PASTA

Ingredients

Salt
1 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon(s) fresh oregano leaves, chopped
1/4 cup(s) (plus additional for serving) grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup(s) (packed) fresh basil leaves, chopped
12 ounce(s) fusilli or corkscrew pasta
1 pint(s) (2 cups) grape tomatoes

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Directions

1.Heat large covered saucepot of salted water to boiling on high.
2.Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine ricotta, oregano, 1/4 cup Romano, and half of basil.
3.Add pasta to boiling water and cook as label directs, adding tomatoes when 3 minutes of cooking time remain.
4.Reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Drain pasta and tomatoes; return to pot. Add reserved cooking water to ricotta mixture; stir into pasta and tomatoes. Toss with remaining basil. Serve with additional cheese if you like.


Nutritional information is based on a 2-cup serving.

Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken Stew

Prep Time: :20
Cook Time: 8:
Ingredients:•1-1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
•9 oz. pkg. baby carrots
•1 onion, chopped
•1 14-ounce can ready to serve chicken broth
•1 Tbsp. finely chopped ginger root
•18 oz. jar sweet and sour sauce
•8 oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained, juice reserved
•2 Tbsp. cornstarch
•1 red bell pepper, chopped
•1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
•1 cup thin egg noodles
Preparation:
Combine chicken, carrots, onion, chicken broth, water, ginger root, and sweet and sour sauce in 4-5 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours until vegetables are tender and chicken is thoroughly cooked.
Mix reserved pineapple juice with cornstarch until smooth and stir into chicken mixture in crockpot, mixing well. Stir in pineapple tidbits, bell peppers, and egg noodles.

Cover and cook on HIGH 25-35 minutes until pasta is tender and vegetables are crisp-tender and heated through.
Serves 6-8



Asian Beef with Mandarin Oranges

25 minutes
Ready In: 10 hours (LOW) or 5 to 6 hours (HIGH)
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1⁄2-inch strips
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1⁄3 cup soy sauce
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 small green bell pepper, sliced
1 package (about 3 ounces) shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 head bok choy, cleaned and chopped
1 can (5 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained and syrup reserved
2 cups beef broth
6 cups steamed rice


Directions

Heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add beef, in batches if necessary, and cook, turning to brown all sides. Transfer beef to 4 1⁄2-quart CROCK-POT® slow cooker as it is browned.
Add onion to same skillet. Stir over medium heat until softened. Add next soy sauce, salt, ginger, green pepper, mushrooms, bok choy and water chestnuts and cook until bok choy is wilted, about 5 minutes. Spoon mixture over beef.
Whisk together corn starch and reserved mandarin orange syrup in medium bowl. Stir in beef broth and pour over ingredients in CROCK-POT® slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 10 hours or on HIGH 5 to 6 hours or until beef is tender.
Stir in mandarin oranges. Spoon steamed rice into shallow serving bowl and spoon beef over rice.

CROCKPOT MEALS

Crockpot Coffee Beef Pot Roast Serves 4 to 6

2 to 3 pounds beef shoulder or boneless chuck roast
6 each carrots -- peeled & diced
1 pound red skin potatoes, diced
8 ounces whole peeled canned tomatoes with juice, crush with your hands
8 ounces freshly brewed black coffee
8 ounces water
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Step 1
Trim exterior fat from beef and season with salt and pepper.
Place carrots and potatoes in the bottom of your crock pot.

Step 2
Place the beef on top of the vegetables and add remaining ingredients.

Step 3
Cover and cook on low for eight to 10 hours or until tender.
Remove the beef and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
If desired, thicken the broth by whisking together 6 ounces of flour with 6 ounces of water to a smooth paste and then slowly whisk it into the hot liquid.

Crockpot Lamb Stew

Serves 6 to 8

4 pounds lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
8 each cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped fine
1 cup good quality dry white wine
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 large white onion, peeled and diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 roasted red bell peppers, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 large ripe tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
3 tablespoons flat parsley, chopped fine
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup dry, full-bodied red wine
1/2 cup chicken broth or chicken stock

Step 1
Combine the lamb, half of the garlic cloves, rosemary and white wine in a medium bowl. Let marinate for six hours or even overnight in the refrigerator. Drain the meat and pat dry with paper towels (discard the marinade).

Step 2
Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat.
Working in batches, brown the meat on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Return all meat to the pot and add the onions, the rest of the garlic and salt and pepper to taste.

Cook, scraping browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, until the onions are soft, about five minutes. Stir in paprika, roasted peppers, tomatoes, bay leaf, chicken stock and red wine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until juices in pot reduce and thicken slightly, about 10-15 minutes.

Step 3
Transfer the stew into a crockpot set to medium low heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until meat is very tender, two to two and a half hours. Add parsley, adjust seasonings and serve.

This stew is great over rice or along side mashed potatoes.