Freezer Apple Pie Filling

At the bakery I tried making my Dutch Apple Pies, but the convection ovens wouldn't cooperate.  The crust would over bake and the apples would be undercooked.  I had to come up with a way to offer delicious apple pies.  After much research and recipe testing I combined a couple I found on allrecipes and came up with this one.  It works great!  

This doesn't have to be frozen, but it does help to have it in the fridge and cooled down before placing into the unbaked pie shell.  If you pour the hot pie filling into the unbaked shell, it will melt the butter of the crust and make a big giant mess.  I love this pie crust, but anything you love will work.  

Apple Pie Filling

5 lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup butter, cubed

4 cups apple juice

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon allspice

Place all apples into a large bowl.  Juice lemon over the apples and toss so they are coated well.  Add cubed butter to the apples and set aside.

In large pot, whisk together apple juice, sugar, salt, allspice, cinnamon and cornstarch.  Bring to a boil and whisk until thickened and "clear".  The cornstarch will make this gelatinous.

Pour the hot juice mixture over the apple slices.  Toss and stir well to coat.  Taste.  Add more salt if needed.  

Pour apple pie filling into quart jars, freezer zip lock baggies or other freezer containers.  Label and date.  Cool in fridge then store in freezer.   

If using immediately, put mixture in metal bowl and an ice bath to cool down before using.  

You may store this in the fridge for up to 1 week.  

You can use this apple pie filling in muffins, apple pies, puff pastry, cupcakes, oatmeal...etc.  

**NOTE:  You will not use all the juice mixture when ladling into the pie crust.  Scoop mostly apples into the crust and then ladle in about 1/2 cup of juice mixture over the apples before placing a crust or crumble topping.  

Easy Cream Scones

When I started working at the Daisy, I had to learn to make their cream scones.  They were really easy and kind of reminded me of a biscuit.  We changed up the scones everyday.  Every day we had to have a dried cherry scone but the other scone could be anything.  We made Bacon Cheddar, Strawberry Chocolate Chip, Raspberry Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Orange, Provolone Pesto, Pepperoni Pesto, Triple Cheese...the possibilities are endless.  You can make these smaller, bigger, round, triangular, rectangular...whatever floats your boat.  Have a tea party and make these scones.  You won't regret them.  Don't forget to make some of Nana's Lemon Curd to serve along side!

Easy Cream Scones
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 to 1-3/4 cups heavy whipping cream

mix-ins...can be anything...choose about 1/4-1/3 cup total of whatever you want to mix in. If you choose a fresh berry, chop them into cubes and freeze solid, then quickly fold into the dough. Fresh berries will get slimy and mushy when folding.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In large mixing bowl, sift together flour, powder, sugar and salt.

Using a fork, make a well in the center of flour mixture and pour in cream.  Using fork, stir together and combine the cream and flour.

Flour your surface and place dough ball.  Carefully knead and fold dough 5-7 times.  Then add in your mix-ins.  Fold carefully 3-4 more times.  Pat out a circle or rectangle about 1" thick.  Then cut out your scones.  Choose whatever shape you like.

Place scones on baking sheet, brush tops with egg white and sprinkle with coarse sugar.  If you are doing cheese scones, omit sugar and sprinkle more cheese on top.  Get creative.  Make these your own.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.  If your scones are smaller, they will bake faster, so shorten the baking time.

* For Gluten Free scones, substitute my gluten free flour blend for regular all purpose flour and then add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum when sifting your dry ingredients.

Have fun!  Mommy loves you!

Macarons - Italian Meringue Method

I have tried making French macarons so many times using so many different recipes that I eventually gave up.  Then one day I was chatting with a baking buddy on periscope and she suggested trying the Italian method.  I was surprised to hear there was a different method...I didn't even know there was anything other than the French.  So after googling and searching youtube I found a great tutorial by Janelle Estep.  I tried it and it worked!!!  I was so happy!  Nana was making fun of me since she happened to be at our house that day.  I was literally doing a happy dance in the kitchen!  I bought a digital scale and thermometer because this made it so much easier to make them.

So far we've made Pumpkin Pie Spice, Chocolate Ganache, Blackberry, Raspberry Chocolate, Chocolate Pecan Praline and Strawberry Chocolate. 

Here's the recipe:

Italian Macarons

150 grams almond flour

145 grams powdered sugar

105 grams egg whites - divided (about 3 eggs)

120 grams granulated sugar

40 grams water

In a fast food processor or magic bullet, blend almond flour and powdered sugar until powdery (about 15 seconds) then sift to remove any large nut bits.  Pour into a bowl.  Add 50 grams of the egg whites and make a paste. ** ADD COLOR IF DESIRED.  You will need to add more than you think because the egg whites will lighten it.  Set aside.  This is called "the mass".

Next in a sauce pan, heat water and sugar to 230 degrees F.  DO NOT STIR.  This will create sugar crystals and ruin your syrup.  It will go fast.  Simultaneously put the remaining 55 grams of egg whites into the Kitchenaid mixer with whip attachment and whip to soft peaks.  Add 1 tablespoon sugar and continue to whip.  The sugar syrup should be ready at this time.  Slowly pour the syrup down the side of the bowl into the egg whites.  Turn up the mixer to whip to stiff peaks.  

Meanwhile, line 2 baking pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

Add 1/3 of the beaten egg whites to the "mass" and don't worry about the egg whites getting too broken down.  Just try to loosen up the "mass".  Now add another 1/3 egg whites and carefully fold them into the batter.  Add the remaining 1/3 egg whites and fold until no more whites are streaking through the batter.  It's very important to NOT overmix at this stage.  It will create hollow shells.  

Use a pastry bag fitted with a round tip.  Be sure to twist the end of the bag where the tip is to keep the batter from leaking out while filling it up.  Place bag into a tall glass to help you.  Then spoon half the batter into the bag.   Pipe round mounds onto the parchment lined baking pans.  Try to get 24 onto the pan.  This will yield 12 cookies.  

Refill the remaining batter into the bag and continue piping round mounds.  Gently tap the pans on the counter to release some of the air bubbles in the cookies.  Let these rest on the counter for 45-60 minutes.  DO NOT BE IMPATIENT!!!  They will not form the proper feet if they are not hardened on top.  Bake at 300 degrees F for 17 minutes.   Remove from oven and cool.  Once cool, match up the shells and then fill them with whatever you like...if you choose to fill with preserves or curd, be sure to pipe a ring of buttercream or ganache to keep it from leaking out.  Twist the lid onto the bottom and chill.   These can be frozen in plastic containers for 3 months.  

YUMMO!!!

Chocolate Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

Nana has suffered with psoriasis since she was a little girl.  She has learned to deal with it over the years, but recently it has become more troublesome.  I told her about our friend Amanda and how she has suffered with it and linked it to a gluten allergy.  So Nana went gluten free for 3 days and then tried to eat a bagel and almost scratched her head off.  So she is now eating a diet free of gluten.  Oatmeal doesn't seem to bother her, so I made these muffins for her.  They were super yummy!

Chocolate Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins
3 cups oat flour (I just use quick cooking oatmeal and give it a whirl in my magic bullet)
2-1/2 cups cornstarch (or if you have gluten free all purpose baking mix, you can use that too)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups buttermilk (or soured milk - 2-1/2 cup milk with 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar)
1 cup honey
1-1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 eggs
*optional, 1 cup dark chocolate chips (I used Hershey's Special Dark)

Sift together oat flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.  Add buttermilk, honey, applesauce and eggs.  Stir until combined.  Add chocolate chips to batter and stir.  They do not sink while baking.  I'm guessing it's the thickness of the oat flour.

Divide among muffin pan and bake at 375 for 13-17 minutes.  Baking times vary due to ovens, so just keep an eye on them.  Use a toothpick to see if they are done.

This is a huge batch and it made 43 muffins.  I freeze some and give some to Nana.  It's a great treat and delicious breakfast muffin.  I smear a bit of peanut butter on top, but Nutella or almond butter would be delicious too!

Spiced Apple Cupcakes

I love apple butter.  It reminds me of my Great Grandaddy.  He lived to be 99 years old.  Every day, he ate apple butter, applesauce and took geritol.  He also ate from his own garden into his 80s when he was moved to a senior citizens assisted living complex.  He hated it at first, because he said he "didn't want to be with all them old people"...I know right? He was 80 something and didn't even think he was old.  When I graduated high school in 1992, he came down to stay the week.  He made one last trip down to Georgia from Virginia shortly before he died.  He told Nana that he felt trapped in his old body.  In his mind he felt like he was in his 30s or 40s.  But his body wouldn't and couldn't keep up.  Old age is sad, thankfully we have the hope of paradise on earth when we will see Grandaddy again.

So back to the apple butter.  I wanted to make a yummy spicy apple cupcake for the fall and found a good recipe, made some necessary changes because I was determined to use apple butter.  And this is what was born:

Spiced Apple Cupcakes
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
4 eggs
1-1/2 cup apple butter
2 apples, peeled, shredded and squeezed of their juice (we used Granny Smith)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Sift flour, baking soda, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, beat butter, sugar and brown sugar until fluffy.  Add one egg at a time and beat well after each.  Stir in the shredded apples.  Alternately add flour mixture and apple butter to the bowl and mix on low speed.  Divide batter evenly among liners and bake for 18-20 minutes.

We frosted these with Dulce de Leche Swiss Meringue Buttercream.  Drizzled them with thinned dulce de leche and sprinkled with pecans.  We called them Caramel Apple Cupcakes.

So good!

Strawberry Meringue Cookies

Strawberry Meringues are low fat and you could make them low sugar by reducing the amount of sugar.  However, these are tasty just the way they are.

Strawberry Meringues
3/4 cup egg whites (from about 5 eggs)
pinch of salt (about 1/8 teaspoon)
1/4 cup strawberry gelatin
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Whisk egg whites, salt, gelatin and sugar in kitchenaid until sugar is mostly dissolved.  Increase speed to high and beat until no sugar granules can be felt when you rub a little between your fingers.  Remove bowl from stand mixer and, by hand, stir in vinegar, extract and cornstarch.  Scoop onto parchment lined cookie sheet and bake in 180 degree oven for 2 hours.  Do not open the doors and turn oven off.  Leave in the oven overnight or at least 8 hours.   

Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
3/4 cup gluten free flour mix*
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil (I use canola for most everything)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons milk (may substitute coconut milk for allergies)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a mixing bowl sift together gluten free flour mix, cocoa powder, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt.  Set aside.  In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy (about 5 minutes).  Add oil and whisk until combined.  Add sugar and mix thoroughly.  Gently add the cocoa mixture and stir by hand until mixed.  Add the milk and extract and mix until combined.

Scoop evenly among 15 cupcake liners.  And bake for 18 minutes.  Toothpick will insert and come out clean.  The cupcakes will not "feel" done to the touch so make sure you use a toothpick.  Do not overbake them, they will taste like a dried sponge.

These are delicious and if you didn't know they weren't gluten free, you wouldn't know.

*gluten free flour mix = 3 pounds Asian white rice flour and 2 pounds cornstarch sifted together.  Keep in large bin with tightly fitted lid.  You may store in the fridge, but make sure to bring to room temperature before baking. 

YUM!


(This recipe contains affiliate links to amazon.com. Thank you for your support!)

Buffalo Sloppy Joes

This was a yummy dinner!  Everyone loved it, including Daddy! 

Here's what we did:

Buffalo Sloppy Joes (adapted from Taste of Home)
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds ground turkey
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce (you can add more if it's not spicy enough)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
bleu cheese crumbles

Saute onions, celery, carrots and garlic in oil over medium heat until softened and translucent.  Add ground turkey and break up with the back of a wooden spoon.  Cook through for 10 minutes.  Stir in tomato sauce, wing sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire suace and pepper.  Cook another 10 minutes or until bubbly and heat through. 

Enjoy on buns, over split baked potato or over mashed potatoes.  Serve with a sprinkling of bleu cheese crumbles if desired.

YUM!

Homemade Banana Pudding

Daddy loves banana pudding.  We prefer the cold kind.  But Pappy loves the homemade kind with the homemade vanilla pudding. 

Homemade Banana Pudding

2 cups milk (I've used all kinds of milk varieties)
2 tbsp flour
4 egg yolk (save the whites)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla wafers (entire box)

3 ripe bananas, sliced

4 egg whites (from the yolks above)
1/4 cup sugar 

Heat milk, flour, yolks and sugar over medium heat in heavy duty pot. Whisk until combined. Bring to boil, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Meanwhile, pour a box of vanilla wafers into a 2 quart casserole dish (13x9) and top evenly with sliced bananas. Once the pudding as thickened, remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Pour pudding over the bananas and wafers. Set aside. In a clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread over the pudding mixture and create swirls and peak using the back of your spoon. Broil in the oven for 30-60 seconds or until the peaks are golden brown. Cool completely or eat warm. Whichever your heart desires.

 

YUM! 

Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti

I had some leftover grilled chicken and had originally planned to make Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Lasagna, but didn't have any lasagna noodles.  This is what we ended up eating and it was SO good!

Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups diced grilled chicken (this was seasoned with chili powder, paprika and salt & pepper)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup Buffalo wing sauce (1/2 cup if you don't like spicy)
4 oz Neufachatel cream cheese, softened
spaghetti noodles
Bleu cheese crumbles

Heat oil over medium heat and saute minced garlic until fragrant.  Add chicken, spaghetti sauce, Buffalo wing sauce and cream cheese.  Stir until cream cheese has melted into sauce.  Boil pasta noodles until al dente according to box directions.  Serve with Bleu cheese crumbles.

YUM!

We served this with a green salad topped with sliced Granny Smith apples and Bleu cheese crumbles, drizzled with Balsamic Dressing.

Christina's Split Pea Soup

I've never eaten split pea soup and was really excited when Christina shared this yummy soup with us.  You loved it so much, you ate it for lunch and supper in the same day!

Here's how she does it:

Split Pea Soup with Ham (courtesy of our cousin Christina)
1 bag green split peas
2 quarts cold water (8 cups)
ham bone or 2 ham hocks
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 potato, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon marjoram

Bring peas, water, ham bone and onion to a boil; cover and reduce to simmer for 1 hour.  (She told me 1-1/2 hours, but after an hour it was ready).  Remove meat from bones and add back to pot.  Add veggies and seasonings and simmer for another 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through.

This is so yummy!!!

Buffalo Chicken Shepherd's Pie

This is a yummy recipe.  It was a little spicy for you and Hunter but Daddy and Austin ate every bit of it.  No leftovers!  You know it's good when that happens!

Buffalo Chicken Shepherd's Pie (thanks to Debbi)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion (about 1 cup finely diced)
3 celery stalks (about 1 cup finely diced)
2 carrots (about 1/2 cup sliced)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds ground turkey
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup Buffalo wing sauce (I use whatever I have in the pantry)
10 potatoes
1 packet dry Ranch powder
1/4-1/2 cup buttermilk (depends on how wet your potatoes are)
1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

In large skillet, heat oil and add onions.  Saute until slightly caramelized, about 15 minutes.  (Meanwhile, peel and cube potatoes and start boiling for mashed potatoes).  Add celery, carrots and garlic another 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add ground turkey and cook through.  Season with paprika, salt and pepper.  Add diced tomatoes and wing sauce (adjust wing sauce depending on how hot you like it), stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes.  

Drain potatoes, mash and add Ranch powder and desired amount of buttermilk.  Stir in the cheese and set aside.

In large 13x9 casserole dish (or 2 8x8 pans), pour the buffalo mixture into the bottom of the casserole dish.  Layer the mashed potatoes on top.  I used an ice cream scooper to put the mashed potatoes over the top.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.  Broil for 3 minutes for crispy tops.

To freeze:  cool completely, flash freeze in the freezer, uncovered.  once frozen wrap in plastic wrap and tin foil.

To heat:  thaw in fridge over night and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.  Broil for 3 minutes to get the potatoes crispy.

Lucia's Mexican Salsa

This is a yummy homemade salsa.


Lucia's Mexican Salsa
10 whole tomatoes
5 garlic cloves
1 onion
1/2 cup sliced pickled jalapeno peppers
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon salt

Preheat oven to "broil" and move an oven rack to the highest position in the oven closest to the broiler (I have an electric oven).


Place tomatoes on a sheet pan and broil in the oven until the skin on the tomatoes are charred and blackened.  This should only take about 5-10 minutes.  Flip them over and char the opposite side.

 In the mean time, chop garlic cloves and onion and place food processor.  Process until chopped finely.  You may need to wipe down the sides of your food processor bowl to make sure all the onion is chopped finely.

Add the hot tomatoes and jalapeno peppers to the onion and garlic and process until no longer lumpy.  (You may need to work in batches).

 Pour into bowl and stir in lime juice, cilantro and salt.  Cover with tight fitting lid and refrigerate overnight.  

Enjoy on anything and everything!

YUM!

Gingerbread Cupcakes

These cupcakes remind me of Granny's applesauce cake.  The molasses and ginger takes me back to Granny's kitchen and watching her hands mix the batter and pat the cakes out into rounds in the bottom of a cast iron skillet.  Such nostalgia. 

After making the gingerbread cookies, I thought they would look adorable on top of some cupcakes.  So I found a yummy cupcake recipe and made some cute little gingerbread men. 

Here's how we do it:

Gingerbread Cupcakes (adapted from this recipe)

½ cup sugar
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup molasses
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt

2 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
¾ cup water

Place standard baking cup in each of 18 regular size muffin pan cups.
In large bowl, cream sugar and butter.
Mix in molasses; beat in eggs, one at a time.
In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
Alternately add flour mixture with water to the wet ingredients.
Scoop evenly among prepared muffin cups.
Bake in preheated oven (350 degrees F) for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 5 minutes in pan.
Remove cupcakes from pans to cooling rack, and cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Ginger Molasses Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon ground ginger

2 tablespoon molasses

2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted

Mix cream cheese and butter together until light and creamy.  Add salt, ginger and molasses, mix well. Add powdered sugar and beat until whipped and creamy.

Frost the cupcakes and top each cupcake with a little gingerbread man.  

YUM!

Gingerbread Cookies

I made some really cute Gingerbread people at work and thought I'd share the recipe.  We made them at Nana's house this afternoon for a tea party she is having over the weekend.  There are tons of recipes out there for gingerbread cookies, but these have the right amount of spicy kick in the back of your throat. 

Here's how we made them:

Gingerbread Cookies (from Bakerella)
5 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 cup butter, slightly soft
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup molasses

Sift flour, soda, salt and spices together in a medium bowl and set aside.
Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add egg and mix until combined.
Add molasses and mix until combined.
Gradually add in flour mixture and mix until combined and a dough forms.
Divide dough into four sections and shape each into a flattened disc.
Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
When ready to bake preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll out each disc between two sheets of parchment paper using a rolling pin.
Flour the sides of the paper that will touch the dough to make it a little easier to release. Continue to pull the parchment paper away from the dough as you roll it out.  Also flip it over and release from the opposite side.  It helps a lot when removing the cookie cut outs after they are chilled.
Cut out shapes and remove excess dough to reuse.
Leave cutouts on parchment paper and transfer to cookie sheet.
Bake for 8 minutes. Cool on cooling rack.

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons water

In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and water until thick and pasty.  You may need to add a little extra water...one drop at a time.  Spoon into a plastic food storage baggie and clip a tiny corner from the baggie.  Pipe little faces, hair and dresses on the cooled gingerbread.

YUM!

Old Fashioned Caramel Cake

Nana says Grandmother Bell made the best caramel cakes when she was a little girl.  Unfortunately, she doesn't have a recipe.  So I came up with an easy substitute that is still pretty tasty!

Old Fashioned Caramel Cake
for the cake
1 yellow boxed cake*
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1-1/4 cup water

for the caramel icing
1/2 cup butter
4 cups light brown sugar
2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
6 cups powdered sugar, sifted

For the cake:
Mix together in large bowl, cake mix, brown sugar, eggs, oil and water.  Divide evenly among two 8" cake pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until toothpick tests done.  Cool for 5 minutes in pans and then flip out and cool completely.  Set aside.

For the caramel icing:
In large sauce pot, stir together butter, brown sugar, milk and salt.  Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Icing will begin to cool, so you have to work quickly.

To assemble the cake:
Cut the cake layers in half (I usually remove the rounded part of the cake and let Daddy eat that).  Place a layer on an 8" cardboard cake round (or cut a circle out of a cereal box).  Place a cooling rack over a large bowl (large enough for the icing to run off the cake and into the bowl).  Pour the icing over the cake layer, probably only about 1/3 cup or so.  Just enough to cover the layer.  Repeat with the other 3 layers.  Pour the icing over the entire cake allow to drip down the sides and into the bowl beneath.  Scrape the leftover icing back into the sauce pot and reheat until just loose enough to repour over the entire cake.  I usually do this 2 or 3 times. 

Save any leftover icing and mix them with chopped pecans to make a simple pecan prailine.  Drop them onto waxed paper or parchment paper.  Cool completely, pluck off the paper and wrap in plastic wrap. 

Cool completely and enjoy!

YUM!

*I usually bake 2 cake mixes so we can have 6 or 8 layers on the cake.  If you choose to bake 2, make sure you double the rest of the ingredients for the cake, but not the caramel icing...it should be plenty.

Strawberry Smoothie

Strawberry Smoothie

1 cup frozen strawberries

1/2 cup plain, non-fat yogurt

1 tsp strawberry flavored sugar-free gelatin (powder only)

In microwave safe container, thaw strawberries in microwave for 1 minute on high.  Add yogurt to blender (or Magic Bullet), pour in the slightly softened strawberries and sprinkle the gelatin over the top.  Blend until completely smooth.  If it's a little thick, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until you have the thickness you like.

It's only 150 calories.  I drink this for breakfast along with peanut butter toast or have it for a snack with cocoa roasted almonds. 

Carrot Cake Cookiewiches

Yesterday we pulled quite a few carrots from our little carrot patch.  We still have a ton to be pulled.  In the mean time, I thought I'd share a yummy recipe for Carrot Cake Cookies.

Carrot Cake Cookies (adapted from Martha Stewart)

1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon finely chopped crystallized ginger

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup finely grated carrots, juiced squeezed out

1 cup oats

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cream Cheese Filling

4 ounces Neufchatel, softened

2 Tablespoons butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

In mixing bowl, beat butter until light and creamy.  Add sugar and brown sugar, beat until light and fluffy.

Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.

Add flour, cinnamon, ginger, crystallized ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix well.

Add carrots*, oats and pecans.  Mix well.

Use an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop and scoop evenly onto baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes or until the edges are just golden.  Allow to cool for a minute on the sheet and then move to a cooling rack.

Finish baking the rest of the cookies.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and beat until creamy.  

Once cookies are completely cooled, spread a little of the cream cheese filling onto one side of a cookie and top with another cookie.

Ta-da!  

It's totally divine!

Enjoy!

TIP:

*grate the carrots and then put them in a tea towel and squeeze the life out of them!  the juice can be saved for other uses or discarded

Banana Oat Muffins

We normally eat this muffin with our breakfast or for an evening snack.  I hope you enjoy it!  I really love to spread a little peanut butter on it...it's just so good.  A match made in heaven...peanut butter and bananas!  

Next time I'm going to try making this with dark chocolate to see how the calories work out, if it's good, I'll share it too.

Banana Oat Muffins

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup oat flour (grind your own oatmeal)

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup mashed bananas (overripe, about 3)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

In large bowl whisk flour, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In separate bowl, mix bananas, sugar, yogurt, egg and vanilla extract together.  Pour into the dry ingredients and add cinnamon.  Scoop into a muffin tin sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 12 minutes or until toothpick tests done.

Makes 12 muffins.

YUM!

each muffin = 84 calories, 0.7 grams fat, 17.5 grams carbs, 2.3 gram protein

Dill Pickles

We love Mt. Olive Kosher dill pickles.  In fact, when they go on sale at the store, I usually stock up at least 4 jars each time.  You and Hunter can go through some pickles!  We went over to Cousin Brenda's house and we finagled with the recipe until it resembled the original.  They are so good!!!  Technically these are refrigerator pickles.  Meaning they are not processed in a boiling water bath, but kept in the fridge. We save the pickle jars and spaghetti jars so we can put the pickled cucumbers in them. 

Dill Pickles
5-1/2 cups water
3 cups white distilled vinegar
1/4 tsp ground tumeric
5 Tbsp pickling salt (or non-iodized salt)
black peppercorn
mustard seeds
red pepper flakes
fresh dill heads
whole garlic cloves
cucumbers, sliced, speared, whole (make sure to remove the blossom end of the cucumbers)

Clean and dry your jars and lids.  Set aside.

In stainless steel pot, bring water, vinegar, salt and turmeric to a boil.  Then cool slightly. 

Clean and prepare the cucumbers.  Slicing them into chips, cutting them into spears or keeping them whole.  Remember to cut off the blossom end of the cucumbers.

Apparently there is a wicked little enzyme that will make your pickles mushy.  And we don't want mushy pickles!

Place one garlic clove, 2 peppercorns, a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 dill head into the bottom of each jar.

Fit cucumbers into the jars.

We put spears in the bottom and topped with chips.  Add another dill head to the top.

Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers allowing 1/2" headspace. 

Allow to come to room temperature and put straight into the fridge.  Allow to pickle for at least 4 weeks and then enjoy to your heart's content.

We didn't wait 4 weeks.  We didn't even wait 3 weeks.  We waited 4 days.  I know!  But we were way too curious to see how they tasted.  They are amazing!!!  The vinegar solution hadn't permeated the entire cucumber, but it still tasted pretty amazing!

Now you can make them yourself.  Plant yourself a little cucumber patch and you'll have cucumbers for the year.

YUM!