Diane's Lamb and Cheese Pasta in Rice Cooker

Diane's Lamb and Cheese Pasta in Rice Cooker

(100% Simply Filling Weight Watchers)

Ingredients:

Feeds 4 -6 hungry people

1 pound ground lamb
1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups thinly sliced leeks
5 (or more) cloves of garlic minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 pound whole grain pasta
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
4 cups of water
1 30+ ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 13 ounce can tomato sauce
8 ounces fat free ricotta

Parmesan cheese to pass


Directions:

1 - In Rice Cooker with browning cycle, (use a skillet if no browning cycle available)brown lamb in olive oil. If a skillet was used, pour into the rice cooker.

2 - Add the garlic and leeks on top of lamb and stir to mix.

3 - Add dry pasta and remaining ingredients other than the tomato sauce and ricotta. Stir to mix.

4 - Set Rice Cooker to cook. Mine is on "Mix" cycle, but the white rice cycle will also work.

5 - About 5 minutes before it is done or when it switches to keep warm, pour in the 13 ounce can of tomato sauce and the cheese. Stir to combine and close cooker to heat through.

6 - Serve with grated Parmesan cheese to pass.

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Bacon Lettuce and Tomato Pasta Salad

Today for our dinner I made a pasta salad based on Rachael Ray's BLT Farfalle recipe. It turned out great and I want to share it.

Diane's Bacon Lettuce and Tomato Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 pound whole wheat shell pasta (The shells are the same size as half of a cherry/grape tomato)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 container cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
3 cups mixed baby arugala and spinach
1/2 pound low sodium bacon, diced before cooking
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups fat free peppercorn ranch dressing

Directions:

Cook pasta according to directions. Undercook by about 2 minutes. Drain and toss with the olive oil. Add the garlic.

Cook bacon over medium heat. Do not crisp, but cook long enough to dry out the pieces and melt much of the fat off of the bacon pieces. Remove from the fat with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to absorb the residual fat.

Slice cherry tomatoes, and place in a bowl with the arugala/spinach mixture. Add bacon to the bowl.

Pour still warm pasta over the bacon,tomato and lettuce mixture. Toss with fat free Peppercorn Ranch Dressing. (Kraft makes a good one.)

Enjoy!

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Diane's Menu Wednesday April 14 -

Diane's Menu 4/14 - 4/22

Another bout of unemployment has hit us. So far it's 9 out of the last 12 months. So, lots of pasta, lots of roasts with leftovers used in recipes and lots of using up what is in the pantry.

4/14 Wednesday - Macaroni and Cheese with Ham and Spinach
4/15 Thursday - Ham and Potato Hash, Carrots
4/16 Friday - Mahi Mahi Skewers with Ham, Pineapple and Ginger-Soy Glaze on Wild Rice
4/17 Saturday - Lamb Ragout with Rigatoni and Ricotta
4/18 Sunday - Roast Turkey, Garlic Smashed Potatoes, Carrots
4/19 Monday - BLT Farfalle
4/20 Tuesday - Turkey Shepard's Pie
4/21 Wednesday - Sweet and Sour Thai Noodle Bowl
4/22 Thursday - Turkey Stromboli, Salad

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