Recipe(tried): This Weeks Winners

Here they are...***** This Weeks Winners *****#1

I didn't have anything planned for tonight, so I used
what was in the refrigerator. I love making mexican-style
foods - quesadillas, enchiladas, stuff like that. A
great use of leftovers. Here I used some bits and pieces
of vegetables and some soy "meat" and made a tasty
dinner (small but tasty):

* Exported from MasterCook *

Risa's Quick Quesadillas (GF Grill)

Recipe By : Risa Golding
Serving Size : 2 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Appetizers Grilling & Bbq
Mushrooms Soy
Vegetarian Days

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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2 lg flour tortillas (flavored or regular)
2 slices Lightlife Smart Deli Slices (any flavor)
1/4 med red onion -- sliced
5 lg mushrooms -- halved
1 jalapeno -- sliced vertically*
2 lg tomatillos -- halved
1/4 cup Consorzio Tropical Grill 10 Min Marinade
1/3 cup Monterey jack cheese or Cheddar Cheese -- or other favorite
1/4 cup cilantro -- coarsely chopped
2 dollops fat-free sour cream (1 each) -- for garnish

Place red onion, jalapeno and tomatillos in small bowl.
Pour 1/2 of the marinade over it and mix to coat. Set aside.

Place mushrooms in another small bowl and pour the rest
of the marinade over it and mix to coat. Set aside.

Preheat the George Foreman Grill (I have the large one).
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, place
tortilla in pan and heat until soft and then flip over. When
soft on other side, take out and do the same with the other
tortilla. Place in some tin foil and set aside.

When grill is ready (light went out), drain the onion mixture
and place on the grill. Close and cook for 3 minutes. When 3
minutes is up, open and move the onion mixture to the top of
the grill surface. Drain the mushrooms and place mushrooms right
under it. Close and cook for another 2 minutes. When done, open
and move up a bit and place the 2 slices of Smart Deli on. Close
and cook for 2 minutes until grill marks appear. Turn off grill.
Cut the tomatillo pieces in half. Take the slices of "deli meat"
off the grill. Take the mushrooms off the grill and place on one
of the tortillas. Take the onion mixture off the grill and scatter
over the mushrooms. Slice the "deli meat" into strips and place on
top of the onion mixture. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and cilantro.
Cover with the other tortilla.

Preheat the skillet again. When hot, spray with a bit of cooking
spray and place quesadilla in pan. Cook for 3 minutes, check for
golden brown, if not cook for another minute or so. Then CAREFULLY
flip the quesadilla over (if you have to use 2 spatulas) and cook
until brown underneath. When brown, take out of pan. Cut in quarters.
Serve 2 quarters on each plate. Garnish with fat free sour cream and
some more chopped cilantro. Serve immediately, either as an appetizer,
lunch or light dinner.

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NOTES : * seed if you wish, I didn't
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#2

Another hot day in Jersey, so I didn't put on the oven. I
made the chicken in the GF Grill and the casserole in
the toaster-oven and didn't heat up the kitchen.

1) Marinated Boneless Chicken Breasts in Jim Beam
Marinade. Cooked them on the GF Grill.

Served it with: * Exported from MasterCook Buster *

COLORFUL CORN CASSEROLE

Recipe By : Vegetariana by Nava Atlas
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :
Categories : Corn Squash
Side Dishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion -- chopped
1 medium red or green bell pepper -- chopped
3 cups cooked fresh corn -- (from 4 ears)
1 cup zucchini -- grated
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup green or black olives -- chopped
1 1/2 cups ripe tomatoes -- finely diced
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese or cheddar-style soy -- grated
-- cheese
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
salt and freshly ground black pepper -- to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent. Add the red or green bell peppers and saute until lightly browned.

In a mixing bowl, combine the sauteed vegetables with all of the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly and pour into an oiled large shallow baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden and crusty.

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Posted to Veg-Recipe 3/8/99
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#3 * Exported from MasterCook Buster *

UDON WITH SPINACH-MISO PESTO

Recipe By : Vegetariana by Nava Atlas
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :
Categories : Noodles Spinach
Soy Sauces

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
***PESTO SAUCE***
3/4 pound spinach -- washed and stemmed
1/2 cup fresh basil -- firmly packed
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons miso -- or more to taste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley -- chopped
***NOODLES***
1/2 pound udon noodles -- * see note
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic -- crushed or minced
1 Italian frying pepper (cubanelle), -- seeded & minced
1 ounce can imported plum tomatoes with juice -- chopped, up to 14
1/4 cup black olives -- sliced
freshly ground black pepper -- to taste

Steam the spinach just until it is wilted. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible, then place the spinach in the container of a food processor along with the rest of the sauce ingredients. Process until the mixture is a coarse puree.

Cook the udon noodles al dente. Drain and transfer to a serving container. Toss with the pesto and cover.

Heat the olive oil in a medium-size skillet. Add the garlic and frying pepper and saute over low heat until the garlic is golden. Add the tomatoes, olives and black pepper and simmer over low heat 5 minutes. Stir this mixture into the noodles and serve at once, or let cool and serve at room temperature.

* I didn't have udon noodles and I don't like the taste of buckwheat (which is what they are made of), so I used spaghetti that was made from spelt. It has a similar color as udon noodles.

Risa's notes: I found that even with the 2 tbsp of miso paste that it wasn't salty enough for me. So taste at 2 tbsp and if it is still not too salty, use some soy sauce or some more salt to taste.

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Busted by RisaG. Posted to Veg-Recipe 6/9/99.
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#4

Being that it was my hubby's birthday, I decided to make
his favorite foods that are really fattening - beef and
chocolate. So I made burgers on the GF Grill and a
copykat version of Ebinger's Black-Out Cake. Both delicious.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Hamburgers with Double Cheddar Cheese & Grilled Vidalias

Recipe By : Adapted from Boy Meets Grill by Bobby Flay
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Grilling & Bbq Meat Entrees

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
Grilled Vidalia Onions:
2 Vidalia onions -- sliced crosswise
1/2 inch thick
olive oil -- for brushing
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Horseradish Mustard:
1 cup dijon mustard
2 tbsp fresh horseradish -- finely grated OR
2 tbsp prepared horseradish -- drained
Hamburgers:
2 1/2 lb ground chuck (fresh) -- slightly coarse grin
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
16 slices Cheddar cheese (1/4" thick)
8 hamburger buns
8 leaves romaine lettuce
Grilled Vidalia Onions
8 slices beefsteak tomato (1/4" thick) -- from 2 tomatoes
Horseradish mustard

FIRST THING I DID WAS HALVE THE RECIPE!

For the Grilled Vidalias: Preheat the gas grill, charcoal grill or GF Grill.

Brush the onions with olive oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown, 3-4 minutes per side if using gas or charcoal. For GF Grill, should be 3-4 minutes total. Remove and set aside.

For the Mustard: Mix the mustard and horseradish together in a small bowl. May be refrigerated up to 1 week; serve at room temperature. Makes 1 cup.

For burgers: Divide the chuck into 8 5-oz burgers and season on both sides with salt and pepper (handle as little as possible and form the burgers loosely). On the preheated grill, cook 3-4 minutes on each side for medium rare. For GF Grill, place on grill and cook for 5 minutes total for medium rare.

During the last minute of cooking, top each burger with 2 slices of cheese, cover the grill, and let the cheese melt, about 1 minute. If using GF Grill, take burgers off, top with cheese and place in warmed toaster oven or oven (on low) for a moment to melt cheese. Split the buns and toast on the grill, cut side down, until golden.

Place a burger in each bun and top with lettuce, onions, tomato and a dollop of horseradish mustard. Arrange on a large platter. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook *

Blackout Cake (Ebingers copycat)

Recipe By : New York Times (unknown issue or year)
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Desserts

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
For the cake:
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa -- or Hersheys European
2 tbsp boiling water
2 oz unsweetened chocolate (2 sq) -- chopped
3/4 cup milk
2 cups granulated sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter -- slightly softened +
2 tbsp unsalted butter -- for cake pans
4 eggs -- separated
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour -- + 1 tbsp for pans
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
For the filling:
1 tbsp unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa -- + 1-3/4 tsp.
2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup sugar -- + 3-1/2 tsp
1 oz bittersweet chocolate (Ghiradelli) -- chopped
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp cold water
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Frosting:
12 oz semisweet chocolate -- chopped
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup hot water
1 tbsp corn syrup
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

To make the cake, place the cocoa in a small bowl and whisk in boiling water to form a paste. Combine the chocolate and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently as the mixture warms and the chocolate melts, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk a small amount of the heated chocolate milk into the cocoa paste and then whisk the cocoa paste into the milk mixture. Return to heat, stir for one minute, remove and cool until tepid.

In a small bowl of a mixer, cream the sugar and butter together. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time and add the vanilla. Slowly stir in the chocolate mixture.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, slowly add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture. In another bowl, whip the egg whites to form soft peaks and, using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter.

Butter and lightly flour two 8 inch round cake pans and divide the batter between the two pans. Bake for 45 minutes and cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Gently remove the cakes from their pans and continue to cool.

While the cake is baking, make the filling. Put the cocoa into a saucepan and pour in the boiling water and place over low heat. Add the sugar and chocolate. Dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water to make a smooth paste. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the water and chocolate, add the salt and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute.

Remove the pan from the heat, whisk in the vanilla and the butter and transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate until cool.

Make the frosting: In a double boiler (or a pan within a pan), melt the chocolate. remove from heat and whisk in the butter, one tbsp at a time, returning to the heat if necessary to melt the butter.

Whisk in the hot water all at once and stir until smooth. Whisk in the corn syrup and the vanilla. Refrigerate fo rup to 15 minutes before using.

Assemble the cake: Use a sharp knife to slice each cake into two disks to form 4 layers. Set one layer aside. Place one layer on a cake round or plate. Generously swath the layer with fillling. Add the second layer and repeat. Add the third layer. Quickly apply a layer of frosting to the top and the sides of the cake and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, crumble the remaining cake layer, into fine crumbs. Apply a second layer of frosting to the cake, sprinkle liberally with crumbs and serve within 24 hours. Store in a cool place. Makes 1 cake.

Risa's notes: When making the filling, you may need more cornstarch and more water to make a smooth paste. I had to add a tsp or so more of both to do that. Also I felt that the filling could have been refrigerated a bit longer to help thicken the filling. It was a bit thin.

Crumble the 4th layer of the cake as fine as you can, either with your fingers or with a food processor (pulsing on and off for a moment or so).

This cake looks and tastes just like the real thing, I swear. I have eaten enough of the real thing to tell the difference. You really can't!!!!!!!!!

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