Dinner Tonight

Beef and Bok Choy Hot Pot

2 1/4 cups water
3/4 cup low-salt beef broth
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 1/4 cups chopped green onions
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 cups thinly sliced bok choy
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrot
2 cups hot cooked wide rice noodles or fettuccine

Combine first 6 ingredients, stirring with a whisk; set aside. Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add beef, browning on all sides. Add broth mixture, green onions, garlic, and ginger; bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until beef is tender. Stir in bok choy and carrot, and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Serve beef mixture over noodles. Makes 4 servings

Italian Potato Torta

6 cups cubed peeled baking potato (about 1 3/4 pounds)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced Italian-style tomatoes, drained
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Thyme sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 450°. Place potatoes in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Return potatoes to pan; add flour, oil, salt, and egg. Mash potato mixture with a potato masher until smooth.

Spread potato mixture into a 9-inch round cake pan coated with cooking spray. Combine seasoning, garlic, and tomatoes; spread evenly over potato mixture. Combine cheeses, and sprinkle over tomato mixture. Bake at 450° for 25 minutes or until golden. Let stand 20 minutes. Cut torta into 4 wedges. Garnish with thyme, if desired. Makes 4 servings

Chili Potpies

1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, drained
1 can (16 ounces) chili beans, undrained
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter, melted
3 to 4 tablespoons milk

In a large saucepan, saute onion and green pepper in oil until tender. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, chili powder, brown sugar and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; heat, uncovered, while preparing crust.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Stir in butter and enough milk to form a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12-in. circle. Using an inverted 10-oz. baking dish as a guide, score four circles. Cut out circles. Cut a small circle in the center of each pastry (discard or reroll cutouts and use as decoration).

Coat four 10-oz. baking dishes with cooking spray. Fill with chili; top each with a dough circle. Tuck in edges of dough to seal. Bake at 375° for 13-17 minutes or until edges of crust are lightly browned. Makes 4 servings.

Pork Chops with Country Gravy

1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 3/4 inch thick)
1 tablespoon butter
Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups milk

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour, salt, dried marjoram, dried thyme, and dried rubbed sage in a shallow dish. Dredge pork in flour mixture, turning to coat; shake off excess. Reserve remaining flour mixture.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add pork to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Reduce heat, and cook for 10 minutes or until done, turning pork once. Remove pork from pan; keep warm.

Combine reserved flour mixture and milk in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add milk mixture to pan; place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Serve with chops. Makes 4 servings

Miso-Glazed Salmon

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons miso (soybean paste)
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Preheat broiler. Combine first 4 ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Arrange fish in a shallow baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon miso mixture evenly over fish.

Broil 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, basting twice with miso mixture. Sprinkle with chives. Makes 4 servings

Herbed Chicken Parmesan

1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 pound chicken breast tenders
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups bottled tomato-basil pasta sauce
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) shredded provolone cheese

Preheat broiler. Combine 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish. Place egg white in a shallow dish. Dip each chicken tender in egg white; dredge in the breadcrumb mixture. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Set aside.

Combine 1/8 teaspoon salt, pasta sauce, vinegar, and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; vent. Microwave sauce mixture at high 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Pour the sauce over chicken in pan. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining Parmesan and provolone cheese. Wrap handle of pan with foil, and broil 2 minutes or until the cheese melts. Makes 4 servings

Spiced Pork with Bourbon Sauce

Sauce:
1/2 cup bourbon
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pork:
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
Cooking spray

To prepare sauce, combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 11 minutes), stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

To prepare pork, combine chili powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt, stirring well; rub evenly over pork. Cut pork crosswise into 12 slices.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with sauce. Makes 4 servings

Steak and Blue Cheese Pizza

Cooking spray
2 cups vertically sliced onion
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 (8-ounce) boneless sirloin steak, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
3 (7-inch) refrigerated individual pizza crusts
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese

Preheat oven to 450°. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms; cover and cook 3 minutes. Uncover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt; remove onion mixture from pan.

Sprinkle steak with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add steak to pan; cook over medium-high heat 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes; cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

Place crusts on a baking sheet. Bake at 450° for 3 minutes. Remove crusts from oven. Combine mayonnaise and horseradish; spread each crust with about 2 teaspoons mayonnaise mixture.

Arrange onion mixture evenly over crusts; bake at 450° for 2 minutes. Divide steak and cheese evenly among pizzas; bake an additional 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Cut each pizza in half. Makes 6 servings

Beef and Beer Chili

1 1/2 cups chopped red onion (about 1 medium)
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1 small)
8 ounces extralean ground beef
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (19-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14-ounce) can low-sodium beef broth
1 (12-ounce) bottle beer (such as Budweiser)
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook 5 minutes or until beef is browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in chili powder, cumin, sugar, and salt; cook 1 minute.

Add oregano and next 4 ingredients (through beer) to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in cornmeal; cook 5 minutes. Stir in juice. Makes 4 servings

Baked Chili

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Corn Bread Biscuits:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream

In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, over medium heat, cook beef, onion and green pepper until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Beat egg, milk and sour cream until smooth; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

Transfer chili to an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Drop batter by heaping teaspoonfuls onto hot chili. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 15-17 minutes or until biscuits are lightly browned. Makes 8 servings.

Wild Rice Chicken Skillet

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn, thawed
1 package (8.8 ounces) ready-to-serve long grain and wild rice
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil over medium heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear.

Stir in corn and rice; sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook 3-4 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted. Makes 4 servings.

Caribbean Chutney-Crusted Chops

1 cup soft bread crumbs
1-1/2 teaspoons Caribbean jerk seasoning
1/4 cup mango chutney
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 lamb loin chops (2 inches-thick and 8 ounces each)

In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs and jerk seasoning; set aside. Combine the chutney, salt and pepper; spread over both sides of lamb chops. Coat with crumb mixture.

Place lamb chops on a rack coated with cooking spray in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 450° for 20-25 minutes or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145°; medium 160°; well-done 170°). Makes 4 servings.

Tangy Breaded Pork Chops

1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup dry bread crumbs
4 boneless pork loin chops (1/2 inch thick and 6 ounces each)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

In a shallow bowl, beat the egg, mustard and garlic. Place bread crumbs in another shallow bowl. Dip pork chops in egg mixture, then coat with crumbs.

In a large skillet, brown chops on both sides in oil. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Makes 4 servings.

Chicken Rolls with Raspberry Sauce

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
4 strips ready-to-serve fully cooked bacon, crumbled
2 tablespoons butter, melted, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups fresh raspberries
1/4 cup chicken broth
4 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Flatten chicken to 1/4-in. thickness; sprinkle with blue cheese and bacon to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up each jelly-roll style, starting with a short side; secure with toothpicks.

Place in a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Brush with 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the raspberries, broth, brown sugar, vinegar, garlic and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until thickened.

Press through a sieve; discard seeds. Stir in remaining butter until smooth. Discard toothpicks from chicken rolls; serve with raspberry sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Marinated Ham Steaks

1/2 cup ginger ale
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1-1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
4 individual boneless fully cooked ham steaks (about 5 ounces each)

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first eight ingredients. Add ham steaks; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Prepare grill for indirect heat. Drain and discard marinade. Grill ham, covered, over indirect medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until heated through. Makes 4 servings.

Mini Shepherd's Pies

1 pound ground beef
3 tablespoons chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/3 cup chili sauce or ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups water
3 tablespoons butter
1-1/4 cups mashed potato flakes
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
1 tube (12 ounces) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/2 cup crushed potato chips
Paprika, optional

In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the chili sauce, vinegar and salt; set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil. Pour into a small bowl. Whisk in potato flakes until blended. Beat in cream cheese until smooth.

Press biscuits onto the bottom and up the sides of 10 greased muffin cups. Fill with beef mixture. Spread potato mixture over beef. Sprinkle with potato chips; press down lightly.

Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with paprika if desired. Serve immediately, or cool before placing in a single layer in a freezer container. Cover and freeze for up to 2 months.

To use frozen pies: Thaw in the refrigerator for 8 hours. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 15-18 minutes or until heated through. Makes 5 servings.

Strip Steaks with Mango Salsa

1 cup diced carrots
1 cup chopped peeled mango
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and diced
1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
5 teaspoons lime juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon Mexican seasoning
4 New York strip steaks (8 ounces each)

Place 1/2 in. of water in a small saucepan; add carrots. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 7-9 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and cool.

In a small bowl, combine the mango, avocado, red pepper, lime juice, cilantro, salt, cumin and carrots. Refrigerate until serving.

Sprinkle Mexican seasoning over both sides of steaks. Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 6-10 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145°; medium, 160°; well-done, 170°). Serve with mango salsa. Makes 4 servings

Sweet Barbecued Pork Chops

8 boneless pork loin chops (3/4 inch thick and 8 ounces each)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup French salad dressing
1/2 cup honey

In a large skillet, brown pork chops in oil in batches on both sides. Return all to the skillet. Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over chops. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-14 minutes or until meat is tender. Serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.

Beef Pitas with Yogurt Sauce

1 cup (8 ounces) plain yogurt
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon salt

Pitas:
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1 large sweet onion, sliced
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
4 whole gyro-style pitas (6 inches), warmed

For sauce, in a small bowl, combine the yogurt, parsley, garlic and salt. Refrigerate until serving. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper; add beef. Seal bag and toss to coat.

In a large nonstick skillet, saute onion in 2 teaspoons oil until golden brown. Remove and keep warm. Saute beef in remaining oil until no longer pink. Serve beef and onion on pitas with yogurt sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Ham with Mustard-Cream Sauce

4 boneless fully cooked ham steaks (about 5 ounces each)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup honey mustard
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Place ham steaks in a large skillet. In a small bowl, combine water and mustard; pour over ham. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and onions. Makes 4 servings.

Sole Fillets in Lemon Butter

4 sole fillets (4 ounces each)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Place the sole in an ungreased microwave-safe 11-in. x 7-in. dish; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and microwave on high for 3-4 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the butter, parsley and lemon juice; pour over fillets. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs. Microwave, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Sprinkle with paprika. Makes 4 servings.

Tender Cabbage Rolls

1 large head cabbage
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 cups cooked long grain rice
2 jars (4-1/2 ounces each) sliced mushrooms, well drained
1 small onion, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds lean ground beef

Sauce:
2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Cook cabbage in boiling water just until leaves fall off head. Set aside 14 large leaves for rolls. (Refrigerate remaining cabbage for another use.) Cut out the thick vein from the bottom of each reserved leaf, making a V-shaped cut.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, rice, mushrooms, onion and seasonings. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Place about 1/2 cup on each cabbage leaf; overlap cut ends and fold in sides, beginning from the cut end. Roll up completely to enclose filling.

Place seven rolls, seam side down, in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Combine sauce ingredients; pour half over cabbage rolls. Top with remaining rolls and sauce. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160°. Makes 6 servings.

Creamy Chicken with Noodles

8 ounces uncooked egg noodles
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
3/4 cup half-and-half cream
1/4 cup marsala wine or chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley, divided

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, flatten chicken to 1/4-in. thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, cook chicken in 2 tablespoons oil in batches for 5-7 minutes on each side or until golden brown and a meat thermometer reaches 17-°; keep warm.

In the same skillet, saute mushrooms and garlic in remaining oil until tender. Stir in the soups, cream, wine or broth and chili powder until blended; heat through. Stir in 1/4 cup parsley. Drain noodles; serve with chicken and sauce. Sprinkle with remaining parsley. Makes 6 servings.

Skillet Spaghetti

1 pound ground beef
3 cups water
2 cans (11-1/2 ounces each) tomato juice (about 2-3/4 cups)
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 package (7 ounces) spaghetti
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the water, tomato juice, tomato paste and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Add uncooked spaghetti. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the spaghetti is tender, stirring frequently. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired. Makes 4-6 servings.

Pepperoni Macaroni

2-1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 large onion, chopped
1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/3 cup milk
1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni, halved
1 jar (4-1/2 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Drain macaroni.

In a large bowl, combine the pizza sauce, tomato sauce and milk. Stir in sausage mixture, macaroni, pepperoni, mushrooms and olives.

Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted. Makes 8 servings.