Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's offerings include Old-Fashioned Meatloaf and Hungarian Cabbage with Noodles. Enjoy!

MEXICAN-STYLE STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

This also comes from the November 2014 issue of Heart Insight Magazine. This one begins, “In this Latin twist on stuffed bell peppers, black beans replace the traditional rice and salsa stands in for the standard tomato sauce.” Serves 4; 1 stuffed bell pepper per serving.

To view this online, go to http://heartinsight.heart.org/November-2014/Mexican-Style-Stuffed-Bell-Peppers/.

Ingredients

4 large red or green bell peppers, or a combination, stems, seeds, and ribs discarded, tops chopped and reserved

Cooking spray

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 medium garlic cloves, minced

8 ounces 95% fat-free ground beef

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup salsa (lowest sodium available)

1 cup canned no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided use

1/4 cup low-fat shredded 4-cheese Mexican blend

1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a microwave oven, place the bell peppers with the cut side up on a paper towel. Microwave on 100% power (high) for 4–5 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Transfer with the cut side up to a 9-inch square baking dish or shallow casserole dish.

Meanwhile, lightly spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Cook the chopped bell pepper tops, onion, and garlic for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the beef. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to turn and break up the beef. Discard any drippings.

Sprinkle the beef mixture with the chili powder, cumin, and salt. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the salsa. Remove from the heat.

Gently stir in the beans and cup cilantro. Spoon the beef mixture into the peppers. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle the Mexican blend cheese over the beef mixture. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Top the peppers with the sour cream. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro.

HUNGARIAN CABBAGE WITH NOODLES

This recipe is from Barbara Rolek on The Spruce Eats. Barbara wrote, “This Hungarian comfort-food dish known as kaposztás tészta is a simple recipe to make, consisting of cabbage, onion, butter, egg noodles, salt, and pepper.

“Cabbage with noodles is a popular and easy dish common throughout Eastern Europe. In Poland, it's called kapusta z kluski or hałuski, in the Czech Republic, it's known as nudle s zelí, and Slovaks call it haluski (without the accent on the "L" as in Polish).

“This can be a strictly vegetarian dish, sometimes with added sautéed mushrooms, or can be enhanced with bacon or other smoked meat, and it makes a terrific side dish or main-course offering that holds up well on a buffet table. If this recipe doesn't tickle your fancy, there are many more Eastern European cabbage recipes to choose from.

Total: 50 mins; Prep: 20 mins; Cook: 30 mins; Yield: 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 large head cabbage (cored and shredded)

1 large onion (chopped)

8 ounces butter (2 sticks)

Salt (to taste)

Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

1 pound medium Hungarian egg noodles (homemade or store-bought, cooked)

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, sauté cabbage and onion in butter until golden brown and tender.

Season with salt and pepper.

Mix with cooked egg noodles. Adjust seasonings and rewarm if necessary to serve piping hot.

Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Variations

Add 1 cup sliced button, cremini or other mushrooms to the skillet with the cabbage and onion, and cook until they are all golden brown and tender.

Before serving, add 1 cup cooked, crumbled or diced bacon to the cabbage, onion, and noodles mixture.

After mixing the cabbage and onion with the noodles, add 1 cup chopped ham combining well and rewarm to serve hot.

More Hungarian Noodle Recipes

Basic Hungarian Noodle Dough Recipe: This egg dough can be transformed into thin noodles, wide noodles and everything in between.

Tarhonya or Grated Egg Noodles Recipe: These noodles are made by grating chunks of noodle dough instead of rolling and cutting. They are dried and used in soups or browned in butter as a side dish.

More About Hungarian Noodles

Hungarian egg noodles, known as Magyar tojasos teszta (MAHG-yahr toy-YAH-shohss TESS-tah) or metelt (MEH-telt), come in a staggering number of varieties, rivaled possibly only by Italian pasta.

Hungarians roll them, cut them, pinch them, grate them, and drop them. There's a noodle for every dish and a dish for every noodle.

Teszta is actually the Hungarian word for "dough" and metelt means "noodles," but they are used interchangeably.

When the word tojasos is added, we're talking about egg noodles, the pride of Hungarian cuisine. They are made with three simple ingredients—flour, eggs, and salt—and, in some kitchens, not even any salt.

No water or oil is added to authentic Hungarian noodle recipes because many cooks feel the addition of water creates longer drying times and increases the potential for the noodles to mold when stored.

BEST EVER NO FAT BANANA BREAD

This came from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Serves: 16; Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 egg substitutes

1/4 cup water or soymilk

1 2/3 cups flour of choice (I use whole wheat)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

cinnamon to taste (I use several shakes worth)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees & spray a 9 inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray. If using a standard loaf pan, increase heat to 350.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together first five ingredients until well incorporated.

In a medium bowl, mix the remaining ingredients.

Dump flour mixture into the wet and stir just until uniformly moist. DO NOT OVERMIX! Depending on the type of flour you use, you may need to add a little extra water or soymilk to reach the right consistency. The dough should be somewhere in between pancake batter and cookie dough.

Dump into prepared pan and give it a couple shakes to distribute the batter.

Place on the middle oven rack and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes. (If using a standard loaf pan, increase baking time.) Check the bread at around 30 minutes. It is done when just starting to brown around the edges and still a little moist looking in the middle. Allow to cool ten minutes before cutting into squares or slices.

The recipe ends with, “Cover and hide the bread so no one else eats it!!”

APRICOT-ORANGE CHICKEN WITH GLAZED ONIONS

Yield: 4 servings; Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe

Source: Express Lane Diabetic Cooking

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/9.shtml

View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/454.shtml

Ingredients

1 whole roasted deli chicken, skinned

3 tablespoons no-added-sugar apricot preserves, divided

3 tablespoons no-added-sugar orange marmalade, divided

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided

Nonstick cooking spray

1 large onion, quartered

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In small bowl, blend 1 tablespoon each apricot preserves, marmalade, and vinegar.

Place chicken in baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Add water to pan to a depth of 1/4-1/2 inch. Brush chicken with preserve mixture. Combine the remaining preserves, marmalade, vinegar, onion, and garlic and spoon around the chicken.

Roast, covered, for 25 minutes. Uncover and roast for 10 more minutes, until onion is tender.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 278; Protein: 34 g; Sodium: 110 mg; Cholesterol: 100 mg; Fat: 9 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g; Exchanges: 1 Carbohydrate, 4 Lean Meat

OLD-FASHIONED MEATLOAF

This comes from Verywellfit, and begins, “This lighter meatloaf recipe is similar to the one most of us enjoyed during our childhoods, but without all of the extra fat. Choose a lean ground beef or, better yet, ground turkey to cut down on the fat. And since you can't make meatloaf without breadcrumbs, why not replace the white, unrefined with whole wheat for added fiber? Also, using two egg whites in place of one whole egg will reduce the calories and fat while still helping to bind the mixture together.”

Total Time: 70; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground meat (85% to 90% lean, or ground turkey)

1 cup breadcrumbs (whole wheat)

1/4 cup onion (finely chopped or 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes)

2 cloves garlic (minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon sage

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup water (or low-fat milk)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Mix well, using your hands, but don't overmix because you will toughen the meat.

Turn mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake for about 1 hour.

To be sure the meatloaf is done, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the center of the loaf. The temperature should register 155F when it is done.

About 10 to 15 minutes before you think the meatloaf will be done, you can cover it with barbecue sauce if you like.

International Meatloaf

If you are looking for a different kind of meatloaf, try kofta kebabs, a Middle Eastern grilled ground meat recipe. The spices in this meat mixture (traditionally lamb) are a delicious change of pace from the usual. If you don't have the time or inclination to place them on skewers, you can make them into oblong-oval shapes that look like sausages without the casings.

STRAWBERRY 'ICE CREAM' CAKE

Of course, it does help to have the occasional dessert, right? This one, from page 80 of the March 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times, starts off, “Sssshhh … don’t tell kids this delicious dessert is actually just good-for-them yogurt and fruit with a few graham crackers and waffle cones thrown in for crunch.” I'm not telling, if you're not! Serves 12.

To view this yummy recipe online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/strawberry-ice-cream-cake/.

15 full graham crackers

5 waffle cones

1 20-oz. bag whole frozen strawberries

1 32-oz. container honey-flavored Greek yogurt

2 Tbs. honey

Line 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and set aside.

Pulse graham crackers in food processor with 1 to 2 tsp. water until crumbly and moist. Transfer to bowl.

Pulse waffle cones in food processor until crumbly. Transfer to separate bowl.

Bring strawberries to a simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until soft and liquid starts to fill bottom of pan. Cool completely.

Stir together yogurt and honey. Set aside.

Press graham cracker crumbs on bottom of prepared springform pan. Spread half of yogurt, then half of strawberries, then half of crumbled waffle cones in pan. Repeat layering, ending with a sprinkling of waffle cones. Freeze at least 3 hours, or until frozen. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

nutritional information Per Per slice: Calories: 250; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 39 g; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Sodium: 107 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 25 g

Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's recipes include Chapli Burgers and Athenian Meatloaf with Yogurt-Cucumber Sauce. Enjoy!

ORANGE CHESS PIE

This is from Diana Rattray, who writes for The Spruce Eats. For this recipe, Diana wrote, “This refreshing orange chess pie is an amazing dessert, and it can be enjoyed any time of the year! With fresh orange juice and grated zest and fresh lemon juice, it is bright and bursting with citrus flavor.

“I've included a simple pie crust recipe, but you can use a frozen crust or refrigerated pie dough. Follow the instructions for partially baking a pie crust.” Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 65 minutes; Total Time: 95 minutes; Yield: 8 Servings

The old link for this no longer works, but I did want to post it with credit to Diana for coming up with this.

Ingredients

Pie Crust (or use a purchased 9-inch pie shell)

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

4 ounces chilled butter, cut in small pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 scant teaspoon granulated sugar

3 to 4 tablespoons of ice water

Filling

1-1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornmeal

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons milk

finely grated zest of 1 orange

1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (about half of a lemon)

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preparation

Pie Crust

Put the 1-1/4 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a food processor and pulse to blend. Add half of the chilled butter pieces and pulse 5 or 6 times. Add the remaining chilled butter pieces and pulse another 5 or 6 times. You should have visible pieces of butter in the mixture with some the size of peas.

Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the ice water over the flour and pulse a few times.

Add more water, about 2 to 3 teaspoons at a time, pulsing a couple of times after each addition. When the mixture begins to clump together, turn it out onto a floured surface.

With your hands, knead just enough to shape the dough into a disk. Overworking the dough can cause shrinkage when the pie is pre-baked, so handle it as little as possible.

Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 45 minutes.

Heat the oven to 375° F.

Roll the disk out into a 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Keep checking and adding flour to the work surface if you notice any sticking.

Fit the pastry into the pie plate and crimp the edge as desired.

Line the pastry with parchment paper or foil and fill about 2/3 full with pie weights or dried beans.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment or foil with the pie weights. Prick the dough all over, and then bake for about 5 minutes longer, or just until you begin to see a little color. Remove the crust to a rack and reduce the oven temperature to 350° F.

Orange Filling

In a mixing bowl combine the 1-1/2 cups of sugar, 1 tablespoon of flour, cornmeal, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 6 tablespoons of melted butter, the milk, orange zest and juice, the lemon juice, and the lightly beaten eggs. Beat with an electric mixer until well blended.

Pour the orange filling mixture into the partially baked pie crust. Bake at 350° F for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until set. Check the pie for browning after about 20 to 25 minutes. If necessary, put a pie shield or homemade foil ring over the edges of the crust to prevent over-browning.

Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a rack. Chill before serving.

Serve this pie with freshly whipped cream or thawed whipped topping.

STRAWBERRY 'ICE CREAM' CAKE

Of course, it does help to have the occasional dessert, right? This one, from page 80 of the March 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times, starts off, “Sssshhh … don’t tell kids this delicious dessert is actually just good-for-them yogurt and fruit with a few graham crackers and waffle cones thrown in for crunch.” I'm not telling, if you're not! Serves 12.

To view this yummy recipe online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/strawberry-ice-cream-cake/.

Ingredients

15 full graham crackers

5 waffle cones

1 20-oz. bag whole frozen strawberries

1 32-oz. container honey-flavored Greek yogurt

2 Tbs. honey

Directions

Line 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and set aside.

Pulse graham crackers in food processor with 1 to 2 tsp. water until crumbly and moist. Transfer to bowl.

Pulse waffle cones in food processor until crumbly. Transfer to separate bowl.

Bring strawberries to a simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until soft and liquid starts to fill bottom of pan. Cool completely.

Stir together yogurt and honey. Set aside.

Press graham cracker crumbs on bottom of prepared springform pan. Spread half of yogurt, then half of strawberries, then half of crumbled waffle cones in pan. Repeat layering, ending with a sprinkling of waffle cones. Freeze at least 3 hours, or until frozen. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

nutritional information Per Per slice: Calories: 250; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 39 g; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Sodium: 107 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 25 g

CHAPLI BURGERS

This comes from Samin Nosrat on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Samin wrote, “This recipe is inspired by the thin, heavily spiced Pakistani patties known as chapli kebabs, which are typically drizzled with green chutney and served wrapped in warm naan. This version replaces naan with buns and welcomes the classic crunch of iceberg lettuce. But what really sets these burgers apart are the other flavorful toppings and condiments: thinly sliced onions, tomatoes and cucumbers, a creamy herbed yogurt, and tomato ketchup spiked with tamarind paste. Take a few extra minutes to put together the sauces — the mouthwatering tang, sweetness, creaminess and spice they'll add will make all the difference.”

Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 30 minutes.

You can view this online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019435-chapli-burgers.

Ingredients

For Burgers:

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

Sea salt

2 tablespoons fresh or dried pomegranate seeds

1 pound ground beef

1/2 small yellow onion, minced

1/2 medium tomato, finely chopped and drained of juice

1 clove garlic, finely grated or pounded

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced

1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems

1 egg

Neutral oil for cooking

To Serve:

Burger buns

Iceberg lettuce

Tamarind ketchup (see recipe)

Herbed yogurt (see recipe)

Sliced Persian cucumbers, red onions and tomatoes

Preparation

Place coriander seeds in a small saucepan, and set over medium heat. Swirling pan, lightly toast seeds for 2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat, and finely pound in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt (alternatively, use a spice grinder or small food processor). Add pomegranate seeds, and coarsely pound (it’s fine if the inner seed does not break down). Scrape paste into a large mixing bowl.

Add beef, onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, 1/2 jalapeño, pepper flakes, garam masala, cumin, 1/4 cup cilantro, egg and 2 teaspoons salt. Use hands to knead mixture until combined.

Fry a quarter-size piece of the mixture, and taste. Adjust seasoning with salt and spices.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide meat mixture onto parchment into 6 balls, and flatten into thin, 4-inch-round patties.

Set a large cast-iron pan over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When it shimmers, lay three patties into the pan, and cook for 2 minutes on each side until browned, then set aside on a plate. Drain grease from pan, and wipe with a paper towel, then cook remaining patties. (Alternatively, grill burgers over high heat for 2 minutes per side until browned.)

Serve immediately on toasted buns with tamarind ketchup, herbed yogurt and other garnishes.

Tip

Patties can be formed, covered and refrigerated up to one day in advance. Bring to room temperature before cooking. The burgers won’t be complete without the tamarind ketchup and herbed yogurt, which take only a few minutes to make and add welcome creaminess, sweetness and tang.

HERBED YOGURT

This comes from Samin Nosrat on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Samin wrote, “This simple sauce comes together quickly to provide a welcome creaminess and tang to Chapli burgers, kebabs, stewed chickpeas and fried potatoes alike.”

Yield: About 1/2 cup; Time: 15 minutes.

This was featured in “A Burger, But Better”, and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon finely chopped mint

1 teaspoon minced jalapeño

Sea salt

Preparation

In a small bowl, stir together yogurt, cilantro, mint, jalapeño and a pinch of salt. Taste, and adjust seasoning as needed.

TAMARIND KETCHUP

The final of today's recipes from Samin Nosrat on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Samin wrote, “A touch of tamarind paste lends tomato ketchup an edgy pucker. Spread this sauce all over Chapli burgers, kebabs, fried potatoes or anywhere else you'd think to use the plain stuff.”

Yield: About 1/3 cup; Time: 5 minutes

This was featured in “A Burger, But Better”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019439-tamarind-ketchup.

Ingredients

1/3 cup ketchup

4 teaspoons tamarind paste

Preparation

In a small bowl, stir together ketchup and tamarind paste.

ATHENIAN MEATLOAF WITH YOGURT-CUCUMBER SAUCE

Makes 8 servings

Source: TBC

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1258.shtml

Ingredients

2 pounds 96% lean Ground Beef

1 cup soft bread crumbs*

3/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup 2% milk

1 large egg

1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons dried Greek seasoning, divided

1 cup low-fat or regular Greek-style yogurt

1/2 cup diced cucumber

* To make soft breadcrumbs: Tear several slices of fresh bread (French or whole wheat work well) into 1-inch pieces and pulse in a blender or food processor to make coarse crumbs. One slice of bread yields about 1/2 cup soft breadcrumbs.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine Ground Beef, bread crumbs, onion, milk, egg, 1 tablespoon Greek seasoning in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

Shape beef mixture into 10 x 4-inch loaf on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350F oven 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours, until instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 160F.

Meanwhile, combine yogurt, cucumber and remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons Greek seasoning in medium bowl. Set aside.

Let stand 10 minutes; cut into slices. Serve with cucumber-yogurt sauce.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 187; Protein: 26 g; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 240 mg; Cholesterol: 95 mg; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 6 g

Desserts - Double-Post Thursday

Besides being Diabetic Thursday, it's Double-Post Thursday. Since next Thursday is Thanksgiving, today's double post deals with desserts, any of which would be wonderful for your Thanksgiving meal (or any time, for that matter), including Cast-Iron Apple and Blackberry Crumble and Strawberry Pie. Enjoy!

MINI CHURRO DOUGHNUT HOLES

This yummy recipe is from Old El Paso, and begins, “This DIY version of fair food goes bite-size and gets an added flavor boost from caramel.”

By Pillsbury Kitchens

Total Time: 15 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Servings: 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Canola oil for deep-frying

1/2 cup cinnamon-sugar

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Flaky Layers refrigerated Original biscuits

Caramel sauce, if desired

Instructions

Fill 3-quart saucepan one-third full with oil. Heat over medium heat to about 350°F. Line plate with paper towels; set aside.

In small bowl, stir together cinnamon-sugar and powdered sugar; set aside.

Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Split each biscuit into 2 rounds; place on cutting board. Using very small doughnut-hole cutter or mouth of an empty bottle, cut out mini-sized doughnut holes.

When oil is hot, carefully drop a few of the doughnut holes into oil at a time. (See Tip.) Using slotted metal spoon or kitchen spider, continuously turn holes over and over until golden brown. Remove from oil; place on paper towel-lined plate to drain. Immediately place holes in sugar mixture; coat completely. Serve doughnut holes immediately drizzled with caramel sauce.

Expert Tips

The safest way to fry is to bring your hand close to the oil and gently drop in the dough versus quickly dropping and splashing the oil.

To prep ahead by a few hours, you can cut the dough and store it in a zipper-topped plastic bag in the fridge.

STRAWBERRY PIE



During the summer of 2019, my daughter and I checked out a local fruit stand and came away with a quart of strawberries. They were on sale for $3 for a quart, so how could we pass them up?

Of course, then we had to decide what to do with all these yummy strawberries. And what better use for them than in a pie? So, here goes what I made.



Ingredients

1 quart strawberries

1 C sugar

3 Tablespoons corn start

3/4 cup hot water

1 pie crust

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place pie crust in an ungreased pie pan. Using a fork, pierce crust a couple of times (though don't go overboard), and bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until lightly brown.

Note: If you're using a store-bought pie crust, bake until brown according to the package directions.

Wash strawberries. Cut up half of the berries (about 1 pint) and arrange in pie crust. You don't need to cut the strawberries too small; maybe in half or, for larger strawberries, in fourths.

Mash the remaining berries and place in a medium saucepan. Pour sugar over the strawberries in the pan and combine. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

In a small bowl, whisk hot water and cornstarch together, then stir into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat, then simmer until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour thickened mixture over berries in pie crust. Chill for several hours before serving. Oh, and be sure to share!

CAST-IRON APPLE AND BLACKBERRY CRUMBLE

This is from Matt Abdoo and was posted on the TODAY Show’s site. Matt wrote, “My dad used to make this for me growing up! Apples from upstate New York are some of the best in the country. They always added the perfect amount of tartness and sweetness to this crispy crumble.

“Technique tip: Use your favorite apples for a signature taste and to make it your own.

“Swap option: Pears work great and so do peaches! You can also use a 10- by 15-inch baking dish if not using the grill.”

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 12

To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/cast-iron-apple-blackberry-crumble-recipe-t154818.

Ingredients

Crumble Topping

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 packs (1 cup) apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal

1 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, grated

Apple Filling

2 pounds honey crisp apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 pound granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 pint blackberries

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

Pre-heat oven or grill to 350°F.

For the crumble topping:

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine flour, apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal, chopped pecans, light brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cold grated butter until it forms a coarse crumble.

For the apple filling:

In another large mixing bowl combine the apples with melted butter, flour, corn starch, lemon juice, light brown sugar, salt and spices and toss to fully coat the apples. Next fold in the blackberries and pour the apple mixture into a 12-inch cast iron pan.

To assemble:

Fully coat the top of the apple mixture with the crumble topping and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crumble topping is golden brown and the apples are tender.

Allow the crumble to cool slightly, and then serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Or chill overnight and serve cold.

SIMPLEST STRAWBERRY TART

This comes from Emily Weinstein in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Emily wrote, “This gorgeous tart is adapted from "Sweeter Off the Vine," by Yossy Arefi, a cookbook of fruit desserts for every season. It's an ideal vehicle for the ripest strawberries at the height of the season, a dessert that makes more of a splash than just serving berries and cream but still has that simple charm. The only tricky part is the crust, which could crack as you transfer it to a serving board. But if that happens, don't despair. It's meant to be effortlessly loose and casual, and you can cover the damage with swirls of mascarpone and a blanket of berries.”

Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour, plus 2 hours’ chilling.

This was featured in “’Sweeter Off the Vine’: A Cookbook Made for Instagram,” and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018052-simplest-strawberry-tart.

Ingredients

For the Rye Crust:

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup rye flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

9 tablespoons/ very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash

For the Tart:

1 cup mascarpone, at room temperature

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 pound small, sweet strawberries

3 tablespoons high-quality strawberry jam

Preparation

Prepare the crust: Whisk the flours and salt together in a large bowl. Combine apple cider vinegar with 5 tablespoons ice water.

Working quickly, add butter to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Use your fingers or the palms of your hands to press each cube of butter into the flour, ensuring that each butter piece gets coated, until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size lumps. If at any time the butter seems warm or soft, briefly refrigerate the bowl. Alternatively, you can pulse the butter and flour together in a food processor.

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the cold vinegar-water mixture over the flour mixture. Use a gentle hand or wooden spoon to stir the water into the flour until just combined. If using a food processor, pulse a few more times, or until the dough begins to come together. If the dough seems dry, add more of the cold vinegar-water mixture, a couple of teaspoons at a time. You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough and easily squeeze it together without it falling apart.

Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight. (Dough keeps for up to 3 months in the freezer wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Thaw in refrigerator before using.)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 degrees.

On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll out the pie crust into an oval about 15 x 6 inches and just under 1/4-inch thick. Use a paring knife or pastry cutter to trim any rough edges and move the parchment paper and crust to a baking sheet, preferably rimless. Dock the crust with a fork to prevent it from puffing up too much in the oven. Brush the surface of the crust from edge to edge with the egg wash.

Bake until crust is deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Check on the crust halfway through baking; if any bubbles have appeared, use a spatula to press them flat. Cool the crust completely on the pan.

Prepare the tart: While the crust is cooling, combine mascarpone and 2 tablespoons sugar. Hull the strawberries and cut them into 1/4-inch slices.

Carefully slide the cooled crust off the baking sheet onto a serving platter or board. Spread mascarpone over the top in an even layer, dot with jam, then arrange sliced strawberries in a single, slightly overlapping layer in a decorative pattern. Sprinkle the tart with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. (Omit this final sprinkling if your strawberries are particularly sweet.) Slice and serve immediately.

STRAWBERRY 'ICE CREAM' CAKE

Of course, it does help to have the occasional dessert, right? This one, from page 80 of the March 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times, starts off, “Sssshhh … don’t tell kids this delicious dessert is actually just good-for-them yogurt and fruit with a few graham crackers and waffle cones thrown in for crunch.” I'm not telling, if you're not! Serves 12.

To view this yummy recipe online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/strawberry-ice-cream-cake/.

15 full graham crackers

5 waffle cones

1 20-oz. bag whole frozen strawberries

1 32-oz. container honey-flavored Greek yogurt

2 Tbs. honey

Line 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and set aside.

Pulse graham crackers in food processor with 1 to 2 tsp. water until crumbly and moist. Transfer to bowl.

Pulse waffle cones in food processor until crumbly. Transfer to separate bowl.

Bring strawberries to a simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until soft and liquid starts to fill bottom of pan. Cool completely.

Stir together yogurt and honey. Set aside.

Press graham cracker crumbs on bottom of prepared springform pan. Spread half of yogurt, then half of strawberries, then half of crumbled waffle cones in pan. Repeat layering, ending with a sprinkling of waffle cones. Freeze at least 3 hours, or until frozen. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

nutritional information Per Per slice: Calories: 250; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 39 g; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Sodium: 107 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 25 g

SHORTCUT PEACH COBBLER

This is from Diana Rattray on The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, “This peach cobbler has long been a popular way to make a cobbler quickly. This version is made with canned sliced peaches, and it's perfect for when you don't have time to peel and pit several peaches. Or when peaches aren't in season.

“The batter calls for self-rising flour, but if you don't have it you may substitute with 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of table salt.

“This is an excellent dessert to make on a busy day, and it's a popular cobbler in the South. Take it along to a summer cookout or potluck!”

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Timie: 50 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Yield: 1 9X13 pan (8 servings)

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 stick (4 ounces) butter

1 cup self-rising flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup milk (low-fat is fine)

1 large can (29 ounces) sliced peaches in heavy syrup

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 F.

Put the butter in a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan or a 2 1/2 to 3 quart baking dish and place it in the oven until the butter has melted.

Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl and stir to blend. Stir in the milk until well blended.

Take the pan out of the oven and pour the batter over the butter.

Spoon the peaches with syrup evenly over the batter.

Bake the peach cobbler for 45 to 55 minutes, until the topping is golden brown around the edges and lightly browned in the center.

Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday (because not everyone wants to try a day without meat). Today's yummy recipes include Apricot-Orange Chicken with Glazed Onions and Strawberry “Ice Cream” Cake. Enjoy!

MEXICAN-STYLE STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

This also comes from the November 2014 issue of Heart Insight Magazine. This one begins, “In this Latin twist on stuffed bell peppers, black beans replace the traditional rice and salsa stands in for the standard tomato sauce.” Serves 4; 1 stuffed bell pepper per serving.

To view this online, go to http://heartinsight.heart.org/November-2014/Mexican-Style-Stuffed-Bell-Peppers/.

Ingredients

4 large red or green bell peppers, or a combination, stems, seeds, and ribs discarded, tops chopped and reserved

Cooking spray

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 medium garlic cloves, minced

8 ounces 95% fat-free ground beef

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup salsa (lowest sodium available)

1 cup canned no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided use

1/4 cup low-fat shredded 4-cheese Mexican blend

1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a microwave oven, place the bell peppers with the cut side up on a paper towel. Microwave on 100% power (high) for 4–5 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Transfer with the cut side up to a 9-inch square baking dish or shallow casserole dish.

Meanwhile, lightly spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Cook the chopped bell pepper tops, onion, and garlic for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the beef. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to turn and break up the beef. Discard any drippings.

Sprinkle the beef mixture with the chili powder, cumin, and salt. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the salsa. Remove from the heat.

Gently stir in the beans and cup cilantro. Spoon the beef mixture into the peppers. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle the Mexican blend cheese over the beef mixture. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Top the peppers with the sour cream. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro.

HUNGARIAN CABBAGE WITH NOODLES

This recipe is from Barbara Rolek on The Spruce Eats. Barbara wrote, “This Hungarian comfort-food dish known as kaposztás tészta is a simple recipe to make, consisting of cabbage, onion, butter, egg noodles, salt, and pepper.

“Cabbage with noodles is a popular and easy dish common throughout Eastern Europe. In Poland, it's called kapusta z kluski or hałuski, in the Czech Republic, it's known as nudle s zelí, and Slovaks call it haluski (without the accent on the "L" as in Polish).

“This can be a strictly vegetarian dish, sometimes with added sautéed mushrooms, or can be enhanced with bacon or other smoked meat, and it makes a terrific side dish or main-course offering that holds up well on a buffet table. If this recipe doesn't tickle your fancy, there are many more Eastern European cabbage recipes to choose from.

Total: 50 mins; Prep: 20 mins; Cook: 30 mins; Yield: 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 large head cabbage (cored and shredded)

1 large onion (chopped)

8 ounces butter (2 sticks)

Salt (to taste)

Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

1 pound medium Hungarian egg noodles (homemade or store-bought, cooked)

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, sauté cabbage and onion in butter until golden brown and tender.

Season with salt and pepper.

Mix with cooked egg noodles. Adjust seasonings and rewarm if necessary to serve piping hot.

Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Variations

Add 1 cup sliced button, cremini or other mushrooms to the skillet with the cabbage and onion, and cook until they are all golden brown and tender.

Before serving, add 1 cup cooked, crumbled or diced bacon to the cabbage, onion, and noodles mixture.

After mixing the cabbage and onion with the noodles, add 1 cup chopped ham combining well and rewarm to serve hot.

More Hungarian Noodle Recipes

Basic Hungarian Noodle Dough Recipe: This egg dough can be transformed into thin noodles, wide noodles and everything in between.

Tarhonya or Grated Egg Noodles Recipe: These noodles are made by grating chunks of noodle dough instead of rolling and cutting. They are dried and used in soups or browned in butter as a side dish.

More About Hungarian Noodles

Hungarian egg noodles, known as Magyar tojasos teszta (MAHG-yahr toy-YAH-shohss TESS-tah) or metelt (MEH-telt), come in a staggering number of varieties, rivaled possibly only by Italian pasta.

Hungarians roll them, cut them, pinch them, grate them, and drop them. There's a noodle for every dish and a dish for every noodle.

Teszta is actually the Hungarian word for "dough" and metelt means "noodles," but they are used interchangeably.

When the word tojasos is added, we're talking about egg noodles, the pride of Hungarian cuisine. They are made with three simple ingredients—flour, eggs, and salt—and, in some kitchens, not even any salt.

No water or oil is added to authentic Hungarian noodle recipes because many cooks feel the addition of water creates longer drying times and increases the potential for the noodles to mold when stored.

BEST EVER NO FAT BANANA BREAD

This came from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Serves: 16; Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 egg substitutes

1/4 cup water or soymilk

1 2/3 cups flour of choice (I use whole wheat)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

cinnamon to taste (I use several shakes worth)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees & spray a 9 inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray. If using a standard loaf pan, increase heat to 350.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together first five ingredients until well incorporated.

In a medium bowl, mix the remaining ingredients.

Dump flour mixture into the wet and stir just until uniformly moist. DO NOT OVERMIX! Depending on the type of flour you use, you may need to add a little extra water or soymilk to reach the right consistency. The dough should be somewhere in between pancake batter and cookie dough.

Dump into prepared pan and give it a couple shakes to distribute the batter.

Place on the middle oven rack and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes. (If using a standard loaf pan, increase baking time.) Check the bread at around 30 minutes. It is done when just starting to brown around the edges and still a little moist looking in the middle. Allow to cool ten minutes before cutting into squares or slices.

The recipe ends with, “Cover and hide the bread so no one else eats it!!”

APRICOT-ORANGE CHICKEN WITH GLAZED ONIONS

Yield: 4 servings; Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe

Source: Express Lane Diabetic Cooking

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/9.shtml

View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/454.shtml

Ingredients

1 whole roasted deli chicken, skinned

3 tablespoons no-added-sugar apricot preserves, divided

3 tablespoons no-added-sugar orange marmalade, divided

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided

Nonstick cooking spray

1 large onion, quartered

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In small bowl, blend 1 tablespoon each apricot preserves, marmalade, and vinegar.

Place chicken in baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Add water to pan to a depth of 1/4-1/2 inch. Brush chicken with preserve mixture. Combine the remaining preserves, marmalade, vinegar, onion, and garlic and spoon around the chicken.

Roast, covered, for 25 minutes. Uncover and roast for 10 more minutes, until onion is tender.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 278; Protein: 34 g; Sodium: 110 mg; Cholesterol: 100 mg; Fat: 9 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g; Exchanges: 1 Carbohydrate, 4 Lean Meat

OLD-FASHIONED MEATLOAF

This comes from Verywellfit, and begins, “This lighter meatloaf recipe is similar to the one most of us enjoyed during our childhoods, but without all of the extra fat. Choose a lean ground beef or, better yet, ground turkey to cut down on the fat. And since you can't make meatloaf without breadcrumbs, why not replace the white, unrefined with whole wheat for added fiber? Also, using two egg whites in place of one whole egg will reduce the calories and fat while still helping to bind the mixture together.”

Total Time: 70; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground meat (85% to 90% lean, or ground turkey)

1 cup breadcrumbs (whole wheat)

1/4 cup onion (finely chopped or 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes)

2 cloves garlic (minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon sage

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup water (or low-fat milk)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Mix well, using your hands, but don't overmix because you will toughen the meat.

Turn mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake for about 1 hour.

To be sure the meatloaf is done, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the center of the loaf. The temperature should register 155F when it is done.

About 10 to 15 minutes before you think the meatloaf will be done, you can cover it with barbecue sauce if you like.

International Meatloaf

If you are looking for a different kind of meatloaf, try kofta kebabs, a Middle Eastern grilled ground meat recipe. The spices in this meat mixture (traditionally lamb) are a delicious change of pace from the usual. If you don't have the time or inclination to place them on skewers, you can make them into oblong-oval shapes that look like sausages without the casings.

STRAWBERRY 'ICE CREAM' CAKE

Of course, it does help to have the occasional dessert, right? This one, from page 80 of the March 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times, starts off, “Sssshhh … don’t tell kids this delicious dessert is actually just good-for-them yogurt and fruit with a few graham crackers and waffle cones thrown in for crunch.” I'm not telling, if you're not! Serves 12.

To view this yummy recipe online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/strawberry-ice-cream-cake/.

Ingredients

15 full graham crackers

5 waffle cones

1 20-oz. bag whole frozen strawberries

1 32-oz. container honey-flavored Greek yogurt

2 Tbs. honey

Directions

Line 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and set aside.

Pulse graham crackers in food processor with 1 to 2 tsp. water until crumbly and moist. Transfer to bowl.

Pulse waffle cones in food processor until crumbly. Transfer to separate bowl.

Bring strawberries to a simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until soft and liquid starts to fill bottom of pan. Cool completely.

Stir together yogurt and honey. Set aside.

Press graham cracker crumbs on bottom of prepared springform pan. Spread half of yogurt, then half of strawberries, then half of crumbled waffle cones in pan. Repeat layering, ending with a sprinkling of waffle cones. Freeze at least 3 hours, or until frozen. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

nutritional information Per Per slice: Calories: 250; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 39 g; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Sodium: 107 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 25 g

Ice Cream

“Chubby Hubby ice cream – I can't say no anymore.” - Sidney Biddle Barrows, the erstwhile Mayflower Madam, on the subject of her sole remaining vice.

Found in Loose Cannons: Devastating Dish from the World's Wildest Women, complied by Autumn Stephens, page 21.

I absolutely love ice cream. One of my favorite childhood memories was making homemade ice cream. (Of course, this was using a hand crank ice cream maker. Most ice cream makers now are electric, which is a lot easier on the arms.) Even if no other holiday or summer weekend called for homemade ice cream, my dad always insisted on making the stuff on the 4th of July.

Today's yummy offerings include Key Lime Pie Pops and Homemade Rocky Road Ice Cream. Enjoy!

WATERMELON SORBET

This came from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 8 servings.

The recipe began, “This fresh sorbet is the perfect dessert for a tropical meal.”

Ingredients

1/2 cup plus 4 cups seeded and pureed watermelon

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon lime zest

Directions

In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup watermelon puree and sugar to simmer and remove it from heat. Add lime juice and zest and allow mixture to cool for 20 minutes. Add the 4 cups fresh watermelon puree to melon-lime mixture, then freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.

BEST PINEAPPLE ORANGE SORBET

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been on several bulletin boards over the years (mainly feminist bulletin boards), and find others’ nicknames on the boards interesting. This was posted on a long-since-forgotten-emailing-list by hungry kitten and was from mydailymoment.com. Hungrykitten wrote, “I like this recipe because you don't need an ice cream maker. Cooking time is freezing time.” Time: 2 1/4 hours; 15 min prep; serves 10.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 cups orange juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 (20 ounce) can pineapple, crushed

2 teaspoons orange zest, freshly grated

In a medium saucepan, bring water and sugar to a simmer over medium high heat until sugar is dissolved.

Directions

In a blender, puree pineapple with its juice until smooth. Transfer to a metal bowl, and stir in lemon juice, orange juice, and orange zest. Freeze until slightly firm, but not frozen and process mixture again in the blender until smooth. Transfer to a freezer container and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

RED, WHITE & BLUE POPSICLES

This is from Matt Abdoo and was posted on the TODAY Show’s site. Matt wrote, “Who doesn't love a popsicle? Especially when it's homemade with real fruit! They're easy to eat, a fun dessert and can be color customized to suit the summer celebration. Technique tip: Use silicone molds that will release the popsicles easy.

“Swap option: Swap out raspberries for strawberries or use frozen fruit.”

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time 3 hours; Yield: 6 popsicles

To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/red-white-blue-popsicles-recipe-t154820.

Ingredients

Red Layer

1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries

1 teaspoon cane sugar

White Layer

1 cup coconut milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cane sugar

Blue Layer

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1 teaspoon cane sugar

Preparation

Place the empty popsicle molds in the freezer.

For the red layer:

Puree the strawberries with the sugar in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a container that is easy to pour out of and reserve.

For the white layer:

Whisk together the coconut milk, sugar and vanilla and transfer to a container that is easy to pour out of and reserve.

For the blue layer:

Puree the blueberries with the sugar in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a container that is easy to pour out of and reserve.

To assemble:

Remove the popsicle molds from the freezer and evenly pour the strawberry puree first into the molds. Place the molds in the freezer and allow freezing for one hour or until firm.

Once the strawberry layer has set up, remove the molds from the freezer and evenly pour in the coconut mixture and return the molds to the freezer and allow freezing for 1 hour or until firm.

Finally remove the popsicle molds from the freezer a final time and evenly pour in the final blueberry layer, then insert the popsicle handles and return to the freezer for an additional hour or until the final layer has set. Keep the popsicles in the freezer to fully freeze until ready to serve.

KEY LIME PIE POPS

This was on the TODAY website, and starts off, “Turn your favorite summer pie into an easy creamy lime and graham cracker frozen treat.

"Technique tip: You don't need fancy ice pop molds to make these pops. Try using basic tools you already have in your kitchen, such as small paper cups, a loaf pan, large ice cube trays or even empty yogurt containers.

“Swap option: To give these pops a chocolaty twist, swap 16 chocolate wafer cookies for the graham crackers.”

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

6 graham crackers

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

4 ounces (1/2 package) cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1 cup heavy cream, very cold

Twelve 3-ounce paper cups

12 wooden craft sticks

Preparation

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the graham crackers to form fine crumbs. Add the butter and pulse to combine.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on low speed until smooth. With the mixer running, gradually add the sweetened condensed milk, then the lime zest and juice.

Add the cream, then increase the speed until mixture is thick and soft peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Divide among the cups (about 5 tablespoons per cup). Top with the graham mixture and lightly press down to flatten.

Transfer the cups to a small, rimmed baking sheet and push a craft stick halfway down into each cup. Freeze until firm, at least 6 hours.

When ready to serve, peel the cups away from the pops.

HOMEMADE ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM

This comes from the almost-infamous long-since-forgotten-email-list. While I don’t remember who sent this to the list, but whoever sent it in wrote, “I love this ice cream, very creamy and I'd say it tastes better than store bought. Hope you like it as much as we do!!” Time: 45 min; 5 min prep; serves 10 - 12

Ingredients

2 cups 2% low-fat milk

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows (or if you REALLY like them you can use half a bag like I do!)

2/3 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

Directions

Mix all ingredients together in cylinder of ice cream maker; freeze according to manufacturers directions.

Allow to set in freezer for 2-4 hours.

STRAWBERRY 'ICE CREAM' CAKE

Of course, it does help to have the occasional dessert, right? This one, from page 80 of the March 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times, starts off, “Sssshhh … don’t tell kids this delicious dessert is actually just good-for-them yogurt and fruit with a few graham crackers and waffle cones thrown in for crunch.” I'm not telling, if you're not! Serves 12.

To view this yummy recipe online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/strawberry-ice-cream-cake/.

Ingredients

15 full graham crackers

5 waffle cones

1 20-oz. bag whole frozen strawberries

1 32-oz. container honey-flavored Greek yogurt

2 Tbs. honey

Directions

Line 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and set aside.

Pulse graham crackers in food processor with 1 to 2 tsp. water until crumbly and moist. Transfer to bowl.

Pulse waffle cones in food processor until crumbly. Transfer to separate bowl.

Bring strawberries to a simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until soft and liquid starts to fill bottom of pan. Cool completely.

Stir together yogurt and honey. Set aside.

Press graham cracker crumbs on bottom of prepared springform pan. Spread half of yogurt, then half of strawberries, then half of crumbled waffle cones in pan. Repeat layering, ending with a sprinkling of waffle cones. Freeze at least 3 hours, or until frozen. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

nutritional information Per Per slice: Calories: 250; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 39 g; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Sodium: 107 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 25 g

Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's yummy recipes include Apricot-Orange Chicken with Glazed Onions and Strawberry “Ice Cream” Cake. Enjoy!

MEXICAN-STYLE STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

This also comes from the November 2014 issue of Heart Insight Magazine. This one begins, “In this Latin twist on stuffed bell peppers, black beans replace the traditional rice and salsa stands in for the standard tomato sauce.” Serves 4; 1 stuffed bell pepper per serving.

To view this online, go to http://heartinsight.heart.org/November-2014/Mexican-Style-Stuffed-Bell-Peppers/.

Ingredients

4 large red or green bell peppers, or a combination, stems, seeds, and ribs discarded, tops chopped and reserved

Cooking spray

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 medium garlic cloves, minced

8 ounces 95% fat-free ground beef

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup salsa (lowest sodium available)

1 cup canned no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided use

1/4 cup low-fat shredded 4-cheese Mexican blend

1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a microwave oven, place the bell peppers with the cut side up on a paper towel. Microwave on 100% power (high) for 4–5 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Transfer with the cut side up to a 9-inch square baking dish or shallow casserole dish.

Meanwhile, lightly spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Cook the chopped bell pepper tops, onion, and garlic for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the beef. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to turn and break up the beef. Discard any drippings.

Sprinkle the beef mixture with the chili powder, cumin, and salt. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the salsa. Remove from the heat.

Gently stir in the beans and cup cilantro. Spoon the beef mixture into the peppers. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle the Mexican blend cheese over the beef mixture. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Top the peppers with the sour cream. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro.

HUNGARIAN CABBAGE WITH NOODLES

This recipe is from Barbara Rolek on The Spruce Eats. Barbara wrote, “This Hungarian comfort-food dish known as kaposztás tészta is a simple recipe to make, consisting of cabbage, onion, butter, egg noodles, salt, and pepper.

“Cabbage with noodles is a popular and easy dish common throughout Eastern Europe. In Poland, it's called kapusta z kluski or hałuski, in the Czech Republic, it's known as nudle s zelí, and Slovaks call it haluski (without the accent on the "L" as in Polish).

“This can be a strictly vegetarian dish, sometimes with added sautéed mushrooms, or can be enhanced with bacon or other smoked meat, and it makes a terrific side dish or main-course offering that holds up well on a buffet table. If this recipe doesn't tickle your fancy, there are many more Eastern European cabbage recipes to choose from.

Total: 50 mins; Prep: 20 mins; Cook: 30 mins; Yield: 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 large head cabbage (cored and shredded)

1 large onion (chopped)

8 ounces butter (2 sticks)

Salt (to taste)

Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

1 pound medium Hungarian egg noodles (homemade or store-bought, cooked)

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, sauté cabbage and onion in butter until golden brown and tender.

Season with salt and pepper.

Mix with cooked egg noodles. Adjust seasonings and rewarm if necessary to serve piping hot.

Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Variations

Add 1 cup sliced button, cremini or other mushrooms to the skillet with the cabbage and onion, and cook until they are all golden brown and tender.

Before serving, add 1 cup cooked, crumbled or diced bacon to the cabbage, onion, and noodles mixture.

After mixing the cabbage and onion with the noodles, add 1 cup chopped ham combining well and rewarm to serve hot.

More Hungarian Noodle Recipes

Basic Hungarian Noodle Dough Recipe: This egg dough can be transformed into thin noodles, wide noodles and everything in between.

Tarhonya or Grated Egg Noodles Recipe: These noodles are made by grating chunks of noodle dough instead of rolling and cutting. They are dried and used in soups or browned in butter as a side dish.

More About Hungarian Noodles

Hungarian egg noodles, known as Magyar tojasos teszta (MAHG-yahr toy-YAH-shohss TESS-tah) or metelt (MEH-telt), come in a staggering number of varieties, rivaled possibly only by Italian pasta.

Hungarians roll them, cut them, pinch them, grate them, and drop them. There's a noodle for every dish and a dish for every noodle.

Teszta is actually the Hungarian word for "dough" and metelt means "noodles," but they are used interchangeably.

When the word tojasos is added, we're talking about egg noodles, the pride of Hungarian cuisine. They are made with three simple ingredients—flour, eggs, and salt—and, in some kitchens, not even any salt.

No water or oil is added to authentic Hungarian noodle recipes because many cooks feel the addition of water creates longer drying times and increases the potential for the noodles to mold when stored.

BEST EVER NO FAT BANANA BREAD

This came from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Serves: 16; Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 egg substitutes

1/4 cup water or soymilk

1 2/3 cups flour of choice (I use whole wheat)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

cinnamon to taste (I use several shakes worth)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees & spray a 9 inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray. If using a standard loaf pan, increase heat to 350.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together first five ingredients until well incorporated.

In a medium bowl, mix the remaining ingredients.

Dump flour mixture into the wet and stir just until uniformly moist. DO NOT OVERMIX! Depending on the type of flour you use, you may need to add a little extra water or soymilk to reach the right consistency. The dough should be somewhere in between pancake batter and cookie dough.

Dump into prepared pan and give it a couple shakes to distribute the batter.

Place on the middle oven rack and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes. (If using a standard loaf pan, increase baking time.) Check the bread at around 30 minutes. It is done when just starting to brown around the edges and still a little moist looking in the middle. Allow to cool ten minutes before cutting into squares or slices.

The recipe ends with, “Cover and hide the bread so no one else eats it!!”

APRICOT-ORANGE CHICKEN WITH GLAZED ONIONS

Yield: 4 servings; Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe

Source: Express Lane Diabetic Cooking

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/9.shtml

View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/454.shtml

Ingredients

1 whole roasted deli chicken, skinned

3 tablespoons no-added-sugar apricot preserves, divided

3 tablespoons no-added-sugar orange marmalade, divided

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided

Nonstick cooking spray

1 large onion, quartered

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In small bowl, blend 1 tablespoon each apricot preserves, marmalade, and vinegar.

Place chicken in baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Add water to pan to a depth of 1/4-1/2 inch. Brush chicken with preserve mixture. Combine the remaining preserves, marmalade, vinegar, onion, and garlic and spoon around the chicken.

Roast, covered, for 25 minutes. Uncover and roast for 10 more minutes, until onion is tender.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 278; Protein: 34 g; Sodium: 110 mg; Cholesterol: 100 mg; Fat: 9 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g; Exchanges: 1 Carbohydrate, 4 Lean Meat

OLD-FASHIONED MEATLOAF

This comes from Verywellfit, and begins, “This lighter meatloaf recipe is similar to the one most of us enjoyed during our childhoods, but without all of the extra fat. Choose a lean ground beef or, better yet, ground turkey to cut down on the fat. And since you can't make meatloaf without breadcrumbs, why not replace the white, unrefined with whole wheat for added fiber? Also, using two egg whites in place of one whole egg will reduce the calories and fat while still helping to bind the mixture together.”

Total Time: 70; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground meat (85% to 90% lean, or ground turkey)

1 cup breadcrumbs (whole wheat)

1/4 cup onion (finely chopped or 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes)

2 cloves garlic (minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon sage

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup water (or low-fat milk)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Mix well, using your hands, but don't overmix because you will toughen the meat.

Turn mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake for about 1 hour.

To be sure the meatloaf is done, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the center of the loaf. The temperature should register 155F when it is done.

About 10 to 15 minutes before you think the meatloaf will be done, you can cover it with barbecue sauce if you like.

International Meatloaf

If you are looking for a different kind of meatloaf, try kofta kebabs, a Middle Eastern grilled ground meat recipe. The spices in this meat mixture (traditionally lamb) are a delicious change of pace from the usual. If you don't have the time or inclination to place them on skewers, you can make them into oblong-oval shapes that look like sausages without the casings.

STRAWBERRY 'ICE CREAM' CAKE

Of course, it does help to have the occasional dessert, right? This one, from page 80 of the March 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times, starts off, “Sssshhh … don’t tell kids this delicious dessert is actually just good-for-them yogurt and fruit with a few graham crackers and waffle cones thrown in for crunch.” I'm not telling, if you're not! Serves 12.

To view this yummy recipe online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/strawberry-ice-cream-cake/.

Ingredients

15 full graham crackers

5 waffle cones

1 20-oz. bag whole frozen strawberries

1 32-oz. container honey-flavored Greek yogurt

2 Tbs. honey

Directions

Line 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and set aside.

Pulse graham crackers in food processor with 1 to 2 tsp. water until crumbly and moist. Transfer to bowl.

Pulse waffle cones in food processor until crumbly. Transfer to separate bowl.

Bring strawberries to a simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until soft and liquid starts to fill bottom of pan. Cool completely.

Stir together yogurt and honey. Set aside.

Press graham cracker crumbs on bottom of prepared springform pan. Spread half of yogurt, then half of strawberries, then half of crumbled waffle cones in pan. Repeat layering, ending with a sprinkling of waffle cones. Freeze at least 3 hours, or until frozen. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

nutritional information Per Per slice: Calories: 250; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 39 g; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Sodium: 107 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 25 g

Desserts - Double-Post Thursday

Besides being Diabetic Thursday, it's Double-Post Thursday. Since next Thursday is Thanksgiving, today's double post deals with desserts, any of which would be wonderful for your Thanksgiving meal (or any time, for that matter), including Cast-Iron Apple and Blackberry Crumble and Strawberry Pie. Enjoy!

MINI CHURRO DOUGHNUT HOLES

This yummy recipe is from Old El Paso, and begins, “This DIY version of fair food goes bite-size and gets an added flavor boost from caramel.”

By Pillsbury Kitchens

Total Time: 15 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Servings: 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Canola oil for deep-frying

1/2 cup cinnamon-sugar

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Flaky Layers refrigerated Original biscuits

Caramel sauce, if desired

Instructions

Fill 3-quart saucepan one-third full with oil. Heat over medium heat to about 350°F. Line plate with paper towels; set aside.

In small bowl, stir together cinnamon-sugar and powdered sugar; set aside.

Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Split each biscuit into 2 rounds; place on cutting board. Using very small doughnut-hole cutter or mouth of an empty bottle, cut out mini-sized doughnut holes.

When oil is hot, carefully drop a few of the doughnut holes into oil at a time. (See Tip.) Using slotted metal spoon or kitchen spider, continuously turn holes over and over until golden brown. Remove from oil; place on paper towel-lined plate to drain. Immediately place holes in sugar mixture; coat completely. Serve doughnut holes immediately drizzled with caramel sauce.

Expert Tips

The safest way to fry is to bring your hand close to the oil and gently drop in the dough versus quickly dropping and splashing the oil.

To prep ahead by a few hours, you can cut the dough and store it in a zipper-topped plastic bag in the fridge.

STRAWBERRY PIE



Over the summer, my daughter and I checked out a local fruit stand and came away with a quart of strawberries. They were on sale for $3 for a quart, so how could we pass them up?

Of course, then we had to decide what to do with all these yummy strawberries. And what better use for them than in a pie? So, here goes what I made.



Ingredients

1 quart strawberries

1 C sugar

3 Tablespoons corn start

3/4 cup hot water

1 pie crust

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place pie crust in an ungreased pie pan. Using a fork, pierce crust a couple of times (though don't go overboard), and bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until lightly brown.

Note: If you're using a store-bought pie crust, bake until brown according to the package directions.

Wash strawberries. Cut up half of the berries (about 1 pint) and arrange in pie crust. You don't need to cut the strawberries too small; maybe in half or, for larger strawberries, in fourths.

Mash the remaining berries and place in a medium saucepan. Pour sugar over the strawberries in the pan and combine. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

In a small bowl, whisk hot water and cornstarch together, then stir into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat, then simmer until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour thickened mixture over berries in pie crust. Chill for several hours before serving. Oh, and be sure to share!

CAST-IRON APPLE AND BLACKBERRY CRUMBLE

This is from Matt Abdoo and was posted on the TODAY Show’s site. Matt wrote, “My dad used to make this for me growing up! Apples from upstate New York are some of the best in the country. They always added the perfect amount of tartness and sweetness to this crispy crumble.

“Technique tip: Use your favorite apples for a signature taste and to make it your own.

“Swap option: Pears work great and so do peaches! You can also use a 10- by 15-inch baking dish if not using the grill.”

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 12

To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/cast-iron-apple-blackberry-crumble-recipe-t154818.

Ingredients

Crumble Topping

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 packs (1 cup) apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal

1 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, grated

Apple Filling

2 pounds honey crisp apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 pound granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 pint blackberries

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

Pre-heat oven or grill to 350°F.

For the crumble topping:

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine flour, apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal, chopped pecans, light brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cold grated butter until it forms a coarse crumble.

For the apple filling:

In another large mixing bowl combine the apples with melted butter, flour, corn starch, lemon juice, light brown sugar, salt and spices and toss to fully coat the apples. Next fold in the blackberries and pour the apple mixture into a 12-inch cast iron pan.

To assemble:

Fully coat the top of the apple mixture with the crumble topping and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crumble topping is golden brown and the apples are tender.

Allow the crumble to cool slightly, and then serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Or chill overnight and serve cold.

SIMPLEST STRAWBERRY TART

This comes from Emily Weinstein in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Emily wrote, “This gorgeous tart is adapted from "Sweeter Off the Vine," by Yossy Arefi, a cookbook of fruit desserts for every season. It's an ideal vehicle for the ripest strawberries at the height of the season, a dessert that makes more of a splash than just serving berries and cream but still has that simple charm. The only tricky part is the crust, which could crack as you transfer it to a serving board. But if that happens, don't despair. It's meant to be effortlessly loose and casual, and you can cover the damage with swirls of mascarpone and a blanket of berries.”

Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour, plus 2 hours’ chilling.

This was featured in “’Sweeter Off the Vine’: A Cookbook Made for Instagram,” and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018052-simplest-strawberry-tart.

Ingredients

For the Rye Crust:

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup rye flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

9 tablespoons/ very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash

For the Tart:

1 cup mascarpone, at room temperature

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 pound small, sweet strawberries

3 tablespoons high-quality strawberry jam

Preparation

Prepare the crust: Whisk the flours and salt together in a large bowl. Combine apple cider vinegar with 5 tablespoons ice water.

Working quickly, add butter to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Use your fingers or the palms of your hands to press each cube of butter into the flour, ensuring that each butter piece gets coated, until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size lumps. If at any time the butter seems warm or soft, briefly refrigerate the bowl. Alternatively, you can pulse the butter and flour together in a food processor.

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the cold vinegar-water mixture over the flour mixture. Use a gentle hand or wooden spoon to stir the water into the flour until just combined. If using a food processor, pulse a few more times, or until the dough begins to come together. If the dough seems dry, add more of the cold vinegar-water mixture, a couple of teaspoons at a time. You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough and easily squeeze it together without it falling apart.

Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight. (Dough keeps for up to 3 months in the freezer wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Thaw in refrigerator before using.)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 degrees.

On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll out the pie crust into an oval about 15 x 6 inches and just under 1/4-inch thick. Use a paring knife or pastry cutter to trim any rough edges and move the parchment paper and crust to a baking sheet, preferably rimless. Dock the crust with a fork to prevent it from puffing up too much in the oven. Brush the surface of the crust from edge to edge with the egg wash.

Bake until crust is deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Check on the crust halfway through baking; if any bubbles have appeared, use a spatula to press them flat. Cool the crust completely on the pan.

Prepare the tart: While the crust is cooling, combine mascarpone and 2 tablespoons sugar. Hull the strawberries and cut them into 1/4-inch slices.

Carefully slide the cooled crust off the baking sheet onto a serving platter or board. Spread mascarpone over the top in an even layer, dot with jam, then arrange sliced strawberries in a single, slightly overlapping layer in a decorative pattern. Sprinkle the tart with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. (Omit this final sprinkling if your strawberries are particularly sweet.) Slice and serve immediately.

STRAWBERRY 'ICE CREAM' CAKE

Of course, it does help to have the occasional dessert, right? This one, from page 80 of the March 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times, starts off, “Sssshhh … don’t tell kids this delicious dessert is actually just good-for-them yogurt and fruit with a few graham crackers and waffle cones thrown in for crunch.” I'm not telling, if you're not! Serves 12.

To view this yummy recipe online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/strawberry-ice-cream-cake/.

15 full graham crackers

5 waffle cones

1 20-oz. bag whole frozen strawberries

1 32-oz. container honey-flavored Greek yogurt

2 Tbs. honey

Line 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and set aside.

Pulse graham crackers in food processor with 1 to 2 tsp. water until crumbly and moist. Transfer to bowl.

Pulse waffle cones in food processor until crumbly. Transfer to separate bowl.

Bring strawberries to a simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until soft and liquid starts to fill bottom of pan. Cool completely.

Stir together yogurt and honey. Set aside.

Press graham cracker crumbs on bottom of prepared springform pan. Spread half of yogurt, then half of strawberries, then half of crumbled waffle cones in pan. Repeat layering, ending with a sprinkling of waffle cones. Freeze at least 3 hours, or until frozen. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

nutritional information Per Per slice: Calories: 250; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 39 g; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Sodium: 107 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 25 g

SHORTCUT PEACH COBBLER

This is from Diana Rattray on The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, “This peach cobbler has long been a popular way to make a cobbler quickly. This version is made with canned sliced peaches, and it's perfect for when you don't have time to peel and pit several peaches. Or when peaches aren't in season.

“The batter calls for self-rising flour, but if you don't have it you may substitute with 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of table salt.

“This is an excellent dessert to make on a busy day, and it's a popular cobbler in the South. Take it along to a summer cookout or potluck!”

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Timie: 50 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Yield: 1 9X13 pan (8 servings)

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 stick (4 ounces) butter

1 cup self-rising flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup milk (low-fat is fine)

1 large can (29 ounces) sliced peaches in heavy syrup

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 F.

Put the butter in a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan or a 2 1/2 to 3 quart baking dish and place it in the oven until the butter has melted.

Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl and stir to blend. Stir in the milk until well blended.

Take the pan out of the oven and pour the batter over the butter.

Spoon the peaches with syrup evenly over the batter.

Bake the peach cobbler for 45 to 55 minutes, until the topping is golden brown around the edges and lightly browned in the center.