Shortcut Lasagna

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
chopped onion (I like to use frozen chopped onion--fast!)
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1/2 pkg. uncooked lasagna noodles
1 16 oz. carton cottage cheese
1 pkg. grated Italian style cheese

Brown beef with chopped onion; stir in spaghetti sauce; simmer 15 minutes. Pour a thin layer of sauce in bottom of 13x9 pan; layer with uncooked noodles, 1/2 cottage cheese, 1/2 grated cheese, 1/2 meat sauce. Repeat, ending with layer of meat sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheese if desired. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes; remove cover and continue baking 25-30 minutes.

Let sit 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve with a green salad and garlic bread.

Spicy Turkey Pasta

This is not much of a recipe really, but it is something I made recently after starting Weight Watchers.

1/2 chopped onion
1 tsp. minced garlic(to taste)
1 lb. extra lean white ground turkey
1 jar Classico Spicy Tomato and Basil Spaghetti Sauce
1 can diced Italian style tomatoes
dashes of oregano and basil
1-2 bay leaves
Whole Wheat Penne or Spaghetti

Saute chopped onion and garlic, add ground turkey and cook until done. Stir in sauces, add dashes of oregano and basil, add bay leaves. Cover and simmer 20-30 minutes. Cook pasta according to directions. Serves 4.

I was wary of cooking with ground turkey, but I must admit I ended up LOVING this simple dish. Annelise (age 4) gobbled it up too and Scott ate several helpings. So, a hit all around.

Weight Watchers points: approx. 7-8