thanks, I know about making it up as I go.  I did that with beef and noodles
tonight.  I tried to make it like hamburger helper to help college age niece
to learn an easy recipe.  it turned out wonderful and was close to core but
DH says to complex for non cooking kid. here is what we did.  It worked out
to 5.5 for six servings.  We figured the points on the recipe but ymmv
depending on meat and noodles

brown and cook enough hamburger meat to get 8 ounces after it is cooked.
After you have rinsed and weighed 8 ounces return to skillet.  in a separate
pan cook 4 ounces of onion, then add to meat.  Then add 4 ounces canned
mushrooms, then one mushroom gravy mix.  Then add 6 servings whole wheat
pasta, we used spirals, then add enough water to cover entire pot barely.
Cook until pasta is cooked tender and water is gone.  Add 1 cup sour cream.
stir and divide into 6 servings.

I think if we do this again I will add more mushrooms and onion.  The only
non core item was the gravy mix and it was one point for the whole gravy
package.  Lee