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03-04-10

Roasted Figs with Fresh Ricotta

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:
6 to 8 Mission figs, halved
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 tablespoons honey
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch kosher salt
Fresh ricotta or fat free Greek yogurt, for serving

Directions: 
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the figs, cut side up, in a baking dish. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, and whisk in the honey, cinnamon and salt. Drizzle the hot honey butter over the figs and roast in oven until very soft, 10 to 15 minutes.

Divide the fresh ricotta or fat free yogurt among 4 serving dishes and top with the warm figs and sauce. Enjoy!

Cook’s Note: These hot figs are really great over mixed greens or even on a toasted baguette as a crostini!

02-15-10

Mini Strawberry Mascarpone Tarts

Makes 12 mini tarts

Ingredients:
8 ounces frozen pizza dough, thawed
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
8 large strawberries, hulled and finely diced
4 ounces mascarpone cheese, whipped

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

In a small bowl add 1/2 cup of sugar and the salt. Stir to combine and pour about half of it evenly onto a work surface. With your hands, press the dough into the sugar and roll out into a flat disk, about 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 of the sugar evenly over the top of the dough and press it a few times to adhere. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a thickness of about 1/8-inch, turning and flipping as you roll to incorporate the sugar into the dough and to keep it from sticking to the surface. With a 3-inch round cutter, cut out 12 dough rounds and arrange them on the lined baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake until crisp and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool the crisp rounds completely on the pan.

Meanwhile, pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer until thick and syrupy, about 4 minutes; it should still swirl in the pan. If too thick, simply add about a teaspoon of balsamic, stir, and remove from the heat.

Put the strawberries in a small bowl and sprinkle them with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Let them stand until juicy, 5 to 10 minutes. To assemble the tarts, spread about 2 teaspoons mascarpone on each crisp dough round with a spoon or small offset spatula. Using a spoon to drain any excess liquid, put about 1 tablespoon of diced strawberries on the top of each tart. Drizzle a little balsamic syrup over the tarts and serve immediately.

Cook’s Note: The sugared dough scraps can be tossed with cinnamon and baked in the 400 degree F oven until browned and crisp as a treat for the little ones. Leftover strawberries or balsamic syrup are delicious over ice cream!

02-04-10

German-Style Mango Cake

Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients:

01-26-10

Apple Dumplings

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:

01-10-10

Mascarpone-Filled Fresh Strawberries

Makes 20 Servings

Ingredients:
1 quart fresh strawberries
1 container (8 oz) mascarpone cheese
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Sliced almonds

Directions:
1. Using larger strawberries, trim tops and bottoms of strawberries to level. Using small melon baller, scoop out center of each strawberry.
2. In medium bowl, mix cheese, powdered sugar, milk and extract until smooth. Spoon cheese mixture into small resealable food freezer plastic bag or pastry bag fitted with star tip; seal bag. Cut small hole in bottom corner of plastic bag. Squeeze bag to pipe cheese mixture into strawberries; top with almonds.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 60 calories; 3.5 g fat; 0 g fiber

01-10-10

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Makes 16 Servings

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chopped walnuts
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
TOPPING:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 jar (10 ounces) Seedless Raspberry Preserves
Fresh raspberries and fresh mint leaves, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir in nuts. Add eggs and oil; mix well. Pat dough into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan.
In a small bowl, stir together cream cheese, sugar and egg; spread over dough. Drop raspberry preserves by teaspoonfuls onto cream cheese mixture, about 1 in. apart. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Garnish with raspberries and mint if desired.

Berry Cream Cheese Muffins: Prepare dough as instructed above. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Prepare cream cheese topping as instructed above. Drop by tablespoonfuls into the center of each muffin. Drop raspberry preserves by tablespoonfuls into the center of each muffin. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack. Yield: 16 muffins.

Berry Cream Cheese Mini Muffins: Prepare dough as instructed above. Fill greased mini muffin cups two-thirds full. Prepare cream cheese topping as instructed above. Drop by teaspoonfuls into the center of each mini muffin. Drop raspberry preserves by teaspoonfuls into the center of each mini muffin. Bake at 350° for 12-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan to cool on wire rack. Yield: 3 dozen mini muffins.

01-10-10

Mango Napoleons

Makes 6  Servings

Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
3 ripe mangoes, cut into small cubes
3/4 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 400°. On a work surface, unfold the puff pastry and cut into 6 rectangles. Place on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden-brown, about 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 325° and bake for 5 minutes more. Let cool.
2.  Meanwhile, toss together the mangoes and 2 tablespoons sugar; let stand for 5 minutes.
3.  Mix the yogurt with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and the vanilla. Using a serrated knife, halve the baked pastries horizontally. Spread the yogurt-vanilla mixture on the bottom halves, spoon the mango on top and cover with the remaining pastry halves.

01-09-10

Golden Delicious Apple and Cheddar Turnovers with Dried Cranberries

Makes 8 Turnovers

Ingredients: 

• 2 medium Golden Delicious apples, peeled, halved, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups (loosely packed) coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
• Pinch of salt
• 1 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
• 1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water to blend (for glaze)
• Sugar

Directions: 

Toss first 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 400°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Roll out 1 puff pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 11-inch square. Using 5- to 51/2-inch plate or bowl as template, cut out 4 rounds from pastry. Transfer pastry rounds to 1 baking sheet, spacing apart. Repeat with second pastry sheet, placing rounds on second baking sheet. Spoon filling onto half of each pastry round, dividing all of filling among rounds. Brush edges of pastry lightly with some of egg glaze. Fold plain pastry half over filling; press on edges to seal and enclose filling completely, then press tines of fork along pastry edge to create tight seal. Using tip of small sharp knife, cut two 1/2-inch-long slits in top of crust on each turnover. Brush tops with egg glaze, then sprinkle with sugar.

Bake turnovers until crusts are puffed and golden and juices are bubbling through slits in crusts, about 25 minutes. Carefully run metal spatula under turnovers to loosen and transfer to racks to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 417 calories; 25 g fat; 2.5 g fiber; 36 g carbohydrates

01-09-10

Old-Fashioned Mixed-Apple Pie

Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients:
Crust:
3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces, frozen
6 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Filling:
2 1/4 pounds assorted apples (such as Pink Lady, Pippin, and Golden Delicious), peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup golden or dark raisins
2 1/2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 1/2 teaspoons (packed) finely grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into1/2-inch cubes
Milk (for glaze)
1 tablespoon raw sugar*

Directions: 
For crust:
Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening; cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 6 tablespoons ice water and blend just until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 3 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Soften dough 15 minutes at room temperature before rolling out.

Butter 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured work surface to 12- to 13-inch round. Transfer dough to prepared pie dish and press dough onto bottom and up sides of dish, allowing overhang to extend over sides. Roll out second dough disk between sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper to 12- to 13-inch round; transfer dough to baking sheet. Refrigerate both crusts while preparing filling.

For filling:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425°F. Combine all apple wedges, 1/3 cup sugar, raisins, quick-cooking tapioca, grated lemon peel, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and nutmeg in large bowl; toss to blend. Let stand at room temperature until some juices form, tossing occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Place crust-lined pie dish on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over bottom of crust. Transfer apple filling to crust, mounding filling slightly in center. Dot filling with butter cubes. Brush crust edges lightly with water. Remove top parchment sheet from second dough round. Invert dough round atop filling; remove second parchment sheet. Trim dough overhang on both crusts to 1/2 inch. Press crust edges together, then fold under. Using tines of fork, press on crust edge around rim of dish to seal decoratively. Using small sharp knife, cut six 1-inch slits in top crust, then cut out 1/2-inch circle from center of top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush top crust lightly with milk, then sprinkle with raw sugar.

Bake pie 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue to bake pie until crust is golden, apples are tender when pierced, and juices are bubbling thickly through slits in crust, covering crust edges with foil collar if crust is browning too quickly, about 1 hour longer. Transfer pie to rack and cool to lukewarm or room temperature. Cut pie into wedges.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 642 calories; 38.5 g fat; 2.5 g fiber; 67 g carbohydrates

11-24-09

Maple Apple Pandowdy with Dried Cranberries

Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients: 

• 2 3/4 pounds apples (such as Braeburn or Jonagold), peeled, halved, cored, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
• 3/4 tablespoons Grade B pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 14×10-inch oval pie crust
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Vanilla ice cream

Directions:
Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Mix first 5 ingredients in 13×9x2-inch oval baking dish. Dot butter over apple mixture.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 410 calories; 16g fat; 2.5g fiber; 63g carbohydrate