Easy Microwave Applesauce, from Claudia

Easy Microwave Applesauce, from Claudia

Contributed on 7-7-07. Claudia says "Mom was making applesauce today and I told her that I make it in the microwave now---easy and healthy ."

6 medium apples (1 1/2 pounds) peeled. halved and cored). I use organic or regular and scrub them and don't peel them--the fiber is in the skin, then I cut them in chunks (remove core)
1 T lemon juice
1/2 cup Splenda Granular

1/2 t cinnamon
Mom adds a little nutmeg
Optional-- 1 T or less brown sugar
(recipe calls for 2/3 cup water. I never use this as it gets too watery for me. Apples are mostly water. You could add a little extra lemon juice or a little water if you think it needs it)

Place apple chunks in deep microwave-safe dish

Add lemon juice, Splenda, cinnamon, nutmeg

Microwave uncovered on high for 5 minutes, stir mashing apples with a fork (or potato masher) into the liquid

Cook for an additional 5-8 minutes or until apples are tender. Mash apples again, mixing with liquid, until desired texture. I don't add sugar BUT if you like you can add a little brown sugar and stir it into the hot mixture

Mom likes to add those little red cinnamon things--but I think they may have sugar in them. I have added things like sugar-free maple syrup, vanilla, almond, or maple flavoring -- a little of whatever you like to enhance the flavor.

People who like applesauce really smooth usually put it in a blender or food processor. Serve hot, or cool and store in the refrigerator

1/2 cup serving is about 60-70 calories
18 grams of carbohydrate, 0 fat, 2 fiber, 0 salt
Diabetic exchange = 1 fruit

Fash’s Fudge, from Claudia

Fash’s Fudge, from Claudia

Claudia used to make this a lot for the Charles family. She tells that people would kill for the fudge--once Alice Rader was carrying the pan and was being chased around the kitchen by various Charleses who were threatening her with a knife to get it back.

2 sticks margarine
4 cups sugar
1 can evaporated milk
12 ounces chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup walnuts, chopped, optional

Bring margarine, sugar and evaporated milk to a boil and boil and stir for about 20 minutes (don't boil at too high heat). Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips and vanilla.

Now beat till it gets thick enough to fold back on itself without sinking in (Claudia's Secret: if you let it sit a while it will thicken as it cools). Add 1 c chopped walnuts if you like. When it's thick enough, pour into large cake pan that has been either buttered or lined with foil. Refrigerate about 2 hrs or till it hardens enough to cut.

Variation: To make butterscotch fudge, use butterscotch chips.

Caramel Corn

Caramel Corn

Mom says Claudia made this often

2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks butter
1/2 cup corn syrup
6 cups popped corn
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon butter flavoring

Pour into big cake pan, bake at 200 for 1 hr, stir every 15 minutes. You have a lot of sauce--Claudia always added more popcorn to compensate.

Popovers, from Claudia

Popovers, from Claudia

3 eggs -- slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons butter -- melted
1 1/2 cups flour -- sifted
3/4 teaspoon salt

Eggs and milk should be at room temperature.

Beat eggs slightly. Add milk and melted butter. Sift flour, measure it, then add salt. Add this to egg mixture and beat until batter's smooth. Place in 6 very heavily greased custard cups or muffin tins. If cups or tins measure 1/2 c, use 1/3 c batter per cup. If they measure 1/3 c, measure 1/4 c batter per cup. If baking in custard cups instead of muffin tins, put them on a cookie sheet. Bake in hot (400 degree) oven for 1 hour.

HONEY BUTTER: Mix 1/4 c light honey with 1 stick butter at room temperature.

NOTES: One recipe says start popovers in a cold oven, then set it to 450 and bake for 30-35 minutes to get lightest, highest popovers.

Merk’s Coffeecake, from Claudia

Merk’s Coffeecake, from Claudia

Won first prize and sweepstakes awards at Minnesota State Fair around 1975.

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups flour -- sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 pint sour cream
6 tablespoons butter or margarine -- softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup nuts -- chopped

Cream shortening, sugar and vanilla thoroughly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder and soda together. Add to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream, blending after each addition. Spread half of batter in a 10-inch tube pan that has been greased.Cream butter, brown sugar and cinnamon together. Add nuts, mix well. Sprinkle one half of nut mixture evenly over batter. Cover with remaining batter, sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes or so before removing.

Easy Chicken Mozzarella Bake, from Claudia

Easy Chicken Mozzarella Bake, from Claudia

2 cups hot water
1 cup Uncle Ben's Converted brand rice
14 1/2 ounces Del Monte Cut Diced Tomatoes
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 broiler-fryer chicken -- cut up
2 cups mozzarella cheese -- shredded

Preheat oven to 375.

In a baking dish combine water, rice, tomatoes, soup mix and pepper. Mix well. Place chicken into the rice mixture, cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle cheese on top and bake for 15 more minutes.