Maple Pork Chop Dinner

From Betty's Soul Food Collection... When the weather outside gets chilly, nothing beats this hearty pork chop dinner, complete with sweet potatoes and biscuits drizzled with warm maple syrup.

Prep Time: 25 min.
Total Time: 45 min.
Makes: 5 servings

1. tablespoon vegetable oil
5. pork chops (3/4 inch thick)
Salt and pepper to taste
1. can (17 oz) sweet potatoes, drained
1. can (10.2 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle buttermilk biscuits (5)
3/4 cup maple-flavored syrup

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook pork chops in oil until browned on both sides. Place pork chops in ungreased 15x10x1-inch pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange sweet potates around pork chops. Cover with foil. Bake 10 minutes.
2. Move pork chops and sweet potatoes to one side of pan; drain and discard drippings. Separate dough into 5 biscuits; arrange in pan next to pork chops and potatoes. Drizzle syrup over pork chops, potatoes and biscuits.
3. Bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes longer or until biscuits are golden brown and pork chops are no longer pink and meat thermometer inserted in center reads 160°F. To serve, spoon liquid in pan over pork chops and sweet potatoes. If desired, brush biscuits with additional syrup.

German Chocolate Bars

These mouthwatering bars taste just like German chocolate cake! A great change of pace from the standard brownie.

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 2:50 hrs/min

Makes: 48 bars (dep. on size you cut them.

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 box B etty Crocker® SuperMoist® German chocolate cake mix
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy coconut pecan frosting
1/4 cup milk


1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Lightly grease or spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan.

2. In medium bowl, cut butter into cake mix, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Press half of the mixture (2 1/2 cups) in bottom of pan.

3. Bake 10 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips over baked layer. Drop frosting by tablespoonfuls over chocolate chips. Stir milk into remaining cake mixture. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto frosting layer.

4. Bake 24 to 28 minutes or until cake portion is slightly dry to touch; cool completely. Refrigerate until firm. For 48 bars, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. Store loosely covered.

Pink Peppermint Chiffon Pie

This peppermint-flavored pie is a good low-calorie, light and fluffy dessert to serve during the Christmas holiday. The chocolate cookie crust is a nice flavor and texture contrast to the fluffy peppermint filling. Serving this light dessert is a good way to finish a big Christmas dinner. You don't have to wait until Christmas to enjoy this dessert; serve it anytime of the year!

ingredients

1 cup crushed chocolate wafers (16 wafers)
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
3 cups tiny marshmallows
2/3 cup fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
4 drops red food coloring (optional)
2 egg whites
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 of an 8-ounce container reduced-fat frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed
Fresh mint leaves (optional)

directions

1.For crumb crust, in a bowl stir together crushed wafers, margarine, and 1 tablespoon sugar with a fork. Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 5 minutes. Cool.

2.For filling, in medium saucepan combine marshmallows and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until marshmallows are melted. Remove from heat. Stir in peppermint extract and red food coloring, if desired. Pour into a metal bowl. Chill until mixture begins to thicken, stirring occasionally.

3.Remove the peppermint mixture from the refrigerator (it will continue to set). In a medium mixing bowl immediately beat the egg whites with an electric mixer at medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add the 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

4.When peppermint mixture is partially set (consistency of unbeaten egg whites), fold in the egg white mixture. Fold in the thawed dessert topping. If necessary, chill the filling about 30 minutes or until it mounds when spooned. Spoon the filling into the crumb crust. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours or until set. If desired, garnish with additional dessert topping and mint leaves. Makes 8 servings.

Crusty Chicken Pot Pie

1 can (10 3/4 oz) can of reduced fat cream of celery soup, undiluted

1/2 cup skim milk

2 cups cooked diced chicken breast

1 pkg (10 oz) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and drained.

1 tsp chicken granules

1 tsp Mrs. Dash spices

Crust:

3/4 cup unbleached flour

1/4 cup plus 2 T Oat Bran

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 T light margarine cut into pieces

1/3 cup nonfat buttermilk

Combine all of the filling ingredients and turn them into a 9x9 sprayed dish; set aside.

Combine the flour, oat bran, and baking powder, cut in the margarine until the mixture resembles a course meal. Then stir in the buttermilk and combine until the dough is stiff and pulls away from the bowl.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut into thin strips and make a lattice pattern on top of the chicken mixture.

Bake at 375° F. for 25-30 minutes or until the filling is bubble and the crust is lightly browned. Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest 5 min before serving.

Each serving equals 4 pts. - 244 calories, 4.6 g of fat and 5 gms fiber

Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Onions

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup minced fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried leaves, crumbled)

2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 pounds 8 ounces pared all-purpose potatoes, cubed

4 medium onions, coarsely chopped

Eight 3-ounce skinless boneless chicken breasts

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray a 13 x 9" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the broth, juice, thyme, oil, salt and pepper. Add the potatoes and onions; toss to coat. With a slotted spoon, transfer the solids to the prepared baking dish. Add the chicken to the broth mixture; toss to coat.

Transfer the chicken to the baking dish, arranging the chicken and vegetables in a single layer; pour the broth mixture evenly over all. Cover with foil. Roast 30 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally, until the juices run pink when the chicken is pierced with a fork. Remove the foil and roast 30 minutes more, until the vegetables are golden and the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a fork. Divide evenly among 8 plates and serve.

Makes 8 servings (5 Points each)

SERVING (2 OUNCES CHICKEN WITH 4 OUNCES POTATOES AND 1/4 CUP ONION)
PROVIDES: 270 Calories, 6 g Total Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 49 mg Cholesterol, 147 mg Sodium, 31 g Total Carbohydrate, 3 g Dietary Fiber, 24 g Protein, 38 mg Calcium

Un-fried Chicken

cooking spray
6 skinless chicken drumsticks
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3 1/2 cups ice water
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
dash cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Put the chicken into a large bowl with the ice water. Put the yogurt into a medium bowl. Set both bowls aside.

Toss all the breading ingredients in a large Ziplock bag. Seal and shake well to mix. Remove 2 pieces of chicken from the ice water and blot dry. Roll each piece in the yogurt, then toss them in the bag of crumbs to coat.

Transfer the chicken to the baking sheet. Repeat until all chicken is coated. Spray the chicken lightly with cooking spray.

Place the sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for 1 hour, turning the pieces every 20 minutes to allow even browning. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Make 12 servings, 4 pts. per serving

Baked Buffalo Chicken

4 (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breast halves

1/4 cup hot sauce

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 tablespoon stick margarine, melted

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup fat-free blue cheese dressing

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Place chicken in an 11x17-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Combine hot sauce and next four ingredients; pour over chicken. Bake, uncovered, at 400¼ for 25 minutes. Serve with blue cheese dressing.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 breast half and 2 tablespoons dressing).

Exchanges: 3 Very Lean Meat, 1 Starch, 1/2 Fat Per Serving: CAL 231 (26% from fat); PRO 27.7g; FAT 6.7g (sat 1.4g), CARB 13.6g; CHOL 72mg; IRON 1.2mg; SOD 443mg; CALC 24mg.

WW Points: 5 pts.