Roasted Butternut Squash

Roasted Butternut Squash

***Susan's Note: My family LOVES this recipe. You can eat the squash all by itself and be satisfied. I buy the packaged, already sliced squash at Wegmans, available year round!****

From Woman's Day | December 4, 2007

* Active Time: 3 minutes
* Total Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

o 2 Tbsp butter
o 2 lbs fresh butternut squash chunks
o 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
o 1/2 tsp salt
o 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 400ºF. You’ll need a rimmed baking pan lined with nonstick foil.

2. Put butter in pan. Place in oven until melted. Remove pan from oven and add remaining ingredients. Toss to coat and spread into an even layer.

3. Roast 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once or twice, until squash is tender. Transfer to serving bowl.

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Roasted Butternut Squash

Photo: Laura Moss

* Nutrition Facts
* Yield 6 servings
* Amount Per Serving
* Calories 115
* Total Fat 4g
* Saturated Fat 3g
* Cholesterol 11mg
* Sodium 241mg
* Total Carbohydrates 21g
* Dietary Fiber 2g
* Protein 2g

Wild Mushroom Stuffed Turkey Breast with Cranberry Coulis

Wild Mushroom Stuffed Turkey Breast with Cranberry Coulis

Wild Mushroom Stuffed Turkey Breast with Cranberry Coulis
Cook Time: 1 hr 15 min

Serves: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 leek, cleaned and sliced
* 1 rib celery, diced
* 2 cups sliced wild cultivated mushrooms (chanterelles, porcinis, creminis, etc.)
* 2 teaspoons herbs de Provence
* 2 tablespoon shallots, chopped
* 1 cup chicken stock
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 cups toasted bread crumbs
* 1/2 boneless turkey breast, about 2 1/2 pounds
* Cranberry Coulis, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat a large saute pan, add butter, and add the leeks and celery. Saute for 3 minutes and add the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes and add the herbs and shallots, cooking for 2 more minutes. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, and pour over the bread crumbs in a mixing bowl. Mix well and cool.

Butterfly the turkey breast open with a sharp boning knife. Using a meat mallet, pound the meat to expand it and make it of an even thickness. Spoon the stuffing lengthwise across the breast and roll up, tucking in the meat at each end. Tie the roulade with butchers' twine.

Season with salt and pepper, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a thermometer reads 150 degrees in the center. Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes before removing the twine and slicing. Serve with Cranberry Coulis.
Cranberry Coulis:

* 1 (12 ounce) bag cranberries
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Place the ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook until the cranberries have burst, about 20 minutes and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth, season, and reserve.

Kim's Turkey Chili - YUM

Turkey Chili

**Susan's note: This calls for cooked turkey (hello day after Thanksgiving!) but you can just cook up some ground turkey meat and use it.

Ingredients

* 2 cups chopped onion
* 4 garlic cloves, chopped fine
* 1 cup chopped green pepper
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 2 (35 oz) cans stewed tomatoes, crushed
* 2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained
* 2 Tbsp tomato paste
* 3/4 cup chicken or turkey stock
* 2 Tbsp chili powder (or up to 4 Tbsp if you like it really hot)
* 1 Tbsp ground cumin
* 1 Tbsp dried hot red pepper flakes
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1 Tbsp salt, plus more if desired to taste
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 3 to 4 cups of shredded, cooked turkey meat
* Sugar

* Shredded cheddar cheese, chopped red onion, sour cream for optional garnish.

Method

1 In a large, 8-quart, thick-bottom pot, cook the onion and green pepper over medium high heat, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for a minute or two more. Add a bit more olive oil if needed.

2 Add tomatoes, tomato paste, stock. beans, oregano, salt, pepper, and cooked turkey meat. Bring mixture to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for an hour.

3 Salt to taste. Add 1 to 3 teaspoons of sugar to take the edge of the acidity of the tomatoes if desired.

The chili may be made in advance and chilled for 2 days, or frozen for 2 months.

Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped red onion, and or sour cream. Serve alone, over rice, or with corn bread.

Makes about 12 cups. Serves 8.

Broccoli and Chicken Noodle Soup (Cooking Light)

Broccoli and Chicken Noodle Soup

****SUSAN's Note: Yum!!!!!!!!!!!!!****

f the broccoli florets are large, break into smaller pieces at the stalk instead of chopping them; they'll cook more quickly. Count on having dinner on the table in about 40 minutes, and serve this soup the moment it's done for the best results. In fact, if you wait, you'll find it gets thicker with time. If you have leftovers, you will want to thin the soup with a little chicken broth or milk to the desired consistency.
Yield

10 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
Ingredients

* Cooking spray
* 2 cups chopped onion
* 1 cup presliced mushrooms
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1.1 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/4 cup)
* 4 cups 1% low-fat milk
* 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
* 4 ounces uncooked vermicelli, broken into 2-inch pieces
* 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded light processed cheese (such as Velveeta Light)
* 4 cups (1-inch) cubed cooked chicken breast
* 3 cups small broccoli florets (8 ounces)
* 1 cup half-and-half
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; add butter to mushroom mixture, stirring until butter melts. Sprinkle mushroom mixture with flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Gradually add milk and broth, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 10 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Add pasta to pan; cook 10 minutes. Add cheese to pan, and stir until cheese melts. Add chicken and remaining ingredients to pan; cook 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender and soup is thoroughly heated.
Nutritional Information

Calories:
317
Fat:
12.3g (sat 6.8g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.9g)
Protein:
27.5g
Carbohydrate:
23.8g
Fiber:
1.9g
Cholesterol:
74mg
Iron:
1.6mg
Sodium:
723mg
Calcium:
179mg

Molten Chocolate Cakes

Molten Chocolate Cakes


**Susan's Note: After eating at Kitchen 233 and having this for dessert, I tried making these for the first time. YUM. I would also like to try this yummy-looking chocolate chip version.

Prep Time:
15 min
Total Time:
30 min
Makes:
8 servings, one half molten cake each
What You Need
4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
6 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (I used vanilla ice cream)

PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Butter four 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes. Place on baking sheet.

MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar until well blended. Blend in eggs and egg yolks with wire whisk. Stir in flour. Divide batter among prepared custard cups.

BAKE 13 to 14 min. or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 min. Carefully run small knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto dessert dishes. Serve immediately, topped with whipped topping.

Calories
290
Total fat
19 g
Saturated fat
10 g
Cholesterol
135 mg
Sodium
105 mg
Carbohydrate
29 g
Dietary fiber
1 g
Sugars
21 g
Protein
4 g
Vitamin A
10 %DV
Vitamin C
0 %DV
Calcium
2 %DV
Iron
8 %DV

Chicken & White Bean Soup with Spinach & Parmesan (Thanks CZ!)

Rocco DiSpirito's Chicken & White Bean Soup with Spinach & Parmesan
"To make soups and stews low-fat, skip the sauteing step. Instead, bring all the ingredients to a simmer together -- and serve." Makes 4 servings. From Fitness Magazine, Oct. 2008

Shopping List
FRESH: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts; basil; baby spinach; Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
STAPLES: Crushed red pepper; low-sodium chicken broth; salt and pepper
PACKAGED: Pasta sauce; cannellini beans

Ingredients
3 14-ounce cans low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons tomato-and-basil pasta sauce
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin
Salt and pepper
6 ounces prewashed baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
In a Dutch oven, bring chicken broth, pasta sauce, cannellini beans, and crushed red pepper to a simmer. Turn heat to low.
Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper; add to broth. Gently poach chicken, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. (The broth should barely simmer.)
Stir in baby spinach. Continue cooking soup until spinach is wilted and chicken is just cooked through, about 2 minutes more.
Stir in basil; season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls, and top with grated cheese.

Parmesan Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Parmesan Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Ingredients

Serves 4

* 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
* 1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* Grated zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
* Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 4 bone-in chicken breast halves (about 3 pounds)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, mix parsley, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and zest. Season with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
2. Divide parsley mixture into four mounds. Carefully loosen chicken skin with fingers; tuck parsley mixture under skin. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place in a 9-by-13-inch roasting pan.
3. Bake until skin is crispy, chicken is cooked through, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat registers 165 degrees, about 30 minutes.

Magnolia Bakery Cupcakes

Magnolia’s Vanilla Cupcakes
Recipe from: More From Magnolia
by Allysa Torey, Photographs Zeva Oelbaum
Cookbook Heaven at Recipelink.com

Everyone is always asking us which is the most popular cupcake at the bakery. Most people are surprised that it is what we call the vanilla vanilla - the vanilla cupcake with the vanilla icing (and the most popular color for the icing is pink).

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes (depending on the size of your cupcake papers and muffin tins)

* 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
* 2 cups sugar
* 4 large eggs, at room temperature
* 1 cup milk
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream Icing (recipe follows) or Chocolate Buttercream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
3. In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
5. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing. At the bakery we ice the cupcakes with either Vanilla Buttercream or Chocolate Buttercream.

Note: If you would like to make a layer cake instead of cupcakes, divide the batter between two 9-inch round cake pans and bake the layers for 30-40 minutes.





Magnolia's Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Recipe from: More From Magnolia
by Allysa Torey, Photographs Zeva Oelbaum
Cookbook Heaven at Recipelink.com

The vanilla buttercream we use at the bakery is technically not a buttercream but actually an old-fashioned confectioners’ sugar and butter frosting. Be sure to beat the icing for the amount of time called for in the recipe to achieve the desired creamy texture.

Makes enough for one 2-layer 9-inch cake or 2 dozen cupcakes*

* 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
* 6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
* 1/2 cup milk
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

*Note:
If you are icing a 3-layer cake, use the following recipe proportions:
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
8 to 10 cups confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Magnolia Bakery Peanut Butter Heath Bar Blondies

***Susan's Note: On Tuesday, I visited The Magnolia Bakery at 69th and Columbus in New York City. It was my first visit, and it was "out of this world" - I had heard of their cookbooks, and they were mentioned in the movie The Devil Wears Prada. I sampled their yellow cake with yellow icing (yum) and cupcakes, and the blondies below. Wow.

Magnolia Bakery Peanut Butter Heath Bar Blondies

Blondies:
1 1/2 C. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 C. smooth peanut butter
2 1/2 C. granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 T. vanilla extract
3 C. self-rising flour

Topping:
1 C. peanut butter chips
3 T. heavy cream
4 coarsely chopped Health bars or chocolate covered toffee bars (about 1 cup)
1/2 C. finely chopped unsalted peanuts

Preheat oven to 325° F. Grease and flour a 12 x 18-inch jellyroll pan.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and the peanut butter until fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until smooth. Add the eggs and the vanilla extract and mix well. Add the flour and beat until well incorporated. Spread the batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into center of pan comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool to room temperature.

To prepare the topping: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the peanut butter chips and the cream, stirring until smooth. Drizzle the peanut butter mixture decoratively over the cooled blondies. Sprinkle the Heath Bars and the peanuts on top.

Allow to cool to room temperature, or overnight, before cutting and serving. Makes 24 three-inch blondies.

Source: The Magnolia Bakery

Orecchiette Pasta with Roasted Broccoli and Walnuts

Orecchiette with Roasted Broccoli and Walnuts

From Real Simple February 2009
See another good Orecchiette recipe here.

**Susan's note: A yummy weeknight dinner.

Serves 4
Total Time 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS
12 oz orecchiette or other short pasta (3 cups)
1 bunch broccoli (1 1/2 lbs), cut into small florets
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 TBS unsalted butter
1/4 cup grated Parm (1 oz)

Heat oven to 400. Cook pasta according to package. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot.

Meanwhile, on a rimmed baking sheet, toss the broccoli, walnuts, oil, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Roast, tossing once, until the broccoli is tender, 18-20 minutes.

Toss pasta with broccoli mixture, butter, and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water (Add more water if the pasta seems dry). Sprinkle with the Parm before serving.

Slow Cooker Sausage, Peppers, & Onions

***Susan's Note: I made this in the crock pot today with sweet turkey sausage instead of the "hot Italian sausage" that's listed - yum! I used red and orange peppers, potato rolls and topped with shredded mozzarella.

4-5 lbs hot italian sausages
1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce (I used Francesco Rinaldi Tomato Basil)
1 large onion, sliced thin (Vidalia preferred)
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, sliced
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, sliced
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar (I used light)
Rolls, split open
Provolone cheese, sliced (optional)

1. Combine ingredients (not rolls and cheese) in CrockPot. Cook on Low 8-10 hours or HIGH 4 to 6 hours.

2. Place mixture on rolls, top with cheese if desired.

Mary F's Caramel Pecan French Toast

Caramel Pecan French Toast

***Susan's Note: My boss made this for a brunch at her home and it was delicious! Looking on the website, it seems it was a "Food Network Challenge" winner. Yum! My boss used half and half in place of whipping cream.


Recipe courtesy Kathy Specht, Cambria, California
Show: Food Network ChallengeEpisode: Southern Living Cook-Off

* 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
* 12 slices honey white bread
* 3/4 cup raisins
* 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted and divided
* 6 large eggs
* 1/2 cup milk
* 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 1/2 cups whipping cream, divided
* 1/4 cup powdered sugar
* Maple syrup
* Fully cooked bacon slices (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine first 3 ingredients in a small saucepan; cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves.

Pour brown sugar mixture into an ungreased 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 bread slices in brown sugar mixture, cutting slices as necessary to fit in dish. Sprinkle raisins and 3/4 cup pecans evenly over bread. Top with remaining bread slices.

Whisk together eggs, next 4 ingredients, and 1 cup cream. Pour egg mixture over bread slices in baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Beat remaining 1/2 cup whipping cream until foamy; gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form.

Divide French toast evenly among individual serving plates. Top each serving with whipped cream; drizzle with maple syrup, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup pecans. Serve with bacon, if desired.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Flourless Chocolate Cake

***Susan's Note: Not for the weak of heart! I first had this when I worked at IU in 2005. John Scully of the Registrar's office brought it in. Wow.

Chocolate lovers will adore this dessert. The edges and top develop a delicately crisp crust while the center remains moist and fudgy.

Prep: 20 minutes
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients

Serves 8

* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
* 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (or 8 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate)
* 6 large egg yolks
* 6 large egg whites
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees; with rack in center. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Place butter and chocolate in a large bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until melted; cool slightly. Whisk in yolks.
2. In another bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar; beat until stiff and glossy. Whisk 1/4 of whites into chocolate mixture; gently fold mixture into remaining whites.
3. Pour into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until cake pulls away from sides of pan and is just set in center, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Serve dusted with confectioners' sugar.

Beef Barley Soup

Beef Barley Soup

***Susan's Note: Since I try not to eat ground beef, I have made this with "vegetarian ground meat" such as Gimme Lean, and it is delicious. You could also use ground turkey or Light Velveeta.


Prep Time:
15 min
Total Time:
35 min
Makes:
6 servings, about 1 cup each

1/2 lb. ground beef
2-1/2 cups cold water
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) stewed tomatoes, cut up
3/4 cup sliced carrots
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup quick-cooking barley, uncooked
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut up

BROWN meat in large saucepan; drain. Stir in water, tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms, barley, garlic and oregano.

BRING to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer 10 minutes or until barley is tender.

ADD VELVEETA; stir until melted.


Substitute
Prepare as directed, using VELVEETA Made With 2% Milk Reduced Fat Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product.
Jazz It Up
Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley just before serving.

Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods

Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods

This recipe is based on a recipe I found in Everyday Food magazine - a great holiday treat!

INGREDIENTS
8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
18 pretzel rods (such as HERR's)

DIRECTIONS
1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside. Place
semisweet chips in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave on high in
30-second increments, stirring after each, until chocolate is just
melted, about 1 minute. Remove; stir until smooth.
2. One at a time, roll one end of pretzel rods into melted chocolate,
and, using a spoon, coat each 3/4 of the way up.
3. Place pretzels on prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until set,
about 15 minutes.


TOPPING VARIATIONS
- Sprinkle crushed candy bars and press gently into softened chocolate.
- Sprinkle holiday sprinkles or rainbow sprinkles over chocolate.
- Pour on many mini m&ms - freeze to harden! Shake off excess.
- Melt white chocolate chips. Use spoon to drizzle over pretzels.
- Melt KRAFT caramels and add 2 tbs of water. Drizzle over pretzels.

Sour Cream Pound Cake

Grandmother Paula's Sour Cream Pound Cake

**Susan's Note: I made this for Christmas dinner at my sister's request. The recipe I had was slightly different than below - called for 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp salt and one hour baking time. It was yummy!****

*
Cook Time

1 hr 20 min

Ingredients
* 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
* 3 cups sugar
* 1 cup sour cream
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 6 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the sour cream and mix until incorporated. Sift the baking soda and flour together. Add to the creamed mixture alternating with eggs, beating each egg 1 at a time. Add the vanilla and pour the mixture into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.

Tortellini Salad from Mrs. D

**Susan's Note: I had this as a side dish at a football party - really yummy! This is a recipe from Mrs. D.

Tortellini Salad

1 lb. tortellini pasta (can be cheese stuffed, frozen or fresh )- I used the tri color fresh cheese stuffed Buitoni (spelling ?) that you get in the fresh cheese section.

1 small jar pimento or roasted peppers, drained and chopped ( I used pimento)

1/2 cup chopped scallions (at least)

1 small jar of artichoke hearts, chopped and drained



Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/6 cup of wine vinegar (add more if you like it more tangy)

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 T. chopped fresh parsley (at least)

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper



Boil tortellini according to package directions. Drain. Mix with other ingredients, chill. Serves 10-12.

Chocolate Pumpkin Tart

Chocolate Pumpkin Tart

**Susan's note: I didn't have a removable-bottom 9 inch tart pan, so I used a 11 (12?) inch round tart pan. I used Nabisco "Famous Chocolate Wafers" found in the ice cream topping section of my local Pathmark. The only trouble I had was removing it from the pan - even though I sprayed it with nonstick cooking spray, it stuck. Next time I would let it warm to room temperature and perhaps line pan with tinfoil so I could pop the tart out. This was yummy!

Chocolate flatters the sweetness of pumpkin in this sophisticated alternative to pumpkin pie. A rich layer of melted chocolate keeps the crust crisp.

Prep: 35 minutes
Total: 1 3/4 hours, plus cooling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse cookies and sugar until finely ground. Add butter; pulse until crumbs are moistened. Using the bottom of a dry measuring cup, press crumbs into bottom (but not sides) of a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan. Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until set, about 12 minutes.
2. Pour chocolate onto warm crust; spread with a spatula. Freeze until chocolate is firm, about 5 minutes. Brush sides of tart pan with butter; set aside.
3. In a bowl, whisk together pumpkin, egg, cream, sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin-pie spice, and salt. Pour filling into prepared crust; bake on a rimmed baking sheet until set, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool 1 hour at room temperature; refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 1 day).
4. Unmold tart (if sides stick, gently loosen with a knife). With two thin metal spatulas, transfer to a platter.

Homemade Stuffing

Homemade Stuffing

***Susan's Note: This recipe was adapted from the Neely's Food Network Recipe. I made half of this batch with bacon, the other half without (for some vegetarian family members) and I packed it all in an oversized casserole dish. Yum! Beware: If you use the white/wheat bread Pepperidge Farm mix, you'll need more chicken broth. I liked that this recipe had less butter than other recipes I've seen.

Ingredients

* 4-5 strips pounds bacon, cut into chunks
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 4 ribs celery, chopped
* 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
* 2 cups chopped pecans (optional - I didn't use these)
* 2 bags Pepperidge Farm (cubed or herb seasoned) bread stuffing mix
* 5 cups chicken broth
* 1/2 stick butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook bacon in a heavy skillet until crisp. Turn heat down and add onions and celery; saute until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the thyme and rosemary and saute until fragrant.

In a large bowl, combine the stuffing mix, bacon and vegetables, and chicken broth. Moisten thoroughly. Add to a 13 x 9 x 2 (or slightly larger) casserole dish. Add pats of butter to the top of the casserole and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes then remove foil and cook until top is crisp, about 15 more minutes.

Pasta e Fagioli al Forno (Baked Pasta and Beans) - Rachael Ray

Pasta e Fagioli al Forno

**Susan's note: This was yummy for a cold night. I used 33% less fat bacon instead of pancetta. I used mostly skim, a little bit of whole milk. I made a little extra cheese sauce because I didn't want it to be dry. I used chicken broth instead of white wine. I used the healthy "smart" pasta.

Ingredients

* Salt
* 1 pound penne rigate or whole-wheat penne
* 1/4 pound pancetta, 3 to 4 slices thick cut like bacon
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 ribs celery from the heart with leafy tops, chopped
* 1 carrot, peeled and grated
* 1 onion, peeled and chopped
* 2 to 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves finely chopped
* 3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves finely chopped
* 1 fresh bay leaf
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1 (15-ounce) can small white beans "Roman" beans, such as Goya brand or, cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 cups milk
* Nutmeg, to taste
* 1 1/2 cups grated Romano

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, cook pasta to just shy of al dente.

Chop pancetta into 1/4-inch dice.

While pasta cooks, heat a skillet with olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add pancetta, cook 2 to 3 minutes then add celery, carrot, onions, garlic, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf to the skillet, season with salt and pepper. Saute the vegetables until tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Add beans and heat them through. Stir in 1/2 cup wine, simmer 30 seconds more and turn off heat. Remove bay leaf.

While vegetables cook, place a small sauce pot over medium heat, add butter, melt butter then whisk in flour and cook 1 minute then whisk in milk. Season sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg and reduce 4 to 5 minutes, stir in half the grated cheese, turn off heat and adjust seasoning.

While sauce cooks, place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat broiler to high.

Drain pasta and return to the pot, toss with white bean mixture and sauce, stir to coat, transfer to a casserole dish, top with remaining cheese and place in oven to brown, 5 minutes.