Sausage Spaghetti Pie

I love spaghetti in all forms, and this recipe was especially intriguing because it is lower in fat and calories. I doubled it from the original and switched up the ingredients a bit. Nutrition is calculated for Ragu No-Sugar Added sauce and whole-wheat spaghetti.

Sausage Spaghetti Pie

8 oz uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
1 pound smoked turkey sausage, diced
1 26-oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 15-oz container reduced-fat ricotta cheese
3 egg whites
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet, saute sausage for 3-4 minutes or until browned; stir in spaghetti sauce.

In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese and one egg white; set aside. Drain spaghetti; add 2/3 cup Parmesan and remaining egg whites. Press onto bottom and up the sides of a 9x13 casserole dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon ricotta mixture into crust. Top with sausage mixture.

Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and bake 5 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

Serves 8.

Nutrition Info: 313 calories, 11g fat, 6g fiber

Pasta Supreme

I adapted a Quick Cooking recipe to add a lot more veggies and yummy goodness. It looks like a lot of ingredients, but it's actually not difficult to put together. I will often cook all the onion/pepper I need for multiple recipes at once. When I get a bag of chicken, I boil the whole thing and cut it up for future use. Same thing with the bacon - so most everything was already cooked and I just had to assemble it.

Pasta Supreme

2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1/2 each onion, green pepper, red pepper, orange pepper, and yellow pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp each dried basil, oregano, and parsley flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut in 1-in pieces
8 turkey bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 10-oz package frozen spinach, thawed and pressed dry
cooking spray
2 14-oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 6-oz can tomato paste
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Cook pasta according to package directions. Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray.

In a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray, saute onion, peppers, garlic and seasoning until almost tender. Add chicken, bacon and spinach, stirring until heated through.

In a blender, combine tomatoes and tomato paste, process until well blended. Stir into chicken mixture. Simmer until slightly thickened.

Toss drained pasta with chicken mixture. Spoon half into casserole dish. Sprinkle with half of mozzarella. Repeat layers, topping with remaining mozzarella and all the Parmesan. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through.

Tarragon Chicken Casserole

This is a nicely mild dish that is easy to put together. It's would be an excellent choice for a potluck, because the taste should appeal to most everyone and it makes enough for 12 people. If you just don't like tarragon, feel free to substitute any of your favorite spices. One piece of advice - skip the grated parmesan that sits in the pasta aisle. Parmesan is a highly flavorful cheese, and since a little goes a long way, it's well worth it to splurge on a block and grate it yourself. There is simply no comparison in the flavor.



Tarragon Chicken Casserole

2 cans low-fat condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups evaporated skim milk
4 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp pepper
16 oz linguine or spaghetti, cooked and drained
6 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
paprika, optional

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine soup, evaporated milk, tarragon and pepper. Stir in pasta and chicken. Transfer to a 4-qt casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with Parmesan and paprika. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until heated through.

248 calories, 5gm fat, 50mg cholesterol, 373 mg sodium, 31 gm carbohydrate

Sausage & Beans with Rice

Mmmm... tasty! I love rice and beans, but it can easily turn into a very unhealthy meal. I used a low-fat turkey sausage to drop the fat and calories in this and cut the brown sugar down a bit from the 1/4 cup it calls for. You could use the Splenda brown sugar blend, but you wouldn't want to use more than a tablespoon or so - it's much, much sweeter than regular brown sugar. I really like the slight sweetness to this dish. It made for a nice change of pace from typical rice and beans recipes.



Sausage & Beans with Rice

2/3 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-in slices
1 16-oz can kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 16-oz can great northern beans, rinsed & drained
1 cup instant brown rice
1 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tbsp. corn syrup
1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet, saute the onion, green pepper and garlic in oil until softened. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into a 9x13 casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Cover and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Serves 6.

(Un)Stuffed Cabbage Strata

I picked up the Biggest Loser Family Cookbook this week, and I must admit, I am totally impressed - I will likely try 80% or more of the recipes in the book, which is a lot for me. This one had such a yummilicious picture that I wanted to try it, and even though I'm not normally a fan of cooked cabbage, this gets two thumbs up. It is absolutely outstanding. I'd like to try it with the ground chicken, but since I can't buy it locally, I used ground beef - which was fine. I also used turkey bacon instead of center-cut. I also cheated and used prepackaged coleslaw mix instead of shredding the cabbage myself.

Stuffed Cabbage Strata

Olive oil spray
8 slices center-cut bacon, cut into 2-in pieces
1 1/4 c. minced yellow onion
1 cup uncooked instant brown rice
6 cups shredded green cabbage
1 1/2 lb. extra-lean ground chicken bread (or ground beef)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 8-oz cans no-salt added tomato sauce
3/4 cup hot water
hot sauce, to taste (optional)

Preheat oven to 400. Spray an 8x8 casserole dish (at least 3 inches deep) with olive oil spray.

Over medium-high heat, cook bacon until cooked and crisping on edges. Transfer to paper towels to cool. Discard all but 1 tbsp. of bacon fat from the skillet.

Add onions and rice to skillet. Over medium heat, cook in bacon fat, stirring, until onions are tender and rice is starting to brown, about 3-5 minutes.

Spread 3 cups of cabbage in an even layer on bottom of baking dish. Top with rice mixture, spreading evenly.

Add the chicken, salt, and pepper to skillet. Cook until no longer pink, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to baking dish with a slotted spoon. Spread remaining 3 cups cabbage over chicken.

Discard any liquid from the skillet and add tomato sauce and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Spoon sauce evenly over casserole. Do not let dish overflow. Lay bacon pieces evenly on top of cabbage. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer, or until the cabbage and rice and tender and the strata is heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6.

271 calories, 32 g protein, 25 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 75 mg cholesterol, 5 g fiber, 462 mg sodium

Cashew Noodle Casserole

Did you think I had forgotten about you? Of course not - but I haven't done much cooking since the first of the year, when we realized we were going to move in a few weeks. I'm settled in my new place, and have done my first cooking in my new kitchen. Great fun. :)

I adapted this recipe from a Taste of Home cookbook. I changed quantities of most of the ingredients to make it healthier and more economical. It is mild, but quite tasty. If you want to keep some for leftovers, do not add the chow mein noodles before cooking.

Cashew Noodle Casserole

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 4-oz can mushroom pieces, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. black pepper
8 oz. fine eggs noodles, cooked and drained
1 cup reduced-fat finely shredded cheddar
1 6-oz package chow mein noodles (I only used half the bag)
1 c. whole cashews

Preheat oven to 350. In a skillet, cook beef and onions over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the mushrooms; set aside. In a bowl, combine the soup, milk, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. In a 2-qt baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray, layer egg noodles, beef mixture, and soup mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and chow mein noodles. Bake, uncovered for 20 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with cashews. Serves 6-8

Chicken Roasted over Squash

Lately I have discovered the joys of winter squash, and have been searching for recipes that feature it. This Weight Watchers Core bake was a simple but yummy option. You can use any winter squash you like in this recipe. I used Golden Nugget, but butternut, acorn, or kabocha would work just as well.

Chicken Roasted over Squash

1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut in 1/2-in pieces
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
1/2 tsp. salt
ground pepper to taste
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. unsweetened applesauce

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large skillet with canola spray. Over medium-high heat, cook onion, bell pepper, and squash, stirring until slightly softened, about 7-8 minutes. Stir in thyme, salt and pepper, until mixed. Mound mixture in center of 9x13 baking pan.

Place chicken over vegetables, covering them as much as possible. Stir together mustard and applesauce; brush over chicken. Bake until chicken is golden, about 50 minutes. Cut chicken and serve with vegetables.

Serves 8.

224 Cal, 7g Fat, 2g Sat Fat, 78mg chool, 320mg sodium, 14g carb, 2g fib, 27g protein, 51mg calcium

Taco Casserole

Here's another old favorite that I tweaked to make it lower in calories and fat. Of course, feel free to use regular Doritos, regular cheese, and regular soup, if that's your cup of tea. It will taste every bit as good.

Taco Casserole

¾ lb. ground beef
1 c. brown rice, cooked
3 100-calorie packs Doritos, crushed
1 can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
1 can fiesta nacho cheese soup
½ c. water
1 can Ro-Tel
1 ½ c. reduced-fat grated cheddar cheese


Preheat oven to 350. Brown hamburger. In a medium bowl, mix soups, Ro-Tel, and water. In a well-greased 2-qt casserole dish, layer hamburger, rice, cheese, chips, and soups. Bake 30 minutes.

Reuben Casserole

I really love a good Reuben. Sauerkraut, cheese, thousand island dressing, and corned beef doesn't sound like an especially good combination - but it's so yummy. This casserole is actually easier to assemble than a sandwich, and you can stick it in the fridge and eat from it for several days. Because there's no pre-cooking required, all you have to do is throw it in the dish and bake.

Word to the wise: get as much liquid from the sauerkraut as you possibly can so the dish doesn't become watery. Also, the stuff in the bag that's in the cooler section (usually by the hot dogs) is infinitely better than its canned counterpart. You can use low-fat 1000 Island dressing, but it doesn't taste as good. Reduced-fat Swiss is fine, if you can find it. I usually "butter" the bread with a low-cal butter spray instead of real butter.

Reuben Casserole

1 14-oz can sauerkrat, rinsed and drained
1 c. Thousand Island salad dressing
1 lb. thinly sliced deli corned beef, cut into strips
2 c. shredded Swiss cheese
4-6 slices rye bread, buttered

Preheat oven to 375. Combine sauerkraut and salad dressing; spread into a greased 9x13 dish. Top with corned beef and cheese. Place bread, buttered side up, over top. Bake, uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

Pork Chop & Rice Casserole

Mom first made this in my pre-teen years, and it's one of those rare recipes that I've never bothered to tweak. It's perfect as-is, and because it goes together easily and cooks in the oven for two hours, it's a good choice for company. You only need to add a salad and dinner rolls for a complete meal. We make it with pork chops or chicken - you can decide whichever you prefer. It will last a week in the refrigerator, and reheats beautifully. A word to the wise - make sure you grease the casserole dish very well, or the rice will be a sticky gooey mess that you won't enjoy cleaning up.

Pork Chop and Rice Casserole

2 c. uncooked long grain rice
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
6 pork chops, thin loin
1 can cream mushroom soup
1 can chicken gumbo soup
Salt and pepper
3 c. water

Preheat oven to 350. Spread rice evenly in bottom of well-greased 9x13 dish. Sprinkle with ¼ soup mix. Place pork on rice. Sprinkle with remaining soup mix and salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, combine soups and water. Blend well and pour over pork chops. Cover with foil and bake two hours. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

Baked Spaghetti

I have been remiss in not sharing this with you. I found the recipe in a Light & Tasty magazine. It has all the comfort qualities of good old lasagna, without all the hassle. (I know how commercial-esque that sounded. Bear with me!) It makes up a ton, reheats very well, will easily last a week in the fridge, and if you use the right ingredients, is even Weight Watcher friendly at 7 points a serving. I have not tried freezing this one, but I suspect it would freeze as well as lasagna does.

Baked Spaghetti

1 lb. 96% lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 c. Ragu No Sugar Added Tomato & Basil Sauce
4 c. 1% low-fat cottage cheese
2 c.part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
½ c. reduced-fat Parmesan topping, divided
12 oz. whole wheat angel hair pasta

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook beef, onion, and garlic until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the spaghetti sauce and heat through.

In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, 1 ½ c. mozzarella and ¼ c. Parmesan.

Drain spaghetti.

Spread 1 cup of meat sauce in a 9x13 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer with half the spaghetti, half the cheese, and half the remaining meat sauce. Repeat layers. (Dish will be very full, and you may have to press it down with a spatula to make it all fit.)

Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 10, 7 WWP per serving.

Ranch Chicken & Rice

Here's an easy-peasy casserole that is kid-friendly. In fact, I almost feel like I'm cheating when I make it, because it goes together so quickly. It's one of Jeff's favorites.

Ranch Chicken & Rice

2 c uncooked instant rice
1 1/2 c milk
1 c water
1 1-oz pkg ranch salad dressing mix
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in 1/2-in strips
1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted
paprika

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a shallow 2-qt with Crisco. Add rice to dish, spreading it out evenly. In a bowl, combine the milk, water, and salad dressing mix; set aside 1/4 cup. Pour remaining mixture over rice. Top with chicken strips. Drizzle with butter and reserved milk mixture. Cover and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until rice is tender and chicken juices run clear. Sprinkle with paprika.

Chicken Crouton Hot Dish

I don't remember where this came from, but it's an easy favorite that I've made at least a half-dozen times - at my house, making anything more than once means it is a keeper. This is comfort food at its finest. Substituting turkey for the chicken is a great alternative, and you can use fat-free sour cream, reduced-fat soup, and "diet" butter without affecting the taste of texture.

Chicken Crouton Hot Dish

14.5 oz can chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz sour cream
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 14-oz package seasoned stuffing cubes
4 c. shredded cooked chicken

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, whisk together broth, soup, sour cream and butter. Stir in croutons and chicken. Transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes.

Shepherd's Inn Breakfast Casserole

I have a special place in my heart for breakfast casseroles - the kind that include meat, potatoes or rice, cheese, eggs, and lots of flavor. It's a versatile class of food, the kind that can be eaten any time of the day and on any occasion. When I tried this recipe from the Taste of Home Casserole Cookbook, I knew I had a winner. Jeff confirmed my assessment by eating half the casserole in one sitting! It really couldn't be yummier. To reduce calories and fat, use low-fat turkey sausage, reduced-fat cheese, and egg substitute.

Shepherd's Inn Breakfast Casserole

1 1/2 lbs. bulk sausage
26-oz bag frozen tater tots
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
4 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
salt & pepper to taste
sliced tomatoes

Brown sausage and drain. Transfer to greased 9x13 casserole dish. Cover with tater tots. Sprinkle cheese over tots. In a medium bowl, beat eggs, milk, and seasonings. Pour over cheese. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 25 minutes more, until heated through. Garnish with tomatoes.