Farmer's Market, Cheese Scones, and U2 in Nashville

Yesterday started out with a successful trip to the Farmer's Market on the square...

Had some lovely bread in the middle...

Cheese Scones from In the Kitchen with the AWA
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried mustard
1 cup grated cheese, 2% or less fat
1 cup lowfat milk
6 tsp oil

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and mustard.
2. Add cheese and milk to the flour mixture.
3. Pour 1/2 tsp of oil into each cup of a 12 count muffin tin or stone. Evenly divide batter between cups.
4. Bake at 500F for 10 minutes, until golden brown.
5. Yields 12, 2 point servings - serve hot

And ended with an amazing concert: U2 performing at Vanderbilt University...

Before U2 emerged, we were treated to some interesting numbers...

The band arrived and began to rock our faces off....

The show was similar enough to the Atlanta show two years ago to feel familiar, but there were some amazing additions - like the cool James Bondish CGI during "Mysterious Ways"...

And being outside made the lights that much more impressive...

It was completely amazing - including the humanitarian aspect Bono always brings to the show. (Click here for more.)

They saved my favorite song for the encore, with made me a happy girl. Since it was the end of the concert, it will also be the end of my post. 

Cream Cheese and Fruit French Toast - 5 points, 1 point

This morning, before I started feeling a nasty winter cold coming on, my nephew joined me for breakfast Auntie Antics. He likes French toast, so I tried this recipe from my Lean and Luscious cookbook (with a few tweaks, of course). It turned out very well and tasted quite decadent for five points.

Cream Cheese and Fruit French Toast
4 slices of high fiber bread such as WhiteWheat
2 tbsp nuefchatel cheese
2 tbsp all fruit spread
1 egg white
1/4 cup vanilla almond mild
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Create two sandwhich using 2 pieces of bread, 1 tbsp cream cheese, and 1 tbsp fruit spread for each.
2. In a shallow bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Place sandwiches in the bowl. Let sit for five minutes. Turn, and leave for another five minutes.
3. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat; spray with kitchen spritzer or non stick cooking spray such as Pam. Fry sandwiches one at a time, turning when browned.
4. Yields 2, 5 point sandwiches

Below are our two sandwiches. I made Simon's with whole wheat bread, which he prefers, so it is slightly higher in points than if using a high fiber white bread as called for in the recipe. Simon also wanted syrup, which would add an additional point.  I sprinkled mine with a dusting of powdered sugar and served each with a side of sliced bananas.

I also make my own syrup. I was out of maple syrup one day and didn't feel like going to the store. Now, my family just likes it better (and it is much cheaper to make your own).

"Maple" Syrup

4 cups sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 cups water

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp maple flavoring

1. In a medium saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring to a boil; stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.

2. Cover; cook over medium low heat for 10 minutes.

3. Remove from stove and allow 10 minutes of cooling time before gently stirring in vanilla and maple.

4. 1 point per tbsp

By mid afternoon, my throat hurt and my nose was running and I was very whiny. So, no cooking supper. Stone, the best friend, came over and cooked for me while I lay on the couch watching Cinderella. He even cleaned up the kitchen when we were done with dinner. What a guy.

Brie en Croute - 4 points

Over the holidays I made a delicious Pillsbury Recipe entitled "Pastry-Wrapped Cranberry Brie" (aka Brie en Croute). Whatever guilt I had over using a can of crescent dough instead of rolling out my own pastry was completely eliminated by the fabulous taste of the final product. I was really craving some gooey cheese and flaky pastry today, so I decided to enter the recipe into Weight Watchers. The point of the exercise was supposed to be that I would prove what a monstrous amount of points this recipe has and, thus, discourage my cravings. Imagine my delight upon discovering that I can have my brie en croute for only 4 points. YES!!!

Pastry Wrapped Brie from Pillsbury with slight modifications
1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls, low fat
1 round (8 oz) Brie cheese
3 tbsp whole cranberry sauce
1 tbsp apricot preserves
1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
pears, peeled, thinly sliced
lemon juice

1. Open can of crescent rolls and separate into 2 squares. Press seams to seal.
2. Cut cheese horizontally to make two rounds. Place 1 cheese round  (rind side down) in the center of a dough square.
3. In a small bowl, mix cranberry sauce, apricot preserves, and rosemary leaves. Spread mixture over cheese. Top with other round of cheese.
4. Place remaining dough square over cheese and fold edges over, smoothing to seal.
5. Bake in 350F oven for 25 minutes. Remove and let sit for 15 minutes before serving. Top with a teaspoon of cranberry sauce and fresh rosemary sprig.
6. Serve with pear slices, tossed in a little lemon juice. Yields 12, 4 point servings