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
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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.