Cook Without Book

Yield:  12 muffins (serving size: 1 muffin)                     Ingredients 1 1/2 cups   all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces) 1 cup   whole wheat pastry flour (about 5 1/8 ounces) 1/2 cup   sugar 1 teaspoon   baking powder 1 teaspoon   baking soda 1/2 teaspoon   salt 1 1/2 cups   low-fat buttermilk 1 1/4 cups   chopped dried figs 2 tablespoons   canola oil 1 teaspoon   vanilla extract 1  large egg Cooking spray 1/3 cup   packed brown sugar 1/4 cup   quick-cooking oats 1 tablespoon   butter, melted Preparation Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly spoon flours into measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. Place buttermilk, figs, oil, vanilla, and egg in a food processor; process until well blended. Add fig mixture to flou...

Prep Time:  15 minutes Cook Time:  10 minutes Yield:  Makes 16 servings (serving size: 1 whoopie pie)                      Ingredients COOKIES: 1 1/2 cups   all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled 2/3 cup   unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed) 1 1/2 teaspoons   baking powder 1/2 teaspoon   sea salt or table salt 1 cup   unsweetened applesauce 1/3 cup   vegetable oil 1  large egg 1/2 cup   granulated sugar 1/4 cup   agave nectar 1 teaspoon   instant espresso powder, dissolved in 1 teaspoon warm water 1 teaspoon   pure vanilla extract FILLING: 2/3 cup   marshmallow crème 1/4 cup   (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup   powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon   pure vanilla extract Preparation 1. To make cookies: Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, combine flour and next 3 ingredients (through salt); sti...

Yield:  20 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich cookie)                   Ingredients 1/4 cup   margarine, softened 1/4 cup   no-sugar-added creamy peanut butter 1/2 cup   "measures-like-sugar" calorie-free sweetener 1/4 cup   sugar 2  large egg whites 1 teaspoon   vanilla extract 1 3/4 cups   all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon   baking soda 1/8 teaspoon   salt Cooking spray 3/4 cup   low-sugar strawberry spread Preparation Preheat oven to 350°. Beat margarine and peanut butter with a mixer at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sweetener and sugar, beating well. Add egg whites and vanilla; beat well. Combine flour, soda, and salt in a small bowl, stirring well. Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture, beating well. Shape dough into 40 (1-inch) balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Flatten cookies into 2-inch circle...

Yield:  38 servings (serving size: 1 cookie)                  Ingredients 1/2 cup   margarine, softened 1/3 cup   sugar 1/2 cup   "measures-like-sugar" brown sugar calorie-free sweetener (such as Brown Sugar Twin) 1/2 cup   egg substitute 1 teaspoon   vanilla extract 2 1/4 cups   all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon   baking powder 3/4 teaspoon   baking soda 1/4 teaspoon   salt 1/3 cup   unsweetened cocoa 2/3 cup   finely crushed sugar-free peppermint candies (about 30 candies) Cooking spray Preparation Preheat oven to 350°. Beat margarine with a mixer at medium speed until creamy; gradually add sugar and sweetener, beating well. Add egg substitute and vanilla; beat well. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients. Add to margarine mixture, stirring just until blended. Stir in crushed candy. Drop dough by level tablespoonfuls onto wax paper. Roll into balls; place ba...

Yield:  10 servings (serving size: 1 pancake)                 Ingredients 1 cup   all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon   baking soda 1/8 teaspoon   salt 2 tablespoons   toasted wheat germ 1 cup   nonfat buttermilk 1/4 cup   unsweetened applesauce 2 teaspoons   vegetable oil 1  large egg, lightly beaten Cooking spray Sugar-free maple syrup (optional) Fresh fruit slices (optional) Preparation Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine buttermilk and next 3 ingredients. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Heat a nonstick griddle or nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. For each pancake, pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle, spreading to a 5-inch circle. Cook pancakes until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked; turn pancakes, and cook other side. ...

               Ingredients 1 1/2 pounds   broccoli crowns, cut into long spears 3 cups   turkey (light and dark meat, shredded into large pieces), warmed 2 tablespoons   unsalted butter 1  small onion, thinly sliced 1 cup   presliced mushrooms 3 tablespoons   all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups   homemade turkey broth or low-sodium canned broth, heated 2 tablespoons   dry sherry 3 tablespoons   heavy cream 1/2 cup   freshly grated Parmesan, divided 1/4 cup   sliced almonds Preparation In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook broccoli about 5 minutes, or until tender; drain. Butter a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking dish; arrange broccoli across the bottom. Top with turkey; cover with foil to keep warm. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Sauté onions and mushrooms until golden brown (add a little broth if mixture seems dry). Add flour, and cook, stirring, 1 minute...

Yield:  10 servings (serving size: 1 slice)                 Ingredients 1 1/2 cups   all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons   "measures-like-sugar" calorie-free sweetener 1 tablespoon   baking powder 2 teaspoons   ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon   cumin seed, slightly crushed 1/4 teaspoon   dry mustard 1/4 teaspoon   salt 2/3 cup   fat-free milk 1/3 cup   egg substitute 2 1/2 tablespoons   vegetable oil 2 tablespoons   picante sauce Cooking spray Preparation Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk and next 3 ingredients; stir well. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2- x 4 1/2-inch loafpan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan, and let cool on a...

Yield:  6 servings (serving size: 3 ounces pork and about 2 tablespoons sauce)                  Ingredients 2  (3/4-pound) pork tenderloins Cooking spray 3/4 cup   1% low-fat milk 1 1/2 tablespoons   all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons   Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons   dry white wine or low-sodium chicken broth 1/4 cup   fat-free sour cream 1/8 teaspoon   pepper Fresh rosemary sprigs (optional) Preparation Prepare grill. Insert a meat thermometer into thickest part of 1 tenderloin, if desired. Place tenderloins on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill, covered, 25 to 30 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 160°, turning occasionally. Combine milk and flour in a saucepan, stirring until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in mustard and wine; remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and pepper. Cut tenderloins into 1/4-inch-thick slic...

                Ingredients 1 tablespoon   olive oil, divided 1  (20-ounce) package shredded potatoes (about 3 1/2 cups) 1  large egg white, whisked 1 tablespoon   all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon   salt 6 ounces   fresh spinach 1/4 cup   chopped onion 2 tablespoons   water 6  large eggs 1/4 cup   part-skim ricotta cheese Freshly ground black pepper 2 ounces   Swiss cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup) 1 ounce   Canadian bacon, finely chopped Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 400°. Coat inside of a deep-dish 9-inch pie plate with 1 teaspoon olive oil; set aside. 2. Combine potatoes and egg white in a large bowl. Toss lightly. Add flour and salt; toss to coat. Transfer to pie plate, and pat evenly into bottom and sides to form crust. Drizzle remaining 2 teaspoons oil over crust. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Remove from oven. Reduce oven tempera...

                      Ingredients Crust: 1 cup   graham cracker crumbs (about 7 cookie sheets) 2 tablespoons   granulated sugar 2 tablespoons   butter, melted Cooking spray Filling: 2  (8-ounce) blocks Neufchâtel cheese 2  (8-ounce) blocks fat-free cream cheese 1 cup   granulated sugar 3 tablespoons   all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons   vanilla extract 1 1/2 teaspoons   pumpkin-pie spice 1/4 teaspoon   salt 1/4 teaspoon   ground coriander 1/4 teaspoon   ground cardamom 4  large eggs 1  (15-ounce) can pumpkin Topping: 2 tablespoons   brown sugar 1 tablespoon   butter 1/3 cup   chopped hazelnuts Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 325°. 2. To prepare crust, combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl, and toss with a fork. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Set aside. 3. To pr...