PASTA

LOW CALORIE

JALAPENO CHEESE GRITS

CAVATINI CASSEROLE

This recipe is for a hearty casserole that's ready for dinner in less than an hour. Serve it with an Italian or Caesar salad and some freshly toasted garlic bread for a fantastic meal.

(Serves 8)

1 1/2 lb. lean Ground Beef
1 medium Onion, chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1 package Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning Mix
1 large stick Pepperoni, sliced
1 can sliced Mushrooms
1/2 cup each - 3 different types of Pasta (Shells, Wheels, Penne, etc.)
15 oz. can Tomato Sauce
1 cup Water
6 oz. Mozzarella, grated
6 oz. Cheddar Cheese, grated

Pre-heat oven to 350-F degrees and reserve a 9-inch by 13-inch ovenproof baking dish or pan.
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef with the onion and green pepper. Drain any excess liquid and reserve. Add spaghetti seasoning mix to the browned meat and blend. Add pepperoni and mushrooms and blend again.
Meanwhile, prepare the pastas as directed on the package and drain. Combine the cooked pastas with the ground beef mixture in the baking pan. Add tomato sauce and water; stir to combine. Add most of the cheeses and stir again, sprinkling the remaining cheeses over the top of the casserole.
Bake for about 30 minutes, uncovered. Serve warm in pasta bowls with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, if desired.

CORSICAN CHICKEN CASSEROLE

The combination of chicken, olives, mushrooms, tomatoes, and potatoes all cooked together in a single dish make today's recipe an interesting and pleasant alternative to more conventional chicken casseroles.

(Serves 4)

1 large Roasting Chicken
4 Tbs. (1/4 cup) Olive Oil
8 oz. Button Mushrooms
4 oz. Olives (Green or Black) pitted
1 lb. Mediterranean or Italian-style Tomatoes
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1 lb. small New Potatoes, scrubbed

Preheat oven to 350-F, 180-C degrees, or Gas Mark 4.
In a pan into which the chicken will fit well with the other ingredients, heat the olive oil and brown the chicken all over at a moderately warm heat setting.
Rinse the mushrooms and add them and the olives to the chicken. Finely chop the tomatoes if you're using fresh and not canned. Pour the tomatoes over the chicken, season generously, and bake, covered, for about an hour.
Brown the new potatoes in a frying pan in a little olive oil and add them to the chicken, making sure the potatoes are covered by the sauce. Bake for another 30 minutes.
To serve, remove the chicken first and carve or cut into jointed sections. Place chicken portions on a serving dish and surround them with the potatoes. Pour the sauce over the top and enjoy.

CARROT CASSEROLE

Carrots make for a lovely side dish at your holiday table. The orange color compliments the season, and the sweet carrots are perfect with a turkey- or ham-based meal. To save time on the big day, you can prepare this recipe up to two days ahead of your feast; just omit the topping until just before baking.

(Serves 10 to 12)

2 lb. Carrots, cooked and mashed
1 large Onion, finely chopped
1 large Green Pepper, finely chopped
1 cup Milk
2/3 cup Granulated Sugar
2 cups Saltine Cracker crumbs, half for mixing in and half for topping
1 cup Butter, softened (or less)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Peel, thick-slice, and cook the carrots in lightly salted boiling water for about 20 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and set aside to cool a bit.
Mix together the onion, green pepper, milk, sugar, and one cup of the cracker crumbs. Add the cooked carrots, and mash all the ingredients together.
Pour the mixture into a 2 1/2-quart casserole dish. Top with salt and pepper and the remaining one cup of cracker crumbs, and dot with the room-temperature butter. Bake in a 325-F degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is brown. Serve warm.

BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

1 lb. hot breakfast sausage (crumbled) 
8 oz. grated cheddar cheese 
1 box seasoned croutons 
3 cup milk 
6 eggs 
1/2 tsp. dry mustard 
salt pepper to taste 

Cook sausage and drain well. Place sausage in bottom of lightly greased 9x13 casserole. Layer croutons over sausage. Cover sausage and croutons with grated cheese. Mix eggs and milk in a bowl. Pour egg and milk mixture over sausage, croutons and cheese. Sprinkle dry mustard on top. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and store in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, place casserole in a heated oven at 325 degrees. Cook for 1 hour.

SAUSAGE & SAUERKRAUT CASSEROLE

1 lb. package of smoked sausage or Kielbasa cut in 1/2" pieces
1 glass jar of Gedney sauerkraut or Flanagan's 
1 onion chopped or 3 Tblsp. dried onion flakes
1 Tblsp. parsley flakes
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 package spiral pasta
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese for top of dish

Cook sausage and sauerkraut for about 10 minutes stirring together. Cook pasta 9 minutes. While pasta is cooking, stir in soup, seasonings, and onions into sausage and kraut mixture. When pasta is tender, drain, and combine in with other ingredients. Pour into 2 quart baking dish or 9" x 13" pan. Sprinkle the parmesan on top. Bake covered in 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until heated through.
Serve with crusty bread or rolls and ENJOY!