Toasted Peanut Bread

Toasted Peanut Bread

Heidi notes: Peanuts (or groundnuts) are widely used in sub-Saharan Africa for a to thicken stews, add richness, and boost nutrition of food. In this bread they add density, flavor, and pair nicely with the spices.

1 cup coconut milk (hs note: I used a full can)
3 tablespoons honey
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/2 cup peanuts
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Bring the coconut milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the honey and stir continuously until the honey dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool until just warm, then whisk in the yeast. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

Toast the peanuts in a large saute pan over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Add the chili powder and cumin and toast for 20 seconds. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until a smooth paste forms.

Mix together the flours and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add the butter, coconut milk, and peanut paste to the well and slowly combine with the flour, using your hands to work the flour into the well until all the liquid has been absorbed. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until a ball forms, about 5 minutes.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth or oiled plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.

Butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan (hs note: or a giant brioche pan!). Punch down the dough and place in the pan. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the bread for 35 minutes, until the top is browned. Invert the pan onto a cooling rack and let sit for 5 minutes, then remove the pan and let cool.

Makes 1 loaf.

Spinach Lasagna 2

SPINACH LASAGNA

1 lg. carton low-fat cottage cheese 1 egg 2 boxes frozen, chopped spinach, thawed, drained WELL 1 tsp. oregano Dash of pepper 1 tsp. salt (opt.) 1 lg. jar spaghetti sauce plus part of a sm. jar 9 lasagna noodles, uncooked 12 oz. Mozzarella cheese, shredded In a bowl, mix cottage cheese, 1/2 Mozzarella cheese, egg, spinach, oregano, pepper and salt. In a greased 9 x 13 inch pan, layer 1 cup sauce, 3 lasagna noodles, 1/2 of cheese mixture. Repeat. Top with remaining noodles and sauce. (I usually need extra sauce at this point. Sometimes I use pizza sauce.) Sprinkle with remaining Mozzarella. COVER tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to bake. Serves 6 to 8. TIP: 1 pound lean ground beef can be substituted for spinach.

Low Fat Spinach Lasagna

This is a quick version of lasagna. It uses bottled sauce, frozen
spinach and pre-grated cheese. Also from march 1997 Vegetarian Times

Quick Spinach lasagna

26 oz jar low-fat marinara sauce (no fat sauces are available)
1 cup water or vegetable broth
16 uncooked lasagna noodles
15 oz carton nonfat ricotta cheese (about 2 cups)
3 tsp. dried basil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 10 oz pkgs. frozen leaf spinach, thawed, squeezed dry (about 4 cups)
12 oz pkg. grated nonfat mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 x 14 x 2 inch deep baking
dish with cooking spray.

In medium bowl, mix marinara sauce with water or vegetable broth. Spoon
just enough sauce into dish, tilting sides, to cover the bottom.

Using small spatula, spread four uncooked lasagna noodles with one-third
ricotta. Lay noodles length wise, side by side, ends even,
in center of baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon basil. Top with
freshly ground pepper to taste.

Using forks, separate and loosen spinach. Top noodle-ricotta layer with
one-third of the spinach. Top spinach with one fourth of the sauce. Top
sauce with one-fourth of the mozzarella.

Repeat two more layers of noodle-ricotta, spinach, sauce and
mozzarella. End with layer of noodles topped with remaining sauce spread
completely to edges of noodles. Sprinkle sauce with remaining
mozzarella.

Lightly spray a 16-inch length of aluminum foil with cooking spray.
Attach foil, sprayed side down, to ends of pan, tenting foil above
lasagna. Crimp foil around all edges of pan to seal.

Bake covered 45 minutes. Using tongs, remove aluminum foil and discard.
Using bulb baster or spoon, baste top of lasagna with sauce from both
ends of pan. Bake an additional 20 tom 30 minutes.

Remove from oven. Let rest 15 minutes. Slice. Makes 10 servings

Pumpkin Muffins

Thanks, Cabbie & Mazola!

I looked up this recipe after seeing a post where Cabbie talked about it.

1 Box Spice Cake Mix1
15 oz can PumpkinMix

together, spoon into muffin tins and bake according to directions on cake box.I made these the other night, and they are DELICIOUS! And so EASY!

One bowl, one muffin pan, one spoon, about 20 minutes total, and voila! Muffins!!!

Zuccotto

Zuccotto
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
1 (12-ounce) loaf pound cake
1/4 cup brandy
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups chilled whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted, coarsely crumbled
Unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions
Spray a 1 1/2-quart bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bowl with plastic wrap. Cut the pound cake crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Cut each slice diagonally in half, forming 2 triangles. Line the bottom and sides of the prepared bowl with the cake triangles. Brush some of the brandy over the cake triangles lining the bowl. Reserve the extra triangles.

Stir the chocolate in a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate melts. Allow the chocolate to cool slightly. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup of cream in another large bowl until it is thick and fluffy. Fold 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate. Fold half of the remaining whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped cream.

Spread the chocolate cream over the cake, covering completely and creating a well in the center. Cover and refrigerate if not assembling cake right away.

In another clean large bowl, add the remaining 1 cup of cream and almond extract. Using an electric mixer with clean beaters, beat on medium speed and gradually add the powdered sugar. Beat until firm peaks form. Fold in the nuts. Spoon the cream mixture into the center of the well of the filling. Brush the remaining cake slices with brandy and arrange them, brandy side down, over the cake, covering the filling completely and trimming to fit, if necessary.

Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to 1 day. Invert the cake onto a platter. Remove the bowl and the plastic wrap. Sift the cocoa powder over and serve.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Thanks, frugaldiva!

1 cup Peanut Butter
1 cup Splenda for Baking (or sugar)
1 eggMix together.

Preheat the oven to 375. make walnut sized balls out of the dough, place 2in apart on cookie sheet. Press down with the back of a fork to make criss crosses on them. Bake for 10 min, cool.

These are SOOO good. I made mine with Chunky Peanut butter and a LITTLE bit of vanilla extract.

Orange Beef

Orange Beef Recipe
Source: The Heritage of Chinese Cooking
Serves 4


Chieh translates as "lucky one" and describes the beloved mandarin (tangerine) tree.As an ornamental shrub, the mandarin orange is traditionally displayed in the home to celebrate Chinese New Year. As a high-quality fruit, it is a much sought-after cooking ingredient, especially for its peel, when dried.Beef is considered by the Chinese to be too strong in "meat" flavor and is "married" to contrasting and often sweet ingredients, such as the fruit in this dish, to render it more palatable.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
2 cups peanut oil
1/2 pound beef sirloin (topside), thinly sliced
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 pieces dried mandarin (tangerine) peel (available at Chinese stores), soaked in warm water for 45 minutes, and then shredded
Finely shredded orange zest, for garnish

RECIPE METHOD
Heat the peanut oil in a wok to moderately hot. Deep-fry the beef slices until the beef changes color. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Pour off the oil from the wok.
Add all of the remaining ingredients, except the orange zest, to the wok and simmer together for 2 minutes.
Return the beef slices to the wok and cook in the sauce over moderate heat until the sauce is reduced sufficiently to coat the meat pieces and most of the sauce has been reduced.
Toss the finely shredded orange zest through and serve.

Baby Greens with Warm Goat Cheese

Here is another one for you - this one is SO easy..but it looks likesomething you would order in a high-end restaurant. Great for guests orromantic dinners :)

One tip - keep the cheese in the fridge until ready to use..try to get itreally cold. It slices so much better!-Carolyn (Marge)

BABY GREENS WITH WARM GOAT CHEESE
Active time: 10 min
Start to finish: 25 min

1 large egg white1 teaspoon water
2 (1/3-inch-thick) rounds soft mild goat cheese, cut from a cold log
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs (preferably Japanese panko)
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch of sugar
1 tablespoon plus
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups mesclun (mixed baby salad greens; 1 oz)

Whisk together egg white and water. Dip cheese rounds in egg, letting excessdrip off, then dredge in bread crumbs, pressing lightly to adhere. Chill 15minutes.

Whisk together vinegar, salt, mustard, sugar, and a pinch of pepper in asmall salad bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil in a slow stream, whisking untilemulsified.

Heat remaining teaspoon oil in a small nonstick skillet over moderately highheat until hot but not smoking, then sauté cheese until golden, about 30seconds per side. Remove skillet from heat.Add greens to dressing and toss gently to coat. Serve salad topped with warm cheese.

Healthy Veggie Dip

Here is a recipe for you - I make this when I have company - and serve itwith veggies and a cut-up pumpernickel bread. It all disappears!Enjoy!Carolyn (aka Marge)

Veggie Dip
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Chill Time: 2 Hours

1 container (16 oz) sour cream
1 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Mayonnaise
1 package (1.4 oz) Knorr® Vegetable Soup & Recipe Mix
3 green onions, chopped

1. In medium bowl stir sour cream, mayonnaise, soup mix and green onionsuntil well mixed.2. 2. Cover; chill 2 hours to blend flavors.3. 3. Stir before serving.

YOGURT DIP: Substitute 1 container (16 oz) plain lowfat yogurt for sourcream

CHEESE DIP: Add 2 cups (8 oz) shredded Swiss cheese. Makes 5 cups.

Cheesy Chicken Shells (WW)

POINTS® Value 9 Servings 4 Preparation Time 20 min Cooking Time 30 min Level of Difficulty Easy main meals Enjoy this rich, classic favorite with fewer calories. Trim the cooking time by using a pre-cooked chicken, available at your deli counter.


Ingredients

12 shells uncooked jumbo shells
1 1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
2 medium egg white(s), lightly beaten
1 3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
4 oz cooked, skinless chicken breast(s), diced
3/4 cup chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess water
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp ground oregano, or other Italian seasoning
3/4 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Cook manicotti shells in boiling water according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent them from cooking further. Set aside.

Coat a 9 x 13-inch pan with cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup of sauce evenly over bottom of pan and set aside.

For filling, in a large bowl, stir together egg whites, ricotta cheese, chicken, spinach, garlic powder and seasoning. Stir in 1/4 cup each of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.
To assemble, spoon cheese mixture into manicotti shells and place filled shells in a single layer in baking dish. Spread remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses and bake about 30 minutes.

Yields 3 shells per serving.