Mexican Manicotti

This recipe is really good! I love how it cooks in the microwave.

1/2 lb lean ground beef or turkey...browned and drained
1 16 oz. can regular or spicy refried beans
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
8 manicotti shells, not cooked
1 1/4 c. water
1 8 oz jar picante or taco sauce (I use salsa sometimes)
1 8 oz carton sour cream
1/4 c. chopped green onions
1/4 c. sliced olives
1/2 c. grated Monterrey Jack Cheese (mozzarella works good too)

Combine beef, beans, oregano, and cumin. Mix well. Fill uncooked shells with meat mixture. Arrange in 10x6x2 baking dish. Combine water and picante sauce, spoon over shells. Microwave on high 10 minutes, turning dish half-turn once. Using tongs, turn shells over. Microwave covered, on medium for 17-19 minutes or until pasta is tender, giving dish a half-turn once. Combine sour cream, green onions, and olives. Spoon down center of casserole. Top with cheese. Microwave uncovered on high 2-3 minutes or until cheese melts. Makes 4-6 servings.

Chicken Caesar Pasta

This is one of my new keeper recipes! I found it from a blogger friend. We didn't have the red pepper or croutons, but it still turned out fabulous. This amount made an 8x8 dish. Also, I pre-cooked the chicken.

1-2 chicken breasts, sauteed
8 oz pasta, cooked (I used rotini)

Stir into the following and put in casserole dish:
1/2 c. Caesar dressing
1/2 red pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/3 c. chicken broth
1 cup grated mozzarella

Top with Caesar-style croutons and 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until warmed through. Croutons brown quickly, so you might want to cover with foil or put croutons at bottom of casserole dish.