ITALIAN STUFFED GREEN PEPPERS

 Ingredients
    8 green peppers
    1 pound hot italian sausage cumbled
    1 pound ground beef
    1 onion chopped
    1 cup tomatoes -- fresh or canned
    1 cup rice -- cooked
    italian seasoning
    seasoned pepper
    grated mozzarella

 Directions
    Saute beef, sausage, onion until browned. Drain fat off. Add
    tomatoes, seasonings and simmer for a little bit. Add rice. Stuff
    into peppers that have been cut lengthwise and cleaned out.
    Sprinkle with mozarella or parmesan. Bake in a casserole with
    some tomatoe sauce underneath peppers at about 350 until hot.
    These freeze great. I make a lot at this time of year when
    peppers are cheap and freeze them.

          ITALIAN EGGPLANT

 Ingredients
    1 large eggplant
    1-2 eggs slightly beaten
    salt
    Italian bread crumbs
    1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
    1/3 cup peanut oil
    2 tbsps parsley, chopped (fresh)
    1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (fresh if you have it)
    8 ounces mozzarella cheese (sliced)
    1/4 teaspoon pepper (freshly grated)
    8 ounce can tomato sauce or home made sauce

 Directions
    Peel eggplant and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Sprinkle with salt.
    Dip in egg and then in bread crumbs. Dry on a rack for a few
    minutes. Pour oil into a skillet to a depth of 1/8th inch and
    heat. Brown eggplant on both sides in hot oil. Place slices in
    shallow pan or casserole dish, overlapping if necessary. Sprinkle
    with pepper, parsley and Parmesan cheese. Top with mozzarella
    cheese. Pour tomato sauce over all. Bake in a moderate over (350
    degrees) for 20 to 25 minutes.

    You can put some canned or fresh mushroom slices before the
    mozzarella cheese too.

          PIZZA ROMANO

 Ingredients
   Makes 2 (12-inch) pizzas
   1 1/2-POUND RECIPE

   Dough:
   water 1 cup
   peanut oil 2 tablespoons
   salt 1 1/2 teaspoons
   bread flour 3 cups
   sugar 1 tablespoon
   FLEISCHMANN’S Bread Machine Yeast 2 teaspoons

   Topping:
   1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
   1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
   1 tablespoon peanut oil
   1 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
   1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
   2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

   Topping: 
   In medium bowl, combine tomatoes, cheese, oil, marjoram leaves, 
   and ground black pepper. Stir well.

 Directions
    Add water, oil, salt, flour, sugar, and yeast to bread machine 
    pan in the order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough/manual 
    cycle. When cycle is complete, remove dough from machine to a
    lightly oiled surface. If necessary, knead in enough flour to 
    make dough easy to handle. 

    Divide 
    dough in half. Shape each half into a ball. Roll each into a
    12-inch circle. Place on 2 greased baking sheets; form a 
    standing rim by pinching the edge of the dough. Prick dough 
    with fork; let rest 10  minutes. 

    Prebake at 450 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove from sheets; place 
    on wire
    cooling racks. Spread topping evenly on each pizza crust. 
    Sprinkle with mushrooms. Bake on wire racks at 450 degrees 
    for 12 to 14 minutes or until done. Cool slightly; cut into
    slices and serve. 

          OLIVE GARDEN'S PASTA E FAGIOLI

 Ingredients
    1 pound ground beef
    1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
    1 large carrot, julienned (1 cup)
    3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
    1 15-ounce can red kidney beans (with liquid)
    1 15-ounce can great northern beans (with liquid)
    1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
    1 12-ounce can V-8 juice
    1 tablespoon white vinegar
    1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    1 teaspoon oregano
    1 teaspoon basil
    1/2 teaspoon pepper
    1/2 teaspoon thyme
    1/2 pound (1/2 pkg.) ditali pasta

 Directions
    Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan or pot over medium
    heat. Drain off most of the fat. Add onion, carrot, celery and
    garlic and sauté for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients,
    except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour. About 50 minutes into simmer
    time, cook the pasta in 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of boiling water over
    high heat. Cook for 10 minutes or just until pasta is al dente,
    or slightly tough. Drain. Add the pasta to the large pot of soup.
    Simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve.

          PASTA WITH PESTO SAUCE 

 Ingredients
    1 lb. dry pasta (Rotini, bowtie, etc.)
    1 cup cottage cheese 
    1/2 cup plain yogurt 
    1 cup chopped cilantro 
    1 tsp. Salt 
    non-stick pan spray 
    4 cloves garlic, minced 
    1 small onion, thinly sliced 
    1 yellow or red sweet bell pepper, thinly sliced 

 Directions
    Cook pasta in boiling salted water just until tender.
    Combine cottage cheese, yogurt, cilantro and salt in a small
    food processor. Process 30 seconds or until well blended. 

    Spray a small skillet 
    and place over medium heat. Add garlic, onions, and pepper and
    cook until vegetables are slightly tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. 

    Remove from heat. Drain pasta and toss with sauce and garlic 
    in serving bowl. 

          APPLE-CABBAGE RAVIOLI WITH BACON & THYME BROTH

 Ingredients
    Homemade ravioli is a great family project - set up an assembly line
    with one person rolling and measuring, another filling the ravioli,
    and another (kids preferred) trimming with a speedy pastry wheel. 
    Once made, ravioli can be frozen until minutes before serving. 
    NOTE: To make this recipe more quickly, substitute wonton 
    wrappers for ravioli dough and proceed from step 2.

    Ravioli Dough
    2 cups all-purpose flour
    1/2 cup cornstarch
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/4 cup water
    2 large eggs
    2 tablespoons vegetable oil

    Apple-Cabbage Filling
    2 tablespoons butter
    1 cup finely chopped onion
    2 cups finely chopped green cabbage
    1/2 cup water
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1 Golden Delicious Apple, peeled, cored, and grated
    1/2 cup ricotta cheese
    1 large egg white, beaten

    Bacon and Thyme Broth
    4 ounces thick-cut bacon coarsely chopped
    2-1/2 cups water
    1 large cube chicken bouillon
    2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water

 Directions
    Prepare ravioli dough: In a large bowl combine flour, cornstarch
    and salt. In measuring cup, beat together water, eggs and oil.
    Pout egg mixture into flour mixture and beat until dough forms. 
    This can also be done in a food processor. Divide dough into 
    quarters, wrap in plastic and let rest while preparing filling.

    To prepare apple-cabbage filling, heat butter in large skillet.
    Add onion and sauté until golden. Add cabbage, water, salt and 
    pepper to onion mixture; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring
    occasionally, Add apple to mixture, cover, and cook 7 to 8 minutes
    or until apple softens.
    Remove filling mixture from heat, stir in ricotta and set aside 
    until cool enough to handle.

    To make ravioli, line two baking sheets with clean cloths; dust 
    cloths generously with flour. On lightly floured surface, roll out
    one quarter ravioli dough to a thin (1/16 inch) 9-inch square. 
    Brush square with egg white and cut square into thirds, creating 
    nine 3-inch squares. Place 2 teaspoons apple-cabbage filling in 
    center of each square. Fold top corner of each square over filling
    to meet opposite bottom corner, creating a triangle. Pinch seam 
    sides of triangle to seal completely. With knife or pastry wheel,
    trim edges slightly. Place ravioli on cloth-covered baking sheet. 
    Repeat rolling, cutting, and filling with remaining dough. Dust
    tops of ravioli with flour, and refrigerate, uncovered, at least 
    1 hour. (To freeze ravioli, arrange in a single layer on floured 
    sheet and place in freezer until frozen; store in
    sealed plastic bags for up to 3 weeks. If cooking from frozen, 
    increase cooking time 2 to 3 minutes.

    Just before serving, prepare bacon and thyme broth; In deep skillet,
    cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside. Drain fat from
    skillet, add water and bring to boil. Stir in bouillon cube in thyme,
    reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Stirring, add cornstarch mixture to
    bouillon mixture. Bring to boil and stir constantly until mixture
    thickens,. Remove from heat and add reserved bacon; set broth aside
    while ravioli cooks. In large pot, bring 3 quarts water to boiling; add
    ravioli an cook 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Drain, divide among
    serving bowls or deep plates and ladle bacon and thyme broth over all.
    Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs, if desired, and serve.

          SPINACH RISOTTO 

 Ingredients
    1 small chopped onion
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1 cup uncooked rice
    2 cups chicken stock
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    10 ounces thawed frozen spinach
    1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
    1/4 teaspoon black pepper
    1 medium tomato

 Directions
    In 2-quart casserole, cook onion and olive oil on HIGH 3-4
    minutes, until tender, stirring halfway through cooking. 
    Stir in rice, coating each grain. Stir stock and salt into 
    rice. Cook, covered, on HIGH 5-8 minutes, until boiling.
    Stir. Cook, covered, on MEDIUM (50 % power) 13-15 minutes, 
    until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Drain spinach well,
    squeezing to remove all liquid. Stir spinach, Parmesan, and
    pepper into rice. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Remove
    seeds from tomato and cut into 1/2" chunks; stir into rice.