Orzo with Bacon and Asparagus

Makes:

3 (1 1/3-cup) servings

INGREDIENTS

• 6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 (14-oz.) can fat-free chicken broth with 1/3 less sodium
• 6 1/2 oz. (1 cup) uncooked orzo or rosamarina (rice-shaped pasta)
• 8 oz. fresh asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup sliced roasted red bell peppers (from a jar)
• 2 oz. (1/2 cup) shredded fresh Asiago or Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook bacon in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Reserve bacon and 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in skillet. Add broth; bring to a boil. Add orzo. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 5 minutes.
2. Add asparagus and roasted peppers; cover and cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until orzo and asparagus are tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle individual servings with cheese.

HINTS

• Asiago is an Italian cow's milk cheese. It's rich nutty flavor sharpens as the cheese ages. Young Asiago makes a mild table cheese while aged Asiago is a flavorful grating cheese. Try aged asiago in place of Parmesan in your favorite recipes.
• It's easy to roast a red bell pepper for this recipe. Securely pierce a pepper through the stem with a fork and hold it over a gas burner flame, rotating it until it's blackened on all sides. Immediately transfer the pepper to a small paper bag; close the bag. let the pepper steam in the bag for 5 minutes, then peel it.

Chicken and Sugar Snap Pea Pasta Salad

Thanks Pillsbury for this recipe!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups uncooked mini lasagna (mafalda) noodles (6 oz)
• 2 cups fresh sugar snap peas, trimmed, halved
• 3/4 cup creamy Caesar dressing
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chopped deli rotisserie chicken (from 2-lb chicken)1/4 cup chopped red onion

DIRECTIONS

1. In 3-quart saucepan, cook noodles as directed on package, adding peas during last minute of cooking. Rinse with cold water; drain.
2. In large bowl, mix dressing, mint, vinegar and salt. Stir in chicken, onion, noodles and peas. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

HINTS

• Any short curly pasta can be substituted for the noodles, and shrimp can be substituted for the chicken.
• Feel free to use reduced-fat Caesar dressing.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Truffle Pie

INGREDIENTS

Crust

• 1 box refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Truffle Filling

• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Peanut Butter Filling

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Topping

• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped salted peanuts

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 450°F. Bake pie crust as directed on box for One-Crust Baked Shell, using 9-inch glass pie plate. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat 1/2 cup whipping cream over medium-high heat until hot. Remove from heat; stir in 1 cup chocolate chips and the vanilla until smooth. Spread truffle filling in bottom of baked crust. Freeze 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat 1 cup whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside. In another medium bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth; fold in whipped cream. Carefully spread over truffle filling. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
4. In small microwavable bowl, microwave 1/4 cup chocolate chips and the shortening uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted. Drizzle chocolate over pie; sprinkle with peanuts. Cut into wedges to serve. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.

HINTS

• Substitute crunchy peanut butter for the creamy peanut butter.
• Instead of making your own chocolate topping, use purchased chocolate topping instead.

Strawberry Pretzel Pie

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
• 1 egg white
• 1 cup crushed pretzels
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 container (12 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 bag (16 oz) frozen unsweetened strawberries, partially thawed, sliced
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 box (8-serving size) strawberry-flavored gelatin

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 450°F. Unroll 1 crust in 10-inch glass pie plate or 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate. Trim outside edges. Prick bottom and side with fork. Use second pie crust to put a braid on outside rim of crust. Cut crust into 1/4-inch strips, and braid three strips at a time. Brush egg white on crust edge and place braid on, pushing in slightly.
2. Combine crushed pretzels, 1/4 cup sugar and the melted butter. Press into bottom pie crust. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool.
3. Stir together cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups sugar until sugar is dissolved. Carefully fold in whipped topping. Spread in cooled crust, reserving 2 cups filling to decorate pie. Place a flat layer of strawberry slices on top of filling. Mix boiling water and gelatin (with a few ice cubes) to make about 1 2/3 cups gelatin. Thicken slightly and pour over strawberries on pie. Refrigerate pie 8 hours or overnight.
4. Decorate outside edge of pie with 2 cups reserved cream cheese mixture.

Play Dough Cookies

Recipe Yield 2 dozen

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• assorted colors of paste food coloring
• 24 lollipop sticks

Directions

1. In a bowl cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until smooth.
2. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir till soft dough forms. Divide dough into fourths. Tint each with a different food color. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Working with half of each color, shape dough into 3/4 inch balls and for each cookie place 1 pink, 1 green, 1 blue and 1 orange ball together to make 1 large ball. Shape into a 12 inch long roll (like a snake), starting at one end, coil roll to make a 2 3/4 inch round cookie. Place cookies 3 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Carefully insert lollipop sticks into bottoms of cookies.
4. Bake cookies for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Beef Stroganoff-Slow Cooker

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 lb boneless beef tip steak, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cans (18 oz each) Progresso Vegetable Classics creamy mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 1/2 cups uncooked wide egg noodles (4 oz)
• 1 cup sour cream2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, if desired

DIRECTIONS

1. In 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker, layer onion, garlic and beef. Pour soup and water over beef.
2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 5 to 7 hours.
3. Stir noodles into mixture. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes or until noodles are tender. Stir in sour cream. Garnish individual servings with parsley.

Turkey-Rice Casserole

INGREDIENTS

• 2 frozen soft white or crusty wheat dinner rolls (from 12.4-oz bag)
• 1 box (10 oz) Green Giant frozen broccoli & zesty cheese sauce
• 1 pouch (8.8 oz) microwavable ready-to-eat long grain and wild rice blend
• 1 cup cubed cooked turkey
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, if desired
• 1/2 teaspoon butter or margarine, softened1/8 teaspoon Italian seasoning

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls as directed on bag. Meanwhile, microwave broccoli & cheese sauce as directed on box. Pour into ungreased 1 1/2-quart microwavable casserole or baking dish.
2. Microwave rice as directed on pouch. Stir rice and turkey into broccoli mixture. Cover; microwave on High 3 to 5 minutes or until hot. Just before serving, sprinkle almonds over casserole.
3. Brush rolls with butter; sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Serve warm with casserole.