Lower-Fat Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Ganache is so much easier and better than frosting, not sure I will ever go back...

Ingredients:
1/2 cup skim or low-fat milk
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Put chocolate chips in a medium mixing bowl.  In a small-medium saucepan heat milk until just-before boiling and immediately turn off the heat; or heat milk in a microwave for 1 minute.   Add milk to chocolate chips and stir until chocolate is dissolved. Ganache will be thick.  Pour over your favorite cake. Let harden at room temperature or in the refrigerator and then serve.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Ingredients:

Pancake Mix prepared as directed and set aside (for 24 pancakes, this is generally 2 batches, but it depends on your mix)

Swirl Mix:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 stick  butter melted
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Frosting:
4 oz. cream cheese
4 Tbsp. butter
1 1/4 cups powder sugar
1 Tsp. vanilla

Directions:

For Swirl Mix:  Mix melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon together until combined.  Pour mixture into a small zip lock bag and let sit.

For Frosting:
In a Microwave:  Place cream cheese and butter in a small bowl and microwave for 20 seconds at a time until butter is melted.  Stir butter and cream cheese together until combined (a few lumps is okay).  Add powder sugar and vanilla.  Stir until frosting consistency.  Set Aside.

On the Stove:  Place cream cheese and butter in a small and cook on medium until butter is melting stirring to combine.  Take off heat.  Stir butter and cream cheese together until combined (a few lumps is okay).  Add powder sugar and vanilla.  Stir until frosting consistency.  Set Aside.

Assembling the Pancakes:
Start cooking your pancakes on a skillet as directed.  As soon as the batter is poured onto the skillet, be prepared to use the swirl mix.  Cut a small hole in one corner of your zipped zip-lock baggie of swirl mix.  Starting in the center of each pancake make a swirl design outward of the swirl mix.  Once the pancakes are cooked on the one-side (bubbles will start to show through on the swirl side), flip your pancake and let cook until done (batter is fully cooked).  Before serving, top with the cream cheese frosting by spreading evenly over the top.  Serve hot.


TIPS FOR THE WISE:
You may need to clean your pan every few batches of pancakes since the sugar can burn to the pan. Some cooked sugar is good, but if it gets too burnt it will be bitter.   Make sure that you grease the skillet as directed on your pancake mix instructions.

I usually preheat my oven to 200 degrees and place my cooked pancakes in the oven while the other pancakes are cooking.  Then at the end, I frost each pancake as it is served out.

So delicious, enjoy!

Thai Peanut Butter Pumpkin and Kale Soup

Ingredients:

10 cups water
8 chicken bouillon cubes (enough for 8 cups of broth)
2 sweet onions diced
1 Tbsp. ginger (minced fresh or dried)
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (you may prefer to add more, up to 1 cup)
10 oz. bagged Kale (cut, cleaned and ready to cook - I use the ones from Trader Joe's)
1 (15 oz.) can Pure Pumpkin
crushed salted peanuts for topping (optional)

Directions:

Add water, bouillon cubes or powder, diced onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes and pepper.  Heat on high until boiling, add peanut butter and stir until combined.  Add kale.  Turn heat down to medium and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add pumpkin and stir until combined.  Simmer 5 more minutes.  Serve hot.  Top with crushed peanuts if desired.  Great served along side couscous or jasmine rice.

If you like the peanut butter flavor feel free to add more!  I like to keep things on the lighter side, so I stick to a modest amount of peanut butter.  However, it is delicious with more!