Sausage and Spinach Crescent Bake *

 1/2 pound bulk pork sausage

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pkg (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup half and half cream

1/2 tube refrigerated crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 350.  In a skillet, cook sausage, mushrooms, onion and garlic over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink, 6-8 minutes, breaking up meat into crumbles, drain.  Add spinach, mozzarella cheese, cream cheese and cream to sausage mixture; cook and stir until blended.  Transfer to greased 11x7 dish.  Unroll the crescent dough.  Take half of dough and press perforations together to form one sheet.  Place over sausage mixture.  Bake, covered, for 10 minutes.  Bake, uncovered, until golden brown and filling is bubbly, 12- 15 minutes longer.  Let casserole stand 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Serves 4

Pasta Fagioli al Forno *

 1 1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta

1 can (14 oz) whole tomotoes

1 pound ground italian sausage

1/2 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp pepper

1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp dried parsley

1 cup shredded provolone cheese

Preheat oven to 350.  Cook penne pasta according to package directions in salted water; drain.  Meanwhile, drain tomatoes, reserving juices; coarsely chop tomatoes.  In a 6 quart stockpot, cook and crumble sausage with onion, carrot, celery, and garlic over medium high heat until the sausage is no longer pink. Drain and return to stock pot.  Stir in the tomato paste, seasonings, chopped tomatoes and reserved juices; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.  Stir in cannellini beans, parsley and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.  Transfer to a greased 13x9 dish; sprinkle with provolone cheese and remaining parmesan cheese.  Bake, covered, 20 minutes.  Uncover; bake until cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes longer.  

Serves 6

Chicken Zucchini Casserole *

 1 (6 oz) pkg stuffing mix

3/4 cup butter, melted

3 cups diced zucchini

1 cup chicken breasts, diced and uncooked

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 carrot, shredded

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup sour cream

In a bowl, combine stuffing mix and butter.  Set aside 1/2 cup for topping.  Add the zucchini, chicken, cream of chicken soup, carrot, onion and sour cream to remaining stuffing mixture.  Transfer to a greased 11x7 dish.  Sprinkle with reserved stuffing mixture.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 until golden brown and bubbly, about 55-60 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Serves 4

Tater Topped Casserole *

 1 pound ground turkey

1 Tbsp tomato paste

8 oz frozen mixed vegetables per your preference, thawed and drained

1/2 cup french fried onions

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/4 cup milk

2 cups frozen tater tots, thawed

In a skillet, cook turkey until no longer pink.  Stir in tomato paste.  In a 13x9 dish, spray nonstick cooking spray.  Layer the meat, vegetables and french fried onions in pan.  In a small bowl, combine soups and milk; spread over onions.  Top with tater tots.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling at edges.  

Serves 4

German Chocolate Pecan Pie *

 1 refrigerated pie crust

5 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

2 1/2 cups pecan halves, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup sweetened flake coconut

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Place refrigerated pie crust in pie pan and crimp edges.  Preheat oven to 375.  In a large bowl, whisk eggs.  In a saucepan, whisk together butter, salt, brown sugar and corn syrup over medium heat until melted and smooth.  Whisk sugar mixture into the beaten eggs.  Stir in the nuts and coconut.  Spread the chocolate chips in the pie shell.  Pour in the filling and bake until set, about 45-55 minutes.  Let the pie cool completely before slicing.  

Serves 8

Garlic Bread Pizza *

 1 box frozen garlic texas toast

1 cup pizza sauce

16-24 slices pepperoni

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 425.  Place texas toast on large baking sheet.  Spoon 2 Tbsp sauce on each piece (adjust sauce, more or less, to your desired sauciness).  Place 2-3 slices pepperoni on each slice.  Place 2-3 Tbsp cheese on each slice (adjust cheese to your desired cheesiness).  Bake 7-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Makes 8 slices

Stacked Chicken Tortilla Casserole *

 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1 can Progress Zesty Santa Fe Style Chicken Soup

1/2 cup uncooked instant rice

2 oz cream cheese, cut into cubes

1 (16 oz) can fat free refried beans

8 corn tortillas

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350.  In large skillet, cook chicken and bell pepper over medium heat 4-6 minutes, stirring constantly, until chicken begins to brown and bell pepper is crisp-tender.  Sprinkle with cumin.  Stir in soup.  Heat to boiling.  Stir in rice; reduce heat to low.  Cover; cook 10 minutes or until rice is tender.  Stir cream cheese into chicken mixture until well blended.  Spread 1 Tbsp refried beans on 1 tortilla; place, beans side up, in bottom of ungreased 13x9 dish. Place another bean/tortilla next to first.  Top with 1 cup chicken mixture; sprinkle with 1 Tbsp of cheese.  Repeat layers.  The last layer should be  tortillas with beans, placed bean side down on the casserole.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.  

Serves 4