Slow-Cooked Split-Pea Soup With Barley and Ham

Start to finish: 10-minute prep, four to eight hours unattended slow cooking, depending on temperature chosen (see cook's note).

Yield: 6 servings

•1 cup dry split green peas
• 1/2 cup medium pearl barley (see cook's note)
•3/4 cup chopped ham
•3/4 cup sliced carrots
•3/4 chopped onion
•3/4 cup chopped celery
•4 cups water
•1 chicken bouillon cube
•1 bay leaf
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Cook's note: Cooking four hours on high or eight on low produces tender peas, but not a mushy texture.

Barley is usually found on the rice or dried-bean aisle, but sometimes it's near the oatmeal. Do not use quick 10-minute barley in this soup, as it will turn mushy.

Can be doubled easily if serving larger crowds.

Layer the ingredients in the order listed (except salt and pepper) in a 2-quart or larger slow cooker. Do not stir.

Cover and cook on high four hours or low eight to nine hours, until the peas reach the desired texture.

Remove the bay leaf, stir well, and adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Serve at once.

WW Baked Ziti

Course: main meals
PointsPlus™ Value: 7
Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 40 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Here’s a tasty, healthy version of the Italian classic. For more robust flavor, add crushed fennel seeds. For a meaty version, add lean ground beef to the sauce.*

Ingredients
3 spray(s) cooking spray
1 pound(s) uncooked pasta, rigatoni or penne
3/4 pound(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1/4 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
4 cup(s) marinara sauce, store-bought, divided**
1/2 pound(s) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheeses
1/4 cup(s) basil, cut into ribbons, for garnish***
Instructions

* Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat bottom and sides of a lasagna pan with cooking spray.

* Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse with cool water and drain.

* While pasta is cooking, in a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, red pepper flakes, 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and 1/3 cup marinara sauce.

* To assemble ziti, spoon 1/2 cup sauce on bottom of prepared pan; top with half of pasta in an even layer. Evenly spread pasta with ricotta mixture; cover with half of remaining sauce. Top with remaining pasta and spoon remaining sauce over top; sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining tablespoon Parmesan. Bake until cheese melts and is browned, about 20 to 30 minutes. Allow ziti to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing into 12 pieces. Yields 1 piece per serving.

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