Hot Dog Pasta

Does anyone watch Big Bang Theory? Ever hear Sheldon talk about one of his favorite meals where his mom takes spaghetti and cuts up hot dogs into little pieces and adds it to the sauce? Well I make something very similar which makes my guy very happy. It is more sophisticated (so I tell myself) than hot dogs, and I like to think a bit healthier. I love that I can have this dish on the table in 30 minutes and leftovers taste even better.

Hot Dog Pasta: Serves 4

8oz Pasta (we like to use wagon wheels just because!)
7oz Smoked Turkey Sausage - Chopped
1 Onion - Diced
1 Zucchini - Sliced
1tsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
4TB Shredded Parm

Sauce:
29oz Tomato Sauce
15oz Diced Tomatoes - Drained
1 Small Jar Tomato Paste
1-2tsp Dried Basil
1-2tsp Dried Oregano
1/2tsp Onion Powder
1/2tsp Garlic Powder
1tsp Sugar
Salt & Pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and set to the side. While the water is heating up, place a large saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil with the zucchini & onion and some salt and pepper. Saute until the veggies are cooked through but still a bit crisp. Remove to a small bowl. Add the smoked turkey sausage to the pan - I like to cut mine into little triangles but if you want little round discs or half moons that is fine too. Let them cook a minute or two, then give a stir, once they start to get some coloring on them you can add all the sauce ingredients to the pan and bring up to a simmer. Once the sauce has come to a simmer you can add the cooked noodles to the pan (or if your pan isn't big enough add the sauce to the pot!) and add back the veggies. Give a stir, top each serving with a tablespoon of the cheese, serve and enjoy.

And for a variation - feel free to switch up the veggies, I also like this with a head of fresh broccoli that has been lightly steamed.

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WW: 9 Points Plus / serving

Egg Roll in a Bowl

Recently I have been seeing recipes for Egg Roll in a Bowl all over the place. Message boards, pinterest, etc. it is becoming the new recipe to try, so I did after a friend posted about it on a message board. The beauty of this recipe is how simple and adjustable it is. In general it is: 1# ground meat, 1-2 bags coleslaw mix, soy sauce + toasted sesame oil. Now you know me - I couldn't leave it alone and truly wanted it to taste like egg rolls do when I eat them which includes duck sauce!

Feel free to give this recipe a try - swap the ground chicken for sausage, pork, etc. Add / subtract ingredients that make you happy. This is basically just a real quick way to make a stir fry and thanks to the cabbage is reminiscent of an egg roll.

Egg Roll in a Bowl: serves 4

1C Brown Rice
2C Water
Salt
1tsp Olive Oil

1lbs Ground Chicken
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
1TB Fresh Ginger - Minced/Grated
3tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
1-2 Coleslaw Mix Bags (found in the salad area of your grocery store, you want approx 1# +/-)
2TB Soy Sauce
1TB Lime Juice
2TB LaChoy Teriyaki Sauce
1TB Chicken Stock
1/4C Duck Sauce

In a small sauce pot put in the rice, water, salt and olive oil - cover and bring to a boil, stir once, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let the rice do its things until all of the water has absorbed into the rice. Remove from the heat, leave covered for a few minutes, then fluff it up with a fork.

While the rice is cooking you can get the rest going. In a large saute pan over medium to medium-high, heat 1tsp of the Toasted Sesame Oil, red pepper flakes and ginger, once the pan is hot add the chicken with some salt and pepper and cook until the chicken is completely cooked. Drain if necessary and set to the side. Place the pan back on the heat with the remainder of the oil and add the coleslaw mix to the pan - don't worry I know it looks like a lot but it will shrink down as it cooks. let it cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the soy sauce, teriyaki, lime juice, chicken stock and duck sauce. Add the chicken back to the pan and cook another minute or two.

Put some rice in a bowl, top with the egg roll mixture and serve and enjoy!

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WW: 9 Points Plus / serving