Roast Duck
1 (5- to 6- pound) dressed duckling
1 small orange, quartered
2 sprigs fresh parsley
1 small onion, quartered
1 carrot, scraped and quartered
1 stalk celery, halved
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Garnishes: fresh cherries, fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs, orange slices
Cherry Sauce
Remove giblets and neck from duckling; reserve for another use. Rinse duckling thoroughly with cold water; pat dry with paper towels.
Rub 1 orange quarter over skin and inside cavity of duckling. Place remaining orange quarters, 2 parsley sprigs, and next 3 ingredients in cavity of duckling; close cavity with skewers. Tie ends of legs together with string. Lift wingtips up and over back, and tuck under duckling.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place duckling on a rack in a shallow roasting pan breast side up. Insert meat thermometer into meaty portion of thigh, making sure it does not touch bone.
Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 45 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400°; bake 35 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 180°. Turn duckling often during baking for more even browning and crisping of skin, if desired. Transfer duckling to a serving platter; let stand 10 minutes before carving. Garnish, if desired. Serve with Cherry Sauce.
Cherry Sauce
1 (16 1/2-ounce) can Bing cherries in heavy syrup, undrained
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Drain cherries, reserving 2/3 cup syrup; set aside. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small saucepan; gradually stir in reserved syrup. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly. Stir in cherries, vinegar, and lemon juice; cook until heated.
Carrots and Green Beans
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1/2 pound whole baby carrots
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried dillweed
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons diced onion
Cook first 5 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Drain. Remove from pan; keep warm.
Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat; add onion, and sauté until tender. Add vegetables; toss gently to coat.
Ambrosia Pie
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges in light syrup
1 (8 1/4-ounce) can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided
3/4 cup flaked coconut, toasted
1 (9-ounce) graham cracker crust (extra serving size)
Garnishes: maraschino cherries, pecan halves, additional toasted flaked coconut
Drain oranges and pineapple, reserving 2 tablespoons pineapple syrup. Gently press oranges and pineapple between paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Beat cream cheese at medium-high speed of an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add reserved pineapple syrup and milk, beating until smooth. Fold in 1 1/2 cups whipped topping. Gently fold in orange-pineapple mixture and 3/4 cup coconut. Spoon filling into crust. Cover; freeze until firm.
Let pie stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving. Dollop remaining 1 cup whipped topping on top of pie. Garnish, if desired.
Apple and Ice Cream Pie
Crust
10 reduced-fat graham cracker sheets
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg white
Cooking spray
Filling
1 tablespoon butter
5 cups thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 2 pounds)
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 cups reduced-fat vanilla frozen yogurt, softened
6 tablespoons caramel topping, divided
1 reduced-fat graham cracker sheet, coarsely crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped pecans, toasted
Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare the crust, place crackers in a food processor; process until fine crumbs form. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and egg white; pulse 8 times or until moist. Press crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes; cool on a wire rack. Freeze 30 minutes to overnight.
To prepare filling, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add apple; cook 10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add water; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and nutmeg; cook, uncovered, 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Remove from pan. Cover and chill 2 hours.
Place frozen yogurt in a chilled bowl. Stir in 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 3/4 cup apple mixture. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Spread half of yogurt mixture into frozen crust (keep remaining yogurt mixture in freezer). Top the yogurt mixture with the remaining apple mixture. Drizzle with 1/4 cup caramel topping. Cover and freeze 1 hour. Carefully spread reserved yogurt mixture over caramel. Top with graham cracker crumbs and pecans. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons caramel topping. Freeze overnight or until solid. Place pie in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
