Family Dinner: Spaghetti Squash Alfredo Casserole

Here's the deal with spaghetti squash: I really like it.  It is easy to make, low in calories and carbs, and tasty.  But it is in no way whatsoever a substitute for pasta. People who tell you otherwise are dirty lying liars. 

That being said, it doesn't have a lot of flavor, so it goes well with lots of things that pasta would....like in this case, low-fat Alfredo sauce and bacon (duh. What doesn't go with bacon??).  Toss in some chicken and a salad on the side, and you have yourselves a meal.

Spaghetti Squash Alfredo Casserole
Makes 8 servings
240 cals / 10g fat / 17g carbs / 19g protein

1 serving low-fat Alfredo sauce (recipe here)
2 small spaghetti squash
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 slices center cut bacon
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken breast
1 TB parsley, minced
1/2 cup reduced fat shredded mozzarella
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat your oven to 375 and spray a 13x9 pan with cooking spray.

Pierce both squash several times with a knife and microwave until done, about 15 minutes. (squash will be softened, and compress in the middle when pushed)

While squash is cooking, cook bacon slices in a medium frying pan until crispy. Remove bacon and cook onions and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes. Crumble bacon into a large bowl, and add cooked onions and garlic, chicken, and parsley.

Once squash is done, use a large knife to cut them in half length-wise, then scoop out and discard the seeds and pulp. Using 2 forks or tongs, shred the inside of the squash and add to to bowl. Mix in the Alfredo sauce and stir to mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread squash mixture in dish and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly, 25-30 min.

Family Dinner: Shepherds Pie

Another hearty and filling meal.  The cold weather is getting to me, I think.  This is inspired by my good friend Kim, who made something similar while we were on a joint family vacation. This is definitely a departure from the shepherds pie my mom used to make using her Watkins pie pan and accompanying recipe. (anyone else know what I am talking about?) I remember going to Watkins parties with her...the Pampered Chef of days past? I loved those parties. They always had snacks.

You can take several short-cuts with this if you want...versatility is great!  Also, this would freeze really well, so make two and keep one in the freezer for another day, if you like to do that sort of thing. This could very easily adapt to the crock pot if you have better things to do than hang out in the kitchen for an hour.

First, the meat. I took a short cut and used Trader Joes pre-cooked pot roast (thanks Kim!). You can go the long route and cook your own beef roast, buy a different brand, or use leftover pot roast. Second, the vegetables. I used mostly fresh, but you can cut a lot of time using the bags of frozen mixed vegetables. Third, the topping. I forbid you to use instant mashed potatoes. It is sacrilege to my Southern roots. Use the ready made mashed potatoes if you must.

Shepherds Pie with Whipped Potato and Parsnip Topping
Makes 12 servings
240 cals / 6g fat / 38g carbs / 15g protein

3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into large chunks
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
2 TB light butter or margarine (I use Brummel and Brown)
salt and pepper to taste

2 lbs carrots, peeled and chopped
1 lb celery, chopped
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup parsley, minced
2 TB Worcestershire sauce
3 cups beef broth, divided
1 lb pot roast, cooked
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 cup frozen peas
3 TB flour
salt and pepper to taste

Place the potatoes and parsnips in a pot and cover with water. Cook over high heat until fully cooked through and soft/mushy. Drain, and return to the pot. Add milk, butter, sour cream, and salt and pepper. Whip until smooth (I use my hand-held electric mixer). Throw out any of the tough parsnip cores (they will be in large chunks). Set aside.

While potatoes are cooking, in a large pot sprayed with cooking spray, sautéed carrots and celery over medium heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Add onions and garlic, continuing to cook until onions are soft, about 10 minutes more. Add parsley and Worcestershire sauce, cook an additional 5 minutes then add 2 cups beef broth, beef roast, and salt and pepper. Allow to simmer until veggies are fully softened. Add corn and peas, cook until heated, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk flour with remaining 1 cup beef broth and add to beef/veggie mix. Bring to boil and cook until thickened. Heat oven to 400 and turn on broiler. Pour beef/veggie mix into a 13x9 pan, and top with whipped potatoes and parsnips, spreading evenly. Place pan in oven under broiler and cook until warmed through and top begins to brown, ~15 minutes.

And yeah, the pre-potato pie looks like dog vomit. But it tastes good, so get over it.

Family Dinner: Chicken Enchilada Casserole

I have seen several versions of these all over the Internet, but this is mine.  I think I need to be upfront and let you know that our kids are not picky....or really, they try to be, but I am not having that crap.  And they also enjoy a little spice, so this recipe has a little heat, but you can adjust that easily to your own preference. I love casseroles, especially as the weather gets cooler. A simple one dish meal, a little effort to get all the ingredients together, and then you can chuck it in the oven and get to whatever you need to get done, which in my case is some driveway chalk drawings and soaking up the last bit of sun and warmth before we are forced indoors for the winter (ughhhhh).

I make my own enchilada sauce, but you can easily buy cans of sauce or the seasoning packet and save a few minutes. Another note, often I will cook a big batch of chicken breasts in the crock pot to shred and use in a couple of recipes throughout the week.  I didn't do that here, because I didn't plan ahead, but if you do, then this is reallllllly quick to throw together.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (or this amount already cooked shredded)
3 cups chicken broth (if you have your chicken cooked already, you just need 1 cup)
1 can tomato sauce (15 oz)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, finely minced
1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup cilantro (a small handful), minced
1 can black beans, rinsed
6 fat-free flour tortillas, cut into 1/8ths
1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
6 green onions, sliced
1 small can sliced black olives, drained

First, if you need to cook your chicken, cut off all the fat and gross vein-ey looking things, place your chicken breasts in a saucepan and cover with chicken broth.  Cook over medium-low heat until done, about 20-25 minutes.  Shred with forks, and set aside.  Reserve 1 cup of the broth for the enchilada sauce, and give the pan a quick rinse and wipe.


Next, you will need a large frying pan and your sauce pan.  Spray each pan with cooking spray, then I like to mince all my garlic at once.  Split the garlic between the two pans.  Next I like to make the sauce:  turn the saucepan on to medium, and sautee the garlic, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  While the garlic is cooking, mince up your chipotle peppers.  Add those to the pan, cook for another minute or so, then add tomato sauce, 1 cup of chicken broth, chipotle chile powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.  Continue to cook over medium-low heat about 10 minutes.

Next, while the sauce is cooking, I dice my onion and add it to the frying pan with the garlic.  Begin to cook these over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes.  While the onions are cooking, I dice up my green pepper, then add it to the pan, and cook an additional 3 minutes or so.  While this is cooking, I rinse my beans and dice my tomato and cilantro.  After the pepper starts to soften, I add the diced tomatoes, beans, and cilantro, mix and cook for another minute or 2, then stir in the shredded chicken.

Pre-heat the oven to 400, and spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.  Cover the bottom with half the cut up tortillas, then top with half the enchilada sauce.  Add the chicken mixture, the cover with the remaining tortilla strips.  Top with the remaing sauce, sprinkle with cheese, sliced green onions, and olives.  Cover with foil and bake until hot, 25-30 minutes.