Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Honey Apple Cake

It's a mouthful of a name, but this recipe is fantastic, and really very healthy for being a dessert. The applesauce keeps it nice and moist, and the honey lends more flavor than sugar does.

From Cooking Light
Serves 16

Cake:
1 C quick-cooking oats
1 C hot water
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
2 t ground cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 1/3 C packed light brown sugar
3/4 C chunky applesauce
1/3 C honey
2 large eggs
Cooking Spray

Frosting:
1/4 C butter
1/3 C packed light brown sugar
1/4 C honey
1/2 C coarsely chopped almonds, toasted

Remaining Ingredients:
1 C frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
Ground cinnamon (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F.

To prepare cake, combine oats and 1 cup ho twater in a small bowl; set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; leve with a knife. Combine flour, 2 t cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Combine 1 1/3 cups sugar, applesauce, 1/3 cup honey and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed 1 minute. Add oat mixture; beat at low speed until well blended. Add hal of flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat well. Add remaining flour mixture; beat well. Spoon batter into an 11 x 7 - inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 48 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Place dish on a wire rack.

To prepare frosting, melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/3 C sugar and 1/4 C honey; cook 2 minutes or until bubbly, stirring constantly. Stir in almonds. Quickly pour frosting over cake; spread evenly using a rubber spatula.

Preheat broiler.

Broil cake 1 minutes or until frosting is bubbly and golden. Cool completely on a wire rack. Serve with whipped topping; sprinkle with ground cinnamon, if desired.

**Notes from Em**
This cake is really pretty done in a bundt pan. Check it after about 30 minutes, and then every 5 minutes after that. I also have never made it with the actual frosting, I just drizzled honey over it, and then sprinkled the almonds on it.

Frozen Blackberry-Lemon Chiffon Pie

Frozen Blackberry-Lemon Chiffon Pie

From Cooking Light

Serves 12

1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs (about 12 cookie sheets)
3 T butter, melted
2 T 2% reduced-fat milk
Cooking Spray
3 C blackberries
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
1/4 t salt
4 large egg whites
1 C plus 2 T sugar
6 T water
Fresh blackberries (optional)
Fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl; toss with a fork until moist. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray.

Combine 3 cups blackberries and fresh lemon juice in a blender; process until smooth. Strain mixture through a sieve over a bowl; discard solids.

Place salt and egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Combine sugar and 6 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until a thermometer registers 250 F. Gradually pour the hot sugar syrup into egg white mixture, beating at medium speed, then at high speed, until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in blackberry mixture; pour into prepared crust. Cover; freeze 8 hours or overnight. Let stand 5 minutes at room temperature before serving. Garnish with fresh blackberries and mint, if desired.

**Notes from Em**
Keep in mind that this is a chiffon pie. Personally I wasn't expecting it to be as amazingly light as it was. And just a heads up that it melts very quickly, so serve and eat fast! I also got 16 servings out of this, and they were still adequately sized.

Beef Stroganoff

From Cooking Light
Serves 6

Legend has it that this dish was created for 19th-centry Russian general Count Alexander Stroganov, and it eventually became a dinner-party standby for American home cooks in the 1950's and 1960's. The recipe's longevity is no surprise; its combination of thinly sliced beef, mushrooms, and noodles in a creamy sauce has broad and comforting appeal.

 Beef Stroganoff

From Cooking Light

Serves 6

1 pound boneless sirloin steak, trimmed
3 C slice cremini mushrooms
1/2 C chopped onion
1 T Butter
2 T all-purpose flour
1 C fat free less-sodium beef broth
1/4 C dry sherry
1/2 t salt
1/8 t freshly ground black pepper
3/4 C reduced-fat sour cream
4 C hot cooked egg noodles
3 T minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Cut beef diagonally across the grain into 1/4 inch wide strips; cut the strips into 2 inch pieces.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; saute 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove beef from pan; place in a medium bowl and keep warm. Add cremini mushrooms and onion to pan; saute 4 minutes. Add cremini mushroom mixture to beef.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add flour. Cook 1 minute, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute or until thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly.

Add beef mixture, sherry, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 30 seconds. Stir in sour cream.

Combine noodles and minced parsley. Serve beef mixture over noodles.

Asian Beef Stir-Fry

When selecting the cut of beef for stir-frying, look for a naturally lean cut, such as top sirloin, top round, top loin or flank steak, which are bursting with bold beef flavors.

Asian Beef Stir-fry

From Eating for Life

Serves 4

8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 pound lean steak
1/8 t crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, sliced
4 celery stalks, sliced
1 head napa cabbage, shredded
1/2 C lite soy sauce

Prepare spaghetti according to its package directions; drain and set aside.

While the spaghetti is cooking, slice steak lengthwise into 2-inch strips. Cut crosswise into 1/8 inch thick slices.

Lightly coat a large skillet or wok with cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, stir fry red pepper flakes and garlic for 1 minutes.

Add the steak strips to the skillet, stir-fry just until no longer pink, approximately 2 minutes. Remove the steak from skillet and set aside.

Lightly re-coat the skillet with cooking spray. Stir-fry onion and celery until tender, approximately 5 minutes. Add cabbage and cook until crisp-tender, approximately 2 more minutes.

Return steak to the skillet. Add cooked spaghetti and lite soy sauce; mix gently and heat thoroughly.

India-Spiced Patties with Yogurt Sauce

From Rachael Ray
Serves 4

1 1/4 lbs ground chicken or lamb
2 T mild or hot curry paste
1 T grill seasoning
2 pinches of ground cinnamon
1 1/2 t ground cumin
1 1/2 t ground coriander
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 C Greek yogurt
1 garlic cloves
Juice of 1/2 lemon
A generous handful of cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
A generous handful of mint
4 leaves of Bibb or Boston lettuce, Chopped
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
salt
4 pita rounds

Pre-heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high.

Mix the ground chicken with the curry paste, grill seasoning, cinnamon, cumin and coriander and form into four large, 1/2-inch thick patties. Coat the patties with a little EVOO and grill for 4-5 minutes on each side (grill for 3 minutes on each side for lamb).

In a food processor, blend the yogurt with the garlic, lemon juice, cilantro and mint until smooth. Season the lettuce and tomatoes with a little salt.

Char the pitas on the grill, about 1 minute on each side, and cut about 1 inch off the tops. Open each pita and fill with a patty, a quarter of the chopped lettuce and sliced tomatoes and a generous spoonful of the yogurt sauce.

Orange-Poppy Seed Muffin Mini-Muffins

With their lively crunch, poppy seeds make a festive addition to quick breads. To enhance and deepen their subtle flavor, steep the seeds in milk before adding to the batter. Like nuts, poppy seeds are rich in oils, and they should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer if kept for more than a few months. you can also bake these muffins in 12 standard muffin cups. Fill them three-fourths full, and increase the baking time to 15-18 minutes. For a simpler topping, omit the glaze and sprinkle the Demarara sugar before baking.

Orange-Poppy Seed Muffins

From Williams-Sonoma

Makes 24 mini or 12 standard muffins

3 T poppy seeds
1/2 C whole milk
1 3/4 C all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 t grated orange zest
2 large eggs
3/4 C granulated sugar
6 T unsalted butter, melted
1/2 C plus 1 T orange juice
1/2 C confectioners sugar

Position a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat to 400 F. Butter 24 mini-muffin-pan cups or line them with paper liners. In a small bowl, combine the poppy seeds and milk and let stand for 20 minutes. In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest. Set aside.

By Hand:
In a bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Stir in the granulated sugar, butter, the 1/4 C orange juice, and milk-poppy seed mixture, stirring until smooth. Add to the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula just until moistened.

By Mixer:
In a large bowl, beat the eggs on low speed until blended. Add the granulated sugar, butter, the 1/4 C cup orange juice, and milk-poppy seed mixture and beat on low speed just to combine. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until moistened.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each cup about three-fourth full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 12-14 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack fr 2 minutes, then turn out onto the rack.

To make the glaze, in a small bowl, stir together the orange juice and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Drizzle over the tops of the warm muffins in a zigzag pattern. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Flaky Pie Pastry

Recipe from Williams-Sonoma

The rich flavor of butter and the flake-making quality of vegetable shortening produce a pie pastry that is both versatile and delicious. The butter and shortening should be very cold so that they will form the layers in the crust that contribute to the overall flakiness. Use ice water for the liquid to ensure that the shortening and butter do not soften during mixing. If you are making a savory pie, such as a quiche or savory galette, omit the sugar.

To use up your dough scraps, press them together and roll them out again into a long, narrow rectangle. Brush the surface with softened butter and sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar. Working from a long side, roll up the rectangle into a log, then cut crosswise into sliced 1 inch thick. Place the slices in a pan and bake alongside the pie. They are ready wen the pastry is golden brown and the sugar starts to caramelize in the pan.

For single-crust pie:
5 T cold unsalted butter
3 T cold vegetable shortening
1 1/3 C all-purpose flour
1 T sugar (optional)
1/4 t salt
4 T ice water

For lattice-crust pie:
1/2 C cold unsalted butter
4 T cold vegetable shortening
2 C all-purpose flour
4 t sugar (optional)
1/4 t salt
6 T ice water

For double-crust pie:
2/3 C cold unsalted butter
6 T cold vegetable shortening
2 2/3 C all-purpose flour
2 T sugar (optional)
1/2 t salt
8 T ice water

Cut the butter and vegetable shortening into 3/4-inch pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt, and stir to mix. Scatter the butter and shortening pieces over the flour mixture. Using a fork, toss to coat with the flour. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the butter and shortening until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of large peas. Drizzle the ice water over the mixture and toss with the fork until the dough is evenly moist and begins to come together in a mass but does not form a ball.


Transfer the dough to a work surface. If making the single-crust pie pastry, shape the dough into a 6-inch disk. For the lattice pie, divide the dough into 2 portions, one twice as large as the other; shape the larger portion into a 6-inch disk and the smaller one into a 3-inch disk. For the double-crust pie, divide the dough in half and form each half into a 6-inch disk. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour or for up to overnight.

To roll out pie dough:
Remove the dough disk(s) from the refrigerator. If the dough is cold and hard to roll out, let it stand at room temperature or 10-20 minutes. Dust a work surface and rolling pin with flour. For the bottom crust, use a 6-inch disk.

Rolling from the center toward the edges and in all directions, roll out the dough into a rough 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Use firm pressure and work quickly to prevent the dough from becoming warm.

Lift and turn the dough several times as you roll to prevent sticking, and dust the surface and the rolling pin with flour as needed. If the pastry sticks, loosen it with a bench scraper.


To line a pie pan with dough:
Carefully roll the dough around the pin and position the pin over the pie pan

Unroll the dough and center it in the pie pan, gently but firmly pressing it against the bottom and sides while taking care not to pull or stretch it. Repair any tears by pressing small scraps of dough over them.

Gently lift the edge of the dough with one hand, while pressing it into the edge of the pie pan with the other. Take care not to stretch the dough. If make a single-crust pie, using a small knife or a pair of kitchen scissors, trim the edge, leaving a 3/4-inch overhang. Roll the overhang under itself to create a high edge on the pan rim. Using your index finger and thumb, pinch the dough around the rim to form a fluted edge or make another decorative edge. Freeze the pie crust until it is firm, about 30 minutes.


To pre-bake a single crust:
Preheat the oven to 400F. Line the frozen pie crust with a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Fill the foil-lined crust with dried beans, uncooked rice, or ceramic or metal pie weights.


Bake the lined crust until it dried out, about 15 minutes. Check to see if the crust is ready by pulling up one corner of the foil. If the foil sticks, the crust is not fully dried out. Return it to the oven and check every 2 minutes. Carefully remove the weights and foil by gathering the foil edges toward the center and pulling up and out. Reduce the heat to 350

For a partially baked crust, continue to bake until the crust is lightly browned on the edges and dry-looking on the bottom, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer the crust to a wire rack and use as directed in individual recipes.

For a fully baked crust, continue to bake until the entire crust is golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Transfer the crust to a wire rack and use as directed in individual recipes.

To make a double crust:

Roll out 1 chilled dough disk and line the pie pan as directed, but do not trim the edges. Fill the lined pan with the pie filling as directed in the recipe. Then, roll out the second disk into a 12-inch round 1/8 inch thick.

Carefully lift the dough round and place it over the filling, making sure to center the dough. You should have a slight overhang.

Using a sharp knife or a pair of kitchen scissors, trim the edge of the bottom and top crust together so they are even, leaving a 3/4-inch overhang. Roll the overhang under itself to create an edge on the pan rim. Using your index finger and thumb, pinch the dough around the rim to form a fluted edge or make another decorative edge.

To make steam vents, using a sharp knife, cut 3 or 4 slits in the center of the top crust. For a more decorative pattern, using the knife or a cookie cutter, cut out a shape such as a star or a heart. This will allow the steam to escape while the pie is baking.

To make a lattice crust:
Roll out the larger dough disk and line the pie pan as directed, but do not trim the edges.

Roll out the smaller dough disk into a rectangle about 8 by 11 inches and 1/8 inch thick. Trim the edges evenly. Cut the rectangle into 10 strips, each 11 inches long and 3/4 inch wide. Fill the lined pie pan with the pie filing.

Beginning 1 inch from the edge of the pie pan, lay 5 of the strips about 1 inch apart over the filling. Use a thin metal spatula to pick up the strips gently if they start to stick to the work surface.

Fold back every other strip halfway over itself. The first time you will fold back 2 strips and the next time you will fold back the other 3 strips.

Place a strip at a slight angle across the unfolded strips. Return the 2 strips that have been folded back to their flat position.

Pull back the 3 alternate strips. Place the next strip across the unfolded strips about 1 inch from the last strip.

Continue folding back and weaving strips until the top of the pie is latticed. Using a sharp knife or scissors, trim the edge of the bottom crust and lattice strips so they are even, leaving a 3/4 inch overhang. Roll the overhang under itself to create an edge on the pan rim. Using your index finger and thumb, pinch the dough around the rim to form a fluted edge or bake another decorative edge.