Caramels

Caramels - Mindy H.



1 lb. butter
1 bag (2 lb.) brown sugar
1 bottle (16 oz.) corn syrup (lite)
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Melt all ingredients together then bring to a boil stirring until sugar is blended well. Then boil medium high until 244 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat.

- To make caramels, pour into a large greased cookie sheet. Let cool completely, then cut into caramels.

- To make caramel apples, let caramel cool to 200 degrees, then dip apples - (make in a narrower deep pan if possible.) Makes about 16 large apples.

- Can also use for caramel popcorn, but it makes a ton

Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Lasagna

Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Lasagna - Heidi M.


From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I don't make this lasagna often, but the profusion of pumpkins at this time of year always brings it to mind. If you are looking for something different to serve as an appetizer, or need a light entree for a fall supper, you might want to give this a try. I'm recommending it to you with reservation. My experience is that folks either love or hate this lasagna. If you like squash you'll probably enjoy it. If you like squash and goat cheese, you'll love it. I would, however, suggest you introduce this as an appetizer and see what type of reaction you receive from your family and friends. While the play of ingredients in the recipe is fairly sophisticated, the lasagna is actually easy to make if you prepare it in logical steps. This is a Wolfgang Puck recipe that I found in the Chicago Tribune several years ago. I originally saved it to have on hand when I wanted something special to serve non-meat eating friends. I was also intrigued by the combination of ingredients. Unlike Italian lasagna, this does not freeze well. It will, however, keep for several days in the refrigerator. Here's the recipe. If nothing else, I think you'll find it interesting.

Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Lasagna...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 pound dried lasagna noodles
Bechamel Sauce:
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
3 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons fresh creamy goat cheese or mascarpone (or cream cheese)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly grated nutmeg

Filling:
1 can (29 ounces) pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon fresh minced sage leaves
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons creamy goat cheese
1 tablespoon salt
Freshly ground pepper

For assembly:
1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
1) Heat a large stockpot of lightly salted water to a boil; fill a large mixing bowl with ice and water. Boil noodles until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain. Transfer to ice water to stop cooking. Drain noodles; arrange in a single layer on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Set aside.
2) Meanwhile, to prepare sauce, melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat; sprinkle in flour, stirring continuously with a wire whisk. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Whisk in milk, then goat cheese, salt and pinch of nutmeg. Heat to a simmer; cook, whisking often, until thick and creamy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.
3) To prepare filling, combine pumpkin puree, thyme, sage, nutmeg, bread crumbs, mascarpone, Parmesan, brown sugar, goat cheese, salt and pepper to taste in a large mixing bowl.
4) Heat oven to 400 degrees. To assemble lasagna, spread a third of pumpkin mixture on bottom of a lightly greased 13-by-9-inch baking pan. Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles, placed length-wise side by side, overlapping edges. Spread another third of filling over noodles; top with 3/4 cup of bechamel sauce. Top with another layer of noodles, remaining filling, and another 3/4 cup of bechamel sauce. Cover with a final layer of noodles and remaining bechamel sauce. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick spray; place it sprayed-side down over lasagna in pan, folding edges over.
5) Bake until heated through and bubbling, about 50 minutes. Remove foil; bake until topping is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven; cool 10 minutes. Cut into rectangles or squares. Yield: 8 servings

Recipe courtesy of Wolfgang Puck and The Chicago Tribune.
http://oneperfectbite.blogspot.com/

Harvest Moon Punch

Harvest Moon Punch - Summer H.

12 oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate
2 qts. apple juice
2 qts. ginger ale
2 cups orange juice

Combine all and chill.

Mijita's Albondigas Soup

Mijita's Albondigas Soup - Holley T.

1 c. boiling water
1/2 c. short-grain rice

Cooking Spray
2 c. chopped onion, divided
1 1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/2 c. minced cilantro, divided
1 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. salt, divided
1 1/2 tsp. drid oregano
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 large egg whites

1 c. chopped carrot
1 garlic clove, minced
1 c. chopped seeded peeled tomato
4 c. fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 TBS. chopped fresh mint
2 c. chopped zucchini
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Pour water over rice, and let stand 20 minutes. Drain.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1/2 c. onion to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
Combine rice, cooked onion, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup cilantro, cumin 1/4 tsp salt, oregano, ground beef, and egg whites, stirring well.
Shape mixture into 1" meatballs.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 10 meatballs, and cook 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove meatballs from pan draining on paper towels.
Wipe drippings from pan with a paper towel. Repeat procedure with cooking spray and remaining meatballs.
Return pan to heat. Coat with cooking spray. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups onion, carrot and garlic to pan; saute 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Add tomato to pan, stirring to combine. Stir in broth; bring mixture to a boil. Add meatballs and mint to pan. Reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes.
Add zucchini, remaining 1/2 tsp. salt, and pepper to pan. Cook 10 minutes. Garnish with remaining 1/4 c. cilantro.

Fall Recipe Club

Summer hosted a wonderful recipe night last week. We had all sorts of Fall goodies. I will start posting the recipes that I have. Please send me your recipe is you haven't already. I also took some pictures, but will have to add those later.

Mint Brownies

(picture from Family Fun)
Mint Brownies (BYU recipe) - Lori S.

MAKES ONE 9-BY-13 PAN OF BROWNIES

1 c. margarine or butter
1/2 c. cocoa
2 Tbsp. honey
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

12 oz. chocolate icing (Use your own icing recipe or purchase some chocolate frosting. You can also search the Internet for chocolate icing recipes.)**I used the recipe below for a chocolate glaze.

MINT ICING
5 Tbsp. margarine or butter
dash of salt
3 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 1/3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring

1. Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool.

2. Prepare mint icing: Soften margarine. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

3. Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.

***Lori's notes***
- My brownies took longer than 25 minutes to bake.
- You could use a different recipe for the brownie part, if you have a personal favorite.
- Be sure the brownies are cool, before adding the mint topping.
- I used the Chocolate Topping below; it's more of a glaze than a frosting.
- Let the mint layer harden before adding the chocolate topping.
- Let the chocolate layer harden first, then let it sit out of the fridge for a little while before cutting.
- I lined my pan with parchment paper, and when I was ready to cut the brownies, I lifted the brownies out of the pan to cut them. Much easier!!

Chocolate Topping
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter

To make the chocolate topping, pour the chips into a microwave-safe bowl, add the butter, and microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes or until the chocolate melts. Stir until smooth. Pour the chocolate over the brownies and smooth it with a knife. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until the coating hardens.

Tiramisu

Tiramisu Dessert - Jamie B.

3 large eggs (*or pasteurized egg substitute)

1 cup Hot chocolate

1/2 cup sugar

8 oz. Mascarpone

1/8 cup cocoa

20 ladyfingers, toasted

Step 1: Combine 3 egg yolks, 1 Tbsp. hot chocolate, sugar and in large mixing bowl. Beat 2-3 minutes. Add Mascarpone and beat 3-5 minutes until smooth.

Step 2: In another bowl, combine 3 egg whites and a pinch of sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into Mascarpone mixture. (*If using egg substitute, skip Step 2 and beat until fluffy.)

Step 3: Dip one side of each Ladyfinger into remaining hot chocolate and layer on bottom and sides of serving dish. Spread 1/2 of Mascarpone mixture and sprinkle with cocoa. Layer Ladyfingers and finish with a Mascarpone layer and cocoa. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Serves 6.

Asparagus Soup

Asparagus Soup - Lynne H.

Makes: 8 appetizer servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes

1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed (16-18)
2 Tblsp. unsalted butter
3 cups chicken broth
1 medium-size potato, peeled and diced
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried dill
1/8 tsp. white or black pepper

1. Cut tips from asparagus. Set aside. Chop remaining stalks into 1/2-inch pieces. Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook 3 minutes. Add asparagus stalks and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add broth, potatoes, salt, dill and pepper. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook 10 to 12 minutes, uncovered, until potatoes are very tender. Meanwhile, place asparagus tips in a small glass bowl with 1 tablespoon water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on HIGH for 1 minute.
3. Remove soup from heat and puree until smooth. Serve warm or chilled, garnished with asparagus tips.

Black Bean and Couscous Salad

Black Bean and Couscous Salad - Lori S.

1 (10 oz) pkg quick cooking couscous

3 T extra virgin olive oil
3 T fresh lime juice
2 t red wine vinegar
½ t ground cumin
5-8 green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 c. frozen corn (I would probably do 1 1/2 cups)
1 or 2 cans (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained well (I used 2)
1/4 to 1/2 c. cilantro , chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring 2 1/4 cups water (or broth) to a boil and stir in couscous- cover, remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.

In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin.
In large bowl add onions, peppers, corn (rinse under cold running water to defrost slightly), black beans (well drained!) and cilantro.
Mix well and add dressing- toss to coat.
Pour the couscous into a colander, throw in 2 handfuls of ice cubes, and rinse under cold water, tossing the ice cubes until the couscous reaches cool room temperature, about 2 minutes. Drain well, removing any unmelted ice cubes and fluffing the couscous well and add to the bowl of veggies. Salt and pepper to taste. You can add a little more lime juice/vinegar if it seems to dry.

This can be served from a large bowl, or in individual lettuce cups.
Refrigerate until ready to serve, it keeps very well in the fridge. Serves 6-8

Susan's Sassy Sauce

Susan's Sassy Sauce (Good on Pork and Salmon) - Tracy W.

Ingredients:

Champagne vinegar (White wine vinegar is cheaper and works also), Soy Sauce, Red Chili Flakes, Garlic, Minced Onion, Brown Sugar, Tomato Paste, Salt, Butter (one stick)

Combine in saucepan:

1/2 Cup Champagne vinegar (White wine vinegar is cheaper and works also)

1/2 Cup Soy Sauce

1 tsp. red chili flakes

1 TBS garlic

2 TBS minced onion


Simmer and reduce 50 percent. Watch that it doesn't boil over. It will.

Add to reduced sauce:

1/2 Cup Soy Sauce

2 Cups brown sugar

2 TBS tomato paste

1/2 tsp salt

Simmer 3 to 5 minutes. Take off heat. Whisk in 1 stick of butter cut in pieces.

Applesauce

Applesauce - Tracy W.

3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
3 Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
1 cup unfiltered apple juice
2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a sealable microwave-safe container, combine apples with all other ingredients. Close lid, leaving one corner of lid open to allow steam to escape. Microwave on high for 10 minutes.
Using a hand blender or potato masher, blend to desired consistency. Serve hot immediately or chill for later use.

Creamy Lemon Chicken

Creamy Lemon Chicken - Penny B.

4 chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups milk
3 Tblsp. lemon juice
1 Tblsp. black pepper
1 lemon

In a fry pan, brown the four chicken breasts for about 6 minutes each side. In a bowl, mix 2 cans of cream of chicken soup, 2 cups of milk, 3 Tblsp. lemon juice, 1 Tblsp. black pepper. Pour all ingredients in fry pan and cook for 25 minutes, turning the breasts over so they do not burn. Serve over rice.