So have you made your New Years resolutions yet?

I don't know about you, but this definitely needs to be the year I get back to my normal pre-baby weight. I mean, it's only been 2 years...

Whether you're looking to shed a couple of pounds or just want to include some healthier meals in your repertoire, this recipe fits the bill. And who doesn't love the added bonus of it being a slow-cooker meal??

I've included the nutritional info, as recorded by the original website, for your convenience.

Skinny Zucchini Ziti

(Recipe by fabfitfun.com)

via

Ingredients

• 1 1-lb., 7.8-oz. jar marinara sauce (no sugar added)
• 3 cups penne shells, whole grain, dry)
• 2 cups fat free cottage cheese
• 2 cups skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 large zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, mozzarella, oregano, basil, and black pepper.
In the slow cooker, spoon 1/4 of marinara sauce onto the bottom, add 1 cup penne shells, 1/3 of zucchini slices and top with 1 cup cheese mixture. Repeat until you have three layers. Top with the remaining marinara and lastly, cheese. Note: Keep penne shells and cheese away from the edges by about 1 inch. Pasta tends to get hard and cheese burns if allowed to touch the sides while cooking.
Cover and cook on low for approximately 2 hours or until penne noodles are al dente (took my slowcooker almost 3 hours... after 2, the noodles were still too tough!) . Not all slow cookers cook the same, so be sure that the penne is done before serving. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Pair a serving of this with a chicken breast and a helping of veggies for a wonderfully balanced meal!
Tip: If you prefer your ziti a little more on the thick side, allow to cook an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Tip: If you’re on a tight budget, try Ragu Lite (no sugar added) and if you’re not, try Amy’s Organic Marinara Pasta Sauce.

Minimum Slow Cooker Size: 5 quarts

Check out other skinny Crock-Pot recipes here.
Nutritional Information:
Makes 13 servings
Serving Size: 3/4 cup
Calories: 168
Total Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 21mg
Sodium: 476mg
Carbohydrates: 25g
Sugars: 4g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Protein: 15g

Tuscan Pasta with Tomato-Basil Cream Sauce

I had been eyeing this recipe for awhile now, and I don't know what in the world I was waiting on. It was so good and SO easy. It definitely gives you that just-as-good-as-a-restaurant taste but without the cost. If you're in the mood for some good Italian? Give this a try.

Tuscan Pasta with Tomato-Basil Cream Sauce

(Original recipe by Marguerite Cleveland, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Southern Living
JULY 2007)

via

Ingredients

• 1 (20-oz.) package refrigerated four-cheese ravioli*
• 1 (16-oz.) jar sun-dried tomato Alfredo sauce
• 2 tablespoons white wine (I skipped this, since I didn't have any. Still tasted amazing)
• 2 medium-size fresh tomatoes, chopped**
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Garnish: fresh basil strips

Directions

Prepare pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, pour Alfredo sauce into a medium saucepan. Pour wine into sauce jar; cover tightly, and shake well. Stir wine mixture into saucepan. Stir in chopped tomatoes and 1/2 cup chopped basil, and cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Toss with pasta, and top evenly with 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Garnish, if desired.


*1 (13-oz.) package three-cheese tortellini may be substituted.
**1 (14.5-oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, fully drained, may be substituted.

Shrimp Scampi

First, I wanted to say thanks to those who are still reading these.

I know there's no real rhyme or reason to my posts. I keep posting, just for the sheer fun of it.

I like having all of my favorite recipes all in one place and also give others the chance to try out a dish they may have had trouble finding themselves. So to all 9 of you who are following (and others who read without making the commitment), thanks for sticking around. Promise I'll try to step it up on the posting. :)

***

It's hard to improve upon a classic.

This is just a simple, but incredibly good dish that can be whipped up in less than 20 minutes.

Who doesn't love that?

This particular take on the ol' standby is from The Pioneer Woman. Love that lady.

I actually was drawn to it, mainly from the picture. I have a lot of herbs growing in our little back yard garden beds, and if I find a yummy recipe that can use any of them? Totally jumping on the chance.

Shrimp Scampi

(Original recipe by Ree Drummond)

(photo source)

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• ½ whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 4 cloves Garlic Cloves, Minced Or Pressed
• 1 pound Large Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined
• ½ cups White Wine
• 2 whole Lemons
• 4 dashes Hot Sauce (I Used Tabasco; More To Taste)
• Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• 8 ounces, weight Angel Hair Pasta
• Chopped Fresh Basil To Taste
• Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste
• ½ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions

Boil water for pasta; have it ready.
Heat olive oil and melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for two or three minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add shrimp, then stir and cook for a couple of minutes. Squeeze in lemon juice. Add wine, butter, salt and pepper, and hot sauce. Stir and reduce heat to low.
Throw angel hair pasta into the boiling water. Cook until just done/al dente. Drain, reserving a cup or two of the pasta water.
Remove skillet from heat. Add pasta and toss, adding a splash of pasta water if it needs to be thinned. Taste for seasonings, adding salt and pepper if needed.
Top with grated Parmesan and minced parsley and serve immediately.

(I happen to really love mushrooms. I'm thinking next time I'll add a few sliced baby bellas. Just for fun.)

Serves 6.

Cheesy Baked Tortellini

Let me guess... this last week left before Christmas left you feeling a little stressed? :) With all of the last minute shopping, baking, and card sending (yeah, my cards are patiently waiting to be mailed still), dinner probably isn't something you want to think about.
If you fall in this category (and you like pasta), then you'll like this recipe. It's incredibly easy. In fact, it's SO easy that if you wanted to shake things up a bit (and sub with ravioli or add meat or something), then you have total freedom. But we'll stick with the basic version for now.

Cheesy Baked Tortellini

Original recipe by Giada de Laurentis

(photo courtesy of Food Network)

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves  (you can use dried, it won't hurt anything)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves (same here)
• 1 pound purchased cheese tortellini
• 2 ounces thinly sliced smoked mozzarella (I just used regular, but I bet the smoked makes it taste richer)
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8x8x2-inch baking dish.

Whisk the sauce, mascarpone cheese, parsley and thyme in a large bowl to blend. Cook the tortellini in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Add the tortellini to the sauce and toss to coat. Transfer the tortellini mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top the mixture with the smoked mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheeses on top melt, about 30 minutes.

Reader Request: Mac n Cheese

(photo courtesy of SouthernLiving.com)

I recently got a request for a good Mac n Cheese recipe... the "non watery" kind. :)
I knew exactly where to turn for one too. Usually, I head straight for the masters of straight-to-your-thighs type food like Paula Deen or the Neelys. But not this time. I've never actually made it myself, but I know I love it. It's my grandmother's recipe, and every time she makes it, there's never a noodle left.

Well... "recipe" is bit of a stretch.
See, the problem with the way that the older generation of Southern ladies cook is that they don't follow recipes. They just do it.

So yesterday, as she walked through the steps with me, I could tell she was literally making it in her head, trying to remember every detail. And this is the "no recipe" recipe of baked mac n cheese:

Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles
3 eggs
1/2 cup of milk
4 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided (Tip: Shredding a big block of cheese tends to work better than buying the preshredded kind. It melts better and has a sharper flavor.)
Dash of salt and pepper

Cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain [Tip: Take a spoon and stir the noodles around in the colander to get all of the water out. Otherwise, your mac n cheese will still come out too watery. Cheese and water are natural enemies. :) ]. Spread half of noodles (about 2 cups) in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Sprinkle 2 cups of shredded cheese on top of noodles. Layer again with the rest of the noodles. Beat eggs and milk together until smooth and well blended. Pour over noodles and cheese. Top with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for about 30 - 45 minutes.

The trick with this recipe is to go with your gut. If you want more cheese, go for it. If the egg/milk mixture looks too thick, add a little more milk. I'm going to have to try this one myself so I can give a better review. But I promise, you'll know if you got it right. The eggs help it stick together, so it should not turn out watery.

If the above "recipe" makes you a little nervous, I did do some searching and found a couple of recipes that seem to be pretty good. Make sure to read the reviews for these. Usually it helps to read other suggestions to enhance the flavors.

From Southern Living
From Alton Brown (food network)
Another from Food Network

Good luck!

Mama's Lasagna

I used to rely on my grandmother's lasagna recipe every time I was in the mood for some good Italian food. And while hers is still good, I now have a new favorite.
I made this awhile back for my husband, and this has become his new favorite as well. It's cheesy, meaty, and best of all... easy!

Mama's Lasagna

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for pan
• 1 pound ground beef or turkey
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, chopped
• 1 (8-ounce) jar tomato sauce
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 (8-ounce) box no-boil lasagna noodles
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 (8-ounce) bag shredded mozzarella
• 1 (8-ounce) bag shredded Cheddar

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish.

In a large saute pan, over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and saute meat, onion, and garlic until meat is browned, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon. Drain pan of fat and add stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, then mix in cottage cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper, and seasoning salt.

Spread a little of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Lay half the noodles in the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping by 1/2-inch. Spread half the egg and cottage cheese mixture evenly on top. Sprinkle half the mozzarella and Cheddar evenly over the cottage cheese mixture. Pour half the meat sauce on top. Repeat layering in same order. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan on top. Bake in center of oven 30 to 35 minutes until sauce is bubbling around the edges. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6-8 (maybe fewer if they like it as much as my hubby did!).