Pasta Party Salad

6 ounces rotini or shell macaroni
Salted water
Oregano Dressing (recipe follows)
2 cups fresh spinach, torn
1 cup each chopped tomato and blanched pea pods
1/4 cup natural California pistachios, chopped
Black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook rotini in boiling, salted water according to package
directions; drain.

2. Marinate hot rotini in Oregano Dressing; cool at room
temperature.

3. Combine with spinach, tomato, pea pods, pistachios and black
pepper to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Oregano Dressing: Combine 1/4 cup each oil and red wine
vinegar, 3/4 teaspoon crushed oregano and 1/8 teaspoon garlic
powder. Makes 1/2 cup.

APRICOT SALSA

1/2 red bell pepper, roasted and chopped
Olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
1 jalapeno, finely minced
2 apricots, chopped
2 tbl. dark rum
Apple cider

Cut a red bell pepper in half, remove seeds, and roast half of it (brush
with olive oil and put under broiler very close to heat until blackened,
about 5 minutes). Chop.

Saute onion in about a tablespoon of olive oil until translucent. Add
tomato and jalapeno and saute about another 5 minutes, until tomato is
cooked. Add cider to cover and apricots and boil down until cider is
almost all boiled off. Add chopped roasted bell pepper and stir. Add
dark rum and flambe. (light and swirl until it goes out).

Brown Sugar Drops

2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine — softened
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Light Brown Glaze — (recipe follows)

LIGHT BROWN GLAZE
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine — melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons milk (2 to 4 tablespoons)

Heat oven to 400º. Beat brown sugar, butter, shortening, milk and
eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with
spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto
ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until almost no
indentation remains when touched in center. Cool 1 to 2 minutes;
remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Spread with
Light Brown Glaze.
LIGHT BROWN GLAZE:
Mix all ingredients until smooth and spreadable.

CREAMY TOMATO SOUP

2 tbsp. reduced-calorie margarine
1 lg. onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 carrot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 (28 oz.) can peeled Italian plum tomatoes
3 c. chicken broth
1 sm. boiling potato, peeled and
thinly sliced
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves or
2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Salt to taste
1 c. milk

Melt margarine in a soup pot over low heat. Add onion, carrot and garlic.
Cook, covered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender
and wilted. Crush tomatoes in their liquid and add to the pot along with the
chicken broth, potato, basil, nutmeg and salt. Cook, covered, over low heat for
40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Let cool to room temperature. Puree in a blender, in small batches, adding a bit of milk to each batch. Return to soup pot and adjust seasonings. Before serving, warm through over very low heat. Do not boil. Serves 6.

Cilantro Pesto Pasta Salad

1 pound rigatoni or other small pasta
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, washed, loosely packed
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup sliced black olives
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Cook rigatoni according to package directions, drain well.

2. In blender container, blend oil, cilantro, garlic and oregano until
smooth.

3. Toss pasta with dressing; toss in pine nuts and olives; season to
taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate. Toss again
before serving.

Steak & Tomato-Basil Pasta
6 beef tenderloin steaks or 3 boneless beef top loin steaks,
cut 1-inch thick
1 pound uncooked penne or mostaccioli pasta
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil
leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
6 cups chopped plum tomatoes (approximately 3 3/4
pounds)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; keep warm.

2. Meanwhile in large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over
medium heat until. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until
tender. Add remaining sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce
heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring
occasionally.

3. Place beefsteaks on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill
steaks, uncovered, 13 to 15 minutes (15 to 18 minutes for top
loin steaks) for medium rare to medium doneness, turning once.
Season with salt and pepper. Trim fat from steaks. (Cut top loin
steaks crosswise in half).

4. Combine tomato sauce, basil, cheese and pasta; toss to coat.
Serve steaks with pasta.

APPLE GLAZED PORK ROAST

4 lb. pork loin roast
6 apples
1/4 cup apple juice
3 T. brown sugar
1 t. ginger, ground
Rub roast with salt and pepper. Brown pork roast under broiler to
remove excess fat; drain well. Core and quarter apples. Place apple
quarters in bottom of crockpot. Place roast on top of apples. Combine
apple juice, brown sugar, and ginger. Spoon over top surface
of roast, moistening well. Cover and cook on Low for 10-12 hours,
until done.

APRICOT CHICKEN WINGS
1 pkg. Lipton onion soup
1 jar apricot preserves
1 bottle of clear Russian dressing
2 lbs. chicken wings

Bake chicken wings in oven at 350 degrees until tender (1 hour). Mix together soup
mix, preserves and Russian dressing. Pour mixture over chicken wings, coating each
piece and serve.

Cajun-Style Rib-Eye Steak

1 cup vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 small rib-eye steaks, approximately 3 pounds
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Begin marinating the steaks a day ahead.

1. Combine oil, sliced onion, garlic powder and 1 tablespoon
black pepper in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Add steaks to
marinade, turning to coat. Spoon half of sliced onion evenly
over steaks. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat) or preheat broiler.
Remove steaks from marinade. Combine paprika, cayenne, salt,
white pepper and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in small bowl.
Sprinkle each side of each steak with 1 teaspoon spice mixture.

3. Grill or broil steaks until cooked through, about 8 minutes per
side for medium-rare. Cut each steak in half. Divide steaks
among plates; serve.

This easy version of Apple Brown Betty is done in the crockpot. Just set and forget!

APPLE BROWN BETTY

* 3 lbs. cooking apples
* 10 slices of bread, cubed (about 4 cups)
* 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
* 1/8 tsp. salt
* 3/4 c. brown sugar
* 1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted
Wash apples, peel, core, cut into eighths; place in bottom on crock.
Combine bread cubes, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, sugar, butter; toss
together. Place on top of apples in crock. Cover. Cook on low setting 2 to 4 hours.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.