"Healthified" Mexican Pasta Skillet

I'm actually blogging about dinner soon after dinner and not days after. Go me! Tonights dinner was quite easy and very good. I have decided that I need to get medium salsa for recipes and just keep my hot for chips and such. Maybe I'm getting to old for "hot" salsa. *LOL* I found this recipe via Laura over at I'm an Organizing Junkie's menu last week. This is a great recipe for work nights it was so quick and easy.

"Healthified" Mexican Pasta Skillet

Found and adapted from Eat Better America

1 lb extra-lean (at least 93%) ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 jar (16 oz) Muir Glen® organic mild salsa (I used Pace Hot Picante Sauce and I think next time I will use med or even mild.)
1 cup Muir Glen® organic tomato sauce (from 15-oz can)
1 1/2 cups water (I actually used 2 1/2 cups water and it came out perfectly)
2 cups uncooked regular or multigrain elbow macaroni
1 cup Green Giant® Niblets® frozen corn
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese (2 oz)

In 12-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain.

Stir in salsa, tomato sauce and water. Heat to boiling. Stir in macaroni and corn. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until macaroni is tender.

Sprinkle with cheese. Cover; let stand 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Nutritional Information (info is calculated with beef instead of turkey)
1 Serving: Calories 370 (Calories from Fat 60); Total Fat 6g (Saturated Fat 2 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 45mg; Sodium 650mg; Total Carbohydrate 53g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 5g); Protein 25g % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 10%; Vitamin C 15%; Calcium 8%; Iron 20% Exchanges: 3 1/2 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 2 Lean Meat Carbohydrate Choices: 3 1/2 MyPyramid Servings: 2 oz-equivalents Grains, 2 oz-equivalents Meat & Beans
*% Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Jerry's Mexican Pie

Yesterday was busy but fun! We finally picked up the truck from the collision place where it's lived for 3 weeks getting a facelift after the Ron wreck was in. I am sooo happy we have 2 vehicles again! Had to be up at 4:30am to go get it but definitely worth it to have that freedom of 2 vehicles and I get my Jeep back fulltime! YAY! :)

After that it was home to make up the menu and grocery list for the week. heh I still need to clean up all the cookbooks spread all over the bedroom floor. I realized I have a TON of low carb cookbooks I need to get rid of. Most of my cookbooks are low carb! I need to expand my library a bit!

I also got to have lunch with Dawnie of Eat, Play, Live at Mexican Inn Cafe. (The steak fajitas and cherry empanada were wonderful!) I really really love TexMex food. If I had to pick one of style of food to eat the rest of my life that would probably be it. YUM! Dawnie and I had some giggles about our significant others and lots of food talk. I want to pick her brain for all she is learning in culinary school! *LOL* She also brought me an awesome belated birthday present, Paula Deen's Kitchen Wisdom and Recipe Journal. Paula Deen is my idol. This woman utterly amazes me. She went from practically destitute to the Queen of Southern Cooking. My hero!

Anyway, last night for dinner we had Mexican again because well I just cant get enough Mexican. heh. This recipe was super easy and fast and was soooo good.

Jerry's Mexican Pie
from Froggy Bottom

1 prepared pie shell (I was concerned on if I should bake the crust first but it was great just as is)
1 can refried beans with chili peppers (Believe it or not I couldnt find with chilis so I just used regular refried beans. I would probably only use about half of a standard can next time because it was very beany)
1 can green chile peppers, mild
1 pound ground meat
1 (3 1/4 oz) can chopped ripe black olives
1 large onion, chopped
1 package taco seasoning (the hot and spicy kind adds a wonderful kick, especially if you cant find refried beans with chillis)
1/2 cup Montery Jack cheese, grated
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
Sour Cream, for topping (we skipped this because I forgot to pick up sour cream)

1. Put beans in pie shell. Layer green chilies over the beans. Saute meat and onions together. Drain off fat.

2. Add the ripe olives and taco seasonings. Mix well and put over beans and peppers.

3. Cover with grated cheese and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. Slives and serve with a dollop of sour cream.

This recipe is going to make it into my regular rotation! It's also the first recipe I am including in my challenge to make at least 1 recipe from each of my cookbooks in 2009!

Creole Shrimp and Spaghetti

I've been feeling like crud lately so I needed something quick and filling to make for dinner. Since Ron brought shrimp home last night I thought I'd try out this recipe I found on one of my favorite recipe sites, All Recipes.

I did some minor tweaks after reading the reviews and loved it. Very nice kick. Very yummy. Now I'm gonna have to play with it to make it a bit more calorie friendly. ;)

Creole Shrimp and Spaghetti



Modified from this recipe

12 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon Creole-style seasoning (use less if you dont like a kick to your food)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
1 1/2 pounds fresh shrimp, shelled and deveined without tails
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

In a large skillet over medium heat, combine butter, Creole seasoning, black pepper, and teriyaki sauce. When butter is hot add the shrimp and simmer for 5 minutes or until shrimp are pink throughout.

Spoon the shrimp on top of the pasta and sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.