Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday (because not everyone loves tacos). Today's offerings include Simple Perfect Chili and a Salted Maple Pie. Enjoy!

BEEF STROGANOFF

This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewletter. Sam wrote, "Forget what you think you remember about this putatively Russian dish, which saw its zenith in American kitchens during the 1950s and its nadir in school cafeterias two decades later. Beef stroganoff makes for an outstanding dinner: a vat of tender sautéed meat in a silken gravy studded with caramelized mushrooms, alongside a huge tangle of buttered noodles. Be careful when adding the cream at the end: Sour cream easily curdles in the heat, while crème fraîche or heavy cream offer smoother results."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 1 hour

This was featured in "How Cooking Dinner Can Change Your Life", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020862-beef-stroganoff.

Ingredients

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 pounds sirloin roast, or beef tenderloin, if you’re feeling fancy

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons hot paprika

1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 pound button mushrooms, cleaned and cut into quarters

2 small shallots, thinly sliced

12 ounces wide egg noodles

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Cut the beef against the grain into 1/2-inch slices, pound lightly, then cut those slices into 1-inch-wide strips.

Add the flour, paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to a large shallow bowl and toss to combine. Dredge the strips of meat in the flour mixture, shake them to remove excess flour, then transfer them to a rimmed baking sheet.

Place a large skillet over high heat and swirl in the oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, sauté the beef slices, in two batches, until they are well browned on both sides but rare inside, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer the seared meat to the baking sheet. Turn the heat down slightly.

Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the pan. When it has melted and started to foam, add the mushrooms, toss to coat them with the fat, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and are a deep, dark brown, 12 to 15 minutes. About halfway into the process, add the sliced shallots and 1 tablespoon butter and stir to combine.

While the mushrooms cook, add the noodles to the boiling water, and cook until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain the noodles, and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Set aside.

When the mushrooms and shallots are soft and caramelized, deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping at all the stuck-on bits on the pan’s surface. When the wine has reduced by about half, slowly stir in the cream, followed by the Worcestershire and mustard. Add the meat, along with any accumulated juices, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the dish is hot and the beef is medium-rare, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste, and adjust the seasonings.

Serve the noodles under or alongside the stroganoff; sprinkle stroganoff with parsley.

SIMPLE, PERFECT CHILI

This yummy chili recipe is from Ree Drummond on The Food Network. Active Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/simple-perfect-chili-recipe-2107099.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef

2 cloves garlic, chopped

One 8-ounce can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup masa harina

One 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Shredded Cheddar, for serving

Chopped onions, for serving

Tortilla chips, for serving

Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

Place the ground beef in a large pot and throw in the garlic. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain off the excess fat, and then pour in the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and cayenne. Stir together well, cover, and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If the mixture becomes overly dry, add 1/2 cup water at a time as needed.

After an hour, place the masa harina in a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup water and stir together with a fork. Dump the masa mixture into the chili. Stir together well, and then taste and adjust the seasonings. Add more masa paste and/or water to get the chili to your preferred consistency, or to add more corn flavor. Add the beans and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with shredded Cheddar, chopped onions, tortilla chips and lime wedges.

ITALIAN MEATBALL SOUP

Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings (about 2 cups each)

Source: 1,001 Recipes For People with Diabetes

Book Title: 1,001 Recipes For People with Diabetes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/italian-meatball-soup.

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds ground turkey

2 egg whites

1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs

4 cloves garlic, minced, divided

3 tablespoons Italian seasoning, divided

Olive oil cooking spray

4 cans (15 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 cups water

2 cups green beans, diagonally cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 medium carrots, sliced

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

8 ounces thin spaghetti, uncooked, broken into 2-to 3-inch pieces

2 medium plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Mix ground turkey, egg whites, bread crumbs, 2 cloves of garlic, and 2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning until well blended; shape mixture into 32 meatballs. Spray large saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Cook meatballs until browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add chicken broth, water, green beans, carrots, onions, remaining 2 cloves garlic, and remaining 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning to saucepan; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered until vegetables are almost tender, about 8 minutes.

Heat soup to boiling; add pasta and tomatoes. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 270; Fat: 8.7 g; Sodium: 174 mg; Cholesterol: 31.7 mg; Protein: 19 g; Carbohydrates: 30 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Bread, 2 Meat, 1/2 Fat

TWO-PEA RAVIOLI

This comes from Weight Watchers, and begins, "Convenient frozen cheese ravioli is bulked up with sugar snap and green peas, then tossed with the zest and juice of a lemon for a dish that feels bright and fresh. For the best snap and crunch, choose fresh sugar snap peas—but know that frozen ones will also work well. Thaw them and toss them into the boiling water with the green peas, just long enough to warm them through. Try to serve this dish shortly after tossing everything together; if it sits for a while, the acid in the lemon juice will discolor the peas."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20; Serves: 4; Difficultly: Easy; Serving size: 1 1/4 cups

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

12 oz frozen cheese ravioli

8 oz., trimmed (or frozen snap peas) uncooked sugar snap peas

1 cup, thawed froze green peas

1 tsp lemon zest

1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add ravioli and cook 3 minutes. Add sugar snap peas and cook 2 minutes. Add green peas and cook 1 minute or until ravioli is tender and sugar snap peas are crisp-tender. Drain.

In a large bowl, stir together lemon zest and juice, oil, salt, and pepper. Add ravioli mixture and toss gently to coat.

SALTED MAPLE PIE

This yumminess is from Margaux Laskey in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Margaux wrote, "Sort of a Yankee riff on the South’s chess pie, this buttery and rich custard pie is adapted from 'Sister Pie: The Recipes and Stories of a Big-Hearted Bakery in Detroit' by Lisa Ludwinski. Use the best dark maple syrup you can find, and don’t forget the flaky sea salt. It takes the pie from simply sweet to sophisticated. Keep on eye on the crust while it's baking: If it’s browning too much for your taste, lightly cover the entire pie with a sheet of aluminum foil for the remaining time."

Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 2 hours, plus chilling and freezing.

This was featured in "The Best Baking Cookbooks of 2018", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019782-salted-maple-pie.

Ingredients

Perfect Pie Crust, prepared for a custard pie and chilled

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks), melted and cooled

1 cup dark robust (formerly Grade B) maple syrup

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal

Heaping 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

3/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 large egg, beaten

Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Preparation

On a lightly floured surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out a disc of dough into a circle about 1/4-inch thick. Starting at one end, gently roll up the dough onto the rolling pin. Unfurl the dough over a 9-inch pie plate and press it in lightly, making sure it’s lining the plate.

Trim so there’s about 1/2-inch of excess dough hanging over the edge of the pie plate. (If the dough feels warm, refrigerate it for 15 minutes.) Tuck the excess dough under itself so it is flush with the edge of the pie plate; leave the pie like this for a straight-edge finish, or crimp as desired. Freeze for at least 15 minutes. Heat your oven to 450 degrees with the rack on the lowest level.

Remove the pie crust from the freezer, tear off a square of aluminum foil that is slightly larger than the pie shell, and gently fit it into the frozen crust. Fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans (they should come all the way up to the crimps) and place the pie pan on a baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven, and bake for 25 to 27 minutes. Check for doneness by peeling up a piece of foil — the crimps should be light golden brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. After 6 minutes, carefully remove the foil and beans. You are now ready to fill the pie. Reduce your oven to 350 degrees.

Make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and maple syrup. Whisk in the brown sugar, cornmeal and kosher salt.

Crack the eggs and yolk into another medium bowl. Add the cream and vanilla, and whisk until combined.

Slowly pour the egg mixture into the maple mixture, and whisk just until combined.

Place the blind-baked shell on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the crimped edge with the beaten egg. Pour the maple filling into the pie shell until it reaches the bottom of the crimps.

Transfer the baking sheet with the pie on it to the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the edges are puffed and the center jiggles only slightly when shaken. It will continue to set as it cools.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool for 4 to 6 hours. Once fully cooled and at room temperature, sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt, slice into 8 to 10 pieces, and serve. Store leftover pie, well wrapped in plastic wrap or under a pie dome, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

MAPLE PECAN SWEET POTATO SCONES

This comes from United HealthCare, and begins, "Tender and fluffy, these spiced scones are full of veggies, whole grains and maple syrup and are best served warm. Even better? They’re easy enough to whip up for brunch or afternoon coffee."

Yields:12

You can view this online by clicking here.

Ingredients:

Scones

2 3/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 stick cold butter, diced

2/3 cup sweet potato, cooked and mashed

1/3 cup real maple syrup

2 eggs

Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon real maple syrup

2–3 teaspoons milk

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Cut in the butter with two knives or a pastry blender until crumbly. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sweet potato, maple syrup and eggs until blended.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and combine until a soft dough forms. Divide the dough in half and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat each half into a 6-inch circle about 1 inch thick. Transfer the two circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a knife, cut each circle into 6 wedges, gently separating the wedges with the knife until they are about 1/4 inch apart.

Bake the scones for 16–18 minutes or until golden. Whisk together the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the warm scones. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Yields 12. Calories: 231, Total fat: 10.8g, Saturated fat: 5.4g, Cholesterol: 51.3mg, Sodium: 96mg, Carbs: 30.8g, Dietary fiber: 3.7g, Sugars: 8.3g, Protein: 5.2g

Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the weekend, including Chicken Enchiladas and Chai Latte Milkshake. Enjoy!

MEATLOAF

For years, I used to cook meatloaf for Sunday night dinner, along with potatoes (either baked or mashed) and a veggie. (Yes, I know, potatoes are considered veggies, but we'd also have maybe green beans, carrots, or some such colorful veggie to add to the plate.) Meatloaf was definitely my Sunday night go-to comfort food to fix my family.

This comfort food (which definitely hits the yumminess button) is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kay write, "Originally created as a tasty way to use up leftover vegetables and to stretch meat further during lean times, meatloaf has become the ultimate comfort food. This one is a classic version, blending ground beef, pork and veal with simple pantry seasonings, but you should feel free to use your preferred combination of meat, such as half pork and half beef. Milk-soaked bread ensures a tender meatloaf, and baking it freeform — on a baking sheet instead of a loaf pan — provides more surface area for the tangy-sweet tomato glaze to caramelize as it bakes. Leftover slices can be crisped in a skillet and served with a salad or tucked into a sandwich. Alternatively, freeze one uncooked loaf for the next time you need to put dinner on the table with ease; simply thaw the night before and bake as directed."

Yield: 6 to 8 servings (2 loaves); Time: 1 1/2 hours

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020853-meatloaf. (And while you're here, subscribe to the Times' site for unlimited access. It's a deal, at $1.25 a week.)

Ingredients

For the Meatloaf:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)

5 large garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 (1/2-inch-thick) slices white sandwich bread (about 3 ounces), torn into small pieces

2/3 cup whole milk

3 large eggs

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf or curly parsley

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 pound ground chuck beef

1 pound ground pork

1 pound ground veal

For the Tomato Glaze:

1/2 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Preparation

Make the meatloaf: Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a rimmed baking sheet with oil. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste until well combined; let cool.

In a large bowl, combine bread and milk, and mash with a spoon until a paste forms. Add eggs, parsley, salt, pepper, thyme and cooled onion mixture and mix until well blended. Add the beef, pork and veal, and mix gently to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat. Divide mixture into 2 equal portions and shape each into a 4-by-8-inch meatloaf on the prepared baking sheet.

Make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Use a spoon to spread mixture over the top and sides of each meatloaf. Bake until nicely browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of meatloaf registers 160 degrees, 45 to 55 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE

This is from VeryWellFit, and begins, "Vegetable casseroles are a great way to enjoy fresh produce from the farmers market or make use of a bumper crop. But they can also be loaded with cream and cheese making for a very heavy and high-caloric dish.

"To make this zucchini casserole recipe healthier, instead of adding cream to the sauce it is enriched with tomatoes, onion, garlic, and herbs. The zucchini is then topped with just a bit of cheese. You may notice the absence of breadcrumbs, which also helps cut down on the calories. To compensate for the breadcrumbs' job of soaking up some of the liquid the vegetables exude during cooking, this recipe calls for starting the casserole on a higher heat to dry it out a bit, and then adding the last of the cheese on the top (otherwise it gets too brown or could even burn).

"This zucchini casserole recipe works well with any kind of zucchini or green summer squash, including a combination of squashes."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/3 cup onion (chopped, about 1/2 of a medium onion)

3 cloves garlic (chopped)

3/4 pound tomatoes (fresh or canned—about a 1-pound can of whole tomatoes, drained)

1 teaspoon Italian herbs (or oregano)

Salt and pepper

1 pound zucchini (approximately 2 medium)

1 cup Italian cheese mixture (grated, packaged, or your own mix including mozzarella, Parmesan, and provolone)

Preparation

Heat oven to 400 F.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Sauté the onion in the oil for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another 30 to 60 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.

Cut each tomato into 3 to 5 pieces and add to the oil, along with the herbs, salt, and pepper.

Cook over medium heat until the liquid is mostly gone (but not dry), stirring occasionally—you should end up without about 1 cup of the mixture. This should take about 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the zucchini into slices approximately 1/4 inch thick. These can be either round slices, or lengthwise. Take the largest slices and line the bottom of a 9x9-inch or 8x8-inch pan, or a similarly-sized round pan.

Spread about 1/4 of the tomatoes on top of the zucchini (don't even try to spread evenly; it won't work), followed by 1/4 cup of the cheese.

Continue layering the sauce, zucchini, and cheese. It should come out to 4 layers, but if it only makes 3, just try to divide things relatively evenly. Don't put the final layer of cheese on yet.

Bake for 20 minutes. Top with the rest of the cheese, and lower the temperature to 375F. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.

Ingredient Substitutions and Cooking Tips

If you'd like to cut down on the fat even more, substitute low-fat or fat-free cheese. Just keep in mind that when you remove the fat, you also lessen the cheeses' melt-ability.

INSTANT POT® HAMBURGER SOUP

This is from Angela Giannetti Snyder on AllRecipes. She wrote, "Easy and delicious soup with a nice thickness. You can make it in the Instant Pot® or on the stovetop. When this cools, it will be very thick, but it thins out when reheated. Freezes very well."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Makes: 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/268565/instant-pot-hamburger-soup/.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 (14.5 ounce) cans beef consomme

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 cups water

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup

Campbell's® Condensed Tomato Soup

4 carrots, finely chopped

3 stalks celery, finely chopped

4 tablespoons pearl barley

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Directions

Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot(R)) and select Saute function. Cook and stir beef and onion until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour in beef consomme, tomatoes, water, and tomato soup. Add carrots, celery, barley, thyme, and bay leaf.

Close and lock the lid. Select Soup function; set timer for 30 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.

Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 10 minutes.

Cook's Note:

If you're making it on the stovetop, brown ground beef and onion together, then add the remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for at least 2 hours.

SALTED MAPLE PIE

This yumminess is from Margaux Laskey in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Margaux wrote, "Sort of a Yankee riff on the South’s chess pie, this buttery and rich custard pie is adapted from 'Sister Pie: The Recipes and Stories of a Big-Hearted Bakery in Detroit' by Lisa Ludwinski. Use the best dark maple syrup you can find, and don’t forget the flaky sea salt. It takes the pie from simply sweet to sophisticated. Keep on eye on the crust while it's baking: If it’s browning too much for your taste, lightly cover the entire pie with a sheet of aluminum foil for the remaining time."

Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 2 hours, plus chilling and freezing.

This was featured in "The Best Baking Cookbooks of 2018", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019782-salted-maple-pie.

Ingredients

Perfect Pie Crust, prepared for a custard pie and chilled

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks), melted and cooled

1 cup dark robust (formerly Grade B) maple syrup

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal

Heaping 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

3/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 large egg, beaten

Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Preparation

On a lightly floured surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out a disc of dough into a circle about 1/4-inch thick. Starting at one end, gently roll up the dough onto the rolling pin. Unfurl the dough over a 9-inch pie plate and press it in lightly, making sure it’s lining the plate.

Trim so there’s about 1/2-inch of excess dough hanging over the edge of the pie plate. (If the dough feels warm, refrigerate it for 15 minutes.) Tuck the excess dough under itself so it is flush with the edge of the pie plate; leave the pie like this for a straight-edge finish, or crimp as desired. Freeze for at least 15 minutes. Heat your oven to 450 degrees with the rack on the lowest level.

Remove the pie crust from the freezer, tear off a square of aluminum foil that is slightly larger than the pie shell, and gently fit it into the frozen crust. Fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans (they should come all the way up to the crimps) and place the pie pan on a baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven, and bake for 25 to 27 minutes. Check for doneness by peeling up a piece of foil — the crimps should be light golden brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. After 6 minutes, carefully remove the foil and beans. You are now ready to fill the pie. Reduce your oven to 350 degrees.

Make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and maple syrup. Whisk in the brown sugar, cornmeal and kosher salt.

Crack the eggs and yolk into another medium bowl. Add the cream and vanilla, and whisk until combined.

Slowly pour the egg mixture into the maple mixture, and whisk just until combined.

Place the blind-baked shell on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the crimped edge with the beaten egg. Pour the maple filling into the pie shell until it reaches the bottom of the crimps.

Transfer the baking sheet with the pie on it to the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the edges are puffed and the center jiggles only slightly when shaken. It will continue to set as it cools.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool for 4 to 6 hours. Once fully cooled and at room temperature, sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt, slice into 8 to 10 pieces, and serve. Store leftover pie, well wrapped in plastic wrap or under a pie dome, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

This recipe is from Tyler Florence and was posted on the Food Network.

Prep Time: 1 hour; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Yield: 16 enchiladas, 8 servings; Level: Intermediate

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons cumin powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon Mexican Spice Blend

1 red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

5 canned whole green chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped

4 canned chipotle chiles, seeded and minced

1 (28-ounce) can stewed tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour

16 corn tortillas

1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce, canned

1 cup shredded Cheddar and Jack cheeses

Garnish: chopped cilantro leaves, chopped scallions, sour cream, chopped tomatoes

Ingredients

Coat large saute pan with oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken over medium heat, allow 7 minutes each side or until no longer pink. Sprinkle chicken with cumin, garlic powder and Mexican spices before turning. Remove chicken to a platter, allow to cool.

Saute onion and garlic in chicken drippings until tender. Add corn and chiles. Stir well to combine. Add canned tomatoes, saute 1 minute.

Pull chicken breasts apart by hand into shredded strips. Add shredded chicken to saute pan, combine with vegetables. Dust the mixture with flour to help set.

Microwave tortillas on high for 30 seconds. This softens them and makes them more pliable. Coat the bottom of 2 (13 by 9-inch) pans with a ladle of enchilada sauce. Using a large shallow bowl, dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce to lightly coat. Spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture in each tortilla. Fold over filling, place 8 enchiladas in each pan with seam side down. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven until cheese melts. Garnish with cilantro, scallion, sour cream and chopped tomatoes before serving. Serve with Spanish rice and beans.

CHAI LATTE MILKSHAKE

This comes from an old Weight Watchers emailing list, and begins, “Whip up this sweet, slightly spiced treat in minutes. It's a perfect refresher for drop-in summertime guests.”

POINTS® Value: 3; Servings: 4; Preparation Time: 5 minutes; Cooking Time: 0 minutes; Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1/4 cup General Foods International Sugar Free Chai Latte, powder

1 cup fat-free vanilla ice cream

2 cup fat-free skim milk

Directions

Place all ingredients in bowl of a blender; blend on high until smooth.

Pour into 2 glasses and serve. Yields about 3/4 cups per serving.

Double-Post Thursday

Besides being Diabetic Thursday, it's also Double-Post Thursday. Today's yummy offerings include Tex-Mex Pulled Chicken and Nutella® Ganache Brownies. Enjoy!

SALTED MAPLE PIE

I'm starting today's post with dessert. This yumminess is from Margaux Laskey in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Margaux wrote, "Sort of a Yankee riff on the South’s chess pie, this buttery and rich custard pie is adapted from 'Sister Pie: The Recipes and Stories of a Big-Hearted Bakery in Detroit' by Lisa Ludwinski. Use the best dark maple syrup you can find, and don’t forget the flaky sea salt. It takes the pie from simply sweet to sophisticated. Keep on eye on the crust while it's baking: If it’s browning too much for your taste, lightly cover the entire pie with a sheet of aluminum foil for the remaining time."

Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 2 hours, plus chilling and freezing.

This was featured in "The Best Baking Cookbooks of 2018", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019782-salted-maple-pie.

Ingredients

Perfect Pie Crust, prepared for a custard pie and chilled

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks), melted and cooled

1 cup dark robust (formerly Grade B) maple syrup

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal

Heaping 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

3/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 large egg, beaten

Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Preparation

On a lightly floured surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out a disc of dough into a circle about 1/4-inch thick. Starting at one end, gently roll up the dough onto the rolling pin. Unfurl the dough over a 9-inch pie plate and press it in lightly, making sure it’s lining the plate.

Trim so there’s about 1/2-inch of excess dough hanging over the edge of the pie plate. (If the dough feels warm, refrigerate it for 15 minutes.) Tuck the excess dough under itself so it is flush with the edge of the pie plate; leave the pie like this for a straight-edge finish, or crimp as desired. Freeze for at least 15 minutes. Heat your oven to 450 degrees with the rack on the lowest level.

Remove the pie crust from the freezer, tear off a square of aluminum foil that is slightly larger than the pie shell, and gently fit it into the frozen crust. Fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans (they should come all the way up to the crimps) and place the pie pan on a baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven, and bake for 25 to 27 minutes. Check for doneness by peeling up a piece of foil — the crimps should be light golden brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. After 6 minutes, carefully remove the foil and beans. You are now ready to fill the pie. Reduce your oven to 350 degrees.

Make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and maple syrup. Whisk in the brown sugar, cornmeal and kosher salt.

Crack the eggs and yolk into another medium bowl. Add the cream and vanilla, and whisk until combined.

Slowly pour the egg mixture into the maple mixture, and whisk just until combined.

Place the blind-baked shell on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the crimped edge with the beaten egg. Pour the maple filling into the pie shell until it reaches the bottom of the crimps.

Transfer the baking sheet with the pie on it to the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the edges are puffed and the center jiggles only slightly when shaken. It will continue to set as it cools.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool for 4 to 6 hours. Once fully cooled and at room temperature, sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt, slice into 8 to 10 pieces, and serve. Store leftover pie, well wrapped in plastic wrap or under a pie dome, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

COWBOY CAVIAR

This is also from Margaux Laskey in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Margaux wrote, "Depending on where you’re from, this simple dip is known as cowboy caviar, Texas caviar or Dixie caviar, and it’s a favorite at tailgates and potlucks all over the South. Its creator, Helen Corbitt, a dietitian from New York, had never heard of black-eyed peas when she moved to Texas in 1931. The exact details are fuzzy, but at some point in her 40 years working in restaurants there, she combined black-eyed peas with a simple vinaigrette, and it was a big hit. The recipe has evolved over the years, and you can find a number of variations online. Some contain corn and black beans (as this one does), and others avocado. Some call for bottled Italian salad dressing, others homemade. No matter how you tweak it, it’s always good with a pile of tortilla chips."

Yield: 8 cups; Time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours' chilling

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020433-cowboy-caviar.

Ingredients

For the dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Kosher salt and black pepper

For the salad:

3 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded if desired, and diced

1/2 red onion, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed

1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed

1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 to 4 cobs) or thawed, drained frozen sweet corn (about 8 ounces)

1 red, green or yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish, if desired

1 scallion, white and green parts, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Tortilla chips, for serving

Preparation

Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to combine.

Add the tomatoes, red onion, black beans, black-eyed peas, corn, bell pepper, jalapeño and cilantro. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

To serve, toss well and season to taste. Sprinkle with scallions and serve with tortilla chips.

APPLE PECAN CHICKEN SALAD

This is from Linda Larsen, who wrote for About.com and The Spruce Eats. Linda wrote, "Apple pecan chicken salad is a fan-favorite main dish salad recipe. The combination of tender chicken, crisp pecans, tart apples, and a creamy honey mustard dressing is fantastic.

"Like all chicken salads, using a rotisserie chicken often brings the best results. Most other chicken cooking methods do not come close to matching the tender result of these grocery store birds. There is just something about roasting chickens while on a spit that results in the most tender and flavorful meat. Remove the meat from the bird and cut it into large chunks.

"You can double or triple this recipe if you would like. When hot summer weather is at hand, there's nothing nicer than having a huge batch of fabulous apple pecan chicken salad in the fridge, ready and waiting for you. Just add some bakery muffins or breadsticks, some iced tea or white wine, and you have a fabulous meal with absolutely no cooking at all."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/apple-pecan-chicken-salad-481444.

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons honey mustard

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt (to taste)

Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

3 cups cooked chicken (chopped)

1 Granny Smith apple (chopped)

1 cup small pecans

1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, honey mustard, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in the cooked chicken, the chopped apple, pecans, and dried cherries or cranberries to coat.

Cover and chill the salad for 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Enjoy!

Tips

Store any leftovers of the salad, well covered, in the refrigerator for up to three days.

You can cook your own chicken for this apple pecan chicken salad recipe. Try baking chicken breasts, on the bone or off, in parchment paper, or simmer them gently in water until they just reach 160 F. When the meat stands after cooking, the temperature will rise to 165 F, which is the safe final temperature for chicken breasts.

Or try cooking a whole chicken on a rotisserie on your grill; you need special equipment and instructions for that task. You can cook large batches of chicken this way, let the meat cool, cube it, then store it in the freezer in 2 cup portions for recipes like this one.

TURKEY LONDON BROIL

Recipe Yield: Serves: 6

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/turkey-london-broil.

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 boneless, skinless turkey breast (2 pounds)

Directions

Combine garlic, oil, lemon rind and juice, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper and wine in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.

Place turkey breast, smooth side down, on a cutting board. Starting in center of thickest part on one half of the breast, cut meat horizontally in half but not all the way through. Spread meat out like an open book. Press lightly on thickest parts to make a rectangle of even thickness.

Place turkey in marinade in dish; turn several times to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to marinate.

Heat broiler, or prepare a charcoal grill with hot coals, or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Place broiler pan or grill rack 4 inches from source of heat.

Remove turkey from marinade. Bring marinade to boiling in a small saucepan; boil 5 minutes. Broil or grill turkey 8 to 10 minutes per side or until internal temperature registers 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer; baste with marinade every minute until last 3 or 4 minutes. Let turkey rest about 5 minutes. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 297; Fat: 14 g; Sodium: 158 mg; Cholesterol: 102 mg; Protein: 37 g; Carbohydrates: 2 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 4-1/2 Low-Fat Meat

NUTELLA® GANACHE BROWNIES

This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, “Next time you need a party dessert or just want to pamper someone special (you’re special, by the way), this is your recipe. Betty’s perfect brownies get topped with a glossy ganache and pretty sprinkle of toasted hazelnut for an impressive look that also hints at the secret ingredient: Nutella™! This delectable chocolate-hazelnut spread gets added to the ganache—a fudgy frosting made of chocolate and heavy cream—giving it extra chocolaty flavor, hint of nuttiness, and a lot of ooey-gooey texture. This simple ganache is made in the microwave, so it’s extra quick, and Betty’s brownies start with a mix, which means this spectacular dessert is actually super easy—only 15 minutes of hands-on time required!”

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes; Servings: 16

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 box (16 oz) Betty Crocker™ Supreme original brownie mix

Water, vegetable oil and egg called for on brownie mix box

1/2 cup Nutella® hazelnut spread with cocoa

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts (filberts), toasted, skinned

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom of 9-inch square pan with shortening or cooking spray. Make brownie batter as directed on box. Spread in pan.

Bake 28 to 31 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 1 1/2 hours.

In medium microwavable bowl, microwave hazelnut spread, chocolate chips and whipping cream uncovered on High 30 seconds. Stir; continue to microwave in 15-second increments, stirring after each, until smooth. Pour hazelnut mixture over baked brownie; spread over top. Sprinkle nuts over top. Refrigerate uncovered about 2 hours or until hazelnut mixture is set. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

Expert Tips

Removing hazelnut skins can be time-consuming, but we’ve got a method that makes it efficient. Toast nuts at 375°F 10 to 12 minutes, stirring twice. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Then, pour nuts into clean kitchen towel, and gather tightly into a bundle. Rub vigorously with towel to remove skins.

If you want to skip a step, look for skinned hazelnuts. Hint: They’re sometimes called filberts. To toast skinned hazelnuts, set oven to 350°F. Spread skinned hazelnuts on ungreased baking sheet. Bake uncovered 6 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until light brown. Keep a close eye on toasting nuts, as they can quickly become too dark.

No matter what, don’t skip the toasting step. It adds depth of flavor and brings out the richness of the nuts while also giving them a pretty warm brown color.

Microwave ovens vary, so carefully watch ganache mixture during this step. We highly recommend following the directions to help avoid burning.

The trick to cleanly removing brownies from the pan is to line it with foil. To easily do so, flip your pan upside down. Wrap the foil around the bottom of the pan, leaving a little extra length on either side—this length will serve as “handles” later—then cut your piece. When you turn the pan over, you’ll have the perfect-sized and preshaped piece of foil. After baking, allow brownies to cool completely before lifting out of pan by foil “handles.”

To serve clean-cut pieces, cut with sharp knife, and clean blade after each cut.

Nutella® is a chocolate-hazelnut spread usually found in the same aisle as peanut butter, jellies and jams. If you find yourself a fan, check out the rest of Betty’s chocolate-hazelnut desserts.>chocolate-hazelnut desserts.

TEX-MEX PULLED CHICKEN

This is from Ree Drummond, star of the Food Network's The Pioneer Woman.

Active Time: 16 minutes; Total Time: 16 minutes; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/tex-mex-pulled-chicken-5617665.

Ingredients

2 medium tomatoes, quartered

2 jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded

1 medium white onion, cut into 8 wedges

1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded

1 yellow bell pepper, halved and seeded

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound thin chicken cutlets

12 flour tortillas

2 limes, 1 juiced, 1 cut into 8 wedges, for serving

8 ounces salsa

8 ounces sour cream

8 ounces crumbled cotija cheese

Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

Directions

Position an oven rack 5 to 6 inches below the broiler element and preheat the broiler on high.

Add the tomatoes, jalapenos, onion and bell peppers to a baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the oregano, chili powder, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and toss everything together to get it all coated with the oil and spices. Push it to one side of the baking sheet. Lay the chicken flat on the other side and season it with salt and pepper.

Broil for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and vegetables and return to the broiler until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are softened and charred, about 5 more minutes.

Wrap the tortillas in kitchen paper and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds Remove, unwrap and put on a platter.

Shred the chicken. Spoon the roasted vegetables into a blender with any juices from the baking sheet and blend until smooth. Toss 1 cup of the sauce with the chicken. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime over it. Put the remaining sauce in a bowl to serve on the side.

Serve with the warm tortillas, salsa, sour cream, crumbled cotija cheese, lime wedges and cilantro.

Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday (because not everyone loves tacos). Today's offerings include Simple Perfect Chili and a Salted Maple Pie. Enjoy!

BEEF STROGANOFF

This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewletter. Sam wrote, "Forget what you think you remember about this putatively Russian dish, which saw its zenith in American kitchens during the 1950s and its nadir in school cafeterias two decades later. Beef stroganoff makes for an outstanding dinner: a vat of tender sautéed meat in a silken gravy studded with caramelized mushrooms, alongside a huge tangle of buttered noodles. Be careful when adding the cream at the end: Sour cream easily curdles in the heat, while crème fraîche or heavy cream offer smoother results."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 1 hour

This was featured in "How Cooking Dinner Can Change Your Life", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020862-beef-stroganoff.

Ingredients

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 pounds sirloin roast, or beef tenderloin, if you’re feeling fancy

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons hot paprika

1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 pound button mushrooms, cleaned and cut into quarters

2 small shallots, thinly sliced

12 ounces wide egg noodles

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Cut the beef against the grain into 1/2-inch slices, pound lightly, then cut those slices into 1-inch-wide strips.

Add the flour, paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to a large shallow bowl and toss to combine. Dredge the strips of meat in the flour mixture, shake them to remove excess flour, then transfer them to a rimmed baking sheet.

Place a large skillet over high heat and swirl in the oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, sauté the beef slices, in two batches, until they are well browned on both sides but rare inside, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer the seared meat to the baking sheet. Turn the heat down slightly.

Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the pan. When it has melted and started to foam, add the mushrooms, toss to coat them with the fat, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and are a deep, dark brown, 12 to 15 minutes. About halfway into the process, add the sliced shallots and 1 tablespoon butter and stir to combine.

While the mushrooms cook, add the noodles to the boiling water, and cook until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain the noodles, and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Set aside.

When the mushrooms and shallots are soft and caramelized, deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping at all the stuck-on bits on the pan’s surface. When the wine has reduced by about half, slowly stir in the cream, followed by the Worcestershire and mustard. Add the meat, along with any accumulated juices, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the dish is hot and the beef is medium-rare, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste, and adjust the seasonings.

Serve the noodles under or alongside the stroganoff; sprinkle stroganoff with parsley.

SIMPLE, PERFECT CHILI

This yummy chili recipe is from Ree Drummond on The Food Network. Active Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/simple-perfect-chili-recipe-2107099.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef

2 cloves garlic, chopped

One 8-ounce can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup masa harina

One 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Shredded Cheddar, for serving

Chopped onions, for serving

Tortilla chips, for serving

Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

Place the ground beef in a large pot and throw in the garlic. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain off the excess fat, and then pour in the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and cayenne. Stir together well, cover, and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If the mixture becomes overly dry, add 1/2 cup water at a time as needed.

After an hour, place the masa harina in a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup water and stir together with a fork. Dump the masa mixture into the chili. Stir together well, and then taste and adjust the seasonings. Add more masa paste and/or water to get the chili to your preferred consistency, or to add more corn flavor. Add the beans and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with shredded Cheddar, chopped onions, tortilla chips and lime wedges.

ITALIAN MEATBALL SOUP

Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings (about 2 cups each)

Source: 1,001 Recipes For People with Diabetes

Book Title: 1,001 Recipes For People with Diabetes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/italian-meatball-soup.

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds ground turkey

2 egg whites

1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs

4 cloves garlic, minced, divided

3 tablespoons Italian seasoning, divided

Olive oil cooking spray

4 cans (15 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 cups water

2 cups green beans, diagonally cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 medium carrots, sliced

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

8 ounces thin spaghetti, uncooked, broken into 2-to 3-inch pieces

2 medium plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Mix ground turkey, egg whites, bread crumbs, 2 cloves of garlic, and 2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning until well blended; shape mixture into 32 meatballs. Spray large saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Cook meatballs until browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add chicken broth, water, green beans, carrots, onions, remaining 2 cloves garlic, and remaining 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning to saucepan; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered until vegetables are almost tender, about 8 minutes.

Heat soup to boiling; add pasta and tomatoes. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 270; Fat: 8.7 g; Sodium: 174 mg; Cholesterol: 31.7 mg; Protein: 19 g; Carbohydrates: 30 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Bread, 2 Meat, 1/2 Fat

TWO-PEA RAVIOLI

This comes from Weight Watchers, and begins, "Convenient frozen cheese ravioli is bulked up with sugar snap and green peas, then tossed with the zest and juice of a lemon for a dish that feels bright and fresh. For the best snap and crunch, choose fresh sugar snap peas—but know that frozen ones will also work well. Thaw them and toss them into the boiling water with the green peas, just long enough to warm them through. Try to serve this dish shortly after tossing everything together; if it sits for a while, the acid in the lemon juice will discolor the peas."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20; Serves: 4; Difficultly: Easy; Serving size: 1 1/4 cups

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

12 oz frozen cheese ravioli

8 oz., trimmed (or frozen snap peas) uncooked sugar snap peas

1 cup, thawed froze green peas

1 tsp lemon zest

1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add ravioli and cook 3 minutes. Add sugar snap peas and cook 2 minutes. Add green peas and cook 1 minute or until ravioli is tender and sugar snap peas are crisp-tender. Drain.

In a large bowl, stir together lemon zest and juice, oil, salt, and pepper. Add ravioli mixture and toss gently to coat.

SALTED MAPLE PIE

This yumminess is from Margaux Laskey in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Margaux wrote, "Sort of a Yankee riff on the South’s chess pie, this buttery and rich custard pie is adapted from 'Sister Pie: The Recipes and Stories of a Big-Hearted Bakery in Detroit' by Lisa Ludwinski. Use the best dark maple syrup you can find, and don’t forget the flaky sea salt. It takes the pie from simply sweet to sophisticated. Keep on eye on the crust while it's baking: If it’s browning too much for your taste, lightly cover the entire pie with a sheet of aluminum foil for the remaining time."

Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 2 hours, plus chilling and freezing.

This was featured in "The Best Baking Cookbooks of 2018", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019782-salted-maple-pie.

Ingredients

Perfect Pie Crust, prepared for a custard pie and chilled

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks), melted and cooled

1 cup dark robust (formerly Grade B) maple syrup

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal

Heaping 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

3/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 large egg, beaten

Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Preparation

On a lightly floured surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out a disc of dough into a circle about 1/4-inch thick. Starting at one end, gently roll up the dough onto the rolling pin. Unfurl the dough over a 9-inch pie plate and press it in lightly, making sure it’s lining the plate.

Trim so there’s about 1/2-inch of excess dough hanging over the edge of the pie plate. (If the dough feels warm, refrigerate it for 15 minutes.) Tuck the excess dough under itself so it is flush with the edge of the pie plate; leave the pie like this for a straight-edge finish, or crimp as desired. Freeze for at least 15 minutes. Heat your oven to 450 degrees with the rack on the lowest level.

Remove the pie crust from the freezer, tear off a square of aluminum foil that is slightly larger than the pie shell, and gently fit it into the frozen crust. Fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans (they should come all the way up to the crimps) and place the pie pan on a baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven, and bake for 25 to 27 minutes. Check for doneness by peeling up a piece of foil — the crimps should be light golden brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. After 6 minutes, carefully remove the foil and beans. You are now ready to fill the pie. Reduce your oven to 350 degrees.

Make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and maple syrup. Whisk in the brown sugar, cornmeal and kosher salt.

Crack the eggs and yolk into another medium bowl. Add the cream and vanilla, and whisk until combined.

Slowly pour the egg mixture into the maple mixture, and whisk just until combined.

Place the blind-baked shell on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the crimped edge with the beaten egg. Pour the maple filling into the pie shell until it reaches the bottom of the crimps.

Transfer the baking sheet with the pie on it to the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the edges are puffed and the center jiggles only slightly when shaken. It will continue to set as it cools.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool for 4 to 6 hours. Once fully cooled and at room temperature, sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt, slice into 8 to 10 pieces, and serve. Store leftover pie, well wrapped in plastic wrap or under a pie dome, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

MAPLE PECAN SWEET POTATO SCONES

This comes from United HealthCare, and begins, "Tender and fluffy, these spiced scones are full of veggies, whole grains and maple syrup and are best served warm. Even better? They’re easy enough to whip up for brunch or afternoon coffee."

Yields:12

You can view this online by clicking here.

Ingredients:

Scones

2 3/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 stick cold butter, diced

2/3 cup sweet potato, cooked and mashed

1/3 cup real maple syrup

2 eggs

Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon real maple syrup

2–3 teaspoons milk

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Cut in the butter with two knives or a pastry blender until crumbly. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sweet potato, maple syrup and eggs until blended.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and combine until a soft dough forms. Divide the dough in half and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat each half into a 6-inch circle about 1 inch thick. Transfer the two circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a knife, cut each circle into 6 wedges, gently separating the wedges with the knife until they are about 1/4 inch apart.

Bake the scones for 16–18 minutes or until golden. Whisk together the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the warm scones. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Yields 12. Calories: 231, Total fat: 10.8g, Saturated fat: 5.4g, Cholesterol: 51.3mg, Sodium: 96mg, Carbs: 30.8g, Dietary fiber: 3.7g, Sugars: 8.3g, Protein: 5.2g

Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the weekend, including Chicken Enchiladas and Chai Latte Milkshake. Enjoy!

MEATLOAF

For years, I used to cook meatloaf for Sunday night dinner, along with potatoes (either baked or mashed) and a veggie. (Yes, I know, potatoes are considered veggies, but we'd also have maybe green beans, carrots, or some such colorful veggie to add to the plate.) Meatloaf was definitely my Sunday night go-to comfort food to fix my family.

This comfort food (which definitely hits the yumminess button) is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kay write, "Originally created as a tasty way to use up leftover vegetables and to stretch meat further during lean times, meatloaf has become the ultimate comfort food. This one is a classic version, blending ground beef, pork and veal with simple pantry seasonings, but you should feel free to use your preferred combination of meat, such as half pork and half beef. Milk-soaked bread ensures a tender meatloaf, and baking it freeform — on a baking sheet instead of a loaf pan — provides more surface area for the tangy-sweet tomato glaze to caramelize as it bakes. Leftover slices can be crisped in a skillet and served with a salad or tucked into a sandwich. Alternatively, freeze one uncooked loaf for the next time you need to put dinner on the table with ease; simply thaw the night before and bake as directed."

Yield: 6 to 8 servings (2 loaves); Time: 1 1/2 hours

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020853-meatloaf. (And while you're here, subscribe to the Times' site for unlimited access. It's a deal, at $1.25 a week.)

Ingredients

For the Meatloaf:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)

5 large garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 (1/2-inch-thick) slices white sandwich bread (about 3 ounces), torn into small pieces

2/3 cup whole milk

3 large eggs

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf or curly parsley

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 pound ground chuck beef

1 pound ground pork

1 pound ground veal

For the Tomato Glaze:

1/2 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Preparation

Make the meatloaf: Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a rimmed baking sheet with oil. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste until well combined; let cool.

In a large bowl, combine bread and milk, and mash with a spoon until a paste forms. Add eggs, parsley, salt, pepper, thyme and cooled onion mixture and mix until well blended. Add the beef, pork and veal, and mix gently to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat. Divide mixture into 2 equal portions and shape each into a 4-by-8-inch meatloaf on the prepared baking sheet.

Make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Use a spoon to spread mixture over the top and sides of each meatloaf. Bake until nicely browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of meatloaf registers 160 degrees, 45 to 55 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE

This is from VeryWellFit, and begins, "Vegetable casseroles are a great way to enjoy fresh produce from the farmers market or make use of a bumper crop. But they can also be loaded with cream and cheese making for a very heavy and high-caloric dish.

"To make this zucchini casserole recipe healthier, instead of adding cream to the sauce it is enriched with tomatoes, onion, garlic, and herbs. The zucchini is then topped with just a bit of cheese. You may notice the absence of breadcrumbs, which also helps cut down on the calories. To compensate for the breadcrumbs' job of soaking up some of the liquid the vegetables exude during cooking, this recipe calls for starting the casserole on a higher heat to dry it out a bit, and then adding the last of the cheese on the top (otherwise it gets too brown or could even burn).

"This zucchini casserole recipe works well with any kind of zucchini or green summer squash, including a combination of squashes."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/3 cup onion (chopped, about 1/2 of a medium onion)

3 cloves garlic (chopped)

3/4 pound tomatoes (fresh or canned—about a 1-pound can of whole tomatoes, drained)

1 teaspoon Italian herbs (or oregano)

Salt and pepper

1 pound zucchini (approximately 2 medium)

1 cup Italian cheese mixture (grated, packaged, or your own mix including mozzarella, Parmesan, and provolone)

Preparation

Heat oven to 400 F.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Sauté the onion in the oil for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another 30 to 60 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.

Cut each tomato into 3 to 5 pieces and add to the oil, along with the herbs, salt, and pepper.

Cook over medium heat until the liquid is mostly gone (but not dry), stirring occasionally—you should end up without about 1 cup of the mixture. This should take about 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the zucchini into slices approximately 1/4 inch thick. These can be either round slices, or lengthwise. Take the largest slices and line the bottom of a 9x9-inch or 8x8-inch pan, or a similarly-sized round pan.

Spread about 1/4 of the tomatoes on top of the zucchini (don't even try to spread evenly; it won't work), followed by 1/4 cup of the cheese.

Continue layering the sauce, zucchini, and cheese. It should come out to 4 layers, but if it only makes 3, just try to divide things relatively evenly. Don't put the final layer of cheese on yet.

Bake for 20 minutes. Top with the rest of the cheese, and lower the temperature to 375F. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.

Ingredient Substitutions and Cooking Tips

If you'd like to cut down on the fat even more, substitute low-fat or fat-free cheese. Just keep in mind that when you remove the fat, you also lessen the cheeses' melt-ability.

INSTANT POT® HAMBURGER SOUP

This is from Angela Giannetti Snyder on AllRecipes. She wrote, "Easy and delicious soup with a nice thickness. You can make it in the Instant Pot® or on the stovetop. When this cools, it will be very thick, but it thins out when reheated. Freezes very well."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Makes: 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/268565/instant-pot-hamburger-soup/.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 (14.5 ounce) cans beef consomme

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 cups water

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup

Campbell's® Condensed Tomato Soup

4 carrots, finely chopped

3 stalks celery, finely chopped

4 tablespoons pearl barley

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Directions

Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot(R)) and select Saute function. Cook and stir beef and onion until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour in beef consomme, tomatoes, water, and tomato soup. Add carrots, celery, barley, thyme, and bay leaf.

Close and lock the lid. Select Soup function; set timer for 30 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.

Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 10 minutes.

Cook's Note:

If you're making it on the stovetop, brown ground beef and onion together, then add the remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for at least 2 hours.

SALTED MAPLE PIE

This yumminess is from Margaux Laskey in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Margaux wrote, "Sort of a Yankee riff on the South’s chess pie, this buttery and rich custard pie is adapted from 'Sister Pie: The Recipes and Stories of a Big-Hearted Bakery in Detroit' by Lisa Ludwinski. Use the best dark maple syrup you can find, and don’t forget the flaky sea salt. It takes the pie from simply sweet to sophisticated. Keep on eye on the crust while it's baking: If it’s browning too much for your taste, lightly cover the entire pie with a sheet of aluminum foil for the remaining time."

Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 2 hours, plus chilling and freezing.

This was featured in "The Best Baking Cookbooks of 2018", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019782-salted-maple-pie.

Ingredients

Perfect Pie Crust, prepared for a custard pie and chilled

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks), melted and cooled

1 cup dark robust (formerly Grade B) maple syrup

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal

Heaping 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

3/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 large egg, beaten

Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Preparation

On a lightly floured surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out a disc of dough into a circle about 1/4-inch thick. Starting at one end, gently roll up the dough onto the rolling pin. Unfurl the dough over a 9-inch pie plate and press it in lightly, making sure it’s lining the plate.

Trim so there’s about 1/2-inch of excess dough hanging over the edge of the pie plate. (If the dough feels warm, refrigerate it for 15 minutes.) Tuck the excess dough under itself so it is flush with the edge of the pie plate; leave the pie like this for a straight-edge finish, or crimp as desired. Freeze for at least 15 minutes. Heat your oven to 450 degrees with the rack on the lowest level.

Remove the pie crust from the freezer, tear off a square of aluminum foil that is slightly larger than the pie shell, and gently fit it into the frozen crust. Fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans (they should come all the way up to the crimps) and place the pie pan on a baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven, and bake for 25 to 27 minutes. Check for doneness by peeling up a piece of foil — the crimps should be light golden brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. After 6 minutes, carefully remove the foil and beans. You are now ready to fill the pie. Reduce your oven to 350 degrees.

Make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and maple syrup. Whisk in the brown sugar, cornmeal and kosher salt.

Crack the eggs and yolk into another medium bowl. Add the cream and vanilla, and whisk until combined.

Slowly pour the egg mixture into the maple mixture, and whisk just until combined.

Place the blind-baked shell on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the crimped edge with the beaten egg. Pour the maple filling into the pie shell until it reaches the bottom of the crimps.

Transfer the baking sheet with the pie on it to the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the edges are puffed and the center jiggles only slightly when shaken. It will continue to set as it cools.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool for 4 to 6 hours. Once fully cooled and at room temperature, sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt, slice into 8 to 10 pieces, and serve. Store leftover pie, well wrapped in plastic wrap or under a pie dome, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

This recipe is from Tyler Florence and was posted on the Food Network.

Prep Time: 1 hour; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Yield: 16 enchiladas, 8 servings; Level: Intermediate

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons cumin powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon Mexican Spice Blend

1 red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

5 canned whole green chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped

4 canned chipotle chiles, seeded and minced

1 (28-ounce) can stewed tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour

16 corn tortillas

1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce, canned

1 cup shredded Cheddar and Jack cheeses

Garnish: chopped cilantro leaves, chopped scallions, sour cream, chopped tomatoes

Ingredients

Coat large saute pan with oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken over medium heat, allow 7 minutes each side or until no longer pink. Sprinkle chicken with cumin, garlic powder and Mexican spices before turning. Remove chicken to a platter, allow to cool.

Saute onion and garlic in chicken drippings until tender. Add corn and chiles. Stir well to combine. Add canned tomatoes, saute 1 minute.

Pull chicken breasts apart by hand into shredded strips. Add shredded chicken to saute pan, combine with vegetables. Dust the mixture with flour to help set.

Microwave tortillas on high for 30 seconds. This softens them and makes them more pliable. Coat the bottom of 2 (13 by 9-inch) pans with a ladle of enchilada sauce. Using a large shallow bowl, dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce to lightly coat. Spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture in each tortilla. Fold over filling, place 8 enchiladas in each pan with seam side down. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven until cheese melts. Garnish with cilantro, scallion, sour cream and chopped tomatoes before serving. Serve with Spanish rice and beans.

CHAI LATTE MILKSHAKE

This comes from an old Weight Watchers emailing list, and begins, “Whip up this sweet, slightly spiced treat in minutes. It's a perfect refresher for drop-in summertime guests.”

POINTS® Value: 3; Servings: 4; Preparation Time: 5 minutes; Cooking Time: 0 minutes; Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1/4 cup General Foods International Sugar Free Chai Latte, powder

1 cup fat-free vanilla ice cream

2 cup fat-free skim milk

Directions

Place all ingredients in bowl of a blender; blend on high until smooth.

Pour into 2 glasses and serve. Yields about 3/4 cups per serving.

Pies

If you love pies as much as I do, today's your day. Check out the Creamy Lemonade Pie, the Almond Joy Pie, or any of the other yummy pies. Enjoy!

CHILLY CHOCOLATE PIE

This is from My Daily Moment, and begins, “This simple, creamy chocolate pie is a simple fix for a weeknight, after-dinner treat. You work hard all day - why not get your just desserts?”

Serves: 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup whipping cream

10 ounces Hershey's chocolate almond bar

6 tablespoons water

1 8-inch graham cracker crust pie shell

Directions

Melt chocolate bar in water over low heat stirring frequently. Remove from heat and allow cooling. Meanwhile, whip cream until it forms peaks. When chocolate mixture is cooled, gently fold in the whipped cream. Turn into piecrust and refrigerate until ready to serve, or at least 2 hours.

Ready in 30 min.

CREAMY LEMONADE PIE

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk

1 (3.4 oz) pkg. instant lemon pudding mix

2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese softened

3/4 C. lemonade concentrate

1 graham cracker crust

Directions

In mixing bowl combine milk & pudding mix; beat on low speed for 2 minutes. In another mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light & fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in lemonade concentrate. Gradually beat in pudding mixture. Pour into crust. Cover & refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

PEANUT BUTTER PIE

I’d driven cab for several years. One Friday afternoon, I got a call to pick up a single dad from the store. When I dropped him off, his son and daughter came out of the trailer to help bring in the groceries.

“Did you remember to get the stuff for the peanut butter pie?” his daughter asked. They were taking it to an early Thanksgiving gathering that weekend.

“Sure did,” he answered.

“Peanut butter pie?” I asked, as we finished unloading the groceries. “How do you make that?”

“With peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, and a few other things,” came the answer.

The following week, I managed to pick the dad up again. This time, I managed to get the ingredients: pie crust, peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, cream cheese and Cool Whip. It wasn’t until the third (and final) time I picked him up in as many weeks that I got the exact amounts. He used 1/3 cup each of peanut butter and sugar, both of which I upped to 1/2 cup each.

This is in my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.



Ingredients

8-ounce tub of Cool Whip (see note)

8-ounce block of cream cheese (see note)

1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth is preferable)

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

Pie crust (see note)

Directions

Put Cool Whip, cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. With beaters, beat on high. Pour into pie crust, smooth out, and freeze for 1 hour.

Note: Cool whip (or store equivalent) can be fat-free. Cream cheese can be regular cream cheese or the 1/3 less fat kind, but do not use fat free, as the pie won't set up right. I usually use a store-bought graham cracker crust for the pie, which is what the man used to make this. However, you can also use an Oreo cookie crust.

BLUEBERRY PIE

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, "Perfection is a fool’s mission when it comes to blueberry pie. Sometimes the filling is a little runny. Other times, slightly thick, depending on the blueberries themselves. But this recipe helps even the odds, with the use of arrowroot starch in place of the more typical flour or cornstarch, and an awesome pre-thickening technique picked up from the pastry chef Kierin Baldwin. You could use a different pie crust, but I like the all-butter version below, at least with a pre-baked bottom and an artfully cut top that allows steam to escape."

Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

This was featured in "The Perfect Imperfections of Blueberry Pie", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018208-blueberry-pie.

Ingredients

For the crust:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

8 to 10 tablespoons of ice water

1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon of water

For the filling:

8 cups blueberries, picked over and washed

1/2 cup raw sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 to 3 tablespoons arrowroot flour or cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

To make the crust, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl or food processor. Add the butter, and either use your fingers to rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal or pulse the processor a few times to achieve a similar result. Gradually and lightly mix in ice water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the dough just comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and gather into a ball. Divide the ball into two equal portions, and flatten each into a disk with the heel of your hand. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

Prebake the pie shell. Heat oven to 375. Roll out one of the disks of dough on a lightly floured surface, and fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the dough so that there is a slight overhang at the top of the pie plate, then place the shell in the freezer for 20 minutes or so to chill. Remove the pie shell from the freezer, cover the dough with parchment paper and fill the shell with pie weights or dried beans. Place the shell into the oven, and bake until the bottom has just started to brown, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Take the pie shell out of the oven, remove the parchment and pie weights and allow to cool.

Make the filling. Separate 1 cup of the blueberries, and combine them in the bowl of a food processor or blender with the sugar, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of the arrowroot flour or cornstarch and the salt, then pulse to purée. Put the blueberry mixture into a small pot set over medium-high heat, and cook, whisking constantly, until the liquid has just thickened, approximately 1 minute. Pour the thickened mixture over the remaining blueberries, and stir to combine.

Bake the pie. Heat oven to 400. Mound the filling high in the center of the cooled pie shell, and apply the egg wash to the top edge of the cooked bottom crust. Roll out the second disk of dough, and place it over the top, gently crimping it onto the egg-washed edge of the bottom crust. Place the pie into the freezer to set, approximately 20 minutes, then cut vents into the top with a sharp knife, place the pie on a baking sheet and set it into the oven to bake for approximately 30 minutes. Then turn the pie, reduce heat to 350 and bake until the pie is golden and the filling has begun to bubble up through the vents, another 25 to 45 minutes. Allow pie to cool to room temperature before you cut into it.

SALTED MAPLE PIE

This yumminess is from Margaux Laskey in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Margaux wrote, "Sort of a Yankee riff on the South’s chess pie, this buttery and rich custard pie is adapted from 'Sister Pie: The Recipes and Stories of a Big-Hearted Bakery in Detroit' by Lisa Ludwinski. Use the best dark maple syrup you can find, and don’t forget the flaky sea salt. It takes the pie from simply sweet to sophisticated. Keep on eye on the crust while it's baking: If it’s browning too much for your taste, lightly cover the entire pie with a sheet of aluminum foil for the remaining time."

Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 2 hours, plus chilling and freezing.

This was featured in "The Best Baking Cookbooks of 2018", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019782-salted-maple-pie.

Ingredients

Perfect Pie Crust, prepared for a custard pie and chilled

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1-1/4 sticks), melted and cooled

1 cup dark robust (formerly Grade B) maple syrup

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal

Heaping 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

3/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 large egg, beaten

Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Preparation

On a lightly floured surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out a disc of dough into a circle about 1/4-inch thick. Starting at one end, gently roll up the dough onto the rolling pin. Unfurl the dough over a 9-inch pie plate and press it in lightly, making sure it’s lining the plate.

Trim so there’s about 1/2-inch of excess dough hanging over the edge of the pie plate. (If the dough feels warm, refrigerate it for 15 minutes.) Tuck the excess dough under itself so it is flush with the edge of the pie plate; leave the pie like this for a straight-edge finish, or crimp as desired. Freeze for at least 15 minutes. Heat your oven to 450 degrees with the rack on the lowest level.

Remove the pie crust from the freezer, tear off a square of aluminum foil that is slightly larger than the pie shell, and gently fit it into the frozen crust. Fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans (they should come all the way up to the crimps) and place the pie pan on a baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven, and bake for 25 to 27 minutes. Check for doneness by peeling up a piece of foil — the crimps should be light golden brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. After 6 minutes, carefully remove the foil and beans. You are now ready to fill the pie. Reduce your oven to 350 degrees.

Make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and maple syrup. Whisk in the brown sugar, cornmeal and kosher salt.

Crack the eggs and yolk into another medium bowl. Add the cream and vanilla, and whisk until combined.

Slowly pour the egg mixture into the maple mixture, and whisk just until combined.

Place the blind-baked shell on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the crimped edge with the beaten egg. Pour the maple filling into the pie shell until it reaches the bottom of the crimps.

Transfer the baking sheet with the pie on it to the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the edges are puffed and the center jiggles only slightly when shaken. It will continue to set as it cools.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool for 4 to 6 hours. Once fully cooled and at room temperature, sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt, slice into 8 to 10 pieces, and serve. Store leftover pie, well wrapped in plastic wrap or under a pie dome, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

ALMOND JOY PIE

This is one of those recipes that I found somewhere or another. Long-since-forgotten emailing list? Facebook, perhaps? No clue, as it was saved without any "here's where it's from" notes.

Ingredients

Pie Filling Ingredients:

4 tbsp butter, melted

1 egg, beaten

1 tbsp all purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut

3/4 cup whole milk

1 tsp vanilla bean paste (extract will work)

Crust & Topping:

1 (6 oz) Chocolate Oreo Pie Crust

Ghiradelli Milk Chocolate Chips, melted

1/2 cup whole roasted almonds

Directions

Whisk the pie ingredients together: melted butter, egg, flour, sugar, coconut, vanilla paste and milk together.

Spread 1/4 cup almonds on the bottom of the pie crust, cover with 1/2 of the melted milk chocolate.

Place in the freezer for 5 minutes to set up. After the chocolate sets up a little bit, pour in the pie filling.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until set. The top will be golden brown.

Allow to cool.

Scatter remaining 1/4 cup almonds on the top of the cooled pie; pour melted chocolate over the almonds. Put in fridge for the chocolate to set up. Enjoy!

Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t? No problem.

To make a Mounds Pie: Leave out the almonds and use dark chocolate instead.

Best served at room temperature! If you'd like to eat it chilled, combine 3 tbsp of room temperature heavy whipping cream to the melted chocolate mixture before filling and topping the pie.