Macaroni Salad

I got this from a friend of mine many years ago.  It is one of my favorites.

Ingredients:
12 oz. small shell macaroni (cooked and drained)
1 cup chopped celery
1 green pepper (chopped)
2 green onions (sliced thin)
1 medium tomato (cut up)
1/2 cup cheese (grated)
1 can tuna (drained)

 Combine in a large bowl

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1 tsp mustard

Mix dressing together and add to salad.  Mix well.

Italian Chicken and Tortellini

Easy dinner and almost no clean up since you cook it in a foil packet.  Great for summer. Cook it on the grill and keep your house cool. It's also great for fall or winter. Cook it in the oven and enjoy a great one dish dinner.

Ingredients:
2 sheets (12x18-inches each) aluminum Foil*
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1/2 to 3/4 lb.)
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 package (9 oz.) refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
1/2 can (from a 2 1/4 oz. can) sliced ripe olives, drained (optional)

Directions:
Preheat grill to medium-high or oven to 450°F.
Center one chicken breast half on each sheet of aluminum foil that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle each chicken breast with 1/4 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Arrange 1/2 of the tortellini around each piece of chicken. Spoon 1/2 of tomatoes and 1/2 of olives over each serving of tortellini.
Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to seal packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside.
Repeat to make two packets.

Cook:
Bake 30 to 40 minutes on a cookie sheet in the oven OR
Grill 14 to 18 minutes in a covered grill.

*I  use 4 pieces of foil and make two layers of aluminum foil to prevent the juices from leaking out.

Lasagne

I will have to say that I'm a little bit picky about my lasagne.   Really I'm a LOT picky about my lasagne.  So this is THE recipe that I use.  I've been making this lasagne for many many years.  So many years that I had to update some of the ingredients because some of the original ingredients are just no longer available.  As lasagnes go it's pretty easy to make.  So if you're a little bit picky about lasagne try this one.  This also freezes well if you have leftovers.

 This is ABSOLUTELY my favorite dish.

Lasagna

1 pound ground beef

1 (28 ounce) jar pasta sauce

1/2 pound lasagna noodles

2 cups small curd cottage cheese

1 egg, beaten

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes

1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Brown ground beef in skillet.  Remove from heat.  (If you’re not using extra lean ground beef, drain and rinse with hot water.)  Add pasta sauce to the meat.  (I use meat flavored, marinara, or traditional.)  Mix well.

Boil lasagna noodles in salt water until al dente.  Drain.

In a medium bowl stir together cottage cheese, beaten egg, pepper, and parsley flakes.

Place half of noodles in 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan.  Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture on top of the noodles. This will be a thin layer.  Then layer half of the meat mixture.  Top with half of the mozzarella.  Repeat the layers.  Ending with mozzarella on top.

Bake at 375° for 30 min.

Makes 8 servings.

          (I actually use more mozzarella than this.  I like a nice thick layer of cheese on top.)

Tortellini Vegetable Soup

This soup is fairly quick and easy. It is flavorful and colorful. It smells so delightful as it's cooking. Add some garlic bread or a crusty baguette for an easy and delicious meal. 

Makes about 5 servings.

Ingredients: 

2 Tablespoons olive oil 

1 medium onion, chopped 

1 small zucchini, diced 

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced 

1 Clove garlic, chopped 

1 quart (4 cups) chicken stock

1 teaspoon dried basil 

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

1 bay leaf 

1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes 

8 to 9 ounces fresh or frozen tortellini (cheese or meat filled) 

2 to 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 

1/2 teaspoon Black pepper 

Instructions: 

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium soup pot or large saucepan. Add the onion, zucchini, and carrot. Saute over moderate heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and saute 1 more minute.

2. Add the chicken stock, basil, oregano, bay leaf, and tomatoes to the pot. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a low boil. Add the tortellini and bring the soup back to a low boil. Cook it for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5 to 6 minutes longer. Gently stir in the parsley and pepper during the last minute. Remove the bay leaf before serving. 

3. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of grated cheese, and/or some fresh parsley.

Lasagna Rolls Make-Ahead and Freeze

I love having these in the freezer for when I don't have time or energy to cook a meal. Add a salad and your meal is complete. They are delicious also. Easy, quick, and delicious...that's a combination that can't be beat.
This recipe makes 8 Lasagne Rolls. Each one is a single serving.
Note to my kids:  You know how I am about lasagne.  I really like these and have made them several times.

INGREDIENTS:
8 uncooked lasagna noodles (I used 1/2 pound. Some of them always break, so I wanted extras.)
1 (12-oz.) container low-fat cottage cheese
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used fresh. You could use the green canister.)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 (14 to 15-oz.) jar (2 cups) pasta sauce*
Additional Chopped parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
Cook lasagna noodles to desired doneness as directed on package. Drain.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except pasta sauce and additional chopped parsley; mix well.
Spread each cooked lasagna noodle with a generous 1/4 cup cheese mixture to within 1 inch of one short end. Just spread it along the length of the noodle. Roll up firmly toward unfilled end, like a sleeping bag. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

Repeat with remaining noodles and cheese mixture. Place the wrapped rolls in a zipper freezer bag. Refrigerate or freeze lasagna rolls.

Place 1/4 cup pasta sauce in each of 8 freezer bags and freeze.

To cook one serving, unwrap lasagna roll and place seam side down in microwave-safe bowl; cover with microwave-safe waxed paper. If refrigerated, microwave on HIGH for 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese begins to melt at ends of roll. Spoon 1/4 cup pasta sauce over roll; cover. Microwave on HIGH for 20 to 30 seconds or until thoroughly heated. (If frozen, microwave on LOW for 1 to 2 minutes or until thawed before heating as directed above.) Top with chopped parsley.

(If desired add 1/2 pound cooked ground beef to pasta sauce.  I actually added the ground beef to the cheese mixture and rolled it into the noodles.)*

Manicotti

I got this recipe from a friend. It is yummy and simple to make. Low-fat and delicious.
Ingredients
10 manicotti shells
2 cups reduced fat spaghetti sauce
2 egg whites lightly beaten
1 (15 ounce) container low fat cottage cheese
1 TBSP fresh parsley, snipped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 3/4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, fresh is best
Directions
Cook the manicotti shells according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Arrange the shells in a single layer and set aside.
Spread 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce in bottom of 13” x 9” baking dish.
For the filling, stir together egg whites, cottage cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until well combined. Stir in 1 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To assemble, spoon the cheese mixture into manicotti shells and place the filled shells in a single layer in the baking dish. Spread the remaining 1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce on top. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese and remaining parmesan cheese. Bake 35 minutes or until bubbly.

Beef Stroganoff

1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 boneless beef sirloin steak or beef top round steak, 3/4 inch thick (about 1 pound) cut into thin strips
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (regular, 98% fat free or Healthy Requests)
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/3 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
4 cups whole wheat or regular egg noodles, cooked and drained
chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until well browned, stirring often. Remove the beef from the skillet. Pour off any fat. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion to the skillet and cook until it's tender. Stir the soup and paprika in the skillet and heat to a boil. Stir in the sour cream. Return the beef to the skillet and cook until the beef is cooked through. Serve the beef mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle with the parsley.

Makes 4 servings
Each serving is 6 Weight Watchers points

Jamaican Pasta Chicken Salad

This chicken is the same as the Jamaican chicken. Cook extra when you make it and cook once for two meals. (Or three if you also make the Jamaican Chicken Salad.)
It's a great salad for summer. And I love cooking once and eating three times, three different meals. Delicious!

Serves 6

1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 TBSP Jerk seasoning
1 LB Chicken (tenders or boneless, skinless)
1 fresh pineapple
1 bell pepper
3 green onions (white and light green parts only)
1 LB Rotini pasta (or kind of your choice)
1 can (15 ounce) black beans, drained
6 slices bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
DRESSING:
2 limes
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 TBSP pineapple juice (from pineapple)
DIRECTIONS:
Mix together the oil and jerk seasoning. Add chicken; mix well to coat and set aside.
Peel pineapple, remove core, and slice. Cook chicken in skillet 3-5 minutes on each side, until done. Remove from pan, set aside. Add pineapple slices to pan. Cook 1 minute on each side. Remove from pan. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Thinly slice bell pepper and green onions. Drain and rinse beans. Set aside.
For dressing, zest one lime. Juice both limes. Mix lime zest, juice, mayonnaise and pineapple juice in small bowl.
Cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain.
Mix pasta, beans, bell pepper, chicken, pineapple, bacon, and green onions in bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad. Toss gently.

SOUTH OF THE BORDER LASAGNA

I made this for dinner the other night. It was really good. I put 1/2 tsp each of chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and onion powder. I would leave the top layer of noodles off next time I make it. The noodles hardened when it was cooking to reduce the amount of liquid. I couldn't find the Taco Bell refried beans or salsa, so I used a store brand. I also used the store brand of cheese. It was cheaper. I don't know if the flavor would be different with the name brand. We really liked it the way it was.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

uncooked lasagna noodles
1 (16 oz) can Taco Bell Refried Beans
seasoning to taste: chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, etc
1 lb uncooked hamburger
2 1/2 cups Taco Bell Medium Salsa
2 1/2 cups water
1 (8 oz) pkg Kraft 4 cheese Mexican blend
2 green onions, chopped

In large bowl mix refried beans, seasonings and uncooked hamburger together; set aside. In separate bowl stir together salsa and water. In a 9 by 13 inch pan, pour 1/2 cup salsa and layer as follows: Uncooked lasagna noodles (3 lengthwise and a short piece across the end--do not overlap) * 1/3 cup meat/bean mixture * 1/3 of the remaining salsa mixture. Repeat twice more, ending with a final layer of lasagna noodles on top. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Uncover and let bake another 15 minutes or until water has finished evaporating. Sprinkle cheese and chopped onions on top and return to oven until cheese melts. About 5-10 minutes. Serve with sour cream.

Delicioso Pasta

This pasta is yummy - one of my favorites. It can be done in half and hour or less. It tastes great left over and heated up. Be sure not to put too much allspice. You want just a hint. It's a family favorite.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1/4 pound pancetta, thick cut, chopped into small bits (Italian cured pork, ask at deli counter)
½ pound bulk hot Italian sausage
1 pound ground beef
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup good quality dry red wine (or substitute apple or peach juice)
1 cup prepared beef stock, paper container or canned
2 (32 ounce) cans chunky style crushed tomatoes
A handful chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
1/4 teaspoon (a couple of pinches) allspice or cinnamon
Coarse salt and black pepper
2 pounds penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Grated Pecorino Romano, as an accompaniment
Fresh, crusty bread, for mopping

Heat a deep pot over medium high heat. Add oil, garlic, bay leaf, and pancetta bits and brown for 1 minute. Add meats and brown and crumble them for 5 minutes.
Chop carrot, celery, and onions near the stove and add to the pot as you work. Cook vegetables with meat 5 minutes and add wine. Cook for 1 minute; add stock and tomatoes to the pot.
Stir in parsley, allspice, or cinnamon and season sauce with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and cook 10 to 15 minutes minimum before serving. Reheated sauce only improves.
Toss pasta with a couple of ladles of sauce to coat, then top bowl with extra sauce. Top pasta with lots of cheese and pass bread at the table.

Ham 'n' Cheese Pasta

I made this at my Little Theater Class. Some of the members thought they would like it better without the horseradish. Others wanted to try it with bacon instead of the ham, or even chicken. They also thought to substitute broccoli or green beans for the peas. Have fun with it and try different combinations.

8 ounces uncooked medium pasta shells
1 pound process cheese (Velveeta), cubed
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp prepared horseradish
2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
1 pkg (8 ounces) frozen peas, thawed

Cook pasta shells according to the package directions. Meanwhile in a microwave-safe bowl, combine the process cheese and milk. Cover and microwave on high for 2 minutes; stir. Heat 1-2 minutes longer or until smooth, stirring twice. Stir in the ketchup and horseradish until blended.
Drain pasta and place in a large bowl. Stir in the ham, peas and cheese sauce. Transfer to a greased 2 quart baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.
Serves 4.
A while back, I read an article about cooking pasta. It said to bring the water to a boil and add the pasta. Bring it back to a boil and turn off stove. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. The pasta will be done.

Campbell's Baked Macaroni and Cheese

1 can Campbell's cheddar cheese soup
1/2 cup milk
1/8 tsp pepper
3 cups hot cooked corkscrew or shell pasta (or any other kind)

Mix soup, milk, pepper and pasta in 1 quart casserole dish. Bake (covered) at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until hot. Makes 4 servings. Each serving is 4 points.