Tip: To roast pepper, arrange pepper in broiler pan lined with aluminum foil and broil, until blackened on all sides, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes. Wrap in foil and let cool; set aside.

Tips:

Mexican chorizo is a highly seasoned raw sausage, different from the cured, ready-to-eat Spanish-style chorizo.

Substitute shredded Mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese for the shredded Chihuahua cheese.

Tip:

Reserve fronds from fennel bulb; chop and sprinkle over each serving.

Serve with cooked polenta to soak up the flavorful sauce.

Tips:

Substitute Tuscan kale, mustard greens or collard greens for the Swiss chard. You can also find some of these greens in the freezer section of your grocery store. Thaw, drain and squeeze out any excess liquid before using as directed.

To easily fill shells, place the cheese filling in a resealable plastic bag. Cut off a small corner of the bag and use to pipe filling into shells with easy clean-up!

Shells can be stuffed and assembled ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. When ready to serve, add an additional 10 min. to the covered bake time.

Tip: Fresh Mozzarella is sold in several sizes. Fresh Mozzarella perline, or “pearls” are ½-inch pieces, while ciliegine, or “small cherries” are bite-sized 1-inch balls. If using an 8-ounce ball, cut into 1-inch pieces before tossing with pasta. All sizes are usually sold packed in water in the deli or cheese section of your grocery store.

Tips:

Italian canned tuna, also called “Tonno,” is tuna packed in olive oil. You can also substitute albacore or chunk light tuna.

Substitute any other short pasta in this recipe such as penne, rigatoni or rotini.

Tips:

Tri-color quinoa is a mix of red, white and black quinoa and can easily be found in the grain aisle or bulk section of your grocery store. You will need 1 cup dry quinoa to make about 2-1/2 cups cooked quinoa.

Polenta patties can be made ahead of time. Form patties as directed and freeze in a single layer before storing in a resealable freezer bag. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before cooking as directed.

Substitute your family’s favorite combination of in-season vegetables. To ensure even cooking, make sure to add firmer vegetables like carrots and green beans to the skillet first, since they will take longer to cook than softer vegetables like eggplant, squash, tomatoes or mushrooms.

Tips: Substitute yellow squash for the zucchini, or use a combination of both squash and zucchini for additional color. This lasagna can be assembled up to 1 day ahead of time. Cover tightly and refrigerate. When ready to serve, add an additional 10 min. to the bake time.

Tips:

Finely chop additional cucumber and red bell pepper to use as a garnish.

Leftover gazpacho can be used to make a creative Gazpacho Pasta Salad. Combine cooked and rinsed cavatappi noodles with leftover gazpacho, using about 3 cups cooked noodles for every 1-1/2 cups of gazpacho. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to let the flavors blend. Garnish with additional chopped basil, if desired.

Tips: Substitute 1-1/2 pounds cleaned mussels or clams for the shrimp. Cook, covered, 3-4 min. or until shells are completely opened.  Discard any unopened shellfish.

“Fra Diavolo” or “brother devil” gets its name from the spicy garlicky tomato sauce in this dish. Adjust the level of heat to your liking by increasing or decreasing the amount of red pepper flakes. Try substituting your favorite spicy ingredient, like sambal chile paste, sriracha sauce, chipotle peppers in adobo, chile de arbol or small red Thai chiles for the red pepper flakes.