Walnut-Stuffed Slow-Cooked Apples

Serve these apples warm from the crockpot with low-fat frozen yogurt.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 apple and 1/4 cup cooking liquid)

Ingredients

·         1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

·         3 tablespoons dried currants

·         2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

·         3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided

·         4 medium Granny Smith apples, cored

·         1 cup packed brown sugar

·         3/4 cup apple cider

Preparation

Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, stirring to combine. Peel top third of each apple; place apples in an electric slow cooker. Spoon walnut mixture into cavity of each apple.

Combine the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 cup brown sugar, and apple cider in a small bowl, stirring to combine. Pour over apples. Cover with lid; cook on LOW 2 3/4 hours. Remove the apples with a slotted spoon. Spoon 1/4 cup cooking liquid over each serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

310 (14% from fat)

Fat:

4.9g (sat 0.5g,mono 0.7g,poly 3.6g)

Protein:

1.9g

Carbohydrate:

70g

Fiber:

3.8g

Cholesterol:

0.0mg

Iron:

1.6mg

Sodium:

23mg

Banana Pudding Trifle

Yield:  10 to 12 servings


1 1/3 cups sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups milk
8 egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) package vanilla wafers
1/4 cup bourbon
2 tablespoons rum
6 ripe bananas, sliced
6 (1.4-ounce) English toffee candy bars, crushed
2 cups whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Combine first 3 ingredients ina large heavy saucepan; whisk in milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Remove mixture from heat.
Beat egg yolks until thick and pale. Gradually stir about one-fourth of hot mixture into yolks; add to the remaining hot mixture, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Stir in vanilla.
Layer one-third of wafers in the bottom of a 4-quart baking dish. Stir together bourbon and rum; brush over wafers. Top with one-third of banana. Spoon one-third of custard over banana, and sprinkle with 1/3 cup crushed candy bar. Repeat procedure twice.
Beat whipping cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream over trifle, and sprinkle with remaining crushed candy bar. Cover and chill 3 hours.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe

Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup of chopped walnuts
• 1 pound of carrots
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup of buttermilk (or add a teaspoon of lemon juice to regular milk and allow to stand for 10 minutes)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon of orange zest
• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons of ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 350F. Toast the walnuts in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
2 Rinse the carrots and peel the rough skins off, then grate the carrots.
3 Place the carrots, buttermilk, oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and orange zest together in a bowl and whisk thoroughly.
4 In another bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cardamom, and cinnamon.
5 Fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture, being sure not to overmix. Fold in the toasted walnuts until evenly incorporated.
6 Scoop into cupcake papers about 1/2 to 3/4 full and bake for 19-21 minutes at 350F, being sure to rotate the pan after the first 15 minutes of baking. Afterwards allow to cool for 5 minutes before taking the cupcakes out of the cupcake tin and allowing them to fully cool on a wire rack. Frost cooled cupcakes.
Makes 24 cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 cup of unsalted butter, softened
• 16 oz of Philadelphia cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until well combined. Sift in the powdered sugar and mix. Spread onto cooled cupcakes.

Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

• 2 cans (40 ounces each) sweet potatoes, drained
• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons Spice Islands®, All Natural, No Corn Syrup Added, Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 
  TOPPING:
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup cold butter

Directions

• In a large bowl, mash the sweet potatoes. Add the eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla and salt; beat until smooth. Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
• In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour and pecans; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture.
• Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 60-70 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 12 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (3/4 cup) equals 361 calories, 15 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 152 mg cholesterol, 326 mg sodium, 52 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 7 g protein.

Corn Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped

• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sour cream
• 2 pounds fresh corn (or frozen corn, thawed)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

X

Instructions

1.     Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the bacon, then chop it into bite-size pieces and set it aside.

2.     Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, celery, and peppers until soft. Stir in the flour, then the sour cream, until well combined. Add the corn and most of the bacon bits and season with salt and pepper.

3.     Pour the mixture into a 9- by 13-inch baking dish and sprinkle on the remaining bacon bits and the parsley. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until lightly browned. (Note: for a lower-fat version of this casserole, use half the bacon, butter, and flour). Serves 6 to 8.

Trick-or-Treat Brownie Cupcakes

1 box (1 lb 2.3 oz) Betty Crocker® fudge brownie mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water
2 eggs 1 cup white vanilla baking chips (6 oz)
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
3 tablespoons milk 6 to 8 drops red food color 6 to 8 drops yellow food color
24 miniature candy bars

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 24 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix brownie mix, oil, water and eggs. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until centers are set and toothpick inserted near edge of cupcake comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes. Run metal spatula around edge of each brownie; lift out to remove from muffin cup.

In microwavable bowl, microwave vanilla chips uncovered on Medium (50%) 30 to 45 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted. Cool slightly.

In medium bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter, milk and food colors on medium speed until fluffy. Stir in melted vanilla chips. Spoon frosting over cooled cupcakes; top each with candy bar.

Kitchen Tips
Sprinkle these treats with Halloween confetti or orange and red colored sugar.
Substitute semisweet or milk chocolate chips for the white vanilla baking chips, if desired.
For extra-vibrant frosting, use paste food colors
　
Nutrition Information:Nutrition Information:
1 Serving (1 Cupcake)
Calories 270
(Calories from Fat 110),
Total Fat 12g
(Saturated Fat 5g, Trans Fat 0g),
Cholesterol 25mg;
Sodium 130mg;
Total Carbohydrate 38g
(Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 30g),
Protein 2g;
Percent Daily Value*:
Vitamin A 2%;
Vitamin C 0%;
Calcium 2%;
Iron 4%;
Exchanges:
1/2 Starch;
0 Fruit;
2 Other Carbohydrate;
0 Skim Milk;
0 Low-Fat Milk;
0 Milk;
0 Vegetable;
0 Very Lean Meat;
0 Lean Meat;
0 High-Fat Meat;
2 1/2 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choices: 2 1/2;
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Stewed Collard Greens

Ingredients:
8 strips bacon (about 8 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces ( you can subsitute a smoked turkey leg chopped up and it is less fat)
1 medium Vidalia onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 stick butter ( 1/4 cup of olive oil less fat)
 2 cups water
2 pounds collards, rinsed and drained, stems removed, leaves cut into 1/2-inch strips 
Salt
Hot sauce
I add a litte vinegar and sugar to taste
DirectionsCook the bacon in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and butter and cook until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes more. Add the water and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the collards and cook until very soft, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and hot sauce, to taste. Transfer the greens to a serving bowl and serve.