Squash Cheesecake Bars

Pureed winter squash gives most of the body to these leaner cheesecake barsIngredients


9 low-fat graham crackers, (4 1/2 ounces)

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, (not quick-cooking or steel-cut)

2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup sugar, divided

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons nonfat milk

8 ounces nonfat cream cheese, at room temperature

8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, (Neufchâtel), at room temperature

1/2 cup squash puree

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt
 
Preparation


1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray

2.Process graham crackers, oats, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup flour and butter in a food processor until finely ground. Add milk; pulse until completely moistened.

3.Transfer the graham cracker mixture to the prepared pan and evenly pat into the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

4.Meanwhile, reduce oven temperature to 325°. Beat both cream cheeses and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy, scraping down the sides occasionally. Beat in squash puree until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Finally, beat in vanilla, cinnamon, salt and the remaining 3 tablespoons flour. Scrape the filling into the pan, spreading evenly over the crust.

5.Bake until set and the edges are light brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

To make your own squash puree, halve and seed one medium acorn or butternut squash. Place, cut-side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven until soft, about 50 minutes. Cool, then scrape out the flesh with a fork. Or simply use frozen (thawed) or canned squash puree. Find frozen squash puree near other vegetables in the freezer section and canned squash near the canned pumpkin.

Nutrition

Per bar: 146 calories; 6 g fat (3 g sat, 1 g mono); 37 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 1 g fiber; 209 mg sodium; 79 mg potassium.



1 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat

Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits with Chives

These chive-flecked cornmeal biscuits taste best made with extra-sharp Cheddar, but any type of Cheddar will work.


Ingredients


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal, preferably stone-ground (see Shopping Tip)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon honey, (optional)

3-5 tablespoons low-fat milk
 
Preparation


1.Preheat oven to 400°F.

2.Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse a few times to mix. Add cheese and butter and pulse again until the mixture looks pebbly with small oat-size lumps. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

3.Add sour cream, chives and honey (if using) and stir with a rubber spatula until almost combined. Add 3 tablespoons milk, stirring, just until the dough comes together; add more milk as needed until the dough holds together in a shaggy mass. Don’t overmix.

4.On a lightly floured surface, lightly pat the dough into a rectangle about 9 by 5 inches and just over 1/2 inch thick. Using a large chef’s knife, divide the dough evenly into 12 biscuits. Place on an ungreased baking sheet.

5.Bake the biscuits until lightly browned on top, 14 to 16 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips & Notes

Shopping tip: Find stone-ground cornmeal in the natural-food sections of supermarkets, in natural-foods stores or online at kingarthurflour.com and bobsredmill.com.

Nutrition

Per serving: 131 calories; 5 g fat (3 g sat, 1 g mono); 15 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 1 g fiber; 318 mg sodium; 39 mg potassium.



1 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat

Dark Chocolate Meringue Drops

These meringue cookies have a puffy, fragile exterior and a moist, soft interior. They deliver an enticingly bold, knock-your-socks-off bittersweet chocolate experience.


5 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60-75% cacao), divided


2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process), sifted after measuring if lumpy

3 tablespoons cocoa nibs, (see Shopping Tip), optional

1/3 cup egg whites (about 3 large), at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup sugar, divided (use 1 1/2 teaspoons less if cocoa nibs are omitted)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
 
Preparation


1.Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and coat the paper with cooking spray.

2.Coarsely chop 3 ounces of chocolate and place it in a small microwave-safe bowl. (Alternatively, see “No Microwave?” below.) Microwave on Medium for 1 minute. Stir, then continue microwaving on Medium, stirring every 20 seconds, until mostly melted. Stir until the remaining chocolate melts completely.

3.Chop the remaining 2 ounces chocolate into pieces the size of mini chocolate chips. Combine in a small bowl with cocoa and cocoa nibs (if using).

4.Combine egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean medium mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds, then at medium speed until soft peaks start to form. Immediately add about 2 tablespoons sugar; beat for 1 minute. Slowly, about a tablespoon at a time, add the remaining sugar, then vanilla, continuing to beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth, opaque, glossy and thickened, about 2 minutes longer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, raise the speed to high, and beat for 30 seconds more. Lightly fold in the chocolate-cocoa mixture and the melted chocolate just until evenly incorporated and no streaks remain; do not overmix. Immediately drop the batter by rounded teaspoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto the prepared baking sheets.

5.Bake the cookies, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through, until just firm when gently pressed on top but still soft inside, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let stand for 1 to 2 minutes. Then slide the paper from the pans to a flat surface and let the cookies cool completely, about 15 minutes. Gently lift the cookies from the parchment paper using a wide-bladed spatula.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: These are best enjoyed fresh, but can be stored flat with wax paper between layers in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 weeks. Thaw before serving.

Tip: If you add the optional cocoa nibs to the batter, the flavor-texture combination will be even more interesting and complex. Nibs, which are bits of roasted and hulled cocoa beans, are crunchy and have a pure (unsweetened) chocolate taste. Some brands of nibs are coarser than others. For these cookies, the nibs should be the size of finely chopped nuts. If necessary, simply chop them to obtain the right consistency.

Nutrition

Per cookie: 28 calories; 1 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 5 g carbohydrates; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 4 mg sodium; 10 mg potassium.



Exchanges: 1/2 other carbohydrate