Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Cut the dog off..it's had enough!


Roasted Bananas with Chocolate Yogurt Cream

Bananas with yogurt sounds like a simple breakfast combination, but dress the bananas up with a little butter, rum and sugar, run them under the broiler and you've got a decadent dessert.

4 servings
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours (including draining yogurt)

Bananas with yogurt sounds like a simple breakfast combination, but dress the bananas up with a little butter, rum and sugar, run them under the broiler and you've got a decadent dessert.


Roasted Bananas with Chocolate Yogurt Cream Recipe
4 servings
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours (including draining yogurt)

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
  • 4 bananas, cut in half crosswise then lengthwise
  • 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon dark rum, or lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon cold butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

PREPARATION

  1. Line a sieve or colander with cheesecloth and set over a bowl, leaving at least 1/2 inch clearance from the bottom. Spoon in yogurt. Cover with plastic wrap and let drain in the refrigerator for at least 1 1/2 hours.
  2. About 20 minutes before serving, position rack in top third of oven; preheat to 425°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
  3. Place bananas, cut sides up, on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon and rum (or lemon juice). Dot with butter. Roast in the oven for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler; broil until the bananas are golden and the sugar is bubbly, about 2 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, beat cream, cocoa and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice, until soft peaks form. Push the cream to one side; add the drained yogurt and fold into the cream with a rubber spatula until blended. Drizzle the roasted bananas with any juices accumulated in the pan and serve with a dollop of the chocolate cream.

TIPS & NOTES

  • Make Ahead Tip: The yogurt can be drained overnight.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 359 calories; 16 g fat (10 g sat, 4 g mono); 53 mg cholesterol; 51 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 4 g fiber; 76 mg sodium; 712 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium (21% daily value), Calcium & Vitamin C (20% dv), Vitamin A (15% dv).
Exchanges: 1 1/2 fruit, 1 1/2 other carbohydrate, 1/2 low-fat milk, 3 fat




Smores Cheesecake



This recipe comes courtesy of Chocolate Moosey


2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
16 oz cream cheese
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 Tbsp shortening or butter

1. Preheat oven to 325F. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar. Stir in butter. Press onto bottom and up the sides of a greased 10-inch springform pan. Place on a baking sheet.

2. Beat cream cheese, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs, beat just until combined. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup marshmallows. Pour into pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until center is almost set. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup marshmallows. Bake 4-6 minutes longer or until marshmallows are puffed and toasted.

3. While cooling, melt remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips and shortening. Drizzle over cheesecake. Cool for an hour. Refrigerate overnight.




Pumpkin Walnut Cheesecake



6 ounces zwieback crackers, crushed
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
5 eggs
16 ounces pumpkin
1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup heavy cream
Topping
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Blend zwieback crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and the 6 tablespoons melted butter. Press firmly over bottom and up sides of a lightly buttered 9-inch spring-form pan. Chill. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the 3/4 cup sugar and the 3/4 cup brown sugar, beating until well mixed. Beat in the eggs one at a time, until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the pumpkin pie spice and the heavy cream at low speed. Mix in the pumpkin. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in a slow oven (325 degrees F) for one hour and 35 minutes.
While pie is baking, mix the topping ingredients (the last 3 ingredients), first the butter and brown sugar until crumbly, then blending in the nuts. After the one hour and 35 minutes, remove the pie from the oven. Spread the topping over it, and return it to the oven for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate for several hours, or overnight. This cheesecake is rather large, and incredibly rich. Everyone always wants more than they can fit in their stomach! And the recipe!
Serving suggestion: Some like this garnished with whipped cream and more walnuts, or with whipped cream and pecans.