Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Bacon Jack and Jalapeno Quesadillas


Ingredients


Guacamole:
1 ripe Hass avocado, halved, seeded and peeled
1 small tomato, diced
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 small garlic clove, minced
Salt, to taste


Quesadillas:
4 strips turkey bacon (about 3 ounces)
6 scallions,(white and green parts) thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
3 (8-inch) multi-grain tortillas
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey jack cheese
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream, optional
Cilantro, for garnish


Directions


Guacamole: Coarsely mash the avocado in a large bowl. Add the tomato, scallions, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno, and garlic until blended. Cover and chill until ready to serve.


Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.


Lightly spray a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Crumble and set aside.


To the same skillet, add the scallions, jalapeno, garlic, cumin, and coriander. Cook, stirring often, over medium heat, until the scallions are soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.


Place the tortillas on the baking sheet; sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese, 1/3 of the scallion mixture, and 1/3 of the bacon over half of each tortilla. Fold the unfilled half of each tortilla over the filling. Lightly spray the quesadillas with cooking spray. Bake until lightly browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.


Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges and serve with the guacamole and sour cream, if using. Garnish with cilantro.


Copyright 2009 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved


Nutritional analysis per serving: 3 wedges with 1/4 cup guacamole and 1 tablespoon sour cream


Calories 320; Total Fat 18 g; (Sat Fat 6 g, Mono Fat 6 g, Poly Fat 2 g) ; Protein 18 g; Carb 26 g; Fiber 7 g; Cholesterol 32 mg; Sodium 630 mg


SOURCE

Lemon Cake with Lemon Meringue Frosting


Ingredients
Cooking Spray
Flour for dusting
1 (1/2 pint) raspberries
1 tablespoon sugar


Cake:
2 1/3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
1 1/4 cups sugar


Frosting:
3/4 cups sugar
2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray. Dust lightly with flour and shake out the excess.


Reserve half of the raspberries, and combine the other half with 1 tablespoon sugar and crush with a fork. Set aside.


Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, stir with a fork to evenly combine the ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice.


Whisk together eggs, egg whites and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until it holds ribbons, about 2 minutes. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk mixture in 2 parts, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir together by hand until evenly combined and no lumps remain.


Pour the batter evenly into the pans. Bake in the center of the oven until a cake tester comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool on a baking rack for 10 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to cool completely.


Frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold an electric mixer bowl above the water. Whisk the sugar, egg whites, water, cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and beat with an electric hand mixer at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat; beat in the lemon zest and vanilla.


To assemble the cake: Place 1 layer on a flat serving or cake plate, top side down, and spread with crushed raspberries. Top with 3/4 cup frosting, spreading gently on top of the raspberries. Place the second cake layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides. Decorate with the reserved raspberries.


Food Network Kitchens created this lightened-up recipe from a user submission. Click here to see the original recipe.


Copyright 2009 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved


Nutritional analysis per serving:


Calories 315; Total Fat 7 g; (Sat Fat 1 g, Mono Fat 4 g, Poly Fat 2 g) ; Protein 5 g; Carb 58 g; Fiber 1 g; Cholesterol 36 mg; Sodium 285 mg


SOURCE