CHRISTMAS TREATS

Cookie sticks surprise!

1 pack of cookie sticks, plain or flavored
chocolate bar for melting
candy sprinkles
mug or tall glass
plastic wrapper
ribbons

Melt chocolate over low heat. Dip in the cookie stick and sprinkle with candy. When all sticks are done, put in a mug or tall glass. Wrap in the plastic wrapper and tie with nice ribbons. Ready fro gift-giving!.

LASAGNA

1. 1. 1 tablespoon olive oil
   2. 1 medium onion, chopped fine
   3. 6 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
   4. 1/3 pound ground beef chuck
   5. 1/3 pound ground veal (see note)
   6. 1/3 pound ground pork
   7. 1/2 teaspoon table salt
   8. 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
   9. 1/4 cup heavy cream
   10. 1 (28 ounce) can tomato puree
   11. 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
   12. 15 ounces ricotta cheese (whole milk or part skim)
   13. 2 1/2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
   14. 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
   15. 1 large egg, lightly beaten
   16. 1/2 teaspoon table salt
   17. 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
   18. 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
   19. 16 ounces whole milk mozzarella, shredded

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat oil in large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add ground meats, salt, and pepper; cook, breaking meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until meat loses its raw color but has not browned, about 4 minutes. Add cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates and only fat remains, about 4 minutes. Add pureed and drained diced tomatoes and bring to simmer; reduce heat to low and simmer slowly until flavors are blended, about 3 minutes; set sauce aside. (Sauce can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days; reheat before assembling lasagna.)
3. Mix ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan, basil, egg, salt, and pepper in medium bowl with fork until well-combined and creamy; set aside.
4. Smear entire bottom of 9- by 13-inch baking dish with 1/4 cup meat sauce. Place 3 noodles on top of sauce. Drop 3 tablespoons ricotta mixture down center of each noodle. Level by pressing flat with back of measuring spoon. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce evenly over cheese.
5. Repeat layering of noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, and sauce two more times. Place 3 remaining noodles on top of sauce, spread remaining sauce over noodles, sprinkle with remaining cup mozzarella, then with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Lightly spray a large sheet of foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover lasagna. Bake 15 minutes, then remove foil. Return lasagna to oven and continue to bake until cheese is spotty brown and sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes longer. Cool lasagna about 10 minutes; cut into pieces and serve.

Yield: 6 servings

SOURCE

SPROUT BURGERS

4 hamburger buns, split
2 slightly beaten eggs
3/4 cup soft bread crumbs
2 tbsp chopped onions
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1 lb ground beef
1 cup snipped fresh or canned bean sprouts

Preheat broiler. Toast buns in broiler; set aside. Combine the next 7 ingredients. Add ground beef and bean sprouts; mix well. Shape into 4 patties. Broil 4 inches from heat for 4 minutes. Turn; broil 4 to 5 minutes more. Serve on toasted buns. Makes 4 mouth-watering servings.

Strawberry-Mango Fruit Salad

1 can Fruit Cocktail, drained, reserve 2 tbsp syrup
1/4 kg strawberries, halved then sliced
1/2 kg ripe mangoes, peeled and flesh cubed

Low Fat Cream
2/3 cup low fat milk, chilled for an hour
2 tbsp cold fruit cocktail syrup
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
2 tbsp sugar

1. For the CREAM: Combine fruit cocktail syrup and gelatin in a small saucepan. Heat until gelatin is completely dissolved. Set aside. Beat milk with a wire whisk until slightly thickened and frothy. Gradually add sugar then gelatin mixture. Continue whisking. Cover and chill until ready to use. Whisk to soften before using.

2. For the FRUIT MIXTURE: Combine all ingredient with cream. Serve chilled.

YUMMY AND HEALTHY!!!

Mini Chocolate Cupcakes

1. 1. 1/3 cup water
   2. 1/3 cup pitted dates, coarsely chopped
   3. 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
   4. 1 ounce fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
   5. 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
   6. 1 egg
   7. 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
   8. 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
   9. 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
   10. Vegetable oil cooking spray
   11. 1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar for dusting
   12. Special equipment: a mini-muffin pan with 12 (1/8-cup) muffin cups, preferably nonstick

instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Bring water and dates just to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, then transfer mixture to a food processor and add cocoa powder and chocolate, pulsing once to combine. Let cool 2 minutes, then add brown sugar, egg, vanilla, baking soda, and a pinch of salt, then pure until smooth. Add flour and pulse just until incorporated.
3. Spray muffin cups with cooking spray. (If pan is not nonstick, line sprayed bottoms with rounds of wax paper, then spray paper.) Spoon batter into cups, dividing it evenly, and bake in middle of oven until a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack (remove wax paper, if using) and cool completely, right side up. Just before serving, sprinkle tops lightly with confectioners sugar.

Yield: 4 servings

source

Panna Cotta de Fruta

1 can 439 g Fruit Cocktail
1 pack all-purpose cream
1/2 c non-fat milk
3 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 pack unflavored gelatine

1. Scald cream in a double boiler for 5 minutes. Add milk, sugar nad vanilla. Set aside.
2. Sprinkle gelatine over fruit cocktail syrup in a small saucepan. Heat over low fire until dissolved. Cool a bit then fold into cream mixture.
3. Arrange half of fruit cocktaiul in custard cups. Refrigerate other half. Portion cream mixture. Cover and refrigerate until set.
4. Top with remaining fruit cocktail just before serving.

Oatmeal Cookies ala Fruta

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
a/2 tsp iodized salt
1/2 c shortening
1/4 c margarine
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 can fruit cocktail (reserve 2 tbsp syrup)
1 tsp vanilla
1 pc egg
3 c quick cooking oats

1. Preheat oven tp 35o degrees F. Grease baking sheet. Set aside.
2. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream shortening, margarine, brown sugar, fruit cocktail syrup, vanilla, and egg.
4. Add flour mixture then add fruit cocktail and oatmeal.
5. Drop batter using a small scooper (1 1/2 tbsp) on baking sheet 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn and bake for another 3-5 mins (lessen baking time for a chewier cookie). Cool on rack.
Makes 50 cookies.