Recipe Talk

Pecan Pie Ginger Cheesecake

Recipe from January 30, 2007 Woman's World

A Pillsbury Bake-Off winner in some past year - a pecan pie mixture tops a cheesecake layer studded with crystallized ginger and it's all baked in a flaky crust.
by SusieQusie

8 servings

31/2 hours 20 min prep

Crust and Filling

1 (15 ounce) refrigerated pie crusts

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

6 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

Topping

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups pecan halves or pecan pieces

Heat oven to 350degreesF.
Prepare pie crust as directed on package for one-crust filled pie using a 9-inch glass pie pan or 9-inch deep dish glass pie pan.
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 egg; beat at medium speed until smooth. Stir in ginger. Spoon and spread into crust.
In a large bowl, combine flour and butter; mix well. Add brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 eggs; mix well. Stir in pecans.
Spoon topping carefully over filling.
Bake for 40-50 minutes or until center is set and crust is golden brown.
Cool 1 hour then refrigerate for 2 hours or until thoroughly chilled.
Store in refrigerator.

------

Pesto Ricotta Pie Recipe

This is from my 365 ways to cook vegetarian cookbook. I'm always looking for new veg recipes that Mr. Meat-and-Potatoes will eat. He'd eat this! This would work for OAMC too.
by dicentra

4 servings

35 min 10 min prep

5 eggs

1/3 cup prepared pesto sauce

1/3 cup ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon finely diced sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 (9 inch) frozen pie crusts, thawed

Preheat oven to 400. In a medium bowl, beat eggs until blended.

Add pesto, ricotta, sun-dried tomatoes, and half-and-half and blend well.

Pour into pie shell.

Bake 20-25 minutes, until pie is set. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting.
Recipe from January 30, 2007 Woman's World

-------------

Slow Cooker Lamb Stew Recipe

This is a spicy sweet stew made easy in a crock pot. Cook on high for 5 hours for a quicker meal. Recipe from January 30, 2007 Woman's World.
by KelBel

6 servings

1/2 day 15 min prep

1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, oeeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes

1 onion, chopped

1/3 cup raisins

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 1/2 lbs lamb stew meat, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes

1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

In 4 quart crock pot, layer potatoes, onion, and raisins.

In a bowl, combine cumin, salt, and cayanne. Add lamb and toss to coat.

Place lamb on top of potatoes. Add tomatoes with juice.

Cover and cook for 8-10 hours on low.

Stir in chickpeas during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Serve sprinkled with cilantro.

Recipe from January 30, 2007 Woman's World
----------------

Woman's World Magazine Article, December 16, 2003

Have a Sweet Holiday!

Starlets Dakota and Elle Fanning may be experts at acting, but when it comes to helping in the kitchen- a favorite pastime for the adorable sisters they candle anything too tricky. Lucky for them, their Grandma Mary Jane has a flair for finding Christmas goodies that are, well...a piece of cake to make! Here, we've collected some super-simple-yet-scrumptious Fanning favorites that'll make it easy for you- and any little helpers you might have- to whip up homemade holiday treats the no-stress way.

When Christmas time rolls around, sisters Dakota, right, and Elle- ages nine and five - can't wait to make the trip from Hollywood to Georgia so they can start baking with their Grandma Mary Jane. "I look forward to it every year. It's really, really fun," laughs Dakota, precocious star of The Cat in the Hat. Joy to the World plays in the background (Dakota loves the song because her mom's name is Joy), the sisters help Grandma bake batch after batch of chocolate-chip cookies, iced sugar cookies, brownies and more. "I love stirring in the chocolate and putting in the chocolate chips," giggles Elle, who can next be seen in The Door in the Floor, starring Kim Bassinger. "Sometimes I get to lick the spoon!" Grandma has just as much fun as the little ones. Her secret? Allowing her granddaughters to pitch in on recipes that are crowd-pleasing and kid-pleasing- and yet incredibly easy. So where can you find recipes like these? Right here! We've rounded up all the Fanning sisters' favorites. Just make sure to set aside a few for Santa, Dakota cautions, cause every one gobbles 'em up so fast, "they're always pretty much gone!"

When Dakota and Elle visit their grandma, these are the cookies they can't wait to help bake- and then gobble them up! We bet your kids will love 'em just as much.

Festive Chocolate Chip Cookies- The sisters both adore chocolate-chip cookies- especially with yummy extras like M&Ms or colorful holiday baking pieces mixed in. "When you mix them with the chocolate chips, they're so good", says Elle.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed dark sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 pkg. (10 oz.) Nestle's Holiday Shapes & Morsels, divided

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour and baking soda: reserve. At medium-high speed beat butter with sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until blended. Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in reserved flour mixture. Reserve 1/3 cup Shapes & Morsels. Stir chips and remaining Shapes & Morsels into dough, at least 2" apart, onto ungreased baking sheets, flatten slightly. Press reserved Shapes & Morsels onto cookies. Bake 8 minutes or until golden around edges. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Transfer to racks; cool completely.

Makes 40 cookies. Per cookie: 153 cals; 2 g. protien, 9 g. fat (6 g. saturated); 24 g. chol.; 18 g. carbs.; 82 mg. sodium; 0 g. fiber; 11 g. sugar.

Your time in the kitchen: 15 minutes; ready to serve in 45 minutes.

Super-yummy Brownies

At Elle and Dakota's house, Santa's one lucky guy- He gets more than just the traditional plate of cookies. "When we make brownies I'll leave some of them out for him, too." says Elle.

1 1/2 cups butter

6 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2 1/2 cups sugar

6 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup Hershey's mini Kisses from 1 (10 oz.) pkg.

1 can (16 oz.) vanilla frosting and red and green jimmies or sprinkles, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 13"x9" baking pan with enough foil to overhang ends by 1"; coat with cooking spray. In pot over low heat melt butter and chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour and salt until blended. Stir in Kisses. Spread batter in pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out with moist crumble clinging. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Using foil, lift brownies from pan to rack, cool completely. Remove foil, if desired, spread brownies with frosting; sprinkle with jimmies.

Makes 24 brownies. Per brownie: 311 cals.; 4 g. protien; 20 g. fat (12 g. saturated); 88 mg. chol.; 33 g. carbs; 171 mg. sodium; 2 g. fiber; 23 g. sugar.

Your time in the kitchen: 15 minutes; ready to serve in 1 hour.

Best - ever Sugar Cookies: Grandma and her girls turn out sugar cookies galore. "I love cutting them out," says Dakota. "We make some that are like ornaments and ice them with red, blue and dark green!" And our test kitchen made some of ours into princesses because Dakota loves them.!

4 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

2 cups butter, at room temperature

1 1/3 cup granulated sugar

3 egg yolks

2 tsp. vanilla extract

6-7 Tbs. warm water

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 pkg. (16 ox.)

3 Tbs. meringue powder, such as Wilton's

Assorted colors concentrated food coloring, such as Wilton's

Heart-shaped confetti sprinkles and assorted colors decorating sugar crystals, optional

Combine flour and salt reserve. In bowl at high speed beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, five minutes. Beat in yolks, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Reduce speed to low, beat in flour mixture. 1/3 at a time, until just combined. Form dough into 3 balls; flatten into disks. Wrap; refrigerate until firm, 1 hour. On floured surface roll out dough to 1/4 " thickness. Using assorted 4"-6" cookie cutters cut out shapes as desired. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets; refrigerate 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F; Bake 16-18 minutes or until set and lightly browned around edges. Cool 3 mintues. Transfer to racks; coool completely. Combine 6 Tbs. warm water and almond extract. At low speed beat confectioner' sugar meringue powderr and almond extract mixture until soft peaks form, 8-10 minutes, adding additional warm water if needed. Divide icing among seperate bowls; tint as desired. Transfer some of iciings to pastry bags fitted with small writing tips. Decorate cookies with icing, sprinkles and sugars as desired. Let stand until set, 1 hour.

Makes 20 cookies. Per cookie: 423 cals.; 4 g. protien; 19 g. fat (12 g. unsaturated); 82 mg. chol.; 59 carbs; 224 mg. sodium; 1 g. fiber; 35 g. sugar

Your time in the kitchen- 2 hours; ready to serve in 4 hours.

Dakota's Favorite Ginerbread Cookies: Dakota and Elle make their whole family into gingerbread people. "We dot the eyes with blue icing and make blonde hair with yellow," says Elle. Raisins work for buttons, earrings and necklaces!

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup molasses

2 Tbs. orange juice

Raisins

Canned vanilla frosting

Assorted colors concentrated food coloring, such as Wilkin's

Assorted colors edible glitter, such as Wilkin's cake sprinkles

Cool baking sheets with cooking spray. Combine first 5 ingredients; reserve. At medium-high speed beat sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in egg, molasses and juice. Gradually beat in reserved flour mixture until combined. Cover. Refrigerate until firm, 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Working with half of dough at a time on wax paper.roll out to 1/4" thickness. Using 5" gingerbreadman cookie cutter cut out shapes. For "hair" press dough through clean garlic press; attach to cookies. Decorate with raisins as desired. Bake 8 minutes or until set; cool 1 minute. Transfer to racks; cool completely. Tint frosting as desired. Decorate cookies with frosting and glitter as desired.

Makes 20 cookies. Per cookie: 178 cals; 3 g. protien; 5 g. fat (3 g. unsaturated); 24 g. chol.; 29 g. carbs.; 176 mg. sodium; 1 g. fiber; 10 g. sugar

Your time in the kitchen- 2 hours; Ready to serve in 3 hours, 10 minutes

Thumbprint Cookies- Peanut butter cookies are a favrite of both little Fannings. And when there's an extra treat baked in the middle? "I love that", says Elle.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 cup butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Red and/or green fine decorating sugar crystals

1/2 cup jelly

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour, salt and soda; reserve. At medium speed, beat butter, peanut butter and granulated and brown sugars until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in reserved flour mixture. Using level tablespoons roll dough into balls. Roll in colored sugar. Place balls 2" apart on ungreased baking sheets. Using thumb press indentations into center of each ball. Spoon 1 tsp. of jelly into each indentation. Bake 9-10 minutes or until set, cool 2 minutes. Transfer to racks, cool completely.

Makes 20 cookies- Per cookie: 94 cals; 2 g. protien; 4 g. fat (2 g. saturate); 14 mg. chol.; 14 g. carb.; 100 mg. sodium; 0 g. fiber; 8 g. sugar

Your time in the kitchen: 25 minutes; ready to serve in: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Ho Ho Ho! The Sweetest Santa ever! If Dakota could only make one great big cookie, "It would be a big white beard and a red hat," she giggles. So we made one for her

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 pkg. (18 oz.) refrigerated sugar cookies dough

1 can (12 oz.) whipped vanilla frosting, divided

Red concentrated food coloring, such as Wilton's

1/4 cup each red and white decorating sugar crystals

2 tsp. light corn syrup

1 Tbs. fine pink decorating sugar crystals

1/4 cup white nonpareil sprinkles

1/3 cup miniature marshmallows

1 large pink jelly bean

2 Junior Mint candles

1 red heart-shaped candy, such as Sweet Tarts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Knead flour into cookie dough until combined. On straight or foil parchment paper roll out dough to 1/4" thickness, about 16"x10'. On copier, enlarge phots of cookies and templates (printed under text) by 215%. Using templates as guides, cut out Santa head, brim, mustache and hat pompom, rerolling scraps as necessary. Transfer dough cutoffs on foil to baking sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes for smaller pieces and 18-20 minutes for head until golden. Cool 2 minutes, transfer to racks. Cool completely. Transfer 1/2 cup frosting to plastic food storage bag; reserve. Tint 1/2 cup remaining frosting red with food coloring; spread over 'hat' area. Sprinkle with red sugar to cover, shaking off excess. For cheeks, brush corn syrup in ovals onto face; sprinkle with pink sugar, shaking off excess. Spread remaining frosting over "beard", hat brim, mustache pieces and pompom. Sprinkle beard and mustache with white decorating sugar and brim with nonpariels, shaking off excess. Attach marshmallows to popcorn. Snip small corner from the reserved bag of frosting. Attach mustache cookies to hat with piped frosting, pressing to secure. For "nose," attach jelly bean with frosting. For "eyes", pipe circles of frosting onto cookie; top with mints for " pupils". Pipe frosting lines onto mints for "twinkle." Pipe on frosting "eyebrows." Attach heart-shaped candy for "mouth." Pipe swirls of frosting onto "beard."

Makes 16 servings. Per serving: 295 cals.; 2 g. protien; 11 g. fat (2 g. saturated fat); 9 mg. chol.; 46 g. carbs.; 163 mg. sodium; 0 g. fiber; 31 g. sugar.

Your time in the kitchen: 1 hour; ready to serve in 2 hours

The article is accompanied by a full page cover color photo of Elle and Dakota Fanning making cookies, with many types of cookies shown on the bottom of the page- Dakota Fanning, 9, and her sister Elle, 5; A full page color photo of Elle and Dakota holding a large Santa face cookie- Please turn to page 27 for the recipe for our giant Santa cookie!; 2 full color pages of photos of the cookies- Cookies kids love!; 2 pages of recipes with photos of the cookies, brownies, etc.

=====================

Holidays

Marian's Italian Loaf Cookies from Woman's World magazine. ...

Dec. 4, 2002, 12:21PM
Bake a memory, share a holiday tradition

By ANN CRISWELL
Houston Chronicle Food Editor

TOOLS

Originally published Dec. 9, 1998

Cookie-bakers are memory-makers. For many families, recipes have been passed from generation to generation of holiday cookie-bakers.

Through the years, families add favorites - lebkuchen, pfeffernuesse, gingerbread, spritz, sugar cookies, tea cakes, gumdrop and fruitcake cookies, sand tarts, oatmeal, bourbon balls, thumbprint cookies, chocolate chip cookies, M&M cookies, white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, and now, perhaps, slice-and-bake cookies from the supermarket.

Barbara Eckrote, a Houston restaurant designer and busy grandmother, is continuing a tradition established when her daughters and son were small. She gets together with her daughters, Julie Hogan and Jennifer Perez, and granddaughter Jessica Jaradat, 7 (Hogan's daughter), every holiday season to bake cookies. In a few years, Hogan's 1-year-old twins and Perez's 4-month son will join the group.

Eckrote says she and Jessica still laugh about the year they made a gingerbread house that kept falling apart. Finally they stuck it together with a glue gun. They proudly displayed it, even though it wasn't edible.

The family's favorite cookies include Sugar Jumbles, which Eckrote uses as either a cutout or drop cookie. Sometimes she frosts the cutouts; other times she adds decorations. The family has been using the same recipes for Sand Tarts, Coconut Macaroons and Gumdrop Cookies for at least 20 years.

They eat some of the cookies, and package others as gifts for neighbors and friends.

Eckrote has ingredients ready so youngsters can focus on mixing, baking and decorating.

Jingle bell swap

A baking session can turn into a cookie swap. Family, friends and neighbors anticipate the annual cookie exchange party that Shirlee Bumpass hosts. Some favorites reappear, but a new one debuts every year - this time, it's Marian's Italian Loaf Cookies from Woman's World magazine.

Bumpass says "The Wellesley Cookie Exchange Cookbook" (out of print) served as a valuable resource when she started the neighborhood party 10 years ago. Parties take place on a Sunday afternoon, usually two weeks before Christmas. A big red Crock-Pot of hot apple cider simmers on the table as guests enjoy Christmas music and admire the cookies.

Each guest brings several dozen cookies, enough to ensure that each goes home with a plateful of cookies. Guests often call afterward to ask for a recipe, Bumpass says.

At other cookie swaps, friends decide beforehand who will bake which cookie and in what quantity. In addition to cookies, they bring copies of the recipes to swap. Some friends throw cookie swap parties to pack gift boxes for college students who can't get home for the holidays.

If you do ship cookies, layer them between sheets of wax paper or place in resealable plastic bags. Pack in airtight cookie tins, then in boxes.

You can turn the cookie swap into a trim-the-tree party. Bake a variety of Christmas cookies as ornaments. Punch a hole near the top of the unbaked cookies for ribbons or ties.

Have a baking question? Call the Land O'Lakes Holiday Bakeline, 800-782-9606, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily through Dec. 24. Or access its Internet site (www.landolakes.com/).

=============

CUT-OUT COOKIE DOUGH

Woman's World Magazine 7/23/02

1 cup margarine

1 cup sugar

3 cups flour

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp water

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Cream sugar, vanilla and margarine. Add egg and water. Beat until light and fluffy. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Blend into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Chill 1 hour. Roll dough to 1/8" on lightly floured surface.
Cut into shapes.
Brush lightly with milk.
Sprinkle with colored sugar.
Bake on greased cookie sheet 375 for 6-8 minutes. Cool slightly. (or bake plain and glaze with confectioners sugar blended with milk.)

Chicken, Couscous and Caramelised Onions

Written by Nada Saleh, 2006

Chicken is simmered with aromatic spices, creating a rich stock. The onions are caramelised with butter and honey. This recipe can also be used for lamb or veal.

750ml (11⁄2 pints) water

1 small chicken cut into 6-8 pieces
bouquet garni: 1 cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf and

1 cardamom pod

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

a good pinch of saffron threads

1 1⁄2 tsp salt or to taste

1⁄2 tsp ground ginger

1⁄4 tsp black pepper

250g (8oz) couscous

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

500g (1lb) onions, sliced

75g (3oz) raisins

1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon

small pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

1-2 tablespoons dark honey

a little under 1⁄2 tbsp orange flower water or
rosewater (optional)

Put the water and chicken into a medium pan and bring slowly to the boil. Add the bouquet garni, onion, garlic, saffron and salt. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 50-60 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Add the ginger and pepper 5 minutes before the end of cooking time.

Meanwhile, cover the couscous with water. Rake it through with your fingers, then drain and immediately spread it evenly over a large tray or shallow pan. Rake the grains with your fingers a few times to aerate them, then leave for 20-30 minutes until the water is absorbed and the couscous is relatively dry.

Rub the couscous gently between your palms, allowing it to fall back into the tray or pan to break down any lumps. Sprinkle with the remaining salt, drizzle one tablespoon of the oil over and rake through the grains.

Ladle out 300ml (1⁄2 pint) of stock from the pan, pour into a small pan and bring to a rapid boil, then turn off the heat and add the couscous. Cover and leave for 10 minutes or until the stock has been absorbed.

Heat the remaining oil in a pan and sauté the onions over a low heat until lightly golden. Ladle out 200ml (7fl oz) of stock into a small bowl. Pour a little stock into the onions and cook until reduced. Repeat until all the stock has been added and reduced. As the onions soften, increase the heat.

Add the raisins cinnamon and nutmeg, then add the honey and leave to caramelise for 5-10 minutes. Stir in the flower water or rosewater, if using, and turn off the heat.

To serve, place the couscous in a serving dish and top with the onions. Serve the chicken and stock separately.

Serves 4-6

Per serving
3256kj, 780kcal, 46g protein, 66g carbohydrate, 32g sugars, 39g fat, 9g saturates, 3g fibre, 0.7g sodium (if using 1 tsp salt).

Healthy tip
Valuable in A and B vitamins, iron, phosphates and sulphur, which calms the nerves and soothes the spirit.

This recipe is taken from Fresh Moroccan by Nada Saleh, which features more than 80 healthy and delicious Moroccan recipes. It is published in hardback by Hamlyn and available from good bookshops, price £16.99.

Woman's World of the UK

Warm chicken spinach salad with walnuts. (Osteoporosis)

Written by Mary Berry, 2007

This is perfect as a starter or for a light lunch.

The chicken can be fried ahead and reheated in a hot frying pan

for a minute or two to serve.

2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

little sunflower oil

2 tsp runny honey

1 x 200g bag baby spinach, washed

1 x 85g bag watercress

50g (2oz) baby plum tomatoes, halved

50g (2oz) walnuts, shelled and cut into quarters

2 tsp sesame seeds

olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dress

Slice the chicken breasts into very long thin strips. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove any long stalks from the spinach and tip into a large salad bowl. Add the watercress and mix with your hands. Scatter over the tomatoes and walnuts and add salt and pepper.

Heat a little oil in a non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Add strips of chicken and stir fry. Pour over the honey and fry for a couple of minutes until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown.

Arrange the hot chicken over the salad. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the chicken and dress with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Serves 4

Nutrition tip

Spinach is high in calcium and vitamin K, which is good for bone health. Nuts contain some magnesium and copper which are important nutrients for our bones.