Crock Pot Pasta Fagioli

--1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained
--1/2 large red onion, chopped
--1 cup carrots, chopped
--2 celery stalks, sliced
--2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (and juice)
--1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
--1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
--4 cups beef broth (check label for gluten!)
--1 jar (16.5 oz) pasta sauce
--2 tsp oregano
--1 T Tabasco sauce
--1/2 tsp salt
--1/4 tsp black pepper
--1/2 cup dry pasta, to add at end of cooking time (I used TJ's brown rice fusilli)

The Directions.

Use a 6 quart or larger crockpot, or cut the recipe in half. This makes a lot.

Brown the meat on the stovetop, and drain well. Let it cool a bit.

Chop up the carrots, onion, and celery. Add it to the empty crockpot.
Drain and rinse the beans, and add them. Add the whole cans of tomatoes, and the pasta sauce. Add the beef broth. Add the salt, pepper, oregano, and Tobasco sauce. Stir in your meat.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4. When the vegetables are tender, stir in the 1/2 cup of dry pasta.

Cover and cook for another hour on low, or until the pasta is tender. It will swell quite a bit.

Serve with a bit of parmesan cheese if you have it.

from: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

Cheddar & Vegetable Pasta Bake

Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Baking Time: 17 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 cups (8 oz.) bow tie, rigatoni, or penne pasta (3 cups uncooked)
• 2 Tb. butter or margarine (I used Country Crock with Calcium)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tb. flour
• 1 can (12 oz.) evaporated fat-free skim milk
• 2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Kraft 2% Sharp Cheddar or Sargento Reduced-Fat Mild Cheddar
• 1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables (cauliflower, red bell peppers, broccoli, carrots), thawed
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce or 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
  

Directions:

1. Cook pasta as directed; drain and set aside.

2. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Add flour; cook and stir 1 minute. Add milk, salt and pepper sauce. Heat to a boil, stirring constantly so milk does not burn!! Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup cheese until melted.

3. Add sauce and vegetables to pasta; toss well. Transfer to a greased medium baking dish or oval casserole. (I did not grease my casserole dish and it was fine.) Cover with foil; bake in preheated 375°F oven 15 minutes or until hot. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake 2 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

Yields: 6 servings

Nutritional Info: (per serving) 303 calories, 10 g. fat, 2.6 g. fiber

Original Source: Sargento.com

Oatmeal Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups quick cooking oats
raisins or nuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, cream together white sugar, butter, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.

2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda,and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. If you are using nuts or raisins, mix into dough, combining well. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes approx. 36-60 cookies, depending on how large or small you make them.

from: http://www.momswhothink.com