Berry Trifle (Tyler Florence)

I am making this for our small group tomorrow night. I hope it taste as good as it looks!

Ingredients
Berries:

    * 1 pint blueberries
    * 1 pint strawberries, hulled and cut into thick slices
    * 2 pint raspberries
    * 1 lemon, juiced
    * 1/4 cup sugar
    * 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

Lemon Cream:

    * 1 quart whipping cream
    * 1 tablespoon sugar
    * 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    * 1 (11-ounce) jar lemon curd
    * 1 store bought pound cake, sliced 1/2-inch thick

Directions

Place the berries into a large bowl and sprinkle with half of the lemon juice. Lightly toss.

Combine the berries, sugar, cornstarch and remaining lemon juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook just until the berries begin to break down and give up their juices, about 3 minutes. Take the berries off the heat and let cool; the mixture should thicken up as is cools.

In a clean bowl, whip the cream with the sugar and the vanilla to soft peaks. Put the lemon curd into a second bowl and stir in a little of the whipped cream to loosen it. Then fold in the rest of the cream.

To assemble the trifle, spoon a layer of the lemon cream into a large glass bowl. Add a layer of pound cake, breaking the slices into pieces that fit. Then soak the cake with a layer of berries and their juices. Keep going to make 3 or 4 more layers, depending on the size of the bowl, finishing with a layer of lemon cream. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Berries:

    * 1 pint blueberries
    * 1 pint strawberries, hulled and cut into thick slices
    * 2 pint raspberries
    * 1 lemon, juiced
    * 1/4 cup sugar
    * 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

Lemon Cream:

    * 1 quart whipping cream
    * 1 tablespoon sugar
    * 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    * 1 (11-ounce) jar lemon curd
    * 1 store bought pound cake, sliced 1/2-inch thick

Directions

Place the berries into a large bowl and sprinkle with half of the lemon juice. Lightly toss.

Combine the berries, sugar, cornstarch and remaining lemon juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook just until the berries begin to break down and give up their juices, about 3 minutes. Take the berries off the heat and let cool; the mixture should thicken up as is cools.

In a clean bowl, whip the cream with the sugar and the vanilla to soft peaks. Put the lemon curd into a second bowl and stir in a little of the whipped cream to loosen it. Then fold in the rest of the cream.

To assemble the trifle, spoon a layer of the lemon cream into a large glass bowl. Add a layer of pound cake, breaking the slices into pieces that fit. Then soak the cake with a layer of berries and their juices. Keep going to make 3 or 4 more layers, depending on the size of the bowl, finishing with a layer of lemon cream. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

    

Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce (Our Best Bites)

Recipe by Our Best Bites

12 oz bag Barilla Cheese & Spinach Tortelini (find them in the dry pasta aisle)
4 oz bacon or pancetta, (about 4 strips bacon)*
3 cloves garlic, pressed in garlic press or finely minced
2 Tbs flour
2 C milk
¾ tsp kosher salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp dry basil
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (1/2 tsp or more if you like spicy)
1 medium lemon
2 C loosely packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
¾ C grated mozzarella cheese, divided
¾ C grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a boil.  Add tortellini and cook according to package instructions.

Place bacon in a medium sized skillet on the stove-top at medium-high heat.  Cook until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan with slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain.  Reserve two tablespoons bacon drippings in pan and discard the rest.  Add garlic to pan and cook until fragrant and tender, about 1 minute.  Add flour to pan and stir with a whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add milk and continue to stir with whisk until smooth.  Add salt, pepper, basil, and red pepper flakes and bring sauce to a simmer.

While sauce is heating, use a microplane grater or a fine-holed cheese grater to zest lemon.  Then cut lemon in half and remove juice.  Add 2 teaspoons zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to sauce.  Continue to stir until thickened, 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Drain tortellini and place back in stock pot.  Reserve 1 tablespoon of the cooked bacon and add the rest to the pasta mixture.  Add spinach, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.  Add sauce and gently stir to combine.  Place pasta mixture in an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish and top with remaining 1/4 cup mozarella and 1/4 cup parmesan and also crumbled bacon.

Cover pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese on top is melted and pasta is bubbly throughout.  Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

* For a vegetarian meal, omit bacon.

Serves 4-6

Cheesy Garlic-Herb Bread

Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 loaf (16-24-oz.) crusty bread (we recommend sourdough)
8 oz. mozzarella*
1 of the following toppings:
–1/2 c. pesto
–1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil mixed with 3-4 cloves pressed garlic (allow to stand for at least an hour before brushing onto the bread)
–1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil mixed with 3-4 cloves pressed garlic and 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
–1/2 c. butter mixed with 3 tablespoons Garlic Bread Seasoning
–1/2 c. butter mixed with 2 cloves pressed garlic, 1 tablespoon each fresh, chopped basil, rosemary, and parsley

*If you want to lighten things up a little, you can leave out the cheese and sprinkle to top of the bread with kosher salt and a little freshly ground black pepper.

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Slice bread into 1 1/2″ slices, not cutting through to the bottom. Rotate the loaf 90 degrees and slice the bread again every 1 1/2″ so you have 1 1/2″ pieces that are still attached to the bottom of the bread.

Place the loaf on the prepared baking sheet. Gently spread the desired filling into the cracks. Gently stuff the cheese into the cracks (you can just put the cheese going in one direction rather than on all four sides of each piece). Brush a little of the remaining filling on top of the loaf and sprinkle with a little remaining cheese.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until the bread is toasted on top and the cheese is melted. Allow to stand a few minutes before serving.

Rockin' Roll: Low-Cal BLT Sandwich (Fitness magazine)

Makes: 4 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 3 minutes

Ingredients

 
4 split-top whole wheat hot-dog buns
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
4 large romaine lettuce leaves, washed and chopped
2 medium red heirloom tomatoes, diced
1 Hass avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced
1/2 cup real bacon bits, such as Hormel
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a toaster oven, toast both sides of buns.

2. In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise and red wine vinegar with a whisk. Fold in lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and bacon. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

3. Divide the mixture among the buns; serve immediately.

Nutrition facts per roll: 245 calories, 13g protein, 29g carbohydrate, 10g fat (2g saturated), 5g fiber

Grilled Curried Shrimp with Mango Couscous (Fitness magazine)

Prep time: 10 minutes     Cook time: 10 minutes    Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

 
1 cup whole wheat couscous
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon finely diced jalapeno pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons red curry paste
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic
3/4 pound shrimp, cleaned and shelled, tails on
1 7-ounce container 2 percent Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon grated ginger
Lime wedges (optional)

Directions

 
1. Cook couscous according to package directions. Combine with mango, jalapeno pepper, 1 teaspoon of the lime juice, and half the cilantro. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together red curry paste, vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon of the garlic, and remaining lime juice. Add shrimp; toss to coat.
3. Mix together yogurt, ginger, and remaining cilantro and garlic in a small bowl. Season to taste with black pepper.
4. Heat a grill to medium high. Grill shrimp until just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.
5. Arrange shrimp and couscous on a platter and serve with the yogurt sauce. Garnish with lime wedges if desired.

Nutrition facts per serving: 405 calories, 31g protein, 60g carbohydrate, 6g fat (1.2g saturated), 9g fiber

Elote: Mexican Style Corn on the Cob

Recipe by Our Best Bites

4 ears corn
3 T mayo
2 T sour cream
1/4-1/2 t lime zest
1/2 t fresh lime juice
1/8- 1/4 t cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 t chili powder
tiny pinch kosher salt
1 C crumbled Cotija Cheese* (use fresh parmesan or queso fresco if you can’t find Cotija)

Cook corn by method of choice (click here for grilling instructions).  While it’s cooking, combine mayo, sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, chili powder, and pinch of salt.  Store in the fridge until ready to use.  (For even better results make the sauce ahead of time).

Grate Cotija cheese with a fine-hole cheese grater and place on a plate.

When corn is finished cooking, immediately spread sauce all over it and then roll corn cob in grated cheese.  Serve with lime wedges for squeezing and extra chili powder or cayenne sprinkled on top if desired.

Paula Deen's Sloppy Joes

Eli loves this meal. Very simple and easy to make. 

Ingredients

3 pounds ground beef chuck
1 cup sweet onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
6 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 jar Paula Deen Collection BBQ Sauce
2 tablespoon Paula Deen Collection Vidalia Onion Steak Sauce
salt and pepper to taste
8 slices of American Cheese
8 Sandwich buns, split and toasted

Directions

Cook ground beef, onion and pepper until beef is no longer red, stirring to break up. Sprinkle flour over beef; stir to blend thoroughly. Add Paula Deen BBQ Sauce and Vidalia Onion Steak Sauce and simmer, stirring often, for 15 to 25 minutes, or until thickened. Salt and pepper to taste. Note: If mixture becomes too thick, just add a little warm water to thin out. To serve, top the toasted buns with a large scoop of the hot sloppy joe mixture and a single slice of cheese.