Wednesday Recipes

It's feeling a little cooler in Florida...not cold, but nice out. With the lower humidity, it almost feels like autumn. Yay! And now, today's six recipes. Enjoy!

QUICK SKILLET ZITI

This comes from FamilyTime. It starts with, “Ground beef and pasta are a winning combination for quick weekday meals that are nostalgic and full of good taste.” Serves: 4 servings (1 1/ 4 cups each); Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Note: If you're a vegetarian, as I am, you can replace the ground beef with a variety of tofu crumbles.

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

Prego® Marinara Italian Sauce or 1 jar (24 ounces) Prego® Traditional Italian Sauce

5 cups tube-shaped pasta (ziti), cooked and drained

Grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook the beef in a 10-inch skillet until it's well browned, stirring often to break up the meat. Pour off any fat.

Stir the sauce and pasta in the skillet and heat through. Sprinkle with the cheese.

PUMPKIN RISOTTO

This comes from Danette St. Onge, About.com's Italian Food expert. She writes, "A warm and comforting dish for fall or winter, this pumpkin risotto, a classic from Northern Italy, is easy to make and would make a great side dish for Thanksgiving dinner. Pureeing half of the pumpkin gives the risotto a lovely orange color and makes it so that the pumpkin flavor is distributed evenly through the dish, rather than just in the spoonfuls with pumpkin chunks. You can use any other winter squash in place of pumpkin, for example, acorn squash or butternut squash. This dish can easily be made vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, or heartier by topping the finished dish with crisp-fried pancetta or bacon, or fresh sage leaves fried in butter until crisp." Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

To view online, click here.

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 pound pumpkin (or other winter squash), cut into small chunks

4 small shallots, finely minced

2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice

1 cup dry white wine

6 cups of hot chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 cup freshly grated or shaved Parmigiano Reggiano

Other optional toppings for serving:

finely chopped parsley

fried and crumbled pancetta or bacon

sage leaves fried in butter till crisp

chopped fresh rosemary

Preparation

In a large saucepan, heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over low heat, then add the garlic and pumpkin. Cook for abut 20 minutes, stirring often, until the pumpkin softens and starts to break down. Remove from heat and separate into two halves -- puree one half in a food processor. Set aside.

In another large saucepan, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining butter over low heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft and transparent, about 8 minutes.

Add the rice and stir well with a wooden spoon to coat the rice evenly with the oil and butter. Add the white wine and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the rice has absorbed the wine.

Add 3 cups of the broth and continue cooking and stirring until the liquid has been absorbed. Then add 1 more cup of broth and cook, stirring, until absorbed. Repeat until all 6 cups of broth have been used and the rice is al dente (tender but still chewy).

Stir in the pumpkin puree and chunks, lowering the heat to very low. Add the Parmigiano and remaining butter and stir until both are melted and the mixture is creamy.

Serve immediately in shallow bowls, with additional grated Parmigiano, if desired.

SOUTHWEST SALSA RICE BITES

This comes from FamilyTime, courtesy Rice to the Rescue! Recipe Contest "Best Whole Grain Brown Rice" Winner-Janet Gilbert. It starts off, "These little appetizers are perfect for your next party, or make them for a casual weekend gathering. Either way, amazing!" Makes 48 rice bites; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 to 20 minutes

To view this online, go to http://www.familytime.com/recipe/showrecipe.aspx?recipeid=67946.

Ingredients

3 cups cooked brown rice, cooled

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

4 large eggs

One 16-ounce jar medium or hot, thick, chunky salsa

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3/4 cup crushed corn or tortilla chips

Additional salsa and sour cream for garnish (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Mix together the rice and cheese in a large bowl and set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs until well blended. Stir in the salsa, sour cream, salt and pepper. Add the salsa mixture to the rice and cheese and mix well.

Spray miniature muffin pans with flavorless vegetable cooking spray. Spoon approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of the rice mixture into each cup, filling to just below the rim. Sprinkle the crushed chips over the mixture and press lightly with the back of a spoon to adhere. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Serve warm with additional salsa and sour cream, if desired.

Per Serving: 287 calories; 14 g fat; 784 mg sodium; 31 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 10 g protein

MINI FRENCH SILK COOKIE PIES

This is also from the Tablespoon newsletter. This one begins, “Decadent mini pies with chocolate chip cookie crust and French silk filling. They are simply too cute to eat just one!” Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hr. 15 minutes; Yields: 24 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 (16.5 ounce) roll Pillsbury™ refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large pasteurized eggs, at room temperature

Whipped cream, for serving

Chocolate shavings, for serving

Directions

Prepare the Crust: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin. Divide chocolate chip cookie dough into 24 pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place dough in prepared muffin tin cups.

Bake dough until deep golden brown and set, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and use the bottom of a shot glass to make an impression in each cup. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. With a butter knife, gently remove each cookie cup from the tin and transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Prepare the Filling: In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, cream the butter until smooth. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar, continuing to combine until the mixture is light-colored and very well blended. Beat in the salt. Once the melted chocolate is completely cooled, beat in the chocolate and vanilla extract. If using a standing mixer, switch to the whisk attachment. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for a full five minutes on high speed after each addition. (Don’t cheat!)

Spoon the French silk pie filling into each of the cooled cookie cups. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Serve topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

CHICKEN WITH PICANTE PEACH SALSA

This comes from Campbell's Kitchen, and starts off, “Jazzed-up chicken sports a sweet-and-spicy glaze made with peach preserves, Pace® Picante Sauce, cumin and chili powder, and is served with a flavorful peach salsa.” Prep: 10 min; Total: 25 min; Serves 6

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

2/3 cup Pace® Picante Sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 can (about 15 ounces) peach halves in heavy syrup, drained and diced

1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper or green bell pepper

2 green onions, sliced (about 1/4 cup)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 3/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup peach preserves or apricot preserves

Directions

Stir 1/3 cup picante sauce, lime juice, peaches, pepper and onions in a medium bowl. Reserve the mixture to serve with the chicken.

Stir the cumin and chili powder in a small bowl. Season the chicken as desired. Sprinkle the chicken with the cumin mixture. Stir the remaining picante sauce and preserves in a small bowl.

Lightly oil the grill rack and heat the grill to medium. Grill the chicken for 15 minutes or until it's cooked through, turning and brushing often with the preserve mixture. Discard the remaining preserve mixture.

Serve the chicken with the peach salsa mixture.

ITALIAN PEPPERONI-VEGETABLE QUICHE

This comes from the Tablespoon newsletter, and starts “Bake up a cheesy quiche loaded with colorful, good-for-you veggies.” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Yield: 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 box Pillsbury™ refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

1 box (7 oz) Green Giant™ Immunity Blend frozen broccoli, carrots and pepper strips in an olive oil seasoning

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 oz)

1/2 cup chopped seeded tomato

1/2 cup sliced pepperoni, chopped

5 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. Place pie crust in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie.

Microwave broccoli, carrots and peppers as directed on box.

Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese in crust. Top with tomato and pepperoni. Spoon broccoli, carrots and peppers over pepperoni. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. In small bowl, beat eggs, milk and Italian seasoning. Pour egg mixture over cheese.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown and knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before serving.