Marvelous Recipes

This easy-to-prepare, flavor intense, low-fat dish from Weight Watcher’s “Simply The Best” cookbook makes losing weight a delicious experience!

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (19 ounces) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14-1/2 ounces) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
1/4 pound (4 ounces) Canadian-style bacon, cut into strips
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups hot cooked farfalle

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring as needed, until softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the beans, tomatoes, bacon, wine, basil, oregano and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.

3. Place the pasta in a large serving bowl. Top with the sauce; toss to coat. Makes 4 servings.

Per Serving: 404 Calories, 6 g Total Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 14 mg Cholesterol, 1,020 mg Sodium, 65 g Total Carbohydrate, 10 g Dietary Fiber, 21 g Protein, 78 mg Calcium.

Serving Provides: 2 Breads, 1 Fruit/Vegetable, 3 Protein/Milks, 1 Fat.

Points Per Serving: 7.

Your family, friends and guests alike will enjoy this rich cheesy dip. Don’t be surprised by how quickly it disappears!

1 (8 ounces) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a medium mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Stir in the cheese, onion, parsley and garlic powder until well combined. Spread the mixture evenly on the bottom of a 9-inch glass pie plate.

3. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the top and bake for 15 minutes. Makes 12 servings each with 2 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber and 7 grams of protein.

Emily

This wonderful all-in-one make-ahead breakfast recipe from Betty Crocker is so good you’ll be surprised at how quickly it disappears!

1 pound bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 (8 ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup milk
12 eggs
1 (2 pound) package frozen hash browns, thawed
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1. In a 12-inch skillet, cook bacon until crisp; transfer to a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Drain the drippings, reserving 1 tablespoon in the skillet. Add the onion, bell pepper and mushrooms; cook 4 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in the mustard, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, beat the milk and eggs with a wire whisk.

2. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/2 of the hash browns in baking dish. Spread the onion mixture evenly over the top. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese. Spread the remaining hash browns over the top. Pour egg mixture over top. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

3. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove cover; bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until thermometer inserted in center reads 160 degrees F. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup cheese and the bacon. Bake 3 to 5 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes. Makes 12 servings.

I have made this “really good” egg salad for so many years, I don’t even remember the first time I made it. We really enjoy this during the hot days of summer!

6  hard boiled eggs, shelled & chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
5 slices crisp, cooked bacon, crumbled

In a medium bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients until well blended; fold in the bacon. Serve on your favorite snack crackers or as a sandwich on toasted whole wheat bread.

Emily

This hearty satisfying casserole is simple and easy to make. And you probably already have most, if not all, the ingredients on hand. It’s one of my hubby’s favorites.

5 strips bacon, chopped
1/2 pound bulk pork sausage
1/2 pound boneless pork tenderloin, cubed
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 (15 oz each) cans Great Northern beans, drained
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 dried bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)*

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Drain on paper towel, crumble and set aside; discard drippings.

2. To the skillet, add the sausage, cubed pork, onion and garlic. Cook until the pork is browned, stirring occasionally. Add the bacon and all remaining ingredients to the skillet; blend well. Pour mixture into an ungreased 2-1/2-qt. casserole.

3. Cover and bake for 1 hour 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer or until pork is fork tender. Remove bay leaf before serving. Makes 6 servings.

*If you are serving this casserole to children or others who don’t like “hot” foods I would suggest omitting the red pepper flakes.

Emily

If you like BLT’s, you are sure to enjoy this creamy bacon and tomato flavored dip!

3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
Crackers or chips

In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, tomatoes and bacon. Sprinkle the top with extra crumbled bacon and chopped tomatoes, if desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve with your favorite crackers or chips. Makes 3 cups.

Emily

This rich, cheesy, simple-to-make potato dish will quickly become a family favorite at your house!

8 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cups processed cheese (Velveeta), cut into cubes
1/2 cup sour cream
1 small onion, chopped
3 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. In a large saucepan, cook potatoes in boiling water for 10 minutes; drain. In an 11×7-inch baking dish, combine potatoes, cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, salt and pepper; Stir together until well blended.

2. Sprinkle crumpled bacon over potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour. Makes 6 servings.

Emily

A winning combination of delightful flavors!

6 strips bacon, chopped
1/2 pound bulk pork sausage
1/2 pound boneless pork tenderloin, cubed
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 (15.8 oz) cans great northern beans, drained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 dried bay leaf

1. Cook bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove from skillet reserving drippings. Add sausage, cubed pork, onion and garlic to drippings in skillet. Cook until the pork is browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in bacon and all remaining ingredients. Pour into ungreased 11×7-inch casserole.

2. Cover casserole with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until pork is fork tender and flavors are blended. Remove bay leaf before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Emily