Monday, December 8, 2008

Butterscotch Pecan Perfection Pie


**Recipe from Nestle**

* 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell*
* 1 2/3 c. (11-oz. pkg.) Butterscotch Flavored Morsels, divided
* 3/4 c. light corn syrup
* 3 large eggs, at room temperature
* 1 Tbl. all-purpose flour
* 1/4 tsp. salt
* 1 1/2 c. pecan halves, coarsely chopped
* 1 1/2 c. whipped cream (optional)

Heat oven to 350ยบ. Melt 1 1/3 c. morsels in medium, uncovered microwave-safe bowl on med-high (70%) power for 1 minute; STIR. Morsels may retain some of their shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10-15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. ADD corn syrup, eggs, flour and salt to melted morsels. Beat on medium until smooth. Stir in pecans. Pour pecan mixture into pie shell. BAKE for 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out with little bits of filling attached. If browning too quickly, cover with foil. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Refrigerate 1 hour or until serving time.

TO GARNISH AND SERVE: Line baking sheet with wax paper. Place remaining morsels in heavy-duty plastic bag. Microwave on med-high (70%) power for 30-45 seconds; knead. Microwave at 10-15-second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag. Drizzle 10 circular designs about 2 inches high and wide onto prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes or until firm. Place 10 dollops of whipped cream around edge of pie. Remove drizzle designs from refrigerator. With tip of knife, gently remove designs from wax paper and insert, standing up, into dollops. Serve immediately. NOTES*If using frozen pie shell, use deep-dish style. Do not thaw. Bake on baking sheet. TIPS:• 1/3 c. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels can also be melted and made into drizzle designs instead of the Butterscotch Flavored Morsels.•Two shallow (2-cup volume) pie shells can be substituted for the one deep-dish pie shell. Follow directions above and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Chili-Lime Pork Tenderloin


* 1 1/2 lb. pork tenderloin
* Salt and pepper
* 1 tsp. chili powder
* 1 Tbl. fresh lime juice
* 1 tsp. soy sauce
* 1/2 tsp. sugar
* 2 Tbl. vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Pat pork tenderloin dry and season on all sides with salt and pepper. Blend chili powder with lime juice, soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl. Use your hands to rub mixture thoroughly into tenderloin. Warm a large ovenproof skillet over high heat, then add oil. Add pork and sear on all sides, turning meat with tongs, about 2 minutes total. Place skillet in preheated oven and bake until a thermometer inserted in center of tenderloin reads 145°F, about 20-25 minutes, depending on thickness of tenderloin. Baste with any juices that have accumulated and add 2 Tbl. water at a time, if necessary, to prevent scorching. Remove tenderloin to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and let sit for 5 minutes. Slice on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick pieces and serve.

Chicken Piccata



* 2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 1/2 lb.), rinsed, patted dry
* Salt and pepper
* 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
* 3 Tbl. unsalted butter
* 2 Tbl. vegetable oil
* 1/4 c. lemon juice
* 3/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
* 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

Place chicken between 2 sheets of waxed paper and pound until thin. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Heat 1 Tbl. butter and 1 Tbl. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter foams. Add 2 chicken breast halves and cook without moving until browned, 3 minutes. Turn and cook until firm and browned on both sides, 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Add 1 Tbl. butter & remaining 1 Tbl. oil to skillet; cook remaining chicken breast halves. Transfer to plate and cover to keep warm. Add lemon juice and broth to skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Boil, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add remaining 1 Tbl. butter and parsley and stir until butter melts. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and serve immediately.

Broccoli & Double Cheese Calzones


* 1 1/2 c. broccoli florets
* 1 large clove garlic, minced
* 2/3 c. ricotta
* 4 oz. mozzarella, coarsely grated (1 c.)
* 1 large egg yolk
* Salt and pepper
* 1 lb. frozen pizza dough, thawed
* 1 1/2 Tbl. olive oil

Preheat oven to 450°F. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a small pot. Place broccoli in a steamer basket, place steamer basket in pot, cover and steam until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool slightly, coarsely chop, and place in a medium-size bowl. Stir in garlic, ricotta, mozzarella and egg yolk; season with salt and pepper. Divide pizza dough into 4 portions and use a rolling pin to roll each into an 8-inch circle. Place a quarter of broccoli mixture in center of a round, fold dough in half, and then seal by rolling edges together toward center and crimping. Using a sharp knife, cut two small slits in top of calzone to let steam escape. Repeat with remaining dough and broccoli mixture. Brush calzones with olive oil. Mist a large, rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place calzones on baking sheet and bake in center of oven until golden and risen, 13 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately, with warm tomato sauce on the side for dipping, if desired.