Apples-Zeros

CRUNCHY RAW BEET SALAD WITH PEAR*

Peel and cut 4 beets and 3 ripe pears into fine  matchsticks

Dress in lemon oil dressing(juice of 1 lemon plus 10 Tbsp. extra virgin oil makes about 3/4 cup dressing…use just a bit)  Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Crumble feta cheese on top,sprinkle with mint leaves and sunflower seeds( I would prefer chopped almonds or walnuts to the seeds)

*This is from cook Jamie Oliver in “Cook with Jamie”, of which I have not read,but just saw this excerpt and thought it tempting to try.

PICKAPEPPA  ANYONE?

My friend Shirley is doing a new recipe column for  a local newspaper and was soliciting recipes. I gave her my easiest which had a  bottle of PICKAPEPPA SAUCE* under ingredients. As  she wanted  information about this tasty sauce, I thought a few others might need an introduction .

I discovered this about 10 years ago and use it all the time. It is made in Jamaica and looks” like steak sauce “and can be found at most grocery stores in condiments or sauces.  It is made from tomatoes, onions, peppers, cane vinegar,sugar, mangoes, raisins, and spices

I use it  regularly as  a cooking sauce over chicken and fish. It is also  good  for soups, gravies, and to spice up lots of dishes. More info and recipes can be found at www.pickapeppajamaica.com.

*Cream Cheese Appetizer

1 pkg of cream cheese

I 5oz bottle of pickapeppa sauce

crackers

Put cream cheese block on dish. Pour over some pickapeppa…add a few crackers around for garnish and eating…easy and delightful for holiday or year round drop-ins!

Sugar Free Fudge

Ingredients:

16 ounces cream cheese,softened

2 unsweetened chocolate squares(1 ounce @)melted and      then cooled

1/2 cup sugar substitute

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, chocolate, sweetener and vanilla until smooth. Stir in pecans. Pour into 8-inch square pan lined with foil. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Cut into 16 squares. Serve chilled.

This fudge makes an  especially nice Holiday gifts for friends who are diabetic or watching sugar intake. I prefer Splenda(as cooking substitute for sugar) but this is an  individual choice.

Spicy Glazed Meat Loaf

COOKING TIME

Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 hours

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup spicy or regular ketchup
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 large egg
1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper

PREPARATION

1. To ease removal of the meat loaf from the cooker, fold two 24-in.-long pieces of aluminum foil in half lengthwise, then in half lengthwise again. Place strips across each other, forming a “+” in bottom of a 3-qt or larger slow-cooker. Press strips against inside of cooker, letting ends hang over the outside….or try the new cooking bags made for slow cookers.

2. In a large bowl, mix 1/2 cup ketchup with the remaining ingredients until well blended. Form into a 7 x 4 x 2-in. loaf. Place in cooker; spread top and sides of loaf with remaining 1/4 cup ketchup.

3. Cover and cook on high 4 hours or on low 8 to 10 hours, until a meat thermometer inserted in center of meat loaf registers 160°F.

Chicken Paprikash

COOKING TIME

Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 each chicken drumsticks and thighs (about 2 1/2 lb), skin removed
1 can (10 3/4 oz) 25% less-sodium cream of mushroom soup
2 Tbsp paprika
1/2 cup nonfat sour cream

PREPARATION

1. Place chicken in 3 1/2-qt or larger slow-cooker. Stir soup and paprika in small bowl until blended. Spoon soup mixture over chicken to cover.

2. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours until chicken is tender. Remove chicken with slotted spoon to serving platter. Whisk sour cream into the cooking liquid. Serve sauce over chicken.

Slow-Cooker BBQ Ribs
Great with cornbread and slaw.

COOKING TIME

Active Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 8 hours and 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 medium onions
4 lb country-style pork ribs
1 cup Hot ’n Spicy barbecue sauce (or your favorite sauce)

PREPARATION

1. Halve, then thinly slice onions. Place onions, then ribs and barbecue sauce in a 5-qt or larger slow-cooker.

2. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours or until ribs are tender.
Different Takes
l Add 1 lb rinsed fresh sauerkraut to cooker before adding ribs.
l Give ribs an Asian twist by adding minced garlic and ginger to teriyaki-flavor barbecue sauce.
l Stir canned baked beans into sauce in cooker 30 minutes before ribs will be done.

Gingered Cranberry Relish
This no-cook relish is ready in 2 minutes!

COOKING TIME

Active Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 2 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 bag (12 oz) fresh or frozen cranberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup crystallized ginger
1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges, drained

PREPARATION

1. Process half the cranberries and the sugar and ginger in a food processor until finely chopped.

2. Add remaining cranberries and the oranges. Pulse until coarsely chopped.

Plan Ahead: You can make relish up to 5 days ahead.

Pumpkin Spice Cake

COOKING TIME

Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Cake
1 box (18.25 oz) spice cake mix
1 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie mix)
3 large eggs
1 cup water

Frosting
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1 jar (7 or 71/2 oz) marshmallow cream (such as Marshmallow Fluff or Creme)
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp each maple extract and vanilla extract

Garnish: marzipan pumpkins and vines (see Note)

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Coat two 8 x 2-in. round baking pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottoms with wax paper; spray paper.

2. Beat cake mix, pumpkin purée, eggs and water in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Divide batter between pans.

3. Bake 30 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Invert, remove pans, peel off paper and cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, make Frosting: Beat butter in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in marshmallow cream until blended, then beat in confectioners’ sugar and extracts. Increase speed to high and beat about 3 minutes or until fluffy.

5. Assemble: Cut off rounded tops of each cake layer to make flat, if desired. Place a cake layer, top side up, on a serving platter. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Place remaining cake layer, top side up, on top. Frost sides and top with remaining frosting. Store, loosely covered, in refrigerator up to 2 days. Let come to room temperature before serving. Garnish with marzipan pumpkins and vines.

Plan Ahead: You can make marzipan pumpkins and vines up to 5 days ahead, and bake and frost the cake up to 2 days ahead

This is an easy 1-2-3  recipe for tiramisu. You will need:

        2 pkgs (3 oz each) of ladyfingers

        3/4 coffee-flavored liqueur(like Kahlua) or coffee syrup  plus 3/4 c. water

        1 tub ready to eat cheesecake filling(Kraft Philadelphia)

Separate and arrange one pkg of ladyfingers on the bottom of an  8″ square baking dish, overlapping slightly.

Mix liqueur and water in small bowl; brush ladyfingers with half mixture.  Stir cheesecake filling in tub until spreadable. Spoon half over ladyfingers, spreading evenly. Repeat layers.

Garnish top with unsweetened cocoa powder,   if desired. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Different takes:

>Sprinkle grated bittersweet chocolate between ladyfinger and filling layers.

>Substitute hazelnut flavored liqueur for Kahlua

>Make a tiramisu cake by layering in an 8 in. spring-form pan.

Go to womansday.com/123 for more recipes.