I received a copy of "Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2009" last month. The 352-page hardback cookbook contains more than 400 of Pillsbury's best recipes. The sweet part - it was free, a perk for renewing my subscription to Taste of Home's Simple & Delicious magazine.
I've accumulated many Pillsbury cookbooks through the years, and this one appears to meet the usual high standards of offering taste-tempting and timesaving family recipes. With color photographs scattered on every page, the cookbook contains family favorites like mouth-watering comfort foods, a variety of appetizers and snacks, dishes that appeal to children, luscious desserts and more. New in this 2009 edition are two seasonal chapters offering festive recipes for every occasion.
Many of the recipes call for brand-name products you can trust. These ingredients give you tasty results without all the effort of "from scratch" cooking. I had difficulty selecting recipes to share in this column because most all of them in "Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2009" sounded good to me. So I will be sharing more on my Recipe Roundup blog.
Chicken Pasta Soup
n 2 teaspoons butter or margarine n 3 boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips n 1 8-ounce package sliced fresh mushrooms (3 cups) n 3 14-ounce cans fat-free chicken broth with 33 percent less sodium n 1 1/2 cups uncooked medium pasta shells (4 ounces) n 1 cup sliced summer squash or zucchini n 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper n 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
In a 4-quart nonstick saucepan or Dutch oven, heat butter over medium heat until hot. Cook chicken and mushrooms in butter, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling.
Reduce the heat to low; simmer 10 t0 13 minutes until pasta is tender. Serve immediately.
Servings: 6 (1 1/3 cups each).
Rotini with Spicy Meat Sauce n 2 2/3 cups uncooked rotini pasta (8 ounces) n 1 pound lean (at least 80 percent) ground beef n 3 medium stalks celery, chopped (1 1/2 cups) n 2 medium onions, chopped (1 cup) n 1 small zucchini, sliced, slices quartered (1 cup) n 2 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained n 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce n 1 4.5 ounce jar Green Giant sliced mushrooms, undrained n 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves n 1/2 teaspoon salt n 1/2 teaspoon pepper n 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
Cook and drain the pasta as directed on the package.
Meanwhile, in a 12-inch nonstick skillet or 4-quart Dutch oven, cook ground beef, celery and onions over medium high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Return to skillet.
Stir in drained pasta and remaining ingredients except the cheese. Heat to boiling. Reduce the heat to low; simmer uncovered 10 minutes; stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cheese. Servings 6 (1 1/2 cups each).
Au Gratin Potatoes and Ham
n 6 cups (6 medium) sliced peeled potatoes n 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (1/2 cup) n 1 1/2 cups cubed ham n 1 cup shredded American cheese (4 ounces) n 1 10-3/4 ounce can condensed 98-percent fat-free cream of mushroom soup with 30 percent less sodium n 1/2 cup milk n 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
In 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker, layer half each of the potatoes, onion, ham and cheese; repeat layers. In small bowl, mix soup, milk and thyme; pour over top. Cover; cook on High heat setting 1 hour.
Reduce heat setting to Low. Cover; cook 6 to 8 hours longer or until the potatoes are tender. Servings 7 (1 cup each).
Red Pepper Hummus with Pita Chips
n 1 19-ounce can Progresso chickpeas, drained and rinsed n 1 tablespoon lemon juice n 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil n 2 garlic cloves, chopped n 1/3 cup drained roasted red bell peppers (from a jar) n chopped fresh parsley n Pita chips, as desired
In food processor, place chick peas, lemon juice, oil and garlic. Cover; process 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Add the roasted red bell peppers; process 30 to 60 seconds or until peppers are finely chopped. Place in a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the parsley. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serve with pita chips. Servings 12 (2 tablespoons hummus each).
"Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2009" (Probably under $30 online or at major bookstores) Published by Taste of Home Books Reiman Media Group Inc. 5400 S. 60th St. Greendale, WI 53129 Vera White's Cookbook Corner column appears weekly in the Daily News.
