Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Brownie Batter Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes with Outrageously Rich Chocolate Indulgence Frosting

I saw these on Pinterest and I have GOT to try them!!! Munchkin 2's 2nd birthday is in a few weeks - I think that's the perfect time to try them out! I try to only put recipes I've made on here, but this one is too good to skip!


Brownie Batter Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes
with Outrageously Rich Chocolate Indulgence Frosting



BROWNIE BATTER
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup milk
1 (18.25 oz) box devil’s food cake mix

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 mins until well combined. Using a small scoop (about 1.5 tbsp) drop batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze overnight.

CUPCAKES
1 (18.25 oz) box devil’s food cake mix
1 (3.9 oz) pkg Jello instant chocolate fudge pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and line with cupcake liners. Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips into a very large bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 mins until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Using a large scoop (about 3 tbsp) drop batter into the cupcake liners, filling about 2/3rds full. Remove brownie batter from freezer and press into the cupcake batter. Bake for 22-28 mins. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

FROSTING
5 sticks butter, softened
8 oz powdered sugar
1.5 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa)
a pinch of table salt
1.5 cups light corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
16 oz milk chocolate chips

Melt chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring well every 30 seconds. Allow to cool for 5-10 mins. Combine butter, sugar, cocoa and salt in a food processor and process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl as needed. Add the corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined, about 5-10 seconds. Scrape the bowl again, then add the melted chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, about 10-15 seconds. You can use a mixer for this too, if you don’t have a food processor, just don’t whip the butter too much! :) 

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated.

Makes & frosts 36 cupcakes.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Flourless Chocolate Cake

My niece has Celiac Disease and I'm always on the lookout for yummy recipes for her. My pal, Toby sent this to me and said "it doesn't get much easier than this". I haven't tried it yet, but it's got 4.5 stars on AllRecipes.com so it must be good! I'll be trying this out for E's birthday and see what she thinks about it :-)
If you make it, be sure to let me know what you think of it!





Ingredients

  • 4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch round cake pan, and dust with cocoa powder.
  2. In the top of a double boiler over lightly simmering water, melt chocolate and butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, cocoa powder, eggs, and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan.
  3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Slices can also be reheated for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

WHEW!

I think that's all of my recipes from my old blog/site! I'm looking forward to hearing what people think of recipes I've posted (and will post in the future)!


If you've got a good recipe, SHARE IT OR DIE!!!!

Tex-Mex Chicken 'N' Rice

Recipe from 3 Fat Chicks


Ingredients

2 c converted rice, uncooked
28 oz diced tomatoes
6 oz tomato paste
3 c hot water
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 lb boneless & skinless chicken breast - cut in 1/2" cubes
2 med onions - chopped
1 med green bell pepper - chopped
4 oz green chiles - diced
3/4 tsp garlic pepper
1 can corn, drained (optional)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)

Directions
  1. In a slow cooker mix together all ingredients except the chiles and garlic pepper.
  2. Cover and cook on low heat for 4 to 4 1/2 hours or untl the rice is tender and the chicken is white throughout; do not overcook or the rice will be mushy.
  3. Stir in the chiles and garlic pepper. Serve at once.

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

Recipe from Six Sisters' Stuff


Ingredients
1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
1/3 cup flour
olive oil
1/2 tbsp salt
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp ketchup
6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate (thaw or throw it in the microwave for 45 seconds)
4 tbsp  brown sugar

Directions
  1. In a bowl, mix the orange juice, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, and ketchup. Pour the flour in a large zip-top bag and shake until chicken is covered evenly, shake off excess flour.
  2. Pour a small amount of olive oil in a skillet and brown the flour-covered chicken. The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked since it's going in the crock pot.
  3. After the chicken is done cooking, pour the pieces into the crock pot. Then cover the chicken with your sauce mixture and give the pot a stir.
  4. Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3.
  5. Serve with veggies over rice.

Root Beer Pulled Pork

There were a few versions of this going around on Pinterest for a while. This is my take on it.

Ingredients
2 lb pork loin
12 oz root beer
1 small onion, sliced
18 oz bbq sauce

Directions

  1. Place pork loin in slow cooker and top with sliced onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with root beer. Cook on LOW for 6 hours. Cooking on HIGH for 3 hours will work in a pinch as well.
  2. Drain liquid from slow cooker. Shred pork with forks or chop with a knife. Add pork and onions back to slow cooker and cover with bbq sauce. Cook on low for about 15 min, or until heated through.


Serve on rolls.

I made a double batch of the Smokey BBQ Sauce for this and it was fantastic!
I also like to add sour cream to my pulled pork sandwich!


Kale Chips


Ingredients

1 bunch of Kale
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
Salt

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Remove stem, and tear into chip sized pieces. Wash and spin in salad spinner.
  3. Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp cider vinegar. Massage into kale lightly.
  4. Spread evenly into single layer on baking sheet(s). Sprinkle lightly with salt or seasoned salt. Bake for about 15 mins or until crispy - start checking around 8 min.

Boston Baked Beans

I'd been looking for a good baked bean recipe for a few years. I'd tried a couple and none were ever very good. I made one last call to my friends and family for a recipe that rocked, and my bud Martha came through! These beans are fantastic!

Thanks to Martha for sharing! Check out her food blog - Throwing Spoons

From Cook's Illustrated - Published January 1, 2003. 





Ingredients

4 oz salt pork, trimmed of rind and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 oz bacon (2 slices), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1/2 cup mild molasses
1 1/2 tablespoons brown mustard
1 pound dried small white beans (navy or pea beans, about 2 cups), rinsed and picked over
Table salt
1 tablespoon mild molasses
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Ground black pepper

Directions


  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 300°F.
  2. Add salt pork and bacon to 8-quart Dutch oven; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and most fat is rendered, about 7 minutes. Add onion and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 8 minutes.
  3. Add 1/2 cup molasses, mustard, beans, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 9 cups water; increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil. Cover pot and set in oven.
  4. Bake until beans are tender, about 4 hours, stirring once after 2 hours.  Remove lid and continue to bake until liquid has thickened to syrupy consistency, 1 to 1 1/2 hours longer.
  5. Remove beans from oven; stir in remaining tablespoon of molasses, vinegar, and additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve.



Why this recipe works: To create a Boston Baked Beans recipe packed with multiple levels of intense flavor yet traditional enough to make Fannie Farmer proud, we started with a combination of salt pork and bacon browned in a Dutch oven before adding dried small white beans. Cider vinegar gave our sauce tanginess while mustard and molasses boosted its flavor. Removing the lid for the last hour of cooking reduced the sauce in our Boston Baked Beans recipe to a syrupy, intensified state.

The beans can be made ahead. After cooking, cool them to room temperature and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Serves: 4 to 6

Mexican Chicken “Lasagna”

Ingredients
¼ cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
2 cups (8 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 medium onion (about 2/3 cup chopped)
1 can (28 oz) enchilada sauce
12 (6-in.) corn tortillas
3 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken
Additional chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Directions
  1. Chop cilantro with Chef’s Knife. Place cream cheese in Classic Batter Bowl. Microwave on HIGH 30-45 seconds or until very soft. Add cilantro and 1½ cups of the Monterey Jack cheese; mix well using Small Mix ‘N Scraper®. Chop onion using Food Chopper; set aside. Spread 2/3 cup of the enchilada sauce over bottom of Deep Covered Baker. Pour remaining enchilada sauce into Stainless (4-qt.) Mixing Bowl; set aside.
  2. To assemble lasagna, using Sauté Tongs, dip four tortillas into enchilada sauce in mixing bowl and arrange over sauce in baker, overlapping as necessary. Scoop half of the cream cheese mixture over tortillas using Small Scoop; spread using Small Spreader. Top with 1 cup of the chicken and one-third of the onion. Repeat layers one time. Dip remaining four tortillas into sauce and arrange over second layer. Top with remaining chicken and onion. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over lasagna and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese. 
  3. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 12-15 minutes or until center is hot. Let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle with additional chopped cilantro. Cut into squares using Utility Knife; serve using Mini-Serving Spatula.

Yield: 8 servings

Cook’s Tip: This recipe can be assembled up to one night in advance. Prepare through Step 2; cover and refrigerate.
When ready to serve, let baker stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 21-23 minutes or until hot. Proceed as recipe directs. 
Spicy enchilada sauce can be used for more kick.

Grilled Honey Garlic Pork Chops

Original recipe from Spark People


Ingredients
    1/3 cup honey
    3 tbsp soy sauce
    6 cloves garlic, minced
    6 pork loin chops, boneless, trimmed of excess fat, 4 oz each

Directions
  1. In a shallow dish, whisk together honey, soy sauce and garlic.
  2. Coat chops in mixture.
  3. Reserve left over honey mixture for basting.
  4. Place chops on greased grill over med high heat, close lid and cook. basting 2 times.

Serves 6

Diet Coke Chicken

Ingredients
1 lb skinless chicken breast
1 cup ketchup
1 can (12 oz) Diet Coke

Directions
  1. Place chicken in a non-stick skillet.
  2. Pour ketchup and Diet Coke over chicken and bring to a boil.
  3. Cover, reduce heat and cook for 45 min.
  4. Uncover and increase heat. Continue to cook until sauce becomes thick and adheres to the chicken.

Chicken and Cheese Casserole

Original Recipe from Living A Changed Life


Ingredients
6 oz uncooked Penne
1 lb chicken breasts, chopped
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
2 cups fat free 1/2 & 1/2
8 ounces low-fat cheddar cheese
1 head (or 1 bag frozen) broccoli, barely steamed

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large casserole, combine all ingredients, mixing well.
  3. Bake with cover or foil on for 40-50 minutes.
  4. Remove cover; bake 15-20 minutes longer.
  5. Serve immediately.

Servings 8.

Sweet and Sticky Pork Ribs



Someone gave me this recipe and this is exactly how she wrote it up. I'll try to make it a little more formatted when I've got some time to kill at some point.


Ingredients
1/2 cup honey
    1/4 cup light soy sauce
      1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
        1/4 cup white vinegar
          1/2 cup orange marmalade

            2-6 garlic cloves diced small
              1 tsp Garlic powder plus a little more
                1 tsp onion powder plus a little more
                  dash salt
                    2 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in a cup of cold water


                        Directions
                        Season meat w Garlic Powder Onion Powder and salt, place in pan bones up. In a large bowl combine Honey, soy, brown sugar, vinegar, marmalade, garlic cloves, onion and garlic powder...just a dash, and a dash of salt. Dissolve cornstarch in cold water and stir till no lumps, add to sauce. Pour over ribs coat all sides ...I leave the bones up then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Heat oven to 200 degrees.Let ribs stand out of oven 30 mins to get rid of chill then place in oven with the foil cover still in place. Bake for 3-5 hours depending on how many ribs you have I usually make about 5-6 lbs and they cook about 4 hrs at 200. Then I remove the cover raise the heat to 450 and cook until sauce is thick and sticky and the meat is falling off the bone...this should only take about 30 - 45 mins depending on how much meat you are cooking...at this point you are only trying to caramelize the sauce the meat should be cooked all the way...about 10 mins into this cooking time flip ribs so bones are down and the top will get crisp and sticky too. 

                        20-Minute Barbecue Ribs


                        Ingredients
                        1 rack (2½-3 pounds) pork loin back ribs (baby back ribs)
                        1 teaspoon salt
                        ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
                        ¼ cup water

                        1 recipe of Smokey BBQ Sauce

                        Directions
                        1. For ribs, remove membrane from rack of ribs using Boning Knife (see Cook’s Tip). Season both sides of ribs with salt and black pepper. Cut between each bone to separate rack into individual ribs. Arrange ribs, cut side down, in two layers in Deep Covered Baker. Add water. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 8 minutes. Turn ribs over. Microwave on HIGH 7-10 minutes or until Pocket Thermometer registers 160°F when inserted into meatiest part of ribs alongside bones and ribs are no longer pink.
                        2. Transfer ribs to Stainless (4-qt.) Mixing Bowl. Add 1 cup of the Smokey BBQ Sauce and toss to coat.
                        3. Heat Grill Pan over medium heat 5 minutes. Place ribs onto pan; cook 4-6 minutes or until grill marks appear, brushing with remaining sauce and turning once. Transfer ribs to a serving platter.
                        4. Serve immediately.

                        Yield: 4 servings

                        Cook’s Tip: The membrane found underneath the rack is not only tough, but it also holds in excess fat. Removing the membrane helps to render out the fat during cooking. To remove the membrane, lay the rack meaty side down. Using the tip of the Boning Knife, gently cut under the membrane on one corner. Using a paper towel, grasp the corner of the membrane and gently pull it away from the bones. Trim any visible fat along the underside of the rack.

                        ©The Pampered Chef, Ltd., 2007

                        Stuffed Shells

                        Original recipe seen on Cook Yourself Thin


                        Ingredients
                        12 ounces (1 box) jumbo pasta shells (approximately 40 shells)

                        For the tomato sauce
                        1 28-ounce can peeled plum tomatoes in juice
                        1 14-ounce can peeled plum tomatoes in juice
                        2 teaspoons olive oil
                        3/4 cup roughly chopped red onion
                        4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
                        2 sprigs fresh basil
                        Salt
                        Pepper

                        For the stuffing
                        1-pound bag baby spinach
                        Salt and pepper
                        2 teaspoons olive oil, plus extra for serving
                        2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
                        2 scallions, chopped
                        2 cups (16 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
                        1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat, part-skim mozzarella cheese
                        2 tablespoons chopped parsley
                        1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
                        Pinch grated nutmeg

                        Directions
                        1. Spray a baking sheet lightly with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shells, and partially cook 6 to 7 minutes — they should have started to become tender but will still be firm to the bite. Drain in a colander, and immediately transfer to the oiled baking sheet, spreading them out in a single layer so that they don’t stick together. Let cool.
                        2. For the sauce, pour the tomatoes into a bowl and mash with your hands, or pulse in food processor to chop. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Cover, reduce heat to very low and cook until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. (Check a few times during cooking; if vegetables begin to brown, add 2 teaspoons water and stir.) Add the tomatoes with juice, basil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer gently 5 minutes. Then simmer very gently, partially covered, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Season with 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Scrape into another container with a rubber spatula; set aside.
                        3. Add the spinach and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Place over medium heat, cover and cook, tossing every now and then with tongs for even cooking, until wilted, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain, and let cool, then squeeze out as much liquid as you can, and chop. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.
                        4. In the same skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the zucchini and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring every now and then, until tender and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add scallions during the final 1 minute. Add to the bowl with the spinach. Add the ricotta, the ham, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, the parsley, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and the nutmeg, and stir to combine.
                        5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
                        6. Spoon a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of two 9-x-13-inch baking dishes. Fill the cooked shells with the cheese mixture, about 1 tablespoon per shell, and arrange the shells side by side in a single layer in the prepared dishes. Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells, and then sprinkle each with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan.
                        7. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted, 25 to 30 minutes.

                        Smokey BBQ Sauce


                        Recipe from The Pampered Chef

                        I don't normally suggest buying specific spices from places, but this Smokey BBQ Rub is AMAZING! It makes fantastic BBQ sauce and you can also just sprinkle it right on meat before cooking. Definitely worth the price in my opinion!



                        Ingredients
                        1 cup ketchup
                        1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
                        2 tsp cider vinegar

                        Directions
                        1. Combine ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; remove from heat.
                        2. Reserve half of the sauce for serving. Brush remaining sauce over foods before baking or broiling. (For grilling, brush sauce over foods during last 10 minutes of cooking to prevent burning.)
                        3. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

                        Ginger and Garlic Broccoli

                        My bud Jan met this the very first time I met her. She's fabulous and so is this dish!


                        Original recipe from Epicurious

                        Ingredients
                        1 small bunch broccoli (about 1 1/4 pounds)
                        2 tablespoons vegetable oil
                        3 tablespoons very thin matchsticks of peeled fresh gingerroot
                        1 garlic clove, sliced thin
                        2 tablespoons water
                        1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
                        seasoned rice vinegar



                        Directions

                        1. Cut broccoli into 1-inch flowerets. Trim and peel stems and cut into 1/4-inch slices.
                        2. In a 10-inch heavy skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and cook gingerroot and garlic, swirling skillet occasionally, until just golden. With a slotted spoon transfer gingerroot and garlic to paper towels to drain.
                        3. Add broccoli to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until browned well, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl stir together water, soy sauce, and vinegar. Add mixture to skillet and cook until most liquid is evaporated, about 1 minute. Serve broccoli sprinkled with gingerroot and garlic.

                        Easy Parmesan Knots


                        Original recipe from Real Mom Kitchen

                        Ingredients
                        1 tube (12 ounces) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
                        1/4 cup canola oil
                        3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
                        1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
                        1 teaspoon dried oregano
                        1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

                        Directions
                        1. Roll each biscuit into a 12-in. rope and tie into a knot; tuck ends under. Place 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
                        2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; brush the warm knots with the mixture. 
                        Yield:10 knots.

                        I used 1/4 cup Wegman's Basting Oil in place of the canola oil, garlic powder, oregano and parsley. It was AMAZING!

                        Skillet Lasagna


                        Ingredients
                        1 jar (24-26 oz) marinara sauce
                        3 cups water
                        8 oz lasagna noodles
                        1 lb bulk hot Italian turkey sausage or sausage links, casings removed
                        2 garlic cloves, pressed
                        2 oz Parmesan cheese

                        Directions
                        1. Place sausage into (12") Skillet; cook and stir over medium-high heat 6-8 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking into crumbles using Mix ‘N Chop. Add pressed garlic; cook 1 minute. Remove sausage, drain and set aside. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. 
                        2. Combine sauce and water in Skillet. Cover; bring to a boil. 
                        3. Meanwhile, wrap noodles in clean kitchen towel and break crosswise into quarters. Stir noodles into sauce. Cover; reduce heat and simmer 16-18 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir sausage into noodles and sauce.
                        4. Meanwhile, grate Parmesan cheese using Deluxe Cheese Grater. Chop parsley using Santoku Knife; set aside 1 tbsp parsley for garnish. Combine cheeses, remaining parsley and black pepper in Classic Batter Bowl. Scoop cheese mixture over noodles using Medium Scoop. Cover Skillet and simmer gently 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted and ricotta mixture is heated through.
                        5. To serve, sprinkle lasagna with reserved parsley and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. 

                        Yield: 6 servings

                        Cook’s Tips: Wrapping lasagna noodles in a clean kitchen towel before breaking into quarters prevents them from scattering around your countertop.

                        The attractive ruffled edge of regular lasagna noodles add to this dish's visual appeal. No-boil noodles can be used instead of the regular lasagna noodles, if desired. Reduce cooking time of noodles to 10-12 minutes; proceed as recipe directs.

                        Fresh whole milk ricotta cheese is preferred in this recipe for its smooth texture. Look for fresh ricotta cheese at the deli. Drain off excess liquid before using.

                        © 2011 The Pampered Chef used under license.

                        Loaded Baked Potato Chowder

                        Ingredients
                        3 large baking potatoes (about 2½ lbs)
                        3½ cups milk, divided
                        4 oz cream cheese, softened
                        2 tbsp butter
                        2-3 green onions with tops (¼ cup sliced)
                        4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
                        1½ tsp salt
                        ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
                        Optional toppings such as chopped cooked bacon, sour cream or steamed broccoli florets

                        Directions
                        1. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise with Santoku Knife; place in Deep Covered Baker. Pour ½ cup of the milk over potatoes. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 11 minutes. Remove baker from microwave. Move center potatoes to ends of baker and outer potatoes to center. Cover; microwave on HIGH 8-11 minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Remove baker from microwave. Coarsely mash potatoes with Mix ‘N Chop.
                        2. Meanwhile, whisk cream cheese until smooth in Classic Batter Bowl. Slowly add remaining 3 cups milk, whisking until smooth. Add cream cheese mixture and butter to baker. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 3-5 minutes or until mixture is hot. Slice green onions with Chef’s Knife.
                        3. Carefully remove baker from microwave. Grate cheddar cheese over chowder using Rotary Grater; add green onions, salt and black pepper, and mix using Small Mix ‘N Scraper® until cheese is melted. Serve with toppings, if desired.

                        Yield: 6 servings (8 cups)

                        Cook’s Tip: For a lighter version, omit butter. Substitute fat-free (skim) milk, reduced-fat (Neufchâtel) cheese and light cheddar for the 2% milk and full-fat cheeses.

                        Creamy One-Pot Pasta

                        Ingredients
                        4 large garlic cloves, peeled
                        1 jar (7 oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, undrained
                        3 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth (5¼ cups)
                        1 lb uncooked penne pasta
                        1 head broccoli (2 cups small florets)
                        2 medium carrots, peeled
                        4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel)
                        ¼ tsp salt
                        ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
                        Grated fresh Parmesan cheese and snipped fresh basil (optional)

                        Directions
                        1. Thinly slice garlic using Color Coated Paring Knife. Place garlic and 1 tbsp oil from sun-dried tomatoes into (8-qt.) Stockpot. Cook garlic over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until garlic is golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; add broth. Return to burner; increase heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil. Stir in pasta; cover and simmer vigorously 8-10 minutes or until pasta is almost cooked but still firm, stirring occasionally using Mega Scraper.
                        2. Meanwhile, cut broccoli into small florets; place intoClassic Batter Bowl. Cut carrots in half lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise on a bias using Santoku Knife. Drain sun-dried tomatoes; pat dry with a paper towel. Slice tomatoes into thin strips. Add carrots and tomatoes to batter bowl.
                        3. Cut cream cheese into cubes. Add vegetables, cream cheese, salt and black pepper to Stockpot. Stir until cream cheese is melted and fully incorporated. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook an additional 2-4 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Serve immediately in Simple Additions® Dots Large Round Bowl. If desired, top with grated fresh Parmesan cheese and snipped fresh basil.

                        Yield: 6 servings

                        Cook’s Tips: For an interesting flavor twist, omit salt, black pepper, Parmesan cheese and basil. Add 1 tbsp Moroccan Rub or Greek Rub.

                        For a heartier version of this recipe, add grilled turkey Italian sausage or sliced grilled chicken breasts to pasta.

                        If desired, 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes can be substituted for the sun-dried tomatoes.

                        ©The Pampered Chef, Ltd., 2008