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Showing posts with label Dulce de Leche Banana Pie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dulce de Leche Banana Pie. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Thanksgiving Sides and Desserts - Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's double post deals with Thanksgiving Sides & Desserts, and includes Baked Acorn Squash with Apple Stuffing and Dulce de Leche Banana Pie. Enjoy!

PUMPKIN-CHOCOLATE SWIRL CHEESECAKE

This was in the November/December 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 70. It begins, "It took us four tries to get this recipe just right, but the result—a rich, creamy, pumpkin-flavored cheesecake laced with spice and swirled with chocolate—is truly spectacular."

Makes 24 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/pumpkin-chocolate-swirl-cheesecake/.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate

2 cups low-fat cottage cheese

2 8-oz. pkg. Neufchatel cheese, softened

2 cups light brown sugar

3 large eggs

1/3 cup flour

1 15-oz. can pumpkin

1 & 1/2 Tbs. ground ginger

1-1/2 Tbs. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To make Chocolate Crust:

Coat 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter in medium bowl. Press into prepared pan, and bake 10 minutes.

Melt chocolate in bowl in microwave on medium power, stirring every 30 seconds to heat evenly. Set aside. Blend cottage cheese in food processor 3 minutes, until smooth. Add Neufchâtel cheese, brown sugar, eggs and flour, and process until smooth. Add pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg, and process 1 minute, or until smooth.

Whisk 1 cup cream cheese batter into melted chocolate. Pour remaining batter into crust. Spoon dollops of chocolate mixture onto batter, and swirl with knife.

Bake cheesecake 1 & 1/2 hours, or until top is firm and cake is beginning to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely on wire rack, then chill well before unmolding and serving.

BAKED ACORN SQUASH WITH APPLE STUFFING

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 stuffed squash halves (4 servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Book Title: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/baked-acorn-squash-with-apple-stuffing.

Ingredients

2 small acorn squash (1-1/2 pounds total), halved and seeded

1 large or 2 small apples, peeled, diced

2 tablespoons diced celery

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

2 teaspoons margarine, melted

Pinch of salt

Pinch of freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a square baking pan with nonstick pan spray.

Place the squash cut side down in a baking pan. Bake 20 minutes.

While the squash is baking, combine the apples, celery, onion, margarine, and 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl; mix well.

Turn the squash, cut sides up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide the apple mixture to fill the cavities of the squash. bake the stuffed squash halves, covered with foil, for 30 minutes more. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 87; Fat: 2 g; Fiber: 5 g; Sodium: 63 mg; Protein: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g; Sugars: 10 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch

APPLE AND SQUASH BAKE

Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings; Serving Size: 3/4 cup squash and apple bake

Source: Splenda

Recipe and image appear courtesy of Splenda.

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/apple-and-squash-bake.

Ingredients

1/3 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 teaspoon molasses

1/4 cup light butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground mace

2 pounds butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cut into

1/2 inch slices

2 large apples - cored, and cut into 1/2 inch slices

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In a medium bowl, stir together Splenda Granulated Sweetener, molasses, butter, flour, salt, and mace. Arrange squash in an ungreased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with slices of apple, then sprinkle with the sugar mixture. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until squash is tender.

Notes:

This recipe combines all the best fall flavors and makes a great alternative to the candied yams often served for Thanksgiving dinner.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 120; Fat: 3.5 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Fiber: 4 g; Sodium: 340 mg; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Sugars: 9 g

PUMPKIN SEED PESTO

This was in the November/December 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 62. It begins, "This pesto is elegant and flavorful. Try it as an alternative to salsa on nachos. Pumpkin seed oil is stocked with other specialty oils in many supermarkets, but you can substitute olive oil in a pinch."

Makes 1 serving

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/pumpkin-seed-pesto/.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted hulled (green) pumpkin seeds

1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seed oil

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 tsp. salt

Preparation

Toast pumpkin seeds in large skillet over medium heat, 4 to 5 minutes, or until puffed and golden, stirring constantly.

Transfer seeds to food processor. Add remaining ingredients, and process until smooth. Serve with Three Sisters Casserole, or store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to a week.

DULCE DE LECHE BANANA PIE

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "A flaky homemade pie crust complements a caramel and banana cream filling." If that doesn't sound absolutely yummy, I don't know what does!

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/dulce-de-leche-banana-pie.

Ingredients

1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche

3 ripe medium bananas

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preparation

Heat oven to 450°F. In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and dough almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).

On lightly floured surface, shape dough into a ball. Flatten ball to 1/2-inch thickness, rounding and smoothing edges. With floured rolling pin, roll dough into 11-inch round, rolling from center to edge. Fold dough in half; place in 9-inch glass pie plate. Unfold; gently press in bottom and up side of plate, being careful not to stretch dough.

Fold and roll edge of dough under, even with plate; flute edge. Prick bottom and side of dough generously with fork. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Spoon contents of can of dulce de leche into center of cooled crust; gently spread to edge. Thinly slice bananas; arrange over dulce de leche.

In medium bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread over bananas.

In small resealable freezer plastic bag, place chocolate chips and oil; seal bag. Microwave on High 30 seconds; knead bag to mix melted chips and unmelted chips. Microwave 15 to 30 seconds longer or until all chips are melted and smooth. Snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe melted chocolate mixture over whipped cream. Store pie in refrigerator.

FANTASY FUDGE

This recipe, from My Food and Family, begins, "Delight your taste buds with this amazing Fantasy Fudge. This Fantasy Fudge is a classic marshmallow fudge that gets its chocolatey, nutty goodness from BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate and walnuts."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes

To view this online, go to https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/051833/fantasy-fudge.

Ingredients

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter or margarine

1 small can (5 oz.) evaporated milk (about 2/3 cup) (Do not use sweetened condensed milk.)

3 pkg. (4 oz. each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped

1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Line 9-inch square pan with Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Bring sugar, butter and evaporated milk to full rolling boil in 3-qt. saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 4 min. or until candy thermometer reaches 234°F, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate and marshmallow creme; stir until melted. Add nuts and vanilla; mix well.

Pour into prepared pan; spread to cover bottom of pan. Cool completely. Use foil handles to lift fudge from pan before cutting into 1-inch squares.

Kitchen Tips

Tip 1

Size Wise

A serving of this sweet treat is 2 squares. You'll find that a small portion goes a long way on chocolate flavor.

Thursday, December 12, 2024

Sides and Desserts

What's a holiday meal without the Sides and Desserts? To that end, check out today's sides and desserts, including Baked Acorn Squash with Apple Stuffing and Fantasy Fudge. Enjoy!

PUMPKIN-CHOCOLATE SWIRL CHEESECAKE

This was in the November/December 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 70. It begins, "It took us four tries to get this recipe just right, but the result—a rich, creamy, pumpkin-flavored cheesecake laced with spice and swirled with chocolate—is truly spectacular."

Makes 24 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/pumpkin-chocolate-swirl-cheesecake/.

Ingredients

1 - 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate

2 cups low-fat cottage cheese

2 8-oz. pkg. Neufchatel cheese, softened

2 cups light brown sugar

3 large eggs

1/3 cup flour

1 15-oz. can pumpkin

1 & 1/2 Tbs. ground ginger

1 - 1/2 Tbs. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To make Chocolate Crust:

Coat 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter in medium bowl. Press into prepared pan, and bake 10 minutes.

Melt chocolate in bowl in microwave on medium power, stirring every 30 seconds to heat evenly. Set aside. Blend cottage cheese in food processor 3 minutes, until smooth. Add Neufchâtel cheese, brown sugar, eggs and flour, and process until smooth. Add pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg, and process 1 minute, or until smooth.

Whisk 1 cup cream cheese batter into melted chocolate. Pour remaining batter into crust. Spoon dollops of chocolate mixture onto batter, and swirl with knife.

Bake cheesecake 1 & 1/2 hours, or until top is firm and cake is beginning to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely on wire rack, then chill well before unmolding and serving.

BAKED ACORN SQUASH WITH APPLE STUFFING

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 stuffed squash halves (4 servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Book Title: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/baked-acorn-squash-with-apple-stuffing.

Ingredients

2 small acorn squash (1-1/2 pounds total), halved and seeded

1 large or 2 small apples, peeled, diced

2 tablespoons diced celery

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

2 teaspoons margarine, melted

Pinch of salt

Pinch of freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a square baking pan with nonstick pan spray.

Place the squash cut side down in a baking pan. Bake 20 minutes.

While the squash is baking, combine the apples, celery, onion, margarine, and 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl; mix well.

Turn the squash, cut sides up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide the apple mixture to fill the cavities of the squash. bake the stuffed squash halves, covered with foil, for 30 minutes more. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 87; Fat: 2 g; Fiber: 5 g; Sodium: 63 mg; Protein: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g; Sugars: 10 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch

APPLE AND SQUASH BAKE

Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings; Serving Size: 3/4 cup squash and apple bake

Source: Splenda

Recipe and image appear courtesy of Splenda.

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/apple-and-squash-bake.

Ingredients

1/3 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 teaspoon molasses

1/4 cup light butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground mace

2 pounds butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cut into

1/2 inch slices

2 large apples - cored, and cut into 1/2 inch slices

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In a medium bowl, stir together Splenda Granulated Sweetener, molasses, butter, flour, salt, and mace. Arrange squash in an ungreased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with slices of apple, then sprinkle with the sugar mixture. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until squash is tender.

Notes:

This recipe combines all the best fall flavors and makes a great alternative to the candied yams often served for Thanksgiving dinner.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 120; Fat: 3.5 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Fiber: 4 g; Sodium: 340 mg; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Sugars: 9 g

PUMPKIN SEED PESTO

This was in the November/December 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 62. It begins, "This pesto is elegant and flavorful. Try it as an alternative to salsa on nachos. Pumpkin seed oil is stocked with other specialty oils in many supermarkets, but you can substitute olive oil in a pinch."

Makes 1 serving

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/pumpkin-seed-pesto/.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted hulled (green) pumpkin seeds

1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seed oil

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 tsp. salt

Preparation

Toast pumpkin seeds in large skillet over medium heat, 4 to 5 minutes, or until puffed and golden, stirring constantly.

Transfer seeds to food processor. Add remaining ingredients, and process until smooth. Serve with Three Sisters Casserole, or store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to a week.

DULCE DE LECHE BANANA PIE

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "A flaky homemade pie crust complements a caramel and banana cream filling." If that doesn't sound absolutely yummy, I don't know what does!

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/dulce-de-leche-banana-pie.

Ingredients

1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche

3 ripe medium bananas

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preparation

Heat oven to 450°F. In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and dough almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).

On lightly floured surface, shape dough into a ball. Flatten ball to 1/2-inch thickness, rounding and smoothing edges. With floured rolling pin, roll dough into 11-inch round, rolling from center to edge. Fold dough in half; place in 9-inch glass pie plate. Unfold; gently press in bottom and up side of plate, being careful not to stretch dough.

Fold and roll edge of dough under, even with plate; flute edge. Prick bottom and side of dough generously with fork. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Spoon contents of can of dulce de leche into center of cooled crust; gently spread to edge. Thinly slice bananas; arrange over dulce de leche.

In medium bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread over bananas.

In small resealable freezer plastic bag, place chocolate chips and oil; seal bag. Microwave on High 30 seconds; knead bag to mix melted chips and unmelted chips. Microwave 15 to 30 seconds longer or until all chips are melted and smooth. Snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe melted chocolate mixture over whipped cream. Store pie in refrigerator.

FANTASY FUDGE

This recipe, from My Food and Family, begins, "Delight your taste buds with this amazing Fantasy Fudge. This Fantasy Fudge is a classic marshmallow fudge that gets its chocolatey, nutty goodness from BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate and walnuts."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes

To view this online, go to https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/051833/fantasy-fudge.

Ingredients

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter or margarine

1 small can (5 oz.) evaporated milk (about 2/3 cup) (Do not use sweetened condensed milk.)

3 pkg. (4 oz. each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped

1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Line 9-inch square pan with Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Bring sugar, butter and evaporated milk to full rolling boil in 3-qt. saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 4 min. or until candy thermometer reaches 234°F, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate and marshmallow creme; stir until melted. Add nuts and vanilla; mix well.

Pour into prepared pan; spread to cover bottom of pan. Cool completely. Use foil handles to lift fudge from pan before cutting into 1-inch squares.

Kitchen Tips

Tip 1

Size Wise

A serving of this sweet treat is 2 squares. You'll find that a small portion goes a long way on chocolate flavor.

Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday (because not everyone loves tacos; shocking, right?). Today's offerings include Coconut Chicken Curry and Millionaire's Ham. Enjoy!

ROAST VEGGIE PASTA

This comes from Bob McDonald at AllRecipes, and begins, "Wonderful rustic Italian style pasta dish! Meal can be dressed up or down with accompaniments to this tasty pasta."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes: Servings: 3

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/45644/roasted-veggie-pasta/.

Ingredients

1/4 pound fresh asparagus

2 red bell pepper, sliced

1/4 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced

10 cloves roasted garlic, chopped

1/2 tomato, quartered

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces dry fettuccini noodles

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons tapenade

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare asparagus by trimming woody base and cutting diagonally into 4 inch pieces.

In a roasting pan, combine asparagus, bell pepper, mushrooms, roasted garlic and tomato. Sprinkle with rosemary and oregano, then drizzle with olive oil. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Toss with Parmesan cheese, tapenade and roasted vegetables.

FROZEN CREME BRULEE

This comes from Vegetarian Times (July/August 2005 issue, page 64), and begins, "This simple recipe is a great way to showcase the premium small-batch ice creams sold at farmers' markets and grocery stores during the summer." Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/frozen-creme-brulee-recipe/.

Ingredients

2 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup evaporated milk

Fresh berries or mint sprigs for garnish, if desired

Preparation

Spread 1/2 cup ice cream into 4 oval crème brûlée ramekins. Freeze until firm.

Meanwhile, combine sugar and 1/3 cup water in saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to make sure sugar dissolves. Using pastry brush dipped in water, wipe down inner sides of saucepan to dissolve any sugar crystals that cling. Cook mixture about 10 minutes, or until it begins to caramelize (swirl pot to brown evenly).

Cook 1 to 2 minutes more, or until caramel is medium-brown. Remove from heat, and stir in 2 Tbs. water. Let cool 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in evaporated milk. Cool completely.

Spread thin layer of cooled caramel over ice cream in ramekins. Return to freezer until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh berries or mint sprig, if desired.

COCONUT CHICKEN CURRY

I'm amazed how many wonderful recipes I've found in different places. This is from Sun-Maid raisins website. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Makes 3-4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.sunmaid.com/recipes/coconut-chicken-curry/.

Ingredients

Sun-Maid California Sun-Dried and Golden Raisins

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in strips

1 small red pepper coarsely chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 tsp. ground coriander

3/4 tsp. ground turmeric

3/4 tsp. salt

1-1/2 cups light coconut milk (Light coconut milk is thinner consistency and lower fat than regular coconut milk. If using regular, adjust thickness with water.)

Hot cooked basmati or long grain rice

Sweetened flaked coconut

Roasted unsalted cashews

Directions

Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat.

Add chicken and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring once or twice until lightly browned.

Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add bell pepper, onion, garlic and ginger to pan. COOK over medium heat until softened.

Sprinkle coriander, turmeric and salt over vegetables and stir 15 seconds or just until fragrant.

Stir in coconut milk.

Return chicken and any juices to pan.

Cook 2 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Serve over hot cooked rice with raisins, coconut and cashews.

DULCE DE LECHE BANANA PIE

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "A flaky homemade pie crust complements a caramel and banana cream filling." If that doesn't sound absolutely yummy, I don't know what does!

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/dulce-de-leche-banana-pie.

Ingredients

1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche

3 ripe medium bananas

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preparation

Heat oven to 450°F. In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and dough almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).

On lightly floured surface, shape dough into a ball. Flatten ball to 1/2-inch thickness, rounding and smoothing edges. With floured rolling pin, roll dough into 11-inch round, rolling from center to edge. Fold dough in half; place in 9-inch glass pie plate. Unfold; gently press in bottom and up side of plate, being careful not to stretch dough.

Fold and roll edge of dough under, even with plate; flute edge. Prick bottom and side of dough generously with fork. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Spoon contents of can of dulce de leche into center of cooled crust; gently spread to edge. Thinly slice bananas; arrange over dulce de leche.

In medium bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread over bananas.

In small resealable freezer plastic bag, place chocolate chips and oil; seal bag. Microwave on High 30 seconds; knead bag to mix melted chips and unmelted chips. Microwave 15 to 30 seconds longer or until all chips are melted and smooth. Snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe melted chocolate mixture over whipped cream. Store pie in refrigerator.

MILLIONAIRE'S HAM

This recipe, from the Food Network, begins, "Humble ingredients make this slightly spicy and candied ham look like a million bucks."

Active Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours; Level: Easy; Yield: 10 to 12 servings

To view this online, click < a href=https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/millionaires-ham-5339413>here.

Ingredients

One 8-to-10-pound bone-in fully-cooked ham

3 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

1 3/4 cups orange juice

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom and the rack of a roasting pan with foil. Place the rack inside the roasting pan.

With the fatty side facing down, use a sharp knife to cut 3/4-inch long diagonal lines about 1-inch deep all over the surface of the ham. Working in the opposite direction, cut more 3/4-inch long and 1-inch deep diagonal lines to create diamond shapes. Turn the ham over so the fatty side is facing up. Create the same diamond shape placing any pieces of ham that fall off back onto the ham. Place the ham, fatty-side up, on the rack and cook, rotating the pan halfway through, until warm in the center and the fat starts to crisp up, about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, mix 3 cups sugar, 3/4 cup orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Remove the ham from the oven and carefully brush one-third of the glaze all over the ham. Bake the ham for 20 minutes. Brush with another third of the glaze and bake for 20 minutes more. Brush the remaining third of the glaze over the ham and cook until the glaze is shiny and the skin is dark golden brown and crispy, about 30 minutes more.

Mix the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper and a generous amount of pepper in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce has reduced by about half, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the ham from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. Slice and serve with the sauce on the side.

BEEF AND BROCCOLI

This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Sam wrote, "Here is a streamlined, powerfully flavorful recipe for a delivery-food standby: velvety wok-fried beef in a oyster-soy sauce, served in a forest of green. ‘‘It’s diaspora food,’’ the chef Jonathan Wu told me, describing the cooking of Chinese immigrants to the United States and a dish that is almost unknown in China but beloved in America. The recipe is a version of the one Wu’s mother made for dinner when he was growing up outside Hartford, Conn., with a little chile-garlic paste added for zip and, thanks to the Brooklyn chef Dale Talde, a pat of butter swirled into the sauce at the end. This provides a plush gloss that is far better than the traditional cornstarch slurry. It is midweek family cooking at its best."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 45 minutes

This was featured in "The Best Beef and Broccoli, No Delivery Required", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019262-beef-and-broccoli.

Ingredients

1/3 cup Shaoxing rice wine, dry sherry or sake

\3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 pound beef — chuck or rib steak — sliced thin against the grain

1/4 cup oyster sauce

1/2 tablespoon chile-garlic sauce, or to taste

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon neutral oil, like canola, grapeseed or peanut

1 pound broccoli, the head cut into florets and the stems peeled and cut into planks

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preparation

In a large bowl, whisk together the wine, 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce and the cornstarch. Add the beef to the bowl, and toss to combine, then cover the bowl, and set aside for 20 minutes or so.

To make the sauce, combine in a small bowl the remaining soy sauce, the oyster sauce and the chile-garlic sauce, and mix to combine, then add a tablespoon of water and mix again. Set aside.

Heat the 1/2 cup of oil in a wok set over high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add about half the beef to the wok, and stir-fry until it is browned and crisp and barely cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl or plate, and set aside. Then repeat with remaining beef.

Pour off the oil in the wok, wipe it out with a towel and return it to the stove over high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and swirl it around and heat it until it is smoking. Add the broccoli and cook, tossing and stirring frequently, until lightly charred in spots, about 2 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons water to the wok, and toss and stir the broccoli in the steam for an additional 2 minutes, then return beef to the wok, followed by the sauce. Cook, stirring and tossing frequently, for 30 seconds or so, then add the butter, and stir and toss again for 30 seconds more. Serve immediately, with rice.

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Thanksgiving Sides and Dessert - Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's double post deals with Thanksgiving Sides & Desserts, and includes Baked Acorn Squash with Apple Stuffing and Dulce de Leche Banana Pie. Enjoy!

PUMPKIN-CHOCOLATE SWIRL CHEESECAKE

This was in the November/December 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 70. It begins, "It took us four tries to get this recipe just right, but the result—a rich, creamy, pumpkin-flavored cheesecake laced with spice and swirled with chocolate—is truly spectacular."

Makes 24 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/pumpkin-chocolate-swirl-cheesecake/.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate

2 cups low-fat cottage cheese

2 8-oz. pkg. Neufchatel cheese, softened

2 cups light brown sugar

3 large eggs

1/3 cup flour

1 15-oz. can pumpkin

1 & 1/2 Tbs. ground ginger

1-1/2 Tbs. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To make Chocolate Crust:

Coat 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter in medium bowl. Press into prepared pan, and bake 10 minutes.

Melt chocolate in bowl in microwave on medium power, stirring every 30 seconds to heat evenly. Set aside. Blend cottage cheese in food processor 3 minutes, until smooth. Add Neufchâtel cheese, brown sugar, eggs and flour, and process until smooth. Add pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg, and process 1 minute, or until smooth.

Whisk 1 cup cream cheese batter into melted chocolate. Pour remaining batter into crust. Spoon dollops of chocolate mixture onto batter, and swirl with knife.

Bake cheesecake 1 & 1/2 hours, or until top is firm and cake is beginning to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely on wire rack, then chill well before unmolding and serving.

BAKED ACORN SQUASH WITH APPLE STUFFING

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 stuffed squash halves (4 servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Book Title: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/baked-acorn-squash-with-apple-stuffing.

Ingredients

2 small acorn squash (1-1/2 pounds total), halved and seeded

1 large or 2 small apples, peeled, diced

2 tablespoons diced celery

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

2 teaspoons margarine, melted

Pinch of salt

Pinch of freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a square baking pan with nonstick pan spray.

Place the squash cut side down in a baking pan. Bake 20 minutes.

While the squash is baking, combine the apples, celery, onion, margarine, and 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl; mix well.

Turn the squash, cut sides up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide the apple mixture to fill the cavities of the squash. bake the stuffed squash halves, covered with foil, for 30 minutes more. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 87; Fat: 2 g; Fiber: 5 g; Sodium: 63 mg; Protein: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g; Sugars: 10 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch

APPLE AND SQUASH BAKE

Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings; Serving Size: 3/4 cup squash and apple bake

Source: Splenda

Recipe and image appear courtesy of Splenda.

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/apple-and-squash-bake.

Ingredients

1/3 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 teaspoon molasses

1/4 cup light butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground mace

2 pounds butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cut into

1/2 inch slices

2 large apples - cored, and cut into 1/2 inch slices

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In a medium bowl, stir together Splenda Granulated Sweetener, molasses, butter, flour, salt, and mace. Arrange squash in an ungreased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with slices of apple, then sprinkle with the sugar mixture. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until squash is tender.

Notes:

This recipe combines all the best fall flavors and makes a great alternative to the candied yams often served for Thanksgiving dinner.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 120; Fat: 3.5 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Fiber: 4 g; Sodium: 340 mg; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Sugars: 9 g

PUMPKIN SEED PESTO

This was in the November/December 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 62. It begins, "This pesto is elegant and flavorful. Try it as an alternative to salsa on nachos. Pumpkin seed oil is stocked with other specialty oils in many supermarkets, but you can substitute olive oil in a pinch."

Makes 1 serving

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/pumpkin-seed-pesto/.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted hulled (green) pumpkin seeds

1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seed oil

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 tsp. salt

Preparation

Toast pumpkin seeds in large skillet over medium heat, 4 to 5 minutes, or until puffed and golden, stirring constantly.

Transfer seeds to food processor. Add remaining ingredients, and process until smooth. Serve with Three Sisters Casserole, or store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to a week.

DULCE DE LECHE BANANA PIE

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "A flaky homemade pie crust complements a caramel and banana cream filling." If that doesn't sound absolutely yummy, I don't know what does!

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/dulce-de-leche-banana-pie.

Ingredients

1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche

3 ripe medium bananas

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preparation

Heat oven to 450°F. In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and dough almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).

On lightly floured surface, shape dough into a ball. Flatten ball to 1/2-inch thickness, rounding and smoothing edges. With floured rolling pin, roll dough into 11-inch round, rolling from center to edge. Fold dough in half; place in 9-inch glass pie plate. Unfold; gently press in bottom and up side of plate, being careful not to stretch dough.

Fold and roll edge of dough under, even with plate; flute edge. Prick bottom and side of dough generously with fork. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Spoon contents of can of dulce de leche into center of cooled crust; gently spread to edge. Thinly slice bananas; arrange over dulce de leche.

In medium bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread over bananas.

In small resealable freezer plastic bag, place chocolate chips and oil; seal bag. Microwave on High 30 seconds; knead bag to mix melted chips and unmelted chips. Microwave 15 to 30 seconds longer or until all chips are melted and smooth. Snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe melted chocolate mixture over whipped cream. Store pie in refrigerator.

FANTASY FUDGE

This recipe, from My Food and Family, begins, "Delight your taste buds with this amazing Fantasy Fudge. This Fantasy Fudge is a classic marshmallow fudge that gets its chocolatey, nutty goodness from BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate and walnuts."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes

To view this online, go to https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/051833/fantasy-fudge.

Ingredients

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter or margarine

1 small can (5 oz.) evaporated milk (about 2/3 cup) (Do not use sweetened condensed milk.)

3 pkg. (4 oz. each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped

1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Line 9-inch square pan with Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Bring sugar, butter and evaporated milk to full rolling boil in 3-qt. saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 4 min. or until candy thermometer reaches 234°F, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate and marshmallow creme; stir until melted. Add nuts and vanilla; mix well.

Pour into prepared pan; spread to cover bottom of pan. Cool completely. Use foil handles to lift fudge from pan before cutting into 1-inch squares.

Kitchen Tips

Tip 1

Size Wise

A serving of this sweet treat is 2 squares. You'll find that a small portion goes a long way on chocolate flavor.

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Holiday Sides and Desserts - Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. And today's double post is a round of Holiday Sides and Desserts to help you with your holiday baking, including Baked Acorn Squash with Apple Stuffing and Fantasy Fudge. Enjoy!

Enjoy!

PUMPKIN-CHOCOLATE SWIRL CHEESECAKE

This was in the November/December 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 70. It begins, "It took us four tries to get this recipe just right, but the result—a rich, creamy, pumpkin-flavored cheesecake laced with spice and swirled with chocolate—is truly spectacular."

Makes 24 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/pumpkin-chocolate-swirl-cheesecake/.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate

2 cups low-fat cottage cheese

2 8-oz. pkg. Neufchatel cheese, softened

2 cups light brown sugar

3 large eggs

1/3 cup flour

1 15-oz. can pumpkin

1 & 1/2 Tbs. ground ginger

1 - 1/2 Tbs. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To make Chocolate Crust:

Coat 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter in medium bowl. Press into prepared pan, and bake 10 minutes.

Melt chocolate in bowl in microwave on medium power, stirring every 30 seconds to heat evenly. Set aside. Blend cottage cheese in food processor 3 minutes, until smooth. Add Neufchâtel cheese, brown sugar, eggs and flour, and process until smooth. Add pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg, and process 1 minute, or until smooth.

Whisk 1 cup cream cheese batter into melted chocolate. Pour remaining batter into crust. Spoon dollops of chocolate mixture onto batter, and swirl with knife.

Bake cheesecake 1 & 1/2 hours, or until top is firm and cake is beginning to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely on wire rack, then chill well before unmolding and serving.

BAKED ACORN SQUASH WITH APPLE STUFFING

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 stuffed squash halves (4 servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Book Title: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/baked-acorn-squash-with-apple-stuffing.

Ingredients

2 small acorn squash (1-1/2 pounds total), halved and seeded

1 large or 2 small apples, peeled, diced

2 tablespoons diced celery

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

2 teaspoons margarine, melted

Pinch of salt

Pinch of freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a square baking pan with nonstick pan spray.

Place the squash cut side down in a baking pan. Bake 20 minutes.

While the squash is baking, combine the apples, celery, onion, margarine, and 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl; mix well.

Turn the squash, cut sides up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide the apple mixture to fill the cavities of the squash. bake the stuffed squash halves, covered with foil, for 30 minutes more. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 87; Fat: 2 g; Fiber: 5 g; Sodium: 63 mg; Protein: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g; Sugars: 10 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch

APPLE AND SQUASH BAKE

Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings; Serving Size: 3/4 cup squash and apple bake

Source: Splenda

Recipe and image appear courtesy of Splenda.

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/apple-and-squash-bake.

Ingredients

1/3 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 teaspoon molasses

1/4 cup light butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground mace

2 pounds butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cut into

1/2 inch slices

2 large apples - cored, and cut into 1/2 inch slices

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In a medium bowl, stir together Splenda Granulated Sweetener, molasses, butter, flour, salt, and mace. Arrange squash in an ungreased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with slices of apple, then sprinkle with the sugar mixture. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until squash is tender.

Notes:

This recipe combines all the best fall flavors and makes a great alternative to the candied yams often served for Thanksgiving dinner.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 120; Fat: 3.5 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Fiber: 4 g; Sodium: 340 mg; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Sugars: 9 g

PUMPKIN SEED PESTO

This was in the November/December 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 62. It begins, "This pesto is elegant and flavorful. Try it as an alternative to salsa on nachos. Pumpkin seed oil is stocked with other specialty oils in many supermarkets, but you can substitute olive oil in a pinch."

Makes 1 serving

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/pumpkin-seed-pesto/.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted hulled (green) pumpkin seeds

1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seed oil

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 tsp. salt

Preparation

Toast pumpkin seeds in large skillet over medium heat, 4 to 5 minutes, or until puffed and golden, stirring constantly.

Transfer seeds to food processor. Add remaining ingredients, and process until smooth. Serve with Three Sisters Casserole, or store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to a week.

DULCE DE LECHE BANANA PIE

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "A flaky homemade pie crust complements a caramel and banana cream filling." If that doesn't sound absolutely yummy, I don't know what does!

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/dulce-de-leche-banana-pie.

Ingredients

1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche

3 ripe medium bananas

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preparation

Heat oven to 450°F. In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and dough almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).

On lightly floured surface, shape dough into a ball. Flatten ball to 1/2-inch thickness, rounding and smoothing edges. With floured rolling pin, roll dough into 11-inch round, rolling from center to edge. Fold dough in half; place in 9-inch glass pie plate. Unfold; gently press in bottom and up side of plate, being careful not to stretch dough.

Fold and roll edge of dough under, even with plate; flute edge. Prick bottom and side of dough generously with fork. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Spoon contents of can of dulce de leche into center of cooled crust; gently spread to edge. Thinly slice bananas; arrange over dulce de leche.

In medium bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread over bananas.

In small resealable freezer plastic bag, place chocolate chips and oil; seal bag. Microwave on High 30 seconds; knead bag to mix melted chips and unmelted chips. Microwave 15 to 30 seconds longer or until all chips are melted and smooth. Snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe melted chocolate mixture over whipped cream. Store pie in refrigerator.

FANTASY FUDGE

This recipe, from My Food and Family, begins, "Delight your taste buds with this amazing Fantasy Fudge. This Fantasy Fudge is a classic marshmallow fudge that gets its chocolatey, nutty goodness from BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate and walnuts."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes

To view this online, go to https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/051833/fantasy-fudge.

Ingredients

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter or margarine

1 small can (5 oz.) evaporated milk (about 2/3 cup) (Do not use sweetened condensed milk.)

3 pkg. (4 oz. each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped

1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Line 9-inch square pan with Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Bring sugar, butter and evaporated milk to full rolling boil in 3-qt. saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 4 min. or until candy thermometer reaches 234°F, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate and marshmallow creme; stir until melted. Add nuts and vanilla; mix well.

Pour into prepared pan; spread to cover bottom of pan. Cool completely. Use foil handles to lift fudge from pan before cutting into 1-inch squares.

Kitchen Tips

Tip 1

Size Wise

A serving of this sweet treat is 2 squares. You'll find that a small portion goes a long way on chocolate flavor.

Tuesday, November 21, 2023

Thanksgiving Sides & Desserts - Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's double post deals with Thanksgiving Sides & Desserts, and includes Baked Acorn Squash with Apple Stuffing and Dulce de Leche Banana Pie. Enjoy!

PUMPKIN-CHOCOLATE SWIRL CHEESECAKE

This was in the November/December 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 70. It begins, "It took us four tries to get this recipe just right, but the result—a rich, creamy, pumpkin-flavored cheesecake laced with spice and swirled with chocolate—is truly spectacular."

Makes 24 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/pumpkin-chocolate-swirl-cheesecake/.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate

2 cups low-fat cottage cheese

2 8-oz. pkg. Neufchatel cheese, softened

2 cups light brown sugar

3 large eggs

1/3 cup flour

1 15-oz. can pumpkin

1 & 1/2 Tbs. ground ginger

1-1/2 Tbs. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To make Chocolate Crust:

Coat 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter in medium bowl. Press into prepared pan, and bake 10 minutes.

Melt chocolate in bowl in microwave on medium power, stirring every 30 seconds to heat evenly. Set aside. Blend cottage cheese in food processor 3 minutes, until smooth. Add Neufchâtel cheese, brown sugar, eggs and flour, and process until smooth. Add pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg, and process 1 minute, or until smooth.

Whisk 1 cup cream cheese batter into melted chocolate. Pour remaining batter into crust. Spoon dollops of chocolate mixture onto batter, and swirl with knife.

Bake cheesecake 1 & 1/2 hours, or until top is firm and cake is beginning to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely on wire rack, then chill well before unmolding and serving.

BAKED ACORN SQUASH WITH APPLE STUFFING

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 stuffed squash halves (4 servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Book Title: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/baked-acorn-squash-with-apple-stuffing.

Ingredients

2 small acorn squash (1-1/2 pounds total), halved and seeded

1 large or 2 small apples, peeled, diced

2 tablespoons diced celery

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

2 teaspoons margarine, melted

Pinch of salt

Pinch of freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a square baking pan with nonstick pan spray.

Place the squash cut side down in a baking pan. Bake 20 minutes.

While the squash is baking, combine the apples, celery, onion, margarine, and 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl; mix well.

Turn the squash, cut sides up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide the apple mixture to fill the cavities of the squash. bake the stuffed squash halves, covered with foil, for 30 minutes more. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 87; Fat: 2 g; Fiber: 5 g; Sodium: 63 mg; Protein: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g; Sugars: 10 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch

APPLE AND SQUASH BAKE

Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings; Serving Size: 3/4 cup squash and apple bake

Source: Splenda

Recipe and image appear courtesy of Splenda.

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/apple-and-squash-bake.

Ingredients

1/3 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 teaspoon molasses

1/4 cup light butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground mace

2 pounds butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cut into

1/2 inch slices

2 large apples - cored, and cut into 1/2 inch slices

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In a medium bowl, stir together Splenda Granulated Sweetener, molasses, butter, flour, salt, and mace. Arrange squash in an ungreased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with slices of apple, then sprinkle with the sugar mixture. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until squash is tender.

Notes:

This recipe combines all the best fall flavors and makes a great alternative to the candied yams often served for Thanksgiving dinner.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 120; Fat: 3.5 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Fiber: 4 g; Sodium: 340 mg; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Sugars: 9 g

PUMPKIN SEED PESTO

This was in the November/December 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 62. It begins, "This pesto is elegant and flavorful. Try it as an alternative to salsa on nachos. Pumpkin seed oil is stocked with other specialty oils in many supermarkets, but you can substitute olive oil in a pinch."

Makes 1 serving

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/pumpkin-seed-pesto/.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted hulled (green) pumpkin seeds

1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seed oil

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 tsp. salt

Preparation

Toast pumpkin seeds in large skillet over medium heat, 4 to 5 minutes, or until puffed and golden, stirring constantly.

Transfer seeds to food processor. Add remaining ingredients, and process until smooth. Serve with Three Sisters Casserole, or store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to a week.

DULCE DE LECHE BANANA PIE

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "A flaky homemade pie crust complements a caramel and banana cream filling." If that doesn't sound absolutely yummy, I don't know what does!

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/dulce-de-leche-banana-pie.

Ingredients

1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche

3 ripe medium bananas

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preparation

Heat oven to 450°F. In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and dough almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).

On lightly floured surface, shape dough into a ball. Flatten ball to 1/2-inch thickness, rounding and smoothing edges. With floured rolling pin, roll dough into 11-inch round, rolling from center to edge. Fold dough in half; place in 9-inch glass pie plate. Unfold; gently press in bottom and up side of plate, being careful not to stretch dough.

Fold and roll edge of dough under, even with plate; flute edge. Prick bottom and side of dough generously with fork. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Spoon contents of can of dulce de leche into center of cooled crust; gently spread to edge. Thinly slice bananas; arrange over dulce de leche.

In medium bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread over bananas.

In small resealable freezer plastic bag, place chocolate chips and oil; seal bag. Microwave on High 30 seconds; knead bag to mix melted chips and unmelted chips. Microwave 15 to 30 seconds longer or until all chips are melted and smooth. Snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe melted chocolate mixture over whipped cream. Store pie in refrigerator.

FANTASY FUDGE

This recipe, from My Food and Family, begins, "Delight your taste buds with this amazing Fantasy Fudge. This Fantasy Fudge is a classic marshmallow fudge that gets its chocolatey, nutty goodness from BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate and walnuts."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes

To view this online, go to https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/051833/fantasy-fudge.

Ingredients

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter or margarine

1 small can (5 oz.) evaporated milk (about 2/3 cup) (Do not use sweetened condensed milk.)

3 pkg. (4 oz. each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped

1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Line 9-inch square pan with Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Bring sugar, butter and evaporated milk to full rolling boil in 3-qt. saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 4 min. or until candy thermometer reaches 234°F, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate and marshmallow creme; stir until melted. Add nuts and vanilla; mix well.

Pour into prepared pan; spread to cover bottom of pan. Cool completely. Use foil handles to lift fudge from pan before cutting into 1-inch squares.

Kitchen Tips

Tip 1

Size Wise

A serving of this sweet treat is 2 squares. You'll find that a small portion goes a long way on chocolate flavor.

Monday, November 13, 2023

Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's double post includes Turkey Chili, West African Peanut Soup, and Smash Burgers. Enjoy!

DULCE DE LECHE BANANA PIE

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "A flaky homemade pie crust complements a caramel and banana cream filling." If that doesn't sound absolutely yummy, I don't know what does!

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/dulce-de-leche-banana-pie.

Ingredients

1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche

3 ripe medium bananas

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preparation

Heat oven to 450°F. In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and dough almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).

On lightly floured surface, shape dough into a ball. Flatten ball to 1/2-inch thickness, rounding and smoothing edges. With floured rolling pin, roll dough into 11-inch round, rolling from center to edge. Fold dough in half; place in 9-inch glass pie plate. Unfold; gently press in bottom and up side of plate, being careful not to stretch dough.

Fold and roll edge of dough under, even with plate; flute edge. Prick bottom and side of dough generously with fork. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Spoon contents of can of dulce de leche into center of cooled crust; gently spread to edge. Thinly slice bananas; arrange over dulce de leche.

In medium bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread over bananas.

In small resealable freezer plastic bag, place chocolate chips and oil; seal bag. Microwave on High 30 seconds; knead bag to mix melted chips and unmelted chips. Microwave 15 to 30 seconds longer or until all chips are melted and smooth. Snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe melted chocolate mixture over whipped cream. Store pie in refrigerator.

CHICKEN WITH PEPPERS

Recipe Yield: Servings: 4

Source: 1,001 Recipes For People with Diabetes

Book Title: 1,001 Recipes For People with Diabetes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/chicken-with-peppers.

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups frozen stir-fry pepper blend

1 can (15 ounces) chunky Italian-seasoned tomato sauce

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Saute chicken and garlic in oil in large skillet until lightly browned. Push chicken to side of pan; add stir-fry pepper blend and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 215; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 674 m; Cholesterol: 71 mg; Protein: 28.5 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 3 Meat

WEST AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP

This interesting soup comes from Drumnwrite in Allrecipes. The recipe begins, "Tomatoes and peanut butter? YES! The first time I tried this at a health food restaurant, I was hooked. About 5 years of tweaking the recipe to my personal taste has created a spicy, sweet favorite amongst my friends and family. Luckily there is always enough for everyone!"

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Servings:10

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/68530/west-african-peanut-soup/.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, very finely diced

2 large bell peppers, (any color) finely chopped

6 large cloves garlic, minced

1 (28 ounce) can chopped tomatoes with juice

8 cups vegetable broth

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup uncooked rice

1 (18 ounce) jar creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, and garlic until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, vegetable broth, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Add rice to soup and stir. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 25 minutes, or until rice is tender.

When rice is cooked, whisk in peanut butter and return to a simmer, and serve. Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts, if desired.

TEX-MEX SKILLET FRIED RICE

This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "A little bit fried rice and a little bit beef taco, this skillet mashup is a quick and easy dinner option that’s easy to customize with all your favorite taco toppings."

Prep Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 6

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ original taco seasoning mix

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup diced yellow onions

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

1 cup Cascadian Farm™ frozen organic sweet corn

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups cooked white rice

1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz)

Diced avocado, fresh cilantro leaves, sliced green onions, Old El Paso™ Thick 'n Chunky salsa, if desired

Directions

In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until brown. Drain; return to skillet. Stir in taco seasoning mix and water; heat to simmering over medium heat. Cook 1 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Transfer to large bowl, and set aside; carefully wipe out skillet.

Add oil to skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Add onions, bell pepper, frozen corn and salt. Cook 7 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown on edges.

Add rice and green chiles; cook 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently to break up rice, until heated through. Stir in beef mixture; cook 1 to 2 minutes longer to heat through.

Remove from heat. Top with cheese; cover and let stand 1 to 3 minutes or until cheese melts.

Top with remaining ingredients.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

tip 1

Don’t have cooked white rice from leftovers or takeout? Frozen cooked white rice is a nice staple to keep in the freezer to help ease the dinner rush on weeknights.

Tip 2

Make it your own! Try adding Sriracha or chile garlic sauce; experiment with different shredded cheeses, or mix up the diced veggies for your own twist on this easy meal.

TURKEY CHILI

This is from American Heart Association, and begins, "Warm up on a cool evening with this classic chili dish. Our version is full of fiber, low in sodium, and extraordinarily delicious." Makes 6 servings; serving size: 1 1/3 cups

To view this online, go to https://recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/turkey-chili.

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons canola or corn oil

1 medium or large onion, chopped

20 ounces ground skinless turkey breast

2 large garlic cloves, minced

OR

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 15.5-ounce can no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 15.5-ounce can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained

1 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

1 3/4 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn

1 6-ounce can no-salt-added tomato paste

4 medium green onions (green part only), sliced

Directions

In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Cook the chopped onion for 3 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally.

Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the turkey. Cook for 5 minutes, or until browned, stirring frequently to turn and break up the turkey.

Stir in the garlic, chili powder, pepper, and cumin. Stir in the remaining ingredients except the green onions. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until heated through, stirring frequently. Just before serving, sprinkle with the green onions.

SMASH BURGERS

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Sam wrote, "This is the traditional, griddled hamburger of diners and takeaway spots, smashed thin and cooked crisp on its edges. It is best to cook in a heavy, cast-iron skillet slicked with oil or fat, and not on a grill. For meat, ask a butcher for coarse-ground chuck steak, with at least a 20 percent fat content, or grind your own. Keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook, and try not to handle it with your fingers — use an ice-cream scoop or spoon instead. Plop down a few ounces in the pan, smash it with a spatula, salt it, let it go crisp and flip. Add cheese and get your bun toasted. The process moves quickly."

Yield: 4 to 8 servings; Time: 20 minutes

This as featured in "Deconstructing the Perfect Burger", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016595-smash-burgers.

Another like you should check out to to Sam Sifton's guide, "How to Make Burgers". Even if you've been making burgers almost forever, it's still well worth checking out.

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon neutral oil, like canola, or a pat of unsalted butter

2 pounds ground chuck, at least 20 percent fat

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

8 slices cheese (optional)

8 soft hamburger buns, lightly toasted

Lettuce leaves, sliced tomatoes and condiments, as desired

Directions

Add oil or butter to a large cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet and place over medium heat. Gently divide ground beef into 8 small piles of around 4 ounces each, and even more gently gather them together into orbs that are about 2 inches in height. Do not form patties.

Increase heat under skillet to high. Put half the orbs into the skillet with plenty of distance between them and, using a stiff metal spatula, press down on each one to form a burger that is around 4 inches in diameter and about 1/2 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook without moving until patties have achieved a deep, burnished crust, a little less than 2 minutes. Use the spatula to scrape free and carefully turn burgers over. If using cheese, lay slices on meat.

Continue to cook until meat is cooked through, approximately a minute or so longer. Remove burgers from skillet, place on buns and top as desired. Repeat process with remaining burgers. Serving two hamburgers on a single bun is not an outrageous option.

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday (because not everyone loves tacos; shocking, right?). Today's offerings include Coconut Chicken Curry and Millionaire's Ham. Enjoy!

ROAST VEGGIE PASTA

This comes from Bob McDonald at AllRecipes, and begins, "Wonderful rustic Italian style pasta dish! Meal can be dressed up or down with accompaniments to this tasty pasta."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes: Servings: 3

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/45644/roasted-veggie-pasta/.

Ingredients

1/4 pound fresh asparagus

2 red bell pepper, sliced

1/4 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced

10 cloves roasted garlic, chopped

1/2 tomato, quartered

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces dry fettuccini noodles

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons tapenade

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare asparagus by trimming woody base and cutting diagonally into 4 inch pieces.

In a roasting pan, combine asparagus, bell pepper, mushrooms, roasted garlic and tomato. Sprinkle with rosemary and oregano, then drizzle with olive oil. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Toss with Parmesan cheese, tapenade and roasted vegetables.

FROZEN CREME BRULEE

This comes from Vegetarian Times (July/August 2005 issue, page 64), and begins, "This simple recipe is a great way to showcase the premium small-batch ice creams sold at farmers' markets and grocery stores during the summer." Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/frozen-creme-brulee-recipe/.

Ingredients

2 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup evaporated milk

Fresh berries or mint sprigs for garnish, if desired

Preparation

Spread 1/2 cup ice cream into 4 oval crème brûlée ramekins. Freeze until firm.

Meanwhile, combine sugar and 1/3 cup water in saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to make sure sugar dissolves. Using pastry brush dipped in water, wipe down inner sides of saucepan to dissolve any sugar crystals that cling. Cook mixture about 10 minutes, or until it begins to caramelize (swirl pot to brown evenly).

Cook 1 to 2 minutes more, or until caramel is medium-brown. Remove from heat, and stir in 2 Tbs. water. Let cool 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in evaporated milk. Cool completely.

Spread thin layer of cooled caramel over ice cream in ramekins. Return to freezer until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh berries or mint sprig, if desired.

COCONUT CHICKEN CURRY

I'm amazed how many wonderful recipes I've found in different places. This is from Sun-Maid raisins website. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Makes 3-4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.sunmaid.com/recipes/coconut-chicken-curry/.

Ingredients

Sun-Maid California Sun-Dried and Golden Raisins

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in strips

1 small red pepper coarsely chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 tsp. ground coriander

3/4 tsp. ground turmeric

3/4 tsp. salt

1-1/2 cups light coconut milk (Light coconut milk is thinner consistency and lower fat than regular coconut milk. If using regular, adjust thickness with water.)

Hot cooked basmati or long grain rice

Sweetened flaked coconut

Roasted unsalted cashews

Directions

Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat.

Add chicken and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring once or twice until lightly browned.

Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add bell pepper, onion, garlic and ginger to pan. COOK over medium heat until softened.

Sprinkle coriander, turmeric and salt over vegetables and stir 15 seconds or just until fragrant.

Stir in coconut milk.

Return chicken and any juices to pan.

Cook 2 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Serve over hot cooked rice with raisins, coconut and cashews.

DULCE DE LECHE BANANA PIE

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "A flaky homemade pie crust complements a caramel and banana cream filling." If that doesn't sound absolutely yummy, I don't know what does!

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/dulce-de-leche-banana-pie.

Ingredients

1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche

3 ripe medium bananas

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preparation

Heat oven to 450°F. In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and dough almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).

On lightly floured surface, shape dough into a ball. Flatten ball to 1/2-inch thickness, rounding and smoothing edges. With floured rolling pin, roll dough into 11-inch round, rolling from center to edge. Fold dough in half; place in 9-inch glass pie plate. Unfold; gently press in bottom and up side of plate, being careful not to stretch dough.

Fold and roll edge of dough under, even with plate; flute edge. Prick bottom and side of dough generously with fork. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Spoon contents of can of dulce de leche into center of cooled crust; gently spread to edge. Thinly slice bananas; arrange over dulce de leche.

In medium bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread over bananas.

In small resealable freezer plastic bag, place chocolate chips and oil; seal bag. Microwave on High 30 seconds; knead bag to mix melted chips and unmelted chips. Microwave 15 to 30 seconds longer or until all chips are melted and smooth. Snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe melted chocolate mixture over whipped cream. Store pie in refrigerator.

MILLIONAIRE'S HAM

This recipe, from the Food Network, begins, "Humble ingredients make this slightly spicy and candied ham look like a million bucks."

Active Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours; Level: Easy; Yield: 10 to 12 servings

To view this online, click < a href=https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/millionaires-ham-5339413>here.

Ingredients

One 8-to-10-pound bone-in fully-cooked ham

3 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

1 3/4 cups orange juice

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom and the rack of a roasting pan with foil. Place the rack inside the roasting pan.

With the fatty side facing down, use a sharp knife to cut 3/4-inch long diagonal lines about 1-inch deep all over the surface of the ham. Working in the opposite direction, cut more 3/4-inch long and 1-inch deep diagonal lines to create diamond shapes. Turn the ham over so the fatty side is facing up. Create the same diamond shape placing any pieces of ham that fall off back onto the ham. Place the ham, fatty-side up, on the rack and cook, rotating the pan halfway through, until warm in the center and the fat starts to crisp up, about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, mix 3 cups sugar, 3/4 cup orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Remove the ham from the oven and carefully brush one-third of the glaze all over the ham. Bake the ham for 20 minutes. Brush with another third of the glaze and bake for 20 minutes more. Brush the remaining third of the glaze over the ham and cook until the glaze is shiny and the skin is dark golden brown and crispy, about 30 minutes more.

Mix the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper and a generous amount of pepper in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce has reduced by about half, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the ham from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. Slice and serve with the sauce on the side.

BEEF AND BROCCOLI

This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Sam wrote, "Here is a streamlined, powerfully flavorful recipe for a delivery-food standby: velvety wok-fried beef in a oyster-soy sauce, served in a forest of green. ‘‘It’s diaspora food,’’ the chef Jonathan Wu told me, describing the cooking of Chinese immigrants to the United States and a dish that is almost unknown in China but beloved in America. The recipe is a version of the one Wu’s mother made for dinner when he was growing up outside Hartford, Conn., with a little chile-garlic paste added for zip and, thanks to the Brooklyn chef Dale Talde, a pat of butter swirled into the sauce at the end. This provides a plush gloss that is far better than the traditional cornstarch slurry. It is midweek family cooking at its best."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 45 minutes

This was featured in "The Best Beef and Broccoli, No Delivery Required", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019262-beef-and-broccoli.

Ingredients

1/3 cup Shaoxing rice wine, dry sherry or sake

\3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 pound beef — chuck or rib steak — sliced thin against the grain

1/4 cup oyster sauce

1/2 tablespoon chile-garlic sauce, or to taste

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon neutral oil, like canola, grapeseed or peanut

1 pound broccoli, the head cut into florets and the stems peeled and cut into planks

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preparation

In a large bowl, whisk together the wine, 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce and the cornstarch. Add the beef to the bowl, and toss to combine, then cover the bowl, and set aside for 20 minutes or so.

To make the sauce, combine in a small bowl the remaining soy sauce, the oyster sauce and the chile-garlic sauce, and mix to combine, then add a tablespoon of water and mix again. Set aside.

Heat the 1/2 cup of oil in a wok set over high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add about half the beef to the wok, and stir-fry until it is browned and crisp and barely cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl or plate, and set aside. Then repeat with remaining beef.

Pour off the oil in the wok, wipe it out with a towel and return it to the stove over high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and swirl it around and heat it until it is smoking. Add the broccoli and cook, tossing and stirring frequently, until lightly charred in spots, about 2 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons water to the wok, and toss and stir the broccoli in the steam for an additional 2 minutes, then return beef to the wok, followed by the sauce. Cook, stirring and tossing frequently, for 30 seconds or so, then add the butter, and stir and toss again for 30 seconds more. Serve immediately, with rice.

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday (because not everyone loves tacos; shocking, right?). Today's offerings include Coconut Chicken Curry and Millionaire's Ham. Enjoy!

ROAST VEGGIE PASTA

This comes from Bob McDonald at AllRecipes, and begins, "Wonderful rustic Italian style pasta dish! Meal can be dressed up or down with accompaniments to this tasty pasta."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes: Servings: 3

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/45644/roasted-veggie-pasta/.

Ingredients

1/4 pound fresh asparagus

2 red bell pepper, sliced

1/4 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced

10 cloves roasted garlic, chopped

1/2 tomato, quartered

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces dry fettuccini noodles

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons tapenade

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare asparagus by trimming woody base and cutting diagonally into 4 inch pieces.

In a roasting pan, combine asparagus, bell pepper, mushrooms, roasted garlic and tomato. Sprinkle with rosemary and oregano, then drizzle with olive oil. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Toss with Parmesan cheese, tapenade and roasted vegetables.

FROZEN CREME BRULEE

This comes from Vegetarian Times (July/August 2005 issue, page 64), and begins, "This simple recipe is a great way to showcase the premium small-batch ice creams sold at farmers' markets and grocery stores during the summer." Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/frozen-creme-brulee-recipe/.

Ingredients

2 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup evaporated milk

Fresh berries or mint sprigs for garnish, if desired

Preparation

Spread 1/2 cup ice cream into 4 oval crème brûlée ramekins. Freeze until firm.

Meanwhile, combine sugar and 1/3 cup water in saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to make sure sugar dissolves. Using pastry brush dipped in water, wipe down inner sides of saucepan to dissolve any sugar crystals that cling. Cook mixture about 10 minutes, or until it begins to caramelize (swirl pot to brown evenly).

Cook 1 to 2 minutes more, or until caramel is medium-brown. Remove from heat, and stir in 2 Tbs. water. Let cool 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in evaporated milk. Cool completely.

Spread thin layer of cooled caramel over ice cream in ramekins. Return to freezer until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh berries or mint sprig, if desired.

COCONUT CHICKEN CURRY

I'm amazed how many wonderful recipes I've found in different places. This is from Sun-Maid raisins website. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Makes 3-4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.sunmaid.com/recipes/coconut-chicken-curry/.

Ingredients

Sun-Maid California Sun-Dried and Golden Raisins

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in strips

1 small red pepper coarsely chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 tsp. ground coriander

3/4 tsp. ground turmeric

3/4 tsp. salt

1-1/2 cups light coconut milk (Light coconut milk is thinner consistency and lower fat than regular coconut milk. If using regular, adjust thickness with water.)

Hot cooked basmati or long grain rice

Sweetened flaked coconut

Roasted unsalted cashews

Directions

Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat.

Add chicken and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring once or twice until lightly browned.

Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add bell pepper, onion, garlic and ginger to pan. COOK over medium heat until softened.

Sprinkle coriander, turmeric and salt over vegetables and stir 15 seconds or just until fragrant.

Stir in coconut milk.

Return chicken and any juices to pan.

Cook 2 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Serve over hot cooked rice with raisins, coconut and cashews.

DULCE DE LECHE BANANA PIE

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "A flaky homemade pie crust complements a caramel and banana cream filling." If that doesn't sound absolutely yummy, I don't know what does!

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/dulce-de-leche-banana-pie.

Ingredients

1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche

3 ripe medium bananas

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preparation

Heat oven to 450°F. In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and dough almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).

On lightly floured surface, shape dough into a ball. Flatten ball to 1/2-inch thickness, rounding and smoothing edges. With floured rolling pin, roll dough into 11-inch round, rolling from center to edge. Fold dough in half; place in 9-inch glass pie plate. Unfold; gently press in bottom and up side of plate, being careful not to stretch dough.

Fold and roll edge of dough under, even with plate; flute edge. Prick bottom and side of dough generously with fork. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Spoon contents of can of dulce de leche into center of cooled crust; gently spread to edge. Thinly slice bananas; arrange over dulce de leche.

In medium bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread over bananas.

In small resealable freezer plastic bag, place chocolate chips and oil; seal bag. Microwave on High 30 seconds; knead bag to mix melted chips and unmelted chips. Microwave 15 to 30 seconds longer or until all chips are melted and smooth. Snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe melted chocolate mixture over whipped cream. Store pie in refrigerator.

MILLIONAIRE'S HAM

This recipe, from the Food Network, begins, "Humble ingredients make this slightly spicy and candied ham look like a million bucks."

Active Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours; Level: Easy; Yield: 10 to 12 servings

To view this online, click < a href=https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/millionaires-ham-5339413>here.

Ingredients

One 8-to-10-pound bone-in fully-cooked ham

3 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

1 3/4 cups orange juice

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom and the rack of a roasting pan with foil. Place the rack inside the roasting pan.

With the fatty side facing down, use a sharp knife to cut 3/4-inch long diagonal lines about 1-inch deep all over the surface of the ham. Working in the opposite direction, cut more 3/4-inch long and 1-inch deep diagonal lines to create diamond shapes. Turn the ham over so the fatty side is facing up. Create the same diamond shape placing any pieces of ham that fall off back onto the ham. Place the ham, fatty-side up, on the rack and cook, rotating the pan halfway through, until warm in the center and the fat starts to crisp up, about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, mix 3 cups sugar, 3/4 cup orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Remove the ham from the oven and carefully brush one-third of the glaze all over the ham. Bake the ham for 20 minutes. Brush with another third of the glaze and bake for 20 minutes more. Brush the remaining third of the glaze over the ham and cook until the glaze is shiny and the skin is dark golden brown and crispy, about 30 minutes more.

Mix the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper and a generous amount of pepper in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce has reduced by about half, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the ham from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. Slice and serve with the sauce on the side.

BEEF AND BROCCOLI

This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Sam wrote, "Here is a streamlined, powerfully flavorful recipe for a delivery-food standby: velvety wok-fried beef in a oyster-soy sauce, served in a forest of green. ‘‘It’s diaspora food,’’ the chef Jonathan Wu told me, describing the cooking of Chinese immigrants to the United States and a dish that is almost unknown in China but beloved in America. The recipe is a version of the one Wu’s mother made for dinner when he was growing up outside Hartford, Conn., with a little chile-garlic paste added for zip and, thanks to the Brooklyn chef Dale Talde, a pat of butter swirled into the sauce at the end. This provides a plush gloss that is far better than the traditional cornstarch slurry. It is midweek family cooking at its best."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 45 minutes

This was featured in "The Best Beef and Broccoli, No Delivery Required", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019262-beef-and-broccoli.

Ingredients

1/3 cup Shaoxing rice wine, dry sherry or sake

\3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 pound beef — chuck or rib steak — sliced thin against the grain

1/4 cup oyster sauce

1/2 tablespoon chile-garlic sauce, or to taste

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon neutral oil, like canola, grapeseed or peanut

1 pound broccoli, the head cut into florets and the stems peeled and cut into planks

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preparation

In a large bowl, whisk together the wine, 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce and the cornstarch. Add the beef to the bowl, and toss to combine, then cover the bowl, and set aside for 20 minutes or so.

To make the sauce, combine in a small bowl the remaining soy sauce, the oyster sauce and the chile-garlic sauce, and mix to combine, then add a tablespoon of water and mix again. Set aside.

Heat the 1/2 cup of oil in a wok set over high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add about half the beef to the wok, and stir-fry until it is browned and crisp and barely cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl or plate, and set aside. Then repeat with remaining beef.

Pour off the oil in the wok, wipe it out with a towel and return it to the stove over high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and swirl it around and heat it until it is smoking. Add the broccoli and cook, tossing and stirring frequently, until lightly charred in spots, about 2 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons water to the wok, and toss and stir the broccoli in the steam for an additional 2 minutes, then return beef to the wok, followed by the sauce. Cook, stirring and tossing frequently, for 30 seconds or so, then add the butter, and stir and toss again for 30 seconds more. Serve immediately, with rice.