2 tablespoons vegetable oil spread
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup onion (chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups cabbage (chopped)
1 can low sodium mushroom soup
2 cans crescent rolls (eight per package
1 eight ounce package shredded cheddar cheese
1 eight ounce package shredded mozzarella cheese
Melt vegetable oil spread in skillet. Brown hamburger in spread. Add onion, salt, pepper, and garlic. Add cabbage and cook until tender. Stir soup into hamburger. Press eight rolls into bottom of 9 X 13 glass baking dish. Pour hamburger mixture on rolls. Top with both cheeses. Cover with eight more rolls. Back at 350 for 20 minutes.
Makes eight servigs. 370 calories per serving. Cost: $0.92 per serving.
BEEF AND NOODLE CASSAROLE
8 oz mafalda (or other noodles)
1 medium onion, chopped
12 oz ground beef round
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cans (15 oz each) reduced-sodium tomato sauce
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
pinch of ground black pepper
1 3/4 cups fat-free ricotta cheese
1 cup (4 oz) finely shredded fat-free or reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Cook the mafalda in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, rinse with hot water and drain again.
Meanwhile, place the onions in a 3-quart microwave-safe casserole. Cover and microwave on high power for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the beef and garlic. Cover and microwave for a total of 5 to 7 minutes, or until the meat is browned; stop and stir every 2 minutes to break up the meat. Break up any remaining large pieces of meat.
Drain the meat mixture in a strainer or colander, then transfer it to a large plat lined with paper towels. Blot the top of the meat mixture with additional paper towels. Return the mixture to the casserole.
Stir in the tomato sauce, parsley, water, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt (if using) and pepper. Cover and microwave for a total of 8 to 9 minutes, or until heated through; stop and stir after 4 minutes.
Using a ladle, remove 4 cups of the sauce mixture and set aside. Top the remaining sauce in the casserole with half of the mafalda. Add half of the ricotta and use the back of a large spoon to evenly spread the cheese. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and top with 2 cups of the reserved sauce.
Add the remaining mafalda and sprinkle with 2 tbsp of the Parmesan. Cover with the remaining 2 cups sauce. Cover and microwave for a total of 5 to 6 minutes; stop and rotate the casserole a quarter turn after 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes more, or until heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 6.
HOT BEEF SANDWICHES
3 cups cooked roast beef; shredded or torn
½ cup chopped mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
¼ cup onion; chopped very fine
Hamburger buns or rolls
Mix all ingredients (minus rolls!) together in saucepan. Simmer covered over low heat for at least an hour (actually several hours in the crock pot is best). STIR OFTEN! Serve on hamburger buns or rolls.