Cooling Off!

Fudgy Brownie Trifle

1 box (1 lb 2.3 oz) Betty Crocker® fudge brownie mix


Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules or crystals

1 box (4-serving size) chocolate fudge instant pudding and pie filling mix

2 cups cold milk

1 bag (8 oz) toffee bits

1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed


1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray.

2. Make brownie mix as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs and adding coffee granules. Spread batter in pan. Bake as directed on box. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

3. Cut brownies into 1-inch squares. Place half of the squares in bottom of 3-quart glass bowl. Make pudding mix as directed on box for pudding, using milk. Pour half of the pudding over brownies in bowl. Top with half each of the toffee bits and whipped topping. Repeat with remaining brownies, pudding, toffee bits and whipped topping.

4. Cover; refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Store covered in refrigerator.





Do-Ahead Tip

This chocolate pleaser can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time. You also can bake the brownies and freeze them tightly covered up to 2 months.

Special Touch

This fabulous crowd-pleasing dessert is extra-special when garnished with chocolate curls or chocolate leaves.



Nutrition Information:

1 Serving: Calories 300 (Calories from Fat 140); Total Fat 15g (Saturated Fat 6g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 30mg; Sodium 230mg; Total Carbohydrate 38g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 28g); Protein 3g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 4%; Iron 4% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 3 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2 1/2

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie

Apple Crumb Squares with Apple Cider Sauce

These squares are dressed up with a sweet and tangy apple cider sauce and a dollop of low-fat ice cream; they also make a satisfying simple dessert or snack on their own.
8 servings ;Active Time: 1 hour ;Total Time: 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients


1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 cup apple-juice concentrate, thawed

3 medium tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

Apple Cider Sauce, (recipe follows)

2 cups low-fat vanilla ice cream, or nonfat frozen yogurt

Preparation


1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch square or 7-by-11-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

2.Whisk oats, whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Work in the oil and apple-juice concentrate with a fork or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3.Press 2 cups of the oat mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Arrange apple slices over the crust in three overlapping rows. Mix the walnuts into the remaining oat mixture. Sprinkle over the apples and pat into an even layer.

4.Bake until the top is golden and the apples are tender when pierced, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

5.Meanwhile, make Apple Cider Sauce.

6.To serve, cut into 8 pieces and place on dessert plates. Top with ice cream (or frozen yogurt) and drizzle with cider sauce.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: The squares are best served the day they are made.

Nutrition

Per serving: 403 calories; 11 g fat (2 g sat, 4 g mono); 6 mg cholesterol; 75 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 6 g fiber; 206 mg sodium; 221 mg potassium.



4 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 1 fruit, 2 fat

Almond-Crusted Pork with Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce

Sliced almonds add a delectable, almost-like-fried-chicken crunch to the breading for these tender pieces of pork. We slice the pork thinly to keep the cooking time quick. The resulting pork “fingers” are great dipped in this surprisingly simple, delicious honey, soy and mustard sauce.


Ingredients


Almond-Crusted Pork with Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce

1 cup coarse dry breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat (see Note)

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 large egg white, beaten

1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices

Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Preparation


1.Preheat oven to 425°F. Set a wire rack on a baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.

2.Place breadcrumbs, almonds, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a food processor; pulse until the almonds are coarsely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish.

3.Place egg white in another shallow dish. Dip both sides of each pork slice in egg white, then evenly coat with the almond mixture. (Discard any remaining egg white and almond mixture.) Place the pork on the prepared rack and coat on both sides with cooking spray.

4.Bake the pork until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, 16 to 18 minutes.

5.Meanwhile, whisk honey, soy sauce and mustard in a small bowl. Serve the pork with the honey-mustard sauce.

Tips & Notes

Note: We like Ian's brand of coarse dry whole-wheat breadcrumbs, labeled “Panko breadcrumbs.” Find them in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets. To make your own breadcrumbs, trim crusts from firm sandwich bread. Tear the bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Spread the breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until dry and crispy, about 15 minutes. One slice of bread makes about 1/3 cup dry whole-wheat breadcrumbs.

Nutrition

Per serving: 299 calories; 7 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 74 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrates; 29 g protein; 3 g fiber; 561 mg sodium; 562 mg potassium.



Nutrition Bonus: Potassium & Zinc (16% daily value).



2 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 other carbohydrate, 3 lean meat

Marmalade Chicken

Orange marmalade and freshly grated orange zest make a deliciously tangy sauce for quick-cooking chicken tenders. Serve with brown rice.


READER'S COMMENT:
"I made this for dinner tonight and loved it! I did however change the recipe just a bit. Instead of orange marmalade I used apricot preserves and the juice of an orange. (all the jars of orange marmalade at my local grocer had high...

4 servings

Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes


Ingredients


1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

2 tablespoons orange marmalade

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 pound chicken tenders, (see Note)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 large shallots, minced

1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest


Preparation


1.Whisk broth, vinegar, marmalade, mustard and cornstarch in a medium bowl.

2.Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 4 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

3.Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and shallots to the pan and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, about 30 seconds. Whisk the broth mixture and add it to the pan. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; cook until the sauce is slightly reduced and thickened, 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Add the chicken; return to a simmer. Cook, turning once, until the chicken is heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in orange zest.

Tips & Notes

Note: Chicken tenders are the virtually fat-free strips of rib meat typically found attached to the underside of chicken breasts. They can also be purchased separately. Four 1-ounce tenders will yield a 3-ounce cooked portion. Tenders are perfect for quick stir-fries, chicken satay or kid-friendly breaded “chicken fingers.”

Nutrition

Per serving: 213 calories; 8 g fat (1 g sat, 5 g mono); 68 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrates; 27 g protein; 0 g fiber; 246 mg sodium; 55 mg potassium.



1/2 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 1/2 other carbohydrate, 3 1/2 very lean meat