Recipe:  Very Vanilla Fluffcakes
Source:  Hungry Girl

Servings:  9
Serving size:  One cupcake

Ingredients:


For Frosting
1 1/4 cups Cool Whip Free, thawed
1 1/2 Tbsp. Jell-O Sugar Free Fat Free Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix

For Cupcakes
Half of an 18.25-oz. box (about 1 1/2 cups) moist-style yellow cake mix
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 cup Sprite Zero (or another diet lemon-lime soda), room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup liquid egg whites or (about 4) raw egg whites

For Topping
3 tbsp. rainbow sprinkles

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. To make the frosting, combine Cool Whip with pudding mix in a bowl, and mix until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until cupcakes are ready to be frosted.
3. In a large bowl, combine cake mix with baking powder and stir until free of lumps. Add soda and vanilla extract, and stir or whisk until batter is smooth. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites with a handheld electric mixer set to medium speed until fluffy, about 1 - 2 minutes. Gently mix egg whites into the cake batter until thoroughly combined.
5. Line 9 cups of a 12-cup muffin pan with baking cups and/or spray with nonstick spray. Evenly distribute batter among the 9 cups. Cups will be VERY full -- this is okay!
6. Bake for 15 - 17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out fairly clean. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
7. Once cupcakes have cooled, top each evenly with the frosting and 1 tsp. sprinkles.

Our Thoughts:

So, every year for Scott's birthday, he asks for yellow cake.  I think this is sort of lame, but whatever.  I make him a yellow cake.  This year, he actually asked for brownies (No Pudge! in the pink box--try them, they're awesome!), but I thought I'd continue our tradition and make him some "better for us" yellow-style cupcakes.  What a horrible idea! These were horrendous.  Scott (and our friend, Drew) said they were "okay", but I'm pretty sure they were just saying that to be nice.  I ate one bite and had to fight to swallow it and not spit it out.  However, I feel I should be slightly fair and point out that the horrible part of this recipe is the actual cake.  The frosting, on a better cake, would have been quite good, I think.  But the cake. OH the cake!  Oh yeah, and as Scott just reminded me, if you STILL want to make these after reading this review, keep this fun fact in mind:  these are a bake and eat (immediately) item.  The next day, we awoke to find that the cupcakes had slightly collapsed and the Sprite Zero had started to ooze out and pool in the sunken cake top.  Appetizing? No.  Will we ever make again?  Absolutely not.

Rating:  0.5 out of 5 stars (only for the frosting!)

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories:  164

Fat:  3g

Protein:  2.5g
Carbohydrates:  30g

Fiber:  0g
Cholesterol: unsure

Iron:  unsure
Sodium:  293mg
Calcium:  unsure

Recipe:  Herb-Roasted Beef & Potatoes
Source:  Cooking Light, Dec. 2009

Servings:  4
Serving size:  3 oz beef and 3/4 cup potatoes

Ingredients:
2 tsp. dried thyme (divided)
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried parsley
2 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil (divided)
1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt (divided)
3/4 tsp. black pepper (divided)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (8 oz) beef shoulder roasts, trimmed
cooking spray
1 (20 oz) package refrigerated potato wedges

Preparation:

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Combine 1 tsp thyme, rosemary, parsley, 1 Tbsp oil, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and garlic.  Rub evenly over both sides of beef.  Place beef on rack of a broiler pan coated w/cooking spray; place rack in pan.
3. Combine potatoes, remaining oil, salt and pepper; toss.  Arrange potatoes on rack around beef.  Broil 7 minutes. Turn beef over.  Broil 7 more minutes or until beef is desired degree of doneness.  Place beef on cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.  Stir potatoes and sprinkle with remaining thyme.  Cut beef into thin slices.

Our Thoughts:

This beef was quite good.  Scott and I don't usually cook big roast-style cuts of meat, but we really enjoyed this one.  That being said, we made some minor adjustments.  The first is, we thought we had thyme, but didn't, so we used oregano instead.  I'm not sure I'd be able to tell the difference anyway.  The biggest change is that our Kroger doesn't carry the wedge-style refrigerated potatoes, so we bought the hashbrown style, which I thought was going to be really gross if we cooked the way the recipe said to, so instead we used the oil we were supposed to "toss" the potatoes in and used it to skillet-fry the hashbrowns nice and crisp (the way I like them and Scott is sweet enough to make for me!).  Also, we thought the roast needed to be cooked longer than the recipe indicates, so Scott cooked as recipe said, then sliced, then put the slices under the broiler for 45 seconds per side.  For me, it was a perfect "doneness".  We both said we'd like to make this meal again, and since we have another identical cut of meat in the freezer, I imagine we will in the next couple of weeks.  Scott's final thought:  "More hashbrowns, please!"

Rating:  4 out of 5 stars!


Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories:  318

Fat:  14.6g

Protein:  26.1g
Carbohydrates:    18.7g

Fiber:  3.9g

Cholesterol:  66mg 
Iron:  3.2mg
Sodium:  788mg
Calcium:  16mg

Recipe:  Parmesan Chicken Tenders
Source:  Interwebs

Servings:  4
Serving size:  1/4 of total number of tenders (6 give or take the size of yours!)

Ingredients:
1 spray cooking spray
1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs
1/4 cup reduced fat parmesan topping (the pre-grated kind)
1 tsp. garlic powder
3 medium egg whites
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast tenderloins

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine bread crumbs, cheese and garlic powder in a small, shallow bowl.  Whip egg whites until foamy and place in another shallow bowl.  Dip chicken first into egg whites and then into the breadcrumb mixture to coat thoroughly. 
3. Place chicken tenders in prepared baking dish and bake until crispy, about 25 minutes.  Serve chicken with sauce of your choice!

Our Thoughts:
Man alive, does Scott love these chicken tenders.  They have a really good flavor on their own, though we usually do a medley of low-fat dipping options (blue cheese, ranch, bbq, honey mustard).  I think Scott could just eat a ton of these as a meal on it's own, but I prefer when they're accompanied by a veggie or two.  They're pretty quick and easy, though, and a great alternative to the pre-packaged, not at all good for you, breaded chicken tenders (not to mention the fried kind you get at a restaurant!).

Rating:  4 out of 5 stars.

**Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories:  283
Fat:  6.8g
Protein:  42.2g
Carbohydrates:  10.7g
Fiber:  0.7g
Cholesterol:  102mg
Iron:  unsure
Sodium:  320mg
Calcium:  unsure

**This nutritional information was calculated with full-fat parmesan cheese.  Using reduced fat will make it more nutritious!

Recipe:  Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon
Source:  Cooking Light, Jan/Feb 2010

Servings:  4
Serving Size:  1 cup

Ingredients:
1 (9 oz) package refrigerated fresh fettuccine
2 slices applewood smoked bacon, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.  Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.
2. While pasta cooks, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat about 4 minutes, or until bacon is crisp, stirring occasionally.  Remove bacon from pan; reserve drippings.  Add garlic to bacon drippings in pan; saute 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Sprinkle flour over garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Gradually add milk, stirring constantly; cook 2 minutes until bubbly and slightly thick, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to low.  Gradually add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.  Stir in salt and reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid.  Add hot pasta to pan; toss well to combine.  Sprinkle with bacon, parsley and pepper.

Our Thoughts:
So, I love fettuccine alfredo.  It's easily one of my favorite meals.  I eat the Lean Cuisines and Smart Ones that are alfredo and they're okay, but I've always believed it is really hard to make a good fettuccine alfredo without it being horrible for you.  I no longer believe that's true.  This stuff is pretty awesome.  My two small complaints would be 1) the serving size--I can totally eat 2 servings of this no problem, but I probably don't need to! and 2) It's not super creamy--no extra sauce to sop up with the bread I'm not eating, anyway!  Scott, well he REALLY loves this dish.  I think he likes the alfredo, but I also think it's the bacon that sealed the deal.  As soon as we finished eating it, he turned to me and said he wanted to move it into the regular rotation.  That's pretty high praise!  So overall, this dish is a big Yes! in our household!

Rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars!

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories:  339
Fat:  11.7g
Protein:  17.3g
Carbohydrates:  38.4g
Fiber:  2g
Cholesterol:  22mg
Iron:  0.5mg
Sodium:  833mg
Calcium:  291mg

Recipe:  Pumpkin Spice Muffins
Source:  The Interwebs

Servings:  18
Serving Size:  One muffin

Ingredients:
1 box spice cake mix
1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin
1/2 cup water

Preparation:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the three ingredients until all of the dry mix is moistened and integrated with the pumpkin and water.  It should be a smooth consistency, but slightly thicker than a regular cake mix.
2. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners and then fill with the batter, about 3/4 full.  (These do not rise much when you bake them.)
3. Bake according to the directions for cupcakes on the spice cake mix box.

Our Thoughts:
I really, really love these muffins.  They are denser and more moist than regular muffins, but that's a texture I really like.  The taste is amazing.  It's the perfect cross between a gingerbread/spice cake/pumpkin bread taste, which is really great in the fall and winter, but I imagine is awesome anytime.  I eat them warm or room temperature, plain.  Scott also likes these.  I think his level of like is slightly less than mine.  He probably prefers a cakier consistency (which I saw on a message board you can achieve by adding 1/2 cup egg beaters to the recipe).  He likes to eat them warm with a bit of butter (we use Brummel and Brown) spread on them.  Other message board options:  adding chocolate chips or cinnamon chips!

Rating:  3.5 out of 5 stars! (Really, I only lowered it this much because I didn't want Scott to disagree with my rating--I'd probably put it at a 4!)

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories:  121
Fat:  2.4g
Protein:  1.6g
Carbohydrates:  24.6g
Fiber:  0.7g
Cholesterol:  0mg
Iron:  unsure
Sodium:  188mg
Calcium:  unsure

Recipe:  Creamy Chicken Spaghetti
Source:  Scott's sister, Catie (adapted)

Servings:  8
Serving size:  1/8 of the casserole

Ingredients:
1 box Ronzoni Smart Taste spaghetti
2 (10 3/4 oz) cans Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 oz milk
2 cups Weight Watchers shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (12 1/2 oz) can chicken breast
1 spray cooking spray

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions.  In a large mixing bowl, combine cream of mushroom soup, milk, one cup of cheese, and chicken breast. Stir together until evenly mixed.  After draining spaghetti, add to the soup mixture and mix well. 
3. Transfer the spaghetti to a pre-sprayed casserole dish (we use a 9x13 dish).  Spread evenly.  Top with remaining cup of cheese.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese on top is completely melted.

Our Thoughts:
Scott and I LOVE this dish.  Seriously.  It's definitely a comfort dinner.  The soup, cheese, chicken and spaghetti mesh perfectly together.  We thank Catie all the time for passing this recipe on to us.  We make this meal probably three times a month, and it's great both the night you make it and as leftovers.  We really can't get enough. 

Rating:  5 out of 5 stars!  We really do love it that much!

**Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories:  341
Fat:  9.3g
Protein:  27.1g
Carbohydrates:  35.5g
Fiber:  0g
Cholesterol:  93mg
Iron:  unsure
Sodium:  337mg
Calcium:  unsure

**This is the nutritional information for regular spaghetti.  If you use whole wheat pasta or Ronzoni Smart Taste, this meal becomes significantly more nutritious!

Recipe:  Chipotle Bean Burritos
Source:  Cooking Light, Jan/Feb 2010 (with some substitutions on my part!)

Servings:  6
Serving Size:  1 burrito

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/3 cup water
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained
3 Tbsp. taco sauce
6 10" reduced-fat flour tortillas
1 cup shredded reduced-fat mexican blend cheese
1 1/2 cups tomato, diced
1 1/2 cups lettuce, shredded
6 Tbsp. light sour cream

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic to the pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.  Stir in chili powder, cayenne pepper and salt; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Stir in water and beans; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in taco sauce.  Partially mash bean mixture with a fork.
2. Warm tortillas according to package directions.  Spoon 1/3 cup bean mixture into center of each tortilla.  Top each serving with 2 1/2 Tbsp. cheese, 1/4 cup tomato, 1/4 cup lettuce, and 1 Tbsp sour cream.  Roll and enjoy!

Our Thoughts:
Man!  This was really good.  We added a little more taco sauce (me) and salsa (Scott) to the burrito before rolling them up, but the bean mixture tastes really good!  It's simple to make (takes about 10-15 minutes from start to finish) and it's very filling.  We each had two burritos and I did not need to have a snack before bed as I usually do.  I'd really suggest trying this recipe if you like beans (which we do) and want an easy and yummy meal all-in-one meal!

Rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars!

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories:  361
Fat:  10.3g
Protein:  16.8g
Carbohydrates:  52.2g
Fiber:  11.4g
Cholesterol:  19mg
Iron:  3.3mg
Sodium:  735mg
Calcium:  395mg