Lip-Smakin' Mac 'n' Cheese

Start to Finish: 27 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups rotini or elbow macaroni
1/4 cup chopped onion
6 ounces American cheese slices, torn into pieces
1/2 cup fat-free milk
Dash black pepper

Directions:
In a saucepan cook pasta and onion according to pasta package directions. Drain. Return mixture to saucepan. Stir in cheese, milk, and pepper. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted, stirring constantly.

Servings: 3

Notes: Pretty good. We used Swiss cheese. It had a more pure taste than cheddar mac and cheese. It did not taste powdery and was very smooth. My husband really liked the change in cheese.

Variations: You can use different cheese.

Estimated Price: $3.50

Cookbook: Better Homes and Gardens 500 Five Ingredient Recipes
Nutrition Facts per serving: 392 cal., 14 g total fat (10 g sat. fat), 42 mg chol., 791 mg sodium, 46 g carbo., 2 g fiber, 18 g pro. Daily Values: 15% vit. A, 3% vit. C, 40% calcium, 8% iron

Pepperoni- Pizza Potatoes

Start to Finish: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
4 medium potatoes
1 jar pizza sauce (8 ounce)
3-1/2 ounces slices pepperoni
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)

Directions:
1) Scrub potatoes and pierce with a fork. Arrange about 1 inch apart in a microwave safe plate. Microwave for 12 to 18 minutes or until tender, turning potatoes over after 6 minutes. Remove from microwave. Cover potatoes with foil; let stand for 6 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, in a microwave safe bowl, combine pizza sauce and pepperoni. Cover with vented microwave safe plastic wrap. Microwave for 3 to 4 minutes or until heated through, stirring after 2 minutes.
3) Cut each potato open. Spoon pepperoni mixture over each potato. Sprinkle with cheese. Return to microwave oven. Microwave for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Servings: 4

Notes: This was out of the "Just for Kids" section of the cookbook, but when we made it my husband said "this is really good!" We always have potatoes and this was a tasty way to eat them. And, yes, our two children enjoyed it as well.

Variations: I used spaghetti sauce instead of pizza sauce. Really you can use any toppings or cheese that you like. Also, if you mashed the potatoes or had them cut thin the toppings would be less likely to slide off.

Estimated Price: $9* (for a tripled recipe)
*This actually could be a lot less expensive as well. A ten pound bag of potatoes is usually $1.98. A jar of spaghetti sauce is not too expensive and if you just had cheese or on hand ingredients for toppings you are barely spending anything.

Cookbook: Better Homes and Gardens 500- Five Ingredient Recipes
Nutrition Facts per Serving: 366 cal., 16 g total fat (7 g sat. fat), 32 mg chol., 611 mg sodium, 42 g carbo., 5 g fiber, 16 g pro. Daily Values: 16% vit. A, 61% vit. C, 20% calcium, 25% iron

Burrito Casserole (or Burrito Truc)

In French, when you can't think of a name for something you call it a truc (rhymes with nuke). A lot like we do in the U.S. to call something a dohickey or a thing-a-me-bob. This recipe is a really simple one that we just threw together a number of years ago and loved it. It rates on the same level of easiness as making toast or peanut butter and jam sandwich.

Start to finish: 35 - 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (10 pack) pkg. frozen burritos

1 ctn. sour cream

1 jar salsa

Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Place burritos in a casserole dish. Spread sour cream over burritos. Pour salsa over sour cream. Grate cheddar cheese and sprinkle over top. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is bubbly, about 45 minutes. Use as little or as much of the ingredients as you want.

Servings: 5-6

Notes: We make this meal a lot. It is quick and tastes good. The kids love it!

Variations: We use about 1 cup sour cream, 1-2 cups salsa, and 1-2 cups cheddar cheese. Just enough to spread each ingredient over the top.

Estimated Price: $7.00

Cookbook: Simply the Best Recipes (FW 5th and 8th Ward Church Cookbook)

Nutrition Facts per serving: Calories 440, 23 g total fat (10.5 g saturated fat), 50 mg chol., 1135 mg sodium, 39 g carbo., 2 g fiber, 17 g pro. Daily Values: 14% Vit. A, 3% Vit. C, 26% calcium, 15% iron