Italian Sausage with Peppers and Tomatoes

A Weight Watcher's Recipe

• Cooking spray
• 3 links hot Italian turkey sausage (12 oz), cut into 1/2" thick slices
• 1 (16 oz) package frozen bell pepper and onion stir fry
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• Preshredded fresh parmesan cheese (optional)

Cook pasta according to directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain, set aside.

While pasta cooks, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage, and cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring often. Add bell pepper stir-fry, and cook another 3 minutes or until hot, stirring often. Add tomatoes and black pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.

Place pasta in a large bowl. Add sausage mixture and toss.

Serve topped with cheese.

Serves 6

Mexican Meatloaf

A Reynolds Wrap recipe

• Aluminum foil
• 2 lbs ground beef or turkey
• 2 cups chunky salsa, divided
• 1 cup crushed tortilla chips (I use baked chips)
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 egg (I use 2 egg whites)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic salt

Preheat oven to 425. Line a 13x9 baking pan with foil; set aside.

Mix ground beed, 1 cup salsa, tortilla chips, onion, egg and spices together until well blended. Spoon mixture in center of foil-lined pan; shape into a 12x6 loaf.

Bake 50-55 minutes or until internal temp reaches 160. Top with remaining salsa and serve.

Very Berry Cheesecake

This was another Jello/Cool Whip recipe

1 (8 oz pkg) fat free cream cheese
1/3 C sugar
2 C fat free cool whip – strawberry
1 reduced fat graham cracker crust
1 C sliced strawberries.

*Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
*Gently stir in whipped topping.
*Spoon into crust.
*Refrigerate 3 hours or until set. Top with strawberries before serving.

Serves 8

Strawberry Mousse Cups

This was in a Jello/Cool Whip magazine

¾ C boiling water
1 pkg (serves 4) sugar free strawberry jello
1 C ice cubes
2 C thawed fat free cool whip
1 pt strawberries – sliced – divided

*Stir boiling water into dry jello mix in large bowl at least 2 minutes.
*Add ice cubes, stir until melted.
*Genlty stir in 1 ½ C each – whipped topping and strawberries until blended.
*Spoon evenly into 6 small dessert dishes.
*Refrigerate 2 hours until firm.
*Top with remaining ½ cup whipped topping and strawberries just before serving

Serves 6

Cool and Easy Pie

2/3 C boiling water
1 pkg. (4 servings) sugar free strawberry jello
Ice cubes
½ C cold water
1 tub fat free cool whip
1 reduced fat graham cracker pie crust

*Stir boiling water into dry gelatin mix in a large bowl at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved.
*Add enough ice to cold water to measure 1 cup. Add to gelatin; stir until slightly thickened. Remove any unmelted ice.
*Add whipped topping; stir with a wire whisk until well blended.
*Refrigerate 15-20 minutes or until mixture is thick enough to mound.
*Spoon mixture into crust.
*Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Serves 8

Blushing Apples

This lovely dish came from a Kraft Foods magazine.

2 pkg (serves 4 each) sugar free strawberry Jell-O (or any flavor)
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
4 C cold water
4 medium apples (Granny Smith, Golden Delicious or McIntosh)
½ C thawed fat free Cool Whip

*Combine gelatin and cinnamon in a 3-4 QT pan. Add water, bring to a boil stirring frequently until gelatin is dissolved.
*Meanwhile, core and peel all 4 apples.
*Add apples to gelatin mixture in pan and partially cover with lid.
*Return to a boil, then reduce heat to Med-Low and simmer 10-15 minutes or just until apples are fork tender. Turn apples over every 5 minutes.
*Remove apples from liquid and serve warm with cool whip. (To serve cold, chill apples in refrigerator at least 1 hour, or overnight.)

(You can chill the remaining liquid for a thick Jell-O for another night’s dessert.)

Triple Layer Lemon Pie

This was in a Jello/Cool Whip magazine

2 C cold milk
2 pkg (4 serving size each) sugar free lemon pudding
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
1 reduced fat graham cracker pie crust
1 tub fat free cool whip

*Pour milk into large bowl. Add pudding mixes and juice. Beat until well blended. (Mixture will be thick.)
*Spread 1 ½ C of the pudding onto crust and set aside.
*Add half of the whipped topping to the remaining pudding, stirring until well blended. Spread over the pudding already in the crust.
*Top with remaining cool whip.
*Chill 3 hours or until set.

Serves 8