Manicotti

1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into small pieces
1 cup each grated carrots, grated zucchini, and finelly chopped mushrooms
3 tbsp minced fresh basil (or 1 1/2 tsp dried)
1 tbsp minced fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
1/4 tsp pepper
4 oz light cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 manicotti shells, uncooked
2 cups tomato-based pasta sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

• to make filling, spray a large, non-stick skillet with non-stick spray. Add garlic and onions. Cook and stir over medium heat until softened, about 2 minutes.
• add chicken, increase heat to medium-highand cook until no longer pink. Add carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, basil, oregano and pepper. Cook for 3 more minutes. Add cream cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in ricotta and parmesan cheeses. Transfer filling to a large bowl and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• while filling is chilling, cook manicotti according to package directions. Rinse with cold water and drain well.
• using a teaspoon, stuff shells equally with filling. Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce over bottom of 2 baking dishes. Arrange 6 stuffed manicotti in each dish. Pour remaining sauce over manicotti and sprinkle with mozzarella.
• cover with foil and bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Honey sundried tomato sole

Ingredients:
1 cup Kraft Sundried Tomato and oregano salad dressing
2 tbsp French's honey mustard
1/4 cup lemon juice
greek spices
4 cups whole wheat spaghettini cooked(or other pasta)
steamed or stir fried vegetables( Iused Arctic gardens Thai veggies)
4-6 sole fillets

1. Bake sole fillets in mixture of 1/2 cup salad dressing, honey mustard and lemon juice
2. cook pasta and stir fry or steam veggies
3. Pour remaining salad dressing over hot pasta and toss
4. Layer with pasta on the bottom, then veggies and sole

Makes 4 servings
SUBSTITUTIONS: Can substitute salmon fillets or chicken breasts and this will work just as well.

Creamy Ham and Broccoli with Pasta

Source : Traditions of Home Casseroles, Soups and More

2 cups - uncooked pasta, spirals work well
3 cups - broccoli florets
2 cups - water
2 tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp - all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups warm milk
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cups - diced, cooked ham

Cook pasta as directed on box. In a medium pot, bring the broccoli and water to a boil and cook until just tender-crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, melt butter and saute onion and garlic. Add flour and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Do not let flour brown.
Stir milk slowly into flour mixture until it thickens slightly. Add seasonings, ham and broccoli.
Simmer about 2 minutes to heat through, stirring frequently. Serve ham and broccoli over cooked pasta.
Makes 4 servings

Variations:
Add 1/2 cup grated cheese to casserole along with the broccoli.
or
Add 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, sesame seeds or your favorite kind of nuts to the casserole.
or
Add 1 cup of any of your favorite vegetable to the casserole.

To Make ahead :
Prepare ham and broccoli but not pasta. Cover and refrigerate. When ready to use, slowly reheat. You may need to add a bit of milk if the mixture appears too thick. Cook pasta and top with heated ham and broccoli.

** Made this morning - will post pictures when I serve at dinner!! **

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Here is my very simple recipe :

Bring pot of water to boil
Add 1 box of whole wheat macaroni and boil for 10 minutes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

lightly spray casserole dish with cooking spray

Drain Macaroni

Shred approximately 1/2 block of cheese to 3/4 of a block (depending on how cheesy you want it). I usually use medium to old cheddar as it tastes better

Layer the macaroni and cheese in the casserole dish (ending in a layer of cheese)

Pour 1/4 cup of milk over all
Cover top with bread crumbs
put dabs of margarine over the bread crumbs
Bake in oven for about 35-40 minutes

** If your adventurous - serve with HP Sauce ... lot of people thinks this sounds gross but try it - you will probably like it **

Curry Chicken Penne

3-4 cups uncooked whole wheat Penne pasta
1 can pineapple tidbits
2 chicken breasts cooked, cubed
1 red pepper diced or thinly sliced
½ jar alfredo sauce
½ cup fat free miracle whip
½ cup fat free sour cream
1 tbsp brown sugar
2-4 Tbsp curry powder (depends how much you like curry)
Crushed garlic

1. Cook cubed chicken breasts in skillet or baked in the oven. OR grill the chicken breasts and then cube them.
2. Cook about 3 cups of Penne pasta according to package directions
3. Mix in large saucepan, alfredo sauce, sour cream, miracle whip, brown sugar and garlic. Heat until hot but do not boil
4. add pineapple, red pepper, and chicken
5. Stir in Pasta OR pour sauce over hot pasta and serve

Creamy Fettuccini

Can add cooked chicken to this and increases the milk to 2 cups

1 - 250 gram package lite phil cream cheese (cubed)
175 ml. grated parmesan cheese
125 ml. milk
Basil, salt and pepper to taste
250 gr. fettuccini, cooked and drained.

In saucepan mix cream cheese, parmesan cheese and milk and spices. Stir over low heat until smooth.
Add fettuccini, toss lightly