Chocolate Fudge Pie

Ingredients

• 1/2  (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
• 1  cup  packed brown sugar
• 1/2  cup  unsweetened cocoa
• 1  tablespoon  all-purpose flour
• 3/4  cup  2% reduced-fat milk
• 1/3  cup  light-colored corn syrup
• 1  tablespoon  butter, melted
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 2  large eggs
• 2  large egg whites
• 1  cup  frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
• 1/2  teaspoon  unsweetened cocoa (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Fold edges under; flute. Place pie plate in freezer until ready to use.

Combine brown sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, and flour in a large bowl. Combine milk and next 5 ingredients (milk through egg whites); stir with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to brown sugar mixture; stir until combined.

Pour mixture into crust. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until just set. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Cover; chill at least 4 hours. Spread whipped topping evenly over filling; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon cocoa, if desired.

Wasabi and Panko-Crusted Pork with Gingered Soy Sauce

Ingredients

• 2/3  cup  panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1  large egg white, lightly beaten
• 4  (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
• 1  teaspoon  peanut oil
• Cooking spray
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 1  tablespoon  bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
• 1/3  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2  tablespoons  sake or dry sherry
• 2  tablespoons  low-sodium soy sauce
• 2  teaspoons  sugar
• 1  teaspoon  wasabi paste
• 1/3  cup  thinly sliced green onions

Preparation

Place panko in a shallow dish. Place egg white in another shallow dish. Dip pork in egg white; dredge in panko.

Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat; add pork. Cook for 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove pork from pan; sprinkle with salt.

Reduce heat to medium. Add ginger to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Combine broth and the next 4 ingredients (through wasabi) in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in green onions. Spoon sauce over pork.

Apricot Pork Chops

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 4  (4-ounce) boneless loin pork chops
• 1/4  cup  prechopped onion
• 1/4  cup  apricot preserves
• 1  tablespoon  low-sodium soy sauce
• 2  teaspoons  bottled minced garlic
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  cup  sliced green onions

Preparation

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm.

Add prechopped onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in preserves, soy sauce, garlic, and salt; cook 3 minutes or until thickened. Add pork to pan, turning to coat. Sprinkle with green onions.

Pork Chops with Ginger Cherry Sauce

Ingredients

• 1  teaspoon  dark sesame oil
• 4  (4-ounce) center-cut boneless pork chops, trimmed
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2  cup  cherry preserves
• 2  teaspoons  low-sodium soy sauce
• 1  teaspoon  bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
• 1  teaspoon  seasoned rice vinegar

Preparation

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper; add to pan. Cook 4 minutes on each side; remove pork from pan.

Combine preserves and remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Add preserves mixture to pan; reduce heat, and cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Return pork to pan; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 4  baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 2/3  cup  all-purpose flour
• 6  cups  2% reduced-fat milk
• 1  cup  (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1  cup  reduced-fat sour cream
• 3/4  cup  chopped green onions, divided
• 6  bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash. Discard skins.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.

Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Sprinkle each serving with cheese, onions, and bacon.

Shrimp Florentine with Caramelized Garlic

Ingredients

1/2  teaspoon  kosher salt

20  garlic cloves, peeled

Cooking spray

2  teaspoons  olive oil

1  pound  medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1  teaspoon  butter

3/4  cup  half-and-half

1/2  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1/3  cup  (about 1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese

1/4  teaspoon  salt

1/4  teaspoon  crushed red pepper

1/8  teaspoon  black pepper

2  cups  frozen loose-leaf spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry

4  cups  hot cooked linguine (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare garlic, combine 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and garlic in a bowl. Place garlic mixture on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.

To prepare shrimp, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; sauté 3 minutes or until done. Remove shrimp from pan.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Stir in half-and-half, broth, cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, red pepper, and black pepper. Cook 1 minute or until cheese melts, stirring constantly. Stir in shrimp and spinach; cook 1 minute. Combine shrimp mixture, garlic mixture, and pasta in a large bowl; toss well. Serve immediately.

Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine

Ingredients

1  teaspoon  olive oil

Cooking spray

3  cups  thinly sliced mushrooms

1  cup  chopped onion

1  cup  chopped red bell pepper

3  cups  chopped fresh spinach

1  tablespoon  chopped fresh oregano

1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

1  (16-ounce) carton 2% low-fat cottage cheese

4  cups  hot cooked penne (about 8 ounces uncooked tube-shaped pasta)

2  cups  shredded roasted skinless, boneless chicken breast

1  cup  (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, divided

1/2  cup  (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided

1/2  cup  2% reduced-fat milk

1  (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup, undiluted

Preheat oven to 425°.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add spinach, oregano, and black pepper; sauté 3 minutes or just until spinach wilts.

Place cottage cheese in a food processor; process until very smooth. Combine spinach mixture, cottage cheese, pasta, chicken, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, milk, and soup in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Cheese

Ingredients

1  (1-pound) package uncooked ziti (short tube-shaped pasta)

1  pound  hot turkey Italian sausage links

1  cup  chopped onion

2  garlic cloves, minced

1  tablespoon  tomato paste

1/4  teaspoon  salt

1/4  teaspoon  black pepper

2  (14.5-ounce) cans petite-diced tomatoes, undrained

1/4  cup  chopped fresh basil

Cooking spray

1  cup  (4 ounces) shredded fresh mozzarella cheese

1  cup  (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain the pasta, and set aside.

Remove casings from sausage. Cook sausage, onion, and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine cooked pasta, sausage mixture, and basil. Place half of the pasta mixture in a 4-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with half of mozzarella and half of Parmesan. Repeat layers. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Country-Fried Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients

3  tablespoons  milk

2  large egg whites

1/3  cup  all-purpose flour

1/2  teaspoon  onion powder

1/2  teaspoon  salt

1/4  teaspoon  garlic powder

1/4  teaspoon  black pepper

4  (4-ounce) sirloin cubed steaks

2  teaspoons  vegetable oil

2 2/3  cups  frozen mashed potatoes (such as Ore Ida)

1 1/3  cups  fat-free milk

2  cups  mushrooms, quartered

2 1/2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour

1/4  teaspoon  salt

1  (14-ounce) can fat-free, low-salt beef broth

Combine 3 tablespoons milk and egg whites in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Combine 1/3 cup flour and next 4 ingredients (1/3 cup flour through pepper) in a shallow dish. Working with 1 steak at a time, dip in egg mixture; dredge in flour mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining steaks, egg mixture, and flour mixture.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove steaks from pan; keep warm.

While steaks cook, prepare mashed potatoes according to package directions, using 1 1/3 cups milk. Keep warm.

Add mushrooms to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Combine 2 1/2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and broth, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spoon over steaks. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Jambalaya with Shrimp and Andouille Sausage

Ingredients

1  tablespoon  olive oil

1  cup  chopped onion

1  cup  chopped red bell pepper

1  tablespoon  minced garlic

6  ounces  andouille sausage, sliced

1  cup  uncooked long-grain white rice

1  teaspoon  paprika

1  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

1  teaspoon  dried oregano

1/2  teaspoon  onion powder

1/2  teaspoon  dried thyme

1/4  teaspoon  garlic salt

1  bay leaf

2  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

3/4  cup  water

1  tablespoon  tomato paste

1/2  teaspoon  hot pepper sauce

1  (14.5-ounce) can no salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

1/2  pound  peeled and deveined medium shrimp

2  tablespoons  chopped fresh parsley

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, minced garlic, and sausage; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add rice and the next 7 ingredients (through bay leaf); cook 2 minutes. Add broth, water, tomato paste, hot pepper sauce, and diced tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Add shrimp; cook 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Stir in parsley.

Beef Bourguignonne with Egg Noodles

Ingredients

1/3  cup  all-purpose flour

2  teaspoons  salt, divided

3/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper, divided

2 1/4  pounds  beef stew meat

3  bacon slices, chopped and divided

1  cup  chopped onion

1  cup  sliced carrot

4  garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2  cups  dry red wine

1  (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth

8  cups  halved mushrooms (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2  tablespoons  tomato paste

2  teaspoons  chopped fresh thyme

2  bay leaves

1  (16-ounce) package frozen pearl onions

7  cups  hot cooked medium egg noodles (about 6 cups uncooked noodles)

3  tablespoons  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Combine flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add beef; seal and shake to coat.

Cook half of bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon; set aside. Add half of beef mixture to drippings in pan; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove beef from pan; cover and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining bacon and beef mixture. Remove beef from pan; cover and keep warm.

Add chopped onion, sliced carrot, and minced garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in red wine and broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add bacon, beef, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, mushrooms, tomato paste, chopped thyme, bay leaves, and pearl onions; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Uncover and cook 1 hour or until beef is tender. Discard bay leaves. Serve beef mixture over noodles; sprinkle with parsley.

Pasta with Roasted Shiitakes and Tomato Puree

Ingredients

1  tablespoon  olive oil

3  garlic cloves, unpeeled

1  pound  shiitake mushrooms, stems removed

1  pound  plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

1  small onion, quartered

1  teaspoon  kosher salt

1  teaspoon  dried rosemary

1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

1/2  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

4  cups  hot cooked orecchiette pasta (about 8 ounces uncooked "little ears" pasta)

1/4  cup  chopped fresh parsley

1  tablespoon  chopped fresh chives

1/2  cup  (2 ounces) shaved fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a shallow roasting pan, and toss well. Sprinkle with salt, rosemary, and pepper. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Squeeze garlic cloves to extract pulp; discard skins. Place garlic pulp, onion, tomatoes, and chicken broth in a food processor; process until well blended.

Combine mushrooms, tomato mixture, pasta, parsley, and chives in a large bowl, tossing well. Sprinkle with cheese.

Grilled Pastrami-Style Salmon

Ingredients

1  tablespoon  dark brown sugar

1  teaspoon  kosher salt

1  teaspoon  garlic powder

1  teaspoon  ground ginger

1  teaspoon  ground coriander

1  teaspoon  coarsely ground black pepper

1/4  to 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1  (1 1/2-pound) center-cut salmon fillet

1/2  teaspoon  olive oil

Cooking spray

Prepare grill.

Combine first 7 ingredients. Place salmon fillet, skin side down, on a cutting board or work surface; brush evenly with olive oil. Sprinkle spice mixture evenly over salmon; gently rub mixture into fish. Cover lightly with plastic wrap, and chill 15 minutes.

Place fish, skin side down, on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Hamburger, Cheddar, and Macaroni Toss

Ingredients

1 1/2  cups  uncooked medium elbow macaroni

Cooking spray

3/4  pound  ground round

1  cup  chopped yellow onion

2  garlic cloves, minced

2  tablespoons  tomato paste

1 1/2  teaspoons  chili powder

1  teaspoon  paprika

1/2  teaspoon  dried oregano

1  (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green peppers and onions, undrained

1  cup  (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

1/4  teaspoon  salt

1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

Prepare macaroni in a Dutch oven according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and set aside.

Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef; cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove beef with a slotted spoon. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, chili powder, paprika, oregano, and tomatoes; cook 2 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally. Stir in macaroni, beef, and 3/4 cup cheese; cook 1 minute or until cheese melts. Stir in salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cheese over each serving.

Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil, divided

4 cups broccoli florets

1 tablespoon ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World), divided

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips

1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon cornstarch

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped salted peanuts

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and 2 teaspoons ginger to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add water. Cover; cook 2 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Remove broccoli from pan; keep warm.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in pan; add remaining 1 teaspoon ginger, crushed red pepper, and chicken. Cook 4 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned, stirring frequently.

Combine broth and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl, and stir with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Return broccoli mixture to pan; toss to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts.

Cinnamon-Spiced Pork and Plums

Ingredients

1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon

1/4  teaspoon  salt

1/4  teaspoon  ground cloves

1/4  teaspoon  coarsely ground black pepper

4  (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)

1  teaspoon  olive oil

1/4  cup  finely chopped shallots

1  teaspoon  butter

1  cup  pitted dried plums, halved (about 4 ounces)

1/3  cup  dry white wine

1/3  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

2  tablespoons  chopped fresh parsley

Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly over pork. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork, and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Add shallots and butter; cook 30 seconds or until butter melts, stirring frequently. Add plums, wine, and broth, turning pork to coat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 2 minutes or until pork is done. Sprinkle with parsley.

Frittata with Smoked Cheese and Canadian Bacon

Ingredients

Cooking spray

1 1/2  cups  frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes (such as Ore-Ida)

1/2  cup  chopped onion

1/3  cup  diced Canadian bacon (about 2 ounces)

1/2  teaspoon  salt

1/2  teaspoon  hot sauce (such as Tabasco)

1/8  teaspoon  black pepper

4  large eggs

4  large egg whites

1/4  cup  (1 ounce) shredded smoked cheddar or smoked mozzarella cheese

2  tablespoons  chopped green onions

Green onion strips (optional)

Preheat broiler.

Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add potatoes, onion, and bacon; saute 8 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown. Remove from pan. Wipe pan clean with paper towels; recoat with cooking spray. Combine salt, hot sauce, pepper, eggs, and egg whites in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in potato mixture, cheese, and chopped green onions.

Heat pan over medium heat. Pour in egg mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 3 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned, lifting edges and tilting skillet as eggs cook to allow uncooked portion to flow underneath cooked portion.

Wrap handle of pan with foil. Broil 2 minutes or until top is lightly browned and set. Garnish with green onion strips, if desired.

Homemade Ravioli with Ricotta Cheese Filling

Ingredients

1.5 cups Ricotta cheese

1 10 ounce package frozen chopped Spinach; thawed and drained (optional)

1/2 cup Grated parmesan cheese

2 Egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon Pepper

2 tablespoons softened butter

1 egg

Grated parmesan cheese

1 Recipe Jeff's homemade pasta

1 Recipe Jeff's homemade pasta sauce

4 qt Water

Combine ricotta cheese, spinach, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, egg yolks, 2 tablespoons butter, salt, and peppser.  Stir well to combine.  Set aside.

Beat 1 egg in a bowl, set aside for egg wash.

Follow directions from the homemade pasta recipe to prepare dough but stop before you cut the pasts into desired shapes.  At this point you should have thin sheets of pasta dough.

Dust the counter and dough with flour, and lay out each long sheet of pasta. Brush the top surface of dough with egg wash. Drop 1 tablespoon of cooled filling about 2 inches apart on half the sheet of pasta. Fold the unfilled half over the filling. With an espresso cup or finger, gently press out air pockets around each mound of filling and form a seal. Use a crimper to cut each pillow into squares. Check to make sure the crimped edges are well sealed before cooking.  Each sheet should make 10-12 raviolis.

If making ravioli in advance, dust with cornmeal to prevent them from sticking and refrigerate.

When ready, cook the ravioli in plenty of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes. Ravioli will float to the top when cooked so be careful not to overcrowd the pot. Lift the ravioli from water with a large strainer or slotted spoon

Plate the pasta, top with Jeff's homemade pasta sauce and grated parmesan cheese before serving.

This recipe with Jeff's homemade pasta recipe should make between 30-35 big raviolis or 45-50 small raviolis (depending on how much ricotta cheese filling you add to each ravioli).

5-6 big raviolis equals 1 good serving.

Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

8 cups beef stock (or substitute canned beef stock or broth)
1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 shallots, diced (or 1/2 red onion)

0.5 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced

0.5 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered

1 pound white mushrooms, quartered

16 oz orzo pasta or Arborio rice

sea salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup finely chopped chives

5 tablespoons butter, divided

2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese (optional)

1/2 cup chopped green onions, for garnish

In a saucepan, combine the beef stock, wine, and soy sauce.  Warm over low heat.  Don't boil.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook garlic for 1 minute.  Add onions, cook 1 minute.  Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 15-20 minutes. Remove mushroom mixture and liquid, set aside.

Add 3 tablespoons of the butter and rice/orzo.  Stir to coat, cook a few minutes until rice/orzo begins to brown.

Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice/orzo, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice/orzo is al dente, about 20 minutes.

Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, 2 tablespoons butter, chives, parmesan, and mascarpone (if desired). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Top with chopped green onions and serve.