Chicken Ragout with Potatoes and Olives

Just tried this one - YUM. Soooooo good. Really nice comfort food.

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1.5 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of all visible fat
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 chopped garlic clove
• 3 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 large baking potato, cubed
• 10 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
• 1/2 c reduced fat chicken broth
• 1/4c dry white wine
• 1/2c chopped fresh basil

Heat oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt & pepper and sautee until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and the garlic, cook until the onion is just tender, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in the tomatoes, potato, olives, broth and wine. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the potato tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil.

Yield: 4 servings, 6 points each (306 cal, 9g fat, 3g fiber)

Kielbasa, Cabbage and Potato Stew

Great Winter recipe! This is also from that "Make it in Minutes" book and it's surprisingly quick to make. Not too much chopping.

• 3/4 lb turkey kielbasa, cut into small pieces
• 1 head green cabbage, cut into ribbons
• 3/4 lb new potatoes, cut into 3/4" chunks
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 carrots, sliced(Ok, yes, I used presliced carrots)
• 1 3/4 c fat free chicken broth
• 1 c dry white wine
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook the kielbasa in a large pot over medium high heat until it begins to brown, about three minutes. Add onion, cook another few minutes. Add the cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. Bring to a boil, cover and cook. Stir occasionally until the potatoes & cabbage are tender, 15-18 min. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Yield: 4 servings, 5 points each

Tortellini with Prosciutto & Peas in Alfredo Sauce

I bought some new cookbooks for myself for New Year's and have been making some fabulous recipes from a WW "Make it in Minutes" cook book. This one's yummy.

• 1/2 lb refrigerated fresh cheese tortellini
• 1 c frozen peas
• 1/4 lb thin sliced deli prosciutto, chopped
• 2 TB flour
• 1.5 c fat free half and half
• 1/2 c parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add tortellini and cook according to package directions. Stir in the peas during the last two minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, coat a large nonstick skillet with spray and heat over medium heat. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring until lightly browned. Remove and reserve the prosciutto. Add the half and half and the flour and stir to break up any lumps. Then cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in parmesan cheese and pepper, remove from heat. Add the prosciutto, tortellini and peas and toss to coat with sauce.

Yield: 4 servings, 2 cups each, 6 points

Chicken Potpie

New one from Cooking Light. I bulked up the veggies on this with some extra frozen veg and made it a bit more substantial:

• 1/2 15-oz refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 TB flour
• 1 tsp sage or rosemary
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 8 oz chicken breast tenders, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1.25 c water
• 1.5 c frozen mixed vegetables (I probably doubled this, used spinach, brocoli and peas)
• 1 c mushrooms, sliced
• 1 can reduced fat reduced sodium condensed cream of chicken soup

Preheat oven to 425.

Place refrigerated pie dough on cookie sheet or casserole dish, coated with cooking spray. Cut to the right shape for a 9x13 casserole dish. Lightly spray dough with cooking spray, then sprinkle evenly with 1/8 tsp salt. Pierce with a fork, and bake at 425 for 12 minutes or until golden.

Combine flour, and spices in a ziploc bag, add chicken and shake to coat. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, coat pan with cooking spray and add chicken to pan. Cook 5 min, or until chicken is browned on all sides. Stir in water, scraping up browned bits, add vegetables, mushrooms, and soup. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook 10 min. Spoon chicken mixture into casserole dish, top with pie crust and serve.

Yield: 4 servings, 6 points each