YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN, NOT EVEN WITH NIGELLA

Thomas Wolfe was right when he wrote that "you can never go home again" and that's just as true when applied to the attempt to return to a culinary phase.  The seventies seemed to be dominated by the ubiquitous Cornish hen. Cornish hens cropped up at every other dinner party I attended during my early years of domestic training. They appeared on the menus of venues from diners to fine dining establishments. There was something about that cute little bird--so vulnerable, so perfectly sized--that held great appeal. While this is no casserole or typical "pot luck" dish, Cornish hen are certainly small enough to be portable, so that's what's cooking for I Heart Cooking Clubs this week.

A walk through Nigella Express sparked a longing to return to those early days when gourmet cooking meant anything that didn't come out of a package or that had a slight ethnic bent. It took a bit of searching before I found them in my local supermarket, dwarfed as they were by the plethora of Thanksgiving birds. Once I had my prey, I looked forward to Nigella's special twist on this once popular entree.

Serves 2 -    9 WW pts per hen (cooked with skin on); 6 WW pts (cooked without skin on)
2 Cornish hens
2 tbs canola oil
1 sweet potato, about 1 lb
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 bunces watercress (I do not like watercress, so omitted the salad)
Kosher salt
lime juice

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Put the birds in a small baking pan or foil pan, pouring on 1 tbs oil.

Cut the unpeeled sweet potato into 2 1/2 inch cubes and put them into another small baking pan or foil pan. Pour over the other tbs oil and sprinkle over the spices, then toss them to coat evenly.

Cook both the hens and the sweet potatoes for 45 - 50 minutes in the preheated oven.

Put each Cornish hen on a plate with a tangle of watercress and the sweet potato alongside. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and spritz with lime juice.
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TASTE NOTES
My goodness, whatever was all the fuss about? I didn't remember how very bland Cornish hens are, or how little meat there really is on one, or what a mess they are to eat. Nigella's recipe had no special treatment or spice to remedy this blandness. It will probably be another 30-something years before I make or eat another one.

On the other hand, those sweet potatoes were to die for! I will not bother with sweet potato fries in the future. The combination of cumin and cinnamon and the canola oil produced a crisp-on-the-outside, meltingly soft-on-the-inside potato that had me longing for more, more, more. I will definitely do my sweet potatoes the Nigella way in the future.

Now make sure to head over to I Heart Cooking Clubs to see what other Nigella favorites were cooked this week to celebrate Pot Luck.

VODKA CREAM SAUCE FROM THE MOST DECADENT DIET EVER

I confess. I'm a skeptic. Despite having made and loved several recipes from Devin Alexander's cookbook--The Most Decadent Diet Ever--I wasn't convinced that a vodka cream sauce that contained just 111 calories in a half cup could really be "decadent." Once again, though, Alexander shows why she was chosen to author The Biggest Loser's Cookbook. This is a sauce that no one would dream fits into a healthy eating plan. I served the vodka cream sauce over rigatoni, my very favorite pasta.

A word about pasta shapes. Has anyone else noticed that some brands label their pasta shapes incorrectly? Barilla, for example, puts the label rigatoni on what is really mostaccioli. Others label ziti as penne. Consider this my vote for "standardization" of pasta labels. But, I digress.

Makes approximately 4 cups; 8 (half-cup) servings - 2 ww pts per serving
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup minced sweet onion
1 tbs minced garlic cloves
1/3 cup vodka
1 cup fat free half-and-half
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup plus 2 tbs reduced-fat grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

I chose to use my Dutch oven instead of a large saucepan to make the sauce. Heat your vessel over medium heat, then add the oil, onions, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are sweating and tender, but not browned, about 8 - 10 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low and add the tomatoes and vodka. Stir to combine. Slowly stir in the half-and-half, then stir in the lemon juice, Parmesan, dried basil and oregano, sugar and salt. Stir until well combined, the cover, set to the lowest heat setting, and cook for at least 3 hours. Stir occasionally. Serve immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
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TASTE NOTES
If you've never eaten vodka cream sauce, rest assured that you don't really taste the vodka. I loved that this vodka cream sauce had "texture." The onion and garlic, along with the use of crushed tomatoes, kept this from being just another cream sauce. Alexander gives a recipe for penne with chicken in vodka cream sauce and we'll try that version next time. The sauce is sweet, rich, and coated the rigatoni almost like a meat sauce. I could have eaten a whole lot more it tasted so delicious, but I kept to my one cup of pasta and half cup of sauce and it really was more than enough to satisfy that pasta craving that seems to occur on Sundays.

I'm happy to report that since I "reupped" at Weight Watchers the second week in September, I've lost 14 pounds. I've been able to stay on program, in great part, because I can still prepare and eat delicious food.

TASTES LIKE FRIED APPLES

This post is a testament to humanity's triumph over technology. Something happened to my laptop today in the form of an unwanted update which wiped out my favorite's folder and made it almost as difficult to word process this post as it would have been to copy it in the manner of the monks whose highly decorative manuscripts took a lifetime to complete. But I knew that my faithful readership needed this recipe for country store fried apples and, by all that is fragrant and tasty, you were going to get it. After searching for a copycat Cracker Barrel recipe, I happened upon a previously undiscovered blog, Neat & Tidy Country Store, and there it was--the healthful version minus the bacon fat and butter and extra sugar. Thank you, Mary.


8 Servings - 1 WW pt per serving
5 to 6 cups firm, tart apples
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup apple cider (or use water if you don't have the cider)

Peel, core, and slice apples into medium to thick slices. Place the apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small to medium slow cooker. Dissolve cornstarch in apple cider and blend well. Pour over apples and stir to blend. Cover and cook on low setting 5 to 6 hours, stirring halfway through cooking.
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TASTE NOTES
If only to perfume your house with the most incredible smell of apple pie, you should try this recipe. Not that I wouldn't love to bite into a flaky piecrust, but a slice of apple pie at anywhere from 9 points or more does not fit into my plan for weight loss. A lovely dish of what tastes just like apple pie filling for a mere 1 point does. I am going to take the suggestion I read on the Neat & Tidy Country Store blog and try a serving of these apples over a steaming bowl of oatmeal.

PASTA E FAGIOLA: MAN FOOD FOR I HEART COOKING CLUBS

This week's theme over at I Heart Cooking Clubs is "man food." While that might sound a bit sexist, I think the intention was to prepare something hearty or filling, though in our house "man food" can run the gamut from chips and dip to something sweet. In any event, this was just the excuse to try Nigella's version of a family favorite, pasta e fagiola. What could be heartier than a bowl of soup filled with pasta and beans.

From Nigella Bites:

8 Servings (1 cup+ each) - 6 WW pts per serving

3 cups (about 18 oz) dried cranberry beans (I used 1 lb; more about the beans later)

5 cloves of garlic, whole, plus 1 clove microplaned or grated

2 leafy sprigs of parsley

1 onion, peeled and quartered

salt to taste

1 tbs tomato paste

2 (not the 3 Nigella called for) tbs olive oil

sprig of rosemary, 2 inches long, finely chopped

7 oz ditalini or tubetini

Put the beans in a large pot, cover with cold water, and soak overnight or for at least 6 hours.

Drain the beans and put them in a large pot. Using the flat side of a knife, press down on each garlic clove so that the skin tears away. Throw the 5 whole cloves on top of the beans.

Now, Nigella recommends using a knee high for a sack, but I'm afraid I opted for the more "domestic" cheesecloth. Place the 2 sprigs of rosemary and the quartered onion in cheesecloth, tie up, and place in the pot. Cover everything generously with cold water. Cover and bring to a boil. When it boils, turn the heat down to low and simmer for an hour. Check the beans for doneness after an hour. If done, salt. If not, cook until they are done, then salt to taste.

Remove the cheesecloth sack, then remove between 1 and 2 cups of beans and 1 1/2 cups of liquid to a blender and puree. I like my soups thick, so I used 2 cups of beans. At this point, I tossed most of the 5 cloves of garlic, which had been boiled out. There was no mention of them in Nigella's directions.

Add 2 tbs olive oil to a small saucepan and use a microplane to grate the last clove of garlic. Cook on low for about a minute, then add the chopped rosemary. Cook another minute, then add the pureed beans and tomato paste and cook for another minute.

Add the contents of the small saucepan to the pot and return to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 9-11 minutes, until pasta is tender.

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TASTE NOTES

First of all, I could not find any cranberry beans. I asked a number of shoppers if they'd ever heard of them, thinking they might have another name, but no one could help me. I finally bought 1 pound of Goya rosada beans which had a nice cranberry color. While I won't be using pantyhose for my bouquet garni anytime soon, Nigella's method was genius. I have to agree with her that I don't love slimy onion skins or burnt rosemary needles in my final product.

While the soup was absolutely delicious and very, very thick and filling (I made it the day before and had to add beef broth to loosen it), I must confess that I prefer cannellini beans to the pink beans. That said, for a gal of non-Italian persuasion, Nigella makes a mean pasta e fagiola.

Head on over to I Heart Cooking Clubs to see what other Nigella dishes were cooked up in our pursuit of "man food."

Bacon Wrapped Horseradish Shrimp

It was love at first bite when I ordered bacon wrapped horseradish shrimp as an appetizer about 20 years ago. Since that time I've served it at parties to the delight of family and friends. Last night, a last minute change in plans had me scrambling for a quick meal and I decided this would be just the thing.

Shrimp is already low in calories and horseradish is a condiment that is "free" on Weight Watchers. The substitution of center cut bacon and then a halving of the typical amount used (usually one slice per shrimp, I reduced it to half a slice per shrimp) brought the dish to a low 5 points per serving.

Serves 2 - 5 WW pts per serving

Ingredients

9 oz large shrimp (12 shrimp)
6 slices center cut bacon (I love the Oscar Myer)

horseradish

Cook the bacon in the microwave for about 2 minutes. You want it to be pliable enough to wrap around the shrimp. Slice each strip in half.

Clean and devein shrimp, leaving the tails on. Then, cut down the back without cutting through. You don't want to butterfly the shrimp, you just want to create a little pocket.

Place a scant teaspoon of horseradish in each pocket, wrap the half slice of bacon around the shrimp, and secure with a toothpick.

Broil the shrimp until they are opaque and the bacon is crispy. Be careful not to overcook.

If you'd like, you can make a quick sauce by combining a 1/4 cup cocktail sauce with a 1/4 cup sour cream, then add more horseradish to taste.

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TASTE NOTES

I don't know why I haven't made these shrimp more often for dinner--probably afraid of the fat/calories in the bacon, but now that I've discovered center cut bacon, we're going to indulge more often. I have made them in the past wrapped in prosciutto and they're good that way, too. With some very thin, fresh asparagus and some steamed new potatoes with parsley and butter, this was a great dinner that went together in no time at all.

NO NEED TO KNEAD HARVEST BREAD

I love to knead bread, but when I came across the photo of this no knead harvest bread at the King Arthur website, I was hooked. I love dried cranberries; I love raisins; I love nuts; I love bread. Any questions?

The dough was a cinch to throw together, and it sat covered until about 8:00 last night when I prepared it for baking and a second rise. Since I don't own a ceramic baker and I wasn't sure whether I needed to soak my clay baker before using it, I opted to use my trusty LeCreuset Dutch oven. Forty minutes later I had a loaf of bread that made it hard to go to bed.

At 4 WW points per serving, it's a bit of a splurge, but it was so worth it. I toasted half my slice and ate the other half untoasted. Toasted is definitely better. Since DSO is not a lover of dried fruit, I froze most of the loaf after slicing it, the better to enjoy a slice when the mood strikes. I think it would be a most loving vesssel for some tarragon chicken salad.

Here is the link to the recipe on the King Arthur site.
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TASTE NOTES
Dense, chewy, filled with fruit and nuts...heavenly!

ROSTI POTATOES WITH CELERIAC

If you've never eaten celeriac--or seen it for that matter--I heartily recommend that you give it a try. Its gnarly exterior hides a refreshingly sweet, crispy treat. Shredded raw it's a great addition to a salad. Or, you could try it in a dish with potatoes, either as an addition or in place of some of the spuds.

I first encountered rosti potatoes when I traveled to Switzerland. These crispy, skillet-sized potato cakes are sheer heaven with their creamy exterior. I was surprised to find a recipe for rosti in a cookbook I recently acquired, Best of Weight Watchers' Magazine. I opted to make one large cake instead of the 8 smaller cakes.

4 Servings - 2 WW pts per serving

1 medium (1/2 lb) Russet potato

1 small (1/2 lb) celeriac, peeled

1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp crushed black peppercorns

2 tsp olive oil

PREHEAT the oven to 475 degrees. Grate the potato and the celeriac and combine with the mustard and pepper in a bowl. Divide the mixture into 8 even mounds.

HEAT a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Swirl in 1 tsp of the oil , then transfer 4 of the mounds to the skillet and press with a spatula to form 4 patties, about 1/2 inch thick. Cook the rosti until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Repeat with the other 4 mounds.

TRANSFER the rosti to a nonstick baking sheet and bake until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

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TASTE NOTES

I used my cast iron skillet to make the one large cake. Flipping it was a bit of a mess (all over my ceramic topped stove, but thankfully it cleans easily). The celeriac and Dijon mustard added wonderful flavor and kept this side dish points friendly. Served with a mustard-apricot glazed loin of pork and broccoli rabe, it was a terrific fall dish.

CROCKPOT CORN CHOWDER

When the weather turns cool, my first answer to, "What's for dinner?" is soup. I love corn chowder and when I found this simple recipe for the slow cooker in one of Prevention magazine's cookbooks, I had to try it. I've been wanting to participate in Crockpot Wednesday over at Dining with Debbie and this is the week. It couldn't be easier and if I hadn't already decided on the butternut squash soup for Thanksgiving, this would have been a contender.

6 Servings - 4 WW pts per serving (servings are 1 cup)

2 cans (15 oz each) whole kernel corn, drained

3 potatoes (1 lb), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice (I used baby red skins, skin on)

1 onion, chopped

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups 1% milk

1/4 cup trans free margarine (I used Olivio)

PLACE corn, potatoes, onion, and broth in a 4 quart or larger slow cooker. Stir to combine.

COVER and cook on low 7-9 hours. Let cool about 10 minutes.

PUREE half the batch in a blender or food processor. Return pureed mixture to the slow cooker, add the milk and margarine. Cover and cook on high for 1 more hour. Garnish with chives, if desired.

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TASTE NOTES

We enjoyed this hearty corn chowder with meatloaf sandwiches (you MUST try the recipe for mini meatloaves posted on 11/2/09). I will definitely make it again and may try adding some crabmeat next time. It fit well into my Weight Watcher plan and was very filling.

Be sure to stop over at Dining with Debbie to see all the wonderful soup and chili and other slow cooker yummies linked there.

Mini Meatloaves for I Heart Cooking Clubs

Last Friday we bid a teary farewell to our Tyler Florence Fridays. That doesn't mean his cookbooks won't continue to hold "pride of place" on The Food of Love bookshelf. What I loved most about TFF, aside from the wonderful cooking, was the chance to "meet" so many great foodies and be introduced to some incredible food blogs. The fact that there wasn't the pressure to participate each and every week was also a definite plus. Sometimes life just intrudes. So thank you Natashaya , Debbie, and Heather for recognizing this and creating a new club--I Heart Cooking Clubs--with themes each week so we can participate in a way that fits us just right. For the next 6 months we'll be cooking the Nigella way. For those of you who've never caught Nigella on the Food Network, you're missing a warm personality who has a delightfully twisted sense of humor. This week's theme--Autumn Harvest--lead me down the road to comfort food and what could be more comforting than meatloaf? Surrounded by some yummy root vegetables and greens, this was a perfect autumn dinner.

With just a bit of tweaking I was able to produce a delicious dinner starring Nigella's flavorful mini meatloaves. I also set aside a few loaves for sandwiches for another meal that will feature a corn chowder and still had a few loaves left for lunch. Though Nigella recommends just letting the loaves cool in the fridge to slice and use for sandwiches, with a quick glaze, these were just as delicious eaten hot with some nutmeg flavored mashed turnips and some sauteed escarole.

12 Servings (1 mini loaf) - 4 WW pts per serving
Ingredients
1 pound turkey sausage meat
1 pound 90-95% lean ground beef
1 cup oats (chop fine using food processor)
1/3 cup steak sauce (recommended: A1)
2 eggs beaten
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Maldon salt, kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine all of the above in a bowl, mixing really well with your hands or a fork.
Divide the mixture into 12 balls, and then shape them into mini loaves.
Sit the mini meatloaves on a baking sheet with space between them and cook for 15-20 minutes.
If you like a glaze on your meatloaf, as we do, just heat the following and brush on the meatloaves in the last few minutes of cooking:

2 tbs ketchup
2 tsp mustard
2 tsp Wocestershire sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
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TASTE NOTES
By switching out the turkey sausage for regular sausage and using lean ground beef, I was able to lighten these considerably. I loved the flavor the sausage imparted to the beef and the texture was enhanced--as was the fiber--by the oats. I ground them since I had only old fashioned oats, not the quick cooking kind Nigella had specified. Normally I put onion and garlic in my meatloaf, but the seasonings in the sausage really made up for that omission. She doesn't have his delicious dimples, but I'd say that Nigella is a great successor to our guy Tyler.

CRISPY BAKED FISH WITH TROPICAL FRUIT SALSA

In keeping with my goal to include at least one fish meal per week in my diet, this week I picked up a pound of orange roughy. This is a fish that I've eaten before. It is exceedingly mild and bakes up flaky and moist. I served it with butternut squash fries, a nice alternative to sweet potato fries and very points friendly.

4 Servings (fish) - 8 WW pts per serving
Tropical Fruit Salsa (see below)
3 tbs margarine or butter* (duh! I left this out, no wonder it didn't crisp as much as I wanted)
2/3 cup Bisquick
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 tsp chili powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 lb orange roughy fillets (or other white fish fillets)
1 egg, beaten

Melt the margarine in a 13 X 9 inch pan in a 425 degree oven, which you have preheated.

Mix the Bisquick, cornmeal, chili powder and salt. Dip the fish into the beaten egg, then coat with the Bisquick mixture. Place in prepared pan.

Bake uncovered 10 minutes; turn fish. Bake about 15 minutes longer, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with the salsa.

Tropical Fruit Salsa
1 cup pineapple chunks
1 tbs finely chopped red onion
1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbs lime juice
1 mango, peeled, pitted and chopped
1 papaya, peeled, seeded, and chopped
OPTIONAL: 1 jalapeno chili, seeded and finely chopped

Having only pineapple, I made the salsa with this and it was very tasty. I'm sure you could mix and match fruits to your heart's content.
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TASTE NOTES
I was happy to discover why my topping didn't crisp as much as I'd anticipated. While the lack of butter wasn't a great detriment to the dish, it could only have improved it. Next time. This was a delicious and filling meal. The butternut squash fries are a no-brainer: cut about a 2 pound squash in half, seed and peel, then slice into french fry shape. Spray a pan with olive oil nonstick spray. Bake for 40 minutes at 425 degrees, turning halfway through. Serves 2 at 2 WW points per serving.

SLOW COOKER COUNTRY-STYLE PORK RIBS WITH SAUERKRAUT AND APPLES

I'll probably regret this tomorrow, but right now our home smells so enticing, so delectable, so mouth-wateringly good and it's all because of the combination of apples, brown sugar, and sauerkraut. Like most good things, this will not last. By tomorrow what smells so fragrant now will have that stale, what-the-heck-happened here smell that cabbage and sauerkraut leave behind. But I'm all for living in the moment and right now, the smell is FANtastic!

Time got away from me this morning, so I didn't have a chance to throw the ingredients into the slow cooker before I left for my quilt guild meeting. No problem. I figured that 6-7 hours on low could be converted to about 3 hours on high and the result was just perfect. This recipe does have a little prep, but the end result was well worth dirtying a skillet for.

6 Servings - 8 WW pts per Serving

2 lbs country-style boneless pork ribs

2 tbs olive oil

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thinly

1 lb sauerkraut, with liquid

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tbs garlic powder

1 tbs onion powder

freshly grated pepper, to taste

In a large skillet, heat the oil, then brown the ribs on all sides. Place the ribs in the slow cooker.

Layer the apples over the pork ribs. Place the sauerkraut with the liquid over the apples. Sprinkle the brown sugar, garlic and onion powder, and pepper over the top. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours (or on low for 6-7 hours).

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TASTE NOTES

This tasted every bit as good as it smelled. What a wonderful fall dish! I served it with a green salad and didn't even miss having a starch, though it would certainly have been tasty with some buttered noodles or, better yet, some spaetzel. Country pork ribs are very economical and very lean. I generally buy them at Price Chopper, where they're often offered as a BOGO (buy one, get one). We like them broiled with a simple sage rub, brushed with BBQ sauce, and now with the sweet and sour taste of the apples and sauerkraut. This was a great dish for my "last supper." Tomorrow I fast for the dreaded combination endoscopy/colonoscopy the next day. At least I'll have the fond memory of this tasty dinner to get me through a day of liquid fasting.

SLOW COOKER BEEF STROGANOFF

Back in the 70's, Beef Stroganoff was on many a dinner party menu. I know I made and ate my fair share of it. With its sour cream-enhanced mushroom gravy, it had a certain "foreign" elegance about it. Served over a bed of egg noodles, it was also a great way to stretch a buck. What did we know about food back in the 70's anyway?

I found this recipe for Beef Stroganoff in a Prevention Guide Slow Cooker Recipe Book that I picked up at the supermarket the other day. It might be the best $4.99 I've ever spent on a cookbook. The recipes not only are time saving, they all fit well into my Weight Watcher program.

Since you're making this in a slow cooker, the cut of meat used is not the same one you would typically use when making the dish the conventional way. The flavor, however, is quite good, the sauce is plentiful, and the dish requires so little in the way of preparation that it fits into anyone's schedule.

6 Servings - 5 WW pts per serving
1 1/2 lbs lean beef stew meat, cut into 1" cubes
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 can (10.75 oz) fat free cream of mushroom soup
1 cup water
1 cup fat free sour cream

Place all the ingredients except the sour cream in a 4 qt or larger slow cooker and stir to combine.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Ten minutes before serving, stir in the sour cream and cook on high for a few more minutes, until heated through. Serve over hot cooked egg noodles (count the extra points) and garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
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TASTE NOTES
About hour 3 the aroma began to tease my taste buds. By the time I stirred the sour cream into the rich, brown gravy, I could hardly wait to taste this new take on an old favorite. The taste is all there. In truth, the meat is more stew-like than in my original preparation of the dish, but the ease of preparation and the delicious sauce are a more than acceptable trade off. I'll definitely make this again.

SLOW COOKER RICE PUDDING

This was the weekend I finally caught up with all the clipped recipes I've been putting aside to try. I weeded through them and placed them in a separate binder so that I can add them to the cherished "favorites" binder if they make the cut.

Having made friends with the slow cooker, I decided to try this very simple recipe taken from The Gourmet Slow Cooker, Vol. II as reprinted in First magazine.

Servings 7-8*; 5 WW pts (based on 7 servings)

1 cup brown Arborio rice, rinsed (I only had white Arborio)

5 cups 2% milk

1/2 cup honey

1 tbs pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon (I easily quadrupled that; you can never have too much cinnamon)

dash salt

In a slow cooker, combine all the ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until creamy. Serve warm or chilled.

*I only got 7 servings because I used the old slow cooker and used the "3" setting instead of between "1" and "2" and I burned the serving on the bottom.

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TASTE NOTES

I prefer my rice pudding with raisins, but I knew Larry wouldn't touch it if I put in those sweet, plump lovelies. This is a very dense rice pudding, almost pink in color because of my love of cinnamon. As a sidenote, studies have revealed that a phytonutrient in cinnamon called methylhyudroxy chalcone polymer can spur a huge acceleration in sugar metabolism, a side bonus. The honey sweetened it perfectly. If you like a custardy rice pudding, this one isn't for you. It reminds me more of the one you're likely to be served in a diner. I liked it and will try to reduce the calories a bit more next time.

BROCCOLI CAULIFLOWER QUICHE

Crustless quiche isn't something new. My old stand-by, crustless spinach quiche, has been a favorite meatless meal for many years. A recent issue of Weight Watchers Magazine had this very similar recipe. I made a few changes and we enjoyed this recently with a bowl of delicious baked potato soup.

6 Servings, 3 WW points per serving

2 c fresh broccoli florets

2 c fresh cauliflower florets

1 tsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

5 slices center cut bacon, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

1 1/2 c lowfat milk

2 tsp spicy brown mustard

1/2 tsp salt

pepper to taste

2/3 cup shredded part skim mozzarella

1 tbs grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 1/2 inch pie plate with nonstick spray.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the broccoli and cauliflower, cover, and return to the boil. Uncover and cook about 5 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and add the onion, garlic, and bacon. Cook over low until the onions carmelize. When the broccoli and cauliflower are cooked and drained, add them to the mixture to blend the flavors. Cool slightly.

Transfer the vegetable mixture to the pie plate.

Whisk the eggs, egg whites, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper in a bowl then pour over the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake until the quiche is set and the tip of a small knife inserted into the center comes out clean--40-45 minutes. Let cool slightly then cut into 6 wedges.

This quiche can be made a day or two ahead, cooled completed, then cut and stored in an airtight container. To serve, wrap a wedge in waxed paper and microwave on high until heated through, 1 - 2 minutes.

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TASTE NOTES

I love cruciferous vegetables so was happy for another way to enjoy them. The quiche had a wonderful flavor, but didn't have the dense texture usually associated with custard-based foods. I think the small amount of cheese combined with the large pieces of broccoli and cauliflower affected the texture. The bacon was a definite plus, but I confess to preferring my old spinach quiche. Next time I might try pureeing half the broccoli and cauliflower to see if that "hardens" the custard.