Pizza Casserole

i kept seeing this recipe popping up all over the facebook and the pinterest for a pizza casserole that looked delicious and nutritionally wasn't that bad.  but when i'd click on the links, it would just pull up the picture and the recipe on a page, not on any particular website, if that makes sense.  so i have no idea where to attribute this most fabulous dinner to.  did you catch that?  fabulous!  it was so good!  mr d helped himself to seconds.  seriously, the flavor on this pizza casserole was so amazing.  the original recipe i saw calls for olives and mushrooms, but i don't like mushrooms, and mr d doesn't like olives.  so i decided to switch out those ingredients for the ingredients we like on our pizza:  green peppers, jalapenos, and red onion.

 

Pizza Casserole

16 oz package rotini noodles

1 lb ground italian sausage

24 oz jar spaghetti sauce

1 green pepper, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

16 oz container cottage cheese

1 1/2 c mozzarella cheese, shredded

pepperoni slices

 

Preheat oven to 350.  Cook the noodles al dente according to package directions.  In a skillet, cook sausage until evenly browned, add cooked noodles and spaghetti sauce.  Put meat mixture into a 9 x 13 casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray.  In a small bowl, combine green pepper, onion, jalapeno, cottage cheese and mozzarella cheese.  Layer on top of meat mixture.  Top casserole with pepperoni slices.  Bake for 25 mins, until bubbly and lightly browned.

 

of course i used whole wheat noodles, non-fat cottage cheese and low-fat mozzarella cheese, and it was so good.  when i make it again, i'd like to try making it even more healthy by using chicken sausage or maybe just ground turkey, with some additional spices to add some of the flavor i'd be missing from the spicy italian sausage.

 

Denver-ish Omelette

you know those nights when you didn't plan on making dinner and you're not really in the mood to cook, but you also want to make a better choice than eating out?  on nights like that, our go to meal is a denver-ish omelette.  denver-ish, because i'm not really sure what the ingredients have to be for an omelette to be considered denver, and because this is generally cooked as an uplanned meal, i just use what we have on hand.  sometimes we have green pepper.  sometimes we have jalapeno.  sometimes we have ham.  sometimes we miraculously have all 3 at the same time.  and we always have cheese and onion.  and of course we always eggs.  the first time i ever made an omelette, i watched a couple of youtube videos on how to make the perfect omelette.  it's all about tipping the pan and lifting the cooked part of the egg up and letting the uncooked egg run underneath so that it can cook.  if that doens't make sense, jump on over to youtube.

 

Denver-ish Omelette

 3 egg whites

1 whole egg

splash of milk

cheese

veggies and meats of your choice, chopped

 

sautee veggies in a small skillet until tender.  (for this omelette, i used 1/2 a green pepper and 1/2 an onion).  in a small bowl, whisk together eggs and milk until frothy.  pour the egg mixture in a medium pan sprayed with cooking spray.  as the omelette cooks, push the cooked edges into the middle, and tilt the pan so the uncooked egg runs underneath.  repeat until the egg is cooked thru.  add cheese to entire omelette, then place veggies and meats on 1/2.  fold over and serve.

 

 

it never looks that appetizing, but as a quick and healthy meal, it tastes amazing!

 

Tuna Burger

While going through the pantry last week end, I found two cans of salmon,  I knew they had been kicking around for a while, but when I checked the date, and saw "best by July 2011" I thought it might be better to chuck the fish, than to risk eating it.

All is not lost because the cans of salmon inspired me to try a recipe that I found on a similar can of salmon, salmon burgers.  As the title of this post already spoiled, I made burgers with tuna.  It was really easy.  Just drained a can of tuna, mixed in mayonaise, then bread crumbs until the concoction was a good consistency to shape into a patty.  Fry it, serve it on a bun, SUCCESS!

Give it a try, loyal bloggists.  And check in tomorrow for Rula's, Part II.

Meatballs

I have been, most recently, making one of my old standbys; meatballs.  Take a:
                pound of lean ground beef
                1 large egg
                1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
                3 Tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
                1/4 teaspoon salt
                1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In a medium bowl mix the beef, egg, crumbs, cheese, salt and pepper and then form into 16 meatballs.
Cook in a skillet.  When they are done, add in a can of tomatoes, some garlic, what ever sounds good.
Serve with egg noodles.

Quick and easy and best of all, delicious.