Week Day Meals

Today's blog is a little late, but sometimes that can't be helped. In the meantime, enjoy!

ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH PESTO

This comes from Tyler Florence of The Food Network's How to Boil Water. Total Time: 20 min; Prep: 10 min; Cook: 10 min; Yield:4 to 6 as a side dish; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/angel-hair-pasta-with-pesto-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

Leaves from 2 bunch fresh basil2 tablespoons pine nuts, untoasted

1 garlic clove

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound angel hair pasta

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil in a blender and blend to a puree. Add the cheese, salt and pepper, and blend again.

Cook the pasta in the boiling, salted water until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the pesto and toss. Taste for salt and pepper, and add a drizzle of oil, if you like.

EASTER BUNNY CAKE

This comes from The Food Network. I've never quite figured out what, exactly, rabbits have to do with Easter, but that's beside the point. Maybe because baby rabbits are born in spring, and Easter is in spring? Who knows.

Here's my short semi-rant: If you're buying things for children for Easter (or any holiday, for that matter), don't make it an animal, even rabbits. The only exception is if the parent (if you're not the parent) says it's okay, and/or it's an animal that's been approved by the parents. If it's a rescue animal, even better. But it's really best to wait until after the holidays.

This cake looks cute (a photo is on the link for the recipe), and takes 1 hour total time. Yields 12 to 14 servings; level: intermediate.

Read more (and view photo) at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/easter-bunny-cake-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

Frosting:

3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

6 cups confectioners' sugar

Pinch fine salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Bunny:

2 baked 9-inch round cake layers (your favorite recipe or a 18.25-ounce boxed cake mix)

1 1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

2 store-bought biscotti

1 tube pink decorating icing

2 black jelly beans

2 marshmallows

1 white jelly bean, halved lengthwise

1 pink jelly bean

1 black licorice wheel, such as Haribo

Directions

For the frosting: Combine the butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand-held electric mixer). Mix on low speed until mostly incorporated. Add the vanilla, increase the speed to medium-high and mix until smooth. Adjust the consistency with milk until the frosting is easy to spread.

For the bunny: Spread a thin layer of frosting on the flat side of one cake layer, about 2/3 cup, and top with the flat side of the second cake layer. Measure 5 inches across the top of the cake and cut down through the layers, creating two layered pieces that are slightly different sizes.

Place the larger piece of cake, cut-side down, on a large platter or cake board. If using a rectangular cake board, place the larger piece so that the long edges are parallel with the long edges of the board. This is the body of the bunny. Cut the smaller piece of cake in half crosswise, so you have two layered wedges. Place one wedge in front of the body, with one flat side on the board and the other flat side against the body. The curved side will be on top. Take a serrated knife and round off the sharp edges on top of the head. Cut the tip off (the nose) at a 45-degree angle. Reserve all scraps in a bowl.

Separate the layers of the remaining wedge of cake. These will be the back legs. Round the sharp edges of the cake wedges with your knife, and add to the scrap bowl. Place one piece on each side of the bunny, with one flat side down and the other flat side facing forward (the round side towards the back of the bunny), about 1-inch from the end of the bunny's body.

Mix the cake scraps in the bowl with a fork until mashed, and then pack into a ball with your hands. Place the ball behind the bunny's body and adhere with a dab of frosting. This is the bunny's tail.

Frost the entire bunny, tail and all, using 2 to 3 cups of the frosting, keeping some definition with the bunny parts, and frosting more generously around any sharp edges to give a rounded look to the bunny parts. Sprinkle the bunny with the coconut to fully cover. Gently pat to adhere.

Insert the biscotti between the head and body, pressing into the cake to secure them. These are the ears. Place the base of the ears close together at the center of the head and angle them out. Frost the front of each biscotti with some frosting. Then, using the pink decorating icing, frost a smaller strip in the center of each biscotti, going down to where the ears meet the head but not going all the way to the top.

To make the face, press a black jelly bean into each side of the head for the eyes. Cut one of the marshmallows into 3 circles, discard the middle piece, and press the 2 end circles, cut-sides-in, into the front of the face for the bunny cheeks. Take the white jelly bean halves and push them into face below the cheeks, round-sides-out, for the teeth. Place the pink jelly bean above for the nose.

Unroll the licorice wheel and cut 2 pieces about 1 1/2 inches long each. For each piece, peel the strips apart halfway down, and then cut each separated strip in half lengthwise so you end up with a piece looking a bit like a broom. Repeat with the second piece of licorice. Tuck each piece, with a dab of frosting, behind a marshmallow cheek, with the cut ends facing out, for the whiskers.

Cut the second marshmallow in half lengthwise. Make 3 slits in each half, going about halfway through (these are the toes), and place in front of the legs for the bunny's feet. Adhere the bottom of the feet with icing if necessary.

Cook's Note:

Take 2 1/2 sheets of parchment paper and cut in half. Line the edges of your cake board with these parchment rectangles so that they form a rectangle of open space in the middle. Build your cake on the edges of these pieces of parchment. When you are finished you can slide them away along with any excess icing and coconut.

Make sure your cakes are completely cooled before you being to ice and cut them.

MIXED BERRY COBBLER

This comes from some long-forgotten emailing list. Makes 8 servings

Filling

6 cups fresh or frozen (unthawed) mixed berries (blueberries, blackberries,raspberries and/or strawberries)

3/4 cup regular or nonalcoholic sweet fruit wine, such as blackberry or cherry

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping

1 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans*

3/4 cup butter, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 350°F. Place berries in 8-inch square baking dish; add wine and vanilla. Sprinkle with sugar, tapioca and cinnamon (no need to stir).

In large bowl, stir together all topping ingredients; sprinkle over fruit. Pat down gently.

Bake 1 hour or until top is golden brown and juices are bubbling. Serve warm or at room temperature.

TIP *To toast walnuts, place on baking sheet; bake at 350°F. for 6 to 8 minutes or until pale brown and fragrant. Cool.

PER SERVING: 575 calories, 26 g total fat (12 g saturated fat), 7.5 g protein, 80.5 g carbohydrate, 45 mg cholesterol, 135 mg sodium, 7 g fiber

PUMPKIN SPICE WHOOPIE PIES

From Food.com. Prep time: 30 minutes, total time: 45 minutes, Yield: 12-18 sandwiched cookies

The person who wrote this for Food.com wrote, "Whoopie Pies are big sandwiched cookie. These are a hit with kids and adults alike. I prefer mine frozen!"

Ingredients

Cookies

1 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 package spice cake mix (2 layer size)

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

Marshmallow Spice filling

1/2 cup butter

1 (8 ounce) packages softened cream cheese

2 cups powdered sugar

3 1/2 ounces marshmallow cream ( half of a 7 oz jar)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Cookies: Beat pumpkin and butter with an electric mixer until smooth.

Add cake mix, eggs and milk and beat on low speed until combined, then on medium speed for one minute.

Cover cookie sheets with parchment or oiled foil.

Drop large mounds of dough 3 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Filling: Beat together butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, marshmallow cream, vanilla and cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat until well combined. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until cookies are ready to be filled.

When cookies are cool, spoon filling on bottom of cookies and sandwich together.

Nutrition Facts: Serving Size: 1 (1549 g); Servings Per Recipe: 1; Amount Per Serving % Daily Value: Calories 477.2; Calories from Fat 250 52%; Amount Per Serving % Daily Value: Total Fat 27.7g 42%; Saturated Fat 15.0g 75%; Cholesterol 93.9mg 31%; Sugars 40.2 g; Sodium 444.8mg 18%; Total Carbohydrate 54.1g 18%; Dietary Fiber 0.7g 2%; Sugars 40.2 g 161%; Protein 4.3g 8%

CLASSIC BLUEBERRY PIE

Another recipe from Macrina Bakery. The recipe starts out, “Few things in life are as wonderful as homemade blueberry pie. It is heaven on earth! I recommend using slightly tart organic blueberries whenever possible.”

Makes one 9-inch double-crusted pie

7 cups (3-1/2 pints) organic blueberries

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

One top and bottom pie crust, chilled

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Egg wash made with 1 egg and 1 teaspoon water

Coarse raw sugar


Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Sort through the blueberries, removing any stems and leaves. Gently rinse the berries and lay them out on paper towels to air dry.

Combine 3-1/2 cups of the blueberries, granulated sugar, brown sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon, vanilla extract and flour in a medium saucepan. Mix with a spoon. Cook over medium heat until the fruit juices have been released and the mixture has thickened, 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently to keep the mixture from burning. Pour the cooked fruit into a large stainless steel bowl and add the remaining blueberries. Stir with a spoon and set aside until the fruit has cooled to room temperature.

Divide the chilled pie dough into 2 pieces, making one piece slightly larger than the other. Coat your hands with flour and shape the larger piece of dough into a ball. Working on a floured surface, flatten the ball slightly, then roll it into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Fit the rolled dough into a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the edges of the dough to leave a 1-inch overhang around the pan. Roll out the remaining piece of dough 1/8-inch thick and trim it into a 10-inch circle. Set aside. This will be the top crust.

Pour the cooled fruit into the pie shell and dot with butter. Brush the top side of the overhanging dough with a little egg wash. Lift the top crust onto the pie, folding it in half to make it easier to accurately position. Lift the overhanging dough onto the top crust and crimp with your fingers. Mark the crimped edges with a fork, then brush all of the crust with egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse raw sugar and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the pie on the prepared baking sheet. Using a sharp knife cut 4 slits in the center of the crust. Bake pie for 50 to 55 minutes. The crust will be golden brown and the fruit will be bubbling in the center of the pie. Let cool for 30 to 40 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

CANNELLINI AND CABBAGE SOUP

Makes: 8 Servings (about 1 cup each)

Source: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/22.shtml

View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/601.shtml

Ingredients

Vegetable cooking spray

3 cups thinly sliced or chopped cabbage

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon crushed caraway seeds

2 cans (15 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 cup water

1 can (15oz) cannellini or Great Northern beans, rinsed, drained

1/2 cup (4 ounces) mostaccioli (penne), uncooked

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Spray large saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Saute cabbage, onion, garlic, and caraway seeds until cabbage begins to wilt, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add chicken broth, water, and beans to saucepan; heat to boiling. Stir in pasta; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until pasta is al dente, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:Calories: 107; Protein: 7 g; Sodium: 175 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 22 g; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1 Bread, 1/2 Meat