The recipes in "Entertaining with The Flaming Spoons" are arranged by seasons, with several complete dinner menus given for each season. Each menu includes an appetizer, entree, salad, vegetable, bread and, of course, dessert.
The first recipe printed below is the dessert given for the "Eating Lite" dinner menu listed in the Summer section of the new cookbook.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan; sprinkle with sugar.
In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and cornstarch until foamy. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until soft peaks form. Pour into Bundt pan; cut gently through batter with a metal spatula to smooth out air bubbles.
Place Bundt pan in a shallow roasting pan on oven rack. Pour very hot water one inch deep into roasting pan. Bake until top is golden brown and meringue is set, 40 to 45 minutes. Immediately, very gently, loosen meringue from edges of pan; invert onto a serving plate. Cool 30 minutes and refrigerate, uncovered. It will keep about 24 hours. When ready to serve, sprinkle with blueberries. Cut into wedges and serve with raspberry sauce.
Makes 18 servings, each containing 55 calories, 2 g protein, no fat, 12 g carbohydrate, 31 mg sodium and no cholesterol.
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Following is a sample of one of the complete dinner menus - Too-Hot-to-Cook Dinner - found in the cookbook under the Summer section.
Easy Cheese Spread
1 16-ounce package cream cheese
8 ounces rated-mild-cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped pecans
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Mayonnaise as needed
Assorted crackers for serving
Blend cheese in blender or food processor. Stir in remaining ingredients. Shape into a ball.
Refrigerate overnight. Serve with assorted crackers.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Turkey Roll with Plum Sauce
1 box Uncle Ben's Wild Rice, cooked as directed
1 frozen turkey breast roll, cooked as directed
Purchased plum sauce or plum sauce from following recipe.
Place cooked rice in a serving dish. Slice turkey breast and arrange slices on top of rice.
Drizzle with plum sauce and serve.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Plum Sauce
1 16-ounce can purple plums
1Ú4 cup butter
2 tablespoons minced onion
1Ú4 cup lemon juice
1Ú4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons chili sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1Ú2 teaspoon ground ginger
Drain plums, reserve liquid. Remove plum pits and discard. Puree plums in blender. In a saucepan, melt butter. Add onion and saute until golden. Stir in lemon juice, brown sugar, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ginger and reserved plum liquid. Puree all in blender.
Pour into saucepan and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes, until thickened.
Serve remaining sauce at the table.
Makes about three cups sauce.
Note: You may wish to double this recipe.
Canned Pear Salad with Cream Cheese
Lettuce leaves
8 canned pear halves, drained and patted dry
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1Ú2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1Ú4 cup finely chopped, toasted pecans plus 8 whole toasted pecans for garnish
Arrange lettuce leaves on a large plate or flat serving dish. Arrange pears over lettuce.
In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla and sugar and stir until well combined. Stir in chopped pecans. Place a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture on each pear half. Garnish with whole pecan.
Makes eight servings.
Green Beans Amandine
2 10-ounce packages frozen green beans or
2 15-ounce cans Blue Lake green beans
1Ú3 cup slivered almonds
3 tablespoons melted margarine
Prepare frozen beans according to package directions. If using canned green beans, heat in a medium saucepan and drain.
In a small saucepan, saute almonds in melted margarine; stir into green beans. Serve immediately.
Makes six servings.
Herb Crescents
1 stick butter, melted
1 tablespoon minced onion
1Ú2 teaspoon dill weed
11Ú2 teaspoon parsley flakes
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 10-ounce can refrigerated crescent rolls
In a flat bowl, combine butter, minced onion, dill week, parsley flakes and parmesan. Cut each crescent roll in half lengthwise and dip in butter and herb mixture. Roll into crescent shapes and bake 12 to 15 minutes at 400 degrees.
Makes six servings.
Heavenly Freeze
3 cups macaroons, crushed
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup half-and-half
Pinch salt
3 cups whipping cream, whipped
1Ú2 to 1 cup brandy, or to taste
Combine macaroon crumbs, sugar, half-and-half and salt in a large bowl. Fold in whipped cream. Gradually fold in brandy. Spoon into individual dishes and place in freezer. About 15 minutes before serving, remove from freezer and let sit at room temperature to partially thaw. May be served chilled instead of frozen.
Makes eight servings.