If you’ve ever made pesto, you know it usually takes Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, and a whole lot of basil. Although it can be whipped up in a food processor, good pesto also is available on grocery store shelves. With a jar, you can top pasta, vegetables, sandwiches, eggs — or even meat and seafood.

– – – – –

If desired, you can sear the chicken before baking. While the oven is preheating, heat some olive oil or butter in a skillet. Once hot, add the chicken breasts and sear for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until caramelized. The chicken should still be raw in the center — it will cook as it bakes.

Pesto Chicken Bake

3 chicken breasts
1 6-ounce jar basil pesto
3 to 6 slices mozzarella cheese
2 medium tomatoes, sliced

Preheat the oven to 350 degree. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Arrange chicken breasts (seared or raw) onto a baking dish or rimmed baking sheet. Use a spoon to cover chicken with pesto. Top each chicken breast with 1 slice of mozzarella cheese and 2 sliced tomatoes. Bake until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 20 to 30 minutes. Broil the chicken the final 2 minutes so that the cheese is bubbly and golden. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

– – – – –

Creamy Pesto Shrimp

1 pound uncooked linguine pasta
1/2 cup butter
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup pesto
1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine pasta; cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in cream, and season with pepper. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir Parmesan cheese into cream sauce, stirring until thoroughly mixed. Blend in the pesto; cook until thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the shrimp, and cook until they turn pink, about 5 minutes. Serve over the hot linguine. Makes 8 servings.

– – – – –

Pantry Pointers

When it comes to pesto, all it really needs is hot cooked pasta. Just put your pasta in a mixing or serving bowl; add pesto and stir to combine. To make the pasta silky and saucy, add some pasta water. Add a little at a time, adding up to about 1/4 cup.

Most of the year, candy is a treat eaten occasionally. At Halloween, candy is in abundance. Whether you got too much trick-or-treating or pick it up at the post-Halloween sales, you can turn it into something different for a special snack.

– – – – –

Halloween Popcorn Mix

12 cups popped popcorn
1 cup candy corn
1 cup dry-roasted, salted peanuts
1/2 cup candy-coated peanut butter pieces, such as Reese’s Pieces
1 pound chocolate almond bark (chocolate confectionery coating), broken into chunks

Line a flat surface or baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment; set aside. In a large bowl, mix popcorn, candy corn, peanuts, and peanut butter pieces. Melt the almond bark in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth, about 1 to 3 minutes. Do not overheat or chocolate will scorch. Pour melted almond bark over popcorn mixture; stir until popcorn is well coated. Spread popcorn mixture onto prepared flat surface. Let dry completely, then break into clumps. Makes 12 servings.

– – – – –

Candy Bar Salad

1 8-ounce container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 3.5-ounce package instant French vanilla pudding
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
2 bananas, sliced
2 2.16-ounce bars chocolate-coated caramel-peanut nougat candy bars, chopped

In a bowl, whisk the frozen whipped topping with French vanilla pudding mix until smoothly combined. Mix the apples, bananas, and chopped candy bars into the pudding mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 8 servings.

– – – – –

Peanutty Candy Corn Cereal Bars

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tablespoon peanut butter
5 cups miniature marshmallows, divided
6 cups honey nut-flavored cereal squares, such as Honey Nut Chex
2 cups candy corn
1/2 cup peanuts

Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan; set aside.

Cook and stir butter and peanut butter together in a saucepan over medium heat until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 4 cups marshmallows to margarine mixture; cook and stir until marshmallows are melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat.

Stir cereal squares into marshmallow mixture until fully coated and slightly cooled; fold in candy corn, peanuts, and remaining 1 cup marshmallows. Pour mixture into the prepared baking pan, pressing down in an even layer with buttered hands or a buttered wooden spoon. Cool completely before cutting into squares. Makes 12 servings.

– – – – –

Pantry Pointers

Most Halloween candy can be frozen for future use on sundaes, on ice cream, in plain cookie dough, and in cakes.

The new year always brings with it a sense of renewal, making many of us look back at our bad habits and make an honest effort to change them. One resolution that often gets made is to eat more fruits and vegetables, especially since we all know that eating a minimum of five servings a day can help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other diseases. One piece of fruit, 3/4 cup (6 ounces) 100 percent fruit juice, 1/2 cup chopped vegetables, one cup leafy vegetables, 1/2 cup peas or beans, and 1/4 cup dried fruit each count as a serving.

– – – – –

Black Bean Vegetable Soup

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups vegetable stock
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 8.75-ounce can whole kernel corn
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes

In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion, garlic, and carrots, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onion is softened. Add chili powder and cumin; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add stock, 1 can of the beans, corn, and pepper; bring to boil.

Meanwhile, in food processor or blender, puree together tomatoes and remaining can of beans; add to pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until carrots are tender. Makes 8 servings.

– – – – –

Pasta and Walnut Fruit Salad

8 uncooked shells or rotini pasta
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 11-ounce can juice-packed mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1 apple, chopped
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain. In a small bowl, blend yogurt, honey and orange juice concentrate. In a large bowl, combine pasta and remaining ingredients. Add yogurt mixture; toss to coat. Cover and chill thoroughly. Makes 6 servings.

– – – – –

Pantry Pointers

For flavor and nutrition, add fruit to pancakes and cereal and vegetables to pizza and sandwiches. Add apples, raisins, or pineapple chunks to salads.

Drink your fruit by combining fresh or frozen berries with ice and yogurt in a blender to create a quick smoothie.
Keep low-fat dips and clean, cut-up vegetables in the refrigerator and a bowl of fruit on the counter for easy, healthy snacks.