Free From Mama's Table to Mine by Bobby Deen Page B

throw some newspaper over a table, and dig in with your hands. Now that is a one-pot meal that deserves a party.
    Beaufort Shrimp Pie
    My Mama created this tasty seafood pie in honor of the beautiful town of Beaufort, located on one of South Carolina’s Sea Islands. It’s filled with plump shrimp and salty bacon brought together in a thick and creamy sauce. This pie is a celebration of Beaufort’s venerable shellfish industry, and it always takes me right back to our first days in Savannah, after we moved up from Albany. That’s when I discovered all the fresh bounty of the sea. Best of all, because it comes together in the blink of an eye, I enjoy this dish (and all the fond memories it brings back to me) right on through the workweek. Serves 6
    2 teaspoons olive oil
    ½ cup finely chopped onions
    ½ cup finely chopped green bell peppers
    2 cups fresh bread crumbs
    ¾ pound cooked, peeled, and deveined large shrimp
    1½ cups 1% milk
    2 large eggs, lightly beaten
    1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    ¾ teaspoon The Lady’s House Seasoning
    1 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste
    3 turkey bacon slices, coarsely chopped
    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray.
    2. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
    3. In the prepared casserole, layer the bread crumbs, followed by the shrimp, and top with the cooked onion mixture.
    4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, House Seasoning, and hot sauce. Pour the egg mixture over the casserole and top with the bacon. Bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 60 minutes. Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes before serving.
    BREAKIN’ IT DOWN

    Before: 25g fat, 413 calories
After: 7g fat, 285 calories
    22g protein | 31g carbohydrate | 2g fiber | 727mg sodium
    Cheeseburger Casserole
    This rich dish features all the things you love in a cheeseburger—meat, cheese, onions, tomatoes, mustard, and pickle—baked together with pasta. Back when my brother and I were young, if we were having pasta, we mostly stuck with elbow macaroni and classic spaghetti. These days there are so many varieties of pasta readily available, I like to branch out and try new kinds as often as possible. I use corkscrew-shaped rotini in this dish because I find it holds the hearty, beefy sauce much better than thin pasta does. Serves 12
    2 cups rotini pasta
    2 teaspoons canola oil
    1½ cups finely chopped onions
    1 garlic clove, finely chopped
    1 pound 95% lean ground beef
    ¾ teaspoon salt
    ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    2 tablespoons tomato paste
    1 can (28 ounces) low-sodium diced tomatoes
    2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    2 cups grated low-fat Cheddar cheese
    ¼ cup coarsely chopped dill pickles
    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
    2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to the package directions and drain well.
    3. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the beef and cook until browned; season with the salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato paste, then add the tomatoes and mustard. Let the mixture bubble gently until it is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Toss the meat mixture with the pasta and spread it into the prepared dish. Top with the Cheddar and bake until the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped pickles over the top and serve.
    BREAKIN’ IT DOWN

    Before: 27g fat, 490 calories
After: 4g fat, 193 calories
    21g protein | 21g carbohydrate | 2g fiber | 534mg sodium
    No More Tears
    To make quick work of finely chopping onions, I use a little food processor. Coarsely chop the onions, toss them into the food processor, and give the processor a few quick pulses. Just like that,