Tasty Recipes from Recipe Wizards

No-wheat recipes

I am 88 and just in the last few years have become allergic to wheat. I am sure there are others like me. I’d like to have recipes for baked goods that do not contain wheat. Thank you.

– Lillian Recktenwald, Murphys

Chicken salad goes Greek

I have lost my favorite recipe for Greek chicken salad and hope someone can help. The ingredients I remember are: cooked chicken breast cut into chunks, aioli, olive oil, feta cheese and black olives. I’m sure there are more ingredients. Can someone help? Thank you.

– Barbara Bell, Des Moines, Iowa

Disneyland’s corn chowder

We recently returned from Disneyland, where we had lunch at the Storyteller Café at the Grand Californian Hotel. We enjoyed the most amazing charred Nebraska corn chowder we’ve ever had. It was a cream-based soup with corn, potato, bacon and cilantro. It was so wonderful, I’d like to re-create it at home. If anyone could provide this recipe or one like it, it would be appreciated.

– Holly Bellamy, Rocklin

Double-layer pumpkin pie

Prep time: 20 minutes

Chill time: at least 4 hours

Serves 8

Tina Wilson of Citrus Heights doesn’t usually like pumpkin pie, but she enjoys the harvest pie served at Coco’s restaurant. It has two layers, one like pumpkin pie, the other like pumpkin mousse.

This recipe comes from Sue Bear of Citrus Heights, who suggests adding some pumpkin (from a second can) to the first cream cheese layer to make it more like a mousse.

INGREDIENTS

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon milk or half and half

1 tablespoon sugar

1½ cups thawed Cool Whip

1 Keebler Ready Graham Cracker Crust

1 cup cold milk

2 boxes (4-serving size each) instant vanilla pudding

1 16-ounce can pumpkin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

INSTRUCTIONS

Beat cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of milk (or half and half) and sugar in a large bowl with a wire whisk until smooth. Gently stir in Cool Whip. (Add a couple of spoonfuls of pumpkin from a second can to this mixture if you’d like a more mousselike layer.) Spread on bottom of pie crust.

Pour 1 cup of milk into bowl. Add 2 boxes of pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk for one to two minutes. Mixture will be thick. Stir in one 16-ounce can of pumpkin. Add all the spices with a wire whisk. Mix well. Spread over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or until set. Garnish as desired. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

Per serving: 319 cal.; 4 g pro.; 40 g carb.; 15 g fat (8 sat., 5 monounsat., 2 polyunsat.); 20 mg chol.; 380 mg sod.; 3 g fiber; 29 g sugar; 44 percent calories from fat.

Sweet potato biscuits

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 14 minutes

Makes 10 to 12

Malda Martinez of Granite Bay enjoys the Louisiana sweet potato biscuits served at Fresh Choice. She was hoping for that recipe or one similar. Although Fresh Choice was unable to share its recipe, we did feature a sweet potato biscuit recipe in an August Mailbox.

Bill Primrose of Caldwell, Idaho, shares this biscuit recipe that is credited to Meghan Pembleton, special for the Arizona Republic, Nov. 21, 2007.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons cold butter, cut in small pieces

1 cup mashed sweet potatoes (plain or mashed with butter, milk and/or seasoning)

2 to 4 tablespoons low-fat milk (or other type)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Use a pastry blender or 2 knives to make slicing motions through the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, about 3 minutes. With a fork, stir in sweet potatoes. Add just enough milk to make a ball of dough. Turn dough onto a flour-covered cutting board. Roll about ¾ inch thick.

With a 2 ½-inch round cutter (or a wine glass), cut as many biscuits as you can. Place them on an ungreased baking sheet, gather up the dough and repeat until dough is used up.

Bake for 14 minutes. Let cool in pan for 1 minute, then move to wire racks to cool completely.

Per serving, approximately: 125 cal.; 2 g pro.; 16 g carb.; 6 g fat; 16g chol.; 275 mg sod.; 1 g fiber; 43 percent calories from fat.

Prep time: 40 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Serves 20 to 25

This rich lasagna is the perfect comfort food. It makes a great make-ahead dish, perfect for a large holiday gathering. From “The New Lasagna Cookbook.”

INGREDIENTS

Sauce:

10 cups béchamel sauce (see recipe above)

Filling:

2 pounds pancetta, diced

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup white wine

1 cup chopped parsley

1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan

1 cup grated pecorino Romano

Salt and pepper

Noodles:

4 pounds penne, slightly undercooked and drained

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare filling:

In a medium skillet, cook the pancetta. Add garlic. Add wine and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 18-by-13 1/2-by-3-inch baking dish. Spread a layer of béchamel sauce on the bottom of the dish. Add half the pasta to the pan. Top with half the remaining sauce and half the pancetta mixture.

Sprinkle with half of the Parmesan and pecorino. Top with remaining pasta.

Top with remaining pancetta mixture, sauce and cheeses. (Can be prepared one day in advance. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Let lasagna come to room temperature before baking.)

Cover with foil and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Smaller version (serves 6 to

Sauce:

4 cups béchamel sauce (see recipe)

Filling:

1/2 pound pancetta, diced

2 garlic gloves, minced

1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 cup grated pecorino Romano

Salt and pepper

Noodles:

1 pound penne, slightly undercooked and drained

Assembly

Follow same directions as for larger version, except use a 13-by-9-by-3-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Decrease baking time to 20 to 30 minutes, covered with foil, and an additional 10 to 15 minutes uncovered. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Per serving based on 25: 508 cal.; 32 g pro.; 55 g carb.; 16 g fat (9 sat., 5 monounsat., 2 polyunsat.); 58 mg chol.; 847 mg sod.; 2 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 29 percent calories from fat.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves 4

This is the dish in the photo.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

3 tablespoons water, divided

2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon Chinese fermented black beans, rinsed well

1 teaspoon cornstarch

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon cooking oil, divided

1 tablespoon fresh ginger peeled and minced

4 garlic cloves, peeled, stemmed and minced

2 cups broccoli florets

2 cups Chinese cabbage, rough chopped

1 carrot, peeled and sliced thin

8 ounces firm tofu, rinsed, pat dried, cut into 1-inch cubes

INSTRUCTIONS

In a small bowl combine vinegar, water, soy sauce, black beans, corn starch, and pepper flakes, stir to mix well, set the sauce aside.

Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add ginger, garlic, broccoli, cabbage, and carrot slices to pan and stir fry for 3 minute.

Add 2 tablespoons water, cover and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Remove vegetables from pan.

Heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat in the same pan; add tofu and stir fry for 2 minutes.

Add the sauce mixture, cook for about 2 minutes, stirring, until mixture begins to thicken.

Return vegetables to pan and stir fry until heated through.

Serve with a small bowl of steamed rice or cooked noodles.

Per serving without rice or noodles: 149 cal.; 11 g pro.; 10 g carb.; 8 g fat (1 sat., 2 monounsat., 5 polyunsat.); 0 mg chol.; 117 mg sod.; 4 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 49 percent calories from fat.

Prep time: 55 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Serves 10

Joan Sisler of Sacramento loves the enchiladas and sauce served at Los Altos Mexican Dining and Cantina in Truckee. She was hoping for their recipe or one similar.

This recipe comes from Janice Thornton of Merced, who says this dish is delicious.

INGREDIENTS

Roasted tomatillo chili salsa

1 pound tomatilloes, husked

1 white onion, peeled, sliced, quartered or whole

4 garlic cloves

2 jalapeños

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup chopped cilantro leaves

½ lime, juiced

Enchiladas

Extra virgin olive oil

½ medium onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1½ teaspoons ground cumin

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken broth

Chopped cilantro

1 deli roasted chicken, about 3 pounds, boned, meat shredded

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

10 large flour tortillas

½ pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Chopped tomatoes, cilantro and avocado for garnish

Spicy black beans, yellow rice (see recipes on this page), sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Salsa: On a baking tray, roast tomatilloes, onion, garlic and jalapeños for 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the roasted vegetables and any juices to a food processor. Add cumin, salt, cilantro and lime juice and pulse until well- combined but still chunky.

Enchiladas: Meanwhile, heat a 2-count of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cumin, cook 1 minute. Sprinkle on the flour and stir to ensure the flour doesn’t burn, then gradually add chicken broth. Continue stirring over a low simmer until the flour cooks and the liquid thickens.

Turn off the heat, add half of the roasted tomatillo chili salsa, some additional fresh chopped cilantro and fold in the shredded chicken meat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Lower temperature of oven to 350 degrees and begin assembling the dish.

Take a large baking dish and smear the bottom with some of the reserved tomatillo salsa. Take the flour tortillas and briefly flash them over the stovetop flame or put them briefly under the broiler.

Using a shallow bowl, coat each tortilla lightly with the reserved salsa mix. Put a scoop of the shredded chicken enchilada mix on top of the tortilla followed by a sprinkle of the shredded cheese (save some cheese for topping). Fold the tortilla over the filling and roll like a cigar to enclose it.

Using a spatula, place the tortilla in the baking dish and continue to do the same with all the tortillas. Finally, pour over some more of the salsa and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until bubbly and cracked on top.

Garnish with tomato, cilantro and avocado. Serve hot with spicy black beans and yellow rice (recipes on this page), remaining tomatillo salsa and sour cream.

Per serving: 764 cal.; 39 g pro.; 51 g carb.; 44 g fat (18 sat., 18 monounsat., 6 polyunsat., 2 other); 121 mg chol.; 944 mg sod.; 4 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 52 percent calories from fat.

Makes 2 cups

This classic white sauce is made from butter, flour and milk. In lasagna, it binds the ingredients and adds a delicate balance to many of the flavorful meat ragus. The key is to never let the butter cook until it browns. From “The New Lasagna Cookbook.” Here are instructions for four different quantities.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

In a saucepan, heat the milk over low heat just until small bubbles come to the surface. Remove the pan from direct heat, cover and keep warm.

In a separate saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.

Whisk the flour into the butter and continue to whisk for 1 minute.

Gradually whisk in the warmed milk; bring to a simmer and whisk frequently until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes for a small batch, 6 to 8 for a larger batch.

Remove from the heat. Stir in salt and pepper. To prevent a skin from forming on top of the sauce, either whisk occasionally as the sauce cools or place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the sauce.

Use immediately or cool to room temperature. Keep in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. Reheat sauce before assembling lasagna.

Makes 3 cups

3 cups milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Makes 4 cups

4 cups milk

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Makes 10 cups

10 cups milk

12 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Salt and pepper to taste

The directions are the same for each quantity.

Sun-dried tomatoes

I would like to know how to make sun-dried tomatoes, like the ones used in spreads on toasted bread, for example. I would also like some recipes that use sun-dried tomatoes. Thank you.

– Barbara McIntyre, Sacramento

Sauce for tuna steak

I am looking for a recipe for a sauce to put over ahi tuna steaks similar to the sauces they serve in sushi restaurants. Maybe like a creamy or spicy ponzu sauce. Thank you.

– Melissa Baker, Roseville

Angel food, Chinese style

I would like to know if anyone knows how to make the Chinese version of angelfood cake. This cake is not as sweet as the American version;it uses whole eggs, not just the whites; and it is yellow in color, not the traditional white. It does not use powdered sugar.

The cakes are sold in San Francisco’s Chinatown as well as some Chinese bakeries in Sacramento. I love the cakes; so does my little girl. I know that the older generation of Asian women probably would have the recipe – I just can’t find one.

– Edna Wong Yue,

West Sacramento

HOW TO CONTACT THE MAILBOX

If you have recipes in reply to Mailbox reader requests, or questions or comments, write to: Mailbox, c/o Taste, The Sacramento Bee, P.O. Box 15779, Sacramento, CA 95852. You also can e-mail twatson@sacbee.com or fax (916-556-5625). Please include your full name, your city and phone number.