Week of 5/6/02

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Baked Shells with Pesto, Mozzarella and Meat Sauce
Here's a real crowd pleaser: pasta shells in a simple sauce of ground sausage, tomatoes and pesto, layered with mozzarella and Parmesan, baked until bubbly.
Easy to double as well...

1 Tbls. cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
1 lb. ground Italian sausage
2 cups canned chopped tomatoes, drained (from one
28-oz. can)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup store-bought or homemade pesto
3/4 lb. medium pasta shells
6 oz. mozzarella, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Heat the oven to 400°. Oil a large baking dish (about 9 x 13 inches). In a large stainless-steel frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the ground sausage and cook, breaking it up, until the meat is no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Drain off any excess fat.

Add the tomatoes and salt to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook until most of the liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pesto.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the shells until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain and toss with the sauce. Put half of the pasta into the prepared baking dish and top with half the mozzarella and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan. Repeat with the remaining pasta, mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake until bubbling, about 15 minutes.

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Easy Mini-Cinis
By using a Supermarket Shortcut, this recipe goes together quickly...

2 (8-oz.) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
6 Tbls. butter, softened
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 Tbls. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbls. milk or half and half
1/4 tsp. almond or vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt

Unroll crescent rolls and separate each dough portion along center perforation to form 4 rectangles; press diagonal perforations to seal. Stir together butter and next 4 ingredients; spread evenly over one side of each rectangle. Roll up jellyroll fashion, starting at long end. Gently cut each log into 6 (1-inch-thick) slices, using a serrated knife. Place rolls, 1/4 inch apart, into 2 (8-inch) greased cake pans.

Bake at 375° for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden. Cool 5 to 10 minutes. Stir together powdered sugar and remaining ingredients. Drizzle over warm rolls. Note: To make slicing easier, place unbaked rolls on baking sheet and freeze for 10 minutes.

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Easy Breakfast Tarts
Thanks to Diana Mighell for providing us with this very tasty and simple to make breakfast treat!

1 (8 oz.) can refrigerated crescent rolls
4 bacon slices, cooked, drained and crumbled
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 Tbls. milk
2 eggs slightly beaten
1/4 cup Swiss cheese, grated
2 T. chopped scallions
1/8 tsp. pepper

Lightly grease 8 cups of a 12-cup muffin pan. Lightly shape and press a crescent roll to bottom of each cup, shaping up and over sides slightly. Divide half the bacon among the lined cups. Beat cream cheese with eggs and milk until smooth and blended. Add remaining ingredients and spoon over bacon in cups, using about 2 tablespoons for each. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes until set. Garnish with remaining bacon and serve. Serves 4.