Breakfast Casserole

Sampled this at a UConn football tailgate. The group next to us one early morning had quite a fancy spread and shared this with us.

1 lb frozen hash browns, defrosted
8 eggs
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 onion, chopped and sauted
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp thyme
paprika

Spray 9 x 13 pan. Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients except paprika. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake 45 minutes or until set.

Stuffed Cabbage Soup

Passed on from sister Saundra. I substitute the white rice with brown. This is so good and way easier than stuffing the cabbage.

1 T oil ok
1 lb ground meat
1 lb shredded cabbage
1 large onion
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 cans (14 oz each) beef broth (can use boullion cubes to equal 30 oz)
1 cup water
1/2 cup (or less) light brown sugar
1 T lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup long grain white rice

Heat oil over medium heat (if I use ground beef, I don't use oil - ground turkey, yes to oil.) Brown beef. Add cabbage and onion.  Cook 2 minutes.  Add tomatoes, broth, water , sugar, lemon juice, salt. Bring to a boil.  Add rice, reduce heat to medium low.  Simmer covered for 45 minutes.

Fajita Seasoning

I make a batch of this to have on hand in the cupboard. It goes a long way.

3 T cornstarch
2 T chili powder
1 T salt
1 T paprika
1 T sugar
2 1/2 tsp chicken boullion, crushed
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cumin

Mix all together and store in an air tight container.

Pasta Primavera

Another Weight Watchers favorite.

Saute 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1/2 cup sliced zucchini, 1/2 cup thawed frozen green beans, 1/2 cup broccoli florets, and 1 cup diced plum tomatoes in 2 tsp olive oil.  Add 1 cup cooked pasta, 3 T shredded mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cup cooked red kidney beans; cover and cook 10 minutes.

Crunchy Baked Chicken

An old Weight Watchers recipe. Still enjoy it.

Preheat oven to 400. Combine 3/4 cup crushed cornflakes, 1 tsp sesame seeds, 1/2 tsp paprika, salt and pepper; set aside. Brush 1 uncooked chicken breast, pounded thin, with 1 T skim milk; coat with cereal mixture and place in nonstick baking pan (or pan sprayed with Pam, or on parchment paper.) Dot chicken with 2 tsp reduced-calorie margarine and bake 15 minutes, or until done.

Cherry Cheesecake Balls

I love the Recipe Exchange in the Hartford Courant. Pulled many of my favorite recipes from there over the years. This one is easy and freezes well.

3/4 cup butter, not margarine (other recipes call for 2 tsp butter!!)
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
20 marachino cherries, well drained, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

Cream butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract thoroughly.  Add coconut and cherries. Chill mixture until firm. Shape into small balls and roll in graham cracker crumbs.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.
NOTE: had trouble forming them, found this tip online: Drop by teaspoonfuls into graham cracker crumbs, form into balls, and reroll again. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Keep refrigerated. I actually put batter in freezer - the only way I could get it to work. I used 1/3 % fat free - maybe the problem. So next time I'll make ahead, freeze for a few hours, then form.

Click here to view: http://www.recipelink.com/msgid/216317

Bacon Onion Pinwheels

This came off the Kraftfoods.com site. Makes a lot and easy to make! I've added some shredded cheddar or mozzarella and I imagine it would be good with green peppers too!

10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 T chopped fresh parsely
2 cans (8 oz ea) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Preheat over to 375. Mix all ingredients except rolls.
Unroll crescent roll dough; separate into a total of 8 rectangles.  Firmly press perforations together to seal. Spread bacon mixture evenly onto dough; roll up, starting from one of the short ends. Cut each roll crosswise into 4 slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten slightly.
Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Applesauce Muffins

Made these a lot when the kids were little. Oh so good. Thanks for the memories, Janel!

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup applesauce
1 3/4 cup flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter, melted, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 t. cinnamon (for finishing)

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Beat in applesauce.  Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add to butter mixture; stir just enough to moisten.  Spoon into 36 greased tea-sized muffin cups (or use muffin papers.)
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.  While warm, dip tops in butter, then dip in sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Chicken Honey Nut Stir-Fry

Not sure how long this has been sitting in my recipe file, but don't think I've ever made it. Had some chicken and vegetables to use last night so used the sauce in this recipe and it was really good. I used green peppers, summer squash, zucchini, and carrots, cubed chicken, and served in a bowl of brown rice. Delicious!

1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
3/4 cup orange juice
1/3 cup honey
3 T soy sauce
1 T cornstarch
1/4 tsp ground ginger
 2 T oil
2 large carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 cup cashews or peanuts
Hot rice

Combine OJ, honey, soy sauce, cornstarch, and ginger in small bowl and whisk to combine. Heat oil in non-stick pan and saute veggies. Remove, do the same with the chicken. Add back veggies, stir in sauce and heat to thicken. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for a few minutes. Serve over rice.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Tasted this at the neighborhood Christmas party, or the crumbs that were left anyway. Made it the next week and think it's one for the files. See note below. 

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup any flavor FRANK'S® REDHOT® Sauce
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cans (12.5 oz. each) SWANSON® White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
DIRECTIONS: HEAT oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish. Stir until smooth.
MIX in salad dressing, Frank's RedHot Sauce and cheese. Stir in chicken.
BAKE 20 min. or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish as desired. Serve with crackers or vegetables.
TIPS:
Microwave Directions: Prepare as above. Place in microwave-safe dish. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 5 min. until hot, stirring halfway through cooking. Tips: You may substitute 2 cups shredded cooked chicken.
Slow Cooker Method: Combine ingredients as directed above. Place mixture into small slow cooker. Cover pot. Heat on HIGH setting for 1 1/2 hours until hot and bubbly or on LOW setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Stir.
Tailgating Tip: Prepare dip ahead and place in heavy disposable foil pan. Place pan on grill and heat dip until hot and, app bubbly.

12/2021- 2 8 oz cream cheese.  Whip and spread in 9 x 13 pan. Mix shredded chicken (2 16 oz cans) with 1 cup hot sauce and 1 cup blue cheese dressing and some shredded cheddar preferably not pre shredded . Bake @350 for 20 minutes. 

Baked Stuffed Shrimp, simple version

Clipped from Hartford Courant Recipe Exchange many years ago. Nice dish for a holiday buffet.

1 lb medium shrimp, cleaned and deveined
1/2 lb Ritz crackers
1 lb crab meat
1/2 lb melted butter (don't skimp, I tried and regretted it)
1 tsp lemon juice
Paprika
Roll cracker crumbs till  fine. Chop crab meat into small chunks. Add melted butter and lemon juice. Place shrimp in pan, sprinkle dressing over top, and sprinkle with paprika.  Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Makes 6 servings

Sauteed Scallops and Peas

Love the combination of tarragon and peas! This recipe came from Current Customer's Cookbook, a Collection of Favorite Recipes (1984.)

1 lb sea scallops
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 small clove garlic, minced
3 T butter
1 Cup peas, thawed
1/2 tsp dried tarragon leaves
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Hot cooked wild rice
In a large skillet over medium heat, saute scallops, mushrooms, onion, garlic in butter for 10 minutes or till scallops are tender. Add peas, tarragon, salt and pepper. Saute for 2 mintues or until peas are heated through. Serve with rice. Makes 4 servings.

Skinny Crab Quiche

Take this to potlucks, cut into appetizer-size slices. Really good, light meal, recipe from Allrecipes.com

1 (6 ounce) can crabmeat - drained,

flaked and cartilage removed

1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat

Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded zucchini

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1 1/2 cups egg substitute

1 (12 fluid ounce) can fat-free

evaporated milk

3/4 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon salt-free lemon-pepper

seasoning

1 dash paprika

In a bowl, combine the crab, cheese, zucchini and onions. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-in. deep-dish pie plate coated with nonstick cooking spray. In another bowl, combine the egg substitute, milk, mustard, salt and lemon-pepper; mix well. Pour into crust. Sprinkle with paprika.

Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

  

Artichoke Dip

I have to admit I'm probably one of the few people on earth who doesn't drool over artichokes. But I'm a big fan of this appetizer. Always have a can of artichokes on hand and you're good to go for a last minute creation.

1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup mayo
1 cup parmesean cheese
Minced garlic

Preheat oven to 375.  Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Spread into a 9 x 13 pan. Bake 15 - 20 minutes or till bubbly. Scoop with tortilla chips or crackers.

Pasta al Forno

I was a bit concerned about adding cinnamon to pasta but it really gave it a nice kick. Might add more tomatoes. Another Giada favorite.

• 1 pound ziti rigate
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can, crushed or diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 pinches ground cinnamon
• Salt and pepper
• 3 ounces prosciutto, 1 thick slice from deli, chopped
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Softened butter to coat a medium casserole or baking dish
  
  
  
  Bring large pot of water to boil, then salt and cook pasta to al dente on the chewy side, 7 minutes. Once your pasta water comes to a boil to cook ziti, preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
  To medium skillet over medium heat add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan. Cook onions and garlic in oil 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a bubble. Add cream and season sauce with cinnamon, salt and pepper. Add chopped prosciutto to sauce and stir with cooked pasta to combine. Coat a medium casserole with the butter. Adjust seasonings and transfer pasta to casserole. Cover pasta with Parmigiano-Reggiano and place in the oven for 10 minutes. Serve hot from oven.
  
  

Valerie's Fruit Dip

Don't have a clue who Valerie is but found this on allrecipes.com and it always gets a thumbs up. Spear your favorite fruit on a toothpick and dip away!

1 (3.4 oz) pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (8 oz) container cool whip, thawed
1 (8 0z) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup whole milk
In a medium bowl. mix together the pudding, cool whip, cream cheese, sugar and milk. Chill. Serve cold.

Italian Quesadillas

Yummy creation from Food Network's Giada De Laurentiis. Made these for dinner, snack, and even while tailgating! Add chicken to make this more of a meal.

• 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 9 (8-inch-diameter) flour tortillas
• 3 cups shredded Fontina
• 3/4 cup jarred roasted red bell peppers, drained well and patted dry
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
• 1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan, plus 3 tablespoons for garnish
  
  
  
  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and sugar, and cook until the onions are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Season the onions, to taste, with salt and pepper; set aside.
  
  Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
  
  Sprinkle some Fontina over half of a tortilla. Arrange some bell peppers and sauteed onions on top of the Fontina. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and Parmesan. Sprinkle more Fontina over. Fold the clean half over the filling to cover and press gently to seal. Repeat with remaining tortillas evenly dividing the filling ingredients.
  
  Heat 1 tablespoon oil on a heavy large griddle over medium heat. Working in batches, cook the quesadillas until the cheese melts and the tortillas are golden brown, adding more oil as needed, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the quesadillas to baking sheets and keep them warm in the oven while cooking the remaining quesadillas.
  
  Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges. Arrange them on a platter. Garnish the platter with parsley sprigs and serve.
  
  Do-Ahead Tip: The quesadillas can be assembled up to 8 hours ahead. Arrange them on a baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
  
  
  
  

Chilled Chocolate Tortoni

Make extra to keep on hand in the freezer.

1 package (8 oz) Bakers semi sweet chocolate
2/3 cup Karo light or dark corn syrup
2 cups heavy cream, divided
1 1/2 cups broken chocolate wafers or other crisp cookies
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Line 12 (2 1/2") muffin cups with paper liners. In a 3 quart
saucepan, stir chocolate and corn syrup over low heat, just until
chocolate melts, remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream until
blended. Refrigerate 15min or until cool. Beat remaining cream until
soft peaks form, gently stir into chocolate mixture. Stir in cookies
and nuts, spoon into muffin cups. Freeze 4-6 hours, or until firm.
Garnish as desired. Let stand a few minutes before serving. Store
covered in freezer up to 1 month. Makes 12.

Summer Corn, Bacon and Potato Chowder

This is a great Weight Watchers recipe. Substantial soup for a winter afternoon too!

1 medium uncooked Yukon Gold potato
1 spray cooking spray
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup onions, chopped
4 pieces corn on the cob, or canned corn
1 cup sweet red pepper, diced
4 oz canadian stlye bacon, diced (optional)
2 cups fat free skim milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Pierce potato in several places with a fork; microwave on high power until tender, turning over once, about 8 minutes. Allow to cool; peel and mash.
Meanwhile, coat a large saucepan with cooking spray. Add celery, onion, corn and red pepper; sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
Stir bacon and milk into saucepan; stir in mashed potato and mix well. Season with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce; stir to combine. Cover and simmer 10 minutes (do not allow to boil). Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
Feel free to substitute your favorite fresh vegetables like asparagus and broccoli for the red pepper. Or to save time, substitute 2 cups of frozen corn and 1 cup of frozen, diced bell pepper for the fresh corn and red pepper.

Summer Corn, Bacon and Potato Chowder

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Saw Alton Brown make this on Food Network. Have tried a million recipes and this is the first to satisfy! Remember to save leftovers for fried Macaroni and Cheese.

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon powdered mustard
3 cups milk
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 large egg
12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper

Topping:
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.
Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

Limoncello Martini

It's been a long, cold, dreary week and I couldn't wait to get home and try one of these Limoncello Martinis.  Kevin treated me to a bottle of Limoncello for Christmas and it's been chilling in the fridge waiting for day like today. It's very sweet, not sour at all.  So the pure lemon juice in this recipe helps balance out the flavors.  Hope you savor these as much as I did.

Limoncello Martini

• 2 oz citrus vodka
• 2 oz Limoncello
• Juice of 1/2 large lemon
• Sugar

1. Rub cut lemon along the ridge of a martini glass.  Dip glass edge in sugar.
2. Fill a martini shaker with ice.  Add vodka, Limoncello, and lemon juice.  Shake until well blended.
   
3. Pour mixture into sugar-rimmed glass, and serve with a lemon rind twist.

Spinach Apple Toss

2 bags (10 oz) spinach
2 tart red apples, sliced and diced
8 slices bacon, crisply fried and crumbled
2/3 cup salad dressing or mayo
1/3 cup frozen oj concentrate, thawed

Wash and dry spinach leaves, tear into bite-size pieces. Combine spinach, apples, and bacon. Mix salad dressing & oj; pour over spinach/apple mixture and toss lightly. 8 servings

Scones

Patty Macko shared this with me many years ago. Decadent and such a treat.

1/2 lb butter, softened
6 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 tbs baking powder
6 eggs
1/2 cup half & half - add a little water if dry
2 c. fruit (prunes, apricots, blueberries, raisins)

Combine all ingredients in large mixer bowl. Cut into 2 sections. Pat until 3/4" thick. Cut into wedges. Brush with egg. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake on cookie sheet (parchment paper) at 400 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes.

(from another recipe) place the separated wedges on parchment lined sheet.  Brush with cream, and sprinkle with Turbinado sugar (substitute with light brown sugar.)

Strawberry Torte

Made this cake for the first time at a Newcomers Gourmet Group, probably in the '90's! Great summer dessert and great to have on hand in the freezer. One of Tara's favorites!

2  8" cake layers (cherry chip or white)
1 1/2 qt strawberry ice cream, softened
1 1lb pkg strawberries, thawed
2 Tbs cornstarch
3 tsp lemon juice
3 Tbs sugar

Bake, cook, & split cake into 4 layers. Spread ice cream between layers (3 layers ice cream, 4 layers cake.) Cover and freeze till firm.
Puree strawberries and blend in a saucepan with remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil, stirring. Simmer until it turns to a clear consistency and thickens. Cool. Spread on cake just before serving.

Ina Garten's Fruit Salad with Limoncello

7 ounces Greek yogurt (recommended: Fage Total)
1/3 cup good bottled lemon curd
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sliced strawberries (1 pint)
1 cup raspberries (1/2 pint)
1 cup blueberries (1/2 pint)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons limoncello liqueur
1 banana, sliced
Fresh mint springs

For the lemon yogurt topping, whisk together the yogurt, lemon curd, honey, and vanilla and set aside at room temperature.

For the fruit salad, carefully toss together the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, sugar, and limoncello. Allow them to stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes to let the berries macerate with the sugar and liqueur. Gently fold the banana into the mixture.

Serve bowls of fruit with a dollop of lemon yogurt on top. Top each with a sprig of fresh mint.

Giada's Shrimp Fra Diavolo

This is so easy to make and so good. Always keep a bag of shrimp in the freezer to make this special dish.

1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons
1 medium onion, sliced
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup dry white wine
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
3 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
3 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt and red pepper flakes. Heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute for about a minute, toss, and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a large plate; set aside. Add the onion to the same skillet, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan, if necessary, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the tomato mixture; toss to coat, and cook for about a minute so the flavors meld together. Stir in the parsley and basil. Season with more salt, to taste, and serve.

Giada's Chicken Piccata

Quick dish! Not the lightest dish but it's easy and good. I do cut down on the butter by using a non-stick pan but the lemon/butter sauce is very tasty.

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

1 Point Chili

This is the recipe as written from Weight Watchers. Look to the bottom for variation. The cornbread addition is really good - came from a different "company's coming" chili recipe but I think it would be fine to add to this.

10 oz lean ground turkey
1 med onion, diced
2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes
2 med. zucchini, diced
2 med. yellow squash, diced
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed
1 (15 0z) FF RS beef broth
4 celery stalks, diced
2 green peppers, diced
1 pkg dry chilli seasoning (1 1/4 oz)

Spray large nonstick skillet with Pam, set on med. heat, add turkey, onion, saute till browned.  Drain. Add tomatoes, zucchini, squash, beans, broth, celery, peppers, seasoning. Bring to simmer over med heat. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.  1 Cup = 1 WW point

Variations:

• Prepare one 8 1/2 oz package of cornbread as directed on package. Stir in 1/4 cup shredded cheese and 1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce. Spoon over hot chili and spread evenly so that chili is completely covered. Sprinkle lightly with chili powder. Microwave  uncovered on high for 7 - 9 minutes or put in 400 oven and cook until cornbread is firm, about 15 minutes. Let sit for 5 - 10 minutes before serving.
  
• Add diced green chillies, 1-12 oz bottle of beer, and 1 T hot pepper sauce

Stephanie's Summer Salsa

Marilyn brought this to a wine tasting at the vineyard in Wallingford. It was so refreshing on a warm summer afternoon. I'm embarassed to say how many times I asked her for the recipe - I kept misplacing it, so last time I saved  it electronically, and put copies in every file I had. Here it is, word for word...

We usually wing it, mix more to taste.  I really have no idea the proportions of vegetables.  I would say fill your container 2/3 of the way with diced tomatoes, then the rest with equal parts of vidalia onion, pepper (I usually like yellow or orange because they are sweeter and for color contrast), one small can of corn, beans (if you like, usually half can), also can add diced mango if you like.  I usually just pour the liquids, but I use apple cider vinegar, splash of olive oil, salt, pepper, and minced garlic to your taste.  I usually will pour some of the juice from the minced garlic you buy in the grocery store in.  Then let it sit and the tomatoes will sweat, re-season to taste.  There are no set vegetables and proportions.  Its kind of a matter of taste.  Steph uses the beans and I don't.  Its all preference.

Minestrone

My mother-in-law passed this on to me many years ago, clipped from some magazine or another. An old standby.

½ c olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 tsp chopped parsley
1 9 oz can tomato paste
10 oz beef broth
9 cups water
1 cup chopped cabbage
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1/8 tsp sage
1 1lb can kidney beans
1 large zucchini, thinly sliced
1 cup frozen or canned peas or green beans
1 cup elbow macaroni

Heat oil in large pot. Add garlic, onion, celery and parsley; cook until soft. Stir in tomato paste and next 7 ingredients. Mix well, bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer slowly 1 hour. Add remaining ingredients. Cook until pasta is cooked, 10 -15 minutes. Serve piping hot. Makes 8 generous servings.