Rice with Ham

Rice with Ham

1 lb. sliced cooked ham
2 Tbs. butter or margarine
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen green peas
3 cups chicken or beef broth
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Additional butter to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut ham into squares, about 3/4- inch. Set aside.

Heat butter in leavy-lidded casserole. Add onion and
saute for 2 minutes until tender. Stir in the rice.
Mix until rice is evenly coated with butter.

Add the frozen peas and ham, then add the broth. Bring
to boiling; stir once. Cover and turn heat down to
low. Cook for 20 minutes. Rice should absorb all the
liquid in this time.

Fold in the Parmesan cheese. Add butter, if desired.
Taste. Add salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve
immediately.

Easy Celebration Ice Cream Cake

Easy Celebration Ice Cream Cake

24 Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1 pint (2 cups) strawberry ice cream, softened
2 cups thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping, divided
1 pint (2 cups) chocolate ice cream, softened
2 Tbsp. Hot Fudge Ice Cream Topping

Instructions:
Line a 9-inch round cake pan with plastic wrap, with ends of plastic
wrap extending over side of pan. Stand 14 of the cookies around edge
of pan. Crush remaining 10 cookies. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cookie
crumbs for later use; sprinkle remaining crumbs onto bottom of pan.
Spread strawberry ice cream over crumbs; top with 1 cup of the
whipped topping and the reserved 1/2 cup crumbs. Cover with chocolate
ice cream. Freeze for 4 hours or overnight.

Remove dessert from pan just before serving, using the plastic wrap
handles to lift dessert from pan. Carefully peel off plastic wrap;
place dessert on serving plate. Let stand 10 minutes at room
temperature to soften slightly. Top evenly with the remaining 1 cup
whipped topping; drizzle with fudge topping. Cut into 14 wedges to
serve. Store leftover dessert in freezer.

Makes 14 servings.

TIPS

Variation
Prepare as directed, using Reduced Fat OREO Chocolate Sandwich
Cookies, frozen yogurt and COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping.

Variation
Omit fudge topping. Prepare as directed, using COOL WHIP Strawberry
Whipped Topping. Top with 14 fresh strawberries just before serving.

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories 210
Total fat 10g
Saturated fat 5g
Cholesterol 10mg
Sodium 150mg
Carbohydrate 28g
Dietary fiber 1g
Sugars 18g
Protein 3g
Vitamin A 4%DV
Vitamin C 2%DV
Calcium 4%DV
Iron 6%DV

Celebration Cake with Cherry Preserve Filling

Celebration Cake with Cherry Preserve Filling

A beautiful cake to serve for a special graduation or commencement
day party. If you like, pipe the frosting decoratively over top and
sides of cake for a professionally finished look.

1 pkg. white cake mix (for a 2 layer cake)
3-5 drops red food coloring (amount depends on what shade of pink you
want the cake to be)
4 oz. white baking chocolate, grated
1/2 - 3/4 cup cherry preserves* (see note below)
1 tub ready-made white frosting
Red Glace cherries

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake
pans.

For the Cake:
Prepare cake mix according to package directions for making a 2-layer
(9-inch) cake, adding the red food coloring to batter. Stir in half
of the grated white chocolate. Set aside remaining grated white
chocolate for garnish. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

Bake 28 to 31 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out
clean. Cool in pans 15 minutes. Invert onto cooling racks. Cool
completely.

To Puree the Preserves
Place the cherry preserves in a blender or food processor and puree
or process until preserves are of a thin spreading consistency.

Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread with pureed cherry
preseves. Top with remaining layer. Frost sides and top of cake with
frosting (or pipe frosting decoratively on top and sides of cake for
a professional look). Garnish top of cake with remaining grated white
chocolate. If desired, decorate the top and bottom edges of cake with
glace cherries.

*Note: Seedless red raspberry jam or seedless strawberry jam may be
used in place of the cherry preserves. If using jam, there is no need
to puree it. Heat pureed preserves or jam in a small saucepan on low
heat to thin the jam out for easier spreading.

Makes 12 to 16 servings.

HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN PIE

HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN PIE

INGREDIENTS:
1 - 9 inch double crust
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/4 cup soy sauce
oil for cooking
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks
4-6 tablespoons honey
1 heaping tablespoon prepared Dijon mustard
parsley
salt
ground black pepper
1 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
water

DIRECTIONS:
Cut chicken into bite-size chunks, and marinate in soy sauce.
Pour enough oil in saucepan to coat the bottom of the pan.
Saute onion and garlic over medium-high heat until onion in
soft but not brown. Add chicken pieces, and saute until
chicken is cooked through. Stir in chicken broth, carrots,
honey, mustard, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix cornstarch with
a few tablespoons of water to make a paste. Bring chicken
mixture to a boil, and stir in cornstarch mixture. Cook,
stirring constantly, until thick. Mixture should get pretty
thick: add more cornstarch mixture if necessary. Pour chicken
mixture into pie shell. Top with crust, cutting small slits
in top to let steam escape. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350 degrees Bake 30 minutes more, or until crust
is golden brown.

Yield: 1 9-inch pie

Vegetable-Stuffed Meatloaf

Vegetable-Stuffed Meatloaf

1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1 1/2 cups low-sodium tomato juice
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 pound ground turkey breast
3/4 pound lean ground round
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup rolled quick-cooking oats
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Combine carrots, mushrooms and zucchini in small saucepan. Stir in 1/2 cup tomato juice and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Cover and cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
Uncover and allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until most of juice has cooked away. (Watch carefully so it doesn't cook dry or scorch). Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese.
Spray a broiler pan with nonstick spray coating.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine ground meats, 1/2 cup tomato juice, onion, oats, egg whites, Worcestershire sauce, remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt and pepper; stir well. Spoon meat mixture onto a sheet of wax paper and press lightly into a 9-inch-by-10-inch rectangle. Spoon vegetable mixture over meat.
Use wax paper to gently roll meat, jellyroll fashion, forming a loaf about 10 inches by 4 inches. Transfer to prepared pan and place loaf seam side down. Bake at 375 degrees 50 minutes.
Cook remaining 1/2 cup tomato juice in small, uncovered saucepan 5 minutes or until slightly reduced. Stir in balsamic vinegar. Brush tomato-juice mixture over meatloaf.
Continue baking meatloaf about 10 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 165 degrees and meat is no longer pink inside.
Allow to stand 10 minutes before slicing.
Makes 6 servings.
Calories 248, Fat 13 g, Carbs 10 g, Sodium 177 mg, Fiber 2 g.