Pumpkin-Ricotta Pasta Bake

I got this recipe here: http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/main-dish/quick-recipe-pumpkin-ricotta-pasta-casserole-130962

Olive oil
1 pound pasta, such as farfalle, small shells, or elbows
One 15-ounce container ricotta
One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1/2 cup yogurt
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup grated Parmesan, divided

Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil. Set aside. Bring a 4-quart pot of water to boil over high heat, and stir about 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta, and turn the heat down to medium. Cook for a slightly shorter amount of time than specified by the package. (For instance, if the package specifies 10 to 12 minutes, cook for 9 to 10, or until just barely al dente.) Drain the pasta and toss lightly with olive oil.

In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta, pureed pumpkin, eggs, and yogurt. Whisk in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and ginger.

Stir in the pasta and coat completely with the pumpkin mixture. Stir in the pecans, chopped pecans, sage, and garlic. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan.

Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan over top. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes or until golden brown on top. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

e-notes: I didn't have plain yogurt on hand (since that's what I assume is meant by "yogurt.") I used sour cream instead. I also did 1 1/2 t. salt. My husband thought it could have been a little bit more pumpkin-y with a little less of sage. I didn't mind the amount at all. I probably did 1/2 c. nuts b/c I just bought a small baggie. When I had read the comments about this, a lot of people commented about it being dry. So I did cover my casserole for all but the last few minutes. It was slightly dry, more paste-y, really. But so delicious! My husband and I thought maybe you could add some cottage cheese to help it be a little more sauce-y? Totally loved this, as well as all 4 of my kids.

Butternut Squash Bake

I found this lovely recipe here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/butternut-squash-bake-2/detail.aspx.

Ingredients:

• 1 (4 pound) butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed
• 1/3 yellow onion, minced
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
• 6 ounces crumbled blue cheese
• sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees.
2. Toss the squash, onion, olive oil, 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs, thyme, and blue cheese in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into a large baking dish. Sprinkle 1/4 cup bread crumbs over the squash.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned on top, 35 to 40 minutes.

e-notes: So I love, love, love this. So does my husband. We put way less blue cheese, though. We put a small amount in the mix and bake it like it says. Then we'll let people sprinkle how much or how little of blue cheese they want. A little goes a long ways in my opinion. My one boy didn't like it too much until he very lightly sprinkled it with the cheese. YUM.

Santa Fe Chicken Wrap

1 ¼ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup diced onion
1 cup corn kernels
1 4oz can roasted whole green chiles (I used a can of diced)
½ cup chopped tomatillos
1 TBS olive oil
1 TBS minced garlic
1 TBS ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground coriander
kosher salt
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup cooked long grain white rice, warm
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup sour cream
1 TBS fresh lime juice
4 10 inch flour tortillas, or flavored chipotle, or salsa

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the chicken, onion, corn, chiles, tomatillos, olive oil, garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander, 1 tsp kosher salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix well.

Spread the chicken mixture evenly into a 9x13x2 inch baking pan. I used a cookie sheet. Bake until the chicken is cooked, 10-15 minutes. Add the rice, cilantro, sour cream and lime juice; mix well, Season with kosher salt. Divide among the tortillas and wrap.

Note: I prefer to add the rice, cilantro, sour cream and lime juice separately on top of the chicken.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wraps

Sauce:
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. finely chopped seedless cucumber
1 T. honey
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
ground black pepper to taste

Chicken:
2 T. olive oil
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into thin strips
1 c. thick and chunky salsa
1 T. honey
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
8 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1 (10 ounce) bag baby spinach leaves

Mix together the mayonnaise, cucumber, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and black pepper in a bowl until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat, and cook and stir the chicken breast strips until they are beginning to turn golden and are no longer pink in the middle.

Stir in the salsa, 1 tablespoon of honey, and 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have blended, about 5 minutes.
Stack the tortillas, 4 at a time, in a microwave oven and heat until warm and pliable, 20 to 30 seconds per batch.

Spread each tortilla with 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise-cucumber mixture, top with a layer of baby spinach leaves, and arrange about 1/2 cup of chicken mixture on the spinach leaves.
Fold the bottom of each tortilla up about 2 inches, and start rolling the burrito from the right side. When the burrito is half-rolled, fold the top of the tortilla down, enclosing the filling, and continue rolling to make a tight, compact cylinder.

Notes: Although I didn't love the sauce plain, I loved the sauce mixed with the chicken. Chuck, well, not so much. But he could enjoy the "tacos" without it, so it made for a nice compromise in our house.

Baked Potato Soup

3 bacon strips (or 1 T. oil and bacon bits)
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 T. flour
1 t. salt
1 t. dried basil
1/2 t. pepper
3 c. chicken broth
2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed (and YES baked first)
1 c. half and half
1/2 t. hot pepper sauce (like tabasco or something else hot and spicy)
shredded cheddar
minced fresh parsley

In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp.  Drain, reserving 1 T. drippings.

Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender.  (I didn't have bacon, so I used olive oil in place of the drippings.)  Stir in flour, salt, basil, and pepper; mix well.  Gradually add broth.  Bring to boil; boil and stir for two minutes.  Add the potatoes, cream and hot pepper sauce; heat through but do not boil.  Garnish with bacon (or Bacon Bits stuff), cheese, and parsley.  This was soooo yummy.  Serves 4.

Marmalade Chicken

I admit I stole this from Eatingwell.com, but it is pretty delish!

4 servings

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 pound chicken tenders
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 large shallots, minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

Preparation
Whisk broth, vinegar, marmalade, mustard and cornstarch in a medium bowl.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 4 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and shallots to the pan and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, about 30 seconds. Whisk the broth mixture and add it to the pan. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; cook until the sauce is slightly reduced and thickened, 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Add the chicken; return to a simmer. Cook, turning once, until the chicken is heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in orange zest.

Nutrition
Per serving: 213 calories; 8 g fat (1 g sat, 5 g mono); 68 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrates; 27 g protein; 0 g fiber; 246 mg sodium; 55 mg potassium.

Exchanges: 1/2 other carbohydrate, 3 1/2 very lean meat

Note
I did not use shallots, I used diced onion, and I did not add the orange zest at the end because I did not have an orange on hand.  Otherwise, we thought it was great!  I got a couple of frowns while it was cooking and even when we pre-tasted the sauce, but once you add the chicken and serve over rice, it was just right.  We'll definitely make this again!

Pizza Rolls

Begin with your favorite recipe of pizza dough. There are three published on Foodees (one, two, three), or you can use another, or buy another. Then gather all your favorite pizza makings (whether it consists of your standard marinara and pepperoni or maybe pesto with pine nuts).

Then, get
1 T. olive oil (or less)
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 t. dried Italian seasoning
Parmesan cheese

Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly-floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" x 8". You're going to then cut it into 2" x 2" squares. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough.

Place cheese (not the Parmesan, but part of your toppings) and other desired toppings on each square. (Note: marinara sauce does NOT go on at this point. It's used for dipping later.) When all squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam-side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar-sized dish).

Brush the tops of the dough balls with the oil, then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese.

Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Because doughs vary, I'd start checking them after 10 minutes.  (I don't think mine were quite done, so I'd go a bit darker than this picture suggests.)

Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

Note: We ate far more of this (re: the entire thing) than we would of a pizza made with same ingredients, so beware.  They were just so good.

Creamy White Bean Chicken Chili

1 large onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 cube butter (I use less)
¼ cup flour
¾ cup chicken broth
2 cups milk or half-and-half (I use skim milk)
2 cans great northern beans, drained
1 teaspoon Tabasco (I use about ¼ tsp)
1 ½ tsp chili powder (I use about 1 tsp)
1 tsp cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 (4 oz) cans green chilies
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced and cooled
1 ½ cups Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup sour cream

1. Cook the onions and garlic in 2 TBS of butter until softened but not browned. In a large pot melt the remaining butter and whisk in the flour. Cook whisking for about 3 minutes. DO NOT BROWN.

2. Stir in the onions, garlic and gradually add the broth and milk, still whisking. Bring to a boil and then to a simmer, stirring 5 minutes or until thickened.

3. Stir in the drained beans and all remaining ingredients except the cheese and sour cream. Cook stirring over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Serve with cheese and sour cream as a topping.

Lasagna Rolls

I have adapted this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis of the Food Network. Find her original recipe here.

Lasagna:
1 15 oz. container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 C. plus 2 tbs. grated parmesan
3 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 lg. egg, beaten
3/4 tsp. salt plus more for boiling water
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 to 2 tbs. olive oil
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 to 3 C. marinara sauce
1 C. shredded mozzarella @ 4 oz.

Whisk the ricotta, chopped spinach, 1 C. parmesan, prosciutto, beaten egg, salt and pepper in bowl to blend.

Add olive oil to large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to the bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish. Pour some of the sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Spread about 3 tbs. of the ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Sprinkle a little mozzarella on each noodle as well. Starting at one end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching atop the sauce in the dish. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the rolls. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan over the rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 375 until heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 20 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Any remaining marinara sauce can be heated and served on the side.

Notes: I do not suggest substituting cottage cheese for the ricotta, gross. Ricotta is much tastier and much more smooth. However, if prosciutto is out of your budget, you can use cubed ham. Just make sure to chop it to smithereens before you add it to the ricotta mixture. As far as the baking time, I generally watch to see the sauce inside get bubbly and then take off the foil for the last 15 - 20 min. Just fyi, the pic is of the assembled rolls, pre-baked.

Camping Food: Kielbasa Tin Foil Dinner

3/4 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and halved
1/2 pound red potatoes, quartered
1 large onion, sliced
1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces (we used turkey kielbasa)
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
2 t. butter, melted
1/3 c. water

Put everything on a sheet of foil and seal tightly with many layers of foil, leaving only a small opening. Pour water into the opening and seal. If prepping at home, don't add water until just before cooking so it doesn't spill out everywhere while in transit. Cook 20 to 30 minutes in hot coals, turning once.

Chicken Sauteed with Apples

I got this recipe emailed me from realsimple.com. I guess at one point I signed up for daily recipes. We really liked this one. Here is the direct link. It's a really great fall dinner, I think.

Here is the recipe:
4 chicken breasts
1 T. oil
1 apple, cored, halved and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 c. apple juice
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 minced garlic clove
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. salt
2 T. dijon mustard

Directions
Place each chicken-breast half between 2 sheets of wax paper and pound with a meat mallet until about 3/4 inch thick.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and saute the chicken until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Add the apple slices, apple juice, onion, garlic, thyme, and salt. Cover and simmer 6 to 8 minutes or until the chicken is fork-tender.

Remove the chicken, apple slices, and onion to a serving platter and keep warm.
Bring the sauce to a boil for about 5 minutes or until slightly reduced. Whisk in the mustard. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

e-notes: I had to cook the chicken longer until it was no longer pink. I did two apples, and frankly could have done three. We didn't have thyme and so I did "herbs de provence" which is mainly made with thyme. A lovely fall supper.

Meat and Bean Burritos

recipe from Bridgette

Ingredients:
1 can pinto beans
1 can diced green chilis
1 cup salsa
tortillas
cheese
1/2 to 1 pound ground beef
1 diced medium onion
shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream and extra salsa for toppings

Preparation:
Brown hamburger and onions together in skillet, add salt and pepper to taste. When the meat is cooked, drain the fat off, put in a separate bowl, and wipe the skillet down with a paper towel. While hamburger is cooking empty beans and chilis in a pot and heat over medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Be careful, do not let the beans begin to stick to bottom of pan, you may need to cook them on low! Remove the beans from heat when they are finished and use a potato smasher to mash them up. Then add salsa and as much cheese as you want to make a completely delicious pot of bean goop! Spread the bean mixture down the middle of a tortilla, add some meat mixture, then fold the sides in and roll up your burrito. Then put the burrito in the skillet you cooked the meat in and brown on each side. This makes them crunchy and yummy! Top with toppings and serve with black beans or rice. I use a package of Spanish rice from the store. When we have beans I cook them in a pot with the juice of 1 lime! SO YUMMY!

e-notes: Our family really loves these burritos. So simple, yet so tasty. I pretty much do everything as said. I do a pound of ground turkey. I also just use one skillet - I brown my meat and onions, then I add the beans and when warmed I smash them with the potato masher. Then I add the can of green chilies and the salsa and cheese. I just mix everything up together and then spread the mixture down the center of my tortillas. I spray my burritos with cooking spray to help them crisp up when browning the filled tortillas on the skillet - using low-fat ground turkey usually doesn't leave a lot of grease to "fry" them on. I love browning the burritos on the skillet because it kind of "seals" them up and makes them less floppy - which makes them so much easier to eat for my little kids.

Chicken Fajita Melt

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced onions
1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper
1/2 cup tomato juice
2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
1 cup salsa
8 (1/2 inch thick) slices French bread
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, and cook and stir until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the sliced onions and red peppers, and cook and stir for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the tomato juice and taco seasoning, and mix well. Cook mixture until the juice has thickened and the chicken is well coated with sauce, about an additional 7 minutes.

Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.

Spread 2 tablespoons of salsa over each slice of French bread. Evenly spoon the chicken mixture on top of the salsa topped bread. Sprinkle each sandwich with 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese.

Place sandwiches under the preheated broiler and cook for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

Notes: We won't drink tomato juice, so I couldn't see buying an entire thing of it just for half cup. However, I found that you can mix tomato sauce or tomato paste with water to get the juice. If using sauce, use a 1:1 ratio (so use 1/4 c. sauce and 1/4 c. water to get 1/2 c. juice). If using paste, then you'll need a 4:1 ratio (four parts water to one part paste). They were really tasty!

Taco Seasoning

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Mix all together and use like you would use a packet of taco seasoning you buy. This makes enough for one pound of meat; you could easily make more and store it until you're ready. If you make more, then note that one serving would be 2 T and 2 t.

I didn't have sea salt and used regular salt. This recipe has less sodium than the packets, so that's good news.

Thai Noodles with Chicken and Snow Peas

1 pound chicken, cubed
9 ounces Asian-style noodles (can use linguine, but the Asian are good. And FYI, they were sold in a two-pound package for $3, so not that different in price from regular pasta)
1 1/2 c. snow peas
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped

Chicken marinade:
1/3 c. vinegar (rice or regular)
3 T. honey
2 T. peanut butter (chunky or reg)
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. canola oil
1 T. sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 t. red pepper, crushed
1/4 t. ginger, ground

Combined all marinade ingredients. Set aside one-fourth of this in another bowl. Using the remaining, marinate the chicken overnight or at least 30 minutes.

Remove chicken and discard marinade. In a large skillet or wok, cook chicken for 6-10 minutes over high heat until cooked thoroughly. Set aside.

Cook noodles according to package directions (the Asian took only 5-6 minutes). Add snow peas during last three minutes of cooking noodles.  Rinse noodles and peas with cold water; drain. Place in large bowl; add cooked chicken and marinade which was set aside. Toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Serves 5-6.

Thai Chicken Wraps

Peanut Sauce

1/4 c. creamy peanut butter

3 T. water

1 T. sugar

2 t. soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

Combine above ingredients in medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is smooth and warm. Use immediately or keep warm over very low heat, stirring occasionally.

6 8-10" spinach, tomato, and/or plain tortillas

1/2 t. garlic salt

1/4 - 1/2 t. pepper

12 ounces pork tenderloin (or 12 ounces chicken), cut into 1/4"-thick strips

1 T. oil

4 c. packaged shredded broccoli (broccoli slaw mix, like this one, found near regular cole slaw, that one package had four cups)

1 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges

1 t. grated fresh ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap tortillas in tin foil and warm them in oven for 10 minutes. When done, leave in foil (out of oven) until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, combine garlic salt and pepper. Add meat strips, tossing to coat evenly.

In a 10" skillet, cook and stir seasoned meat in hot oil over medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes or until no longer pink, turning to brown evenly. Turn heat down if meat gets too brown. Remove pork from skillet; keep warm (I wrapped in foil). Add shredded broccoli, onion, and ginger to the skillet. Cook and stir for another 4-6 minutes or until veggies are crisp-tender. Remove from heat.

To assemble, spread one side of tortilla with peanut sauce. Top with meat strips and broccoli mix. Roll up each tortilla, securing with a wooden toothpick if necessary. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

Thai Chicken Fettuccine

courtesy of Home Cooking the Costco Way

1 tbs vegetable oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 cup Pace picante Sauce
¼ cup chunky peanut butter
2 tbs honey
2 tbs orange juice
1 tsp soy sauce
½ tsp ground ginger
3 cups hot cooked fettuccine (16 ounces)
chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes, until it’s lightly browned, stirring often.

2. Stir in picante sauce, peanut butter, honey, orange juice, soy sauce, and ground ginger. Cook and stir until the chicken is cooked through.

3. Add fettuccine. Toss the mixture until evenly coated.

4. Top with cilantro if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Soft Tacos with Paprika Sour Cream

Tacos:
1 medium onion
1 1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound ground chicken (may substitute ground pork or turkey)
1/2 cup water
8 6-inch soft corn tortillas

Sour cream:
1/4 c. lime juice (the juice of 2 to 3 limes)
1 cup low-fat sour cream (or fat-free)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or not smoked)
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

For the smoked paprika sour cream: Squeeze enough juice from the limes into a medium bowl to yield 1/4 cup. Add the sour cream, paprika and salt, stirring to combine.

For the tacos: Cut the onion into small dice (about 1 cup total). Cut the tomatoes into halves or quarters, as desired.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned; then add the chili powder, oregano, cumin and garlic powder, mixing to coat the onion evenly.

Add the ground chicken, using your fingers to break it up into small pieces as it falls into the skillet. Stir to combine, then add the water and half of the tomatoes, breaking up the chicken further with a wooden spoon.

Reduce the heat to medium; cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Use the spoon to break up any large clumps that might remain. Add the rest of the tomatoes, stirring to combine; taste and season with salt as needed. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Serve meat on tortillas with sour cream. We added cheese because we're crazy like that.

Turkey and Pasta with Peanut Sauce

6 ounces dried fettuccine or linguine
2 c. fresh pea pods, tips trimmed
1 c. cooked turkey or chicken strips
1 c. coarsely chopped fresh pineapple or one 8-ounce can pineapple chunks, drained
1/4 c. chicken broth
2 T. creamy peanut butter (although I think chunky would be fine too)
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. lime or lemon juice
1/4 t. crushed red pepper
1 clove garlic, minced

Cook pasta according to package direction. Meanwhile, halve the fresh pea pods, diagonally. Place pea pods and turkey in a large colander. Pour hot cooking liquid from pasta over pea pods and turkey in colander; drain well. Return the pasta, pea pods, and turkey to the hot pan. Add the pineapple.

Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small saucepan stir chicken broth into peanut butter. Heat and stir with a whisk until peanut butter melts. Stir in soy sauce, lime juice, red pepper, and garlic; heat through.

Add sauce to the pasta mixture. Gently stir to coat pasta with sauce.

(From the Better Homes and Gardens 75th Anniversary Cookbook)

Lentils and Rice, or Rice and Lentils

olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 c rice
1 c lentils, picked over
4 c water or broth
salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent; add remaining ingredients. Bring to simmer and cover, cooking 25-30 minutes or until moisture is absorbed and rice is tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve.