Another late prep night.

Last night before bed the girls came out of their room and asked us to take some pictures of them snuggling with their dolls before bed. This is a first, and Haddie started to cry when I tried to decline with an offer to take pictures of them today instead. Strange...but they were cute, and satisfied with a couple quick snaps.

We got a jump start on our cooking for tomorrow. We are doing almost all "skinny" meals...I wonder if anyone will notice?
Up first...

Chicken sausage and herb stuffing.
You need:
14 oz French bread, crusts removed (weight after crust is removed)
2 tbsp light butter (Land O Lakes)
1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
1 3/4 cups (about 4 stalks) diced celery
13.2 oz fresh Italian chicken sausage, casing removed
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
3 1/4 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
cooking spray

Directions:
Cut the bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread the bread out on a baking sheet and let it dry overnight - OR - place the baking sheet in a 350°F oven and bake about 20 minutes, or until the bread is dried out. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

In the same pan over medium heat, cook the sausage, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage to the bowl with the onion/celery mixture.

Spray an oven proof baking dish with cooking spray (I use my misto)

Add the bread, sage and thyme to the bowl with the sausage/onion mixture and stir to combine. Add the chicken broth and stir to evenly coat the bread. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and stir to mix well.
Transfer to the baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir. Continue baking until golden, about 35 minutes more. Serve immediately. 3/4 cup 136 calories and 6 1/2 grams of fat. Last years stuffing was amazing, not "skinny" but amazing. I hope this one can come close.

Cranberry pear sauce.

You need:
12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
2 ripe pears, peeled and cored, cubed small
1 apple peeled, cored and cubed
1/2 cup honey
1 cup water

Directions:
Bring all the ingredients to a boil on high heat in a medium saucepan. When boiling, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and let it cool before refrigerating. Serve chilled or room temperature. 1/4 cup 62 calories, 0 fat.

Pumpkin spice no-bake cheesecake. 

You need:
7 oz 1/3 less fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin (canned is fine)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup brown sugar, unpacked
8 oz Cool Whip Free, thawed
9 inch reduced fat Graham Cracker Crust

Directions:
In a large bowl using an electric mixer, whip cream cheese, pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar for a few minutes until fluffy. Add Cool Whip and whip until smooth. Spoon mixture into pie crust and chill for a few hours, or over night, until firm.
1/8th is 200 calories and 9 gams of fat.

I can't wait for tomorrow, I have a feeling I am going over on my limits just a bit :)


Got this from Sakari, and Pat, today. They are camping at Mt. Shasta. She is a very lucky dog.
Day 27: I am thankful for happy endings.