1/3 cup onion (chopped)
1 pound 96/4 ground beef
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup uncooked long-grain rice
½ cup water
6 green bell peppers
salt ( to taste)
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup
4 oz. shredded 75% fat-free cabot cheddar cheese, divided

In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic. Heat until fragrant, then add ground beef and onions. Cook for 5 minutes or until beef is browned. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in tomatoes, rice, ½ cup of water and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to boil. Cut the tops off the peppers. Remove the seeds, discard the tops, and place the bottoms into the boiling water; boil for 5 minutes. (you may need to do in batches) Drain and sprinkle salt inside each pepper. Once done, remove meat mixture from heat. Stir in half of the cheese. Preheat oven to 350. Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture, and place peppers open side up in a baking dish. In a medium bowl combine tomato soup with just enough water to make the soup a gravy consistency. Pour the soup over the peppers. Cover with foil (spray inside with nonstick cooking spray) and place in the oven for 25 minutes. Uncover, top with remaining cheese and bake for 5 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 323 calories, 36 carbs, 8 fat grams and 26 protein grams.

Review: Awesome! Loved the tomato soup topper and they reheated wonderfully - even brought them to work in a tub! I will say they take a while, between boiling the pepper to making the mixture to scooping it in, etc. - it can be a bit much. But I think it's worth it and fun for a weekend meal when you have a bit more time. We made it during the week and it took a bit too long for me! Regardless, great, yummy recipe and we'll absolutely have them again.

Butternut Squash Black Bean Burritos

Butternut Squash Black Bean Burritos
Recipe Inspired by One Heatlhy Apple and Dinners for a Year and Beyond
Makes 4 Servings

1/2 pound ground turkey
1 tsp olive oil
salt, pepper and paprika to taste
1 4 oz. can green chiles
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup cooked butternut squash
1/2 can black beans
1 batch homemade enchilada sauce (add 1 can tomato paste; ¾ cup water; 1 ½ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp chili powder to  a small sauce pan over medium heat; whisk together for 1 minute; Add in 1 14 oz. can vegetable stock and ½ tsp kosher salt; Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes)
4 large tortillas
Cilantro to garnish (optional)

Brown turkey in a skillet with olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika, and set to the side. Mix cooked turkey with chiles, shredded cheese, butternut squash and black beans in a bowl. Pour a layer of enchilada sauce at the bottom of your baking dish. Stuff each tortilla with 1/4 of the stuffing and roll up; repeat until finished. Pour remaining enchilada sauce on top and sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Nutritional Information: 397 calories, 56 carbs, 9 fat grams and 25 protein grams.

Review: I find these amazing. Not going to lie – the sauce absolutely makes them. Typically I’m not a big fan of ground turkey, so to be able to ‘mask’ it in this soft tortilla and yummy sauce is wonderful! The beans went really well with the squah, and like always, the squash made this super filling. It reheated very well, and is a winner with us. Definitely make this your own – try other squash or veggies, try chicken or beef – it’s easy to mix this one up and make it your favorite. Just make the sauce and you’ll be fine!

Egg and Cheese Breakfast Tacos with Homemade Salsa

Egg and Cheese Breakfast Tacos with Homemade Salsa
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light Recipe

½ cup tomato, diced
2 tbsp diced red onion, diced
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely diced
½ jalapeno pepper, ribbed and deseeded, finely diced
1/8 tsp kosher salt
3 tsp lime juice, divided
1 tsp minced garlic, divided
1 can fat-free refried beans
¼ tsp cumin
1 tbsp fat-free milk
6 large eggs, beaten lightly
¼ cup green onions, diced
8 small flour tortillas
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
8 tsp fat-free sour cream, divided

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Stir in 1 tsp lime juice and ½ tsp garlic. Combine beans, remaining 2 tsp juice, remaining ½ tsp garlic and cumin in another bowl. Combine milk and eggs in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add green onions to pan; sauté 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in egg mixture; cook 3 minutes until scrambled, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Warm tortillas in microwave. Spread 2 tbsp bean mixture on each tortilla. Spoon 2 tbsp egg mixture down center, and top with ½ tbsp tomato mixture, ½ tbsp cheese and 1 tsp sour cream.

Nutritional Information per serving (2 tacos): 386 calories, 46 carbs, 10 fat grams and 25 protein grams.

Review: At first I was like really? Make my own salsa? But it added so much to these beans and eggs! I was also nervous about refried beans but they went so well with the green-onion eggs and everything had a lot of flavor. I wouldn't change a thing - it was a wonderful, filling breakfast that tasted excellent! I will say that it had about 10 minutes of prep work, and I think it would be best served on the weekends so that all servings are eaten when made - we had to box up half of the bean mixture, the egg mixture and the salsa for next time, which was kind of cumbersome. Although it did reheat well, it was just kind of a pain. All in all, i'd make these again and i'd make them for a crowd if you had visitors on the weekend! Great, meatless meal!

Breakfast Wonton cups

Breakfast Wonton cups
Makes 4 Servings (12 cups)
Recipe adapted from Cooking with Mel

12 Wonton Wraps
2 oz. (56 grams) Cabot 75% reduced fat cheese, shredded (divided)
5 eggs
½ tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp hot sauce
½ tbsp onion powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ cup fat-free milk
½ red bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
½ tbsp minced garlic
8 slices turkey bacon
1 oz. Sargento Reduced Fat Mexican Cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400. Spray nonstick spray into muffin tins. Add one wonton wrap to each muffin cup and add all of the cabot cheese at the bottom (14 grams of cheese for each 3 cups/serving). Bake for 5 minutes. Combine eggs, garlic powder, hot sauce, onion powder, salt and pepper and milk. Whisk together. Dice pepper into small pieces and add to egg mixture along with parsley. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic. Stir for 30 seconds, then add bacon. Heat 2 minutes on each side until crisp. Remove from pan and dice. Remove pan from oven. Sprinkle 2 pieces of now-diced bacon each over each 3 cups/serving. Pour egg mixture evenly across each cup, and top with final ounce cheese across each cup. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes (or until the eggs are set).

Nutritional Information (for 3 cups): 262 calories, 14 carbs, 12 fat grams and 21 protein grams.

Review: Seriously?! I LOVED these little bits of fabulous. I loved that you could have 3, I loved the flavor. I hearted the crispy on the outside fluffy egg in the inside. I worried the spice would be too overpowering but it was JUST right. To make this easier, just dice up some ham and use pre-shredded cheese and/or pre-cut veggies. I think I am about to try a TON of variations of these – SO exciting!

Cheeseburger and Fries Casserole

Cheeseburger and Fries Casserole
Recipe adapted from Lauren’s Kitchen
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound 96/4 ground beef
¼ tsp salt and pepper
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
8 tbsp fat-free sour cream
8 oz. frozen French fries
2 oz. 75% Cabot reduced fat cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Bake french fries on baking sheet for 10 minutes while preparing beef. In a skillet over medium heat, brown beef in half of Worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally until beef is no longer pink. Drain excess grease, and add seasonings and remaining sauce. Return to heat, and stir in the cheese soup and sour cream until blended. Heat through, 3 minutes, and remove from stove. Transfer to an 8x8 inch baking dish. Cover the ground beef mixture with a layer of partially cooked French fries. Bake for 10  minutes. Remove casserole from oven and sprinkle cheese on top. Return to the oven and bake until cheese has melted, 5 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 403 calories, 26 carbs, 17 fat grams and 31 protein grams.

Review: It really tasted like a cheeseburger! I loved the recipe, the Worcestershire sauce went a long way and the dish was super cheesy and creamy. I worried about how it would reheat, but while the fries did lose their crispiness, it wasn't mushy like I'd feared! The serving size filled me up, and it's definitely a fun, childlike dish. I wouldn't make it for guests (it's just too silly of a dish!), but would definitely make it again for us and think it would be a great meal for kiddos.

One serving!

BBQ Chicken Pizza Cups

BBQ Chicken Pizza Cups
Makes 4 Servings or 12 appetizers
Recipe Inspired by For the Love of Cooking

Cooking spray
1 tube of refrigerator biscuits
2 oz. 75% reduced fat Cabot cheese, grated
2 oz. reduced fat mozzarella cheese, grated
6 oz. cooked chicken
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
¼ cup red onion, finely diced
¼ cup parsley, finely diced

Preheat the oven to 375. Coat a 12-hole muffin tin with cooking spray. Cut each biscuit in half then press dough into the bottom and sides of each muffin tin. Repeat with remaining dough. Shred chicken. Add 2 tbsp BBQ sauce to chicken and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Add 2 more tbsp of BBQ sauce and microwave for 15 seconds. Stir. Spoon 2 tbsp BBQ chicken onto each biscuit. Microwave remaining 4 tbsp BBQ sauce for 20 seconds. While it cooks, mix together cheeses, and top each BBQ chicken biscuit with 10 grams cheese and 1 tsp red onion. Spoon a dollop of BB sauce on top of each. Bake for 10 minutes; remove from onion, sprinkle on parsley, then bake for remaining 5 minutes or until the crust is brown. Let sit for 5 minutes to cool down, then use spoon around edges to ensure each biscuit stays in tact.

Nutritional Information (for 3): 448 calories, 49 carbs, 16 fat grams and 25 protein grams. For 1 (appetizer): 149 calories, 16 carbs, 5 fat grams and 8 protein grams.

Review: LOVED THESE LITTLE GUYS! I had 3 for a meal and was filled up and happy - the flavor was great, the fresh parsley gave it a nice twist and I really liked that BBQ chicken flavor, especially with the blend of cheeses. Awesome little bites - think they would make a great appetizer and tested them - they reheat well. I'm loving the biscuit cup idea I got from Pam, and hope to try more mix ins to the biscuit bites! Try these if you're a fan of BBQ pizza.

Hot Chicken Salad Pasta

Hot Chicken Salad Pasta
Adapted from a Fabulessly Frugal recipe
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup fat-free mayonnaise
½ cup celery, finely diced
1 can fat-free cream of chicken soup
½ tsp minced onion, dried
28 grams Cabot 75% cheddar cheese, grated (1/4 cup)
1 oz. potato chips, crumbled
8 oz. pasta, cooked

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all the ingredients except cheese, potato chips and chicken. Add chicken and stir well. Place mixture in baking dish and add cheese then chips to the top of mixture. Bake for 20 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 446 calories, 57 carbs, 8 fat grams and 37 protein grams.

Review: So I had originally made this recipe but without pasta - instead it was in a wrap. I liked it, but wanted to try it with pasta - it just sounded good! So I tweaked the recipe a bit and here goes! It was super creamy, and I liked the little bites of celery - gave it some flavor but make SURE to dice the celery very finely so it adds flavor without too much crunch/vegetable awkwardness. I think what I liked best about this one was that it was really creamy. I think if you wanted to avoid potato chips, you could easily put panko bread crumbs on top, or even crushed reduced fat ritz crackers! I like it and will make it again!

whole dish

Quinoa Crusted Quiche

Quinoa Crusted Quiche
Inspired by a Lynn's Kitchen Adventures recipe
Makes 6 Servings


1.5 cups quinoa cooked in chicken stock
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 pound (5 links) Italian Turkey Sausage, cooked
3 oz. 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
1 tbsp Frank’s cayenne pepper sauce
3 eggs
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1 tsp minced garlic

Cook quinoa in chicken broth per package instructions. Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Remove sausage from casings and cook until no longer pink, 7-8 minutes. Once quinoa is cooked, press quinoa into the bottom of a rectangular pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Drizzle with melted butter. Combine sausage, cheeses, and hot pepper sauce and spread over quinoa. Beat eggs, milk, garlic powder,
onion powder and garlic. Pour over sausage over mixture. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information: 405 calories, 32 carbs, 18 fat grams and 28 protein grams.

Review: I loved it. Austin said, "it's good, but it's weird to eat quinoa for breakfast." hehe I personally like a grain at breakfast time, it kind of reminded me of the breakfast risotto. Anyway, I thought the spicy sausage added a lot of flavor, and as usual the Cabot cheese melted well and tasted great without adding too many calories and fat grams. I couldn't really taste the egg, but it did help keep it all together and made the quinoa a bit more crispy than usual. All in all, i'd make it again, but maybe next time in a rectangular dish so it would be easier to eat then the deep oval dish!

One serving!

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli & Rice Bake

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli & Rice Bake
Found on Meet the Dubien’s
Makes 4 Servings

1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 can water
3 oz. shredded cheddar cheese, plus additional for topping if desired
1 cup uncooked regular white long-grain rice
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped small
16 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, raw/defrosted
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup Italian Panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together soup and water in a large bowl until there are no lumps. Add shredded cheese, broccoli and rice and mix well. Stir in salt and pepper. Place raw chicken in a square baking dish and add soup/rice mixture. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top. Cover with foil. Bake for 55 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

Nutritional Information: 435 calories, 48 carbs, 6 fat grams and 39 protein grams.

Review: Cheesy is right! The cheese soup with shredded cheese made a great sauce that went well with the rice and broccoli. I loved that this one pot meal cooked the chicken and the rice in the baking dish - awesome! The bread crumbs also added a nice crunchy kick. This was easy to put together, and great for pre-cooking as I could make other meals on the stovetop while this one baked! We'll be having this again for sure - it reheated well, too!

Whole pan of yumminess

Slowcooker Buffalo Chicken Mac

Slowcooker Buffalo Chicken Mac
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound chicken, raw
2 tsp minced garlic, jarred
4 tbsp Frank’s Red Hot Wings Sauce
4 tbsp Fat-Free Ranch Dressing (Hidden Valley)
2 tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese
1 cup fat-free milk
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheese
1 tbsp Frank's Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1 tsp hot sauce
8 oz. pasta (small shape)

Add chicken to slowcooker sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Mix garlic, Frank’s hot wing sauce, ranch dressing, milk, and parmesan cheese; pour over chicken. Cook on high for three hours. Remove chicken, shred it, and add back to slowcooker. Stir in cheese, frank's cayenne pepper sauce, hot sauce and noodles; stir until noodles are coated in sauce. Cook on high for 25 minutes until noodles soften. Top with diced green onions or blue cheese crumbles as desired.

Nutritional Information: 428 calories, 54 carbs, 5 fat grams and 42 protein grams.

Review: Great recipe! Loved that it didn't have any 'cream of' anything - nice sauce based on the milk. I will say that I used penne, and I'd prefer it with a smaller shape like macaroni. Next time! I think my favorite part was that the recipe was one pot - everything cooked in the slowcooker so it was easy peasy - tough to mess up. And the calories/fat grams were great for a filling serving.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

Honey Lime Enchiladas
Makes 5 Servings
Recipe adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café (found on Stephanie Cooks)

1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
½ cup onions, diced
1 pound raw chicken tenders, not diced
6 tbsp honey
5 tbsp lime juice (juice from1 large lime)
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
10 small flour tortillas (La Banderita)
4 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil, garlic, and onions. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Remove chicken from skillet and shred it. Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour. Pour 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Add 2 oz. cheese to chicken mixture. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with cream. Pour sauce on enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Nutritional Information: 442 calories, 59 carbs, 7 fat grams and 35 protein grams.

Review: Loved. Austin loved more, he's a big lime guy, but I loved a lot, too. They have a distinct flavor with the honey mixed with lime, and I loved how cheesy and saucy they came out. I like the idea of a different enchilada, and to save time can easily see making this a casserole. I liked that it had flour instead of corn tortillas - mixed it up a bit! I also thought the serving was filling. Normally I do 4 or 6 servings, but 5 came out right to stay somewhat true to the original recipe, but not too over- or under-caloric for me! These will be made again, and I think they would freeze/reheat very well!

Italian Egg Bake

Italian Egg Bake
Makes 6 Servings
Inspired by a Pillsbury recipe

1 pound reduced fat sausage
4 cups frozen hash-brown potatoes, thawed
4 oz. (1 cup) Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
6 tbsp diced sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
6 large eggs
¾ cup fat-free milk
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
¼ cup Progressso Panko Italian bread crumbs
4 tsp (10 grams) shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
¼ fresh basil, diced
Red pepper flakes, garlic powder, Italian Seasoning to taste

Heat oven to 450. Spray rectangular baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In large nonstick skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat until browned, stirring occasionally. In medium bowl, combine potatoes and 2.5 oz. cheese. In baking dish, layer potato mixture, sausage, tomatoes and half of the basil. In medium bowl, beat eggs. Add milk, salt and pepper; beat well. Add optional seasonings to taste (red pepper flakes, garlic powder, Italian seasoning). Pour evenly over potato mixture. Top with bread crumbs. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining 1.5 oz. Cabot cheese and Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for an additional 3 minutes until cheese melts.

Nutritional Information: 353 calories, 24 carbs, 17 fat grams and 24 protein grams.

Review: Winner! Tasted great and was very filling - didn't take long either which is always nice. I'd pre-cooked the sausage, so it was already in a box cooked and ready, and the cheese was already grated too - this helped! I loved the addition of the fresh basil, it definitely made the recipe along with the sundried tomatoes. I also liked the add of the Italian bread crumbs - the crunchy topping was nice with the softer, fluffy egg/potato layer. I will absolutely make this again, and of course it's great that it makes 6 servings AND reheats well. And I've added it to my new favorite breakfast - move over brunch pizza squares- there's a new casserole in town! (forgive my cheesy lameness) :)

Egg and Bean Breakfast Tostados

Egg and Bean Breakfast Tostados
Recipe adapted from a nacho recipe at My Bizzy Kitchen
Makes 2 Servings

4 small corn tortillas
2 eggs and ¼ cup egg beaters (1 egg and 2 tbsp egg beaters for each)
1 tbsp fat-free milk, divided
½ oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar, grated
1 can black beans, drained
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp hot sauce
Cilantro, diced (for garnish) or dry
2-4 tbsp salsa, divided

Preheat oven to 350. Lay corn tortillas on cookie sheet and spray them with Pam. Sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 9 minutes. Cook bean/garlic/hot sauce mixture in pot for about 10 minutes. Mash beans with potato masher. Set aside. Whisk half of egg mixture with milk and a bit of salt; microwave in bowl (about the size of tortillas). Repeat with second serving of eggs. When tortillas are done, divide bean mixture. Spread half of bean mixture carefully onto one tortilla, then top with second tortilla, then round, now-cooked egg. Add cheese. Repeat for second serving. Broil until cheese melts, about 4 minutes (watch it or it will burn!). Then top each with cilantro and salsa if desired, or serve on the side.

Nutritional Information: 383 calories, 57 carbs, 9 fat grams and 26 protein grams.

Review: This meatless breakfast is insanely filling – must be all of those beans! I loved the garlic and hot sauce in the beans – great kick, but not too spicy. The tostado was crunchy, but the beans helped soften it. To make the tostado less crunch, I’d suggest lightly spreading salsa on one side of each tortilla. I would consider this one a weekend recipe – I worry it would lose its crunch on the reheat. This is a great recipe, ready under 20 minutes, and a great, filling start to the day! We will make this again. And it's easy to double if needed!

A look at the inside! I cut mine in half and dipped each bite in salsa!

Creamy Taco Mac

One serving

Creamy Taco Mac
Adapted from Annie’s Eats
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound 96/4 ground beef
8 oz. dry pasta
½ cup onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic, jarred
1 (14 oz.) can plain or mexican/zesty diced tomatoes, drained
1 pack taco seasoning
3 oz. fat-free cream cheese, softened
½ cup fat-free sour cream
Salt and pepper
1 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
Fresh cilantro (optional)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water. Set aside. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook onions over medium-high heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add beef and cook until beef is no longer pink. Once meat is cooked, mix in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.Mix in tomatoes and taco seasoning and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 4 minutes to reduce the sauce. Turn off heat. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and cilantro. Cover and let it sit off the heat until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 457 calories, 58 carbs, 7 fat grams and 34 protein grams.

Review: Creamy is right - the sour cream/cream cheese mixture made the red sauce a lighter color -  it was so creamy! I loved it with the pasta shells - it was really like Mexican Mac and Cheese! Big fan. I will say I only had Italian diced tomatoes on hand (boo) so I drained them, but next time would like to use zesty jalapeno diced tomatoes - or just plain. This is a great recipe and makes HUGE servings - I couldn't even eat the whole thing! We'll definitely put this one in the rotation!

Whole pan!