Five Hour Baked Stew

3 T tapioca
3 T sugar

1 t salt

1 slice white bread, broken fine

2 c canned tomatoes

2 lb stew meat (chuck) (no need to brown)
2 c carrots, sliced
1 c celery, sliced
1 onion, sliced
Dash of pepper
2 c potatoes
1/2 to 1 c red wine, if desired)
1 can tomato soup
1/3 can of water

Put tapioca, sugar, salt and bread in tomatoes to soften. Cover and bake 5 hours at 250. Serves 8.

Tiramisu

Espresso Drizzle:
1/2 c water
2 T sugar
2 T instant espresso granules
2 T Kahlua (coffee flavored liqueur)

Filling:
1 (8 oz) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
1 (3.5 oz) cazrton mascarpone cheese
1/3 c sugar
1/4 c packed brown sugar
2T Kahlua

Remaining Ingredients:
24 cakelike lady fingers (6 oz)
1 1/2 t unsweetened cocoa
1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate, grated

To prepare espresso drizzzle, combine first 3 ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons liqueur. Cool completely.

To prepare filling, combine cheeses in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Ad 1/3 c sugar, brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons liqueur; beat at medium speed until well blended.

Split ladyfingers in half lengthwise. Arrange 24 ladyfinger halves, cut sides up, in the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Drizzle half of expresso drizzle over ladyfingers. Spread half of filling over ladyfinger halves, and repeat procedure with remaining ladyfinger halves, espresso drizzle, and filling. Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons cocoa and chocolate; sprinkle evenly over top of filling. cover and chill for 2 hours. Yield: 8 servings.

Note: Place toothpicks in the center and in each corner of the dish to prevent the plastic wrap from sticking to the tiramisu as it chills.

Calories 260, Fat 8g

Spicy Shrimp and Fettuccine

8 oz uncooked fettuccine
1 T olive oil
1/2 t crushed red pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 c chopped plum tomatos (about 5)
2 T reduced-fat sour cream
1 T tomato paste
1 T dried basil
1/2 t kosher salt
1/4 c fresly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add red pepper and garlic to pan; saute 1 minute. Add shrimp; saute 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and next 4 ingredients (through salt); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in pasta; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.

Place 1 1/2 cups pasta mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

Calories 414, Fat 8.7

Buttery Polenta

5 c water
3/4 t salt
1 c dry polenta
2 1/2 T butter
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

Combine 5 cups water and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Gradually add polenta, stirring constantly wit a whisk. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes or until mixture is thick, stirring often. Remove fromheat. Stir in butter and pepper. Yield: 6 servings (2/3 cup each)

Calories 149, Fat 4.7g

Chicken Breasts Stufffed with Goat Cheese

1 whole garlic head
1/3 c (3 oz) goat cheese with herbs, softened
6 (6 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 t kosher saltl
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
2 t olive oil

Preheat oven to 350. Remove white papery skinn from garlic head (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap head in foil. Bake at 350 for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; spueeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins. Combine garlic pulp and cheese, stirring well; set aside.

Cut a horizontal sllit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff about 4 teaspoons cheese mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle chicken evenly on both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn chicken over. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until a termometer registers 165; let stand 5 minutes. Serve with Buttery Polenta. Yield: 6 servings

Calories 238, Fat 8.1g

Sweet Potato Ravioli with Lemon-Sage Brown Butter

1 (1 lb) sweet potato
2 T grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 t salt, divided
1/4 t gorund cinnamon
1/8 t ground nutmeg
24 wonton wrappers
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
6 quarts water
Cooking spray
3 T butter
1 T chopped fresh sage
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/8 t freshly gorund black pepper
Sage sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 400. Pierce potato several times with a fork; place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 40 minutes or until tender. Cool. Peel potato; mash. Combine potato, cheese, 1/4 t salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl.

Working with 1 wonton wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers witha damp towel to keep them from drying), spoon 1 tablespoon potato mixture into center of each wrapper. Brush edges of dough with egg white; bring 2 opposite corners to center. Press edges togethr to seal, formng a triangle. Repeat procedure with remaining wonton wrappers, potato filling, and egg white.

Bring 6 quarts water to a boil, Add 8 ravioli; cook 2 minutes or until done. Remove ravioli from pan with a slotted spoon Lightly coat cooked wontons with cooking spray; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining ravioli.

Melt butter in a small skillet over high heat. Add chopped sage to pan; cook 1 minutes or until butter is lightly browned. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, juice, and pepper. Drizzle butter mixure over ravioli. Garnish with sage sprigs, if desired. Yield 8 servings (serving size 3 ravioli)

Calories 159, Fat 5.1g

Halibut with White Beans in Tomato-Rosemary Broth

Time: 35 minutes
1 T olive oil
4 (6 oz) halibut fillets
1/4 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves minced
2 c chopped plum tomato (about 4)
1 1/2 c fat free chicken broth
1/2 c dry white wine
1 (16 oz) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 t chopped fresh rosemary

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish evenly with salt and pepper. add fish to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Remove fish from pan; keep warm. Add garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in tomato, broth, wine, and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in rosemary. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings

Calories 299, Fat 7.9 g