Chocolate Clusters

two ounces of Bakers German Chocolate
12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
12 ounces white chocolate chips
16 ounces dry roasted salted peanuts

Stir all ingredients in slow cooker.
Cook on low, three hours. Do not stir or lift lid.
After 3 hours, stir well for 3-5 minutes.

Drop by tablespoon onto wax paper
OR
Spread on wax paper and cut into squares when cool.

Store in an airtight container.

Swiss Chard Lasagna with Ricotta and Mushrooms

8 servings PREP TIME: 1 hour TOTAL TIME: 2 hours (includes baking)


Part 1 -- Béchamel sauce


2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 Turkish bay leaf
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon (scant) ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves


Instructions for:  Béchamel sauce
Bring milk and bay leaf to simmer in medium saucepan; remove from heat. Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and whisk to blend. Cook 2 minutes, whisking almost constantly (do not let roux brown). Gradually whisk milk with bay leaf into roux. Add 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, nutmeg, and cloves and bring to simmer. Cook until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon, whisking often, about 3 minutes. Remove bay leaf. DO AHEAD Béchamel sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface and chill. Remove plastic and rewarm sauce before using, whisking to smooth.


Part 2 -- swiss chard and mushroom layers
1 pound Swiss chard, center rib and stem cut from each leaf
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/3 cups chopped onion
4 large garlic cloves, chopped, divided
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Coarse kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg


Instructions for:  swiss chard and mushroom layers
Blanch chard in large pot of boiling salted water 1 minute. Drain, pressing out all water, then chop coarsely. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, half of garlic, and crushed red pepper. Sauté until onion is tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in chard and season to taste with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.


Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and remaining garlic. Sauté until mushrooms are brown and tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Mix in nutmeg and season with coarse salt and pepper.


Instructions for:  lasagna
9 7x3-inch lasagna noodles
Cook noodles in medium pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; arrange noodles in single layer on sheet of plastic wrap.


Instructions for:  put it together
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 15-ounce container whole-milk ricotta cheese (preferably organic), divided
6 ounces Italian Fontina cheese, coarsely grated (about 1 1/2 cups packed), divided
8 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided


Brush 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with oil to coat. Spread 3 tablespoons béchamel sauce thinly over bottom of dish. Arrange 3 noodles in dish to cover bottom (2 side by side lengthwise, then 1 crosswise). Spread half of chard mixture over pasta, then half of mushrooms. Drop half of ricotta over in dollops and spread in even layer. Sprinkle with half of Fontina, then 4 tablespoons Parmesan; spread 3/4 cup béchamel over. Repeat layering with 3 noodles, remaining chard, mushrooms, ricotta, Fontina, Parmesan, and 3/4 cup béchamel. Cover with 3 noodles and remaining béchamel. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover with foil. Let stand at room temperature.


Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake lasagna covered 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until heated through and top is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.


test-kitchen tip:  To test for doneness, insert the blade of a small knife deep into the center of the lasagna for 30 seconds. Remove the knife and feel the blade. If it's hot, so is the lasagna.


Source:  Bon Appetit -- January 2011
Nutritional Information


One serving contains: Calories (kcal) 515.9; %Calories from Fat 57.3; Fat (g) 32.8; Saturated Fat (g) 16.1; Cholesterol (mg) 84.3; Carbohydrates (g) 32.1; Dietary Fiber (g) 3.1; Total Sugars (g) 9.5; Net Carbs (g) 29.0; Protein (g) 23.6; Sodium (mg) 723.2

Great Granola

Preheat oven to 300

3 cups uncooked rolled oats (not instant)

3 cups crispy rice cereal (such as rice krispies)

1 cup multi-grain cereal

Place the oats and both cereals in a large pan (the one you will actually cook in) and toss well.

1 very ripe banana (about 4 oz)

¼ cup honey

½ cup unsweetened apple sauce

1/3 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Mix the above ingredients in a small blender. Pour over the oat mixture and toss with your hands. Do not break the small clumps apart.

Place in oven. Total cook time is 45 minutes. Every 15 minutes remove from oven and toss gently.

½ cup blanched almonds, toasted (or whatever nuts are available)

1 cup raisins or dried cherries

Add the nuts and dried fruit, mix well, and set on wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Makes 6 cups. 1 serving = ½ cup. Calories 282; Carbohydrate 56g; Cholesterol 0; Fat 5g/16%; Sodium 57mg.

Fruited Spinach Salad Dressing

½ cup orange juice

¼ teaspoon unflavored gelatin

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Combine orange juice and gelatin in a small non-aluminum saucepan; let stand 1 minute. Place over medium heat; cook 2 minutes or until gelatin dissolves, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and poppy seeds. Pour into a class or stainless steel bowl. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours.

Strawberry – Spinach Salad

1/3 cup reduced-calorie mayonnaise

¼ cup unsweetened orange juice

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

½ pound fresh spinach, washed, trim and torn

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

Combine 1st four ingredients in a small bowl; stir well, and set aside. Gently toss spinach and strawberries in a large bowl; arrange on 8 individual salad plates. Drizzle 1 tablespoon poppy seed mixture over each salad.

Yield: 8 servings (about 54 calories per serving)

Protein 1.2; Fat 3.1; Carbohydrate 6.2; Cholesterol 3; Iron 1.2; Sodium 96; Calcium 42.

Basic Stir-Fry Sauce

1/3 Cup Chicken Broth
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar or Sherry
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil


In a small bowl whisk all ingredients. After stir-frying meat and/or vegetables, pour in sauce and stir until thickened. Add more broth or cornstarch to achieve desired consistency.


Makes about ½ Cup
Source: Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks

Salmon with Hoisin, Orange, and Bok Choy

Salmon with Hoisin, Orange, and Bok Choy
 

To crack coriander, place in a resealable plastic bag and tap with a mallet. Hoisin adds sweetness.
2 servings
    •    PREP: 15 minutes
    •    TOTAL: 30 minutes


Ingredients
    •    2 heads of baby bok choy, each cut lengthwise into 6 wedges
    •    2   5-to 6-ounce salmon fillets
    •    2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
    •    1 green onion, thinly sliced
    •    1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
    •    1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
    •    1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
    •    3/4 teaspoon cracked coriander seeds
    •    1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
 

Preparation 

Preheat oven to 425°F. Grill on Indirect heat.

Form bed of bok choy in center of each of two 12-inch square pieces of foil. 

Top bok choy with fish. 

Mix orange juice, green onion, hoisin, ginger, and orange peel in small bowl. 

Spoon mixture over fish, dividing equally. Sprinkle with salt and coriander. 

Top with cilantro. 

Fold up foil sides and pinch tightly to seal above fish and at both ends of packets, enclosing contents completely. 

Place packets on baking sheet. 

Bake until fish is just opaque in center, 12 to 14 minutes. 

Transfer packets to plates and serve.

     Nutritional Information


One serving contains the following:
    •    Calories (kcal) 262.3
    •    %Calories from Fat 36.2
    •    Fat (g) 10.5
    •    Saturated Fat (g) 1.6
    •    Cholesterol (mg) 89.8
    •    Carbohydrates (g) 6.9
    •    Dietary Fiber (g) 0.9
    •    Total Sugars (g) 4.5
    •    Net Carbs (g) 5.9
    •    Protein (g) 32.8


Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2009/12/salmon_with_hoisin_orange_and_bok_choy#ixzz1A1iOIpLZ

Sweet Red Pepper Relish

Sweet Red Pepper Relish:

• 6 pounds of sweet red peppers, seeded and cut into one-inch squares (we throw in a few Anaheim peppers for a touch of heat)

• 3 pounds onions, cut into one-inch chunks

• 4 cups distilled white vinegar

• 3 cups sugar

• 2 Tbs canning salt or non-iodized table salt

• 1 Tbs mustard seeds

Chop the peppers and onions, then put in a food processor or food chopper with a medium blade.

Pour chopped peppers and onions into a heavy-bottomed, 8-10 quart stainless steel or unchipped enamel pan.

Mix in the vinegar, sugar, salt and mustard seed.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to medium-low and let it boil gently, uncovered.

Stir often to prevent sticking.

Cook about 50 minutes, until relish is thickened but still juicy.

Makes about 7 pints.

A quarter-cup serving has 81 calories, 1 g protein, 16 g carbohydrates, 2 g total fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 mg sodium

Storage:

Unprocessed: Ladle into pint jars or refrigerator containers, leaving a half-inch head space. Apply lids, let cool, then refrigerate. Refrigerator life: 1 month.

or

Processed: Ladle hot relish into clean, hot pint jars, leaving a half-inch headspace.

Run a narrow nonmetallic spatula between relish and jar sides to release air bubbles.

Wipe rims and threads clean. Top with hot lids, then firmly screw on bands.

Process in boiling water canner for 15 minutes. Shelf life: up to 1 year.