Corn & Bacon Chowder

Ingredients
2 bacon slices
1/2 cup refrigerated prechopped celery, onion, and bell pepper mix
2 (16-ounce) packages frozen baby gold and white corn, thawed and divided
2 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (3 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (such as Cracker Barrel)
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Preparation
1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble and set aside. Add celery mixture and 1 package corn to drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
2. Place remaining 1 package corn and 1 cup milk in a blender, and process until smooth. Add pureed mixture to vegetables in pan; stir in remaining 1 cup milk, salt, black pepper, and cheese. Cook over medium heat (do not boil), stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Ladle chowder into bowls. Top each serving evenly with reserved crumbled bacon. Sprinkle with additional black pepper, if desired.

Beefy Corn and Black Bean Chili

Ingredients
1 pound ground round
2 teaspoons salt-free chili powder blend (such as The Spice Hunter)
1 (14-ounce) package frozen seasoned corn and black beans (such as Pictsweet)
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1 (15-ounce) can seasoned tomato sauce for chili (such as Hunt's Family Favorites)
Reduced-fat sour cream (optional)
Sliced green onions (optional)
Preparation
1. Combine beef and chili powder blend in a large Dutch oven. Cook 6 minutes over medium-high heat or until beef is browned, stirring to crumble. Drain and return to pan.
2. Stir in frozen corn mixture, broth, and tomato sauce; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Ladle chili into bowls. Top each serving with sour cream and onions, if desired.

If your grocery store offers turkey Italian sausage in the butcher case, purchase one or two links to equal 4 ounces. If starting with a package of several sausages, freeze leftover links up to two months to use later.

Ingredients
1 1/3 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
8 (1-ounce) slices day-old French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup apple juice
4 ounces turkey Italian sausage
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Directions
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add bread; toss gently to coat. Let bread mixture stand 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add juice; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove casings from sausage. Crumble sausage into pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes.
4. Add sausage mixture and cheese to bread mixture; stir well to combine. Spoon into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Grown-Up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 cup vertically sliced red onion
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp white cheddar cheese (such as Cracker Barrel)
8 (1 1/2-ounce) slices hearty white bread (such as Pepperidge Farm) 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
6 slices center-cut bacon, cooked
Preparation
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 cup onion and garlic; cook for 10 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally.
2. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over each of 4 bread slices. Top each slice with 1/2 cup spinach, 2 tomato slices, 2 tablespoons onion mixture, and 1 1/2 bacon slices. Sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons cheese; top with the remaining 4 bread slices.
3. Heat skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place sandwiches in pan, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cheese melts

Zesty Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound tomatillos (papery skins removed), chopped
1 onion (preferably white), chopped
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1 2- to 2 1/2-pound rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/4 cups grated Monterey Jack (5 ounces)
8 6-inch corn tortillas
Pico de Gallo or salsa
Directions
1.Heat oven to 400° F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomatillos, onion, poblano, garlic, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, add the cream, and puree.
2.In a large bowl, combine the chicken, tomatoes, 1 cup of the cheese, 1/2 cup of the tomatillo sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
3.Warm the tortillas according to the package directions. Spread 1 cup of the remaining sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Roll the chicken mixture in the tortillas and place them in the dish, seam-side down.
4.Top with the remaining sauce and cheese. Bake until beginning to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with Pico de Gallo.

Honey Chicken Skewers With Grilled-Corn Salad

Ingredients
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
kosher salt and pepper
canola oil, for the grill
6 ears corn, shucked
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 scallions, sliced
Directions
1.Place twenty 8-inch wooden skewers in water to soak. Heat grill to medium-high. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, honey, and Worcestershire sauce; set aside.
2.Slice the chicken lengthwise into twenty 1/2-inch-thick strips. Thread each strip onto a wooden skewer. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3.Lightly oil the grill. Cook the chicken, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes, basting with the ketchup mixture during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
4.Meanwhile, grill the corn, turning occasionally, until slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Cut the kernels off the cobs, place in a medium bowl, and toss with the butter, scallions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Serve with the chicken.

Southwestern Chicken and White Bean Soup

Ingredients
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 tablespoon 40%-less-sodium taco seasoning (such as Old El Paso)
Cooking spray
2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup green salsa
Light sour cream (optional)
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Preparation
1. Combine chicken and taco seasoning; toss well to coat. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken; sauté 2 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned. Add broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
2. Place beans in a small bowl; mash until only a few whole beans remain. Add beans and salsa to pan, stirring well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until slightly thick. Serve with sour cream and cilantro, if desired.

Spicy Poblano and Corn Soup

Ingredients
1 (16-ounce) package frozen baby gold and white corn (such as Birds Eye), thawed and divided
2 cups fat-free milk, divided
4 poblano chiles, seeded and chopped (about 1 pound)
1 cup refrigerated prechopped onion
1 tablespoon water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (2 ounces) reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Preparation
1. Place 1 cup corn and 1 1/2 cups milk in a Dutch oven. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat.
2. Combine chopped chile, onion, and 1 tablespoon water in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave at HIGH 4 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place 2 cups corn and 1/2 cup milk in a blender; process until smooth. Add pureed mixture to corn mixture in pan. Stir in chile mixture and salt, and cook 6 minutes over medium heat. Ladle soup into bowls, and top each serving with 2 tablespoons cheddar cheese.

last-minute lasagna

Ingredients
1 26-ounce jar pasta sauce
2 30-ounce bags frozen large cheese ravioli, unthawed
1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water
1 8-ounce bag shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
1.Heat oven to 350° F. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray and spoon in a third of the sauce.
2.Arrange 12 ravioli on top and scatter the spinach over them. Top with half of each cheese. Cover with another layer of ravioli and the remaining sauce and cheese.
3.Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 to 10 minutes more or until bubbly.