Chocolate Raspberry Trifle

This is a SUPER easy but delicious and beautiful dessert that looks like it took all day.

Using fresh raspberries while they are in season is the best but frozen work too.

1 pan of brownies already made, thick or thin
fresh raspberries (about 3 pints) or 1 bag frozen (thawed and drained)

Pudding layer:
1 - 3 oz. instant jello pudding any choc or white flavor you like
(cheesecake, white choc, vanilla... all work great)
1 c milk
1 - 12 oz cool whip thawed minus 1/2 c for the ganache
Mix together the milk and pudding and then fold in the cool whip until blended saving 1/2 c cool whip for ganache

Ganache layer:
1 c chocolate chips (semi sweet or milk chocolate)
1/4 c seedless raspberry jam (or whatever kind of berry jam you have)
1/2 c cool whip, thawed

Mix all together in microwave proof bowl. Melt for 40-50 seconds on high, stirring after each 20 second interval until melted and smooth.

In a trifle dish or clear glass bowl layer 1/3 of the brownies first. Then cover with 1/3 of the berries. Then put 1/3 of the pudding layer. Carefully cover with 1/3 c. of pudding layer. Then top of with 1/3 of ganache spreading carefully to cover. Continue layers ending with ganache. Use a couple berries for garnish if desired. Cover and refrigerate a couple hours. YUM!

Oreo Cookie Dessert

24 Oreo cookies, crushed
1/3 cup soft margarine (or softened butter)

Mix the crushed Oreos and the soft margarine together and press into bottom of 9x13 pan. (Recipe can be halved as seen pictured above to go into an 8x8 pan)

Spread 1/2 gallon softened vanilla ice cream carefully over the crushed Oreo base.

Freeze hard.

Boil 4 ounces German Sweet Chocolate (Baker's chocolate)
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
and 2 Tbsp butter
for 2 or 3 minutes, no longer!

Wait just a minute to let it cool slightly and pour it over the frozen ice cream. Spread carefully.
If desired, sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Freeze again.

This is yummy with fresh strawberries :) It's a rich dessert, a little bit goes a long way but you'll definitely want more! Beware! :)

Healthified Creamy New Potatoes and Green Beans - Healthified - Eat Better America

Healthified Creamy New Potatoes and Green Beans - Healthified - Eat Better America

This was an easy hot side dish. I would recommend quartering the potatoes for better cooking and for easier eating of the final dish.

Healthified Tandoori Turkey Tenderloins - Dinner - Eat Better America

Healthified Tandoori Turkey Tenderloins - Dinner - Eat Better America

This is good! Easy too. It says to grill over medium coals. I have a gas grill so I just grilled over that with the cover open except for about the last 5 minutes of cooking I closed the lid because the meat wasn't reaching desired internal temperature.

I used Greek plain yogurt. It was yummy!

Maple-Oatmeal Scones

From the Jan/Feb 2010 Food Network Magazine
I really should have taken a picture. They were beautiful. I'll post the recipe as it was in the magazine. I cut the recipe in half and used a 2 inch round cookie cutter (rather than the 3 inch round the recipe calls for). It made 12 of that size. Those were big enough for us!

Active: 30 min/ Total: 50 min
Makes 14 very large round scones

FOR THE SCONES
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats (I used old fashioned and it turned out fine), plus additional for sprinkling if desired (I didn't sprinkle)
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup cold buttermilk (you can make your own buttermilk. 1 T lemon juice, add milk to make 1 cup)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or water, for egg wash

FOR THE GLAZE
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flours, oats, baking powder, sugar and salt. Blend the cold butter in at the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-size pieces. Combine the buttermilk, maple syrup and eggs and add quickly to the flour-and-butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough may be sticky.

2. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and be sure it is combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4 to 1 inch thick. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut into 3-inch rounds with a plain or fluted cutter and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

3. Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are crisp and the insides are done.

4. To make the glaze, combine the confectioner's sugar, maple syrup and vanilla. When the scones are done, cool for 5 minutes and drizzle each scone with 1 tablespoon of the glaze. I like to sprinkle some uncooked oats on the top, for garnish. The warmer the scones are when you glaze them, the thinner the glaze will be.

Recipe from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

This is one of those light, feel good after you eat it sort of things...yet is so YUM,and a cinch to make.

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into thin wedges (I cubed mine)
1 red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 bag baby spinach (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Preparation

Heat oven to 425° F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes, onion, 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. In a large bowl, toss the warm potato mixture with the spinach, lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Island Vacation Party Mix

2 1/2 C Corn Chex

2 1/2 C Rice Chex

2 C macadamia nuts

1/4 C butter, cubed

2 TBSP corn syrup

2 TBSP sugar

1 C flaked coconut

1 (6oz) pkg chopped dried pineapple

1 C white chocolate chips

In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine cereals and nuts; set aside. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter, corn syrup, and sugar. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 2 minutes, stirring once. Pour over cereal mixture and toss to coat.

Cook cereal mixture, uncovered, on high for 2 minutes, stirring once. Add coconut; cook 2 minutes longer, stirring once. Spread onto wax paper to cool. Stir in pineapple and white chocolate chips. Store in an airtight container.

**WARNING: You will not be able to stop eating this. Plus, it will probably make you wish you were laying out on a beach in Hawaii snacking on this mix and drinking (virgin) Pina Coladas!

Hungarian Hot Sausage and Lentil Stoup

A stoup is between a stew and a soup. This was delicious and perfect for a chilly winter day. It has a little heat to it, but not too spicy.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 1/2 pounds bulk hot Italian sausage
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 portobello mushrooms, gills scraped out, chopped
1 cup pre-shredded carrots, available in sacks in produce department of the market
1 cup lentils
1 large starchy potato, peeled and chopped
Salt and pepper
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
2 teaspoons smoked paprika (or substitute a mix of 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika and 2 pinches cayenne pepper)
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, in tact on stems
1 (14-ounce) can fire roasted chopped tomatoes, such as Muir Glenn or, regular diced tomatoes
6 cups chicken stock
4 cups kale or chard, a small bunch, veins removed and chopped
Crusty bread, to pass at table
Butter, for bread

Heat a medium soup pot over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, then add sausage to pot and brown and crumble it, then add garlic, onions and mushrooms. Cook a few minutes, then add carrots, lentils, potato, salt and pepper, bay leaf, paprika or substitute mixture and rosemary (leaves will fall from stems as stoup cooks). Add tomatoes and broth and cover pot then raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Uncover pot and place heat back a bit but keep stoup at a good rolling boil. Cook 15 minutes until lentils and potatoes are tender. Wilt in greens in small bunches, remove rosemary stems and turn off heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls with bread and butter to mop up stoup. Reheat leftovers thinning it with broth or water.

Chocolate Mousse Torte

Ingredients
37 Nilla waffers divided
4 squares Baker's Semi-sweet Chocolate divided
2 pkg. 3.9 oz. each chocolate instant pudding
2 cups plus 2 Tbsp. cold milk divided
1 tub 8 oz. whipped topping thawed divided
1 pkg. 8 oz. cream cheese softened
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh raspberries....I had strawberries so I used them instead and they worked fine.

Directions
Stand 16 wafers, top-sides out, around the insede edge of a 9-inch round pan lined with plastic wrap. Melt 3 chocolate squares. Beat the pudding mixes and 2 cups milk with whisk for 2 minutes. Blend in melted chocolate and 1 cup whipped topping; pour into prepared pan. Beat cream cheese, sugar and remaining milk with mixer until blended. Stir in 1 cup of whipped topping; spread over pudding. Top with remaining wafers. Refrigerate 3 hours. Invert the torte onto a plate. Remove pan and plastic wrap. Shave remaining chocolate square into curls. Top the torte with the remaining whipped topping, berries and chocolate curls.

Note--make it the day of, the waffers become a bit soggy the second day.

Apricot Chicken

Sorry no picture. This is another fast, easy and very delicious recipe. Portions are for two to three people.

1 pound chicken tenders
3/4 cup apricot preserves
1/2 envelope onion soup mix (use the other half to mix with sour cream and make chip dip!)
1/8 cup mayo

Combine preserves, onion soup mix, and mayo. Place chicken in 13x9 pan and spread preserves mixture over top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Serve chicken and juices over steamed white rice. Try a green salad and hot rolls on the side.