Week 6: Beefy Filled Hard Rolls and Crispy Fried Zucchini

Recipe:  Beefy Filled Hard Rolls and Crispy Fried Zucchini

From: Gooseberry Patch's Weeknight Meals: Mix & Match Menus

Category: Main Dishes; Side Dishes

Rating: Out of this world yummy ... and no the kids really didn't like it.  Mr. M ate most of the sandwich, and Miss M thought the zucchini was tolerable with ranch dressing.  Miss P seemed thoroughly unimpressed.  Oh well!

Beefy Filled Hard Rolls
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef (I used 1 lb ground turkey and 1 lb turkey sausage)
1/4 cup onion, diced  (I used a whole small onion)
10.75 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup Colby cheese, grated (I used cheddar jack and probably a little more than 1/2 cup)
salt and pepper, to taste
12 small French hard rolls, sliced and hollowed out (didn't hollow out anything)

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef with onion in a skillet over medium heat; drain.
2. Add soup and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in cheese, salt and pepper; cook until cheese melts.
4. Fill rolls with meat mixture and add top halves of rolls.

Crispy Fried Zucchini
Ingredients:
1 cup Italian-seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
2 to 4 zucchini, cut into slices or strips (I used two, which was plenty)
2 eggs, beaten
oil for frying
Garnish:  Marinara sauce or horseradish sauce (or if you are Miss M, ranch dressing)

Directions:

1. Combine crumbs, cheese, salt and pepper in a bowl; set aside.
2. Dip zucchini into beaten eggs, then into crumb mixture to coat evenly.
3. Heat oil in a skillet; fry zucchini a few at a time until tender and golden.
4. Serve with sauces for dipping.

The meat mixture didn't photograph well in the pan, so here it is on the plate with the zucchini and some pomegranate.  Enjoy!

Week 6: Bonus: Chocolate Banana Bread

Recipe:  Chocolate Banana Bread

From:  Allrecipes.com

Category:  Breakfast

Rating:  My kids can't get enough of this stuff!

Note:  This is not a new recipe, but I often get requests for it when I mentioned I am making it.  It has a pretty mild banana/chocolate flavor that ends up being a bit of perfection!  I usually make 12 muffins, 4 mini loaves and 1 full-size loaf with this recipe.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
6 bananas, mashed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup light sour cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips  (I use minis)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, cream together margarine, sugar and eggs. Stir in bananas and vanilla. Sift in flour, baking soda and cocoa; mix well. Blend in sour cream and chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of a loaf comes out clean. 
 

WW PointsPlus

As you may or may not know, I have rejoined WW with their new program.  I really do like it, but as I am dealing with an unrelenting headache, I have ditched the program for the most part and eat whatever food is purchased.  I have made a few meals along the way, but eating out has been happening a little too often!  Hopefully this week's headache treatments will kick the pain out and the normal mommy and wife who live here will return.  But I digress ...

Anyway, a friend of mine asked me to post the WW PointsPlus values, so I will.  Please note, they are not scientific, but what I get when I plug the ingredients into the recipe builder on the WW online site.  While I am trying to make somewhat healthy foods, I also make no promises that this girl won't indulge in something terribly bad for you, too!

Feel free to ask me any questions about my weight-loss adventures.  For the record, I lost 40 pounds in 2009, and over the course of 2010 gained about 10 of them back.  I am now trying to lose those 10 plus a few more, but am not sure exactly how much more I want to lose.  I haven't been able to work out much, but have found a Zumba class that I really like, and I'm debating about giving up my membership to the Y, which would be bitter sweet, as the kids like going, and we do get some good discounts on activities.  I don't know. Too much going on to decide right now.  Here's hoping the rest of this month is stellar in the gettin' healthy groove of things.

Week 5: Oatmeal Cake

Recipe: Oatmeal Cake

From:  Youth Enrichment Services We're Cooking, submitted by Denise A.

Category:  Desserts

Rating: With out the frosting, I'd serve it for breakfast with some yogurt!  This a yummy and moist cake.
WW PointsPlus:  4 without frosting; 7 with frosting for 24 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup oatmeal
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup flour

Directions:

1. Pour boiling water over oatmeal and butter.  Let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Mix in rest of ingredients, pour into greased 9 X 13-inch pan and bake in 350 degree oven for 35 minutes.

Brown Sugar Frosting:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups powered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook sugar and butter on low for 2 minutes.  Stir in milk.
2. Bring to a good boil and cool.
3. Add powered sugar and vanilla.
4. Frost cake and top with nuts.

Okay, I will admit, not great pictures this time.  I will try harder next week. :-)  I already have the recipe picked out, as I'm planning my Super Bowl Menu!!