Showing posts with label cream cheese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cream cheese. Show all posts

Monday, October 27, 2008

Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken

Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken

I found this recipe on Sparkpeople.com and made it tonight for dinner. With working full-time again, I am always looking to find more crock pot recipes and we found a winner with this one! It was easy enough that I got it all ready to go this morning, Darrin started the crock pot before he left for work, then when he got home, he finished the rest of it. Dinner was ready within 15 minutes after John and I got home from work!

Next time I think I am going to add some mushrooms in with the chicken to cook all day too!

We will definitely make this one again and again!!!

(all below is as posted on sparkpeople.com)
To clarify so answers to questions:
First, YES the cream cheese is figured into the totals...if you use FULL FAT cream cheese, the fat content will be considerably higher. But low fat cream cheese really takes the fat down.
Second, I haven't ever tried it with regular Italian dressing...let me know how it turns out!
Third, I HIGHLY recommend using the low setting for cooking...it allows the juices from the chicken to really seep into the dressing.

Ingredients
*1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
*1 pkg Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 8oz pkg low fat cream cheese
*1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
*3 cups cooked white, long grain rice

Directions
*1. Place chicken in crock pot
*2. Mix together Italian dressing mix and water. Pour over chicken.
*3. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours OR low for 8 hours.
*4. Mix together cream cheese and soup in separate bowl.
*5. Carefully remove chicken from crock pot to plate.
*6. Pour cream cheese/soup mixture into crock pot and mix together with dressing in bottom.
*7. Return chicken to crock pot and mix gently to shred the chicken.
*8. Cook on LOW until heated through.
*Serve with rice or noodles.
**You may add skim or low fat milk in very small quantities to thin the sauce a little. It does not significantly affect the nutritional value if you use up to 2 tablespoons

**Makes 6 servings. Approximately 2/3 cup mixture with 1/2 cup rice.

This recipe can be made with FAT FREE cream cheese and it saves about 6 grams of fat. However, I feel that the dish benefits from the flavor of the low fat over the fat free.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Cream Cheese Brownies

Since I was first introduced to No Pudge Brownies a few years ago, they have been one of my favorites! They make a nice chewy brownie that does not have to blow the diet! The flavors are awesome too! I think out favorite is the raspberry, but there really is not one of them that I do not enjoy!

Part of the reason we like this brand so much is that you can easily make single serving brownies! Then you are not tempted with eating the entire pan that will call you name from the kitchen until you come back to eat "just one more".... until the pan is gone!

I have made this recipe a few times and they are always a huge hit! Many time, no one even realizes that they are a low fat, "not gonna blow your diet" kind of brownie! As an extra treat, you can substitute raspberry or strawberry yogurt for the vanilla If you use flavored yogurt you can then omit the Vanilla if you desire.


Cream Cheese Brownies
Ingredients:

1 package No Pudge! Fat Free Fudge Brownie mix - any flavor

1 cup fat free vanilla or french vanilla yogurt, divided

3 oz. (6 Tbs.) light or fat free cream cheese, softened

0.25 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix No Pudge! and 2/3 cup of the yogurt according to package directions and put into prepared pan.
3. Put the remaining 1/3 cup of yogurt, the cream cheese and the vanilla extract into a small bowl and blend thoroughly.
4. Drop teaspoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture randomly on top of the brownie dough.
5. Using a knife, marble the cream cheese mixture through the brownies.
6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
7. For easy cutting, let brownies cool completely and then refrigerate until chilled. Using a sharp knife, start each cut in the middle of the pan and cut towards you, then turn the pan around and repeat. Run the knife under HOT water prior to each cut.
8. When wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator, the brownies will stay fresh for 2 weeks. (I have never had them last more that 2 DAYS in this house!)

Weight Watchers Points per serving: w/ light cream cheese 106 cal, 1 gm fat, 2 pts. w/ fat free cream cheese: 100 cal, 0 gm fat, 2 pts

Yield: 16 servings
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Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Chicken Baseballs

CHICKEN BASEBALLS
Servings 4
Points 7

3 oz. fat free cream cheese, softened
2 tsp light margarine, melted
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp chopped onion
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken
1 8oz can reduced fat crescent rolls
2 Tbsp skim milk

In a blender combine cream cheese, butter, salt, pepper, milk, onion. Blend. Pour mixture over chicken and stir. Separate crescent roll dough into four rectangles and seal perforations. Spoon 1/2 cup mixture into center of each. Pull opposite corners of dough to center and seal. Place on un-greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.