Stupid school and Recipes

Now I could sit here and write about how frustrated I am with my kids' schools, but I feel like I got all that out when I sent an email to the principal! I'm just annoyed with lack of communication from the teachers at the middle school and the lack of discipline at the high school...argh!

I will, instead, pass on some quick and easy recipes that I used this week!

Week Night Lasagna Bake
1 pound Penne pasta
1 pound lean ground beef
1 large jar Prego with Mushrooms
16 oz. lite cottage cheese
1 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella

• Preheat oven to 375
  
• Cook pasta according to box directions.
  
• Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Drain. Return beef to pan, add Prego and cottage cheese.
• Heat through.
  
• Add pasta and mix thoroughly.
  
• Spray 9 x 13 in. casserole dish with nonstick spray. Pour in pasta and sauce mix.
  
• Top with shredded mozzarella. (I use 2 cups, but that might be too much for some!)
• Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
  

And that's it! I serve with garlic bread and frozen corn niblets. So Yummy! I "created" this dish about a month ago and Big Daddy LOVES it. He has requested it many times!

Momma's Meatloaf
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 medium white onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 sleeve saltines, crushed
1 egg, beaten
16 oz tomato sauce

• Preheat oven to 400.
  
• Saute onions and garlic in butter until translucent. (do not clean out pan)
  
• Add onions, garlic, crackers and egg to beef. Mix with hands and form into a loaf.
  
• Fry meatloaf in same pan you used before. Brown on top and bottom.
  
• Dump half of tomato sauce in a small casserole dish. Place meatloaf in dish and top with remaining sauce.
• Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour.
  

I like to serve mine with mashed potatoes. We always had cornbread with meatloaf when we were kids, so I like to make corn muffins sometimes.

Diet Soda Cake
1 boxed cake mix, any flavor
2 egg whites
10 oz. diet soda, any flavor

• Preheat oven according to box.
• Mix cake mix, egg whites and diet soda.
• Pour into greased baking dish.
• Bake according to box.

I had been hearing about this for a few years but just recently tried it. It really is good, especially if you are trying to watch you calories. Yesterday I used a white cake mix and Diet Cherry 7-Up. It has a very light cherry flavor! The first time I made a Diet Soda Cake, I used a devils food cake mix and Diet Pepsi. The girls love these cake without any topping, but I prefer it with some Lite Cool Whip!

I hope you guys find some time to try one of these recipes. Like I said, they are quick and easy. I like them when I'm craving an old fashioned home cooked meal and don't want to spend all day in the kitchen!