Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's double post includes Sweet and Sour Chicken and Ground Beef Casserole With Potatoes and Cheese. Enjoy!

BANANA MUFFINS WITH TART LEMON ICING

This was on an old Weight Watcher's emailing list. Unfortunately, I no longer have a link to it, as WW has changed enough over the years. The points value is from when the email came out.

The recipe begins, “If the mouth-puckering lemon icing isn’t enough flavor for you, try adding 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to the flour mixture.”

POINTS® Value: 3; Servings: 18; Preparation Time: 15 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened, divided

1 large egg(s)

2 tsp vanilla extract, divided

2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup fat-free skim milk

4 large banana(s), ripe, mashed

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest, strips, or more to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 18 muffin holes with paper liners.

Place sugar and 5 tablespoons of butter in a large bowl; cream with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed.

In another large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture; beat well with mixer. Add milk and remaining flour mixture; beat until batter is combined and then fold in mashed bananas.

Spoon batter into muffin liners about 3/4 full. Bake until muffins start to brown and a tester inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool in pan for about 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack and cool completely before icing.

Meanwhile, to make icing, combine powdered sugar, remaining tablespoon of butter, lemon juice, zest, and remaining teaspoon of vanilla in a medium bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Ice cooled muffins; cover and refrigerate any uneaten muffins. Yields 1 muffin per serving.

EASY RASPBERRY BROWNIES

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Based on a fudgy brownie mix, these quick-to-fix brownies combine the best of sweet flavors and chewy textures. Mmm!”

Ingredients

1 package (1 pound 3.8 ounces) Betty Crocker® fudge brownie mix

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup raspberry preserves

1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Directions

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom only of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Stir brownie mix, water, oil and eggs in medium bowl until well blended. Spread in pan.

Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean or almost clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 1 hour.

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and preserves in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread over brownies. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

Place chocolate and butter in small microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on Medium (50%) about 1 minute or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over brownies. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate is firm. For 18 brownies, cut 6 rows by 3 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

MEXICAN LASAGNA

This comes from Rachael Ray, star of The Food Network show 30 Minute Meals.

Total: 30 min; Prep: 10 min; Cook: 20 min; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds ground chicken breast, available in the packaged meats case

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained

1 cup medium heat taco sauce or 1 (14-oz) can stewed or fire roasted tomatoes

1 cup frozen corn kernels

Salt

8 (8 inch) spinach flour tortillas, available on dairy aisle of market

2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or shredded pepper jack

2 scallions, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - twice around the pan. Add chicken and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat, 5 minutes. Add taco sauce or stewed or fire roasted tomatoes. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to your taste.

Coat a shallow baking dish with remaining extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon oil. Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas, then cheese. Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again. Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with the scallions and serve.

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN

This was posted in MyRecipes, and is originally from CookingLight. This begins, “Our take saves 446 calories, 22 grams of fat, and 1,260 milligrams of sodium over one serving of a leading chain's sweet and sour chicken.”

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 1 cup)

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 large egg whites

4 teaspoons cornstarch, divided

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

6 tablespoons unsalted ketchup

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple chunks

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

3 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions

Combine egg whites and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add chicken to bowl; toss to coat.

Combine remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ketchup, and next 4 ingredients (through soy sauce) in a bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add bell pepper to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add pineapple, ginger, and onions to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer bell pepper mixture to a plate.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add chicken mixture, allowing any excess egg white mixture to drip back into bowl. Stir-fry 6 minutes or until chicken is browned and done. Add ketchup mixture and bell pepper mixture to pan. Bring to a simmer; simmer 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Sprinkle with salt; serve immediately.

GROUND BEEF CASSEROLE WITH POTATOES AND CHEESE

This yumminess comes from Diana Rattray on The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, “Corn, tomatoes, and potatoes and cheese make this ground beef casserole a whole meal. The casserole is similar to a cottage pie or this crockpot Chinese pie.

“If your ground beef is not extra lean you might want to brown it first. See the tips for instructions.”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 75 minutes; Total Time: 95 minutes; Yield: Serves 6.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 pound extra-lean ground beef (90% or better)*

1 cup chopped onion

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups corn kernels or 1 can (15 ounces), drained

16 ounces diced frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed, or about 3 to 4 cups mashed potato or cooked diced potato

1/4 cup flour

1 green bell pepper, chopped

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 cups shredded sharp or mild Cheddar cheese

Directions

Combine beef, onion, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine corn, potatoes, flour, melted butter, and chopped green bell pepper.

Pat the beef mixture into a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; top with the corn and potato mixture.

Bake uncovered at 375° for 45 minutes; sprinkle with the cheese and bake ground beef casserole 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until browned and potatoes are tender.

*If the ground beef is not extra lean, you might want to brown it first. Brown the beef with the onions win a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain well and then mix it with the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Proceed with the recipe.

PUMPKIN PIE IN A SHEET PAN

This yummy pie comes from the Food Network, and begins, “Got a crowd that loves pumpkin pie? This giant dessert in sheet-cake form serves 16. We extended the height of a baking sheet with aluminum foil for a deeper crust that holds the double recipe and placed pie dough rounds around the perimeter for a pretty fanned crust.”

Level: Intermediate; Total: 11 hr (includes cooling and chilling times); Active: 1 hr; Yield: 16 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Dough:

Cooking spray

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 large egg

Filling:

Two 15-ounce cans pumpkin puree

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Whipped cream, for serving

Directions

Special equipment: a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet, 1 roll 18-inch-wide heavy-duty aluminum foil, a 1-inch round cookie cutter

Position an oven rack in the bottom of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Tear off two 24-inch pieces of 18-inch-wide heavy-duty aluminum foil. Line a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet with the foil, crisscrossing the pieces and leaving an overhang on all sides. Fold over each overhang so it stands upright and forms a sturdy wall about 3 inches high. Crimp the corners together, and lightly coat the bottom and sides with the cooking spray.

For the dough: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high until smooth, about 1 minute. Add half the flour, and beat to incorporate; add the remaining flour, and beat until the dough just starts to come together in large, soft clumps. (It should hold together when squeezed.) Set aside 1/3 of the dough (for decorating the edges).

Press half the remaining dough into the bottom of the baking sheet until it is completely covered, with no gaps, about 1/4 inch thick. (The dough won't be completely smooth.) Press the remaining dough into and about 1 inch up the sides of the foil wall until the dough is about 1/4 inch thick and there are no gaps where the sides and bottom meet. Bake until the dough is light golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.

Meanwhile, knead the reserved dough a few times to bring it together. Put it between 2 pieces of flour-dusted parchment; pat it into a disk, and roll it out to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out about 50 rounds with a 1-inch round cookie cutter, gathering scraps and rerolling as needed. Lay all the rounds out on a parchment-lined baking sheet or platter, beat the egg with a little water and brush the tops of each round with the egg wash. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the filling: Gently whisk together the pumpkin, cream, granulated sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and salt in a large bowl until blended well.

Pour the filling into the cooled pie shell. Press the rounds in a single line all around the edges of the crust. (It's OK if part of the round sinks into the filling slightly.) Bake until the filling is only slightly wiggly when shaken, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool completely. Wrap and refrigerate overnight. Cut into squares, and serve with whipped cream.

Cook’s Note

When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)