Chocolate Peppermint Mousse PIE!

Chocolate mousse pie with peppermint whipped cream!

Serves 8

For The Crust:

8 chocolate graham crackers, coarsely crushed

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

For The Filling:

1 3/4 cups heavy cream, divided

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon Peppermint extract

For the topping: 

8oz peppermint candy, soft type (recommended: Bob’s)

1 cup heavy cream

Make crust: Combine graham cracker crumbs, 2T sugar, salt, and melted butter in a bowl and mix. Press into a pie pan covering bottom and sides. Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes.  (Or you can buy a chocolate cookie crust premade at the market)

Make filling: In a medium saucepan, bring 3/4 cup cream to a simmer; remove from heat and add chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes; whisk to combine, then let cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, whip 1 cup cream with confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in chocolate mixture until combined. Pour filling into cooled crust and refrigerate until chilled and completely set, about 1 1/2 hours (or wrap tightly with plastic and refrigerate, up to 2 days).

Make topping: Crush peppermint candies the best that you can. After you are sick of it put the crushed bits in a bowl and shake it a little from side to side. Collect the larger pieces that come to the top and set aside. Whip the cream into soft peaks. Gradually fold the crushed mints into the whipped cream a little bit at a time. Give it a taste after half has been folded in. You want it sweet and minty and a little pink. Spread over chilled chocolate mousse in a large high pile and sprinkle with the bigger peppermint bits. 

YUM!

Honey Lime Enchiladas

By Elizabeth

Honey Lime Enchiladas:

2 14 oz cans Green Enchilada Sauce

3 cooked chicken breats, shredded

1/2 onion chopped

2 cloves garlic chopped

1 T chili powder

1 T hot shot (red pepper/black pepper mix) *I used cayenne pepper and only used a tsp or so because I didn't want it too spicy. I also added about 1/2 tsp cumin for extra flavor

3 T honey

3T lime juice

1/2 cup sour cream

cream cheese

Flour Tortillas

2 cups Monterey cheese

Saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Meanwhile mix together honey and lime juice, set aside. Once onions are done stir in seasonings, shredded chicken and juice/honey mixture. Mix until all combined, then remove from heat and stir in sour cream.

Pour some enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan so to prevent sticking. Spread thin layer of cream cheese onto tortilla then fill with chicken and a light sprinkling of cheese. Roll and set in pan. After they're all done, pour the remaining sauce over top and cover with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 min until bubbly.

Serve with additional sour cream.

Garlicky Kale!

Garlicky Kale Salad:

1 bunch raw kale, washed, de-stemmed and dried

2 T tahini

2 T lemon juice

2 T Bragg’s liquid aminos (tamari or soy sauce would work too)

2 T nutritional yeast

4 tsp. minced garlic (4 cloves of garlic)

Break or cut kale into bite size pieces and place in a large bowl.

Puree all ingredients except kale food processor to blend the dressing (or just smoosh them in a mortar&pestle and stir liquids in a bowl).

Pour dressing over kale and massage into the kale with your hands until all pieces of kale are coated and a little wilted.

Learning to love oatmeal

Ok, I absolutely HATE oatmeal.  The consistency ends up like wall paper paste if you aren't careful so I found some interesting variations on a theme.  Oatmeal doesn't have to be goopy!  Here are 2 of my new favorites.  Great for the cool mornings in Autumn.

Baked Oatmeal
serves 6, prep time:  10 mins, cook time:  40 mins.

2 cups uncooked oatmeal, quick or old-fashioned
1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnut pieces
1/4 cup brown sugar, not packed
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups skim milk
1 egg
2 tblsp. butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 blueberries, fresh or frozen (don't thaw)
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
maple syrup for topping

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.  In a large bowl, mix together oats, half of the walnuts, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon.  In another bowl, whisk together milk, egg, butter, and vanilla; add the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.  Fold in the blueberries.  Generously butter the bottom of an 8-inch pan and add sliced bananas.  Pour batter over the bananas and top with the remaining walnuts.  Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden and the oatmeal is set.  Allow to cool before serving.  Top with maple syrup.  

Pumpkin Custard Oatmeal

This cooks in a slow cooker/crock pot.  Turned out yummy but DO NOT USE CABOT BRAND GREEK YOGURT.  That has to be the worst Greek style yogurt I have ever had and is not the right flavor for this recipe.  Use any brand but Cabot.   You also may want to add additional sugar.  I think I messed this up with my Cabot yogurt because it wasn't sweet enough. 

 

Minimum slow cooker size: 4 quarts

Nutritional Content Yield: Servings 8 1 serving = 1/2 cup

Nutritional Data for 1/2 cup Calories: 155 Total Fat: 2 g Saturated Fat: 0 g Trans Fat: 0 Sodium: 83 mg Carbohydrates: 30 Cholesterol: 2 mg Dietary Fiber: 3 g Sugars: 15 g Protein: 6 g

Ingredients

• 2 cups Old-fashioned Oats
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain, fat free
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1/3 cup raw honey
• 1 1/2 cups ( 1%) milk

Directions

Add the first 4 ingredients to slow cooker and stir to combine.

In a medium bowl combine the remaining ingredients, pour over oat mixture and whisk just to combine.

Cover and cook on low 1 1/2 to 2 hours on low or until desired consistency. Garnish with toasted walnuts pieces.

Another yummy recipe that I tried at home.  I found this on-line by searching for recipes that used cooked eggplant.  It was a great way to use produce that is nearing its useful period.  I should bring this to book club sometime but in case you can't wait here it is!  This is that awesome salad you get as the first course in a Moroccan/middle eastern restaurant with pita bread.  I ate this as a meal and followed the suggestion of roasting the eggplant.  Also, definitely add the lemon.

Moroccan Zaalouk

Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant, peeled and chopped*
• 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or pressed
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro and parsley, mixed
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup water
• small wedge of lemon (optional)

Preparation:

*Rather than peeling and chopping the eggplant, you might prefer to roast it. Slice the eggplant lengthwise and place it skin-side-up under a broiler. Leave it to roast for about 15 minutes, or until the skin is scorched and and the eggplant is very tender. Scoop out the roasted eggplant from the skin, puree it with a vegetable masher, and proceed with the recipe.

To Make the Zaalouk:

Mix all ingredients in a large, deep skillet or pot. Cover and simmer over medium to medium-high heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust the heat if necessary to avoid burning the zaalouk.
Use a spoon or potato masher to crush and blend the tomatoes and eggplant. If you like, a small wedge of lemon can be added to the pan at this time. Continue simmering, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the liquids are reduced and the zaalouk can be stirred into a heap in the center of the pan.
Serve warm or cold with crusty bread.

 

 

 Another amazing salad!  When I made this I used cilantro, not parsley.  I thought it would complement the lime juice better.  I also omitted the celery. 

 Creamy Watermelon Salad

Ingredients

Dressing:
1 lemon, zested and juiced (use one teaspoon)
1 lime zested and juiced (use one tablespoon)
1/2 bunch cilantro or 1 bunch parsley, leaves only, chopped
1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt


1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Salad:
5-6 cups seedless watermelon, cubed*
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled

* If you can find a "personal" size watermelon, that's the perfect size for this recipe.

Directions

Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

Toss together all the salad ingredients with the dressing. Serve chilled.

Keep the salad and dressing separate until just before serving if you make this dish ahead.

Recipe #2!

 This is also an all star.  I haven't made this for Book Club but I think you will love this.  This is one of the best things I ever ate.  The recipe comes from my mother but she did not write it.  This recipe uses zucchini but makes it taste just like hot baked apples!  I think this could also be baked in a pie crust if you want to get creative.  I took the picture after we all tore this up at a dinner party!  I opted not to peel the zucchini as the recipe suggested.

Zucchini Crisp

8 Cups cubed peeled zucchini

¾ Cup lemon juice

½  Cup sugar

2 Teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 Teaspoon ground nutmeg

Topping

1 Cup brown sugar

1 Cup old-fashioned oats

1 Cup all-purpose flour

2/3 Cup cold butter or margarine  (can also use 1 stick and it will be fine)

In a bowl, combine the zucchini, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg: mix well.

Pour into a greased 13 in x 9 in x 2 in baking dish.

For topping, combine brown sugar, oats, and flour in a bowl;  cut in butter until crumbly.  Sprinkle over the zucchini mixture.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until bubbly and the zucchini is tender.  Serves 12.