Turkey Burgers with Special Sauce

Another Cooking Light magazine hit. Turkey burgers can be dry but these are not, and they are flavorful. Also, be warned, the raw meat mixture is very wet and hard to work with.
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound ground turkey breast
Cooking spray
1/2 cup Special Sauce
4 (1 1/2-ounce) whole wheat hamburger buns
4 curly leaf lettuce leaves

Prepare grill (I used a grill pan at home).Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 3/4-inch-thick patty. Place patties on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until done.

Spread 2 tablespoons Special Sauce over top half of each bun. Place lettuce leaves on bottom halves of buns; top each with 1 patty and top half of bun. Cut each burger in half.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 burger) CALORIES 318 (21% from fat); FAT 7.3g (sat 1.6g,mono 1.8g,poly 3.3g); PROTEIN 32.5g; CHOLESTEROL 70mg; CALCIUM 73mg; SODIUM 812mg; FIBER 3.6g; IRON 2.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31.7g

Honey-Roasted Root Vegetables

2 cups coarsely chopped peeled sweet potato (about 1 large)
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped peeled turnip (about 2 medium)
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped parsnip (about 2 medium)
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped carrot (about 2 medium)
1/4 cup tupelo honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 shallots, halved
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450°.
Combine all ingredients except the cooking spray in a large bowl; toss to coat. Place vegetable mixture on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender and begin to brown, stirring every 15 minutes.
Yield 8 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

CALORIES 118(27% from fat); FAT 3.5g (sat 0.5g,mono 2.5g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 1.3g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 33mg; SODIUM 171mg; FIBER 2.3g; IRON 0.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 21.7g

Creamiest Chocolate Pudding

Another recipe from Cooking Light magazine.

1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/2 cup evaporated fat-free milk
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60 to 70 percent cocoa), finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium, heavy saucepan; stir with a whisk. Gradually add low-fat milk and evaporated milk, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute or until thick. Remove from heat; add chocolate, stirring until melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour about 2/3 cup pudding into each of 6 (8-ounce) ramekins; cover surface of each serving with plastic wrap. Chill at least 4 hours. Remove plastic wrap; serve. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs, if desired.
Yield 6 servings

CALORIES 194(21% from fat); FAT 4.6g (sat 2.7g,mono 0.9g,poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 5.9g; CHOLESTEROL 6mg; CALCIUM 191mg; SODIUM 175mg; FIBER 1.4g; IRON 0.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35g

Mini Onion Quiches

pre-made puff pastry or pie crust
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup grated Swiss cheese (I also tried parmesan and it was good)
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Cut small round pieces of pre-made puff pastry or pie crust and divide among mini muffin tins that have been sprayed with a nonstick cooking spray. Saute onion for 10 minutes in 2 tablespoons butter. Cool, then divide evenly on top of pre-made puff pastry or pie crust. Beat eggs; add milk, salt, pepper, and cheese. Pour by spoonfuls on top of onions in tins. Do not fill to top, as they will run over. Bake until set, about 15 to 20 minutes. Do not over bake. May be stored in refrigerator or freezer. Warm in oven before serving.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates

1 pound (about 12 to 13 slices) bacon, preferably thick-cut
25 dates (about 3/4 pound)
blue cheese
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Cut the bacon in half lengthwise to make twice as many slices. Set aside. Slice the dates on one side and insert a small amount of blue cheese in the middle of the date. Repeat with remaining dates. Wrap the stuffed dates with a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick through the belly of the date. Arrange all the prepared dates on a parchment-lined baking sheet, allowing at least a little space between each one for good browning. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until bacon is browned and crispy. Remove from the baking sheet and gently remove toothpicks. Serve immediately.

Red Cabbage and Apple

This is from Gourmet magazine. I made it last year at Christmas and now people are asking for it again. A trilogy of apple—cider, cider vinegar, and ample chunks of Gala or Fuji— contributes sweet-tart goodness to this Germanic dish. It's a simple, straightforward celebration of fall.

1 garlic clove, smashed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 lb red cabbage, cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 Gala or Fuji apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup unfiltered apple cider
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 whole allspice (optional), crushed
1 1/2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar
preparation
Cook garlic in butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add cabbage, apple, cider, caraway, allspice (if using), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, 15 to 18 minutes.

Add vinegar and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Penne with Mushrooms

I made this recipe from the magazine Cooking Light last night and it was very good. Obviously, the pic is from the magazine.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
3/4 cup thinly sliced leek (about 1 large)
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
6 cups coarsely chopped mushrooms such as oyster, hedgehog, or chanterelle (about 1 pound)
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces uncooked penne (tube-shaped pasta)

Heat oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add leek to pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in sage; cook 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms; cook 10 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Add half-and-half; cook until liquid is reduced to 6 tablespoons (about 2 minutes). Stir in salt and pepper. Remove from heat; keep warm.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Place in a large bowl. Add mushroom mixture to pasta; toss gently to coat.

Daria's Fresh Mushroom Soup

2 cups 1/2 & 1/2
1 medium onion
1/2 stick unsalted butter
3/4 lb thinly sliced mushrooms
4 tsp flour
1 cup beef broth
1/2 bay leaf
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tsp lemon juice

Bring 1/2 & 1/2 to a boil in a heavy sauce pan. Remove from heat and keep warm. Cut 3/4" crosswise slice of onion and reserve the rest for later. Heat butter, whisk in 1 tsp flour. Add mushrooms and cook for 8 - 10 minutes, until brown. Add onion slice, sprinkle with remaining flour and cook, stirring for two minutes. Add broth slowly, stirring constantly. Add 1/2 & 1/2, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and cook or 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard onion and bay leaf. Stir in lemon juice and serve.

Grandma Baron's Cheesecake

Crust:
1 3/4 graham cracker crumbs (28 squares)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup sugar

Filling:
3 eggs
16 oz cream cheese
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups sour cream

Preheat oven to 375. Mix all crust ingredients and put in 9 inch spring form pan. Spread over bottom and half way up the sides. Mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, then blend in sour cream. Pour into pan and bake for one hour. Chill for 4 to 5 hours or over night in pan before serving.

Mary McMinn's Fruit Muffins

This comes from my friend Lauren's mom.

1 1/4 cup strawberries (or other seasonal fruit)
3 Tb butter
2 tsp. orange zest
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400. Combine first four ingredients in blender. Mix the rest and fold in together. Bake in muffin pans for 20 minutes. Double the recipe for a bundt size cake.

Thoroughbred (Almost Derby) Pie

From the NYTimes back in October, 2004. This desert is very rich and unusual. It is also great because of the simple ingredients.

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup semisweet-chocolate chips.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the crust in a pie plate and prick the bottom with a fork. Cover lightly with a sheet of foil, pressing it gently into the crust and making sure the edges are covered. Place weights (metal pie weights or dried beans) on the foil to weigh down the bottom and hold up the sides of the crust. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove foil. Continue baking until the crust is firm and has lost its sheen but is not browned, about 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the butter, eggs and vanilla extract. Add the brown sugar and flour and mix until thoroughly blended. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the crust. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and place on a rack to cool. Serve warm.