Cooking

Sky-High Chocolate Pie

Filed Under: Cooking

Sky-High Chocolate Pie

  • 2 cups fat-free milk — divided
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 ounces semisweet chocolate — chopped
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 ounces reduced-fat graham cracker crust
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 8 large egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  1. To prepare filling, combine 1/2 cup milk, 2/3 cup sugar, and next 4 ingredients (2/3 cup sugar through egg) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.
  2. Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Remove from heat. Gradually add hot milk to sugar mixture; stir constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Add chopped chocolate; cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 5 minutes); stir constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour into crust; cover surface of filling with plastic wrap. Chill 3 hours or until cold.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°.
  4. To prepare meringue, combine 1 cup sugar and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 240°. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed of a mixer until foamy. Pour hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg white mixture; beat at high speed until stiff peaks form. Remove wrap from filling. Spread meringue evenly over filling; seal to edge of crust.
  5. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until lightly browned; cool on a wire rack. Chill until set.

Simply Roasted Pork

Filed Under: Cooking

Simply Roasted Pork

  • 1/2 cup apricot preserves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 pounds boneless pork loin — trimmed
  • Cooking spray
  1. Preheat oven to 425°.
  2. Place the preserves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, and cook 10 minutes or until melted. Keep warm over low heat.
  3. Combine salt, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper; rub evenly over pork. Place pork on a rack coated with cooking spray; place rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes. Brush 1/4 cup preserves evenly over pork. Bake an additional 10 minutes. Brush remaining preserves evenly over pork. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until thermometer registers 155° (slightly pink). Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Slow-Roasted Beef with Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Filed Under: Cooking

Slow-Roasted Beef with Creamy Mashed Potatoes

  • Beef:
  • 6 cups Beef Stock
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 lb boneless chuck roast (trimmed and cut against the grain into 4 slices)
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme (divided)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • Potatoes:
  • 1 1/2 lbs baking potatoes (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
  • 1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
  • 1 Tbs butter (softened)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  1. Preheat oven to 400°.
  2. To prepare beef, combine Beef Stock and water in a saucepan; bring to a simmer. Place beef in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish; pour stock mixture over beef. Bake at 400° for 2 hours or until beef is tender.
  3. Remove beef from the cooking liquid; cover and keep warm. Strain cooking liquid through a sieve over a bowl. Place a zip-top bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour liquid into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 corner of bag. Drain liquid into a saucepan, stopping before the fat layer reaches the opening; discard fat. Bring liquid to a boil; reduce to simmer. Cook 20 minutes or until reduced to 1 cup. Remove from heat; stir in 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
  4. To prepare potatoes, place potatoes in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and cook 12 minutes or until very tender. Drain. Return potatoes to pan. Add milk, butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mash with a potato masher to desired consistency. Cook for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with beef. Serve sauce over beef; garnish with remaining 1 teaspoon thyme.

Sirloin Steak with Tarragon-Garlic Sour Cream

Filed Under: Cooking

Sirloin Steak with Tarragon-Garlic Sour Cream

  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
  • 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt — divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper — divided
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 pound boneless sirloin steak — trimmed
  • 20 ounces refrigerated red potato wedges — (such as Simply Potatoes)
  1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
  2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle both sides of steak with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper; add steak to pan. Cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Keep warm.
  3. Wipe pan with a paper towel; return to heat. Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add the potatoes; sauté 15 minutes or until browned and thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Serve with steak and sauce.