Sicilian Sausage & Peppers Rigatoni
total time53 min
makes6 servings
1-1/3 cups each
1 lb. turkey Italian sausage links
cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 large green peppers,
cut into strips
3 cups rigatoni uncooked
1 jar (24 oz.) chunky spaghetti sauce
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Italian* Mozzarella-Parmesan Cheese Blend


HEAT oven to 375°F.

PLACE sausage and peppers in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

BAKE 15 to 20 min. or until sausage is done. Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed on package.

DRAIN pasta. Add to baking dish with spaghetti sauce; stir. Bake 15 to 20 min. or until heated through. Top with cheese; bake 2 to 3 min. or until melted

Cabbage Rolls

1 1/4 lean ground beef
1/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 c. cooked rice
1 onion, chopped
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce (no salt tomato sauce for heart healthy)
12 cabbage leaves
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. vinegar
Combine meat, pepper, rice, 1 can tomato sauce. Mix until blended. Cover cabbage leaves with boiling water for 4 minutes. Drain well. Place a portion of meat mixture in center of each leaf. Roll up, folding end in. Place seam down in large kettle.
Combine remaining ingredients. Mix well. Pour over rolls. Cover and simmer, basting often for 1 1/2 hours or until done. If I have a large head of cabbage, use all of larger leaves and double the brown sugar, vinegar and tomato sauce.

Quickie Lasagna ( but still a healthier way)

1 pkg. lasagne noodles
Non fat ricotta cheese
1 jar Healthy Choice Spaghetti Sauce
Ground turkey
1 onion,
dicedMushrooms,
sliced1 clove garlic, minced
Grated Parmesan cheese
Brown and crumble ground turkey with onion and garlic. Spray a 9"x13" baking dish with vegetable cooking spray. Coat bottom of dish with spaghetti sauce and top with uncooked noodles. Top noodles with spaghetti sauce, meat mixture, sliced mushrooms. Dot with ricotta cheese. Begin sequence again with noodles and continue layering until pan is full. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees, covered, then remove cover, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes. Allow to stand 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

LOW CALORIE HEART HEALTHY ITALIAN -STYLE NIBBLE MIX

1/4 c. unpopped popcorn
2 c. toasted oat cereal
2 c. bite-size shredded wheat cereal
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. dry Italian salad dressing mix
Popcorn in heavy skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat using little or no oil. Cover skillet and shake pan constantly until all corn is popped.
In a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan, combine popcorn, oat cereal and wheat squares. Bake at 300 degrees for about 5 minutes. Remove. Drizzle with butter. Combine cheese and salad dressing mix, sprinkle over snack mix and stir. Serve warm. Makes 9 cups. Serving size 1/2 cup - 60 calories per serving.

Biscuits... the hearthier way!

2 c. flour, all white OR 1/3 whole wheat & 2/3 white
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt, optional
1/4 c. safflower oil
2/3 c. skim milk
Sift dry ingredients in bowl. Pour oil and milk into cup but don't stir. Add to dry ingredients. Quickly stir with fork until just slings together. Knead about 10 times. Place on wax paper. Pat out to 1/2 inch thick. Cut. Bake at 475 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Watch carefully - they burn easily. Serves 6 or so.
This is a health conscious recipe.

Tomato/Eggplant Casserole

Eggplant
Egg substitute
Can of stewed tomatoes
Bread crumbs
PepperParmesan cheese
Peel 1/2 eggplant and slice thin. Put in deep dish and pour boiling water over. Drain, dip in egg substitute and fine bread crumbs. Saute in small amount of oil until brown on both sides. Drain between 2 pieces of paper towels. Layer eggplant in bottom of casserole. Sprinkle ground pepper and Parmesan cheese on top. Layer stewed tomatoes over and continue with another layer of eggplant. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serves 4.

Stuffed Peppers

4 tbsp. corn oil
2 onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 zucchini, diced
4 tomatoes, diced
2 c. cooked brown rice
1/2 c. cheddar cheese, grated
4 lg. green peppers, seeded
2 c. tomato juice
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat and saute onions, garlic, zucchini, and tomatoes. Combine rice and cheese and add to this mixture.
Stuff peppers with the vegetable mixture and replace pepper tops. Pour tomato juice into the bottom of a casserole dish. Place peppers in the casserole. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 4

Chicken Stir Fry ( Heart healthy )

2 chicken breasts, cut in bite size pieces
1 c. carrots, cut diagonally
1 c. broccoli flowerettes and stems
1 c. celery, cut diagonally
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced (optional)
1 med. sweet onion, sliced in rings
1/2 c. chunk pineapple (save juice)
Sweet and sour sauce
Slivered almonds (garnish)Rice
Boil chicken in water until almost done. Strain. Save juice. Add pineapple juice to make about 1 1/2 cups. Add 3 tablespoon sweet and sour sauce. Thicken with arrow root (or cornstarch). Cook until slightly thick, cover and keep warm.
Use a wok and saute carrots, push aside, saute broccoli, push aside, saute celery, push aside, saute green and red peppers, push aside, saute onion. Secret is to undercook vegetables so they stay crisp. Add pineapple and cooked chicken. Mix thoroughly. Add hot liquids and mix again. Garnish with slivered almonds. Serve with rice.

HEART HEALTHY COCOA BROWNIES

4 egg whites
1/2 c. Puritan oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
1 1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil bottom of 9 x 9 inch pan and set aside. Place egg whites in large bowl. Beat with spoon until slightly frothy. Add Puritan oil and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Stir in sugar and cocoa. Mix well. Stir in flour and salt blended. Pour into pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 22 to 26 minutes. Avoid overbaking. Cool completely before cutting. Sprinkle with powdered sugar

Cantaloupe,Tomato,Avocado, and Sweet Onion Salad

(makes 8 servings)
4 cups 1-inch cubes of cantaloupe
2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 large ripe "Haas "avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
1/2 medium sweet onion, minced
juice of 1 large lemon
8 green loose-leaf lettuce leaves, washed and crisped
freshly ground pepper
minced flat-leaf parsley for garnish (optional)
In a large bowl, combine the cantaloupe, tomatoes, avocado, and sweet onion. Drizzle with lemon juice. Toss gently to mix.
Line a large salad bowl with lettuce leaves. Spoon the cantaloupe mixture in the center and season to taste with pepper. Sprinkle parsley on top (if using). Serve at once.