FOOD THOUGHTS

"One cannot think well,
love well,
sleep well,
if one has not
dined well."
- Virginia Woolf, British Author

"The groundwork of all happiness is HEALTH."
- James Leigh Hunt, Essayist and Poet

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

Lowfat Chocolate Banana ParfaitS

1. 2 cups cold fat free milk
2. 1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Chocolate Flavor Fat Free Sugar Free Instant Reduced Calorie Pudding and Pie Filling
3. 2 medium bananas, sliced
4. 3/4 cup thawed COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping, divided

instructions:

1. Pour milk into medium bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended.
2. Spoon half of the pudding evenly into 4 dessert glasses. Cover with layers of banana slices, 1/2 cup of the whipped topping and remaining pudding. Top with remaining whipped topping.
3. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yield: 4 servings

SOURCE

Corn-Rye Muffins

1 1/4 c Corn Bread Mix
2/3 c rye flour
1/2 tsp caraway seed
2 tbsps cooking oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine corn bread mix, rye flour, and carraway seed. Make a well in center; add oil and 2/3 c water all at one.
3. Stir just till moistened.
4. Fill greased 2 1/2 in muffin pans 2/3 full.
5. Bake in 400 degrees F oven 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Makes 6 yummy muffins.

Fettuccini Carbonara

1/2 lb bacon
1/4 cup whipping cream
4 beaten eggs
1 lb fettuccine, cooked
1/4 c butter, melted
1 c grated parmesan cheese
1/4 c snipped parsley

1. Heat oven-proof serving dish in 250 degrees oven.
2. In skillet, cook bacon till crisp.. Drain; crumble.
3. Heat cream till just warm. remove from heat. Beat in eggs.
4. Toss pasts with butter. Pour egg mixture atop. Toss till well-coated.
5. Add bacon, cheese, parsley. Toss to mix.
6. Sprinkle with pepper. Serves 6.

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.