Sweet Potatoes w/ Marshmellows

Ingredients

4 pounds sweet potatoes, quartered
1 1/4 cups margarine
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
3 cups miniature marshmallows, divided
ground cinnamon to taste
ground nutmeg to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and boil until slightly underdone, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and peel.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine margarine, brown sugar, 2 cups marshmallows, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook, stirring occasionally, until marshmallows are melted. Stir potatoes into marshmallow sauce. While stirring mash about half of the potatoes, and break the others into bite-sized chunks. Transfer to prepared dish. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cover top evenly with remaining marshmallows. Return to oven and bake until marshmallows are golden brown.

Herb-Roasted Turkey and Vegetables

Ingredients
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon snipped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon snipped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 2-3/4- to 3-1/4-pound turkey breast portion with bone, skin removed
Nonstick cooking spray 3 cups tiny red potatoes, quartered (about 1 pound)
2 cups baby carrots with tops trimmed and halved lengthwise (about 8 ounces)
2 cups white and/or red pearl onions trimmed and halved (about 8 ounces)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, combine parsley, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the herb mixture.
2. Place turkey breast portion, bone side down, on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle the remaining herb mixture evenly over turkey breast portion; rub in with your fingers. Roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine potatoes, carrots, and pearl onions; add the reserved 1 tablespoon herb mixture and the olive oil and toss until vegetables are coated. Arrange vegetables around turkey in roasting pan.
4. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Roast for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours more or until juices run clear, turkey is no longer pink (170°F), and vegetables are tender, stirring vegetables once.
5. Transfer turkey to cutting board; tent with foil and let stand for 10 minutes before carving. Trim meat from bone. Reserve and store* 10 ounces of the turkey (about 2 cups) and 2 cups of the vegetables for the Turkey and Bean Soup. Serve the remaining turkey with the remaining vegetables. Makes 4 servings, plus enough reserved turkey and vegetables for Turkey and Bean Soup
*Storage: Place the reserved cooked turkey and vegetables in an airtight container. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Pimiento-Studded Deviled Eggs

Ingredients
12 large eggs, hard-cooked and shelled
1/4 cup(s) sliced pimientos, chopped
1/4 cup(s) low-fat mayonnaise dressing
1 tablespoon(s) Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon(s) Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon(s) ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
Fresh herb sprigs for garnish
Directions
Slice each egg lengthwise in half. Gently remove yolks and place in small bowl; with fork, finely mash yolks. Stir in pimientos, mayonnaise dressing, mustard, ground red pepper, and salt until well mixed.
Place egg-white halves in 15 1/2-inch by 10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan lined with paper towels (to prevent eggs from rolling). Spoon yolk mixture into egg-white halves. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve

Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients
2 cup(s) mashed fresh or canned sweet potatoes (see Editor's note)
4 ounce(s) cream cheese, softened
1 cup(s) sugar
1/4 cup(s) half-and-half
4 tablespoon(s) butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
1 9-inch Deep Dish Pie Shell
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat sweet potatoes and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and half-and-half; beat 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves, scraping sides of bowl with rubber spatula. Add butter, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon, and beat until blended. Pour mixture into pie shell.
Bake 1 hour or until filling is puffed and set around edge but center jiggles slightly. Cool completely on wire rack.
Editor's Note: For mashed fresh sweet potatoes, pierce 2 pounds sweet potatoes with tip of knife. Place in microwave-safe bowl and cover with vented plastic wrap. Microwave on High 11 to 15 minutes or until very tender, turning potatoes once halfway through cooking. Drain. When cool enough to handle, peel. In large bowl, with mixer on medium-high speed, beat potatoes until smooth. Measure 2 cups potatoes for pie; reserve remaining for another use.

Kielbasa Puffs

Ingredients
1 package(s) (16 ounces) light kielbasa or turkey kielbasa
1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls
2 tablespoon(s) spicy brown mustard
Directions
Preheat oven to 375° F. Pat kielbasa dry with paper towels. Cut kielbasa crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick rounds; cut each round crosswise in half.
Unroll half of dough (4 triangles) from tube of crescent rolls but do not separate triangles; place on work surface.
Pinch 2 triangles together along perforations to make 6" by 3 1/2" rectangle. Repeat to make another rectangle; cut rectangles apart. Spread rectangles with half of mustard. Cut each rectangle crosswise in half, then cut each half crosswise into six 1/2-inch-wide strips to make 24 strips in all.
Loosely wrap mustard side of a dough strip around piece of kielbasa; pinch to seal. Place wrapped kielbasa on ungreased large cookie sheet. Repeat, placing pieces about 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.
Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until puffs are browned. Meanwhile, repeat with remaining half of crescent dough, mustard, and kielbasa.
When puffs are done, with spatula, transfer to warm platter. Serve warm.

DELICIOUS THANKSGIVING DESSERT

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
1 piece pre-made pie dough
Whipped cream, for topping

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans
(about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.
For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.
Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

Spaghetti w/ Pesto & Tomato Mozzarella

Ingredients
1 pound(s) thin spaghetti, substitute linguine
1 bunch(es) (large) fresh basil
1 clove(s) (small) garlic
1/4 cup(s) olive oil
1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1/4 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
1/2 cup(s) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 pint(s) red and/or yellow cherry tomatoes, each cut in half
1 tablespoon(s) red wine vinegar
8 ounce(s) fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
Directions
Heat large saucepot of salted water to boiling over high heat. Add spaghetti and cook as label directs.
Meanwhile, reserve 12 small basil leaves for garnish. From remaining basil, remove enough leaves to equal 2 cups firmly packed. In food processor with knife blade attached, process basil leaves, garlic, 1/4 cup oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until pureed, stopping processor and scraping bowl occasionally. Add Parmesan; pulse to combine. Set pesto aside.
In bowl, mix tomatoes, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Gently stir in mozzarella.
Drain spaghetti, reserving 1/2 cup spaghetti cooking water. Return spaghetti and reserved cooking water to saucepot; add pesto and toss well to coat pasta. Spoon spaghetti mixture into large shallow bowl; top with tomato-mozzarella salad. Garnish with reserved basil leaves.

Salmon Teriyaki

Ingredients
1 cup(s) short- or medium-grain white rice
2 large (10 ounces each) cucumbers, peeled in alternating strips, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoon(s) distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup(s) lower-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon(s) lower-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon(s) sugar
1 teaspoon(s) sugar
Pepper
1/2 cup(s) dry sherry or mirin (Japanese rice wine)
1 tablespoon(s) honey
4 (6 ounce) salmon steaks, each 1 inch thick
1 tablespoon(s) toasted sesame seeds
Directions
Arrange oven rack 4 inches from heat source. Preheat broiler. Cook rice as label directs.
In large bowl, combine cucumbers, green onion, vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate.
Make teriyaki sauce: In small saucepan, heat sherry, honey, 1/2 cup soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons sugar to boiling on medium-high. Cook 10 minutes or until reduced by half, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, line 15 1/2" by 10 1/2" jelly-roll pan or broiler pan with foil. Sprinkle salmon with 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to season both sides, and arrange on pan. Broil 4 minutes. Turn salmon over and broil 2 to 3 minutes longer or until just opaque throughout. Divide rice, cucumber salad, and salmon among 4 dinner plates. To serve, spoon teriyaki sauce over salmon and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Tuna Salad

ingredients
1 can(s) (6 ounces) chunk-light tuna packed in water, drained
1/4 cup(s) celery , chopped
3 tablespoon(s) light mayonnaise
2 teaspoon(s) fresh lemon juice
Baguette or other favorite bread
Mediterranean Tuna
2 tablespoon(s) capers, chopped
1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly grated lemon peel
Curried Tuna
1/2 cup(s) Granny Smith apple, finely chopped
1 teaspoon(s) curry powder
Southwestern Tuna
2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 pickled jalapeño chile, finely chopped
Directions
In small bowl, with fork, combine all ingredients except baguette. Cover and refrigerate if not serving right away. Serve on a baguette, if you like.
Mediterranean Tuna: Prepare Best Tuna Salad as above. Stir in 2 tablespoons capers, chopped, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel. Serve on Italian bread, if you like.
Curried Tuna: Prepare Best Tuna Salad as above. Stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped Granny Smith apple and 1 teaspoon curry powder. Serve on raisin-walnut or sourdough bread, if you like.
Southwestern Tuna: Prepare Best Tuna Salad as above. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves and 1 pickled jalapeño chile, finely chopped. Serve rolled up in warm flour tortillas, if you like.

Chestnut Stuffing with Fennel

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds country bread, crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds
4 ounces pancetta, sliced 1/8 inch thick and diced
1 small rosemary sprig
1 dried chile de árbol or other dried red chile, stemmed and broken in half
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small fennel bulb, halved lengthwise and finely diced
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 1/4 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
One 10-ounce vacuum-packed jar of chestnuts, very coarsely crumbled
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°. On a baking sheet, toss the bread with 1/2 cup of the olive oil. Spread the bread in a single layer and toast in the oven for 15 minutes, stirring once, until golden brown. Let the croutons cool, then transfer to a bowl. Leave the oven on.
In a small skillet, toast the fennel seeds over moderate heat until fragrant and lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a mortar or spice grinder; coarsely grind.
In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook over high heat, stirring, until crisp, about 3 minutes. Lower the heat to moderate, add the rosemary and chile and cook for 1 minute. Add the onion, fennel, fennel seeds and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are lightly caramelized, about 8 minutes; discard the rosemary and chile. Stir in the lemon zest and add to the croutons.
Set the skillet over high heat. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits. Boil until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Pour the hot stock mixture over the croutons and toss well.
Wipe out the skillet. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter and the chestnuts and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chestnuts to the stuffing, season with salt and pepper and let cool completely. Add the eggs and parsley and toss well.
Transfer the stuffing to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and dot the stuffing with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until crisp on top. Serve hot

Rosemary Chicken

Ingredients
4 (1 1/4 pound) chicken thighs
1 1/2 tablespoon(s) fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon(s) grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon(s) kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
Olive oil cooking spray
2/3 cup(s) dry white wine
Directions
Remove bones and excess fat from chicken thighs, leaving skin intact. Combine rosemary, zest, salt, and pepper in a small cup; rub mixture over chicken.
Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add chicken, skin side up, and cook 5 minutes. Turn chicken skin side down. Place a heavy cast-iron skillet over chicken and continue to cook 10 to 12 minutes, or until skin is crisp and chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to plates. Pour wine into skillet, raise heat to high, and boil 2 minutes, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet with a wooden spoon; spoon over chicken

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients
3 pound(s) green beans, trimmed and cut in half
4 large shallots
1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
1 1/2 cup(s) coarse fresh bread crumbs
1 teaspoon(s) fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper
3 cup(s) lowfat 1% milk
3 tablespoon(s) margarine or butter
1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon(s) freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup(s) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat covered 8-quart saucepot of salted water to boiling on high. Add beans and cook, uncovered, 6 minutes or until bright green and just tender. Drain well and transfer to shallow 3-quart glass or ceramic baking dish.
Meanwhile, finely chop 2 shallots. Thinly slice remaining shallots; set aside. In 12-in. skillet, heat oil on medium until hot. Add chopped shallots and cook 4 to 7 minutes or until browned and tender, stirring occasionally. Add bread crumbs and cook 2 minutes or until dry and golden, stirring. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Stir in thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
In microwave-safe measuring cup, microwave milk on High 4 minutes or until milk is warm.
Meanwhile, in same 12-in. skillet, melt margarine on medium. Add sliced shallots and cook 5 minutes or until golden brown and tender, stirring occasionally. Add flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring. Gradually pour milk into flour mixture in slow, steady stream, stirring constantly; heat to boiling, stirring. Stir 2 minutes longer or until thickened (mixture should have the consistency of heavy cream). Stir in nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
Pour sauce over green beans; gently stir until green beans are evenly coated. Stir Parmesan cheese into bread crumb mixture; spread evenly over green bean mixture in casserole.
Bake casserole 30 minutes or until bread crumbs are golden brown and sauce is bubbling.

Fish Sticks

Ingredients
Canola oil cooking spray
1 cup(s) whole-wheat dry breadcrumbs
1 cup(s) whole-grain cereal flakes
1 teaspoon(s) lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon(s) garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon(s) paprika
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
2 large egg whites
1 pound(s) tilapia fillets
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Set a wire rack on a baking sheet; coat with cooking spray.
Place breadcrumbs, cereal flakes, lemon pepper, garlic powder, paprika and salt in a food processor or blender and process until finely ground. Transfer to a shallow dish.
Place flour in a second shallow dish and egg whites in a third shallow dish. Dredge each strip of fish in the flour, dip it in the egg and then coat all sides with the breadcrumb mixture. Place on the prepared rack. Coat both sides of the breaded fish with cooking spray.
Bake until the fish is cooked through and the breading is golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes.

Greek Kale Salad

Ingredients
1 3/4 pound(s) kale, large stems discarded (3/4 pound leaves)
2 whole-wheat pita breads
1/4 cup(s) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 tablespoon(s) fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon(s) crushed red pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup(s) grape tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup(s) pitted Calamata olives, cut lengthwise into slivers
2 ounce(s) crumbled feta cheese, preferably French (2/3 cup)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the kale leaves until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Transfer the kale to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze dry. Fluff up the leaves, coarsely chop them and transfer to a large bowl.
Brush both sides of the pita breads with olive oil and bake for about 8 minutes, or until crisp. Cut the pita into wedges.
In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup of olive oil with the lemon juice and crushed red pepper and season with salt and pepper. Add the grape tomatoes, olives and crumbled feta to the kale and toss. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Serve the kale salad with the toasted pita wedges.

The Perfect Cancer-Fighting Salad

When it comes to your health, not all salads are created equal. In fact, many takeout and restaurant salads are essentially calorie bombs disguised as health food drenched in creamy, caloric dressings and missing key nutrients with powerful disease-fighting potential. Next time you make your own salad, here’s exactly what to include for maximum health benefits—and taste.1. Start with dark, leafy greens For the healthiest salad foundation, stick with a mix of spinach, arugula, and romaine. They contain a hefty amount of the B vitamin folate, which has been shown to reduce the risk of getting colorectal, ovarian and breast cancers. In one study, researchers at Vanderbilt University found that women who ate the mostly dark greens were among the least likely to get breast cancer. Apparently, folate can halt changes in DNA that trigger runaway cell growth, the main characteristic of cancer.

Hazelnut Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons hazelnut creamer, divided
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
To make crust, mix graham crackers, sugar, 1 tablespoon of hazelnut creamer and butter until combined. Press into a 9 to 10-inch springform pan or cake pan making sure to press mixture up the sides and bottom as well, set aside.
For filling, in a large bowl mix in order cream cheese, brown sugar, eggs 1 by 1 and pumpkin puree. In a small cup stir remaining 2 tablespoons of hazelnut creamer, allspice and salt into heavy cream. Pour heavy cream mixture into pumpkin mixture and blend until combined. Pour into crust and bake for 35 minutes or until the center sets. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving

Roasted Butter Herb Turkey

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons garlic herb sauce mix (recommended: Knorr)
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 (32-ounce) bag celery and carrot party sticks
2 large onions, large dice
1 (32-ounce) container low-sodium chicken broth
12-pound turkey, thawed if necessary
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
3 (3/4-ounce) packets fresh herbs poultry herb blend (sage, thyme and rosemary)
1 lemon, thickly sliced
Directions
In a small bowl, combine softened butter, poultry seasoning, garlic herb sauce mix, and crushed garlic. Use a fork to mix together until well combined. Cover and put in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes, until firm but not hard.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Arrange celery, carrots, and half of the diced onions in the bottom of a roasting pan. Add chicken broth and set aside.
Rinse the thawed turkey and pat dry. Use your finger to carefully loosen the skin around the entire bird. Take the butter mixture and cut into large pieces. Place the butter pieces under the skin of the entire turkey. Rub the remaining butter pieces on the outside of the skin and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the inside of turkey cavity with remaining onions, fresh herb poultry blend, and lemon slices. (Truss if necessary.) Insert the pop-up thermometer at an angle about 3-inches down from the neck cavity and 2-inches from the breast bone, in the thickest part of the breast.
Place turkey on the bed of vegetables in roasting pan. Place in the oven and reduce temperature to 325 degrees F. Roast for 1 hour, then baste with pan juices every 20 minutes until thermometer pops up or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 180 degrees F, about 3 hours