Smashed Potato Soup

This was a very easy recipe, not to mention delicious. My only real beef with this is that is turned into glorified mashed potatoes moreso than a soup but, it worked. I got my boyfriend to eat green onions without him even knowing it, or not mentioning it anyhow. VICTORY.

Yields 8 servings.
260 calories per serving.
Recipe from BHG dot com.

INGREDIENTS
3.5 lbs baking potatoes, peeled & quartered
6 cloves garlic, peeled & smashed
1/2 tsp pepper
4.5 c chicken broth
1/2 c half and half
1 c reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 c scallions, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS
In a crock pot combine potatoes, pepper, & garlic.
Pour chicken broth over top.

Cover & cook on low setting for 8 - 10 hours or on high setting for 4 -5 hours.

Mash potatoes slightly with potato masher.
Stir in half and half, cheese, & scallions.
Serve & enjoy.



Perfect for a weeknight!

Garlic Mustard Green Beans

I actually meant to make this as a side for our dinner last night but Id forgotten about it. Instead, I made it tonight as my dinner & a side for my fella. To me, this is more than enough as a main dish because it's full of protein. I also must say that the garlic & mustard together is quite a nice taste; a new one for me.

Id call this a quick dinner for a weeknight despite the fact that trimming that many green beans are the bane of my existence. That's how much I love green beans, though.

Recipe from BHG.com
Yields 12 servings.
41 calories per serving.

INGREDIENTS
2.5 lbs fresh green beans
3 slices of bacon (I used center cut; less fat!)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tsp brown mustard
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS
Wash & trim green beans.
Cover & cook in a large saucepan with a small amount of boiling water.
Drain beans, rinse with cold water, & set aside.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet until crisp.
Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings, and drain on a paper towel.
Crumble & set aside.

Cook onion & garlic in bacon drippings over medium heat for 3 minutes.
Stir in mustard, pepper, & salt.
Cook for about 30 more seconds.

Pour onion mixture over beans & toss.
Sprinkle with bacon.

Burgers with Roasted Garlic & Rosemary

Another garlic lovers recipe. And it's a really fast one. The only alteration I made to this recipe was broiling the patties for 7 minutes on each side instead of 5. My boyfriend likes his burgers well done. All in all, really delicious and pretty quick. I would make these on a weeknight. Also, I was starving so, I forgot to photograph these. Sorry, guys. :/

Yields 4 burgers.
293 calories per serving.
Recipe from Skinny Taste dot com.

INGREDIENTS
1 whole bulb garlic
1 lb 93% lean ground beef
2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 whole wheat hamburger rolls

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400.

Wrap garlic bulb in foil & roast in oven for 45 minutes.
When cool enough to handle peel away foil & squeeze cloves from papery skin into a large bowl.
Add beef, rosemary, salt, & pepper.
Mix well to combine.

Preheat oven to broil.
Shape mixture into 4 patties and place on baking sheet.
Broil for 7 minutes on each side.

Place on hamburger rolls & add condiments of your choice.

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Another random few notes. I toasted our hamburger buns & we ate these with ketchup & brown, spicy mustard.