Lemon Curd Trifle With Fresh Berries

Ingredients

• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 lemons, zested and juiced
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut in chunks
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed and halved lengthwise
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 1 pint fresh blackberries
• 2 cups sweetened whipped cream
• 1 prepared lemon pound cake, sliced
• 1/4 cup Limoncello or Grand Marnier liqueur (optional)
• Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Directions

To make the lemon curd: Bring a pot of water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Combine the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a metal or glass heat-resistant bowl and whisk until smooth. Set the bowl over the simmering water, without letting the bottom touch, and continue to whisk. Keep working-out that arm and whisk it vigorously for a good 10 minutes, until the curd has doubled in volume and is very thick and yellow. Don't let it boil. Remove the bowl from heat and whisk in the butter, a couple of chunks at a time, until melted. Refrigerate until the custard is cold and firm.

To build the trifle: put the berries in a mixing bowl and toss them together so they are evenly distributed. Fold the whipped cream into the chilled lemon curd to lighten it up into a mousse. Line a glass trifle bowl with pieces of pound cake to fit. Drizzle or brush the cake with the Limoncello, spoon a layer of the lemon curd over the cake, and then a layer of mixed berries. Repeat the layers until the ingredients are used up, the last layer looks best if it's the berries. Chill before serving. Garnish with fresh mint.

Shanghai Pasta

Ingredients

• 8
  ounces dried fusilli, linguine, or spaghetti
• 3
  tablespoons soy sauce
• 1
  tablespoon bottled plum sauce
• 1
  teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/2
  teaspoon red chili paste (optional)
• 1
  tablespoon cooking oil
• 1
  medium red and/or green sweet pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1
  cup fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces or 1 cup pea pods, trimmed
• 12
  ounces frozen peeled and deveined large shrimp without tails, thawed (26 to 30 shrimp per lb. count)
• 2
  cloves garlic, minced
• 1
  teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/4
  teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2
  green onions, bias sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 2
  teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

   
• Directions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Set aside. Keep warm. For sauce, stir together soy sauce, plum sauce, sesame oil, and chili paste (if using). Set aside.

  2. Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet. (If necessary, add more oil during cooking.) Cook and stir sweet pepper and beans in hot oil for 5 minutes. Push from center of wok. Add shrimp, garlic, ginger, and black pepper to center of wok. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Stir in sauce and pea pods. Stir in pasta; heat through. To serve, top with onions and sesame seeds. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

Caramel Pork

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup uncooked sushi or short-grain rice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• Cooking spray
• 1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon bottled ground fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 canned anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced
• 8 lime wedges
  
  

Preparation

1. 1. Combine 1 cup water, rice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes; remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes; gently stir in peas and vinegar.
2. 2. Heat a medium skillet over high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork; sauté 5 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add onion and garlic; stir-fry 2 minutes. Stir in broth and next 5 ingredients (through anchovy); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Spoon 1/2 cup rice on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1/2 cup pork mixture. Serve with lime wedges

Eight Layer Casserole

Ingredients

• 3
  cups dried medium noodles (6 ounces)
• 1
  pound ground beef
• 2
  8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1
  teaspoon dried basil, crushed
• 1/2
  teaspoon sugar
• 1/2
  teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4
  teaspoon salt
• 1/4
  teaspoon black pepper
• 1
  8 ounce carton dairy sour cream
• 1
  8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2
  cup milk
• 1/3
  cup chopped onion (1 small)
• 1
  10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, cooked and well drained
• 1
  cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

   
• Directions

  1. Grease a 2-quart casserole or a 2-quart square baking dish; set aside. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.

  2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook beef until brown. Drain off fat. Stir tomato sauce, basil, sugar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into skillet. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

  3. In a medium mixing bowl beat together the sour cream and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Stir in milk and onion. In prepared casserole or baking dish, layer half of the noodles (about 2 cups), half of the meat mixture (about 1 1/2 cups), half of the cream cheese mixture (about 1 cup), and all of the spinach. Top with the remaining meat mixture and noodles. Cover and chill remaining cream cheese mixture until needed.

  4. Cover casserole or baking dish with lightly greased foil. Bake in 350 degree F oven about 45 minutes or until heated through. Uncover; spread with remaining cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 10 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

  5. Makes 8 servings

  From the Test Kitchen

  • Make Ahead Tip Prepare as directed through Step 3. Cover with lightly greased foil and chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until heated through. Uncover; spread with remaining cream-cheese mixture. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese.Bake, uncovered, about 10 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before baking.

Creamy Chicken and Pesto

 

 

 

 

What You Need

1

lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1

cup frozen peas

1/3

cup red pepper strips

1

tub (10 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Creamy Pesto Cooking Creme

2

cups hot cooked farfalle (bow-tie pasta)

1/2

cup KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Make It

COOK and stir chicken in large nonstick skillet on medium heat 5 to 7 min. or until done. Add peas and peppers; cook 2 to 3 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.
ADD cooking creme; cook and stir 2 min.
STIR in pasta; top with mozzarella.

Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes

Cupcakes

Betty Crocker® FUN da-Middles™ yellow cupcake mix with creamy vanilla filling

3/4

cup water

1/3

cup vegetable oil

2

eggs

1/2

box (3.4-oz size) banana cream instant pudding and pie filling mix

12

vanilla wafer cookies

Frosting

1

cup butter, softened

4

cups powdered sugar

1/2

box (3.4-oz size) banana cream instant pudding and pie filling mix

3

tablespoons whipping cream

1

tablespoon vanilla

2

teaspoons banana extract

Garnish

1/4

cup graham cracker crumbs

12

vanilla wafer cookies

1 Make cupcake batter as directed on cupcake mix box, using water, oil, eggs and adding 1/2 box of pudding mix. (Other half of box will be used in frosting.)

2 Before filling paper baking cups as directed on box, place 1 vanilla wafer cookie in bottom of each paper cup. Fill cups as directed on box. Bake and cool cupcakes.

3 Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat frosting ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

4 Frost cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle tops with graham cracker crumbs; top each with 1 cookie.

Shamrock Cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4
  cup butter (1-1/2 sticks)
• 2/3
  cup sugar
• 1/4
  teaspoon salt
• 1
  egg
• 1/4
  teaspoon peppermint extract or vanilla or almond
• Few drops green food coloring
• 2
  cups all-purpose flour
• Green colored sugar

   
• Directions

  1. In a large mixer bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until softened (about 30 seconds). Add sugar and salt and beat until fluffy.

  2. Add the egg, peppermint extract or vanilla, and a few drops of green food coloring. Beat mixture well.

  3. With mixer on low speed gradually add flour to butter mixture and beat well.

  4. Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Shape each part into a roll about 1 inch thick and about 8 inches long. Roll each in green colored sugar. Wrap rolls in plastic wrap. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 1 week.

  5. Unwrap rolls. Slice crosswise so the slices are 1/4 inch thick. To shape each shamrock, place 3 slices of dough with sides touching in a shamrock shape on an ungreased cookie sheet. Cut a stem from a fourth slice and attach to the shamrock (save the rest of this slice for cutting other shamrock stems). Gently push the slices together so each leaflet curves in slightly.

  6. Bake in a 350 degree F oven about 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. With a pancake turner lift the cookies onto a cooling rack to cool. Makes 32 cookies.

  From the Test Kitchen

  • Make Ahead Tip Store the baked cookies in a tightly covered container at room temperature up to 3 days. Or, store the baked cookies in a freezer container in the freezer up to 2 weeks.