Spaghetti Pie?

Well it's been a few days since I've had the chance to cook, but my sister is in town so we've made a few recipes together. The title of this recipe is spaghetti pie. This recipe is quick and easy. It's a new one I've found and basically it's like a simple lasagna with spaghetti noodles instead of flat ones - and low calorie- yay!

This is out of the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook and at 270 calories a slice it's a great dinner for those of us that are pasta lovers!

Spaghetti Pie

4 ounces dried spaghetti
1 TBS butter
1 egg beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces ground beef or Italian sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper
1 clove garlic minced
1 - 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Cook spaghetti and drain
2. Stir butter into hot pasta until melted. Add egg and Parmesan cheese and set aside.
3. Meanwhile cook ground beef, onion, sweet pepper and garlic over medium heat until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat and add tomato sauce and oregano.
4. Coat 9 in. pie plate w/ non-stick cooking spray. Press spaghetti mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate to form a crust. Spread cottage cheese on bottom and sides of crust. Spread meat mixture on top and cover in cheese.
5. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. To serve, cut in wedges.

Calories 270 per wedge - 6 wedges per pie

Both times I've made this with Italian sausage - it gives it a nice flavor. Since the recipe only calls for 8 ounces (half a log) then a good idea would be to make 2 pies at once instead of trying to save the extra meat. Also 1/2 cup of onion or green pepper is only about half a whole pepper or onion, so doubling the recipe to 2 pies helps you use all the onion and pepper as well as all the meat.

Serve with a favorite vegetable or if you aren't worried about the calories a nice garlic bread or salad to go with it! Have fun!

Mexican anyone?

Tonight's recipe was my first try at Fiesta Taco Casserole. This recipe I found in the Betty Crocker Cookbook. My husband rated it a 6 out of 10 (10 being his favorite food...1 being well.... disgusting...). We've decided anything over 5 is repeatable. I give this recipe a 7 - but I'm a sucker for spicy food and casseroles.

Fiesta Taco Casserole
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 can (16 oz.) spicy chili beans in sauce, undrained.
1 cup salsa
2 cups coarsely broken tortilla chips
3/4 cup sour cream
4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)
1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz.)
Tortilla chips, if desired
Shredded lettuce, if desired
Salsa, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350 F.  In a 10 in. skillet, cook beef over medium heat 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain. Stir in beans and 1 cup salsa. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
2. In ungreased 2-quart casserole, place broken tortilla chips. Top with beef mixture. Spread with sour cream. Sprinkle with onions, tomato and cheese.
3. Bake uncovered 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Arrange tortilla chips around edge of casserole. serve with lettuce and salsa.

This recipe makes 4 servings - each serving about 1 1/4 cups. 1 serving is 620 calories. NOW before you gasp in shock let me tell you the revisions the recipe book suggests and the ones I added.
For 345 calories per serving substitute ground turkey breast for the ground beef; use reduced-fat sour cream and reduced fat cheddar cheese. (I used baked tortilla chips as well).

Here are pictures of the casserole before it was cooked and after with the chips around the edge.

Enjoy!