Blog Posts by CookingLight.com

Eight months ago we challenged our Test Kitchen Staff to cook up the best fast dishes ever. By Cooking Light

If there's one thing we've heard consistently over the past 25 years, it's this: You want your healthy food fast. The quick recipe that really satisfies is cherished above all others. Sometimes it's a recipe that uses inherently fast-cooking ingredients. But even more dazzling is one that uses smart techniques to infuse a dish with the rich flavors that usually require hours on the stove. Every recipe devised for this challenge had to receive one of our top scores. These were the champs. Prepare to be amazed.

*By fast we mean 30 minutes or less, using regular kitchen tools and appliances.

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Endive and Watercress Salad with Bacon-Cider Dressing

Pumpkins, corn, and other native foods typically show up on Turkey Day, but I like to give my Thanksgiving meal a tasty twist by blending traditions. Italy's prized cheeses, Belgium's bitter lettuces, Chinese five-spice powder, and flaky Greek phyllo make for delicious and sophisticated holiday starters that still marry beautifully with the more traditional dishes that are likely to fill the table. And because Thanksgiving is the official kickoff of the busy holiday season, radically simple ideas are most welcome. That's why all of these dishes can be made ahead or whipped up quickly.

Phyllo cups filled with ricotta, chèvre, and thyme are the perfect crispy-creamy predinner nibble to offer guests along with a flute of fizzy Champagne as they settle in.

When it's time to sit down to dinner, start with either soup or salad. The brilliant orange soup blends pumpkin, sweet potato, and red bell peppers until silky and finishes with a pat of butter for creamy flavor. Add texture

Carve that bird like a pro. We show you how in these four steps. By Cooking Light

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Make a perfect bird every time with these six simple steps. By Cooking Light

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Prosciutto, Fresh Fig, and Manchego Sandwiches

Prosciutto, Fresh Fig, and Manchego Sandwiches

Prosciutto and fresh figs are a classic Italian combination. Here, along with Manchego cheese and fig jam, they create a sweet-savory sandwich that's simple yet memorable. Great ingredients make all the difference here, so look for a fine loaf of artisan bread and quality prosciutto. Use a sharp vegetable peeler to shave the Manchego, a Spanish cheese similar to pecorino Romano (which you can substitute).

See More: Global Recipes for Thanksgiving Leftovers

Ingredients

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
8 (3/4-ounce) slices Italian bread, toasted
1 cup baby arugula
2 ounces very thin slices prosciutto
2 ounces Manchego cheese, shaved
8 fresh figs, cut into thin slices
2 tablespoons fig jam

Preparation

1. Spread 1 teaspoon mustard over 4 bread slices. Arrange 1/4 cup arugula over each bread slice. Divide prosciutto evenly over bread slices; top evenly with cheese and fig slices. Spread 1 1/2

Walnut-Crusted Apple Pie

Could new kitchen techniques improve on one of our very first recipes? Yes, with a secret ingredient in the crust. By Sidney Fry, MS, RD

One of our first apple pies after launching this magazine had an interesting walnut crust, filled with healthy fats and nutty flavor. But to save 300 calories, the Test Kitchen had simply removed the bottom crust, yielding a sort of cobbler.

We liked and kept the walnuts but decided we were willing to serve up a few more calories if we could get back that bottom crust. Yes, there are a few more calories than in 1987, but our new pie still has only half those in a typical bakery pie.

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The Crust
• 1987 | Just a top crust, more of a cobbler than a pie
• 2012 | Double-crusted, fluted, and delicious

The Fat
• 1987 | Walnuts, margarine, and shortening
• 2012 | Walnuts and just enough butter

The Calories
• 1987 | 209 per slice
• 2012 | 281 per slice

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Baked Chocolate Mousse

Here's how our recipe doctors lightened a classic dessert-Baked Chocolate Mousse.

Baked Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

1/2 cup water
1/3 cup Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon instant espresso granules
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon brandy
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
Dash of salt
1 1/2 cups frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
Baking spray with flour (such as Baker's Joy)

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Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add cocoa and espresso, stirring until smooth. Remove pan from heat. Add chocolates; gently stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in brandy and vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture into a large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes; stir occasionally.

3. Combine eggs, egg

Love the convenience of a one-dish meal simmering on the stovetop? Then prepare one of these top-rated soup recipes for some no-fuss hearty comfort food. Based on research from MyRecipes.com, we pulled the Cooking Light recipes that received the most votes and highest star ratings. By Cooking Light

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