Author Archives: ginnyalbert1951

Mom’s Whoopie Pies

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1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 egg yolks, beaten

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 tablespoons cocoa

2 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Cream together the shortening and sugar. Add beaten egg yolks. SFILLINGift dry ingredients together and add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk and vanilla. Mix well.

Drop by teaspoonful onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.  Cool on racks, then put together with filling and wrap each in waxed paper.

Filling:

1 cup sifted confectioners sugar

3/4 stick softened butter

1/2 small jar marshmallow fluff

Mix all ingredients together and spread between two cookies.

Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

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4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

1 rib celery, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and pepper

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2-1/2 cups chicken or turkey broth

1/4 cup heavy cream (I use canned milk)

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1-1/2 cups cooked, shredded, skinless turkey meat

1/2 cup frozen peas

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 large egg

Preheat oven to 375. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Warm butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not brown.

Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Whisk in cream (or milk). Add thyme and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 8 minutes, until thick. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Remove from heat and stir in turkey, peas and parsley. Divide mixture among 4 8-ounce ramekins. Place on baking sheet. Place puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Slice into four squares and place over ramekins. (These can be bagged and frozen for later at this point.)

Whisk egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush pastry with egg mixture.

Bake until pastry is deep golden and turkey filling bubbles, about 35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes, then serve. (If I am baking from freezer, I put in oven during the preheating process and start timing when oven reaches 375.)

This appeared in the November 30, 2014 Parade Magazine.

Roquefort and Pear Salad

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head leaf lettuce, torn into bitesize pieces
3 pears peeled, cored and chopped
5 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled
1 avocado peeled, pitted, and diced
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup pecans
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a skillet over medium heat, stir 1/4 cup of sugar together with the pecans. Add a teaspoon of water.  Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto waxed paper. Allow to cool, and break into pieces.
2. For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, mustard, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. In a large serving bowl, layer lettuce, pears, blue cheese, avocado, and green
onions. Pour dressing over salad, sprinkle with pecans, and serve.

Asian-Style Three Bean Salad

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1 pound string beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 10-ounce bag frozen shelled endamame (green soy beans)
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup 100 percent fruit apricot preserves
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 scallions, sliced
Salt

Put the string beans and frozen endamame into a steamer basket and steam them for 4 minutes. Transfer the beans to a large bowl and put them into the refrigerator to cool for 15 minutes or longer.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, apricot preserves, sugar and ginger. Add the black beans and scallions to the other beans, drizzle with dressing, and toss to coat. Season with salt, to taste.

Makes 8 servings; 181 calories per serving.

From Ellie Krieger, The Food Network

Black Forest Pie

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1 Ready Crust Graham Cracker Pie Crust
1 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup nondairy whipped topping, thawed
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling, chilled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cream cheese until fluffy; add sugar and cocoa, mix well. Add egg and almond extract.

With a spatula, scrape filling into crust, spread evenly.

Bake 35 minutes. Cook and refrigerate. Just before serving top with nondairy whipped topping and cherry pie filling.

Fudge Topped Peanut Butter Pie

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1 Ready Crust Graham Cracker Pie Crust
1 package (4 serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 8 ounce container sour cream
3/4 cup milk
1 package Reese's Peanut Butter chips divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 12-ounce jar chocolate fudge topping

Whisk together the pudding mix, sour cream and milk in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Place 1-1/3 cups peanut butter chips and oil in microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high 45 seconds or until smooth. Using hand mixer, gradually add to pudding mixture; spread evenly into crust.

Spread chocolate fudge over top of pie; cover and refrigerate 3 hours. Prior to serving top with remaining peanut butter chips.

Sausage & Pepper Pizza

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2 each hot and sweet Italian sausage links (about 10 ounces each)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 small bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow) seeded, cut into strips
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound frozen pizza dough, thawed
3/4 cup marinara or pizza sauce
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Cut sausages into 1/2 inch thick slices. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add sausages. Cook 4 minutes, tossing several times, until no longer pink on he outside. Add pepper strips and pepper; continue to cook 3 minutes, tossing or until peppers are slightly softened. Remove from heat; let mixture cool.

Flatten and stretch or roll out dough into a 13 inch round and transfer to a lightly oiled pizza pan. Spread sauce on dough to within 1 inch of edge. Scatter half the cheese over sauce, then top with sausage mixture; scatter remaining mozzarella on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan if using.

Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, and edges of pizza are well browned and crusty, about 10 minutes. Cut into 8 slices.

Open-Faced Tuna and Artichoke Melt

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1/2 cup canned artichoke hearts, without oil, about four pieces, drained and chopped
1/4 cup scallions chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 ounces water-packed albacore tuna fish, drained and flaked
2 average whole-wheat English muffins, split
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat broiler.

Combine first eight ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Divide the mixture evenly among muffin halves; sprinkle with cheese.

Place on baking sheet. Broil 5 inches from heat until golden brown, 5 minutes.

Weight Watchers – 6 points per serving, makes two servings.

Key Lime Pie

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1 box (0.3 ounces) sugar-free lime-flavor gelatin
1/4 cup boiling water
2 containers (8 ounces each) key lime pie-flavor light yogurt
1 contained (8 ounces) frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
1 prepared 9" reduced-fat graham cracker pie crust

In a large heat-resistant bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. With wire whisk, stir in yogurt; with wooden spoon, fold in whipped topping.

Transfer mixture to a prepared crust. Refrigerate overnight or at least two hours.

Weight Watchers – 3 -points per serving (Makes 8 servings)

Hot Crab, Artichoke & Jalapeno Dip with Pita Triangles

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1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 14 ounce cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped finely
2 cups bottled mayonnaise
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/2 cup drained and chopped bottled pimiento, or roasted red pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 bottled pickled jalapeño peppers, or to taste, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 pound crab meat, picked over
1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
Pita triangles, recipe follows

In a small heavy skillet cook the bell pepper in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Cool. In a large bowl combine the bell pepper, artichokes, mayonnaise, scallions, pimiento, Parmesan, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, jalapeño peppers and celery salt. Blend the mixture until it is combined well and stir in the crab meat gently. Transfer to a buttered oven proof 2 quart chafing dish or baking dish and sprinkle it with the almonds. The dip may be prepared up to this point one day in advance and kept covered and chilled.

Bake the dip in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden and the mixture is bubbly. Serve with pita triangles

Pita Triangles

8 large pita loaves, with pickets
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
salt

Cut each pita loaf into 8 wedges and separate each wedge into 2 triangles. Arrange the triangles, rough side up in 1 tight layer in a jellyroll pan, brush lightly with butter, and season with salt. Bake the triangles in the upper third of a preheated 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until they are crisp and light golden, and let them cool in the pans. The triangles may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered in an airtight container at room temperature. Yield 128 triangles.

From Gourmet Magazine