Satiating Treats

This is one of Andrew’s favorite desserts.  There is absolutely nothing healthy about it, but is sure does taste good.

Ingredients:

• Two 8 oz packages of cream cheese, softened
• 2 Cups confectioners sugar
• 2 boxes of vanilla instant pudding
• 3 cups milk
• Two 8 oz containers of Cool Whip
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 packages of Oreo cookies (double stuffed is better), crushed with a rolling pin
• Gummy worms

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream confectioners’ sugar and the cream cheese with a mixer, then add the vanilla extract.
2. Mix milk and pudding in a separate mixing bowl.
3. Combine these two mixtures in large bowl.
4. Add Cool Whip and blend together.
5. In a large clean bowl, put a layer of the Oreo cookie crumbs on the bottom, then add a layer of the mixure.  Keep alternating layers and end with cookie crumbs on the top.
6. Stick gummy worms down into the cookie mixture to make it look like they are coming up out of the so called dirt.
7. Serve chilled.

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If you are counting points for weight watchers, this is equal to 5 points. It serves 4 and takes about an hour to prepare and cook.

Ingredients:

• 4 5-second sprays of olive oil cooking spray
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 8 wedges each
• 1/4 tsp of salt (sea salt goes along way for flavor and is better in the recipe than table salt)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 20 oz uncooked cod or four 5 oz filets
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 4 tbsp red wine vinegar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Coat 2 large baking sheets with cooking spray.
3. Place potato wedges on one baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown and tender (about 45 minutes).
4. While wedges cook, season both sides of cod with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Place flour in shallow dish and turn fillets in flour to coat.
6. In separate shallow dish, whisk milk and mustard. Add fillets and turn to coat.
7. Add bread crumbs to a third shallow dish. Add fillets and turn to coat.
8. Transfer fish to second prepared baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray. Bake fish until fork tender (about 10-15 minutes). Serve fish and potato wedges with vinegar on the side.

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Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

PEANUT SAUCE

• 1.5 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1/4  teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 packet of sugar substitute
• 1.5 tablespoons  water
• cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Pound chicken breast between pieces of plastic wrap to uniform thickness.
2. Rub each breast with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.
3. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
4. Cook in skillet on both sides until done.
5. Cut into cubes or strips.
6. You can put them on skewers if you like.
7. Make peanut sauce: combine all ingredients for sauce in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds.  Stir until smooth.
8. Dip chicken into sauce.

Andrew and I like to mix the chicken with broccoli and stir it all into a bowl with some sauce.  Then it is a complete meal.  Frozen broccoli works well!

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Beef BBQ is a Helms family staple. It is not too difficult to make and serves 8-12. The bbq has started to gain a following in metro Atlanta.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs stew meat
• 1 yellow onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 12 oz soda (cherry coke or dr pepper adds some flavor)
• 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of beef bouillon granules (cube works as well)
• 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper (cayenne)
• 1 cup catsup
• 1 tablespoon butter

Cooking Instructions

1. Place meat into crockpot.
2. Chop onion, add it to pot.
3. In a bowl, combine the garlic, soda, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, beef bullion, dry mustard, chili powder, and red pepper.
4. Mix well and make sure bullion cube is mostly dissolved.
5. Reserve 1 cup and refrigerate.
6. Pour the rest of the mixture over meat.
7. Cook the meat on low for 8-9 hours.
8. Remove the meat and onion from the crockpot.
9. Shred the meat with 2 forks.
10. Combine 1 cup of catsup and 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan. Cook over medium, stirring constantly until heated.
11. Pour the catsup and reserved mixture over meat and stir.

Serve on your choice of roll with coleslaw.

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I made this for the Seder dinner earlier this year.  I think it is similar to a really hardy chicken noodle (without the chicken).  A lot of people enjoyed the soup.  It was a little scary to make, but if you ever find yourself celebrating passover, you might want to try this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 2 tsps. salt
• 6 Tbs. chicken broth + 4 quarts of chicken broth
• 1 Cup of Matzah meal
• Vegetables like carrots and celery if you want.

Directions:

1. Separate yolk and egg whites.
2. Beat whites until stiff.
3. Combine yolk, oil, and salt.
4. Add 6 Tbs. chicken broth to yolks and blend completely.
5. Very slowly stir in matzah meal (really slowly, slower than you can imagine!)
6. Blend in the egg whites.
7. Let stand in the refrigerator over night.

Day 2:

1. Bring 4 quarts of broth to a boil, reduce to simmer.
2. Moisten your fingers and form 1 1/2 inch balls (if it isn’t working, add more matzah meal to make the mixture thicker).
3. Drop the balls one at a time into the pot.  You will need to rinse your fingers after forming each ball.
4. Cover the pot and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Do not take the lid off the pot during that time, no matter how tempted you might be to do so.  In addition, you will have to watch the pot carefully, to make sure it is simmering the entire time.

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A co-worker of mine suggested that I make this cake for some of our matches during the Gold Cup. It was a huge hit!

Ingredients:

• Yellow cake (cooled to room temperature) I make two 9-inch rounds and layer the cake.
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1 (14-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 2 tablespoons light rum
• Dulce de leche (caramel syrup)

Directions:

1. Invert the cake into a jelly roll pan or baking tray with a raised edge (something to catch the syrup).
2. Use a fork to pierce holes in the top of the cake. Another option is to cut off a very thin top layer of the cake.

Milk Syrup

1. Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream and rum in a mixing bowl, until well blended.
2. Pour syrup over the cake a little at a time, until it soaks through. This is a cake that demands patience!
3. Pour the milk syrup slowly and let it soak in. Use your fork to help it along a bit, piercing here and there through the syrup until it soaks in. Keep doing this until most of the milk syrup is absorbed. Don’t worry if there is still a pool of syrup around the bottom of the cake, it will gradually soak in.
4. Cover the now syrup-drenched cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least three hours.

Before you serve, spread a layer of dulce de leche on the top of one of the 9-inch cakes. Then put the other 9-inch cake on top. Drizzle more dulce de leche on top of this cake and down the sides of the cake. Be generous on with the dulce de leche. Enjoy!

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We had these during the US v Canada match during the Gold Cup. They are very sweet and very delicious!

Ingredients:

• Refrigerated roll-out pie pastry
• 1/2 cup of raisins
• 1/4 Cup of softened butter
• 1/4 Cup of packed brown sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 Cup of corn syrup
• 1 egg (slightly beaten)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Prepare muffin pans by rolling out pie dough and cutting 4-inch (approx) circles; fit dough circles into muffin cups; set aside in fridge until ready to fill.
2. In a small bowl, place raisins and cover with hot tap water; let stand on the counter for 30 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon, mix together the soft butter, brown sugar, salt and corn syrup; stir well until sugar is dissolved and butter is creamed.
4. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
5. Drain raisins.
6. Retrieve tart shells and divide raisins equally into all shells; then divide butter mixture into all tarts.
7. Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes; filling will be lightly browned but still bubbling.
8. Canadians fall into two camps about butter tarts and are quite loyal to their favourite type: runny or firm.
9. I like runny– the type that dribbles when you bite into one; if you like firm, bake them for the full 20 minutes, even adding another minute or two if you wish.
10. Let cooked butter tarts cool in pans for 10 minutes after removing from oven; then remove and place on racks until completely cool.

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Ingredients:

• Yellow cake
• Crushed pineapple
• Cool whip
• Shredded coconut
• Instant vanilla pudding
• 2 Cups of milk
• Softened cream cheese (8 oz)

1. Make a yellow cake.
2. Cool cake.
3. Mix instant vanilla pudding 2 cups of milk and softened cream cheese; beat until creamy.
4. Spread over cake (cake must be cool).
5. Spread crushed pineapple over pudding.
6. Spread cool whip over pineapple.
7. Top with coconut. Refrigerate .

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Ingredients:

• 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1 pound fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage, plus 6 small leaves for garnish
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 6 sheets, approx 6 x 12-inches, of fresh spinach pasta
• 1 egg, beaten lightly: for egg wash 1/4 cup semolina or all purpose flour, for dusting 2 cups chicken stock (see separate recipe)
• 2 shallots, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat a large heavy skillet over low heat and add 4 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter is foamy, add the cubed pumpkin and cook, stirring often to stop it from sticking and burning, until it softens.
2. Transfer the pumpkin into a medium saucepan, add 1 cup heavy cream and half the herbs and cook over low heat for approximately 30 minutes, or until puree is thick and the liquid has evaporated. If any lumps remain, use a fork to crush them into the mixture. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. Remove from the heat and beat in an additional 2 tablespoons butter.
3. Whisk in the beaten eggs. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.
4. Lay out 3 sheets of pasta. Using a pastry bag or a teaspoon, place 8 equal mounds of the pumpkin puree on each sheet of dough, about 2 inches apart. Brush around each mound with eggwash. Cover the mounded dough sheets with a second sheet of pasta and press around the mounds of pumpkin to seal the dough. Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out the ravioli. Dust a tray with semolina and place the ravioli on it. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil while you make the sauce

To Prepare the Sauce

1. In a medium saucepan, reduce the stock with the shallots to 1/2 cup. Add the remaining 1 cup heavy cream and reduce by half. Over low heat, whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, a little at a time, over low heat. Strain the sauce into a clean saucepan and add the remaining sage and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Add the ravioli to the rapidly boiling water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Add the ravioli to the sauce and bring just to the boil. Correct the seasonings.

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Ingredients:

• 6 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 4 tsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 c. cold water
• 3 c. blueberries
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• Biscuit topper

Instructions:

1. Combine brown sugar, cornstarch and water; add berries.
2. Cook and stir until bubbly and translucent.
3. Add butter and lemon juice.
4. Spoon into 2-quart casserole.
5. Top with biscuit rounds.
6. Bake are 400° for 25 minutes.

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