W HAT’S COOKING
food
$
2,500
HOLIDAY W INNER
SANTA’S SPICY
GINGERSNAPPERS
“Love the streusel on top,” said our
judges about the cookies from Gloria
Piantek of West Lafayette, Indiana.
$
2,500
DESSERTS W INNER
CARROT CHEESECAKE
This entry from Casey Warrington of North East, Maryland,
began as a birthday cake for a brother-in-law who couldn’t
decide between a cheesecake and ^carrot cake. “I put the
two together and*here you have it,” she say^,
SANTA’S SPICY
GINGERSNAPPERS
PREP: 45 MIN. BAKE: 12 MIN. PER BATCH
COOL: 2 MIN. PER BATCH OVEN:350°F
i
cup raisins
1
cup unsalted butter, softened
2
cups packed
2
eggs
i
Tbsp. chopped
1
tsp. finely shredded orange peel
i
tsp. vanilla
3
V
3
cups all-purpose flour
Va
cup chopped pecans
1
V
2
tsp. ground cinnamon
1
tsp. baking soda
Va
tsp. baking powder
Va
tsp.ground nutmeg
V
4
tsp. ground ginger
V
4
tsp. salt
1
recipe Pecan Topping, 6e/ow
1
recipe Orange Glaze,
right
1
.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place raisins and
butter in food processor; process until
raisins are chopped and combined with
butter. Transfer mixture to extra-large
bowl. With electric mixer beat in brown
sugar, eggs, crystallized ginger, orange
peel, and vanilla until creamy.
2
.
In medium bowl combine flour,
pecans, cinnamon, baking soda, baking
powder, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
Gradually beat flour mixture into butter
mixture. Mix until well combined.
3
.
With a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop drop
dough 4 inches apart on an ungreased
cookie sheet. Flatten tops lightly. Spoon
1 teaspoon Pecan Topping onto the center
of each unbaked cookie.
4
. Bake 12 to 13 minutes or until edges are just
set. Let cool on pan for 2 minutes; transfer
cookies to cooling rack. Cool completely.
5
.
Drizzle cooled cookies with Orange
Glaze.
MAKES 3 DOZEN LARGE COOKIES.
p e c a n t o p p in g
In small bowl combine
V
2
cup chopped raisins, V
2
cup chopped
pecans, 3 tablespoons dairy sour cream,
and
2
tablespoons caramel topping.
Cover and chill until ready to use.
rs T \ •
ORANGE GLAZE
In small bowl
combine
1
1/2
cups powdered sugar
and
2
tablespoons orange juice.
EACH COOKIE
210 cal,
8
gfat (4 g sat. fat),
26 mgchol, 70 mg sodium, 34gcarbo, 1 g fiber,
2gpro. Daily Values: 4% vit. A, 2% vit. C,
3% calcium,
6
% iron.
CARROT CHEESECAKE
PREP: 40 MIN. BAKE: 1
Va
HR. PLUS
8
MIN.
COOL:45 MIN. CHILL:4HR. OVEN325°F
1
package 2-layer-size carrot cake mix
1
cup water
Va
cup cooking oil
6
eggs
V2
cup raisins
3
8-oz.pkg. cream cheese, softened
1V2
cups granulated sugar
2
tsp. vanilla
Nonstick cooking spray
2
Tbsp. powdered sugar
1
Tbsp. water
1
tsp. ground cinnamon
V2
cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1
cup powdered sugar
3
to4tsp.m ilk
1
.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour
10-inch springform pan; set aside. In
large bowl combine carrot cake mix,
1 cup water, oil, and 3 of the eggs. Beat
with an electric mixer on low speed for
30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl
constantly. Beat on medium speed for
3 minutes. Fold in raisins. Pour into pan.
2
.
In another large bowl beat cream
cheese with an electric mixer on medium
speed until smooth. Beat in granulated
sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in
remaining 3 eggs just until combined.
Slowly pour over carrot cake layer. Place
cheesecake on baking sheet.
3
.
Bake for 1V
2
to 1
3/4
hours or until
center is set (top will be uneven and
center may fall slightly as it cools). Cool
in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Using
small sharp knife, loosen the cake from
the sides of the pan. Cool 30 minutes.
Remove sides of pan; cool completely, and
refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.
4
.
Preheat oven to 325° F. Line a small
baking pan with foil; lightly coat foil with
cooking spray. In bowl combine 2 table-
spoons powdered sugar,
1
tablespoon
water, and cinnamon. Stir in walnuts.
Spread nuts in even layer in prepared
baking pan. Bake
8
minutes or until nuts
are lightly toasted, stirring once. Cool.
5
. In medium bowl combine 1 cup
powdered sugar and enough milk to
make of drizzling consistency. Cut
cheesecake into wedges and place each
wedge on serving plate. Drizzle each
serving with some of the powdered sugar
icing. Break up walnuts and place atop
cheesecake wedges,
m a k e s
16
s e r v in g s .
EACH SERVING
506 cal, 28gfat (12gsat.fat),
126 mgchol, 373 mg sodium, S9gcarbo, Ogfiber,
8
gpro. Daily Values: 13% vit. A, 12% calcium,
8
% iron.
(
j
2
)
1 4 8
MARCH 2009
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