Pierogies with Creamy Mushroom and Sherry Sauce, Balsamic Spinach and Turtle Brownies

Perhaps my favorite recipe thus far into the WW cooking experience (beginning around March) has been what I deliciously whipped up for dinner last night. Growing up I had the occasional pierogie from the typical sources...Oktoberfest festivals, international cuisine events, etc. However, since meeting my sweet Polish love, pierogies have become somewhat of a staple. So imagine my surprise when I found a fantastic and super easy recipe from the, "WW Stir It Up! Super Skillet Cookbook." This recipe has a truly phenomenal taste combination of nutty mushrooms with caramelized onions in a sherry flavored sour cream sauce that when topped with chives is pretty perfect. The pierogies themselves require no effort as pre-made low fat store versions are used to keep the fat/calories in check. A generous 1 1/2cup serving is a great way to spend 5pts! Definitely try Pierogies with Creamy Mushroom and Sherry Sauce

To accompany the very rich tasting pierogies I usually opt for a side of steamed asparagus, but since local stores were out I went for another lovely green staple...spinach! To "fanci-fy" my side I quickly sauteed the spinach (one bag of pre-washed baby spinach) in 1tbsp of balsamic vinegar. Upon wilt I added a few quick seasonings: 1/4tsp salt, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp black pepper. And to really add some extra flavor I used 1oz or 2tbsp of fat free feta for a great tasting side with a .5pt value! Serving size may vary depending upon how wilted you allow your spinach to become...however mine measured a very full 1/3 cup scoop.

For dessert I tried making a new kind of brownie; I love brownies and since starting WW I have tried at least four recipes that have results ranging from "ok" to "I actually had a friend try it and she spat it out." So imagine my surprise when the Turtle Brownies from, "WW Ultimate Classics 101 Best-Loved Recipes," turned out so good that I double checked the points value certain that I would find a 6 in place of the 3. These are definitely worth the effort! I think the secret lies in pre-toasting the pecans for that extra nutty flavor or perhaps it is just the inclusion of Rolos (by the way, I could never find Mini Rolos so I ended up cutting up a role of the regular kind...I cut each piece into fours.) To make this recipe even better (if you were not already convinced) by using butter, sugar and egg substitute I was able to make the brownies drop from 3pts to 2pts per brownie! If you are a brownie or chocolate lover you have got to try Turtle Brownies

So there you have last night's feast for a whopping total of 7.5pts! Happy Cooking!