My Recipe Collection

Whole-Wheat Raspberry Rugelach

Makes 48 cookies
Prep time: 45 minutes (plus 1 hour for chilling)
Cook time: 20 minutes

2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
8 tablespoons cold butter, sliced
12 ounces lowfat cream cheese
Cooking spray
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
9 tablespoons raspberry preserves
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
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Mix flour and butter in a food processor until mixture forms small chunks of dough. Add cream cheese and process again until dough holds together. Divide into 3 equal balls. Flatten each portion of the dough into disks; wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spritz a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle half of it on the surface where you’ll roll the dough. Roll one disk into a 10-inch circle.

Next, spread 3 tablespoons of preserves on top of the dough. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the remaining cinnamon and 1/3 of the chopped pecans. Cut the circle into 16 wedges. Starting on the wider outside edge, roll up each wedge. Transfer to the cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

Repeat process with other 2 disks of dough.

Blueberry Cheesecake Parfaits

Make these quickie parfaits with any combination fruit, including peaches, strawberries and kiwi!

Time: 10 minutes + chilling time
Servings: 4

4 oz Neufchâtel cheese, softened
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 gingersnaps, crushed (2-3 tablespoons)
1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen and thawed blueberries
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1. Combine cheese and sour cream in bowl of electric mixer and beat on high speed until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla extract and beat until well combined. Reserve 4 teaspoons of the mixture and set aside. (You should have 1 cup for the parfaits.)

2. Fill each of 4 small parfait glasses or champagne flutes with layers, starting with 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture, then some cookie crumbs, and then a layer of blueberries. Repeat the pattern once more using the remaining cheese mixture, crumbs and blueberries. Finish by dabbing 1 teaspoon of the reserved cheese mixture on top of each parfait. Use any extra berries and crumbs to garnish, if desired. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving.

Caramel Pecan Cheesecake

Prep: 15 minutes plus refrigerating
Bake: 1 hour 5 minutes
Serves: 16

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
5 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
5 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
12 caramels
32 pecan halves
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Mix crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar and butter; press firmly onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes.

Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour and vanilla until well blended. Add sour cream, mix well. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.

Bake at 325°F for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until center is almost set. Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Place caramels and 1 tablespoon water in microwavable bowl. Microwave on high 1 minute or until caramels are completely melted when stirred. Place pecan halves on cheesecake; drizzle caramel over cheesecake.

Blue Cheese Vidalia Onions
by Judy Lynn Henderson

2 large Vidalia onions or other sweet onions, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 tablespoon butter
4 oz blue cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
1/2 of an 8-oz package cream cheese, cut up
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried dillweed
Grilled burgers topped with bacon, or grilled steaks
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1. Fold a 36×18-inch piece of heavy foil in half to make an 18-inch square. Place onion slices in center of foil. Dot with butter. Bring up opposite edges of foil; seal with a double fold. Seal remaining edges with double folds to completely enclose onions, leaving space for steam to build.

2. For a charcoal grill, place packet on rack of covered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 25 to 30 minutes or until onions are just tender; turn packet once or twice during cooking. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Grill as above.)

3. In a large bowl combine blue cheese, cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and dillweed. Use a slotted spoon to add onions to cheese mixture; toss to coat. Serve on burgers or with steaks. Makes 8 servings.

Cranberry Delight Spread

8 oz cream cheese
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar
zest of 1 orange
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, optional
1/4 cup finely chopped dried cranberries
Crackers of your choice
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In an electric mixer bowl combine the cream cheese, juice, cinnamon, and sugar on medium speed until smooth. Fold in orange zest, pecans, and cranberries. Refrigerate. Garnish with a slice of cranberry or orange zest. Serve with crackers.

Makes 1 1/2 cups of spread.