I've loved pasta most of my life. I can remember several times when my parents would ask what I'd want for dinner, and the answer would frequently be spaghetti.
Well, today's post has more than just spaghetti; it includes Fettuccine Alfredo, Penne with Grilled Okra and Green Beans, and more. Enjoy!
PASTA WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA
This comes from David Tanis in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. David wrote, “This wonderful pasta is made with nothing more than fresh tomato sauce and good ricotta, plus a little pecorino. It’s most delicious if you keep the pasta quite al dente; use just enough sauce, no more; give it a good pinch of crushed red pepper; and season it with enough salt of course. For the best results, use good quality imported noodles made from hard Durum wheat.” Time: 30 minutes; makes 4 to 6 servings.
This, along with the Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce, was featured in “The Time Is Right to Make Tomato Sauce”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 pound dried pasta, such as farfalle or penne
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter, softened
Crushed red pepper (optional)
2 1/2 cups Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce, warm (see recipe, which follows)
6 ounces ultra-fresh ricotta, at room temperature
Grated pecorino
Basil leaves, for garnish
Preparation
Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water, making sure to keep it quite al dente.
Put butter in a wide deep skillet over medium heat. Add drained pasta to the pan and season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper, if using.
Add tomato sauce gradually and stir to coat pasta, using only enough sauce for a light coating (you may not need the entire 2 1/2 cups).
Transfer pasta to a warm serving bowl and dot top with spoonfuls of ricotta. Sprinkle lightly with pecorino and garnish with a few torn basil leaves.
QUICK FRESH TOMATO SAUCE
This also comes from David Tanis in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. David wrote, “In August and September, when tomatoes are at their ripest, make a batch of fresh tomato sauce. At the market, look for the cracked, slightly bruised tomatoes sold at a discount. The flesh of the tomato should be dense, sweet and blood red. This makes a very fresh- and bright-tasting sauce in a manageable small batch. Take advantage of good tasty tomatoes and fill a few zip-top bags for the freezer.” Time: 30 minutes; makes about 2 1/ 2 cups.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
5 pounds tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 garlic clove, halved
1 basil sprig
1 bay leaf
Preparation
Cut tomatoes in half horizontally. Squeeze out the seeds and discard, if you wish. Press the cut side of tomato against the large holes of a box grater and grate tomato flesh into a bowl. Discard skins. You should have about 4 cups.
Put tomato pulp in a low wide saucepan over high heat. Add salt, olive oil, tomato paste, garlic, basil and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a brisk simmer.
Reduce the sauce by almost half, stirring occasionally, to produce about 2 1/2 cups medium-thick sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. It will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator or may be frozen.
PENNE WITH GRILLED OKRA AND GREEN BEANS
This is from the Food Network. Active Time: 25 minutes; Tota Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/penne-with-grilled-okra-and-green-beans-5258431.
Ingredients
8 ounces okra, trimmed and halved lengthwise
8 ounces green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
12 ounces penne rigate
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh basil
Directions
Preheat a grill to medium high. Toss the okra and green beans with 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a sheet of foil or a grill basket with the okra cut-side down. Grill the vegetables, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Transfer to a cutting board. Halve the beans crosswise and halve any large okra pieces lengthwise.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring, until golden, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest; season with salt and pepper.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and return to the pot. Stir in the grilled okra and green beans, parmesan and garlic, stirring in enough of the reserved cooking water to loosen. Stir in the basil. Divide among bowls and top with the panko mixture.
FETTUCCINE ALFREDO
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 4 Servings. 1 Serving size = 1 cup. 1 cup fettuccine alfredo provides a 1/2 serving of Benecol®
2 tbsp. Benecol® Regular spread
4 to 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/4 cups skim milk
3 tbsp flour
4 ounces fat free cream cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
4 cups hot cooked fettuccine noodles (about 1/2 pound uncooked)
Heat Benecol & garlic slowly over low heat, 5 to 7 minutes, allowing full flavor of garlic to be released into Benecol.
Meanwhile, combine milk, flour, cream cheese, & Parmesan cheese in blender; then puree until smooth.
Add pureed mixture to Benecol® and garlic. Increase heat to medium-low and whisk continuously until mixture has thickened. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Toss with fettuccine noodles.
GRILLED SUMMER VEGETABLE PASTA
This is from Trisha Yearwood on the Food Network. Total Time: 40 minutes; Active Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/grilled-summer-vegetable-pasta-5425025.
Ingredients
Kosher salt
One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes in juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small clove garlic, minced
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 sprig fresh basil plus 2 tablespoons chopped
1 sprig fresh flat-leaf parsley plus 2 tablespoons chopped
1 medium orange or red bell pepper, sides cut off from the core
1 medium yellow squash, trimmed and cut lengthwise into 4 planks
1 medium zucchini, trimmed and cut lengthwise into 4 planks
1/2 red onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 pound penne pasta
Shaved or grated Parmesan, for topping
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes (reserving the juice for another use if desired). Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Crush the tomatoes with your hand, adding them to the saucepan as you go. Season with salt and pepper. Add the basil and parsley sprigs (reserve the chopped herbs for later) and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook at a very low simmer for about 15 minutes or until ready to serve.
While the sauce cooks, heat a large double-burner grill pan over medium-high heat. Toss the pepper, squash, zucchini and onion with the remaining tablespoon olive oil, making sure to coat all sides. Sprinkle with salt and grill, turning once, until well-marked and crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes per side, depending on the vegetable. Transfer the onion to a large mixing bowl. Transfer the pepper, squash and zucchini to a cutting board and cut crosswise into strips. Add to the bowl with the onion and cover with foil.
Cook the penne in the boiling water according to package directions. Drain and add to the bowl with the vegetables. Remove the herb sprigs from the sauce and stir in half of the chopped herbs. Add to the bowl and toss to coat.
Serve the pasta in bowls topped with the remaining chopped herbs and Parmesan.
CREAMY THREE-CHEESE SPAGHETTI
This is from Lindsay Funston at Delish. She wrote, “This ultra-creamy and cheesy spaghetti can be yours in just 15 minutes.”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yields: 4
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
12 oz. spaghetti
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c. heavy cream
3/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 c. shredded Italian cheese blend
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. freshly chopped chives, for garnish
Directions
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute, then add heavy cream, broth, and 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water. Add cooked spaghetti and toss until noodles are fully coated and liquid is simmering.
Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Toss constantly, adding more pasta water until sauce reaches desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chives before serving.
Thursday, December 26, 2019
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Holiday Recipes - Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's double post deals with several six last-minute recipes to help with your holiday meal, including Ultimate Stuffed Acorn Squash and Baked Macaroni and Cheese. Enjoy!
Note: Since tomorrow is Christmas, I'll be taking the day off. But I will return on Wednesday, December 26 with more vegetarian recipes. Merry Christmas!
LOADED SWEET POTATO
This is from page 35 of the June 2017 issue of Runner’s World website, and begins, “Sweet potatoes have more antioxidants than white ones do.”
Makes 4 servings
To view this, as well as other recipes in the article, online here.
Ingredients
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon each paprika, garlic powder, cumin
1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, kosher salt
1 tablespoon apple-cider vinegar
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sweet potatoes to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup water. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until potato pieces are soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Halfway through cooking, stir in beans. Cover and continue cooking. In a small bowl, combine paprika, garlic powder, cumin, cinnamon, and salt. Stir spices and vinegar into skillet. Uncover skillet to let any excess water evaporate. Divide mixture among 4 bowls and top each portion with yogurt and cilantro.
ULTIMATE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “The Native American 'three sisters'—corn, beans, and squash—come together in these individual holiday entrées stuffed with corn pudding and black beans.”
Makes 8 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 Tbs. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.), divided
4 acorn squash, halved and seeded
1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder, plus more for sprinkling squash
1/2 tsp. ground coriander, plus more for sprinkling squash
3 cups fresh or frozen organic corn kernels, divided
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, optional
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 large eggs
4 Tbs. melted butter or olive oil
3 oz. soft goat cheese or low-fat cream cheese (1/3 cup)
3 oz. grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (3/4 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops, optional
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large poblano chile or 1 small red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
8 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced (1 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine oil and 2 tsp. minced garlic in small bowl. Brush squash halves with garlic oil, and sprinkle lightly with ancho chile powder and coriander. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and place on large baking sheet.
Pulse 2 cups corn kernels in food processor until finely chopped and milky. Set aside.
Whisk 1/2 tsp. each coriander and ancho chile powder into cornmeal, along with sugar, baking soda, salt, and cayenne (if using) in medium bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together buttermilk and eggs in separate bowl. Whisk in butter, then puréed corn, remaining 1 cup corn kernels, goat cheese, Cheddar, and remaining 2 tsp. garlic. Fold in cornmeal mixture with spatula, then fold in black beans, poblano chile, and green onions.
Divide filling among squash halves. Sprinkle each squash with extra Cheddar (if using).
Bake squash halves 30 to 45 minutes, or until squash are tender and filling is set. Sprinkle with green onions. Squash can be prepared 24 hours ahead, then reheated 20 minutes at 325°F.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 425; Carbohydrate Content: 53 g; Cholesterol Content: 80 mg; Fat Content: 20 g; Fiber Content: 8 g; Protein Content: 15 g; Saturated Fat Content: 10 g; Sodium Content: 533 mg; Sugar Content: 6 g
PUMPKIN SHEET PAN PIE
This is from LandOLakes, and begins, “Pie for everyone! Classic pumpkin pie topped with the most delicious caramel whipped cream is perfect for your Thanksgiving dessert.”
Makes 24 servings; Prep Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Crust
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups cold Land O Lakes® Butter cut into chunks
1 1/4 cups cold water (additional if necessary)
Filling
4 large Land O Lakes® Eggs
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup Land O Lakes® Heavy Whipping Cream
1 (29-ounce) can pumpkin
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
Caramel Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cups Land O Lakes® Heavy Whipping Cream
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Directions
Heat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually stir in 1 cup water with fork, adding enough additional water just until flour is moistened.
Divide dough into 1/4 and 3/4 portions. Shape each portion into ball; flatten slightly. Wrap larger portion of dough in plastic food wrap; refrigerate.
Roll out smaller portion of dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Using various fall-shaped cookie cutters, cut out at least 40 pieces. Place 12-18 cut-outs onto prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate remaining cut-outs. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired. Bake 5-7 minutes or until crust is lightly golden brown. Cool completely. Set aside.
Beat eggs at medium speed in medium bowl until thick and pale yellow in color. Add all remaining filling ingredients; beat until well mixed. Set aside.
Roll out larger portion of dough on lightly floured surface into 19x14 (1/8-inch thick) rectangle. Fold dough rectangle into quarters. Place dough into ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Unfold dough, pressing firmly against bottom and sides. Crimp or flute edges.
Pour filling into crust. Decorate top of crust with remaining unbaked cut-outs. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 350°F. Bake 50-60 minutes or until knife inserted into center of pie comes out clean. Cool completely.
Beat chilled whipping cream, caramel sauce, and sugar in chilled bowl at low speed, scraping bowl often, until caramel sauce has dissolved. Continue beating at high speed until stiff peaks form.
Serve pie with a dollop of whipped cream and crust cut-out garnish.
Tip #1
To make ahead, prepare pie crust and filling the day before serving. Cover and refrigerate separately overnight. Bake cut-outs, assemble and bake pie.
CHOCOLATE CHERRY PIE - Vegan tofu cherry "cream" pie recipe
This is from Jolinda Hackett, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. Jolinda wrote, "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."
Note: I'm no longer able to find the link for this.
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
BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
This is from an old Weight Watchers' email. Serves: 8; 5 Points (old points value).
12 oz uncooked macaroni, elbow-type
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
12 oz fat-free evaporated milk
8 oz low-fat cheddar or Colby cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp dried bread crumbs
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Cook pasta according to package directions without added fat or salt; drain & transfer to a large bowl. While pasta is still hot, stir in sour cream; set aside.
Heat milk in small saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear just around the edges. Reduce heat to low, add cheese & simmer until cheese melts, stirring constantly with wire whisk, about 2 minutes; remove from heat & stir in mustard, salt, pepper & nutmeg.
Add cheese mixture to pasta; mix well. Transfer to a 4-quart casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs & Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over pasta. Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
APPLE CRISP
This comes from a long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.
4 large apples
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. melted butter
1 egg
1/2 cup water
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel, core & slice the apples. Put apples in a bowl & mix in 1/2 cup brown sugar. In a separate bowl, using a fork, mix together 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, & 1/4 teaspoon salt. In another bowl, beat together 1 egg, 2 tablespoons melted butter & 1/2 cup water. Add them to the dry ingredients. This is the topping. Put apples in baking dish & pour topping over them. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes. When done, apples should be soft & topping golden and crisp. Remove from oven & let cool.
Note: Since tomorrow is Christmas, I'll be taking the day off. But I will return on Wednesday, December 26 with more vegetarian recipes. Merry Christmas!
LOADED SWEET POTATO
This is from page 35 of the June 2017 issue of Runner’s World website, and begins, “Sweet potatoes have more antioxidants than white ones do.”
Makes 4 servings
To view this, as well as other recipes in the article, online here.
Ingredients
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon each paprika, garlic powder, cumin
1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, kosher salt
1 tablespoon apple-cider vinegar
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sweet potatoes to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup water. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until potato pieces are soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Halfway through cooking, stir in beans. Cover and continue cooking. In a small bowl, combine paprika, garlic powder, cumin, cinnamon, and salt. Stir spices and vinegar into skillet. Uncover skillet to let any excess water evaporate. Divide mixture among 4 bowls and top each portion with yogurt and cilantro.
ULTIMATE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “The Native American 'three sisters'—corn, beans, and squash—come together in these individual holiday entrées stuffed with corn pudding and black beans.”
Makes 8 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 Tbs. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.), divided
4 acorn squash, halved and seeded
1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder, plus more for sprinkling squash
1/2 tsp. ground coriander, plus more for sprinkling squash
3 cups fresh or frozen organic corn kernels, divided
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, optional
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 large eggs
4 Tbs. melted butter or olive oil
3 oz. soft goat cheese or low-fat cream cheese (1/3 cup)
3 oz. grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (3/4 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops, optional
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large poblano chile or 1 small red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
8 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced (1 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine oil and 2 tsp. minced garlic in small bowl. Brush squash halves with garlic oil, and sprinkle lightly with ancho chile powder and coriander. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and place on large baking sheet.
Pulse 2 cups corn kernels in food processor until finely chopped and milky. Set aside.
Whisk 1/2 tsp. each coriander and ancho chile powder into cornmeal, along with sugar, baking soda, salt, and cayenne (if using) in medium bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together buttermilk and eggs in separate bowl. Whisk in butter, then puréed corn, remaining 1 cup corn kernels, goat cheese, Cheddar, and remaining 2 tsp. garlic. Fold in cornmeal mixture with spatula, then fold in black beans, poblano chile, and green onions.
Divide filling among squash halves. Sprinkle each squash with extra Cheddar (if using).
Bake squash halves 30 to 45 minutes, or until squash are tender and filling is set. Sprinkle with green onions. Squash can be prepared 24 hours ahead, then reheated 20 minutes at 325°F.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 425; Carbohydrate Content: 53 g; Cholesterol Content: 80 mg; Fat Content: 20 g; Fiber Content: 8 g; Protein Content: 15 g; Saturated Fat Content: 10 g; Sodium Content: 533 mg; Sugar Content: 6 g
PUMPKIN SHEET PAN PIE
This is from LandOLakes, and begins, “Pie for everyone! Classic pumpkin pie topped with the most delicious caramel whipped cream is perfect for your Thanksgiving dessert.”
Makes 24 servings; Prep Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Crust
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups cold Land O Lakes® Butter cut into chunks
1 1/4 cups cold water (additional if necessary)
Filling
4 large Land O Lakes® Eggs
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup Land O Lakes® Heavy Whipping Cream
1 (29-ounce) can pumpkin
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
Caramel Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cups Land O Lakes® Heavy Whipping Cream
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Directions
Heat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually stir in 1 cup water with fork, adding enough additional water just until flour is moistened.
Divide dough into 1/4 and 3/4 portions. Shape each portion into ball; flatten slightly. Wrap larger portion of dough in plastic food wrap; refrigerate.
Roll out smaller portion of dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Using various fall-shaped cookie cutters, cut out at least 40 pieces. Place 12-18 cut-outs onto prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate remaining cut-outs. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired. Bake 5-7 minutes or until crust is lightly golden brown. Cool completely. Set aside.
Beat eggs at medium speed in medium bowl until thick and pale yellow in color. Add all remaining filling ingredients; beat until well mixed. Set aside.
Roll out larger portion of dough on lightly floured surface into 19x14 (1/8-inch thick) rectangle. Fold dough rectangle into quarters. Place dough into ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Unfold dough, pressing firmly against bottom and sides. Crimp or flute edges.
Pour filling into crust. Decorate top of crust with remaining unbaked cut-outs. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 350°F. Bake 50-60 minutes or until knife inserted into center of pie comes out clean. Cool completely.
Beat chilled whipping cream, caramel sauce, and sugar in chilled bowl at low speed, scraping bowl often, until caramel sauce has dissolved. Continue beating at high speed until stiff peaks form.
Serve pie with a dollop of whipped cream and crust cut-out garnish.
Tip #1
To make ahead, prepare pie crust and filling the day before serving. Cover and refrigerate separately overnight. Bake cut-outs, assemble and bake pie.
CHOCOLATE CHERRY PIE - Vegan tofu cherry "cream" pie recipe
This is from Jolinda Hackett, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. Jolinda wrote, "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."
Note: I'm no longer able to find the link for this.
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
BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
This is from an old Weight Watchers' email. Serves: 8; 5 Points (old points value).
12 oz uncooked macaroni, elbow-type
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
12 oz fat-free evaporated milk
8 oz low-fat cheddar or Colby cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp dried bread crumbs
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Cook pasta according to package directions without added fat or salt; drain & transfer to a large bowl. While pasta is still hot, stir in sour cream; set aside.
Heat milk in small saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear just around the edges. Reduce heat to low, add cheese & simmer until cheese melts, stirring constantly with wire whisk, about 2 minutes; remove from heat & stir in mustard, salt, pepper & nutmeg.
Add cheese mixture to pasta; mix well. Transfer to a 4-quart casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs & Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over pasta. Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
APPLE CRISP
This comes from a long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.
4 large apples
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. melted butter
1 egg
1/2 cup water
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel, core & slice the apples. Put apples in a bowl & mix in 1/2 cup brown sugar. In a separate bowl, using a fork, mix together 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, & 1/4 teaspoon salt. In another bowl, beat together 1 egg, 2 tablespoons melted butter & 1/2 cup water. Add them to the dry ingredients. This is the topping. Put apples in baking dish & pour topping over them. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes. When done, apples should be soft & topping golden and crisp. Remove from oven & let cool.
Taco Tuesday
I love tacos, so it shouldn't be any surprise that I don't mind posting Taco Tuesday recipes! Today's six yummy vegetarian tacos include Butternut Squash Tacos with Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish and Pumpkin, Charred Kale & Onion Tacos with Ricotta and Balsamic Drizzle. Enjoy!
SPICY MOROCCAN CHICKPEA TACOS
This one, also from Vegetarian Times, begins, "For a switch from corn or flour tortillas, try these tacos wrapped in small, warmed whole pita rounds." Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 6-oz. pkg. chicken-style vegetarian strips, such as Lightlife Smart Strips
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and lightly mashed with fork
2 small carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 Tbs. harissa
1/3 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
Instructions:
Heat olive oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook 3 minutes, or until softened. Add chicken-style strips and fennel seeds, and cook 2 minutes. Stir in chickpeas, carrots, raisins, harissa, and 1/3 cup water. Cook 1 minute, or until sauce thickens slightly but carrots remain crisp. Stir in tomatoes, and immediately remove from heat. Fill tortillas with chickpea mixture, and serve warm.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 269; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 37 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 388 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 10 g
ROASTED TOMATILLO AND BLACK BEAN TACOS
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “To prepare fresh tomatillos, strip off the husks and rinse under warm water to remove any sticky sap clinging to the skin.” Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
3/4 lb. fresh whole tomatillos, husks removed
1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
3 Tbs. coarsely chopped cilantro, divided
1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeno pepper
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
4 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
1 small avocado, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 Tbs. queso fresco or feta cheese
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed, optional
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream, optional
Instructions:
Preheat oven to broil. Place oven rack 3 inches from heat source. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray, and spread tomatillos, onion, red bell pepper, and garlic on prepared baking sheet. Broil 12 minutes, or until tomatillos are blistered and charred, and onion and bell pepper are softened and charred, tossing once halfway through cooking time.
Pulse garlic, 1 Tbs. cilantro, jalapeño, and tomatillos 10 times in food processor, or until chunky. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss 1/4 cup tomatillo sauce with black beans, red bell pepper, and onion.
Fill tortillas with black bean mixture, avocado, and queso fresco. Garnish with remaining cilantro and corn kernels, if desired. Serve remaining tomatillo sauce and sour cream, if desired, on side.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 226; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 457 mg; Fiber: 11 g; Sugar: 7 g; Yield: Serves 4
BUTTERNUT SQUASH TACOS WITH CRANBERRY-JALAPENO RELISH
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 4-6 servings; Serving Size: 2-3 tacos
Relish adapted from The New York Times
Read more at http://ohmyveggies.com/butternut-squash-tacos-with-cranberry-jalapeno-relish/
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
12 small corn tortillas
2 cups cooked black beans
For the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish:
1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries
1 1/2 pounds tart apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
In a large bowl, toss together the butternut squash, olive oil and salt. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer and roast until tender, 20-30 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
Meanwhile, prepare the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cranberries, apples, sugar and apple cider vinegar. Cook, stirring frequently, until sugar has dissolved. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until cranberries start to pop and mixture has thickened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the jalapeño and ginger and remove from heat.
Warm the corn tortillas according to package directions. Serve the tortillas stuffed with the butternut squash and black beans, and topped with the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish.
Notes
Both the butternut squash and relish can be made ahead of time! Just reheat the butternut squash before stuffing it into the tortillas.
10-MINUTE BLACK BEAN TACOS
This was in an email from TheKitchn. I absolutely love TheKitchn, as well as its sibling site, Apartment Therapy. If you haven’t checked out either site, I highly recommend them. (Go ahead, I’ll wait…tap, tap, tap.)
Anyway, Sheela Prakash, Assistant Food Editor at TheKitchn, wrote, “When you come home extra late after a crazy day at the office, it may seem like your only options for dinner are takeout, those questionable leftovers in the fridge, or scrambled eggs and toast. You're starving and cranky and you need dinner fast, after all. Luckily there's a fourth option: these 10-minute tacos.
“Yes, making tacos in 10 minutes is absolutely possible. In less time than it will take you to wait for delivery (it feels like it takes forever when you're hungry), these hearty vegetarian tacos can be on your plate.”
To view these yummy tacos online, click here. Serves 4.
For the tacos:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup water
8 corn tortillas
For serving:
1 bag cabbage slaw or shredded cabbage
1 medium avocado, sliced
Salsa
Lime wedges
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the beans and water.
Cover the pan and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then uncover and use the back of a fork to partially mash the beans, leaving about half whole. If there's any remaining water in the pan, simmer the mixture uncovered until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Meanwhile, heat the tortillas. Stack them on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave in 30-second bursts until warm.
Fill the tortillas with the black bean mixture and top with slaw or cabbage, avocado, and salsa. Serve with lime wedges.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftover taco filling can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
PUMPKIN, CHARRED KALE & ONION TACOS WITH RICOTTA AND BALSAMIC DRIZZLE
This comes from a blog titled Cheese and Chocolate. (Even the blog’s title sounds yummy!) I definitely recommend checking it out! Go ahead, I’ll wait.
To view this recipe online, click here.
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
3 cups fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus 1/2 tsp, divided
3/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 small bunch kale, stemmed, leaves coarsely chopped
1 yellow onion, sliced
1/4 cup roasted pepitas
salt & pepper
fresh whole milk ricotta
corn tortillas
To make the balsamic drizzle, pour the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup into a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium and let simmer until it has reduced by about 1/2 and has a slightly syrupy consistency, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 425F. On a lightly oiled baking sheet toss the cubed pumpkin with 1 Tbsp olive oil, smoked paprika and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread pumpkin evenly over the baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until pumpkin is soft and brown in spots, about 20-30 minutes. Transfer pumpkin to a large bowl and set aside.
Set your oven to broil and set an oven rack about 3 inches below your broiler. Toss the kale leaves onto the same baking sheet you used for the pumpkin. Massage 1 Tbsp of oil into the kale leaves and season lightly with salt. Spread evening over the pan and then top the kale with slices of onion. Place kale and onion into the oven and broil for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is starting to brown and the kale is blackened in spots. Remove from oven and transfer to the bowl with the pumpkin. Gently mix the pumpkin, kale and onions together and season to taste with salt and pepper.
To assemble, spread a dollop of fresh ricotta onto a corn tortilla, top with the pumpkin and kale mixture, a drizzle of the balsamic glaze and sprinkling of roasted pepitas.
EGGPLANT TACOS
This is from Reiko on her blog, The Culinary Tribune. She starts off writing, “I love eggplant!…
“These tacos are so delicious!!
“If you like eggplant, try this.
“If you are a vegan or vegetarian, try this.
“If you want good tacos, try this.”
To view this online, click here. It looks like this makes 2 tacos.
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 eggplant, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons water
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon garlic chili paste
dry oregano
ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon corn starch plus water (for thickening)
salt and pepper
2 taco shells
a few slices of red onion
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
Cook eggplant in oil until tender. Add water, sugar, soy sauce, garlic chili paste, oregano, and cumin. Add corn starch and water mixture to thicken it slightly. Salt and pepper.
Warm taco shells in a toaster.
Fill the shells with the eggplant. Serve with red onion slices, cilantro, and green onion.
SPICY MOROCCAN CHICKPEA TACOS
This one, also from Vegetarian Times, begins, "For a switch from corn or flour tortillas, try these tacos wrapped in small, warmed whole pita rounds." Yield: Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 6-oz. pkg. chicken-style vegetarian strips, such as Lightlife Smart Strips
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and lightly mashed with fork
2 small carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 Tbs. harissa
1/3 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
Instructions:
Heat olive oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook 3 minutes, or until softened. Add chicken-style strips and fennel seeds, and cook 2 minutes. Stir in chickpeas, carrots, raisins, harissa, and 1/3 cup water. Cook 1 minute, or until sauce thickens slightly but carrots remain crisp. Stir in tomatoes, and immediately remove from heat. Fill tortillas with chickpea mixture, and serve warm.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 269; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 37 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 388 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 10 g
ROASTED TOMATILLO AND BLACK BEAN TACOS
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “To prepare fresh tomatillos, strip off the husks and rinse under warm water to remove any sticky sap clinging to the skin.” Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
3/4 lb. fresh whole tomatillos, husks removed
1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
3 Tbs. coarsely chopped cilantro, divided
1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeno pepper
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
4 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
1 small avocado, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 Tbs. queso fresco or feta cheese
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed, optional
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream, optional
Instructions:
Preheat oven to broil. Place oven rack 3 inches from heat source. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray, and spread tomatillos, onion, red bell pepper, and garlic on prepared baking sheet. Broil 12 minutes, or until tomatillos are blistered and charred, and onion and bell pepper are softened and charred, tossing once halfway through cooking time.
Pulse garlic, 1 Tbs. cilantro, jalapeño, and tomatillos 10 times in food processor, or until chunky. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss 1/4 cup tomatillo sauce with black beans, red bell pepper, and onion.
Fill tortillas with black bean mixture, avocado, and queso fresco. Garnish with remaining cilantro and corn kernels, if desired. Serve remaining tomatillo sauce and sour cream, if desired, on side.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 226; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 457 mg; Fiber: 11 g; Sugar: 7 g; Yield: Serves 4
BUTTERNUT SQUASH TACOS WITH CRANBERRY-JALAPENO RELISH
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 4-6 servings; Serving Size: 2-3 tacos
Relish adapted from The New York Times
Read more at http://ohmyveggies.com/butternut-squash-tacos-with-cranberry-jalapeno-relish/
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
12 small corn tortillas
2 cups cooked black beans
For the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish:
1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries
1 1/2 pounds tart apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
In a large bowl, toss together the butternut squash, olive oil and salt. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer and roast until tender, 20-30 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
Meanwhile, prepare the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cranberries, apples, sugar and apple cider vinegar. Cook, stirring frequently, until sugar has dissolved. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until cranberries start to pop and mixture has thickened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the jalapeño and ginger and remove from heat.
Warm the corn tortillas according to package directions. Serve the tortillas stuffed with the butternut squash and black beans, and topped with the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish.
Notes
Both the butternut squash and relish can be made ahead of time! Just reheat the butternut squash before stuffing it into the tortillas.
10-MINUTE BLACK BEAN TACOS
This was in an email from TheKitchn. I absolutely love TheKitchn, as well as its sibling site, Apartment Therapy. If you haven’t checked out either site, I highly recommend them. (Go ahead, I’ll wait…tap, tap, tap.)
Anyway, Sheela Prakash, Assistant Food Editor at TheKitchn, wrote, “When you come home extra late after a crazy day at the office, it may seem like your only options for dinner are takeout, those questionable leftovers in the fridge, or scrambled eggs and toast. You're starving and cranky and you need dinner fast, after all. Luckily there's a fourth option: these 10-minute tacos.
“Yes, making tacos in 10 minutes is absolutely possible. In less time than it will take you to wait for delivery (it feels like it takes forever when you're hungry), these hearty vegetarian tacos can be on your plate.”
To view these yummy tacos online, click here. Serves 4.
For the tacos:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup water
8 corn tortillas
For serving:
1 bag cabbage slaw or shredded cabbage
1 medium avocado, sliced
Salsa
Lime wedges
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the beans and water.
Cover the pan and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then uncover and use the back of a fork to partially mash the beans, leaving about half whole. If there's any remaining water in the pan, simmer the mixture uncovered until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Meanwhile, heat the tortillas. Stack them on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave in 30-second bursts until warm.
Fill the tortillas with the black bean mixture and top with slaw or cabbage, avocado, and salsa. Serve with lime wedges.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftover taco filling can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
PUMPKIN, CHARRED KALE & ONION TACOS WITH RICOTTA AND BALSAMIC DRIZZLE
This comes from a blog titled Cheese and Chocolate. (Even the blog’s title sounds yummy!) I definitely recommend checking it out! Go ahead, I’ll wait.
To view this recipe online, click here.
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
3 cups fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus 1/2 tsp, divided
3/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 small bunch kale, stemmed, leaves coarsely chopped
1 yellow onion, sliced
1/4 cup roasted pepitas
salt & pepper
fresh whole milk ricotta
corn tortillas
To make the balsamic drizzle, pour the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup into a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium and let simmer until it has reduced by about 1/2 and has a slightly syrupy consistency, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 425F. On a lightly oiled baking sheet toss the cubed pumpkin with 1 Tbsp olive oil, smoked paprika and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread pumpkin evenly over the baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until pumpkin is soft and brown in spots, about 20-30 minutes. Transfer pumpkin to a large bowl and set aside.
Set your oven to broil and set an oven rack about 3 inches below your broiler. Toss the kale leaves onto the same baking sheet you used for the pumpkin. Massage 1 Tbsp of oil into the kale leaves and season lightly with salt. Spread evening over the pan and then top the kale with slices of onion. Place kale and onion into the oven and broil for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is starting to brown and the kale is blackened in spots. Remove from oven and transfer to the bowl with the pumpkin. Gently mix the pumpkin, kale and onions together and season to taste with salt and pepper.
To assemble, spread a dollop of fresh ricotta onto a corn tortilla, top with the pumpkin and kale mixture, a drizzle of the balsamic glaze and sprinkling of roasted pepitas.
EGGPLANT TACOS
This is from Reiko on her blog, The Culinary Tribune. She starts off writing, “I love eggplant!…
“These tacos are so delicious!!
“If you like eggplant, try this.
“If you are a vegan or vegetarian, try this.
“If you want good tacos, try this.”
To view this online, click here. It looks like this makes 2 tacos.
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 eggplant, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons water
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon garlic chili paste
dry oregano
ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon corn starch plus water (for thickening)
salt and pepper
2 taco shells
a few slices of red onion
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
Cook eggplant in oil until tender. Add water, sugar, soy sauce, garlic chili paste, oregano, and cumin. Add corn starch and water mixture to thicken it slightly. Salt and pepper.
Warm taco shells in a toaster.
Fill the shells with the eggplant. Serve with red onion slices, cilantro, and green onion.
Monday, December 23, 2019
Pies
I don't think too many people object to pies. I know I don't. Here are six pies to try for holiday desserts (or any time), including Four-Flavor Sheet Pan Pie and Double Apple Pie. And if you're looking for a pie crust recipe, check out my Great-Grandma's Pie Crust from this past November. Enjoy!
Photo: On left, two Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pies; Upper right, Apple Pie; Lower right: Cranberry Pie
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.
Ingredients
Crust for a 9-inch two-crust pie
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon 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
Directions
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.
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.”
Note: This can be made using either just a bottom crust or top and bottom crusts. Dad had it as a bottom-crust-only pie, but I've made it both ways. If going with a top crust, too, have aluminum foil over the top of the pie for the first half of the baking, removing it for the last 10-15 minutes.
Ingredients
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
Directions
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
Ingredients
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
Directions
Make as above.
LIBBY'S FAMOUS PUMPKIN PIE
I got this from the Libby's brand canned pumpkin label.
Ingredients
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
Directions
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.
Enjoy!
PUMPKIN PIE IN A SHEET PAN
This yummy pie comes from the Food Network, and begins, “Got a crowd that loves pumpkin pie? This giant dessert in sheet-cake form serves 16. We extended the height of a baking sheet with aluminum foil for a deeper crust that holds the double recipe and placed pie dough rounds around the perimeter for a pretty fanned crust.”
Level: Intermediate; Total: 11 hr (includes cooling and chilling times); Active: 1 hr; Yield: 16 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Dough:
Cooking spray
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 large egg
Filling:
Two 15-ounce cans pumpkin puree
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Special equipment: a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet, 1 roll 18-inch-wide heavy-duty aluminum foil, a 1-inch round cookie cutter
Position an oven rack in the bottom of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Tear off two 24-inch pieces of 18-inch-wide heavy-duty aluminum foil. Line a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet with the foil, crisscrossing the pieces and leaving an overhang on all sides. Fold over each overhang so it stands upright and forms a sturdy wall about 3 inches high. Crimp the corners together, and lightly coat the bottom and sides with the cooking spray.
For the dough: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high until smooth, about 1 minute. Add half the flour, and beat to incorporate; add the remaining flour, and beat until the dough just starts to come together in large, soft clumps. (It should hold together when squeezed.) Set aside 1/3 of the dough (for decorating the edges).
Press half the remaining dough into the bottom of the baking sheet until it is completely covered, with no gaps, about 1/4 inch thick. (The dough won't be completely smooth.) Press the remaining dough into and about 1 inch up the sides of the foil wall until the dough is about 1/4 inch thick and there are no gaps where the sides and bottom meet. Bake until the dough is light golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.
Meanwhile, knead the reserved dough a few times to bring it together. Put it between 2 pieces of flour-dusted parchment; pat it into a disk, and roll it out to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out about 50 rounds with a 1-inch round cookie cutter, gathering scraps and rerolling as needed. Lay all the rounds out on a parchment-lined baking sheet or platter, beat the egg with a little water and brush the tops of each round with the egg wash. Refrigerate until ready to use.
For the filling: Gently whisk together the pumpkin, cream, granulated sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and salt in a large bowl until blended well.
Pour the filling into the cooled pie shell. Press the rounds in a single line all around the edges of the crust. (It's OK if part of the round sinks into the filling slightly.) Bake until the filling is only slightly wiggly when shaken, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool completely. Wrap and refrigerate overnight. Cut into squares, and serve with whipped cream.
Cook’s Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
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.
DOUBLE APPLE PIE
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, “This recipe is a keeper. Gently spiced with cinnamon, tinged with brown sugar and loaded with apple butter, it’s as deeply flavored as an apple pie can be, all covered with a buttery wide-lattice top crust. Although it’s at its most ethereal when baked on the same day you serve it, it’s still wonderful made a day ahead. (Don't let making your own pie crust intimidate you: our pie guide has everything you need to know.)”
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 1/2 hours, plus at least 3 1/2 hours' chilling and cooling.
This was featured in The United States Of Thanksgiving and can viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Crust
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 sticks/20 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
4 tablespoons vodka (optional)
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
For the Filling
3 pounds apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced crosswise (1/8-inch)
1/2 cup granulated sugar, more as needed
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons apple butter
Heavy cream or milk, as needed
Whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche, for serving
Preparation
Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse together flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture forms 3/4-inch pieces. Mix vodka with 4 tablespoons ice water (or use 1/2 cup ice water). Add half the ice water mixture to dough, pulse a few times, then continue adding liquid a tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together (you might not use all the liquid). Dough should be moist, but not wet, and hold together when pinched. If there are visible pieces of butter in the dough, all the better.
On a lightly floured surface, gather dough into a ball. Remove a third of the dough and form into a disk. Form remaining dough into a disk. Cover both tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger disk to a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold over any excess dough, then crimp edges. Prick crust all over with a fork, then chill crust for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
While dough chills, heat oven to 400 degrees. Line chilled crust with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes; remove foil and weights and bake until pale golden, 5 minutes more. Cool on rack until needed. (You can bake the crust up to 24 hours in advance.)
Toss apples with sugars, tapioca, spices, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the lemon juice. Fold in apple butter. Transfer apples to crust and press gently to make sure fruit is tightly packed.
Roll out remaining dough disk to a 10-inch round. Use a knife to cut strips 1 3/4 inches wide. Arrange strips over the filling in a lattice pattern. Brush top of crust with heavy cream or milk. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling thickly, about 1 hour 15 minutes more. Let pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before cutting. Serve with whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche.
Photo: On left, two Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pies; Upper right, Apple Pie; Lower right: Cranberry Pie
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.
Ingredients
Crust for a 9-inch two-crust pie
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon 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
Directions
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.
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.”
Note: This can be made using either just a bottom crust or top and bottom crusts. Dad had it as a bottom-crust-only pie, but I've made it both ways. If going with a top crust, too, have aluminum foil over the top of the pie for the first half of the baking, removing it for the last 10-15 minutes.
Ingredients
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
Directions
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
Ingredients
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
Directions
Make as above.
LIBBY'S FAMOUS PUMPKIN PIE
I got this from the Libby's brand canned pumpkin label.
Ingredients
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
Directions
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.
Enjoy!
PUMPKIN PIE IN A SHEET PAN
This yummy pie comes from the Food Network, and begins, “Got a crowd that loves pumpkin pie? This giant dessert in sheet-cake form serves 16. We extended the height of a baking sheet with aluminum foil for a deeper crust that holds the double recipe and placed pie dough rounds around the perimeter for a pretty fanned crust.”
Level: Intermediate; Total: 11 hr (includes cooling and chilling times); Active: 1 hr; Yield: 16 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Dough:
Cooking spray
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 large egg
Filling:
Two 15-ounce cans pumpkin puree
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Special equipment: a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet, 1 roll 18-inch-wide heavy-duty aluminum foil, a 1-inch round cookie cutter
Position an oven rack in the bottom of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Tear off two 24-inch pieces of 18-inch-wide heavy-duty aluminum foil. Line a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet with the foil, crisscrossing the pieces and leaving an overhang on all sides. Fold over each overhang so it stands upright and forms a sturdy wall about 3 inches high. Crimp the corners together, and lightly coat the bottom and sides with the cooking spray.
For the dough: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high until smooth, about 1 minute. Add half the flour, and beat to incorporate; add the remaining flour, and beat until the dough just starts to come together in large, soft clumps. (It should hold together when squeezed.) Set aside 1/3 of the dough (for decorating the edges).
Press half the remaining dough into the bottom of the baking sheet until it is completely covered, with no gaps, about 1/4 inch thick. (The dough won't be completely smooth.) Press the remaining dough into and about 1 inch up the sides of the foil wall until the dough is about 1/4 inch thick and there are no gaps where the sides and bottom meet. Bake until the dough is light golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.
Meanwhile, knead the reserved dough a few times to bring it together. Put it between 2 pieces of flour-dusted parchment; pat it into a disk, and roll it out to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out about 50 rounds with a 1-inch round cookie cutter, gathering scraps and rerolling as needed. Lay all the rounds out on a parchment-lined baking sheet or platter, beat the egg with a little water and brush the tops of each round with the egg wash. Refrigerate until ready to use.
For the filling: Gently whisk together the pumpkin, cream, granulated sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and salt in a large bowl until blended well.
Pour the filling into the cooled pie shell. Press the rounds in a single line all around the edges of the crust. (It's OK if part of the round sinks into the filling slightly.) Bake until the filling is only slightly wiggly when shaken, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool completely. Wrap and refrigerate overnight. Cut into squares, and serve with whipped cream.
Cook’s Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
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.
DOUBLE APPLE PIE
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, “This recipe is a keeper. Gently spiced with cinnamon, tinged with brown sugar and loaded with apple butter, it’s as deeply flavored as an apple pie can be, all covered with a buttery wide-lattice top crust. Although it’s at its most ethereal when baked on the same day you serve it, it’s still wonderful made a day ahead. (Don't let making your own pie crust intimidate you: our pie guide has everything you need to know.)”
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 1/2 hours, plus at least 3 1/2 hours' chilling and cooling.
This was featured in The United States Of Thanksgiving and can viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Crust
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 sticks/20 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
4 tablespoons vodka (optional)
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
For the Filling
3 pounds apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced crosswise (1/8-inch)
1/2 cup granulated sugar, more as needed
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons apple butter
Heavy cream or milk, as needed
Whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche, for serving
Preparation
Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse together flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture forms 3/4-inch pieces. Mix vodka with 4 tablespoons ice water (or use 1/2 cup ice water). Add half the ice water mixture to dough, pulse a few times, then continue adding liquid a tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together (you might not use all the liquid). Dough should be moist, but not wet, and hold together when pinched. If there are visible pieces of butter in the dough, all the better.
On a lightly floured surface, gather dough into a ball. Remove a third of the dough and form into a disk. Form remaining dough into a disk. Cover both tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger disk to a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold over any excess dough, then crimp edges. Prick crust all over with a fork, then chill crust for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
While dough chills, heat oven to 400 degrees. Line chilled crust with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes; remove foil and weights and bake until pale golden, 5 minutes more. Cool on rack until needed. (You can bake the crust up to 24 hours in advance.)
Toss apples with sugars, tapioca, spices, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the lemon juice. Fold in apple butter. Transfer apples to crust and press gently to make sure fruit is tightly packed.
Roll out remaining dough disk to a 10-inch round. Use a knife to cut strips 1 3/4 inches wide. Arrange strips over the filling in a lattice pattern. Brush top of crust with heavy cream or milk. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling thickly, about 1 hour 15 minutes more. Let pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before cutting. Serve with whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche.
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Desserts
Since the holidays are in full force, I decided to add another dessert post for those times when you need to bring something yummy for a holiday gathering. Today's offerings include Chocolate Peppermint Bars and Double Apple Pie. Enjoy!
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
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.
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.
DOUBLE APPLE PIE
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, “This recipe is a keeper. Gently spiced with cinnamon, tinged with brown sugar and loaded with apple butter, it’s as deeply flavored as an apple pie can be, all covered with a buttery wide-lattice top crust. Although it’s at its most ethereal when baked on the same day you serve it, it’s still wonderful made a day ahead. (Don't let making your own pie crust intimidate you: our pie guide has everything you need to know.)”
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 1/2 hours, plus at least 3 1/2 hours' chilling and cooling.
This was featured in The United States Of Thanksgiving and can viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Crust
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 sticks/20 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
4 tablespoons vodka (optional)
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
For the Filling
3 pounds apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced crosswise (1/8-inch)
1/2 cup granulated sugar, more as needed
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons apple butter
Heavy cream or milk, as needed
Whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche, for serving
Preparation
Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse together flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture forms 3/4-inch pieces. Mix vodka with 4 tablespoons ice water (or use 1/2 cup ice water). Add half the ice water mixture to dough, pulse a few times, then continue adding liquid a tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together (you might not use all the liquid). Dough should be moist, but not wet, and hold together when pinched. If there are visible pieces of butter in the dough, all the better.
On a lightly floured surface, gather dough into a ball. Remove a third of the dough and form into a disk. Form remaining dough into a disk. Cover both tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger disk to a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold over any excess dough, then crimp edges. Prick crust all over with a fork, then chill crust for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
While dough chills, heat oven to 400 degrees. Line chilled crust with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes; remove foil and weights and bake until pale golden, 5 minutes more. Cool on rack until needed. (You can bake the crust up to 24 hours in advance.)
Toss apples with sugars, tapioca, spices, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the lemon juice. Fold in apple butter. Transfer apples to crust and press gently to make sure fruit is tightly packed.
Roll out remaining dough disk to a 10-inch round. Use a knife to cut strips 1 3/4 inches wide. Arrange strips over the filling in a lattice pattern. Brush top of crust with heavy cream or milk. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling thickly, about 1 hour 15 minutes more. Let pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before cutting. Serve with whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche.
DARK CHOCOLATE AVOCADO MOUSSE
This is from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD on VeryWellFit. Kaleigh wrote, “No need to deprive yourself if you're following a blood pressure-friendly diet. Whether you need something sweet after dinner or you are asked to bring a dessert to a party, this dark chocolate avocado mousse is the perfect healthy yet decadent dessert.
“It uses avocados instead of heavy cream to give it a rich, creamy texture. Avocados are naturally high in potassium and magnesium, which help to lower your blood pressure. Avocados are also loaded with tons of vitamins, including folate, vitamin K, and vitamin E. They provide healthy monounsaturated fats and fiber to help keep you full and satisfied with just a small portion. Cocoa powder also contains fiber and blood pressure lowering flavonols.
“This mousse couldn’t be easier to make. Just blend everything in a blender until smooth and chill for just a little bit. Nobody will ever know that it’s healthier or that it is made with avocados!”
Total Time: 10 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Servings: 4 (1/2 cup each)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 small ripe avocados
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
1/2 cup milk of choice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Preparation
Cut avocados in half and remove seeds. Scoop from shells into a blender or food processor.
Place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe container and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth.
Add melted chocolate and remaining ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Divide into 4 serving dishes and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
For dairy-free and vegan, use dairy-free milk of choice and dairy-free chocolate chips.
For vegan, use maple syrup or agave instead of honey, too.
Cooking and Serving Tips
Add more milk by the tablespoon, if needed, until you reach the desired consistency.
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
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.
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.
DOUBLE APPLE PIE
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, “This recipe is a keeper. Gently spiced with cinnamon, tinged with brown sugar and loaded with apple butter, it’s as deeply flavored as an apple pie can be, all covered with a buttery wide-lattice top crust. Although it’s at its most ethereal when baked on the same day you serve it, it’s still wonderful made a day ahead. (Don't let making your own pie crust intimidate you: our pie guide has everything you need to know.)”
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 1/2 hours, plus at least 3 1/2 hours' chilling and cooling.
This was featured in The United States Of Thanksgiving and can viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Crust
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 sticks/20 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
4 tablespoons vodka (optional)
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
For the Filling
3 pounds apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced crosswise (1/8-inch)
1/2 cup granulated sugar, more as needed
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons apple butter
Heavy cream or milk, as needed
Whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche, for serving
Preparation
Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse together flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture forms 3/4-inch pieces. Mix vodka with 4 tablespoons ice water (or use 1/2 cup ice water). Add half the ice water mixture to dough, pulse a few times, then continue adding liquid a tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together (you might not use all the liquid). Dough should be moist, but not wet, and hold together when pinched. If there are visible pieces of butter in the dough, all the better.
On a lightly floured surface, gather dough into a ball. Remove a third of the dough and form into a disk. Form remaining dough into a disk. Cover both tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger disk to a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold over any excess dough, then crimp edges. Prick crust all over with a fork, then chill crust for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
While dough chills, heat oven to 400 degrees. Line chilled crust with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes; remove foil and weights and bake until pale golden, 5 minutes more. Cool on rack until needed. (You can bake the crust up to 24 hours in advance.)
Toss apples with sugars, tapioca, spices, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the lemon juice. Fold in apple butter. Transfer apples to crust and press gently to make sure fruit is tightly packed.
Roll out remaining dough disk to a 10-inch round. Use a knife to cut strips 1 3/4 inches wide. Arrange strips over the filling in a lattice pattern. Brush top of crust with heavy cream or milk. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling thickly, about 1 hour 15 minutes more. Let pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before cutting. Serve with whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche.
DARK CHOCOLATE AVOCADO MOUSSE
This is from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD on VeryWellFit. Kaleigh wrote, “No need to deprive yourself if you're following a blood pressure-friendly diet. Whether you need something sweet after dinner or you are asked to bring a dessert to a party, this dark chocolate avocado mousse is the perfect healthy yet decadent dessert.
“It uses avocados instead of heavy cream to give it a rich, creamy texture. Avocados are naturally high in potassium and magnesium, which help to lower your blood pressure. Avocados are also loaded with tons of vitamins, including folate, vitamin K, and vitamin E. They provide healthy monounsaturated fats and fiber to help keep you full and satisfied with just a small portion. Cocoa powder also contains fiber and blood pressure lowering flavonols.
“This mousse couldn’t be easier to make. Just blend everything in a blender until smooth and chill for just a little bit. Nobody will ever know that it’s healthier or that it is made with avocados!”
Total Time: 10 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Servings: 4 (1/2 cup each)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 small ripe avocados
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
1/2 cup milk of choice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Preparation
Cut avocados in half and remove seeds. Scoop from shells into a blender or food processor.
Place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe container and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth.
Add melted chocolate and remaining ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Divide into 4 serving dishes and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
For dairy-free and vegan, use dairy-free milk of choice and dairy-free chocolate chips.
For vegan, use maple syrup or agave instead of honey, too.
Cooking and Serving Tips
Add more milk by the tablespoon, if needed, until you reach the desired consistency.
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Sides
I usually don't post on Saturdays, but since Wednesday is Christmas, this post deals with sides for the holiday meal. Check out the Onion Supreme, the Egg Nog Pumpkin Pie, or any of the other meatless recipes today. Enjoy!
SPICE TEA
I used to make this every year for Christmas presents. It's easy to make and tastes yummy. Gift wrap in a decorative tin or in a bag, then placed into a mug.
Ingredients
8 oz loose tea
3 orange peels
1 1/2 - 2 sticks cinnamon
2 T chopped cloves
Directions
Cut orange peels into small pieces. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring occaion-ally. Let cool, add to loose tea, along with broken cinnamon sticks & cloves. Store in tight containers.
ROSE HIP MARMALADE
This recipe is from friends of the family, an Episcopal priest and his wife. Both were involved in the civil rights movement. He past away several years ago, but I still remember them fondly.
Ingredients
3 lbs. rose hips
1 large lemon
2 large oranges
6 C sugar
4 C boiling water
Directions
Remove stem & flower area ends from rose hips. Cut each berry in half. Cover with boiling water; simmer for 30 minutes. Rub through sieve or food mill. Add to pulp juice of lemon & oranges, coarsely ground-up rind of oranges, & sugar. Boil about 20 minutes. Pour into jelly glasses. When cool, cover with paraffin.
ONION SUPREME
My dad came for a week at Christmas, 1987. He fixed this to go with Christmas dinner, along with several other veggies. The day I drove him to Tampa International to fly back to New York, we went for coffee at a shop in the airport. When I asked for a copy of this, he grabbed a paper napkin and wrote down the recipe. It’s a great way to fix onions; I’ve always had onions in things, but never as a side dish. However, this is incredibly easy, as well as fantastic.
Ingredients
2 leeks (discard green), sliced thin
3 - 4 yellow onions, sliced thin
4 bunches scallions (discard green), sliced thin
20 small white onions
1 stick butter or margarine
1 1/2 C half & half
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
Directions
Melt butter over low heat and sauté leeks, scallions, garlic, and yellow onions for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook white onions in enough water to just barely cover. Add white onions (after 45 minutes) to skillet and pour in half & half. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes more & serve.
CRANBERRY PIE
My dad sent this in a letter dated "18 Nov '79". He wrote, "Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it."
Note: This can be made either with or without a top crust. The original recipe was for a one-crust pie, without top crust.
Ingredients
2 T cornstarch
1 C sugar
1/3 tsp salt
1 1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T butter
2 C cranberries
Pie crust
Directions
Blend 1st four ingredients and cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients and cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell and 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.)
Variation
Ingredients
2 T 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
Directions
Make as above.
EGG NOG PUMPKIN PIE
Ingredients
1 C canned eggnog
1 egg
18 oz. can pumpkin pie filling
9" pie crust
Diretions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In large bowl, combine egg nog, egg & pie filling; blend well. Pour into crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 50 minutes longer or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Garnish with whipped cream.
PEANUT BUTTER PIE
I drove cab for several years. This was given to me by one of my fares, a divorced man with custody of his two kids. It took three trips to get the recipe, including the amounts. I increased the amounts of the peanut butter and sugar from 1/3 C.
Ingredients
1/2 C peanut butter (note)
8 oz. cream cheese (note)
1/2 C confectioner’s sugar
8 oz. tub cool whip (note)
graham cracker crust
Directions
Mix peanut butter, sugar, cream cheese & cool whip together, pour into crust, refrigerate or freeze for 1 hour.
NOTE: The peanut butter should be creamy. The cream cheese can be low fat, but should NOT be fat-free; the pie won’t taste (or set up) right. The cool whip can be low fat, too. Onion Supreme,Peanut Butter Pie,Egg Nog Pumpkin Pie,Rose Hips Marmalade,Cranberry Pie,Spice Tea,
SPICE TEA
I used to make this every year for Christmas presents. It's easy to make and tastes yummy. Gift wrap in a decorative tin or in a bag, then placed into a mug.
Ingredients
8 oz loose tea
3 orange peels
1 1/2 - 2 sticks cinnamon
2 T chopped cloves
Directions
Cut orange peels into small pieces. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring occaion-ally. Let cool, add to loose tea, along with broken cinnamon sticks & cloves. Store in tight containers.
ROSE HIP MARMALADE
This recipe is from friends of the family, an Episcopal priest and his wife. Both were involved in the civil rights movement. He past away several years ago, but I still remember them fondly.
Ingredients
3 lbs. rose hips
1 large lemon
2 large oranges
6 C sugar
4 C boiling water
Directions
Remove stem & flower area ends from rose hips. Cut each berry in half. Cover with boiling water; simmer for 30 minutes. Rub through sieve or food mill. Add to pulp juice of lemon & oranges, coarsely ground-up rind of oranges, & sugar. Boil about 20 minutes. Pour into jelly glasses. When cool, cover with paraffin.
ONION SUPREME
My dad came for a week at Christmas, 1987. He fixed this to go with Christmas dinner, along with several other veggies. The day I drove him to Tampa International to fly back to New York, we went for coffee at a shop in the airport. When I asked for a copy of this, he grabbed a paper napkin and wrote down the recipe. It’s a great way to fix onions; I’ve always had onions in things, but never as a side dish. However, this is incredibly easy, as well as fantastic.
Ingredients
2 leeks (discard green), sliced thin
3 - 4 yellow onions, sliced thin
4 bunches scallions (discard green), sliced thin
20 small white onions
1 stick butter or margarine
1 1/2 C half & half
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
Directions
Melt butter over low heat and sauté leeks, scallions, garlic, and yellow onions for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook white onions in enough water to just barely cover. Add white onions (after 45 minutes) to skillet and pour in half & half. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes more & serve.
CRANBERRY PIE
My dad sent this in a letter dated "18 Nov '79". He wrote, "Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it."
Note: This can be made either with or without a top crust. The original recipe was for a one-crust pie, without top crust.
Ingredients
2 T cornstarch
1 C sugar
1/3 tsp salt
1 1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T butter
2 C cranberries
Pie crust
Directions
Blend 1st four ingredients and cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients and cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell and 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.)
Variation
Ingredients
2 T 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
Directions
Make as above.
EGG NOG PUMPKIN PIE
Ingredients
1 C canned eggnog
1 egg
18 oz. can pumpkin pie filling
9" pie crust
Diretions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In large bowl, combine egg nog, egg & pie filling; blend well. Pour into crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 50 minutes longer or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Garnish with whipped cream.
PEANUT BUTTER PIE
I drove cab for several years. This was given to me by one of my fares, a divorced man with custody of his two kids. It took three trips to get the recipe, including the amounts. I increased the amounts of the peanut butter and sugar from 1/3 C.
Ingredients
1/2 C peanut butter (note)
8 oz. cream cheese (note)
1/2 C confectioner’s sugar
8 oz. tub cool whip (note)
graham cracker crust
Directions
Mix peanut butter, sugar, cream cheese & cool whip together, pour into crust, refrigerate or freeze for 1 hour.
NOTE: The peanut butter should be creamy. The cream cheese can be low fat, but should NOT be fat-free; the pie won’t taste (or set up) right. The cool whip can be low fat, too. Onion Supreme,Peanut Butter Pie,Egg Nog Pumpkin Pie,Rose Hips Marmalade,Cranberry Pie,Spice Tea,
Friday, December 20, 2019
Friday Recipes
It's the last Friday before Christmas. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the weekend, including Winter Vegetable Bean Soup with Pesto and Creamy Pumpkin Mac 'N' Cheese. Enjoy!
EASY PUMPKIN PUDDING CAKE
This is from Ashley, a high school teacher turned blogger, on her wonderful site, The Recipe Rebel. This recipe begins, “This Easy Pumpkin Pudding Cake takes just 10 minutes prep and makes it’s own caramel pudding sauce as it bakes! Perfect hot from the oven with a scoop of ice cream.”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Makes 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour (I use whole wheat!)
3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cloves
3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling!)
1/3 cup milk (I use 1%)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sauce
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 1/4 cup hot or boiling water
2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9" pie plate or baking dish.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves with a spoon.
Add in pumpkin, milk, oil and vanilla and stir until a thick batter forms. Spread into prepared pie plate.
In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup brown sugar and corn starch until there are no clumps. Sprinkle over cake batter.
Add butter to hot water and stir until melted. Pour over brown sugar mixture in pan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until top is completely set (keep in mind that there is a thick layer of caramel sauce in the bottom, so it may jiggle). Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and reheat perfectly!
PUMPKIN SOUP
I'm not sure where this is from; maybe that infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list? Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cooking Time: 20 minutes; Serves 6
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons flour
6 cups veggie broth
one 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree
one 8-ounce jar applesauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
freshly ground pepper, to taste
croutons, optional
Directions
Heat the butter in a large saucepan and saute the onions over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir until mixed. Add the veggie broth and pumpkin and stir until smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients except the cream, pepper, and croutons. Stir well, cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until hot and the flavors have blended.
Stir in the cream and heat until hot. Garnish with freshly ground pepper and serve immediately with crisp croutons, if desired.
WINTER VEGETABLE BEAN SOUP WITH PESTO
This recipe, from FamilyTime, begins, “The easy-to-make basil pesto adds great flavor to this hearty soup, featuring carrots, potatoes, turnips and leeks. Best of all, it's ready in less than an hour.”
Serves: 10 servings (1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 medium carrots, diced (about 2/3 cup)
3 medium potato, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
1 medium turnip, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
2 large leeks, white part only, sliced (about 2 cups)
2 stalks celery, sliced (about 1 cup)
5 1/4 cups Swanson® Vegetable Broth (Regular or Certified Organic)
1 can (about 19 ounces) white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Easy Basil Pesto
Directions
Heat the carrots, potatoes, turnip, leeks, celery and 1 3/4 cups broth in a 6-quart saucepot over medium-high heat to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
Reserve 1/2 cup of broth for the Easy Basil Pesto. Stir the remaining broth, beans, bay leaf and red pepper in the saucepot and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf. Serve topped with the Easy Basil Pesto.
Easy Basil Pesto: Place 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 3 cloves garlic and 1/2 cup reserved broth in a food processor or blender. Cover and process until smooth.
Serving Suggestion: Serve with Italian bread sticks. For dessert serve lemon bars.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
This comes from GE Appliances, and begins, “Don't let risotto intimidate you! With a little bit of time and patience you can enjoy this delicious dish. The creamy risotto is combined with sweet butternut squash, fragrant sage and rosemary for a perfect dish to usher in the cool days of fall.”
Makes 6 servings in 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (see my note)
7-1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated (see my note)
5-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauti pan. Add squash. Sauti for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook on medium heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is glossy and begins to turn translucent on the edges, about 5 minutes. Mix in sage and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the white wine; cook, stir until it is absorbed. Add a large ladleful of the hot chicken stock (about 1/2 cup) reduce heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. Continue adding the chicken stock to the rice 1/2 a cup at a time until the rice is creamy but is still slightly firm when tasted, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
CHEF'S NOTES:
You can cut up your own squash or use pre-cubed butternut squash from your favorite grocery store. Just make sure the squash is cut into 1/2" cubes so it gets tender enough in the risotto.
My note: If, like me, you don’t have alcohol around your house, feel free to use either non-alcohol white wine or just plain water.
Also, the recipe also called for chicken stock. I substituted vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
LIGHT LASAGNA
This is from a long-since-forgotten emailing list (possibly a Weight Watchers email), and starts off, “This is from my new cookbook "Fix it and Forget it Light" Lowfat Crockpot recipes.-Sams' Club.”
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
4 1/2 C fat free, low sodium meatless spaghetti sauce
1/2 C water
16-oz fat-free ricotta cheese
2 C shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
3/4 C parmesan cheese, divided
1 egg
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp Italian seasoning
8 oz box no-cook lasagna noodles.
Directions
Mix spaghetti sauce and 1/2 c water in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, 1 1/2c mozzarella cheese, 1/2 c parmesan cheese, egg, garlic and seasoning.
Spread 1/4 of the sauce mixture in bottom of slow cooker. Top with 1/3 of the noodles. Breaking to fit if needed.
Spread with 1/3 of the cheese mixture, making sure noodles are covered.
Repeat layers twice more.
Spread with remaining sauce.
Cover. Cook on low 5 hours.
Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Cover. Let stand 10 min to allow cheese to melt.
Per serving: 360 celeries (90 calories from fat = 25% fat) 10 grams fat (4.5g saturated, 0 trans) 40 mg cholesterol, 870 mg sodium, 39g total carbohydrates (6g fiber, 10g sugar) 25g protein, 50% DV calcium, 10% DV iron.
CREAMY PUMPKIN MAC 'N' CHEESE
This is from Dana (and her husband, John) on their blog, Minimalist Baker. Dana wrote, “Amazing, creamy, flavorful pumpkin mac 'n' cheese made with 10 simple ingredients! The perfect dairy- and gluten-free entrée for fall and the holiday season!> This absolutely yummy mac and cheese is worth the effort.”
To view this online, click here. Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 1 hour 20 mins; Total time: 1 hour 30 mins. Author: Minimalist Baker. Serves: 2 as entrée, 4 as side.
Ingredients
Sauce
1 (2-3-lb) sugar or pie pumpkin (or sub 2 cups canned pumpkin puree*)
optional: 1 Tbsp avocado or coconut oil
2 cloves garlic (1 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp arrowroot starch
1-1 1/4 cup unsweetened plain almond or rice milk (start with 1 cup)
1/2 tsp sea salt
2-3 Tbsp chopped sage or thyme (I used half thyme, half sage)
4-5 Tbsp nutritional yeast
3-4 Tbsp vegan parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
optional: 1/4 tsp red pepper flake or cayenne pepper
Pasta
10 ounces gluten-free pasta (I love Bionaturae pastas and Trader Joe’s gluten-free fusilli)
Toppings, optional
Vegan parmesan cheese
Fresh sage sautéed in oil over medium heat for 1 minute or until just slightly browned
Pine nuts
Instructions
If baking your pumpkin, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Otherwise, if using canned pumpkin puree, skip to step 4.
Using a sharp knife, cut the tops of your pumpkin off and then cut pumpkin in half. Use a sharp spoon or ice cream scoop to scrape out all the seeds and strings. (Save the seeds for roasting!)
Optional: Brush the flesh with a neutral, high heat oil, such as avocado. And place flesh down on the baking sheet.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the skin. In the last 20 minutes of roasting, add the two cloves of garlic still in skin to the baking sheet to slightly brown and soften. Then remove pan from the oven and let the pumpkin cool. Also peel garlic cloves and set aside.
If serving with pasta, start boiling water and cooking pasta at this time. Once pasta is cooked, drain and set aside. Optional: I like to drizzle mine with a little olive or avocado oil and a sprinkle of sea salt and vegan parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
To make the sauce, add 2 cups baked pumpkin (or pumpkin puree) to a high-speed blender along with peeled roasted garlic, arrowroot starch, dairy-free milk (start with 1 cup or 240 ml), sea salt, sage or thyme (I used both), nutritional yeast, vegan parmesan cheese, pumpkin pie spice, and red pepper flake (optional).
Blend on high until creamy and smooth. Then taste and adjust flavor as needed. Add more salt for saltiness, nutritional yeast for cheesiness, sage or thyme for herbiness, vegan parmesan cheese for depth of flavor, pumpkin pie spice for pumpkin flavor and warmth, or red pepper flake for spice (optional).
To heat/thicken the sauce, pour into a rimmed skillet and heat over medium-low heat, whisking frequently until sauce is hot and slightly thickened - 3-5 minutes. If it gets too thick, thin with a bit more dairy-free milk.
To serve, add cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to combine. Serve as is or (optional) sprinkle with 2 Tbsp vegan parmesan cheese and broil on medium for 1-3 minutes, watching very carefully until barely browned.
Enjoy hot and garnish with pine nuts or sautéed sage if desired. Cool leftovers and store in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days.
Notes
*If using canned pumpkin puree, add the garlic raw to the blender or sauté in 1 Tbsp oil for 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat before blending.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 4 servings without additional toppings.
Nutrition Information: Serving size: 1/4 of recipe; Calories: 297; Fat: 4.7 g; Saturated fat: 0.8 g; Carbohydrates: 54.2 g; Sugar: 3.9 g; Sodium: 306 mg; Fiber: 4.4 g; Protein: 11.3 g
Winter Vegetable Bean Soup with Pesto,Creamy Pumpkin Mac 'N' Cheese,Pumpkin Soup,Butternut Squash Risotto,Light Lasagna,Easy Pumpkin Pudding Cake,
EASY PUMPKIN PUDDING CAKE
This is from Ashley, a high school teacher turned blogger, on her wonderful site, The Recipe Rebel. This recipe begins, “This Easy Pumpkin Pudding Cake takes just 10 minutes prep and makes it’s own caramel pudding sauce as it bakes! Perfect hot from the oven with a scoop of ice cream.”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Makes 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour (I use whole wheat!)
3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cloves
3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling!)
1/3 cup milk (I use 1%)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sauce
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 1/4 cup hot or boiling water
2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9" pie plate or baking dish.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves with a spoon.
Add in pumpkin, milk, oil and vanilla and stir until a thick batter forms. Spread into prepared pie plate.
In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup brown sugar and corn starch until there are no clumps. Sprinkle over cake batter.
Add butter to hot water and stir until melted. Pour over brown sugar mixture in pan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until top is completely set (keep in mind that there is a thick layer of caramel sauce in the bottom, so it may jiggle). Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and reheat perfectly!
PUMPKIN SOUP
I'm not sure where this is from; maybe that infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list? Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cooking Time: 20 minutes; Serves 6
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons flour
6 cups veggie broth
one 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree
one 8-ounce jar applesauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
freshly ground pepper, to taste
croutons, optional
Directions
Heat the butter in a large saucepan and saute the onions over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir until mixed. Add the veggie broth and pumpkin and stir until smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients except the cream, pepper, and croutons. Stir well, cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until hot and the flavors have blended.
Stir in the cream and heat until hot. Garnish with freshly ground pepper and serve immediately with crisp croutons, if desired.
WINTER VEGETABLE BEAN SOUP WITH PESTO
This recipe, from FamilyTime, begins, “The easy-to-make basil pesto adds great flavor to this hearty soup, featuring carrots, potatoes, turnips and leeks. Best of all, it's ready in less than an hour.”
Serves: 10 servings (1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 medium carrots, diced (about 2/3 cup)
3 medium potato, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
1 medium turnip, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
2 large leeks, white part only, sliced (about 2 cups)
2 stalks celery, sliced (about 1 cup)
5 1/4 cups Swanson® Vegetable Broth (Regular or Certified Organic)
1 can (about 19 ounces) white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Easy Basil Pesto
Directions
Heat the carrots, potatoes, turnip, leeks, celery and 1 3/4 cups broth in a 6-quart saucepot over medium-high heat to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
Reserve 1/2 cup of broth for the Easy Basil Pesto. Stir the remaining broth, beans, bay leaf and red pepper in the saucepot and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf. Serve topped with the Easy Basil Pesto.
Easy Basil Pesto: Place 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 3 cloves garlic and 1/2 cup reserved broth in a food processor or blender. Cover and process until smooth.
Serving Suggestion: Serve with Italian bread sticks. For dessert serve lemon bars.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
This comes from GE Appliances, and begins, “Don't let risotto intimidate you! With a little bit of time and patience you can enjoy this delicious dish. The creamy risotto is combined with sweet butternut squash, fragrant sage and rosemary for a perfect dish to usher in the cool days of fall.”
Makes 6 servings in 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (see my note)
7-1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated (see my note)
5-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauti pan. Add squash. Sauti for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook on medium heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is glossy and begins to turn translucent on the edges, about 5 minutes. Mix in sage and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the white wine; cook, stir until it is absorbed. Add a large ladleful of the hot chicken stock (about 1/2 cup) reduce heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. Continue adding the chicken stock to the rice 1/2 a cup at a time until the rice is creamy but is still slightly firm when tasted, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
CHEF'S NOTES:
You can cut up your own squash or use pre-cubed butternut squash from your favorite grocery store. Just make sure the squash is cut into 1/2" cubes so it gets tender enough in the risotto.
My note: If, like me, you don’t have alcohol around your house, feel free to use either non-alcohol white wine or just plain water.
Also, the recipe also called for chicken stock. I substituted vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
LIGHT LASAGNA
This is from a long-since-forgotten emailing list (possibly a Weight Watchers email), and starts off, “This is from my new cookbook "Fix it and Forget it Light" Lowfat Crockpot recipes.-Sams' Club.”
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
4 1/2 C fat free, low sodium meatless spaghetti sauce
1/2 C water
16-oz fat-free ricotta cheese
2 C shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
3/4 C parmesan cheese, divided
1 egg
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp Italian seasoning
8 oz box no-cook lasagna noodles.
Directions
Mix spaghetti sauce and 1/2 c water in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, 1 1/2c mozzarella cheese, 1/2 c parmesan cheese, egg, garlic and seasoning.
Spread 1/4 of the sauce mixture in bottom of slow cooker. Top with 1/3 of the noodles. Breaking to fit if needed.
Spread with 1/3 of the cheese mixture, making sure noodles are covered.
Repeat layers twice more.
Spread with remaining sauce.
Cover. Cook on low 5 hours.
Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Cover. Let stand 10 min to allow cheese to melt.
Per serving: 360 celeries (90 calories from fat = 25% fat) 10 grams fat (4.5g saturated, 0 trans) 40 mg cholesterol, 870 mg sodium, 39g total carbohydrates (6g fiber, 10g sugar) 25g protein, 50% DV calcium, 10% DV iron.
CREAMY PUMPKIN MAC 'N' CHEESE
This is from Dana (and her husband, John) on their blog, Minimalist Baker. Dana wrote, “Amazing, creamy, flavorful pumpkin mac 'n' cheese made with 10 simple ingredients! The perfect dairy- and gluten-free entrée for fall and the holiday season!> This absolutely yummy mac and cheese is worth the effort.”
To view this online, click here. Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 1 hour 20 mins; Total time: 1 hour 30 mins. Author: Minimalist Baker. Serves: 2 as entrée, 4 as side.
Ingredients
Sauce
1 (2-3-lb) sugar or pie pumpkin (or sub 2 cups canned pumpkin puree*)
optional: 1 Tbsp avocado or coconut oil
2 cloves garlic (1 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp arrowroot starch
1-1 1/4 cup unsweetened plain almond or rice milk (start with 1 cup)
1/2 tsp sea salt
2-3 Tbsp chopped sage or thyme (I used half thyme, half sage)
4-5 Tbsp nutritional yeast
3-4 Tbsp vegan parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
optional: 1/4 tsp red pepper flake or cayenne pepper
Pasta
10 ounces gluten-free pasta (I love Bionaturae pastas and Trader Joe’s gluten-free fusilli)
Toppings, optional
Vegan parmesan cheese
Fresh sage sautéed in oil over medium heat for 1 minute or until just slightly browned
Pine nuts
Instructions
If baking your pumpkin, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Otherwise, if using canned pumpkin puree, skip to step 4.
Using a sharp knife, cut the tops of your pumpkin off and then cut pumpkin in half. Use a sharp spoon or ice cream scoop to scrape out all the seeds and strings. (Save the seeds for roasting!)
Optional: Brush the flesh with a neutral, high heat oil, such as avocado. And place flesh down on the baking sheet.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the skin. In the last 20 minutes of roasting, add the two cloves of garlic still in skin to the baking sheet to slightly brown and soften. Then remove pan from the oven and let the pumpkin cool. Also peel garlic cloves and set aside.
If serving with pasta, start boiling water and cooking pasta at this time. Once pasta is cooked, drain and set aside. Optional: I like to drizzle mine with a little olive or avocado oil and a sprinkle of sea salt and vegan parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
To make the sauce, add 2 cups baked pumpkin (or pumpkin puree) to a high-speed blender along with peeled roasted garlic, arrowroot starch, dairy-free milk (start with 1 cup or 240 ml), sea salt, sage or thyme (I used both), nutritional yeast, vegan parmesan cheese, pumpkin pie spice, and red pepper flake (optional).
Blend on high until creamy and smooth. Then taste and adjust flavor as needed. Add more salt for saltiness, nutritional yeast for cheesiness, sage or thyme for herbiness, vegan parmesan cheese for depth of flavor, pumpkin pie spice for pumpkin flavor and warmth, or red pepper flake for spice (optional).
To heat/thicken the sauce, pour into a rimmed skillet and heat over medium-low heat, whisking frequently until sauce is hot and slightly thickened - 3-5 minutes. If it gets too thick, thin with a bit more dairy-free milk.
To serve, add cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to combine. Serve as is or (optional) sprinkle with 2 Tbsp vegan parmesan cheese and broil on medium for 1-3 minutes, watching very carefully until barely browned.
Enjoy hot and garnish with pine nuts or sautéed sage if desired. Cool leftovers and store in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days.
Notes
*If using canned pumpkin puree, add the garlic raw to the blender or sauté in 1 Tbsp oil for 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat before blending.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 4 servings without additional toppings.
Nutrition Information: Serving size: 1/4 of recipe; Calories: 297; Fat: 4.7 g; Saturated fat: 0.8 g; Carbohydrates: 54.2 g; Sugar: 3.9 g; Sodium: 306 mg; Fiber: 4.4 g; Protein: 11.3 g
Winter Vegetable Bean Soup with Pesto,Creamy Pumpkin Mac 'N' Cheese,Pumpkin Soup,Butternut Squash Risotto,Light Lasagna,Easy Pumpkin Pudding Cake,
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