Thursday, December 28, 2006

Loaf Potion # 9 from Eat, Shrink & Be Merry


1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. oat bran
½ c lightly packed brown sugar
1 tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
2/3 c. chopped dried cranberries
1/3 c. chopped walnuts or chopped pecans
1 c. low fat plain yogurt
3 tbs. vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tbs. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 tsp. grated orange zest
1 c. each grated carrot and grated, unpeeled zucchini

Preheat oven to 350°F, Spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, oat bran, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Make sure you get all of the lumps out of the brown sugar. Stir in cranberries and nuts.

In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, eggs, orange juice concentrate and orange zest. Stir in carrots and zucchini. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake on middle oven rack for 45 to 50 minutes or until loaf is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean.

Cool loaf in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove loaf from pan and cool completely on rack. Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator. To serve, cut loaf into 8 thick slices, then cut each slice in half. (This is easier than trying to cut 16 pieces. )

Notes: I double the recipe and made three smaller loafes and 4 mini loafs from this recipe. It's quite good and again no nuts here. You can go to Eat, Shrink & Be Merry for other recipes on their site. They also have a link to their other cookbook sites and other free recipes.

Becel Tart from Becal.ca



Preparation Time : 20 minutes
Baking Time: 22 minutes
Makes :10 tarts

Pastry
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cups Becel margarine
3 tbsp ice water
1 tsp white vinegar
Filling
1/2 cups corn syrup
1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp Becel margarine, melted
1 tsp each vanilla and white vinegar
1/2 cups raisins, preferably sultanas

1. Preheat oven to 375 F (190C). Spray using non-stick cooking spray, 10 preferably non-stick, muffin tin cups. In a medium bowl, stir flour with salt. Using your finger tips or pastry cutter, mix in Becel just until large crumbs begin to form. Whisk water with vinegar. While stirring flour mixture with a fork, gradually add just enough water mixture for dough to come together. Gather into a ball and place on a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic wrap overtop, then use plastic to flatten dough into a disc. Seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, whisk corn syrup with brown sugar, egg, vanilla, Becel, vanilla and vinegar. Roll out dough about ¼-inch (0.5 cm) thick. Then cut out 10 (4 to 4 1/2-inch/10 to 11-cm) circles, using a lightly flour glass or circle cutter. Press circles into muffin cups. Divide raisins among tart shells. Then fill with corn syrup mixture.

3. Bake until a deep golden, 22 to 25 minutes. Let stand a couple of minutes. Then remove to a rack to cool.

Notes: I didn't make my own pastry for this one, I was in a rush and bought premade tart shells. The tart shells were small so this make about 16 tarts with the filling. They turned out great, I wasn't sure and I did try one or two which is a no-no since I'm still watching my blood sugars but they were yummy.

Chocolate Haystacks from Cooks.com



2 c. sugar

1/3 c. cocoa

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. butter

3 1/2 c. rolled oats

1 c. flaked coconut

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Dash salt
In saucepan bring first 4 ingredients to a full boil. Remove from heat; stir in remaining ingredients. Drop quickly from spoon onto waxed paper; cool.

Notes: Easy recipe, the original called for 1/2c. walnuts, chopped but because of allergies I leave nuts out of all my dishes. Sweet and decadent.

Dilly Beloved from Eat, Shrink & Be Merry


Baked chicken breast with maple, mustard, lemon and dill.

Marinade:
¼ c. pure maple syrup
3 tbs. grainy Dijon mustard
2 tbs. minced fresh dill
2 tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 tsp. minced garlic
¼ tsp. each salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Whisk together all marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Arrange chicken breasts in a glass or ceramic baking dish that’s just large enough to hold the chicken breast in a single layer. Pour marinade over chicken. Turn pieces to coat both sides with marinade. Cover with plastic warp and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic wrap and transfer casserole dish to middle oven rack. Bake, uncovered, for about 35 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the center.

Spoon sauce from bottom of pan over chicken and serve immediately.

Notes: I didn't have dill for this recipe, so I didn't use it. I forgot I had a fresh lemon and used bottled stuff. It took a little longer than 35 minutes to cook and was pretty good. It was very lemony and the kids didn't like it at all. So I'm not sure I'll use this one again unless I leave out the lemon or don't use as much. And quite honestly it didn't look all that appealing but at least it's healthy for you.

Aunt Teen's Creamy Chocolate Fudge

I found this recipe a couple of years ago and have found it to be the best fudge recipe I've come across. It is sooo good!

Aunt Teen's Creamy Chocolate Fudge
From Allrecipes.com
Prep Time: 10 MinutesCook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 30 MinutesYields: 48 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow
creme
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate
chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
1. Line an 8x8 inch pan with aluminum foil. Set aside.
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine marshmallow cream, sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt. Bring to a full boil, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat and pour in semisweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours, or until firm.

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

Pretty in pink - strawberry flavoured cupbakes with strawberry cream cheese frosting- great for Mother's Day, birthdays and more.

1 pkg. light spreadable cream cheese
1 pkg. strawberry flavoured jelly powder
3 eggs
1/3 cup. oil
1 pkg. Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe French Vanilla Cake Mix
1 c. water
24 large Rynolds Baking Cups

Strawberry Frosting:
1 tub Duhcan Hines Creamy Home-STyle Cream Cheese Frosting
3 tbs. strawberry jam

Beat in large bowl with electric mixer, cream cheese and jelly powder, until smooth. Beat in eggs and oil. Add cake mix and water, beat on loiw speed until combined. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Spoon batter 1/4 ful inot pan lined with baking cups.

Bake in 350°F oven about 18 minutes, unti ltester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely on rack. Stir together cream cheese frosting and jam. Spread about a table spoon on each cupcake. Makes 24 frosted cupcakes.

Per cupcake: 238 Cal.

Notes:

I made a cake and in a 9 inch springform pan, it took about 40-45 minutes to cook and I used cream cheese frosting.

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2c. soft margarine
2 tbs. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
powdered sugar

Cream margarine and cream cheese. Add vanilla and milk. Blend in powdered sugar until desired consistency.