Spaghetti with Sausage and Simple Tomato Sauce

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups pasta, 2 tablespoons cheese, and 1 tablespoon basil)

Ingredients

• 8 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage links
• 8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
• 1 (28-ounce) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup torn fresh basil
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Arrange sausage on a small baking sheet. Broil sausage 5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove pan from oven (do not turn broiler off). Cut sausage into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in a single layer on baking sheet. Broil sausage slices 2 minutes or until browned.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

4. Place tomatoes in a food processor; process until almost smooth. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add crushed red pepper and minced garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, and salt; cook 4 minutes or until slightly thick. Add sausage and cooked pasta to pan; toss well. Top with fresh basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Nutritional Information

Calories:460

Fat:16.9g (sat 5.1g,mono 8.1g,poly 2.8g)

Protein:24.4g

Carbohydrate:53.3g

Fiber:4g

Cholesterol:57mg

Iron:4.7mg

Sodium:895mg

Calcium:253mg

**I made this last night and it really is a SUPER quick recipe! I actually felt very rushed and didn't get the salad done in time-so, great as a last minute dinner! It was very tasty, a little spicy for the kids, however. Pureeing the tomatoes made the sauce really thin, but again, very tasty!

Grown-Up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

A new take on a familiar favorite pairs grilled cheese with a BLT for a luscious veggie-packed sandwich that feels like an indulgence. Serve with zesty dill pickle spears. If you have extra room in your budget, pair with a sweet-tart hard cider.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 cup vertically sliced red onion
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp white cheddar cheese (such as Cracker Barrel)
• 8 (1 1/2-ounce) slices hearty white bread (such as Pepperidge Farm)
• 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
• 8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
• 6 slices center-cut bacon, cooked

Preparation

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 cup onion and garlic; cook for 10 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally.

2. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over each of 4 bread slices. Top each slice with 1/2 cup spinach, 2 tomato slices, 2 tablespoons onion mixture, and 1 1/2 bacon slices. Sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons cheese; top with the remaining 4 bread slices.

3. Heat skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place sandwiches in pan, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cheese melts.

Nutritional Information

Calories:376

Fat:11g (sat 5.3g,mono 4.8g,poly 0.6g)

Protein:20.2g

Carbohydrate:50.3g

Fiber:3.3g

Cholesterol:24mg

Iron:2.9mg

Sodium:876mg

Calcium:308mg

**We all loved these sandwiches! I couldn't believe how tasty they were despite not having any sauce, condiments on them. The onions were very flavorful and sharp cheddar was definitely the way to go!

Mushroom-Stuffed Chicken

Serve with 3 cups cooked egg noodles tossed with 2 tablespoons butter and green onions.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed breast half)
Cost per Serving: $2.49

Ingredients

• 2 (1-ounce) slices white bread, torn
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 8 ounces presliced mushrooms
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Pulse bread in a food processor to form fine crumbs. Place in a dish.

3. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onions and mushrooms; sauté 10 minutes. Stir in thyme and garlic. Cool mixture 10 minutes; stir in cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

4. Cut a slit through thickest portion of each breast half to form a pocket. Stuff each with 1/4 cup mushroom mixture. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish. Place eggs in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour. Dip in eggs; dredge in breadcrumbs.

5. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Place pan in oven. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165°.

Nutritional Information

Calories:376

Fat:13.4g (sat 4.3g,mono 5.7g,poly 1.9g)

Protein:44.9g

Carbohydrate:17.4g

Fiber:1.4g

Cholesterol:207mg

Iron:3mg

Sodium:717mg

Calcium:170mg

**Made tonight and I was really impressed! The flavor of the stuffing is great!

Mozzarella Beef Burgers

1 lb. Ground beef

1/2 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

1/4 cup KRAFT THICK 'N SPICY Original Barbecue Sauce, divided

4 Hamburger buns

PREHEAT grill to medium-high heat. Mix meat, cheese, bread crumbs and 2 Tbsp. of the barbecue sauce. Shape into four patties.

PLACE patties on grill; cover grill with lid. Grill 4 to 6 min. on each side or until burgers are cooked through (160°F), brushing with remaining 2 Tbsp. barbecue sauce during last 2 min. of grilling time.

FILL buns with burgers and lettuce, if desired.

*For more flavor, try adding 2 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese and 1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning to the meat mixture.

**DELICIOUS!

Eat, Pray, Love Spaghetti Alla Carbonara

Ingredients

2 large eggs,
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmiagiano-Reggiano cheese,
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese,
4 oz. pancetta cubed,
1 lb. dry spaghetti,
1 tbsp. salt,
freshly ground pepper

Directions

1.) Whisk the eggs in a small bowl until just combined. Whisk in the cheeses. Set aside.
2.) Place the pancetta in a large saute pan and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequentl, until the bacon is crisp on the outside and much of the fat has rendered out, 12 to 15 minutes.
3.) Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the salt. Cook the spaghetti until al dente. Before draining the pasta, reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water.
4.) Drain the pasta and add to the pan with the pancetta. Over medium heat, toss the pasta well, making sure it is piping hot. Remove from heat and stir in the egg mixture quickly, tossing to coat he pasta evenly.
5.) Seanson with plenty of black pepper and toss again. Add a little of the reserved pasta water (start with 1/4 cup) to think out to the desired creamy consistency. Add salt to taste if needed.
6.) Divide among heated bowls, top each serving with a few grinds of pepper, and serve immediately.

**Found in the People magazine as the recipe they used on the set of Eat, Pray, Love. I hadn't ever done anything like it; was a little worried about undercooked eggs-but, was assured that the heat of the pasta would cook the eggs. The taste was good, despite me forgetting the salt and pepper. Didn't taste as cheesy as expected, but was good!

Spicy Bean Burritos

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• One 15.5-ounce can black beans, rinsed
• 1/3 cup pickled jalapeño chiles, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup Mexican beer, such as Corona
• One 15.25-ounce can corn kernels, rinsed
• One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, rinsed
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 4 large flour tortillas
• 1-1/2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

Waste not
Reheat leftover filling and serve with tortilla chips.

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Stir in the black beans and jalapeños and cook, lightly mashing the mixture against the side of the pan, for 2 minutes.

2. Stir the beer into the black bean mixture and bring to a boil. Cook, continuing to mash, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the corn and tomatoes and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice; set aside.

3. Lay the tortillas on a work surface. Sprinkle the cheese in the center and spoon about 1/4 cup bean mixture on top. Fold the tortilla burrito-style.

4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the burritos folded side down in the skillet and cook until browned, about 1 minute on each side.

**I love this recipe! Super easy, very tasty and pretty quick prep. A wonderful Rachael Ray recipe!

Cavatappi with Bacon and Summer Vegetables

A light, flavorful pasta toss, accented with crumbled bacon, is a quick and easy dinner solution for any night of the week. Use whatever veggies you have on hand to add to the colorful dish. Serve with a mixed greens salad.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 2 cups pasta mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese)

Ingredients

• 8 ounces uncooked cavatappi
• 4 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup prechopped onion
• 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
• 1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup small fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. While pasta cooks, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving drippings in pan; add oil to drippings. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn and tomatoes; cook 5 minutes or until tomatoes burst, stirring occasionally. Add pasta to tomato mixture; toss. Cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add 1/4 cup cheese, basil, salt, and pepper; toss to combine. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Mixed greens salad: Combine 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon orange juice, 2 teaspoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Whisk in 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Toss with 6 cups mixed salad greens.

Nutritional Information

Calories:248

Fat:8.4g (sat 3.3g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.8g)

Protein:12.8g

Carbohydrate:32.6g

Fiber:4g

Cholesterol:15mg

Iron:1.7mg

Sodium:626mg

Calcium:203mg

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2009

**Wonderful recipe, very tasty, and once everything is chopped, it's very quick!