I want something snacky!
Who hasn't said that once in a while? I think we all crave snack food/desserts periodically. Today's post deals with desserts, including Tie-Dye Cheesecake and Katharine Hepburn's Brownies. Enjoy!
LEMON BARS
This yummy recipe comes from Ina Garten, star of The Food Network show, Barefoot Contessa.
Total: 1 hr 35 min; Prep: 10 min; Inactive: 30 min; Cook: 55 min; Yield: 20 squares or 40 triangles; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.
Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.
TIE-DYE CHEESECAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “This outrageous psychedelic cheesecake is an ode to all the tie-dye of the 1960s. Making the vibrant swirls is much easier to do than it looks; all you need is a wooden skewer – groovy!” Total: 10 hr 45 min; Active: 35 min; Yield: 12 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 18 whole crackers)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine salt
Filling:
Three 11.5-ounce containers whipped cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
One 16-ounce container sour cream, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Neon blue, pink and purple food coloring
Yellow food coloring
Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Special equipment: a 10-inch springform pan and a wooden skewer
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
For the crust: Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and salt and press into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely. Wrap up the bottom and sides of pan with a large piece of foil and put in a large roasting pan.
For the filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar, in a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and mix until just combined. Add the heavy cream and mix until just combined. Mix in the eggs, by hand, 1 at time. Then mix in the vanilla, lemon juice, by hand as well, until just combined. (Overmixing can turn your cheesecake into a souffle.)
Using a ladle, divide the cheesecake batter into 4 separate bowls. Dye each a separate color; blue, pink, purple and yellow. Add enough food coloring so that the colors are very vibrant and intense.
Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to drop spoonfuls of the batter onto the crust, alternating the colors, until all the batter has been scooped. Use a wooden skewer and drag it through the colors to marble them for tie-dye effect, making sure the skewer reaches down to the bottom of the pan. Transfer the pan to the roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
Bake until the outside of the cake is set and the center is still slightly loose, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
Unmold the cheesecake and transfer to a serving plate or cake stand. Serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream.
PEANUT BUTTER BARS WITH SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE
This is from Nancy Fuller of The Food Network’s Farmhouse Rules.
Total: 1 hr 10 min; Active: 25 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/peanut-butter-bars-with-salted-chocolate-ganache.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for baking dish
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Kosher salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional
Directions
Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish and set aside.
Place the chocolate and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute and then whisk until completely melted and smooth.
Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate until the chocolate is cooled and set, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
Sprinkle evenly with the flaky sea salt. Cut into squares to serve.
STUFFED PINATA CAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “Your guests will certainly be delighted by the sight of this bright cake. But make sure they don't put their cameras away too soon: once you cut into it, a candy surprise comes spilling out!”
Total: 3 hours 15 minutes; Active: 1 hour 5 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/stuffed-pinata-cake.
Ingredients
Frosting:
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch fine salt
6 large egg whites
4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks, at room temperature
5 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Filling and Decoration:
Blue, orange, yellow, purple and pink food coloring
2 cups of your favorite small and soft candies (none in wrappers), such as gummies or candy-covered chocolates
Cake:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
DirectionsFor the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter and line the bottom of each with parchment.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, vanilla, eggs and egg yolk together in another medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high until light and fluffy. Add about a third of the flour mixture and beat on medium low until incorporated. Now add a third of the egg-milk mixture and continue to beat on medium low until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Repeat with the remaining flour and egg-milk mixtures, finishing with the flour.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake until the cake bounces back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the cake pans on a rack.
For the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a heatproof stand mixer's bowl above the water.
Add the sugar, lemon juice, salt and egg whites to the mixer bowl and whisk together by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar completely dissolves. Transfer to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until cool and the whites hold stiff peaks, 10 to 15 minutes.
Toss in a couple of chunks of butter at a time, making sure the pieces are incorporated before adding more. After all the butter is added, continue beating on medium-high speed. The mixture will deflate and appear curdled. Continue beating until the frosting comes back together to a smooth and spreadable consistency. (If the frosting is very soft or begins to break, refrigerate until set but still spreadable, then beat until light before using.)
For the filling and decoration: Dye the coconut: Have ready 5 resealable plastic bags or plastic containers. Put 1 1/2 cups of the coconut in one container with 6 to 8 drops of blue food coloring. Put 1 cup of coconut in the second container with 5 to 6 drops of orange food coloring, 1 cup of coconut in the third with 5 to 6 drops yellow food coloring and 1 cup of coconut in the fourth with 6 to 8 drops purple food coloring. Put the remaining 1/2 cup coconut in the fifth container with 4 to 5 drops pink food coloring. Seal each container and shake vigorously until the coconut is evenly dyed. Add more food coloring 1 drop at a time as needed to get bright, vibrant colors.
Assemble the cake: Cut a 4-inch circle out of the center of each cake (reserve the small cut-out cake rounds). Put one of the cake rings on a cake stand or serving platter and frost with about 1 cup of frosting. Put the other cake ring on top and push down slightly. Fill the hole with candy. Cut one of the reserved cake rounds in half horizontally to make 2 thinner rounds. Use one to fill the hole on top of the cake. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Cut a strip of parchment about 30 inches long and 3 inches wide. Wrap this parchment around the cake like a collar, leaving 1 inch of frosting exposed around the bottom perimeter of the cake. Pack some of the blue coconut onto the exposed frosting to make your first strip of color. Lift the collar up another 1 inch and do the same with the orange coconut. Remove the collar and fill the remaining inch of frosting with the yellow coconut. For the top, make 1-inch-wide rings, starting on the outside and working your way in, with the purple, pink, blue and orange coconut until the top is completely covered. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.
KATHARINE HEPBURN'S BROWNIES
This came in a recent New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “Much like its author, this recipe is a no-fuss classic. It calls for just 1/4 cup of flour, which yields an incredibly rich and gooey brownie, and it's super easy to make. So easy, in fact, that baking a batch of these might just become part of your weekend routine.” Time: about 45 minutes; makes 12 brownies
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped or broken-up walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts and salt. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.
Pour into a greased 8 x 8-inch-square pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake; the brownies should be gooey. Let cool, then cut into bars.
DOUBLE GOOD BLUEBERRY PIE
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
3/4 c. sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 c. water
2 c. blueberries
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 c. blueberries
1 baked 9 inch pie shell
Sweetened whipped cream
Directions
Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan. Add 2 cups blueberries and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture boils, thickens and is clear. Add butter and lemon juice. Cool. Place 2 cups blueberries in pie shell. Top with cooled mixture. Chill. Garnish with whipped cream.
Showing posts with label Peanut Butter Bars with Salted Chocolate Ganache. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Peanut Butter Bars with Salted Chocolate Ganache. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Thursday Recipes
Here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Vegan Lentil Burgers and Peanut Butter Bars with Salted Chocolate Ganache. (Do I have your attention?) Enjoy!
APRICOT COBBLER SUPREME
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbs melted shortening
2 cups cooked apricots, sweetened
Directions
Beat egg and sugar until creamy. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla to creamed mixture; add shortening. Put fruit in greased baking dish; pour in batter. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until batter is done. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.
Any type fruit, fresh or canned, may be substituted for apricots. If using fresh fruit, sprinkle with 1cup sugar and heat before pouring in batter. Enjoy!
CORN SALAD
This simple (and simply yummy) recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. Lena wrote, “The quintessential summer salad.”
Yields: 4 – 6 servings; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes.
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
4 c. fresh or frozen corn, defrosted
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 c. crumbled feta
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1/4 c. basil, thinly sliced
3 tbsp. olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
BEET-TOP CRUSTLESS QUICHE
This is from the Vegetarian Times website (May 5, 2008), and begins, “Edible beet tops are the free prize that comes with the colorful root vegetable. This entrée calls for about the amount of greens you’d get from a one-pound bunch of beets, but it can also be made with spinach, Swiss chard, or other leafy greens.”
Makes 6 servings and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
4 cups beet greens, stems trimmed and coarsely chopped
3 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Stir in garlic, and cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add beet greens and 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 7 to 10 minutes, or until beet greens are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Cool 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9- x 9-inch baking pan or 8-inch glass pie dish with cooking spray. Whisk eggs in large bowl 1 minute, or until frothy. Whisk in flour and baking powder until no lumps remain. Whisk in milk, and season with salt and pepper. Stir Parmesan cheese and beet green mixture into egg mixture. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until browned and puffy on top.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 152; Carbohydrate Content: 15 g; Cholesterol Content: 112 mg; Fat Content: 6.5 g; Fiber Content: 1 g; Protein Content: 8 g; Saturated Fat Content: 2 g; Sodium Content: 448 mg; Sugar Content: 5 g
VEGAN LENTIL BURGERS
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “These burgers are packed with flavor, fiber and protein while still being low in fat. We love them grilled, but you can also pan-fry them: Heat 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and fry patties until well browned, about 2 minutes per side. (Remember: The extra oil will alter the calorie and fat totals.)”
Total: 2 hr 10 min; Prep: 20 min; Inactive: 1 hr Cook: 50 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/vegan-lentil-burgers-3362403.
Ingredients
3/4 cup brown lentils, rinsed, strained and picked through
1 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon low-sodium vegetable broth or water
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, half finely chopped and half thinly sliced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Kosher salt
8 ounces fresh baby spinach
2 large cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
Cooking spray
6 whole-grain vegan hamburger buns
Baby arugula, basil, roasted red bell peppers and spicy mustard, for serving, optional
Directions
Bring the lentils and 1 3/4 cup of the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer until the lentils are fully softened and the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon broth and mash well with a potato masher. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the spinach, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper and cumin and stir until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.
Add the spinach mixture, breadcrumbs, walnuts and 3/4 teaspoon salt to the lentils and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat the grill to medium-high. Form the mixture into six 4-inch patties and spray with cooking spray on each side. Grill until nice grill marks form, about 3 minutes per side. Place the patties in the buns with the sliced onion and other toppings, as desired, and serve.
CHICKPEA TIKKA MASALA
This is from the March 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 24, and begins, “This mild veg version of an Indian restaurant favorite shows that Indian food doesn’t have to be ultra-spicy to be good.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
This can be viewed online here.
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 Tbs. garam masala
1 Tbs. tomato paste
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chile, minced
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup low-fat Greek-style yogurt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until softened. Add garam masala, tomato paste, ginger, and serrano chile, and season with salt, if desired. Sauté 1 minute more.
Stir in chickpeas and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in yogurt and cilantro.
nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 328; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 582 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 11 g; Gluten-Free
PEANUT BUTTER BARS WITH SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE
This is from Nancy Fuller of The Food Network’s Farmhouse Rules.
Total: 1 hr 10 min; Active: 25 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/peanut-butter-bars-with-salted-chocolate-ganache.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for baking dish
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Kosher salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional
Directions
Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish and set aside.
Place the chocolate and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute and then whisk until completely melted and smooth.
Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate until the chocolate is cooled and set, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
Sprinkle evenly with the flaky sea salt. Cut into squares to serve.
APRICOT COBBLER SUPREME
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbs melted shortening
2 cups cooked apricots, sweetened
Directions
Beat egg and sugar until creamy. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla to creamed mixture; add shortening. Put fruit in greased baking dish; pour in batter. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until batter is done. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.
Any type fruit, fresh or canned, may be substituted for apricots. If using fresh fruit, sprinkle with 1cup sugar and heat before pouring in batter. Enjoy!
CORN SALAD
This simple (and simply yummy) recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. Lena wrote, “The quintessential summer salad.”
Yields: 4 – 6 servings; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes.
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
4 c. fresh or frozen corn, defrosted
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 c. crumbled feta
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1/4 c. basil, thinly sliced
3 tbsp. olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
BEET-TOP CRUSTLESS QUICHE
This is from the Vegetarian Times website (May 5, 2008), and begins, “Edible beet tops are the free prize that comes with the colorful root vegetable. This entrée calls for about the amount of greens you’d get from a one-pound bunch of beets, but it can also be made with spinach, Swiss chard, or other leafy greens.”
Makes 6 servings and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
4 cups beet greens, stems trimmed and coarsely chopped
3 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Stir in garlic, and cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add beet greens and 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 7 to 10 minutes, or until beet greens are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Cool 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9- x 9-inch baking pan or 8-inch glass pie dish with cooking spray. Whisk eggs in large bowl 1 minute, or until frothy. Whisk in flour and baking powder until no lumps remain. Whisk in milk, and season with salt and pepper. Stir Parmesan cheese and beet green mixture into egg mixture. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until browned and puffy on top.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 152; Carbohydrate Content: 15 g; Cholesterol Content: 112 mg; Fat Content: 6.5 g; Fiber Content: 1 g; Protein Content: 8 g; Saturated Fat Content: 2 g; Sodium Content: 448 mg; Sugar Content: 5 g
VEGAN LENTIL BURGERS
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “These burgers are packed with flavor, fiber and protein while still being low in fat. We love them grilled, but you can also pan-fry them: Heat 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and fry patties until well browned, about 2 minutes per side. (Remember: The extra oil will alter the calorie and fat totals.)”
Total: 2 hr 10 min; Prep: 20 min; Inactive: 1 hr Cook: 50 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/vegan-lentil-burgers-3362403.
Ingredients
3/4 cup brown lentils, rinsed, strained and picked through
1 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon low-sodium vegetable broth or water
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, half finely chopped and half thinly sliced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Kosher salt
8 ounces fresh baby spinach
2 large cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
Cooking spray
6 whole-grain vegan hamburger buns
Baby arugula, basil, roasted red bell peppers and spicy mustard, for serving, optional
Directions
Bring the lentils and 1 3/4 cup of the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer until the lentils are fully softened and the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon broth and mash well with a potato masher. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the spinach, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper and cumin and stir until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.
Add the spinach mixture, breadcrumbs, walnuts and 3/4 teaspoon salt to the lentils and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat the grill to medium-high. Form the mixture into six 4-inch patties and spray with cooking spray on each side. Grill until nice grill marks form, about 3 minutes per side. Place the patties in the buns with the sliced onion and other toppings, as desired, and serve.
CHICKPEA TIKKA MASALA
This is from the March 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 24, and begins, “This mild veg version of an Indian restaurant favorite shows that Indian food doesn’t have to be ultra-spicy to be good.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
This can be viewed online here.
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 Tbs. garam masala
1 Tbs. tomato paste
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chile, minced
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup low-fat Greek-style yogurt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until softened. Add garam masala, tomato paste, ginger, and serrano chile, and season with salt, if desired. Sauté 1 minute more.
Stir in chickpeas and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in yogurt and cilantro.
nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 328; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 582 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 11 g; Gluten-Free
PEANUT BUTTER BARS WITH SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE
This is from Nancy Fuller of The Food Network’s Farmhouse Rules.
Total: 1 hr 10 min; Active: 25 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/peanut-butter-bars-with-salted-chocolate-ganache.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for baking dish
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Kosher salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional
Directions
Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish and set aside.
Place the chocolate and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute and then whisk until completely melted and smooth.
Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate until the chocolate is cooled and set, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
Sprinkle evenly with the flaky sea salt. Cut into squares to serve.
Friday, September 21, 2018
Friday Recipes
It's finally Friday. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the weekend, including Taco Zucchini Lasagna and Katharine Hepburn's Brownies. Enjoy!
ULTRA-EASY POT PIE
This comes from page 43 of the March 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “You can have all of the ingredients on hand for this pot pie and whip it up any time you need a hot, satisfying meal.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 1/3 cups prepared vegan creamy potato-leek soup
1/2 tsp. dried crushed rosemary
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
2 10-oz. pkg. frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and drained
1 sheet vegan puff pastry, from 17.3-oz pkg., thawed
Position oven racks in middle and bottom positions, and preheat oven to 450˚F.
Whisk 2 Tbs. cold water into cornstarch in medium saucepan. Whisk in soup, rosemary, and cumin, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, and simmer 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in vegetables, then spread mixture in 9-inch deep-dish pie pan.
Unfold puff pastry, and place over vegetable mixture; allow pastry to drape over pie pan. Trim pastry edges with scissors or sharp knife so that it fits tightly in pan. Prick pastry all over with fork or knife. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until puff pastry is puffed and golden.
nutritional information Per Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 373; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 17 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 42 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 607 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 2 g; Vegan
PEANUT BUTTER BARS WITH SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE
This is from Nancy Fuller of The Food Network’s Farmhouse Rules.
Total: 1 hr 10 min; Active: 25 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/peanut-butter-bars-with-salted-chocolate-ganache.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for baking dish
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Kosher salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional
Directions
Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish and set aside.
Place the chocolate and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute and then whisk until completely melted and smooth.
Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate until the chocolate is cooled and set, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
Sprinkle evenly with the flaky sea salt. Cut into squares to serve.
KATHARINE HEPBURN'S BROWNIES
This came in a recent New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “Much like its author, this recipe is a no-fuss classic. It calls for just 1/4 cup of flour, which yields an incredibly rich and gooey brownie, and it's super easy to make. So easy, in fact, that baking a batch of these might just become part of your weekend routine.” Time: about 45 minutes; makes 12 brownies
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped or broken-up walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts and salt. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.
Pour into a greased 8 x 8-inch-square pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake; the brownies should be gooey. Let cool, then cut into bars.
VEGETABLE SHEPHERD'S PIE
This came from the Food Network's Magazine several years ago.
Prep Time: 25 min; Cook Time: 41 min; Level: Easy; Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
6 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 bunch baby turnips, halved or quartered if large
6 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, leaves chopped (stems reserved)
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped veggie burgers or vegetarian protein crumbles
2/3 cup milk or half-and-half
Grated parmesan cheese, for sprinkling (optional)
Directions
Preheat the broiler. Cover the potatoes with water in a pot; season with salt, cover and boil until the potatoes are fork-tender, 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a stovetop casserole dish or shallow enamel pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, turnips and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables brown, 8 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid from the potatoes to the casserole dish. Lower the heat and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Tie the parsley stems with twine and add to the casserole. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 8 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons butter and the chopped veggie burgers and warm through, 5 minutes. Remove the parsley stems and stir in the chopped parsley. Keep warm.
Drain the potatoes and mash with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the milk; season with salt and pepper and spoon over the casserole. Sprinkle with parmesan, if desired. Broil until golden brown, 5 minutes.
Per serving: Calories 558; Fat 24 g (Saturated 11 g); Cholesterol 42 mg; Sodium 656 mg; Carbohydrate 68 g; Fiber 9 g; Protein 17 g
FRENCH LENTIL SOUP WITH ROASTED TOMATOES & PEPPERS
This comes from Seattle's Macrina Bakery. The recipe starts off, “This soup is a perfect comfort food on a drizzly Seattle day. We like to serve it in our cozy café with a few slices of crostini topped with goat cheese and a drizzle of good olive oil. It is pictured here with our Rustic Potato Roll. French green lentils are usually available in specialty shops and some supermarkets. If you can’t find French green lentils at your favorite market, you can substitute regular lentils.” Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
4 Roma tomatoes
3/4 cup olive oil
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
10 garlic cloves
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 celery rib, diced
1-1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
1-1/2 Tbsp ground coriander seeds
1-1/2 cups French green lentils*
8 to 10 cups vegetable stock
1 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
*Available in specialty shops and some supermarkets.
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Wash and core the tomatoes, then cut them into 12 pieces each. Combine chopped tomatoes and 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a bowl and toss together. Pour tomatoes onto the prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Season with salt and pepper and roast on center rack of oven for about 15 minutes. Set aside.
Place 7 of the garlic cloves and another 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook until cloves are tender, approximately 15 minutes. Swirl the pan occasionally to keep the cloves from sticking to the pan. Transfer cooked garlic cloves to a small bowl and mash into a paste. Set aside.
Pour the remaining 1/4 cup of the olive oil into a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add diced onion, red bell peppers and celery. Cover pot and cook for 15 minutes over medium-low heat to sweat the vegetables, stirring occasionally. The onions will become translucent. Finely dice the 3 remaining garlic cloves and add to the soup pot along with the cumin and coriander. Continue cooking over medium-low heat for 1 minute or until garlic smells sweet but is not brown.
Add roasted tomatoes, mashed garlic, lentils and 8 cups of the vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer. Cook soup for 45 to 50 minutes or until lentils are tender, adding more stock if needed. If foam gathers on the surface of the soup, remove it with a spoon. Before serving, add parsley and thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper.
TACO ZUCCHINI LASAGNA
This comes from Linday Funston on Delish, and begins, “So flavorful, you won't even notice the noodles are gone.”
Total Time: 45 minutes; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4 - 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. ground beef
3/4 c. ricotta
1/2 c. sour cream, plus more for drizzling
1 large egg
1/3 c. salsa
3 large zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 c. shredded Cheddar
2 c. Shredded Monterey Jack
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Season with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, 8 minutes more. Drain fat.
In a small bowl, stir together ricotta, sour cream, and egg. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large baking or casserole dish, spread a thin layer of salsa. Top with a layer of zucchini noodles, sour cream mixture, ground beef, cheddar, and Monterey Jack. Repeat until all ingredients are used up, ending with zucchini noodles.
Bake until noodles are tender and cheese is bubbly, 25 minutes.
Drizzle with sour cream, garnish with cilantro, and serve.
ULTRA-EASY POT PIE
This comes from page 43 of the March 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “You can have all of the ingredients on hand for this pot pie and whip it up any time you need a hot, satisfying meal.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 1/3 cups prepared vegan creamy potato-leek soup
1/2 tsp. dried crushed rosemary
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
2 10-oz. pkg. frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and drained
1 sheet vegan puff pastry, from 17.3-oz pkg., thawed
Position oven racks in middle and bottom positions, and preheat oven to 450˚F.
Whisk 2 Tbs. cold water into cornstarch in medium saucepan. Whisk in soup, rosemary, and cumin, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, and simmer 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in vegetables, then spread mixture in 9-inch deep-dish pie pan.
Unfold puff pastry, and place over vegetable mixture; allow pastry to drape over pie pan. Trim pastry edges with scissors or sharp knife so that it fits tightly in pan. Prick pastry all over with fork or knife. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until puff pastry is puffed and golden.
nutritional information Per Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 373; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 17 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 42 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 607 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 2 g; Vegan
PEANUT BUTTER BARS WITH SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE
This is from Nancy Fuller of The Food Network’s Farmhouse Rules.
Total: 1 hr 10 min; Active: 25 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/peanut-butter-bars-with-salted-chocolate-ganache.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for baking dish
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Kosher salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional
Directions
Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish and set aside.
Place the chocolate and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute and then whisk until completely melted and smooth.
Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate until the chocolate is cooled and set, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
Sprinkle evenly with the flaky sea salt. Cut into squares to serve.
KATHARINE HEPBURN'S BROWNIES
This came in a recent New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “Much like its author, this recipe is a no-fuss classic. It calls for just 1/4 cup of flour, which yields an incredibly rich and gooey brownie, and it's super easy to make. So easy, in fact, that baking a batch of these might just become part of your weekend routine.” Time: about 45 minutes; makes 12 brownies
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped or broken-up walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts and salt. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.
Pour into a greased 8 x 8-inch-square pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake; the brownies should be gooey. Let cool, then cut into bars.
VEGETABLE SHEPHERD'S PIE
This came from the Food Network's Magazine several years ago.
Prep Time: 25 min; Cook Time: 41 min; Level: Easy; Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
6 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 bunch baby turnips, halved or quartered if large
6 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, leaves chopped (stems reserved)
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped veggie burgers or vegetarian protein crumbles
2/3 cup milk or half-and-half
Grated parmesan cheese, for sprinkling (optional)
Directions
Preheat the broiler. Cover the potatoes with water in a pot; season with salt, cover and boil until the potatoes are fork-tender, 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a stovetop casserole dish or shallow enamel pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, turnips and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables brown, 8 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid from the potatoes to the casserole dish. Lower the heat and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Tie the parsley stems with twine and add to the casserole. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 8 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons butter and the chopped veggie burgers and warm through, 5 minutes. Remove the parsley stems and stir in the chopped parsley. Keep warm.
Drain the potatoes and mash with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the milk; season with salt and pepper and spoon over the casserole. Sprinkle with parmesan, if desired. Broil until golden brown, 5 minutes.
Per serving: Calories 558; Fat 24 g (Saturated 11 g); Cholesterol 42 mg; Sodium 656 mg; Carbohydrate 68 g; Fiber 9 g; Protein 17 g
FRENCH LENTIL SOUP WITH ROASTED TOMATOES & PEPPERS
This comes from Seattle's Macrina Bakery. The recipe starts off, “This soup is a perfect comfort food on a drizzly Seattle day. We like to serve it in our cozy café with a few slices of crostini topped with goat cheese and a drizzle of good olive oil. It is pictured here with our Rustic Potato Roll. French green lentils are usually available in specialty shops and some supermarkets. If you can’t find French green lentils at your favorite market, you can substitute regular lentils.” Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
4 Roma tomatoes
3/4 cup olive oil
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
10 garlic cloves
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 celery rib, diced
1-1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
1-1/2 Tbsp ground coriander seeds
1-1/2 cups French green lentils*
8 to 10 cups vegetable stock
1 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
*Available in specialty shops and some supermarkets.
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Wash and core the tomatoes, then cut them into 12 pieces each. Combine chopped tomatoes and 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a bowl and toss together. Pour tomatoes onto the prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Season with salt and pepper and roast on center rack of oven for about 15 minutes. Set aside.
Place 7 of the garlic cloves and another 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook until cloves are tender, approximately 15 minutes. Swirl the pan occasionally to keep the cloves from sticking to the pan. Transfer cooked garlic cloves to a small bowl and mash into a paste. Set aside.
Pour the remaining 1/4 cup of the olive oil into a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add diced onion, red bell peppers and celery. Cover pot and cook for 15 minutes over medium-low heat to sweat the vegetables, stirring occasionally. The onions will become translucent. Finely dice the 3 remaining garlic cloves and add to the soup pot along with the cumin and coriander. Continue cooking over medium-low heat for 1 minute or until garlic smells sweet but is not brown.
Add roasted tomatoes, mashed garlic, lentils and 8 cups of the vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer. Cook soup for 45 to 50 minutes or until lentils are tender, adding more stock if needed. If foam gathers on the surface of the soup, remove it with a spoon. Before serving, add parsley and thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper.
TACO ZUCCHINI LASAGNA
This comes from Linday Funston on Delish, and begins, “So flavorful, you won't even notice the noodles are gone.”
Total Time: 45 minutes; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4 - 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. ground beef
3/4 c. ricotta
1/2 c. sour cream, plus more for drizzling
1 large egg
1/3 c. salsa
3 large zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 c. shredded Cheddar
2 c. Shredded Monterey Jack
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Season with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, 8 minutes more. Drain fat.
In a small bowl, stir together ricotta, sour cream, and egg. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large baking or casserole dish, spread a thin layer of salsa. Top with a layer of zucchini noodles, sour cream mixture, ground beef, cheddar, and Monterey Jack. Repeat until all ingredients are used up, ending with zucchini noodles.
Bake until noodles are tender and cheese is bubbly, 25 minutes.
Drizzle with sour cream, garnish with cilantro, and serve.
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Desserts
I want something snacky!
Who hasn't said that once in a while? I think we all crave snack food/desserts periodically. Today's post deals with desserts, including Tie-Dye Cheesecake and Katharine Hepburn's Brownies. Enjoy!
LEMON BARS
This yummy recipe comes from Ina Garten, star of The Food Network show, Barefoot Contessa.
Total: 1 hr 35 min; Prep: 10 min; Inactive: 30 min; Cook: 55 min; Yield: 20 squares or 40 triangles; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.
Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.
TIE-DYE CHEESECAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “This outrageous psychedelic cheesecake is an ode to all the tie-dye of the 1960s. Making the vibrant swirls is much easier to do than it looks; all you need is a wooden skewer – groovy!” Total: 10 hr 45 min; Active: 35 min; Yield: 12 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 18 whole crackers)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine salt
Filling:
Three 11.5-ounce containers whipped cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
One 16-ounce container sour cream, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Neon blue, pink and purple food coloring
Yellow food coloring
Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Special equipment: a 10-inch springform pan and a wooden skewer
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
For the crust: Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and salt and press into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely. Wrap up the bottom and sides of pan with a large piece of foil and put in a large roasting pan.
For the filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar, in a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and mix until just combined. Add the heavy cream and mix until just combined. Mix in the eggs, by hand, 1 at time. Then mix in the vanilla, lemon juice, by hand as well, until just combined. (Overmixing can turn your cheesecake into a souffle.)
Using a ladle, divide the cheesecake batter into 4 separate bowls. Dye each a separate color; blue, pink, purple and yellow. Add enough food coloring so that the colors are very vibrant and intense.
Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to drop spoonfuls of the batter onto the crust, alternating the colors, until all the batter has been scooped. Use a wooden skewer and drag it through the colors to marble them for tie-dye effect, making sure the skewer reaches down to the bottom of the pan. Transfer the pan to the roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
Bake until the outside of the cake is set and the center is still slightly loose, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
Unmold the cheesecake and transfer to a serving plate or cake stand. Serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream.
PEANUT BUTTER BARS WITH SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE
This is from Nancy Fuller of The Food Network’s Farmhouse Rules.
Total: 1 hr 10 min; Active: 25 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/peanut-butter-bars-with-salted-chocolate-ganache.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for baking dish
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Kosher salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional
Directions
Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish and set aside.
Place the chocolate and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute and then whisk until completely melted and smooth.
Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate until the chocolate is cooled and set, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
Sprinkle evenly with the flaky sea salt. Cut into squares to serve.
STUFFED PINATA CAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “Your guests will certainly be delighted by the sight of this bright cake. But make sure they don't put their cameras away too soon: once you cut into it, a candy surprise comes spilling out!”
Total: 3 hours 15 minutes; Active: 1 hour 5 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/stuffed-pinata-cake.
Ingredients
Frosting:
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch fine salt
6 large egg whites
4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks, at room temperature
5 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Filling and Decoration:
Blue, orange, yellow, purple and pink food coloring
2 cups of your favorite small and soft candies (none in wrappers), such as gummies or candy-covered chocolates
Cake:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
DirectionsFor the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter and line the bottom of each with parchment.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, vanilla, eggs and egg yolk together in another medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high until light and fluffy. Add about a third of the flour mixture and beat on medium low until incorporated. Now add a third of the egg-milk mixture and continue to beat on medium low until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Repeat with the remaining flour and egg-milk mixtures, finishing with the flour.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake until the cake bounces back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the cake pans on a rack.
For the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a heatproof stand mixer's bowl above the water.
Add the sugar, lemon juice, salt and egg whites to the mixer bowl and whisk together by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar completely dissolves. Transfer to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until cool and the whites hold stiff peaks, 10 to 15 minutes.
Toss in a couple of chunks of butter at a time, making sure the pieces are incorporated before adding more. After all the butter is added, continue beating on medium-high speed. The mixture will deflate and appear curdled. Continue beating until the frosting comes back together to a smooth and spreadable consistency. (If the frosting is very soft or begins to break, refrigerate until set but still spreadable, then beat until light before using.)
For the filling and decoration: Dye the coconut: Have ready 5 resealable plastic bags or plastic containers. Put 1 1/2 cups of the coconut in one container with 6 to 8 drops of blue food coloring. Put 1 cup of coconut in the second container with 5 to 6 drops of orange food coloring, 1 cup of coconut in the third with 5 to 6 drops yellow food coloring and 1 cup of coconut in the fourth with 6 to 8 drops purple food coloring. Put the remaining 1/2 cup coconut in the fifth container with 4 to 5 drops pink food coloring. Seal each container and shake vigorously until the coconut is evenly dyed. Add more food coloring 1 drop at a time as needed to get bright, vibrant colors.
Assemble the cake: Cut a 4-inch circle out of the center of each cake (reserve the small cut-out cake rounds). Put one of the cake rings on a cake stand or serving platter and frost with about 1 cup of frosting. Put the other cake ring on top and push down slightly. Fill the hole with candy. Cut one of the reserved cake rounds in half horizontally to make 2 thinner rounds. Use one to fill the hole on top of the cake. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Cut a strip of parchment about 30 inches long and 3 inches wide. Wrap this parchment around the cake like a collar, leaving 1 inch of frosting exposed around the bottom perimeter of the cake. Pack some of the blue coconut onto the exposed frosting to make your first strip of color. Lift the collar up another 1 inch and do the same with the orange coconut. Remove the collar and fill the remaining inch of frosting with the yellow coconut. For the top, make 1-inch-wide rings, starting on the outside and working your way in, with the purple, pink, blue and orange coconut until the top is completely covered. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.
KATHARINE HEPBURN'S BROWNIES
This came in a recent New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “Much like its author, this recipe is a no-fuss classic. It calls for just 1/4 cup of flour, which yields an incredibly rich and gooey brownie, and it's super easy to make. So easy, in fact, that baking a batch of these might just become part of your weekend routine.” Time: about 45 minutes; makes 12 brownies
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped or broken-up walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts and salt. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.
Pour into a greased 8 x 8-inch-square pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake; the brownies should be gooey. Let cool, then cut into bars.
DOUBLE GOOD BLUEBERRY PIE
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
3/4 c. sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 c. water
2 c. blueberries
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 c. blueberries
1 baked 9 inch pie shell
Sweetened whipped cream
Directions
Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan. Add 2 cups blueberries and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture boils, thickens and is clear. Add butter and lemon juice. Cool. Place 2 cups blueberries in pie shell. Top with cooled mixture. Chill. Garnish with whipped cream.
Katharine Hepburn's Brownies,Food Network,Tie-Dye Cheesecake,Lemon Bars,New York Times,Peanut Butter Bars with Salted Chocolate Ganache,Double Good Blueberry Pie,Stuffed Piñata Cake,
Who hasn't said that once in a while? I think we all crave snack food/desserts periodically. Today's post deals with desserts, including Tie-Dye Cheesecake and Katharine Hepburn's Brownies. Enjoy!
LEMON BARS
This yummy recipe comes from Ina Garten, star of The Food Network show, Barefoot Contessa.
Total: 1 hr 35 min; Prep: 10 min; Inactive: 30 min; Cook: 55 min; Yield: 20 squares or 40 triangles; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.
Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.
TIE-DYE CHEESECAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “This outrageous psychedelic cheesecake is an ode to all the tie-dye of the 1960s. Making the vibrant swirls is much easier to do than it looks; all you need is a wooden skewer – groovy!” Total: 10 hr 45 min; Active: 35 min; Yield: 12 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 18 whole crackers)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine salt
Filling:
Three 11.5-ounce containers whipped cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
One 16-ounce container sour cream, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Neon blue, pink and purple food coloring
Yellow food coloring
Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Special equipment: a 10-inch springform pan and a wooden skewer
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
For the crust: Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and salt and press into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely. Wrap up the bottom and sides of pan with a large piece of foil and put in a large roasting pan.
For the filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar, in a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and mix until just combined. Add the heavy cream and mix until just combined. Mix in the eggs, by hand, 1 at time. Then mix in the vanilla, lemon juice, by hand as well, until just combined. (Overmixing can turn your cheesecake into a souffle.)
Using a ladle, divide the cheesecake batter into 4 separate bowls. Dye each a separate color; blue, pink, purple and yellow. Add enough food coloring so that the colors are very vibrant and intense.
Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to drop spoonfuls of the batter onto the crust, alternating the colors, until all the batter has been scooped. Use a wooden skewer and drag it through the colors to marble them for tie-dye effect, making sure the skewer reaches down to the bottom of the pan. Transfer the pan to the roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
Bake until the outside of the cake is set and the center is still slightly loose, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
Unmold the cheesecake and transfer to a serving plate or cake stand. Serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream.
PEANUT BUTTER BARS WITH SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE
This is from Nancy Fuller of The Food Network’s Farmhouse Rules.
Total: 1 hr 10 min; Active: 25 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/peanut-butter-bars-with-salted-chocolate-ganache.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for baking dish
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Kosher salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional
Directions
Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish and set aside.
Place the chocolate and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute and then whisk until completely melted and smooth.
Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate until the chocolate is cooled and set, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
Sprinkle evenly with the flaky sea salt. Cut into squares to serve.
STUFFED PINATA CAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “Your guests will certainly be delighted by the sight of this bright cake. But make sure they don't put their cameras away too soon: once you cut into it, a candy surprise comes spilling out!”
Total: 3 hours 15 minutes; Active: 1 hour 5 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/stuffed-pinata-cake.
Ingredients
Frosting:
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch fine salt
6 large egg whites
4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks, at room temperature
5 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Filling and Decoration:
Blue, orange, yellow, purple and pink food coloring
2 cups of your favorite small and soft candies (none in wrappers), such as gummies or candy-covered chocolates
Cake:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
DirectionsFor the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter and line the bottom of each with parchment.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, vanilla, eggs and egg yolk together in another medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high until light and fluffy. Add about a third of the flour mixture and beat on medium low until incorporated. Now add a third of the egg-milk mixture and continue to beat on medium low until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Repeat with the remaining flour and egg-milk mixtures, finishing with the flour.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake until the cake bounces back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the cake pans on a rack.
For the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a heatproof stand mixer's bowl above the water.
Add the sugar, lemon juice, salt and egg whites to the mixer bowl and whisk together by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar completely dissolves. Transfer to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until cool and the whites hold stiff peaks, 10 to 15 minutes.
Toss in a couple of chunks of butter at a time, making sure the pieces are incorporated before adding more. After all the butter is added, continue beating on medium-high speed. The mixture will deflate and appear curdled. Continue beating until the frosting comes back together to a smooth and spreadable consistency. (If the frosting is very soft or begins to break, refrigerate until set but still spreadable, then beat until light before using.)
For the filling and decoration: Dye the coconut: Have ready 5 resealable plastic bags or plastic containers. Put 1 1/2 cups of the coconut in one container with 6 to 8 drops of blue food coloring. Put 1 cup of coconut in the second container with 5 to 6 drops of orange food coloring, 1 cup of coconut in the third with 5 to 6 drops yellow food coloring and 1 cup of coconut in the fourth with 6 to 8 drops purple food coloring. Put the remaining 1/2 cup coconut in the fifth container with 4 to 5 drops pink food coloring. Seal each container and shake vigorously until the coconut is evenly dyed. Add more food coloring 1 drop at a time as needed to get bright, vibrant colors.
Assemble the cake: Cut a 4-inch circle out of the center of each cake (reserve the small cut-out cake rounds). Put one of the cake rings on a cake stand or serving platter and frost with about 1 cup of frosting. Put the other cake ring on top and push down slightly. Fill the hole with candy. Cut one of the reserved cake rounds in half horizontally to make 2 thinner rounds. Use one to fill the hole on top of the cake. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Cut a strip of parchment about 30 inches long and 3 inches wide. Wrap this parchment around the cake like a collar, leaving 1 inch of frosting exposed around the bottom perimeter of the cake. Pack some of the blue coconut onto the exposed frosting to make your first strip of color. Lift the collar up another 1 inch and do the same with the orange coconut. Remove the collar and fill the remaining inch of frosting with the yellow coconut. For the top, make 1-inch-wide rings, starting on the outside and working your way in, with the purple, pink, blue and orange coconut until the top is completely covered. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.
KATHARINE HEPBURN'S BROWNIES
This came in a recent New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “Much like its author, this recipe is a no-fuss classic. It calls for just 1/4 cup of flour, which yields an incredibly rich and gooey brownie, and it's super easy to make. So easy, in fact, that baking a batch of these might just become part of your weekend routine.” Time: about 45 minutes; makes 12 brownies
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped or broken-up walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts and salt. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.
Pour into a greased 8 x 8-inch-square pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake; the brownies should be gooey. Let cool, then cut into bars.
DOUBLE GOOD BLUEBERRY PIE
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
3/4 c. sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 c. water
2 c. blueberries
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 c. blueberries
1 baked 9 inch pie shell
Sweetened whipped cream
Directions
Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan. Add 2 cups blueberries and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture boils, thickens and is clear. Add butter and lemon juice. Cool. Place 2 cups blueberries in pie shell. Top with cooled mixture. Chill. Garnish with whipped cream.
Katharine Hepburn's Brownies,Food Network,Tie-Dye Cheesecake,Lemon Bars,New York Times,Peanut Butter Bars with Salted Chocolate Ganache,Double Good Blueberry Pie,Stuffed Piñata Cake,
Thursday, August 16, 2018
Thursday Recipes
Here are six yummy vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Vegan Lentil Burgers and Peanut Butter Bars with Salted Chocolate Ganache. (Do I have your attention?) Enjoy!
APRICOT COBBLER SUPREME
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbs melted shortening
2 cups cooked apricots, sweetened
Directions
Beat egg and sugar until creamy. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla to creamed mixture; add shortening. Put fruit in greased baking dish; pour in batter. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until batter is done. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.
Any type fruit, fresh or canned, may be substituted for apricots. If using fresh fruit, sprinkle with 1cup sugar and heat before pouring in batter. Enjoy!
CORN SALAD
This simple (and simply yummy) recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. Lena wrote, “The quintessential summer salad.”
Yields: 4 – 6 servings; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes.
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
4 c. fresh or frozen corn, defrosted
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 c. crumbled feta
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1/4 c. basil, thinly sliced
3 tbsp. olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
BEET-TOP CRUSTLESS QUICHE
This is from the Vegetarian Times website (May 5, 2008), and begins, “Edible beet tops are the free prize that comes with the colorful root vegetable. This entrée calls for about the amount of greens you’d get from a one-pound bunch of beets, but it can also be made with spinach, Swiss chard, or other leafy greens.”
Makes 6 servings and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
4 cups beet greens, stems trimmed and coarsely chopped
3 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Stir in garlic, and cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add beet greens and 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 7 to 10 minutes, or until beet greens are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Cool 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9- x 9-inch baking pan or 8-inch glass pie dish with cooking spray. Whisk eggs in large bowl 1 minute, or until frothy. Whisk in flour and baking powder until no lumps remain. Whisk in milk, and season with salt and pepper. Stir Parmesan cheese and beet green mixture into egg mixture. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until browned and puffy on top.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 152; Carbohydrate Content: 15 g; Cholesterol Content: 112 mg; Fat Content: 6.5 g; Fiber Content: 1 g; Protein Content: 8 g; Saturated Fat Content: 2 g; Sodium Content: 448 mg; Sugar Content: 5 g
VEGAN LENTIL BURGERS
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “These burgers are packed with flavor, fiber and protein while still being low in fat. We love them grilled, but you can also pan-fry them: Heat 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and fry patties until well browned, about 2 minutes per side. (Remember: The extra oil will alter the calorie and fat totals.)”
Total: 2 hr 10 min; Prep: 20 min; Inactive: 1 hr Cook: 50 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/vegan-lentil-burgers-3362403.
Ingredients
3/4 cup brown lentils, rinsed, strained and picked through
1 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon low-sodium vegetable broth or water
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, half finely chopped and half thinly sliced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Kosher salt
8 ounces fresh baby spinach
2 large cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
Cooking spray
6 whole-grain vegan hamburger buns
Baby arugula, basil, roasted red bell peppers and spicy mustard, for serving, optional
Directions
Bring the lentils and 1 3/4 cup of the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer until the lentils are fully softened and the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon broth and mash well with a potato masher. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the spinach, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper and cumin and stir until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.
Add the spinach mixture, breadcrumbs, walnuts and 3/4 teaspoon salt to the lentils and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat the grill to medium-high. Form the mixture into six 4-inch patties and spray with cooking spray on each side. Grill until nice grill marks form, about 3 minutes per side. Place the patties in the buns with the sliced onion and other toppings, as desired, and serve.
CHICKPEA TIKKA MASALA
This is from the March 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 24, and begins, “This mild veg version of an Indian restaurant favorite shows that Indian food doesn’t have to be ultra-spicy to be good.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
This can be viewed online here.
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 Tbs. garam masala
1 Tbs. tomato paste
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chile, minced
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup low-fat Greek-style yogurt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until softened. Add garam masala, tomato paste, ginger, and serrano chile, and season with salt, if desired. Sauté 1 minute more.
Stir in chickpeas and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in yogurt and cilantro.
nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 328; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 582 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 11 g; Gluten-Free
PEANUT BUTTER BARS WITH SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE
This is from Nancy Fuller of The Food Network’s Farmhouse Rules.
Total: 1 hr 10 min; Active: 25 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/peanut-butter-bars-with-salted-chocolate-ganache.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for baking dish
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Kosher salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional
Directions
Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish and set aside.
Place the chocolate and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute and then whisk until completely melted and smooth.
Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate until the chocolate is cooled and set, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
Sprinkle evenly with the flaky sea salt. Cut into squares to serve.
APRICOT COBBLER SUPREME
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbs melted shortening
2 cups cooked apricots, sweetened
Directions
Beat egg and sugar until creamy. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla to creamed mixture; add shortening. Put fruit in greased baking dish; pour in batter. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until batter is done. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.
Any type fruit, fresh or canned, may be substituted for apricots. If using fresh fruit, sprinkle with 1cup sugar and heat before pouring in batter. Enjoy!
CORN SALAD
This simple (and simply yummy) recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. Lena wrote, “The quintessential summer salad.”
Yields: 4 – 6 servings; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes.
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
4 c. fresh or frozen corn, defrosted
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 c. crumbled feta
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1/4 c. basil, thinly sliced
3 tbsp. olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
BEET-TOP CRUSTLESS QUICHE
This is from the Vegetarian Times website (May 5, 2008), and begins, “Edible beet tops are the free prize that comes with the colorful root vegetable. This entrée calls for about the amount of greens you’d get from a one-pound bunch of beets, but it can also be made with spinach, Swiss chard, or other leafy greens.”
Makes 6 servings and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
4 cups beet greens, stems trimmed and coarsely chopped
3 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Stir in garlic, and cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add beet greens and 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 7 to 10 minutes, or until beet greens are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Cool 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9- x 9-inch baking pan or 8-inch glass pie dish with cooking spray. Whisk eggs in large bowl 1 minute, or until frothy. Whisk in flour and baking powder until no lumps remain. Whisk in milk, and season with salt and pepper. Stir Parmesan cheese and beet green mixture into egg mixture. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until browned and puffy on top.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 152; Carbohydrate Content: 15 g; Cholesterol Content: 112 mg; Fat Content: 6.5 g; Fiber Content: 1 g; Protein Content: 8 g; Saturated Fat Content: 2 g; Sodium Content: 448 mg; Sugar Content: 5 g
VEGAN LENTIL BURGERS
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “These burgers are packed with flavor, fiber and protein while still being low in fat. We love them grilled, but you can also pan-fry them: Heat 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and fry patties until well browned, about 2 minutes per side. (Remember: The extra oil will alter the calorie and fat totals.)”
Total: 2 hr 10 min; Prep: 20 min; Inactive: 1 hr Cook: 50 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/vegan-lentil-burgers-3362403.
Ingredients
3/4 cup brown lentils, rinsed, strained and picked through
1 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon low-sodium vegetable broth or water
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, half finely chopped and half thinly sliced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Kosher salt
8 ounces fresh baby spinach
2 large cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
Cooking spray
6 whole-grain vegan hamburger buns
Baby arugula, basil, roasted red bell peppers and spicy mustard, for serving, optional
Directions
Bring the lentils and 1 3/4 cup of the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer until the lentils are fully softened and the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon broth and mash well with a potato masher. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the spinach, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper and cumin and stir until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.
Add the spinach mixture, breadcrumbs, walnuts and 3/4 teaspoon salt to the lentils and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat the grill to medium-high. Form the mixture into six 4-inch patties and spray with cooking spray on each side. Grill until nice grill marks form, about 3 minutes per side. Place the patties in the buns with the sliced onion and other toppings, as desired, and serve.
CHICKPEA TIKKA MASALA
This is from the March 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 24, and begins, “This mild veg version of an Indian restaurant favorite shows that Indian food doesn’t have to be ultra-spicy to be good.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
This can be viewed online here.
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 Tbs. garam masala
1 Tbs. tomato paste
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chile, minced
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup low-fat Greek-style yogurt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until softened. Add garam masala, tomato paste, ginger, and serrano chile, and season with salt, if desired. Sauté 1 minute more.
Stir in chickpeas and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in yogurt and cilantro.
nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 328; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 582 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 11 g; Gluten-Free
PEANUT BUTTER BARS WITH SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE
This is from Nancy Fuller of The Food Network’s Farmhouse Rules.
Total: 1 hr 10 min; Active: 25 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/peanut-butter-bars-with-salted-chocolate-ganache.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for baking dish
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Kosher salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional
Directions
Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish and set aside.
Place the chocolate and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute and then whisk until completely melted and smooth.
Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate until the chocolate is cooled and set, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
Sprinkle evenly with the flaky sea salt. Cut into squares to serve.
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Desserts!
Is there anyone who has never wanted something snacky? Here are six dessert recipes to help you through the day, including Espresso Brownies and Tie-Dye Cheesecake. Enjoy!
KATHARINE HEPBURN'S BROWNIES
This came in a recent New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “Much like its author, this recipe is a no-fuss classic. It calls for just 1/4 cup of flour, which yields an incredibly rich and gooey brownie, and it's super easy to make. So easy, in fact, that baking a batch of these might just become part of your weekend routine.” Time: about 45 minutes; makes 12 brownies
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped or broken-up walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts and salt. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.
Pour into a greased 8 x 8-inch-square pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake; the brownies should be gooey. Let cool, then cut into bars.
ESPRESSO BROWNIES
This comes from Giada De Laurentiis of The Food Network’s Everyday Italian.
Total: 1 hr 17 min; Active: 12 min; Yield: 36 bite-size brownies; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/espresso-brownies-recipe.
Ingredients
Nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons espresso powder
1 (19.8-ounce) box brownie mix (recommended: Duncan Hines)
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Whisk 1/3 cup of water, oil, eggs, and 2 tablespoons espresso powder in a large bowl to blend. Add the brownie mix. Stir until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes. Cool completely.
Meanwhile, dissolve the remaining 2 teaspoons of espresso powder in the remaining 2 tablespoons of water in a medium bowl. Whisk in the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar and butter and whisk until smooth. Pour the glaze over the brownies. Refrigerate until the glaze is set. Cut into bite-size pieces. Arrange the brownies on a platter and serve.
STUFFED PINATA CAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “Your guests will certainly be delighted by the sight of this bright cake. But make sure they don't put their cameras away too soon: once you cut into it, a candy surprise comes spilling out!”
Total: 3 hours 15 minutes; Active: 1 hour 5 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/stuffed-pinata-cake.
Ingredients
Frosting:
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch fine salt
6 large egg whites
4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks, at room temperature
5 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Filling and Decoration:
Blue, orange, yellow, purple and pink food coloring
2 cups of your favorite small and soft candies (none in wrappers), such as gummies or candy-covered chocolates
Cake:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
DirectionsFor the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter and line the bottom of each with parchment.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, vanilla, eggs and egg yolk together in another medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high until light and fluffy. Add about a third of the flour mixture and beat on medium low until incorporated. Now add a third of the egg-milk mixture and continue to beat on medium low until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Repeat with the remaining flour and egg-milk mixtures, finishing with the flour.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake until the cake bounces back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the cake pans on a rack.
For the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a heatproof stand mixer's bowl above the water.
Add the sugar, lemon juice, salt and egg whites to the mixer bowl and whisk together by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar completely dissolves. Transfer to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until cool and the whites hold stiff peaks, 10 to 15 minutes.
Toss in a couple of chunks of butter at a time, making sure the pieces are incorporated before adding more. After all the butter is added, continue beating on medium-high speed. The mixture will deflate and appear curdled. Continue beating until the frosting comes back together to a smooth and spreadable consistency. (If the frosting is very soft or begins to break, refrigerate until set but still spreadable, then beat until light before using.)
For the filling and decoration: Dye the coconut: Have ready 5 resealable plastic bags or plastic containers. Put 1 1/2 cups of the coconut in one container with 6 to 8 drops of blue food coloring. Put 1 cup of coconut in the second container with 5 to 6 drops of orange food coloring, 1 cup of coconut in the third with 5 to 6 drops yellow food coloring and 1 cup of coconut in the fourth with 6 to 8 drops purple food coloring. Put the remaining 1/2 cup coconut in the fifth container with 4 to 5 drops pink food coloring. Seal each container and shake vigorously until the coconut is evenly dyed. Add more food coloring 1 drop at a time as needed to get bright, vibrant colors.
Assemble the cake: Cut a 4-inch circle out of the center of each cake (reserve the small cut-out cake rounds). Put one of the cake rings on a cake stand or serving platter and frost with about 1 cup of frosting. Put the other cake ring on top and push down slightly. Fill the hole with candy. Cut one of the reserved cake rounds in half horizontally to make 2 thinner rounds. Use one to fill the hole on top of the cake. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Cut a strip of parchment about 30 inches long and 3 inches wide. Wrap this parchment around the cake like a collar, leaving 1 inch of frosting exposed around the bottom perimeter of the cake. Pack some of the blue coconut onto the exposed frosting to make your first strip of color. Lift the collar up another 1 inch and do the same with the orange coconut. Remove the collar and fill the remaining inch of frosting with the yellow coconut. For the top, make 1-inch-wide rings, starting on the outside and working your way in, with the purple, pink, blue and orange coconut until the top is completely covered. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.
PEANUT BUTTER BARS WITH SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE
This is from Nancy Fuller of The Food Network’s Farmhouse Rules.
Total: 1 hr 10 min; Active: 25 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/peanut-butter-bars-with-salted-chocolate-ganache.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for baking dish
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Kosher salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional
Directions
Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish and set aside.
Place the chocolate and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute and then whisk until completely melted and smooth.
Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate until the chocolate is cooled and set, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
Sprinkle evenly with the flaky sea salt. Cut into squares to serve.
PEACH PIE
This comes from my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking, available from Amazon.com.
4 C peaches, cut up
dash salt
1 – 1 1/4 C sugar
2 T butter
3 T unbleached flour
1 unbaked pie shell & lattice top
Arrange peaches in unbaked pie shell. Mix sugar, flour & salt. Sprinkle over peaches. Dot with butter. Cover with lattice top. Bake at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes.
TIE-DYE CHEESECAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “This outrageous psychedelic cheesecake is an ode to all the tie-dye of the 1960s. Making the vibrant swirls is much easier to do than it looks; all you need is a wooden skewer – groovy!” Total: 10 hr 45 min; Active: 35 min; Yield: 12 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 18 whole crackers)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine salt
Filling:
Three 11.5-ounce containers whipped cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
One 16-ounce container sour cream, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Neon blue, pink and purple food coloring
Yellow food coloring
Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Special equipment: a 10-inch springform pan and a wooden skewer
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
For the crust: Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and salt and press into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely. Wrap up the bottom and sides of pan with a large piece of foil and put in a large roasting pan.
For the filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar, in a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and mix until just combined. Add the heavy cream and mix until just combined. Mix in the eggs, by hand, 1 at time. Then mix in the vanilla, lemon juice, by hand as well, until just combined. (Overmixing can turn your cheesecake into a souffle.)
Using a ladle, divide the cheesecake batter into 4 separate bowls. Dye each a separate color; blue, pink, purple and yellow. Add enough food coloring so that the colors are very vibrant and intense.
Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to drop spoonfuls of the batter onto the crust, alternating the colors, until all the batter has been scooped. Use a wooden skewer and drag it through the colors to marble them for tie-dye effect, making sure the skewer reaches down to the bottom of the pan. Transfer the pan to the roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
Bake until the outside of the cake is set and the center is still slightly loose, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
Unmold the cheesecake and transfer to a serving plate or cake stand. Serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream.
KATHARINE HEPBURN'S BROWNIES
This came in a recent New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “Much like its author, this recipe is a no-fuss classic. It calls for just 1/4 cup of flour, which yields an incredibly rich and gooey brownie, and it's super easy to make. So easy, in fact, that baking a batch of these might just become part of your weekend routine.” Time: about 45 minutes; makes 12 brownies
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped or broken-up walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts and salt. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.
Pour into a greased 8 x 8-inch-square pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake; the brownies should be gooey. Let cool, then cut into bars.
ESPRESSO BROWNIES
This comes from Giada De Laurentiis of The Food Network’s Everyday Italian.
Total: 1 hr 17 min; Active: 12 min; Yield: 36 bite-size brownies; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/espresso-brownies-recipe.
Ingredients
Nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons espresso powder
1 (19.8-ounce) box brownie mix (recommended: Duncan Hines)
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Whisk 1/3 cup of water, oil, eggs, and 2 tablespoons espresso powder in a large bowl to blend. Add the brownie mix. Stir until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes. Cool completely.
Meanwhile, dissolve the remaining 2 teaspoons of espresso powder in the remaining 2 tablespoons of water in a medium bowl. Whisk in the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar and butter and whisk until smooth. Pour the glaze over the brownies. Refrigerate until the glaze is set. Cut into bite-size pieces. Arrange the brownies on a platter and serve.
STUFFED PINATA CAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “Your guests will certainly be delighted by the sight of this bright cake. But make sure they don't put their cameras away too soon: once you cut into it, a candy surprise comes spilling out!”
Total: 3 hours 15 minutes; Active: 1 hour 5 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/stuffed-pinata-cake.
Ingredients
Frosting:
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch fine salt
6 large egg whites
4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks, at room temperature
5 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Filling and Decoration:
Blue, orange, yellow, purple and pink food coloring
2 cups of your favorite small and soft candies (none in wrappers), such as gummies or candy-covered chocolates
Cake:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
DirectionsFor the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter and line the bottom of each with parchment.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, vanilla, eggs and egg yolk together in another medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high until light and fluffy. Add about a third of the flour mixture and beat on medium low until incorporated. Now add a third of the egg-milk mixture and continue to beat on medium low until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Repeat with the remaining flour and egg-milk mixtures, finishing with the flour.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake until the cake bounces back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the cake pans on a rack.
For the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a heatproof stand mixer's bowl above the water.
Add the sugar, lemon juice, salt and egg whites to the mixer bowl and whisk together by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar completely dissolves. Transfer to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until cool and the whites hold stiff peaks, 10 to 15 minutes.
Toss in a couple of chunks of butter at a time, making sure the pieces are incorporated before adding more. After all the butter is added, continue beating on medium-high speed. The mixture will deflate and appear curdled. Continue beating until the frosting comes back together to a smooth and spreadable consistency. (If the frosting is very soft or begins to break, refrigerate until set but still spreadable, then beat until light before using.)
For the filling and decoration: Dye the coconut: Have ready 5 resealable plastic bags or plastic containers. Put 1 1/2 cups of the coconut in one container with 6 to 8 drops of blue food coloring. Put 1 cup of coconut in the second container with 5 to 6 drops of orange food coloring, 1 cup of coconut in the third with 5 to 6 drops yellow food coloring and 1 cup of coconut in the fourth with 6 to 8 drops purple food coloring. Put the remaining 1/2 cup coconut in the fifth container with 4 to 5 drops pink food coloring. Seal each container and shake vigorously until the coconut is evenly dyed. Add more food coloring 1 drop at a time as needed to get bright, vibrant colors.
Assemble the cake: Cut a 4-inch circle out of the center of each cake (reserve the small cut-out cake rounds). Put one of the cake rings on a cake stand or serving platter and frost with about 1 cup of frosting. Put the other cake ring on top and push down slightly. Fill the hole with candy. Cut one of the reserved cake rounds in half horizontally to make 2 thinner rounds. Use one to fill the hole on top of the cake. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Cut a strip of parchment about 30 inches long and 3 inches wide. Wrap this parchment around the cake like a collar, leaving 1 inch of frosting exposed around the bottom perimeter of the cake. Pack some of the blue coconut onto the exposed frosting to make your first strip of color. Lift the collar up another 1 inch and do the same with the orange coconut. Remove the collar and fill the remaining inch of frosting with the yellow coconut. For the top, make 1-inch-wide rings, starting on the outside and working your way in, with the purple, pink, blue and orange coconut until the top is completely covered. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.
PEANUT BUTTER BARS WITH SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE
This is from Nancy Fuller of The Food Network’s Farmhouse Rules.
Total: 1 hr 10 min; Active: 25 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/peanut-butter-bars-with-salted-chocolate-ganache.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for baking dish
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Kosher salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional
Directions
Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish and set aside.
Place the chocolate and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute and then whisk until completely melted and smooth.
Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate until the chocolate is cooled and set, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
Sprinkle evenly with the flaky sea salt. Cut into squares to serve.
PEACH PIE
This comes from my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking, available from Amazon.com.
4 C peaches, cut up
dash salt
1 – 1 1/4 C sugar
2 T butter
3 T unbleached flour
1 unbaked pie shell & lattice top
Arrange peaches in unbaked pie shell. Mix sugar, flour & salt. Sprinkle over peaches. Dot with butter. Cover with lattice top. Bake at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes.
TIE-DYE CHEESECAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “This outrageous psychedelic cheesecake is an ode to all the tie-dye of the 1960s. Making the vibrant swirls is much easier to do than it looks; all you need is a wooden skewer – groovy!” Total: 10 hr 45 min; Active: 35 min; Yield: 12 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 18 whole crackers)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine salt
Filling:
Three 11.5-ounce containers whipped cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
One 16-ounce container sour cream, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Neon blue, pink and purple food coloring
Yellow food coloring
Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Special equipment: a 10-inch springform pan and a wooden skewer
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
For the crust: Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and salt and press into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely. Wrap up the bottom and sides of pan with a large piece of foil and put in a large roasting pan.
For the filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar, in a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and mix until just combined. Add the heavy cream and mix until just combined. Mix in the eggs, by hand, 1 at time. Then mix in the vanilla, lemon juice, by hand as well, until just combined. (Overmixing can turn your cheesecake into a souffle.)
Using a ladle, divide the cheesecake batter into 4 separate bowls. Dye each a separate color; blue, pink, purple and yellow. Add enough food coloring so that the colors are very vibrant and intense.
Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to drop spoonfuls of the batter onto the crust, alternating the colors, until all the batter has been scooped. Use a wooden skewer and drag it through the colors to marble them for tie-dye effect, making sure the skewer reaches down to the bottom of the pan. Transfer the pan to the roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
Bake until the outside of the cake is set and the center is still slightly loose, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
Unmold the cheesecake and transfer to a serving plate or cake stand. Serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream.
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