Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday. (Yay!) Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the weekend, including Tortellini with Ham Peas and Tomato Cream Sauce and Cappuccino Slushy. Enjoy!

BLUEBERRY SQUARES

This came from an old Weight Watchers' emailing list. It began, “These tasty two-ingredient squares whip up in minutes. They make a fabulous last-minute Valentine's Day treat.”

POINTS® Value: 2; Servings: 24; Preparation Time: 5 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 package angel food cake mix, about 14 1/2 oz

22 oz light fruit pie filling, blueberry

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine cake mix with blueberry filling (do not add any other ingredients). Pour batter into an ungreased 9- X 13-inch baking dish; bake for 30 minutes. Cool and cut into 24 pieces.

CHEESE-STUFFED SHELLS IN MARINARA SAUCE

This recipe is from FamilyTime, and begins, “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; Cooking time: 30 minutes.

To view this 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.

SKILLET RED BEANS AND RICE

This was posted in MyRecipes, and is originally from CookingLight. This begins, “Look for trinity blend (a mix of onion, bell pepper, and celery) with the prepared produce. Or make your own with 3/4 cup onion, 3/4 cup celery, and 1/2 cup bell pepper.”

Active Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: about 2 cups rice mixture)

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 ounces chopped andouille sausage

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 (8-oz.) pkg. fresh trinity blend

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 (15-oz.) can unsalted kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2/3 cup unsalted chicken stock

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

2 (8.8-oz.) pkg. precooked brown rice (such as Uncle Ben's)

1/3 cup chopped green onions

Directions

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add sausage; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, trinity blend, and red bell pepper; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in beans and next 4 ingredients (through ground red pepper). Cover, bring to a simmer, and cook 4 minutes. Mash half of bean mixture in pan. Stir in rice; cover, and cook 4 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions.

BEST EVER MEATLOAF

This comes from FamilyTime, and begins, “This moist and delicious meatloaf gets exceptional flavor from dry onion soup and a can of tomato soup. It's easy and tasty!”

Serves: 8 servings; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 80 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Tomato Soup (Regular or Healthy Request®)

1 envelope (about 1 ounce) dry onion soup and recipe mix

1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup water

Directions

Thoroughly mix the beef, 1/2 cup tomato soup, onion soup mix, bread crumbs and egg in a large bowl. Place the mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan and firmly shape into an 8 x 4-inch loaf.

Bake at 350°F. for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the meatloaf is cooked through. Let the meatloaf stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Heat 2 tablespoons pan drippings, remaining tomato soup and water in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat until the mixture is hot and bubbling, stirring occasionally. Serve the soup mixture with the meatloaf.

Easy Substitution: You can substitute Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free) for the Tomato Soup.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with a steamed vegetable blend. For dessert serve brownies.

TORTELLINI WITH HAM, PEAS, AND TOMATO CREAM SAUCE

This comes from FamilyTime, and begins, “You’ll be surprised how easy it is to make this creamy tomato sauce that is so popular in Italian restaurants. If you prefer, replace the cheese tortellini with mushroom- or meat-filled pasta of any shape.”

Serves: 4; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 16 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

2 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree, from one 28-ounce can

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 pound cheese-filled tortellini

1/4 pound deli ham, cut into 1/4-inch dice

3/4 cup frozen petite peas, defrosted

Directions

In a large stainless-steel frying pan, melt the butter over moderately low heat. Add the onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice, the salt, and the pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cream and cook for 1 minute longer.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the tortellini until just done, about 4 minutes for fresh, 12 minutes for frozen. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sauce. Stir in the ham and peas and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes.

CAPPUCCINO SLUSHY

This came from Weight Watchers, and begins, “This coffee-based slushy gives delicious new meaning to the term iced coffee.”

Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Serves: 1; Difficulty: Easy; Points: 4

Ingredients

1 tsp sugar

2 pinch ground cinnamon, or more to taste

1/2 C black coffee, Italian or French roast

1/4 C 2% reduced fat milk

1/4 C aerosol whipped cream

Directions

Stir sugar and 1 pinch cinnamon into coffee. Pour into ice cube tray; freeze until solid, about 4 hours.

Blend frozen coffee ice cubes and milk in a mini-food processor until slushy. Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream and a generous pinch of cinnamon.