Crock Pot Pasta Fagioli

--1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained
--1/2 large red onion, chopped
--1 cup carrots, chopped
--2 celery stalks, sliced
--2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (and juice)
--1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
--1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
--4 cups beef broth (check label for gluten!)
--1 jar (16.5 oz) pasta sauce
--2 tsp oregano
--1 T Tabasco sauce
--1/2 tsp salt
--1/4 tsp black pepper
--1/2 cup dry pasta, to add at end of cooking time (I used TJ's brown rice fusilli)

The Directions.

Use a 6 quart or larger crockpot, or cut the recipe in half. This makes a lot.

Brown the meat on the stovetop, and drain well. Let it cool a bit.

Chop up the carrots, onion, and celery. Add it to the empty crockpot.
Drain and rinse the beans, and add them. Add the whole cans of tomatoes, and the pasta sauce. Add the beef broth. Add the salt, pepper, oregano, and Tobasco sauce. Stir in your meat.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4. When the vegetables are tender, stir in the 1/2 cup of dry pasta.

Cover and cook for another hour on low, or until the pasta is tender. It will swell quite a bit.

Serve with a bit of parmesan cheese if you have it.

from: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

Cheddar & Vegetable Pasta Bake

Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Baking Time: 17 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 cups (8 oz.) bow tie, rigatoni, or penne pasta (3 cups uncooked)
• 2 Tb. butter or margarine (I used Country Crock with Calcium)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tb. flour
• 1 can (12 oz.) evaporated fat-free skim milk
• 2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Kraft 2% Sharp Cheddar or Sargento Reduced-Fat Mild Cheddar
• 1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables (cauliflower, red bell peppers, broccoli, carrots), thawed
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce or 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
  

Directions:

1. Cook pasta as directed; drain and set aside.

2. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Add flour; cook and stir 1 minute. Add milk, salt and pepper sauce. Heat to a boil, stirring constantly so milk does not burn!! Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup cheese until melted.

3. Add sauce and vegetables to pasta; toss well. Transfer to a greased medium baking dish or oval casserole. (I did not grease my casserole dish and it was fine.) Cover with foil; bake in preheated 375°F oven 15 minutes or until hot. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake 2 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

Yields: 6 servings

Nutritional Info: (per serving) 303 calories, 10 g. fat, 2.6 g. fiber

Original Source: Sargento.com

Oatmeal Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups quick cooking oats
raisins or nuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, cream together white sugar, butter, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.

2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda,and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. If you are using nuts or raisins, mix into dough, combining well. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes approx. 36-60 cookies, depending on how large or small you make them.

from: http://www.momswhothink.com

Wholly Guacamole Gridiron Game Time Dip

Wholly Guacamole Gridiron Game Time Dip

Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp butter
- ½ cup red bell pepper
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- 2, 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed / drained
- 2 tsp fresh chopped jalapeno peppers
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 cup salsa
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (I didn't use a full 2 cups)
- 14 oz Wholly Guacamole (I used homemade Guacamole)
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 bag tortilla chips

My addition: - 2 pretzel rods broken in half (I used these for the goal posts)

Instructions:
1. Melt butter in skillet; add peppers and onion. Cook over medium heat until onion is softened. (4 minutes). Stir in beans, jalapenos and cumin. Cook until heated.

2. Transfer 1 cup of bean mixture to a food processor, process until smooth. Return blended mixture to remaining mixture and stir to combine. Spread onto an 11×8 baking dish

. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

3. Just before serving, layer over the bean mixture: salsa, cheese and top with Wholly Guacamole.

4. Spoon sour cream into resealable plastic bag. Snip off small corner and pipe sour cream lines over the guacamole to resemble yard markers on a football field.

(this can also be made without the football field design for the offseason football times)

from: http://www.sheknowsparties.com

Chicken Fajita Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound thin chicken cutlets, cut into thin strips
• Juice of 2 limes, divided
• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 large or 4 medium bell peppers, seeds removed and sliced
• 1 to 2 large red onions, sliced
• 3 large cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
• 6 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed from stems
• 1 cup Mexican beer, or an additional cup chicken stock
• 1 15-ounce can stewed tomatoes
• 1 quart chicken stock
• Hot sauce to taste
• 6 flour tortillas (6- to 8-inches in diameter)
• 2 handfuls cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 ripe avocado, diced (optional)
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

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Yields: 4 servings

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Preparation

In a shallow bowl combine the chicken strips with the juice of 1 lime, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper. Let the chicken marinate while you cut the veggies for the soup.

Place a large soup pot over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan vegetable oil, about 2 tablespoons. Heat the oil until it just starts to smoke and carefully add the marinated chicken to the pot, spreading it out in an even layer (the oil can have a nasty attitude and spit at you so be careful). Let it brown up completely on one side before moving the pieces.

Add the peppers, onion, garlic and thyme to the pot and cook a couple of minutes, until the veggies just start to get tender. Add the beer or stock, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot; then the stewed tomatoes, chicken stock and some hot sauce to taste. Bring up to a bubble and simmer while you prepare the tortillas.

If you have a gas cooking range, turn the flame to medium and, using tongs, place the tortilla right on top of the flame. Turn it and flip it until it starts to blister on both sides -- don’t walk away, this needs your full attention!

If you don't have a gas range, place a medium to large dry skillet over high heat and, working with one tortilla at a time, blister them in the skillet on both sides. As you blister each tortilla, stack and wrap them in a kitchen towel to keep them warm and pliable.

Once all the tortillas have been blistered, cut the stack in half, stack the two halves on top of each other and slice into short thin strips. Divide the strips between 4 serving bowls and reserve while you finish the soup.

Add more hot sauce, salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle the soup over the tortillas and top with some cilantro, diced avocado, additional lime juice, shredded cheddar and/or sour cream.

from http://www.rachaelrayshow.com

Blueberry Chicken Salad

2 cups fresh blueberries
2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup diced sweet red pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 carton (6 oz) lemon yogurt
3 tablespoons mayonaisse
1/2 teaspoon salt
Bibb lettuce leaves, optional

Set aside a few blueberries for garnish. In a large bowl, gently combine the chicken, celery, red pepper, onions, and remaining blueberries. Combine the yogurt, mayo,, and salt; drizzle over chicken mixture and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Serve on lettuce-lined plates if desired. Top with reserved blueberries.
Yields: 4 servings.

from a Taste of Home Bonus Book magazine insert

Taco Soup

1 lg onion chopped

1 pkg taco seasoning

1 can corn drained

1 can veg broth or fat free chic broth

1 can black beans (DO NOT DRAIN)

1 can white beans (do NOT drain)

1 can refried beans

2 cans chopped/diced tomatoes

~cook onions w/1 tsp olive oil in a lg pot over med heat for 3-5 mins

~add tomatoes and refried beans to pot and mix til smooth

~Add beans, broth, and corn....mix well...bring to a boil

~reduce heat and add taco packet mix well...simmer for 1 hr covered

someone gave me this recipe so I'm not sure where it came from