Creamy Rice Casserole

I adapted this rice from a recipe that Aaron Sanchez published called "Zarela's Famous Creamy Rice".  I made my version healthier and also took out the poblano chiles, which saved some time.  If you want the original recipe, it can be found here.

CREAMY RICE CASSEROLE

Recipe Notes

This dish is great with grilled chicken and a big salad.  It's Mexican-inspired with the rice, corn, and cilantro flavors, so it will go well with Mexican dishes and just about anything grilled.

Ingredients

• 2 c. uncooked basmati rice
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 c. light sour cream
• 3/4 c. onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 c. cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 ears of corn, kernels cut from the cob
• 4 oz. shredded white cheddar cheese

Instructions

1.  Cook rice according to package directions either on the stovetop or in a rice cooker.  Set aside to cool.

2.  Meanwhile, spray a large skillet with cooking spray.  Saute corn with 1 tbsp. butter until charred, stirring occasionally.  Set aside to cool.

3.  Wipe out skillet and heat with 1 tbsp. vegetable oil.  Add onion and minced garlic and saute until soft and fragrant.

4.  Combine cooked and cooled rice, cooled corn, and onion/garlic mixture.  Fold in sour cream, grated white cheddar cheese, and cilantro.

5.  Turn rice and corn mixture out into a 9x13 glass baking dish sprayed with Pam.

6.  Bake for approx. 30 minutes at 350 degrees until heated through.

7.  Serve immediately.

Red Chile-Cheese Enchiladas

This recipe is a slight variation of an old (2007) Cooking Light recipe for a layered cheese enchilada casserole.  It is very low fat and vegetarian and comes together easily when you use store-bought enchilada sauce (as I do) instead of making your own (as the old recipe called for).

RED CHILE-CHEESE ENCHILADAS

Recipe Notes

You can make your own Red Chile Sauce (recipe here) or use a store bought brand like Old El Paso (as I use).  The Weight Watchers Points Plus value on this dish is approximately 4 per serving.

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 8)

162 calories - 5.4 g. fat - 8.8 g. protein - 20.1 g. carbs - 2.1 g. fiber

Ingredients

• 3/4 c. fat free cottage cheese
• 2/3 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 tbsp. finely-chopped white onion
• Pinch of salt
• 2 c. red chile sauce or store-bought red enchilada sauce
• 12 six-inch corn tortillas
• 1/2 c. low fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Place cottage cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, onion, and salt into a food processor.  Process until smooth (note: this is a slight deviation from original recipe).

3.  Spread 1/4 c. enchilada sauce in the bottom of a greased 8x8 baking dish coated with cooking spray (not butter).

4.  Arrange 4 tortillas over sauce, overlapping slightly.

5.  Spread 1/2 c. cottage cheese mixture evenly over the tortillas and top with 1/2 c. enchilada sauce.

6.  Repeat tortilla/cheese/sauce layers until final four tortillas have been placed in the dish.

7.  Spread remaining enchilada sauce over tortilla layer.  Sprinkle evenly with extra-sharp cheddar cheese.

8.  Cover and bake for 10 minutes.  

9.  Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

10.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Cut into 8 squares and serve.

Gnocchi Alla Amatriciana

 



I found this recipe while browsing through a Family Circle magazine in the Seattle airport.  I made this for Corey this weekend and we both really liked it.  It's tomato-y, a little bit spicy, and a little bit salty from the pancetta.  What's more, it is supposed to make a 9x13 casserole, but I made two 8x8 dishes and froze one of them to have next month.  I just made it through Step 8 and then put half in the freezer instead of the oven.  This is easy to make, doesn't require a large number of ingredients, and is fairly healthy - not a lot of added fat or oil.

 

GNOCCHI ALLA AMATRICIANA

 

Recipe Notes

You can pick up the pancetta already diced and in the perfect-sized portion (4 oz.).  I found a 4 oz. container of pre-diced Boars Head pancetta at Kroger in the deli section and it worked great.

 

Nutritional Information

460 calories - 13 g. fat - 15 g. protein - 72 g. carbohydrates - 8 g. fiber

 

Ingredients

• 4 oz. pancetta (diced)
• 1 large onion (diced)
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes (such as Cento)
• 1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. shredded Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 2 (17.5 oz) packages gnocchi
   

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil for gnocchi.

3.  While waiting on water to boil, saute pancetta in a skillet over medium heat until crispy (8-10 minutes).

4.  Add diced onion and saute 4-5 minutes more over medium heat until softened.  The rendered fat from the pancetta will help to soften the onion.

5.  Add garlic and red pepper flakes, saute 2 minutes more.

6.  Stir in tomatoes, 2 tbsp. shredded cheese, and thyme.  Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.

7.  Meanwhile, add gnocchi to boiling water and remove with a slotted spoon to a separate bowl when cooked through.  Gnocchi is ready when it floats up to the top of the pot of boiling water.  At that point, you can skim the pasta off the top.

8.  Add gnocchi to tomato sauce mixture.  Transfer to either a 9x13 baking dish or two 8x8 baking dishes.

9.  Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.  If freezing half, put half in the freezer at this point.

10.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese has melted and tomato sauce is bubbling.

 

 

"Healthified" Beef Enchilada Pie

This recipe was also a Pinterest find from eatbetteramerica.com.  This website has several recipes that have been "lightened" to enhance your healthy dining experience.



Recipe Notes

This recipe reminds me greatly of the Layered Enchilada Bake that I have posted multiple times.  This dish is made in a pie pan, vs. a baking dish as the Layered Enchilada Bake is.  Also, this dish requires a much shorter cooking time.  Both are worth the labor.

Nutritional Information

290 calories - 11 g. fat - 25 g. carbohydrates - 22 g. protein - 0 g. fiber

Ingredients

• 1 lb. extra lean ground beef (93% lean or greater)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 10 oz. can of Old El Paso red enchilada sauce
• 1/2 c. canned corn, drained
• 4.5 oz. can chopped green chiles, drained
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 5 Old El Paso burrito-sized flour tortillas
• 1 c. shredded reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese (approx. 4 oz.)

Instructions
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Brown beef and onion in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat (5-7 minutes).  Drain.

3.  Add 3/4 can of enchilada sauce, corn, and green chiles to beef mixture.  Stir in cumin and chili powder.

4.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for five minutes.

5.  Spray one 9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

6.  Place one tortilla in the bottom of the casserole.  Top with 3/4 c. beef mixture and 3 tbsp. shredded cheese.  Repeat these layers three times.

7.  Top with remaining tortilla, reserved enchilada sauce (approx. 1/4 c.) and remaining cheese.

8.  Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes until hot and cheese is melted.

9.  Cool five minutes before serving.  Serve with sour cream.



Meals for the Taking

I have found myself providing meals for multiple friends lately - some due to new babies in the house and some due to illness. It is good to have a stable of travel-friendly recipes for times like these. I have three true "go to" recipes that I have posted to this blog before, along with a couple of favorites that I have also taken to friends in a pinch. I think that they are worth mentioning again in case you find yourself in a similar situation.

Chicken and cheese casserole

Layered enchilada bake (this one can be made straight from frozen!)

Cooking Light hearty lasagna

Orzo with feta, chicken, lemon, and dill

Cooking Light tomato-basil lasagna with prosciutto

Happy cooking to all!

Skinny Chicken Florentine

Found this on Pinterest - pretty easy to put together and healthy! I used leftover grilled chicken that I cubed, and it worked great.

SKINNY CHICKEN FLORENTINE

Recipe Notes

I found this on a blog (Skinny Ms.) and she uses whole wheat pasta spirals. I used regular old white pasta spirals - honestly, the nutritional information isn't all that different between the two.

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 6)

315 calories - 8.1 g. fat - 33.4 g. carbohydrates - 2.2 g. fiber

Ingredients

• 12 oz. precooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts


• 1/2 box frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed of excess moisture)


• 1 tbsp. olive oil


• 2 tbsp. flour


• 1 tbsp. lemon juice


• 1-1/2 c. chicken broth (fat free)


• Pinch nutmeg


• 1 tsp. oregano


• 1/2 tsp. black pepper


• 1 c. low-fat cottage cheese (blended in Cuisinart to smooth out consistency)


• 2/3 c. fresh Parmesan cheese


• 1/2 lb. pasta (regular or whole grain), cooked according to package directions

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Spray a glass 9x13 baking dish with Pam. Set aside.

3. In a sauce pan, heat olive oil. Add flour and whisk for approximately 30 seconds. I added a bit of the chicken broth here too for consistency purposes.

4. Add chicken broth and stir until thickened with whisk. (Keep whisking until all lumps are gone.)

5. Add lemon juice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.

6. Add cooked pasta, cottage cheese, spinach, chicken, and Parmesan. Stir to combine.

7. Turn pasta mixture into the greased 9x13 casserole dish. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until golden.

Shrimp & Grits Casserole

It's finally getting a bit cooler outside, so bring on the casseroles! This is a great Cooking Light easy recipe that I assembled before we put our babies to bed and baked while they had bathtime. Dinner was ready by the time we got back down stairs!

SHRIMP & GRITS CASSEROLE

Recipe Notes

I used about 3/4 lb. shrimp (instead of a full pound) and fat free milk (instead of 2%) and this turned out great. Calorie count for my version is probably slightly less than noted below for this reason.

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 6)

341 calories - 13 g. fat - 27 g. carbs - 1 g. fiber - 28 g. protein

Ingredients

• 2 c. 2% reduced-fat milk


• 3/4 c. fat free chicken broth


• 1 c. uncooked quick-cooking grits (such as Quaker)


• 1/4 tsp. salt


• 1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese


• 2 tbsp. butter


• 3 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese


• 3 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley


• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh chives


• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice


• 2 egg whites


• 1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp, coarsely chopped


• Hot pepper sauce for serving (such as Cholula) if desired

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Combine milk and broth in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.

3. Gradually add grits and salt to the pan, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook 5 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in parmesan, butter, and cream cheese until well-combined, followed by parsley, chives, lemon juice, egg whites, and shrimp.

5. Turn grits mixture into an 11x7 glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cook for 25 minutes or until set.

6. Serve hot with hot pepper sauce.

Sausage & Cheddar Cheese Strata

My wonderful friend Emily had her bachelorette weekend last weekend down in Seaside, Florida - what a fabulous place it was! We had a beach house, so we cooked most meals, and my contribution was this tasty casserole from The Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook. This cookbook is absolutely fabulous - even if you are neither a bride nor a groom, I highly recommend buying this cookbook. There are lots of recipes that serve fewer people (generally 2-4) and there are great basic dinner preparation ideas and party preparation ideas.

SAUSAGE & CHEDDAR CHEESE STRATA

Recipe Notes

I do not recommend skimping on the half-and-half. I had fat free half-and-half available to me last weekend, and while the flavor was good, it was slightly runny. The beauty of this particular breakfast casserole is that it does not require "marinating" over night - therefore, no forethought or preplanning are required. You can whip this up the morning of your breakfast or brunch in less than one hour. Also, the original recipe calls for 24 oz. breakfast sausage and that is a LOT of sausage - I cut the breakfast sausage in half and only used 12 oz.

Ingredients

• 24 oz. ground breakfast sausage (12 oz. regular & 12 oz. hot) - I used only 12 oz. Jimmy Dean reduced fat breakfast sausage


• 4 eggs, beaten


• 2-1/2 c. half and half


• 1 tsp. dried sage


• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt


• 1/4 tsp. ground pepper


• 6 potato bread or soft white bread slices, crusts removed


• 2 c. grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese


• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives, flat leaf parsley, or green onions (both white & green parts)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with Pam or grease with butter.

2. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly browned (5-7 minutes). Drain sausage and transfer to a paper towel.

3. Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, sage, kosher salt, and pepper.

4. Layer the bread in the prepared baking dish and top with sausage.

5. Pour the egg mixture over the sausage and top with cheese.

6. Bake until the strata is set in the middle, about 30 minutes. Do not overcook. Let cool for 15-20 minutes.

7. Garnish with chives, green onions, or parsley.

Mexican Chicken Casserole

This casserole was so good, I've taken it in my lunch the past two days at work. It has tons of vegetables hiding inside, so it helps you get your daily allowance of vegetables, too! Sorry for the sloppy picture - don't let it dissuade you from trying this recipe!

MEXICAN CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Recipe Notes

I cooked and shredded the chicken for this Cooking Light recipe in advance. Also, I didn't have the time to make the charred tomato salsa suggested by the recipe, so I used Pace Chunky Salsa instead (and it tasted great). The recipe modification below uses Pace. If you'd like to make your own, the original recipe can be found (here).

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 8)

331 calories - 12.3 g. fat - 26.1 g. protein - 30.8 g. carbs - 4.2 g. fiber

Ingredients

• Pace chunky salsa (I used mild) - 2 jars
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 1 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels (I used frozen)
• 1 c. zucchini, diced finely
• 1 c. chopped red bell pepper
• 3 c. shredded, cooked chicken breasts (2-3 chicken breasts)
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 10 oz. can green chile enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso)
• 1, 4-oz. can chopped green chiles (I skipped this because I don't like green chiles)
• Twelve 6-in. corn tortillas
• 1 c. shredded monterrey jack cheese
• 1 c. crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray and add onion, corn, zucchini, and red bell pepper. Saute 6 minutes or until tender.

3. Add chicken and next five ingredients (through green chiles, if you are adding them). Saute 2 minutes or until heated through, remove from heat.

4. Spread 1/2 c. salsa in the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange six tortillas over salsa. Spoon 2 c. chicken mixture over tortillas. Top with 3/4 c. salsa and 1/2 c. of each cheese (monterrey jack and feta).

5. Repeat another layer, beginning with six tortillas. End with remaining cheeses.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Layered Enchilada Bake

My coworker Angela recommended this recipe as one that is easily freezable. I wanted to take another casserole to my sister in law, who just had a baby, so I cut the recipe in half for serving and froze half of it for her while we ate the other half. Corey loved it!

LAYERED ENCHILADA BAKE

Recipe Notes

Thanks kraft.com. Serve with cilantro (pictured above), chopped lettuce, and/or chopped fresh tomatoes. There is a full-fat version of this recipe and a lower fat version of this recipe. I have shown the lower fat version here.

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 8)

400 calories - 15 g. fat - 39 g. carbohydrates - 6 g. fiber

Ingredients

• 1 lb. lean ground beef (I used 93% lean)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 c. salsa
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 c. light Italian dressing
• 2 tbsp. taco seasoning mix
• 6 eight-inch flour tortillas
• 1 c. light sour cream
• 8 oz. package 2% milk Mexican shredded cheese blend

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Brown meat and onions in a skillet and drain. Stir in salsa, black beans, Italian dressing, and taco seasoning.

3. Arrange 3 tortillas in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish (cut tortillas to fit). Top with 1/2 meat mixture, 1/2 c. sour cream, and 1/2 cheese. Repeat.

4. Cover and bake for 40 minutes or until casserole is heated through and cheese is melted. Uncover after first 30 minutes and bake final 10 minutes uncovered. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomato, and Cheese

This Cooking Light pasta is easy to assemble and feeds a crowd. It's one of Corey's favorites!

Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomato, and Cheese

Recipe Notes

I like to double the tomato paste to add a small boost of flavor....we like it very tomato-y in our house!

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 8)

413 calories - 11.8 g. fat - 24.1 g. protein - 53 g. carbohydrate - 4.5 g. fiber

Ingredients

• 16 oz. uncooked ziti
• 1 lb. hot Italian sausage links
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• Two, 14.5-oz. cans petite diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
• 1 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1 c. grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain pasta and set aside.

3. Remove sausage casings and cook sausage, onion, and garlic in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble.

4. Add tomato paste, salt, pepper, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil.

5. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Combined cooked pasta, sausage and tomato mixture, and basil. Place 1/2 pasta mixture in a 4-qt casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Top with half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers.

7. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Sausage & Bean Casserole

Wow, I am a negligent blogger. Unfortunately, after more than 100 postings, I am starting to run out of "new" recipes (new to the blog, at least) to post. Some of you have sent me some great recipes, and I look forward to trying them and sharing them on the blog as well! But here's a Cooking Light casserole that we had last week for dinner. It's vaguely French, kind of like a cassoulet? Easy to throw together because lots of canned things and precooked things in the recipe.

SAUSAGE & BEAN CASSEROLE

Recipe Notes

This recipe calls for a Dutch oven, which I really recommend because it can go from the stovetop into the oven. Just be careful, because you do have to hand wash it due to the ceramic glaze.

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 8)

205 calories - 3.3 g. fat - 12.1 g. protein - 4.4 g. fiber

Ingredients

• 1 c. finely chopped onion
• One 16-oz. package light smoked turkey sausage (such as Hillshire Farm), cut into 1/4 in. slices
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 14 oz. can fat-free chicken broth
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• Three 16-oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (optional)
• Three 1-oz. slices white bread
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Heat a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion and turkey sausage to pan. Saute for five minutes until browned, then add garlic and saute for two minutes more.

3. Stir in chicken broth, scraping down sides of pan. Stir in brown sugar, tomato paste, thyme, pepper, beans, and bay leaf. Add ground red pepper, if desired. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes and then remove from heat.

4. Place bread crumbs and parsley in a food processor and pulse approximately 10 times until fine crumbs form. You should have approximately 1-1/2 cups of breadcrumbs.

5. Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over bean mixture and lightly coat top with cooking spray.

6. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until browned on top. Discard bay leaf and enjoy!

Ham, Spinach, & Rice Casserole

Corey really liked this Martha Stewart Everyday Food casserole that we tried out of the latest issue. It makes four GIANT servings and it makes you feel virtuous because of all the spinach and lean ham!

HAM, SPINACH, & RICE CASSEROLE

Recipe Notes

I had the deli counter slice me 1/2 lb. of honey ham. That way, I just had to make the slices into little cubes and I was ready to go.

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 4)

441 calories - 18.8 g. fat - 29.4 g. protein - 5.2 g. fiber

Ingredients

• Two 10-oz. packages frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 2 cups cooked white rice (I made mine in the rice cooker with chicken broth instead of water)
• 2/3 c. whole milk (I used skim and it turned out great)
• 2 eggs
• 1 c. grated Gruyere cheese
• Coarse salt & pepper
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 c. dry white wine
• 1/2 lb. ham, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, combine spinach, rice, milk, eggs, 3/4 c. cheese, 1-1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.

3. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and beginning to brown (about 10 minutes).

4. Add wine and cook until evaporated, approximately 3 minutes.

5. Add ham and cook until warmed through, approximately 2 minutes.

6. Add ham mixture to spinach and rice mixture and stir to combine. Transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish and top with remaining 1/4 c. cheese.

7. Bake until warmed through and golden brown on top, approximately 25-30 minutes.

Enjoy! Happy Friday everyone!

Red & Yellow Pepper Gratin

This was a really delicious (and very healthy) side dish. It takes a lot of chopping and a long time cooking, but it's worth it. Corey and I both loved this Cooking Light recipe from 2007.

RED & YELLOW PEPPER GRATIN

Recipe Notes

If you don't have sourdough bread, use any type of bread. I personally used a leftover hamburger bun!

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 6)
94 calories - 3.5 g. fat - 3.4 g. protein - 1.6 g. fiber

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. sun-dried tomatoes, reconstituted and cut into thin strips
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• 2 large red bell peppers, cut into thin strips
• 1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1 small yellow squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion (peeled), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 2 tsp. olive oil, divided
• 1-1/2 oz. sourdough bread
• 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine tomatoes and next nine ingredients (through onion) in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 tsp. oil and toss gently.

3. Spoon into a 3 qt. casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven.

4. Pulse bread in food processor and add 1 tsp. oil and Parmesan cheese. Pulse to combine.

5. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over vegetables and return to the oven. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 more minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown.

Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Cheese

This Cooking Light baked pasta is a great weeknight meal that serves a HUGE crowd on command. It is also a good way to help clean up and clean out your pantry - as you will notice in the photo, there are several different sizes of tube-shaped pasta there. I had three almost-empty boxes of rigatoni, penne, and mezze penne, so I just combined the three to get my required 1 lb. of pasta for the recipe.

BAKED PASTA WITH SAUSAGE, TOMATOES, AND CHEESE

Recipe Notes

I add a step and drain the sausage and onion mixture after it has finished cooking to drain off a little additional fat. I also add a little extra tomato paste for extra flavor.

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 8)
413 calories - 11.8 g. fat - 24.1 g. protein - 4.5 g. fiber

Ingredients

• 1 lb. package uncooked ziti or other tube-shaped pasta
• 1 lb. hot Italian turkey sausage
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• Two 14.5-oz. cans petite diced tomatoes in juice, undrained
• 1/4 c. fresh chopped basil
• 1 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella
• 1 c. grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta and set aside.

2. Remove sausage from casings. Cook sausage, onion, and garlic over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble sausage.

3. If desired, drain and return to skillet. Add tomato paste, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer 10 minutes.

4. Combine cooked pasta, sausage and tomato mixture, and basil.

5. Layer half of the pasta mixture into a four-quart glass casserole dish (coated with cooking spray).

6. Sprinkle 1/2 c. mozzarella and 1/2 c. Parmesan over pasta.

7. Layer with remaining pasta mixture and top with remaining cheeses.

8. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes or until bubbly.

"Almost" Luby's Mac & Cheese

The perfect comfort food for winter time! Loved by adults and kiddoes alike. Serve with steak or grilled chicken instead of mashed potatoes. Or just have it alone with some vegetables and bread for dinner. Warning: this is NOT a healthy recipe (although it is not nearly as bad for you as the steakhouse mac & cheese varieties we love so much).

"ALMOST" LUBY'S MAC & CHEESE

Recipe Notes

Amazingly enough, tt can be difficult to find shredded American cheese these days - Randall's doesn't even carry it any more! The closest I've been able to find is a Kraft Classic Melts variety, which is an American and cheddar cheese blend. I have found it at Rice Epicurean. For me, that works just fine.

Ingredients

• 2 c. dry elbow macaroni
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 1-1/2 c. milk (I used skim, 2% probably works the very best)
• 3 c. grated American cheese, divided
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Instructions

1. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large sauce pan, melt butter and whisk in flour. As the butter is melting, I like to add a couple of tbsp. of milk so that the butter and flour don't scorch.

3. Gradually add milk, whisking well to combine.

4. Add 1-1/2 c. shredded cheese and mix until melted and creamy.

5. Stir in macaroni, salt, and 1 c. cheese (only 1/2 c. shredded cheese will be left to use).

6. Turn into a lightly greased 2 quart baking dish (8x8 or 9x9). Cover with foil.

7. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle top with remaining 1/2 c. cheese. Continue baking for one minute or until remaining cheese melts.

Hearty Lasagna

This is a great Sunday night dinner with leftovers to eat all week! This is definitely a time-consuming meal (about an hour of prep time and another hour of cooking time), but the result is a tasty, low-fat lasagna alternative. This recipe first appeared in Cooking Light in 1995.

Recipe Notes

Instead of using a 28-oz. can of whole tomatoes (and having to chop them), I buy a 28-oz. container of the crushed tomatoes so that my work is already done for me. Watch out in hot ovens like mine - your cook time will likely be closer to one hour.

Nutritional Information (per serving - makes 9 generous servings)
380 calories - 10.5 g. fat - 33.4 g. protein - 2.8 g. fiber

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb. ground round
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 c. chopped parsley, divided
• 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 14.5-oz. can Italian-style stewed tomatoes (petite dice)
• 8-oz. can tomato sauce
• 6-oz. can tomato paste
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 c. nonfat cottage cheese
• 1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
• 15-oz. container nonfat or part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 12 cooked lasagna noodles
• 2 c. finely-shredded Italian provolone cheese

Instructions

1. Cook ground beef in large saucepan over medium-high heat until browned, approximately 5 minutes, stirring to crumble. Drain and set aside.

2. Return pan to heat. Add onion and garlic and saute 5 minutes. Return ground beef to pan.

3. Add 2 tbsp. parsley, crushed tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, herbs, and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat, simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer for 20 minutes more.

4. Combine remaining parsley, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and egg white in a food processor. Process until smooth.

5. Spread 3/4 c. tomato mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 lasagna noodles over tomato mixture. Top with 1/2 cheese mixture and 2-1/4 c. tomato mixture. Sprinkle with 2/3 c. Provolone cheese.

6. Repeat, ending with 4 lasagna noodles. Top with remaining tomato mixture.

7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover lasagna with foil and bake, covered, for one hour.

8. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining Provolone cheese. Return to oven and bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes more.

9. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

This Cooking Light casserole was a Recipe Makeover about four years ago. It's nice and filling and would be another good, mild, low-fat casserole to take to a new mom. Weighing in at 276 calories and 8 grams of fat per serving, this dish is much better for you than the original version.

CHICKEN & BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

Recipe Notes

I used Hellman's low-fat mayonnaise instead of fat free....to me it just tastes a little bit better. Also, I subbed light sour cream for the fat free sour cream called for here for the same reason. Finally, we don't keep sherry in the house, so I omitted this ingredient in my version last night.

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 8)
276 calories - 7.8 g. fat - 31.1 g. protein - 2.1 g. fiber

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. frozen broccoli florets
• 3-4 chicken breasts (about 6 oz. each)
• 12-oz. can evaporated fat free milk
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• Dash of nutmeg
• 1 c. fat-free mayonnaise (I used Hellman's low-fat)
• 1/2 c. fat-free sour cream (I used light sour cream)
• 1/4 c. dry sherry (I omitted this ingredient)
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1 c. shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Bring water to a boil in large saucepan. Add broccoli and cook five minutes or until crisp-tender. Transfer to a separate bowl.

3. Add chicken to boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and cut into bite-sized pieces. Add to bowl with broccoli.

4. Wipe out saucepan. Add evaporated milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and flour. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook one minute. Remove from heat.

5. Add mayonnaise, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, soup, and 1/2 c. cheese. Stir until well-combined.

6. Add wet ingredients to broccoli and chicken. Stir gently to combine.

7. Turn into a greased 9x13 glass baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes or until mixture bubbles and cheese begins to brown.

8. Remove from oven. Let rest five minutes before serving.

Orzo with Feta, Chicken, Lemon, and Dill

This Martha Stewart Everyday Food recipe was delicious and on the table in less than one hour. The recipe indicates that it makes six servings, but those servings are ENORMOUS. This dish could easily serve at least eight people with a salad and crusty bread to accompany it.

ORZO WITH FETA, CHICKEN, LEMON, & DILL

Recipe Notes
Recipe serves six (enormous portions)! The recipe doesn't call for ground pepper, but I added some ground pepper to the casserole prior to baking.

Ingredients

• 4 c. chicken broth (approximately one box)
• 3/4 c. water
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1-1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 lb. orzo (typically one box)
• 1 lb. chicken tenderloins, cut into one-inch cubes
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh dill
• 2 c. feta cheese
• 2 tbsp. lemon zest
• Juice of one small lemon
• 1 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Bring chicken broth, water, butter, and salt to a boil. Turn off heat and set aside.

2. Combine orzo, chicken pieces, dill, feta, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a three-quart casserole dish.

3. Pour chicken broth mixture over the dry ingredients.

4. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until pasta appears creamy and slightly browned on top.

5. Let stand for five minutes. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top and allow to melt slightly. Serve immediately.

Bacon Mac & Cheese - Part 2

Corey enjoyed the Cooking Light Bacon Mac and Cheese so much that I made last month, he requested it for his birthday dinner tonight! Since it was one of the first recipes that I posted on this blog, I thought it was worth re-posting for anyone who might have started reading in the past few weeks. Link to the recipe (here), including nutritional information.


We also made the Tomatoes Provencal from that same dinner tonight. Using Campari tomatoes, this recipe is almost as sweet and delicious as candy. This goes really well with the Bacon Mac and Cheese!