Pesto Pasta with Grilled Chicken Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 lb cavatappi or other pasta
12 oz chicken breast cutlets
Olive oil cooking spray
1⁄4 tsp each salt and pepper
1 tub (6 to 7 oz) cilantro or basil pesto
1 cup jarred roasted peppers (preferably red and yellow), drained, cut in strips
1 cup halved grape tomatoes

PREPARATION

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook as package directs, reserving about 1 cup of cooking water before draining.

2. Meanwhile, heat stovetop grill pan. Coat chicken with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill chicken 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until cooked through.

3. Cut chicken into strips. Add to drained pasta along with pesto, peppers, tomatoes and about 1⁄2 cup pasta cooking water (or more if desired). Toss to mix and coat.

Passover Mocha Cake Recipe

INGREDIENTS

Cake

• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 2⁄3 cup (4 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1⁄2 cup matzo cake meal
• 9 large eggs, yolks and whites separated into large bowls, whites at room temperature
• 1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1⁄8 tsp ground cloves 1⁄8 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp instant coffee granules, dissolved in 1⁄4 cup boiling water, cooled
• 1⁄3 cup oil

Glaze & Decoration

• 1⁄2 cup (3 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 pt strawberries, rinsed and patted dry

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 350°F. You’ll need a rimmed baking sheet and a 10 x 41⁄2-in. tube pan with a removable tube insert.

2. Cake: Spread almonds on baking sheet. Bake 5 to 6 minutes until lightly toasted, then cool.

3. Meanwhile, pulse 2⁄3 cup chocolate chips in food processor until finely ground. Scrape into a medium bowl.

4. Pulse almonds, 1⁄4 cup sugar and the cake meal in food processor until almonds are finely ground. Add to chocolate; stir to blend.

5. Beat egg whites with mixer on high speed until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted. Gradually beat in 1⁄4 cup sugar and continue beating just until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted. Set aside.

6. Beat yolks, remaining 1 cup sugar, spices, salt, the coffee and oil just to blend. Fold in 1⁄4 of the whites, then the nut mixture. Fold in remaining whites; pour into ungreased tube pan.

7. Bake 55 minutes, or until top looks dry and cake springs back when gently touched. Immediately invert the pan onto a wire rack. Cool completely, upside down.

8. To unmold: Gently run a knife around edge of pan and inner tube. Holding tube, lift out cake. Run a knife between bottom of insert and cake; invert and remove insert.

9. Glaze and decorate up to 1 hour before serving: Melt chocolate as package directs, but with the oil added. Stir together until well combined. Cool chocolate for 4 minutes. Drizzle most over cake; dip berries in remaining glaze and place on cake.

Cajun Sausage and Rice Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box (8 oz) red beans and rice mix
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 bell peppers, cut bite-size
• 4 fully cooked spicy beef sausages (from a 14-oz pkg), sliced
• Sliced scallions (optional)

PREPARATION

1. Bring 31⁄2 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add rice mix, reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly charred in a few places. Add sausage; sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned.

3. Place mixture on rice (don’t stir), cover and simmer 10 minutes until rice is tender. Stir to mix; sprinkle with scallions, if using.

Chick Cupcakes Recipe

INGREDIENTS

# Hummingbird Cake recipe
# Cream Cheese Frosting recipe

• 3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
• Green and yellow liquid food color
• Yellow Jordan almonds
• Blue and orange tubes of frosting

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. You’ll need 36 muffin cupslined with paper liners.

2. Prepare cake recipe as above. Using an ice cream scoop, fill each muffin cup two-thirds full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely.

3. Place coconut in a large ziptop bag with a few drops each of green and yellow food color. Shake bag until coconut is evenly tinted.

4. Pipe triangle-shaped beaks on almonds with orange frosting and eyes with blue frosting; let dry.

5. Frost cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, sprinkle with tinted coconut and top each one with a couple of almond chicks.

5 Healthy Chicken Soup Recipes

The cold-relieving health benefits of chicken soup are already widely known, but have you ever considered the diet-friendly advantages in a steaming bowl of the veggie- and lean protein-packed dish? Homemade varieties are especially waist-friendly, since you can control the levels of sodium and add as many fresh vegetables as you desire. Whether you’re looking to make a light main course or supplement another entrée, we’ve got five nutritious and flavorful chicken soup recipes that are sure to bowl you over. From our elegant Spring Chicken Vegetable Soup to our hearty Chicken Minestrone, each of these under-300 calorie options will succeed in soothing the soul while satisfying hunger.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Serves 6
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 lb chicken thighs, skin removed
3 cups water
2 cans (14½ oz each) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed
1 can (15¼ oz) kernel corn
1 can (14½ oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles
½ tsp each ground cumin and dried oregano
1 cup crumbled tortilla chips
½ cup chopped cilantro
Garnish: lime wedges, tortilla chips

PREPARATION
1. Bring chicken and water to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Remove chicken to cutting board; let cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, add broth to pot; bring to a boil. Stir in beans, corn, tomatoes, cumin and oregano, and bring to a simmer. Simmer 5 minutes for flavors to blend.
3. Meanwhile, pull chicken meat from bones and shred.
4. Stir chicken and tortillas into soup: cook 1 minute to slightly soften tortillas. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

Per serving: 240 cal, 16 g pro, 33 g car, 7 g fiber, 7 g fat (2 g sat fat), 36 mg chol, 1038 mg sod

Slow-Cooker Chicken Posole
Serves 4
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 can (15 oz) yellow or white hominy, drained
1 can (14.5 oz) Mexican-style diced tomatoes
1 can (10 oz) mild green enchilada sauce
2 carrots, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp cumin
5 chicken thighs
(1 1⁄2 lbs), skin removed
Chopped cilantro (optional)
Lime wedges (optional)
Tortilla chips (optional)

PREPARATION
1. Combine hominy, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, carrots, onion, garlic and cumin in a 4-qt slow-cooker. Add chicken and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high 3 to 3 1⁄2 hours until chicken is cooked through and vegetables tender. Skim and discard any fat from the surface.
2. Remove chicken; pull meat off bones into large shreds. Stir back into slow-cooker. Stir in cilantro, if using. Serve with lime wedges and tortilla chips

Per serving: 262 cal, 22 g pro, 26 g car, 5 g fiber, 7 g fat (1 g sat fat), 80 mg chol, 1083 mg sod

Chicken Minestrone with Pesto
Serves 6
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 9 hours

INGREDIENTS
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes in juice, undrained
4 cups chicken broth
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in 1-in. chunks
1 medium baking potato, peeled and diced
½ cup each chopped onion, carrot and celery
¼ tsp pepper
1 can (16 oz) white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 cup frozen cut green beans, thawed
1⁄3 cup refrigerated prepared basil pesto

PREPARATION
1. Mix all ingredients except the cannellini beans, zucchini, green beans and pesto in a 4-qt or larger slow-cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low 7 to 9 hours until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
3.Stir in cannellini beans, zucchini and green beans. Cover and cook on high 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.
4. Spoon into bowls; top servings with pesto.

Per serving: 289 cal, 25 g pro, 27 g car, 6 g fiber, 9 g fat (2 g sat fat), 67 mg chol, 827 mg sod

Spring Chicken & Vegetable Soup
Serves 6
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS
3 cans (14 oz each) chicken broth
3 Tbsp orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
11/2 cups sliced baby or small zucchini and/or yellow squash
4 scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated
8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 Tbsp each lemon juice and snipped dill

PREPARATION
1. Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in orzo; boil 9 minutes or until almost tender.
2. Stir in squash and white part of scallions; cook 1 minute. Add chicken and peas; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 minute or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables and orzo are tender.
3. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, dill and scallion greens.
Plan ahead: Slice veggies and chicken a day ahead and refrigerate.

Per serving: 82 cal, 11 g pro, 7 g car, 1 g fiber, 1 g fat, 22 mg chol, 413 mg sod

Chicken Noodle Soup
Serves 6
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS
6 cups chicken broth
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, visible fat trimmed
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup onion
1 cup baby carrots, halved crosswise
1 large parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1⁄4 tsp pepper
2 cups uncooked medium egg noodles
1⁄4 cup snipped fresh dill

PREPARATION
1. Put broth, chicken, celery, onion, carrots, parsnip, garlic, bay leaf and pepper in a large saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked and vegetables are tender.
2. Discard bay leaf. Remove chicken to a plate to cool slightly. Add noodles to soup; cover and simmer 10 minutes, or until tender.
3. Meanwhile, shred chicken with fingers or 2 forks. Add to soup along with the dill.

Coconut Chiffon Cake

INGREDIENTS

• Cake
• Whites from 6 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 box (18.25-oz) white cake mix
• 1 can (14-oz) lite unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 2 tsp coconut extract
• 18 drops liquid yellow food color
• Coconut Frosting
• 3/4 cup each cream cheese frosting (from a 12-oz tub) and marshmallow creme (Fluff)
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 325°F. You'll need a 10-inch tube pan with removable core and bottom (not nonstick).

2. Cake:Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl with mixer on medium until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted. Gradually beat in sugar until incorporated. Continue to beat on high until stiff, shiny peaks form.

3. In a second large bowl (no need to wash beaters), beat remaining cake ingredients on medium speed until blended. Continue to beat on high until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg whites to top of batter and fold in with rubber spatula until combined. Scrape batter into ungreased pan; smooth top and tap pan on counter a few times to settle batter.

4. Bake 1 hour or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Invert pan onto its core on countertop and cool cake completely.

5. Loosen cake around sides of pan and core with long thin-bladed knife; lift cake from pan sides by the tube. Cut away cake from pan bottom and invert onto a rack, then immediately reinvert cake right side up on a serving plate.

6. Frosting: Fold cream cheese frosting and marshmallow creme together in a medium bowl until blended. Spread evenly over cake. Cover frosting with coconut, gently pressing to adhere.

Plan Ahead: You can bake and frost cake up to 2 days before serving. Store, covered, at room temperature.

Irish Brown Bread Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ cups whole-wheat flour
¾ cup quick oats
½ cup wheat germ
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1¾ cups buttermilk
2 Tbsp honey

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix flours, oats, wheat germ, baking soda and salt.

2. Whisk together buttermilk and honey. Add to flour mixture; stir to combine until soft dough forms.

3. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Divide in half. Shape each half into a round loaf. Place loaves 3 in. apart onto prepared baking sheet;bake 10 minutes.

4. Reduce temperature to 400°F. Continue baking 10 minutes longer or until bread sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool 15 minutes.

Spicy Sausage & Vegetable Frittata Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp oil
8 oz hot Italian turkey sausage, removed from casings
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 large red or green bell pepper, or ½ of each, diced
8 large egg
4 oz part-skim mozzarella, shredded (1 cup)

PREPARATION

1. Heat oil in a large nonstickskillet medium heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up chunks, 2 to 3 minutes until no longer pink.

2. Add zucchini and bell pepper, and sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

3. Whisk eggs in a large bowl until well combined. Stir in cheese. Pour over sausage mixture in skillet and stir gently to distribute eggs evenly.

4. Heat broiler. While broiler heats, cook frittata 4 to 6 minutes until set on bottom and sides (eggs will be runny in center).

5. Broil 4 to 6 in. from heat source 2 minutes or until firm in center. (If the skillet handle is plastic or wood, wrap it in a double layer of foil to protect it from scorching.)

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

INGREDIENTS

• 4 pocketless pita breads
• Garlic-flavored cooking spray
• 2 each reserved cooked chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin removed, meat shredded
• 2 Tbsp plus 8 tsp Frank’s Red Hot sauce
• 4 reserved quarters cooked yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup each crumbled blue cheese and chopped celery
• Garnish: celery leaves
• 
  

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet nonstick foil. Coat pitas with cooking spray and place on baking sheet. Put chicken in a bowl; toss with 2-Tbsp hot sauce.

2. Spread each pita with 2 tsp hot sauce. Top with chicken, sliced pepper and mozzarella cheese.

3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until bottoms are crisp and cheese has melted. Remove from oven; sprinkle with blue cheese and celery. Cut in wedges.

Mexican Pizza

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large (10-oz) prebaked thin-crust pizza crust
• 3/4 cup taco sauce
• 1 pkg (12 oz) precooked fajita-style chicken strips
• 1 1/4 cups frozen Southwestern corn blend
• 1 cup shredded Mexican or taco cheese blend
• 1/2 cup diced avocado
• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 500ºF. Spread crust with taco sauce, leaving 1/2-in. border around edge.

2. Sprinkle with chicken, frozen corn blend and cheese. Place directly on middle ovenrack

3. Bake 6 minutes until crust is crisp and cheesemelts. Sprinkle with avocado and cilantro; cut in wedges.

Baja Fish Tacos

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 3 Tbsp lime juice
• 1⁄3 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tsp olive oil
  
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 1⁄4 lb halibut or mahi-mahi fillets (about 3⁄4 in. thick)
• 8 corn tortillas, warmed as package directs
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1⁄4 cup sliced radishes

PREPARATION

1. Toss cabbage and 1 Tbsp of lime juice in a bowl. Mix remaining lime juice, 1 Tbsp of cilantro, the oil and chili powder in a pie plate. Add fish, turn; marinate 10 minutes.2. Coat outdoor grill or stovetop grill panwith nonstick spray; heat. fish; cook 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until just cooked through. Remove to plate and break into chunks.3. Fill tortillas with cabbage, fish, avocado, radishes and remaining cilantro. Top with accompaniments as desired.

Greek Tacos

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb lean ground chicken
• 1 1/2 tsp each oregano, paprika and finely minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 pitas, split, warmed in microwave
• 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 1 cup each diced tomatoes and cucumbers
• 3/4 cup plain lowfat yogurt
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

PREPARATION

1. Coat large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken, oregano, paprika, garlic and salt.

2. Cook, breaking up chunks with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 4 minutes.

3. Top each split pita half with 1/4 cup of the lettuce. Add 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture, 2 Tbsp each of the tomato and cucumber, 1 1/2 Tbsp of the yogurt and 1 Tbsp of the feta. Fold in half to eat.

Chicken Hash Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp oil
2 large baked potatoes, peeled and diced (3 cups)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
3 medium carrots (about 8 oz), shredded
1 medium onion, coarsely shredded
1 jar (12 oz) chicken gravy
¼ tsp each salt and pepper

PREPARATION

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients; stir to mix well, then press down with back of a broad spatula.

2. Cook 8 to 10 minutes until a crust forms on bottom. Turn, in sections, with the spatula. Cook 5 minutes longer.

3. Flip onto a serving plate or serve from skillet.

Skillet Chicken & Chickpeas Recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 tsp oil
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp each ground cinnamon, ginger and salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
4 each chicken drumsticks and thighs, skinned (2¼ lb)
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed
1 small , peeled, seeded and cubed (3 cups)
⅓ cup raisins butternut squash
Garnish: chopped cilantro,toasted almonds(optional)

PREPARATION

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion 2 minutes. Add garlic and spices; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

2. Stir in tomatoes and their juices until blended. Add chicken and chickpeas. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

3. Add butternut squash and raisins; simmer, covered, 10 to 15 minutes more until squash is tender and chicken is cooked through. If desired, garnish with cilantro and almonds; serve with couscous.

Cranberry-Pistachio Muffins

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box (8.5 oz) corn muffin mix
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped unsalted pistachios
• 11/2 tsp grated orange zest

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Coat 6 star-shaped disposable foil baking cups or 6 muffin cups with nonstick spray.

2. Prepare muffin mix with the egg and milk as package directs. Stir in cranberries, pistachios and zest just until blended.

3. Evenly spoon batter into prepared cups. (If using foil baking cups, place on a baking sheet.) Sprinkle cranberries and pistachios on top.

4. Bake 15 minutes or until golden and a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean.

Planning Tip: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in container. Warm in oven before serving.

Garnish: dried cranberries and chopped pistachios

Chocolate Party!

Ingredients:
1 box (18.25 oz) devil’s food cake mix
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 jar (7 or 7 1/2 oz) marshmallow cream (such as Marshmallow Fluff or Creme)
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350ºF. You’ll need two 8 x 2-in. round cake pans coated with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with wax paper; coat paper with spray.
2. Prepare cake mix as package directs, adding the cinnamon; stir in chips. Evenly divide batter into prepared pans; bake as package directs.
3. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes. Invert; remove pans and wax paper. Cool completely.
4. Frosting: Beat butter in a large bowl with mixer on medium until creamy. On low speed, beat in cocoa. Beat in marshmallow cream, then confectioners’ sugar. Increase speed to high and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. Place a cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting; top with remaining cake layer. Frost sides and top of cake.

Per serving: 447 cal, 4 g pro, 51 g car, 2 g fiber, 26 g fat (12 g sat fat), 64 mg chol, 386 mg sod

Cookies & Cream Parfaits
Serves: 4
Active: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min

Ingredients:
1 box (3.4 oz) cook and serve chocolate pudding and pie filling
2 cups milk
1 cup nondairy whipped topping
2 soft chocolate cookies (we used Archway)
Garnish: Chocolate curls

Directions:
1. You’ll need four 6-oz dessert glasses. Prepare pudding as package directs, using milk. After cooking, scrape into a medium bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto surface of pudding. Refrigerate pudding until cold, at least 1 hour.
2. To make Parfaits: Put 1/4 cup pudding into each glass. Top each with 2 Tbsp nondairy whipped topping, then crumble 1/2 a cookie onto each. Top with 1/4 cup more pudding and 2 Tbsp topping. Garnish if desired.

Buttermilk Chocolate Swirl

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp each baking powder and baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg white
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract or 2 tsp rum extract
• 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, broken up
• Garnish: confectioner’s sugar

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 350°F. You’ll need an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-in. loaf pan coated with nonstick spray. Line bottom and long sides of pan with wax paper; coat paper.

2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, egg white, oil and extracts in a medium bowl; stir into flour mixture until blended.

3. Melt chocolate in microwave on high about 1 minute, stirring every 15 seconds; stir in 1 1/3 cups batter. Working quickly (chocolate batter will become firm and hard to swirl if you let it stand too long), pour some of the white batter over bottom of pan, then dollop with chocolate batter. Fill pan by alternating dollops of white and chocolate batter. Pull knife through batter to swirl.

4. Bake 1 hour or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan; put cake right side up on rack to cool. Dust with confectioner’s sugar.

INGREDIENTS

• STARS
• 1 package (8-serving size) or 2 packages (4-serving size) any flavor red gelatin
• 1 package (8-serving size) or 2 packages (4-serving size) berry-blue gelatin
• CAKE
• 3 1⁄3 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 1⁄4 cups granulated sugar
• 5 1⁄4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
• 1 3⁄4 cups milk
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 8 whites of large eggs, at room temperature (save yolks for another use)
• WHIPPED-CREAM FROSTING
• 3 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• 3 cups cold heavy (whipping) cream
• 1⁄2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• Extra decorations: tubes of red and blue decorating gel, red and blue sprinkles, fresh raspberries, fresh mint

PREPARATION

1. Stars: Have ready two 13 x 9-inch pans (disposable foil is fine) and star-shape cookie cutters in various sizes.




2. Up to 1 day before serving: Place red and blue gelatin in separate bowls. Add 11⁄4 cups boiling water to each and stir until dissolved. Pour into separate pans and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.




3. To unmold Stars: Line a cookie sheet with plastic wrap. Dip pans into warm water 10 to 15 seconds to loosen gelatin. Invert onto work surface. Cut out stars with each size cutter from both colors gelatin (you’ll have more than needed to decorate cake). Lift stars to lined cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to assemble cake.




4. Cake: Position racks to divide oven in thirds. Heat oven to 350°F. Generously grease, then flour two 8 x 11⁄2-inch-round cake pans and two 6 x 11⁄2-inch-round cake pans (see Cook’s Tips).




5. Place all Cake ingredients except egg whites into a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed 1 minute until blended. Increase mixer speed to high and beat 2 minutes until fluffy. Return speed to low, add egg whites and beat just until blended. Increase speed to medium-high and beat 1 minute longer or until whites are thoroughly blended. Don’t overbeat.




6. Immediately pour batter into prepared pans, filling each 2⁄3 full. Smooth tops.




7. Stagger pans on oven racks so no pan sits directly above another. (Pans can remain in same position during baking.) Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of each layer comes out clean (smaller layers may finish baking first).




8. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks 5 minutes before inverting on racks to cool completely.




9. Thirty minutes before assembling cake: Place a large bowl and beaters of an electric mixer in freezer 15 minutes.




10. Frosting: In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over water and let stand 1 minute. Place over low heat and stir with a rubber spatula until completely dissolved. Pour into small bowl and cool about 5 minutes (mixture should still be warm).




11. Using chilled bowl and beaters, beat cream on high speed until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add confectioners’ sugar and beat 30 seconds until blended. Add gelatin mixture, increase mixer speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Use immediately. Makes 6 cups.




12. To assemble cake: Place one 8-inch cake layer on serving plate. Spread top with 1 cup frosting. Top with remaining 8-inch layer. Center a 6-inch layer on top. Spread top with 3⁄4 cup frosting. Top with second 6-inch layer. Frost top and sides.




13. Gently press some Stars onto cake. Pipe stripes with piping gels; add sprinkles. Garnish with berries and mint.




14. To serve: Cut top tier in wedges down to bottom tier, then cut bottom tier. Add 1 or 2 of the extra Stars to each serving.




Shortcuts: Prepare two 16-ounce boxes of white cake mix (as box directs) simultaneously. Bake cupcakes with leftover batter. Frost with 16 ounces thawed frozen non­dairy topping.




Cook’s Tips: For the top tier, if you don’t have 6-inch cake pans, use two 6-inch-round disposable foil containers, or a straight-sided saucepan (not nonstick) 6 to 61⁄2 inches wide.




NOTE If using foil pans for baking: Grease and flour well. For stability, place on a cookie sheet before filling. If using saucepan: Wrap handle in 3 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil to prevent scorching. Fill with 3 cups batter. Place in middle of lower oven rack with 8-inch cake pans on upper rack, but not over saucepan. Bake as directed in Step 7. After 8-inch layers are done (28 to 32 minutes), reduce oven temperature to 325°F and continue baking saucepan 15 to 20 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool as directed, then split cake in half with a serrated knife and assemble as directed.

Star-Spangled Quilt Cake

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box (18.25) cake mix, any flavor
• 11⁄2 cans (16 oz each) fluffy white frosting
• Red and blue paste food color
• 1⁄2 to 2⁄3 cup confectioners’ sugar
• Cornstarch
• 1 rectangular cookie (such as Social Tea)
• Tiny white star candies
• Four 31⁄2-in. and three 51⁄2-in.-long strands (strings) cherry Pull-n-Peel Twizzlers (see Note)
• 9 each small, round blue and red candies
• You also need: 1 qt-size plastic ziptop bag and a 2-in. star-shape cookie cutter

PREPARATION

1. Prepare cake mix and bake as pkg directs in a 13 x 9-in. pan. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes before inverting on rack to cool completely.

2. Color frosting as follows: Tint 3⁄4 cup red and 3⁄4 cup blue. Spoon 2 Tbsp red frosting (see Tip) and 2 Tbsp white into separate small bowls. Spoon remaining red frosting into the plastic bag; seal bag. Knead 1⁄4 cup confectioners’ sugar into frosting in each bowl until a claylike dough forms, kneading in more sugar if dough is sticky. Wrap airtight in plastic wrap.

3. Lightly dust work surface and rolling pin with cornstarch. Roll doughs to about 1⁄8 in. thick. Using star cutter, cut out 5 red and 5 white stars. Press and reroll scraps (stars may crack when moved to the cake, so make extra). Transfer to cornstarch-dusted foil. Let set uncovered at room temperature overnight.

4. Melt 1 Tbsp blue frosting in microwave; spread on flat side of cookie and immediately add tiny white stars (use tweezers or the end of a toothpick dipped in water).

5. Score top of cake with a toothpick or skewer into 12 even rectangles (3 rows crosswise, 4 lengthwise).

6. To frost cake: Using photo as a guide, spread white frosting on 2 rectangles in center of cake, then carefully spread blue and white frosting in alternating rectangles and on sides. Place frosted cookie in upper left corner of center rectangle. Evenly space Pull-n-Peel strands in place for stripes.

7. Snip tiny tip off corner of bag with red frosting. Use some of the frosting to pipe zigzag stitching lines between rectangles and around top edge of cake. Press a round candy in each corner, alternating colors. Snip 1⁄4 in. more off corner of bag; pipe beads around base of cake.

8. Press alternating white and red stars in rectangles around flag.

NOTE The Pull-n-Peel Twizzler strands are for the flag’s stripes. If you can pipe straight lines, omit the strands, tint extra frosting red and pipe the stripes before piping the zigzag stitching lines.

TIP Tint the red frosting in the bowl somewhat darker than the shade you want, so when the confectioners’ sugar is added the red will remain vibrant for the Stars.

Planning Tip: The cutout stars can be stored, loosely covered, at room temperature up to 1 week. The cake can be decorated up to 1 day ahead. Store loosely covered at room temperature.