Recipes...Special Delivery!

Green Beans with Tangy Mustard Sauce
(Anna Kate)

1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp country-style Dijon mustard
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 (12-oz) pkg fresh green beans*

Whisk together first six ingredients in a small bowl until well blended.  Prepare green beans according to package directions.  Toss green beans with desired amount of dressing.

*1 (12-oz) pkg frozen cut green beans may be substituted.

Dinner Salad with Cranberries and Pecans (from Tables of Content)
(Virginia)

1 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 tsp dry mustard
8 oz spring salad mix
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Spread the pecans in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate lined with waxed paper.  Microwave on High for 1 minute and stir.  Microwave for 20 seconds longer if needed to toast the pecans. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and dry mustard in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and seal tightly.  Shake to combine.  Toss the pecans, salad mix, cranberries and cheese in a salad bowl.  Add 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette and toss to coat.  Taste and add additional vinaigrette if desired.  Serve immediately.  Store the remaining vinaigrette in the refrigerator.

BBQ Pork
(Ashley)

3 lbs boneless pork butt roast (trimmed of fat)
12 oz can of cola of choice
1 bottle favorite BBQ sauce

Place pork butt roast and cola in slow cooker and cook on Low for 6-8 hours.  Remove from heat and shred the meat.  Reserve juices.  Return meat to slow cooker and add a bottle of favorite BBQ sauce.  Add some of the reserved juices to make a medium-thick sauce.  Cook on low for an additional 30-60 minutes.  Serve alone or on buns.

Skinny Baked Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese
(Caron)

12 oz high fiber elbows like Ronzoni Smart Taste
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp light butter
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup minced onion
2 cups skim milk
1 cup fat free chicken broth (vegetarians use vegetable broth)
8 oz (2 cups) Sargento shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar
salt and fresh pepper to taste
12 oz fresh broccoli florets (can use a pre-cut bag)
1/8 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
cooking spray

Cook pasta and broccoli together in a large pot of salted water, according to package directions for al dente (or slightly under, cook 2 minutes).  Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 375.

In a large, heavy snack, melt butters.  Add onion and cook over low heat about 2 minutes, add flour and cook another minute, or until the flour is golden and well combined.  Add milk and chicken broth and whisk, raising heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil; cook about 5 minutes or until the sauce becomes smooth and thick.  Season with salt and pepper.

Once the sauce is thick, remove from heat, add cheese and mix well until cheese is melted.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste, add cooked macaroni and broccoli and mix well.  Pour into prepared baking dish.  Top with grated cheese and breadcrumbs.  Spray a little more cooking spray on top.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, then broil for a few minutes to get the breadcrumbs golden.

Baked Manicotti with Sausage from "Cooks Illustrated" January 1, 2007
(Liz)

Tomato Sauce:
2 (28-oz) cans diced tomatoes (in juice)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb Italian sausage, hot or sweet, casings removed
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tbsp)
1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes, optional
table salt
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Cheese Filling and Pasta:
3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
4 oz grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, chopped
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
16 no-boil lasagna noodles*

For the sauce: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375.  Pulse 1 can tomatoes with their juice in food processor until coarsely chopped, 3 or 4 pulses.  Transfer to bowl.  Repeat with remaining can tomatoes.  Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to break sausage into 1/2-inch pieces, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes.  Add garlic and pepper flakes (if using) to sausage, and cook until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes and 1/2 tsp salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.  Stir in basil; adjust seasoning with salt.

For the cheese filling: Combine ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan, mozzarella, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs in medium bowl, set aside.

To assemble: Pour 1 incho boiling water into 13x9-inch broiler-safe baking dish, then add noodles one at a time.  Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of sharp knife to prevent sticking.  Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on clean kitchen towels.  Discard water in baking dish and dry baking dish.  Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce.  Using soup spoon, spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto bottom three-quarters of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed.  Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down.  Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is completely covered.

Cover manicotti with aluminum foil.  Bake until bubbling, about 40 minutes, then remove foil.  Remove baking dish, adjust oven rack to uppermost position (about 6 inches from heating element), and heat broiler.  Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 cup Parmesan.  Broil until cheese is spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes.  Cool and serve.

Note: The manicotti can be prepared up to 3 days before serving, covered with a sheet of parchment paper and wrapped in aluminum foil.  This dish can also be frozen for up to a month.  If frozen, thaw the manicotti in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days).  To bake, remove the parchment, replace the aluminum foil, and increase baking time to 1 to 1 and 1/4 hours.

*Cooks Illustrated prefers Barilla no-boil lasagna noodles for their delicate texture resembling fresh pasta.  Note that Pasta Defino and Ronzoni brands contain only 12 no-boil noodles per package; the recipe requires 16 oodles.

Crusted Honey Mustard Chicken (from Weight Watchers)
(Dede)

1 spray cooking spray
2/3 cup lite honey mustard dressing
1/8 tsp table salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dill, freshly chopped
1 medium uncooked scallion, finely sliced
1 cup cornflake crumbs
1 lb uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts or 4 (4-oz) pieces

Preheat oven to 425.  Coat a shallow pan with cooking spray.  In a small bowl, combine honey mustard dressing, salt, pepper, dill and scallions; remove 1/3 cup and set aside.  Place cornflake crumbs in a shallow bowl.  Dip chicken into dressing mixture and then cornflake crumbs; place in prepared pan.  Bake until chicken is golden and no longer pink in center, about 15 minutes.  Drizzle remaining dressing mixture (the 1/3 cup that was set aside) over chicken breasts and serve.  Yield 1 piece of chicken and about 1/3 tbsp of dressing per serving.

Southern Camp Stew (from "Cooking Light")
(Melanie)

1 1/2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn
1 cup chicken stock (such as Swanson)
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 cup no-salt-added tomato paste
1 (14.5-oz) can no-salt added diced tomatoes
1 (15.25-oz) can medium-size green lima beans, rinsed and drained
2 tsp hot sauce (optional)
1 small rotisserie chicken

Combine first 7 ingredients and hot sauce, if desired, in a large Dutch oven.  Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes.  While soup simmers, skin and bone chicken.  Shred chicken to measure 3 1/2 cups; add chicken to soup.  Cook 3 minutes.  Yield: 6 servings (serving size = 1 cup).