Category Archives: dessert

Key-lime Cheesecake

My Mom’s birthday was yesterday and I’ve been baking 150 mini cupcakes for a shower all week . My sister asked me what are you going to bake for Mom’s birthday? I laughed and said mini cupcakes but no really what are you going to bake for mom…hmmm…Well let’s check the refrigerator? I made key-lime mini cups earlier in the week and noticed I have quite a few key-limes leftover. My mom loves key-lime and I have excess cream cheese I had an Aha moment cheesecake it is!

This recipe is supposed to taste similar to the Cheesecake Factory’s Key-lime Cheesecake. I did make some alterations to reduce the calories since one slice of the real version yields 870 calories and 34 grams of saturated fat! Yikes!

This recipe calls for a an 8 inch springform pan and yields 12 to 16 servings

Filling Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh key lime juice
2 TB Keylime Zest
1 (8oz package) fat free cream cheese room temperature
1 (8 oz package) 1/3 fat reduced cream cheese room temperature
1 (8 oz package) cream cheese (you could get away with reduced fat here but I didn’t have another reduced fat in my refrigerator) room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Splenda for baking (or sugar substitute of your choice or real sugar)
1 tsp Mexican pure vanilla
1/2 cup egg substitute or 4 egg whites
1 whole egg

Crust ingredients:
1 & 3/4 cup reduced fat graham cracker crumbs
5 TB reduced fat Margarine or unsalted butter
1 TB sugar

Coconut whip-cream
1 cup heavy cream
4 TB powdered sugar
1 tsp coconut extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray springform pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

Place graham crackers in food processor and pulse until refined.

Add into a medium mixing bowl crumbs, melted butter, 1 TB sugar.

Mix until texture of the blend looks like wet sand.

Pour the crumbs into springform pan and press the crumbs into the pan with hands. Don’t go up the whole side only about half way.

Bake for 5 minutes in 350 degrees. Allow to cool while preparing the cream cheese filling.

Place softened cream cheese in electric mixer with spatula attachment.

Beat until consistency is creamy without signs of chunks.

Add sugar, Splenda, and vanilla beat to incorporate.

Add egg substitute and whole egg along with zest and key lime juice. Mix to incorporate.

Pour the batter into the slightly cooled springform pan.

Spread the batter with spatula evenly prior to placing the cake in the preheated oven. Place on bottom rack of oven a 8-9 inch cake pan filled with water in oven for steaming effect.

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until
slightly brown. I let mine go to 70 minutes which was too long as you can see below.

Only thing to do when that happens is make a pretty coconut whip cream to top it off and sprinkle with zest of some key-lime and shredded coconut!

Place the heavy cream in a cold metal bowl and beat until until soft peaks form.

Add powdered sugar and coconut extract. Beat until stiff peaks form and pipe with your favorite tip.

Happy Birthday Mom! I love you!

Enjoy!

Orange Creamsicle Mini Cupcakes

I saw a recipe on the May 2014 Food Network Magazine …orange cream cupcakes (they were pictured on the cover)!! I was so excited and wanted to try it right away.

I loved eating Creamsicle pops in the summer time when I was growing up.
Before I got all my ingredients out and preheated my oven I wanted to check the FN website. One thing I always do before starting a recipe or purchasing a product is read the reviews. The recipe from the May issue didn’t have very good reviews. So I opted not to make that recipe, now I was in the mood for Creamsicle, I I went to my trusty Taste of home website to find one to try. I was in luck they had one but no reviews…no reviews are better than poor reviews. I gave it a try and was pleasantly surprised.

This recipes yields 69 minis using a size 60 scoop

Cupcake Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canola oil
1/2 low fat buttermilk
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tsp fresh orange zest
1 tsp orange extract (Penzey’s)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups AP flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt

Frosting recipe:
2 sticks unsalted butter (softened to room temperature
1 (8 oz block) cream cheese generally I would say use one third fat but I made these for a bridal shower and wanted them to turn out perfectly
1 tsp orange extract I used Penzey’s
1 TB Orange zest
Orange gel food coloring
69 Orange Mike and Ike’s & tooth
picks

Preheat one and paper-line mini cupcakes tins. Set aside

1. In a large electric mixing bowl combine first eight ingredients and beat with spatula attachment together until blended.

2. In a separate medium bowl combine flour baking powder baking soda and salt mixed together with whisk.

2. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.

3. Continue beating with spatula attachment until everything is fully incorporated.

4. Portion out into mini cupcake tins using a number 60 scoop.

5. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. Test cupcakes using with toothpick method. If toothpick comes out clean they are done. These minis bake very quickly so if they’re not done at nine check every 30 seconds to a minute.

6. Remove from pan right away with no hesitation.

7. Please Let completely cool off on wire rack before frosting.

Directions for frosting:

1. In an electric mixer beat butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy without any chunks.

2. Gradually add confectionery sugar 1 to 1 & 1/2 cups at a time. Maker sure if you don’t have a spatula attachment with rubber scraping sides that you use a hand spatula to scrap down sides occasionally.

3. Add orange zest and orange gel coloring until you reach the desired color for the frosting.

4. Place into large piping bag using an Ateco 808 piping tip and frost into magical swirls. Top with Mike and Ike’s lookalike creamsicles.

And enjoy

Blackberry pie !

My husband’s favorite pie is black raspberry. If you like black raspberries you know it is nearly impossible to find these gems unless you yourself grow them and protect from the birds with netting. We went to the strip district last weekend and picked up 4 cups of blackberries next best thing. They were such a good deal! Only a dollar per 8 ounces. I promised him I would bake him a pie with the vibrant berries.

Ingredients for dough for crust:

2/3 cup crisco
2 cup ap flour
1 tsp kosher salt
4 to 6 TB ice cold water
Skim Milk to brush the top of the top

Ingredients for filling (Grammy Ulam’s recipe)
4 cups of Blackberries (or black raspberries)
3/4 cup but up 1 cup of sugar if very tart
3-4 TB corn starch

Directions:

To start the dough for the crust. Mix flour and salt.

Cut shortening into flour with your hands (the key here is to get the flour mixture to look like pea size particles resembling wet sand.

Sprinkle the water slowly and not all at one time. Contine mixing with bare hands

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Mix until all moisture has been incorporated into the dough and pastry cleans side of bowl.

Divide the dough into two balls, place in plastic wrap and refrigerator for 30 minutes.

While the dough colds off start the fruit filling.

Place first three ingredients for the filling in a sauce pan on medium low heat.

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Dark Chocolate Brownies

I pack my husband’s lunch daily and I always like to add a sweet treat. I had brownies on my mind this afternoon. I popped them in the oven afterwork for a nice dessert after dinner. Plus the oven was already warm from supper.

Ingredients:
1 tsp vanilla pure
1 tsp instant coffee (100% Colombian trader joe’s brand is what I used)
1/4 cup almond meal
1.5 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch Processed cocoa (there is no comparison to penzeys)
6 oz of chopped dark chocolate (I had some left over from Easter Malley’s from Cleveland Area)
1 cup raw sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup canola oil
5 farm fresh eggs or 1 1/4 cup egg substitute

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowel except the chopped chocolate and whisk to fully incorporate.

Now add lightly beaten eggs, vanilla, applesauce, & canola oil. Mix to combine.

Pour batter into a cooking sprayed 9 by 13 and spread evenly.

Sprinkle dark chocolate over batter.

Place in preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Let pan cool for at least 5 minutes on wire rack.

Cut into squares as you see fit. Makes about 3 dozen brownies.

Homemade Coconut Kiwi Strawberry Popsicle

Today we celebrated memorial day with friends and family! I cannot think a better way to cool off other a homemade Popsicle. Plus I knew my nephew would love these cold treats.

Ingredients:
1 can of light coconut milk ( I used trader joes)
2 kiwi pealed
1 cup of strawberries
1/4 cup honey

Directions:
Place all the goods and the food processor.

Pulse 2 to 3 times.

Pour into a container with a spout.

Freeze in a deep freezer for 5 to 6 hours.

Makes about 10 popsicles tupperwear size.

Enjoy!

Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip Cookies

My husband’s favorite cookie is a chocolate chip cookie so I’m always looking at ways to reinvent the wheel. As you all know I get bored and tired of you making the same recipes. One of his other favorite bedtime snacks is milk and graham crackers. You can only imagine when I came across this recipe I just had to try it. This recipe is truly a marriage of two of his favorite sweets. Believe it or not it beat out his all time favorite dark chocolate chip cookies

This recipe yields 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients :

1.5 cups Graham Cracker crumbs
1.5 cups of sugar
1 cups AP Flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup of chocolate chips (dark is my husbands favorite) but you pick you poison)
1 cup of unsalted butter (two sticks)
2 eggs (local or egglands best)
1 tsp vanilla extract high quality
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Line 1/2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

1. Cream butter and sugar together in stand mixer on medium high speed.

2. In a separate bowl whisk together flours, graham cracker crumbs, and salt.

3. Once sugar and butter creamed add eggs one at a time on medium low speed. Then gradually add flour ingredients slowly on a low speed.

Once combined thoroughly.

Remove the whisk and fold in the chocolate chips.

Spoon out using a size 60 scoop.

Bake for 11 minutes. Let the cookies set on the pan for 2 minutes (they will continue to bake).

Remove and allow to cool on wire rack. Enjoy with some skim milk!

Lemon No Bake Bars

These are a very popular bar! Always requested for a spring dinner and Easter Sunday. Super easy and refreshing! This recipe was adapted from Ellie Krieger, Registered Dietitian, from the Food Network’s Lemon Bars recipe.

Ingredients:

Crust:
14 graham crackers, low fat (7 full sheets)
1/2 TB milled flaxseed
1/2 TB Splenda Brown Sugar
2 TB melted butter
1/4 tsp salt

Filling:
8 oz greek reduced fat cream cheese blend (green mountain farms works well) brought to room temperature
1 can of fat free sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp gelatin
3 TB boiling water

This recipe yields 16 refreshing bars!

Spray an 8 by 8 glass baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Place graham crackers, salt, & flaxseed in a food processor.

Pulse until course texture.
Add melted butter and pulse until resembles sand like texture.

Place the crumb mixture in the baking dish and press the crumb blend with your fingers to form crust bottom.

Place the crust in the refrigerator well preparing the lemon filling.

In a large bowl blend cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and egg substitute. Beat in high until smooth and no chunks of cream cheese. This takes about 2 to 3 minutes but it is important that the cream cheese is softened to start.

Add lemon juice and zest to milk mixture.

Beat the lemon into the batter until fully incorporated. This should take less than a minute.

In a small bowl take the boiling water and gelatin and whisk until completely gelatin dissolves.

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Let the gelatin mixture cool for approximately 2 minutes. And then add to the lemon filling blend.

Fold the gelatin into the batter.

Take the crust out of the refrigerator and pour the batter on top the crust and spread evenly with spatula.

Cover with plastic wrap and place back in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 8 hours.

Cut into 16 bars (2 in by 2 in) and enjoy!

Special note spray cutting knife with cooking spray before driving into bars to prevent sticking and the yield a smooth edge.

Chocolate Hazelnut Oat Bars

Mix together with a whisk the hazelnut spread, vanilla, canola oil, flaxseed and egg substitute until well blended . >

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oat Bars

Tomorrow is my boss’s birthday. I know he loves chocolate and peanut butter so I thought I cannot go wrong with this combination.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup AP flour
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt kosher
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar,unpacked
1/4 cup egg substitute

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Foil line a 13 by 9 inch glass dish. Spray with cooking spray.

Place oats, flours, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix with spoon to incorporate.

In a separate bowl beat together canola oil, applesauce, peanut butter, and both sugars.

Add egg substitute and vanilla.

Beat to incorporate.

Add chocolate chips and fold into batter.

Place the batter into the lined pan.

Spread the batter evenly. Place in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Cut into 36 bars. Enjoy with your favorite milk skim or vanilla almond.

Tiramisu Brownies

I made these for a coworker’s birthday the other day. She loves coffee! They are very rich and will definitely hit the spot if you are craving a chocolate fix. The marscapone gives the right bit of creaminess to these bite sized tasty little devils. The original recipe called for double the ingredients which made for a pricy dessert so I cut it in half and tried to decrease some of the saturated fat as well. The original is a TOH recipe.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cake flour
1/16 cup instant coffee
1/16 cup espresso powder
1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips (6oz)
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 stick of butter (2 oz) softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup egg substitute
8 oz Marscapone cheese (softened)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cocoa Dutch processed
1/2 cup raw sugar plus 1/8 cup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Foilline an 8 by 8 inch baking dish.