BEST RECIPES OF 2011

Here’s a recap of last year’s best recipes. 

January:  Scott Peacock’s Ideal Pecan Rolls have outstanding texture and flavor.

Uber-decadent  Biltmore House Restaurant Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie is a special, worth-the-trouble dessert that will bring plenty of raves.



February:  Chocolate Cream Pie with Orange Mascarpone Cream Topping won more than just my heart.  It was runner up in Emile Henry’s How Pretty is My Pie contest.



March:  Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Heath Bits cookies, have crispy edges, chewy centers and layers of luscious flavors. 


April:  Gajar Halwa (Indian Carrot Pudding) is  my Indian doctor’s favorite dessert from childhood.  I made it for him several times last year.  He says I make it better than his grandmother.  I call it carrot cake without the cake.  It’s amazingly comforting and so addictive.


Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with Almond Crust is super rich, super creamy and super delicious with pure vanilla flavor.  Enough said.



May:  Vanilla-Rich White Chocolate Chunk Coconut Pecan cookies are everything a white chocolate chunk cookie should be.


June:  What a good month!  5 recipes with 10 out of 10 ratings.  First was Beet Green Spanokopita, mouthwatering appetizers made with fillo dough, beet greens (or spinach) and Feta cheese.


Coffee-Rubbed Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Espresso Grilling Sauce,
Italian Style Artichokes,
Orange-Chocolate Chip-Pecan Muffins and
The New All-American Potato Salad were the other winners. 


July:  Chocolate Hazelnut Pudding was the lone standout for the month and had me dreaming about it for months afterward. 


August:  Another good month, with three recipes getting my top grade, and several others close behind.  Grilled Chicken with Spicy Balsamic Cherry Glaze was my favorite.
Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie provides a nice change for starting the day.
With only five ingredients, Crabcakes at the Conroys have become our #1 favorite crabcake recipe.


September:  Grilled Honey-Teriyaki Chicken Wings are sweet and hot and absolutely delicious.
Carrot Cake with Creamy Supreme Frosting, an older recipe from Pillsbury, was a little different from the other carrot cakes I’ve made and a surprise hit.


October:  Caramelized Onion Winter Squash Mash was the first of six recipes to receive the coveted 10 out of 10 rating for the month.
Chocolate Almond Cream Pie,
Flounder with Lemon Caper Sauce,
Ultra-Crispy, Chewy, White Chocolate Chunk and Pecan Cookies,
Double Chocolate Buttercream Frosting and
Banana Chocolate Cupcakes were the other top-rated recipes.

November:  Better Homes and Gardens Pumpkin Soup is simple and satisfying and one that I’ll make again and again.

Flaky All-Butter Pie Crust with Nonfat Greek Yogurt is incredibly flavorful, flaky and tender, and definitely the best pie crust I’ve made ever.
Apple Almond Gallette and
Pillsbury’s Swedish Tea Cakes were the other top recipes.

December:  Asian-Inspired Fillet of Fish in Parchment is super easy, moist and so flavorful with veggies and seasonings that cook right along with the fish, making a complete meal in a packet.

Nutella Mascarpone Cheesecake with Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust is one of my all-time favorite cheesecakes.  Firm, smooth, rich and delicious, just as a New York-style cheesecake should be.

Thanks to all who have visited my blog this past year, and to all who have left comments.  Please enjoy these recipes.  If you make any of them I would love to hear about them.

LOW-FAT CREAMY PEAS, PASTA AND PROSCIUTTO

Some of you may eat this as a main dish, but I like it as a side dish.  Either way, this is an easy and delicious recipe that brings comfort to my soul on a cold wintry night.  The bonus, of course, is that it tastes richer than it actually is.  You can use any pasta that suits you and the mushrooms are optional, though I think they add something wonderful to the dish.  Originally from Taste of Home, the recipe has been tweaked by me to be lower in fat and to include mushrooms.  Hubby loved this, as did I.

Low-Fat Creamy Peas, Pasta and Prosciutto Inspired by Taste of Home Rating:  9 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE

(Recipe serves 2-3 as a main dish, 4-6 as a side dish) INGREDIENTS:  8 oz. medium shell pasta, or other pasta of choice 1 cup frozen peas 1 Tbsp. Smart Balance buttery spread, or margarine or butter 3 large mushrooms, chopped 1 garlic clove, grated 3/4 cup Smart Balance nonfat milk, or other milk of choice 4 oz. Neufchatel cheese 2 oz. Prosciutto, cut in thin strips (may substitute ham) 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese white pepper (may substitute black pepper) In 3-quart heavy pot, cook pasta according to package directions, adding peas during the last two minutes of cooking.  In the meantime, in a large heavy skillet or saute pan, melt Smart Balance over medium-high heat.  Add mushrooms; cook 5 minutes, or till mushrooms are cooked through.  Reduce heat to medium.  Add garlic; cook 1 minute.  Add milk and Neufchatel, whisking till Neufchatel is incorporated.  Stir in Prosciutto and Parmesan and remove pan from heat.  Drain pasta and peas, reserving 1 cup pasta water.  Add drained pasta and peas to pan sauce with enough pasta water to create a creamy sauce.  (Add a little at a time till you get the consistency you want.)  Sprinkle with white pepper and serve.  (P. S., Leftovers reheat beautifully and make a great lunch or next night’s side dish.)

START FRESH

Happy 2012!  Here’s wishing that you keep every New Year’s resolution you’ve made.  I don’t make New Year’s resolutions, but I love hearing and reading about those made by others.  Like Adam Rapoport, Editor in Chief of Bon Appetit magazine.  Adam loves food but recognizes he needs to live a “little” bit healthier.  He’s decided to continue enjoying the foods he loves on occasion, while concentrating on wise everyday diet choices.  He says he’ll do the following:


1.  Eat the refined white flour when he’s out and it’s something special, like a New York pizza, or when he wants an outstanding pasta dish at home.  All other times, it’ll be multi-grains.  No croissants or baguettes for breakfast or lunch, unless in Paris, of course.


2.  Instead of starchy sides like mashed potatoes, Adam and his wife will continue using quinoa in a variety of ways.


3.  Instead of mindlessly reaching for that evening cocktail/glass of wine, “think before I drink.”  Do I really want/need alcohol right now?


4.  Cut down on caffeine/coffee.  Save it up for the visit to Italy.


5.  No meat at lunch.  Dinner beef/pork/chicken will be sourced from his butcher – heritage breed pork, air-chilled chicken, prime steak.


While obviously written from a yuppie standpoint, there are still some points that we could all benefit from heeding.  I don’t drink, but I certainly can think twice before I reach for a cookie or slice of pie.  Even if some of us can’t access specially sourced meats and poultry or exotic vacations, we can all make wiser everyday choices.  After all, we will all eat something every day.  Why not make it something healthier?

ASPARAGUS-SPINACH PESTO

Here’s an easy way to eat your greens:  make this fabulous pesto.  Toasted nuts, garlic, lemon juice and Parmesan cheese bring nice flavor profiles to the asparagus and spinach.  Serve it or take it to your next gathering, with fresh veggies, crackers or chips.  Use it as a sandwich spread or as the base for a gourmet pizza.  I sometimes eat it straight out of the jar, it’s just that good.

Asparagus-Spinach Pesto Adapted from Southern Living,  March 2010 Rating:  9.5 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE

INGREDIENTS:  3/4 lb. fresh asparagus, peeled, tough ends cut 1/2 lb. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 1/2 cup freshly grated good-quality Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup toasted nuts of choice (pine nuts, pecans, walnuts, almonds for example) 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium garlic clove, grated or minced 1-1/2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice 3/4 tsp. fine sea salt or Morton kosher salt Cook asparagus in boiling water to cover 3-4 minutes, or until crisp-tender; drain and cool on paper towels.  Coarsely chop.   Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down as needed. Yield:  About 3 cups

A FANTASTIC HOLIDAY HAM DINNER

Make the best spiral-sliced ham ever -- moist and delicious -- following the easy steps I've outlined.  And don't forget the sweet potatoes.  I've included a link to the easiest and best candied sweets.

Finally, for something different that the crowd will love, try my pineapple stuffing.  It's a recipe from many years ago that still pleases.

You'll find the recipe for the ham plus links to the sweet potato and pineapple stuffing HERE.

A SPECTACULAR HOLIDAY DESSERT -- CARAMEL APPLE CHEESECAKE PIE

Here is a dessert that everyone will love.  It’s rich, decadent and absolutely mouth-watering delicious – perfect for a holiday gathering.  You’ll get 12-16 servings from this 9” cheesecake pie, and unless you are serving gluttons or giants, no one will be able to request seconds.  It’s that rich and filling, but oh, so very good.  It’s not a 1-2-3 quick recipe, but very worthy of your time and trouble.  Read more...

NUTELLA MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

Here’s a rich, creamy, firm, New York-style cheesecake that delivers a subtle Nutella flavor from Nutella that is spread over the cooled crust before adding the cheesecake filling.  The filling, itself, has hazelnut liqueur added, and the cheesecake can be topped any way you like.  In the above photo, I sprinkled with bittersweet chocolate shavings and toasted chopped hazelnuts for a nice crunch.  Below, I drizzled with Nutella.

On another piece, I spread Nutella over the top and sprinkled with hazelnuts.

My hubby prefers the cake as is, with no topping.  I prefer it with Nutella spread on top with hazelnuts.  The flavors, along with the creamy and firm texture of this cheesecake, make it a winner.  Everyone who tasted it raved, as did I.  This one is definitely a keeper!

Nutella Mascarpone Cheesecake with Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust Rating:  10 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE

Crust: 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa, natural or Dutch 2 Tbsp. sugar 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (1 pack) 4 Tbsp. butter, melted + 1-1/2 tsp. butter to grease pan Heat oven to 325F.  Combine ingredients in medium bowl and mix with fork.  Grease an 8” springform pan on bottom and 3/4 up sides with 1-1/2 tsp. butter.  Pat graham cracker mixture onto bottom and sides.  Bake 10 minutes to set crust.  Transfer to wire rack to cool.  Increase oven heat to 350F. Bottom Layer: 1-1/2 Tbsp. heavy cream 1 Tbsp. butter 1/2 cup Nutella Heat heavy cream in microwave or small pot till steaming.  Add butter, stir till it melts.  Whisk in Nutella till smooth.  Spoon over cooled crust, spreading evenly.  Mascarpone Cheesecake Filling: 8 oz. mascarpone 1 cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup sugar + 2 Tbsp. Nu Natural Stevia) 16 oz. Neufchatel cheese 3 large eggs 1/2 cup heavy cream 1-1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (I used my homemade vanilla) 2 Tbsp. hazelnut liqueur, such as Frangelica Increase oven heat to 350F.  Have all ingredients at room temperature.  Cheeses should be very soft.  In work bowl of food processor, combine mascarpone cheese and sugar.  Pulse till well mixed and smooth.  Add Neufchatel, 8 oz. at a time, and pulse just till smooth.  Add eggs, one at a time, pulsing each just till yolks disappear, then briefly pulse to stir in cream.  Sift cornstarch over filling; pulse briefly to combine.  Add flavorings, scrape  bottom and sides with spatula and pulse one last time, briefly.  Pour filling over Nutella-filled crust.  (You can wrap the pan in tinfoil and place inside a roasting pan filled with boiling water halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan, or just bake as is, as I did.)  Reduce oven temperature to 300F after cheesecake goes in oven.  Bake about 75 minutes, till still jiggly in center.  Off heat, open oven door and leave cheesecake in oven 1 hour.  Transfer to wire rack.  Loosen edges of cheesecake with thin, sharp knife.  Allow cake to cool thoroughly, away from drafts, 2-3 more hours.  Place in refrigerator 1 hour uncovered, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.  Serve plain or topped as desired.  Yield:  8 –10 servings  (Cut the slices thin, as this is a very rich cheesecake.)