Tasty Recipes from Recipe Wizards

Dear SOS: The Arizona Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix serves the most delicious stuffed French toast I have ever eaten. Would it be possible to get the recipe?

-Gayle Taylor, La Canada Flintridge, Calif.

Dear Gayle: We loved this take on French toast – small, mascarpone-stuffed rounds, lightly scented with cinnamon and fried, then topped with a bright orange compote. And it’s perfect for company; make the compote and assemble the “sandwiches” ahead of time, then fry shortly before serving.

MASCARPONE-STUFFED FRENCH TOAST WITH ORANGE COMPOTE

Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Servings: 6 to 9

Note: Adapted from the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. This recipe requires a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter.

Orange compote

3 (10.5 ounce) cans mandarin oranges packed in juice

2 3/4 cups orange juice, divided, more as needed

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1. Drain the canned mandarin oranges, reserving the juice; you should have 1 1/2 cups reserved juice (if you are short, make up the difference with additional orange juice).

2. In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan, combine the canned oranges, reserved mandarin juice, 2 1/2 cups orange juice, ginger and sugar over high heat.

3. Bring the mixture to a strong simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the compote is reduced to sauce consistency, about 40 minutes. As the compote reduces, the color will deepen to a rich apricot shade.

4. When the compote is almost reduced, in a small bowl combine the remaining one-fourth cup orange juice with the cornstarch, whisking to thoroughly combine and form a slurry.

5. Add the slurry into the reduced compote, stirring until the compote thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. This makes about 11/2 cups compote. You might not use all of the compote for the remainder of the recipe; to store, cool the compote then cover and refrigerate until needed. The compote will keep for about a week, refrigerated. Gently warm in a saucepan before serving.

FRENCH TOAST AND ASSEMBLY

About 2 loaves white sandwich bread (you will need 36 slices, enough for 18 sandwiches)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (about 10 ounces) mascarpone cheese

6 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

Canola oil for frying

Orange compote, warmed

1. Cut the bread: Use a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter to cut through the center of each slice to form a round. Spread 1 tablespoon mascarpone over each of half of the rounds, then cover with a remaining round of bread. Repeat, forming 18 sandwiches.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon and sugar to form a batter.

3. Heat a large flat skillet over medium heat. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil to the pan (enough to form a thin film), heating until the oil is hot.

4. Dunk a sandwich quickly into the batter, coating on all sides. Place the sandwich in the skillet and fry until golden and crisp on both sides, about 1 minute per side.

5. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches until all are fried, holding the fried sandwiches in a warm place.

6. To serve, place 3 warm sandwiches on each plate, topping with a spoonful of compote. Serve immediately.

Each of 9 servings: 538 calories; 13 grams protein; 54 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 31 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 212 mg. cholesterol; 29 grams sugar; 425 mg. sodium.

Prep time: 40 minutes

Serves 20 to 24

This recipe by Amy Kaldor-Bull and Amy Brown appears in the March 2010 issue of Disney FamilyFun magazine. (Copyright 2010 Disney Enterprises, In. Reprinted by permission of Disney FamilyFun magazine.)

Note: The prep time doesn’t include the time to make the 4 cake rounds.

INGREDIENTS

Four 9-inch round cakes

Three 16-ounce cans chocolate frosting

7 straws

Chocolate wafer cookies, crushed

Pretzel rods

Chocolate cereal, such as Cocoa Puffs

Chocolate doughnut holes

Green licorice

Fruit by the Foot

Thin pretzels

Toy dirt bike and rider

INSTRUCTIONS

Trim the cake tops flat. Cut 1 cake in half vertically, and cut one-third from another cake.

Assemble the cake as shown, frosting between each layer: Stack the 2 whole rounds and add the two-thirds section. Insert 3 straws vertically, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart, to hold layers together. Add 1 cake half (you can save the other for snacking) and insert 2 more straws. Add the cake third and the last 2 straws. Frost cake.

Sprinkle on a cookie dirt trail, then add pretzel rods, cereal, doughnut holes, and licorice for log trail borders, rocks, boulders, and plants.

To make the finish-line banner, cut 2 pennant strips from Fruit by the Foot and wrap the ends around 2 pretzel rods, pinching them in place. For trail markers, wrap flags cut from Fruit by the Foot around thin pretzels. Push the banner and flags into the cake, then add a toy dirt bike and rider as shown.

Per serving based on 24 servings: 436 cal.; 4 g pro.; 75 g carb.; 14 g fat (5 sat., 7 monounsat., 2 polyunsat.); 47 mg chol.; 426 mg sod.; 1 g fiber; 53 g sugar; 29 percent calories from fat.

Chiles rellenos casserole (Phyllis Pacheco)

Prep time: 40 minutes

Cook time: 55 minutes

Serves 12

Note: The prep time does not include the 15-minute standing time after casserole is baked.

INGREDIENTS

One 27-ounce can plus two to three 7-ounce cans Ortega whole green chile peppers

1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, sliced

1 pound medium cheddar cheese, sliced

3 extra-large eggs or 4 medium eggs

One 12-ounce can Carnation evaporated milk

1/2 cup flour

One 16-ounce can or jar of medium green chili salsa

One 16-ounce can or jar of hot or medium red chili salsa

INSTRUCTIONS:

Spray a 9-by-13-inch Pyrex baking dish with cooking spray. Split canned chili peppers with a sharp knife and open them flat. Line baking dish with one layer of chili peppers. Top peppers with a layer of sliced cheese, alternating Jack slice with cheddar slice so it looks like a checkerboard. Top with another layer of peppers (use third 7-ounce can, if necessary) then another layer of cheese slices (checkerboard pattern) so that cheddar slices are over Jack slices of the first layer of cheese. There should be two layers of chilies and two layers of cheese when completed.

Whip eggs and add milk and flour. Mix and pour over chili-cheese mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Mix the two salsas together and pour over casserole and put back in oven for 15 more minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Per serving: 421 cal.; 23 g pro.; 17 g carb.; 27 g fat (17 sat., 1 monounsat., 1 polyunsat., 8 other); 144 mg chol.; 1968 mg sod.; 3 g fiber; 9 g sugar; 61 percent calories from fat.

Potato salad (Joel Wiley)

Prep time: 55 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Serves 12 to 16

Note: Cook the potatoes the day before the potluck.

INGREDIENTS

5 pounds potatoes

2 Claussen dill pickles, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 small red onion, diced fine

6-8 hard-cooked eggs, chopped well

2 cups reduced-fat mayonnaise, more if desired

1-2 tablespoons yellow mustard

1 tablespoon dill

Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Paprika for garnish

Large square of doubled heavy aluminum foil for serving dish

INSTRUCTIONS

Boil the potatoes the day before, cool and refrigerate. Peel and ice in the morning, place in large mixing bowl with diced pickles, celery, and onion. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper and garlic.

Fold egg mixture into the potatoes and mix well. Place in large plastic zipper bag and store in ice chest for commute.

To assemble at the potluck table, open the foil, upend the salad onto the foil and turn the edges up for a bowl. Sprinkle paprika on top for presentation.

The foil bowl is disposable. The only thing to take home is the ice chest and paprika.

Per serving based on 14 servings using 7 eggs: 279 cal.; 7 g pro.; 34 g carb.; 14 g fat (2 sat., 4 monounsat., 8 polyunsat.); 118 mg chol.; 518 mg sod.; 3 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 44 percent calories from fat.

Chicken ‘n’ stuffing scallop (Linda Alto)

Prep time: 50 minutes Cook time: 55 minutes Serves 12

Note: The prep time includes the time to make the stuffing. The cook time does not include the time to cook the chicken.

INGREDIENTS:

One 8-ounce package seasoned stuffing

3 cups cooked chicken, cubed

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Dash of pepper

4 cups chicken broth, cool

6 eggs, slightly beaten

Pimento-mushroom sauce:

1 can condensed mushroom soup

1/4 cup milk

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup pimento, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

Prepare stuffing according to package directions. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread prepared stuffing in dish. Top with cooked chicken cubes. Pour melted butter in a saucepan, whisk in flour, salt and pepper. Add broth and stir over low heat until mixture thickens. Stir 1 to 2 tablespoons of hot broth mixture into eggs. Add entire egg mixture to broth and combine well. Pour broth mixture evenly over chicken. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes until firm. Cool slightly; cut into squares. Serve with pimento-mushroom sauce.

For sauce, combine all sauce ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Stir and cook until hot. Serve over chicken squares.

Per serving using chicken breast and canned low sodium chicken broth: 333 cal.; 18 g pro.; 21 g carb.; 18 g fat (10 sat., 6 monounsat., 2 polyunsat.); 165 mg chol.; 659 mg sod.; 1 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 51 percent calories from fat.

Marilyn’s famous disappearing baked beans (Marilyn Hasbrouck)

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 5 to 7 hours on high or 8 to 9 hours on low, plus 15 minutes to cook bacon and onions Serves 16 to 20

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound bacon, diced

2 large onions, diced

One 27-ounce can kidney beans, drained (save liquid)

Two 17-ounce cans butter or lima beans, drained (save liquid)

One 31-ounce can pork and beans

One tablespoon mustard

Two tablespoons vinegar

Dash of Tabasco

Sprinkle of garlic powder

1/2 cup brown sugar

14 oz. ketchup

INSTRUCTIONS

In a skillet, fry together bacon and onions. Place in a large slow cooker and add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Cook on low for 8 or 9 hours or on high for 5 to 7 hours. Add water or reserved juices, if necessary. May also be baked in a standard oven at 325 degrees for 5 to 8 hours

Per serving based on 14 servings: 401 cal.; 13 g pro.; 49 g carb.; 19 g fat (7 sat., 9 monounsat., 3 polyunsat.); 26 mg chol.; 1287 mg sod.; 8 g fiber; 17 g sugar; 42 percent calories from fat.

Smoked salmon dip (Marilyn Amir)

Prep time: 20 minutes Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

6 ounces canned salmon, drained

8 ounces softened light cream cheese

Juice of half a lemon (or lime)

1/2 small onion, chopped

1 teaspoon creamed white horseradish

1 tablespoon Liquid Smoke

1/2 stalk celery, chopped

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 tablespoon sweet relish or a small chopped sour pickle

1/2 cup chopped parsley for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix all together and serve with pita, crackers or corn chips.

Per serving based on 6 servings without pita, crackers or corn chips: 106 cal.; 10 g pro.; 4 g carb.; 5 g fat (3 sat., 1 monounsat., 1 polyunsat.); 24 mg chol.; 309 mg sod.; 0 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 43 percent calories from fat.

Last November Mr. Tidbit noted the arrival of twin-packs of 50-ounce bottles of Coca-Cola products selling for something like 45 percent more per ounce than 2-liter (67.6-ounce) bottles. He summed up his reaction by asking “How dumb do they think we are?”

Mr. Tidbit must, sadly, ask that question again now that Coke has introduced eight-packs of Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite and Fanta in 7.5-ounce cans. The marketing apparently will focus somehow on this almost-8 ounces being a more sensible serving (than the 12-ounce can) – that this smaller can is, in effect, a weight-loss product.

In any case it is another high-price product. At the store where he saw them, the eight-packs were on special for $3.18, “regular $4.08.” At that store, two-liter bottles of Coke products (almost always sold at a “special” price, often as low as $1.25) were $1.69, “regular $1.89,” and 12-packs of 12-ounce cans (144 ounces) were $4.59, “regular $4.79.”

At the “special” prices he saw posted, Coke in the new eight-packs of small cans would cost 5.3 cents an ounce – an unbelievable 112 percent more per ounce than 2-liter bottles and 66 percent more per ounce than 12-packs of 12-ounce cans. (At those prices, if you like the idea of the smaller serving, it would be slightly cheaper to buy the 12-ounce cans and pour 41/2 ounces of each down the sink.)

And if you believe the “regular” prices, it’s even worse: Coke in the eight-packs of new small cans would cost 6.8 cents an ounce – a staggering 143 percent more per ounce than 2-liter bottles and 104 percent more per ounce than 12-packs of 12-ounce cans. At those prices, getting 7.5-ounce servings by buying 12-ounce cans and pouring 4.5 ounces of each down the sink would actually be $1.33 cheaper!

Once again: How dumb do they think we are?

Gravy meatball sliders

Prep time: 35 minutes

Cook time: 65 minutes plus 5 to 10 minutes per batch of meatballs

Serves 12, 3 sliders per serving

Joey Campanaro is a third-generation Italian, and these Italian-American meatballs are the same ones he remembers his grandmother braising in red sauce. Using the brown bits left in the pan after frying the meatballs adds flavor to the sauce. A few fresh arugula leaves give the sliders color and a garnish with a slight crunch.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork

1 pound ground veal

1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra for serving

3 large eggs

3 cups water, divided

1 cup panko (Japanese-style) bread crumbs

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped, divided use

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 cups vegetable oil for cooking

1 Spanish onion, chopped

1/4 cup chopped garlic

1 bunch fresh basil, chopped

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes

36 small buns

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, veal, cheese, eggs, 1 cup of the water, the bread crumbs, three-quarters of the parsley, and the salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix well. Shape into 2-inch balls.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the meatballs, in batches if necessary, and sear on all sides until well browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meatballs to a plate. Cover with foil and set aside.

Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the pan (do not discard any of the browned meat bits on the bottom of the pan).

Return the pan to the heat and add the onion, garlic, basil, all but 1 tablespoon of the remaining parsley, and the fennel seeds.

Sauté for 5 minutes, or until the onion is slightly brown.

Add the tomatoes and remaining 2 cups of water. Cook the sauce for 30 minutes. Add the meatballs to the sauce and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Serve the meatballs on buns and top with grated cheese and the remaining parsley.

Per serving: 588 cal.; 34 g pro.; 54 g carb.; 24 g fat (7 sat.); 128 mg chol.; 1,109 mg sod.; 4 g fiber; 36 percent calories from fat.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Serves 6

This rib-sticking chili, printed with permission from Eating Well, offers a hearty mix of wheat berries, beans, peppers and onion. Feel free to add an additional chipotle pepper to crank up the heat in this one-pot meal.

Cooked wheat berries will keep for up to 1 month in your freezer and there’s no need to thaw them; just stir them directly into the chili.

Note: Canned chipotle peppers (smoked jalapeños) in adobo sauce add heat and smoky flavor. Look for the small cans with other Mexican foods in large supermarkets. Once opened, store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed

2 14-ounce cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

1 to 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (canned, see note above), minced

2 cups vegetable broth

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

2 cups cooked wheat berries (see accompanying recipe)

Juice of 1 lime

1 avocado, diced (or about 1 cup roasted sweet potatoes, see recipe below)

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, chipotle to taste, broth and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.

Stir in cooked wheat berries and heat through, about 5 minutes more. (If using frozen wheat berries, cook until thoroughly heated.) Remove from the heat. Stir in lime juice. Garnish each bowl with avocado and cilantro.

Per serving (about 1½ cups each): 386 cal.; 14 g pro.; 61 g carb.; 11 g fat (1 sat., 7 monounsat.); 0 mg chol.; 703 mg sod.; 15 g fiber; 25 percent calories from fat.