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Easy Pot Roast
There is something so comforting about a pot roast. I like to make them all year round, but they’re especially delicious in the cooler months. I usually make one on the stove top on a Sunday after church, but it’s just as easy to let it cook in the crock-pot for an easy weeknight dinner. I prefer to have my pot roast served on top of a mound of creamy, garlic mashed potatoes while my son prefers it shredded, topped with bbq sauce and served in a hamburger bun. Either way, it’s delicious!
- 3 lb chuck roast
- 1 tablespoon Private Selection Italian Seasoning or Private Selection Herbes de Provence
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- I medium white or yellow onion, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 Private Selection Bay Leaves
- 2 cups Simple Truth Organic Fat Free Beef Broth
- 1/2 cup dry red wine (preferably a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Pinot Noir such as Estancia Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine or Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Noir Red Wine
- Salt and Pepper
In a large pot or a Dutch oven, heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil on a high heat. While it’s warming up, season each side of the roast with the dried herbs and salt and pepper. Once the oil is ready, add the roast and let it sear on each side for 3-4 minutes until browned.
Remove the roast from the pot and set aside. Lower the heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until the onion is translucent. (It’s ok of the onions brown a bit.) Add the wine and cook until it cooks down by 1/2. (If using a crock pot, you would add the onions to it at this point, then continue with the next steps below.)
Add the roast back to the pot along with the beef broth and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil then simmer covered for 2-3 hours until tender or in the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4.)
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Pumpkin Spice French Toast
As if you need more pumpkin spice recipe if your life!! haha! Now that the weather is FINALLY feeling like fall here in Houston, I am all about the pumpkin spice and fall flavors! I’ve been making my French toast for a while now using sugar free or fat free coffee creamer as part of the custard to dip the bread in before cooking it. Being that I am in the fall mood, I thought I would try it with some International Delight Pumpkin Spice Creamer and it turned out so good! Not only is this version of French toast delicious, it’s low calorie and comes in at 5 WW points!
What You’ll Need:
- 2 slices Sara Lee Delightful Healthy Multi-Grain Bread, 45 Calories per Slice
- 2 tablespoons International Delight Pumpkin Spice Creamer
- 1 whole egg
- Chosen Foods Avocado Oil Spray
- Maple Grove Farms Syrup Maple Sugar Free
- Great Value Extra Creamy Dairy Whipped Topping (optional)
- Bring a small skillet up to a medium high heat and spray with Chosen Foods Avocado Oil Spray .
- Whisk together the egg and the International Delight Pumpkin Spice Creamer in a shallow dish.
- Dip the bread one slice at a time until coated on each side and add to the skillet. Cook for a few minutes per side until brown.
- Once both pieces are cooked, top with Maple Grove Farms Syrup Maple Sugar Free and Great Value Extra Creamy Dairy Whipped Topping.
Enjoy!!!
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Holy Guacamole!
I absolutely LOVE avocados!! I would eat them on any and everything if I could. Problem is that I try and buy then right before they’re ready and then once I go to eat one, it’s too late! While on the hunt for some good single serve salads recently, I found what seems to be the perfect solution to my avocado problem….smashed avocados pre-portioned in its own little container! They come 4-6 to a package depending on the brand and are surprisingly really good! I was worried it would have that pre-packaged taste, but it doesn’t at all! You can even choose a chunkier version if you like your avocado to be not so pureed. I love to eat mine over whole grain toast with some Everything But the Bagel seasoning. Being that it’s packaged also lets to you know the nutrition facts on each container which is amazing, as well! Here are the 2 brands I’ve recently tried:
Simple Truth Mashed Avocado Single Serve On-the-Go Packs– What I love about these are that they are only 100 calories per serving! They come 4 to a pack and each one is 2 oz each. It’s definitely a smoother consistency than I prefer, but still really good!
Wholly Guacamole Minis Chunky Avocado– This one is probably my favorite! For some reason, the calories in this one are slightly higher, but I don’t mind it! I much prefer the chunkier texture!
Let me know what y’all think!
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Mascarpone Cheesecake with Almond Crust
Recipe Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis
Anyone that knows me, knows how much I love Giada de Laurentiis. This is one of the first recipes I made of hers and have continued to make it for years!! No matter what event I have taken this to it is always a crowd pleaser and get asked to bring it again and again! The combination of the cream cheese and the marscapone cheese give it such a light and creamy flavor and the Nutella cream sauce just takes it over the top!
Mascarpone Cheesecake with Almond Crust
Ingredients
Crust:
1 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted
2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
2 (8-ounce) containers mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
Topping:
1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
1/4 cup whipping cream
- For the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Tightly wrap the outside of a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind the almonds, cracker crumbs, and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter and process until moist crumbs form. Press the almond mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan (not on the sides of the pan). Bake the crust until it is set and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Cool. Decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
- For the filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and sugar in a large bowl until smooth, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
- Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the center of the cheesecake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 5 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold). Transfer the cake to a rack; cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
- For the topping: Combine the chocolate-hazelnut spread and cream in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave until warm, stirring every 20 seconds to blend, about 1 minute.
- Cut the cake into wedges. Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the wedges and serve.
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All About Hair!
There are so many great hair products on the market these days! From shampoos, hair masks to tools, the options are endless! But, as important as it is to have your hair look good on the outside, it’s just at important that you nourish it from the inside out! One tip I would have would be to not use a ton of hair products every day. I have very thick, heavy hair and for me it just weighs it down even more. Plus, the less products I use, I have found I can go even longer between washes- so that’s a plus!!! Here are a few of my favorites that I use daily!
L’Oreal Paris Elvive Total Repair 5 Repairing Hair Care Collection– While I am sure my hairdresser would prefer I use shampoo and conditioner from the salon, these are my go-tos! I’ve used several L’Oreal hair products over the years and this line is my favorite. I color my hair and put heat on my hair all the time and I feel this really keeps it healthy from all I put it through. Best part, it’s at your local drug store or grocery store and very affordable!
SheaMoisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Leave In Treatment– I LOVE this product AND my hairdresser approves so it’s a win/win! It’s all natural ingredients and smells fantastic! It also works as a protectant so I use it while my hair is wet right before I style it to protect it from the heat. It keeps my hair super soft for days and never feels weighed down.
CHI 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection Spray – While the SheaMoisture leave in treatment serves as a protectant, I still will lightly spray my dry hair with this thermal protectant before using any other heat products. You don’t have to use a lot, but it’s certainly a step you don’t want to miss! A less expensive option is Garnier Fructis Style Sleek & Shine Flat Iron Perfector Flexible Hold Straightening Mist. It can protect your hair up to 450* of heat and is about half the price!
Garnier Fructis Style Flexible Control Hairspray– Garnier has some really great products out there! I’ve been using this hair spray for YEARS and have been extremely happy with it. I started buying it for my daughter for when she needed hair spray for a dance competition and I liked it so much I started buying it for myself. I don’t like to use a ton and this gives just enough to finish your look!
Revlon Salon One-Step Hair Diio
Revlon Salon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer- I am sure you have heard about this tool by now and it’s worth the hype! I love how easy this is to use and it smooths out my hair. I would definitely recommend that your hair by 75% dry before using it. For me, I have very thick hair and it can take some time to dry and this method works best for me.
Chi Original Ceramic Flat Iron- Most everyone either has a Chi or has used one. I’ve used other flat irons in the past and I always go back to this one. It heats up quickly and is has an automatic shut off. I’ve even learned how to curl my hair with it to give it a beachy wave! Another great flat iron is from L’ange. I purchased a flat iron last year for my daughter from and she really likes it!
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Chicken Tortilla Soup
I LOVE my crockpot! I received one when I got married but it took me a few years to really take advantage of how awesome having one can be. The possibilities are endless it’s such a nice smell to come home to after a long day. One of my favorite ways to use my crockpot is by making soups. I started making this soup a few years ago and love making it year round. I’ll often add it to our Taco Tuesday menu to change things up a bit! If you don’t have a crockpot, this can definitely be made on the stove top.
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 2 cans Kroger® 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup Can
- 1 can Rotel Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies
- 1 package Mrs. Dash Salt Free Taco Seasoning Mix
- 2 boxes Simple Truth Organic™ Low Sodium Free Range Chicken Broth
- 1 can Simple Truth Organic Pinto Beans
- Simple Truth Mashed Avocado Single Serve On-the-go Packs
- Pico de Gallo
- Sour Cream or fat free plain Greek yogurt (optional)
- Salt and Pepper
Lightly salt and pepper the chicken breasts. Mix together the soup, rotel and taco seasoning in the bottom of the crockpot. Add the chicken breasts and the chicken broth. Cook on low for 6-8 hours until the chicken is tender. (If cooking on the stovetop bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 hours until the chicken is cooked through.) Add the beans and cook on high for another 30 minutes. Top with fresh avocado and pico de gallo. I like to use plain fat free Greek yogurt in place of sour cream since it’s zero WW points.
Enjoy!!
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Garlic Herb Chicken with Mushroom Gravy and Egg Noodles
I made this recipe based on one I found in a Cajun cookbook my mother-in-law gave me. It was chicken with a white wine and mushroom cream sauce served over noodles. I didn’t have all of the ingredients on hand so I improvised a little and it turned out delicious! I’ve made it several times since and it is now a family favorite!
- 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 can Kroger® Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 1/4- 1/2 a soup can of milk
- 1/2 cup of dry white wine (I like Beringer Pinot Grigio)
- Simple Truth Organic™ Salt Free Garlic Herb Seasoning Blend
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Coat the bottom of a large skillet with 2 tablespoons olive oil and bring to a medium high heat. Season the chicken breasts with the garlic herb seasoning on each side along with salt and pepper. Once the skillet is hot, place the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook on each side until brown (2-3 minutes).
Once both sides are browned, remove from the pan on to a plate. Lower the heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the sliced onion and garlic and sautee until translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Add the white wine and scraping the bits off the bottom of the pan and the wine is reduced. Add the cream of mushroom soup and 1/2 can of milk and cook until thickened. Add the chicken back to the pan, cover and cook on low for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. Cook egg noodles according to package instructions while chicken finishes cooking.
Serve chicken with noodles and gravy along with a side salad!