Peanut-Chocolate Mud Pie Squares

I was looking for a yummy cool dessert to have on these hot summer days and I decided to try the Philadelphia Cream Cheese website. They had a wonderful selection of meals and desserts and I saved a bunch to try. This was the first of several I made.

This is SO good but VERY rich so I would suggest serving this in very small portions!

PEANUT-CHOCOLATE MUD PIE SQUARES

20 OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 1-2/3 cups), divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tub (8 oz.) Cream Cheese Spread
1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 tub (8 oz.)COOL WHIP, thawed, divided
1/4 cup coarsely chopped COCKTAIL Peanuts
1 pkg. (3.9 oz.)JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
1-1/2 cups cold milk

Line a 9-inch square pan with plastic wrap, with ends of wrap extending over sides. Mix 1-1/4 cups cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of prepared pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Beat cream cheese spread, peanut butter and sugar in medium bowl with mixer until well blended. Gently stir in 1-1/2 cups COOL WHIP; spread over crust. Top with 1/4 cup of the remaining cookie crumbs.

Beat pudding mix and milk in same bowl with mixer on low speed 2 min. Stir in remaining COOL WHIP; spoon over crumb mixture. Top with remaining crumbs and nuts.

Freeze overnight. Remove dessert from freezer 20 min. before serving; let stand at room temperature to soften slightly. Use plastic wrap handles to remove dessert from pan before cutting into squares.

Creamy Thick Jello Shakes

I don't even remember where my husband and I got the idea to add jello to milkshakes but OMG they come out SO good. Super thick and creamy. These are great during the summer when you want something cool and sweet and fruity yet thick and creamy.

You can of course use regular Jello, ice cream and milk if you aren't watching you calories or sugar intake but I have listed the ingredients I use which make this very Diabetic friendly. The amounts are approximates as it will depend on how thick you want it. Keep in mind it will continue to thicken up a bit after you are done making it.

JELLO SHAKES

1/2 Cup of No-Sugar-Added low fat vanilla ice cream - approx.
1 Cup prepared sugar free Jello (flavor of your choice) - approx.
1 Cup skim milk - approx.

In a blender place milk then the Jello and then the ice cream making sure to secure the top. Pulse a few times to make sure it starts to break down and then blend on high until well blended. If it is too thin add more ice cream and if it is too thick just keep adding splashes of milk to thin it out.

Pour in a glass, add a straw and enjoy!!!

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

These were SO tasty and SO easy to make. I saw the recipe in a magazine and knew I wanted to try it. A simple switch from regular sugar to Splenda and they are now Diabetic friendly (except for the pretzels themselves of course). Not only are they a delicious snack but make a wonderful food gift for the holidays.

If they have the brand where you shop I suggest the Hanover Pretzels over the Rold Gold brand. The Hanover pretzels are a bit smaller and fatter so they hold the cinnamon sugar mixture better. The picture below was a batch using the Rold Gold brand and I didn't like them as much, although they do make a fat free version.

CINNAMON SUGAR PRETZELS
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Splenda
2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 16 oz bag small pretzel twists

Preheat oven to 300°F

In a large roasting pan, stir together oil, cinnamon and sugar. Add the pretzels and toss well to coat with the cinnamon sugar.

Bake, uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool.

Store in airtight container.

Apple Coffee Cake

This is one of Emeril Lagasse's recipes I saw on the Internet and just had to try. As my dear husband is the dessert baker in our home I pleaded with him to give this one a try. Actually it didn't take any pleading as he is a sweetheart and loves to make desserts. It's his way of de-stressing.

This came out so good it was a huge hit! Super moist and full of flavor with bits of apples and lots of yummy brown sugar crumble on the top. This one is definitely a keeper!

APPLE COFFEE CAKE

Cake:

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples

Crumble Topping:

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Brown Sugar Glaze:

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish.

In a large bowl, cream together the remaining stick of butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after the addition of each. In a separate bowl or on a piece of parchment, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the apples. Pour into the prepared baking dish, spreading out to the edges.

To make the topping, in a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter, and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

To make the glaze, in a bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water and mix until smooth. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let harden slightly. Serve warm.

High Fiber Blueberry Muffins

I went searching for a high fiber muffin recipe the other day that I could change to suit my tastes. I found a nice recipe from Chef Meg on Sparkpeople that had the basics that I wanted and then I just changed a few things. These came out super moist and had great flavor. A couple of these for Breakfast with a glass of skim milk and I was good to go :)

HIGH FIBER BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

1 T flax meal
1 C fresh blueberries (or thawed frozen blueberries)
1 C quick oats
1 C lowfat buttermilk
1 C 10 Grain Pancake Mix (I use Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain Pancake Mix)
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t cinnamon
1 t salt
1/4 c egg substitute
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c Splenda
1 t vanilla

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Spray the muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray or line them with paper liners.

Wash and dry the blueberries. In a small bowl, combine the oats and buttermilk, and let the mixture stand at room temperature for five minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the pancake mix, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix with a fork to blend and set aside.

In a large bowl and using a hand mixer, beat the egg, applesauce, and Splenda at medium speed for three minutes.

Blend in the oat-buttermilk mixture. Stir in the flour mixture only to combine, try not to overwork the mixture. Fold in the blueberries. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and top with a sprinkle of flax seed.

Bake 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Number of Servings: 12

Banana Bread (Diabetic)

I am still playing around with some desserts and trying to make them more Diabetic friendly. This recipe is the same Banana Bread recipe I posted a couple of months ago only I made several substitutions to make it a healthier dessert.

I have to say it didn't turn out bad at all. It was surprisingly moist and had very good flavor. The original banana bread is very moist and has a just a touch more intense banana flavor but this one is very close in flavor and moistness. Overall I was quite pleased with the results and even the hubby liked it and as a rule he hates any kind of diet food.

BANANA BREAD (DIABETIC VERSION)
1 1/4 cup White Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Smart Balance Low Sodium Butter Spread
1/2 Cup Eggbeaters
1 cup Splenda (regular, not the baking kind)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
3 ripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 350°F

Grease loaf pan.

Sift together the dry ingredients and set aside. In another bowl cream together the butter and bananas and whisk in the eggs. Add to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Pour into loaf pan and bake about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Make sure toothpick comes out somewhat clean in the center.

Cool and slice.

Apple Praline Pie (Diabetic)

I saw this recipe for Apple Praline Pie on the Pillsbury website and thought it looked so good but being Diabetic I really have to watch my sugar so I decided to try and make this as carb friendly as I could without losing its taste. Since my dear husband is the dessert maker in this house I asked him if he would make it for me but with a few substitutions which he was happy to do.

It came out delicious and was enjoyed by all even though I am the only one watching my sugar intake. If you want the full sugar version you can find it on the Pillsbury website.

APPLE PRALINE PIE (DIABETIC VERSION)

***crust***
1 box Pillsbury pie crusts

***filling***
6 cups thinly sliced peeled apples
3/4 cup Splenda (regular, not the baking kind)
1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tbl Smart Balance Low Sodium Butter Spread

***topping***
1/4 cup Smart Balance Low Sodium Butter Spread
1/2 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
2 Tbl Skim Milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350°F. Make pie crusts as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie, using 9-inch glass pie plate.

In large bowl, mix apples, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt; toss lightly. Spoon mixture into crust-lined pie plate. Dot with 1 tablespoon butter. Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Cover edge of crust with strips of foil after 15 to 20 minutes of bake time to prevent excessive browning.

In 1-quart saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter; stir in brown sugar and half-and-half. Slowly heat to boiling; remove from heat. Stir in pecans; spread over top of pie. Place pie on cookie sheet.

Bake 5 minutes longer or until topping bubbles. Cool at least 1 hour before serving.

Ultimate Coffee Cake

I saw this great coffee cake being made on the Paula Deen show and thought this would be a perfect cake to make for a Sunday morning. It is SUPER easy and looked delicious, I just didn't know it would end up looking like something off the I Love Lucy Show. RULE #1 stick to the recipe!

This is the perfect dish to make when you have company over. You make it the night before and it only takes seconds to make plus it sits overnight so in the morning all you have to do is stick it in the oven and 30 minutes later you have the most delicious tasting coffee cake that your guests will think you slaved over!

The first time I made this I thought gee 18 of those balls of dough just doesn't look like enough so I tossed in about 3 or 4 more. BIG MISTAKE. This is what I found when I got up in the morning.


So after everyone was done laughing at my dough monster in the oven I managed to stuff most of the hanging dough balls back into the pan and baked it. What I ended up with is this which isn't bad considering what I started with.

When I placed a plate on top and flipped it over the pan pulled away easily and I was left with this gooey, sticky, absolutely delicious pull apart coffee cake. Just remember to stick to the 16 - 18 dough balls and you will be fine! Another thing to remember is that by unbaked dinner rolls she means the frozen dough balls you find in your freezer section at the grocery store like these http://www.rhodesbread.com/products/view/800 . These come in round balls of dough that have to rise and then bake just like homemade rolls.

ULTIMATE COFFEE CAKE
16-18 each unbaked frozen dinner rolls
1 3 oz pkg Butterscotch pudding - non instant
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans chopped
1 stick butter, melted

The night before you serve this, place the frozen rolls in a well greased Bundt pan.

Sprinkle the dry pudding mix evenly over the rolls.

Sprinkle the brown sugar over the pudding mix then the chopped pecans. Pour the melted butter over all of it. Take a piece of plastic wrap and spray it with cooking spray or wipe a thin layer of oil over one side and then place the oiled side down over the Bundt pan. Don't wrap it tight but make sure it covers the whole top.

Then just let it sit on your stove or counter over night and when you get up it will have risen over the top. I placed mine inside the oven overnight (oven turned off of course).

Then just heat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes and place a plate on top and flip it over. It should come right out onto the plate.

Friday Night Sweets - Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

We have kind of started a tradition around here of making a nice dessert on Fridays for all of us to enjoy over the weekend. It came about because my Mother-in-Law will only eat sweets between 7 PM Friday and 7 PM on Sunday, nothing during the week (like a mini Lent or something like that).

Anyway I saw this recipe of Paula Deen's and it just looked so good and perfect for the season. I will warn you though that there is NOTHING healthy about this dessert lol. Those of you that know Paula's Deen's recipes know that there isn't much you can do to make it healthier. This is also VERY rich so servings should be kept small. Trust me a little goes a long way but it's very delicious, like a pumpkin pie on top of a moist cake. YUM!

PUMPKIN GOOEY BUTTER CAKE
=== cake ===
1 box yellow cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup melted butter
=== filling ===
1 8 oz.pkg cream cheese, softened
1 15 oz can pumpkin pie filling
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 16 oz box powdered sugar
1/2 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 baking pan. In a bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, egg and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside. Still using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin, eggs and vanilla. Dump in powdered sugar and beat well. Reduce the speed of the mixer and slowly pour in butter. Mix well. Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly.

*Bake for 40 - 50 minutes. Don't be afraid to make a judgment call on the cooking time, because oven temperatures can vary. You want the center to be a little gooey, so don't bake it past that point!

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Cut into squares and serve with whipped cream. These little cakes are very, very rich and a little will go a long way!

Madeleines, Simple and Delicious

I love those days when the oh-so-wonderful hubby is bored and looking for something to bake. I quickly browsed through my collection of recipes that I've saved but not tried yet when I remember my shiny new Madeleine pan. I've loved Madeleines ever since I saw them in a movie several years ago and wanted to make them myself. I looked everywhere for one of those pans but soon realized I would have to order one online.

For awhile our local Costco sold mini Madeleines in clear plastic buckets and they were very good but I still wanted to try making my own. Finally, several months ago I broke down and ordered one of the pans from Amazon. I was so excited when I got it, it was so shiny and pretty. Well that's as far as I got, it went up on the shelf and I just never got around to making the cookies until today when my oh-so-wonderful hubby was bored and felt the urge to make something sweet. I have just the thing I told him!

They tasted just like I imagined they would and so much better than the store bought ones. The recipe we used came from A Chow Life and as she says they are best when eaten warm out of the oven but I know these will taste good several days from now - if they last that long.

MADELEINES
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter melted and cooled
1 1/4 cup sifted cake flour not self-rising
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup granulated sugar
confectioners sugar for dusting

Put racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush molds with some melted butter.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Beat eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until light and foamy, about 30 seconds with a standing mixer or 1 minute with a handheld, then beat in vanilla. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating constantly at high speed, and continue to beat until mixture is tripled in volume, about 3 minutes with standing mixer or 5 minutes with handheld.

Sift flour mixture in 3 or 4 batches over egg, folding in each batch until just combined. Then fold in 3/4 cup melted butter.

Spoon a rounded tablespoon of batter into each mold (they will be about two-thirds full) and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven (2 pans will fit on 1 rack), switching position of pans halfway through baking, until golden around edges and a tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes total.

Invert madeleines onto a rack and dust scalloped sides with confectioners sugar.

Lazy Sunday Afternoons and a Good Coffee Cake

Finally we had some great weather today. While not cool by any means, the fact that it never got higher than the upper 80's was still a milestone. This has been a very looooong hot summer and today actually felt like the start of Fall. There was a strong breeze and the sky was blue and clear, it seemed like the perfect day to bake a nice coffee cake and relax with the hubby. Ok so the hubby threw out his back and was confined to bed but it's great to have a captive audience!

I found this wonderful recipe at Big City, Little Kitchen and just changed a few things to make it a bit healthier. I probably would have swapped out the 1 cup of sugar for Splenda's baking sugar substitute but I did not have any. For the brown sugar in the topping I used half regular brown sugar and half of Splenda's Brown Sugar.

As the original poster from Big City, Little Kitchen stated, this cake has a dense, moist interior and lot's of streusel. This one is definitely a keeper!

♦

CINNAMON-CRUMBLE COFFEE CAKE
==== cake ====
1 stick unsalted butter, softened ( I use Smart Balance's Butter Blends Unsalted Butter)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup fat free sour cream

==== topping ====
2/3 cup light brown sugar (part Splenda Brown Sugar and part regular Brown Sugar)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

To make cake: cream butter and sugar. Lightly beat eggs, vanilla, and our cream, then add to butter mixture. Whisk together dry ingredients, then add to wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.

To make topping: whisk together the 3 ingredients; set aside.

Pour half of batter into bundt pan, smoothing with a spatula so that it covers the bottom of the pan. Distribute half of the topping mixture over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter into the pan, carefully smoothing with a spatula so that it covers the topping. Sprinkle remaining topping over the batter, then bake for 45 minutes.

Let cool for 15 minutes, then carefully reverse onto a plate. Place another plate on top (which is actually the bottom of the cake), and reverse again, so that cake is, finally, facing up on a plate.

Fudge Brownie Pudding Cake

My Oh-So Wonderful hubby made this tonight and once again it was a big hit, especially with the in-laws. You pour boiling water over the batter just before putting it in the oven so it makes this thick chocolate syrup when it’s done.

I think this would be perfect served with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream. It would be like a brownie fudge sundae!

I was a good girl and resisted having more than just a taste as it would have put my blood sugar through the roof. It tasted soooo good! I may try making it another time and see what I can do to lighten it up.

FUDGE BROWNIE PUDDING CAKE
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powde; r
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup 1% lowfat milk
2 1/2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp black coffee
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 3/4 cups boiling water
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Heat oven to 375°F. Have ready an 8-in. square or other 2-qt, 2-in.-deep baking dish. Whisk flour, 1?2 cup cocoa powder and next 3-ingredients in a medium bowl until combined. In a 1-cup glass measure, combine milk, oil, liqueur and vanilla; stir into flour mixture until blended. Spread in ungreased baking dish.

Mix brown sugar and remaining 3 Tbsp cocoa; sprinkle evenly over batter. Slowly pour boiling water evenly over surface of batter—don’t stir. Carefully place in oven.

Bake 30 minutes, or until top is just set and a wooden pick inserted halfway into center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes.

Dust with confectioners’ sugar. For a decorative design, place a paper doily on pudding cake before dusting with confectioners’ sugar. Carefully lift doily straight up. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped topping.

* Nutrition Facts * Yield 9 servings * Amount Per Serving * Calories 206 * Total Fat 5g * Saturated Fat 1g * Cholesterol NA * Sodium 184mg * Total Carbohydrates 41g * Dietary Fiber 2g * Protein 3g

Apple Walnut Cake

I found this in a magazine and my ever so wonderful hubby whipped it up last night. Needless to say it was a big hit!

Sorry these are not the best pictures in my blog but as we have been living with my in-laws until our house sells I am limited in my resources. The kitchen is very small and my photo box and all my lighting is packed away :( This will have to do!

We cut back a bit on the walnuts as we don't like a lot in our cakes and brownies but the recipe originally called for 1 1/2 cups so if you really like nuts then add as much as you wish. This was a really moist cake and would probably taste great with a dab of whip cream or maybe a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

APPLE WALNUT CAKE

2 cups sugar
1 cup + 2 T vegetable oil
1/4 cup apple cider or juice
3 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3 cups flour
2 large granny Smith apple; any apple is ok
1/2 - 1 cup chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350°F

Peel, core and slice the apples.

Coat a 10 in. tube pan with cooking spray.

Whisk sugar, oil, apple cider (juice), eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until blended.

Stir in flour until blended. Stir in apples and walnuts.

Scrape mixture into the prepared tube pan.

Bake 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for about an hour before removing from pan.

Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar.