Crisp Mashed Potato Cakes

I know, you are thinking, what? Did she go through the November CL and make the everything? Well, no.

Anyway, these looked good and I like mashed potatoes but we NEVER have left-overs so how would I get to try these. Well I bought Refrigerated Mashed Taters (Simply Potatoes). And D biatched while he was making them. They were too creamy, they fall apart in the panko, they fall apart while cooking, etc.

So I guess making them was a PITA. However, I will put up with listening to him (haha) after eating them. It was like a loaded baked potato except mashed in a cake. They were very good.

I'm sure if we had used left over taters they would have been drier so easier to make, but I'll keep these on the list to have again.

Crisp Mashed Potato Cakes

Cheddar cheese, bacon, and a panko coating make these a satisfying side dish.

Cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 cups mashed potatoes, chilled
2 tablespoons shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 center-cut bacon slice, cooked and crumbled
3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Preheat oven to 425°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add green onions to pan, and cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Place mashed potatoes in a medium bowl. Stir in onions, cheese, salt, pepper, and bacon. Divide potato mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Place panko in a shallow dish. Dredge patties in panko. Place patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes. Carefully turn patties over; bake an additional 12 minutes or until golden.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 potato cake)

CALORIES 122 (16% from fat); FAT 2.2g (sat 1.1g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 3.6g; CHOLESTEROL 6mg; CALCIUM 40mg; SODIUM 290mg; FIBER 2g; IRON 0.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 22g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2007

Chipotle-Cheddar Scones

I made these because I had extra chipotles from the Beef, Black Bean and Chorizo Chili.
They were simple to make...a bit sticky though.

I used 2 chipotle peppers, and a TBSP of the adobo sauce.

Chipotle-Cheddar Scones

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup fat-free sour cream (I've used both FF and RF)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce (I used 2 chipotle peppers, and a TBSP of the adobo sauce)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal (I didn't get it to look like this...I used my hands and blended best I could).

Add sour cream, cheddar cheese, 1 tablespoon water, chipotle chile, and egg; stir just until moist. Knead in bowl with lightly floured hands just until dough forms. (Mine is a sticky mess)

Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a 6-inch circle on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cut each circle into 6 wedges; arrange wedges 1 inch apart on pan. (I use biscuit cutters, which will very the size of servings) Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until browned. Serve warm. Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 scone)

CALORIES 134 (30% from fat); FAT 4.5g (sat 2.6g,mono 0.9g,poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 4.3g; CHOLESTEROL 30mg; CALCIUM 125mg; SODIUM 320mg; FIBER 0.7g; IRON 1.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 18.8g Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2007

Beef, Black Bean, and Chorizo Chili

I made this. D and I liked it a lot. It was very savory throughout the house.
With the extra chipotles, I made Cheddar Chipotle Scones.

Beef, Black Bean, and Chorizo Chili

2 links Spanish chorizo sausage (about 6 1/2 ounces), thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup dry red wine (I used ~3/4C because I ran out)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 (14-ounce) cans less-sodium beef broth
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped (I used chopped or diced...I'm lazy)
2 tablespoons masa harina (I used corn meal)
2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chorizo to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until browned. Remove chorizo from pan. Add half of beef to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until browned. Remove beef from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining beef. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 3 minutes.

Remove 4 chipotle chiles from can, and chop. Reserve remaining chiles and sauce for another use. Add chorizo, beef, chopped chiles, tomato paste, and next 6 ingredients (through ground cumin) to pan, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in red wine, lime juice, beef broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Gradually stir in masa harina. Add pinto beans and black beans; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Yield: 10 servings (serving size: about 1 cup chili)

CALORIES 325 (30% from fat); FAT 11g (sat 3.8g,mono 4.7g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 25g; CHOLESTEROL 53mg; CALCIUM 104mg; SODIUM 898mg; FIBER 8.4g; IRON 4.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31.4g Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2007

Cornflake-Crusted Halibut with Chile-Cilantro Aioli

Hmmm...I never had halibut before. It really doesn't taste like anything, but is expensive. So that is my first knock. I just bought corn-flake crumbs and D used those. The crust and the Aioli were very good. Just the halibut part was eh. I would rather have red snapper.

We didn't use the lemon wedges.
Ate with Cauliflower and a side of basmati rice.

Cornflake-Crusted Halibut with Chile-Cilantro Aioli

Aioli:
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
1 garlic clove, minced

Fish:
1 cup fat-free milk
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
2 cups cornflakes, finely crushed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 (6-ounce) halibut fillets
Lemon wedges

To prepare aioli, combine first 4 ingredients, stirring well.
To prepare fish, combine milk and egg white in a shallow dish, stirring well with a whisk. Combine cornflakes, flour, salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Dip fish in milk mixture; dredge in cornflake mixture. Add fish to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with mayonnaise mixture and lemon wedges. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fish fillet, about 1 tablespoon mayonnaise mixture, and 1 lemon wedge)

CALORIES 367 (27% from fat); FAT 11.2g (sat 1.6g,mono 6.3g,poly 1.9g); PROTEIN 40.8g; CHOLESTEROL 56mg; CALCIUM 166mg; SODIUM 645mg; FIBER 2.2g; IRON 2.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25.1g Cooking Light, MARCH 2004

Chocolate Guinness Cake

This cake was very good and very tall (3 layers). It would have been better if I left it out instead of refrigerating it, but Guinness (the dog) got to part of it and I had to get her away.

Photo by ALB

Chocolate Guinness Cake

Ingredients
2 cups Guinness
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
4 cups all purpose flour
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sour cream

Preparation
For cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. (I sprayed 3 pans with PAM and was done). Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

Icing
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

Place cream cheese and confectioners' sugar into a mixing bowl, and whip with an electric beater, until smooth. Add cream and beat again until you have a spreadable consistency.
Ice top of cake, starting at middle and fanning out, so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint.

Yields about 12 slices.

Chocolate Pecan Pie with Bourbon

I like this at Thanksgiving, since I'm not a fan of Pumpkin and everything I bake has to have alcohol or cream cheese in it.

Chocolate Pecan Pie with Bourbon

Photo by ALB

POINTS® Value:
Servings: 8

Ingredients

* 1 cup sugar
* 4 Tbsp butter
* 3 egg
* 3/4 cup light corn syrup
* 1/4 tsp table salt
* 1/3 fl oz bourbon
* 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans
* 1/2 cup Nestle Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
* 1 Pillsbury Frozen Regular 9-Inch Pie Crust

Instructions

Melt butter
Sugar is granulated
eggs are slightly beaten
Pie shell is not frozen

Preheat oven to 375.
In mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter. Add eggs, corn syrup, salt, bourbon and vanilla. Mix on low speed of mixer until blended. Spread pecans and chocolate chips on bottom of prepared pie shell.
Pour filling over nuts and chips. Bake in preheated 375 oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until set.

Oreo Balls

I have no clue what Internet site I got this recipe.

Oreo Balls

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1 Package of Oreos
8 oz Kraft Philadelphia Light Cream Cheese (You can use regular, but I find this is creamier)
2 Ghiardellhi White Chocolate Bars
1 Ghiardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Bar

Crush Oreos in food processor and add cream cheese until massive ball.

Roll into balls (I use a cookie scoop, so they are sort of uniform size). Freeze for 30 minutes.

Melt White Chocolate in the Microwave according to direction. Dip Balls into chocolate and set on drying rack to dry.
(About 30 minutes)

Melt Bittersweet Chocolate in a ziplock bag in the microwave. Cut off a corner of the bag. Drizzle all over the white chocolate balls. Let dry.

Refrigerate or serve at room temperature.