DESSERTS

Lime Pound Cake
For the cake:
3 1/4 cups cake flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/4 sticks unsalted butter
8 oz neufchatel cheese
3 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp finely grated lime zest
3 tbsp fresh lime juice

For the glaze:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup granulated sugar

Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Directions:
Have all the ingredients at room temperature.
Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 325F. Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan.
Sift together into a large measuring cup or onto waxed paper the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer (preferably fitted with a flat beater, beat the butter and cheese on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 30 seconds. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium-high and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla and lime juice.
Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions. Beat each addition until just incorporated, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the lime zest.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter so the sides are higher than the center. Bake until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool upright in the pan for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice and granulated sugar until blended.
Set the rack over a plate larger than the cake to catch the drippings of glaze. Lift off the pan. Using a spoon, distribute the glaze over the cake. Let the cake cool completely. Just before serving, sift confectioner's sugar over the cake.
This cake freezes very well. Simply defrost and dust with confectioner's sugar just before serving.
Best served in thin slices. Serves 16 to 20.
Adapted from Flo Braker, Author, Sweet Miniatures (Chronicle Books, 2000)

Flourless Chocolate Cake

8 oz bittersweet chocolate
8 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for buttering pan
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange flavored liqeur such as Grand Marnier
6 tbsp cornstarch
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with butter.
2. Break up or chop the chocolate and melt it in a bowl set above a simmering pan of water. Remove and let cool. While the chocolate is cooling, cream the butter in a mixing bowl.
3. Pour the cooled, melted chocolate into the mixing bowl with the butter and beat for 2 minutes. The mixture should be thick. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Start adding the sugar, beating at high speed, until the eggs are thick and very pale yellow (6 to 8 minutes). Both the egg-sugar and chocolate-butter mixtues should have a similar consistency.
5. Beat the chocolate-butter mixture into the egg-sugar mixture and add the orange liquer. Beat another minute to mix. Sift the cornstarch onto the batter and gently fold in.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap the pan on the counter to level and cover with buttered waxed paper. Put the pan in a baking dish and fill the dish with near-boiling water, almost up to the top of the mold. Put the baking dish with the pan in the preheated oven for 55 minutes. Let cool Turn upside down on a serving platter, but wait 30 minutes to remove the mold.
7. Turn the pan right side up. Remove the side of the pan. Peel off the waxed paper. Leave cake on pan bottom for serving.
8. Cut serving pieces. Serve with unsugared whipped cream.
Adapted from French Women Don't Get Fat

CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
5 tbsp cocoa
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 lb butter
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and cocoa. Set aside. Coat the chopped pecans with a small amount of the dry mixture.
Cream shortening and butter. Add sugar and beat well.
Add eggs one at a time; beat well after each egg. Add vanilla and beat in.
Add dry ingredients alternately with the milk. Beat well. Fold in chopped nuts.
Pour into pan. Bake at 325 for approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. Check cake; it will probably take a bit longer.
Pat's recipe

VIENNESE TORTE
1 pkg (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
4 slightly beaten egg yolks
2 tbsp sifted confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 12-oz pound cake such as Sara Lee
In heavy saucepan, heat chocolate, butter, and water over medium heat, stirring until blended. Cool slightly. Add egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla, stir until smooth. Chill until mixture is of spreading consistency, about 45 minutes. Slice cake horizontally in 6 or 7 layers.Spread chocolate between layers, then frost top and sides. Chill at least 45 minutes before serving. Cut in 1/4-inch slices. Note: you may want to insert 2 or 3 toothpicks into layers before frosting the cake to stabilize the layers.
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

BAR COOKIES
Shortbread base:
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 13 x 9-inch pan with quick release aluminum foil.
Mix dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Add room temperatur butter and mix. The original recipe did this in a food processor. I prefer to mix it with my hands until the ingredients are well combined. Then sprinkle the mixture in the pan and press evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake shortbread in middle of oven until golden, about 20 minutes.
While shortbread is baking, prepare topping.

PECAN-PIE BARS
8 oz pecans (about 2 cups)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp heavy cream
hot shortbread base
Coarsely chop pecans. In a heavy saucepan melt butter and stir in brown sugar, honey, and cream. Simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, 1 minute and stir in pecans. Pour pecan mixture over hot shortbread and spread evenly. Bake in middle of oven until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Lift aluminum foil and pecan bars out of pan and place on cutting surface. Cut into squares or bars. These freeze well and will stay several days, wrapped or covered, at room temperature.

FUDGE BROWNIE BARS
8 oz bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 tsp salt
hot shortbread base
Coarsely chop chocolate and in a small saucepan melt with butter over moderately low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove pan from heat and stir in sugar. Add eggs, beating with a fork until incorporated and stir in flour and salt. Pour chocolate mixture over hot shortbread and spread evenly. Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering, about 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Lift aluminum foil and fudge brownie bars out of pan and place on cutting surface. Cut into bars or squares. These cookies freeze well and keep several days wrapped or covered.
Adapted from Gourmet March 1999

MAIN SALADS

Noelle Sampson's Chicken Salad
1 cup coleslaw dressing*
1 cup mayonnaise*
2 cups uncooked shell pasta
3 cups cooked, diced chicken breasts (about 3)
1 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup green onion
1 can sliced water chestnuts, slivered
1 cup cashews
1 cup grapes, cut in half
Cook pasta.
Combine pasta with mayo and slaw dressing. Add remaining ingredients
Season with salt and pepper.

*I use a combination of mayonnaise, cannola oil, lemon juice, and garlic powder.

Lemony Tuna Garbanzo Salad

1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 6 oz can tuna in spring water, drained
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
15 oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed, drained
3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoees
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 head small Romaine
Whisk yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon peel in small bowl to blend.
Toss tuna with lemon juice in large bowl. Add garbanzo beans, onion, celery, tomatoes, parsley, and yogurt dressing to bowl. Toss to blend.
Remove Romaine leaves from head, wash and drain. Cut the leaves in half vertically and then slice crossiwse. Line a platter with the Romaine and spoon the tuna slad over it or toss the tuna salad with the sliced Romaine. Serve.
Serves 4 - 6

Adapted from Bon Appetite August 1999

Create Your Own Chef's Salad

VINAIGRETTE
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp minced shallot
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

SALAD
1 medium cucumber, peeled halved lengthwise, seeded, and slice crosswise 1/4-inch thick
4 quarts salad greens, (heartier types work better than spring mix)
6 oz radishes, trimmed, halved, and sliced thin
Salt and ground black pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
3 large hard-cooked eggs, each cut into 4 wedges
8 oz deli ham, sliced 1/4-inch thick and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks
8 oz deli turkey, sliced 1/4-inch thick and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, sliced 1/4-inch thick and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks
1 recipe Garlic Croutons

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE: Whisk ingredients in medium bowl until combined. Add cucumber and toss; let stand 20 minutes.
FOR THE SALAD; Toss greens and radishes in serving bowl. Add cucumbers and all but 1 tablespoon dressing and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss tomatoes in remaining dressing in bowl, and then toss with greens. Serve salad along with small separate bowls of egg wedges, ham, turkey, cheese, and croutons so that diners may compose their own salads.

GARLIC CROUTONS
1 large clove garlic, minced to paste or pressed through garlic press (about 1 1/4 tsp)

1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
6 slices (6 ounces) good-quality white sandwich bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 1/2 cups)
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine garlic, salt and oil in small bowl; let stand 20 minutes, then pour through fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl. Add bread cubes and toss to coat. Spread bread cubes in even layer on rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheet to room temperature. (Can be covered and stored at room temperature up to 24 hours.)

Serves 10 - 12.

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Curried Chicken Salad

6 tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp grated orange rind
1 1/2 tsp orange juice
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
2 1/2 cups diced roasted chicken
3/4 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1/4 cup diced dried apricots
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tbsp chopped unsalted cashews
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add chicken and next 5 ingredients to mayonnaise mixture; tossing to coat.
Yield:4 servings.
Adapted from Cooking Light December 2006