1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely diced
3 (14 1/2 oz.) cans beef broth
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup dry red wine
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 Tbls. sugar
2 tsps. Italian seasoning or dried basil
2 small zucchini, sliced
1 (9 oz.) package refrigerated or frozen cheese-filled tortellini
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook sausage, onion and garlic in a Dutch oven over medium heat stirring until sausage crumbles and is no longer pink; drain. Return mixture to pan. Stir in broth and next 6 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 30 minutes. Skim off fat. Stir in zucchini and tortellini; simmer 10 minutes or until tortellini are done. Sprinkle each serving with cheese. Makes 10 cups.

Hot Brownie Cups
These may be baked individually in ovenproof coffee cups as well as custard cups or ramekins.

1 1/2 cups (9 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup unsalted butter
4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup unsifted unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Confectioners' sugar
Whipped cream (optional)

Coat six 1-cup ovenproof cups with vegetable-oil cooking spray. Place cups on a baking pan and set the pan with cups aside.

Heat oven to 350° F. In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat, stirring with a wire whisk, until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in egg yolks and cocoa powder until well mixed. Stir in flour until blended; set aside.

In a large bowl with electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar until stiff peaks form. Stir about 1/2 cup beaten whites into the chocolate mixture, lightening it, then fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining beaten whites just until no streaks of white remain. Divide the mixture evenly among ovenproof cups on pan.

Bake just until chocolate mixture is firm-about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve with whipped cream, if desired.

2 small firm Bosc pears (about 3/4 lb.), cored and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
Cooking spray
1 cup apple juice
2/3 cup water
1 1/4 cups uncooked quick-cooking wild rice
1 lb. skinned, boned chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup dried cranberries or dried tart cherries
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 450°. Arrange pear slices in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until tender.

Reduce oven temperature to 400°. Combine apple juice and water in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Add rice; cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until rice is tender. Drain excess water from rice; fluff rice with a fork.

Combine rice, chicken, cranberries, sugar, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl; spoon mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Arrange roasted pear slices over chicken mixture . Cover and bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until chicken is done. Serves 4.