Italian Cream Cake

Ingredients:
Cake:
Cooking spray
2 tsps cake flour
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 cups cake flour (about 8 ounces)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 large egg whites

Frosting:
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup (5 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°
To prepare cake, coat bottoms of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray (do not coat sides of pans)
Line bottoms of pans with wax paper
Coat wax paper with cooking spray, and dust with 2 teaspoons flour; set aside
Place 1/3 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until creamy
Gradually add granulated sugar, beating well
Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition
Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife
Combine 2 cups flour, baking soda, and salt; stir well
Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture
Stir in pecans, coconut extract, and 1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat)
Fold egg whites into batter; pour batter into prepared pans
Bake at 350° for 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean
Cool in pans 5 minutes on a wire rack
Loosen cake layers from sides of pans; remove from pans
Remove and discard wax paper
Cool completely
To prepare frosting, place 1 tablespoon butter and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy
Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until smooth (do not overbeat)
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat well
Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with one-third of frosting
Top with other cake layer
Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake

Yield:
16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Nutritional Information:
CALORIES 322(25% from fat); FAT 8.8g (sat 4.6g,mono 2.8g,poly 0.8g); IRON 1.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 45mg; CALCIUM 33mg; CARBOHYDRATE 56.6g; SODIUM 221mg; PROTEIN 4.7g; FIBER 0.5g

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
4 lb potatoes
1 head garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream
4 Tbsp butter
milk or cream, if needed
salt
pepper

Cut top off of garlic head, drizzle with olive oil, loosely wrap in foil
Roast in 400° oven until garlic cloves are soft & lightly carmel colored (40 mins - 1 hr)
Allow garlic to cool & remove the cloves from the skin - this can be done several days ahead & refrigerated
Peel & boil potatoes in salted water
Heat butter & milk or cream over low heat until butter is melted and cream is warm
Use potato ricer or potato masher to rice/mash potatoes & garlic at the same time
Combine potatoes, sour cream, butter, salt, & pepper
Whip at medium speed until smooth
Add more milk or cream as needed

Yield:
4 servings

Macaroon Shortcake with Roasted Pineapple

Ingredients:
Filling:
1 medium pineapple, peeled and cored*
Cooking spray
2 Tbsp pineapple juice
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Shortcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large egg whites
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk

Remaining ingredients:
1 1/4 cups frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
2 tsp powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 450°
To prepare filling, cut pineapple lengthwise into quarters
Cut each quarter crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
Arrange pineapple in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray
Combine juice, honey, ginger, and cloves; drizzle over pineapple
Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until the pineapple is lightly browned
Remove from oven; set aside
Reduce oven temperature to 325°
To prepare shortcakes, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife
Combine flour, coconut, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk
Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes)
Add the egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition
Beat in vanilla
Add flour mixture and milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture
Pour batter into a 9-inch round cake pan coated with cooking spray
Bake at 325° for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean
Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack
Place shortcake on a cutting board or work surface
Carefully split shortcake in half horizontally using a serrated knife
Place bottom half of shortcake on a platter; top with pineapple mixture, whipped topping, and top of shortcake. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.


* I used the Del Monte precut pineapple (found in the produce section). I roasted the entire jar and it was the perfect amount of pineapple for the cake.

Yield
10 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 292(24% from fat); FAT 7.8g (sat 5.6g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.3g); IRON 1.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 13mg; CALCIUM 59mg; CARBOHYDRATE 54g; SODIUM 173mg; PROTEIN 3.8g; FIBER 1.9g

Crunchy-Topped Cocoa Cake

Ingredients:
Cake
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa (I use Hershey's)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Broiled Topping
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) softened butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans)
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
3 Tbsp light cream or evaporated milk (I use evaporated milk)

Heat oven to 350º
Grease & flour 8" square pan
Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, & salt
Add water, oil, vinegar, & vanilla; beat with a spoon or whisk just until batter is smooth & well blended
Pour batter into prepared pan
Bake 35 - 40 mins or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
Meanwhile, prepare broiled topping; spread on warm cake
Set oven to broil; place pan about 4" from heat
Broil 3 mins or until top is bubbly & golden brown
Remove from oven
Cool completely in pan on wire rack

Broiled Topping:
Combine butter, light brown sugar, nuts, coconut flakes, & evaporated milk (or light cream) in a small bowl until well blended

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Before adding the topping:

After adding & broiling the topping:

Parmesan Chicken Paillards with Cherry Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tsp all-purpose flour
2 tsps olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 Tsp sherry vinegar
2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet
Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Combine cheese and flour in a shallow dish
Dredge 1 side of each chicken breast half in cheese mixture*
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat
Add 2 chicken breast halves, cheese side down; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done
Repeat procedure with remaining 1 teaspoon oil and chicken breast halves
Remove from pan; keep warm
Coat pan with cooking spray
Add onion; sauté 2 minutes
Stir in broth and vinegar; cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates
Add tomatoes, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and oregano; cook 2 minutes

*I personally dredge both sides of the chicken through the cheese mixture - extra yumminess

Wine note: These chicken breasts have a piquant Italian flavor. Try the incredible Marchesi di Frescobaldi "Campo ai Sassi" Rosso di Montalcino 2004 (Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy)

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups chocolate chips, 2 Hershey's chocolate bars, chopped or M&Ms
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°
In a bowl stir together flour, salt, and baking soda
In another large bowl stir together butter, both sugars, eggs, vanilla and cocoa
Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mixture and mix until combined
Stir chocolate chips and walnuts, if using, and stir to distribute evenly

For cookies: Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets and bake about 10 minutes
Cool on a baking rack

For bars: Pat dough into a greased 9 inch square baking pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes
Cut into squares when cooled

*I personally use milk chocolate chips & do not put nuts into my cookies