Taco Mac & Cheese

When my boys were small, and money was tight, we ate our fair share of "Hamburger Helper" as it got closer to payday. These comfort foods are still a treat now and then, but instead of buying a mix of who knows what chemicals, I make my own from scratch.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 tbs taco seasoning --- Click on link for recipe.
3/4 cup picante sauce (mild, medium, or hot, according to your preference)

1½ cups milk
¾ cup cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
2 cups grated Mexican 4-cheese blend

1 lb. dry pasta shells (you can use elbow macaroni, penne pasta, or whatever you have on hand)

1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro

Directions:
Cook pasta until al dente and drain.

Cook meat and onions together and drain grease. Stir in taco seasoning and simmer for another minute. Add minced garlic and picante sauce, and cook another minute or two. Set aside.

In a saucepan, melt cream cheese and sour cream with milk, then add the grated cheese and stir over low heat until everything is melted.

Add meat and melted cheeses to pasta, mix well, top with cilantro and serve.

Yield: 6 generous servings

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Mac 'n Ham 'n Cheese Casserole - Grown-up Style

Ready for some grown-up macaroni and cheese with ham?  It is not your everyday Kraft and it takes a little work, but it is so worth it.

Ingredients:
1 large sweet pepper (a red, yellow or green bell works fine)
1 pound of uncooked Penne pasta
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Palmito cheese in Costa Rica (In North America, you can probably find "Queso Oaxaca" with the Mexican cheeses in the dairy case.)
1 cup diced cooked ham
½ cup cream cheese
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon all purpose seasoning salt
½ teaspoon course ground black pepper
¾ cup of milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F
Place the whole sweet pepper on a cookie sheet and roast it in the oven for 15 minutes on each side. While the pepper is roasting grate the cheeses, mix them together in a bowl and set it aside. Dice the ham into small pieces. Cook the Penne pasta in salted boiling water about 10 minutes. It should still be firm since it will finish cooking when it bakes in the oven. Rinse the pasta in cold water. Mix the pasta with the cream cheese, mayonnaise, seasoning salt, pepper and ham until will blended and set it aside. The sweet pepper should be just about roasted by now, so take it out of oven and let it rest for 10 minutes so the skin loosens. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Rinse the pepper in cold water and the roasted skin should slip right off. Remove the seeds and stem and coarse chop the pepper. Fold the roasted pepper into the pasta mixture.

Place a layer of the pasta mixture (about a third) in the bottom of a casserole dish and top it with a third of the mixed cheeses. Repeat with two more layers of pasta and cheeses. Pour the milk evenly over the top and bake the casserole at 350° for 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and it starts to brown on top.

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Baked Penne Pasta with Italian Turkey Sausage, Zucchini & Mushrooms

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
  
• 1/2 (16-ounce) package penne pasta
• 1 pound Italian Turkey sausage
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 1 cup yellow sweet peppers diced
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 2 cups fresh Roma tomatoes diced
  
• 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons concentrated tomato paste
  
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 tablespoon sugar
  
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms chopped
• 2 cups zucchini squash cut in 2-3 inch shoestrings
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Directions

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan lightly with cooking spray.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat with a tablespoon of canola oil and 2 teaspoons of salt. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. It should be a little less than al dente; it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain it and set it aside.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the Italian Turkey sausage without the casing and saute until browned. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set it aside. Add the onion and peppers to the skillet and saute until slightly tender, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the fresh and canned tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, red wine, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. Bring it to a boil, then simmer on low for about 30 minutes. Add the mushroom and zucchini and cook an additional 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add the penne pasta to the prepared baking pan. Pour the tomato sauce over the pasta and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and lightly browned , about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

Yield: 8 Servings

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Latin Fusion Pasta with Grilled Chicken

We went to dinner at our favorite upscale Latino restaurant, the Red Onion, and discovered something new on the menu. While we didn't try it then, it sounded so good, I had to come home and try to invent it using ingredients that fit with our healthy weight management plan. The recipe sounds complicated, but much of can be prepared ahead of time. It's pretty awesome, even if I do say so myself. You be the judge, try it, and be sure to leave a comment...

Ingredients:
1 cup cilantro lime pesto sauce (click here for my pesto recipe)
4 skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon spicy seasoning salt (click here for my seasoning salt recipe)
1 16-oz package of whole wheat bow tie pesto
1 cup frozen white corn
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 cup black beans rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh pico de gallo (click here for my pico de gallo recipe)

Directions:

• Make the pico de gallo and chill until ready to serve.
• Make the lime pesto sauce, cover and leave it at room temperature.
• Season the chicken with a spicy seasoning salt, cover and store it in the refrigerator until ready to grill.
• Using medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and then saute the corn until lightly toasted. Add the black beans to the skillet, cover and turn off the heat.
• Bring salted water to cook the pasta to a boil in a large pot and heat the grill to cook the chicken to medium-high (I use a panini grill)
• Cook the whole wheat bow tie pasta "al dente". While the pasta is cooking, grill the chicken.
• Drain the pasta, return it to the pot and gently toss the pasta with the pesto sauce.
• When the chicken is thoroughly cooked, slice each breast on an angle. You should get about 8 slices per breast.

To Serve:
Layer a plate with a serving of pasta, 3 tablespoons of the sauteed corn & black beans, 4 slices of chicken and top it with the chilled pico de gallo.

Yield: 8 servings

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Pasta with Turkey & Artichokes in Marinara Sauce *WP*

Ingredients:
Turkey, Ground turkey, 93% lean, 16 oz
Spaghetti Sauce, Classico Tomato & Basil, 26 oz jar
Peppers, sweet, red, raw, sliced, 1 cup
Onions, raw, 1 cup, chopped
Fresh chopped Basil, 2 tbsp
Mushrooms, canned, .5 cup
Artichoke Hearts, 12 oz jar, drained
Italian Herb Seasoning mix, 1 tsp
Red or White Wine, 4 fl oz
Whole Wheat Penne, Bowtie or Spirals (dry), 16 oz

Directions:
Saute onion, garlic and peppers in olive oil until soft. Add ground turkey and cook thoroughly. Split the artichoke hearts in half. Add jar of marinara sauce to the turkey, fold in mushrooms, artichoke hearts, fresh basil and Italian herbs. Add salt & pepper to taste. Simmer on low for 20 minutes.

Cook pasta until "al dente" and drain. Add sauce to the pasta and serve.

Makes 10 - 1 cup servings

Nutritional Info

• Fat: 6.1g
• Carbohydrates: 45.6g
• Calories: 290.1
• Protein: 16.3g

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Paprika Chicken / Chicken Paprikash *WP*

This Chicken Paprikash has been modified from "The Spice House" original recipe to use boneless, skinless chicken, whole wheat pasta and fat free sour cream. Special attention has been given to the list of ingredients to insure the accuracy of the nutritional calculation.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped fine
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
8 ounces ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 1/2 tablespoon good quality Hungarian Sweet Paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound whole wheat egg noodles
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon finely minced parsley
2 tablespoons fat free sour cream
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons cream or sour cream (fat free)
1 tablespoon Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread

Directions:
In a flame proof casserole, heat oil and add onion. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until soft but not browned. Add chicken and tomatoes and cook, covered, over low heat for ten minutes. Turn chicken over. Add paprika, salt and pepper, and 3/4 cup water. Cover and cook over low for 30 minutes or until chicken is done.

While chicken is cooking, boil a large pot of water and about 10 minutes before serving, boil the noodles until tender per package directions. Drain and toss with buttery spread, salt, and chopped parsley.

In a small bowl, mix sour cream and flour to form a paste. Remove chicken from pan to a warm platter. Add the paste to the pan, and, stirring constantly, cook over low heat until thick and smooth, about 8 minutes. Add the additional cream or sour cream, return chicken to the pan and continue to cook over low for another five minutes. Serve over the hot pasta.

Helpful Hints:

• Boiling sour cream may cause it to curdle, so keep the heat low.
• This works very well with cubed pork substituted for the chicken.

Credit:
This recipe was provided by The Spice House in Chicago and modified to reduce the fat and lower the calories.

Number of Servings: 8

Nutritional Info: Fat: 9.0g
Carbohydrates: 46.3g
Calories: 324.5
Protein: 20.8g

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Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli *WP*

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
1 medium onion, white or yellow
8 ounces whole wheat pasta, uncooked fettucine
2 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper, coarsely ground
1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
4 cloves garlic, roasted
1 cup chicken stock, cold
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 ounces lowfat sour cream
1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
8 ounces broccoli, frozen

Directions:

Cut chicken into bite-sized squares. Saute in small amount of olive oil over medium to medium-low heat. Dice onion and add to chicken. Add garlic, Italian seasonings and pepper. Cook until the chicken is thoroughly done and add the broccoli.

Add the corn starch to the chicken stock, mix well, and add it to the chicken. Simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Fold in the sour cream and shredded Parmesan cheese and remove it from heat.

Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain and top with Chicken Alfredo. Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese if desired.

Serves 6

Nutritional Info

• Fat: 6.8g
• Carbohydrates: 34.2g
• Calories: 325.9
• Protein: 32.5g

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Pasta al Forno *WP*

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat penne pasta (dry)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin light olive oil
1small onion -- finely chopped
3 cloves garlic -- chopped
1-1/2 cups of grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 20)
3/4 cup half-and-half, fat free
2 pinches ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
3 ounces prosciutto -- 1 thick slice from deli, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Enough softened butter to coat a medium baking dish

Directions:
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water to al dente on the chewy side. Whole wheat pasta will take about 9 minutes.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Saute diced prosciutto in a medium skillet until it starts to brown and remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon. Add the olive oil to the skillet and cook onions and garlic in oil 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion are clear. Add in the tomatoes and mash them a bit. When thoroughly heated, add cream and season sauce with cinnamon, salt and pepper. Add the prosciutto to sauce and stir in the cooked pasta and the chopped basil to combine. Coat a medium casserole with the butter. Adjust seasonings and transfer to to baking dish. Cover pasta with Parmesan and place in the oven for 10 minutes. Serve hot from oven.

Number of Servings: 4

Nutritional Information: Per Serving: 347.4 Calories; 15.8 Fat (29.7% calories from fat); 14.7g Protein; 37.1g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 23mg Cholesterol; 721mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 21 1/2 Fat.

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Mac and Cheese Lorraine

Here's what to do with the half pound of bacon left over from making Stuffed Jalepeños!

This is one of Aimee's favorite Rachel Ray recipes

Ingredients:

Salt
1 pound gemelli pasta or other short cut pasta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound bacon, chopped
2 onions, quartered and thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup whole milk
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded Gruyere
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions:

Heat water for pasta, salt water and cook pasta to al dente. While pasta water comes to boil, heat extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add bacon and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add onions and cook 10 minutes until soft and beginning to caramelize. Add wine and cook out, 1 minute.
While onions cook, heat a sauce pot over medium heat. Add butter, melt and whisk in flour. Cook 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk and bring to a bubble. Thicken a few minutes then season with salt and pepper. Melt in cheese stirring it in a figure-8 motion with a wooden spoon. Add nutmeg and mustard and adjust salt and pepper.

Drain pasta, toss with onions and stir in cheese sauce to coat. Top with crispy bacon and serve.

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Carolyn's Best Spaghetti in the Galaxy

Ingredients:
1 pound ground sirloin
1 large onion, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
1 pound portabello mushrooms, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes

1 whole bulb garlic, crushed (bulb not cloves)
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons basil, fresh, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon anise seeds
2 tablespoons garlic powder
7 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin)
1 can tomato puree (32 ounce)
1 can diced tomatoes (16 ounce)
1 Small can tomato paste
1 quart prepared beef base
1 cup Marsala cooking wine
Romano or Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Brown meat and set aside to drain. Mix all veggies and spices together. Heat oil on medium heat. Toss in veggies and sauté until onions become slightly transparent. Add all tomato products and beef base and bring to 165 degrees (a slow boil). Add wine. Reduce heat to low, simmer until thick. Serve over favorite pasta, touch with Romano or Parmesan cheese to taste.

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Chicken Alfredo *WP*

Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1 medium white or yellow onion
8 ounces uncooked whole wheat vermicelli spaghetti
2 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon course ground pepper
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning (basil, oregano, etc.)
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup chicken stock (cold)
1 - 1½ tablespoons corn starch
6 ounces low-fat sour cream

Directions:
Cut chicken into bite-sized squares. Saute in small amount of olive oil over medium to medium-low heat. Dice onion and add to chicken. Add garlic, Italian seasonings and pepper. Cook until the chicken is thoroughly done.

Add the corn starch to the chicken stock, mix well, and add it to the chicken. Simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Fold in the sour cream and shredded Parmesan cheese and remove it from heat.

Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain and top individual servings with Chicken Alfredo. Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese if desired.

Serves: 6

Nutritional Information: Per Serving: 358 Calories; 8g Fat (19.6% calories from fat); 37g Protein; 35g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 76mg Cholesterol; 617mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

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