Recipe Corner: Eggs Benedict

My first Hollandaise sauce and it turned out great!  In no small part because the folks at Cook's Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen are frickin' geniuses.  Darren liked it enough for seconds, Henry enjoyed it, and I thought it was pretty darn tasty, too.  My sauce didn't even split, which I believe is the worst thing about trying to make this dish.  This recipe feels so fool-proof that I will definitely make it any time it's requested.  Yay for sauces!  (Well, some sauces, let's not be too accommodating of sauces just yet, okay?)  

Ingredients:
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter (one stick), softened
1/3 cup boiling water
salt to taste
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tsp lemon juice

English muffins
eggs (enough for each muffin piece)
Canadian bacon, bacon, ham
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
1 tsp table salt

Directions:
Combine four yolks and butter in a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan (use a double boiler if you have one) with simmering water.  Whisk together, slowly adding the boiling water.  Keep whisking until all butter has melted, the sauce thickens, and the temperature reaches 160º F, approximately 7 minutes.    Remove from heat.  Add salt, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice, stirring to combine, and set aside.

Bring water to a boil and turn off the heat, add vinegar and salt, and carefully distribute eggs around the pan, covering with a tight-fitting lid.  Cook eggs for 3 minutes.  If cooking for a larger crowd, have a second pan with heated water (150ºF) nearby.  Remove eggs from the first pan to the second pan and cover to keep them warm while you prepare another bunch of eggs.

Place English muffins on baking sheet cut-side up and place under the broiler (my rack was in the second from the top slot, about 6" from the top of the oven) and broil for 3-4 minutes, checking at 3 to prevent burning.  Remove from heat, add slices of Canadian bacon (or other meat), and return to oven for another minute.  

Don't forget to heat your plates!  Now construct the dish - English muffin, ham, egg, Hollandaise sauce.  

Recipe Corner: Spaghetti all'Assassina (Spicy Singed Tomato Pasta)

This is my latest favorite preparation of pasta and it is a beauty of a dish.  I love making the pasta using the fairly labor-intensive risotto process.  I think it's hilarious to put dry pasta into a nonstick skillet and essentially fry it up and then stand guard as the liquid slowly soaks into the noodles.  It's delicious!  This recipes comes from Cook's Illustrated but I saw that NYT Cooking has a very similar recipe for the dish that is, I'd expect, most likely on par with this one.

Ingredients
6 cups water
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup + 2 tbls extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2-3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup tomato passata*
1 3/4 tsp salt
12 ounces spaghetti

Directions
Whisk water, tomato paste, and sugar together in medium saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low to keep tomato broth warm.

Heat 1/3 cup oil, garlic, and pepper flakes in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Cook, stirring frequently until garlic is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in passata and salt.  Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and oil around edges of skillet begins to sizzle, about 4 minutes.

Add pasta in even layer and increase heat to medium-high.  Add 1 cup tomato broth and cook, pushing between pasta strands frequently with edge of spatula to prevent clumping, until broth has been mostly absorbed by pasta and sauce around edge of skillet begins to sizzle, 4 to 5 minutes.  Add 1 cup broth and cook, shaking skillet occasionally and continuing to prod pasta strands with spatula, until broth has been mostly absorbed and sauce begins to sizzle, 5 to 7 minutes.

Using two thin spatulas, gently flip half of pasta so bottom is on top and spread into an even layer.  Repeat with remaining half of pasta. Add 1 cup broth and cook, continuing to shake skillet and prod pasta, until broth has been mostly absorbed and sauce begins to sizzle, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 1 cup broth and repeat cooking until sauce begins to sizzle, 5 to 7 minutes. Repeat dividing and flipping pasta. 

Add 1 cup broth and repeat cooking until sauce begins to sizzle, 5 to 7 minutes. Pasta should be firm but cooked through.  If not, add remaining 1 cup broth, 1/2 cup at a time, and continue to cook, checking frequently, until pasta is cooked through.

Increase heat to high and cook pasta, without moving it, until underside is deeply browned and crisp and some strands are beginning to char, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove skilled from heat, drizzle with remaining 2 tbls olive oil, and serve immediately.

*Cook's Illustrated recommends Pomi Strained Tomatoes 

Recipe Corner: Banana Bread

I made my own adaptation of Saveur's Mom's Banana Bread recipe and, to absolutely toot my own horn, I think it's even better! I like that there are various substitutions available in case you don't have the recommended ingredients on hand, and I reduced the amount of sugar just because I could.

Ingredients
Butter (or PAM), for greasing pan
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
2 large very ripe bananas, mashed
optional add-ins: chocolate chips, pecans, walnuts, dried cherries or cranberries, orange zest, turbinado sugar (for sprinkling on top)

Recommended substitutions

• flour - 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (omitting the whole-wheat flour)
• oil - 1/2 cup canola, olive, vegetable oil, etc. or any combo of oils so long as you have 1/2 cup (note: olive and coconut oils add their own distinctive flavors so keep that in mind)
• buttermilk - 1/3 cup plain or vanilla yogurt (I've tried regular yogurt and Greek yogurt and was happy with both results)
• vanilla extract - Disaronno (amaretto)

Directions

Heat over to 350˚ F. Grease a standard loaf pan and dust with flour. 

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. 

In a medium bowl combine the sugar, oil, buttermilk (or yogurt), vanilla, and egg and whisk until smooth. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Add mashed bananas (and other optional add-ins) and stir in gently. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in middle of load comes out clean,  55-65 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes before slicing and serving. 

UPDATE: After making this recipe a ridiculous number of times, I noticed that the mashed bananas seemed to settle in the middle of the batter instead of being distributed throughout, which meant that section became a little soggy.  I've since started adding an additional quarter cup of flour and this makes the batter thicker, helping the banana stay distributed.  Yay!

Personal growth in the kitchen

Note: This is a 'pat yourself on the back moment', brought to you by Christie. 

I am definitely getting more comfortable in the kitchen. (And just a shade over four decades, alright!) 

For example, this morning I went to the kitchen intending to make blueberry muffins for breakfast. I'm using Smitten Kitchen's recipe. 

The first hurtle I had to overcome* was the lack of plain yogurt or sour cream in my fridge. No problem, I'll just use vanilla yogurt. We normally have that on hand and the addition of vanilla can't hurt. 

Nuts. There is no vanilla yogurt. But we do have blueberry. We'll give that a try. 

Nuts. The recipe calls for 3/4 cup and I have about a 1/2 cup. But we do have buttermilk. We'll give that a try. 

Once all the ingredients were sorted out and substitutions made, I continued with the muffin baking experience. I totally winged it on the amount of buttermilk, pouring it in until I received what I hoped was the correct consistency, which S.K. says is "quite thick". I also adjusted my baking time down to 17 minutes from her original 25 to 30 minutes. My muffin tin is smaller than the standard size so I'm going to get around 15 muffins.

I'm typing all of this up as my first batch is baking. 

Approx. 7 minutes later…

Success! Hen says the muffins are "the best" and that I "would win if I made these muffins on MasterChef". 

*In the olden days this initial setback would have been enough to derail the project. 

Recipe Corner: Easy red sauce

It really does not get any easier than this. 

Ingredients: 

1-28oz can of whole peeled tomatoes

5 tbls unsalted butter

1 med. onion, peeled and cut in half

pinch of salt (optional*)

parmesan (optional†)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a 2-3 quart saucepan. Bring to a near boil, reduce heat, and simmer for approximately 45 minutes. Stir occasionally and use the back of a wooden spoon to break down the tomatoes. 

Serves over cooked pasta with or without parmesan. So yummy!

*We didn't need it.

†We totally use cheese. Because cheese is good.

Recipe Corner: White Beans with Chard

I took a basic bean and chard recipe online and tweaked it to fit the ingredients I had in the house. It goes great over a piece of toasted Ken's Artisan Bakery bread. Yummy!

Ingredients:

I bunch of Swiss chard

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1/4 - 1/2 medium onion, small dice

2 garlic cloves, chopped fine

freshly ground black pepper

salt

1-15oz can cannellini beans (or kidney beans), drained and rinsed

1/2 + cup turkey broth (or chicken broth or vegetable broth)

Directions:

Heat oil in pan until shimmering over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened (approx. 5 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add beans, chard, and broth. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Add more broth if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over a piece of toasted bread.

Recipe Corner: Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Some mornings you wake up and think, "Hey, it's Halloween. I should make pumpkin donuts." And you look online, find a recipe for which you have all the ingredients already, and give it a try.

These donuts are super easy to make, delightful to eat, and fun to share, although I plan on tweaking the recipe a bit next time I bake them. (I'd reduce the amount of sugar and substitute half the oil with plain yogurt or buttermilk to give them a bit more flavor. I'll also add a 1/8 teaspoon more of each of the spices. And I want to try them with the King Arthur flour to see if that makes any difference.) I sprinkled these with a sugar and cinnamon mixture but think they'd be very yummy with a powdered sugar, cinnamon, and milk glaze.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil*
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons (8 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Lightly grease donut pan.

Combine the oil, eggs, sugar, canned pumpkin, spices, and salt in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add the flour and baking powder and stir just until smooth.

Using a scant 1/4 cup, fill the wells of the donut pan. Bake the donuts for 15-18 minutes (in my oven they were done in 15 min).

Remove donuts from the oven and let sit in pan for five minutes. Loosen the edges and transfer donuts to a rack. Once they are cool enough to handle, dip in the sugar cinnamon spice mixture (or try the glaze). Do not store in a tight container. They are extremely moist and this will make them soggy. Blech.



*I use canola oil instead of regular vegetable oil. I'm curious to try a baking olive oil to see how that'd turn out. 

Recipe Corner: Cashew Butter

I saw this recipe and decided, you know, since I have a food processor, why not?

Hen and I picked up raw whole cashews at Trader Joe's and the morning of Independence Day we got right to work. My nut stages during processing didn't seem to quite line up with the ones listed at The Healthy Foodie but our result was the same - warm, creamy, delicious cashew nut butter. The process does work the food processor pretty hard so we took several breaks to make sure we didn't burn up the motor.

Ingredients
2 cups raw whole cashews
½ tsp vanilla powder
½ tsp salt

Directions
Combine all the ingredients in the food processor bowl. Turn it on and process until the nut oils are released. Continue to process until nut butter is nice and smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed. Be sure to stop for breaks as the process takes nearly half an hour to complete.

Enjoy. It is really good on a piece of toast in the morning with a cup of tea. Mmmmm...

Recipe Corner: Sugar Applesauce

Hen came up with this recipe all on his own. We were on our way home from school and the recipe just burst out of him. He told me I absolutely could not forget the recipe, and that we absolutely had to make it with the apples we had in the house. So this evening, that is what we did. He donned his apron, declared himself the chef, and used his papa and I to make this sugary mass of boiled apples come to life. I fully expect there to be a tremendous sugar crash after he eats it.

Ingredients
2 apples
2 cups water
pinch of salt
1/3 cup sugar

Directions
Peel and core the apples. Discard the peel and core. Cut the apples into thin slices.

Put all the ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and cook the apples, stirring often, until the water is absorbed and the apples are mushy.

Cool and serve. Enjoy!

7:02 A.M. / RECIPE CORRECTION: After tasting the recipe Hen determined the ratio of sugar to apples was off and the result is that the sugar applesauce is too sweet. We are going to try the recipe again tonight but reduce the amount of sugar from a third of a cup to one teaspoon. This post will be updated with those results and any recipe modification after our next taste test.

Recipe Corner: Beans, mushroom, and broccoli soup

Darr made this soup tonight and Hen, not normally a soup-eating kid, ate a lot of it with only the slightest nudging from his parents. It was quite tasty. Tonight's version was made with super strong turkey broth we made from Thanksgiving - two birds make a lot of broth - but I'm guessing it'll be just as tasty with regular old bird broth (i.e., chicken).

Ingredients: 
One med/small onion
Two cloves garlic
Three carrots
Six button mushrooms
Two broccoli
One med potato
Two cans of white beans
Olive oil
Savory (or whatever the purple bulgarian stuff is), 1tsp
Tarragon, 1tsp
Bay leaf.
Three cups of broth

Directions:
Dice onion, garlic, carrots, mushrooms, stems of brocoli (reserving florets), and potato -- all finely.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot and throw in all of the diced vegetables.  Sweat over low heat for a half hour or so, careful not to burn.  About half way through add the spices.

Add the broth and and equivalent amount of water.  Bring to a boil and hold at a simmer for half and hour.  Puree the mixture with the immersion blender.

Add beans and broccoli florets and cook for 15 min or so until the broccoli is done.  No mushy broccoli.

Serves 4 - 6. Goes great with a baguette.

Recipe Corner: Whole wheat butterscotch oatmeal cookies

I'll have to experiment a bit more to see what I can to reduce the amount of butter but for now this is a pretty tasty cookie - good for both the old man and the young one.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup melted unsalted butter
1/2 to 1 cup brown sugar*
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cups butterscotch chips

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, stir together melted butter and brown sugar. Add egg, baking powder, vanilla, and baking soda. Stir in oats and flour until the dough is well combined. Fold in butterscotch chips.

Drop by teaspoonful onto a cookie sheet. Bake in 375 oven for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.

Leave on cookie sheet for three minutes. Remove and cool on rack. Enjoy!

*The recipe called for 1 1/4 cups brown sugar but that seemed excessive. I made my batch with 3/4 cup and with the chips found the cookies to have plenty of sugar. I will most likely use less sugar next time.

Recipe Corner: Ratatouille with Cannellini Beans and Brown Rice

Another delicious meal! I was getting worried but this recipe was fantastic and super filling.

Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
8 oz buttons mushrooms, sliced
1/2 med. onion, chopped
2 med. zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
3 med. garlic gloves, minced
2 14.5 oz cans no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 15.5 oz can no-salt-added cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 large red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
1 tsp dried basil, crumbled
1/2 tsp dried thyme, crumbled
1/8 tsp pepper

2 cups uncooked instant brown rice*
1 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tbls grated parmesan cheese
crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions
In a large, heavy nonstick skillet, heat the oil over med.-high heat. Cook the mushrooms and onion for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onion starts to brown, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the zucchini and garlic. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the zucchini is soft, stirring frequently.

Sir in the remaining ratatouille ingredients, breaking up the tomatoes into smaller pieces. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bell pepper is tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Meanwhile, prepare the rice using the package directions, omitting the salt and margarine and substituting the broth for the water. Spoon into bowls and top with the ratatouille, remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan, and red pepper flakes.

*I didn't have any instant brown rice on hand so I used regular brown rice and started a little earlier to allow for the extra cooking time.

Recipe Corner: Oat, Chocolate, and Sunflower Seed Cookies

This recipe is adapted from Annabel Karmel's Lunch Boxes and Snacks book. I'm not a huge fan of raisins in cookies, and this recipe originally called for them, but I thought that they might actually be better with chocolate instead. So I substituted chocolate for raisins and they are better. I promise.

Ingredients
6 tbls unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt*

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350˚F.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until completely combined. Shape into walnut-sized balls and flatten them onto a nonstick baking sheet with your hand. Bake for about 15 minutes until golden. The cookies will be soft but will harden as they cool.

Yield: Approximately 15 cookies

Recipe Corner: AHA Barley, Squash, and Bell Pepper Medley

This is a great dish. Seriously. I did not have any dried thyme, I substituted it with an Italian mix. I also had regular barley not quick-cooking so I had to start the process about 45 minutes earlier. Hen liked it. Darr liked it. I liked it. It will definitely be a dish we prepare again and again. Yum.

Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley

1 tsp olive oil and 2 tsp olive oil, divided use

1 medium yellow summer squash or zucchini, chopped

1/2 medium green or red bell pepper, thinly sliced lengthwise, then sliced crosswise into 2-inch pieces

1/2 tsp dried thyme*, crumbled

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/8 tsp pepper (coarsely ground preferred)

2 tbls snipped fresh parsley or basil

1/4 tsp salt

Directions

Prepare the barley using the package directions, omitting the salt and oil. Drain well in a colander.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tsp oil over medium heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Add the squash, bell pepper, thyme, red pepper flakes, and pepper, stirring to combine. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the squash begins to brown on the edges, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Stir the barley, parsley, salt, and remaining 2 tsp oil into the squash mixture. 

Serves 4.

Recipe Corner: AHA Kale Crisps

These are delicious! And we will definitely make these again. I recommend not tossing the kale after you sprinkle the parmesan spice mixture over it as much of the tastiness fell onto the baking sheet. And that is not where you want the tastiness. Also, I'm not a vinegar fan so that ingredient became optional for this family. And by optional I mean we will never use it.

Ingredients
cooking spray
8 oz kale, heavy stems removed, chopped (about 5 cups)
1 tbls olive oil
1 tsp vinegar
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp smoked paprika

Directions
Place a rack on the lowest shelf of the oven and preheat the over to 350˚F. Lightly spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

Thoroughly dry the kale in a salad spinner or by blotting with paper towels or dish towels. (Moisture will keep the kale from getting crisp.) Transfer the kale to a large bowl.

Add the oil and vinegar (if using) to the kale, stirring to coat. Spread the kale in a single layer on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the top side of the kale with cooking spray.

Bake for 10 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the Parmesan, garlic powder, and paprika. Sprinkle over the kale.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the desired crispness, turning with tongs every 5 minutes. As pieces get crisp, remove them from the baking sheet and continue cooking the remaining kale. Serve immediately for maximum crispness.

Recipe Corner: AHA Creamy Orange Fizz

Hen's new favorite. A nice way to add a bit of dessert-like flair to the end of a meal.

Ingredients
orange sherbert
pineapple juice
club soda

Directions
Place one small scoop of orange sherbert in a cup. Add equal parts* pineapple juice and club soda. Serve immediately with a spoon.

Note: The recipe includes a scoop of thawed fat-free whipped topping but Darr is very much anti-whipped topping so we didn't add it. Also, we used Ciao Bella's blood orange sorbet.

Recipe Corner: AHA Spinach Pasta Soup

This recipe had potential but failed to deliver. I wouldn't make this exact recipe again but I would try the spinach pasta mix in soup with a few changes. If anyone has suggestions on how to add some depth of flavor without adding salt, I'd appreciate it.

Ingredients
4 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup plus 1 tbls no-salt-added tomato paste
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 cup drained orzo or pastina
8 oz fresh spinach, chopped, or 1/2 10 oz package frozen and chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained*
2 medium green onions
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt

Directions
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the broth, water, and tomato paste until smooth. Add the lemon zest. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Stir in the pasta. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.

Stir in the spinach and green onions. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in the salt and pepper.

*I ended up using all the spinach because, hey, why not. It's spinach.

Recipe Corner: AHA Spaghetti with Zesty Marinara Sauce

This recipe is a little sweet but pretty good, and since it serves eight I was able to freeze half for another week when I'm feeling less inclined to cook. All that is good in my book.

Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 6-oz can no-salt-added tomato paste
2 tbls minced fresh parsley
2 tsp sugar*
1 1/4 tsp dried Italian seasonings, crumbled
1/2 tsp dried basil, crumbled
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp salt
1 14.5-oz can no-salt-added tomatoes, crushed, undrained
1/2 cup water
1 8-oz can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/4 dry red wine
1 medium dried bay leaf
16 oz dried whole-grain spaghetti
1/2 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Cook the onion and garlic for 3 minutes, or until the onion is soft, stirring occasionally.

Whisk in the tomato paste, parsley, sugar, Italian seasoning, basil, pepper, red pepper flakes, and salt. Reduce the heat to medium low. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard the bay leaf.

Meanwhile, prepare the spaghetti using the package directions, omitting the salt. Drain well in a colander. Transfer to a large serving bowl.

Stir in the Parmesan. Top with the sauce.

Serves 8.

*As pointed out by Amber I left a dangling asterisk (Dear God, no!). I put it there to note that in future batches I will use less sugar.

Recipe Corner: AHA Guiltless Banana Pudding

It's overpoweringly sweet but I liked it, sort of. Darr did not like it. Hen wanted no bananas. In banana pudding. So...we will probably not make this again. There was a bit of an argument the night this dish hit the table as it contained one thing Darr hates more than Hamburger Helper - Fat Free Cool Whip.

Ingredients
1 cup fat-free milk
1 1-oz package fat-free, sugar-free vanilla instant pudding mix
8 oz fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed in fridge
2/3 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk*
2 tbls fresh lemon juice (to taste)
20 low-fat vanilla wafers, whole or crushed
2 medium bananas, thinly sliced

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, whisk or beat the fat-free milk and pudding mix until thickened.

Fold in the whipped topping, milk, and lemon juice. Layer half the vanilla wafers, half the bananas, and half the pudding mixture in an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Repeat. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding. Refrigerate until needed.

Recipe Corner: AHA Cinnamon-Orange Pancakes

I made these Saturday morning. The texture was a bit off. Thanks, whole wheat flour. The flavor was interesting but the next time I make these I'll turn down the heat a bit to cook them longer and use the orange sauce the authors recommend (there's a recipe for that, too).

Ingredients
1 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbls toasted wheat germ
1 tbls sugar
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup fat-free milk
1 tsp grated fresh orange zest
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup egg substitute
cooking spray

Directions
Preheat the oven to 200˚F. Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the flours, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients except the cooking spray. Pour into the flour mixture. Stir just until the flour mixture is moistened by no flour is visible. Don't overmix.

Lightly spray heated griddle/skillet/etc. with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. For each pancake, ladle batter onto the griddle. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the tops are bubbly and the edges are dry. Turn over. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the pancakes to the cooking rack, placing them in a single layer and leaving space between. Put in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Serves 4; 3 pancakes per serving.