Here we are at another Taco Tuesday. This week's offerings include Spicy Grilled Tempeh Tacos with Frijoles Molidos and Homemade Sour Cream and Mocha Dessert Tacos. (Do I have your attention yet?) Enjoy!
POTATO TACOS
Potato Tacos? Sure, why not? This also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "These tasty tacos are spicy! Feel free to reduce the amount of chipotle if you prefer milder flavor." Serves 2.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 medium potato, baked and diced
1 to 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
2 whole wheat tortillas, warmed
Instructions:
In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring often, until almost tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add chipotle, cumin and oregano and stir 30 seconds. Add potato, toss well to coat and heat through. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro and remove from heat. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Divide potato mixture among tortillas and serve hot, garnished with condiments as desired.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 226; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 51 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 181 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 0 g
SEITAN TACOS
This is from FoodFanatic, and begins, “Seitan tacos made with citrus and herb are a fantastic vegetarian idea. These tacos are a fantastic addition to Taco Week!” Makes 4 servings; Serving Size: 2 tacos; Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
8 ounces seitan strips, 1 package
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeños, deseeded and minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 large tomato, diced
2 cups baby spinach, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 flour tortillas, corn tortillas, or corn taco shells
Directions
Drain the seitan strips and toss them with the garlic, jalapenos, cumin, chili powder, and onions in a small bowl. Set aside.
Combine the orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, parsley, cilantro and honey in a blender and mix until combined. Whisk in the sour cream. Set aside.
In a medium skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the seitan mixture and cook until the seitan has browned and the onions are soft.
Assemble the tacos with the seitan mixture, tomatoes, spinach and cheese.
Spoon the citrus dressing over the tacos. Alternatively, because it is very liquid, you can also coat the cooked seitan mixture with the desired amount of dressing before taco assembly.
Notes
I used a thyme flavored honey which added to the herby flavor of the dressing.
Make sure the jalapeno is actually spicy. This dish is better with a little kick!
SPICY GRILLED TEMPEH TACOS WITH FRIJOLES MOLIDOS AND HOMEMADE SOUR CREAM [VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE]
This recipe comes from OneGreenPlanet, and is Dairy Free; Gluten-free; Vegan; Wheat Free.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Tempeh and Tacos:
Tempeh, as needed
Spicy bean paste, as needed
Tortillas (gluten-free if necessary)
Pico de gallo
Guacamole
For the Frijoles:
6 cloves roasted garlic
4-5 cups cooked red beans
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons cumin
Juice of 2 limes
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne or chipotle
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
For the Sour Cream
1 cup raw, pre-soaked cashews
1 cup rejuvelac (see notes)
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Preparation
Brush the tempeh with the bean paste and then grill.
Lightly grill tortillas for about 30 seconds/side.
To make the sour cream, put all ingredients in a high-speed blender and run until very smooth. Then set out in a covered glass container to culture for at least 24 hours. Taste for sourness. Colder climates will require more time. 24 hours at 85°F is about perfect. Refrigerate until thickened.
To make the beans, roast your garlic or pan fry them whole in a skillet until brown. Then cook the beans a minute or two longer than normal, drain, but reserve your bean juice.
Mash the garlic cloves with a fork, then add the beans and spices over low heat. Allow them to simmer for a couple minutes while you go to work with a potato masher. Add the lime juice, olive oil, and bean juice to keep the mixture soft and workable.
Assemble tacos and add pico de gallo and guacamole.
Notes:
Rejuvelac is a fermented liquid you can buy online or make at home.
AVOCADO TACOS
This comes from Jeff Gordinier in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Most top chefs will tell you the same thing: When they finally escape from the elaborate labors they oversee in the kitchen, they crave late-night street food that’s poetically simple and satisfying: hot dogs, fried rice, a bowl of noodles. For Enrique Olvera, the chef at Cosme in New York and Pujol in Mexico City, that hand-to-mouth haiku can be found in avocado tacos, which he scarfs down around the clock. They serve as both ‘a comfort,’ he said, and ‘a cultural expression.’ In its most basic form, an avocado taco is like a two-bite couplet in praise of Mexican ingredients: a chewy corn tortilla enclosing creamy slices of the-butter-that-grows-on-trees. Spare additions elevate that avocado: a pinch of salt, a spray of lime juice, a sprinkle of chopped onions and cilantro. But the chef takes elevation one step further with a salsa made of pasilla chiles and tomatillos.”
Yield: 12 tacos; Time: 45 minutes.
This recipe was featured in “Scouting the Scene” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
4 pasilla chiles
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
2 garlic cloves
10 tomatillos, boiled in salted water for 15 minutes or until soft
3 avocados, sliced thin
12 corn tortillas
3/4 cup white onion, finely diced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Preparation
Make the salsa: Snap the stems off the chiles and remove the seeds. Using tongs, carefully hold the chiles over a medium flame to char on all sides. Transfer chiles to a food processor, add the salt and process into a powder. Add the garlic and tomatillos and purée until smooth. (This makes 1 pint salsa, more than needed; refrigerate the rest in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)
To serve, place 3 or 4 slices of avocado on each tortilla and top with salsa, onion and cilantro.
HUEVOS RANCHEROS
I found this, along with five other taco recipes (including the next one, Mocha Dessert Tacos), on the Runner’s World website (posted on June 26, 2018), though it’s originally from the Prevention test kitchen.
This recipe begins, “A spicy sauce made fresh from sautéed vegetables helps you begin the day with a good dose of vitamins A and C.”
Serves:4; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes
This can be found at https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a21946015/healthy-taco-recipes/. They were originally from: Prevention US.
Ingredients
3 tsp olive oil
1 med green bell pepper, chopped
1 med yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 can (14 oz) no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juice
2 Tbsp chopped chipotle pepper in adobo
1/4 c chopped cilantro + leaves for garnish
4 eggs
1 c canned black beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
4 whole wheat tortillas, warmed
Directions
Heat 2 tsp oil over medium until shimmering in medium saucepan. Add bell pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, and a pinch of kosher salt and cook until onion is translucent, 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, chipotle, and cilantro and cook until reduced slightly, 10 minutes. Puree with regular or hand blender until smooth.
Heat remaining 1 tsp oil in large nonstick skillet and fry eggs sunny side up. Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup beans, 1 egg, and desired amount of sauce. Top with cilantro leaves.
Per serving: 272 cal, 14 g pro, 40 g carb, 8 g fiber, 6 g sugars (1 g added sugars), 9.5 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 186 mg cholesterol, 476 mg sodium
MOCHA DESSERT TACOS
This recipe begins, “These blueberry-pancake taco shells are made from whole wheat flour for extra heart-healthy magnesium (a mineral the typical American diet falls short on).”
Serves: 6; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Times: 25 minutes
This can be found at https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a21946015/healthy-taco-recipes/. They were originally from: Prevention US.
Ingredients
4 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 tsp instant espresso powder or coffee granules
2 medium bananas
3 large eggs
1 c blueberries
1/2 c whole wheat flour
2 tsp whole milk
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp canola oil
2 c berries (such as blueberries and raspberries)
Directions
Microwave chocolate in 15-second bursts in microwave-safe bowl, stirring intermittently, until melted. Stir in espresso powder until smooth.
Puree bananas, eggs, blueberries, flour, milk, baking powder, and salt in blender until smooth.
Heat 1 tsp oil in large nonstick skillet over medium. Dollop 1/4 cup batter into skillet (spread slightly) and cook until top is set, 2 to 3 minutes; flip and cook until golden on bottom, 2 minutes more. Repeat with remaining batter, adding remaining oil as needed.
Fold each pancake and fill with berries. Drizzle with chocolate-coffee sauce.
Per serving: 260 calories, 7 g protein, 36 g carb, 7 g fiber, 18 g sugars (9 g added sugars), 11 g fat, 4.5 g sat fat, 94 mg cholesterol, 163 mg sodium
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Monday, November 19, 2018
Monday Recipes, Thanksgiving Week
Happy Monday! Hope your weekend was good.
This Thursday is Thanksgiving, so I'll be posting food over the next few days that can be used for your Thanksgiving meal - including tacos tomorrow for Taco Tuesday stuff that, while you can eat at any time, can also be used as extras on your Thanksgiving table.
So, without any more chit-chat, here are today's six recipes to help you through the day while getting ready for Thursday, including Ginger Pumpkin Pie and Roasted Green Bean Bundles. Enjoy!
Note: I'll be taking Thursday off to spend time with family, but will be back on Friday. Hope everyone's Thanksgiving is wonderful and peaceful.
CLASSIC MASHED POTATOES
This is from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “Mashed potatoes are very forgiving, and with a good masher, hot potatoes and enough butter and salt, cooks can accommodate religionists of the fluffy style and partisans of the creamy and dense. Be openhanded with salt and butter but stingy with milk, which will flatten out the bright, earthy potato taste. (And for everything you need to know to make perfect potatoes, visit our potato guide.)”
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: about 45 minutes.
This was featured in “The Secret? It’s Not the Potatoes” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
Salt
2 1/2 pounds potatoes (about 6 large potatoes), preferably a combination of russet (baking) potatoes and large Yukon Golds, or all Yukon Golds
4 tablespoons butter, more for dotting
1/3 cup whole milk
Preparation
In a large pot, bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil over high heat. Peel and quarter potatoes and keep in cold water until ready to cook. (This can be done up to 4 hours in advance.) Add potatoes to boiling water and boil about 15 to 20 minutes, until soft; a knife should go in with almost no resistance. (It is better to overcook than to undercook.)
In a saucepan or a microwave oven, heat butter and milk together until butter melts and mixture steams. Drain potatoes well and return to pot. Using an extruding masher or a ricer, mash hot potatoes until smooth. Lightly mix in about half of hot butter mixture, just until blended. Taste for salt and add more butter mixture until seasoned to your liking.
Stop here for fluffy potatoes. For creamy potatoes, keep stirring potato mixture, using a sturdy spoon to press it against sides and bottom of pot. Mix until dense and thick. For whipped potatoes, use a stand mixer to mash hot potatoes just until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add all the butter mixture and salt to taste, pulsing machine in short bursts at medium speed. When light and creamy, stop mixing immediately. (Potatoes can quickly become sticky.)
To keep hot until ready to serve, transfer to serving bowl, dot top with butter, cover tightly and keep in a warm place, like the back of the stove. Potatoes will stay hot for at least 30 minutes. To keep longer, place covered bowl in a pan holding about an inch of gently simmering water. Before serving, mix well.
Tip:
This recipe can be doubled, tripled and more.
BLOTKAKE (NORWEGIAN CREAM CAKE)
This also comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “Blotkake, layered spongecake covered with drifts of whipped cream and fruit, is a dessert that Norwegians are passionate and possessive about. It is a traditional sweet finish for any festive meal, whether a long, dark winter lunch or a long, sunlit summer dinner. ‘Scandinavians really value lingering and feasting at the table,’ said Maren Waxenberg, a Norwegian-American cook who lives in New York City and serves this cake at Thanksgiving.
“Cloudberries are a protected crop in Norway and are rarely available fresh in the United States, but raspberries are a good substitute.”
Yield: 10 to 12 servings; Time: 1 hour, plus cooling.
This was featured in “The American Thanksgiving” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
Nonstick cooking spray
4 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
For the Filling and Frosting:
3 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons cloudberry, raspberry or blackberry preserves
1/3 cup cloudberry or raspberry liqueur (such as Chambord), or berry juice of your choice
12 ounces fresh raspberries or blackberries, for decorating (optional)
Preparation
Bake the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees and mist a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Combine eggs, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer (or the whisk attachment of a stand mixer) until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
Sift cake flour and baking powder into a separate bowl, then fold into the egg mixture in 2 additions.
Pour batter into pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely before removing from pan.
Make the frosting and filling: Beat whipping cream, vanilla and confectioners’ sugar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer 1/3 of the whipped cream to a separate bowl and stir in preserves.
Use a serrated knife to slice cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Arrange top layer of the cake cut-side-up on a platter. Poke a few holes in the cake layer with a toothpick, then sprinkle with 1/3 of the liqueur or juice.
Spread half the whipped cream and preserves mixture over the cake layer, then arrange middle layer on top. Poke holes in the middle layer with a toothpick and sprinkle with another 1/3 of the liqueur or juice. Top with remaining whipped cream and preserves mixture.
Arrange the bottom cake layer on top of the stack, cut-side-down. Poke more holes and sprinkle with remaining liqueur or juice. Frost top and sides of cake with the whipped cream, using a pastry bag to pipe on stars or other designs, if you'd like. Decorate with fresh berries.
GINGER PUMPKIN PIE
Kathy Kingsley is one of About.com's American Food experts. She writes, “Flavored with fresh ginger and honey, this pumpkin pie is sure to become one of your go-to holiday recipes.” Prep Time: 35 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 85 minutes; Yield: Serves 8
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Pastry
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons ice water
Pumpkin Filling
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 16-ounce can solid-pack pumpkin
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Honey Whipped Cream
3/4 cup heavy or whipping cream, chilled
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
Make the pastry dough: Combine the flour, sugar, vegetable shortening, and butter in a food processor and pulse on/off until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. With the motor running, add the ice water through the feed tube, and process just until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.
Press the dough into a ball, then flatten it into a disc, about 1-inch thick.
On a lightly floured surface using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. Line a 9-inch pie pan with the dough. Turn the edges under, and crimp or flute the crust. Set the pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Brush about teaspoon of the egg around the edge of the crust.
Add the pumpkin, milk, honey, sugar, ginger, pumpkin pie spice and salt to the eggs, and mix until well blended. Pour the filling into the pie crust.
Bake the pie for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling is set. If the edges become too dark during baking, carefully cover them with foil strips (see Recipe Notes). Set the pie on a wire rack to cool. If not serving right away, cover and chill.
When ready to serve, make the honey whipped cream. Put the cream into a medium bowl. Add the honey and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Serve the pie topped with the whipped cream.
Recipe Notes
• To make a foil collar to prevent edges of pie from browning too much, fold a 12-inch-long piece of foil into a strip with 3-inch-high sides. Stand the strip on the oven rack around the pie dish. Secure the overhang with a paper clip. The collar doesn't have to touch or cover the crust to protect it.
SKILLET PUMPKIN CORNBREAD
This comes from Judy Kim on Delish. Judy wrote, “”Pumpkin bread goes the savory route.” Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 6 servings.
Note: According to the footnote with the recipe, “Judy Kim is a NYC-based food stylist, recipe developer, and photographer. She also writes recipes for her website The Judy Lab.” If you’ve never been to her sit, I highly recommend doing so. Very nice site!
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 c. pumpkin purée
1 c. buttermilk
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 c. cornmeal
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Directions
Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Grease 10" cast iron skillet with 1 tablespoon butter, set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together cornmeal, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together pumpkin, buttermilk, egg, brown sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter. Pour in cornmeal mixture and whisk together. Transfer to skillet and bake 25 to 30 minutes. (Test doneness by pricking center with a toothpick—it should come out clean.) Immediately spread remaining tablespoon butter all over.
Cool for 5 minutes and serve immediately.
GARLICKY GREEN BEANS WITH CRISPY ONIONS
This also comes from Judy Kim on Delish. Judy wrote, “Crispier and quicker than mushy casserole.” Total Time: 25 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 6 servings
Note: Judy had 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth. Since this is a vegetarian blog – I am, after all, a vegetarian (99.9% of the time, anyway), I changed the chicken broth to vegetable broth. Judy, if you're reading this, I hope you're not offended.
Ingredients
Canola oil, for frying
1 large onion, thinly sliced using a mandoline
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
kosher salt
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. green beans, trimmed
1/2 c. low-sodium vegetable broth
Freshly ground black pepper
1 c. Grated Cheddar
Directions
Heat a large pot with 2" oil over medium-high heat. In a large mixing bowl separate onions into rings and toss with flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Shake onions and discard excess flour. When oil is hot but not smoking, add handful of onions; fry until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with additional batches.
Meanwhile in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat melt butter with garlic. Add green beans and chicken broth; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir and cover with lid to steam; cooked until al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle cheese all over and cover with lid until melted.
Top with crispy onions and serve immediately.
ROASTED GREEN BEAN BUNDLES
This recipe comes from the November 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 58. It starts off, “These individual bundles of seasoned, roasted green beans will impress guests and make serving a cinch.” Serves 8 in 30 minutes or less.
This can be viewed online here.
1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 Tbs. garlic-flavored olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
Lemon slices, for garnish, optional
Hawaiian salt, black salt, or fleur de sel, for garnish, optional
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray.
Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and red onion, and blanch 3 minutes. Drain, then pat vegetables dry with paper towels.
Whisk together oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Add beans and onion slices; toss to coat.
Group beans and onion slices into 8 bundles (about 10 to 15 beans each), and tie each bundle with 8-inch piece of kitchen twine. Place bundles tie side down on prepared baking sheet. Bake 7 to 10 minutes, or until bean ends begin to brown. Flip bundles with spatula so tie side is up, and bake 7 to 10 minutes more, or until all bean tips are brown. Transfer bundles to serving plate, and garnish with lemon slices and Hawaiian salt, if using.
nutritional information Per Bundle: Calories: 35; Protein: 1 g; Total Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 4 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 80 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 2 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
This Thursday is Thanksgiving, so I'll be posting food over the next few days that can be used for your Thanksgiving meal - including tacos tomorrow for Taco Tuesday stuff that, while you can eat at any time, can also be used as extras on your Thanksgiving table.
So, without any more chit-chat, here are today's six recipes to help you through the day while getting ready for Thursday, including Ginger Pumpkin Pie and Roasted Green Bean Bundles. Enjoy!
Note: I'll be taking Thursday off to spend time with family, but will be back on Friday. Hope everyone's Thanksgiving is wonderful and peaceful.
CLASSIC MASHED POTATOES
This is from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “Mashed potatoes are very forgiving, and with a good masher, hot potatoes and enough butter and salt, cooks can accommodate religionists of the fluffy style and partisans of the creamy and dense. Be openhanded with salt and butter but stingy with milk, which will flatten out the bright, earthy potato taste. (And for everything you need to know to make perfect potatoes, visit our potato guide.)”
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: about 45 minutes.
This was featured in “The Secret? It’s Not the Potatoes” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
Salt
2 1/2 pounds potatoes (about 6 large potatoes), preferably a combination of russet (baking) potatoes and large Yukon Golds, or all Yukon Golds
4 tablespoons butter, more for dotting
1/3 cup whole milk
Preparation
In a large pot, bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil over high heat. Peel and quarter potatoes and keep in cold water until ready to cook. (This can be done up to 4 hours in advance.) Add potatoes to boiling water and boil about 15 to 20 minutes, until soft; a knife should go in with almost no resistance. (It is better to overcook than to undercook.)
In a saucepan or a microwave oven, heat butter and milk together until butter melts and mixture steams. Drain potatoes well and return to pot. Using an extruding masher or a ricer, mash hot potatoes until smooth. Lightly mix in about half of hot butter mixture, just until blended. Taste for salt and add more butter mixture until seasoned to your liking.
Stop here for fluffy potatoes. For creamy potatoes, keep stirring potato mixture, using a sturdy spoon to press it against sides and bottom of pot. Mix until dense and thick. For whipped potatoes, use a stand mixer to mash hot potatoes just until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add all the butter mixture and salt to taste, pulsing machine in short bursts at medium speed. When light and creamy, stop mixing immediately. (Potatoes can quickly become sticky.)
To keep hot until ready to serve, transfer to serving bowl, dot top with butter, cover tightly and keep in a warm place, like the back of the stove. Potatoes will stay hot for at least 30 minutes. To keep longer, place covered bowl in a pan holding about an inch of gently simmering water. Before serving, mix well.
Tip:
This recipe can be doubled, tripled and more.
BLOTKAKE (NORWEGIAN CREAM CAKE)
This also comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “Blotkake, layered spongecake covered with drifts of whipped cream and fruit, is a dessert that Norwegians are passionate and possessive about. It is a traditional sweet finish for any festive meal, whether a long, dark winter lunch or a long, sunlit summer dinner. ‘Scandinavians really value lingering and feasting at the table,’ said Maren Waxenberg, a Norwegian-American cook who lives in New York City and serves this cake at Thanksgiving.
“Cloudberries are a protected crop in Norway and are rarely available fresh in the United States, but raspberries are a good substitute.”
Yield: 10 to 12 servings; Time: 1 hour, plus cooling.
This was featured in “The American Thanksgiving” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
Nonstick cooking spray
4 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
For the Filling and Frosting:
3 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons cloudberry, raspberry or blackberry preserves
1/3 cup cloudberry or raspberry liqueur (such as Chambord), or berry juice of your choice
12 ounces fresh raspberries or blackberries, for decorating (optional)
Preparation
Bake the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees and mist a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Combine eggs, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer (or the whisk attachment of a stand mixer) until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
Sift cake flour and baking powder into a separate bowl, then fold into the egg mixture in 2 additions.
Pour batter into pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely before removing from pan.
Make the frosting and filling: Beat whipping cream, vanilla and confectioners’ sugar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer 1/3 of the whipped cream to a separate bowl and stir in preserves.
Use a serrated knife to slice cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Arrange top layer of the cake cut-side-up on a platter. Poke a few holes in the cake layer with a toothpick, then sprinkle with 1/3 of the liqueur or juice.
Spread half the whipped cream and preserves mixture over the cake layer, then arrange middle layer on top. Poke holes in the middle layer with a toothpick and sprinkle with another 1/3 of the liqueur or juice. Top with remaining whipped cream and preserves mixture.
Arrange the bottom cake layer on top of the stack, cut-side-down. Poke more holes and sprinkle with remaining liqueur or juice. Frost top and sides of cake with the whipped cream, using a pastry bag to pipe on stars or other designs, if you'd like. Decorate with fresh berries.
GINGER PUMPKIN PIE
Kathy Kingsley is one of About.com's American Food experts. She writes, “Flavored with fresh ginger and honey, this pumpkin pie is sure to become one of your go-to holiday recipes.” Prep Time: 35 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 85 minutes; Yield: Serves 8
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Pastry
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons ice water
Pumpkin Filling
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 16-ounce can solid-pack pumpkin
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Honey Whipped Cream
3/4 cup heavy or whipping cream, chilled
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
Make the pastry dough: Combine the flour, sugar, vegetable shortening, and butter in a food processor and pulse on/off until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. With the motor running, add the ice water through the feed tube, and process just until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.
Press the dough into a ball, then flatten it into a disc, about 1-inch thick.
On a lightly floured surface using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. Line a 9-inch pie pan with the dough. Turn the edges under, and crimp or flute the crust. Set the pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Brush about teaspoon of the egg around the edge of the crust.
Add the pumpkin, milk, honey, sugar, ginger, pumpkin pie spice and salt to the eggs, and mix until well blended. Pour the filling into the pie crust.
Bake the pie for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling is set. If the edges become too dark during baking, carefully cover them with foil strips (see Recipe Notes). Set the pie on a wire rack to cool. If not serving right away, cover and chill.
When ready to serve, make the honey whipped cream. Put the cream into a medium bowl. Add the honey and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Serve the pie topped with the whipped cream.
Recipe Notes
• To make a foil collar to prevent edges of pie from browning too much, fold a 12-inch-long piece of foil into a strip with 3-inch-high sides. Stand the strip on the oven rack around the pie dish. Secure the overhang with a paper clip. The collar doesn't have to touch or cover the crust to protect it.
SKILLET PUMPKIN CORNBREAD
This comes from Judy Kim on Delish. Judy wrote, “”Pumpkin bread goes the savory route.” Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 6 servings.
Note: According to the footnote with the recipe, “Judy Kim is a NYC-based food stylist, recipe developer, and photographer. She also writes recipes for her website The Judy Lab.” If you’ve never been to her sit, I highly recommend doing so. Very nice site!
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 c. pumpkin purée
1 c. buttermilk
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 c. cornmeal
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Directions
Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Grease 10" cast iron skillet with 1 tablespoon butter, set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together cornmeal, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together pumpkin, buttermilk, egg, brown sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter. Pour in cornmeal mixture and whisk together. Transfer to skillet and bake 25 to 30 minutes. (Test doneness by pricking center with a toothpick—it should come out clean.) Immediately spread remaining tablespoon butter all over.
Cool for 5 minutes and serve immediately.
GARLICKY GREEN BEANS WITH CRISPY ONIONS
This also comes from Judy Kim on Delish. Judy wrote, “Crispier and quicker than mushy casserole.” Total Time: 25 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 6 servings
Note: Judy had 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth. Since this is a vegetarian blog – I am, after all, a vegetarian (99.9% of the time, anyway), I changed the chicken broth to vegetable broth. Judy, if you're reading this, I hope you're not offended.
Ingredients
Canola oil, for frying
1 large onion, thinly sliced using a mandoline
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
kosher salt
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. green beans, trimmed
1/2 c. low-sodium vegetable broth
Freshly ground black pepper
1 c. Grated Cheddar
Directions
Heat a large pot with 2" oil over medium-high heat. In a large mixing bowl separate onions into rings and toss with flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Shake onions and discard excess flour. When oil is hot but not smoking, add handful of onions; fry until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with additional batches.
Meanwhile in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat melt butter with garlic. Add green beans and chicken broth; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir and cover with lid to steam; cooked until al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle cheese all over and cover with lid until melted.
Top with crispy onions and serve immediately.
ROASTED GREEN BEAN BUNDLES
This recipe comes from the November 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 58. It starts off, “These individual bundles of seasoned, roasted green beans will impress guests and make serving a cinch.” Serves 8 in 30 minutes or less.
This can be viewed online here.
1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 Tbs. garlic-flavored olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
Lemon slices, for garnish, optional
Hawaiian salt, black salt, or fleur de sel, for garnish, optional
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray.
Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and red onion, and blanch 3 minutes. Drain, then pat vegetables dry with paper towels.
Whisk together oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Add beans and onion slices; toss to coat.
Group beans and onion slices into 8 bundles (about 10 to 15 beans each), and tie each bundle with 8-inch piece of kitchen twine. Place bundles tie side down on prepared baking sheet. Bake 7 to 10 minutes, or until bean ends begin to brown. Flip bundles with spatula so tie side is up, and bake 7 to 10 minutes more, or until all bean tips are brown. Transfer bundles to serving plate, and garnish with lemon slices and Hawaiian salt, if using.
nutritional information Per Bundle: Calories: 35; Protein: 1 g; Total Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 4 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 80 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 2 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
Sunday, November 18, 2018
Sunday Recipes
I usually don't post here on Sundays, but since Thanksgiving is this week, I figured I'd get in a few holiday recipes here, including Vegan Vanilla Maple Banana Bread and Best Mac and Cheese. Enjoy!
SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE IN ORANGE CUPS
This comes from Daniel Breaker on The TODAY Show site, and begins, “Hollowed out orange cups are great for serving individual soufflés — and you don't have to purchase additional ramekins!
“Technique tip: Some preparation can be done up to two days in advance. You can hollow out the orange cups and keep them in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator. The sweet potatoes can be roasted and combined with the spices and sugar, sealed and refrigerated. Be sure to bring the mixture to room temperature before combining the eggs.”
Servings: 8
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 pounds medium to large sweet potatoes or yams
4 large navel oranges, cut in half crosswise and hollowed out
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
1/2 teaspoon allspice powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 egg yolks
5 egg whites
6 candy canes or 12 peppermint hard candies
Directions
Preheat oven at 425°F.
With a sharp paring knife, poke several holes in the sweet potatoes and bake, rotating once, for 1 hour, or until potatoes are very soft. Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, cut in half and scoop out flesh. Using a blender or food processor, purée sweet potatoes until smooth. Measure out 2 cups of sweet potato, save any extra for another use.
Unwrap candy canes and place in a zip-top bag and seal. Whack the candy canes with a rolling pin or small frying pan until crushed.
Reduce oven temperature to 400°F.
In a medium size bowl, add sweet potato purée, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger and sea salt. Mix thoroughly. Add egg yolks and mix to combine.
In a stand mixer, whisk egg whites just until stiff peaks form. Add about half of the egg whites to the sweet potato mixture and mike to combine. Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites until just incorporated. Be sure not to overmix.
Place orange cups on top of a muffin pan (a muffin pan keeps the cups from tipping over, but a regular baking sheet works as well). Spoon sweet potato mixture in the cups just to the top.
Bake for 12-16 minutes until puffy and lightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately top with crushed candy canes.
BEST MAC AND CHEESE
This comes from MyDailyMoment, and begins, “Put this lower fat version of a kiddie classic on the menu, and the dinner table. Fair warning, it might be a quiet dinner once the kids get a bite of this cheesy favorite.”
For 6 people; Ready in 20 min.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon(s) butter
2 tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup(s) skim milk
1 1/2 cup(s) (6 oz) reduced fat, shredded sharp cheddar
3 tablespoon(s) grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon(s) low sodium Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon(s) dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon(s) pepper
1/8 teaspoon(s) hot sauce
4 cup(s) cooked elbow macaroni
Directions
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; add flour. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add cheeses and next 4 ingredients, stirring until cheeses melt. Combine cheese sauce and macaroni in a bowl; stir well. Serve immediately.
ROASTED VEGETABLE CHILI WITH CORNBREAD BISCUITS
This yummy recipe comes from the Food Network.
Level: Easy; Total: 1 hr; Active: 35 min; Yield: 4 servings
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 poblano chile pepper, seeded and diced
4 scallions, roughly chopped, plus more for topping
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
2/3 cup cold buttermilk
2/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 15-ounce can black beans, undrained
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 1/4 cups frozen fire-roasted corn, thawed
1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
Directions
Preheat the broiler. Toss the cauliflower, poblano and scallions with the vegetable oil, chili powder, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet; spread in a single layer. Broil until the vegetables are browned around the edges, 7 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the biscuits: Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, brown sugar and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Work the butter into the cornmeal mixture with your fingers until crumbly. Stir in the buttermilk and 1/3 cup cheese with a fork until combined.
Remove the baking sheet from the broiler and preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Add the beans and their liquid, the tomato sauce, corn, vegetable broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the roasted vegetables and gently stir. Spoon the biscuit dough on top in 12 mounds, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Sprinkle the biscuits with the remaining 1/3 cup cheese.
Bake until the chili starts bubbling and the biscuits are golden and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions.
PUMPKIN MOUSSE
This comes from Lena Abraham, assistant food editor for Delish.com. This recipe begins, “Love the flavor but missing some crunch? Add a couple crushed graham crackers to the bottom of each serving dish for a makeshift crust.”
Yields: 4 servings; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 10 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (3.4-oz.) package instant vanilla pudding
1 tsp. pumpkin spice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, plus more for garnish
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin purée
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 c. whole milk
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together pudding mix, spices, and salt. Add pumpkin, maple syrup, vanilla, and whole milk and beat with a hand mixer until smooth.
In another large bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Fold two-thirds of the whipped cream into pumpkin mixture until smooth. Spoon or pipe into serving dishes and top with remaining whipped cream. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and serve.
VEGAN VANILLA MAPLE BANANA BREAD
This is by Girl Versus Dough on tbsp. (tablespoon.com), and begins, “A delicious, healthy (and dairy-free and egg-free!) take on a quick bread favorite.”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Servings: 1 loaf
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 very ripe bananas, peeled and smashed
1/2 cup oil (I prefer vegetable)
2 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 1/2 tablespoons water
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flours, brown sugar, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In a separate medium bowl, combine vanilla, bananas, oil, maple syrup and water.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
Pour batter into a lightly greased 8 x 4-inch loaf pan. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Wait at least 15 minutes to remove bread from loaf pan. Allow to cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing or serving.
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
SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE IN ORANGE CUPS
This comes from Daniel Breaker on The TODAY Show site, and begins, “Hollowed out orange cups are great for serving individual soufflés — and you don't have to purchase additional ramekins!
“Technique tip: Some preparation can be done up to two days in advance. You can hollow out the orange cups and keep them in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator. The sweet potatoes can be roasted and combined with the spices and sugar, sealed and refrigerated. Be sure to bring the mixture to room temperature before combining the eggs.”
Servings: 8
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 pounds medium to large sweet potatoes or yams
4 large navel oranges, cut in half crosswise and hollowed out
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
1/2 teaspoon allspice powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 egg yolks
5 egg whites
6 candy canes or 12 peppermint hard candies
Directions
Preheat oven at 425°F.
With a sharp paring knife, poke several holes in the sweet potatoes and bake, rotating once, for 1 hour, or until potatoes are very soft. Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, cut in half and scoop out flesh. Using a blender or food processor, purée sweet potatoes until smooth. Measure out 2 cups of sweet potato, save any extra for another use.
Unwrap candy canes and place in a zip-top bag and seal. Whack the candy canes with a rolling pin or small frying pan until crushed.
Reduce oven temperature to 400°F.
In a medium size bowl, add sweet potato purée, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger and sea salt. Mix thoroughly. Add egg yolks and mix to combine.
In a stand mixer, whisk egg whites just until stiff peaks form. Add about half of the egg whites to the sweet potato mixture and mike to combine. Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites until just incorporated. Be sure not to overmix.
Place orange cups on top of a muffin pan (a muffin pan keeps the cups from tipping over, but a regular baking sheet works as well). Spoon sweet potato mixture in the cups just to the top.
Bake for 12-16 minutes until puffy and lightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately top with crushed candy canes.
BEST MAC AND CHEESE
This comes from MyDailyMoment, and begins, “Put this lower fat version of a kiddie classic on the menu, and the dinner table. Fair warning, it might be a quiet dinner once the kids get a bite of this cheesy favorite.”
For 6 people; Ready in 20 min.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon(s) butter
2 tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup(s) skim milk
1 1/2 cup(s) (6 oz) reduced fat, shredded sharp cheddar
3 tablespoon(s) grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon(s) low sodium Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon(s) dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon(s) pepper
1/8 teaspoon(s) hot sauce
4 cup(s) cooked elbow macaroni
Directions
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; add flour. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add cheeses and next 4 ingredients, stirring until cheeses melt. Combine cheese sauce and macaroni in a bowl; stir well. Serve immediately.
ROASTED VEGETABLE CHILI WITH CORNBREAD BISCUITS
This yummy recipe comes from the Food Network.
Level: Easy; Total: 1 hr; Active: 35 min; Yield: 4 servings
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 poblano chile pepper, seeded and diced
4 scallions, roughly chopped, plus more for topping
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
2/3 cup cold buttermilk
2/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 15-ounce can black beans, undrained
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 1/4 cups frozen fire-roasted corn, thawed
1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
Directions
Preheat the broiler. Toss the cauliflower, poblano and scallions with the vegetable oil, chili powder, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet; spread in a single layer. Broil until the vegetables are browned around the edges, 7 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the biscuits: Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, brown sugar and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Work the butter into the cornmeal mixture with your fingers until crumbly. Stir in the buttermilk and 1/3 cup cheese with a fork until combined.
Remove the baking sheet from the broiler and preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Add the beans and their liquid, the tomato sauce, corn, vegetable broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the roasted vegetables and gently stir. Spoon the biscuit dough on top in 12 mounds, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Sprinkle the biscuits with the remaining 1/3 cup cheese.
Bake until the chili starts bubbling and the biscuits are golden and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions.
PUMPKIN MOUSSE
This comes from Lena Abraham, assistant food editor for Delish.com. This recipe begins, “Love the flavor but missing some crunch? Add a couple crushed graham crackers to the bottom of each serving dish for a makeshift crust.”
Yields: 4 servings; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 10 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (3.4-oz.) package instant vanilla pudding
1 tsp. pumpkin spice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, plus more for garnish
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin purée
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 c. whole milk
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together pudding mix, spices, and salt. Add pumpkin, maple syrup, vanilla, and whole milk and beat with a hand mixer until smooth.
In another large bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Fold two-thirds of the whipped cream into pumpkin mixture until smooth. Spoon or pipe into serving dishes and top with remaining whipped cream. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and serve.
VEGAN VANILLA MAPLE BANANA BREAD
This is by Girl Versus Dough on tbsp. (tablespoon.com), and begins, “A delicious, healthy (and dairy-free and egg-free!) take on a quick bread favorite.”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Servings: 1 loaf
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 very ripe bananas, peeled and smashed
1/2 cup oil (I prefer vegetable)
2 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 1/2 tablespoons water
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flours, brown sugar, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In a separate medium bowl, combine vanilla, bananas, oil, maple syrup and water.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
Pour batter into a lightly greased 8 x 4-inch loaf pan. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Wait at least 15 minutes to remove bread from loaf pan. Allow to cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing or serving.
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
Saturday, November 17, 2018
Desserts
Here's a rare Saturday post to help you get into the holiday spirit. And how better to do that than with six yummy desserts?! Try your hand at the Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake or Chocolate Peppermint Bars and go from there. Enjoy!
PEANUT BUTTER BARS WITH SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE
This is from Nancy Fuller of The Food Network’s Farmhouse Rules.
Total: 1 hr 10 min; Active: 25 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/peanut-butter-bars-with-salted-chocolate-ganache.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for baking dish
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Kosher salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional
Directions
Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish and set aside.
Place the chocolate and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute and then whisk until completely melted and smooth.
Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate until the chocolate is cooled and set, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
Sprinkle evenly with the flaky sea salt. Cut into squares to serve.
FOUR-FAVOR SHEET PAN PIE
This yumminess comes from the Food Network, and begins, “A clever sheet pan hack gives you quadruple the Thanksgiving pie fun (and saves the time and effort of making four individual pies). Apple, cherry, pumpkin and pecan coexist peacefully in one giant slab that feeds a crowd.”
Level: Intermediate; Total: 2 hr; Active: 1 hr; Yield: 16 to 18 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Crusts:
Two 14.1-ounce boxes refrigerated rolled pie crust (4 crusts total)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
Apple Pie:
2 pounds mixed apples (such as Granny Smith, Gala and McIntosh), peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
Sour Cherry Pie:
2 cups drained jarred sour cherries, plus 3/4 cup juice from the jar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Pumpkin Pie:
1 1/3 cups canned pure pumpkin puree
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 large egg
Pecan Pie:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Kosher salt
3/4 cup roasted pecan halves
Directions
For the crusts: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll 3 of the pie crusts on a lightly floured work surface. Stack them on top of each other. Roll out the thick, layered dough to a 15-by-21-inch rectangle. Press into a rimmed baking sheet so that the crust comes up the sides and hangs over slightly. This will be the bottom crust. Chill until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.
Use the remaining crust for the top of the pie. Unroll it on a lightly floured work surface and roll it to a 14-by-18-inch rectangle. Cut the dough in half so you have two 7-by-9-inch pieces. One half will be the top crust for the apple portion of the pie. Cut the other half into 1-inch diagonal strips to use for the lattice on the cherry pie. Place the rectangle and strips on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill until ready to use.
For the apple pie: Toss the apples in a medium bowl with the sugar and lemon juice. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, cinnamon and a pinch of salt and cook until thickened, about 1 minute more. Cool completely.
For the sour cherry pie: Place the cherries in a medium bowl. Whisk 1/4 cup cherry juice with the cornstarch in a small saucepan until completely smooth. Add the remaining cherry juice and sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, about 30 seconds. Pour the sauce over the cherries and gently fold to combine. Cool completely.
For the pumpkin pie: Whisk together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and the egg and in a medium bowl until smooth. Set aside.
For the pecan pie: Whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, eggs and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold in the pecans and set aside.
Once all fillings are made, begin assembling the pie. Remove both baking sheets with dough from the refrigerator.
Visualize the sheet pan is divided in half lengthwise and then crosswise so you have 4 equal quadrants. Each quadrant will hold a different pie filling. Prick the bottom crust all over with a fork.
Add the pie fillings in this order: Add the apple pie filling to the upper left quadrant of the crust; spread it to cover a 7-by-9-inch rectangle. Moving counter clockwise, pour the pumpkin filling right under the apple pie filling and spread it the same size as the apple filling. Spread out the cherry filling next to the pumpkin filling. Fill the top right empty space with the pecan filling.
Cover the apple pie quadrant with the reserved rectangle of dough. Lay the pie strips out diagonally over the cherry pie quadrant. Press any remaining strips of dough around the edge of the pie to thicken the rim. Crimp the edge of the pie, making sure to incorporate and crimp together the dough from the apple quadrant. Brush the edges and the dough on top of the pie with egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Cut decorative slits in the apple pie crust.
Bake until all pies are set and the crust on the apple pie and cherry pie is golden brown and crisp, 55 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes.
PUMPKIN FLAN WITH MAPLE CARAMEL
This yumminess comes from The Barefoot Contessa (otherwise known as Ina Garten). Serves 8 - 10; level: beginner
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
for the caramel:
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup pure Grade A maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel
for the pumpkin flan:
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) Italian mascarpone
4 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure maple extract, such as Boyajian
2 teaspoons grated orange zest (2 oranges)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
For the caramel, combine the sugar, maple syrup, and 1/3 cup water in a small, deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, swirling the pan (don’t stir!) to dissolve the sugar. Cook at a low boil without stirring for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture turns a golden brown and registers 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn! Off the heat, swirl in the fleur de sel, and immediately pour into an 8 × 2-inch round cake pan (not a springform!). Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, canned pumpkin, and mascarpone in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-low speed until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, maple extract, orange zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gently pour the pumpkin mixture into the pan with the caramel so they don’t combine.
Place the pan in a roasting pan large enough to hold the cake pan flat and fill the roasting pan with enough of the hottest tap water to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 70 to 75 minutes, until the custard is just set. It will be firm but still jiggle slightly in the middle; a knife inserted into the center of the flan will come out clean. Remove the flan from the water bath, place on a cooling rack, and cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Don’t tilt the pan or the caramel will run out!
Run a small knife around the edge of the flan. Turn a flat serving plate with a slight lip over the cake pan and flip them, turning the flan out onto the plate. The caramel should run out over the flan. Cut into wedges and serve with the caramel spooned over each slice.
PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CAKE
This recipe comes from Publix.
Servings: 8; Total Time: about 3 hours; Active Time: 10 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
Butter-flavor cooking spray
1 (15.25-oz) box devil's food cake mix
2 cups water, divided
2 large eggs
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 (4-oz) semisweet chocolate bar (or morsels)
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
8 tablespoons whipped topping
Directions
Coat 4-quart slow cooker with spray. Place cake mix, 1 cup water, and eggs in large bowl; beat with hand mixer until blended. Add peanut butter; mix well and pour mixture into slow cooker.
Microwave remaining 1 cup water on HIGH for 2 minutes or until steaming. Break chocolate into pieces, if needed, then place in water and stir until melted; let stand 1 minute to cool. Pour chocolate over batter in slow cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 2–2 1/2 hours (or HIGH for 1 1/2–1 3/4 hours) or until toothpick inserted near center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Chop peanuts. Serve cake straight from slow cooker topped with whipped topping and peanuts.
SKILLET PEANUT BUTTER CINNAMON SPICE COOKIE
This comes from Rachael Hartley, RD, LD, CDE at VeryWellFit, and begins, “This decadent yet low-carb skillet peanut butter cinnamon spice cookie is the perfect treat for someone with diabetes. It takes less than ten minutes of prep time, has only five grams of sugar per serving, and is made with blood sugar lowering cinnamon. Most importantly, it’s delicious!”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Servings: 16.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 large egg
1 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup almond meal
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
Non-stick spray
2 tablespoons peanuts, optional, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a large bowl, beat egg until slightly frothy. Whisk in the peanut butter, brown sugar, almond meal, vanilla extract, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt until well combined.
Spray an ovenproof skillet lightly with nonstick spray. Pour batter into the skillet and spread evenly with a spatula. If desired, sprinkle the top with a few peanuts and press down slightly.
Place cookie on a rack set in the center of the oven and bake 10-12 minutes until puffed and golden around the edges. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
“This is one of my favorite treats to make because I always have the ingredients on hand! Whenever I’m craving something warm, gooey and sweet, I know this skillet cookie is only 20 minutes away.”
Nut Butters
Even in your pantry is looking bare, this recipe is easy to adapt based on what you have on hand. You can use any type of nut butter—cashew butter and almond butter both work well. And if you’re in the unfortunate situation of running out of nut butter, you can make your own by blending a rounded cup of nuts with a tablespoon of oil in the food processor until if forms a creamy spread.
Sweeteners
I made these with brown sugar, which has a richer flavor than white sugar, although you could certainly substitute it in a pinch. You could also use pure maple syrup or honey, but be sure to reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees and cook it a couple minutes longer to prevent burning.
Nut-Free Variation
If anyone in your household is nut free, you can still make this cookie—just swap in sesame butter and leave out the almond meal. Made with sunflower seeds, it’s perfect for those with tree nut allergies.
Vegan Variation
For a vegan version, use a chia seed egg. Mix 1 tablespoon chia seeds with 3 tablespoons water and let it sit to gel for about 10 minutes before mixing in the other ingredients.
This trick is a perfect one to remember next time you run out of eggs.
More Add-Ins
If you’re feeling extra decadent, load this cookie up with lots of healthy add-ins. In the mood for something chocolatey? Swap the almond flour for 1/4 cup cocoa powder, or stir in 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate, which is rich in antioxidant polyphenols and flavanols. Want something fruity? Stir in a handful of frozen berries. This recipe is especially delicious with frozen wild blueberries.
Make an extra nutty cookie with different kinds of nuts and seeds, like walnuts, sunflower seeds, and almonds. Add a handful or two of dried fruit along with those nuts to make a granola inspired cookie. My favorite way to enjoy this cookie is with a handful of shredded dried coconut and dark chocolate chips.
Cooking and Serving Tips
This cookie is best when it’s slightly undercooked. The center might not look fully done when you take it out, but it will continue cooking as it cools.
Be sure to use a nonstick or well seasoned cast iron skillet to prevent sticking.
CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BARS
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, “A little-known fact: Creamy chocolate-covered peppermint patties are not hard to make at home. Here, the minty filling and chocolate coating are layered onto a cocoa-imbued shortbread base, which adds a cookie crunch to each bite. These keep well, so you can make them a week ahead; store airtight at room temperature. They also freeze well. The coconut oil makes the chocolate coating slightly shinier and a little more brittle in a good way, so use it if you have it. But if you don't have it on hand, you can omit it.”
Yield: 36 squares; Time: 1 hour 10 minutes, plus chilling.
This was featured in“Peppermint Patties Worthy Of Dessert” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Shortbread:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cupgranulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
For the Peppermint Filling and Chocolate Top:
3 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 1/4 teaspoons/10 milliliters peppermint extract, or to taste
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (at least 60 percent cocoa solids), chopped
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil (optional)
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing 2 inches of paper to hang over the sides.
Make the shortbread: In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Add butter and process until a smooth dough forms. Press dough evenly into the bottom of prepared baking pan. Bake until firm to the touch, and sides of the crust are beginning to pull away from the pan, about 25 minutes. Cool completely.
Make the filling: In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine confectioners' sugar, butter, cream and peppermint extract. Beat until mixture forms a thick, smooth paste. Press filling evenly over shortbread. Chill to set the filling for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
Use parchment paper overhang to lift the shortbread and peppermint out of the baking pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into 1 1/2-inch squares (there should be 36 squares). Place squares on a rack placed over a parchment-lined sheet tray, and let them come to room temperature for about 15 minutes.
In the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt 7 ounces chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat, add remaining 2 ounces chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes.
Add coconut oil, if using, and stir the chocolate until smooth. Spoon 1 teaspoon chocolate on top of a cut peppermint square, using the back of the spoon to spread chocolate to the edges. Be sure to fully cover the top of the square with chocolate. (Leave the sides exposed, though it's O.K. if some of the chocolate drips down.) Repeat with remaining squares.
Let squares sit at room temperature until chocolate is set, at least 1 hour.
PEANUT BUTTER BARS WITH SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE
This is from Nancy Fuller of The Food Network’s Farmhouse Rules.
Total: 1 hr 10 min; Active: 25 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/peanut-butter-bars-with-salted-chocolate-ganache.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for baking dish
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Kosher salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional
Directions
Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish and set aside.
Place the chocolate and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute and then whisk until completely melted and smooth.
Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate until the chocolate is cooled and set, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
Sprinkle evenly with the flaky sea salt. Cut into squares to serve.
FOUR-FAVOR SHEET PAN PIE
This yumminess comes from the Food Network, and begins, “A clever sheet pan hack gives you quadruple the Thanksgiving pie fun (and saves the time and effort of making four individual pies). Apple, cherry, pumpkin and pecan coexist peacefully in one giant slab that feeds a crowd.”
Level: Intermediate; Total: 2 hr; Active: 1 hr; Yield: 16 to 18 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Crusts:
Two 14.1-ounce boxes refrigerated rolled pie crust (4 crusts total)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
Apple Pie:
2 pounds mixed apples (such as Granny Smith, Gala and McIntosh), peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
Sour Cherry Pie:
2 cups drained jarred sour cherries, plus 3/4 cup juice from the jar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Pumpkin Pie:
1 1/3 cups canned pure pumpkin puree
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 large egg
Pecan Pie:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Kosher salt
3/4 cup roasted pecan halves
Directions
For the crusts: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll 3 of the pie crusts on a lightly floured work surface. Stack them on top of each other. Roll out the thick, layered dough to a 15-by-21-inch rectangle. Press into a rimmed baking sheet so that the crust comes up the sides and hangs over slightly. This will be the bottom crust. Chill until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.
Use the remaining crust for the top of the pie. Unroll it on a lightly floured work surface and roll it to a 14-by-18-inch rectangle. Cut the dough in half so you have two 7-by-9-inch pieces. One half will be the top crust for the apple portion of the pie. Cut the other half into 1-inch diagonal strips to use for the lattice on the cherry pie. Place the rectangle and strips on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill until ready to use.
For the apple pie: Toss the apples in a medium bowl with the sugar and lemon juice. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, cinnamon and a pinch of salt and cook until thickened, about 1 minute more. Cool completely.
For the sour cherry pie: Place the cherries in a medium bowl. Whisk 1/4 cup cherry juice with the cornstarch in a small saucepan until completely smooth. Add the remaining cherry juice and sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, about 30 seconds. Pour the sauce over the cherries and gently fold to combine. Cool completely.
For the pumpkin pie: Whisk together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and the egg and in a medium bowl until smooth. Set aside.
For the pecan pie: Whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, eggs and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold in the pecans and set aside.
Once all fillings are made, begin assembling the pie. Remove both baking sheets with dough from the refrigerator.
Visualize the sheet pan is divided in half lengthwise and then crosswise so you have 4 equal quadrants. Each quadrant will hold a different pie filling. Prick the bottom crust all over with a fork.
Add the pie fillings in this order: Add the apple pie filling to the upper left quadrant of the crust; spread it to cover a 7-by-9-inch rectangle. Moving counter clockwise, pour the pumpkin filling right under the apple pie filling and spread it the same size as the apple filling. Spread out the cherry filling next to the pumpkin filling. Fill the top right empty space with the pecan filling.
Cover the apple pie quadrant with the reserved rectangle of dough. Lay the pie strips out diagonally over the cherry pie quadrant. Press any remaining strips of dough around the edge of the pie to thicken the rim. Crimp the edge of the pie, making sure to incorporate and crimp together the dough from the apple quadrant. Brush the edges and the dough on top of the pie with egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Cut decorative slits in the apple pie crust.
Bake until all pies are set and the crust on the apple pie and cherry pie is golden brown and crisp, 55 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes.
PUMPKIN FLAN WITH MAPLE CARAMEL
This yumminess comes from The Barefoot Contessa (otherwise known as Ina Garten). Serves 8 - 10; level: beginner
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
for the caramel:
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup pure Grade A maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel
for the pumpkin flan:
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) Italian mascarpone
4 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure maple extract, such as Boyajian
2 teaspoons grated orange zest (2 oranges)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
For the caramel, combine the sugar, maple syrup, and 1/3 cup water in a small, deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, swirling the pan (don’t stir!) to dissolve the sugar. Cook at a low boil without stirring for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture turns a golden brown and registers 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn! Off the heat, swirl in the fleur de sel, and immediately pour into an 8 × 2-inch round cake pan (not a springform!). Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, canned pumpkin, and mascarpone in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-low speed until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, maple extract, orange zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gently pour the pumpkin mixture into the pan with the caramel so they don’t combine.
Place the pan in a roasting pan large enough to hold the cake pan flat and fill the roasting pan with enough of the hottest tap water to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 70 to 75 minutes, until the custard is just set. It will be firm but still jiggle slightly in the middle; a knife inserted into the center of the flan will come out clean. Remove the flan from the water bath, place on a cooling rack, and cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Don’t tilt the pan or the caramel will run out!
Run a small knife around the edge of the flan. Turn a flat serving plate with a slight lip over the cake pan and flip them, turning the flan out onto the plate. The caramel should run out over the flan. Cut into wedges and serve with the caramel spooned over each slice.
PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CAKE
This recipe comes from Publix.
Servings: 8; Total Time: about 3 hours; Active Time: 10 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
Butter-flavor cooking spray
1 (15.25-oz) box devil's food cake mix
2 cups water, divided
2 large eggs
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 (4-oz) semisweet chocolate bar (or morsels)
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
8 tablespoons whipped topping
Directions
Coat 4-quart slow cooker with spray. Place cake mix, 1 cup water, and eggs in large bowl; beat with hand mixer until blended. Add peanut butter; mix well and pour mixture into slow cooker.
Microwave remaining 1 cup water on HIGH for 2 minutes or until steaming. Break chocolate into pieces, if needed, then place in water and stir until melted; let stand 1 minute to cool. Pour chocolate over batter in slow cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 2–2 1/2 hours (or HIGH for 1 1/2–1 3/4 hours) or until toothpick inserted near center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Chop peanuts. Serve cake straight from slow cooker topped with whipped topping and peanuts.
SKILLET PEANUT BUTTER CINNAMON SPICE COOKIE
This comes from Rachael Hartley, RD, LD, CDE at VeryWellFit, and begins, “This decadent yet low-carb skillet peanut butter cinnamon spice cookie is the perfect treat for someone with diabetes. It takes less than ten minutes of prep time, has only five grams of sugar per serving, and is made with blood sugar lowering cinnamon. Most importantly, it’s delicious!”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Servings: 16.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 large egg
1 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup almond meal
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
Non-stick spray
2 tablespoons peanuts, optional, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a large bowl, beat egg until slightly frothy. Whisk in the peanut butter, brown sugar, almond meal, vanilla extract, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt until well combined.
Spray an ovenproof skillet lightly with nonstick spray. Pour batter into the skillet and spread evenly with a spatula. If desired, sprinkle the top with a few peanuts and press down slightly.
Place cookie on a rack set in the center of the oven and bake 10-12 minutes until puffed and golden around the edges. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
“This is one of my favorite treats to make because I always have the ingredients on hand! Whenever I’m craving something warm, gooey and sweet, I know this skillet cookie is only 20 minutes away.”
Nut Butters
Even in your pantry is looking bare, this recipe is easy to adapt based on what you have on hand. You can use any type of nut butter—cashew butter and almond butter both work well. And if you’re in the unfortunate situation of running out of nut butter, you can make your own by blending a rounded cup of nuts with a tablespoon of oil in the food processor until if forms a creamy spread.
Sweeteners
I made these with brown sugar, which has a richer flavor than white sugar, although you could certainly substitute it in a pinch. You could also use pure maple syrup or honey, but be sure to reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees and cook it a couple minutes longer to prevent burning.
Nut-Free Variation
If anyone in your household is nut free, you can still make this cookie—just swap in sesame butter and leave out the almond meal. Made with sunflower seeds, it’s perfect for those with tree nut allergies.
Vegan Variation
For a vegan version, use a chia seed egg. Mix 1 tablespoon chia seeds with 3 tablespoons water and let it sit to gel for about 10 minutes before mixing in the other ingredients.
This trick is a perfect one to remember next time you run out of eggs.
More Add-Ins
If you’re feeling extra decadent, load this cookie up with lots of healthy add-ins. In the mood for something chocolatey? Swap the almond flour for 1/4 cup cocoa powder, or stir in 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate, which is rich in antioxidant polyphenols and flavanols. Want something fruity? Stir in a handful of frozen berries. This recipe is especially delicious with frozen wild blueberries.
Make an extra nutty cookie with different kinds of nuts and seeds, like walnuts, sunflower seeds, and almonds. Add a handful or two of dried fruit along with those nuts to make a granola inspired cookie. My favorite way to enjoy this cookie is with a handful of shredded dried coconut and dark chocolate chips.
Cooking and Serving Tips
This cookie is best when it’s slightly undercooked. The center might not look fully done when you take it out, but it will continue cooking as it cools.
Be sure to use a nonstick or well seasoned cast iron skillet to prevent sticking.
CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BARS
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, “A little-known fact: Creamy chocolate-covered peppermint patties are not hard to make at home. Here, the minty filling and chocolate coating are layered onto a cocoa-imbued shortbread base, which adds a cookie crunch to each bite. These keep well, so you can make them a week ahead; store airtight at room temperature. They also freeze well. The coconut oil makes the chocolate coating slightly shinier and a little more brittle in a good way, so use it if you have it. But if you don't have it on hand, you can omit it.”
Yield: 36 squares; Time: 1 hour 10 minutes, plus chilling.
This was featured in“Peppermint Patties Worthy Of Dessert” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Shortbread:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cupgranulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
For the Peppermint Filling and Chocolate Top:
3 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 1/4 teaspoons/10 milliliters peppermint extract, or to taste
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (at least 60 percent cocoa solids), chopped
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil (optional)
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing 2 inches of paper to hang over the sides.
Make the shortbread: In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Add butter and process until a smooth dough forms. Press dough evenly into the bottom of prepared baking pan. Bake until firm to the touch, and sides of the crust are beginning to pull away from the pan, about 25 minutes. Cool completely.
Make the filling: In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine confectioners' sugar, butter, cream and peppermint extract. Beat until mixture forms a thick, smooth paste. Press filling evenly over shortbread. Chill to set the filling for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
Use parchment paper overhang to lift the shortbread and peppermint out of the baking pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into 1 1/2-inch squares (there should be 36 squares). Place squares on a rack placed over a parchment-lined sheet tray, and let them come to room temperature for about 15 minutes.
In the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt 7 ounces chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat, add remaining 2 ounces chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes.
Add coconut oil, if using, and stir the chocolate until smooth. Spoon 1 teaspoon chocolate on top of a cut peppermint square, using the back of the spoon to spread chocolate to the edges. Be sure to fully cover the top of the square with chocolate. (Leave the sides exposed, though it's O.K. if some of the chocolate drips down.) Repeat with remaining squares.
Let squares sit at room temperature until chocolate is set, at least 1 hour.
Friday, November 16, 2018
Friday - Thanksgiving recipes
Normally, Fridays are reserved for recipes to get you through the weekend. But since next Thursday is Thanksgiving, I figured I'd post some recipes to add to your Thanksgiving table. The nice thing is that these are good any time of year, including Sweet Potato Casserole and Cranberry Apple Crisp. Enjoy!
SWEENEY POTATOES
This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “This is a variation of a dish sometimes called ‘company potatoes,’ popular in the postwar kitchens of the 1950s, made with canned condensed soups and frozen hash browns. Maura Passanisi, of Alameda, Calif., shared it with The Times as a tribute to her grandmother, Florence Sweeney, who originally served it as a Thanksgiving side dish. Ms. Passanisi uses fresh russet potatoes and no condensed soup, but plenty of cream cheese, sour cream, butter and cheese. ‘Legendary,’ she calls the dish. And so it is. Small portions are best. It's rich. And feeds a crowd.” Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 1 hour.
This was featured in “The American Thanksgiving” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more butter for the pan
1 cup sour cream
1/4 to 1/2 cup whole milk
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
2 1/2 cups freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Put potatoes in a large heavy-bottomed pot and cover with cold water. Set on stove over high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow potatoes to simmer until they have just started to soften, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Combine cream cheese, melted butter and sour cream in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add enough milk so that the mixture is creamy but not soupy. Season mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Add potatoes to bowl and stir gently to combine.
Generously grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Tip half the potatoes into the dish and spread to the edges, then scatter half the grated cheese over the top. Add remaining potatoes and spread to the edges, then top with remaining cheese.
Bake until casserole is bubbling at the edges and cheese has melted across the top, 30 to 35 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley before serving, if you'd like.
HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY SAUCE
Many of us get by with store bought cranberry sauce. But after seeing this guide by Melissa Clark, I may just start making my own cranberry sauce.
While I’m not posting any particular recipe on making cranberry sauce, you can click here to find out how to make great cranberry sauce.
GARLIC MASHED POTATOES
Is there anything more comforting than mashed potatoes? This comes from Florence Fabricant, also from the New York Times' cooking newsletter. Florence writes, “These are classic mashed potatoes, brightened up with a substantial amount of garlic. Feel free to adjust the garlic to taste, and to deepen the flavor, try roasting the cloves before mixing them in with the potatoes. (For everything you need to know to make perfect potatoes, visit our potato guide.)” Time: 40 minutes; makes 6 servings.
To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/4288-garlic-mashed-potatoes.
Ingredients
3 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled
6 cloves garlic, peeled
3/4 cup hot milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, or 2 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation
Cut the potatoes into uniform two-inch chunks and place in a heavy saucepan along with the garlic. Cover with water, bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and garlic and mash the potatoes and garlic together. Stir in the hot milk, season to taste with salt and pepper and add the butter (less if desired) or oil. Serve at once.
CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE
This comes from Julia Moskins in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Here is Julia Moskin's fantasy of what this dish should be: nothing more than tender elbows of pasta suspended in pure molten cheddar, with a chewy, golden-brown crust of cheese on top.” Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 hour 40 minutes.
This was featured in “THE WINTER COOK; Macaroni and Lots of Cheese” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup cottage cheese (not lowfat)
2 cups milk (not skim)
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch cayenne
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 pound elbow pasta, uncooked
Preparation
Heat oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in upper third of oven. Use 1 tablespoon butter to butter a 9-inch round or square baking pan.
In a blender, purée cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg and salt and pepper together. Reserve 1/4 cup grated cheese for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining grated cheese, milk mixture and uncooked pasta. Pour into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.
Uncover pan, stir gently, sprinkle with reserved cheese and dot with remaining tablespoon butter. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes more, until browned. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
This came from a long-since-forgotten-emailing-list. While the miniature marshmallows aren't technically vegetarian, if you can find a vegetarian type of miniature marshmallows, go with that.
4 medium Sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 lb)
1/4 cup Packed brown sugar
1/4 cup Butter
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 Can (8 oz) crushed pineapple
1 tablespoon Packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon Butter
1 teaspoon Water
1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups Miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup Chopped pecans
Wash sweet potatoes. Prick each 2 or 3 times with fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange in oven at least 1 inch apart. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until fork-tender, 8 to 10 mins. Cover & let stand 5 minutes.
Peel and slice potatoes. Place in 2-quart casserole. Add 1/4 cup butter and the salt. Mash until no lumps remain. Mix in pineapple. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 minutes. Stir and set aside.
Place 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, the water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until butter is melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after half the time. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Top sweet potato mixture with marshmallows. Microwave at HIGH (100 % until the marshmallows are melted and potatoes are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans.
CRANBERRY APPLE CRISP
Yield: 8 servings
View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/876.shtml
Ingredients:
Filling Ingredients:
3 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples
2 cups fresh or frozen thawed cranberries
1 cup Equal Spoonful*
Topping Ingredients:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup stick butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup Equal Spoonful**
* Substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener
** Substitute 12 packets Equal sweetener
Directions
For Filling, combine apples, cranberries and 1 cup Equal in an ungreased 10-inch pie plate.
For Topping, combine flour, pecans, melted butter and 1/2 cup Equal. Mix until well blended. Sprinkle flour mixture over apples and cranberries in pie plate.
Bake in preheated 350F oven 55 to 60 minutes or until fruit is tender. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving): Calories: 145; Protein: 1 g; Sodium: 67 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Fat: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g; Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1-1/2 fat
CROCK POT BROCCOLI & RICE CASSEROLE
This came from a long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.
1 sm. onion, diced
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 c. quick cooking rice
2 c. water
1 (10 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
1 (5 oz.) jar sharp cheese spread
2 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen chopped broccoli, partially thawed
1/4 lb. Velveeta cheese
Corn flake crumbs, browned in butter (opt.)
Combine all ingredients except corn flake crumbs in crock pot. Stir thoroughly. Cover. Cook low 7 to 10 hours or high 2 to 3 hours. Just before serving, sprinkle crumbs over top. If crock pot comes out of your crock pot, brown under broiler for extra crispness. I double this in my large crock pot. Great for pot luck.
SWEENEY POTATOES
This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “This is a variation of a dish sometimes called ‘company potatoes,’ popular in the postwar kitchens of the 1950s, made with canned condensed soups and frozen hash browns. Maura Passanisi, of Alameda, Calif., shared it with The Times as a tribute to her grandmother, Florence Sweeney, who originally served it as a Thanksgiving side dish. Ms. Passanisi uses fresh russet potatoes and no condensed soup, but plenty of cream cheese, sour cream, butter and cheese. ‘Legendary,’ she calls the dish. And so it is. Small portions are best. It's rich. And feeds a crowd.” Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 1 hour.
This was featured in “The American Thanksgiving” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more butter for the pan
1 cup sour cream
1/4 to 1/2 cup whole milk
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
2 1/2 cups freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Put potatoes in a large heavy-bottomed pot and cover with cold water. Set on stove over high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow potatoes to simmer until they have just started to soften, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Combine cream cheese, melted butter and sour cream in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add enough milk so that the mixture is creamy but not soupy. Season mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Add potatoes to bowl and stir gently to combine.
Generously grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Tip half the potatoes into the dish and spread to the edges, then scatter half the grated cheese over the top. Add remaining potatoes and spread to the edges, then top with remaining cheese.
Bake until casserole is bubbling at the edges and cheese has melted across the top, 30 to 35 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley before serving, if you'd like.
HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY SAUCE
Many of us get by with store bought cranberry sauce. But after seeing this guide by Melissa Clark, I may just start making my own cranberry sauce.
While I’m not posting any particular recipe on making cranberry sauce, you can click here to find out how to make great cranberry sauce.
GARLIC MASHED POTATOES
Is there anything more comforting than mashed potatoes? This comes from Florence Fabricant, also from the New York Times' cooking newsletter. Florence writes, “These are classic mashed potatoes, brightened up with a substantial amount of garlic. Feel free to adjust the garlic to taste, and to deepen the flavor, try roasting the cloves before mixing them in with the potatoes. (For everything you need to know to make perfect potatoes, visit our potato guide.)” Time: 40 minutes; makes 6 servings.
To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/4288-garlic-mashed-potatoes.
Ingredients
3 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled
6 cloves garlic, peeled
3/4 cup hot milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, or 2 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation
Cut the potatoes into uniform two-inch chunks and place in a heavy saucepan along with the garlic. Cover with water, bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and garlic and mash the potatoes and garlic together. Stir in the hot milk, season to taste with salt and pepper and add the butter (less if desired) or oil. Serve at once.
CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE
This comes from Julia Moskins in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Here is Julia Moskin's fantasy of what this dish should be: nothing more than tender elbows of pasta suspended in pure molten cheddar, with a chewy, golden-brown crust of cheese on top.” Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 hour 40 minutes.
This was featured in “THE WINTER COOK; Macaroni and Lots of Cheese” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup cottage cheese (not lowfat)
2 cups milk (not skim)
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch cayenne
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 pound elbow pasta, uncooked
Preparation
Heat oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in upper third of oven. Use 1 tablespoon butter to butter a 9-inch round or square baking pan.
In a blender, purée cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg and salt and pepper together. Reserve 1/4 cup grated cheese for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining grated cheese, milk mixture and uncooked pasta. Pour into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.
Uncover pan, stir gently, sprinkle with reserved cheese and dot with remaining tablespoon butter. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes more, until browned. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
This came from a long-since-forgotten-emailing-list. While the miniature marshmallows aren't technically vegetarian, if you can find a vegetarian type of miniature marshmallows, go with that.
4 medium Sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 lb)
1/4 cup Packed brown sugar
1/4 cup Butter
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 Can (8 oz) crushed pineapple
1 tablespoon Packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon Butter
1 teaspoon Water
1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups Miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup Chopped pecans
Wash sweet potatoes. Prick each 2 or 3 times with fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange in oven at least 1 inch apart. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until fork-tender, 8 to 10 mins. Cover & let stand 5 minutes.
Peel and slice potatoes. Place in 2-quart casserole. Add 1/4 cup butter and the salt. Mash until no lumps remain. Mix in pineapple. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 minutes. Stir and set aside.
Place 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, the water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until butter is melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after half the time. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Top sweet potato mixture with marshmallows. Microwave at HIGH (100 % until the marshmallows are melted and potatoes are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans.
CRANBERRY APPLE CRISP
Yield: 8 servings
View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/876.shtml
Ingredients:
Filling Ingredients:
3 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples
2 cups fresh or frozen thawed cranberries
1 cup Equal Spoonful*
Topping Ingredients:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup stick butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup Equal Spoonful**
* Substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener
** Substitute 12 packets Equal sweetener
Directions
For Filling, combine apples, cranberries and 1 cup Equal in an ungreased 10-inch pie plate.
For Topping, combine flour, pecans, melted butter and 1/2 cup Equal. Mix until well blended. Sprinkle flour mixture over apples and cranberries in pie plate.
Bake in preheated 350F oven 55 to 60 minutes or until fruit is tender. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving): Calories: 145; Protein: 1 g; Sodium: 67 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Fat: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g; Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1-1/2 fat
CROCK POT BROCCOLI & RICE CASSEROLE
This came from a long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.
1 sm. onion, diced
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 c. quick cooking rice
2 c. water
1 (10 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
1 (5 oz.) jar sharp cheese spread
2 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen chopped broccoli, partially thawed
1/4 lb. Velveeta cheese
Corn flake crumbs, browned in butter (opt.)
Combine all ingredients except corn flake crumbs in crock pot. Stir thoroughly. Cover. Cook low 7 to 10 hours or high 2 to 3 hours. Just before serving, sprinkle crumbs over top. If crock pot comes out of your crock pot, brown under broiler for extra crispness. I double this in my large crock pot. Great for pot luck.
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Pies
I don't think too many people object to pies. I know I don't. Here are six pies to try for dessert (or any time), including Chocolate Cherry Pie and Apple Pie. Enjoy!
Photo: On left, two Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pies; Upper right, Apple Pie; Lower right: Cranberry Pie
GREAT-GRANDMA'S PIE CRUST
This is my great-grandma's pie crust recipe. When Mom was in college, some group had a baking contest and Mom won with a pie baked in this crust. Years later, Mom called me several times for the recipe (she'd begun to use store-bought crusts), as well as the recipes for my grandmother's (her mom's) oatmeal cookie and peanut butter cookie recipes, thus letting me know that I was/am the unofficial family-recipe-keeper.
2 cups flour (do NOT use self-rising flour; you can use almost any other kind of flour, although I use unbleached flour for this)
2/3 cup shortening (I use Crisco)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 – 4 tablespoons cold milk
Grease one or two 9-inch pie pans.
Put flour in large bowl and add shortening. Cut shortening into flour. Note: Cutting shortening is basically cutting it (yup, makes sense, right?) with two knives so that the shortening is incorporated into the flour. Take the knives, one in each hand, with the sharp part of the blades facing each other. Work them together as if you were cutting a piece of food – large veggies, etc – so that the shortening is cut up. You're finished when the shortening and flour look crumbly (for lack of a better explanation) and the shortening is fairly mixed into the flour.
Add salt to mixture and stir once or twice.
Add milk, stirring into the flour-shortening mixture. For into a ball, then cut in half. You now have enough crust for two single-crust pies or one double-crusted pie.
Take a dish towel and cover it with flour. Place half of the crust-ball onto the floured towel. Roll crust out into a circular shape. (Note: Rub flour over the work-surface of the rolling pin to make this job a lot easier.)
When you're ready to place the crust into the pie pan, place the rolling pin near the edge of the crust. Using the edge of the towel, wrap part of the crust around the rolling pin, then drop the towel. Use this method (pin-crust-towel) to move the crust to the pan.
Do the same to the second half of the crust-ball. If making two single-crust pies, put the second crust into the second pan. If it's a double-crust pie, fill the pie crust in the pan, then top with the second crust.
Bake the pie according to the pie's instructions. However, if the pie is one that doesn't need baking, bake the crust alone for 10 – 15 minutes at 325 decrees or until lightly brown.
Note: Many fruit pies call for a top crust. This can be accomplished either by putting a solid crust on top, to which a few vent holes are added, or by making a lattice pie crust. With the solid crust, the vent holes are added so that any steam from inside the pie can be released (yes, this does happen). The holes don't have to be big; in fact, I usually take a sharp knife and simply poke a few vents in several spots across the top crust.
A quick tutorial for making a lattice pie crust can be found from Carroll Pellegrinelli's blog. Carroll is About.com Desserts and Baking expert. To find her tutorial, click here.
CRANBERRY PIE
This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook, titled Off the Wall Cooking.
My dad sent this recipe in a letter dated “18 No 79”. He wrote, “Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it.”
2 T cornstarch
1 C sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T butter
2 C cranberries
Pie crust
Blend 1st four ingredients & cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients & cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell & bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want, whether double crust or simply a bottom crust.)
VARIATION
2 Tbls cornstarch
3/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T margarine
1 1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)
Pie crust
Make as above.
LIBBY'S FAMOUS PUMPKIN PIE
I got this from the Libby's brand canned pumpkin label.
3/4 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz) Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 oz) Carnation Evaporated Milk
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
Beat eggs in large bowl. Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, & cloves in small bowl. Stir sugar-spice mixture & pumpkin into eggs. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
Pour into pie shell.
Bake in preheated 425-degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
Note: Do not freeze, as this will cause crust to separate from filling.
1 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice may be substituted for the cinnamon, ginger & cloves; however, the taste will be slightly different.
APPLE PIE
I got the original recipe for this from an old Betty Crocker Cookbook, years ago. I've tweaked the recipe a bit; the original called for butter, which mine doesn't, while I add apple cider or apple juice, which isn't in the original. I've also added a few things here and there. But here's the semi-tweaked, originally Betty Crocker apple pie.
Crust for a 9-inch two-crust pie
3/4 + 1 tablespoon cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (do not use self-rising flour, but if you must use it, omit salt)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
dash salt
6 to 7 cups apples (6 to 8 apples), peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare crust and line pie pan with bottom crust.
Placed cut up apples in large bowl. Add sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and (lastly) apple cider or juice. Mix apples and additions with hands, then pour apples and additions into crust-lined pie pan.
Cover with top crust, cut slits into top crust, then seal edges of crusts. (Note: You can replace top crust with a lattice crust.) Cover top of pie with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning; remove foil last 15 minutes of baking.
Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust.
PEANUT BUTTER PIE
There’s also a story that goes along with the Peanut Butter Pie. I’d driven cab for several years. One Friday afternoon, I got a call to pick up a single dad from the store. When I dropped him off, his son and daughter came out of the trailer to help bring in the groceries.
“Did you remember to get the stuff for the peanut butter pie?” his daughter asked. They were taking it to an early Thanksgiving gathering that weekend.
“Sure did,” he answered.
“Peanut butter pie?” I asked, as we finished unloading the groceries. “How do you make that?”
“With peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, and a few other things,” came the answer.
The following week, I managed to pick the dad up again. This time, I managed to get the ingredients: pie crust, peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, cream cheese and Cool Whip. It wasn’t until the third (and final) time I picked him up in as many weeks that I got the exact amounts. He used 1/3 cup each of peanut butter and sugar, both of which I upped to 1/2 cup each.
8-ounce tub of Cool Whip (see note)
8-ounce block of cream cheese (see note)
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth is preferable)
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
Pie crust (see note)
Put Cool Whip, cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. With beaters, beat on high. Pour into pie crust, smooth out, and freeze for 1 hour.
Note: Cool whip (or store equivalent) can be fat-free. Cream cheese can be regular cream cheese or the 1/3 less fat kind, but do not use fat free, as the pie won't set up right. I usually use a store-bought graham cracker crust for the pie, which is what the man used to make this. However, you can also use an Oreo cookie crust.
CHOCOLATE CHERRY PIE - Vegan tofu cherry "cream" pie recipe
Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian blog guide, writes, "Chocolate cherry pie - Vegan tofu cherry "cream" pie recipe - delicious! I'd love to try this same method with strawberries or perhaps even Elvis-style, with bananas."
Ingredients:
1 (12 oz.) box firm silken tofu
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 prepared vegan graham cracker pie crust
1 (12 oz.) package frozen dark sweet cherries, thawed and drained
1 cup non-dairy whipped topping
Preparation:
First, prepare the cherries. Slice them in half and remove the pics, if needed. Set a handful of cherries aside to use as a garnish on top of the pie.
Next, prepare the chocolate "cream" filling. Process the tofu in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the cocoa powder, sugar, melted chocolate chips, and almond extract. Process again until mixture is smooth.
To prepare the pie, place about 1/3 of the chocolate tofu mix in a single layer in the prepared pie crust. Next, place the cherries in a single layer on top of the chocolate tofu mixture and spread the remaining chocolate tofu on top.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Garnish each slice with whipped topping and reserved cherries.
This recipe makes one pie of 8 servings.
Nutritional information, per serving: Calories: 270, Total Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 100mg, Carbohydrates: 36g, Dietary Fiber: 2g. Sugar: 24g, Protein: 6g
Photo: On left, two Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pies; Upper right, Apple Pie; Lower right: Cranberry Pie
GREAT-GRANDMA'S PIE CRUST
This is my great-grandma's pie crust recipe. When Mom was in college, some group had a baking contest and Mom won with a pie baked in this crust. Years later, Mom called me several times for the recipe (she'd begun to use store-bought crusts), as well as the recipes for my grandmother's (her mom's) oatmeal cookie and peanut butter cookie recipes, thus letting me know that I was/am the unofficial family-recipe-keeper.
2 cups flour (do NOT use self-rising flour; you can use almost any other kind of flour, although I use unbleached flour for this)
2/3 cup shortening (I use Crisco)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 – 4 tablespoons cold milk
Grease one or two 9-inch pie pans.
Put flour in large bowl and add shortening. Cut shortening into flour. Note: Cutting shortening is basically cutting it (yup, makes sense, right?) with two knives so that the shortening is incorporated into the flour. Take the knives, one in each hand, with the sharp part of the blades facing each other. Work them together as if you were cutting a piece of food – large veggies, etc – so that the shortening is cut up. You're finished when the shortening and flour look crumbly (for lack of a better explanation) and the shortening is fairly mixed into the flour.
Add salt to mixture and stir once or twice.
Add milk, stirring into the flour-shortening mixture. For into a ball, then cut in half. You now have enough crust for two single-crust pies or one double-crusted pie.
Take a dish towel and cover it with flour. Place half of the crust-ball onto the floured towel. Roll crust out into a circular shape. (Note: Rub flour over the work-surface of the rolling pin to make this job a lot easier.)
When you're ready to place the crust into the pie pan, place the rolling pin near the edge of the crust. Using the edge of the towel, wrap part of the crust around the rolling pin, then drop the towel. Use this method (pin-crust-towel) to move the crust to the pan.
Do the same to the second half of the crust-ball. If making two single-crust pies, put the second crust into the second pan. If it's a double-crust pie, fill the pie crust in the pan, then top with the second crust.
Bake the pie according to the pie's instructions. However, if the pie is one that doesn't need baking, bake the crust alone for 10 – 15 minutes at 325 decrees or until lightly brown.
Note: Many fruit pies call for a top crust. This can be accomplished either by putting a solid crust on top, to which a few vent holes are added, or by making a lattice pie crust. With the solid crust, the vent holes are added so that any steam from inside the pie can be released (yes, this does happen). The holes don't have to be big; in fact, I usually take a sharp knife and simply poke a few vents in several spots across the top crust.
A quick tutorial for making a lattice pie crust can be found from Carroll Pellegrinelli's blog. Carroll is About.com Desserts and Baking expert. To find her tutorial, click here.
CRANBERRY PIE
This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook, titled Off the Wall Cooking.
My dad sent this recipe in a letter dated “18 No 79”. He wrote, “Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it.”
2 T cornstarch
1 C sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T butter
2 C cranberries
Pie crust
Blend 1st four ingredients & cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients & cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell & bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want, whether double crust or simply a bottom crust.)
VARIATION
2 Tbls cornstarch
3/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T margarine
1 1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)
Pie crust
Make as above.
LIBBY'S FAMOUS PUMPKIN PIE
I got this from the Libby's brand canned pumpkin label.
3/4 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz) Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 oz) Carnation Evaporated Milk
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
Beat eggs in large bowl. Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, & cloves in small bowl. Stir sugar-spice mixture & pumpkin into eggs. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
Pour into pie shell.
Bake in preheated 425-degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
Note: Do not freeze, as this will cause crust to separate from filling.
1 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice may be substituted for the cinnamon, ginger & cloves; however, the taste will be slightly different.
APPLE PIE
I got the original recipe for this from an old Betty Crocker Cookbook, years ago. I've tweaked the recipe a bit; the original called for butter, which mine doesn't, while I add apple cider or apple juice, which isn't in the original. I've also added a few things here and there. But here's the semi-tweaked, originally Betty Crocker apple pie.
Crust for a 9-inch two-crust pie
3/4 + 1 tablespoon cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (do not use self-rising flour, but if you must use it, omit salt)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
dash salt
6 to 7 cups apples (6 to 8 apples), peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare crust and line pie pan with bottom crust.
Placed cut up apples in large bowl. Add sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and (lastly) apple cider or juice. Mix apples and additions with hands, then pour apples and additions into crust-lined pie pan.
Cover with top crust, cut slits into top crust, then seal edges of crusts. (Note: You can replace top crust with a lattice crust.) Cover top of pie with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning; remove foil last 15 minutes of baking.
Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust.
PEANUT BUTTER PIE
There’s also a story that goes along with the Peanut Butter Pie. I’d driven cab for several years. One Friday afternoon, I got a call to pick up a single dad from the store. When I dropped him off, his son and daughter came out of the trailer to help bring in the groceries.
“Did you remember to get the stuff for the peanut butter pie?” his daughter asked. They were taking it to an early Thanksgiving gathering that weekend.
“Sure did,” he answered.
“Peanut butter pie?” I asked, as we finished unloading the groceries. “How do you make that?”
“With peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, and a few other things,” came the answer.
The following week, I managed to pick the dad up again. This time, I managed to get the ingredients: pie crust, peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, cream cheese and Cool Whip. It wasn’t until the third (and final) time I picked him up in as many weeks that I got the exact amounts. He used 1/3 cup each of peanut butter and sugar, both of which I upped to 1/2 cup each.
8-ounce tub of Cool Whip (see note)
8-ounce block of cream cheese (see note)
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth is preferable)
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
Pie crust (see note)
Put Cool Whip, cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. With beaters, beat on high. Pour into pie crust, smooth out, and freeze for 1 hour.
Note: Cool whip (or store equivalent) can be fat-free. Cream cheese can be regular cream cheese or the 1/3 less fat kind, but do not use fat free, as the pie won't set up right. I usually use a store-bought graham cracker crust for the pie, which is what the man used to make this. However, you can also use an Oreo cookie crust.
CHOCOLATE CHERRY PIE - Vegan tofu cherry "cream" pie recipe
Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian blog guide, writes, "Chocolate cherry pie - Vegan tofu cherry "cream" pie recipe - delicious! I'd love to try this same method with strawberries or perhaps even Elvis-style, with bananas."
Ingredients:
1 (12 oz.) box firm silken tofu
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 prepared vegan graham cracker pie crust
1 (12 oz.) package frozen dark sweet cherries, thawed and drained
1 cup non-dairy whipped topping
Preparation:
First, prepare the cherries. Slice them in half and remove the pics, if needed. Set a handful of cherries aside to use as a garnish on top of the pie.
Next, prepare the chocolate "cream" filling. Process the tofu in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the cocoa powder, sugar, melted chocolate chips, and almond extract. Process again until mixture is smooth.
To prepare the pie, place about 1/3 of the chocolate tofu mix in a single layer in the prepared pie crust. Next, place the cherries in a single layer on top of the chocolate tofu mixture and spread the remaining chocolate tofu on top.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Garnish each slice with whipped topping and reserved cherries.
This recipe makes one pie of 8 servings.
Nutritional information, per serving: Calories: 270, Total Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 100mg, Carbohydrates: 36g, Dietary Fiber: 2g. Sugar: 24g, Protein: 6g
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Pasta Party
I've always loved pasta. I'm not sure why, but it's always been something that I've loved in most forms.
That said, here are six pasta recipes to try out, including Cheese-Stuffed Shells in Marinara Sauce and Pasta with Kale Pesto and Roasted Butternut Squash. Enjoy!
VEGETABALE SPAGHETTI
This comes from Makinze Gore at Delish. It begins, “Vegetable spaghetti is the perfect way to use up leftover veggies. Use whatever you have on hand, don't feel married to these specific ones. They are just a good starting point.”
Yields: 6 servings; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 lb. spaghetti
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 zucchini, sliced
1 carrot, chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Sliced basil, for garnish
Freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish
Directions
In a large pot of boiling water, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water then drain spaghetti.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil then add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add zucchini, carrot, and red onion and cook until soft, 7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste then add diced tomatoes and season with Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, simmer 10 minutes.
Add spaghetti to skillet and 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water and toss to combine. Add more pasta water as necessary to bring sauce together.
Garnish with basil and Parmesan to serve.
PASTA WITH KALE PESTO AND ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH
This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Here is a one-pot meal designed explicitly for the hungriness of a long-distance runner, with garlicky kale pesto and sweet roasted butternut squash. Making the pesto with kale instead of basil gives it a structure the basil-rich original lacks, and it interacts beautifully with the crisp-and-soft smoothness of the roasted squash. A terrific dish.” Time: 45 minutes; makes 2 to 3 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds butternut squash
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more for squash
Freshly ground black pepper
1 small bunch (about 1/2 pound) lacinato kale, center ribs removed
8 ounces pasta (penne rigate works well)
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a vegetable peeler to peel squash, then halve it lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Dice squash flesh into 1-inch pieces, place on a baking sheet, and toss with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread pieces into an even layer, making sure there is space between them. Roast, stirring squash pieces once or twice, until golden brown and tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; have ready a bowl of ice water. Drop kale into boiling water and cook for 45 seconds. Use tongs or slotted spoon to transfer kale to ice water. Bring water in pot back to a boil, adding more if necessary so there is enough to cook pasta.
Drain kale well, then wrap tightly in a dry kitchen towel and squeeze thoroughly to remove any excess moisture. Roughly chop leaves. When water in pot comes back to a boil, cook pasta according to package directions.
In a food processor, pulse together kale, nuts, garlic, salt and lemon zest until mixture is smooth and salt has dissolved. With motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil until fully incorporated. Taste and add more salt dissolved in a little lemon juice, if necessary.
Drain pasta, reserving a little cooking water. Toss pasta with kale pesto and some pasta cooking water if necessary to help it coat pasta. Add cheese, lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve topped with squash and more cheese.
SCOTTO CHEESE LASAGNA
This is from FamilyTime, and begins, “This delectable lasagna makes great use of convenience products so that you've can put the dish together in just 15 minutes! While it bakes you can throw together a salad, and you've got a fabulous dinner for very little work.”
Serves: 8 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 70 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 container (32 ounces) ricotta cheese
2 eggs, beaten
Prego® Tomato Basil & Garlic Italian Sauce or 5 cups Prego® Traditional Italian Sauce
12 lasagna noodle, cooked and drained
1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
1 package (10 ounces) Pepperidge Farm® Mozzarella and Garlic Loaf
Directions
Heat the oven to 350°F. Stir the ricotta and the eggs in a medium bowl.
Spread 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Layer with 3 lasagna noodles, 1 1/3 cups ricotta mixture, 1/4 of the mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Repeat to make 2 more layers. Top with the remaining noodles, sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cover the baking dish.
Bake at 350°F. for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes or until the lasagna is hot and bubbling and the cheese is melted. Remove the lasagna from the oven. Let the lasagna stand for 1 hour.
Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. for the bread. Bake the bread according to the package directions.
Cut the bread into 2-inch diagonal slices. Serve the bread with the lasagna.
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?)
CHEESE-STUFFED SHELLS IN MARINARA SAUCE
This recipe is from FamilyTime, and begins, “A traditional Italian-style favorite is made easier for you! Combine Buitoni Marinara Sauce with stuffed shells, add a tossed salad and warm bread and sit down to a satisfying meal!”
Serves: 6; Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 30 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
12 dried jumbo whole-wheat or regular pasta shells, prepared according to package directions
1 cup (4 ounces)shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup fat free or reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 container (15 oz.) BUITONI® refrigerated Marinara Sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
Combine 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg and pepper in a medium bowl. Stuff each shell evenly with cheese mixture; place in ungreased 12 x 71/2-inch (2-quart rectangular) baking dish. Pour sauce over shells.
Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
For Freeze Ahead:
Prepare as above; do not bake. Do not top with remaining mozarella cheese. Cover; freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
PASTA PRIMAVERA
This absolutely yummy recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis of The Food Network’s Everyday Italian. Total Time: 45 min; Prep: 25 min; Cook: 20 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/pasta-primavera-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips
2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
1 pound farfalle (bowtie pasta)
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
On a large heavy baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another heavy large baking sheet and arrange evenly over the baking sheets. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.
That said, here are six pasta recipes to try out, including Cheese-Stuffed Shells in Marinara Sauce and Pasta with Kale Pesto and Roasted Butternut Squash. Enjoy!
VEGETABALE SPAGHETTI
This comes from Makinze Gore at Delish. It begins, “Vegetable spaghetti is the perfect way to use up leftover veggies. Use whatever you have on hand, don't feel married to these specific ones. They are just a good starting point.”
Yields: 6 servings; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 lb. spaghetti
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 zucchini, sliced
1 carrot, chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Sliced basil, for garnish
Freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish
Directions
In a large pot of boiling water, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water then drain spaghetti.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil then add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add zucchini, carrot, and red onion and cook until soft, 7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste then add diced tomatoes and season with Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, simmer 10 minutes.
Add spaghetti to skillet and 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water and toss to combine. Add more pasta water as necessary to bring sauce together.
Garnish with basil and Parmesan to serve.
PASTA WITH KALE PESTO AND ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH
This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Here is a one-pot meal designed explicitly for the hungriness of a long-distance runner, with garlicky kale pesto and sweet roasted butternut squash. Making the pesto with kale instead of basil gives it a structure the basil-rich original lacks, and it interacts beautifully with the crisp-and-soft smoothness of the roasted squash. A terrific dish.” Time: 45 minutes; makes 2 to 3 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds butternut squash
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more for squash
Freshly ground black pepper
1 small bunch (about 1/2 pound) lacinato kale, center ribs removed
8 ounces pasta (penne rigate works well)
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a vegetable peeler to peel squash, then halve it lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Dice squash flesh into 1-inch pieces, place on a baking sheet, and toss with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread pieces into an even layer, making sure there is space between them. Roast, stirring squash pieces once or twice, until golden brown and tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; have ready a bowl of ice water. Drop kale into boiling water and cook for 45 seconds. Use tongs or slotted spoon to transfer kale to ice water. Bring water in pot back to a boil, adding more if necessary so there is enough to cook pasta.
Drain kale well, then wrap tightly in a dry kitchen towel and squeeze thoroughly to remove any excess moisture. Roughly chop leaves. When water in pot comes back to a boil, cook pasta according to package directions.
In a food processor, pulse together kale, nuts, garlic, salt and lemon zest until mixture is smooth and salt has dissolved. With motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil until fully incorporated. Taste and add more salt dissolved in a little lemon juice, if necessary.
Drain pasta, reserving a little cooking water. Toss pasta with kale pesto and some pasta cooking water if necessary to help it coat pasta. Add cheese, lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve topped with squash and more cheese.
SCOTTO CHEESE LASAGNA
This is from FamilyTime, and begins, “This delectable lasagna makes great use of convenience products so that you've can put the dish together in just 15 minutes! While it bakes you can throw together a salad, and you've got a fabulous dinner for very little work.”
Serves: 8 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 70 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 container (32 ounces) ricotta cheese
2 eggs, beaten
Prego® Tomato Basil & Garlic Italian Sauce or 5 cups Prego® Traditional Italian Sauce
12 lasagna noodle, cooked and drained
1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
1 package (10 ounces) Pepperidge Farm® Mozzarella and Garlic Loaf
Directions
Heat the oven to 350°F. Stir the ricotta and the eggs in a medium bowl.
Spread 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Layer with 3 lasagna noodles, 1 1/3 cups ricotta mixture, 1/4 of the mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Repeat to make 2 more layers. Top with the remaining noodles, sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cover the baking dish.
Bake at 350°F. for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes or until the lasagna is hot and bubbling and the cheese is melted. Remove the lasagna from the oven. Let the lasagna stand for 1 hour.
Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. for the bread. Bake the bread according to the package directions.
Cut the bread into 2-inch diagonal slices. Serve the bread with the lasagna.
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?)
CHEESE-STUFFED SHELLS IN MARINARA SAUCE
This recipe is from FamilyTime, and begins, “A traditional Italian-style favorite is made easier for you! Combine Buitoni Marinara Sauce with stuffed shells, add a tossed salad and warm bread and sit down to a satisfying meal!”
Serves: 6; Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 30 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
12 dried jumbo whole-wheat or regular pasta shells, prepared according to package directions
1 cup (4 ounces)shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup fat free or reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 container (15 oz.) BUITONI® refrigerated Marinara Sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
Combine 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg and pepper in a medium bowl. Stuff each shell evenly with cheese mixture; place in ungreased 12 x 71/2-inch (2-quart rectangular) baking dish. Pour sauce over shells.
Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
For Freeze Ahead:
Prepare as above; do not bake. Do not top with remaining mozarella cheese. Cover; freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
PASTA PRIMAVERA
This absolutely yummy recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis of The Food Network’s Everyday Italian. Total Time: 45 min; Prep: 25 min; Cook: 20 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/pasta-primavera-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips
2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
1 pound farfalle (bowtie pasta)
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
On a large heavy baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another heavy large baking sheet and arrange evenly over the baking sheets. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.
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