The Good, The Bad, The So-So

[Peeps]

A few random reviews...
In an effort to try at least something from July I made the Penne, Crispy Tofu & Green Bean salad (something like that) and it was only so-so. There didn't seem to be enough dressing and all the long skinny stuff (beans, penne) made it tricky to eat. Overall it was on the bland side and I wouldn't bother again. If you do try it I would marinade the cooked tofu in the dressing. July issue going back in the reject pile.
I also tried the Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies from June 2000, though I omitted the Raspberry part - like aggie94 I don't like the fruit/chocolate combo. These were inedible, I tossed the whole pan after trying to choke down a few over several days (any pan of brownies that lasts more than a day in my house has serious problems). I even reduced the baking time by 10 minutes to try and keep them moist and they were still dry as could be, almost powdery. Never again.
Here's for the good - since I am finding that I prefer my older CLs more (no butter, still using fat free ingredients, more classic recipes) I've been digging through them and found a gem. Blueberry Struesel Cake from April 97 (I think) - AMAZING. Moist, yummy, could barely restrain myself from eating the whole thing. Definte repeater.

[This message has been edited by Peeps (edited 07-03-2001).]

[andrea]

can someone post the blueberry struesel cake recipe? sounds great!

[Peeps]

Andrea - since the recipe finder is down (and it never seems to have ANY recipes I need anyway!) and I don't have my issue with me, I'll have to type it in for you tomorrow if that's OK. Unless someone has it in Mastercook and can post sooner - it is from April 1997 and has the Nilla wafers in the topping. (I've already made it again it was so good!)

[Linda in MO]

Oh! I would love to see the Blueberry Struesel Cake, too!
Thanks!

[Pat]

I have it in MC and am glad to post it for you.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Blueberry Streusel Cake

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : April '97 Baked
Breakfast Cakes


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup vanilla wafer crumbs (about 8 cookies)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon margarine -- melted
1 teaspoon hot water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg white
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350º.

Combine blueberries and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl; gently mash with a potato masher until blueberries are crushed. Let stand 5 minutes. Set aside.

Combine wafer crumbs, brown sugar, margarine, and hot water; stir until well-blended. Set aside.

Combine flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Combine yogurt, oil, vanilla, egg, and egg white; stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring until well-blended. Fold in blueberry mixture. Pour batter into a 9-inch round cake pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over cake; bake an additional 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.

Serving Size: 1 wedge

Source:
"Cooking Light, April 1997, p.168"
Copyright:
"© Cooking Light"
T(Baking Time):
"0:30"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 282 Calories; 8g Fat (26.2% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 47g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 26mg Cholesterol; 180mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 1/2 Fat; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 5410 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[Peeps]

Thanks Pat - that's the one!
Enjoy!

[valeriek]

Peeps, thanks for the heads up on the tofu salad. I was going to try that this weekend. I will try mariating the tofu and tell you how it turns out.

As for the rasberry and cream cheese brownies, I actually enjoyed this recipe (I did cook it with the fruit). I'm not a huge desert person - okay, I eat desert probably once or twice a year, but I made these for a work thing and they went over well. I wonder if keeping the rasberry preserves made them retain moisture?

[Peeps]

valeriek- I would also add on the pasta salad that it seemed an unnecessary step to cook the tofu. I can't tell much of a difference between "raw" and "cooked" tofu so if you might just want to drain it very well and then marinade it in the dressing and save yourself a step.
On the brownies I didn't think leaving the preserves out would matter too much since they were just sort of put on top and it was a small amount but you could be right. I can't imagine what I did wrong since I followed the recipe perfectly and they were inedible (and I'm a pretty experienced baker). I thought for sure cutting 10 minutes off the time would help make them moist but mine were bone-dry. Oh well, CL's had many dessert hits so I won't hold it against them!
Let us know how the salad works out!