cottage Cheese Recipes - 2 Easy Baked Pasta Dishes With cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese has a lot less fat and fat than many other kinds of cheese. It is also a great source of protein and lends a creamy lusciousness to baked pasta recipes. Here are two of my beloved recipes for easy main dish recipes that include cottage cheese - Baked Ziti and Easy Lasagna. Ziti is a tube shaped pasta. If you can't find it, replace it with penne, shells, bow-ties, or your beloved shape. You can make them a day or two ahead and refrigerate until you are ready to bake them for dinner. While they bake, you can make toss together a simple salad. What could be simpler?

Baked Ziti
Makes 4 servings

12 OUNCES EQUALS HOW MANY CUPS

8 ounces ziti, uncooked
1/2 pound extra lean ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
3 cups spaghetti sauce
2 cups cottage cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cook ziti agreeing to holder directions. Drain, and set aside.

Meanwhile, crumble meat in a large skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Add onions. Sauté until meat is fully cooked. Add spaghetti sauce.

In large bowl, consolidate cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, and garlic powder. Mix thoroughly. Add cooked ziti and mix well. Spread about 1/3 of the meat, onion, and spaghetti sauce aggregate in lowest of ready pan. Spoon ziti and cheese aggregate into pan. Pour the remaining sauce aggregate over the top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes.

Easy Lasagna with cottage Cheese
Makes 12 servings

Mom all the time made lasagna with cottage cheese instead of ricotta and this is how I still prefer it. (Turn up your nose if you must but it is lighter and less rich.) For texture closer to ricotta, buzz in blender or food processor for a few seconds

1 pound ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 28 ounce jars ready marinara sauce
2 beaten eggs
24 ounces cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
3 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
12 no-boil lasagna noodles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Add salt and marinara sauce. Stir to consolidate and then set aside.

In a medium bowl mix beaten eggs, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.

Starting with the sauce, layer the sauce, noodles, and cheese aggregate in a 9×13 inch baking dish. (Noodles will not thoroughly cover sauce - they swell as they cook.) Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving so that it firms up and is easier to cut.

cottage Cheese Recipes - 2 Easy Baked Pasta Dishes With cottage Cheese

12 OUNCES EQUALS HOW MANY CUPS