Orzo, tomato and beef casserole

Orzo, tomato and beef casserole Credit: Photo by Marge Perry

TIP: Freeze individual portions of any of these casseroles by placing them in the smallest container in which they'll fit to allow as little air in as possible.

BEEF, ORZO AND TOMATO CASSEROLE

12 ounces lean (7 percent fat) ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomato

8 ounces (about 11/4 cups) orzo

3 cups low-fat shredded

Cheddar

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Place ground beef in nonstick skillet and cook over medium high heat, breaking up beef by stirring occasionally. Cook until meat starts giving off juices, about 5 minutes. Add onion, thyme and oregano and cook until onion begins to soften, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomato and simmer until thickened, 15 to 16 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and toss with the meat.

4. Spoon about half of meat mixture into baking dish. Top with 2 cups of cheese; spoon rest of beef into dish. Top with the remaining cheese and bake 10 minutes, until cheese is melted. Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional analysis for each serving: 354 calories, 31 g protein, 38 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 9 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 683 mg sodium

CREAMY CHICKEN AND RICE CASSEROLE

1 cup white or quick cooking brown rice

6 slices center cut bacon

1/2 cup flour

2 1/4 cups skim milk

1/2 teaspoon dried crumbled sage

2 cups cooked diced chicken breast

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cook rice according to package directions and set aside.

3. Cook bacon in a single layer in a Dutch oven set over medium high. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel; crumble when cooled.

4. Pour off all but thin coating of the drippings from the pot. Whisk the flour and 1/2 cup of the milk together until smooth; pour in pan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly. In a slow stream, add the remaining milk, whisking until thick, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the sage, chicken, peas, corn, lemon juice and salt. Add crumbled bacon and the rice to the pot.

5. Bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned around the edges. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional analysis for each serving: 491 calories, 38 g protein, 68 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 6 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 606 mg sodium

SPINACH, BEAN AND SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

4 ounces elbow pasta

1/2 pound (uncooked) sweet Italian turkey sausage

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup lower-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups light grated mozzarella

1 cup grated Parmesan

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat an 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions.

3. Squeeze the sausage out of its casings and into a large nonstick skillet; cook over medium high, stirring to break up the crumbles, until the meat is nearly cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, thyme and oregano and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes until onion is somewhat softened. Stir in the broth, tomato paste, spinach and beans and simmer until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Transfer to the baking dish and stir in cooked elbows, 11/2 cups of the mozzarella and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and bake until cheese is melted and lightly golden at the edges, about 10 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional analysis for each serving: 348 calories, 30 g protein, 29 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 12 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 865 mg sodium

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