No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons McCormick® Imitation Strawberry Extract
1 tub (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 prepared vanilla crumb crust (6 ounces)

DIRECTIONS1. Beat cream cheese, sugar and extract in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended and smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spoon into crust.

2. Refrigerate 3 hours or until set. Garnish with fresh strawberries or serve with Easy Strawberry Sauce (recipe follows), if desired. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.



TipsEasy Strawberry Sauce: Mix 1/2 cup strawberry jam with 1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract or McCormick® Pure Almond Extract.


NUTRITION INFORMATIONper serving
Calories: 430
Fat: 30 g
Carbohydrates: 35 g
Cholesterol: 62 mg
Sodium: 228 mg
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 5 g

One-Bowl Chocolate Cake

This easy-to-make chocolate cake is dark, moist, rich—and only dirties one bowl! Not quite as easy as boxed cake mixes, but those often contain trans fats. Our simple “from scratch” recipe gives you a home-baked cake with healthful canola oil and whole-wheat flour.


Ingredients


3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour, (see Ingredient Note)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup hot strong black coffee

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
 
Preparation


1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with a circle of wax paper.

2.Whisk flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add buttermilk, brown sugar, egg, oil and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add hot coffee and beat to blend. (The batter will be quite thin.) Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

3.Bake the cake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from the pan, peel off the wax paper and let cool completely. Dust the top with confectioners’ sugar before slicing.

Tips & Notes

Ingredient Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour, lower in protein than regular whole-wheat flour, has less gluten-forming potential, making it a better choice for tender baked goods. You can find it in the natural-foods section of large super markets and natural-foods stores. Store in the freezer.

Tip: No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

Nutrition

Per serving: 139 calories; 3 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 18 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 2 g fiber; 212 mg sodium; 60 mg potassium.



1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 1 1/2 other carbohydrate

Easy Slow Cooker Steak and Black Bean Chili

2 lb beef top round steak


1 envelope (1 oz) onion soup mix (from 2-oz package)

2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 can (4.5 oz)  chopped green chiles, undrained

3 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin
Serve with...

Buttermilk Corn Muffins

Total Time: 25 min 1. Trim fat from beef. Cut beef into 3/4-inch cubes. In 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix beef and soup mix (dry). Stir in remaining ingredients.

2. Cover and cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No changes.





Health Twist

If you’re watching your sodium intake, rinse the beans well to remove excess sodium before adding them to the slow cooker.

Special Touch

Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream, then sprinkle with shredded Cheddar cheese and sliced green onions.