Four Cheese and Sausage Manicotti

1 package Manicotti
1 lb. Italian sausage (I use turkey)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 teaspoon basil leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (15 oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded provolone cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg

Cook pasta according to package directions. In large skillet, over medium heat, brown sausage. Add onion and garlic, cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and summer uncovered 15 minutes.

Combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, Parmesan cheese and egg. Mix well. Stuff pasta.

Spread half of the sauce on bottom of greased 13 x 9" baking dish. Arrange pasta over sauce. Sppon remaining sauce over pasta; cover. Bake 35 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Uncover; top with remaining  cup mozzarella cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer. (Add about 5 minutes to baking time if prepared early and refrigerated.)

Pasta with Spinach and Beans

This is one of those vague recipes that I adapted from a Cooking light recipe. The original called for cavatappi pasta which is great but I use Penne most of the time since it's what I have on hand. It also called for Asiago cheese which I never have and have only used Parmesan. I love the Andouille chicken sausage that is sold at Costco. I add it in this recipe sometimes and it is fantastic. The great thing about this recipe is that it's fast, filling and it's so easy to substitute or swap ingredients. I have used great northern beans as a substitute for cannellini beans but they are rather soft and mushy so I prefer the cannellini beans.

Ingredients

6-8  cups  coarsely chopped spinach leaves

8 oz. pasta (cavatappi, spiral, penne)

2  tablespoons  olive oil

1/4  teaspoon  salt

1/4  teaspoon  pepper

2  garlic cloves, crushed

1  (19-ounce) can cannellini beans (also called white kidney beans), rinsed and drained

1/2  cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook pasta as directed. Place spinach in large bowl. In small bowl combine oil, salt,  pepper and garlic. Drain pasta and combine with spinach. Add beans, oil mixture and cheese to pasta and toss.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and toss well. Sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper, if desired.

                               

Chicken Primavera

This is another recipe I adapted from Cooking Light. Originally, it was a vegetarian dish but I added chicken. So, if you don't have chicken, it would still be a great dish. I've made it without the asparagus and green beans when I only had broccoli. Feel free to adapt based on what you have on hand. I tend to like a bit more garlic so if you don't like strong garlic, use only 2 cloves.

Ingredients:
2 cups green beans, trimmed (optional)
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup asparagus (optional)
8-10 ounces uncooked fettuccine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
2-4 minced fresh garlic
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
2/3 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. 
chopped fresh basil to taste

Cook green beans in boiling water 1 minute. Add broccoli and asparagus; cook 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from pan with a slotted spoon; place in large bowl. Return water to a boil. Add pasta; cook 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain and add to vegetable mixture.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup onion, and saute for 2 minutes. Add chicken, garlic and red pepper; saute until chicken no longer pink. Add peas and saute for an additional 1 minute. In a small bowl, combine half-and-half, cornstarch and salt, stirring with a whisk. Reduce heat to medium. Add half-and-half mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until sauce thickens, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with basil and cheese. Serve immediately.

Yield 4 servings
(9)

Swedish Meatballs (except with chicken)

This is yet again another Cooking Light recipe that I made some adjustments to and have adopted as a regular in our dinner rotations.

The recipe calls for bread crumbs. Because I use bread crumbs regularly, I keep them in my freezer. Whenever I have a few slices of bread that are almost ready to be thrown out, I'll put it in the food processor and freeze them so I can easily use them later.

The recipe also calls for ground chicken. Although it is pretty easy to pick up a pound of ground chicken from the grocery store, I prefer to put chicken breasts in the food processor. It makes a huge difference. Typically, you can get three breasts in a package which is almost 3 pounds. I'll just grind the entire package, split it, use half and freeze the other half.

If you start heating the water for the noodles after you've put browned all the meatballs, it usually turns out timed perfectly. Well, at least with my stovetop. If you have a better range, it might not work out as accurately :) Okay, enough with my tips. On to the recipe!

Ingredients:
1 cup bread crumbs
1 pound ground chicken breast
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons parsley (I use dry although it would probably taste better if you used fresh)
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon canola oil
1-14 oz. can fat free chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free sour cream
12-16 oz. wide egg noodles

Directions:
1. Place bread crumbs, chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, nutmeg, pepper and egg white in bowl. Stir until combined. Shape into small 1-inch meatballs.
2. Heat oil in large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add meatballs. Brown on all sides. Remove meatballs from pan.


3. Reserve a some of the chicken broth in a small bowl. Pour the rest into the pan. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to pan. Add the flour (for thicker sauce, add more flour) to the reserved chicken broth and stir well. Pour the flour-chicken broth mixture into the pan. Stir with a whisk until well combined. Bring to a boil and cook for a minute or until slightly thickened.


4. Stir in sour cream and return the meatballs to the pan. Reduce heat to meadium-low. Cook for 10 minutes or until meatballs are done and sauce has thickened.

Lemon Basil Shrimp Pasta

This little gem comes from Cooking Light all the way back in Spring of 2007. I actually find it so easy to make that it's become one of our regulars. The only difference from the original recipe is that I don't use the 3 tablespoons of capers it calls for. Not because I don't like capers, it's just that I don't buy capers often and when I do, I never use them all. Add them back in if you like.

I highly recommend using fresh basil. I didn't use fresh the last time I made this (pictured above) and although it was still good - it's just not nearly as light and yummy. My basil plant pooped out right before Spring came and I have yet to replace it.

I'm also going to put in a plug for the frozen bags of shrimp at Costco. It is the best frozen shrimp I've ever used. It easily thaws by running under water for 5 or so minutes. Since they come with the tail shell on, I pull of the shells while they are under the running water.

If you don't like shrimp, this recipe would also be good with a substitute of chicken.

Ingredients:
8 oz. uncooked spaghetti
1 pound peeled and and deveined large shrimp
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (or 2 Tb dried basil)
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups baby spinach

Bring water to boil in large pot. Add pasta. 3 minutes before pasta is done cooking according to package directions, add shrimp. Cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are done. Drain (do not rinse). Place pasta and shrimp in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix basil, oil, lemon juice and salt. Add to pasta and shrimp. Place spinach on plate or bowl and top with pasta mixture.

Yield: 4 servings

Chicken and Fresh Vegetable Pasta Salad

This is attempt number 2 at documenting a recipe that is stored in my magic brain. Sorry if it is a little vague but this is another recipe that is great because of the ease of making variations.

Most of my staple recipes are based upon items that in bulk (ahem, Costco). I also typically buy a family pack of chicken and grill several breasts all at once on my George Foreman so that I can use the chicken the next night in a different recipe (such as Artichoke-Chicken Penne, Chicken Tetrazzini or Chicken Enchilada Pie). I simply put a little Season-All on the chicken and grill on my trusty George Foreman.


Also, for this recipe I like to use at least three or four different vegetables. I always use tomatoes and cucumbers. I love sweet peppers - orange, yellow or red. If you don't like sweet peppers, try adding carrots. I'm not a big fan of carrots but they would be a good substitute for the peppers. The amounts I've listed in the recipe can certainly be altered to taste. Use your favorite vegetables so you will really enjoy the salad.

If you do use sweet peppers, I usually only use a quarter of each. I think it is the perfect amount.



Ingredients:
16 oz. Rotini pasta
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
other vegetables as desired (sweet peppers, carrots, spinach, etc.)
2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup Feta cheese (if you don't like Feta, try Parmesan instead)

Dressing:
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 package of Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix.

Begin by grilling your chicken. While you are grilling, start your water boiling for the pasta. Begin cutting your vegetables and place in a large bowl. Allow the grilled chicken to cool a bit and then chop. Once the pasta is done, drain and rinse.

Add all ingredients to a large bowl and stir. In a small bowl mix ingredients for dressing. Add dressing to salad and toss.

Artichoke-Chicken Penne

This is my first attempt at writing down a recipe that I just have in my head. It evolved from the desire to something similar to a dish I had at Noodles and Co. Forgive me but I'll have to be a little Rachel Ray on this and give approximate measurements. But the great thing about this recipe is that you can easily make variations. Again, the measurements are approximate because I never measure - I just throw it in.

Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts, chopped
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked (grilled or sauteed) and shredded
10 oz. penne pasta, cooked and drained
handful of fresh Spinach, rinsed
2-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4-1/2 cup feta cheese

In a large skillet, add olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add garlic, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. Cook for one minute.

Add chicken and noodles. Stir and heat through. Add Spinach and cook until spinach is wilted.


Add balsamic vinegar and heat through. Add feta cheese before serving.

Tortellini-Asparagus salad with Lemon-Dijon Dressing

I realized that it's time for a Spring recipe rather than my string of soups I've been posting. Here is a fantastic salad that is great dish if you need to prepare it ahead of time. Asparagus is in season now so give it a whirl.

Salad Ingredients:
1 20 oz. package of refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1 lb. fresh asparagus spears (about half a bundle), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 yellow pepper, diced
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup sliced green onions

Dressing Ingredients:
1-2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, minced

1. In large pot, cook tortellini according to package instructions. Add asparagus and yellow pepper during the last minute of cooking (don't overcook otherwise you'll get soggy asparagus!). Rinse tortellini and vegetables with cold water and drain. Set aside in refrigerator.

2. For dressing, combine dressing ingredients and whisk or shake in jar. Coat pasta and vegetables with the dressing and chill for at one hour or more.

3. Just before serving, stir in add green onions and cheese.

Chicken Tetrazzini

Here is a quick and easy casserole. I often make it by estimating the ingredients. I like to grill the chicken on our George Foreman grill and use some "All-Season" to give the casserole a little extra flavor. Also, I sometimes use a red onion but it is very strong so it is best to reduce the amount if you do use a red onion.

Ingredients:

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 cup non-fat milk

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup non-fat sour cream

2 chicken breasts, chopped

1 small zucchini, cut in half and thinly sliced

8 oz. thin spaghetti (cooked)

Mix soup, milk, onion, cheese and sour cream. Add chicken, zucchini and spaghetti. Toss to coat. Spoon into casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot.

If divided into 6 servings, 1 serving is 6 WW points

If divided into 8 servings, 1 serving is 4 WW points

Stovetop Mac and Cheese

This recipe is so easy and yummy. Sometimes you just need mac and cheese and this is so much better than mac and cheese out of a box. I've used non-fat milk and it still tastes great.

Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
2 Tb. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.
2. Combine milk and flour in a medium saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add pasta; toss to coat. Let stand 4 minutes.

Chili Pasta Bake

This is one of those recipes that I found on the back of a can. I always like to try the box or can recipes. It's also a good one to make when you have no creative ideas and no time.

Ingredients:
10 oz. penne pasta
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
2 Tb. chili powder
1 can diced tomatoes
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup salsa
1 can diced green chilies
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
2. Cook meat and onion in large skillet; drain. Add chili powder, undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa and chilies. Cook 5 minutes
3. Toss pasta and sauce. Spoon into 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Pasta Salad with Soy and Ginger Dressing

My aunt Jane gave me this recipe which is a great "party" salad. I made this for Grant's first birthday party and it was a hit.

Pasta Salad:
1 lb. Linguine or thin spaghetti
1-1 1/2 cups chopped, poached chicken breast
2 cups frozen peas
1 carrot (peeled, julienne strips)
1 red pepper (julienne strips)
4 green onions (thinly sliced, diagonal)

Dressing:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 Tb dark sesame seed oil
1 Tb minced garlic
2 Tb brown sugar
1 Tb freshly grated ginger

Whisk dressing ingredients and coat pasta salad. Top with two tablespoons black sesame seeds*. Refrigerate 2 hours prior to serving.

*If you can't find black sesame seeds, you can toast white sesame seeds on a cookie sheet.