Sausage Egg and Cheese Biscuit Cups

Every Thursday, someone from my unit at work brings in a breakfast snack for the rest of the unit. We usually bring in donuts or McDonald's or something else delicious, greasy, and fattening. I have been trying to come up with a way to bring in something that everyone can enjoy without wasting my whole calorie allowance. Using a recipe from Emily Bites, I altered it to my preference and came up with these delicious little breakfast cups!

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

3 tbsp fat free milk

1/4 cup Kraft 2% Shredded Reduced Fat Mild Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Crumbles

Salt and pepper to taste

2 containers (5 each) Pillsbury Grands Jr Golden Homestyle Buttermilk Biscuit

Directions:

1.    Preheat the oven to 375° F. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray
2.    In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, milk, salt and pepper and whisk together until thoroughly blended. Add in sausage and cheese and stir.
4.    Using a rolling pin, roll each biscuit into a larger flat circle and place into a cup in the prepared muffin tin. Using your fingers, press the dough into the bottom of each cup and up the sides. Divide the egg mixture evenly between each cup. Bake 15-20 minutes until biscuits are golden brown and eggs are set.

Serves 10

Calories: 138

Carbs: 15g  

Fat: 6g

Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin

I am absolutely obsessed with Pinterest and all of the amazing new recipes that I find there. Recently, I came across this recipe for Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin. As I'm actively counting calories, I figured that although the recipe sounded delicious, I'd try my hand at lightening it up. The results were fantastic and it tasted absolutely amazing. This is definitely something I'll be making again in the future!

Ingredients:

1 medium spaghetti squash (about 5 cups cooked)

2 tablespoons Blue Bonnet Light margarine

1/2 small yellow onion, diced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 cup Daisy light sour cream

3/4 cup Kraft shredded 2% mild cheddar cheese

2 teaspoons Kraft reduced-fat Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. 

2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Place in a covered dish with a ¼ inch of water and microwave for 10 -12 minutes.  

3. In a medium sized skillet over medium heat, add the butter, onions, red pepper, thyme, and minced garlic and cook until the onions are slightly brown in color. Salt and pepper to taste. 
4. Using a fork, scrape the insides of the squash and transfer to a small bowl.  Combine the squash, onions, sour cream and 1/2 cup cheese together and mix well.  

5. Transfer the mixture to a buttered baking dish and top with remaining cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

6. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Serves 6

Calories: 139

Carbs: 13g  

Fat: 7g

 

 

Chicken Stuffing Bake

I made this yummy new recipe for the first time last night. I got it from Taste of Home and made some adjustments to lower the calories and make it a little more diet-friendly. Randy even cleared his plate after having several servings! This is definitely something that we'll be having more often!

Ingredients:

1 can Campbell's 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 cup fat free milk

1 6 oz package stuffing mix

2 cups cubed chicken breast, cooked

2 cups fresh broccoli florets, cooked

2 celery ribs, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.

2. In a large bowl, combine soup and milk until blended. Add the stuffing mix, chicken, broccoli, celery and 1 cup cheese. Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. 

3. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 20 minutes or until heated through. Remove and sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Serves 8

Calories: 218

Carbs: 14g

Fat: 9g
PointsPlus: 6 

 

Deep Dish Pizza Casserole

I originally got this recipe from Emily Bites. I made some changes to the recipe to fit my tastes, and it turned out delicious!

Ingredients:
10 oz 96% lean ground beef

6 oz Bob Evans Italian Sausage (tube)
15 oz can tomato sauce
Oregano to taste
Onion Powder to taste
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes to taste
Cooking Spray
10 oz can refrigerated pizza crust dough
2 cups Kraft 2% shredded mozzarella

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425° F.
2. Cook meat (seasoned with oregano, onion powder & crushed red pepper flakes to taste) in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring until it crumbles. Add tomato sauce and cook until heated.
3. While meat cooks, coat a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Unroll pizza crust dough and press into bottom and halfway up the sides of baking dish. Sprinkle half the cheese over the bottom of the crust. Top with meat mixture.
4. Bake uncovered in the oven at 425° for 12 minutes. Remove and top with remaining cheese. Put casserole back in the oven for 5 additional minutes or until crust is browned and cheese is melted. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6

Calories: 392

Carbs: 27g

Fat: 20g
PointsPlus: 11

Apple Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup apples - peeled, cored, diced

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well. 

3. In a large bowl, combine apple juice, oil, and egg. Blend well. 

4. Add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients, all at once. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened (batter will be lumpy.) 

5. Stir in chopped apples.
6. Line muffin pan with baking cups. Fill cups 2/3 full. 

7. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 1 minute before removing from pan. 

Serves 12
Calories: 165
Carbs: 25g
Fat: 7g
Points Plus: 5 

Corn Dog Casserole

If you love corn dogs, chances are you'll love this recipe. There are variations of this recipe all over, but I've lightened them up a little to make it more "affordable" calorie-wise.

Ingredients:

1 cup celery, thinly sliced
3/4 cup green onions, sliced
1 tbsp light margarine
8 Oscar Mayer 98 % Fat Free Turkey Franks
1/4 cup Egg Beaters
3/4 cup fat free milk
1 tsp ground sage
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 (8.5 ounce) package Jiffy dry corn bread mix
1 cup shredded 2% Cheddar cheese, divide into 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. In a medium skillet, sauté celery and green onions in butter for 5 minutes. Place sauté
3. Slice hot dogs lengthwise into quarters and then cut into thirds. In same skillet, sauté hot dogs for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add to celery/onion mixture and mix all together. Set aside 1/2 cup of mixture.
4. In a large bowl, combine the Egg Beaters, milk, sage and pepper. Add all but reserved 1 cup hot dog mixture. Stir in corn bread mix and 3/4 cup shredded cheese. Mix all together and spread mixture into a 8x8 baking dish. Top with reserved 1/2 cup hot dog mixture and remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheese.
5. Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. mixture in a large bowl and set aside.

Serves 4
Calories: 433
Carbs: 52g
Fat: 15g
PointsPlus: 12