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An Autumn Dinner for your review...11/15 - Printable Version

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An Autumn Dinner for your review...11/15 - foodfiend - 10-30-2010

Okay, here goes with this latest review dinner.
Reviews are to be posted on November 15th.

Autumn Dinner

Indian Summer Apple-tini (CAH Issue #65)
Pears with Goat Cheese & Fig Jam (no recipe! but wonderful...)
Cheese Tortellini & Butternut Squash (CAH Issue #65)
Spinach Salad with Sauteed Apples, Dried Cranberries, and Toasted Pecans (my very own creation)
Chocolate Gingerbread Cake (adapted from an Eating Well recipe)


* Exported from MasterCook *

Indian Summer Apple-tini

Recipe By: Cuisine At Home, Issue #65
Servings: 1

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
lemon wedge
1/3 cup frozen apple juice concentrate -- thawed
1 1/2 ounces dark rum -- or spiced rum or brandy
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 whole cloves
1 whole cinnamon stick

sparkling apple cider
whole cinnamon stick, to garnish


Mix sugar and cinnamon in a saucer and set aside. Rub the rim of a martini glass with the lemon wedge, then dip the rim in the sugar/ cinnamon mixture. Set aside.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Add the juice concentrate, rum, lemon juice, cloves, and cinnamon stick, cover and shake until it is too cold to hold, about 2 minutes. Strain into the prepared glass.

Add a splash of sparkling apple cider, and garnish with a cinnamon stick.


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Per serving: 394 Calories (kcal); 4g Total Fat; (11% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 74g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 53mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 Fat; 3 1/2 Other Carbohydrates

NOTES : To make the prep easier when making several drinks, I mix the juice, rum, lemon juice, and spices in a pitcher about 1 hour ahead of time and place it in the refrigerator. Then I pour 1/2 cup of this mixture into the shaker, add the ice, shake for about a minute, and strain into a glass. Repeat.

I also break a 3" cinnamon stick in about three pieces, then break up one piece and add to the shaker (or pitcher, for each drink) instead of adding a whole 3" cinnamon stick for each apple-tini.

Subbing sparkling water for the apple cider works well.


Pears with Goat Cheese & Fig Jam

I don’t really have a recipe. I just halve ripe Bartlett pears, slice into ½” thick slices, dollop some fig jam onto each, and sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese.
These are heaven!!!



Cheese Tortellini & Butternut Squash

1-1/2 pounds butternut squash (about 9 ounces), peeled and cubed
1/2 pound refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini (about 2 cups)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 slices prosciutto (about 1 ounce), cut into thin ribbons
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
1 large sprig fresh sage (about 10 leaves)
2 Tablespoons dry white wine
1 teaspoon sugar
Juice of ½ lemon
Chopped fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper

Cook squash in saucepan of boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Add the tortellini and cook according to package directions and until squash is tender. Drain pasta and squash and set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add prosciutto, cook until crisp, then drain on paper towels. Return skillet to burner (with drippings) and reduce heat to medium.

Melt butter in skillet. Add sage sprig and cook until butter browns, about 4 minutes. Remove sage and discard. Stir in wine and sugar; cook 30 seconds, then add reserved squash, pasta, and prosciutto. Toss to heat through.

Off heat, finish with lemon juice and parsley, sprinkle with pepper.


NOTE: I will have alter the recipe somewhat to fit the way that we eat. I’ll reduce the amount of butter, adding a little olive oil and white wine (after the butter has browned) to keep the pasta moist. I’ll also sub turkey bacon for than the prosciutto. And I may reserve and chop a few of the sage leaves to sprinkle on top of the pasta since we love sage.

Oh, and I'm going to roast the squash cubes instead of boiling them with the pasta, I think that will give a much nicer flavor. I'll probably do this when I have the oven on, baking the cake, and refrigerate the roasted squash until ready to use.


Spinach Salad with Sauteed Apples, Dried Cranberries, and Toasted Pecans

* Exported from MasterCook *

Recipe By: Vicci
Servings: 4

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove -- crushed
2 teaspoons butter
2 medium apples -- (I used Gala), cored and coarsely chopped into 3/4 inch pieces
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons white wine
4 cups baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons pecans -- toasted and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons dried cranberries

In a jar, mix the olive oil through the garlic and shake well. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and set aside.

Melt butter in a medium nonstick skillet and add apples, then sprinkle with the brown sugar, stirring until they begin to soften. Add white wine and cook, stirring, for a minute or two or until most of the win\e evaporates. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Place the baby spinach leaves in a large bowl, toss with the apples, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans. Drizzle the dressing, tossing to distribute it evenly. Divide between salad plates.


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Per serving: 182 Calories (kcal); 15g Total Fat (3g Saturated); (68% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 5mg Cholesterol; 52mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 3 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates



* Exported from MasterCook *

Chocolate Gingerbread Cake

Servings : 14

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup pureed pears
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 package Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Dark Chocolate
Fudge Cake Mix -- or any brand without pudding added
1 package Jello Instant Pudding Mix, Chocolate Fudge -- (3.9 ounce size)

Spray a 10-cup bundt pan with cooking oil spray. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350F.

With an electric mixer, beat eggs and egg whites in a large bowl until foamy. Add the ingredients through molasses and beat for 1 minute. Add water and spices and blend into the mixture.

Pour the cake mix, then the pudding mix, into the wet ingredients. Beat at low speed for 1 minute to incorporate ingredients, scraping the bowl frequently, then turn the speed up to medium for 2 minutes (again, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently).

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted between the center and side of the pan comes out with only a couple of crumbs attached.

Cool cake on rack for 15 minutes. Loosen cake from center and edges, tap gently once or twice on a hard surface, then invert onto a cooking rack sprayed with cooking spray. Allow to cool completely. Transfer to a plate.

Sift powdered sugar over top of cooled cake.


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Per serving: 271 Calories (kcal); 8g Total Fat (2g Saturated); (25% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 47g Carbohydrate; 27mg Cholesterol; 449mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates

NOTE: Pureed pears are simply an oil substitute made from draining a can of pears (packed in juice) then pureeing them until smooth. One can (about 14 ounces?) makes about 2/3 cup of puree (and it freezes nicely). This works very well in replacing half of the oil in quick bread and cake recipes such as this one. If you don't want to do this, just sub an equal amount of canola oil.


Re: An Autumn Dinner for your review... - Harborwitch - 10-30-2010

I'm in!!! Yummmmmmmm. May skip the cake though.


Re: An Autumn Dinner for your review... - Mare749 - 10-31-2010

Very nice Autumn menu, Vicci! I'm in too, but will probably skip the dessert since we are trying to only have dessert on birthdays and holidays now. It does sound good...


Re: An Autumn Dinner for your review... - luvnit - 10-31-2010

Wow Vicci! What a wonderful menu, and thank you for the tips and adding your spin for us. I love it all! I can't wait!


Re: An Autumn Dinner for your review... - cjs - 10-31-2010

I'm in.


Re: An Autumn Dinner for your review... - Gourmet_Mom - 10-31-2010

I'm in, also. William is going to love the pears and the butternut squash dishes! I'm looking forward to the salad.


Re: An Autumn Dinner for your review... - Dismc - 10-31-2010

Will make an occasion of it next weekend. Sounds great.


Re: An Autumn Dinner for your review... - farnfam - 11-01-2010

Yes!! Sounds perfect. Will do for the weekend, we always try to have one "special" dinner usually on Saturday nite This will work perfectly !!


Re: An Autumn Dinner for your review... - cjs - 11-13-2010

Bringing this to the top - the review is due Monday, Nov. 15th!!


Re: An Autumn Dinner for your review... - Harborwitch - 11-13-2010

Maybe . . . time is just so crunched.