Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 22, 1992 TAG: 9201210264
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: TONI BURKS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
APPLESAUCE HELPS CUT THE FAT
Everbody's grandmother (or maybe great-grandmother) used to know how to moisten a cake with some applesauce. Now Mott's, a company that makes applesauce among other fruit things, has built a health-food promotion out of the use of product as "a fat alternative in a variety of recipes."The use of applesauce instead of oil greatly reduces the amount of fat and cholesterol and often the calories in such homemade favorites as chocolate cake and muffins, the company claims. For example, this recipe from Mott's uses applesauce as a substitute for fat in brownies. Dry cocoa powder also cuts the fat that is found in chocolate baking squares.
Magic squares
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 egg whites
1/2 cup evaporated skim milk
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Cocoa icing
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8x8x2-in. baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in sugar. Set aside. In a separate larger bowl, whisk together egg whites and milk. Whisk in applesauce, corn syrup and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and stir until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool brownies before frosting. Cut into squares to serve.
Cocoa icing: Sift together 1 1/2 to 2 cups confectioners' sugar and 2 Tbsps. cocoa powder. Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 1 Tbsp. cold skim milk or coffee. Beat with wire whisk until smooth, adding water if needed. - Baltimore Sun
\ WORST RECIPE CONTEST Now you can be rewarded for your calamities in the kitchen. Cookbook Digest magazine is looking for entries for "My Worst Kitchen Disaster."
The magazine's first winner, Kim Herrera of El Cajon, Calif., told of the first holiday in a new house when the entire family was invited for dinner. Herrera related the following story:
"The time came to remove the turkey from the oven. I opened the oven door and pulled out the rack. Well, the pan with the turkey fell to the floor, slid out the back door, down the steps, and landed at my mother-in-law's feet. I was speechless. But she went into action, rushed inside, grabbed a towel, ran back out, and like it was nothing to her, picked up the bird, brought it back into the house and saved the day."
"My Worst Kitchen Disaster" is an ongoing contest. Each published entry receives a prize, according to the magazine. Cookbook Digest, which reviews cookbooks, is published six times a year.
Entrants must describe their disaster in 100 words or less. A photo may be included. Send entries to Cookbook Digest, Department NS, 950 Third Ave., 16th floor, New York, N.Y. 10022. - Associated Press
\ EASY DOES IT On crisp days, you can look forward to a hot and hearty meal that's ready when you get home. As soon as you walk in the door, you'll notice the enticing aroma of this chunky, nourishing soup. Because the soup simmers all day in your convenient crockery cooker, all you need to do at dinnertime is stir in spinach, ladle the soup into bowls, and dig in.
Vegetable-pork soup
1 lb. pork or lamb stew meat, cut into 1/2-in. cubes
1 Tbsp. oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. paprika
1 cup peeled potatoes cut into 1/2-in. cubes
1 cup loose-pack frozen whole kernel corn
1 cup peeled winter squash or sweet potatoes cut into 1/2-in. cubes
2/3 cup chopped tomato
2 1/2 cups beef broth
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup torn fresh spinach
In large saucepan brown half the meat cubes in hot oil. Remove meat cubes from the saucepan. Brown remaining meat cubes with onion and paprika. Drain fat. In 3 1/2- or 4-qt. electric crockery cooker, layer potatoes, corn, squash or sweet potatoes and tomato. Place meat-onion mixture on top. Combine broth, garlic salt and pepper; pour over ingredients in cooker. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours. If necessary, skim fat from soup. Stir in spinach just before serving. Makes 4 servings. - Associated Press