Rae Udy

RECIPES: Misty Michelle’s Broccoli Baked Potatoes, Misty Dawn’s Nutty Apple Salad, Cranberry-Orange Bread

By Rae Udy

Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends and food. Holiday fun at our house is tongue-tasty and tongue-twisting.
My daughters-in-law are both named Misty and my sister is Missy. I also have a friend named Misty and another named Mitzi. If they are all together its great confusion.
‘The Misty’s,’ as we lovingly call them, are both talented cooks and share their enjoyment with the family.
Misty Michelle is a talented artist and married to my oldest son, Nation Weese. They have two wonderful boys. Trenton is four and one-half and Evan is almost five months old. Misty Michelle’s recipe for Broccoli Baked Potatoes provides six grams of fiber and 14 percent of the daily requirement for protein. Roasted garlic makes this dish holiday worthy.
Misty Dawn is taking classes at Kilgore College in photography and is married to son, Luke Weese. Their daughter Aidan is a third-grader at Mozelle Johnston School. Her Nutty Apple Salad is a fast and easy recipe that really makes a presentation. This salad is low in calories while providing 21 grams of protein per serving.
Cranberry-Orange Bread is a recipe from Fleischmann’s Yeast that seems perfect for Thanksgiving. Dried cranberries are usually found next to the raisins in most stores or organic varieties can be found at a health food store. One slice of this sweet bread contains only three grams fat and 132 calories.
Have a healthy and happy Thanksgiving.

MISTY MICHELLE’S BROCCOLI BAKED POTATOES
6 medium potatoes
3 stalks fresh broccoli
1 head garlic with about 12 cloves
Drizzle of olive oil
¼ (one-quarter) cup skim milk or soy milk
1 cup shredded low-fat soy or dairy Cheddar cheese, divided
1/8 teaspoon pepper
¼ (one-quarter) cup butter, if desired
Scrub potatoes and make a shallow cut around the middle as if you were cutting the potatoes lengthwise. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and cool ten minutes. Cut potatoes in half along cut lines and scoop insides into a mixing bowl.
To prepare garlic, peel away dry outer layers of bulb. Cut about one-quarter inch off pointed top, leaving the bulb intack but exposing garlic cloves. Place garlic head, cut side up, in a muffin pan. Drizzle slightly with olive oil. Cover with foil and bake with potatoes about 30 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Squeeze out garlic paste from cloves into potato mixture. Steam broccoli just until tender, about three minutes. Chop fine and add to potatoes along with milk, ¾ (three-quarter) cup cheese, pepper and butter. Mash together until well-mixed. Heap into potato jackets and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Return to oven and bake 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Yields six entrees or 12 side dishes.

MISTY DAWN’S NUTTY APPLE SALAD
2 red apples
2 green apples
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup diced celery
1 cup seedless grapes, halved
1 cup roasted peanuts
1 cup yogurt or soy yogurt
Core apples but do not peel. Dice into bite-size pieces and quickly sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning. Add celery, grapes and peanuts. Toss with yogurt until fruit is covered. Serve on lettuce leaves, if desired. Yields eight servings.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE BREAD
2/3 cup milk
2 large eggs
2 Tablespoons low-fat margarine
¾ (three-quarters) teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour
¾ (three-quarters) cup dried cranberries
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel
2 teaspoons Fleischmann’s bread machine yeast
Measure all ingredients into bread machine in the order given. Process on Basic/White Bread cycle of your machine, about three hours. Remove bread from pan when finished baking. Cool on wire rack. Slice into sixteen slices.

My favorite Mistys! Daughters-in-law Misty Michelle and Misty Dawn prepare a healthy Thanksgiving dish.