Slow cooker pumpkin apple dessert

1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling 2cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour 1 1/4cups packed brown sugar 1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) 3/4 cup fat-free cholesterol-free egg product 1/3 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon baking soda Ice cream, if desired 1 Spray 3 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Spoon pie filling into cooker; spread evenly. 2 Beat remaining ingredients except ice cream with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pie filling. 3 Cover and cook on High heat setting 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve with ice cream. Note: This recipe was tested in slow cookers with heating elements in the side and bottom of the cooker, not in cookers that stand only on a heated base. For slow cookers with just a heated base, follow the manufacturer’s directions for layering ingredients and choosing a temperature. www.bettycrocker.com

Coconut Layer Cake

Cake 2 1/2 c all purpose flour 1 t bakig soda 1/2 t baking powder 1/2 t salt 2 sticks butter 2 c sugar 4 large eggs 1 c coconut milk 1 t coconut extract Frosting 4 sticks butter 8 c confectioners' sugar 1 T coconut extract 1 t vanilla extract 2 2/3 c sweetened flaked coconut (1 7 oz bag) 1) Make cake: Place a rack in the center of oven preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 9 inch round cake pans 2) In a bowl whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Using a electric mixer on medium high speed beat butter and sugar until light about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Reduce speed to low; beat in half of flour mixtures. Beat in coconut milk and extract then beat in remaining flour mixtures until just combined. Divide batter between cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean about 30 minutes. lets cakes cook in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Turn out onto racks to cool completely. 3) make frosting: Using an electric mixer on medium high speed. Beat butter until light 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in sugar until fully incorporated. Beat in extracts. Chill 15 min. 4) Assemble cake: Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter. Spread with 1 1/2 cups frosting. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup coconut. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining frosting on top and sides. Sprinkle remaining coconut over top and sides of cake, pressing to adhere. Chill for at least 2 hours and up to a day. Remove from refrigerator 3 minutes before serving. All you magazine December 2011

Mixed green salad with oranges

Dressing 2 T finely chopped shallot 2 T white wine vinegar 2 T orange juice 1 t Dijon mustard 1/2 t sugar 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper Salad 1 head romaine lettuce, torn into small pieces 1 head red leaf lettuce torn into small pieces 1 head boston lettuce, torn into small pieces 3 oranges, peeled, white pith removed, fruit segmented 4 oz soft goat cheese, crumbled 1) Make dressing in a bowl, combine shallot, vinegar, juice, mustard and sugar. slowly drizzle in oil, whisking constantly. Season with slat and pepper. 2) Make a salad. Mix lettuces in a large bowl. Add orange segments. Toss with dressing, crumble goat cheese on top and serve.

Horse-radish mashed potatoes

4 lb baking potatoes (aobut 8 large) peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces salt and pepper 1 1/3 c half and half 98 T butter cut into pieces 1/2 c prepared horseradish, drained. 1) In a large pot, cover potatoes by a least 1 inch with cold salted water. Bring to a boil, uncovered on high heat, Cook over medium high heat until tender when pierced with a knife about 25 minutes. In a small pan over medium low heat, warm half and half, butter and horseradish, stirring occasionally, until butter melts and bubbles begin to form around edge of pan. 2) Drain potatoes, return to pot and mash well. Pour in horseradish mixture and stir well. Season with salt and pepper and serve. All you magazine December 2011

Honey Cloverleaf Rolls

1 c whole milk 3 T unsalted butter 4 T honey 1 1/2 c whole wheat flour 1 1/2 c bread flour 1 1/4 oz package rapid rise yeast 1/2 t salt 1 large egg beaten with 1 T water 1/2 t each poppy seeds, sesame seeds, caraway seeds, mixed, optional 1) In a small pan over low heat, warm milk, butter, and honey until butter has melted and an instant-read thermometer reads 110. In a large bowl, whisk together whole-wheat flour, 1 c bread flour, yeast, and salt. Stir in milk mixture. Beat with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms, adding more bread flours as needed. Dough will be sticky. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes adding additional bread flour as necessary to keep dough from sticking. Cover dough with a cloth and let rise for 15 minutes. 2) Mist a 12 c muffin tin with cooking spray. Divide dough into 12 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time and keeping others covered with the cloth, divide into 3 even pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and put into a muffin cup side by side to make 1 cloverleaf roll. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover with a cloth and let rise for 15 minutes. 3) Preheat oven to 425. Brush dough with egg mixture and sprinkle with seeds, if desired. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from and serve. All You magazine December 2011 Kitchen tips Bake ahead. You can make the rolls the day before. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Wrap in foil and reheat in a 350 oven for 15 minutes before serving Stick to one see You can use one type of seed instead of mixing them Swap flours. The whole-wheat flour gives the roles a nutty flavor, a hearty texture and added fiber and other nutrients, but you can substitute all purpose flour if that suits your family's tastes. Use the same amount. butter it up. Soften a stick of unsalted butter, mix it with a few teaspoons of honey, spread in 2 ramekins, cover and chill. Serve with the rolls for an extra treat.

Beef roast w Red wine gravy

5 lb boneless sirloin roast tied 4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced 2 T chopped fresh thyme 2 t dry mustard 2 t onion powder 1 t salt 1 t pepper 1 T plus 1 t olive oil 1 large onion, peeled, cut into 8 wedges 4 large sprigs thyme Gravy 3 T olive oil 3 T all purpose flour 1 1/2 c low sodium beef broth salt and pepper 1) Make roast, using a small sharp knife make slits all over beef roast and insert a piece of garlic deeply into each slit so meat closes over garlic. In a small bowl, combine chopped thyme, mustard, onion powder, salt, pepper and olive oil. Rub mixture all over meat, place roast on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for 8 hours or overnight. 2) Transfer roast from refrigerator to countertop 1 hour before cooking. Preheat oven to 500. Scatter onion wedges and thyme sprigs over bottom of a large roasting pan and place a rack on top. Place roast in rack. Roast meat for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 325 and roast until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of roast registers 125 for medium rare, about 1 hours, or 135 for medium about 1 hour 15 minutes. Check once or twice during roasting time, if juices start to scorch on bottom of pan, add a little broth or water. Remove meat to a platter, cover loosely with foil and allow to rest. (Meat will continue to cook while it rests; internal temperature will rise to 130 for medium rare or 140 for medium 3) Make gravy; remove rack from roasting pan. Add 3 T oil to pan. Place pan over 2 burners and turn heat to medium. Stir in flour and cook, whisking until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in broth and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, whisking often. Strain through a fine mesh sleeve into a serving dish and season with salt and pepper. 4) Remove strings from roast, slice meat and serve with gravy. All you magazine December 2011

Butternut Squash apple soup

2 butternut squash, halved lengthwise seeds removed (about 3 1/2 lb total) slat and pepper 2 T unsalted butter 1 large onion chopped 2 granny smith apples 3 cloves garlic, chopped 2 t pumpkin pie spice 6 c low sodium chicken broth 6 T reduced fat sour cream 1) Preheat oven to 375, line a large baking sheet with foil. Place squash cut sides up on sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover with foil. Roast until soft, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool slightly, then scoop out flesh with a large spoon. Discard skins. 2) In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat,. Add onion, sprinkle with salt and cook, stirring until soft, about 8 minutes. D not allow onions to brown. Peel, core, and roughly chop apples. When onion is soft, add garlic and chopped apples to pot and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add pumpkin pie spice; stir for 1 minute. Stir in squash and broth; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until apples are completely soft, 25 minutes. 3) Working in bathes, puree soup in a blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Return soup to pot and place over low heat to keep warm. 4) Divide soup among 8 bowls, drop a dollop of sour cream in the middle of each and serve immediately. All you magazine December 2011

Salmon and Dill spread

1 14.75 oz can red salmon, drained, skin and bones removed 8 oz reduced fat cream cheese at room temperature 1 1/2 T lemon juice 1 t finely grated lemon zest 2 oz smoked salmon, chopped (about 1/2 cup) 2 T chopped fresh dill salt and pepper 3 heads endive 1) In a food processor, puree canned salmon, cream cheese, lemon juice and zest until smooth, stopping and scraping down side of work bowl a few times. Add smoked salmon and dill; pulse just to combine, taking care not to puree completely. Taste and season with salt and pepper. 2) Transfer mixture to a bowl, cover and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. When ready to serve, separate leaves of endive and spoon or pipe 1 heaping T spread onto wide end of each leaf. Serve right away or cover and chill for up to 6 hours. Garnish with dill sprigs if desired. Optional Instead of spooning onto the endive, serve it in a bowl with assorted crudites and crackers. Add another layer Toss a tablespoon or two of beet horseradish into the food processor when you add the canned salmon. It lends the spread a brighter pink hue and adds depth to the flavor. Try it in the morning This spread is also delicious when slathered on bagels. If you're having guest for brunch make it the night before, transfer to a bowl, cover and chill. Serve in the morning with toasted bagels, sliced red onion, sliced tomatoes and capers. All you magazine December 2011

Cheddar herb twists

2 c finely shredded sharp cheddar 1 t dried or 1 T finely chopped fresh thyme 1 t dried or 1 T finely chopped fresh sage 1/2 t dried or 1 1/2 t finely chopped fresh oregano 1/4 t cayenne salt 1 17.3 oz box frozen puff pastry 2 sheets thawed 1) Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment. In a bowl, combine cheese, herbs and cayenne. Season with salt. 2) On a lightly floured surface, roll out a sheet of pastry to 16 by 9 1/2 inch rectangle. with the short side facing you, spread half of cheese mixture over bottom half of pastry sheet. Fold top half of pastry toward you over bottom half, enclosing cheese mixture (into 8 by 9 1/2 inch rectangle) Press pastry down to help dough layers adhere and force out air pockets. Roll pastry into a 8 by 16 inch rectangle. Transfer to baking sheet; chill for 20 minutes. Repeat with remaining pastry sheet and cheese mixture. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 425. 3) Remove 1 pastry sheet from refrigerator and place on a lightly floured cutting board. Place a fresh sheet of parchment on the baking sheet. With a sharp knife, trim uneven edges from pastry, then cut pastry into 32 1/2 by 8 inch strips. Holding 1 end in each hand twist each strip 3 or 4 times and place 1 inch apart on lined baking sheet, pressing ends down. (You'll fit 10 to 12 twists on each sheet) 4) Bake twists for 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer twists to wire racks to cool. Repeat with remaining pastry. Serve at room temperature. All you magazine December 2011

Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies

Cookies 1 C all purpose flour 6 T unsweetened cocoa 1/2 t baking soda 1/2 t salt 10 T (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature 1 C sugar 1 large egg 1 T Vanilla extract Filling: 10 t (1 1/4 STICKS) unsalted butter at room temperature 1/2 C confectioners' sugar Pinch of salt 1 1/2 C marshmallow fluff 1/4 t peppermint extract Red and green food coloring 1) Make cookies: Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. 2) Divided dough in half. Shape each portion into a log about 9 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic; chill for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day or freeze for up to 1 month. 3) Preheat oven to 350. Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Slice dough into 1/4 inch thick rounds (36 slices per log) Place on baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies are dry on top about 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack; cool. Repeat with remaining dough. 4) Make filling: Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, confectioners' sugar and salt until combined. Stir in Fluff and peppermint extract. Beat on high until light, about 3 minutes. Divide filling between 2 bowls, add red or green food coloring to each bowl; stir until evenly dyed. Sandwich 2 cookies with a teaspoon of filling. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. All you magazine December 16, 2011

Gingerbread Cookies

3 c all purpose flour 1 t baking soda 2 T ground ginger 1 t cinnamon 1/4 t ground cloves 1/4 t allspice 1/4 t salt 8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature 1/4 c vegetable shortening at room temperature 1/2 c packed light brown sugar 2/3 c molasses 1 large egg 1) Wish together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium high speed cream butter and shortening. Add sugar and beat until fluffy about 3 minutes. Beat in molasses and egg. Scrape sides of bowl, then stir in flour mixture to form a stiff dough. Divide dough in half. Form to 2 disks, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. 2) Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment. Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out cookies with a 3 inch cutter and place 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Gather scraps and re-roll to form more cookies. Repeat with remaining dough. #) Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes switching sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through. Let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets on wire racks. Transfer cookies to racks to cool. Repeat with remaining cookies.