Note- This meal came from a freezer cookbook. You can make extra of these and keep them in the freezer. I do not freeze the pasta in the sauce, only freeze the sauce & chicken itself. When preparing this, just toss everything into a freezer bag and label it. To prepare- unthaw it and pour into a 9×13″ pan. Then add dry pasta to the sauce.

Penne with Rosemary Chicken

1 pound diced cooked chicken
1 pound penne pasta (can sub with any short pasta, should penne not be available)
1 cup low-fat shredded cheese blend
1 tbsp dried rosemary
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cups nonfat milk
1 1/2, 15 ounce cans of cream of mushroom soup

Preheat ovent o 350. Place everything into a baking dish and cover with the foil. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Or, place in a slow cooker set on low heat for five to six hours.

Lemon Crumb Tilapia

12 ounces tilapia fillets, thawed
¼ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese (fresh)
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp lemon zest
3 tbsp butter
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
Rinse fish and pat dry. Combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic salt, and lemon peel on waxed paper. Melt 2 tablespoons butter. Dip fillets in melted butter. Coat fillet with crumb mixture. In nonstick skillet, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter with oil over medium heat. Cook fillets for 2 to 4 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily. Sprinkle with lemon juice. When removing fish from skillet, use a spatula or the fish will fall apart.

Yield: Four-Six Servings
Serve with steamed broccoli & white rice. Substitute the water ratio with chicken broth and zest some of the lemon into the rice for a different variaton.

This is a fun dish and the kids can help you make it!

Pepperoni Bread

1 lb loaf frozen bread, thawed
1 egg, beaten
4 oz sliced pepperoni
1 cup mozzarella
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1½ tsp Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 375°. Roll bread into rectangle and brush with egg. Arrange pepperoni and cheeses. Sprinkle on the seasoning. Roll and pinch seam to seal. Place seam side down on greased cookie sheet. Bake 40 minutes or until golden.

Yield: Four Servings

Serve with spaghetti sauce for dipping and a salad with cut up pepperoni, olives, and Italian dressing.

You can add a package of mild taco seasoning mix to add a more Mexican flavor to this. Just follow the instructions on the packet.

Doritos Casserole

Bag of generic Doritos, any kind (you can also substitute these with regular tortilla chips)
3-4 cups cooked ground beef (optional: cooked in a taco seasoning packet, following directions on packet)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups shredded cheddar or taco cheese

Layer a 9×13 greased pan with the following. Layer of crushed lightly chips, layer of chopped meat, another layer of chips, a layer of cheese, a layer of the soups and tomatoes mixed together (heat them lightly), and then top finally with a cup of chips and another cup of cheese. Bake the casserole at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Yield: Six Servings

Serve with extra tortilla chips.

These are delicious and freeze really well so double that recipe!  The kids love these and it is a hit with the rest of the family too!

Saucy Mozzarella Patties

2 jars of your favorite tomato sauce
1 lb ground turkey)
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 cups breadcrumbs
1 egg
salt & pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste
butter or margarine
olive or veggie oil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

Yield: Four Servings 

Serve these on top of a bed of angel hair or thin spaghetti pasta.

Ranch Chicken

6 chicken breasts
½ cup ranch dressing
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
½ cup grated parmesan cheese (freshly or packaged shredded)
1 t. sage
salt and pepper to taste

Marinade chicken in ranch overnight. Preheat oven to 450. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, sage, salt, and pepper. Coat breasts in breading and place in 9×13 pan. Cook the chicken at 400 for 20 minutes and check for doneness.

Yield: Six Servings 

Serve with mashed potatoes & a garden salad.

Flipping a whole chicken is awkward, but worth the effort. You can also substitute the whole chicken with chicken parts, if you prefer.

 Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken

1 (3#) broiler-fryer chicken
1 tsp dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup chicken broth (or sherry wine if it is in your pantry)
¼ cup lemon juice
salt & pepper

Wash chicken; pat dry; season chicken generously with salt and pepper; sprinkle half of oregano, rosemary and garlic inside cavity of chicken; melt butter in frying pan and brown chicken; transfer to slow cooker or crockpot; sprinkle with remaining oregano, rosemary and garlic; add sherry to frying pan and stir to loosen brown bits; pour into slow cooker. Cover, cook on LOW (200 degrees) for 7 hours; add lemon juice and cook 1 more hour (total of 8); transfer chicken to cutting board; skim fat from juices and serve over chicken.

Yield: Four servings

Serve with rice & baby peas.

Crock Hot Dogs

8 hot dogs (about one pound)

Put the hot dogs in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH until hot & slightly browned around edges, 1.5-2 hours. Remove with metal tongs and serve hot, in buns, with the fixings.

Serve with chips or pretzels.

This is a HUGE hit in our house. I guarantee once you try this recipe, you will never want tilapia any other way. My son calls this, “Fish With Sprinkles.” I just call it delicious! Enjoy!

Herb Baked Tilapia (or “Fish with Sprinkles”)

4 (4 to 6 ounce) tilapia fillets
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs (I prefer the Italian breadcrumbs & I skip the dried seasonings)
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place tilapia on nonstick foil. In a small bowl, combine cheese and mayonnaise. Spread evenly over fish. In another bowl, combine bread crumbs, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.Sprinkle over fish. Coat fish lightly with cooking spray. Bake 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.

Serve with steamed broccoli and rice.