Weekend Recipes

Enjoy!

CARROT CHEESECAKE

This comes from The Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “Most people would agree that the cream cheese frosting is the best part of any carrot cake, so it makes perfect sense to replace it with a thick layer of creamy cheesecake. These two classic cakes make one showstopping mash-up dessert.” Total Time: 2 hr; Prep: 30 min; Cook: 1 hr 30 min; Yield: 10 to 12 servings; Level: Intermediate.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/carrot-cheesecake.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

Carrot Cake:

1/2 cup pecan halves, plus more, chopped, for garnish

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Kosher salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups shredded carrot (2 to 3 medium carrots)

Cheesecake:

Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup sour cream

2/3 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Sour Cream Topping:

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons sour cream

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch kosher salt

Directions

For the carrot cake: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spread 1/2 cup of the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden and toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool, and then finely chop.

Combine the pecans, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the oil, sugar and eggs in a separate bowl. Stir the carrots into the egg mixture. Fold the carrot-egg mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Pour into an ungreased 9-inch springform cake pan and tap it on the counter to even out the batter. Bake until the cake bounces back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. The cake can be made a day ahead and stored in the pan.

For the cheesecake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the cream cheese, sour cream and granulated sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the flour, lemon zest and juice and vanilla, about 1 minute.

Pour the cheesecake mixture over the carrot cake. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with a large piece of foil. Put in a roasting pan or a large baking dish and fill halfway up the sides of the cake pan with water. Bake until the cheesecake is pale yellow and just jiggles slightly in the center, about 1 hour. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake rest in the hot oven for 30 minutes. Remove, run a sharp knife around the edge and let cool completely on a rack. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

For the sour cream topping: Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, sour cream, vanilla and salt. Spread on top of the cheesecake; garnish with chopped pecans. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Cut into slices and serve.

WHOLE GRAIN BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH ORANGE STREUSEL

This comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “This master recipe for juicy, whole grain berry muffins is both extremely flexible and extremely rewarding. It is sweet but not sugary, packed with whole grains but not dense, and reasonably rich in fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. The fresh berries and nuts are interchangeable with dried fruit, coconut or sunflower seeds. And the muffins freeze beautifully; they can go from a 300-degree oven to the breakfast table (or the car) in about 20 minutes.” Time: about 2 hours; makes 18 to 24 muffins.
br />To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Muffins:

2 cups all-purpose flour, more as needed

2/3 cup whole wheat flour or wheat germ, preferably toasted

2/3 cup fine-ground yellow cornmeal

2/3 cup rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons nutmeg or allspice (or use additional cinnamon)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups buttermilk, more as needed

1 1/3 cup coconut oil, or neutral oil like safflower or canola

2/3 cup maple syrup

4 eggs

2 cups grated carrots or tart apple

1 1/2 cups blueberries

1 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)

For the Streusel (Optional):

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation

Make the muffins: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flours, cornmeal, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, mix the wet ingredients: buttermilk, oil, maple syrup and eggs.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently mix just until blended. Don’t worry about a few lumps or streaks of flour. Stir in the carrots, blueberries and nuts if using. (If you'd like, reserve a handful of blueberries for sprinkling on top of the muffins just before baking.)

Set batter aside at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes to allow flours to absorb the liquid. Check batter after 15 minutes by giving it a light stir. It should be thick, not runny (this will help the muffins rise). Thin with a little more buttermilk or thicken by adding 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Set aside for 5 minutes more, check and adjust texture again, and repeat until batter is thick and fluffy.

Heat oven to 425 degrees and place rack in top third of oven. Butter or spray a muffin tin (regular or jumbo), or line the cups with paper liners. Make sure to also butter or spray the top surface of the tin to help the muffins release.

Make the streusel if using: In a small bowl, mix and pinch all the ingredients together until blended and crumbly. (If using butter, cut into small pieces first.)

Using an ice-cream scoop or small ladle, divide thick batter among muffin cups, filling almost to the top. Mound the batter slightly in the center of each cup; this will help make a domed muffin top. If you reserved blueberries for topping, press them lightly into the muffins. If you are topping with streusel, use your fingers to divide streusel over batter and press lightly onto the surface.

Place muffin tin in oven and reduce heat to 400 degrees. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a tester inserted into center of muffin comes out moist but clean. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. Cool muffins in pan on rack, then remove from tin.

Repeat with remaining batter. If there is not enough batter remaining to fill all the cups, fill every other cup with batter. Pour water into the empty cups to protect the pan in the oven.

Tip

To freeze extra muffins, wrap them individually in aluminum foil. Reheat, still wrapped, in a 300-degree oven for about 20 minutes. Or unwrap and reheat in a microwave.

ZESTY SLOW-COOKER ITALIAN POT ROAST

This recipe, from the FamilyTime e-newsletter, begins, “Chuck roast, potatoes, celery and carrots simmer to tenderness in the slow-cooker with an Italian-inspired tomato sauce made special with Campbell's® Condensed Tomato Soup.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cooking Time: 600 minutes (10 hours); Servings: 6. Source: Campbell's Recipes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 medium potatoes, cut into quarters (about 4 cups)

2 cups fresh or thawed frozen whole baby carrots

1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup)

1 medium Italian plum tomato, diced

1 beef bottom round roast or beef chuck pot roast (2 1/2 to 3 pounds)

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Tomato Soup

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon chopped roasted garlic*, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic

1 teaspoon each dried basil leaves, dried oregano leaves and dried parsley flakes, crushed

1 teaspoon vinegar

Directions

Place the potatoes, carrots, celery and tomato into a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Season the beef with the black pepper. Place the beef into the cooker.

Stir the soup, water, garlic, basil, oregano, parsley and vinegar in a small bowl. Pour the soup mixture over the beef and vegetables.

Cover and cook on LOW for 10 to 11 hours** or until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are tender.

*To roast garlic, place 1 whole garlic bulb onto a square of aluminum foil. Drizzle with vegetable oil. Wrap the foil tightly around the garlic. Roast at 350°F. for 45 minutes or until the garlic is soft. Peel and chop the garlic.

**Or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours.

Tip: For thicker gravy, mix 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup water in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth. Romove the beef and vegetables from the cooker. Stir the flour mixture into the cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 10 minutes or until the mixture boils and thickens.

BEEF AND BEAN BURRITOS

This comes from Ree Drummond of The Food Network's The Pioneer Woman. Total time: 55 min; Prep: 35 min; Cook: 20 min; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/beef-and-bean-burritos-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

1 medium onion, diced

2 pounds ground beef

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon ground oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt

Three 7-ounce cans Mexican tomato sauce (I use El Patobrand) or enchilada sauce

One 28-ounce can refried beans

3/4 cup grated Cheddar, plus extra for sprinkling

12 burrito-size flour tortillas

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 170 to 180 degrees F.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the onions until softened. Then add the ground beef and cook until the beef is cooked through. Add the cumin, chili powder, oregano and salt and stir to combine. Pour 2 cans of the Mexican tomato sauce into the meat and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Add a little water if the mixture gets too dry.

Meanwhile, heat the refried beans in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the cheese, and stir it in till it's melted. Remove from the heat.

Heat the tortillas in the microwave for 1 minute, and then spread a small amount of beans on each tortilla. Add a small amount of the meat. Fold over the ends of the tortilla, and then roll them up. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. Then place them in a large baking dish, cover with foil and keep warm in the oven.

When ready to serve, drizzle the remaining can of tomato sauce over all of the burritos and sprinkle with more grated Cheddar. Return to the oven for a couple of minutes just to melt the cheese.

Sprinkle the tops with the cilantro leaves and serve immediately to the fork-bangers in your life. They'll kiss you and hug you. Repeatedly.

BEST TOMATO SOUP EVER

This comes from Ree Drummond of The Food Network's The Pioneer Woman. Total Time: 40 min; Prep: 25 min; Cook: 15 min; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/best-tomato-soup-ever.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

1 medium white or yellow onion

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter

Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes

One 46-ounce bottle or can tomato juice

3 to 6 tablespoons sugar

1 or 2 tablespoons chicken base, or 3 chicken bouillon cubes

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup sherry, optional

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

To begin, dice the onion. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven. Throw in the onion and cook until translucent.

Now dump in the diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the tomato juice.

Next - and this is important - in order to combat the acidity of the tomatoes add 3 to 6 tablespoons of sugar. Now, you'll want to start on the low side, then taste and add more as needed. Some tomatoes and juice have more of an acidic bite than others. (For what it's worth, and I realize it's not worth much, I use 6 tablespoons of sugar.)

Next, add 1 or 2 tablespoons chicken base to the pot. I added 3, and it wound up being a little too much.

Now you can add lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine, then heat almost to a boil. Then turn off the heat.

Add in the sherry if desired. Stir in the cream. Add the basil and parsley and stir.

Serve the soup warm!

TWICE BAKED POTATOES

Prep Time: 10 Minutes - Cost: $
Servings: 4 - Difficulty Level: 2

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/175.shtml

Ingredients

4 Medium potatoes, baked

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1 tbsp onion, minced

Freshly ground black pepper

Paprika

Dried Parsley Flakes

Directions

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out potatoes, leaving skins intact for restuffing.

With wire whisk, beat potatoes with cottage cheese, milk, and onion. Spoon mixture back into skins.

Sprinkle with paprika flakes and black pepper.

Bake for 10 minutes until just golden.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 73; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 316 mg; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Exchanges: 1 Bread

ROCKY ROAD CAKE

I was taking a speech class at a local junior college. One week we had to give a demonstration speech; one lady demonstrated how to make this cake, passing out copies of the recipe along with pieces of cake. It’s absolutely delicious. The icing can be used on almost any kind of cake; it would be really good on carrot cake! For the longest time, several members of my family wanted this for their birthday cakes. It can be found at my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.

1 C chopped nuts

4 eggs

1 C raisins

1 C mayonnaise

1 C mini-marshmallows

1 C water

6 oz. package of chocolate

1 package (18.25 oz) Devil’s Food cake mix w/pudding

Grease & flour 2 9" pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first four ingredients in medium-size bowl. In large bowl at low speed, mix cake mix, eggs, may & water until blended. Increase speed to medium & beat for 2 minutes. Stir in nut mixture. Pour into greased & floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes on cooling rack.

Icing (for Rocky Road Cake)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 stick butter

8 oz. cream cheese

1 box confectioners sugar

Place ingredients in bowl & cream together. When cake is cool, ice. ENJOY!