Pumpkin Torte With Maple-cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients & Directions 3 c All-purpose Flour 3 1/2 ts Baking Powder 1 ts Baking Soda 1/2 ts Salt 1 1/2 ts Ground Cinnamon 3/4 ts Ground Nutmeg 1/4 ts Ground Cloves 1/4 ts Ground Ginger 1 1/2 c Granulated Sugar 3/4 c Butter; softened 3 lg Eggs 1 1/2 c Pumpkin Puree 1 1/2 ts Vanilla Extract 1/2 c Evaporated Milk 1/4 c Water MAPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING 1 pk (11-oz.) Cream Cheese; -softened 1/3 c Butter; softened 3 1/2 c Confectioner’s Sugar; sifted 2 ts Maple Extract 15 Walnut or Pecan halves Makes one 9-Inch, 4-Layer Torte Preheat oven to 325-F degrees and prepare two 9-inch cake tins with a light coating of non-stick cooking spray; set aside. To prepare the pumpkin torte, blend together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger in a medium-size mixing bowl. Beat together the sugar and butter in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Blend in the pumpkin puree and vanilla, making sure to mix well. Combine the evaporated milk and water in a small bowl. Add dry ingredients and the diluted evaporated milk alternately to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Distribute the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on wire racks for about 15 minutes before carefully removing the cakes from the pans. When the cakes have completely cooled, cut each cake in half horizontally, to create 4 layers. Meanwhile prepare the frosting by blending together the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Blend in the maple flavoring and set aside. To assemble, spread a layer of the maple-cream cheese frosting between each cake layer. Finish the top layer of the torte with a hearty amount of frosting, and garnish with the halved huts. Yields 1 servings
Berry-banana Shortcake
Ingredients & Directions 3 c Reduced-fat baking & pancake -mix with buttermilk 1 c Low-fat milk (1%) 4 tb Light corn-oil spread -(1/2 stick) Sugar 3 pt Strawberries 3 Small bananas 1 (9-oz) container lightfrozen Whipped topping, thawed ABOUT 1 1/2 HOURS BEFORE SERVING: 1. Preheat oven to 425’F. Spray 11″ by 7″ metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. 2. In medium bowl, with fork, mix baking mix with milk, light corn-oil spread, and 1/3 C sugar just until blended; spoon batter into pan; sprinkle with 2 t sugar. Bake shortcake 15 to 20 minutes until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of shortcake comes out clean. Cool shortcake in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on rack. 3. Meanwhile, reserve several strawberries for garnish. In large bowl, with potato masher or fork, mash half of strawberries. Slice remaining strawberries. Toss sliced strawberries and mashed strawberries together with 3 T sugar. Thinly slice 2 bananas; gently stir into strawberry mixture. 4. With serrated knife, slice shortcake horizontally in half. Place bottom half of shortcake on platter; top with strawberry-banana mixture. Spread with 2 C whipped topping; replace top of shortcake. 5. Spread remaining whipped topping over top of shortcake to within 1 1/2 inches of edge. Slice remaining banana; use to garnish top of short- cake along with reserved whole strawberries. 6. To serve, with serrated knife, cut shortcake into 8 pieces. Each serving: About 385 calories, 1 1 g fat, 1 mg cholesterol, 550 mg sodium. Good Housekeeping/May’94/scanned & fixed by DP & GG Yields 8 servings
Vegetarian Mince Pies
Ingredients & Directions 1 lb Fresh ripe pears, chopped 1 Lemon rind, grated 1 Orange rind, grated 1 lb Mixed dried fruit 4 oz Candied peel 4 oz Glace cherries 4 oz Dates, chopped 2 oz Flaked almonds 1 ts Allspice 1/2 ts Nutmeg 1/2 ts Powdered ginger 4 tb Whisky or other liquid Mix all the ingredients together & let stand for 1 to 2 hours. Store in air-tight jars. Use as regular mincemeat. Rose Elliot, “The Vegetarian Christmas Cookbook” Sent by Mum. From Yields 1 Tarts
Kefallinian Spicy Meat Pie
Ingredients & Directions Karen Mintzias 1 sm Leg of lamb – boned, cut into 1″ pieces, – bones reserved 1 Lemon (juice only) 1/4 c Oil or butter 1 Onion; chopped 3 md Potatoes; parboiled in their – jackets, peeled & diced 1 lg Carrot; parboiled, diced 3 c Parboiled white rice;drained 2 tb Tomato puree 1 c Feta cheese, crumbled 1/2 c Chopped fresh parsley 2 Sprigs fresh mint; chopped 1 ts Dried oregano 1 Garlic clove; sliced 1 ts Ground cinnamon 1 Orange or lemon peel – cut into pieces Salt & freshly ground pepper 16 Commercial filo sheets 6 tb Butter (or more); melted 3 Hard-boiled eggs; quartered On the island of Kefallinia in the Ionion Sea, the Feast Day of Analipseos (Ascension Day) is celebrated with the traditional “kreatopita” (meat-pie). This spicy pie also ushers in the beginning of Lent on the day of Apokreas. In a stock pot, cover the lamb bones with cold water. Simmer, covered for 1 hour. Strain, boil down to 1 cup, and set aside. Sprinkle the lemon juice on the lamb cubes. Heat the oil or butter in a heavy pan, add the onions and lamb, and saute the meat on all sides until the onions are soft without browning. Pour the onions, lamb, and juices into a large bowl. Add the diced potatoes and carrot, rice, tomato puree, cheese, parsley, mint, oregano, garlic, cinnamon, and fruit peel and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add enough reserved lamb broth for liquid while pie bakes, then mix with a wooden spoon. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 12 x 3 inch pan. Spread 8 filo sheets, brushing the melted butter in between the sheets, making sure the pastry fits the sides and bottom of the pan. Pour in the filling, spreading evenly with a spatula. Place the egg quarters here and there across the top and cover with the remaining filo sheets, brushing with butter as before. Flute the edges with two fingers or a fork and brush the top with butter. Using a sharp knife, score the top 3 filo sheets into square or diamond shapes, or prick the homemade pastry with a fork. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes in moderately slow oven (325 F), raising the temperature to 350 F during the last 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand on a rack for 15 minutes. Cut into diamonds or squares and serve warm. Yields 12 Servings
Icebox Angel Cake
Ingredients & Directions 1 Angel food cake 24 Marshmallows 1/2 c Milk 1 cn Crushed pineapple (lg), Well drained 1 Jar maraschino cherries, Chopped 1 lg Carton of Cool Whip Angel flake coconut Crumble angel food cake into a 9×13 inch glass pan. Melt marshmallows with milk. Spoon over cake. Spoon pineapple over top then cherries. Spread Cool Whip over all. Sprinkle with coconut and refrigerte. Randy Rigg Yields 1 Servings
Quick Overnight Sourdough Starter
Ingredients & Directions 1 pk Yeast; plus 1 tb Yeast 4 c Lukewarm water 4 c Flour, all-purpose Recipe by: FWDS07A Patricia Dwigans Dissolve yeast in a small amount of lukewarm water. Stir flour into remaining water and add yeast mixture. mix well and cover. Let mixture stand in a draft free area that is near 85 for al least 6 hours or overnight. Starter is now ready to be mixed with other ingredients for your favorite sourdough recipe From Yields 1 Servings
Bran Molasses Sunflower Bread
Ingredients & Directions 1 1/2 Cakes fresh yeast -lukewarm (95 F) 3/4 c Lukewarm water (95 F) 6 To 7 cups all-purpose flour 2 tb Sugar -or bread flour 1/3 c Molasses 1 1/4 c Unprocessed bran flakes 1/4 c (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, 1/2 c Sunflower seeds -room temperature 1 tb Salt 1 1/2 c Milk, scalded and cooled to Makes 2 loaves Crumble yeast into small bowl. Stir in lukewarm water and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add molasses and butter to milk and stir until butter melts. Combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, bran, seeds and salt in large bowl. Whisk in yeast and milk mixtures until smooth, about 3 minutes. Using wooden spoon, mix in all-purpose flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough forms soft mass. Knead on heavily floured surface until smooth and satiny, kneading in more flour if sticky. Grease large bowl. Add dough, turning to coat entire surface. Cover bowl with plastic. Let rise in warm draft-free area until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans. Gently knead dough on lightly floured surface until deflated. Cut in half. Pat each piece out into rectangle. Roll up jelly roll fashion, pinching seams to seal. Place seam side down in prepared pans. Cover with towel and let rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375 F. Bake until loaves pull away from sides of pans, about 45 minutes. Immediately remove from pans. Cool completely on racks. Yields 2 servings
