Tuesday Recipes

It's still winter (yeah, like the weather has let us forget that!), and, while it's cold (even cool in Florida - by Florida standards, at least), we still need to eat. That said, here are today's yummy recipes. Enjoy!

RED, WHITE AND BLUE CAKE POPS

It seems that cake pops are popping up everywhere these days. This came from Tablespoon during the summer and started off, “Use Styrofoam tucked into a basket as a base, and these patriotic treats can double as a colorful centerpiece at your Independence Day celebration.” Of course, you don't need to wait until then, and you can decorate these any way you want. Prep Time: 1 hr 15 min; Total Time: 3 hr 0 min; Servings: 40

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 box Betty Crocker™ cake mix (any flavor)

Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

1 container (12 oz) Betty Crocker™ Whipped frosting (any flavor)

1 bag (14 oz) candy melts (any flavor)

1 teaspoon shortening

Craft sticks (flat wooden sticks with round ends)

Betty Crocker™ assorted candy sprinkles

Block of white plastic foam

Directions

Line several cookie sheets with waxed paper. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan, using water, oil and eggs. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

With fingers, crumble cake into large bowl. Add frosting; mix well with fingers until dough forms. Shape into quarter-size balls; place on cookie sheets. Freeze about 15 minutes.

When ready to assemble, in small microwavable bowl, microwave candy melts uncovered as directed on bag. Stir in shortening until smooth and mixture runs off spoon.

Remove cake pop balls from freezer. Dip tip of each craft stick into melted candy, then halfway into 1 cake ball; place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.

When all cake balls have sticks, gently swirl 1 cake ball in melted candy to coat well; allow candy to drip back into bowl. Dip ball into candy sprinkles to decorate; place in plastic foam to allow candy to harden. Repeat with remaining cake balls and melted candy.

CHEESY CAULIFLOWER SOUP

Prep Time: 15 Minutes - Cost: $
Servings: 4 - Difficulty Level: 2 - Source: Family Circle's "All-time Favorite Recipes"

Find this recipe at:
http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/82.shtml

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped green onion

4 cups chicken broth

2 packages (8 ounces each) fresh cauliflowerets

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups shredded pepper-Jack cheese (6 ounces)

1/4 cup roasted red peppers

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

1/4 teaspoon hot-pepper sauce

Directions

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add green onions and saute about 3 minutes or until tender. Add 3 cups broth; bring to boiling. Add cauliflowerets; return to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook about 6 minutes or until cauliflower is almost tender.

Whisk together flour and remaining 1 cup chicken broth in a small bowl. Stir into saucepan. Bring to boiling; cook, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes or until soup is thickened.

Remove soup from heat. Add cheese, stirring until melted. Stir in roasted red peppers, salt if using and hot-pepper sauce, breaking up red peppers with a wooden spoon.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 294; Protein: 15 g; Fat: 15 g; Carbohydrates: 14 g; Exchanges: 1 Starch, 2 Medium-Fat Meat, 1 Fat

SPINACH PINWHEELS

Servings: 24; 1 slice per serving

Source: The New American Heart Association Cookbook

To view online, click here.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon light margarine

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

10-ounce package frozen no-salt-added chopped spinach, thawed

1/2 cup nonfat or part-skim ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Dash of nutmeg

Dash of cayenne

10-ounce package of refrigerated pizza dough

Vegetable oil spray

White of 1 egg, slightly beaten

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions

In a small nonstick skillet, heat margarine over medium-high heat. Swirl to cover bottom. Saute onion until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine onion, spinach, ricotta, lemon juice, nutmeg, and cayenne. Blend well.

Press dough into a 12x14-inch rectangle. Cut in half, forming two 7x12-inch rectangles.

With a rubber scraper, spread half the spinach mixture on each piece of dough. Roll up, starting from a 12-inch side. Pinch each end of rolled dough. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil spray.

With a sharp knife, cut each roll into 12 slices. Put pieces on baking sheet. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until light golden brown.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 37; Protein: 2 g; Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 6 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Starch/Bread

PUMPKIN DUMP CAKE

This comes from Tablespoon, an email newsletter that I discovered yesterday. From what I've seen so far, it looks pretty good. The woman who posted this calls herself “Girl Who Ate Everything.” “Girl,” I doubt you're reading this, but if, by some chance you are, PLEASE keep posting yummy food! (And thanks, in advance.) Girl writes, “An easy fall cake that is "dumped" into a pan and baked.” Makes 16 Servings

To view this online, click here. (Now, sign up with Tablespoon to view more great recipes.)

1 (29 ounce) can pure pumpkin

1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk

3 whole eggs

1 cup white sugar

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 (18.25 ounce) Betty Crocker Supermoist yellow cake mix

(optional) 1 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, and cinnamon until well blended. Spread pumpkin mixture in prepared baking dish. Mixture will be very wet.

Sprinkle cake mix evenly on top of the batter. If adding pecans, sprinkle them over the cake mix. Pour melted butter over the top of the cake mix. Bake 50 minutes.

Cool. Top with whipped cream or ice cream.

BEEF STEW

I tend to be a vegetarian for a variety of reasons. But I wasn't always a vegetarian; I do have fond memories of family gatherings where meat was served. This is one of my creations from years ago when the stew recipes that I'd run across seemed too bland. Granted, this one isn't spicy; for that, I go for spaghetti or chili. This is from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking. If you have a Kindle or other ereader that handles Kindle stuff, check it out.

2-3 lbs. stewing beef

3 T oil

1 C flour

2 C water

1 onion, chopped

8 oz tomato sauce

6 oz tomato paste

1 T soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

4 carrots, cut up

1 large potato, peeled & cut up

4 T vinegar

3 T honey

salt & pepper

Cut beef into bite-sized pieces. Trim fat & dredge in flour & brown in oil. Add everything except carrots & potato. Cook 15 minutes. Add carrots & cook 15 more minutes. Add potato & cook 30 minutes. Add water as needed. Serve over noodles.

ULTIMATE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

This is from page 53 of the November 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times. It starts out, “The Native American “three sisters”—corn, beans, and squash—come together in these individual holiday entrées stuffed with corn pudding and black beans.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

3 Tbs. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.), divided

4 acorn squash, halved and seeded

1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder, plus more for sprinkling squash

1/2 tsp. ground coriander, plus more for sprinkling squash

3 cups fresh or frozen organic corn kernels, divided

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, optional

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

2 large eggs

4 Tbs. melted butter or olive oil

3 oz. soft goat cheese or low-fat cream cheese (1/3 cup)

3 oz. grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (3/4 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops, optional

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 large poblano chile or 1 small red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)

8 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced (1 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine oil and 2 tsp. minced garlic in small bowl. Brush squash halves with garlic oil, and sprinkle lightly with ancho chile powder and coriander. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and place on large baking sheet.

Pulse 2 cups corn kernels in food processor until finely chopped and milky. Set aside.

Whisk 1/2 tsp. each coriander and ancho chile powder into cornmeal, along with sugar, baking soda, salt, and cayenne (if using) in medium bowl. Set aside.

Whisk together buttermilk and eggs in separate bowl. Whisk in butter, then puréed corn, remaining 1 cup corn kernels, goat cheese, Cheddar, and remaining 2 tsp. garlic. Fold in cornmeal mixture with spatula, then fold in black beans, poblano chile, and green onions.

Divide filling among squash halves. Sprinkle each squash with extra Cheddar (if using).

Bake squash halves 30 to 45 minutes, or until squash are tender and filling is set. Sprinkle with green onions. Squash can be prepared 24 hours ahead, then reheated 20 minutes at 325°F.

nutritional information Per Stuffed squash half: Calories: 425; Protein: 15 g; Total Fat: 20 g; Saturated Fat: 10 g; Carbohydrates: 53 g; Cholesterol: 80 mg; Sodium: 533 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 6 g; Gluten-Free