King Arthur – Classic Pumpernickel Bread
Ingredients & Directions 1/2 c Cornmeal 3 c Pumpernickel (dark rye) -flour 1 c (approx.) King Arthur Stone -Ground Whole Wheat Flour 1 tb Dry yeast 1 3/4 c Water 3/4 c Molasses 1 tb Butter 1 tb Salt 2 ts Sugar 2 ts Caraway seeds 1 1/2 tb Unsweetened cocoa powder 2 Med. potatoes, peeled, -boiled, mashed and cooled (to make 1 cup mashed -potatoes; you can use Instant if you prefer) 1 Egg white mixed with 1 Tbsp. -cold water, for “Molasses and a tiny bit of cocoa powder gives this bread its rich, dark color. This moist, dense-grained bread, with the texture of the popular imported pumpernickel you can buy in the gourmet food section of some stores, is perfect for slicing thinly and using as a base for canapes. Spread with sweet butter, it’s also a tasty accompaniment to cheese and fruit, and makes a superior sandwich. Just remember to slice it thinly; it’s heavy, and a little goes a long way. Once you try this homemade pumpernickel, you’ll never have to buy it at the supermarket again!” glaze Combine 1 1/2 cups of water with the cornmeal in a saucepan, and cook over low heat, stirring often, till thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add the molasses, butter, salt, caraway seeds and cocoa powder. Stir to combine and set aside to cool to lukewarm. Warm the remaining 1/4 cup water to approximately 110 degrees, and stir the yeast into it. Set aside to proof for 10 minutes. Put the molasses mixture in a large bowl, and add the yeast and mashed potatoes. Stir in the rye flour and enough whole wheat flour to make a stiff, sticky dough. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface, and knead until elastic and stiff – up to 15 minutes. You can do this in a mixer attached with a dough hook if you prefer. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk. Punch down the dough, knead for 30 seconds or so, and form into two smooth balls, or into loaves to fit 8 1/2 x 4 1/2″ bread pans. Grease the bread pans, or a baking sheet, and set loaves in pans or on sheet. Set aside to rise for 30 minutes or longer, till doubled in bulk. Brush loaves with egg white glaze. Bake bread in a preheated 375 degree oven for 50 minutes, or until it tests done. Makes 2 loaves. Yields 2 Servings
Best Chocolate Cake With Fudge Frosting
Ingredients & Directions 2 c Flour 2 c Sugar 1/2 c Shortening 3/4 c Water 3/4 c Buttermilk 1 ts Baking soda 1 ts Sale 1 ts Vanilla 1/2 ts Baking powder 2 Eggs 4 oz Unsweetened chocolate, -melted and cooled Fudge frosting (see below) 1. Heat oven to 350F. 2. Grease and flour 13 x 9 x 3 pan, 3 8″ round pans or 2 9″ round pans. 3. Beat all ingredients except fudge frosting in a large bowl on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes, scraping bowl constantly. Pour into pan(s). 4. Bake for 40-45 minutes (rectangle pan) or 30-35 minutes (round pans), or until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool rounds 10 min.; remove from pans. Cool completely. Frost. ======================================================= ============== Fudge Frosting 2 c sugar 1/2 c shortening 3 oz unsweetened chocolate 2/3 c milk 1/2 t salt 2 t vanilla Mix all ingredients except vanilla in a 2 1/2 quart saucepan. Heat to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. Boil 1 minute without stirring. Place saucepan in a bowl of ice and water. Beat until frosting is smooth and of spreading consistency; add vanilla. Yields 12 Servings
Hanukkah Cutout Cookies
Ingredients & Directions COOKIES 1/2 c Unsalted butter or solid -vegetable; room temperature -(1 ; shortening, stick) 1 c Sugar 1 lg Egg 1 tb Fresh lemon juice 1 1/2 ts Grated lemon peel 1 1/2 ts Vanilla extract 2 c All purpose flour 2 ts Baking powder 1/2 ts Salt -ICING- 3 c Powdered sugar 2 tb Milk; (or more) 1 1/2 tb Fresh lemon juice 3 dr Blue food coloring; up to 4 For cookies: Using electric mixer, cream butter and sugar in large bowl until light. Beat in egg, lemon juice, lemon peel and vanilla. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Add to butter mixture and stir until well combined. Divide dough into 3 pieces. Flatten each into disk. Wrap each in plastic and chill 2 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350F. Roll out 1 dough piece on lightly floured surface to thickness of 1/8 inch. Using Hanukkah cookie cutters dipped into flour, cut out cookies. Transfer to ungreased cookie sheets, spacing evenly. Gather scraps, reroll and cut out additional cookies, chilling dough if necessary. Bake until cookie edges are golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool. Repeat rolling, cutting and baking with remaining dough pieces in batches. For icing: Place sugar in bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons milk and lemon juice. Add more milk if icing is too thick to pipe. Transfer half of icing to another bowl. Mix food coloring into half of icing. Spoon plain and colored icings into separate pastry bags fitted with small round tips or into parchment cones. Pipe icings decoratively onto cookies. Let stand until icing sets, about 2 hours. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store cookies in single layers in airtight containers.) Makes about 6 dozen. Yields 1 servings
Rum Raisin Cheesecake # 1
Ingredients & Directions 1 c OLD-FASHIONED OATS, Uncooked 3 tb BROWN SUGAR, packed 1/4 c NUTS, chopped 3 tb BUTTER, melted ** CRUST Yields 6 servings
Rainbow Meringue Torte
Ingredients & Directions 1 pk (2 packets) meringue mix . . . 1 pt Chocolate ice cream 1 pt Pistachio or green mint ice -cream 1 pt Strawberry ice cream 1/2 c Heavy cream, whipped Dazzling dessert! The airy meringue layers are foolproof with meringue mix (and no leftover egg yolks)! Really easy, but it’s a plan-ahead make-ahead– Toasted slivered blanched almonds Meringue layers: Preheat oven to 400. Meanwhile prepare meringue mix according to package directions for meringue shells. Cover 2 large or 4 small cooky sheets with foil (or brown paper). Draw four 8 1/2-inch circles on foil (use cake pan as guide). Spoon equal amounts of meringue on the 4 circles; spread evenly. Place in hot oven (400). Close door quickly; turn off oven heat. Leave in oven 3 hours or overnight, without opening door. Remove meringues from foil. To fill torte: Let ice cream soften slightly. Place a meringue layer on serving plate; spoon chocolate ice cream atop and spread evenly (work quickly); place in freezer. Spread second meringue with pistachio ice cream; set atop first layer in freezer. Spread third meringue with strawberry ice cream , set atop others. Frost remaining meringue with whipped cream, and add. Freeze till ice cream is firm, about 5 hours or overnight. Ten or 15 minutes before serving, remove from freezer; sprinkle with toasted slivered almonds. To serve, cut with sharp knife. Makes 10 servings. Yields 10 Servings
Biscuit-topped Beef Stew
Ingredients & Directions 12 oz Boneless beef top round -steak, cut into 1/2-inch -cubes 2 tb All-purpose flour Nonstick spray coating 1 lg Onion; chopped (1 cup) 3 md Potatoes; cubed 1 cn (14 1/2-ounce) Italian-style -stewed tomatoes 1/3 c (1/2 of 6 oz can) low-sodium -tomato paste 2 ts Instant beef bouillon -granules 1 tb Sugar 1 ts Dried thyme; crushed 1 ts Worcestershire sauce 1 Bay leaf 1 c Eggplant; peeled, cubed Sour Cream Biscuits (see -recipe, below) 1/3 c Reduced-fat dairy sour cream 2 ts Milk 1 ts Sesame seed; (optional) Combine meat and 1 tablespoon of the flour in a plastic bag; shake to coat meat. Spray a cold Dutch oven with nonstick coating; heat over medium heat. Add meat and onion; cook until meat is brown. Drain off fat. Add potatoes, undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, bouillon granules, sugar, thyme,Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf. Stir in 2 1/2 cups water. Bake, covered, in a 350′ oven for 1 hour. Add eggplant. Cover and bake for 30 minutes more. Meanwhile, prepare Sour Cream Biscuits. Remove stew from oven; increase oven temperature to 425′. Discard bay leaf. Combine sour cream and remaining I tablespoon flour; stir into stew. Brush biscuits with milk. Sprinkle with sesame seed, if desired. Arrange biscuits atop stew. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until biscuits are golden. Serves 6. Sour Cream Biscuits: Stir together 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder Cut in 1/4 cup margarine or butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/3 cup reduced fat dairy sour cream and 1/4 cup skim milk. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface 8 to 10 times. Roll or pat to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut dough into circles with a 2-inch biscuit cutter. Makes 12 biscuits. NUTRITION FACTS PER SERVING: 412 calories, 21 g protein, 52 g carbohydrate, 14 g fat, 46 mg cholesterol, 4 g dietary fiber, 804 mg sodium. Yields 6 Servings
Sweet Potato Spice Bread
Ingredients & Directions 1/3 c Molasses 2/3 c Honey 2/3 c Mashed sweet potatoes 1/3 c Oil 2 Eggs; beaten 1/2 ts Cinnamon 1/2 ts Nutmeg 1/4 ts Cloves 1/4 ts Salt 1/4 ts Mace 1 ts Freshly grated ginger 1 c Whole wheat flour 1 c Unbleached all-purpose flour 1 tb Baking powder 1 c Chopped walnuts or pecans Preheat oven to 325 F. Oil a 9″ x 5″ x 3″ loaf pan. In a large bowl, blend molasses, honey, sweet potatoes, oil and eggs. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add to potato mixture and stir untill well mixed. Spoon batter into loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean, about one hour. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool before slicing. Hint: Serve it with nonfat cream cheese. Yields 1 Loaf
