Friday Recipes

Enjoy!

CRUNCHY BERRY ALMOND CRUMBLE

This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “The paradox of a fruit crisp is that it's usually not crisp, nor is a fruit crumble necessarily crumbly. Here, however, the crumbs are as crisp as cookies, offering a textural contrast to the puddinglike berries. This delicious treat is at once crispy, crumbly and profoundly fruity.” Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.

This was originally featured in ”A Good Appetite; A Crisp, Made Truly Crisp” and can also be viewed online by clicking here.

Ingredients

For the Filling:

8 cups mixed berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, strawberries (halved or quartered) and blackberries

2 to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, depending upon sweetness of berries

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca (optional)

For the Crumble Topping:

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup sliced almonds, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup/8 tablespoons melted butter (1 stick)

Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare filling, toss berries with sugar, lemon zest and tapioca (if using). Set aside.

To make topping, in a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, almonds, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and salt. Stir in butter. Coarse crumbs will form.

Pour filling into a 2-quart gratin dish or 10-inch round cake pan (do not grease first). Using your fingers, form topping mixture into 3/4-inch to 1-inch crumbs and spread over cake.

Bake until filling bubbles and topping is light golden, about 55 minutes. Let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream if you like. Crisp can be made up to 8 hours ahead and kept at room temperature, or warmed up briefly in a 350 degree oven.

CHRISTINA TOSI’S CROCKPOT CAKE

This comes from Sam Sifton, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “Christina Tosi, the pastry chef and an owner of Momofuku Milk Bar, sits near the beating heart of David Chang’s eclectic and innovative Momofuku restaurant empire. Off the clock, though, her cooking runs to inspired simplicity, as in this simple, tangy, slightly-caramelized at the edges slow-cooker cake, a version of which appears in her cookbook from Clarkson Potter, “Milk Bar Life.” Slow-cooker recipes invariably tell you to make something at night and enjoy them in the morning, or to make them in the morning and eat them after work. That only works if you don’t sleep much, or have a part-time job. This is a recipe for a weekend afternoon, or for cooking from the moment you get home until the very near end of a dinner party. It is a four-to-six hour affair.” Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: about 5 hours.

This was featured in “The Slow Cooker, Redeemed” and can be viewed online by clicking here.

Ingredients

1/2 pound unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed

1 1/2 cups/180 grams cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

Put all but 1 tablespoon of the butter and the sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer and cream with the paddle attachment at medium-high speed, until the mixture is smooth and pale, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in the eggs and vanilla, then continue to mix for another 3 minutes, until fluffy. Add the buttermilk and oil and mix briefly to combine.

Set the mixer to a very low speed and add the cake flour, baking powder and salt, mixing for a minute or so and scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice, until the batter has just come together, with no lumps.

Use the remaining tablespoon of butter to grease the interior of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, then pour the batter into the pot. Cover and cook on low for somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 to 6 hours, until the cake has set and is cooked through at the center. To serve, run a knife around the edge of the slow cooker to loosen the cake and then carefully invert onto a platter, or simply spoon the cake out of the slow cooker.

SUPER-FAST SPINACH LASAGNA

I’m frequently amazed at the number of places online that offer healthy recipes. Yes, healthy. This one comes from Accent Health, and makes 4 to 5 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

One 5- or 6-ounce bag baby spinach, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups pasta sauce

One 16-ounce bag medium-sized frozen cheese ravioli

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Raise heat to medium-high, add the spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Coat an 8x8-inch baking pan (or dish) with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 1/4 cup of the sauce in the pan. Arrange half the ravioli (about 16 pieces) evenly on top of the sauce. Spread the spinach over the ravioli then top with 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 cup sauce. Cover evenly with the remaining ravioli, 3/4 cup sauce, and 1/2 cup cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake until bubbly, about 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional five minutes. Let stand about five minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutrition: 260 calories, 11g fat (5g saturated), 690mg sodium, 29g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 13g protein, 45% vitamin A, 15% vitamin C, 30% calcium, 15% iron

Recipe Created by Liz Weiss, MS, RD, Meal Makeover Moms

WILD RICE SALAD

This also comes from Accent Health, and makes 8 Servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup wild rice

1/2 bunch kale, washed, stemmed, leaves removed and cut into thin ribbons (about 2 1/2 packed cups)

1 orange bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice

3 green onions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup roughly chopped toasted pecans

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 celery stalk, trimmed and thinly sliced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Crumbled feta cheese, optional

Directions

Cook the wild rice according to package directions. When done, drain, place in a large bowl, and stir occasionally until the rice is cooled.

When cool, stir in the kale, bell pepper, green onions, parsley, pecans, cranberries, and celery. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined. Stir into the rice mixture.

Season with additional lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste and refrigerate until ready to eat. Add feta cheese as desired.

Nutrition Information per Serving (1 cup): 150 calories, 12g fat (1.5g saturated), 90mg sodium, 12g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 2g protein, 60% vitamin A, 100% vitamin C

The recipe ends with, “One cup of my nutty, crunchy salad has a day’s worth of vitamin C, and it’s also loaded with vitamin A.”

Credits

Recipe Created by Liz Weiss, MS, RD, co-author, No Whine with Dinner: 150 Healthy, Kid-Tested Recipes from The Meal Makeover Moms

ENGINE 2 DIET VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

This was on a long-forgotten email list. But it comes originally from a cookbook titled The Engine 2 Diet: The Texas Firefighter's 28-Day Save-Your-Life Plan that Lowers Cholesterol and Burns Away the Pounds. Personally, I'm considering picking up a copy for myself. Check it out!

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

1 small head of garlic, all cloves chopped or pressed

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 head broccoli, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

1 can corn, rinsed and drained

1 package Silken Lite tofu

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon rosemary

2 jars pasta sauce

2 boxes whole grain lasagna noodles

16 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained

2 sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed

6 roma tomatoes, sliced thin

1 cup raw cashews, ground

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Sauté the onion and garlic on high heat for 3 minutes in a wok or nonstick pan. Add the mushrooms and cook until the onions are limp and the mushrooms give up their liquid. Remove them to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Reserve the mushroom liquid in the pan. Sauté the broccoli and carrots for 5 minutes and add to the mushroom bowl. Sauté the peppers and corn until just beginning to soften. Add them to the vegetable bowl.

Drain the silken tofu11 by wrapping in paper towels. Break it up directly in the towel and mix into the vegetable bowl. Add spices to the vegetable bowl and combine.

To Assemble:

Cover the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole with a layer of sauce. Add a layer of noodles. Cover the noodles with sauce. This way the noodles cook in the oven, saving time and energy. Spread the vegetable mixture over the sauced noodles. Cover with a layer of noodles and another dressing of sauce. Add the spinach to the second layer of sauced noodles. Cover the spinach with the mashed sweet potatoes. Add another layer of sauce, the final layer of noodles, and a last topping of sauce. Cover the lasagna with thinly sliced roma tomatoes.

Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle with the cashews, and return to the oven for 15 minutes. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 10 - 12 servings of sweet potato lasagna.

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB CRUMBLE

This comes from Guy Fieri, star of The Food Network show Guy’s Bit Bite. Total Time: 45 min; Prep: 20 min; Inactive: 5 min; Cook: 20 min; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/strawberry-rhubarb-crumble-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

Almond Crumble Topping:

3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 stick butter

Crumble:

6 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup roughly chopped strawberries

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

Topping:

1 cup mascarpone cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the almond crumble topping: In a food processor, pulse the almonds until finely ground. Add the flour, sugar and salt. Pulse to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is dispersed in walnut-size pieces throughout. Set aside at room temperature.

For the crumble: Mix the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl. Fill four 4-inch ramekins almost to the top. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the almond crumble on the top and place in the oven. Bake until the filling bubbles and the topping is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes.

For the topping: Using a whisk or whisk attachment and stand mixer, whip the mascarpone on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, to increase the volume. Reserve and refrigerate until ready for use.

To serve: Once rested, top each ramekin with 2 tablespoons of whipped mascarpone.