Creole Macaroni (8 Points, 10 Points Plus)

serving size: 1 3/4 cups
Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients

1 pound ground round
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 1 cup sliced mushrooms
* 1 cup cooked medium elbow macaroni
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, undrained
* 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium tomato soup, undiluted
* Cooking spray
* 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook ground beef, onion, and mushrooms in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, and stir to crumble. Drain.

Combine beef mixture, macaroni, and next 6 ingredients (macaroni through soup) in a 2-quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese; sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over top. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 388 (30% from fat)

Fat: 12.9g (sat 5.3g,mono 4.6g,poly 0.8g)

Protein: 35.2g

Carbohydrate: 33.4g

Fiber: 3g

Cholesterol: 83mg

Iron: 4.2mg

Sodium: 800mg

Calcium: 230mg

Cooking Light, MAY 2000

Diner Meat Loaf "Muffins" (6 points, 7 Points Plus)

Yields: 6 Servings
(serving size: 2 "muffins")

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 garlic cloves minced
1 cup ketchup divided
1 1/2 pounds ground beef extra lean (raw)
1 cup finely crushed fat-free saltine crackers (about 20)
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs

Cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, chopped carrot, dried oregano, and minced garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Cool.

Combine onion mixture, 1/2 cup ketchup, and the remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl.

Spoon the meat mixture into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Top each with 2 teaspoons ketchup. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Cooking Light, MARCH 2006

Oriental Pepper Steak (4 Points)

Yields: 6 Servings

Ingredients

1 teaspoon Canola Oil
1 pound Flank Steak trimmed & cut into strips
1 Onion sliced
1 Green pepper sliced
1/2 Yellow bell pepper sliced
1/2 Orange bell pepper sliced
2 tablespoons Reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Cornstarch
1 3/4 cups Beef broth

Instructions
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat unitl a drop of water sizzles. Add the oil, swirl to coat the pan, then add the steak. Stir-fry until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Add the onion and bell peppers to the skillet. Reduce the heat and cook, covered, until the vegetables are softened, about 6 minutes. Uncover and stir-fry until the vegeatbles are browned, about 4 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together the soy sauce and cornstarch in a medium bowl until smooth; whisk in the broth. return the steak to the skillet, along with the soy sauce mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce boils and thickens, about 3 minutes.

from WW Stir It Up Cookbook

Manwich Tater Tot Casserole (6.5 points)

Yields: 8 Servings

Ingredients

56 Tater Tots
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 green pepper chopped
1 -1/2 c. frozen corn
2 can (16 oz) Manwich
1 -1/2 c. RF shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9"x13" baking dish with Pam.

Brown ground beef and onion; drain.

Stir in Manwich and heat through. Add corn.

Arrange Tater Tots in a single layer in bottom of baking dish.

Top with Manwich mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake 30-40 minutes.

CHEESEBURGER AND FRIES CASSEROLE (5 Points)

8 Servings

Ingredients

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 medium onion chopped
1 c. reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
5 oz. FF cream of mushroom soup
5 oz. Cheddar cheese soup
12 oz. frozen French fried potatoes

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cook ground beef and onion in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally, cooking until beef is no longer pink and onion is translucent.
Drain off excess grease, and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Return to the heat and stir in the soups until well blended.
Heat through and remove from stove.
Transfer mixture to a 9"x9" baking dish.
Cover the ground beef with a layer of French fries.
Bake 45-50 minutes.
When the fries are golden brown, remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle cheese over the top.
Return to oven and bake just until cheese is melted.

Baked Rigatoni with Beef (6.5 points, 8 Points Plus)

Ingredients

4 cups Tomato Sauce
1 pound ground round
4 cups cooked rigatoni (about 2 1/2 cups uncooked pasta)
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
Cooking spray
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned; stir to crumble. Drain well. Combine beef, rigatoni, Tomato Sauce, and 1 cup mozzarella in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with 1/2 cup mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Serving Size = 1 cup

(Cooking Light)

Nutritional Information

Calories: 305 (28% from fat)

Fat: 9.6g (sat 4.3g,mono 3.5g,poly 0.7g)

Protein: 24g

Carbohydrate: 30.5g

Fiber: 2.3g

Cholesterol: 50mg

Iron: 3.5mg

Sodium: 438mg

Calcium: 232mg

Beef Empanadas (5 points, 6 Points Plus)

This recipe is a 4 part recipe. It is a good idea to start the Beef Carnitas first. (You can reduce a step by using pre-made pie dough. But I'm not sure what the points would be.)

Beef Carnitas

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves crushed
2 pounds beef stew meat trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup less-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon Splenda
1 teaspoon Jane's Crazy Mixed Up Salt
1 teaspoon Mexican Seasonings
1 teaspoon Orange Peel
Instructions
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add beef; sauté 5 minutes or until beef is browned on all sides. Stir in broth and all the seasonings. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Continue simmering, uncovered, 8 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently.

Dough

Ingredients
9 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chilled butter cut into small pieces

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°.
To prepare dough, combine 9 tablespoons water and vinegar. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a food processor; pulse 2 times to combine. Add butter; process until mixture resembles coarse meal. With processor on, slowly pour water mixture through food chute; process just until dough begins to form a ball (dough will be crumbly).

Divide dough into 2 equal portions. Working with one dough portion at a time, press dough into a 4-inch circle on heavy-duty plastic wrap. Cover with additional plastic wrap. Place dough in freezer 5 minutes or until plastic wrap can be easily removed.

Slightly overlap 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a slightly damp surface. Unwrap 1 dough portion; place on plastic wrap. Cover dough with 2 additional sheets of overlapping plastic wrap. Roll dough, still covered, into an 11-inch circle. Repeat procedure with remaining dough. Place both portions in freezer for 5 minutes or until plastic wrap can be easily removed.

Filling

Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 cups Onion chopped
1 cup Bell pepper sliced
1 cup Tomato chopped
1/4 teaspoon Crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon Salt
3 cups Beef Carnitas

Instructions
To prepare filling, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 5 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Stir in tomato, red pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in Beef Carnitas; cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.

Putting it All Together
Remove plastic wrap from 1 dough portion; place dough, plastic wrap side up, on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Remove top sheets of plastic wrap. Spoon filling onto dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Remove top sheets of plastic wrap from remaining dough. Place dough, plastic wrap side up, over filling. Remove top sheets of plastic wrap. Pinch edges together to seal. Cut several slits in top of dough to allow steam to escape. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until crust is crisp and beginning to brown. Cut into 8 wedges.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 251 (27% from fat)

Fat: 7.4g (sat 3g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.4g)

Protein: 15.1g

Carbohydrate: 30.4g

Fiber: 1.9g

Cholesterol: 43mg

Iron: 3mg

Sodium: 470mg

Calcium: 57mg

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2006

Baked Beef Ziti (5 Points, 7 Points Plus)

(8 servings) Ingredients 12 ounces uncooked ziti 1 teaspoon Olive oil 2 cloves Garlic 1/3 pound Ground beef lean 1 teaspoon Dried oregano 1 teaspoon Dried thyme 1 teaspoon Rosemary 1/2 teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon Pepper 28 ounce Tomatoes crushed 1 cup Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.

* Cook pasta according to package directions without added fat or salt; drain and set aside.

* Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 3 to 5 minutes; drain off any fat and return pan to heat.

* Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; stir to coat beef. Cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

* Spoon a small amount of tomato mixture into the bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover the surface). Top with half of the cooked ziti and then layer with half of the remaining tomato sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese. Layer remaining ziti on top and top with remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeid=68091

Slow Cooker Beef Enchiladas (7 Points)

(Serves 6)

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef, extra lean
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies undrained
1 small Tomato soup
1 pkg enchilada sauce (dry mix) (taco sauce mix works well too)
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 Ounces shredded low fat cheese
6 flour tortillas (2 points each)

Instructions

In a skillet, cook beef, onion and green pepper until beef is browned. Drain. In a bowl, add all other ingredients except for the tortillas and stir. In a crockpot, layer about 3/4 beef mixture, then a tortilla. Repeat layers with all 6 tortillas. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hrs or until heated through. (you can also cut up tortillas and stir into mixture)