Category Archives: Recipes

An Interior Desgners Gingerbread House

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AN INTERIOR DESIGNER’S GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Every year James Deartron makes a ginger­bread house part of his holiday decora­tions. His professional experience gives him lots of good ideas for decorating the delicious structure, and he has become known around town for these clever cre­ations. Here are some of his tips.

Cotton batting is perfect for smoke com­ing out of the chimney.

Un-shelled sunflower seeds give the look of flagstones.

Chocolate-covered   graham   crackers pave the walkway outside the house.

White frosting makes good snow; to cre­ate the effect of rooftop icicles, allow frosting to drip down eaves.

Powdered sugar resembles the freshly fallen snow.

Pine cones provide some outdoor land­scaping (tip them with frosting for snow).

A red-and-white  peppermint drop is a good stained-glass window.

Meringue latticework is used for the doors and windows, which are glued to gingerbread pillars with royal icing (a mix­ture of egg whites and powdered sugar).

Cranberry-Port Pot Roast

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Cranberry-Port Pot Roast

1   beef eye of the round or rump roast (3 1/2 to 4 Ib.)
1   tablespoon salad oil
1   can (14 1/2 oz.) regular-strength beef broth
1 3/4   cups port
1/3   cup firmly packed brown sugar
2   packages (10 oz. each) frozen petite onions
2   cups fresh or frozen cranberries
6   cups hot cooked egg noodles
2   tablespoons cornstarch
Parsley sprigs
Salt and pepper

Rinse meat, pat dry, and rub with oil. Place in a 10- by 14-inch roasting pan. Bake in a 450° oven until meat is well
browned, about 45 minutes; turn often. Add broth and port. Cover tightly; re­duce oven to 400° and bake l’/2 hours.

Mix sugar and onions into pan; cover and bake 1 hour. Add cranberries; cover and bake until meat is tender when pierced, about 30 minutes longer.

Put meat and noodles on a platter. With a slotted spoon, ladle onions and berries onto noodles; keep warm. Skim fat from pan juices. Mix cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water. Bring pan juices to boiling over high heat. Stirring, add cornstarch mixture until sauce is as thick as you like. Pour sauce into a small bowl; serve with meat and noodles. Garnish with parsley sprigs. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 10 to 12.

Per serving: 363 cal (20 percent from fat); 33 g protein; 8.0 g fat (2.3 g sat.); 38 g carbo.; 87 mg sodium; 98 rag chol.

Lentil Soup

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Wholesome Lentil Soup

1   package (12 oz. or 2 cups) lentils
2   large (about 1/4 Ib. total) onions, chopped
6   cups regular-strength chicken broth
4  cups water
2  pounds carrots, thinly sliced
2  cups sliced celery
1   can (28 oz.) Italian-style tomatoes
2   teaspoons each dried basil leaves and dried thyme leaves
3   dried bay leaves
1   teaspoon each fennel seed and pepper

Sort lentils for debris; rinse and drain lentils.

In an 8- to 10-quart pan over high heat, boil onions with 1/2 cup broth until liquid evaporates and onions begin to brown. Add remaining broth; stir to free browned bits. Add lentils, water, carrots, celery, tomatoes and their liquid, basil, thyme, bay, fennel seed, and pepper.

Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer until lentils are soft to bite, about 1 hour. Serve, or if making ahead, let soup cool, cover, and chill up to 3 days. Makes about 5 quarts; serves 10 to 12.

Per serving: 185 cal. (6.3 percent from fat); 11 g protein: 1.3 ff fat (0.3 a sat); 34 g carbo.; 279 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Fall Pear Salad

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Fall Pear Salad

6   slices (about 14 Ib.) bacon
3   large firm-ripe red pears (about mib. total)
3   tablespoons lemon juice
1   package (10 oz.) washed fresh spinach (or I’/z Ib. spinach, stems and wilted leaves discarded), rinsed and crisped
1/2   pound mushrooms, rinsed and thinly sliced

Ginger dressing (recipe follows) In a  10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high   heat,   cook  bacon   until brown and crisp, turning often. Drain on towels. When cool, crumble.

Core pears and cut each into 16 wedges; mix fruit with lemon juice.

On a platter or 8 salad plates, ar­range spinach and mushrooms; top with pear slices and juice. Moisten with dressing; top with bacon. Serves 8.

Ginger dressing. Mix !/2 cup minced crystallized ginger, !4 cup each extra-virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar, and !/2 teaspoon pepper.

Per serving: 201 cal. (43 percent from fat); 3.2gprotein; 9.5 g fat (1.7 g sat); 29 g carbo.; 103 mg sodium; 3.4 mg chol.

Cream Cheese Mincemeat Cookies

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Cream Cheese Mincemeat Cookies

1   cup  butter or margarine
1   large package (8 oz.) cream cheese
2   cups powdered sugar
About 3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4   cup prepared mincemeat
1  teaspoon grated lemon peel

In a food processor or with a mixer, whirl or beat butter, cream cheese, and ‘/2 cup sugar until smoothly blended. Thoroughly mix in 3 cups flour. Cover and chill dough until firm enough to handle, about 1 hour.

On a floured board, roll half the dough (keep remainder cold) Vs inch thick. Cut into 21/2-inch rounds with a floured cutter; place rounds slightly
apart on 2 ungreased 12- by 15-inch baking sheets. Reroll scraps and cut.

Combine mincemeat and peel; drop Vi teaspoon of mixture in center of each round. Fold each round over filling and press edges to seal.

Bake in a 375° oven until golden, 18 to 20 minutes; if using 1 oven, switch pan positions after 10 minutes.

Transfer a few hot cookies at a time to a paper or plastic bag with remaining sugar; shake to coat well. Cool on racks. Repeat to use remaining dough and filling. Serve, or store airtight up to 2 days or freeze. Makes about 5 dozen.

Per cookie: 87 cal. (47 percent from fat); 1 g protein; 4.5 g fat (2.8 g sat); 11 g carbo.; 53 mg sodium; 12 rag chol.