Pasta and Chicken Alfredo "Casserole"

3 Tbs. Butter, melted, plus extra for the dish
1 Jar (about 15 oz.) Alfred sauce
8 oz. fettuccine
2 c. diced cooked chicken
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced (optional. I hate onions so I left it out and it still tasted good)
2 c. frozen peas, thawed
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/2 c. seasoned fine dry breadcrumbs
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Butter a deep 3-quart casserole. Cook the pasta according to package instructions (the instructions say to boil them for 12 minutes or until tender but still firm to bite.  I don't really think it matters though.) Drain. Transfer to a large bowl. Mix in Alfredo sauce, chicken, green onions, peas, and poultry seasoning.
In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
Transfer pasta mixture to the buttered baking dish.  sprinkle with crumb mixture. (at this point the casserole can be covered and refrigerated overnight if you want to make it the next day. Just add 10 min. to the baking time.) Bake, uncovered, until the pasta is hot and the topping is golden brown, about 25 minutes.  (Keep an eye on it though... it only took like 20 min. in our oven. Just don't let it go totally brown!)

Spaghetti & Turkey Meatballs

I found this recipe in my Eating for Life cookbook and made it thinking I wouldn't really like the meatballs, but I loved them! (Probably because I actually used fresh parsley instead of my usual dried. :) )  I use Ronzoni Healthy Harvest spaghetti because it's got good stuff in it, and I think it tastes good, too. 

1 1/2 lean ground turkey
2 egg whites
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs or quick oats
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp ground black pepper
3 cups Hunt's Chunky Vegetable spaghetti sauce
Spaghetti (about 12 oz)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

In a large mixing bowl, combine turkey, egg whites, breadcrumbs, water, onion, garlic, parsley, basil, and pepper.  Mix thoroughly and shape into 1 1/2" balls.  Arrange meatballs on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until browned, turning once after 10 minutes. 

In a large saucepan, combine spaghetti sauce and cooked meatballs.  Simmer over low heat until warmed thoroughly.  Prepare spaghetti according to package directions.  Serve with Parmesan cheese. 

Makes 8 servings (one serving = 3 oz meatballs [about 3], 1/3 cup sauce, & 1/2 tbsp parmesan cheese).  Serve with 2 oz spagetti.

Nutrition Facts (does NOT include spaghetti):
Calories - 206
Total Fat - 7.9 g
Saturated Fat - 2.4 g
Trans Fat - 0
Cholesterol - 62 mg
Sodium 534 mg
Carbohydrates - 13.5 g
Fiber - 3.1 g
Sugars - 6.7 g
Protein - 20 g
Vitamin A - 16%
Vitamin C - 14%
Calcium - 10%
Iron - 14%

Cheese-Filled Jumbo Shells

Makes 8-10 servings.

1 package (12 oz.) American Beauty Jumbo Shells
4 cups (2 lbs.) cottage cheese
2 cups (8 oz.) grated mozzarella cheese
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 tablespoon dried parsley leaves
¾ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups (about 28 oz. jar) spaghetti sauce

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in large bowl, stir together cheeses, eggs, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. In 13x9x2-inch baking dish**, spread ½ cup spaghetti sauce. Fill each cooked shell with about 2 tablespoons cheese mixture and place in baking dish (layer some on top, if necessary). Pour spaghetti sauce over all filled shells. Sprinkle with some additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Cover with foil. Bake 35 minutes (or until hot and bubbly) at 350 degrees.

*MAKE-AHEAD DIRECTIONS:
Prepare recipe as directed, but do not bake. Cover with plastic wrap, then foil. Refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze up to 2 months. Remove plastic wrap; replace foil. Bake refrigerated jumbo shells at 350 degrees for about 1 hour; frozen jumbo shells at 350 degrees for about 2 hours or until hot and bubbly.

**If you’re only feeding 2-4 people, you can split this recipe in two and put each half in an 8x8-inch baking dish; bake one and freeze one for later. Cut baking times down if using smaller dishes (cook until hot and bubbly in the center.)

Homemade Noodles

4 eggs, beaten
2 t salt
1/2 c milk
4 c flour

Combine egg, salt and milk; add enough flour to make a stiff dough. Roll out dough very thin on floured surface. Let stand 20 minutes. Use pizza cutter to cut dough in to noodles. Drop into boiling water. Cook until tender.

Alfredo

This is the reason we are so chubby at our house :)

1 cube butter
1 6 0z pkg Shredded Parmesan cheese
1 pint heavy cream
4 Tbsp cream cheese

Noodles of choice (my kids lie bow tie, so that's what I use)

A little variation that I have been doing lately if I have it around, is to add some pesto to the sauce. I usually buy the little tubes or tubs that you find in the produce section at the grocery store. but have used homemade before and of course it's better. :)

Beef Stroganoff

I use this one a lot because my kids will actually eat it.

1 1/2 lbs top round steak sliced 1/4 on thick (I usually buy stew meat)
4 tbsp flour
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
6 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 (10 oz) can beef consomme
1 lb fresh mushrooms
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
Noodles or rice for 8

combine flour, salt and pepper and coat beef. In a large frying pan melt 4 tbsp of the butter add onion and garlic and cook until lightly browned. set aside in a bowl. in the same pan melt remaining 2 Tbsp butter and olive oil. place meat in pan and brown. add beef consomme and onion/garlic mixture. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Add mushroom and Worcestershire sauce and continue cooking until meat is tender. just before serving top with sour cream. serve over noodles or rice.

I will usually add an extra can of consomme. It just makes a little more without doubling everything.

Spaghetti Casserole

1/2 lb ground beef
1 14.5 oz can of tomato sauce
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 can of corn, drained
cheese
12 oz spaghetti noodles (cooked)

Cook the ground beef thoroughly, drain excess fat. Cook approximately 12 oz of spaghetti noodles according to package directions.

In a casserole dish, mix all the ingredients together except the cheese. Sprinkle cheese on top.

Cover with tinfoil and bake at 350*F for about 30 minutes.

Here's the Mac and Cheese that we had for dinner on Saturday:

Macaroni and Cheese Light

8 oz whole-grain elbow macaroni (yes, it really called for whole grain)
1 T all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free milk, divided (I used 1%)
1 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese (I found sharp cheese, but not extra sharp)
2 t. Dijon mustard
1 t. salt (the recipe called for only 1/4 t.)
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 t. nutmeg (sounds a little strange, I know, but I did put it in)
1/8 t. ground cayenne, ancho or other chili pepper
1 1/2 cups 2% cottage cheese
3 T unseasoned breadcrumbs
1 t. extra virgin olive oil
3 T grated Parmeson cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8" square baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water, then set aside. (It's important to cook whole grain pasta only to al dente stage.)

Meanwhile in a small bowl, whisk together flour and 2 T of the milk. In a large saucepan, heat the remaining milk over med. heat until steaming. Gradually whisk a few T of the hot milk into the milk-flour mixture, then whisk this mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constatnly, until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, 1 minute.

Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in cheddar cheese, mustard, salt, black pepper and nutmeg; set aside. Puree the cottage cheese until very smooth; stir into the sauce. Stir in the cooked macaroni and spoon into the baking dish.

In a small bowl, stir together breadcrumbs and olive oil until well blended. Stir in the Parmesan and sprinkle over mac and cheese. Bake for 40-45 min. or until browned on top and bubbling.