Baked Ziti

12oz uncooked ziti (or other pasta)
2 tsp olive oil
2 clove(s) garlic, minced
1/3 pound raw lean ground beef
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese

• 
  
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
  
• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
  
• 
  
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up meat with a spoon as it cooks, about 3 to 5 minutes; drain off any fat and set pan back over medium heat.
  
• 
  
• Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; stir to coat beef. Cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
  
• Spoon a small amount of beef-tomato mixture into bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover surface); top with half of cooked ziti. Next, layer with half of remaining beef-tomato sauce and half of mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining ziti and then top with remaining beef-tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve. Yields 1 piece per serving.

Rosemary Pork Chops

submitted by Jayme S.
This recipe is from 'Taste of Home's 2004 Quick Cooking Annual recipes'

1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 to 1-1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed

1 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. onion powder

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil (more for each batch when you cook it)

6 bone-in pork chops (1/2 inch thick)

In a bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients;stir in oil until crumbly. Store in a covered container in the refrigeratator. (Yield: 3 batches, 2 1/4 cups total)

To prepare pork chops: Place 3/4 cup coating mix in a resealable plastic bag. Place a small amount of water in a shallow bowl. Dip pork chops in water; place in the bag and shake to coat. In a skillet, cook chops in oil over medium heat for 4 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.  Yield 6 servings.

This one is something nice to have the mix all ready to go and on hand just in case you want something last minute or quick.

Brunch Pizza Squares

submitted by Jayme S.
This recipe is from "Taste of Home's 2001 Quick Cooking Annual recipes". 

1 pound bulk pork sausage

1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls

4 eggs (sometimes we add 1 or 2 more eggs)

2 Tbsp. milk

1/8 tsp. pepper

3/4 cup shredded chedder cheese

In a skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Unroll crescent dough into a lightly greased 13 in X 9 in. X 2 in. baking pan. Press dough 1/2 in. up the sides; seal seams. Sprinkle with sausage. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk and pepper; pour over sausage. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until the crust is gold brown and cheese is melted. Serves:8

Raspberry-Glazed Chicken Tenders

submitted by Jayme S.
Recipe from this cookbook.

1/2 cup seedless red raspberry preserves

2 tsp. minced garlic

3 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

3 tbsp. rice vinegar

1 1/2 lb. low-fat chicken tenders

Combine preserves, garlic, pepper, soy sauce, and vinegar in a large Ziploc bag. Seal bag and shake until ingredients are well mixed.  Add chicken tenders to bag; toss until coated. Seal bag and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Arrange chicken in a single layer on baking sheet; reserve marinade. Bake chicken 12 to 15 minutes. While chicken is cooking, pour marinade into saucepan; bring to boil over high heat. Cook 8 to 10 minutes until sauce thickens. Brush tenders with sauce; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake chicken tenders 12 to 15 minutes longer until cooked through.  Serves 6

Nutrition per serving:

calories:         186

total fat (5%)    1g

carbohydrate:   20g

cholesterol:      71mg

dietary fiber:     <.5g

protein:            24 g

sodium:           540mg

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

submitted by Jayme S.

This recipe is from this cookbook.

1 1/2 lb. red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into quarters

2 Tbsp nonfat cream cheese, softened

1 Tbsp. nonfat chicken broth

2 Tbsp. skim milk

3/4 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp. ground pepper

Butter buds dry mix to taste(or we also used the spray butter that has no fat and low calories)

1 Tbsp. chopped chives (my grocery store didn't have any, so I used green onions)

Place potatoes in a large pot; cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 20 to 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork. Drain potatoes well. Spray pot with cooking spray; return potatoes to pot (off heat). Add cream cheese, chicken broth, milk, garlic powder, and pepper; using potato masher (do not use food processor, blender or electric mixer), mash potatoes to desired consistency. Transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle with Butter Buds and chopped chives.  Serves:4 (you may need to double if your kids are good potato eaters)

Nutrition per serving:

calories:         160

total fat (0%)     0g

carbohydrate:   36g

cholesterol:      .1mg

dietary fiber:      3g

protein:             4g

sodium:            61mg

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Submitted by Ann F.

An awesome recipe for sweet and sour meatballs from my Great Aunt Kitty (Katherine)

2 lbs ground beef
1 cup milk
1 cup crushed soda crackers (I just use a whole sleeve)
1 T chopped onion (I use dried)
salt and pepper to taste

mix all and make into golf-ball size meatballs. Place in a 13 x 9 and cover with the following sauce:

1/3 c vinegar
1 cup ketchup
3/4 c brown sugar (I use 1/2c often)
2 T chopped onion (again I use dried)

mix together and spoon over meatballs.
Bake for 1 1/2 hrs at 325. I cover it for most of the time and uncover for the last 1/2 hour.

Pastitsio

submitted by Jayme S.
This original recipe came from a magazine a few years ago.

A Greek lasagna. Bucatini are long, hollow strands of pasta, slightly thicker than spaghetti.

Filling:
1 pound uncooked bucatini pasta or spaghetti
1 pound ground sirloin
1/2 c finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c dry white wine
1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 black pepper

White Sauce:
3 T all purpose flour
1/2 t salt
3 c 2% reduced fat milk
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
5 T shredded kasseri or aged white cheddar cheese, divided
Cooking spray
1/4 (1oz) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese

1. To prepare filling, cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Rince with cold water, set aside.

2. Cook beef, onion, and garlic in a large nonstick skillet until browned; stir to crumble. Add wine, tomato sauce, 1/2 t salt, nutmeg and pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until thinck.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

4. To prepare white sauce, place flour and 1/2 t salt in medium saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk until blended, bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until slightly think, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; set aside. Combine eggs and egg whites in a large bowl. Gradually add hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in 1 T kasseri cheese until blended.

5. Spread 1 cup beef mixture in bottom of 13x9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange half of pasta over beef mixture. Top with 1 1/2 cups beef mixture. Repeat layers with remaining pasta and beef mixture. Top with white sauce. Sprinkle with 4 T kasseri and Romano cheese. Bake at 350degrees for 30 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Yield 8 servings.

Nutrition:
Calories 416 (19% from fat) Fat 8.9g (sat 4.1g, mono 2.7g, poly 0.9g); Protein 27g; Carb 54g; Fiber 2.4g, Chol 97mg; IRON 4mg; Sodium 790mg; Calc 207mg