TOP FOOD

Rocky Road Chocolate Cake

 

Ingredients

• 1  (18.25-oz.) package German chocolate cake mix
• 1  (3.9-oz.) package chocolate instant pudding mix
• 3  large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1  cup  sour cream
• 1/3  cup  butter, melted
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 3 1/4  cups  milk, divided
• 1  (3.4-oz.) package chocolate cook-and-serve pudding mix
• 1/2  cup  chopped pecans
• 1 1/2  cups  miniature marshmallows
• 1  cup  semisweet chocolate morsels
• Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Preparation

1. Beat cake mix, next 5 ingredients, and 1 1/4 cups milk at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Pour batter into a lightly greased 4-qt. slow cooker.
2. Cook remaining 2 cups milk in a heavy nonaluminum saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or just until bubbles appear (do not boil); remove from heat.
3. Sprinkle cook-and-serve pudding mix over batter. Slowly pour hot milk over pudding. Cover and cook on LOW 3 1/2 hours.
4. Meanwhile, heat pecans in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant.
5. Turn off slow cooker. Sprinkle cake with pecans, marshmallows, and chocolate morsels. Let stand 15 minutes or until marshmallows are slightly melted. Spoon into dessert dishes, and serve with ice cream, if desired.

 Cooker Lasagna

Ingredients

• 2  28-ounce cans diced tomatoes, drained
• 3  cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4  cup  fresh oregano, chopped
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 16  ounces  fresh ricotta
• 1/2  cup  fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/2  cup  grated Parmesan
• 12  ounces  dry lasagna noodles
• 1  bunch Swiss chard, tough stems removed and torn into large pieces
• 12  ounces  mozzarella, grated

Preparation

In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

In another medium bowl, combine the ricotta, parsley, Parmesan, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Spoon 1/3 cup of the tomato mixture into the bowl of a slow cooker. Top with a single layer of noodles, breaking them to fit as necessary. Add half the Swiss chard. Dollop with a third of the ricotta mixture and a third of the remaining tomato mixture. Sprinkle with a third of the mozzarella. Add another layer of noodles and repeat with the other ingredients. Finish with a layer of noodles and the remaining ricotta mixture, tomato mixture, and mozzarella. Set the slow cooker to low and cook, covered, until the noodles are tender, 2 to 3 hours.

If You Don't Have a Slow Cooker: Heat oven to 375° F. Follow the recipe above using no-boil lasagna noodles in place of the dried ones and layer the ingredients in a Dutch oven or large casserole. Cover and bake until the noodles are tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Easy Burritos

Ingredients

• 1  large onion, sliced into rings
• 1  (3- to 4-pound) sirloin beef roast
• 1/2  cup  water
• 2  (1.25-ounce) packages taco seasoning mix, divided
• 16  (6-inch) flour tortillas
• 4  cups  (16 ounces) shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• Toppings: diced tomatoes, diced onions, sliced jalapeño peppers, sour cream, black beans
• Pico de Gallo

Preparation

Place onion in bottom of a 5-quart slow cooker; add roast and 1/2 cup water. Sprinkle 1 package taco seasoning mix over top of roast.
Cover and cook on high 5 hours. Remove roast, and shred with two forks; return to slow cooker, and stir in remaining package of taco seasoning mix. Cover and cook on high for 30 more minutes or until boiling.
Heat tortillas according to package directions. Using a slotted spoon, spoon beef mixture evenly down center of each tortilla; top with cheese and desired toppings, and roll up. Serve with Pico de Gallo.

Cream-Filled Grilled Pound Cake

Ingredients

• 4  tablespoons  pineapple cream cheese
• 8  (1/2-inch-thick) slices pound cake
• Sweetened whipped cream
• Fresh strawberries and blueberries

Preparation

1. Spread pineapple cream cheese evenly over 1 side of 4 pound cake slices. Top with remaining 4 pound cake slices.
2. Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Top with whipped cream and berries. Serve immediately.

Rum-Spiked Grilled Pineapple with Toasted Coconut

Ingredients

• 1/4  cup  packed light brown sugar
• 1/4  cup  dark spiced rum (such as Captain Morgan's)
• 1  pineapple, peeled, cored, halved lengthwise, and sliced lengthwise into 12 wedges (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1  tablespoon  butter
• 2  tablespoons  sweetened coconut, toasted
• Low-fat vanilla ice cream (optional)

Preparation

Combine the sugar and rum in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at high 1 1/2 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Brush rum mixture evenly over pineapple wedges.
Heat butter in a grill pan over medium-high heat. Add pineapple; grill 3 minutes on each side or until grill marks form and pineapple is thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with coconut. Garnish with ice cream, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

136 (17% from fat)

Fat:

2.5g (sat 1.4g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.1g)

Protein:

0.7g

Carbohydrate:

24g

Fiber:

1.7g

Cholesterol:

5mg

Iron:

0.5mg

Sodium:

22mg

Calcium:

 

23mg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mexican Chocolate Pots de Crème

Ingredients

• 1  cup  heavy whipping cream
• 1  cup  whole milk
• 1  teaspoon  espresso powder
• 1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/4  teaspoon  cayenne pepper
• 2  tablespoons  coffee liqueur (such as Kahlúa)
• 6  ounces  finely chopped high-quality bittersweet chocolate
• 6  large egg yolks
• 2  tablespoons  superfine sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 300°. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, bring cream, milk, espresso powder, and spices to a gentle simmer; cook 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil, then remove from heat and stir in coffee liqueur. 2. Put chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and pour hot cream over it. Let stand 1 minute, then stir until smooth. 3. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar. Slowly drizzle yolk mixture into chocolate mixture, whisking constantly. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and let cool at room temperature 15 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, in a kettle or small pot, bring about 4 cups water to a simmer. Arrange a dish towel in the bottom of a 9- by 13-in. baking pan. Set ramekins on top of towel (this helps keep them in place), then fill each ramekin with custard. Pour simmering water into pan so that it comes halfway up sides of ramekins. Set pan in oven and bake pots de crème until their edges are set but their centers are still wobbly, about 25 minutes; do not overbake. Transfer ramekins to a cooling rack and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then chill in refrigerator until fully set, about 3 hours.

Nutritional Information

 

Calories:

391 (71% from fat)

Protein:

6.9g

Fat:

31g (sat 17)

Carbohydrate:

25g

Fiber:

0.7g

Sodium:

42mg

Cholesterol:

273mg

Ricotta Cheesecake with Ginger and Kiwi

 

Ingredients

• 2/3  cup  (about 3 oz.) gingersnap cookie crumbs
• 1/2  cup  minced crystallized ginger
• 2  tablespoons  melted butter or margarine
• 1  carton (15 oz.; 1 2/3 cups) low-fat ricotta cheese
• 4  large egg whites
• 2  tablespoons  lemon juice
• 1  cup  nonfat yogurt cheese or 1 package (8 oz.) nonfat cream cheese
• 1  cup  sugar
• 1  tablespoon  grated lemon peel
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla
• 3  kiwi fruit (about 1/4 lb. each)

Preparation

1. Combine crumbs, 1/4 cup ginger, and melted butter. Pat crumb mixture evenly over bottom of a removable-rim 8-inch cheesecake or cake pan (at least 1 3/4 in. deep). 2. Bake in a 350° oven until crust is slightly browner, 10 to 12 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, whirl ricotta cheese, egg whites, and lemon juice until very smooth. 4. In a bowl, mix yogurt cheese, sugar, lemon peel, and vanilla. Add ricotta mixture and stir until well blended (the mixture is thin). Pour into hot or cool crust. 5. Bake in a 350° oven until center barely jiggles when cake is gently shaken, 50 to 55 minutes. Run a thin-bladed knife between cake and pan rim. Refrigerate cake, uncovered, until cool, at least 2 1/2 hours. (If making ahead, wrap airtight when cool and chill up to 2 days.) 6. Remove pan rim. Peel kiwi fruit and slice crosswise. Arrange fruit in a ring in overlapping slices on cake; sprinkle with remaining ginger. Cut cake into wedges.

Nutritional Information

Fat:

Calories:

266 (17% from fat)

Protein:

8g

5g (sat 2.6)

Carbohydrate:

47g

Fiber:

1g

Sodium:

170mg

Cholesterol:

16mg

 

 

 

Carrot and Orange Salad

 

Ingredients

• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1  tablespoon  powdered sugar, plus more for topping
• 1  teaspoon  orange blossom water
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 8  carrots, peeled and grated (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 2  oranges, peeled (with white pith removed) and sliced
• 1  tablespoon  extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if desired
• Garnish: toasted almond slices

Preparation

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add carrot, and toss to combine. 2. Top with orange slices, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish, if desired.

Montego Bay Grilled Fish with Caribbean Salsa

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons  chopped fresh cilantro
• 1  roasted jalapeño pepper, chopped
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lime juice
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh garlic
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh ginger
• Vegetable cooking spray
• 4  amberjack or grouper fillets (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• Caribbean Salsa

Preparation

Combine first 5 ingredients; set cilantro mixture aside. Coat a grill tray with cooking spray, and place on food rack. Heat, covered with grill lid, over hot coals (400° to 500°) 10 minutes. Place fish on hot grill tray. Cook, covered with grill lid, 10 minutes. Turn fish, and spread with cilantro mixture. Cook, covered, 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with Caribbean Salsa. Note: To roast jalapeños, place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 5 inches from heat 5 minutes on each side or until blistered. Place in a heavy-duty plastic bag; let stand 10 minutes. Peel and seed peppers.

Caribbean Spice Cake

Ingredients

• 2  large butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise
• 2  cups  all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons  baking powder
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking soda
• 2  teaspoons  ground cinnamon
• 2  teaspoons  ground ginger
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cloves
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground white pepper
• 1/2  cup  plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 1/2  cups  firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2  large eggs
• 1/2  cup  tamarind nectar
• Mango Compote with Cilantro-Mint Syrup
• 1  cup  plain yogurt
• 1/2  cup  powdered sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°. Scoop out squash seeds; discard or reserve for another use. Place squash, cut-side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake 40 minutes or until squash is tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop out pulp. Process squash pulp in a food processor until smooth. Turn oven down to 375°. Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray, and line with parchment paper. Combine flour and next 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs; beat 1 minute. Add tamarind nectar and 1 1/3 cups butternut squash puree; beat until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. While cake is baking, prepare Mango Compote. Beat yogurt and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Cut cake into squares. Cut each square into two triangles, and top with yogurt sauce. Serve with Mango Compote with Cilantro-Mint Syrup.