Christmas is one week from today. If you're looking for a few more dishes to put on the holiday table, here are six that will help round out the meal, including Raisin Bread Pudding and Triple Fruit Pie, as well as helping you through the weekend. Enjoy!
CROCKPOT LASAGNA
This recipe is from MyDailyMoment, and begins, “Most people don't associate lasagna and healthy eating together, but that's exactly what you get with this dynamic dish. A meat and cheese lover's dream, use your noodle and enjoy this slow-cooked staple that's sure to become your go-to dish when you have a hankering for something Italian.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 (28 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. dried oregano
12 oz. cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 oz. lasagna pasta, uncooked
16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in fry pan. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and oregano. Cook long enough to get it warm. Spoon a layer of meat sauce onto the bottom of the slow cooker. Add a double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit) and top with cheeses. Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheeses until all are used up. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
Additional Tips
Ready in 4 1/4 hours.
RAISIN BREAD PUDDING
This recipe begins, “Brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg will fill your kitchen with sweet aromas and sweet memories of happy faces around your table. Serve this with whipped cream or with milk for breakfast for a change of pace.”
Prep. time: 20 minutes; Serves: 8; Cooking time: 35 minutes
Source: Nestle® Very Best Baking
Ingredients
16 slices bread, cubed
1 cup raisins
2 cans (12 oz. each) NESTLÉ ® Carnation ® Evaporated Milk
4 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1 jar caramel sauce, (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 x 8-inch baking dish.
Combine bread and raisins in large bowl. Combine evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg in medium bowl. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture; combine well. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
TRIPLE FRUIT PIE
This was in an email from FamilyTime, and begins, “Berries and rhubarb are plentiful and inexpensive. Try making this pie. It is so good!!”
Serves: 6-8; Prep. time: 5 minutes; Cooking time: 30
Ingredients
1-1/4 cups fresh blueberries
1-1/4 cups fresh raspberries
1-1/4 cups chopped rhubarb
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
pastry shell, for double-crust pie (9 inches)
Directions
In a large bowl, combine fruits and extract; toss to coat. In another bowl, combine sugar, tapioca, nutmeg and salt. Add to fruit; stir gently. Let stand for 15 minutes. Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom crust; trim pastry even with edge. Stir lemon juice into fruit mixture; spoon into the crust. Roll out remaining pastry; make a lattice crust. Seal and flute edges. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 30 minutes longer or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Note: Frozen berries and rhubarb may be substituted for fresh; thaw and drain before using.
CHEESECAKE-STUFFED RED VELVET COOKIES
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “The classic flavors of red velvet cake are transformed into cookies with the cream cheese baked right inside.”
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Active Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 12 cookies; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Filling:
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cookies:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, scooped and leveled (see Cook's Note)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, scooped and leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 teaspoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Confectioners' sugar, for coating
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Make the filling: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, sour cream and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the filling at a time onto the parchment so that you have 12 dollops. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
Make the cookies: Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk together the granulated sugar, butter, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and eggs in another bowl. Fold the flour mixture into the sugar mixture with a rubber spatula until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes (it will still be soft).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Coat your hands generously with confectioners' sugar and scoop a heaping tablespoon of the cookie dough into your hand. Put one of the frozen cream cheese dollops in the middle of the dough and place another tablespoon of the dough on top of the cream cheese. Shape the dough around it to completely enclose the cream cheese, and then roll to coat in the confectioners' sugar. Repeat with the remaining dough and cream cheese, coating your hands in confectioners' sugar as needed.
Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are firm around the edges and can be easily lifted with a spatula, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the trays for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Cook's Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
COZY CROCK COMFORT IN SLOW COOKER
This is from an old (10+ year old) email. Possibly Weight Watchers, according to the email’s header. But very yummy food!
Ingredients
16 ounces gound 90% lean turkey or beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cups (15 ounces) diced raw potatoes
1/3 cup (1 ounce) uncooked regular rice
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup finely diced celery
1 1/2 cups Healthy Request tomato juice or any reduced-sodium tomato juice
1 (10 1/4) can Healthy Request Tomato Soup
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
Directions
In a large skillet sprayed with butter-flavored cooking spray, brown meat.
Place browned meat in a slow cooker container. Add onion, potatoes, uncooked rice, carrots, and celery. Mix well to combine.
Stir in tomato juice, tomato soup, black pepper, and parsley flakes. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Mix well before serving. 6 servings ~ 5 points each
Serves 6 - Each serving equals: 2 protein, 1 1/2 vegetables, 2/3 bread, 10 optional calories, 243 calories, 7 gm fat, 16 gm protein, 29 gm carbohydrate, 290 mg sodium, 33 mg calcium, 3 gm fiber
Diabetic: 2 meat, 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
This comes from GE Appliances, and begins, “Don't let risotto intimidate you! With a little bit of time and patience you can enjoy this delicious dish. The creamy risotto is combined with sweet butternut squash, fragrant sage and rosemary for a perfect dish to usher in the cool days of fall.”
Makes 6 servings in 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (see my note)
7-1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated (see my note)
5-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauti pan. Add squash. Sauti for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook on medium heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is glossy and begins to turn translucent on the edges, about 5 minutes. Mix in sage and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the white wine; cook, stir until it is absorbed. Add a large ladleful of the hot chicken stock (about 1/2 cup) reduce heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. Continue adding the chicken stock to the rice 1/2 a cup at a time until the rice is creamy but is still slightly firm when tasted, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
CHEF'S NOTES:
You can cut up your own squash or use pre-cubed butternut squash from your favorite grocery store. Just make sure the squash is cut into 1/2" cubes so it gets tender enough in the risotto.
My note: If, like me, you don’t have alcohol around your house, feel free to use either non-alcohol white wine or just plain water.
Also, the recipe also called for chicken stock. I substituted vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
Showing posts with label Butternut Squash Risotto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Butternut Squash Risotto. Show all posts
Friday, December 18, 2020
Friday, December 20, 2019
Friday Recipes
It's only a few more days until Christmas. If you're looking for a few more dishes to put on the holiday table, here are six that will help round out the meal, including Raisin Bread Pudding and Triple Fruit Pie. Enjoy!
CROCKPOT LASAGNA
This recipe is from MyDailyMoment, and begins, “Most people don't associate lasagna and healthy eating together, but that's exactly what you get with this dynamic dish. A meat and cheese lover's dream, use your noodle and enjoy this slow-cooked staple that's sure to become your go-to dish when you have a hankering for something Italian.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 (28 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. dried oregano
12 oz. cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 oz. lasagna pasta, uncooked
16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in fry pan. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and oregano. Cook long enough to get it warm. Spoon a layer of meat sauce onto the bottom of the slow cooker. Add a double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit) and top with cheeses. Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheeses until all are used up. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
Additional Tips
Ready in 4 1/4 hours.
RAISIN BREAD PUDDING
This recipe begins, “Brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg will fill your kitchen with sweet aromas and sweet memories of happy faces around your table. Serve this with whipped cream or with milk for breakfast for a change of pace.”
Prep. time: 20 minutes; Serves: 8; Cooking time: 35 minutes
Source: Nestle® Very Best Baking
Ingredients
16 slices bread, cubed
1 cup raisins
2 cans (12 oz. each) NESTLÉ ® Carnation ® Evaporated Milk
4 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1 jar caramel sauce, (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 x 8-inch baking dish.
Combine bread and raisins in large bowl. Combine evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg in medium bowl. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture; combine well. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
TRIPLE FRUIT PIE
This was in an email from FamilyTime, and begins, “Berries and rhubarb are plentiful and inexpensive. Try making this pie. It is so good!!”
Serves: 6-8; Prep. time: 5 minutes; Cooking time: 30
Ingredients
1-1/4 cups fresh blueberries
1-1/4 cups fresh raspberries
1-1/4 cups chopped rhubarb
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
pastry shell, for double-crust pie (9 inches)
Directions
In a large bowl, combine fruits and extract; toss to coat. In another bowl, combine sugar, tapioca, nutmeg and salt. Add to fruit; stir gently. Let stand for 15 minutes. Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom crust; trim pastry even with edge. Stir lemon juice into fruit mixture; spoon into the crust. Roll out remaining pastry; make a lattice crust. Seal and flute edges. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 30 minutes longer or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Note: Frozen berries and rhubarb may be substituted for fresh; thaw and drain before using.
CHEESECAKE-STUFFED RED VELVET COOKIES
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “The classic flavors of red velvet cake are transformed into cookies with the cream cheese baked right inside.”
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Active Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 12 cookies; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Filling:
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cookies:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, scooped and leveled (see Cook's Note)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, scooped and leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 teaspoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Confectioners' sugar, for coating
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Make the filling: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, sour cream and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the filling at a time onto the parchment so that you have 12 dollops. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
Make the cookies: Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk together the granulated sugar, butter, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and eggs in another bowl. Fold the flour mixture into the sugar mixture with a rubber spatula until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes (it will still be soft).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Coat your hands generously with confectioners' sugar and scoop a heaping tablespoon of the cookie dough into your hand. Put one of the frozen cream cheese dollops in the middle of the dough and place another tablespoon of the dough on top of the cream cheese. Shape the dough around it to completely enclose the cream cheese, and then roll to coat in the confectioners' sugar. Repeat with the remaining dough and cream cheese, coating your hands in confectioners' sugar as needed.
Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are firm around the edges and can be easily lifted with a spatula, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the trays for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Cook's Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
COZY CROCK COMFORT IN SLOW COOKER
This is from an old (10+ year old) email. Possibly Weight Watchers, according to the email’s header. But very yummy food!
Ingredients
16 ounces gound 90% lean turkey or beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cups (15 ounces) diced raw potatoes
1/3 cup (1 ounce) uncooked regular rice
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup finely diced celery
1 1/2 cups Healthy Request tomato juice or any reduced-sodium tomato juice
1 (10 1/4) can Healthy Request Tomato Soup
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
Directions
In a large skillet sprayed with butter-flavored cooking spray, brown meat.
Place browned meat in a slow cooker container. Add onion, potatoes, uncooked rice, carrots, and celery. Mix well to combine.
Stir in tomato juice, tomato soup, black pepper, and parsley flakes. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Mix well before serving. 6 servings ~ 5 points each
Serves 6 - Each serving equals: 2 protein, 1 1/2 vegetables, 2/3 bread, 10 optional calories, 243 calories, 7 gm fat, 16 gm protein, 29 gm carbohydrate, 290 mg sodium, 33 mg calcium, 3 gm fiber
Diabetic: 2 meat, 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
This comes from GE Appliances, and begins, “Don't let risotto intimidate you! With a little bit of time and patience you can enjoy this delicious dish. The creamy risotto is combined with sweet butternut squash, fragrant sage and rosemary for a perfect dish to usher in the cool days of fall.”
Makes 6 servings in 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (see my note)
7-1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated (see my note)
5-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauti pan. Add squash. Sauti for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook on medium heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is glossy and begins to turn translucent on the edges, about 5 minutes. Mix in sage and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the white wine; cook, stir until it is absorbed. Add a large ladleful of the hot chicken stock (about 1/2 cup) reduce heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. Continue adding the chicken stock to the rice 1/2 a cup at a time until the rice is creamy but is still slightly firm when tasted, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
CHEF'S NOTES:
You can cut up your own squash or use pre-cubed butternut squash from your favorite grocery store. Just make sure the squash is cut into 1/2" cubes so it gets tender enough in the risotto.
My note: If, like me, you don’t have alcohol around your house, feel free to use either non-alcohol white wine or just plain water.
Also, the recipe also called for chicken stock. I substituted vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
CROCKPOT LASAGNA
This recipe is from MyDailyMoment, and begins, “Most people don't associate lasagna and healthy eating together, but that's exactly what you get with this dynamic dish. A meat and cheese lover's dream, use your noodle and enjoy this slow-cooked staple that's sure to become your go-to dish when you have a hankering for something Italian.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 (28 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. dried oregano
12 oz. cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 oz. lasagna pasta, uncooked
16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in fry pan. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and oregano. Cook long enough to get it warm. Spoon a layer of meat sauce onto the bottom of the slow cooker. Add a double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit) and top with cheeses. Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheeses until all are used up. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
Additional Tips
Ready in 4 1/4 hours.
RAISIN BREAD PUDDING
This recipe begins, “Brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg will fill your kitchen with sweet aromas and sweet memories of happy faces around your table. Serve this with whipped cream or with milk for breakfast for a change of pace.”
Prep. time: 20 minutes; Serves: 8; Cooking time: 35 minutes
Source: Nestle® Very Best Baking
Ingredients
16 slices bread, cubed
1 cup raisins
2 cans (12 oz. each) NESTLÉ ® Carnation ® Evaporated Milk
4 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1 jar caramel sauce, (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 x 8-inch baking dish.
Combine bread and raisins in large bowl. Combine evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg in medium bowl. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture; combine well. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
TRIPLE FRUIT PIE
This was in an email from FamilyTime, and begins, “Berries and rhubarb are plentiful and inexpensive. Try making this pie. It is so good!!”
Serves: 6-8; Prep. time: 5 minutes; Cooking time: 30
Ingredients
1-1/4 cups fresh blueberries
1-1/4 cups fresh raspberries
1-1/4 cups chopped rhubarb
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
pastry shell, for double-crust pie (9 inches)
Directions
In a large bowl, combine fruits and extract; toss to coat. In another bowl, combine sugar, tapioca, nutmeg and salt. Add to fruit; stir gently. Let stand for 15 minutes. Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom crust; trim pastry even with edge. Stir lemon juice into fruit mixture; spoon into the crust. Roll out remaining pastry; make a lattice crust. Seal and flute edges. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 30 minutes longer or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Note: Frozen berries and rhubarb may be substituted for fresh; thaw and drain before using.
CHEESECAKE-STUFFED RED VELVET COOKIES
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “The classic flavors of red velvet cake are transformed into cookies with the cream cheese baked right inside.”
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Active Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 12 cookies; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Filling:
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cookies:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, scooped and leveled (see Cook's Note)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, scooped and leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 teaspoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Confectioners' sugar, for coating
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Make the filling: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, sour cream and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the filling at a time onto the parchment so that you have 12 dollops. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
Make the cookies: Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk together the granulated sugar, butter, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and eggs in another bowl. Fold the flour mixture into the sugar mixture with a rubber spatula until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes (it will still be soft).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Coat your hands generously with confectioners' sugar and scoop a heaping tablespoon of the cookie dough into your hand. Put one of the frozen cream cheese dollops in the middle of the dough and place another tablespoon of the dough on top of the cream cheese. Shape the dough around it to completely enclose the cream cheese, and then roll to coat in the confectioners' sugar. Repeat with the remaining dough and cream cheese, coating your hands in confectioners' sugar as needed.
Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are firm around the edges and can be easily lifted with a spatula, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the trays for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Cook's Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
COZY CROCK COMFORT IN SLOW COOKER
This is from an old (10+ year old) email. Possibly Weight Watchers, according to the email’s header. But very yummy food!
Ingredients
16 ounces gound 90% lean turkey or beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cups (15 ounces) diced raw potatoes
1/3 cup (1 ounce) uncooked regular rice
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup finely diced celery
1 1/2 cups Healthy Request tomato juice or any reduced-sodium tomato juice
1 (10 1/4) can Healthy Request Tomato Soup
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
Directions
In a large skillet sprayed with butter-flavored cooking spray, brown meat.
Place browned meat in a slow cooker container. Add onion, potatoes, uncooked rice, carrots, and celery. Mix well to combine.
Stir in tomato juice, tomato soup, black pepper, and parsley flakes. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Mix well before serving. 6 servings ~ 5 points each
Serves 6 - Each serving equals: 2 protein, 1 1/2 vegetables, 2/3 bread, 10 optional calories, 243 calories, 7 gm fat, 16 gm protein, 29 gm carbohydrate, 290 mg sodium, 33 mg calcium, 3 gm fiber
Diabetic: 2 meat, 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
This comes from GE Appliances, and begins, “Don't let risotto intimidate you! With a little bit of time and patience you can enjoy this delicious dish. The creamy risotto is combined with sweet butternut squash, fragrant sage and rosemary for a perfect dish to usher in the cool days of fall.”
Makes 6 servings in 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (see my note)
7-1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated (see my note)
5-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauti pan. Add squash. Sauti for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook on medium heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is glossy and begins to turn translucent on the edges, about 5 minutes. Mix in sage and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the white wine; cook, stir until it is absorbed. Add a large ladleful of the hot chicken stock (about 1/2 cup) reduce heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. Continue adding the chicken stock to the rice 1/2 a cup at a time until the rice is creamy but is still slightly firm when tasted, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
CHEF'S NOTES:
You can cut up your own squash or use pre-cubed butternut squash from your favorite grocery store. Just make sure the squash is cut into 1/2" cubes so it gets tender enough in the risotto.
My note: If, like me, you don’t have alcohol around your house, feel free to use either non-alcohol white wine or just plain water.
Also, the recipe also called for chicken stock. I substituted vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
Monday, December 16, 2019
Sides - Double-Post Monday
Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's double post deals with side-dishes.
Only a few more days until Christmas. And since every holiday meal needs a couple of sides, here are six to help you through the holiday meal (or any meal, for that matter), including Onion Supreme and Sweet Potato Soufflé. Enjoy!
GLAZED CARROTS WITH ORANGE AND GINGER
This comes from Mark Bittman at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, “When carrots are cooked, it’s often a sad affair. They are boiled to death and presented almost as an apology. Yet when they’re treated with the respect they deserve, even ordinary supermarket carrots can be among the most reliable and enjoyable of vegetables, especially from fall through spring. This braise-and-glaze technique can be varied at will and can also be used with other roots, like beets, turnips and radishes. Once you have the hang of the technique, changing the flavorings is a snap. Try substituting a mixture of half balsamic vinegar, half water or soy sauce similarly diluted for the orange juice, adding a few cloves of peeled garlic with the carrots. Or add a half cup or so of chopped onions, shallots, scallions or leeks, or of chopped pitted dates or raisins, dried currants or even dried tomatoes.”
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes
This was featured in “Versatile Carrots, Repectfully Braised” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 pound carrots, trimmed and peeled if necessary, cut into 1/4-inch coins or sticks
2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced or grated peeled fresh ginger
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Chopped fresh parsley, dill, mint, basil or chervil leaves for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Combine all ingredients except lemon juice and garnish in a saucepan no more than 6 inches across. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring to coat, then adjust heat so mixture simmers. Cover.
Cook, more or less undisturbed, until carrots are tender and liquid is almost gone, 10 to 20 minutes. Uncover and boil off remaining liquid, then add lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot or within an hour or two, garnished with herbs, if you like.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
This comes from GE Appliances, and begins, “Don't let risotto intimidate you! With a little bit of time and patience you can enjoy this delicious dish. The creamy risotto is combined with sweet butternut squash, fragrant sage and rosemary for a perfect dish to usher in the cool days of fall.”
Makes 6 servings in 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (see my note)
7-1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated (see my note)
5-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauti pan. Add squash. Sauti for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook on medium heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is glossy and begins to turn translucent on the edges, about 5 minutes. Mix in sage and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the white wine; cook, stir until it is absorbed. Add a large ladleful of the hot chicken stock (about 1/2 cup) reduce heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. Continue adding the chicken stock to the rice 1/2 a cup at a time until the rice is creamy but is still slightly firm when tasted, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
CHEF'S NOTES:
You can cut up your own squash or use pre-cubed butternut squash from your favorite grocery store. Just make sure the squash is cut into 1/2" cubes so it gets tender enough in the risotto.
My note: If, like me, you don’t have alcohol around your house, feel free to use either non-alcohol white wine or just plain water.
Also, the recipe also called for chicken stock. I substituted that for vegetable stock.
ONION SUPREME
Note: This, as well as the three recipes that follow, are in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
My dad came for a week at Christmas, 1987. He fixed this to go with Christmas dinner, along with several other veggies. The day I drove him to Tampa International to fly back to New York, we went for coffee at a shop in the airport. When I asked for a copy of this, he grabbed a paper napkin and wrote down the recipe. It’s a great way to fix onions; I’ve always had onions in things, but never as a side dish. However, this is incredibly easy, as well as fantastic.
Ingredients
2 leeks (discard green), sliced thin
4 bunches scallions (discard green), sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
3-4 yellow onions, sliced thin
1 stick butter or margarine
20 small white onions
1 1/2 C half & half
Directions
Melt butter over low heat and sauté leeks, scallions, garlic, and yellow onions for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook white onions in enough water to just barely cover. Add white onions (after 45 minutes) to skillet and pour in half & half. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes more & serve.
JASON'S HOME FRIES
This is one of my oldest son's inventions. He fixed this on one of his many trips back home.
Ingredients
3-4 potatoes, scrubbed, not peeled
3-4 T butter or oil (or both)
1 pepper (red, green or yellow), diced
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
Directions
Cut potatoes across (not length-wise). Heat oil or butter. Add potatoes, onions, pepper, and garlic. Cover, cook over medium heat, turning occasionally with a spatula, until brown and crusty.
JEAN'S SPECIAL POTATOES
Jean and I used to spend many hours on the phone together. One afternoon, we spent the better part of 30 minutes talking about food. I told her about Dad’s Onion Supreme; she, in turn, gave me this recipe.
Ingredients
8-10 potatoes
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 C butter
2 tsp. chives
Directions
Peel and cook potatoes. Whip cream cheese and add potatoes. Mix sour cream, butter, and chives. Add to potato mix. Cover and chill overnight (or several hours). Put in greased 2-quart casserole and cover; bake in oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE
This is one of my mom’s recipes. While the marshmallows aren't vegetarian, you can check out here and here.
Ingredients
4-5 sweet potatoes
1 small can pineapple
2 T orange juice concentrate
cinnamon
1/2 C brown sugar
1 egg
1 C nuts
1/2 tsp. salt
dash pepper
9 large marshmallows
Directions
Peel and dice sweet potatoes, place in pan of water, and cook until tender. Mash and add other ingredients except marshmallows. Put in square pan, cut in 9 squares and place 1 marshmallow in each square. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Only a few more days until Christmas. And since every holiday meal needs a couple of sides, here are six to help you through the holiday meal (or any meal, for that matter), including Onion Supreme and Sweet Potato Soufflé. Enjoy!
GLAZED CARROTS WITH ORANGE AND GINGER
This comes from Mark Bittman at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, “When carrots are cooked, it’s often a sad affair. They are boiled to death and presented almost as an apology. Yet when they’re treated with the respect they deserve, even ordinary supermarket carrots can be among the most reliable and enjoyable of vegetables, especially from fall through spring. This braise-and-glaze technique can be varied at will and can also be used with other roots, like beets, turnips and radishes. Once you have the hang of the technique, changing the flavorings is a snap. Try substituting a mixture of half balsamic vinegar, half water or soy sauce similarly diluted for the orange juice, adding a few cloves of peeled garlic with the carrots. Or add a half cup or so of chopped onions, shallots, scallions or leeks, or of chopped pitted dates or raisins, dried currants or even dried tomatoes.”
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes
This was featured in “Versatile Carrots, Repectfully Braised” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 pound carrots, trimmed and peeled if necessary, cut into 1/4-inch coins or sticks
2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced or grated peeled fresh ginger
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Chopped fresh parsley, dill, mint, basil or chervil leaves for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Combine all ingredients except lemon juice and garnish in a saucepan no more than 6 inches across. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring to coat, then adjust heat so mixture simmers. Cover.
Cook, more or less undisturbed, until carrots are tender and liquid is almost gone, 10 to 20 minutes. Uncover and boil off remaining liquid, then add lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot or within an hour or two, garnished with herbs, if you like.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
This comes from GE Appliances, and begins, “Don't let risotto intimidate you! With a little bit of time and patience you can enjoy this delicious dish. The creamy risotto is combined with sweet butternut squash, fragrant sage and rosemary for a perfect dish to usher in the cool days of fall.”
Makes 6 servings in 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (see my note)
7-1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated (see my note)
5-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauti pan. Add squash. Sauti for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook on medium heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is glossy and begins to turn translucent on the edges, about 5 minutes. Mix in sage and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the white wine; cook, stir until it is absorbed. Add a large ladleful of the hot chicken stock (about 1/2 cup) reduce heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. Continue adding the chicken stock to the rice 1/2 a cup at a time until the rice is creamy but is still slightly firm when tasted, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
CHEF'S NOTES:
You can cut up your own squash or use pre-cubed butternut squash from your favorite grocery store. Just make sure the squash is cut into 1/2" cubes so it gets tender enough in the risotto.
My note: If, like me, you don’t have alcohol around your house, feel free to use either non-alcohol white wine or just plain water.
Also, the recipe also called for chicken stock. I substituted that for vegetable stock.
ONION SUPREME
Note: This, as well as the three recipes that follow, are in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
My dad came for a week at Christmas, 1987. He fixed this to go with Christmas dinner, along with several other veggies. The day I drove him to Tampa International to fly back to New York, we went for coffee at a shop in the airport. When I asked for a copy of this, he grabbed a paper napkin and wrote down the recipe. It’s a great way to fix onions; I’ve always had onions in things, but never as a side dish. However, this is incredibly easy, as well as fantastic.
Ingredients
2 leeks (discard green), sliced thin
4 bunches scallions (discard green), sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
3-4 yellow onions, sliced thin
1 stick butter or margarine
20 small white onions
1 1/2 C half & half
Directions
Melt butter over low heat and sauté leeks, scallions, garlic, and yellow onions for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook white onions in enough water to just barely cover. Add white onions (after 45 minutes) to skillet and pour in half & half. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes more & serve.
JASON'S HOME FRIES
This is one of my oldest son's inventions. He fixed this on one of his many trips back home.
Ingredients
3-4 potatoes, scrubbed, not peeled
3-4 T butter or oil (or both)
1 pepper (red, green or yellow), diced
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
Directions
Cut potatoes across (not length-wise). Heat oil or butter. Add potatoes, onions, pepper, and garlic. Cover, cook over medium heat, turning occasionally with a spatula, until brown and crusty.
JEAN'S SPECIAL POTATOES
Jean and I used to spend many hours on the phone together. One afternoon, we spent the better part of 30 minutes talking about food. I told her about Dad’s Onion Supreme; she, in turn, gave me this recipe.
Ingredients
8-10 potatoes
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 C butter
2 tsp. chives
Directions
Peel and cook potatoes. Whip cream cheese and add potatoes. Mix sour cream, butter, and chives. Add to potato mix. Cover and chill overnight (or several hours). Put in greased 2-quart casserole and cover; bake in oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE
This is one of my mom’s recipes. While the marshmallows aren't vegetarian, you can check out here and here.
Ingredients
4-5 sweet potatoes
1 small can pineapple
2 T orange juice concentrate
cinnamon
1/2 C brown sugar
1 egg
1 C nuts
1/2 tsp. salt
dash pepper
9 large marshmallows
Directions
Peel and dice sweet potatoes, place in pan of water, and cook until tender. Mash and add other ingredients except marshmallows. Put in square pan, cut in 9 squares and place 1 marshmallow in each square. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Monday, March 18, 2019
Meatless Monday
You know the routine here: if it's Monday (and it is, according to my calendar), it's time for another Meatless Monday. Today's six vegetarian recipes include Butternut Squash Risotto and 1-Bowl Chocolate Zucchini Bread. Enjoy!
ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS
This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups water, divided
1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided
1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded
Directions
Heat grill to medium-high heat.
Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.
Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.
Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).
QUICK PASTA PESTO
This was in a Weight Watchers' email several years ago. The recipe begins, “Pasta with cheese and cream sauces can rack up a lot of empty calories, but make simple substitutions, like swapping cream for evaporated skim milk, and you can enjoy your favorite pasta dishes anytime.”
POINTS® Value: 8; Servings: 4; Preparation Time | 5 min; Cooking Time: 10 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
3 Tbsp pesto sauce, sun-dried tomato variety preferred
3 cup mixed vegetables, chopped, fresh or frozen
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
4 cup cooked pasta
1 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
Heat a large nonstick pan coated with cooking spray. Add pesto sauce and vegetables; cook, stirring until softened, about 2 minutes.
Add milk, bring to a boil and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in pasta and cheese; cook until heated through. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
This comes from GE Appliances, and begins, “Don't let risotto intimidate you! With a little bit of time and patience you can enjoy this delicious dish. The creamy risotto is combined with sweet butternut squash, fragrant sage and rosemary for a perfect dish to usher in the cool days of fall.”
Makes 6 servings in 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (see my note)
7-1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated (see my note)
5-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauti pan. Add squash. Sauti for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook on medium heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is glossy and begins to turn translucent on the edges, about 5 minutes. Mix in sage and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the white wine; cook, stir until it is absorbed. Add a large ladleful of the hot chicken stock (about 1/2 cup) reduce heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. Continue adding the chicken stock to the rice 1/2 a cup at a time until the rice is creamy but is still slightly firm when tasted, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
CHEF'S NOTES:
You can cut up your own squash or use pre-cubed butternut squash from your favorite grocery store. Just make sure the squash is cut into 1/2" cubes so it gets tender enough in the risotto.
My note: If, like me, you don’t have alcohol around your house, feel free to use either non-alcohol white wine or just plain water.
Also, the recipe also called for chicken stock. I substituted that for vegetable stock.
VEGAN STIR-FRIED GARLIC TOFU AND EGGPLANT
This was in an email from TheKitchn. I absolutely love TheKitchn, as well as its sibling site, Apartment Therapy. If you haven’t checked out either site, I highly recommend them. (Go ahead, I’ll wait…tap, tap, tap.)
Anyway, Christine Gallary, Food Editor-at-Large at TheKitchn wrote, “Eggplant can be a polarizing vegetable. There are those who don't care for it, but I'm in the other camp. I love eggplant in any form, whether roasted, grilled, or even puréed into baba ganoush. But my absolute favorite? When eggplant is stir-fried with lots of garlic and coated with a glossy, savory sauce that I can spoon over a big bowl of steamed rice. I'm not vegan, but this recipe can lean that way if you can get your hands on vegetarian oyster sauce.
“There are a number of ways to make crispy tofu, but the method I turn to uses a nonstick pan, which ensures that the tofu browns nicely, but doesn't stick to the pan. Once the tofu browns, the pan is free to stir-fry the eggplant with garlic until it's nicely seared on the outside, but creamy on the inside. I love using Japanese or Chinese eggplants here since they're smaller and less bitter than their larger Italian counterparts.
“The sauce that holds everything together is a mixture of oyster sauce (vegetarian if you want to keep the dish vegan), soy sauce (or tamari), cornstarch, rice vinegar, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
“The finishing touch is a big handful of basil leaves. Sweet and slightly spicy Thai basil is the perfect choice here, although regular Italian basil will work beautifully too. I like this stir-fry heaped over steamed white or brown rice, but rice noodles would also work great.”
To view this online, click here. Serves 4.
For the sauce:
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons regular or vegetarian oyster sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the stir-fry:
1 (14- to-16-ounce) package firm tofu, drained and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt
1 pound eggplant, preferably Asian, cut into 3/4-inch dice
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup packed fresh Thai or Italian basil leaves
Steamed rice, for serving
For the sauce: Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl, making sure the cornstarch is dissolved.
For the stir-fry: Line a large plate with two layers of paper towels. Place the tofu in a single layer on the paper towels to drain.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the tofu, spread into a single layer, and season generously with salt. Cook, flipping rarely, until golden-brown on at least 2 sides (be careful, it will splatter), about 10 minutes total. Remove to a clean plate.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and add the eggplant. Season with salt and stir-fry until charred in spots, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the reserved tofu and stir to combine. Whisk the reserved sauce to recombine and dissolve the cornstarch, and add it to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and stir-fry until the sauce has thickened and coats the tofu and eggplant, about 1 minute more. Remove the pan from the heat, add the basil leaves, and toss to combine. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Recipe Notes
Gluten-free: To make this dish gluten-free, look for oyster sauce labeled gluten-free and use tamari rather than soy sauce.
Vegetarian oyster sauce: Regular oyster sauce is usually made from oysters, but vegetarian oyster sauce, which is made from mushrooms, is a vegetarian and vegan alternative.
1-BOWL CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD
This is from the Minimalist Baker, and begins, “Fluffy, tender, insanely delicious Chocolate Zucchini Bread! Made in just 1 bowl, naturally sweetened, SO delicious!”
Prep time: 15 mins; Cook time: 1 hour; Total time: 1 hour 15 mins
To view this online, click here.
Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-Free
Serves: 10
Ingredients
2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 5 Tbsp water)
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or sub another neutral oil)
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup grated zucchini (squeezed dry and lightly packed in measuring cup)
3/4 cup gluten-free flour blend
1/3 cup gluten-free oat flour (finely ground rolled oats)
1/3 cup almond flour (or almond meal, though I haven't tested it this way)
1/3 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips + more for topping (I like Enjoy Life brand)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, prepare flax eggs and let rest for 5 minutes. Then add applesauce, maple syrup, coconut sugar, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, and cocoa powder, and whisk again.
Next add the melted coconut oil and almond milk and whisk to combine. Add grated zucchini (that's been squeezed of excess moisture) and stir to combine.
Add gluten-free flour, oat flour, and almond flour and whisk until just combined. If the batter appears too thick, add a touch more almond milk. But it should be thick and scoopable.
Lastly, stir in chocolate chips. Then transfer batter to the loaf pan and top with a few more chocolate chips (optional).
Bake 45 minutes - 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean and the edges feel semi-firm to the touch.
Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Then carefully lift onto a cooling rack using the parchment paper. Texture is best when cooled completely. Will keep covered at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 10 slices.
*Recipe adapted from my Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins.
Nutrition Information: Serving size: 1 slice (of 10): Calories: 216; Fat: 10.8 g; Saturated fat: 7.1 g; Carbohydrates: 31.1 g; Sugar: 15 g; Sodium: 58 mg; Fiber: 4.1 g; Protein: 3.4 g
BLACK BEAN VEGAN ENCHILADAS
This comes from Joyce Gan, “the recipe developer, blog post writer, and food photographer” for Light Orange Bean. It’s a cool site that I recently discovered.
Prep time: 35 mins; Cook time: 25 mins; Total time: 1 hour
Tools: 10”saute pan and spatula, strainer, knife and cutting board, potato masher, medium sized mixing bowl, 9”×13” baking dish, pastry brush, aluminum foil.
Recipe type: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 4-6 servings
To view this online at Joyce’s site, go to http://lightorangebean.com/black-bean-vegan-enchiladas/.
Ingredients
1 tbs canola oil
1 medium size yellow onion (finely chopped, approximately 8 oz)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbs chili powder
2 tsp cumin powder
2 cups cooked black beans
1 tsp salt
2 cups tomato puree or 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce + 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup + 1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro
1 medium size jalapenos (seeded, finely chopped, approximately 1 oz)
8 oz vegan cheese (Mexican style GoVeggie preferred)
12-14 (5.5-inch) corn tortillas (gluten-free if desired)
Instructions
Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to cook until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin powder, and salt. Cook another 2 minutes. Add the beans and tomato puree and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low. Mash the beans with a potato masher and simmer 5 minutes.
Remove the bean mixture from the heat and strain, reserving the sauce. Transfer the strained bean mixture to a medium bowl and mix together with 1/2 cup cilantro, jalapenos, and 4 oz of cheese.
Preheat oven to 350 °F.
Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Microwave 5 tortillas at a time or follow the package instructions to soften. Scoop about 1/4 cup bean mixture into each tortilla and roll it up tightly. Place the filled and rolled tortillas in the baking dish seam-side down. Finish all tortillas.
Dip the pastry brush in the sauce and brush the ends of each tortilla. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the enchiladas.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the enchiladas, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, bake for additional 2-3 minutes until the cheese is slightly brown.
Garnish with the remaining cilantro before serving.
Notes
If there is any remaining bean mixture, it can be used as a filling in tortilla shells without any further cooking. Add lettuce if desired.
Due to different recipes of making tomato puree, the liquid content may vary. Gradually add excess water when making the bean mixture if necessary.
ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS
This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups water, divided
1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided
1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded
Directions
Heat grill to medium-high heat.
Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.
Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.
Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).
QUICK PASTA PESTO
This was in a Weight Watchers' email several years ago. The recipe begins, “Pasta with cheese and cream sauces can rack up a lot of empty calories, but make simple substitutions, like swapping cream for evaporated skim milk, and you can enjoy your favorite pasta dishes anytime.”
POINTS® Value: 8; Servings: 4; Preparation Time | 5 min; Cooking Time: 10 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
3 Tbsp pesto sauce, sun-dried tomato variety preferred
3 cup mixed vegetables, chopped, fresh or frozen
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
4 cup cooked pasta
1 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
Heat a large nonstick pan coated with cooking spray. Add pesto sauce and vegetables; cook, stirring until softened, about 2 minutes.
Add milk, bring to a boil and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in pasta and cheese; cook until heated through. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
This comes from GE Appliances, and begins, “Don't let risotto intimidate you! With a little bit of time and patience you can enjoy this delicious dish. The creamy risotto is combined with sweet butternut squash, fragrant sage and rosemary for a perfect dish to usher in the cool days of fall.”
Makes 6 servings in 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (see my note)
7-1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated (see my note)
5-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauti pan. Add squash. Sauti for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook on medium heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is glossy and begins to turn translucent on the edges, about 5 minutes. Mix in sage and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the white wine; cook, stir until it is absorbed. Add a large ladleful of the hot chicken stock (about 1/2 cup) reduce heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. Continue adding the chicken stock to the rice 1/2 a cup at a time until the rice is creamy but is still slightly firm when tasted, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
CHEF'S NOTES:
You can cut up your own squash or use pre-cubed butternut squash from your favorite grocery store. Just make sure the squash is cut into 1/2" cubes so it gets tender enough in the risotto.
My note: If, like me, you don’t have alcohol around your house, feel free to use either non-alcohol white wine or just plain water.
Also, the recipe also called for chicken stock. I substituted that for vegetable stock.
VEGAN STIR-FRIED GARLIC TOFU AND EGGPLANT
This was in an email from TheKitchn. I absolutely love TheKitchn, as well as its sibling site, Apartment Therapy. If you haven’t checked out either site, I highly recommend them. (Go ahead, I’ll wait…tap, tap, tap.)
Anyway, Christine Gallary, Food Editor-at-Large at TheKitchn wrote, “Eggplant can be a polarizing vegetable. There are those who don't care for it, but I'm in the other camp. I love eggplant in any form, whether roasted, grilled, or even puréed into baba ganoush. But my absolute favorite? When eggplant is stir-fried with lots of garlic and coated with a glossy, savory sauce that I can spoon over a big bowl of steamed rice. I'm not vegan, but this recipe can lean that way if you can get your hands on vegetarian oyster sauce.
“There are a number of ways to make crispy tofu, but the method I turn to uses a nonstick pan, which ensures that the tofu browns nicely, but doesn't stick to the pan. Once the tofu browns, the pan is free to stir-fry the eggplant with garlic until it's nicely seared on the outside, but creamy on the inside. I love using Japanese or Chinese eggplants here since they're smaller and less bitter than their larger Italian counterparts.
“The sauce that holds everything together is a mixture of oyster sauce (vegetarian if you want to keep the dish vegan), soy sauce (or tamari), cornstarch, rice vinegar, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
“The finishing touch is a big handful of basil leaves. Sweet and slightly spicy Thai basil is the perfect choice here, although regular Italian basil will work beautifully too. I like this stir-fry heaped over steamed white or brown rice, but rice noodles would also work great.”
To view this online, click here. Serves 4.
For the sauce:
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons regular or vegetarian oyster sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the stir-fry:
1 (14- to-16-ounce) package firm tofu, drained and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt
1 pound eggplant, preferably Asian, cut into 3/4-inch dice
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup packed fresh Thai or Italian basil leaves
Steamed rice, for serving
For the sauce: Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl, making sure the cornstarch is dissolved.
For the stir-fry: Line a large plate with two layers of paper towels. Place the tofu in a single layer on the paper towels to drain.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the tofu, spread into a single layer, and season generously with salt. Cook, flipping rarely, until golden-brown on at least 2 sides (be careful, it will splatter), about 10 minutes total. Remove to a clean plate.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and add the eggplant. Season with salt and stir-fry until charred in spots, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the reserved tofu and stir to combine. Whisk the reserved sauce to recombine and dissolve the cornstarch, and add it to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and stir-fry until the sauce has thickened and coats the tofu and eggplant, about 1 minute more. Remove the pan from the heat, add the basil leaves, and toss to combine. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Recipe Notes
Gluten-free: To make this dish gluten-free, look for oyster sauce labeled gluten-free and use tamari rather than soy sauce.
Vegetarian oyster sauce: Regular oyster sauce is usually made from oysters, but vegetarian oyster sauce, which is made from mushrooms, is a vegetarian and vegan alternative.
1-BOWL CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD
This is from the Minimalist Baker, and begins, “Fluffy, tender, insanely delicious Chocolate Zucchini Bread! Made in just 1 bowl, naturally sweetened, SO delicious!”
Prep time: 15 mins; Cook time: 1 hour; Total time: 1 hour 15 mins
To view this online, click here.
Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-Free
Serves: 10
Ingredients
2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 5 Tbsp water)
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or sub another neutral oil)
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup grated zucchini (squeezed dry and lightly packed in measuring cup)
3/4 cup gluten-free flour blend
1/3 cup gluten-free oat flour (finely ground rolled oats)
1/3 cup almond flour (or almond meal, though I haven't tested it this way)
1/3 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips + more for topping (I like Enjoy Life brand)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, prepare flax eggs and let rest for 5 minutes. Then add applesauce, maple syrup, coconut sugar, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, and cocoa powder, and whisk again.
Next add the melted coconut oil and almond milk and whisk to combine. Add grated zucchini (that's been squeezed of excess moisture) and stir to combine.
Add gluten-free flour, oat flour, and almond flour and whisk until just combined. If the batter appears too thick, add a touch more almond milk. But it should be thick and scoopable.
Lastly, stir in chocolate chips. Then transfer batter to the loaf pan and top with a few more chocolate chips (optional).
Bake 45 minutes - 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean and the edges feel semi-firm to the touch.
Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Then carefully lift onto a cooling rack using the parchment paper. Texture is best when cooled completely. Will keep covered at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 10 slices.
*Recipe adapted from my Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins.
Nutrition Information: Serving size: 1 slice (of 10): Calories: 216; Fat: 10.8 g; Saturated fat: 7.1 g; Carbohydrates: 31.1 g; Sugar: 15 g; Sodium: 58 mg; Fiber: 4.1 g; Protein: 3.4 g
BLACK BEAN VEGAN ENCHILADAS
This comes from Joyce Gan, “the recipe developer, blog post writer, and food photographer” for Light Orange Bean. It’s a cool site that I recently discovered.
Prep time: 35 mins; Cook time: 25 mins; Total time: 1 hour
Tools: 10”saute pan and spatula, strainer, knife and cutting board, potato masher, medium sized mixing bowl, 9”×13” baking dish, pastry brush, aluminum foil.
Recipe type: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 4-6 servings
To view this online at Joyce’s site, go to http://lightorangebean.com/black-bean-vegan-enchiladas/.
Ingredients
1 tbs canola oil
1 medium size yellow onion (finely chopped, approximately 8 oz)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbs chili powder
2 tsp cumin powder
2 cups cooked black beans
1 tsp salt
2 cups tomato puree or 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce + 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup + 1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro
1 medium size jalapenos (seeded, finely chopped, approximately 1 oz)
8 oz vegan cheese (Mexican style GoVeggie preferred)
12-14 (5.5-inch) corn tortillas (gluten-free if desired)
Instructions
Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to cook until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin powder, and salt. Cook another 2 minutes. Add the beans and tomato puree and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low. Mash the beans with a potato masher and simmer 5 minutes.
Remove the bean mixture from the heat and strain, reserving the sauce. Transfer the strained bean mixture to a medium bowl and mix together with 1/2 cup cilantro, jalapenos, and 4 oz of cheese.
Preheat oven to 350 °F.
Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Microwave 5 tortillas at a time or follow the package instructions to soften. Scoop about 1/4 cup bean mixture into each tortilla and roll it up tightly. Place the filled and rolled tortillas in the baking dish seam-side down. Finish all tortillas.
Dip the pastry brush in the sauce and brush the ends of each tortilla. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the enchiladas.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the enchiladas, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, bake for additional 2-3 minutes until the cheese is slightly brown.
Garnish with the remaining cilantro before serving.
Notes
If there is any remaining bean mixture, it can be used as a filling in tortilla shells without any further cooking. Add lettuce if desired.
Due to different recipes of making tomato puree, the liquid content may vary. Gradually add excess water when making the bean mixture if necessary.
Sunday, December 23, 2018
Side Dishes
Only a few more days until Christmas. And since every holiday meal needs a couple of side-dishes, here are six to help you through the holiday meal (or any meal, for that matter), including Onion Supreme and Sweet Potato Soufflé. Enjoy!
GLAZED CARROTS WITH ORANGE AND GINGER
This comes from Mark Bittman at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, “When carrots are cooked, it’s often a sad affair. They are boiled to death and presented almost as an apology. Yet when they’re treated with the respect they deserve, even ordinary supermarket carrots can be among the most reliable and enjoyable of vegetables, especially from fall through spring. This braise-and-glaze technique can be varied at will and can also be used with other roots, like beets, turnips and radishes. Once you have the hang of the technique, changing the flavorings is a snap. Try substituting a mixture of half balsamic vinegar, half water or soy sauce similarly diluted for the orange juice, adding a few cloves of peeled garlic with the carrots. Or add a half cup or so of chopped onions, shallots, scallions or leeks, or of chopped pitted dates or raisins, dried currants or even dried tomatoes.”
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes
This was featured in “Versatile Carrots, Repectfully Braised” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 pound carrots, trimmed and peeled if necessary, cut into 1/4-inch coins or sticks
2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced or grated peeled fresh ginger
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Chopped fresh parsley, dill, mint, basil or chervil leaves for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Combine all ingredients except lemon juice and garnish in a saucepan no more than 6 inches across. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring to coat, then adjust heat so mixture simmers. Cover.
Cook, more or less undisturbed, until carrots are tender and liquid is almost gone, 10 to 20 minutes. Uncover and boil off remaining liquid, then add lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot or within an hour or two, garnished with herbs, if you like.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
This comes from GE Appliances, and begins, “Don't let risotto intimidate you! With a little bit of time and patience you can enjoy this delicious dish. The creamy risotto is combined with sweet butternut squash, fragrant sage and rosemary for a perfect dish to usher in the cool days of fall.”
Makes 6 servings in 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (see my note)
7-1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated (see my note)
5-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauti pan. Add squash. Sauti for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook on medium heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is glossy and begins to turn translucent on the edges, about 5 minutes. Mix in sage and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the white wine; cook, stir until it is absorbed. Add a large ladleful of the hot chicken stock (about 1/2 cup) reduce heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. Continue adding the chicken stock to the rice 1/2 a cup at a time until the rice is creamy but is still slightly firm when tasted, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
CHEF'S NOTES:
You can cut up your own squash or use pre-cubed butternut squash from your favorite grocery store. Just make sure the squash is cut into 1/2" cubes so it gets tender enough in the risotto.
My note: If, like me, you don’t have alcohol around your house, feel free to use either non-alcohol white wine or just plain water.
Also, the recipe also called for chicken stock. I substituted that for vegetable stock.
ONION SUPREME
Note: This, as well as the three recipes that follow, are in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
My dad came for a week at Christmas, 1987. He fixed this to go with Christmas dinner, along with several other veggies. The day I drove him to Tampa International to fly back to New York, we went for coffee at a shop in the airport. When I asked for a copy of this, he grabbed a paper napkin and wrote down the recipe. It’s a great way to fix onions; I’ve always had onions in things, but never as a side dish. However, this is incredibly easy, as well as fantastic.
2 leeks (discard green), sliced thin
4 bunches scallions (discard green), sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
3-4 yellow onions, sliced thin
1 stick butter or margarine
20 small white onions
1 1/2 C half & half
Melt butter over low heat & sauté leeks, scallions, garlic & yellow onions for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook white onions in enough water to just barely cover. Add white onions (after 45 minutes) to skillet & pour in half & half. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes more & serve.
JASON'S HOME FRIES
This is one of my oldest son's inventions. He fixed this on one of his many trips back home.
3-4 potatoes, scrubbed, not peeled
3-4 T butter or oil (or both)
1 pepper (red, green or yellow), diced
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
Cut potatoes across (not length-wise). Heat oil or butter. Add potatoes, onions, pepper & garlic. Cover, cook over medium heat, turning occasionally with a spatula, until brown & crusty.
JEAN'S SPECIAL POTATOES
Jean and I used to spend many hours on the phone together. One afternoon, we spent the better part of 30 minutes talking about food. I told her about Dad’s Onion Supreme; she, in turn, gave me this recipe.
8-10 potatoes
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 C butter
2 tsp. chives
Peel & cook potatoes. Whip cream cheese & add potatoes. Mix sour cream, butter & chives. Add to potato mix. Cover & chill overnight (or several hours). Put in greased 2-quart casserole & cover; bake in oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE
This is one of my mom’s recipes. While the marshmallows aren't vegetarian, you can check out here and here.
4-5 sweet potatoes
1 small can pineapple
2 T orange juice concentrate
cinnamon
1/2 C brown sugar
1 egg
1 C nuts
1/2 tsp. salt
dash pepper
9 large marshmallows
Peel & dice sweet potatoes, place in pan of water, and cook until tender. Mash & add other ingredients except marshmallows. Put in square pan, cut in 9 squares & place 1 marshmallow in each square. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
GLAZED CARROTS WITH ORANGE AND GINGER
This comes from Mark Bittman at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, “When carrots are cooked, it’s often a sad affair. They are boiled to death and presented almost as an apology. Yet when they’re treated with the respect they deserve, even ordinary supermarket carrots can be among the most reliable and enjoyable of vegetables, especially from fall through spring. This braise-and-glaze technique can be varied at will and can also be used with other roots, like beets, turnips and radishes. Once you have the hang of the technique, changing the flavorings is a snap. Try substituting a mixture of half balsamic vinegar, half water or soy sauce similarly diluted for the orange juice, adding a few cloves of peeled garlic with the carrots. Or add a half cup or so of chopped onions, shallots, scallions or leeks, or of chopped pitted dates or raisins, dried currants or even dried tomatoes.”
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes
This was featured in “Versatile Carrots, Repectfully Braised” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 pound carrots, trimmed and peeled if necessary, cut into 1/4-inch coins or sticks
2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced or grated peeled fresh ginger
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Chopped fresh parsley, dill, mint, basil or chervil leaves for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Combine all ingredients except lemon juice and garnish in a saucepan no more than 6 inches across. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring to coat, then adjust heat so mixture simmers. Cover.
Cook, more or less undisturbed, until carrots are tender and liquid is almost gone, 10 to 20 minutes. Uncover and boil off remaining liquid, then add lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot or within an hour or two, garnished with herbs, if you like.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
This comes from GE Appliances, and begins, “Don't let risotto intimidate you! With a little bit of time and patience you can enjoy this delicious dish. The creamy risotto is combined with sweet butternut squash, fragrant sage and rosemary for a perfect dish to usher in the cool days of fall.”
Makes 6 servings in 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (see my note)
7-1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated (see my note)
5-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauti pan. Add squash. Sauti for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook on medium heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is glossy and begins to turn translucent on the edges, about 5 minutes. Mix in sage and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the white wine; cook, stir until it is absorbed. Add a large ladleful of the hot chicken stock (about 1/2 cup) reduce heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. Continue adding the chicken stock to the rice 1/2 a cup at a time until the rice is creamy but is still slightly firm when tasted, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
CHEF'S NOTES:
You can cut up your own squash or use pre-cubed butternut squash from your favorite grocery store. Just make sure the squash is cut into 1/2" cubes so it gets tender enough in the risotto.
My note: If, like me, you don’t have alcohol around your house, feel free to use either non-alcohol white wine or just plain water.
Also, the recipe also called for chicken stock. I substituted that for vegetable stock.
ONION SUPREME
Note: This, as well as the three recipes that follow, are in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
My dad came for a week at Christmas, 1987. He fixed this to go with Christmas dinner, along with several other veggies. The day I drove him to Tampa International to fly back to New York, we went for coffee at a shop in the airport. When I asked for a copy of this, he grabbed a paper napkin and wrote down the recipe. It’s a great way to fix onions; I’ve always had onions in things, but never as a side dish. However, this is incredibly easy, as well as fantastic.
2 leeks (discard green), sliced thin
4 bunches scallions (discard green), sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
3-4 yellow onions, sliced thin
1 stick butter or margarine
20 small white onions
1 1/2 C half & half
Melt butter over low heat & sauté leeks, scallions, garlic & yellow onions for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook white onions in enough water to just barely cover. Add white onions (after 45 minutes) to skillet & pour in half & half. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes more & serve.
JASON'S HOME FRIES
This is one of my oldest son's inventions. He fixed this on one of his many trips back home.
3-4 potatoes, scrubbed, not peeled
3-4 T butter or oil (or both)
1 pepper (red, green or yellow), diced
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
Cut potatoes across (not length-wise). Heat oil or butter. Add potatoes, onions, pepper & garlic. Cover, cook over medium heat, turning occasionally with a spatula, until brown & crusty.
JEAN'S SPECIAL POTATOES
Jean and I used to spend many hours on the phone together. One afternoon, we spent the better part of 30 minutes talking about food. I told her about Dad’s Onion Supreme; she, in turn, gave me this recipe.
8-10 potatoes
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 C butter
2 tsp. chives
Peel & cook potatoes. Whip cream cheese & add potatoes. Mix sour cream, butter & chives. Add to potato mix. Cover & chill overnight (or several hours). Put in greased 2-quart casserole & cover; bake in oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE
This is one of my mom’s recipes. While the marshmallows aren't vegetarian, you can check out here and here.
4-5 sweet potatoes
1 small can pineapple
2 T orange juice concentrate
cinnamon
1/2 C brown sugar
1 egg
1 C nuts
1/2 tsp. salt
dash pepper
9 large marshmallows
Peel & dice sweet potatoes, place in pan of water, and cook until tender. Mash & add other ingredients except marshmallows. Put in square pan, cut in 9 squares & place 1 marshmallow in each square. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Friday, December 22, 2017
Friday Recipes
It's only a few more days until Christmas. If you're looking for a few more dishes to put on the holiday table, here are six that will help round out the meal, including Raisin Bread Pudding and Triple Fruit Pie. Enjoy!
CROCKPOT LASAGNA
This recipe is from MyDailyMoment, and begins, “Most people don't associate lasagna and healthy eating together, but that's exactly what you get with this dynamic dish. A meat and cheese lover's dream, use your noodle and enjoy this slow-cooked staple that's sure to become your go-to dish when you have a hankering for something Italian.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 (28 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. dried oregano
12 oz. cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 oz. lasagna pasta, uncooked
16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in fry pan. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and oregano. Cook long enough to get it warm. Spoon a layer of meat sauce onto the bottom of the slow cooker. Add a double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit) and top with cheeses. Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheeses until all are used up. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
Additional Tips
Ready in 4 1/4 hours.
RAISIN BREAD PUDDING
This recipe begins, “Brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg will fill your kitchen with sweet aromas and sweet memories of happy faces around your table. Serve this with whipped cream or with milk for breakfast for a change of pace.”
Prep. time: 20 minutes; Serves: 8; Cooking time: 35 minutes
Source: Nestle® Very Best Baking
Ingredients
16 slices bread, cubed
1 cup raisins
2 cans (12 oz. each) NESTLÉ ® Carnation ® Evaporated Milk
4 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1 jar caramel sauce, (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 x 8-inch baking dish.
Combine bread and raisins in large bowl. Combine evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg in medium bowl. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture; combine well. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
TRIPLE FRUIT PIE
This was in an email from FamilyTime, and begins, “Berries and rhubarb are plentiful and inexpensive. Try making this pie. It is so good!!”
Serves: 6-8; Prep. time: 5 minutes; Cooking time: 30
Ingredients
1-1/4 cups fresh blueberries
1-1/4 cups fresh raspberries
1-1/4 cups chopped rhubarb
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
pastry shell, for double-crust pie (9 inches)
Directions
In a large bowl, combine fruits and extract; toss to coat. In another bowl, combine sugar, tapioca, nutmeg and salt. Add to fruit; stir gently. Let stand for 15 minutes. Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom crust; trim pastry even with edge. Stir lemon juice into fruit mixture; spoon into the crust. Roll out remaining pastry; make a lattice crust. Seal and flute edges. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 30 minutes longer or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Note: Frozen berries and rhubarb may be substituted for fresh; thaw and drain before using.
CHEESECAKE-STUFFED RED VELVET COOKIES
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “The classic flavors of red velvet cake are transformed into cookies with the cream cheese baked right inside.”
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Active Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 12 cookies; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Filling:
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cookies:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, scooped and leveled (see Cook's Note)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, scooped and leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 teaspoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Confectioners' sugar, for coating
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Make the filling: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, sour cream and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the filling at a time onto the parchment so that you have 12 dollops. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
Make the cookies: Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk together the granulated sugar, butter, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and eggs in another bowl. Fold the flour mixture into the sugar mixture with a rubber spatula until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes (it will still be soft).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Coat your hands generously with confectioners' sugar and scoop a heaping tablespoon of the cookie dough into your hand. Put one of the frozen cream cheese dollops in the middle of the dough and place another tablespoon of the dough on top of the cream cheese. Shape the dough around it to completely enclose the cream cheese, and then roll to coat in the confectioners' sugar. Repeat with the remaining dough and cream cheese, coating your hands in confectioners' sugar as needed.
Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are firm around the edges and can be easily lifted with a spatula, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the trays for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Cook's Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
COZY CROCK COMFORT IN SLOW COOKER
This is from an old (10+ year old) email. Possibly Weight Watchers, according to the email’s header. But very yummy food!
16 ounces gound 90% lean turkey or beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cups (15 ounces) diced raw potatoes
1/3 cup (1 ounce) uncooked regular rice
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup finely diced celery
1 1/2 cups Healthy Request tomato juice or any reduced-sodium tomato juice
1 (10 1/4) can Healthy Request Tomato Soup
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
In a large skillet sprayed with butter-flavored cooking spray, brown meat.
Place browned meat in a slow cooker container. Add onion, potatoes, uncooked rice, carrots, and celery. Mix well to combine.
Stir in tomato juice, tomato soup, black pepper, and parsley flakes. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Mix well before serving. 6 servings ~ 5 points each
Serves 6 - Each serving equals: 2 protein, 1 1/2 vegetables, 2/3 bread, 10 optional calories, 243 calories, 7 gm fat, 16 gm protein, 29 gm carbohydrate, 290 mg sodium, 33 mg calcium, 3 gm fiber
Diabetic: 2 meat, 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
This comes from GE Appliances, and begins, “Don't let risotto intimidate you! With a little bit of time and patience you can enjoy this delicious dish. The creamy risotto is combined with sweet butternut squash, fragrant sage and rosemary for a perfect dish to usher in the cool days of fall.”
Makes 6 servings in 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (see my note)
7-1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated (see my note)
5-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauti pan. Add squash. Sauti for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook on medium heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is glossy and begins to turn translucent on the edges, about 5 minutes. Mix in sage and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the white wine; cook, stir until it is absorbed. Add a large ladleful of the hot chicken stock (about 1/2 cup) reduce heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. Continue adding the chicken stock to the rice 1/2 a cup at a time until the rice is creamy but is still slightly firm when tasted, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
CHEF'S NOTES:
You can cut up your own squash or use pre-cubed butternut squash from your favorite grocery store. Just make sure the squash is cut into 1/2" cubes so it gets tender enough in the risotto.
My note: If, like me, you don’t have alcohol around your house, feel free to use either non-alcohol white wine or just plain water.
Also, the recipe also called for chicken stock. I substituted vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
CROCKPOT LASAGNA
This recipe is from MyDailyMoment, and begins, “Most people don't associate lasagna and healthy eating together, but that's exactly what you get with this dynamic dish. A meat and cheese lover's dream, use your noodle and enjoy this slow-cooked staple that's sure to become your go-to dish when you have a hankering for something Italian.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 (28 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. dried oregano
12 oz. cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 oz. lasagna pasta, uncooked
16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in fry pan. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and oregano. Cook long enough to get it warm. Spoon a layer of meat sauce onto the bottom of the slow cooker. Add a double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit) and top with cheeses. Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheeses until all are used up. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
Additional Tips
Ready in 4 1/4 hours.
RAISIN BREAD PUDDING
This recipe begins, “Brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg will fill your kitchen with sweet aromas and sweet memories of happy faces around your table. Serve this with whipped cream or with milk for breakfast for a change of pace.”
Prep. time: 20 minutes; Serves: 8; Cooking time: 35 minutes
Source: Nestle® Very Best Baking
Ingredients
16 slices bread, cubed
1 cup raisins
2 cans (12 oz. each) NESTLÉ ® Carnation ® Evaporated Milk
4 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1 jar caramel sauce, (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 x 8-inch baking dish.
Combine bread and raisins in large bowl. Combine evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg in medium bowl. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture; combine well. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
TRIPLE FRUIT PIE
This was in an email from FamilyTime, and begins, “Berries and rhubarb are plentiful and inexpensive. Try making this pie. It is so good!!”
Serves: 6-8; Prep. time: 5 minutes; Cooking time: 30
Ingredients
1-1/4 cups fresh blueberries
1-1/4 cups fresh raspberries
1-1/4 cups chopped rhubarb
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
pastry shell, for double-crust pie (9 inches)
Directions
In a large bowl, combine fruits and extract; toss to coat. In another bowl, combine sugar, tapioca, nutmeg and salt. Add to fruit; stir gently. Let stand for 15 minutes. Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom crust; trim pastry even with edge. Stir lemon juice into fruit mixture; spoon into the crust. Roll out remaining pastry; make a lattice crust. Seal and flute edges. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 30 minutes longer or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Note: Frozen berries and rhubarb may be substituted for fresh; thaw and drain before using.
CHEESECAKE-STUFFED RED VELVET COOKIES
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “The classic flavors of red velvet cake are transformed into cookies with the cream cheese baked right inside.”
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Active Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 12 cookies; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Filling:
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cookies:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, scooped and leveled (see Cook's Note)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, scooped and leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 teaspoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Confectioners' sugar, for coating
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Make the filling: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, sour cream and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the filling at a time onto the parchment so that you have 12 dollops. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
Make the cookies: Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk together the granulated sugar, butter, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and eggs in another bowl. Fold the flour mixture into the sugar mixture with a rubber spatula until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes (it will still be soft).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Coat your hands generously with confectioners' sugar and scoop a heaping tablespoon of the cookie dough into your hand. Put one of the frozen cream cheese dollops in the middle of the dough and place another tablespoon of the dough on top of the cream cheese. Shape the dough around it to completely enclose the cream cheese, and then roll to coat in the confectioners' sugar. Repeat with the remaining dough and cream cheese, coating your hands in confectioners' sugar as needed.
Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are firm around the edges and can be easily lifted with a spatula, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the trays for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Cook's Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
COZY CROCK COMFORT IN SLOW COOKER
This is from an old (10+ year old) email. Possibly Weight Watchers, according to the email’s header. But very yummy food!
16 ounces gound 90% lean turkey or beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cups (15 ounces) diced raw potatoes
1/3 cup (1 ounce) uncooked regular rice
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup finely diced celery
1 1/2 cups Healthy Request tomato juice or any reduced-sodium tomato juice
1 (10 1/4) can Healthy Request Tomato Soup
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
In a large skillet sprayed with butter-flavored cooking spray, brown meat.
Place browned meat in a slow cooker container. Add onion, potatoes, uncooked rice, carrots, and celery. Mix well to combine.
Stir in tomato juice, tomato soup, black pepper, and parsley flakes. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Mix well before serving. 6 servings ~ 5 points each
Serves 6 - Each serving equals: 2 protein, 1 1/2 vegetables, 2/3 bread, 10 optional calories, 243 calories, 7 gm fat, 16 gm protein, 29 gm carbohydrate, 290 mg sodium, 33 mg calcium, 3 gm fiber
Diabetic: 2 meat, 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
This comes from GE Appliances, and begins, “Don't let risotto intimidate you! With a little bit of time and patience you can enjoy this delicious dish. The creamy risotto is combined with sweet butternut squash, fragrant sage and rosemary for a perfect dish to usher in the cool days of fall.”
Makes 6 servings in 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (see my note)
7-1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated (see my note)
5-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauti pan. Add squash. Sauti for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook on medium heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is glossy and begins to turn translucent on the edges, about 5 minutes. Mix in sage and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the white wine; cook, stir until it is absorbed. Add a large ladleful of the hot chicken stock (about 1/2 cup) reduce heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. Continue adding the chicken stock to the rice 1/2 a cup at a time until the rice is creamy but is still slightly firm when tasted, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
CHEF'S NOTES:
You can cut up your own squash or use pre-cubed butternut squash from your favorite grocery store. Just make sure the squash is cut into 1/2" cubes so it gets tender enough in the risotto.
My note: If, like me, you don’t have alcohol around your house, feel free to use either non-alcohol white wine or just plain water.
Also, the recipe also called for chicken stock. I substituted vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
Thursday, December 14, 2017
Double-Post Thursday
Besides being Diabetic Thursday, it's also Double-Post Thursday. Here are six yummy recipes to take you into the holidays (or any time!), including Apple Ginger Crisp, Cast Iron Skillet Corn Bread and Butternut Squash Risotto. Enjoy!
BREAD PUDDING
This is from that infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.
Ingredients
2 cups milk
4 cups cubed or torn stale bread
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or nutmeg
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 to 1/2 cup raisins
Directions
Heat the milk just until scalded.
Place bread cubes in a bowl; pour hot milk over bread. Cool. Add the sugar, salt, nutmeg or cinnamon, eggs, and raisins. Pour mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish.
APPLE GINGER CRISP
This comes from GE Appliances. Makes 6 - 8 servings in 10 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
8 tablespoons butter, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons grated ginger
3/4 cup unbleached flour
1 1/4 cup granola, preferably maple-pecan
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 Fuji apples, cored, skinned and wedge-cut into 1/16-inch cubes
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup apple cider
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Directions
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In a 12-inch, oven-safe skillet (cast iron works well), melt 6 tablespoons of the butter and add 1/2 tablespoon grated ginger to it. When the ginger releases its aroma, turn off the heat.
For the topping, combine flour, granola (maple-pecan preferably), brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and ginger; mix well and set topping aside.
In large bowl, toss apples together with sugar, and 1/2 tablespoon grated ginger. Set aside.
In the same pan used for the butter and ginger, reduce cider over high heat to 1/2 cup. Mix in lemon juice. Pour mixture into a separate container and set aside.
Return pan to low heat, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add remaining grated ginger. Mix together thoroughly and let ginger release its aroma. Turn up heat to high and add apple mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are translucent and soft. About ten minutes.
Remove from heat and add cider and lemon mixture, toss well. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples. Put the skillet into the oven for 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
WINTER VEGETABLE BEAN SOUP WITH PESTO
This recipe, from FamilyTime, begins, “The easy-to-make basil pesto adds great flavor to this hearty soup, featuring carrots, potatoes, turnips and leeks. Best of all, it's ready in less than an hour.”
Serves: 10 servings (1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 medium carrots, diced (about 2/3 cup)
3 medium potato, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
1 medium turnip, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
2 large leeks, white part only, sliced (about 2 cups)
2 stalks celery, sliced (about 1 cup)
5 1/4 cups Swanson® Vegetable Broth (Regular or Certified Organic)
1 can (about 19 ounces) white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Easy Basil Pesto
Directions
Heat the carrots, potatoes, turnip, leeks, celery and 1 3/4 cups broth in a 6-quart saucepot over medium-high heat to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
Reserve 1/2 cup of broth for the Easy Basil Pesto. Stir the remaining broth, beans, bay leaf and red pepper in the saucepot and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf. Serve topped with the Easy Basil Pesto.
Easy Basil Pesto: Place 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 3 cloves garlic and 1/2 cup reserved broth in a food processor or blender. Cover and process until smooth.
Serving Suggestion: Serve with Italian bread sticks. For dessert serve lemon bars.
CAST IRON SKILLET CORN BREAD
This comes from Alex Guarnaschelli of the Food Network's Alex's Day Off. Total Time: 55 min; Prep: 15 min; Inactive: 15; Cook: 25 min; Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alexandra-guarnaschelli/cast-iron-skillet-corn-bread-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups coarsely ground cornmeal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Directions
This recipe begins, “This is a great recipe and tastes better, I find, when cooked in a cast iron skillet and served hot tableside. I have also served this recipe for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. Whether with jam and butter or fried chicken on the side, there are rarely leftovers!”
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and place a 9-inch cast iron skillet inside to heat while you make the batter.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk in the milk, buttermilk, and eggs. Whisk in almost all of the melted butter, reserving about 1 tablespoon for the skillet later on.
Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Coat the bottom and sides of the hot skillet with the remaining butter. Pour the batter into the skillet and place it in the center of the oven. Bake until the center is firm and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes and serve.
COZY CROCK COMFORT IN SLOW COOKER
This is from an old (10+ year old) email. Possibly Weight Watchers, according to the email’s header. But very yummy food!
16 ounces gound 90% lean turkey or beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cups (15 ounces) diced raw potatoes
1/3 cup (1 ounce) uncooked regular rice
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup finely diced celery
1 1/2 cups Healthy Request tomato juice or any reduced-sodium tomato juice
1 (10 1/4) can Healthy Request Tomato Soup
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
In a large skillet sprayed with butter-flavored cooking spray, brown meat.
Place browned meat in a slow cooker container. Add onion, potatoes, uncooked rice, carrots, and celery. Mix well to combine.
Stir in tomato juice, tomato soup, black pepper, and parsley flakes. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Mix well before serving. 6 servings ~ 5 points each
Serves 6 - Each serving equals: 2 protein, 1 1/2 vegetables, 2/3 bread, 10 optional calories, 243 calories, 7 gm fat, 16 gm protein, 29 gm carbohydrate, 290 mg sodium, 33 mg calcium, 3 gm fiber
Diabetic: 2 meat, 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
This comes from GE Appliances, and begins, “Don't let risotto intimidate you! With a little bit of time and patience you can enjoy this delicious dish. The creamy risotto is combined with sweet butternut squash, fragrant sage and rosemary for a perfect dish to usher in the cool days of fall.”
Makes 6 servings in 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (see my note)
7-1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated (see my note)
5-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauti pan. Add squash. Sauti for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook on medium heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is glossy and begins to turn translucent on the edges, about 5 minutes. Mix in sage and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the white wine; cook, stir until it is absorbed. Add a large ladleful of the hot chicken stock (about 1/2 cup) reduce heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. Continue adding the chicken stock to the rice 1/2 a cup at a time until the rice is creamy but is still slightly firm when tasted, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
CHEF'S NOTES:
You can cut up your own squash or use pre-cubed butternut squash from your favorite grocery store. Just make sure the squash is cut into 1/2" cubes so it gets tender enough in the risotto.
My note: If, like me, you don’t have alcohol around your house, feel free to use either non-alcohol white wine or just plain water.
Also, the recipe also called for chicken stock. I substituted vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
BREAD PUDDING
This is from that infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.
Ingredients
2 cups milk
4 cups cubed or torn stale bread
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or nutmeg
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 to 1/2 cup raisins
Directions
Heat the milk just until scalded.
Place bread cubes in a bowl; pour hot milk over bread. Cool. Add the sugar, salt, nutmeg or cinnamon, eggs, and raisins. Pour mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish.
APPLE GINGER CRISP
This comes from GE Appliances. Makes 6 - 8 servings in 10 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
8 tablespoons butter, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons grated ginger
3/4 cup unbleached flour
1 1/4 cup granola, preferably maple-pecan
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 Fuji apples, cored, skinned and wedge-cut into 1/16-inch cubes
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup apple cider
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Directions
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In a 12-inch, oven-safe skillet (cast iron works well), melt 6 tablespoons of the butter and add 1/2 tablespoon grated ginger to it. When the ginger releases its aroma, turn off the heat.
For the topping, combine flour, granola (maple-pecan preferably), brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and ginger; mix well and set topping aside.
In large bowl, toss apples together with sugar, and 1/2 tablespoon grated ginger. Set aside.
In the same pan used for the butter and ginger, reduce cider over high heat to 1/2 cup. Mix in lemon juice. Pour mixture into a separate container and set aside.
Return pan to low heat, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add remaining grated ginger. Mix together thoroughly and let ginger release its aroma. Turn up heat to high and add apple mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are translucent and soft. About ten minutes.
Remove from heat and add cider and lemon mixture, toss well. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples. Put the skillet into the oven for 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
WINTER VEGETABLE BEAN SOUP WITH PESTO
This recipe, from FamilyTime, begins, “The easy-to-make basil pesto adds great flavor to this hearty soup, featuring carrots, potatoes, turnips and leeks. Best of all, it's ready in less than an hour.”
Serves: 10 servings (1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 medium carrots, diced (about 2/3 cup)
3 medium potato, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
1 medium turnip, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
2 large leeks, white part only, sliced (about 2 cups)
2 stalks celery, sliced (about 1 cup)
5 1/4 cups Swanson® Vegetable Broth (Regular or Certified Organic)
1 can (about 19 ounces) white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Easy Basil Pesto
Directions
Heat the carrots, potatoes, turnip, leeks, celery and 1 3/4 cups broth in a 6-quart saucepot over medium-high heat to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
Reserve 1/2 cup of broth for the Easy Basil Pesto. Stir the remaining broth, beans, bay leaf and red pepper in the saucepot and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf. Serve topped with the Easy Basil Pesto.
Easy Basil Pesto: Place 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 3 cloves garlic and 1/2 cup reserved broth in a food processor or blender. Cover and process until smooth.
Serving Suggestion: Serve with Italian bread sticks. For dessert serve lemon bars.
CAST IRON SKILLET CORN BREAD
This comes from Alex Guarnaschelli of the Food Network's Alex's Day Off. Total Time: 55 min; Prep: 15 min; Inactive: 15; Cook: 25 min; Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alexandra-guarnaschelli/cast-iron-skillet-corn-bread-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups coarsely ground cornmeal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Directions
This recipe begins, “This is a great recipe and tastes better, I find, when cooked in a cast iron skillet and served hot tableside. I have also served this recipe for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. Whether with jam and butter or fried chicken on the side, there are rarely leftovers!”
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and place a 9-inch cast iron skillet inside to heat while you make the batter.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk in the milk, buttermilk, and eggs. Whisk in almost all of the melted butter, reserving about 1 tablespoon for the skillet later on.
Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Coat the bottom and sides of the hot skillet with the remaining butter. Pour the batter into the skillet and place it in the center of the oven. Bake until the center is firm and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes and serve.
COZY CROCK COMFORT IN SLOW COOKER
This is from an old (10+ year old) email. Possibly Weight Watchers, according to the email’s header. But very yummy food!
16 ounces gound 90% lean turkey or beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cups (15 ounces) diced raw potatoes
1/3 cup (1 ounce) uncooked regular rice
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup finely diced celery
1 1/2 cups Healthy Request tomato juice or any reduced-sodium tomato juice
1 (10 1/4) can Healthy Request Tomato Soup
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
In a large skillet sprayed with butter-flavored cooking spray, brown meat.
Place browned meat in a slow cooker container. Add onion, potatoes, uncooked rice, carrots, and celery. Mix well to combine.
Stir in tomato juice, tomato soup, black pepper, and parsley flakes. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Mix well before serving. 6 servings ~ 5 points each
Serves 6 - Each serving equals: 2 protein, 1 1/2 vegetables, 2/3 bread, 10 optional calories, 243 calories, 7 gm fat, 16 gm protein, 29 gm carbohydrate, 290 mg sodium, 33 mg calcium, 3 gm fiber
Diabetic: 2 meat, 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
This comes from GE Appliances, and begins, “Don't let risotto intimidate you! With a little bit of time and patience you can enjoy this delicious dish. The creamy risotto is combined with sweet butternut squash, fragrant sage and rosemary for a perfect dish to usher in the cool days of fall.”
Makes 6 servings in 40 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (see my note)
7-1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated (see my note)
5-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauti pan. Add squash. Sauti for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook on medium heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is glossy and begins to turn translucent on the edges, about 5 minutes. Mix in sage and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the white wine; cook, stir until it is absorbed. Add a large ladleful of the hot chicken stock (about 1/2 cup) reduce heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. Continue adding the chicken stock to the rice 1/2 a cup at a time until the rice is creamy but is still slightly firm when tasted, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
CHEF'S NOTES:
You can cut up your own squash or use pre-cubed butternut squash from your favorite grocery store. Just make sure the squash is cut into 1/2" cubes so it gets tender enough in the risotto.
My note: If, like me, you don’t have alcohol around your house, feel free to use either non-alcohol white wine or just plain water.
Also, the recipe also called for chicken stock. I substituted vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
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