Chip-Crusted Fish Fillets

Ingredients:

• 4 (6-ounce) cod fillets (or other firm white fish)
• 2 teaspoons canola mayonnaise
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 (2-ounce) package salt and vinegar kettle-style potato chips, crushed
• 1/2 cup light ranch dressing

1. 1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. 2. Arrange fillets on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush 1/2 teaspoon mayonnaise over top of each fillet; sprinkle evenly with salt. Gently press about 2 tablespoons crushed chips evenly on top of each fillet. Cook fish at 400° for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with ranch dressing.

Makes 4 servings. Serving Size: 1 fillet and 2 tbsp. ranch dressing. WW: 7 points per serving 

Pound Cake with Strawberry Glaze

Ingredients:

• Cake:
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
• 3.4 ounces whole-wheat pastry flour (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
• Baking spray with flour
• Glaze:
• 2 cups chopped strawberries
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Dash of salt

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. 2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating until incorporated. Stir in vanilla, lemon rind, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
3. 3. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level. Combine flours, powder, soda, and salt. Combine sour cream and milk. Add flour mixture and sour cream mixture alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
4. 4. Spoon batter into a 10-cup Bundt pan coated with baking spray. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack.
5. 5. Combine strawberries and remaining ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook 3 minutes or until thick. Strain through a sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Drizzle glaze over cake.
6. Variation Double-Chocolate Swirl 1. Prepare base recipe through step 3, decreasing granulated sugar to 1 3/4 cups and omitting rind and juice. Combine 1 teaspoon canola oil and 1 ounce chopped bittersweet chocolate in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave at HIGH for 1 minute, stirring every 20 seconds until smooth. Stir in 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa. Remove 2 1/2 cups vanilla batter; add to chocolate mixture, and stir. 2. Using 2 ice-cream scoops or 2 large spoons, add batters alternately to a 10-cup Bundt pan coated with baking spray; swirl. 3. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack. 4. Combine 2/3 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons 2% reduced-fat milk, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; stir until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cake.

Makes 16 servings. Serving size: 1 slice WW: 7 points per slice 

Recipe by: cookinglight.com

Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Quesadillas

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1 small orange bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
• Cooking spray
• 3 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 3/4 cup)
• 4 (6-inch) flour tortillas
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1. 1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
2. 2. Combine paprika, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub paprika mixture evenly over chicken; let stand 10 minutes.
3. 3. Arrange chicken, onion, and bell pepper on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Cook vegetables 4 minutes on each side or until tender. Cook chicken 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken and vegetables from grill; coarsely chop vegetables. Let chicken stand 5 minutes; thinly slice chicken.
4. 4. Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons cheese over half of each tortilla; divide vegetables and chicken evenly over cheese. Fold each tortilla in half over filling; lightly coat tortillas with cooking spray.
5. 5. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 quesadillas in pan; cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until cheese melts and tortillas are lightly browned. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 2 wedges; serve with sour cream.

Makes 4 servings. Serving size: 2 quesadilla wedges and 1 tbsp. sour cream WW: 7 points per serving 

Recipe by: cookinglight.com

Beef and Mushroom Sloppy Joes

Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 (8-ounce) package cremini mushrooms
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 oz. can no-salt-added tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• red pepper flakes, to taste 
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar 
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoon molasses
• 1 cup water 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 4 (2-ounce) Kaiser rolls or hamburger buns, toasted

1. 1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add beef; cook for 4 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.
2. 2. While beef cooks, finely chop mushrooms. Add mushrooms, onion, red bell pepper and garlic to pan; cook for 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Add tomato paste and next 8 ingredients (through salt) to pan; cook on medium heat for 5-8 minutes. Stir in pepper and hot sauce. Spoon about 1 cup beef mixture on bottom half of each bun; top with top halves of buns.

Makes 4 servings. Serving Size: 1 sandwich  WW: 9 points per serving 

Original Recipe by: cookinglight.com
Adapted by: crazyweights.blogspot.com 

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients:
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 oz. each)
1 cup Italian salad dressing
2 tbsp. flour
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 tbsp. butter
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 cup apple juice
1 lb. sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Directions:
Flatten chicken to 1/2 inch thickness. Place in a large Ziploc bag; add salad dressing. Seal bag and marinade overnight.  Drain and discard marinade. Combine flour, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper; sprinkle over both sides of chicken (you should have extra mixture...save for later). In a large skillet, cook chicken in 1 tbsp. oil and butter for 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a 13 x 9 baking dish. Combine chicken broth, apple juice and remaining flour mixture; add to skillet; stirring to loosen brown bits. Bring sauce to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Set sauce aside. In a separate skillet, cook mushrooms in 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add mushrooms and parsley to sauce; heat through. Pour sauce over chicken. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Makes 6 servings. WW: 5 points per serving
Recipe by: www.tasteofhome.com

Easy Mac & Cheese Veggie Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:
4 tbsp. butter/margarine, melted and divided
1 cup 2% milk
8 ounces of dry rotini pasta, cooked and drained
2 cups diced cooked chicken
4 cups of frozen vegetables, thawed
2 1/4 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine 3 tbsp. of butter/margarine, milk, rotini, chicken, vegetables, and cheddar cheese in an 8 inch baking dish.  Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and the remaining butter/margarine in a small bowl; sprinkle over top of casserole. Bake until heated through and breadcrumbs are toasted, about 30 minutes.

Makes 6 servings. WW: 7 points per serving
Recipe by: www.countrycrock.com

Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients:
4 tsp. olive oil
1 1/4 lbs. medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh black pepper

Directions:
Pour all ingredients in a large Ziploc bag and marinade in the refrigerator for 2 hours.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Arrange shrimp in a shallow baking dish. Pour the marinade over the shrimp. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.
Recipe by: www.smokedngrilled.com

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
2 1/4 lbs. fresh plum tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 tbsp. flat leaf parsley
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and fresh black pepper
1 lb. spaghetti
Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Finely chop tomatoes, basil, parsley, garlic and mix together with olive oil.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, and toss it in a large serving bowl with the sauce. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Makes 6 servings.
Recipe by: www.marthastewart.com

CYCLE 2

We're BACK! Cycle 2 of the "Get Right" Diet has begun!

Congratulations are in order for a few of our Crazy Weighters including myself!
During Cycle 1: Marilyn lost 10 pounds, Jack lost 17 pounds and I lost 20 pounds!
This is encouragement for us all! If you lost weight in Cycle 1...keep up the great work. If Cycle 1 wasn't a success, Cycle 2 is all about you!

Cycle 2 is another 12 weeks. It began Monday, April 8th and will end Monday July 1st.

Ways to Get Started: Cycle 2

• Set 3 more short term goals and write them down so you can see them every day
• Set a 12 week weight goal
• Create or continue a vision board http://christinekane.com/how-to-make-a-vision-board/
• Make healthy eating choices
• Be active for at least 30 minutes a day
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day
• Check the blog weekly for: Great recipes, Work out tips and Motivation
• www.crazyweights.blogspot.com

Good Luck to all of the Crazy Weighters! This is going to be another great 12 weeks!