Lightened-Up Lemon Loaf

Doesn't Lemon Loaf just say "Hello Spring Time"?!  That is what I was thinking when I took a happy bite.  Itwas made even happier knowing that this didn't have nearly to amount of sugar or butter you would find in a typical lemon loaf,  Enjoy the sunshine!

Lightened-Up Lemon Loaf

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cup plain yogurt (I only had strawberry on hand)

1 1/4 cups sugar

6 eggs

4 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice or 1 tsp Lemon Extract
1 tsp Poppy Seeds

For the glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack to cool.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

(This recipe was based off of this Lemon Cake from Ina Garten)

No Bake Skillet Apple Bread Pudding

I was so in the mood for bread pudding... RIGHT NOW... which is kind of a problem, because that is just one of those things which takes time, so it got me thinking and searching for a way to speed up the process.  Sure enough, where there's a will, there's a way!
Two things:
First, this was super easy and the apples gave it a yummy apple fritter kind of smell, only minus the fat.  My whole crew asked at some point what I was making that smelled so good. :)  You've gotta love a recipe that does that.  It would make a great breakfast, but I didn't think it was sweet enough to make it a dessert.
Second, on that note, maybe they were getting sweetness from the banana jam in the original recipe (which
I didn't have/use), but I thought it really lacked flavor and sweetness.  It just kind of tasted like french toast, so I sprinkled cinnamon and sugar over the top and that helped... but definitely needed some sweetness.
On the whole, it was a bit dry and not quite what I was dreaming of, but still yummy.  A great one if you've got some extra bread around!

No Bake Skillet Apple Bread Pudding 

1 1/2 cups milk, plus additional for drizzling (Dairy-Free milk works as well: coconut milk, almond, soy etc.)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

4 cups of cubed whole grain bread, preferably stale

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup jam (Could also use apple pie filling, or 1/4 cup sugar)

1 large apple, sliced

Cinamon and Sugar for sprinkling

Coconut oil (or other) for greasing pan

1. Heat milk in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

2. Place bread cubes in a large mixing bowl. When milk is hot but not yet simmering, pour milk over bread cubes. Mix gently.

3. Stir in egg yolks and jam, mixing gently until well combined. Fold in apple slices.

4. Heat 6-inch nonstick skillet over low-medium heat. Lightly grease with coconut oil. Pour bread mixture into pan and cover.

5. Cook bread pudding covered for 15 minutes, or until bottom is browned. Then flip entire pudding onto a plate and put pudding back in skillet, uncooked side down. Cook for an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown.

6. Scoop bread pudding into bowls. If you like, drizzle with a bit of coconut milk and honey or maple syrup. It is best served hot. 

(I drizzled with a bit of cream... yum!)

Adapted from: (The Kathmanduo)

Fresh Fruit Tart

Yes- I know it screams USA all the way! and I bet your are saying to yourself, "where was this post for our 4th of July picnic?"  The answer... it was collecting digital dust in the "Food 2013" folder of my desktop, just waiting for me to blog it.  Life has been busy, and I'm running a bit late on posts.  So lets just pretend it's Independence Day and you're thoroughly impressed with my foodie display of patriotism, shall we? :)
So here is a lovely Fruit Tart in memory of the summer days that are all but gone.
I found this one on my cute Sis-in-law, Amy's blog.  It looked too good to pass up.  Maybe it was also because of the cute picture of my precious niece on the post.  I LOVED the crust.  It was SO EASY!  I recently got a food processor and it was a great easy crust recipe, that also tasted good.  I wasn't as crazy about the filling, and I think that was probably a lot my fault.  Hers looked lovely, but I just couldn't get my cream to whip and the cold made the butter chunk up and it was just kind of a runny, fatty mess.  But... it still tasted good and the fresh fruit make just about anything taste good.  It was a real treat... And a pretty one to boot!
Thanks for the recipe, Amy!

Fresh Fruit Tart

Tart Crust:

1/2 C. powdered sugar

1 1/2 C. flour

1 1/2 sticks of butter (3/4 C.)

Filling:

1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese

1/4 C. brown sugar

1 C. whipping cream

1/2 C. powdered sugar

zest of about half and orange (add more if you want it to be more citrusy)

Topping:

strawberries

raspberries

black berries

fresh pineapple

kiwi

any other kind of fruit you would like (blueberries, peaches, oranges, pears, apples, mango, plums, apricots, etc).

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine the crust ingredients in a food processor until it starts to ball up. Now, just use your fingers to press into a 12 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. If the crust seems a little thick, feel free to use a little bit less of the dough. I have actually halved the recipe before and made a thinner crust. Both ways are good! This crust is sweet and flaky and tasty, so thick or thin is delicious. 

2. Bake for about 12 minutes or until the crust is ever so lightly browned. It may take just a little longer, so just watch it. Let it cool completely before removing it from the pan. 

3. Beat together the cream cheese and brown sugar. Separately beat the whipping cream and powdered sugar together until medium peaks form and you have a nice whipped cream. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until combined. Fold in the orange zest. 

4. Once the crust is cool, top it with the cream topping. Slice up all the fruit and throw it on top. Just throw it on or make a pretty design with it. You will want to eat this fairly soon after you top it. 

 

 

100% Whole Grain Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Zucchini's on!!! It's that time of year, isn't it?  Let me guess... you found this one in your frantic hunt for  squash recipes.  You are trying to think of ways you can sneak in the green goodness, aren't you?  Well, here is a healthy one... at least as far as cake is concerned.  Be forewarned that it is very filling!  It's 100% Whole Wheat by-cracky!  I was stuffed after one slice.  It tasted {how do I say it?} healthy... but that can also be good. :)

Note: She used a Greek Yogurt Honey Chocolate Ganache that sounds lovely, but I didn't make because I was missing some of the ingredients. I made this "Creamy Yogurt Frosting" and it was pretty terrible.  It didn't work at all- super runny and the butter got all chunky.  It was weird.  Would not recommend it.

100% Whole Grain Chocolate Zucchini Cake (Texanerin Baking)

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 40 min

Ready in: 55 min

Yield: 12-14 pieces

Ingredients

Zucchini cake:

¾ cup (177ml) olive oil or canola oil

1 cup (320 grams) honey

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs

¾ cup (177ml) Greek yogurt

290 grams whole wheat flour (this was about 2 cups or 2¼ cups)

1¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

90 grams Dutch-process cocoa powder (about ¾ cup cocoa)

3 cups (for me, this was 340 grams) grated, peeled zucchini

1 cup (180 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Grease a 12 cup bundt pan or 6 cup if you want to make half. Preheat your oven to 350°F / 176°C. For the cake, combine the honey, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl. At first it'll be difficult to get the honey incorporated, but it'll work. Stir in the eggs and then the Greek yogurt. Set this bowl aside.

In another large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Sift the cocoa powder into the bowl if it's lumpy, or just use a fork to get rid of the lumps. Add the wet mix to the dry mix and stir, just until combined. Fold in the zucchini and the chocolate chips.

Bake the full recipe for 40 minutes, or if using half, bake for 30 minutes. When you insert a toothpick in the middle, the toothpick will not come out dry, or even with crumbs, but it'll come out covered in sticky batter. If you insert it, and it's just normal batter, it's not ready. Sticky batter is what we're looking for! It'll continue to cook once it's out of the oven.

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then flip out onto a wire rack to cool. Cool completely before icing.

The Best Red Velvet Cake

I never have quite enough food coloring to make a truly red Red Velvet cake... It's kind of tragic really.  They always end up more of a pinkish hue; however, what they lack in color, they make up for in flavor. :)  Or at least, that is what I like to tell myself.  I was in a hurry, so I didn't want to make the cake completely from scratch, but I also didn't want it to taste like a cake mix.  This one met both demands and turned out pretty good.  I think the addition of these different ingredients really dressed it up.  Just make sure you have enough red food coloring. :)  I thought it would be fun to add blueberries to the mix and make it kind of a festive patriotic dessert.  

Happy Independence Day!

The Best Red Velvet Cake (The Cake Mix Doctor)

Solid vegetable oil shortening, for greasing the pans

Flour, for dusting the pans

1 (18.5-ounce) package plain butter recipe golden cake mix

2 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

1 (1-ounce) bottle red food coloring

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease 3 9-inch round cake pans with shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out excess flour and set the pans aside.

Place the cake mix, cocoa powder, buttermilk, food coloring, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, baking soda and vinegar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until ingredients are incorporated, 1 minute. Stop machine and scrape down side of bowl with rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes longer, scraping the side of the bowl again if needed. The batter should look well-blended. Divide batter evenly among 3 prepared pans, about 1 ½ cups batter per pan, smoothing the tops with rubber spatula. Place pans in the oven. If your oven is not large enough to hold 3 pans on center rack, place 2 on that rack and one in the center of the rack above.

Bake cake layers until they just start to pull away from the sides of the pans and the tops spring back when lightly pressed with a finger, 17 to 21 minutes. The layer on the higher rack may bake faster so test it for doneness first.

Transfer cake pans to wire racks and cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and give the pans a good shake to loosen cakes. Invert each layer onto a wire rack, then invert it again onto another rack so the cakes are right side up. Let the layers cool completely. Make frosting.

To assemble the cake, transfer one cake layer, right side up, to a serving platter. Spread the top with some of the frosting. Place a second cake layer, right side up, on top of the first and frost the top. Repeat this process with the third layer. Frost the side of the cake with a thin coat just to set the crumbs. Use the remaining frosting to go back over this and liberally frost the side, working with smooth, clean strokes. To make slicing easier, place uncovered cake in the refrigerator until frosting sets, 20 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Place 1 (8-ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese and 1 stick (8 tablespoons) of room-temperature butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Stop machine and scrape down side of bowl with rubber spatula. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 4 cups sifted powdered sugar; beat on medium speed until well combined. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat the frosting for 1 minute longer.

 

Strawberry Delight Cake

I wish I was better at knowing a good deal when I see one.  Strawberries were on sale a little while ago, and I didn't realize it until afterwords.  I wish I had stocked up!  At least I have this yummy dessert as consolation. :)

Strawberry Delight Cake (101 More Things to do with a Cake Mix)

1 strawberry cake mix (I didn't have strawberry cake mix, so I just used a yellow cake mix.)

1 cup white chocolate or vanilla chips

1 large box vanilla or cheesecake instant pudding

8 ounces whipped topping

sliced strawberries, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix cake batter as directed on back of box with electric mixer 2 minutes.  Stir in white chips.  Pour batter into a greased 9x13 pan.  Bake as directed.  Allow cake to cool.

While cake is cooling, make instant pudding according to directions on box.  Allow pudding to thicken in refrigerator.  Cut cake into long, skinny pieces.  Place one slice of cake on a small plate.  Place a large scoop of pudding over cake.  Place another slice of cake over pudding.  Add more pudding.  Top with whipped topping.  If desired, garnish each serving with sliced strawberries.

Caramel Chocolate Surprise Bars

Here is one that is sure to impress, and nobody need know how easy it was to make!  I like "101 More Things to do with a Cake Mix" for that reason.  Super easy when you need to throw something together.  All these ingredients work well together and it taste great served warm with a scoop of ice cream... trust me, I would know. :)  Definitely a big dose of sugar for the day, though, so watch out!

Caramel Chocolate Surprise Bars

1 yellow cake mix

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1 cup chocolate chips

3/4 cup chopped nuts

1 jar (12 oz) caramel ice cream topping

Preheat oven to 350.  With a spoon, mix cake mix, butter, and evaporated milk together.  Spread 3/4 of dough evenly into a greased 9x13 pan. Spread chocolate chips and nuts over the top, evenly.  Break rest of dough into small pieces and drop[ evenly over top.  Bake 20-25 minutes.  Cool 30 minutes.  Cut into bars.  Store in refrigerator.

Crispy Easter Nests

First of all: Forgive my absence... I am in the middle of moving and things have been pretty crazy around here!
Second of all...
HAPPY EASTER!!!
Aren't these fun!  We had such an awesome Easter Egg Hunt yesterday and my friend brought these cute treats.  They were a big hit with kids and grown-ups. :)

Crispy Easter Nests

1 (14 oz.) bag sweetened flake coconut

Green food dye

1 (7.5 oz.) jar Marshmallow Fluff

3 cups Rice Krispies

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Cooking spray

24 Jordan almonds (She used jelly beans)

Preparation

Place 1 (14 oz.) bag sweetened flake coconut in a bowl. Use a toothpick to apply and stir in a few drops of green food dye. Let dry. Melt 1 (7.5 oz.) jar Marshmallow Fluff in a pan over medium-low heat, stirring, until soft and pliable. Stir in 3 cups Rice Krispies. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips; remove from heat. Arrange 8 paper cupcake liners on a work surface. Mist hands with cooking spray. Gather a small amount of cereal mixture and shape to fit into a cupcake liner. Add more cereal to make a rim around top. Let cool. Make 7 more. Fill each nest with a bit of coconut and 3 Jordan almonds.

Best Lemon Cheesecake Ever

So Cheesecake is tough to turn down anyway, but throw freshen it up with a bit of lemon and we're in business!  My friend Sabey made this and had us all foundering on it... my mouth is watering all over again just thinking about it.  I enjoyed the glaze!

*She added about 1 tsp more of lemon zest using fresh lemons.  I loved that she added the mixed berries.  It was the perfect balance of sweet and tart- not to mention beauty. :) YUM!

Best Lemon Cheesecake Ever (Sour Cream Cheesecake)

Source: food.com

Ingredients

Crust

2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

6 tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Filling

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 8 hours

3 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice, strained

2 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated

1 pint sour cream

3 tablespoons sugar

Glaze

1/2 cup sugar

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Using your hands or the back of a spoon, mix all crust ingredients in a bowl until well combined.

Press into bottom of an 11 to 12-inch spring form pan.

Bake for 5 minutes.

Let cool; refrigerate until needed.

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese at high speed until completely smooth.

Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.

Beat at medium speed as you gradually add the sugar, then flour, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla, mixing until well blended.

Stir in lemon zest.

Pour into crust; bake at 350°F for 35 minutes.

Blend sour cream with remaining teaspoon vanilla and 3 tablespoons sugar; set mixture in warm place.

Remove cake from oven, and gently spread sour cream mixture on top.

Return to oven and bake for another 12 minutes.

Cool on rack for 30 minutes.

Refrigerate until topping is cool, but not completely chilled.

Combine all glaze ingredients and blend until smooth.

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened (3 minutes).

Chill until cool, but not set.

Spread on top of cheesecake.

Chill overnight.

 

Coconut-Lime Cake

Someone very special to me had a birthday. :)  Now German Chocolate Cake has always been the stand-by for this guy, but he was sweet and let me switch it up.  He loves lime and he loves coconut... so of course you "put de lime in de coconut and drink 'em bot' up." :)
And SWEET would just about cover the description... cloyingly sweet.  It was too much for me, but it was still really fun to try something new- really labor intensive icing- I've never tried the kind where you have to dissolve and melt the sugar and meringue-ish the egg whites etc.  I know this is probably illegal to say, but to me it tasted just like that marshmallow jet puff spread, which could really save some time.  Basically sweet (cake), on sweet (icing), on sweet (coconut flakes).  We had company, and they said it was good, but you never know if they are "just being nice" or if they really liked it. I liked the lime, but the actual cake wasn't very moist... on the whole, this isn't one I plan on making again.  Just not a winner for me, but fun in theory.   And the birthday boy was still happy, although I'm imagine he was dreaming of German Chocolate. :)

Coconut-Lime Cake

For the cake:

3 1/4 cups cake flour

1 Tbs. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1 3/4 cups milk

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups sugar

1 Tbs. finely chopped lime zest

4 eggs

For the frosting:

4 egg whites

1 1/3 cups sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/8 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Directions:

Have all the ingredients at room temperature.

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans; tap out excess flour.

To make the cake, over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the milk and vanilla; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sugar and lime zest and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat each addition just until incorporated, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pans, spreading the batter evenly. Bake until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto the rack and let cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer, using a handheld whisk, beat together the egg whites, sugar, corn syrup and salt just until combined, about 30 seconds. Place the bowl over but not touching simmering water in a saucepan and whisk until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot, 2 to 3 minutes.

Set the bowl on the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat until the outside of the bowl is cool and medium-firm peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold in 1 cup of the coconut just until incorporated.

Place one cake layer, top side down, on a serving plate. Using an icing spatula or a knife, spread some of the frosting evenly on top. Place a second layer, top side down, on the first layer and spread some of the frosting evenly on top. Place the remaining layer, top side down, on the second layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Press the remaining 1 1/2 cups coconut onto the top and sides. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes before serving to set the frosting.

Serves 12.

From the Williams-SonomaKitchen

 

Wheat Berry Pudding

So I was recipe hunting and a recipe for "Wheat Berry Pudding" totally caught my eye, because even with my love for a good bowl of cracked wheat, no matter how much sugar you put in it, you just can't call it dessert... wouldn't you agree? And let me back up and say that my love is sincere.  I have fond memories of mom at the stove in her PJ's on a cold winter morning, cooking up some good old fashioned cracked wheat before we had to catch the bus.  I'm pretty sure I was the only one who gobbled it up without complaint.  Ok- so I have unusual taste buds.  I am embarrassed to admit that sometimes it sat there all day- undisturbed, with one big scoop missing, and I would eat it again for my "after-school-snack." Yep- just had to make sure you understood that I really like hot cereal. :)  So I didn't have a food processor or the dutch-oven to try this out, but I followed it as closely as I could and tried to speed up the process a bit.

Lyd's Tip:  I used cracked wheat because it cooks a lot faster. (If you only have wheat berries, you can just pulse them a couple times in the blender—it will be noisy, but it will cook in about half the time.)

Dessert or not?  I'm still a little undecided.  I liked it a lot, but then I liked it before, so I'm probably not the best judge. :)  I liked the cinnamon a lot though and I just got a food processor for Christmas (can we say REALLY HAPPY ME!) and I am anxious to try this out again using "proper methods" just because I am truly fascinated that cracked wheat could be served as a healthy, delicious dessert. Who knew?  Who still doesn't know?  Me either...
I'll keep you posted on my findings, but here is the recipe so far:

Wheat Berry Pudding (EatingWell)

1 cup wheat berries, (see Note) (Remember my tip about the cracked wheat)

2 tablespoons plus 3 cups low-fat milk, divided

1 cinnamon stick

1 strip orange zest, (1/2 by 2 inches)

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup low-fat maple yogurt, (optional)

Sort through wheat berries carefully; discard any stones. Rinse well. Place in a large heavy saucepan and add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, adding more water if necessary, until the wheat berries are tender, about 1 hour. Drain well.

Place the wheat berries and 2 tablespoons milk in a food processor. Pulse, scraping down the sides as necessary, until most of the wheat berries are coarsely chopped (some may remain whole).

Combine the chopped wheat berries, the remaining 3 cups milk, cinnamon stick, orange zest and salt in a Dutch oven or other large, heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often to prevent sticking, until the mixture is very thick, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; discard the cinnamon stick and orange zest. Stir in maple syrup and vanilla.

Serve warm or chilled, sprinkled with cinnamon and topped with a dollop of maple yogurt, if desired. (Stir in more milk if the pudding gets too thick as it stands.)

TIPS & NOTES

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the cooked wheat berries (Step 1) for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Cover and refrigerate the pudding for up to 2 days.

Note: Wheat berries of any variety (hard, soft, spring or winter) can be used interchangeably. Labeling is inconsistent—you may find them labeled “hard red winter wheat” without the words “wheat berries.” Find them in natural-foods markets and online at kingarthurflour.com. Some recipes instruct soaking overnight, but we found it unnecessary.

To cook: Sort through wheat berries carefully, discarding any stones, and rinse with water. Bring 4 cups water or broth and 1 cup wheat berries to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, but still a little chewy, about 1 hour. Drain.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 182 calories; 2 g fat ( 1 g sat , 0 g mono ); 6 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 3 g fiber; 71 mg sodium; 43 mg potassium.

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 1 starch. 1/2 low-fat milk, 1 other carbohydrates

Almond Chocolate Fudge

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
I'm sneaking all these sweets in before our New Year's resolutions. :)  Plus this is a must!  Is Christmas complete without a bit of fudge?  I have made it a couple times, and this has been my favorite recipe so far.  Super easy and I like the texture and richness of the cream cheese.  I made this again with white chocolate and I sprinkled crushed candy-canes on the top.  It was cute.  Got to love a recipe you can play around with.

Almond Chocolate Fudge

1 teaspoon butter

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Dash salt

1/4 cup slivered Almonds (or other nut)

Line a 9-in. square pan with foil and grease the foil with butter; set aside. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. (I never noticed it get "fluffy"- I found that a little confusing.  Maybe they meant creamy?) Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Beat in the melted chocolate, extract and salt until smooth. 

Spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle and press almonds over the top.  Cover and refrigerate overnight or until firm. Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Gently peel off foil; cut fudge into 1-in. squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Yield: 2-1/2 pounds.

Nutritional Facts:  1 piece equals 49 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 3 mg cholesterol, 15 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat.

(A twist on Taste of Home Pecan Toffee Recipe) 

 

Easy Crispy Peanut Butter Balls

 

I went "nuts" with these guys, gained 5 lbs. and now we're through. :)  It was true love while it lasted though.  A happy addition to any holiday goodie plate.  Super easy to make!  The kids had fun helping me shape the balls.  I served some of them chocolate dipped and some not... quite frankly because chocolate and I do not always get along- it is way to finicky.   Most of what I melted was made into fudge because it just wouldn't cooperate even with a double boiler... But I would say that isn't necessarily a bad thing. :)  So loosen that belt and help yourself. :)  Happy Holidays!

Easy Crispy Peanut Butter Balls cooks.com

2 c. crunchy peanut butter

1/2 c. butter

1 lb. confectioners' sugar

3 c. Rice Krispies

Dipping chocolate

(Creamy peanut butter is just as good, but add 1/4 cup more Rice Krispies if you use creamy.)

Combine peanut butter, butter and confectioners sugar in large bowl. Blend well. Add rice cereal. Form into 3/4 inch balls and dip into dipping chocolate. Makes about 75 or more balls. Great for holiday gifts.

Proof of my poor dipping abilities... oh well.  Don't judge a person by how they dip chocolate, please. :)

Nanaimo Bars

You know I love food, but have I ever mentioned how much I love to devour... books?  Good food, good books... I could die happy.  I usually have to find the audio version or I'll never get through it with the FREQUENT kid-interruptions.  It is a fantastic motivator for doing dishes!  You know I'm in the middle of a good book when I have no dishes in my sink... or sometimes it can have the opposite effect and I'm cooking and baking everything, all over the place; I won't leave the kitchen, because I have to finish the book. (I'm embarrassed to admit Harry Potter did that to me.)
I am part of such a delightful book group.  I love these ladies dearly!  We talk books, we laugh and cry together... then we eat Nanimo Bars. (Well, not every time, we just happened to be lucky enough to have our Canadian friend, Melinda hosting, and she whipped these up; which, after examining the recipe, was no small feat!)  They are quite delicious- I liked the little creamy layer.  They were saying you can find that vanilla custard powder at most grocery stores.
Happy reading... I mean eating. :)

*A little history, thanks to Wikipedia:

The Nanaimo bar is a dessert item of Canadian origin popular across North America. It is a bar cookie which requires no baking and is named after the West Coast city of Nanaimo, British Columbia. It consists of a wafer crumb-based layer topped by a layer of light vanilla or custard flavored butter icing which is covered with melted chocolate made from chocolate squares. Many varieties exist, consisting of different types of crumb with different flavors of icing (e.g.,mint, peanut butter) and different types of chocolate. Two popular variations on the traditional Nanaimo bar involve mint- or mocha-flavored icing.

Nanaimo Bars  

INGREDIENTS

Bottom Layer:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup granulated white sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Middle Layer:

1/4 cup butter, room temp.

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 - 3 tablespoons milk or cream

2 cups confectioners (icing) sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla custard powder (Bird's) or vanilla pudding powder

Top Layer:

5 ounces semisweet chocolate

DIRECTIONS

Line a 9 x 9 inch pan with a single sheep of parchment paper, leaving enough room that you can grab the paper on two sides so you can lift the bars out when they are finished. This makes it MUCH easier to cut.

Bottom Layer: In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and cocoa powder and then gradually whisk in the beaten egg. Return the saucepan to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens (1 - 2 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and chopped nuts. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Cover plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (about an hour).

Middle Layer: In your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until the mixture is smooth. If the mixture is too thick to spread, add a little more milk. Spread the filling over the bottom layer, cover, and refrigerate until firm (about 30 minutes).

Top Layer: Chop the chocolate into small pieces. Then, in a heatproof bowl, over a saucepan of simmering water (or a double boiler if you have one), melt the chocolate and butter. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the filling and refrigerate for about 10 minutes or just until the chocolate has set.

When the bars are sufficiently chilled, lift the parchment paper and put on a large cutting board. Remove the paper. To cut the bars, press down on the bars with a sharp knife.

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup dried coconut

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Do not use a sawing motion. From time to time, rinse your knife under hot water and dry quickly with a paper towel. You will get much cleaner edges by pressing instead of sawing.

Make it {Ginger} Snappy... (White Chocolate Dipped GingerSnaps)

I was just about to post a fish taco recipe, and then I started thinking... "HELLO!  It's December!  What am I doing messing with fish?  It's time to get festive!"  So what is more festive than some good old fashioned gingersnaps, I ask you? (Which--for your information--taste even better dipped in white chocolate... doesn't everything? :)  These went on our neighbor plates. (Although I didn't have the patients to dip them all. :)
Fish later. :) Merry Christmas NOW!
*This was a quick and easy recipe that make a bunch, (It says 14 1/2 dozen- SERIOUSLY? Is that a typo? I don't think it made quite that many- maybe I made mine too big... that is A LOT of gingersnaps.  Anyway- I was going to say, this is a good recipe, but I've tasted better... I just can't remember where I put the other recipe, so what you see is what you get. :)

Dipped Gingersnaps (Taste of Home)

2 cups Sugar

1-1/2 cups canola oil

2 eggs

1/2 cup molasses

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking soda

3 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

Additional Sugar

2 packages (10 to 12 ounces each) white baking chips

1/4 cup shortening

In a large bowl, combine sugar and oil. Beat in eggs. Stir in molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Shape into 3/4-in. balls and roll in sugar. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until cookie springs back when touched lightly. Remove to wire racks to cool.

In a microwave, melt chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip cookies halfway into the melted chips; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Yield: about 14-1/2 dozen.

Nutritional Analysis:

2 cookies equals 128 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 6 mg cholesterol, 93 mg sodium, 17 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein.

 

Fresh Peach Dessert

Oh- I know I'm a little late for peaches... it's almost Christmas for pete's sake!  I am obviously behind and this post has been patiently waiting, but it was a MUST POST, so I didn't want to forget... and how could I?  It was heavenly!  Too heavenly to wait to be "in season" again. :)

Fresh Peach Dessert (My Most Delicious Dishes)

2/3 cup powdered sugar

3/4-1 cup butter, softened

2 pkg. graham crackers; crushed

12-14 medium peaches or 7-8 large; peeled & sliced

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 pt. whipping cream (I don't use it all, maybe 3/4 of it)

Mix cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, & butter. Save a small amount to sprinkle on top, press the rest into the bottom of a glass 9 x 13 pan. Whip the cream and add a little vanilla and powdered sugar until set, set aside. Mix the sweetened condensed milk with lemon juice. Then place the peaches on the crust and pour the milk/lemon mixture on top. Spread the fresh cream on top of that and sprinkle with remaining crust. Refrigerate.

*This is so light and fresh, but you have to share it or half it because it is best if enjoyed in the first 24 hours!

 

Zucchini-Banana Bread

Did I mention how much I love zucchini bread?  I love it so much that I picked up the "free" overgrown zucchini, at the farmer's market, that was bigger than my baby.  I had about five people stop me and comment on its abnormally large size.  I know huge zucchini are kind of obnoxious, but my good there are so many uses!!!  I love the way zucchini lets other ingredients take center stage.  It's just good healthy filler in casseroles, stove-top dishes, and desserts.  So versatile!  This recipe was pretty tasty- fun to throw bananas in there.  Of course I made it whole wheat. :)

Zucchini-Banana Bread (Taste of Home)

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I did whole wheat and it tasted great.)

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 teaspoon banana extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup shredded zucchini

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In a small bowl, beat the egg, bananas, oil and extracts. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in zucchini and walnuts.

Transfer to three 5-3/4-in. x 3-in. x 2-in. loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 3 mini loaves (6 slices each).

Nutritional Facts: 1 slice equals 175 calories, 9 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 12 mg cholesterol, 116 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 fat, 1 starch, 1/2 fruit.

Peanut Butter Cookies with Blackberry Jam

What could be better than a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich?  Peanut Butter and Jelly cookies, of course!  Did I mention CHOCOLATE Peanut Butter and Jelly cookies?  Quite scrumptious!  This is a bit more labor intensive, but still really yummy.  

*I do want to note that if I were doing it again, I would punch the hole for jam filling, but I would put it in after they were cooked.  It just got kind of crispy and the sugar burned a bit.  It might have been because I used my homemade jam, but I think it would taste better put on after.

Peanut Butter Cookies with Blackberry Jam (Giada of Foodnetwork)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (recommended: Hershey's)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup

1/2 packed cup light brown sugar

1 egg, room temperature, beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup blackberry jam

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, sieve together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, peanut butter, 3/4 cup of sugar, and light brown sugar together, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until blended. With the machine running on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until incorporated.

Put the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in a small bowl. Form the dough into 1/4 cup-size balls and roll in the sugar. Arrange 5 balls of dough, evenly apart, on each baking sheet. Using a round 1/4 teaspoon measure, or the thin end of a wooden spoon, make a hole in the center of each ball of dough, about 1/2 to 3/4-inch deep. Spoon 1 teaspoon of jam into each hole. Bake for 11 to 14 minutes until the dough has spread and the surface of the cookies are crackled. Cool for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes. Arrange the cookies on a serving dish and serve.