Baked Ziti with Turkey Sausage

This is my own variation of a Weight Watchers recipe. (Each serving is 8 points for anyone who cares.) It makes 8 servings.

3/4 lb Sweet Italian Turkey Sausages, casings removed

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium green pepper, chopped

28 oz canned diced tomatoes

10 oz frozen green peas, thawed

2 T canned tomato paste

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil 

1/2 tsp dried thyme

salt to taste

fresh-ground pepper to taste

12 oz uncooked whole wheat ziti pasta, cooked according to package (or regular ziti if that's how you roll. I'm sure it tastes better that way.)

6 oz shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown sausage over medium heat. Drain off fat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until softened. Stir in tomatoes, peas, tomato paste and spices. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook uncovered for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in pasta and half the cheese. Spread into 9x13 in baking dish. Top with remainder of cheese. Bake until cheese has melted, about 20 min, then turn oven to broil until cheese becomes brown and bubbly.

Sorry, no picture. Already put the leftovers in the fridge and don't feel like getting it out. Jared and I liked this a lot, enjoy!

Italian Chicken Pasta Bake

Olive oil cooking spray
1/4 c frozen chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed
8 oz sliced mushrooms
2 small zucchini, diced
2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
1 rotisserie chicken, deboned/chunked (I used the leftover chicken legs we cooked on the smoker)
8 oz mozzarella or Italian cheese, divided
9 oz whole wheat pasta, cooked al dente

Preheat oven to 400. Spray 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat, spray with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic, saute one minute. Add mushrooms and zucchini and saute for 5 min. Add crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and sugar, stir. Remove from heat, add chicken and 1 cup cheese, stir. Spread pasta evenly in bottom of baking dish. Top with chicken/veggie mixture, making sure all pasta is covered. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Bake uncovered for 20 min until cheese is bubbly. Let stand 5 min before serving.

Easy Chicken Pie Bisquick Style

1 to 2 c. cooked chicken , chopped or shredded .(I used a rotisserie chicken from Costco)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
3 potatoes, cubed
1/2 c. chopped carrots
1 small can mushrooms
1 cup frozen corn
2 cups Bisquick
1 cup milk
2 eggs

Boil the potatoes, carrots and corn till tender. Spread in a 9x13 pan, along with the chicken pieces. Spread soup over top ( can sprinkle with a little onion salt if wanted). Mix the bisquick, milk and eggs in separate bowl and spread over other ingredients. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Italian Zucchini and Turkey Casserole

2 small zucchini, sliced thin
4 tomatoes, chopped ( or one 14 oz. can diced tomatoes)
1 can artichoke hearts, quartered
1 clove garlic, minced
fresh or dried herbs- such as basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary
1 lb. ground turkey, browned
1 stack Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 cup Swiss Cheese, grated
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

Mix together the veggies, meat and seasonings in a 9 x 12 glass pan. Spread cracker crumbs, then the two cheeses on top. Bake at 350 for 40 min.

Mexican Casserole

( Not the best photo, but I didn't think about posting it until it was half-eaten.)

1 lb. ground meat (I used ground turkey), browned
1 can cream of tomato soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 small can of diced green chilies
1/2 cup water
8 corn tortillas
1 c. cheddar cheese

Brown meat in frying pan. Spray a 9x13 pan with veg. oil spray. Tear the tortillas into bite-sized pieces. Spread cook meat on top. In a separate bowl combine everything else, but the cheese. Pour over meat and tortillas, stir. Sprinkle grated cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes, or until bubbly.

This would be really good in a dutch oven, too.

Yummy Chicken Casserole

I got this recipe from my friend Kelly in nursing school. It's way good, but I haven't made it in a while because we don't have an oven. So there will be no picture of this one, you'll just have to take my word for it on how good it is.

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 large can or 2 small cans of chicken (or 2 cooked, cut-up chicken breasts)
1 8 oz tub of sour cream
1/2 package of wide egg noodles
1 package of stove-top stuffing
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
dried onions (add to desired taste)
parsley (same as onions)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Boil noodles according to directions on package. Drain and put in a big bowl. Mix in cream of chicken soup, sour cream, chicken, dried onions, and parsley. Put mix in a casserole dish.
Melt butter in pan, mix in package of stove top stuffing and heat for about 2-3 minutes. Remove stove top from pan and sprinkle on top of the mix in the casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Then take the foil off and bake for about 5 more minutes. Enjoy!