Chocolate raspberry cookies

1 cup butter softened
3/4 cup Splenda
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
1/2 cup raspberries, pureed
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
reduced sugar raspberry jelly


In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar/Splenda. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in melted chocolate and raspberries. Combine the flours, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture.
Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Spoon raspberry jelly on top.

Almond crescents - mandulas kifli

1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon water
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup ground blanched almonds
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips


Mix together butter and confectioner's sugar and water. Stir in flour, salt, vanilla and almond extracts, and almonds. Mix well.
Form dough with hands into 3 inch lengths about pencil thin and shape into crescent form.
Bake on ungreased sheet in a preheated 325 degrees F oven for 15 minutes.
While cookies cool, melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or in bowl in the microwave. When cookies are completely cool, frost with melted chocolate.

Hungarian layered potatoes - Rakott krumpli

3 lbs potatoes, unpeeled, cooked and sliced

6 hard boiled eggs

1 container sour cream (2 cups)

8 oz. grated cheddar cheese

olive oil

garlic salt

fresh ground pepper

olive oil flavored cooking spray

dry breadcrumbs

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with olive oil flavored cooking spray, drizzle with breadcrumbs. Layer potatoes, sliced hard boiled eggs, sour cream; add garlic salt. Repet layers, cover with sliced potatoes and sour cream, drizzle with olive oil. Bake in 375 degree oven for 1 hour, dish covered with aluminum foil. When potatoes are tender, take aluminum foil off, spread grated cheese on top, and bake in oven for an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Sacher torte

6 egg whites
5 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
6 egg yolks
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup berry preserves of your choice
4 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup whipping cream

Let egg whites stand at room temperature in a very large bowl for 30 minutes. Grease and lightly flour a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside. Melt chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat; cool. Stir egg yolks and vanilla into the cooled chocolate mixture. Set mixture aside.
Beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating about 4 minutes or until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).
Fold about 1 cup of the egg white mixture into chocolate mixture. Fold chocolate mixture into remaining egg white mixture. Sift about one-third of the flour over the egg mixture; gently fold in. Repeat twice, sifting and folding in one-third of the flour at a time.
Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake in a 350 degre F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Completely cool cake in the pan on a wire rack. Remove sides of pan. Brush crumbs from edges of cake. (Top crust will be slightly flaky.) Remove bottom of pan from cake.
Heat preserves in a small saucepan until melted. Press berry preserves through a sieve; cool slightly.
To assemble, cut cake horizontally into two even layers. Place the bottom layer on a large serving plate. Spread the preserves on top of the cake layer on plate. Top with the second cake layer. Pour Chocolate Glaze over torte, spreading as necessary to glaze top and sides completely. Let torte stand at room temperature at least 1 hour before serving.

Chocolate Glaze: Heat chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over low heat just until melted, stirring occasionally; set aside. Bring 1/2 cup whipping cream to a gentle boil in a heavy small saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate mixture. Cool to room temperature.

White chocolate pudding with berry sauce

1 package sugar free white chocolate pudding, prepared according to directions
6 oz fresh or defrosted blackberries
6 oz fresh or defrosted raspberries
1/2 cup low sugar raspberry jelly
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp sugar

In a small saucepan heat blackberries, raspberries, jelly, water, cornstarch and sugar. Stir continuosly until bubbly. Continue to cook over low heat until sauce thickens. Cool to room temperature.
Layer pudding, then berry sauce, another layer of pudding and another layer of berry sauce. Cool in refrigerator about an hour. Add hazelnut wafer to each cup.

Vodka sauce soup with portabella mushroom

1 jar Vodka sauce
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup milk
2 large portabella mushroom caps, cleaned and chopped
fresh basil leaves, chopped

In a medium size pot, heat Vodka sauce, 1 cup broth and milk. Cook until boiling, simmer 5 minutes. Add mushroom caps and basil, simmer and additional 5 minutes. Add some fresh ground pepper to soup.

Lentil soup on a snowy winter day

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 1/3 cups water
2 1/3 cups dried lentils
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 (14 1/2-ounce) cans vegetable broth
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion; sauté for 3 minutes or until tender. Add the turmeric and the next 6 ingredients (turmeric through garlic); sauté for 1 minute. Add water and next 4 ingredients (water through diced tomatoes); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 1 hour.
Reserve 2 cups lentil mixture. Place half of remaining mixture in blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed soup into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with other half of remaining mixture. Stir in reserved 2 cups lentil mixture.

Cheesy broccoli cauliflower soup

3 tbsp butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

2 cups vegetable stock

1 16 oz. bag frozen cauliflower-broccoli mix

1 cup grated carrots

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

8 oz. grated sharp cheddar

Melt butter, add flour stirring with a wisk over medium heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring constatly. Slowly add milk, stir well. Add stock, stir well; simmer about 20 minutes.

Add broccoli/cauliflower mix and carrots, simmer until veggies are tender, about 20-25 minutes. Puree soup in blender, return to low heat. Add nutmeg and cheese, and simmer an additional 5 minues.

Red wine, dark chocolate and almond cookies - November 24. 2007

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup dry red wine
1 5oz bar dark chocolate, melted
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup granulated sugar for decoration

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (180 degrees C). In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder and sugar. Add the wine, melted chocolate and oil. Mix and then knead with your hands to incorporate chocolate.
Roll small pieces of dough between hands to make balls. The balls should be no bigger than 2 inches in diameter. Roll cookies in extra sugar and place on cookie sheet.
Bake for 12 minutes or until slightly brown. Cool on wire racks.

Three bean soup - November 24. 2007

1/2 of a large Vidalia onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
1 red pepper, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can vegetable broth
1 can black beans
1 can red kidney beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 tsp. chili
1/2 tsp. cumin powder

Sautee onion in olive oil until onion turns glassy, add minced garlic. Sautee a minute more. Add carrots and pepper, cover; saute about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, bring to boil. Turn heat down to simmer, cook for about 1/2 an hour. You can substitute any beans of your choice.

Thanksgiving apple pie - November 21. 2007.

1 prepared double pie crust
7 cups baking apples, thinly sliced, cored, peeled
1 cup SPLENDA
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place one crust into a 9-inch pie pan. Place sliced apples into a large mixing bowl and set aside. Combine SPLENDA, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle mixture over apples and toss. Spoon apple mixture into piecrust. Place the second crust over the filling. Seal edges, trim and flute. Cut small openings in the top crust. Bake in preheated 425 degrees F oven 40-50 minutes or until the top crust is golden.

Thanksgiving pumpkin pie - November 21. 2007

1/2 (15 ounce) package refrigerated piecrust

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

1/4 cup SPLENDA

1/2 sugar

1 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 12 oz can evaporated skim milk

2 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Fit piecrust into a 9-inch pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under and crimp. Mix sugar, Splenda and spices in a small bowl. Add pumpkin to eggs in large bowl, mix. Add sugar/spice mix, blend in. Add evaporated milk, blend well. Pour filling into piecrust. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until set in the center. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Snickerdoodle cookies - November 17. 2007

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, eggs and vanilla. Blend in flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Place in fridge for at least 1/2 an hour. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.
Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.

Spinach pea potato soup - November 8. 2007

Ingredients:

1 large onion diced
2 large garlic cloves minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large potato diced
2 cans vegetable borth
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp thyme
1 lb. chopped frozen spinach
1/2 lb. frozen peas
salt and pepper according to taste

Heat oil, add onion and garlic. Saute on low heat until onion is glassy. Add diced potato, nutmeg and thyme, saute for about a minute. Add 1 can vegetable broth, bring to boil. Simmer about 12 minutes, or until potato is soft. Add spinach, second can of broth, salt and pepper, bring to boil. Cook on low an additional 5 minutes. add peas and milk, bring to boil (careful not to let milk boil over!). Puree with hand held blender. Adjust consistency by adding more milk, if desired.