Easy Pizza Sauce

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cups water (adding more if necessary to achieve thickness you desire)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

Mix together all ingredients. Mix well and let stand several hours to let flavors blend. No cooking necessary, just spread on dough.

Chili-Lime Barley and Vegetable Salad

1 ½ cup dried barley
¾ tsp salt
4 tsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ c corn
2 tsp chili powder
¼ cup lime juice (lemon will work fine too)
½ tsp black pepper
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Cook barley according to packaged directions, using ¼ teaspoon of salt in water. Drain well.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tsp oil over medium heat. Add pepper, onion and garlic. Cook until the pepper is crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Add corn and chili powder. Increase heat to medium high and cook until corn is piping hot, about 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix together remaining salt, lime juice and black pepper. Add barley, sautéed vegetables, and remaining 2 tsp oil and toss to combine. Add cheese and toss gently. Serve at room temp or slightly chilled.

Raspberry Almond Pizza

1 lb pizza dough
¼ cup raspberry jam
1/3 cup cream cheese
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
Raspberries, sliced almonds and confectioner’s sugar for topping

Oven at 450. Roll out pizza dough into a 12” round. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake on a hot baking sheet until golden, about 8 minutes. Brush with the raspberry jam and bake 2 more minutes. Cool slightly. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla together. Spread over the pizza and top with additional raspberries, toasted almonds and confectioners’ sugar.

Lemony Sour Cream Muffins

2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 lemon, zested and juiced
¾ cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick butter, melted

Oven at 350. Whisk dry ingredients together, including lemon zest. In another bowl, mix wet ingredients together, including lemon juice. Pour wet into dry stir until just moistened. Spoon into muffin cups and bake 18-20 minutes.

S'More Brownies

10 full graham crackers, broken in half (20 squares), divided
3/4 cup butter or margarine
4 squares semi-sweet baking squares
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
2 cups mini marshmallows
2 full sized Hershey Bars, broken into chunks

Oven at 350°F.

Line 13x9-inch pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. Place 15 grahams in pan, with sides overlapping slightly. Break remaining grahams into pieces.

Microwave butter and chocolate squares in large microwaveable bowl on high 1 min.; stir and continue to microwave at 30 second intervals and stir until chocolate is completely melted. Let cool slightly. Add sugar, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Stir in flour. Pour over grahams in pan.

BAKE 30 to 32 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Sprinkle with marshmallows and chocolate chunks. Bake 3 to 5 min. or until marshmallows begin to puff. Press reserved, broken, graham pieces gently into marshmallows. Cool. Use foil to lift brownies from pan before cutting to serve.

Four Cheese Pasta Florentine

3 cups uncooked pasta
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, cubed
1 cup Cottage Cheese
2 eggs
1 pkg (8 oz) Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 teaspoon salt

Oven at 375ºF.

Cook pasta as directed on package. Meanwhile, cook spinach as directed on package; drain well. Place in large bowl. Add cream cheese and salt; stir until melted. Stir in cottage cheese and eggs until well blended.

Drain pasta. Add to spinach mixture with mozzarella; mix lightly. Spoon into 8- or 9-inch square baking dish; top with Parmesan.

Bake 25 min. or until center is set.

Creamy Baked Pasta

4 cups pasta, uncooked
1 jar (26 oz.) marinara sauce
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
4 oz (1/2of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, cubed
3/4 cup sour Cream
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/3 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Oven at 375ºF.

Cook pasta as directed on package. Remove from pot; drain. Meanwhile, in a large pan, add marinara sauce, tomatoes and cream cheese; cook on medium heat 5 min. or until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently. Return pasta to pan; mix well.

Layer half the pasta mixture in 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with layers of sour cream, 1 cup mozzarella and remaining pasta mixture. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake 20 min. or until heated through.