Turkey Meatball and Pasta in Cream Sauce

Turkey Meatball and Pasta in Cream Sauce
From Cottage Living Magazine

This sauce is similar to the classic Alfredo, but we've lightened it with chicken broth and flavored it with mushrooms.

Prep: 20 minutes; Cook: 40 minutes.
Yield
Makes 4 to 6 servings

Cook : 1 pound dried pasta, such as rotini, or linguini cooked according to package directions.

Sauce:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup scallions, finely minced and divided
¼ teaspoons salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
8 ounces white or shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup heavy cream

Preparation
Heat oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup scallions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add flour, and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes more. Add broth; cover and simmer 10 minutes.


Add meatballs to sauce; cover and simmer 20 minutes more. Add cream, and return to a simmer. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan, and stir until sauce is slightly thickened.

Meatballs: (skip this part if using the frozen meatballs)
1/4 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup scallions
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 large egg
1 pound ground turkey
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Combine breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl,
IN a separate bowl Combine 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/2 cup scallions, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, ground turkey, 1 egg, 2 garlic cloves and minced parsley. Stir in breadcrumb mixture, and form into 1 1/2-inch meatballs.


4. PASTA: Add drained cooked pasta and sauce to pot, and toss gently to combine. Serve with additional
Parmesan.

Baked Ziti

Adapted from the Biggest Loser Family Cookbook
Ingredients:
1 (14 1/2 ounce) box ziti or other pasta
1 (15 oz) fat-free ricotta or cottage cheese
2 large egg whites
8 ounces (4 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Salt, Pepper, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes to taste
3 1/2 cups marinara sauce
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb mild Italian sausage (cooked)
(Makes a 13x9x2 pan)
Preparation:
Cook the noodles a few minutes less than package states, drain.
Mix ricotta or cottage cheese, egg whites, all but 1 cup of mozzarella and cooked Italian sausage.
Add garlic powder and salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Stir in cooked pasta until well combined.

Spread 1 cup marinara sauce on bottom of dish.  Add half the pasta over sauce.  Top pasta with another 1 cup of sauce.  Layer the remaining pasta over the sauce.  Spoon the remaining cups sauce over the top of the pasta.  Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.  Remove foil and bake 10 minutes longer.  Makes 8 servings.

(I wasn't going to admit this, but I totally forgot to put the cottage cheese in.  So, I hope it is still good.  By the time I figured it out, the meals were already frozen.  Sorry!)

Pot Luck Pasta

1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 jar spagetti sauce (about 1 1/2 c.)
3/4 c. brown gravy
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. parmesan cheese
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. rosemary
salt and pepper
2 1/2 c. cooked noodles
1 c. mozzarella cheese

Brown ground beef and drain. Add garlic, spagetti sauce, gravy, milk, parmesan cheese, oregano, rosemary, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and stir well. Add noodles and put in a casserole dish. Top with cheese and freeze, or bake, uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes. You can also mix together and put in a crock pot for a couple hours.

Spinach Manicotti

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped
spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese,
divided
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese,
divided
1 egg
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 (28 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 cups water

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, egg, parsley, onion powder, pepper and garlic powder. Combine spaghetti sauce and water; spread 1 cup sauce in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish.
2. Stuff uncooked manicotti with spinach mixture; arrange over sauce. Pour remaining sauce over manicotti. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.'
3. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 40-50 minutes or until heated through.

Baked Ziti

This will make 2 9x9 pans

1 pkg pasta ( I used Rigatoni)

1 lb hamburger

1 Jar Spaghetti Sauce

1 Onion Chopped

1 clove garlic

1 Cup Mozzarella cheese

1 Cup low fat sour cream


Brown hamburger with onion, garlic and salt and pepper.  Cook noodles according to package directions.  Mix cheese and sour cream together.  Add sauce to cooked hamburger.  In a 9x9 pan layer noodles, sauce/hamburger mixture, and a layer of cheese/sour cream mixture.  Repeat noodles, sauce/hamburger and top with a little bit more cheese.  REMEMBER THIS MAKES 2 PANS.
Cook at 350 and cook for 30 min.
If frozen, thaw completely before cooking.

Italian Tortellini Soup

2-3 lbs MILD Italian Sausage

4 Cans Italian Stewed Tomatoes

3 cloves garlic (minced)

Salt and Pepper

1 hand-full spinach (optional)

2 tsp. Italian Herb Seasoning

1 Large Chopped onion

3 Cans water

2 Tbsp. beef base (about 8 beef bullion cubes)

16-20 oz frozen cheese tortellini

Brown Sausage.  Add tomatoes and onion.  (I like to puree tomatoes and onion).  Add water, garlic, beef base and spices.

Boil 30 min.  Add additional seasoning if desired.  Add frozen tortellini and cook until the pasta is done.  Add fresh spinach and grated parmesan cheese to individual servings if desired. 

By Chelsey

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells.

*From December's meal swap*

I am not gonna lie!!  This is NOT a very LOW CAL meal!  I changed it up a little to cut out a few calories.  I only used 1 package of cream cheese (the 1/3 less fat kind), only 1/2 package of parmesan and only 1 cup maybe a 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella.   While I'm sure the "real" recipe is DIVINE, I think its still great with a little cut out. 

44 uncooked jumbo pasta shells (That’s about one and one-half 12-oz boxes)
2 c chopped cooked chicken
2 c fresh chopped spinach
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15oz) container ricotta cheese
2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (5oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 2/3 c.)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tb dried parsley flakes
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (26oz) jar prepared spaghetti sauce (any variety)

Cook shells according to package directions (be sure to stir every once in awhile so they don't stick to the bottom of the pan and tear apart); drain and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease 2 13x9x2inch baking dishes.
In a large bowl, combine chicken and all the rest of the ingredients except mozzarella and spaghetti sauce. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella. Spoon into shells. Spread half of spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dishes. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.
Makes 8-10 servings.