Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Streuseled Pumpkin Pie


A pumpkin pie with a moist gingersnap streusel on top calls for no whipped cream, just seconds on the pie!

yield: 10 servings

1 pie crust

Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
15 oz unsweetened pumpkin
12 oz evaporated fat-free milk
1 egg
3 egg whites

Streusel:
10 gingersnap cookies
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine all filling ingredients (3/4 cup sugar through egg whites) in a large bowl. Mix at medium speed until combined. Pour into prepared pie crust. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes.
3. While pie bakes, place gingersnap cookies in a food processor; pulse until crumbly and the texture of breadcrumbs. Add sugar and flour; pulse until combined. Add butter; pulse until crumbly.
4. When pie has baked for 35 minutes, remove pie from oven and sprinkle with cookie mixture. Return to oven; bake 20 minutes or until center is set. Cool to room temperature.

Carrot Soufflé

Similar to sweet potato casserole in texture and taste, this recipe calls for more-readily-available carrots. A great addition to the typical Thanksgiving feast.

yield: 8 1/2-cup servings

7 cups chopped carrot
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
3 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cook carrot in boiling water 15 minutes or until very tender; drain. Place carrot in a food processor; process until smooth (you can mash with a potato masher if you don't have a food processor). Combine carrots with sugar through eggs, mixing to combine.
3. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until puffed and set. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies


Crunchy and sweet with the texture of oatmeal cookies but the chocolaty-ness of chocolate-chip, these are sure to be a hit with everyone.

yield: 3 dozen cookies

1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup oats
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate minichips

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
3. Place sugars and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and egg; beat until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Stir in pecans and minichips. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove cookies from pans and cool on wire racks.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Buttermilk Biscuits


Fluffy and flaky, these biscuits are buttery even without adding butter.

yield: 14 biscuits

2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk to flour mixture; stir just until moist.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 4 or 5 times. Roll dough into a 1/2-inch-thick 9x5-inch rectangle; dust top of dough with flour. Fold dough into thirds (like folding a sheet of paper to put into an envelope). Repeat rolling and folding. Roll dough into a 3/4-inch thickness and cut into 14 dough rounds. Place dough rounds on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 12 minutes or until golden.