Friday Recipes

Oh, boy, it's Friday! The start of another weekend! Of course, we're going to want to eat, so here are a few things to try out. Enjoy!

HUMMUS

This makes a great, quick anytime snack, especially weekends, when we occasionally entertain, watch sports (either our kids' or friends' sporting events, on TV) or want something extra to bring to the beach or on a picnic. Great for chips, tortillas, or on pita bread.

Yield: 12 servings

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons

Online Recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/659.shtml

Source: The Diabetes Food and Nutrition Bible

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/11.shtml

Ingredients

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained, reserve 1 tablespoon liquid

3-6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon sesame tahini

Juice of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons olive oil

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients into a blender until smooth, using 1 tablespoon chickpea liquid if necessary to make a smooth spread.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 49; Protein: 2 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 33 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Sugars: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Carbohydrate

RASPBERRY DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE BARS

Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, About.com's Home Cooking guide, writes, “These rich bar cookies use two flavors of chocolate. Fast and easy to make due to the cake mix. Tried and true recipe brings raves." Prep Time: 15 minutes; cook time: 45 minutes; Yield: 24 to 36 cookie bars, depending on cut size

Ingredients:

Bottom:

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 egg, at room temperature

8 Tablespoons butter, melted, but at room temperature (1 stick)

1 box (18.25 ounces) chocolate devil's food cake mix

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Topping:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature

2 eggs, at room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup raspberry-flavored chocolate chips

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick foil.

For the Bottom: Cream 4 ounces of cream cheese, 1 egg, and butter together on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Blend in cake mix by hand until combined. It will be very thick (and give your arm a workout!), but piable like a soft dough. Using a spatula, press evenly into the bottom of the foiled pan. Evenly sprinkle on chocolate chips and press lightly into the batter with a spatula, but do not bury them.

For the Topping:

Place cream cheese, 2 eggs, and powdered sugar in a small bowl. Begin mixing on low speed until sugar is incorporated. Increase to medium speed and beat until smooth, at least 3 minutes or longer if need be. Spread evenly over bottom layer. Sprinkle on raspberry chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Carefully remove from pan, peel off foil, and cut into squares to serve.

Note: If you cannot find raspberry-flavored chocolate chips, substitute any other flavor or plain chips. Feel free to experiment using other flavored cake mixes.

EGG AND VEGGIE SALAD WITH DILL GREEN GODDESS DRESSING

This is from the July/August 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 34. Serves 4, in 30 minutes or less. Recipe starts out, “Look for French breakfast or watermelon radishes to add color and interest to this salad. Don’t be tempted to make the dressing in just one step; only part of the yogurt is puréed with seasonings, then stirred into the remaining yogurt to achieve the right consistency.

5 large eggs

10 small purple potatoes, halved lengthwise (14 oz.)

16 medium orange cauliflower florets

4 Persian cucumbers

1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh dill

3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. white balsamic vinegar

1 bunch large radishes, sliced or quartered, radish leaves reserved, optional

Set large vegetable steamer rack in pot over boiling water. Place eggs on rack; surround with potatoes. Cover pan, and steam 10 minutes. Scatter cauliflower over potatoes. Cover, and steam 3 to 4 minutes more, or until vegetables are just tender and eggs are hard-boiled.

Meanwhile, cut 1-inch piece from 1 cucumber. Peel, and place piece in blender. Add 1/3 cup dill, 1/4 cup yogurt, oil, and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Purée in blender until smooth. Place remaining 1/2 cup yogurt in medium bowl. Stir purée from blender into yogurt until smooth.

Slice remaining cucumbers thickly on diagonal.

Peel eggs under cold running water. Quarter eggs.

Divide radish leaves (if using) among plates. Top with eggs, potatoes, cauliflower, cucumbers, and radishes. Drizzle each salad with dressing. Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbs. chopped dill.

nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 288; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g; Cholesterol: 233 mg; Sodium: 123 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 5 g; Gluten-Free

“BETTER THAN THE DELI” MACARONI SALAD

This is also from Kathy Kingsley, American Food guide, who writes, “Take your time, and use your sharpest knife to get a nice fine dice on the veggies in this classic pasta salad. When made right, this is a macaroni salad where every forkful bursts with flavor.” Serves 8

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound dry elbow macaroni, cooked, rinsed in cold water, and drained well

1 1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/2 cup sweet pickle relish

1/4 finely grated carrot

2 tablespoons finely diced roasted red pepper or pimento

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Preparation:

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and add the drained pasta. Toss to combine thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

COOL WHIP PIE

Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food guide, writes, “You can 'whip' together this easy Cool Whip pie in five minutes and it lasts for several days in the freezer. If you're looking for an easy no-bake dessert or no-bake pie recipe, this quick and easy Cool Whip pie is the one to try! This is one of my favorite dessert recipes ever, since it's so unbelievably quick, easy, delicious, and not too fattening.” Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

8 oz (one small container) Cool Whip

18 oz (three individual servings) yogurt, any flavor

1 ready made pie crust

Preparation:

Thoroughly combine the Cool Whip and yogurt until smooth. Pour into pie crust and freeze until firm. Remove from freezer approximately 20 minutes before serving. Serve with fresh fruit if desired and enjoy!

BERRY MERINGUE TART

This comes from Lindsey Goodwin, About.com's Coffee/Tea guide. Lindsey writes, “Recently, I was faced with a dilemma that I was very grateful for: a surplus of freshly picked red currants. I had picked a bucketful, eaten a few handfuls, set aside plenty of juicy berries for my morning porridge... and I still had lots left. I'm not skilled at making homemade berry preserves and my freezer is beyond full. So, what to do with all these extra berries?

”Then I thought, 'What would taste amazing with coffee or tea?' and the words 'berry tart' came to mind. I ended up whipping up a tart with a baked meringue-berry topping, and it was so absurdly good that I just had to share it here. You can use your own surplus of berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, huckleberries, black currants, cherries or even cranberries). Just be sure to decrease the amount of sugar in the meringue a bit for sweeter berries. (Keep it as is for more tart berries, like currants and cranberries.)” To view this on Lindsey's page, click here.

Serves 10. Ready in under 2 hours, with about 25 minutes of actual work. Totally worth it!

Tart Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plain flour (Spoon the flour into the measuring cup to measure.)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup superfine sugar (known in some places as "caster sugar")

2 egg yolks (Be sure to keep the whites for the meringue.)

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest or 3/4 teaspoon dried lemon zest (optional)

up to 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Berry Meringue Ingredients

2 egg whites

1 cup superfine sugar, or a little less for sweeter berries (like strawberries, blueberries, cherries and raspberries)

2 teaspoons corn flour, cornstarch or potato starch

2 cups berries (Slice them first if they're large berries, like large strawberries or blackberries. Otherwise, you end up with a cup of berries and a cup of empty space!)

How to Make a Berry Meringue Tart

First, you're going to make the pastry. As it's baking, you can start on the meringue.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.

Mix in butter, sugar, egg yolks and lemon zest until mixture forms dough. You can use a spoon, a handheld beater or your hands. (Lesley wrote, “I used all three just for giggles.”)

Let the dough rest, covered, in cool place for 30 minutes.

Before the dough is done with its little nap, preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Roll out dough into a circle and put into a 6-8" springform tin. (Don't have a rolling pin? Use a glass bottle with a flat edge. Don't have a springform pan? Line a square or rectangular pan of similar size with two pieces of parchment paper that are perpendicular to each other and that hang over the sides of the pan. With another set of hands, you'll be able to grab the four edges and life the tart out of the pan safely after it's done.)

Bake in oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.

When it's almost done baking (about 8-10 minutes to go), you can start the berry meringue topping. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.

Gradually stir in sugar and cornflour, then beat for 5 more minutes.

Fold berries into mixture.

Remove the partially baked tart when the time's up, and pour the meringue over the tart.

Bake for 20-35 minutes, until top is golden on the peaks. Start checking it every couple minutes starting 20 minutes in. If your oven light is really yellow, you may need to pull the tart out to tell if the meringue is golden on the peaks or not.

Serve hot or cold, preferably with coffee or tea!

Wednesday Recipes

Enjoy!

CARAMEL APPLE PIE NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® COOKIES

This yummy recipe comes from Very Best Baking. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cooking Time: 9 minutes; Skill Level: Easy; Makes 60 cookies

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

1 1/2 cups (about 5 oz.) coarsely chopped dried apples

18 caramels, unwrapped

1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and apple pieces. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Microwave caramels and milk in small, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 30 seconds; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals; stir until smooth. Place sheets of wax or parchment paper under wire racks. Drizzle melted caramels over cookies. Allow drizzle to set. Store in single layers in tightly covered containers.

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE

This yummy recipe comes from The Food Network, and begins, “Savor the warm spices of this seasonal coffee shop favorite in your very own kitchen (any time of year) and save a few bucks! A little pumpkin puree added to the warm milk gives the latte extra body.” Total Time: 10 min; Prep: 5 min; Cook: 5 min; Yield: 1 drink; Level: Easy

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

Ingredients

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons pure pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more for sprinkling

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup hot espresso or strong brewed coffee

Sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Directions

Combine the milk, pumpkin puree, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla in a medium microwave safe bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and vent with a small hole. Microwave until the milk is hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk vigorously until the milk mixture is foamy, about 30 seconds.

Pour the espresso or coffee into a large mug and add the foamed milk. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.

ONE-POT PARMESAN CHICKEN ZITI WITH ARTICHOKES AND SPINACH

This comes from Tablespoon's emailing list. It begins, “Creamy mac and cheese grows up with baby spinach, artichokes and Parmesan in this edgy version of everyone's favorite one-pot wonder.” Prep Time: 35 min; Total Time: 35 min; Servings: 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 cups water

2 cans (12 oz each) evaporated milk

1 teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 lb uncooked ziti pasta

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken

1 can (14 oz) Progresso™ artichoke hearts, drained, coarsely chopped

6 oz shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)

Juice of 2 medium lemons (about 2/3 cup)

2 tablespoons butter

4 cups baby spinach (5-oz package)

1/2 teaspoon pepper, if desired

Directions

In Dutch oven, heat water, 1 can of the evaporated milk, the salt, garlic and pasta to simmering over medium heat. Simmer 12 to 14 minutes, stirring frequently, until pasta is tender.

In medium bowl, beat remaining can of evaporated milk and the cornstarch; stir in chicken and artichoke hearts. Add to mixture in Dutch oven; return to simmering, and continue to simmer 1 to 3 minutes or until thickened and mixture coats back of spoon.

Remove from heat; stir in half of the cheese and the lemon juice. Stir until cheese melts, then add remaining cheese (reserving 1/4 cup for serving, if desired) and butter; stir again.

Add spinach, and stir until wilted. Serve with reserved cheese and pepper.

TWICE-BAKED POTATOES

This comes from Ree Drummond of The Food Network's The Pioneer Woman. Total Time: 1 hr 50 min; Prep: 30 min; Cook: 1 hr 20 min; Yield: 12 to 16 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/twice-baked-potatoes-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

8 baking potatoes, washed

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 sticks salted butter

1 cup bacon bits (fry your own!)

1 cup sour cream

1 cup Cheddar or Jack cheese (or a mix of both), plus more for topping

1/2 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons seasoned salt

3 green onions, sliced

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Rub them with the canola oil and bake for 1 hour, making sure they're sufficiently cooked through.

Slice the butter into pats. Place in a large mixing bowl and add the bacon bits and sour cream. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Lower the heat to 350 degrees F.

With a sharp knife, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scrape out the insides into the mixing bowl, being careful not to tear the shell. Leave a small rim of potato intact for support. Lay the hollowed out potato shells on a baking sheet.

Smash the potatoes into the butter, bacon and sour cream. Add the cheese, milk, seasoned salt, green onions and black pepper to taste and mix together well. (IMPORTANT: If you plan to freeze the twice-baked potatoes, do NOT add the green onions.)

Fill the potato shells with the filling. I like to fill the shells so they look abundant and heaping. Top each potato with a little more grated cheese and pop 'em in the oven until the potato is warmed through, 15 to 20 minutes.

”BETTER THAN THE DELI” MACARONI SALAD

This is also from Kathy, About.com's American Food guide, who writes, “Take your time, and use your sharpest knife to get a nice fine dice on the veggies in this classic pasta salad. When made right, this is a macaroni salad where every forkful bursts with flavor.” Serves 8

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound dry elbow macaroni, cooked, rinsed in cold water, and drained well

1 1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/2 cup sweet pickle relish

1/4 finely grated carrot

2 tablespoons finely diced roasted red pepper or pimento

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Preparation:

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and add the drained pasta. Toss to combine thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

PASTA FAGIOLI WITH ORZO

Another one of Jolinda Hackett's offerings. She writes, "A full vegetarian meal of orzo pasta, beans and tomatoes, pasta fagiole with orzo is nutritious, healthy, filling, and yet familiar enough that kids will love it. Omit the cheese to make it vegan."

Ingredients:

3 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 jalapeno, minced

1 14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes

2 15.5 ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

6 cups vegetable broth

1 8 ounce box orzo

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

salt and freshly ground black pepper

grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation:

Heat large sautee pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, garlic and jalapeno to pan. Cook until onion is soft but not browned, 4-5 minutes.

Coarsely puree tomatoes in food processor or with potato masher. Stir tomatoes, cannellini beans and broth into onion mixture.

Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring periodically. Add pasta and return to a boil over high heat. Reduce to simmer, stirring periodically, 8-10 minutes or until pasta is tender but still firm. Add parsley and salt and pepper, to taste.

Weekend Meals

Oh, boy, it's Friday! The start of another weekend! Of course, we're going to want to eat, so here are a few things to try out. Enjoy!

HUMMUS

This makes a great, quick anytime snack, especially weekends, when we occasionally entertain, watch sports (either our kids' or friends' sporting events, on TV) or want something extra to bring to the beach or on a picnic. Great for chips, tortillas, or on pita bread.

Yield: 12 servings

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons

Online Recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/659.shtml

Source: The Diabetes Food and Nutrition Bible

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/11.shtml

Ingredients

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained, reserve 1 tablespoon liquid

3-6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon sesame tahini

Juice of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons olive oil

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients into a blender until smooth, using 1 tablespoon chickpea liquid if necessary to make a smooth spread.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 49; Protein: 2 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 33 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Sugars: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Carbohydrate

RASPBSERRY DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE BARS

Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, About.com's Home Cooking guide, writes, “These rich bar cookies use two flavors of chocolate. Fast and easy to make due to the cake mix. Tried and true recipe brings raves." Prep Time: 15 minutes; cook time: 45 minutes; Yield: 24 to 36 cookie bars, depending on cut size

Ingredients:

Bottom:

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 egg, at room temperature

8 Tablespoons butter, melted, but at room temperature (1 stick)

1 box (18.25 ounces) chocolate devil's food cake mix

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Topping:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature

2 eggs, at room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup raspberry-flavored chocolate chips

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick foil.

For the Bottom:Cream 4 ounces of cream cheese, 1 egg, and butter together on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Blend in cake mix by hand until combined. It will be very thick (and give your arm a workout!), but piable like a soft dough. Using a spatula, press evenly into the bottom of the foiled pan. Evenly sprinkle on chocolate chips and press lightly into the batter with a spatula, but do not bury them.

For the Topping:

Place cream cheese, 2 eggs, and powdered sugar in a small bowl. Begin mixing on low speed until sugar is incorporated. Increase to medium speed and beat until smooth, at least 3 minutes or longer if need be. Spread evenly over bottom layer. Sprinkle on raspberry chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Carefully remove from pan, peel off foil, and cut into squares to serve.

Note: If you cannot find raspberry-flavored chocolate chips, substitute any other flavor or plain chips. Feel free to experiment using other flavored cake mixes.

EGG AND VEGGIE SALAD WITH DILL GREEN GODDESS DRESSING

This is from the July/August 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 34. Serves 4, in 30 minutes or less. Recipe starts out, “Look for French breakfast or watermelon radishes to add color and interest to this salad. Don’t be tempted to make the dressing in just one step; only part of the yogurt is puréed with seasonings, then stirred into the remaining yogurt to achieve the right consistency.

5 large eggs

10 small purple potatoes, halved lengthwise (14 oz.)

16 medium orange cauliflower florets

4 Persian cucumbers

1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh dill

3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. white balsamic vinegar

1 bunch large radishes, sliced or quartered, radish leaves reserved, optional

Set large vegetable steamer rack in pot over boiling water. Place eggs on rack; surround with potatoes. Cover pan, and steam 10 minutes. Scatter cauliflower over potatoes. Cover, and steam 3 to 4 minutes more, or until vegetables are just tender and eggs are hard-boiled.

Meanwhile, cut 1-inch piece from 1 cucumber. Peel, and place piece in blender. Add 1/3 cup dill, 1/4 cup yogurt, oil, and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Purée in blender until smooth. Place remaining 1/2 cup yogurt in medium bowl. Stir purée from blender into yogurt until smooth.

Slice remaining cucumbers thickly on diagonal.

Peel eggs under cold running water. Quarter eggs.

Divide radish leaves (if using) among plates. Top with eggs, potatoes, cauliflower, cucumbers, and radishes. Drizzle each salad with dressing. Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbs. chopped dill.

nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 288; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g; Cholesterol: 233 mg; Sodium: 123 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 5 g; Gluten-Free

“BETTER THAN THE DELI” MACARONI SALAD

This is also from Kathy Kingsley, American Food guide, who writes, “Take your time, and use your sharpest knife to get a nice fine dice on the veggies in this classic pasta salad. When made right, this is a macaroni salad where every forkful bursts with flavor.” Serves 8

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound dry elbow macaroni, cooked, rinsed in cold water, and drained well

1 1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/2 cup sweet pickle relish

1/4 finely grated carrot

2 tablespoons finely diced roasted red pepper or pimento

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Preparation:

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and add the drained pasta. Toss to combine thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

COOL WHIP PIE

Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food guide, writes, “You can 'whip' together this easy Cool Whip pie in five minutes and it lasts for several days in the freezer. If you're looking for an easy no-bake dessert or no-bake pie recipe, this quick and easy Cool Whip pie is the one to try! This is one of my favorite dessert recipes ever, since it's so unbelievably quick, easy, delicious, and not too fattening.” Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

8 oz (one small container) Cool Whip

18 oz (three individual servings) yogurt, any flavor

1 ready made pie crust

Preparation:

Thoroughly combine the Cool Whip and yogurt until smooth. Pour into pie crust and freeze until firm. Remove from freezer approximately 20 minutes before serving. Serve with fresh fruit if desired and enjoy!

BERRY MERINGUE TART

This comes from Lindsey Goodwin, About.com's Coffee/Tea guide. Lindsey writes, “Recently, I was faced with a dilemma that I was very grateful for: a surplus of freshly picked red currants. I had picked a bucketful, eaten a few handfuls, set aside plenty of juicy berries for my morning porridge... and I still had lots left. I'm not skilled at making homemade berry preserves and my freezer is beyond full. So, what to do with all these extra berries?

”Then I thought, 'What would taste amazing with coffee or tea?' and the words 'berry tart' came to mind. I ended up whipping up a tart with a baked meringue-berry topping, and it was so absurdly good that I just had to share it here. You can use your own surplus of berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, huckleberries, black currants, cherries or even cranberries). Just be sure to decrease the amount of sugar in the meringue a bit for sweeter berries. (Keep it as is for more tart berries, like currants and cranberries.)” To view this on Lindsey's page, click here.

Serves 10. Ready in under 2 hours, with about 25 minutes of actual work. Totally worth it!

Tart Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plain flour (Spoon the flour into the measuring cup to measure.)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup superfine sugar (known in some places as "caster sugar")

2 egg yolks (Be sure to keep the whites for the meringue.)

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest or 3/4 teaspoon dried lemon zest (optional)

up to 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Berry Meringue Ingredients

2 egg whites

1 cup superfine sugar, or a little less for sweeter berries (like strawberries, blueberries, cherries and raspberries)

2 teaspoons corn flour, cornstarch or potato starch

2 cups berries (Slice them first if they're large berries, like large strawberries or blackberries. Otherwise, you end up with a cup of berries and a cup of empty space!)

How to Make a Berry Meringue Tart

First, you're going to make the pastry. As it's baking, you can start on the meringue.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.

Mix in butter, sugar, egg yolks and lemon zest until mixture forms dough. You can use a spoon, a handheld beater or your hands. (Lesley wrote, “I used all three just for giggles.”)

Let the dough rest, covered, in cool place for 30 minutes.

Before the dough is done with its little nap, preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Roll out dough into a circle and put into a 6-8" springform tin. (Don't have a rolling pin? Use a glass bottle with a flat edge. Don't have a springform pan? Line a square or rectangular pan of similar size with two pieces of parchment paper that are perpendicular to each other and that hang over the sides of the pan. With another set of hands, you'll be able to grab the four edges and life the tart out of the pan safely after it's done.)

Bake in oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.

When it's almost done baking (about 8-10 minutes to go), you can start the berry meringue topping. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.

Gradually stir in sugar and cornflour, then beat for 5 more minutes.

Fold berries into mixture.

Remove the partially baked tart when the time's up, and pour the meringue over the tart.

Bake for 20-35 minutes, until top is golden on the peaks. Start checking it every couple minutes starting 20 minutes in. If your oven light is really yellow, you may need to pull the tart out to tell if the meringue is golden on the peaks or not.

Serve hot or cold, preferably with coffee or tea!