Maple Pie

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

1 hour 5 mins

Total time

1 hour 35 mins

 

Maple Pie - a close cousin to butter tarts, sugar pie and even a southern pecan pie. This rich maple flavoured filling in a flakey butter cry pastry is perfect for Canada Day or even for Thanksgiving or at the Holidays.

Author: Barry C. Parsons

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

For the butter pastry

• 2 1\2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup very cold butter cut in small cubes
• ⅓ cup ice cold water
• 1 tbsp white vinegar

For the filling

• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup brown sugar
• pinch salt
• ⅓ cup melted butter
• ⅔ cup whipping cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ tbsp all purpose flour
• 3 eggs

Instructions

To prepare the pastry

1. Using a food processor or a pastry blender cut cold butter into the flour and salt until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Small pea sized pieces of butter should still be visible.
2. Pour vinegar into the cold water then pour over the mixture and work in by tossing with a fork until dough begins to form. Use your hands as little as possible and work the dough as little as possible, form the dough into a ball.
3. Divide dough into 2 balls, flatten into 2, 6 inch rounds, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes.You can make your dough the previous day but make sure you take it out of the fridge for 10 minutes to warm slightly before rolling out. (This pastry recipe makes sufficient for two pie crusts, so wrap one of the pastry rounds tightly in plastic wrap and freeze it for later.)
4. Roll the dough into a 12 - 14 inch round and place in the bottom of a 9½ inch pie plate.
5. Push the dough into the corners and ensure that it is not stretched at all or it will shrink from the edge.
6. Trim dough to a half inch past the edge of plate.
7. Fold the ends under and finch with fingers or fork to shape the edges into whatever design you like best.
8. Place in freezer for 10 -15 minutes to chill before adding the filling.

To prepare the filling

1. In a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup, brown sugar butter and salt. Bring to a boil over medium low heat for 5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and stir in the whipping cream and vanilla extract. Allow to cool to room temperature for about an hour.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
4. When the boiled mixture is cool, whisk in the eggs into the filling until smooth and pour into the chilled pie shell.
5. Bake on a low rack at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 35-45 minutes until the top is golden brown. The middle may still wobble a little at this point but should appear set.
6. Cool to room temperature before refrigerating until serving.
7. Great served with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of good vanilla ice cream.

The best Italian-Style Meatball Recipe

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 1 pound extra-lean ground beef, 4% fat at most
• 1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 3/4 cup reduced-fat marinara sauce
• 1/4 cup egg whites or fat-free liquid egg substitute
• 2 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper

Topping

• 1 cup seeded and chopped tomato
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup finely hashed sweet onion
• 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper

Directions

Prep time: 20 min | Cook time: 35

1 . Set oven to 350 degrees and preheat. Choose 8″ X 8″ baking pan and spray with nonstick spray.
2 . Combine all topping ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix softly until homogenous. Then refrigerate covered.
3 . Combine in a large bowl the following ingredients: ground beef, egg whites or substitute, breadcrumbs, onion powder, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Make 12 equal sized meatballs.
4 . Place meatballs in the baking pan, and evenly garnish with marinara sauce.
5 . Use foil to cover pan before baking for 20 minutes.
6 . Remove foil, bake again about 10 minutes until meatballs are cooked through.
7 . Scatter mozzarella and Parm, bake for 5 minutes until mozzarella melts.
8 . Garnish with topping.

Nutritional information

Servings: 4 | Serving Size: 1/4th of recipe, about 3 garnished and saucy meatballs 

• Calories: 255
• Fat: 8.5g
• Sodium: 681mg
• Carbs: 11g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugars: 4.5g
• Protein: 31.5g

PointsPlus: 6 | SmartPoints: 5

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Ingredients

• 2lb lean ground beef
• 1 medium Onion, diced
• 2 packet Ranch Dressing Mix (I used Mrs Dash no salt seasoning Ranch packets)
• 2 packet Taco Seasoning (I used Mrs Dash no salt seasoning Ranch packets)
• 1 32 oz. box (low sodium) Swanson Chicken Broth
• 14.5 oz. can Tomato Sauce (low sodium)
• 2 – 14.5 oz cans Diced Tomatoes with Chiles
• 14.5 oz can Black Beans (low sodium)
• 1 can Corn (low sodium)

Instructions

1. Saute onions for 2 minutes.
2. Add ground beef and brown the meat.
3. Drain browned ground beef to remove excess fat.
4. Add ground beef mixture and all other ingredients (do not drain corn or black beans) to slow cooker.
5. Cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 6 hours.
6. Garnish with sour cream and cheddar cheese.

Notes

SmartPoints: 5 (about 1½ cups per serving)
Points Plus: 5 (same serving size)

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 12 Calories: 196 Saturated fat: 3.14 Carbohydrates: 11.8 Sugar: 1.17 Fiber: 3.7 Protein: 18.93

Olive Garden Slow Cooker Pasta Fagioli Recipe

5 Smart Points

Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 1 pound extra lean ground beef, browned and drained
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 1 can (14 to 15 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 can (14 to 15 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14 to 15 ounces) white beans, rinsed and drained
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 jar (24 to 26 ounces) tomato-basil marinara or pasta sauce
• 1-1/2 teaspoons oregano
• ¾ teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1-1/4 cups dry pasta (I used fusilli, but shells or ditalini would work well), cooked separately according to the package directions.
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, optional for serving
• Grated Parmesan, optional for serving

Instructions

1. Stir together the cooked and drained ground beef, onion, carrots, celery, tomatoes, beans, broth, pasta sauce, oregano, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper in a 6 to 7-quart slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 7 hours, or until the vegetables are as tender as you like them.
3. When ready to serve, stir the cooked pasta into the soup. Taste the soup and adjust the salt and herbs to suit your tastes.
4. Serve with grated parmesan and a sprinkling of fresh parsley if desired.

Cook’s Notes

Nutritional Estimates Per Serving (1-1/4 cups): 238 calories, 3 g fat, 32 g carbs, 9 g fiber, 19 g protein and *5 PointsPlus

Leeks & apples soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 leek, sliced
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
• 1 potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 big apple, peeled, cored and cubed
• 1 l of water
• 2 cubes of vegetable stock
• salt, pepper
• pinch of nutmeg
• spring onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon of sliced almonds

How to make Leeks & apples soup

1. Melt butter in a pot, fry onion and leek, till translucent.
2. Add carrot, potato, apple, pour in water, add stock cubes, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
3. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer 20 minutes.
4. Mix soup with blender.
5. Serve sprinkled with mint leaves, spring onion and almonds.

chocolate cranberry cupcakes Recipe

Ingredients

3 tbsp dried cranberries2 tbsp brandy2 tbsp milk1 tsp vanilla essence
90g (80%) dark chocolate90g salted butter
6 tbsp plain flour1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs4 tbsp brown sugar
45g (62%) dark chocolate15g salted butter1 tbsp whipping creamsugar hearts

How to make petite chocolate cranberry cupcakes

1. soak cranberries in brandy, milk and vanilla essence for 4 hours.
2. break chocolate into pieces and place it in a bowl together with the butter. melt over a bain marie, stirring from time to time.
3. sift together the flour and baking powder.
4. break eggs into a mixing bowl and add sugar. whisk until the sugar is melted.
5. whisk in the flour, 2 tbsp at a time, until the flour and eggs are combined.
6. stir in cranberries and the soaking liquid, as well as the melted chocolate and butter.
7. spoon mixtures into tiny lined cupcake moulds until 3/4 full.
8. bake in preheated oven at 180C for 12 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
9. remove cupcakes from the oven and leave to cool for about 20 minutes.
10. to decorate, melt chocolate, butter and cream over a bain marie. dip the top of the cupcakes into the melted chocolate and top each with a sugar heart.

XO Beef Recipe

Ingredients

• 350 grams flank steak, cut into thin strips
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon potato starch
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons XO sauce
• 1 onion, cut in wedges
• 1 yellow pepper, sliced
• 1 teaspoon drown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon rice wine
• 2 tablespoons potato starch

How to make XO Beef

1. Mix meat with soy sauce and potato starch. Let it marinate for 1 hour.
2. Heat oil and fry garlic and XO sauce for one minute, then add onions and yellow pepper and stir-fry 2-3 minutes.
3. Add meat and stir fry just until it loses its pink color, then add sugar, salt, and rice wine and stir another minute, then mix 2 tablespoons of potato starch with 2 tablespoons of water and pour into wok. Stir until it thickens, then serve.