Recipe: Creamy Potato and Sausage Casserole

This potato and sausage casserole recipe is an excellent example of a hearty, family friendly meal that is quick to prepare and is not high in fat and calories. By making a few healthy choices in ingredients, the casserole is not heavy and fat laden.

This is an old recipe I adapted and have in my file from the folks at Pillsbury…. I got it from one of their soft cover books entitled, “Casseroles”. I made only minor changes to it. I’ve used it lots over the years… a quick weeknight supper or a covered dish to a church supper…. it’s so easy.

This recipe is for 2… and is easily doubled or tripled for larger crowds. For 4 servings I use an 8x8 baking dish and for 6, I use a 9x13 baking dish… increase the baking time to about 35-45 minutes… or until the sides of the casserole are bubbly.

I hope you and your family enjoy it!

Creamy Potato and Sausage Casserole Recipe:

All you need:

4 oz. bulk light turkey and pork sausage
1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
1/3 cup milk (you can use low fat or fat-free)
1 (10 ¾ oz.) Campbell’s Condensed 98% fat-free Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 ½ cups frozen Potatoes O’Brien with onions and peppers
2 tablespoons Progresso Plain Bread Crumbs
1 teaspoon butter or margarine, melted

All you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Spray two 2 to 2 ½ cup individual casseroles with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium skillet over medium high heat, cook the sausage until no longer pink.

Break apart the sausage with the flat end of a spatula to break into smaller pieces.

Drain on paper towels.

Remove skillet from heat.

Wipe out any grease in the skillet.

Return the sausage to the pan.

Add the peas and carrots, milk and soup. Stir well until completely incorporated.

Add the potatoes folding in to completely incorporate.

Divide the mixture between the two individual casseroles.

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and margarine. Mix well with a fork.

Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the casseroles.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Recipe: Chicken in Fresh Herbs

By now you know how I feel about herbs used in cooking… fresh is the way to go… this recipe calls for chervil… it can be difficult to find… and when you do find it… I suggest … cleaning it, chopping it and freezing it … it will keep well in the freezer … in the same way I suggested in a Tip of the Day for parsley.

Chervil can be difficult to find even in dried form … dried herbs are not my favorite, but I do use them. You can find chervil online at The Spice Houce.com and order it from them… it’s not expensive and is well worth it… chervil has a wonderful flavor similar to parsley with a light onion flavor.

You can substitute parsley as a last resort… I would also snip some chives in to capture some of the onion flavor you would be losing out on with parsley.

You can substitute chicken broth for the white wine if you prefer.

This dish is very simple and very good. It’s very low in fat and calories… but high in flavor.

Enjoy!

Chicken in Fresh Herbs Recipe

All you need:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
¼ cup chopped fresh chervil leaves
¼ cup chopped fresh tarragon leaves
½ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
1 medium shallot, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

All you need to do:

Place the chicken in a glass bowl or shallow dish.

Mix remaining ingredients (except the freshly ground pepper) in a large measuring cup or medium bowl.

Pour the mixture over the chicken, cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for 30 minutes.

Spray a medium skillet (non-stick preferred) with cooking oil.

Cook chicken over medium high heat until done, turning once.

Place on serving platter and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Recipe: Dreamy Orange Cream

This is a great little recipe I found in one of those little Betty Crocker books a few years ago called “Simple and Healthy Recipes”. This was one of their quick low fat dessert recipes. You can cut back on the sugar in it also by using sugar free vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix and I don’t think you sacrifice taste.

You can make this up to a day ahead… this makes for a terrific dessert or snack. By using the orange juice it has a great refreshing taste. I used fresh mandarin oranges in the jar from the refrigerator section of the produce department of the supermarket.... much better than canned.

The recipe makes 4 servings (1/2 cup each)…. As the recipe is written, the Total Fat is listed as 2.5 g and 230 Calories per serving.

Serving sizes are not always realistic... the smaller cup is the 1/2 cup serving... keep in mind I piled mandarin oranges on top and granola ... the serving in the glass.... was about 3/4 cup. You can stretch it a bit by filling the glass half full then put a layer of granola then add the 2nd half into the glass.

You have more than enough granola with one bar for 4 servings.... if you put the layer in the middle, use two bars.

It really tastes so good... like a creamsicle!

Dreamy Orange Cream Recipe

All you need:

1 box (4 serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 cup orange juice
1 cup frozen (thawed) fat-free whipped topping
1 pouch Nature Valley crunchy granola bars (2 bars), crushed
1 can (15 oz) mandarin orange segments, drained

All you need to do:

In a medium bowl, beat the pudding mix and the orange juice with a wire whisk for 2 minutes.

Refrigerate for 5 minutes.

Fold in whipped topping.

Divide the mixture into 4 dessert dishes. Top with crushed granola bars and orange segments.

Recipe: Frosty Mocha Shake

This is another quick and easy dessert or snack from the folks at Betty Crocker. It’s from the little recipe book called “Simple Healthy Recipes” published several years ago. It really is delicious….

The recipe calls for vanilla fat-free no-sugar added ice cream… obviously if you use a sugar version of fat free ice cream it will add calories …. but do at least try using at least the fat free ice cream… in things like shakes .. you can’t tell … and it is so much healthier. Warren wrinkles his nose at the thought of fat-free ice cream… he didn’t even know I used it when he tried it… so my advice is… don’t tell them…well…. maybe after they’re done drinking it.

This recipe as written makes 4 servings…the Total Fat is listed as 3g and 160 Calories.


Frosty Mocha Shake Recipe
All you need:

1 cup water
2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
½ cup chocolate flavor syrup
2 cups vanilla fat-free no-sugar-added ice cream
2 cups ice cubes

All you need to do:

In a blender, place water, coffee granules and chocolate syrup.
Cover and blend on high speed until well blended.

Add the ice cream.
Cover and blend on high speed until smooth.

Add the ice cubes.
Cover and blend on high speed until ice is crushed.

Pour into 4 serving glasses.

Recipe: Zesty Italian Chicken with Orzo Pasta

This is a quick little recipe I got from Betty Crocker years ago… of course I changed a few things.. read on...

TIPS

The original recipe calls for the chicken to be cooked in oil and it used regular Caesar dressing… by using cooking spray, fat free chicken broth and reduced fat dressing you lower the fat and calories and not sacrifice taste.

I substituted fat free Zesty Italian Dressing because we like it so much.

I couldn’t find an exact match for the bagged frozen vegetables… so I got something close… what I don’t like about the bag mixes is that it’s pretty much broccoli and not much else. You can cut up fresh vegetables to get the right mix you want… but the convenience of frozen vegetables can’t be beaten…. dinner is ready in a snap!

I also upped the amount of chicken broth a bit… when I made this it got dry and needed more liquid just before the chicken went back in… start with one can and add as needed.

This is quick and easy…. a good weeknight supper…. Serve it with a small salad and garlic bread (okay not normally a diet food… but this meal has virtually no fat .. so 1 slice of bread won’t be too bad)… and voila! … you’re done!







Zesty Italian Chicken with Orzo Pasta Recipe

All you need:

Cooking olive oil spray
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 1/2 cans (14.5 oz) of fat free chicken broth (start with one can and add a bit more as needed)
1 cup water
1 cup orzo pasta
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 bag frozen vegetable mix (broccoli, green beans, pearl onions and red peppers)
4 tablespoons dressing fat free Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
Freshly ground pepper

All you need to do:

Spray a 10 inch skillet with cooking spray.

Heat the skillet over medium high heat.

Season the chicken with a sprinkle of garlic powder and freshly ground pepper.

Cook the chicken about 10 minutes until brown, turning once.

Remove the chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add the broth and water to the skillet and heat until boiling.

Add the 2 teaspoons of garlic powder.

Add the pasta and heat until boiling again.

Cook uncovered 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pasta is tender.

Stir in the frozen vegetables (cut any large broccoli pieces).

Add the Caesar dressing.

Add the chicken back into the skillet.

Sprinkle with the freshly ground pepper.

Heat to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes until vegetables are crisp but tender and chicken is cooked.

Remove to serving platter.

Recipe: Creamy Honey Dressing

This is wonderful and goes with the Turkey Salad with Honey Almonds…. It can go with so much more… but it was written specifically for that salad… a truly delicious Yoplait recipe.

Enjoy!

Creamy Honey Dressing Recipe

All you need:

½ cup Yoplait Fat Free plain yogurt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice

All you need to do:

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl.

Makes 4 servings.