Peanut-Butter French Toast

Crossing fingers that the stomach bug has left the building! Hopefully our home will resume an normal cooking and more importantly eating schedule this week...feeling a hankering for something sweet I opted to make breakfast for dinner! This recipe comes from "Pure Comfort" and provides a fresh twist on the french toast classic by stuffing peanut butter in between layers of bread before dipping in the familiar vanilla egg french toast batter. The original recipe calls for the toast to be browned in butter but by replacing with cooking spray the total pts drop from 6pts per serving to 5pts! I served alongside scrambled eggs with cheese for an additional 2pts making an all around great breakfast/dinnertime meal! Do try: Peanut-Butter French Toast

Note: Wojtek caught me walking to the dining table and insisted on my posing in apron for this dish! I'm including the foodshot as well for those wanting the close-up!

Meatball and Barley Soup

I failed to mention that along with gaining a few pounds on the trip we also acquired colds...so despite the 110F heat index yesterday, nothing treats a cold quite like soup! After the greatness of the Cheesy Tortilla Casserole, I picked another recipe to try from my new "Pure Comfort" cookbook. The recipe is easy to make but tedious in the sense that everything must be done in stages; however it is well worth the effort! The rich taste of leeks, barley and carrots marinating in a seasoned broth would be quite enough...but add in the hearty/basil-y meatballs and you have a soup that not only tastes great but is super filling at only 4pts for a 1-1/2 cup serving (4 meatballs per serving). This will definitely be a fall staple, if we get a fall in Texas that is! Happy Cooking! Meatball and Barley Soup

Cheesy Tortilla Casserole

Last night I tried out the first recipe from a new cookbook, "WW Pure Comfort 150 All-Time Feel-Good Favorites". The cheesy tortilla casserole is so good, so delicious and so easy to make that I feel a weekly repeater on the rise! The layers of crisp corn tortillas with smokey cumin seasoned onions and red peppers along with the corn, parsley/oregano, cayenne pepper and cheese mixture when stacked with eggs make for a divinely cheesy and filling Mexican treat! The original recipe weighs in at 5pts per serving but by replacing eggs with substitutes and using fat free cheese over reduced fat I've knocked it down to 4pts for a very generous serving. For a first night cooking after many nights of decadent eating I have to say this one made me feel as though I was still on vacation! Be sure to try: Cheesy Tortilla Casserole