Roasted-Pepper-Pasta-Stuffed Peppers

Recipe & picture courtesy of Rachael Ray

Serves 4

• Salt
• 1/2 pound short whole wheat pasta
• 4 large red bell peppers, tops cut off and reserved, seeds
• Black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for drizzling
• 4 jarred roasted red peppers
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 small portobello mushroom caps, chopped
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 sprigs rosemary, stems discarded and leaves chopped
• One 28-ounce can fire-roasted crushed or diced tomatoes
• 2 cups arugula or baby spinach (a few generous handfuls)
• 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
• 1 cup grated pecorino-romano cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente.
2. Trim the bottoms of the bell peppers, without cutting a hole, so that they stand. Season inside with salt and black pepper. Turn the peppers bottom side up in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, set the tops alongside and drizzle with EVOO. Roast for 20 minutes.
3. Using a food processor, puree the roasted red peppers. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add the red onion, garlic, mushrooms, crushed red pepper and rosemary and cook until softened, 7 minutes. Stir in the pureed peppers and the fire-roasted tomatoes; season with salt and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pasta and toss. Add the arugula and basil and cook until wilted.
4. Preheat the broiler. Turn the peppers upright; fill with pasta. Top with the cheese and broil until melted, 2 minutes. Cover with the tops and serve with any extra pasta.

**Personal Review: No Review Yet**

Hot Spinach Dip

Recipe & picture courtesy of Kraft Foods

Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 30 min
Makes: 16 servings, 2 Tbsp. each

• 1 pkg (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp chopped roasted red peppers

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients.
2. Spoon into 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish.
3. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with assorted NABISCO Crackers.

**Personal Review: No Review Yet**

Provolone and Ham Melt

Recipe & picture courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens

Makes: 4 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes

• 8 slices thick-cut multigrain, whole wheat, poppy seed, white, or pumpernickel bread
• Margarine or butter, softened
• 4 teaspoons mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 4 ounces provolone and/or cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
• 1/2 of a 7-ounce jar roasted red sweet peppers, well drained
• 1/2 of a small pear or apple, thinly sliced, or 2 canned pineapple rings, well drained and patted dry
• 4 ounces thinly sliced cooked ham or prosciutto
• 2 tablespoons mango chutney
• Fresh fruit, such as sliced pears and apples, pineapple wedges, or grapes (optional)

1. Spread one side of each bread slice with margarine or butter. Place four bread slices, buttered sides down, on griddle. Spread mayonnaise on the four slices on the griddle. Top with provolone cheese. Top two of the bread slices with red sweet peppers and two with slices of fruit. Top all four with ham or prosciutto.
2. Cut up large pieces of chutney; spread the unbuttered sides of four remaining bread slices with chutney. Place over bread slices on griddle, buttered sides up.
3. Cook sandwiches over medium heat about 4 minutes each side or until bread is toasted and cheese is melted, turning once halfway through cooking. Serve with additional fruit slices, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

**Personal Review: No Review Yet**

Italian Steak Pinwheels

Recipe & picture courtesy of Rachael Ray

SERVES 4
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 6 min

• One 1 1/2-pound flank steak
• Salt and pepper
• 3 jarred roasted bell peppers
• 20 fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced ¼ inch thick
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. Soak 4 wooden skewers in water. Preheat a grill to medium. Lay the steak flat on a work surface and season with salt and pepper. Split the roasted peppers and lay flat on the meat, leaving a 1-inch border at both short ends. Layer the basil and mozzarella on top; season with salt and pepper. Roll up the steak, beginning with a short end, and secure with the skewers, pushed all the way through and evenly spaced apart. Cut the roll crosswise, between the skewers, into 4 equal pinwheels. Lay each one flat.
2. Drizzle the cut sides of each pinwheel with the olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
3. Grill, covered, turning once, for about 6 minutes.

**Personal Review: Ok – this was next to impossible to roll up, it was very entertaining to watch several different people try.  I would recommend using a meat mallet to flatten it, making it easier to roll or to slice the steak in half lenghtwise.  We ended up just cooking the steak on the grill and then putting everything else on top of it and broiling it until the cheese melted.  It tasted great though!**

Zucchini Casserole with Red-Pepper Aioli

Recipe & picture courtesy of My Recipes

Makes 4 servings

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 cups sliced onion
• 6 (1/2-inch-thick) slices diagonally cut Italian bread (about 6 ounces), toasted
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Cooking spray
• 1 pound zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1 (15.75-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup Red-Pepper Aioli (recipe to follow)

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 15 minutes or until golden brown.
3. Cut 2 bread slices into 1-inch cubes; set aside. Drain tomatoes in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/2 cup liquid; discard remaining liquid. Place tomatoes in a medium bowl. Stir in basil, thyme, pepper, and garlic.
4. Place 1/2 cup onion in the bottom of a 3-quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 2 bread slices, half of the remaining onion, half of the tomato mixture, half of the zucchini, and half of the cheese over onion in dish. Repeat layer; top with bread cubes. Pour 1/2 cup reserved tomato liquid and broth over casserole. Cover and bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover casserole and bake an additional 25 minutes or until top begins to brown.
5. Spoon 2 cups casserole into each of 4 shallow bowls; top each serving with 1 tablespoon Red-Pepper Aioli.

Red-Pepper Aioli

Makes 1 cup

• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained 

1. Drop garlic through food chute with food processor on. Process until finely minced. Add the remaining ingredients, and process until well-combined.

**Personal Review: No Review Yet**

Crustless Tex-Mex Meatloaf-Cheddar Pie

Recipe & picture courtesy of Rachael Ray

SERVES 8
Prep Time: 20 min
Bake Time: 45 min 
 

• One 16-ounce jar fire-roasted red peppers drained, split and seeded
• 12 ounces shredded Mexican cheese blend (3 cups)
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• One 16-ounce jar chunky salsa
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper

1.  Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease a 10-inch pie plate lightly with olive oil and line with the red peppers. Scatter 1 cup cheese on top.
2. In a large bowl, mix 1 cup cheese, the beef, 3/4 cup of the salsa, the bread crumbs, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper until just combined. Press into the pepper-and-cheese-lined pie plate. Spread the remaining salsa over the top. Bake for 35 minutes.
3. Scatter the remaining 1 cup cheese on top and bake for 10 minutes longer. Let cool for about 15 minutes before slicing.

 **Personal Review: Eh – this needed more flavor – I wasn’t too impressed.  Next time I will add more seasonings.** 

Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna

Recipe & picture courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens

Serves 4-6
Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 50 minutes

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 cups red pasta sauce, such as portobello mushroom or garden vegetable
• 6 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 1/2 of a 15-oz.container ricotta cheese
• 6 oz. goat cheese or shredded mozarella cheese ( 1-1/2 cups)
• 1 Tbsp. Chianti or other red wine (optional)
• 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup roasted red sweet peppers, drained well and cut into strips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 2-quart square baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon 1/3 cup of the sauce in the dish. Top with 2 lasagna noodles. In a small bowl stir together the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the goat cheese, and, if desired, the Chianti. Spoon half the mixture over the noodles in the dish. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Top with half the red pepper strips. Spoon half the remaining sauce on the pepper layer.
2. Top with 2 more noodles, the remaining ricotta mixture, and remaining peppers. Add 2 more noodles and the remaining sauce. Dot top with remaining goat cheese and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
3. Cover with foil. Bake for 50 minutes. Let stand, covered, on a wire rack for 20 minutes before serving.

  **Personal Review: Let’s just say I have never seen grown men inhale food as quickly as I did when I made this.  It tasted wonderful!  I browned some ground beef along with some onions, mixed the meat and onions in with the pasta sauce and layered as instructed.**