Asparagus Gruyere Tart

Store-bought puff pastry works well in this savory tart; thaw it according to package instructions. Emmentaler or Fontina cheese can be substituted for the Gruyere.



Ingredients

Flour, for work surface
1 frozen puff pastry
5 1/2 ounces (2 cups) Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 1/2 pounds medium or thick asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

2. Remove pastry shell from oven, and sprinkle with Gruyere. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over Gruyere, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes

recipe exchange via MIL

LAYERED CHOCOLATE BARS

RECIPE: LAYERED CHOCOLATE BARS
INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 c. finely crushed thin pretzels
3/4 c. (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, melted
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
4 bars (4 oz) Unsweetened Baking Chocolate, broken into pieces
2 c. Campfire miniature marshmallows
1 c. Mounds Sweetened Coconut Flakes
1 c. coarsely chopped pecans
4 bars (4 oz) Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, broken into pieces
1 Tbsp. shortening

DIRECTONS:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine pretzels and melted butter
in small bowl; press evenly into bottom of 13x9-inch baking
pan. Place sweetened condensed milk and unsweetened chocolate
in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 to 1-1/2
minutes or until mixture is melted and smooth when stirred.
Pour over pretzel layer in pan. Top with marshmallows, coconut
and pecans; press firmly down onto chocolate layer. Bake 25
to 30 minutes or until lightly browned; cool completely in
pan on wire rack. Melt semi-sweet chocolate and shortening in
small microwave-safe bowl at HIGH for 1 minute or until melted
when stirred; drizzle over entire top. Refrigerate 15 minutes
or until set. Cut into bars.

For My Peachy Friends

Quickie peach Cobbler
Ingredients
4 C. sliced peaches fresh or frozen

1/2 C. sugar

1 Tbs. and 2/3 C. Bisquick

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 Tbs. brown sugar

1/4 C. cold butter or margarine

3 Tbs. milk
Directions
In bowl, combine peaches, sugar, 1 Tbs. Bisquick, and cinnamon. Pour in greased 8-inch square pan. Combine the brown sugar, and remaining Bisquick. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in milk and vanilla just until blended. Drop by rounded Tbs. onto peach mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until top is golden brown and filling is bubbly. This can be doubled in a 9x13 pan.

or being that it's summer

Peachy keen Ice Cream

1 quart milk plus 1 cup (or more depending on amount of fruit to be used)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 small can evaporated milk

1 pint whipping cream

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste

3 cups (or less) mashed peaches (fresh)

mixed with 3/4 cups sugar and juice of 1 lemon.
Combine first 6 ingredients and freeze to a mush in an electric or hand-turned freezer. Add peaches mixture and freeze hard. Remove dasher and pack with ice and salt until ready to serve. Keeps well in deep freeze without getting icy.

...or if your on a diet and need to cut fat.

Make a peach sorbet.

This guy is doing some good stuff with peaches mixed with a little nip of liqueur. Yummm.

Coconutty Pecan Macaroonies

These are chewy coconutty goodness I promise!


Coconutty Pecan Macaroonies
14 oz. Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp Almond extract
12 oz. unsweetened coconut (large) flakes (Bob's red mill brand is what I use)
3/4 C. chopped pecans
preheat oven to 325. line baking sheets with waxed paper; spray with pam w/flour. set aside.
Lightly toast your coconut and pecans in oven, then cool.
in a large mixing bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and almond extract. stir in coconut and pecans. drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets.
Dip your fingers in some water and reshape and flatten them.

bake 15 to 20 minutes (depending on the size of the cookie) or until golden brown. remove from baking sheets and let cool on wire racks.
Makes about 24 good sized cookies

Marianne's Spinach/Mushroom Dip

1 pkg (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained

3/4 cup 100% grated parmesan cheese

3/4 cup mayo (Light Mayo if on South Beach Diet)

1/2 cup 2% milk shredded mozzarella cheese (reduced fat if on South Beach Diet)

1 cup chopped Canned or cooked mushrooms

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients until well blended.

Spoon into 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish

Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with tortilla chips (or with assorted cut-up fresh vegetables if on South Beach Diet)

Nutrition

Calories 70

Total fat 5g

Sat fat 2g

cholesterol 10mg

sodium 210mg

carbs 2g

dietary fiber 1g

sugars 1g

protein 4g

Almost Homemade Applesauce Steusel cakes

oven 400 degrees
Bake 18-20 min or until toothpick is clean. Remove from pan after a couple min. and Cool on rack for 15 min.
Makes 12 muffins
1 Pkg. a cinnamon swirl muffin mix or Streusel muffin mix right around 20 oz. or so. (Disregard instruction on box)
1-1/4 cup un-sweetened applesauce
1 lg. egg
1 T. real vanilla extract

Mix together with mixer until mixed and it will be slightly lumpy. Spray with Pam well and fill muffin tins with equal amounts in each holder, Mix topping (Below) to a crumble and hand sprinkle it over each cup of batter

Streusel Topping
the cinnamon sugar packet from box of mix (disregard Instructions on box)
1/3 cup old fashioned oats
1-2 T. flour (white or wheat no matter)
2 T. Butter at room temp or slightly melted

Finish with a
Drizzled garnish
1/8 almond flavoring
1 1/2 Cup powdered sugar
Heavy cream or milk enough to make a loose paste
Pop in microwave until thinned down 10-25 seconds watch and check often. Cool a little and put in a baggy and cut the corner for a small spout and drizzle.

they will last 5 days at room temp, ***Not at my house***or freeze up to 6 mo. drizzle when ready to serve if you plan to freeze.

German Chocolate Cake

Before you get started take the 2 cans of sweetened condensed milk and submerse it it a deep pan and bring to a boil in the can unopened, simmer in can completely submersed for 2 hours. Cool...Now the carmelizing of the milk is done. set aside. This can be done days ahead of time.
German Chocolate Cake
ingredients
For cake layers
3 cups sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cup whole milk
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cup boiling-hot water
For filling
16 oz unsweetened large flaked coconut if available
8 oz coarsely chopped pecans (2 cups)
2-14-oz cans sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoon vanilla

For glaze or Chocolate Ganache
2 sticks unsalted butter
18 oz fine-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 tablespoons light corn syrup

Heavy whipping cream to thin to desired thickness

Special equipment: 3 (9-inch) round cake pans

preparation
Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 350°F and oil cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with rounds of parchment or wax paper. Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk together whole milk, butter, whole egg, yolk, vanilla, and almond extract in another large bowl until just combined. Beat egg mixture into flour mixture with an electric mixer on low speed, then beat on high speed 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and beat in water until just combined (batter will be thin). Divide batter among cake pans bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, ***(Important)***switching position of pans and rotating them 180 degrees halfway through baking, until a tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes total.
Cool layers in pans on racks 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove parchment or wax paper and cool layers completely.

Make filling:
Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Put canned milk in a small pan and warm being careful not to scorch and set aside.

Spread coconut in a large shallow baking pan and pecans in another. Bake pecans in upper third of oven and coconut in lower third, stirring occasionally, until golden, 12 to 18 minutes. Remove pans from oven.

Stir in sweetened C.milk, coconut, pecans, and vanilla and keep warm, covered with foil.

Make glaze while milk is baking:
Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate and corn syrup, whisking until chocolate is melted. Add whipping cream a little at a time to achieve desired thickness. Set aside.

Assemble cake:
Put 1 cake layer on a rack set over a baking pan or sink (to catch excess glaze). Drop half of coconut filling by spoonfuls evenly over layer and gently spread with a wet spatula. Top with another cake layer and spread with remaining filling in same manner. Heat reserved glaze in pan over low heat, stirring, until glossy and pourable, about 1 minute. Pour glaze evenly over top of cake, making sure it coats sides. Shake rack gently to smooth glaze.

Chill cake until firm, about 1 hour. Transfer cake to a plate.

notes:
• Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

• For easier handling when assembling cake, place bottom layer on a cardboard round or the removable bottom of a tart or cake pan.

Luscious Low-Fat Chocolate Cheesecake

Luscious Low-Fat Chocolate Cheesecake
Yield: 12 Servings

Ingredients

nonstick cooking spray
16 oz fat-free cottage cheese
3/4 c frozen egg substitute;
-thawed
2/3 c granulated sugar; plus
2 tb granulated sugar; divided
4 oz fat-free cream cheese;
-softened
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 ts vanilla extract
2/3 c nonfat plain yogurt
*optional
sliced strawberries or
mandarin orange segments for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

2. In food processor, combine cottage cheese, egg substitute, 2/3 cup
sugar, cream cheese, cocoa powder and vanilla until smooth.

3. Pour into prepared pan. Bake about 35 minutes, until edges are set.

4. Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir together yogurt and the remaining 2
tablespoons sugar until well blended. Carefully spread topping over top of
warm cake. Return cake to oven; bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven to cooling
rack. Cool completely. Remove side of pan; refrigerate. Serve with
strawberries or oranges.

Makes 12 servings. Preparation time: 20 minutes. Baking time: 40 minutes.
Chilling time: 3 hours.

Per serving: About 109 cal, 9 g pro, 18 g car, 1 g fat, 8% cal from fat, 2
mg chol, 221 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.

A happy alternative to butter

Terrific Turkey & Black Bean Chili

Turkey and Black Bean Chili
Serves 4 Hint make double batches for ease thruout the week. Makes a wonderful chili and brown rice burrito (Whole Wheat tortilla) for lunches. Microwave at work and eat.

2 tsp.ex. virgin olive oil
1 onion chopped
1 green pepper seeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
3/4 pound ground turkey
1 15oz can black beans rinsed and drained
1 14oz. can diced tomatoes

*1 tbs. chili powder
*2 tsp. cumin
*1 tsp. dried oregano
*1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 shedded cheese fat free sharp cheddar
1/4 cup fat free sour cream
1/4 c sliced scallions

You know me I can't leave a recipe alone if I can make it easier or more palatable so here's my Tweeks.
****I sometimes substitute a package of chili flavoring for these four ingredients. No change except sodium.

This is a core recipe for Weight Watchers and it has the point value of 4 for flex
Serving size 1 cup and 2 tbs. cheese, 1 tbs. sour cream 219 Cal. per serving

Pure Comfort Cookbook, Weight Watchers