search bar
small Title
small Title
 |
 |
|
| Memo
No. 2044 February 11th, 2008 |
VALENTINE DESSERTS FROM THE COOKBOOK SHELF
With Valentine Day this Thursday I thought it appropriate to feature two desserts, one from a cookbook I've had since 1978 and the other recipe from a book Mary Beth bought in Phoenix for me recently. Both Are from Junior Leagues.
I've made meringue shells my entire married life. They have a double-dose of eye appeal and yet they're a light-type dessert. What could be more appropriate for Valentine's Day than meringue shells filled with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and topped with sweetened fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries!
Over the years I have used several meringue shell recipes but the best recipe I settled on was in the Colorado Cache Cookbook by the Junior League of Denver and I've used it ever since. Trust me, you'll have perfect results every time and nary a meringue shell will end up in someone's lap. These are tender to the last spoonful. The recipe makes 20 but don't worry, the shells, stored properly, will keep indefinitely (but I dare you to try).
INDIVIDUAL MERINGUES
- 1 pound box confectioners' sugar
- 6 egg whites at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
Combine sugar and egg whites in an electric mixer. Beat for 10 minutes at high speed. Add cream of tartar, vanilla and vinegar. Beat an additional 10 minutes. Spoon heaping 1/4 cupfuls onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheets. Swirl with a spoon and make an indentation in the center. Bake in preheated 250oF oven for 15 minutes then raise temperature to 300 degrees and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer. Remove meringues immediately from cookie sheets and when cool, store in tightly closed tins between sheets of waxed paper. Recipe makes 20.
Source: Colorado Cache Cookbook by the Junior League of Denver. Since 1978, the Denver Junior League has published three additional cookbooks, all outstanding. For more information about ordering a cookbook call 1-303-782-9244.
My most recent Junior League cookbook, Pomegranates & Prickly Pears, Flavorful Entertaining from The Junior League of Phoenix 2005, is a great collection of recipes for adult and children's parties for every occasion.
I have a Kahlua Cake in my cookbook but the one in Pomegranates & Prickly Pears has different amounts of the same ingredients and this one has a glaze drizzled on top.
KAHLUA CAKE
- Cake:
- 1 2-layer chocolate cake mix
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup Kahlua
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
|
- 1 4-ounce package vanilla instant pudding mix
- 2 cups sour cream (regular not reduced-fat kind)
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Kahlua Glaze:
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 cup kahlua
- Confectioners' sugar to taste
For the cake, preheat the oven to 350F. Combine the cake mix, liqueur, oil, pudding mix and sour cream in a bowl and mix by hand until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and spoon the batter into a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the cake tests done. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Invert cake onto a cake plate. For the glaze, combine 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and the liqueur in a bowl and stir until of a glaze consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake and let stand until set. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar to taste. Note: The flavor of the cake is even better a day or two after being baked. Also, if the inside of your bundt pan has a dark finish, reduce the oven temperature 25 degrees and bake for the same length of time.
Source: Pomegranates & Prickly Pears by the Junior League of Phoenix AZ. For more information about purchasing the cookbook, call 602-230-9573 or try Amazon.com.
TOP 8 STAPLES FOR YOUR KITCHEN
Next time you're making out you grocery list, be sure that you have enough nutritious and valuable food staples on hand. Lynn Goldstein, MS, RN, CDN, a dietitian at Weill Cornell Medical College, recommends the that everyone keep the following food items in their homes all the time including olive oil, yogurt, almonds or other healthy nuts, beans, onions, brown rice or other whole grains and dark chocolate.
Olive oil is filled with monounsaturated fatty acids that help keep your heart healthy. Yogurt is an excellent low-calorie snack that is rich in vitamins, healthy bacteria and calcium. Almonds are a good source of vitamin E and walnuts are a source of omega-3-fatty acids, an essential fat that helps reduce inflammation in the body. Beans are a fiber-packed carbohydrate that won't impact your blood sugar levels and studies show that diets high in beans lead to a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Garlic is high in antioxidants, vitamin C and B vitamins and it contains powerful antibacterial and anti-viral agents that help protect your body from disease. Onions are high in a powerful antioxidant called quercetin which helps protect against many cancers. When you eat carbohydrates that are whole-grain or high in fiber, you will help control your blood sugar levels, stay full longer and maintain a healthy weight.
Finally, dark chocolate helps reduce blood pressure, prevent heart disease, keep blood vessels healthy and may lower cholesterol levels. "I like to keep a bar in my fridge and break off an ounce or two a couple times a week when I have a craving for something sweet," says Goldstein.
Source: Cornell University Food & Fitness Advisor, February 2008. |
| |
view archive |
|
| |
|
|
