Spring time cooking...

On April 19, 2007, the Connect Community Kitchen members (8) gathered for some spring time cooking. This month the group tested out 4 new recipes. For our breakfast component, we baked Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins. Since it was still a little chilly out, we cooked some hot baked potato soup to warm us up. Then we tried our hand at turkey jambalaya and lasagna rolls. Following are the recipes we used and pictures of our results! We had a great time, and as usual lots of laughs were heard! We would like to thank our sponsors, Hansen's Independent Grocer and Hayter's Turkey Products for their continued support and generosity...we appreciate it!!!

Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins

from Cooking Light

Tara takes the muffins from the tins to cool...btw they were delicious!!!

Ingredients
2/3 cup (5 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large egg whites

1 large egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt


1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries we used frozen

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts


Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Add vanilla, egg whites, and egg; beat well.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk to cream cheese mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Gently fold in raspberries and walnuts.
Place 24 foil cup liners in muffin cups. Spoon batter evenly into liners. Bake at 350° 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack.
Yield
2 dozen (serving size: 1 muffin)

Baked Potato-and-Bacon Soup

from cooking light
Ingredients
5 1/4 pounds baking potatoes

7 bacon slices

4 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 teaspoon salt

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf

7 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1 1/4 cups sliced green onions

1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) finely shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese


Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.
Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool slightly. Partially mash potatoes, including skins, with a potato masher; set aside.
Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Add onion to bacon drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add salt, garlic, and bay leaf; sauté 2 minutes. Add potato, milk, pepper, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in parsley, if desired. Top individual servings with bacon, green onions, and cheese.
Yield
18 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup, about 1 teaspoon bacon, about 1 tablespoon cheese, and about 1 tablespoon green onions)

Turkey Jambalaya

From the Editors of Easy Home Cooking Magazine

Yield: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1teaspoon canola oil
1cup chopped onion
1green bell pepper, chopped
1/2cup chopped celery
3cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-3/4cups fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
1cup chopped seeded tomato
1/4 pound cooked ground turkey breast
1/4 pound cooked turkey sausage
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup uncooked white rice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
2.Add chicken broth, tomato, turkey, turkey sausage, tomato paste, bay leaf, basil and red pepper. Stir in rice. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, 20 minutes or until rice is tender.
3.Remove skillet from heat. Remove and discard bay leaf. Top servings evenly with parsley. Serve immediately.

Lasagna Rolls

courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Sauce: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour 1 1/4 cups whole milk 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper Pinch ground nutmeg
Lasagna: 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped 1 large egg, beaten to blend 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil 12 uncooked lasagna noodles 2 cups marinara sauce 1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)
To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.
Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.
Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamelsauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.

Aren't they cute!