Week Day Meals

While it's almost noon where I am, I still have it posted before noon. Yay! Here are today's recipes. Enjoy!

CHEESE-STUFFED SHELLS IN MARINARA SAUCE

This comes from FamilyTime.com, and starts off, "A traditional Italian-style favorite is made easier for you! Combine Buitoni Marinara Sauce with stuffed shells, add a tossed salad and warm bread and sit down to a satisfying meal!" Serves: 6; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes.

To view online, click here.

Ingredients

12 dried jumbo whole-wheat or regular pasta shells, prepared according to package directions

1 cup (4 ounces)shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, divided

1 cup fat free or reduced-fat ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 large egg

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 container (15 oz.) BUITONI® refrigerated Marinara Sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

Combine 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg and pepper in a medium bowl. Stuff each shell evenly with cheese mixture; place in ungreased 12 x 71/2-inch (2-quart rectangular) baking dish. Pour sauce over shells.

Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

For Freeze Ahead:

Prepare as above; do not bake. Do not top with remaining mozarella cheese. Cover; freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

BLACK BEAN SOUP

This one is from GE Appliances (yes, I know, not what you were expecting, right?). It starts off, "What is so great about this soup? Well, it s vegan, super filling, full of veggies, and costs next to nothing. When it s time to serve, go wild with the toppings! We like avocado and shredded cheese." Makes 10 servings in 40 minutes, and is listed as a Cinco de Mayo recipe. (No, you don't have to check your calendar; it really is May 5, or Cinco de Mayo.)

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups onions, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced and rubbed into a paste

salt

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 cup water

2 cans (15 ounces) chopped tomatoes

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 cans (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Garnishes: chopped cilantro, lime wedges, shredded cheese, avocados, sour cream

Directions

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook the onions until they are soft and translucent, about 8 minutes.

When onions are soft, add the red pepper and jalepeno; continue cooking for about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about a minute. Stir in the cumin and smoked paprika. Cook for an additional minute, then add the water and the tomatoes. Add the dried oregano and raise the heat to medium. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, add the beans to the pot and continue to simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. Remove about 2 cups of the soup and puree it in a blender. Add the pureed soup back to the pot. Add lime juice and cilantro. Taste for salt and keep the soup on low heat until ready to serve.

Serve with desired garnishes.

GUACAMOLE

Who doesn't need a good guacamole recipe? I personally know several people who grave the stuff on a daily basis. This is also from GE Appliances, and makes enough guacamole for 4 to 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 avocados, peeled and mashed

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and serve with assorted colors of tortilla chips like red, blue and white.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

This is from Linda Larsen, About.com's Busy Cooks expert. She writes, "Did you know that the combination of chocolate and cinnamon is a classic Mexican dessert flavor? This fabulous Mexican Chocolate Cake is perfect for a Cinco de Mayo celebration." Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 16 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 (1 oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate

1/2 cup butter

1 cup hot water

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

pinch of salt

1/3 cup buttermilk

1-1/4 tsp. soda

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

2 (1 oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate

1/4 cup butter

8 Tbsp. milk

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. vanilla

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter in the hot water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well with a wire whisk or eggbeater. Then stir in buttermilk, soda, eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Pour into 13x9" pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until the top springs back when touched with a fingertip. Make the frosting while the cake is in the oven.

While the cake is baking, make the frosting. In a heavy saucepan, melt 2 squares chocolate and 1/4 cup butter together. Add powdered sugar, milk, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, and 2 tsp. vanilla and beat well. You may need to add more milk or powdered sugar to reach the desired consistency: the frosting should be pourable.

When the cake comes out of the oven, let cool for 15 minutes, then pour the frosting over. Spread if necessary, and let the cake cool.

PUMPKIN CHILI MEXICANA

This comes from the Very Best Baking newsletter from Nestle. Prep time: 10 minutes; Cooking Time: 40 minutes; Makes 6 servings; skill level: easy.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 lb. ground turkey

2 cans (14.5 oz each) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce

1 can (15.25 oz.) kidney beans, drained

1 can (4 oz.) diced green chiles

1/2 cup loose-pack frozen whole-kernel corn

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Heat vegetable oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add turkey; cook until browned. Drain.

Add tomatoes with juice, pumpkin, tomato sauce, beans, chiles, corn, chili powder, cumin and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

CARAMEL COCONUT TRES LECHES CAKE

This is from The Baker Chick, who writes, "I actually used a 7 inch Springform pan this time around but I think an 8 or 9 inch pan works the best. The thicker the cake the harder it is to really get those liquids to soak. Any of those options are fine, or you could double the recipe and use a 9x13." Base recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma

Recipe yields: 1 8-9 inch cake

To view this online, click

Ingredients

For the Cake:

4 eggs, room temperature, separated

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Soak:

1 16oz can of coconut milk

1/4 cup dulce de leche (or caramel sauce)

1/2 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon rum

For the Topping

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup toasted coconut

dulce de leche for drizzling

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter the inside and sides of a 8 or 9 inch round cake pan* and line with a parchment round. Sprinkle with flour; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Whisk until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

In a very clean stand mixer bowl or a large mixing bowl, Beat egg whites on medium high using a whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar while the mixer runs and continue beating until stiff peaks form.

Pile about one-third of the egg whites into the yolk mixture. Gently fold them together until smooth. Add half of the flour and continue to gently fold, being careful to not deflate the egg whites. Repeat with another third of egg whites, the rest of the flour, and the last third of whites. Do not over-mix, but batter should be smooth, airy and fluffy.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Run a knife around the edge of the cake pan, and invert the cake onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment, then flip the cake right side up so it can cool.

While the cake is baking, combine the soak ingredients in a liquid measuring cup and set aside.

After the cake has cooled for about 15 minutes, use a fork to prick it all over, not forgetting the sides, edges and all over the top. Try to get pretty close to the bottom of the cake.

Use a spoon or pour the soaking liquid over the cake, a little at a time, waiting for it to absorb before adding more. I would use the spoon and gently press the liquid into the cake** (see note) It may seem like a lot of liquid, but use as much as you can to soak the cake.

Chill the cake in the fridge for an hour (or more) to really let the flavors soak and set.

Meanwhile whip the cream and once the cake is done chilling, dollop on the whipped cream, drizzle with extra dulce de leche and sprinkle on the toasted coconut.

Store in the fridge until you're ready to serve.

The Baker Chick writes, "**I actually used one of those syringes for giving Hugo medicine for this step. (Clean of course.) I would pull up the liquid and then literally "inject" it into the sides and top of the cake. It worked surprisingly well!"