Cooking Light's Garlicky Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups chopped plum tomatoes (about 2 pounds)
6 cups hot cooked campanella (about 12 ounces uncooked pasta)
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add chopped tomatoes; cook for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Add pasta, basil, cheese, salt, and pepper, tossing gently to combine.
Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 310(27% from fat); FAT 9.4g (sat 1.9g,mono 5.5g,poly 1.2g); PROTEIN 9.8g; CHOLESTEROL 3mg; CALCIUM 81mg; SODIUM 677mg; FIBER 3.6g; IRON 2.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 47.4g

Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
2/3 cup sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup raspberry, cherry or strawberry jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.

In another bowl, whip the butter and the sugar with a hand-held mixer until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until just combined. Slowely beat in the dry ingredients, mixing until incorperated.

Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in sugar. Place about 2-inches apart on the baking sheets. Press a thumbprint into the center of each ball, about 1/2 inch deep. Fill with 3/4 teaspoon of jam.

Bake cookies until the edges are golden, about 15 minutes. Cool.

Meghan's Beer Cheese Soup

3 Tablespoons Butter

3 Tablespoons Flour

1 can or bottle of Beer (light beer works best, but any will work)

4-6 cups of milk (I use whatever I have, usually 2%)

1 Chicken Bouillon cube

1 small brick of Velveta Cheese (you can use Cheddar cheese, but velveta is smoother)

salt and pepper to taste

In a hot pot, melt butter and add flour to make a roux.  Cook for a few minutes, and stir in beer, add milk and bouillon cube.  Bring up to a simmer and stir in cheese a little at a time until it is all melted.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

NOTE: My MIL gave me this recipe but didn't give me exact measurments, so all of these are approx.  

Also if you want to sub lower fat velveta, and skim milk I don't think it will make to much of a difference! I haven't tried it, if you do that please let us know!

Meghan's Rigatoni a la Vodka

Disclaimer: I don't usually measure my ingredients so these are all approximates. However unless you are baking it really is just to taste.

1 lb Rigatoni Pasta
1/4 cup diced onion
1-2 cloves of minced garlic
2 TBL EVOO or butter
1/4 cup of vodka
Crushed Red Pepper (optional)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 can of Diced Tomatoes
1/2 cup grated parmasean cheese

1. Boil pasta according to the direction on the package.
2. In a hot pan saute onion and garlic in oil or butter over medium high heat until they are tender.
3. Remove pan from heat and add vodka (if you have a gas burner this may flame up).
4. Add crushed red pepper to your desired taste at this time. I usually put in about 1 teaspoon.
5. When vodka has disolved add heavy cream and the tomatoes. Turn down heat and allow to simmer until it thickens. Usually around 5 minutes.
6. When sauce has thickened add cheese.
7. Add cooked pasta, toss and serve immediatly.

Note: I have used numerous different kinds of pasta, the ones that work best are rigatoni and penne, we also have made it with cheese tortillini which is really good but really rich. You can also add prociutto or sausauge to this. Just cook the meat before making the sauce. Also if you don't have canned tomato on hand, you can use spaghetti sauce. Also the better the vodka, the better it tastes.

Meghan's Tomato-Black Bean Soup

Two 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained

Two 4.5-ounce cans chopped roasted green chiles

One 14.5-ounce can Mexican stewed tomatoes with green chiles

One 14.5 can diced tomatoes, with their juice

One 11-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained

4 green onions (white part and 2 inches in the green), sliced

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, to your taste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

For Serving:

Shredded Cheese

Sour Cream

Put all the ingredients in the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 7 hours (I've cooked this longer and its been fine). Add some boiling water to thin, if desired. Ladle into individual bowls and serve hot with a sprinkling of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

I have served this with quesadillas or cornbread. I have also added cooked shredded chicken.

Recipe from the cookbook "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook"