Tuna Melt and Butterscotch Kahlua Mousse

My youngest daughter is a busy stay-at-home mom who always finds time to get together with me on Fridays for lunch.  I try to make meals that are tasty, quick and easy, and reduced in fat and calories.  Here is the meal we had this week.

Friday was a beautiful fall day in southwestern Ohio and even a low-calorie, low fat meal looked pretty and tasted good.  I made an old standby of tuna salad on sturdy homemade bread, topped with tomato and fontina cheese and heated under the broiler.  Fast, easy and delicious.

MOM’S TUNA MELT

• Two 5-oz. cans of white albacore tuna, packed in water, drained)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper
• 1-1/2 Tblsp. finely chopped onion
• 1 Tblsp. (or more) snipped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup low-fat mayo (Hellman’s Olive Oil Mayonnaise)
• 3/4 tsp. red wine vinegar
• Sprinkling of salt and grating of pepper to taste
• 6 homemade rolls, split, or 6 slices of sturdy bread
• 2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 6 thin slices of fontina cheese
  

In a medium bowl, mix together the drained tuna, bell pepper, onion and cilantro.  In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and red wine vinegar.  Add the mayonnaise mixture to the tuna and vegetables, add salt and pepper, and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, preheat broiler.  Place split rolls or slices of bread on a large baking sheet.  Spoon the tuna mixture onto each roll/bread piece.  Top with a slice of tomato and a thin slice of fontina cheese.  Place under broiler until tuna is heated through and cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.

Yield:  6 servings

Based on 6 servings, nutrition per DietPower software is:  233 calories, 8.25 g fat, 26.5 mg cholesterol, 235 mg sodium, 165 mg potassium, 2.63 g carbohydrate, .447 g dietary fiber, 11 g protein.

Weight Watchers:  5 points per serving

Dessert had started out to be Chocolate Kahlua Mousse, but I found I had only butterscotch instant pudding on hand.  The butterscotch and kahlua made a good combination and a nice finish to the meal.

BUTTERSCOTCH KAHLUA MOUSSE

• One 4 oz. box of sugar/fat-free butterscotch instant pudding
• 1-1/4 cups 2% milk
• 1/4 cup kahlua
• 1-1/2 cups Cool Whip Lite topping, thawed

In  a medium bowl, whisk together the pudding mix, milk and kahlua for 2 minutes.  Fold in the Cool Whip topping.  Spoon into 6 dessert dishes, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Yield:  6 servings

Based on 6 servings, nutrition per DietPower software is:  160 calories, 3.67 g fat, 3.69 mg cholesterol, 239 mg sodium, 82 mg potassium, 23.6 g carbohydrate, 1.66 g protein

Weight Watchers:  3 points per serving

Beef Stroganoff and Rice Pudding

My youngest daughter is a busy stay-at-home mom who always finds time to get together with me on Fridays for lunch.  I try to make meals that are tasty, quick and easy, and reduced in fat and calories.  Here is the meal we had this week.

I first made this Beef Stroganoff in 1976 and it became one of our family’s favorite dishes.  In moderation and using low-fat ingredients, it’s also a good entree  when one or more of us is trying to lose weight.   The original recipe was from a Crisco cookbook, but over the years I eliminated the Crisco altogether and lightened anything I could.  It’s a traditional meal after having roast beef on Sunday.

MY ROAST BEEF STROGANOFF

• 1 can low-fat cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 2 Tblsp. catsup
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 1 Tblsp. dried minced onions
• 1 cup leftover roast beef, cubed

In a large skillet, place soup, sour cream, catsup, Worcestershire Sauce, pepper and onions, stirring well, and bring to a simmer.  Add leftover roast beef and continue simmering until mixture is bubbly and heated through.  Serve over noodles.

Yield:  4 servings

Based on 4 servings of Stroganoff and 1/2 cup of cooked noodles per serving, the nutrition count per DietPower software is:  209 calories, 8.74 g fat, 49 mg cholesterol, 276 mg sodium, 615 mg potassium, 15.2 g carbohydrate, 1.44 g dietary fiber, 2.5 g sugars, 14.4 g protein.

Weight Watchers:  5 points

My mother’s rice pudding was not only a childhood favorite, but an essential dish when I was sick or pregnant or otherwise indisposed.  I could eat this pudding when I couldn’t eat anything else.  I liked it with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a drizzle of evaporated milk (or cream for everyone else).   My youngest daughter loves anything with lemon, so now I make a lemon sauce to spoon over the rice pudding.  Delicious and not too bad calorie-wise.

GRANDMA MARTHA’S RICE PUDDING & LEMON SAUCE

• 2 cups cooked medium grain white rice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1 beaten egg

In a medium saucepan, place the rice, salt, sugar, milk and egg and mix together well.  Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat and continue to cook for one minute, stirring constantly.

Spoon pudding into 6 dessert dishes.

LEMON SAUCE

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tblsp. cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 4 Tblsp. butter
• 3 Tblsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. grated lemon peel

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan.  Add water and heat mixture, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  If mixture appears lumpy, whisk until smooth.

Remove from heat and stir in butter, lemon juice and lemon peel.  Serve warm  over Grandma Martha’s Rice Pudding (warm or room temperature is best).

Sauce will be quite stiff when cool.  It can be warmed in the microwave or in a pan over hot water.

Yield:  1-1/2 cups sauce.  Also good over pound cake, apple cake, pie, etc.

A note in my recipe binder reads:  “From Favorite Recipes for Quilters.  We like this with Grandma Martha’s Rice Pudding.  First made 2/23/95.”

Nutrition count per DietPower software based on 6 servings of pudding and 2 tablespoons of sauce per serving:  228 calories, 5.71 g fat, 53.5 mg cholesterol, 78.4 mg sodium, 92.7 mg potassium, 115.8 g carbohydrate, .82 g dietary fiber, 0 g sugars, 4.40 g protein.

Weight Watchers:  5 points

A Chicken Dish and a Butterscotch Dessert

My youngest daughter is a busy stay-at-home mom who always finds time to get together with me on Fridays for lunch.  I try to make meals that are tasty, quick and easy, and reduced in fat and calories.  Here is the meal we had this week.

I brought out an old favorite today- Chicken with Spinach and Noodles. This was adapted from a recipe I found in 1998 on Weight Watchers Light & Tasty software.  It’s a very flavorful dish yet light on calories and fat.

CHICKEN WITH SPINACH AND NOODLES

• 3/4 cup dry egg noodles
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 2 cups julienned spinach leaves
• 2 Tblsp. Balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 6 oz. skinless chicken breast, cooked & cut into cubes
• 1-1/2 oz. part-skim  mozzarella cheese, cut into small pieces
• 2 Tblsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 9-11 minutes until tender.  Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet, heat oil; add garlic to skillet and cook stirring frequently for 1-2 minutes.  Stir in bell pepper and cook until pepper pieces are tender.  Stir in tomatoes, spinach, vinegar, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes.  Cook until spinach is wilted and mixture is heated through.

Add cooked chicken and noodles; toss to mix well.  Add pieces of mozzarella, stirring until cheese is melted.

Spoon 1/4 of mixture onto each serving plate.  Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.  Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Based on 4 servings, nutrition count per serving (DietPower software):  184 calories, 6.41 g fat, 48.9 mg cholesterol, 107 mg sodium, 699 mg potassium, 13.5 g carbohydrate, 3.52 g dietary fiber, 19.3 g protein

Weight Watchers:  3 points per serving

In my recipe binder there’s a note:  “First made on 3/29/1998.  Excellent.  Would be good with asparagus instead of spinach.”

For dessert, I tried using what I had on hand to make a chilled Butterscotch Pecan Dessert and we both enjoyed it very much.

BUTTERSCOTCH PECAN DESSERT

• One oz. box of sugar/fat free instant butterscotch pudding mix
• 1 cup light ricotta cheese
• 1 cup non-fat plain yogurt
• 1 cup Cool Whip Lite dessert topping, thawed
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 6 toasted pecan halves

In medium bowl, mix together the pudding mix, ricotta and yogurt.

Fold in the Cool Whip and 1/4 cup of chopped pecans.

Divide mixture between 6 dessert dishes.  Place one pecan half on top of each serving.

Chill until ready to serve.

Yield:  6 servings

Based on 6 servings, nutrition per serving (DietPower software):  136 calories, 6.99 g fat, 10.8 mg cholesterol, 213 mg sodium, 23.2 mg potassium, 11.1 g carbohydrate, 0.449 g dietary fiber, 3.79 g protein

Weight Watchers:  3 points per serving

Balsamic Chicken Melt and Plum Clafouti

My youngest daughter is a busy stay-at-home mom who always finds time to get together with me on Fridays for lunch.  I try to make meals that are tasty, quick and easy, and reduced in fat and calories.  Here is the meal we had this week.

When I first made the Balsamic Chicken Melt, I started out to make my supper using a recipe I saw online.  As I progressed, I realized I had less than half of the ingredients the recipe called for.  By the time I substituted and improvised, the dish was not at all like the original recipe.  On top of that, I had over-salted the pasta and decided to just pile the mixture on a split homemade roll, add a little bit of cheese and put it under the broiler.  I think this made it a much better dish than it would have been with pasta.

BALSAMIC CHICKEN MELT

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped red Bell pepper
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup Wishbone Balsamic Vinaigrette
• 8 oz. cooked chicken breast, cubed
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 2 Tblsp. halved Kalamata olives
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 slices hearty bread or 4 rolls, halved
• 2 oz. Fontina cheese, sliced thinly

In a medium non-stick skillet, drizzle the olive oil and saute the onion, red pepper and garlic over medium heat until vegetables have softened.  Add vinaigrette, chicken and tomato and cook until tomato is cooked through.  Add olives.

Put a slice of good bread or split roll on an ovenproof plate for each serving.

Spoon chicken mixture over the top of the bread and place slices of cheese on top.  Place under broiler until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition per DietPower software per serving:  282 calories, 9.87 g fat, 45.3 mg cholesterol, 390 mg sodium, 205 mg potassium, 4.04 g carbohydrate, 0.641 dietary fiber, 1.5 g sugars, 17.9 g protein.

Weight Watchers = 6 points

For dessert, I wanted to use up 4 purple plums I had in the refrigerator and found a recipe for Plum Clafouti on allrecipes.com. I reduced the recipe to accommodate the 4 plums and it made 3 servings.

PLUM CLAFOUTI

• 2 Tblsp. granulated sugar, divided
• 4 purple plums, halved and pitted
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup plus 3 Tblsp. 2% milk
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• pinch salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray an 8″ skillet.  Sprinkle 1 tsp. sugar over the bottom of the pan.  Arrange the plum halves, cut side down, so they cover the entire bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle 2 tsp. of sugar over the top of the plums.

In a blender or medium bowl, combine the remaining 1 Tblsp. of sugar, egg, milk, flour, lemon zest, cinnamon, vanilla and salt.  Process or whisk until smooth.

Pour over the fruit in the pan.

Bake for 50-60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and lightly browned.  Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.  Best served warm.

Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Makes 3 servings

Nutrition per DietPower software per serving:  175 calories, 3.05 g fat, 81.9 mg cholesterol, 34 mg sodium, 252 mg potassium, 33.2 g carbohydrate, 1.91 g dietary fiber, 0 g sugars, 4.95 g protein.

Weight Watchers = 3 points

Good Chicken Casserole and Pistachio Pineapple Pudding

My youngest daughter is a busy stay-at-home mom who always finds time to get together with me on Fridays for lunch.  I try to make meals that are tasty, quick and easy, and reduced in fat and calories.  Here is the meal we had yesterday.

This casserole was made using my favorite low-fat mac and cheese recipe, Shannon’s Macaroni and Cheese, and adding chicken, broccoli and a crisp cheese cracker topping.  It makes four generous servings or six adequate servings for someone trying to watch fat and calories.

MAC, CHICKEN & BROCCOLI

• 3/4 cup dry macaroni
• 4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 Tblsp. dried minced onion
• 1-1/4 cups low-fat cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tblsp. 2% milk
• 1-1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• Grating of black pepper
• 1-1/2 cups steamed broccoli flowerettes
• 1/2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and diced
• 2 Tblsp. grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup cheese cracker crumbs

Heat oven to 350 degrees F

Spray a 9″ casserole dish

Cook macaroni in boiling, salted water for approximately 8 minutes until al dente.  Drain, do not rinse.  Place macaroni in a large bowl and immediately stir in the cheese and minced onion.

In a separate bowl (or small food processor) blend together the cottage cheese, milk, mustard, salt and pepper.  Pour the cheese mixture over the macaroni and mix together.  Add the steamed broccoli and cooked chicken, mixing well.  Spoon the macaroni mixture into a sprayed 9″ casserole dish.

In a small bowl, mix the parmesan cheese and cheese cracker crumbs together.  Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni.

Bake uncovered @ 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Makes six 1-cup servings.

Each serving = 244 calories, 10.2 g fat, 36.4 mg cholesterol, 466 mg sodium, 222 mg potassium, 18.8 g carbohydrate, 0.281 g dietary fiber, 19.2 g protein (per DietPower software)

Weight Watchers:  6 points per serving

The dessert is based on a recipe I just found on All Recipes.  It is surprisingly rich and delicious – and only 116 calories/2 Weight Watchers points.

PINEAPPLE PISTACHIO PUDDING

• One oz. box of sugar-free, fat-free instant pistachio pudding
• 2 cups low-fat plain yogurt
• 1 cup pineapple tidbits (packed in juice), drained
• 1 cup Cool Whip Light dessert topping, thawed

In a large bowl, whisk together the instant pudding and plain yogurt.  Stir in the pineapple and then fold in the Cool Whip dessert topping.

Spoon mixture into six dessert dishes, cover with plastic or foil, and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Makes six 1/2 cup servings

Each serving = 116 calories, 2.54 g fat, 4.61 mg cholesterol, 53.5 mg sodium, 227 mg potassium, 19.9 g carbohydrate, 0.333 g dietary fiber, 4.14 g protein (per DietPower software)

Weight Watchers = 2 points per serving

Shannon and I thought it was a very tasty, satisfying meal.

Chicken a la King and a Good Apple Dip

My youngest daughter is a busy stay-at-home mom who always finds time to get together with me on Fridays for lunch.  I try to make meals that are tasty, quick and easy, and reduced in fat and calories.  Here is the meal we had yesterday.

EASY CHICKEN A LA KING

• One can of Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup (Healthy Request)
• 1/2 cup of 2% milk
• 1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning
• Sprinkle of seasoned salt
• A few gratings of black pepper
• 2 Tblsp. chopped pimiento
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 cup cooked chicken breast, cut into cubes
• 4 slices of hearty bread or 4 homemade rolls, split – toasted

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, place the soup, milk, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper – whisk until smooth.  Stir in the pimiento, peas and chicken.  Heat until hot but not boiling.

Place a slice of toasted bread or split roll on a plate and spoon the chicken mixture over the top.

Yield:  4 servings

DietPower nutrition count per serving of chicken mixture only:  134 calories, 3.27 g fat, 29.5 mg cholesterol, 312 g sodium, 13.3 g carbs, 1.72 dietary fiber, 12.4 protein.

Weight Watchers:  3 points

Nutrional information for bread is not included – it depends on what kind of bread is used.

Note from my recipe binder:  “2/13/95 – Made for Shannon and me to have for lunch on a bright blue February day, with lots of snow still on the ground and the temperature about 10 degrees.  Tasty and not as rich as some of the harder versions.”

CINNAMON BUTTERSCOTCH APPLE DIP

• 14 oz. can Eagle Brand non-fat condensed milk
• 3/4 cup butterscotch chips
• 1/4 cup cinnamon chips
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. white vinegar

In a heavy sauce pan over low heat, mix together the milk, chips and salt.  Whisk until chips are melted and mixture is smooth.  Remove from heat and stir in vinegar.

Serve dip warm with crisp apple slices (I like MacIntosh apples).

Refrigerate leftover dip.  Small amount of dip can be reheated by microwaving a few seconds.

Yield:  1-2/3 cup of dip

The original recipe from the Eagle Brand web site, called for 1 cup of butterscotch chips but I only had 3/4 cup and supplemented it with 1/4 cup of cinnamon chips.  The original recipe also called for 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon.

DietPower nutrition count per 2 tablespoon serving of dip:  72 calories, 1.9 g fat, 0 g cholesteroal, 27 g sodium, 12.3 g potassium, 13.6 g carb, .259 g protein.  Medium apple cut in half = 81 calories, .5 g fat, 3 g fiber

Weight Watchers = 2 points for 2 Tblsp. dip, 1 point for medium apple cut in half and sliced.

Shannon and I enjoyed both the old favorite chicken dish and the brand-new apple dip.

Grandparents’ Day and a New Dessert

Yesterday, on Grandparents’ Day, my two youngest grandchildren showed up at my front door, bearing handmade gifts as usual …. six-year-old Dolphin ….

…and ten-year-old Jellyfish (currently in training as a “Ghostbuster”).

Jellyfish had taken my picture last week and printed out a frame and mounted it plus he made a great bookmark.

Dolphin had promised me a hundred times on Saturday that she would make my favorite Scottie, which she did, along with a colored picture of a grandma and granddaughter baking.  She even made her own wrapping paper and a paper bow.

Their mother has always had a mug made up with a picture on it for Grandparents’ Day.  This year, number 11 will join the others on my special shelf.

I fixed a roast beef dinner for the family and for dessert tried out one I had seen on All Recipes, Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball.  I called it a “girly” dessert but my son-in-law and grandson managed to enjoy some of it, maybe not as much as my two daughters and I did.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESE BALLS

• 8 oz. package of cream cheese (not low-fat or Neufchatel), softened
• 1/2 cup butter (butter only, no substitutes), softened
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 Tblsp. light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup toffee bits
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

In a medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and softened butter until smooth.  Mix in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, shape the chilled cream cheese mixture into three balls.  Wrap each ball in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Before serving, roll one ball in toffee bits, one in pecans and keep one with just the chocolate chips.

I served these dessert cheese balls with honey pretzels, thin cinnamon wafers and Golden Delicious apple slices.

The comments on All Recipes indicated some people had problems getting the mixture to form a ball.  Other people suggested storing the beaten cheese mixture in a metal bowl and refrigerating overnight.  They also stressed using only full-fat butter and cream cheese.  I followed these suggestions and had no problems forming the balls.

It was a fun dessert and a nice ending to our Grandparents’ Day dinner.

A Summer Supper from Leftovers

After cooking dinner for guests on Sunday, I had some leftover grilled chicken and some pasta – very small amounts.  I also had one large ripe peach and a little bit of rhubarb from my garden.  I thought if I put all of the small amounts together in the right way, I might have a nice supper for myself.

I used the peach and rhubarb along with some staples to make a Fruit Betty.  I found this recipe in a 1976 Redbook cookbook which I had gotten way back in the day for subscribing to Redbook magazine.  It’s been a good source for me all these years, although I had never made this dish before.

While the dessert was cooling, I put together a simple  salad with the chicken, pasta, some onion, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and one of my favorite dressings.

It was a very easy, fast and tasty meal.  I might have to come up with these particular leftovers again sometime.

RHUBARB AND PEACH BETTY

• 1-1/2 cups fresh rhubarb, cut in 1″ pieces
• 1-1/2 cups fresh peach slices
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 4 slices white bread, cut in 1/2″ cubes
• 1 Tblsp. granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

In a medium bowl, combine rhubarb, peach slices and 1/2 cup granulated sugar.

In a small skillet over moderately low heat, melt the butter.  Add the bread cubes and raise heat slightly, toss cubes with butter and heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally.  Watch the bread cubes so that they don’t get too brown.

Place half of the fruit in a 4 to 6 inch buttered baking dish.  Top with half of the bread cubes.  Repeat layers.  Sprinkle top with 1 Tblsp. granulated sugar.

Bake uncovered @ 375 degrees F for approximately 40 minutes.

Serve with half-and-half cream.

I really enjoyed this dessert.  It’s good warm from the oven or at room temperature and the cream is perfect to temper the tartness of the fruit.  Actually, I have more leftovers to contend with since the recipe made 3 servings, but I don’t mind a bit.

CHICKEN AND PASTA SALAD FOR ONE

• 1 cup cooked pasta
• 2 oz. grilled chicken breast
• 2 Tbsp. chopped sweet onion
• 4-5 cherry tomatoes, halved
• Red Wine Dressing
• 2 Tblsp. fresh basil for garnish

RED WINE VINEGAR DRESSING

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise (I like Hellman’s Olive Oil Mayonnaise)
• 2 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 Tblsp. red wine vinegar
• Sprinkling of salt
• Grating of black pepper

Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

Toss together the pasta, chicken and vegetables.  Add the Red Wine Vinegar Dressing and garnish with fresh basil.

This is a very good light salad.  Of course, any vegetables and herbs could be substituted – this was what I happened to have in the refrigerator.

Being frugal and using up all the leftovers is a pretty good idea.

Blueberry Pineapple Dessert

Over 20 years ago, my husband and I were members of a wonderful round dance club in Cincinnati, the Bendoliers.  At Christmas time, the couple who served as President gave a brunch for the other officers in the club.  As Secretary, my husband I were invited and it was a beautiful meal.  I told the hostess that my favorite dish was what she called “Blueberry Salad” and asked for the recipe.  She was amazed that I didn’t know this old standby and as the years have passed, I’ve seen many versions of it in community cookbooks.  But at that time it was new to me and I loved it.

I adapted her recipe a little bit and I think of it as a dessert rather than a salad, but basically, it’s the same great dish we had that long-ago Christmas.

BLUEBERRY PINEAPPLE DESSERT

• Two 6 oz. packages of blackberry gelatin (I used four 3 oz. packages of Jell-O Blackberry Fusion)
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup cold fruit juice*
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• One 8 oz. can crushed pineapple

*Whenever I drain a can of fruit, I put it into a pint jar that I keep in the freezer.  I keep adding the drained juice from whatever fruit I have until I have enough to replace the cold water in a gelatin recipe.  In this case, I used a mixture of several kinds of fruit.

Topping

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup dairy sour cream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

In a 9×9 pan, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.  Add the cold fruit juice, stirring well.  Chill in the refrigerator for about 1-1/2 hours until the mixture cools and begins to thicken.  After the mixture has thickened, add the blueberries and pineapple.  (Pineapple should be drained through a sieve into a cup, lightly pressing with a spoon.   I add this juice to my jar of stashed juice in the freezer.)

Chill gelatin/fruit mixture until set.

After the gelatin/fruit mixture has set, make the topping:  Beat together the cream cheese, dairy sour cream, granulated sugar and vanilla.  Spread the topping over the gelatin/fruit mixture.  Sprinkle chopped pecans over the top.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yield:  9 delicious servings.

Rhubarb and Friends Cobbler

For many years, I tried various cobbler recipes without being completely satisfied.  Then, in 1996, I found a recipe for cobbler in one of my favorite cookbooks – The Farm Journal Pie Cookbook, and they stressed that the filling should be piping hot when the dough is spooned onto it.  I’ve made many cobblers with all kinds of fruit since then and have always been pleased with the results.

On this beautiful June Sunday morning, I was debating what to fix for dessert for myself – no company for dinner this week.  My decision was based on what I found in my refrigerator:  a recent cutting of rhubarb from my garden, a couple of Granny Smith apples, and a small amount of fresh blueberries.  I wanted to make something that would be good for dessert today but also taste good a couple of days from now – not too rich, not too much fat.  I think this cobbler made from the rhubarb and its friends in the refrigerator was just right.  It will be my dessert well into next week.

RHUBARB & FRIENDS COBBLER

Fruit Filling:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tblsp. cornstarch
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1-1/2 cups rhubarb, cut in 1″ pieces
• 2 cups tart apple,  peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1 Tblsp. butter
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

In a medium saucepan, mix the granulated sugar, cornstarch and water.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for one minute.  Remove from heat – add the rhubarb, apple slices, blueberries, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg – stirring gently to blend.  Pour this mixture into an ungreased one-quart casserole dish.

Dough:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Tblsp. granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)
• 1/2 cup milk

In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.  Cut in the vegetable shortening and then stir in the milk with a fork.  Drop by spoonsful onto the hot fruit filling.  Place the casserole dish on a flat pan to catch spills and bake @ 400 degrees F for about 30 minutes.

Serve in bowls with cobbler juices and whipped cream/topping or ice cream.

Yield:  6 servings

One of my Mother’s Day gifts this year was a set of vintage two-handled soup bowls.

I might not be making much soup this summer, but the bowl is just the right size for a serving of cobbler.