Easy Weeknight Bacon Mac 'N Cheese

This recipe -- another great one from Pillsbury -- is especially for those of us who LOVE cheese. And it's easy! Just note that if you check labels, you'll find a whole lots of sodium in this dish.

 

Easy Weeknight Bacon Mac 'N Cheese

 

3 cups uncooked penne pasta (10 oz)

1 can (18 oz) Progresso™ Recipe Starters™ creamy three cheese cooking sauce

1/2 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon chopped garlic in water (from 4.5-oz jar) or 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (6 oz)

2 oz American cheese loaf, shredded (1/2 cup) or 4 slices American cheese, diced

1 bag (2.5 oz) cooked real bacon pieces or bits

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper, if desired

Garnish, if desired, Progresso® Italian style panko crispy bread crumbs

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 2-quart casserole with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.

 

Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, heat cooking sauce, milk and garlic to boiling. Remove from heat; stir in cheeses until melted. Stir in pasta, bacon and bell pepper. Spoon into casserole.

 

Bake uncovered 20 minutes or until edges are bubbly. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Easy Marble Bark

This recipe comes from the folks over at BAKER’S Chocolate. BAKER’S is a must in my pantry. How about yours? It’s easy to whip up something scrumptious so long as you have some chocolate

This recipe gives you the option for nuts or coconut. If you choose the coconut, they suggest toasting it in a baking pan in a 350 degree oven for 7 to 12 minutes. Be sure to stir frequently so it doesn’t burn.

Easy Marble Bark

6 squares BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1 package (6 squares) BAKER’S Premium White Chocolate
1 cup toasted chopped nuts OR BAKER’S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut

Microwave semi-sweet and white chocolates in separate bowls on HIGH 2 minutes or until almost melted, stirring halfway through heating time. Stir until completely melted.

Stir ½ cup of the nuts or coconut into each bowl. Alternately spoon melted chocolate onto wax paper-lined cookie sheet or tray. Swirl chocolates together with knife to marblelize.

Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces.

Makes about 1 pound.

Variation:

Chocolate Bark: Prepare Marble Bark as directed, omitting white chocolate. Use 12 squares BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate or 3 packages (4 oz. each) BAKER’S GERMAN’S Sweet Chocolate.

Philly Brunch Quiche

I’ve always found that some of the best recipes come from the folks who actually make the products. This recipe is from the Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese folks. One of my all time favorite recipes comes from them so I can’t wait to give this one a try as well.

“Philly” Brunch Quiche

1 10-inch baked pie crust
1 8-oz. package Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese, cubed
1 cup milk
4 eggs, beaten
¼ cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon PARKAY Margarine
1 cup finely chopped ham
¼ cup chopped pimento
¼ cup finely chopped green pepper
Dash of pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine cream cheese and milk in saucepan. Stir over low heat until smooth. Gradually add cream cheese mixture to eggs, mixing until well blended.

Sauté onions in margarine. Add onions and remaining ingredients to cream cheese mixture. Mix well.

Pour into pastry shell. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until set.

Makes 8 servings.

Cinnamon-Spiced Sugar-Free Apple Wedges

This is another recipe from the newspaper archives. I have no idea which newspaper but I love cinnamon and apples so that makes it wonderful to me.

This is the original recipe. It says to serve this with pancakes. That’s fine. I prefer putting it over ice cream or even just eating the Cinnamon-Spiced Sugar-Free Apple Wedges as a dessert. Put it in individual glass dishes, maybe add a dollop of sugar-free whipped topping, and you’ve got a wonderfully elegant dessert that won’t pack on the calories.

Cinnamon-Spiced Sugar-Free Apple Wedges

1 can (6-oz.) frozen, unsweetened cider concentrate
1 cup cold water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch salt (optional)
3 unpeeled McIntosh eating apples, cored and cut in thin wedges

Defrost, but do not dilute cider concentrate. Thoroughly mix all ingredients, except apples, in saucepan. Cook and stir over moderate heat until mixture simmers and thickens.

Stir in apple wedges and simmer just until tender and heated through but not soft and overcooked.

Serve hot over pancakes.

Makes enough to top 10 pancakes, adds 60 calories to each.

Diet-Delight Three-Cheese Rotelle

This recipe comes from the October 1990 issue of Redbook magazine. It’s for those of us who love pasta but really need to watch our weight.

Diet-Delight Three-Cheese Rotelle

8 oz. tricolor rotelle (corkscrew) pasta
¾ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
¼ cup skim milk
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped, about 1 cup
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1 cup coarsely grated low-fat Swiss cheese, about 4 oz.
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves or 2 teaspoons dried basil
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil springs, optional

Prepare rotelle according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in food processor or blender, process ricotta and milk until smooth; set aside. In 1-quart nonstick saucepan over medium heat, heat oil; add onion and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Pour ricotta mixture into saucepan. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring until heated through.

Drain pasta and return to saucepan. Toss well with ricotta mixture, Swiss cheese, parsley, chopped basil, grated Parmesan, chives, orange peel and pepper.

Garnish with fresh basil springs to serve, if desired.

Makes 6 servings, at 273 calories per serving.

Egg and Sausage Breakfast Ring

This is another wonderful recipe from the folks over at Pillsbury. I love being on their e-mail list. They send out terrific recipes and coupons. They suggest changing up the cheeses (my favorite is Cheddar) to give the Breakfast Ring a different flavor. I'm thinking this would be a wonderful supper for a night real soon.

 

Egg and Sausage Breakfast Ring

1/2  lb bulk pork sausage

1/3  cup sliced green onions

1/3  cup chopped red bell pepper

5  eggs

1/4  teaspoon salt

1/8  teaspoon pepper

1  package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened

2  cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet

1/2  cup shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend (2 oz)

1  egg, beaten

1  teaspoon sesame seed

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook sausage and onions over medium-high heat 5 to 8 minutes or until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in bell pepper; cook until tender. Remove from pan.

In small bowl, beat 5 eggs, salt and pepper. Add egg mixture to skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally from outside edge to center. Cook until eggs are set but still moist. Stir in sausage mixture and cream cheese.

Unroll both cans of dough. Place dough on cookie sheet, long sides overlapping, to form 14x13-inch rectangle; firmly press edges to seal. Spoon egg mixture down center to within 1/2 inch of edges. Sprinkle with cheese. Starting at longest side, roll up; press edges to seal. Shape into a circle; pinch ends to seal. Cut six 2-inch slits around top of dough. Brush dough with egg; sprinkle with sesame seed.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until deep golden brown.

Cherry Cheese Pie

Here’s another wonderful recipe from the folks over at Eagle Brand. This was doesn’t require baking and is super simply to make. Just allow time to thoroughly chill in the refrigerator.

Cherry Cheese Pie

1 (9-inch) graham cracker crumb crust or baked pastry shell
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1/3 cup ReaLemon Lemon Juice from Concentrate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (21-oz.) can cherry pie filling, chilled

In large mixer bowl, beat cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into prepared crust.

Chill 3 hours or until set. Top with desired amount of pie filling before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.