Thursday Recipes

It's almost the end of the week; one more day, and we'll hit the weekend. To get us through the day, today's recipes include African-Style Sweet Potato Stew and Vegetarian Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup). Enjoy!

EASY RASPBERRY BROWNIES

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Based on a fudgy brownie mix, these quick-to-fix brownies combine the best of sweet flavors and chewy textures. Mmm!”

Ingredients

1 package (1 pound 3.8 ounces) Betty Crocker® fudge brownie mix

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup raspberry preserves

1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Directions

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom only of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Stir brownie mix, water, oil and eggs in medium bowl until well blended. Spread in pan.

Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean or almost clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 1 hour.

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and preserves in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread over brownies. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

Place chocolate and butter in small microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on Medium (50%) about 1 minute or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over brownies. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate is firm. For 18 brownies, cut 6 rows by 3 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

GINGER TEA

This comes from Vegetarian Times (posted on MAY 9, 2017), and begins, “Ginger is Mother Nature’s protective cloak, shielding us from sickness on winter days. This tea is very spicy—if it tastes too strong, dilute it with more hot water and honey. Traditional advice is not to drink more than 2 cups of ginger tea a day unless you are using it as a treatment for a bad chest cold.”

2 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

12 thin slices fresh ginger, pounded with mortar or rolling pin

1 Tbs. honey

Preparation

Put ginger and 3 cups water in small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes.

Strain out ginger slices and discard or reserve for another use. Stir in honey, and serve hot. Tea can be reheated, if necessary.

NO-BOIL STUFFED SHELLS

This comes from the Food Network, and begins, “No more wrangling slippery shells. This recipe lets you skip the step of boiling your pasta before stuffing it with cheese. Just fill the shells straight out of the box (it's much easier!) and let the sauce turn them plump and tender in the oven.”

Level: Easy; Total: 1 hr 30 min; Active: 20 min; Yield: 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large egg

1 pound ricotta

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

One 8-ounce bag part-skim shredded mozzarella (about 2 cups)

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

One 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
One 12-ounce box jumbo pasta shells

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the garlic, egg, ricotta, Parmesan, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Fold to combine. Transfer the mixture to a resealable plastic bag and snip a 1/4-inch hole in the corner.

Spread 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pipe the ricotta mixture into the shells and arrange them opening-side up in the baking dish. Cover with the remaining sauce and 1 1/2 cups water.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil, top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and bake until almost all the liquid has evaporated and the cheese is browned, about 10 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes. Top with the remaining parsley before serving.

DOUBLE APPLE PIE

This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, “This recipe is a keeper. Gently spiced with cinnamon, tinged with brown sugar and loaded with apple butter, it’s as deeply flavored as an apple pie can be, all covered with a buttery wide-lattice top crust. Although it’s at its most ethereal when baked on the same day you serve it, it’s still wonderful made a day ahead. (Don't let making your own pie crust intimidate you: our pie guide has everything you need to know.)”

Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 1/2 hours, plus at least 3 1/2 hours' chilling and cooling.

This was featured in The United States Of Thanksgiving and can viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 1/2 sticks/20 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

4 tablespoons vodka (optional)

1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

For the Filling

3 pounds apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced crosswise (1/8-inch)

1/2 cup granulated sugar, more as needed

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Pinch ground cloves

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons apple butter

Heavy cream or milk, as needed

Whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche, for serving

Preparation

Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse together flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture forms 3/4-inch pieces. Mix vodka with 4 tablespoons ice water (or use 1/2 cup ice water). Add half the ice water mixture to dough, pulse a few times, then continue adding liquid a tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together (you might not use all the liquid). Dough should be moist, but not wet, and hold together when pinched. If there are visible pieces of butter in the dough, all the better.

On a lightly floured surface, gather dough into a ball. Remove a third of the dough and form into a disk. Form remaining dough into a disk. Cover both tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger disk to a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold over any excess dough, then crimp edges. Prick crust all over with a fork, then chill crust for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

While dough chills, heat oven to 400 degrees. Line chilled crust with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes; remove foil and weights and bake until pale golden, 5 minutes more. Cool on rack until needed. (You can bake the crust up to 24 hours in advance.)

Toss apples with sugars, tapioca, spices, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the lemon juice. Fold in apple butter. Transfer apples to crust and press gently to make sure fruit is tightly packed.

Roll out remaining dough disk to a 10-inch round. Use a knife to cut strips 1 3/4 inches wide. Arrange strips over the filling in a lattice pattern. Brush top of crust with heavy cream or milk. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling thickly, about 1 hour 15 minutes more. Let pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before cutting. Serve with whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche.

VEGETARIAN PHO (VIETNAMESE NOODLE SOUP)

This is from the Vegetarian Times website (May 10, 2017), and begins, “The national soup of Vietnam is a bowl of rice noodles, fresh herbs, and bean sprouts swimming in a fragrant broth.”

Makes 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Broth

6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

3 large shallots, sliced (1 cup)

1/2 cup dried shiitake mushrooms

10 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

3 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

12 1/4-inch-thick coins fresh ginger

1 Tbs. brown sugar

1 Tbs. rice wine vinegar

1 tsp. ground black pepper

2 cinnamon sticks

2 star anise

5-6 fresh basil stems, leaves reserved for soup

5-6 cilantro stems, leaves reserved for soup

Pho

1 8-oz. pkg. rice noodles

1 8-oz. pkg. Asian-flavor baked tofu, thinly sliced

2 cups soybean sprouts

2 cups watercress

4 green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

To make Broth: Place all ingredients in large pot with 8 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, 1 hour. Strain broth, and return to pot. Discard solids.

To make Pho: Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Divide among 6 large soup bowls. Ladle Broth over noodles, and top with tofu, sprouts, watercress, and green onions. Serve cilantro, basil, and lime wedges on the side to be stirred into soup.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 290; Carbohydrate Content: 42 g; Fat Content: 5.5 g; Fiber Content: 3 g; Protein Content: 16 g; Saturated Fat Content: 1 g; Sodium Content: 578 mg; Sugar Content: 5 g

AFRICAN-STYLE SWEET POTATO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW

This recipe comes from Publix.

Servings: 8; Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes; Active Time: 10 minutes

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes

1 can chickpeas (garbanzos), (15–16 oz), drained

1 (14.5-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained

8 oz prediced bell pepper mix (1 1/2 cups)

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

1 teaspoon chunky garlic paste

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or stock)

1 package fresh (or frozen) prediced butternut squash (15–16 oz)

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Drain chickpeas. Place in slow cooker: sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, bell peppers, seasoning, garlic paste, and broth; cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2–3 hours (or LOW for 4–6 hours) or until potatoes are tender.

Stir in squash during last 30 minutes of cook time. Chop cilantro and peanuts.

Remove 1 cup of liquid from stew and whisk with peanut butter until blended. Stir peanut butter mixture into stew. Serve topped with cilantro and peanuts.

Thursday Recipes

It's almost the end of the week; one more day, and we'll hit the weekend. To get us through the day, today's recipes include African-Style Sweet Potato Stew and Vegetarian Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup). Enjoy!

EASY RASPBERRY BROWNIES

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Based on a fudgy brownie mix, these quick-to-fix brownies combine the best of sweet flavors and chewy textures. Mmm!”

Ingredients

1 package (1 pound 3.8 ounces) Betty Crocker® fudge brownie mix

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup raspberry preserves

1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Directions

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom only of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Stir brownie mix, water, oil and eggs in medium bowl until well blended. Spread in pan.

Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean or almost clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 1 hour.

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and preserves in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread over brownies. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

Place chocolate and butter in small microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on Medium (50%) about 1 minute or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over brownies. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate is firm. For 18 brownies, cut 6 rows by 3 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

GINGER TEA

This comes from Vegetarian Times (posted on MAY 9, 2017), and begins, “Ginger is Mother Nature’s protective cloak, shielding us from sickness on winter days. This tea is very spicy—if it tastes too strong, dilute it with more hot water and honey. Traditional advice is not to drink more than 2 cups of ginger tea a day unless you are using it as a treatment for a bad chest cold.”

2 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

12 thin slices fresh ginger, pounded with mortar or rolling pin

1 Tbs. honey

Preparation

Put ginger and 3 cups water in small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes.

Strain out ginger slices and discard or reserve for another use. Stir in honey, and serve hot. Tea can be reheated, if necessary.

NO-BOIL STUFFED SHELLS

This comes from the Food Network, and begins, “No more wrangling slippery shells. This recipe lets you skip the step of boiling your pasta before stuffing it with cheese. Just fill the shells straight out of the box (it's much easier!) and let the sauce turn them plump and tender in the oven.”

Level: Easy; Total: 1 hr 30 min; Active: 20 min; Yield: 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large egg

1 pound ricotta

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

One 8-ounce bag part-skim shredded mozzarella (about 2 cups)

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

One 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
One 12-ounce box jumbo pasta shells

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the garlic, egg, ricotta, Parmesan, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Fold to combine. Transfer the mixture to a resealable plastic bag and snip a 1/4-inch hole in the corner.

Spread 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pipe the ricotta mixture into the shells and arrange them opening-side up in the baking dish. Cover with the remaining sauce and 1 1/2 cups water.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil, top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and bake until almost all the liquid has evaporated and the cheese is browned, about 10 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes. Top with the remaining parsley before serving.

DOUBLE APPLE PIE

This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, “This recipe is a keeper. Gently spiced with cinnamon, tinged with brown sugar and loaded with apple butter, it’s as deeply flavored as an apple pie can be, all covered with a buttery wide-lattice top crust. Although it’s at its most ethereal when baked on the same day you serve it, it’s still wonderful made a day ahead. (Don't let making your own pie crust intimidate you: our pie guide has everything you need to know.)”

Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 1/2 hours, plus at least 3 1/2 hours' chilling and cooling.

This was featured in The United States Of Thanksgiving and can viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 1/2 sticks/20 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

4 tablespoons vodka (optional)

1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

For the Filling

3 pounds apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced crosswise (1/8-inch)

1/2 cup granulated sugar, more as needed

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Pinch ground cloves

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons apple butter

Heavy cream or milk, as needed

Whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche, for serving

Preparation

Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse together flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture forms 3/4-inch pieces. Mix vodka with 4 tablespoons ice water (or use 1/2 cup ice water). Add half the ice water mixture to dough, pulse a few times, then continue adding liquid a tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together (you might not use all the liquid). Dough should be moist, but not wet, and hold together when pinched. If there are visible pieces of butter in the dough, all the better.

On a lightly floured surface, gather dough into a ball. Remove a third of the dough and form into a disk. Form remaining dough into a disk. Cover both tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger disk to a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold over any excess dough, then crimp edges. Prick crust all over with a fork, then chill crust for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

While dough chills, heat oven to 400 degrees. Line chilled crust with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes; remove foil and weights and bake until pale golden, 5 minutes more. Cool on rack until needed. (You can bake the crust up to 24 hours in advance.)

Toss apples with sugars, tapioca, spices, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the lemon juice. Fold in apple butter. Transfer apples to crust and press gently to make sure fruit is tightly packed.

Roll out remaining dough disk to a 10-inch round. Use a knife to cut strips 1 3/4 inches wide. Arrange strips over the filling in a lattice pattern. Brush top of crust with heavy cream or milk. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling thickly, about 1 hour 15 minutes more. Let pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before cutting. Serve with whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche.

VEGETARIAN PHO (VIETNAMESE NOODLE SOUP)

This is from the Vegetarian Times website (May 10, 2017), and begins, “The national soup of Vietnam is a bowl of rice noodles, fresh herbs, and bean sprouts swimming in a fragrant broth.”

Makes 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Broth

6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

3 large shallots, sliced (1 cup)

1/2 cup dried shiitake mushrooms

10 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

3 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

12 1/4-inch-thick coins fresh ginger

1 Tbs. brown sugar

1 Tbs. rice wine vinegar

1 tsp. ground black pepper

2 cinnamon sticks

2 star anise

5-6 fresh basil stems, leaves reserved for soup

5-6 cilantro stems, leaves reserved for soup

Pho

1 8-oz. pkg. rice noodles

1 8-oz. pkg. Asian-flavor baked tofu, thinly sliced

2 cups soybean sprouts

2 cups watercress

4 green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

To make Broth: Place all ingredients in large pot with 8 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, 1 hour. Strain broth, and return to pot. Discard solids.

To make Pho: Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Divide among 6 large soup bowls. Ladle Broth over noodles, and top with tofu, sprouts, watercress, and green onions. Serve cilantro, basil, and lime wedges on the side to be stirred into soup.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 290; Carbohydrate Content: 42 g; Fat Content: 5.5 g; Fiber Content: 3 g; Protein Content: 16 g; Saturated Fat Content: 1 g; Sodium Content: 578 mg; Sugar Content: 5 g

AFRICAN-STYLE SWEET POTATO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW

This recipe comes from Publix.

Servings: 8; Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes; Active Time: 10 minutes

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes

1 can chickpeas (garbanzos), (15–16 oz), drained

1 (14.5-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained

8 oz prediced bell pepper mix (1 1/2 cups)

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

1 teaspoon chunky garlic paste

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or stock)

1 package fresh (or frozen) prediced butternut squash (15–16 oz)

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Drain chickpeas. Place in slow cooker: sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, bell peppers, seasoning, garlic paste, and broth; cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2–3 hours (or LOW for 4–6 hours) or until potatoes are tender.

Stir in squash during last 30 minutes of cook time. Chop cilantro and peanuts.

Remove 1 cup of liquid from stew and whisk with peanut butter until blended. Stir peanut butter mixture into stew. Serve topped with cilantro and peanuts.

Thursday Recipes

It's almost the end of the week; one more day, and we'll hit the weekend. To get us through the day, today's recipes include African-Style Sweet Potato Stew, Vegetarian Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup), and Ginger Tea. Enjoy!

EASY RASPBERRY BROWNIES

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Based on a fudgy brownie mix, these quick-to-fix brownies combine the best of sweet flavors and chewy textures. Mmm!”

Ingredients

1 package (1 pound 3.8 ounces) Betty Crocker® fudge brownie mix

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup raspberry preserves

1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Directions

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom only of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Stir brownie mix, water, oil and eggs in medium bowl until well blended. Spread in pan.

Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean or almost clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 1 hour.

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and preserves in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread over brownies. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

Place chocolate and butter in small microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on Medium (50%) about 1 minute or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over brownies. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate is firm. For 18 brownies, cut 6 rows by 3 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

GINGER TEA

This comes from Vegetarian Times (posted on MAY 9, 2017), and begins, “Ginger is Mother Nature’s protective cloak, shielding us from sickness on winter days. This tea is very spicy—if it tastes too strong, dilute it with more hot water and honey. Traditional advice is not to drink more than 2 cups of ginger tea a day unless you are using it as a treatment for a bad chest cold.”

2 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

12 thin slices fresh ginger, pounded with mortar or rolling pin

1 Tbs. honey

Preparation

Put ginger and 3 cups water in small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes.

Strain out ginger slices and discard or reserve for another use. Stir in honey, and serve hot. Tea can be reheated, if necessary.

NO-BOIL STUFFED SHELLS

This comes from the Food Network, and begins, “No more wrangling slippery shells. This recipe lets you skip the step of boiling your pasta before stuffing it with cheese. Just fill the shells straight out of the box (it's much easier!) and let the sauce turn them plump and tender in the oven.”

Level: Easy; Total: 1 hr 30 min; Active: 20 min; Yield: 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large egg

1 pound ricotta

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

One 8-ounce bag part-skim shredded mozzarella (about 2 cups)

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

One 24-ounce jar marinara sauce

One 12-ounce box jumbo pasta shells

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the garlic, egg, ricotta, Parmesan, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Fold to combine. Transfer the mixture to a resealable plastic bag and snip a 1/4-inch hole in the corner.

Spread 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pipe the ricotta mixture into the shells and arrange them opening-side up in the baking dish. Cover with the remaining sauce and 1 1/2 cups water.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil, top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and bake until almost all the liquid has evaporated and the cheese is browned, about 10 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes. Top with the remaining parsley before serving.

DOUBLE APPLE PIE

This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, “This recipe is a keeper. Gently spiced with cinnamon, tinged with brown sugar and loaded with apple butter, it’s as deeply flavored as an apple pie can be, all covered with a buttery wide-lattice top crust. Although it’s at its most ethereal when baked on the same day you serve it, it’s still wonderful made a day ahead. (Don't let making your own pie crust intimidate you: our pie guide has everything you need to know.)”

Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 1/2 hours, plus at least 3 1/2 hours' chilling and cooling.

This was featured in The United States Of Thanksgiving and can viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 1/2 sticks/20 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

4 tablespoons vodka (optional)

1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

For the Filling

3 pounds apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced crosswise (1/8-inch)

1/2 cup granulated sugar, more as needed

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Pinch ground cloves

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons apple butter

Heavy cream or milk, as needed

Whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche, for serving

Preparation

Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse together flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture forms 3/4-inch pieces. Mix vodka with 4 tablespoons ice water (or use 1/2 cup ice water). Add half the ice water mixture to dough, pulse a few times, then continue adding liquid a tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together (you might not use all the liquid). Dough should be moist, but not wet, and hold together when pinched. If there are visible pieces of butter in the dough, all the better.

On a lightly floured surface, gather dough into a ball. Remove a third of the dough and form into a disk. Form remaining dough into a disk. Cover both tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger disk to a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold over any excess dough, then crimp edges. Prick crust all over with a fork, then chill crust for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

While dough chills, heat oven to 400 degrees. Line chilled crust with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes; remove foil and weights and bake until pale golden, 5 minutes more. Cool on rack until needed. (You can bake the crust up to 24 hours in advance.)

Toss apples with sugars, tapioca, spices, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the lemon juice. Fold in apple butter. Transfer apples to crust and press gently to make sure fruit is tightly packed.

Roll out remaining dough disk to a 10-inch round. Use a knife to cut strips 1 3/4 inches wide. Arrange strips over the filling in a lattice pattern. Brush top of crust with heavy cream or milk. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling thickly, about 1 hour 15 minutes more. Let pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before cutting. Serve with whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche.

VEGETARIAN PHO (VIETNAMESE NOODLE SOUP)

This is from the Vegetarian Times website (May 10, 2017), and begins, “The national soup of Vietnam is a bowl of rice noodles, fresh herbs, and bean sprouts swimming in a fragrant broth.”

Makes 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Broth

6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

3 large shallots, sliced (1 cup)

1/2 cup dried shiitake mushrooms

10 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

3 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

12 1/4-inch-thick coins fresh ginger

1 Tbs. brown sugar

1 Tbs. rice wine vinegar

1 tsp. ground black pepper

2 cinnamon sticks

2 star anise

5-6 fresh basil stems, leaves reserved for soup

5-6 cilantro stems, leaves reserved for soup

Pho

1 8-oz. pkg. rice noodles

1 8-oz. pkg. Asian-flavor baked tofu, thinly sliced

2 cups soybean sprouts

2 cups watercress

4 green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

To make Broth: Place all ingredients in large pot with 8 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, 1 hour. Strain broth, and return to pot. Discard solids.

To make Pho: Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Divide among 6 large soup bowls. Ladle Broth over noodles, and top with tofu, sprouts, watercress, and green onions. Serve cilantro, basil, and lime wedges on the side to be stirred into soup.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 290; Carbohydrate Content: 42 g; Fat Content: 5.5 g; Fiber Content: 3 g; Protein Content: 16 g; Saturated Fat Content: 1 g; Sodium Content: 578 mg; Sugar Content: 5 g

AFRICAN-STYLE SWEET POTATO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW

This recipe comes from Publix.

Servings: 8; Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes; Active Time: 10 minutes

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes

1 can chickpeas (garbanzos), (15–16 oz), drained

1 (14.5-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained

8 oz prediced bell pepper mix (1 1/2 cups)

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

1 teaspoon chunky garlic paste

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or stock)

1 package fresh (or frozen) prediced butternut squash (15–16 oz)

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Drain chickpeas. Place in slow cooker: sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, bell peppers, seasoning, garlic paste, and broth; cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2–3 hours (or LOW for 4–6 hours) or until potatoes are tender.

Stir in squash during last 30 minutes of cook time. Chop cilantro and peanuts.

Remove 1 cup of liquid from stew and whisk with peanut butter until blended. Stir peanut butter mixture into stew. Serve topped with cilantro and peanuts.

Thursday Recipes

It's almost the end of the week; one more day, and we'll hit the weekend. To get us through the day, today's recipes include African-Style Sweet Potato Stew and Vegetarian Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup). Enjoy!

EASY RASPBERRY BROWNIES

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Based on a fudgy brownie mix, these quick-to-fix brownies combine the best of sweet flavors and chewy textures. Mmm!”

Ingredients

1 package (1 pound 3.8 ounces) Betty Crocker® fudge brownie mix

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup raspberry preserves

1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Directions

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom only of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Stir brownie mix, water, oil and eggs in medium bowl until well blended. Spread in pan.

Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean or almost clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 1 hour.

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and preserves in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread over brownies. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

Place chocolate and butter in small microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on Medium (50%) about 1 minute or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over brownies. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate is firm. For 18 brownies, cut 6 rows by 3 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

GINGER TEA

This comes from Vegetarian Times (posted on MAY 9, 2017), and begins, “Ginger is Mother Nature’s protective cloak, shielding us from sickness on winter days. This tea is very spicy—if it tastes too strong, dilute it with more hot water and honey. Traditional advice is not to drink more than 2 cups of ginger tea a day unless you are using it as a treatment for a bad chest cold.”

2 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

12 thin slices fresh ginger, pounded with mortar or rolling pin

1 Tbs. honey

Preparation

Put ginger and 3 cups water in small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes.

Strain out ginger slices and discard or reserve for another use. Stir in honey, and serve hot. Tea can be reheated, if necessary.

NO-BOIL STUFFED SHELLS

This comes from the Food Network, and begins, “No more wrangling slippery shells. This recipe lets you skip the step of boiling your pasta before stuffing it with cheese. Just fill the shells straight out of the box (it's much easier!) and let the sauce turn them plump and tender in the oven.”

Level: Easy; Total: 1 hr 30 min; Active: 20 min; Yield: 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large egg

1 pound ricotta

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

One 8-ounce bag part-skim shredded mozzarella (about 2 cups)

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

One 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
One 12-ounce box jumbo pasta shells

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the garlic, egg, ricotta, Parmesan, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Fold to combine. Transfer the mixture to a resealable plastic bag and snip a 1/4-inch hole in the corner.

Spread 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pipe the ricotta mixture into the shells and arrange them opening-side up in the baking dish. Cover with the remaining sauce and 1 1/2 cups water.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil, top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and bake until almost all the liquid has evaporated and the cheese is browned, about 10 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes. Top with the remaining parsley before serving.

DOUBLE APPLE PIE

This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, “This recipe is a keeper. Gently spiced with cinnamon, tinged with brown sugar and loaded with apple butter, it’s as deeply flavored as an apple pie can be, all covered with a buttery wide-lattice top crust. Although it’s at its most ethereal when baked on the same day you serve it, it’s still wonderful made a day ahead. (Don't let making your own pie crust intimidate you: our pie guide has everything you need to know.)”

Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 1/2 hours, plus at least 3 1/2 hours' chilling and cooling.

This was featured in The United States Of Thanksgiving and can viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 1/2 sticks/20 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

4 tablespoons vodka (optional)

1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

For the Filling

3 pounds apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced crosswise (1/8-inch)

1/2 cup granulated sugar, more as needed

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Pinch ground cloves

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons apple butter

Heavy cream or milk, as needed

Whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche, for serving

Preparation

Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse together flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture forms 3/4-inch pieces. Mix vodka with 4 tablespoons ice water (or use 1/2 cup ice water). Add half the ice water mixture to dough, pulse a few times, then continue adding liquid a tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together (you might not use all the liquid). Dough should be moist, but not wet, and hold together when pinched. If there are visible pieces of butter in the dough, all the better.

On a lightly floured surface, gather dough into a ball. Remove a third of the dough and form into a disk. Form remaining dough into a disk. Cover both tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger disk to a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold over any excess dough, then crimp edges. Prick crust all over with a fork, then chill crust for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

While dough chills, heat oven to 400 degrees. Line chilled crust with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes; remove foil and weights and bake until pale golden, 5 minutes more. Cool on rack until needed. (You can bake the crust up to 24 hours in advance.)

Toss apples with sugars, tapioca, spices, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the lemon juice. Fold in apple butter. Transfer apples to crust and press gently to make sure fruit is tightly packed.

Roll out remaining dough disk to a 10-inch round. Use a knife to cut strips 1 3/4 inches wide. Arrange strips over the filling in a lattice pattern. Brush top of crust with heavy cream or milk. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling thickly, about 1 hour 15 minutes more. Let pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before cutting. Serve with whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche.

VEGETARIAN PHO (VIETNAMESE NOODLE SOUP)

This is from the Vegetarian Times website (May 10, 2017), and begins, “The national soup of Vietnam is a bowl of rice noodles, fresh herbs, and bean sprouts swimming in a fragrant broth.”

Makes 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Broth

6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

3 large shallots, sliced (1 cup)

1/2 cup dried shiitake mushrooms

10 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

3 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

12 1/4-inch-thick coins fresh ginger

1 Tbs. brown sugar

1 Tbs. rice wine vinegar

1 tsp. ground black pepper

2 cinnamon sticks

2 star anise

5-6 fresh basil stems, leaves reserved for soup

5-6 cilantro stems, leaves reserved for soup

Pho

1 8-oz. pkg. rice noodles

1 8-oz. pkg. Asian-flavor baked tofu, thinly sliced

2 cups soybean sprouts

2 cups watercress

4 green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

To make Broth: Place all ingredients in large pot with 8 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, 1 hour. Strain broth, and return to pot. Discard solids.

To make Pho: Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Divide among 6 large soup bowls. Ladle Broth over noodles, and top with tofu, sprouts, watercress, and green onions. Serve cilantro, basil, and lime wedges on the side to be stirred into soup.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 290; Carbohydrate Content: 42 g; Fat Content: 5.5 g; Fiber Content: 3 g; Protein Content: 16 g; Saturated Fat Content: 1 g; Sodium Content: 578 mg; Sugar Content: 5 g

AFRICAN-STYLE SWEET POTATO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW

This recipe comes from Publix.

Servings: 8; Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes; Active Time: 10 minutes

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes

1 can chickpeas (garbanzos), (15–16 oz), drained

1 (14.5-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained

8 oz prediced bell pepper mix (1 1/2 cups)

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

1 teaspoon chunky garlic paste

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or stock)

1 package fresh (or frozen) prediced butternut squash (15–16 oz)

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Drain chickpeas. Place in slow cooker: sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, bell peppers, seasoning, garlic paste, and broth; cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2–3 hours (or LOW for 4–6 hours) or until potatoes are tender.

Stir in squash during last 30 minutes of cook time. Chop cilantro and peanuts.

Remove 1 cup of liquid from stew and whisk with peanut butter until blended. Stir peanut butter mixture into stew. Serve topped with cilantro and peanuts.

Double-Post Tuesday

If you've followed this blog for a while, you know the routine. Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday (because not everyone loves tacos - as strange as that might seem to some of us!). Today's double post includes Triple Tomato Pasta with Spinach and White Beans and Ginger Tea. Enjoy!

BANANA MUFFINS WITH TART LEMON ICING

This was on an old Weight Watcher's emailing list. Unfortunately, I no longer have a link to it, as WW has changed enough over the years. The points value is from when the email came out.

The recipe begins, “If the mouth-puckering lemon icing isn’t enough flavor for you, try adding 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to the flour mixture.”

POINTS® Value: 3; Servings: 18; Preparation Time: 15 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened, divided

1 large egg(s)

2 tsp vanilla extract, divided

2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup fat-free skim milk

4 large banana(s), ripe, mashed

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest, strips, or more to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 18 muffin holes with paper liners.

Place sugar and 5 tablespoons of butter in a large bowl; cream with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed.

In another large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture; beat well with mixer. Add milk and remaining flour mixture; beat until batter is combined and then fold in mashed bananas.

Spoon batter into muffin liners about 3/4 full. Bake until muffins start to brown and a tester inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool in pan for about 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack and cool completely before icing.

Meanwhile, to make icing, combine powdered sugar, remaining tablespoon of butter, lemon juice, zest, and remaining teaspoon of vanilla in a medium bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Ice cooled muffins; cover and refrigerate any uneaten muffins. Yields 1 muffin per serving.

GINGER TEA

This comes from Vegetarian Times (posted on MAY 9, 2017), and begins, “Ginger is Mother Nature’s protective cloak, shielding us from sickness on winter days. This tea is very spicy—if it tastes too strong, dilute it with more hot water and honey. Traditional advice is not to drink more than 2 cups of ginger tea a day unless you are using it as a treatment for a bad chest cold.”

2 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

12 thin slices fresh ginger, pounded with mortar or rolling pin

1 Tbs. honey

Preparation

Put ginger and 3 cups water in small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes.

Strain out ginger slices and discard or reserve for another use. Stir in honey, and serve hot. Tea can be reheated, if necessary.

QUESADILLAS

Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings (2 wedges)

Source: Forbidden Foods Diabetic Cooking

Book Title: Forbidden Foods Diabetic Cooking

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/quesadillas

Ingredients

1 cup shredded Mexican Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or brick cheese

1 green onion, minced

1-3 tablespoons canned chopped green chilies (to taste)

4 8-inch flour tortillas

Chunky salsa, for topping or dip

Directions

In a medium bowl, toss together the cheese, green onion, and chilies; set aside.

Spray a medium skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat.

When hot, add 1 tortilla and sprinkle it with one-fourth of the cheese mixture.

When the cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute, fold the tortilla in half.

Continue cooking until lightly browned and crisp on both sides, about 1 minute.

Transfer to a cutting board.

Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.

Cut into 4 wedges with a knife or pizza cutter and serve immediately with the salsa.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 134; Fat: 6 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 211 mg; Cholesterol: 12 mg; Protein: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 14 g; Sugars: 1 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1 Fat

CINNAMON BAKED DOUGHNUTS

This is from Ina Garten of the Food Network show, Barefoot Contessa.

Level: Easy; Total: 35 min; Active: 15 min; Yield: 12 doughnuts

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Baking spray with flour, such as Baker's Joy

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

1 1/4 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the topping:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 doughnut pans well.

Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined.

Spoon the batter into the baking pans, filling each one a little more than three-quarters full. Bake for 17 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then tap the doughnuts out onto a sheet pan.

For the topping, melt the 8 tablespoons of butter in an 8-inch saute pan. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Dip each doughnut first in the butter and then in the cinnamon sugar, either on one side or both sides.

NO-BOIL STUFFED SHELLS

This comes from the Food Network, and begins, “No more wrangling slippery shells. This recipe lets you skip the step of boiling your pasta before stuffing it with cheese. Just fill the shells straight out of the box (it's much easier!) and let the sauce turn them plump and tender in the oven.”

Level: Easy; Total: 1 hr 30 min; Active: 20 min; Yield: 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large egg

1 pound ricotta

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

One 8-ounce bag part-skim shredded mozzarella (about 2 cups)

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

One 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
One 12-ounce box jumbo pasta shells

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the garlic, egg, ricotta, Parmesan, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Fold to combine. Transfer the mixture to a resealable plastic bag and snip a 1/4-inch hole in the corner.

Spread 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pipe the ricotta mixture into the shells and arrange them opening-side up in the baking dish. Cover with the remaining sauce and 1 1/2 cups water.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil, top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and bake until almost all the liquid has evaporated and the cheese is browned, about 10 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes. Top with the remaining parsley before serving.

TRIPLE TOMATO PASTA WITH SPINACH AND WHITE BEANS

This comes from Molly Cleary, MS, RD, CDN, CNSC on VeryWellFit. Molly wrote, “Tomatoes get their red color from lycopene, an antioxidant that may help to prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease. Cooking tomatoes actually helps to increase lycopene content, therefore potentially boosting its disease-fighting power.

“In addition to lycopene, this recipe also provides great nutritional benefits from the cannellini beans. These beans are full of fiber, at 6 grams per half cup serving. They are also one of the highest potassium beans out there, a micronutrient and electrolyte that can help lower blood pressure.”

Total Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Servings: 4

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

8 ounces whole wheat penne pasta

1 can low sodium cannellini beans

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 package baby spinach

2 cups cherry tomatoes, diced

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil

1/4 cup sliced/slivered almonds

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic (or 1 teaspoon minced)

2 teaspoons dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Combine pesto ingredients (slivered almonds through crushed red pepper) in a food processor and blend until mostly smooth; some small chunks are okay. You may need to a litter water to thin, but do not add more than a few tablespoons since the sauce is meant to be thick.

Drain and rinse cannellini beans.

Add olive oil to a pan and heat to medium high. Add baby spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat.

Combine the pasta, beans, spinach, and tomatoes into one large pot. Add the pesto and mix well.

Divide into 4 bowls and serve.

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

If you cannot find sun-dried tomatoes in oil, then you can substitute 3/4 cup bagged sun-dried tomatoes with 1/4 cup olive oil. It works best if tomatoes are soaked in the oil for at least an hour.

Cooking and Serving Tips

Leftover pesto tastes delicious as a sandwich spread. It also freezes well.

Thursday Recipes

In amongst the posts for cookies and desserts, we still need to have something somewhat filling. Today's recipes include African-Style Sweet Potato Stew and Vegetarian Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup). Enjoy!

EASY RASPBERRY BROWNIES

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Based on a fudgy brownie mix, these quick-to-fix brownies combine the best of sweet flavors and chewy textures. Mmm!”

Ingredients

1 package (1 pound 3.8 ounces) Betty Crocker® fudge brownie mix

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup raspberry preserves

1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Directions

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom only of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Stir brownie mix, water, oil and eggs in medium bowl until well blended. Spread in pan.

Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean or almost clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 1 hour.

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and preserves in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread over brownies. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

Place chocolate and butter in small microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on Medium (50%) about 1 minute or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over brownies. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate is firm. For 18 brownies, cut 6 rows by 3 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

GINGER TEA

This comes from Vegetarian Times (posted on MAY 9, 2017), and begins, “Ginger is Mother Nature’s protective cloak, shielding us from sickness on winter days. This tea is very spicy—if it tastes too strong, dilute it with more hot water and honey. Traditional advice is not to drink more than 2 cups of ginger tea a day unless you are using it as a treatment for a bad chest cold.”

2 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

12 thin slices fresh ginger, pounded with mortar or rolling pin

1 Tbs. honey

Preparation

Put ginger and 3 cups water in small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes.

Strain out ginger slices and discard or reserve for another use. Stir in honey, and serve hot. Tea can be reheated, if necessary.

NO-BOIL STUFFED SHELLS

This comes from the Food Network, and begins, “No more wrangling slippery shells. This recipe lets you skip the step of boiling your pasta before stuffing it with cheese. Just fill the shells straight out of the box (it's much easier!) and let the sauce turn them plump and tender in the oven.”

Level: Easy; Total: 1 hr 30 min; Active: 20 min; Yield: 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large egg

1 pound ricotta

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

One 8-ounce bag part-skim shredded mozzarella (about 2 cups)

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

One 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
One 12-ounce box jumbo pasta shells

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the garlic, egg, ricotta, Parmesan, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Fold to combine. Transfer the mixture to a resealable plastic bag and snip a 1/4-inch hole in the corner.

Spread 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pipe the ricotta mixture into the shells and arrange them opening-side up in the baking dish. Cover with the remaining sauce and 1 1/2 cups water.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil, top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and bake until almost all the liquid has evaporated and the cheese is browned, about 10 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes. Top with the remaining parsley before serving.

DOUBLE APPLE PIE

This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, “This recipe is a keeper. Gently spiced with cinnamon, tinged with brown sugar and loaded with apple butter, it’s as deeply flavored as an apple pie can be, all covered with a buttery wide-lattice top crust. Although it’s at its most ethereal when baked on the same day you serve it, it’s still wonderful made a day ahead. (Don't let making your own pie crust intimidate you: our pie guide has everything you need to know.)”

Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 1/2 hours, plus at least 3 1/2 hours' chilling and cooling.

This was featured in The United States Of Thanksgiving and can viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 1/2 sticks/20 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

4 tablespoons vodka (optional)

1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

For the Filling

3 pounds apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced crosswise (1/8-inch)

1/2 cup granulated sugar, more as needed

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Pinch ground cloves

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons apple butter

Heavy cream or milk, as needed

Whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche, for serving

Preparation

Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse together flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture forms 3/4-inch pieces. Mix vodka with 4 tablespoons ice water (or use 1/2 cup ice water). Add half the ice water mixture to dough, pulse a few times, then continue adding liquid a tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together (you might not use all the liquid). Dough should be moist, but not wet, and hold together when pinched. If there are visible pieces of butter in the dough, all the better.

On a lightly floured surface, gather dough into a ball. Remove a third of the dough and form into a disk. Form remaining dough into a disk. Cover both tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger disk to a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold over any excess dough, then crimp edges. Prick crust all over with a fork, then chill crust for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

While dough chills, heat oven to 400 degrees. Line chilled crust with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes; remove foil and weights and bake until pale golden, 5 minutes more. Cool on rack until needed. (You can bake the crust up to 24 hours in advance.)

Toss apples with sugars, tapioca, spices, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the lemon juice. Fold in apple butter. Transfer apples to crust and press gently to make sure fruit is tightly packed.

Roll out remaining dough disk to a 10-inch round. Use a knife to cut strips 1 3/4 inches wide. Arrange strips over the filling in a lattice pattern. Brush top of crust with heavy cream or milk. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling thickly, about 1 hour 15 minutes more. Let pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before cutting. Serve with whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche.

VEGETARIAN PHO (VIETNAMESE NOODLE SOUP)

This is from the Vegetarian Times website (May 10, 2017), and begins, “The national soup of Vietnam is a bowl of rice noodles, fresh herbs, and bean sprouts swimming in a fragrant broth.”

Makes 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Broth

6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

3 large shallots, sliced (1 cup)

1/2 cup dried shiitake mushrooms

10 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

3 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

12 1/4-inch-thick coins fresh ginger

1 Tbs. brown sugar

1 Tbs. rice wine vinegar

1 tsp. ground black pepper

2 cinnamon sticks

2 star anise

5-6 fresh basil stems, leaves reserved for soup

5-6 cilantro stems, leaves reserved for soup

Pho

1 8-oz. pkg. rice noodles

1 8-oz. pkg. Asian-flavor baked tofu, thinly sliced

2 cups soybean sprouts

2 cups watercress

4 green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

To make Broth: Place all ingredients in large pot with 8 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, 1 hour. Strain broth, and return to pot. Discard solids.

To make Pho: Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Divide among 6 large soup bowls. Ladle Broth over noodles, and top with tofu, sprouts, watercress, and green onions. Serve cilantro, basil, and lime wedges on the side to be stirred into soup.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 290; Carbohydrate Content: 42 g; Fat Content: 5.5 g; Fiber Content: 3 g; Protein Content: 16 g; Saturated Fat Content: 1 g; Sodium Content: 578 mg; Sugar Content: 5 g

AFRICAN-STYLE SWEET POTATO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW

This recipe comes from Publix.

Servings: 8; Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes; Active Time: 10 minutes

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes

1 can chickpeas (garbanzos), (15–16 oz), drained

1 (14.5-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained

8 oz prediced bell pepper mix (1 1/2 cups)

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

1 teaspoon chunky garlic paste

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or stock)

1 package fresh (or frozen) prediced butternut squash (15–16 oz)

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Drain chickpeas. Place in slow cooker: sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, bell peppers, seasoning, garlic paste, and broth; cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2–3 hours (or LOW for 4–6 hours) or until potatoes are tender.

Stir in squash during last 30 minutes of cook time. Chop cilantro and peanuts.

Remove 1 cup of liquid from stew and whisk with peanut butter until blended. Stir peanut butter mixture into stew. Serve topped with cilantro and peanuts.

Pasta Party

If you love pasta as much as I do, you're bound to find something in today's post that gets your attention. Will it be the Angel Hair Pasta, modeled after a famous restaurant's old recipe from years ago? Perhaps it will be the kid-friendly Pot Luck Pasta Salad. Then give the others a try. Enjoy!

NO-BOIL STUFFED SHELLS

This comes from the Food Network, and begins, “No more wrangling slippery shells. This recipe lets you skip the step of boiling your pasta before stuffing it with cheese. Just fill the shells straight out of the box (it's much easier!) and let the sauce turn them plump and tender in the oven.”

Level: Easy; Total: 1 hr 30 min; Active: 20 min; Yield: 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large egg

1 pound ricotta

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

One 8-ounce bag part-skim shredded mozzarella (about 2 cups)

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

One 24-ounce jar marinara sauce

One 12-ounce box jumbo pasta shells

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the garlic, egg, ricotta, Parmesan, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Fold to combine. Transfer the mixture to a resealable plastic bag and snip a 1/4-inch hole in the corner.

Spread 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pipe the ricotta mixture into the shells and arrange them opening-side up in the baking dish. Cover with the remaining sauce and 1 1/2 cups water.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil, top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and bake until almost all the liquid has evaporated and the cheese is browned, about 10 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes. Top with the remaining parsley before serving.

ANGEL HAIR PASTA

I had something similar to this at a local Italian restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important—unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.

This is in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.

1/2 C water

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2green pepper, diced

1 T oregano

1 lb. angel hair pasta

Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.) In veggie pot, heat 1/2 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.) Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)

PASTA WITH PUMPKIN SAUCE

This is from The Mayo Clinic diet.

Serves 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat bow-tie pasta

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 cup fat-free low-sodium vegetable broth

1 can pumpkin puree (15 ounces)

1/2 teaspoon sage, rubbed

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon parsley, dried or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, place a large skillet over medium to high heat. Add olive oil, onion, garlic and mushrooms. Cook about 10 minutes or until onion is soft.

Add broth, pumpkin, sage, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer about 8 minutes. When pasta is finished cooking, drain and add it to the pumpkin mixture.

Stir to combine ingredients and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Nutritional Information: Amount per serving: Calories: 220; Total fat: 4 g; Saturated fat: 1 g; Sodium: 150 mg; Total carbohydrate: 39 g; Dietary fiber: 7 g; Protein: 10 g

VELVEETA ULTIMATE MACARONI & CHEESE

This comes from Kraft Recipes, and begins, “Cheesy and easy, this homemade stove top macaroni and cheese is a big hit with kids.”

Total Time: 20 Minutes;Prep Time: 5 Minutes; Cook Time: 15 Minutes; Makes 4 servings

View this online here.

Ingredients

2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked

3/4 lb. (12 oz.) VELVEETA®, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/3 cup milk

1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions

Cook macaroni in large saucepan as directed on package; drain well. Return to pan.

Stir in remaining ingredients; cook on low heat until VELVEETA is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently.

TRIPLE TOMATO PASTA WITH SPINACH AND WHITE BEANS

This comes from Molly Cleary, MS, RD, CDN, CNSC on VeryWellFit. Molly wrote, “Tomatoes get their red color from lycopene, an antioxidant that may help to prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease. Cooking tomatoes actually helps to increase lycopene content, therefore potentially boosting its disease-fighting power.

“In addition to lycopene, this recipe also provides great nutritional benefits from the cannellini beans. These beans are full of fiber, at 6 grams per half cup serving. They are also one of the highest potassium beans out there, a micronutrient and electrolyte that can help lower blood pressure.”

Total Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Servings: 4

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

8 ounces whole wheat penne pasta

1 can low sodium cannellini beans

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 package baby spinach

2 cups cherry tomatoes, diced

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil

1/4 cup sliced/slivered almonds

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic (or 1 teaspoon minced)

2 teaspoons dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Combine pesto ingredients (slivered almonds through crushed red pepper) in a food processor and blend until mostly smooth; some small chunks are okay. You may need to a litter water to thin, but do not add more than a few tablespoons since the sauce is meant to be thick.

Drain and rinse cannellini beans.

Add olive oil to a pan and heat to medium high. Add baby spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat.

Combine the pasta, beans, spinach, and tomatoes into one large pot. Add the pesto and mix well.

Divide into 4 bowls and serve.

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

If you cannot find sun-dried tomatoes in oil, then you can substitute 3/4 cup bagged sun-dried tomatoes with 1/4 cup olive oil. It works best if tomatoes are soaked in the oil for at least an hour.

Cooking and Serving Tips

Leftover pesto tastes delicious as a sandwich spread. It also freezes well.

POT LUCK PASTA SALAD (KID-FRIENDLY)

This was in a Weight Watchers' email several years ago. The program has changed, but I'm using the values from when this was sent.

This recipe begins, “This colorful salad has something for everyone. If you’re short on time, buy the ingredients already cut from a salad bar and use your favorite bottled fat-free Italian dressing.”

POINTS® Value: 3; Servings: 12; Preparation Time: 30 minutes; Cooking Time: 15 minutes; Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

4 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, corkscrew shape (about 1 1/2 cups)

4 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, wheel shaped (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp dried oregano

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp table salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

2 1/2 oz olives, canned, sliced, black (about 10 medium black olives)

1 medium green peppers, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 medium sweet red peppers, chopped (about 1 cup)

3/4 cup grape tomatoes, or other small tomatoes, halved (about 10 tomatoes)

1 medium yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and sliced (about 1/2 cup)

1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced (about 1/2 cup)

1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse pasta with cold water; drain again and set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare salad dressing by mixing together oil, lemon juice, oregano, mustard, salt, black pepper and garlic in a small bowl; set aside until ready to use.

In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta with vegetables; pour in dressing and toss thoroughly to coat. Cover and chill about 2 hours. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Bur you knew that, right? Today's double post includes Creamy Broccoli Soup and Glazed Chocolate-Avocado Cupcakes. Enjoy!

PUMPKIN CRISP

This comes from Delish.com, and begins, “This crisp will make you forget pumpkin pie ever existed. The crunchy topping is the perfect accompaniment to the smooth pumpkin filling.”

Yields: 6 servings; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Cooking spray, for pan

3 eggs

1 c. granulated sugar

1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin purée

2/3 c. heavy cream

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

For the Topping

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 c. dark brown sugar

Pinch kosher salt

3/4 c. cold butter, in 1/2" cubes

1 c. chopped pecans

Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a skillet with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. When smooth and fully combined, add pumpkin, cream, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Whisk until smooth and blended. Pour into prepared pan.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, brown sugar, and salt to combine and break up any clumps of brown sugar. Scatter the cubed butter over the dry ingredients and pulse again until crumbs form. Stir in the pecans.

In the palm of your hand, press handfuls of the topping into rough balls. Break off teaspoon-sized pieces and place over the pumpkin.

Bake until the filling is set and the top is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes.

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

GLAZED CHOCOLATE-AVOCADO CUPCAKES

This comes from Vegetarian Times (posted on MAY 9, 2017), and begins, “Avocado replaces the eggs and most of the oil creating a rich, chocolatey batter that's ultra moist.”

Makes 12 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1 avocado, pitted and peeled

1 cup pure maple syrup

3/4 cup plain soymilk

1/3 cup canola oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Glaze

1/4 block soft silken tofu (from 14-oz. container), drained and patted dry

3 Tbs. pure maple syrup

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/8 tsp. salt

4 oz. semisweet vegan chocolate, melted

Preparation

To make Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Purée avocado in food processor until smooth. Add maple syrup, soymilk, oil, and vanilla, and blend until creamy. Whisk avocado mixture into flour mixture.

Spoon batter into prepared cupcake cups. Bake 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out with some crumbs attached. Cool.

To make Glaze: Blend tofu, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in food processor until smooth. Add chocolate to tofu mixture and blend until smooth. Transfer to bowl. Dip tops of Cupcakes into Glaze, pulling straight up from Glaze to form peaks.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 287; Carbohydrate Content: 44 g; Fat Content: 12.5 g; Fiber Content: 4 g; Protein Content: 4 g; Saturated Fat Content: 3 g; Sodium Content: 304 mg; Sugar Content: 24 g

OMELET PROVENCAL

This recipe begins, “Create the perfect omelet with the savory French flavors of Provence: tomatoes, garlic, olives and herbs. Make one omelet for two, or two omelets for four. Either way, this easy main dish becomes the highlight of a quick, nutritious meal.”

Recipe Yield: Servings: 2

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/omelet-provencal.

Ingredients

3 large eggs*

1 tablespoon water

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup diced canned tomatoes with garlic and onion, drained

1/4 cup shredded Muenster cheese

2 tablespoons canned sliced black olives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon herbs de Provence Parsley sprigs, for garnish

* If you need to restrict cholesterol, use 3/4 cup egg substitute, or use some egg whites in place of a whole egg(s).

Directions

Combine eggs, water and pepper in a small bowl; whisk gently to blend the whites and yolks, but not to make them frothy.

Melt the olive oil in a 10-inch, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, tilting to coat the bottom and sides.

Once the oil is hot, pour the eggs in.

As the eggs start to set, lift the edges so the uncooked egg mixture flows underneath. Cook until the eggs are set and no visible liquid egg remains, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

Top half the omelet with tomatoes, cheese and olives; sprinkle with parsley and herbs de Provence. Flip the unfilled half of the omelet over the top.

Heat until lightly browned on the bottom, then slide onto a plate to serve.

Garnish with parsley sprigs.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 240; Fat: 17 g; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 550 mg; Cholesterol: 330 mg; Protein: 13 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g

NO-BOIL STUFFED SHELLS

This comes from the Food Network, and begins, “No more wrangling slippery shells. This recipe lets you skip the step of boiling your pasta before stuffing it with cheese. Just fill the shells straight out of the box (it's much easier!) and let the sauce turn them plump and tender in the oven.”

Level: Easy; Total: 1 hr 30 min; Active: 20 min; Yield: 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large egg

1 pound ricotta

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

One 8-ounce bag part-skim shredded mozzarella (about 2 cups)

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

One 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
One 12-ounce box jumbo pasta shells

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the garlic, egg, ricotta, Parmesan, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Fold to combine. Transfer the mixture to a resealable plastic bag and snip a 1/4-inch hole in the corner.

Spread 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pipe the ricotta mixture into the shells and arrange them opening-side up in the baking dish. Cover with the remaining sauce and 1 1/2 cups water.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil, top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and bake until almost all the liquid has evaporated and the cheese is browned, about 10 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes. Top with the remaining parsley before serving.

DOUBLE APPLE PIE

This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, “This recipe is a keeper. Gently spiced with cinnamon, tinged with brown sugar and loaded with apple butter, it’s as deeply flavored as an apple pie can be, all covered with a buttery wide-lattice top crust. Although it’s at its most ethereal when baked on the same day you serve it, it’s still wonderful made a day ahead. (Don't let making your own pie crust intimidate you: our pie guide has everything you need to know.)”

Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 1/2 hours, plus at least 3 1/2 hours' chilling and cooling.

This was featured in The United States Of Thanksgiving and can viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 1/2 sticks/20 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

4 tablespoons vodka (optional)

1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

For the Filling

3 pounds apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced crosswise (1/8-inch)

1/2 cup granulated sugar, more as needed

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Pinch ground cloves

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons apple butter

Heavy cream or milk, as needed

Whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche, for serving

Preparation

Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse together flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture forms 3/4-inch pieces. Mix vodka with 4 tablespoons ice water (or use 1/2 cup ice water). Add half the ice water mixture to dough, pulse a few times, then continue adding liquid a tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together (you might not use all the liquid). Dough should be moist, but not wet, and hold together when pinched. If there are visible pieces of butter in the dough, all the better.

On a lightly floured surface, gather dough into a ball. Remove a third of the dough and form into a disk. Form remaining dough into a disk. Cover both tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger disk to a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold over any excess dough, then crimp edges. Prick crust all over with a fork, then chill crust for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

While dough chills, heat oven to 400 degrees. Line chilled crust with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes; remove foil and weights and bake until pale golden, 5 minutes more. Cool on rack until needed. (You can bake the crust up to 24 hours in advance.)

Toss apples with sugars, tapioca, spices, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the lemon juice. Fold in apple butter. Transfer apples to crust and press gently to make sure fruit is tightly packed.

Roll out remaining dough disk to a 10-inch round. Use a knife to cut strips 1 3/4 inches wide. Arrange strips over the filling in a lattice pattern. Brush top of crust with heavy cream or milk. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling thickly, about 1 hour 15 minutes more. Let pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before cutting. Serve with whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche.

CREAMY BROCCOLI SOUP

This is from The Mayo Clinic Diet.

Serves 6; Serving size: 1 1/3 cup.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons thyme leaves or 2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt-free lemon-pepper seasoning

32 ounces low-sodium vegetable broth

6 cups frozen broccoli, chopped

6 tablespoons plain, fat-free Greek yogurt

Instructions

Heat oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium to high heat.

Add onion and cook for about 4 minutes, until soft and translucent.

Add garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes and lemon pepper, cooking for an additional minute.

Add vegetable broth and broccoli. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 8 to 9 minutes, until broccoli is tender.

Remove soup from the heat. Puree in batches in a blender until smooth.

Top each serving with a tablespoon of yogurt.

Nutritional Information: Amount per serving: Calories: 90; Total fat: 3 g; Saturated fat: 0 g; Sodium: 135 mg; Total carbohydrate: 12 g; Dietary fiber: 6 g; Protein: 6 g