Pumpkin Waffles

From the blog Mogwai Soup
www.mogwaisoup.com

(Originally by Love to Cook)
 www.tastesbetterfromscratch.blogspot.com

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2  teaspoon cinnamon
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites, beaten stiff
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter, melted

2-3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

or

2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice instead of the spices above.

Spread waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray and heat to desired temperature.

Combine cornstarch and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk together to break apart the cornstarch. Add the remaining dry ingredients and whisk to blend.

Separate the eggs. Add the pumpkin and milk to the egg yolks; whisk to blend well. Add the melted butter; whisk to blend and set aside. Whisk the egg whites with a hand mixer on high until stiff peaks form, 1-1 1/2 minutes. Set aside.

Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and mix them together until just combined. Gently fold in the egg whites until blended.

Pour the batter on the heated waffle iron and cook to perfection (I added 1/3 cup miniature chocolate chips to the batter before cooking).

* To lower the cholesterol, I used 1 egg yolk and 3 eggs whites.

Note: You can freeze leftover waffles and then pop them in the toaster later.

Christmas Smoothie

My husband named this smoothie "The Christmas smoothie" because of the colors: red from the raspberries and green from the spinach even though the green gets lost when combined with the other ingredients.

2 cups frozen raspberries or strawberries
1 cup fresh spinach or a handful of frozen spinach
2 cups low-fat strawberry or plain yogurt
1 cup milk
1/2 banana
2 tablespoons wheat germ
2 tablespoons honey or more if using nonfat plain yogurt
10 ice cubes

Put the frozen raspberries in the blender, add the milk and spinach and blend well.

Add the yogurt and blend using the spoon to stir (the motor has to be off). Once the mixture is smooth, add the honey, wheat germ, banana and blend again, there must not be chunks.

Finally, stir in the ice cubes and use the "crush ice or frappe" button to grind the ice.

Makes 4 servings

Orange-Apricot Glazed Ham

1 (3 pound) smoked boneless ham
1/2 cup water

Glaze:

2 tablespoons apricot preserves
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon honey

How to score a ham:

Use a small chef's knife. Make crosshatches about 1/3 inch deep and spaced an inch or so apart, creating a diamond pattern over the entire surface.

Place the ham in a small baking dish; pour the water on the bottom of the dish. Cover the entire ham with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 F preheated oven.

Bake for 40 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the glaze ingredients and heat them up in the microwave for 40 seconds. Combine well.

Glaze the ham with a brush covering all the surface and sides well. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the ham rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Jumbo Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

Everyday Food Magazine, April 2005

www.everydayfood.com

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 cups raisins
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

 Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add flour mixture; beat just until combined. Add oats, raisins, coconut; beat just until combined.

Drop level 1/4 cup measures of dough, 1 1/2 inches apart, onto baking sheets.

Bake until cookies have spread and are golden brown and soft to the touch, 18-20 minutes (I bake mine 13-15 minutes only on cookie trays lined with parchment paper), rotating sheets halfway through. Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 20.

Freeze and bake: Freeze unbaked cookies on baking sheet until firm about 30 minutes. Transfer to resealable plastic bags (label and date); keep up up to 6 months. Bake as many as you need (without thawing); place 1 1/2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

1 (7 pound) turkey breast, completely thawed, if frozen

Compound Butter :

2 tablespoons salted butter, softened
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 1/4 teaspoons table salt

Additional ingredients:

2 celery stalks, chopped
1 big onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup white wine
2- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 rosemary sprig

Pat dry the turkey breast trimming the visible excess of fat.

Mix the compound butter ingredients and rub on the turkey breast, even between the skin and breast like a pocket. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

Place the vegetables, rosemary sprig, wine and chicken broth in a roasting pan. Nestle the uncovered turkey breast on top of the mixture.

Bake at 325 F for 2 hours-2 hrs 15 minutes basting a couple of times if necessary.

Remove the turkey breast to a platter, internal temperature should be 170 degrees when using a meat thermometer that has to be inserted without touching the bone. Cover with aluminum foil for 15-20 minutes before slicing with a very sharp or electric knife.

The Famous Lipton California Dip

Lipton's Recipe Secrets

Michele usually brings this dip to our family dinners. I love it.

1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Soup Mix
1 container (16 ounces) regular or light sour cream

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients; chill at least 2 hours.

Serve with your favorite dippers.

Makes 2 cups dip

Note: For a creamier dip, add more sour cream

Margaret's Raisin Bread in a Can

Trisha's Southern Cooking. Food Network
www.foodnetwork.com

1 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup crushed bran flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees.

Heavily grease and flour the inside of 3 (15-ounce) cans.

In a medium heatproof mixing bowl, pour the boiling water over the raisins and baking soda. Set aside to cool.

In a medium mixing bowl sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Stir in the bran flake crumbs. Lightly beat together the egg and oil and stir into the flour mixture. Stir in the cooled raisins and water.

Divide the batter evenly among the 3 cans, filling about 3/4 of the way up. Bake on the lowest rack until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Cool for about 10 minutes and run a knife along the sides of the can to remove.

If packing as gift, just wrap in the can.

Makes 3 mini loaves

Slow-Cooked White Chicken Chili

www.tasteofhome.com

The salsa verde and cilantro give this chili a  very special touch.

3 cups cooked chicken, cubed
3 cans (15 oz) Cannellini beans or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) container Alfredo sauce
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup Pepper Jack cheese
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies (Mild)
1 small onion chopped
1 cup sour  cream (I used Light)
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or I used 1/2 teaspoon only)
1 tablespoon cumin ( I am not a big fan of strong cumin flavor so I used 1 1/2 teaspoon)

Mix all the ingredients and pour in the slow cooker.

Cook on LOW for 3-4 hours.

Garnish with salsa verde and fresh cilantro.

Makes 6-8 servings

Cheesy Cornbread

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
2 eggs
1/3 cup Canola Oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 can 8.5 ounces cream-style corn
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Jalapeno pepper (optional)
2 green onions, chopped (optional)

Mix the wet ingredients in a bowl and the dry ingredients in another one. Combine them altogether and add the cheese and Jalapeno pepper and green onions.

Place in a 13x9x1-inch greased and flour baking pan. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of the cornbread comes out clean.

Makes 15 servings

Note: I tested half the recipe in a small round baking dish and baked for 20-22 minutes.

Fruity Oatmeal

Best Ever Low-Cal Recipes-Better Homes and Gardens
www.betterhomesandgardens.com

In just 15 minutes you'll have a warm breakfast for a cold winter morning. If you have a penchant for pears or apricots, substitute them for the peaches or apple.

2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup regular rolled oats
1 cup coarsely chopped peeled peaches or chopped apple
1/4 raisins or snipped pitted whole dates
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 cup fat-free milk

My suggestion:

Honey, snipped dates, raisins, nuts and chopped apple on top.

In a medium saucepan bring the water and salt to boiling; stir in oats, peaches or apple, raisins or dates, and cinnamon. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from Heat. Cover; let stand for 2 minutes.
Stir in brown sugar.

Divide the hot oat mixture among 4 bowls. Pour 2 tablespoons of the milk over each serving. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Chicken Tortilla Soup (Slow Cooker)

Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook. Feasting with your slow-cooker.
Picture courtesy of Michele Boatright

4 chicken breast halves
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, undrained
2 (15 oz) cans Mexican stewed tomatoes or Rotel tomatoes
1 cup salsa (mild, medium or hot, whichever you prefer)
4-oz can chopped green chilies
14 1/2 oz can tomato sauce

Tortilla chips
2 cups grated cheese

Combine all the ingredients except cheese and chips in a large slow-cooker.

Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours.

Just before serving, remove chicken breasts and slice into bite-sized pieces or shred. Stir into soup.

To serve, put a handful of chips in each individual soup bowl. Ladle soup over chips. Top with cheese.

Makes 6-8 servings

                                                                                           Becky Harder
                                                                                           Monument, CO