Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Easy Apple Yogurt Cake

Ingredients:

2 apples peeled, cored and diced
1/2 stick butter
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. Baking soda
1/2 cup nonfat yogurt (Greek or regular)
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp. Lemon juice

(optional sprinkle top with additional sugar before baking)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  While oven is preheating, place butter in 8 inch cake pan to melt in oven (takes about 5 to 10 minutes).  Remove when butter is melted.

2.  Meanwhile, mix all dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add apple stir to coat.  Add remaining ingredients, and pour in melted butter.  Mix to combine.  Leave a coating of melted butter in cake pan, this will grease your pan so the cake won't stick.

3.  Pour batter into cake pan.  Bake 1 hour or until golden light brown.  Serve with vanilla ice cream or whip cream.

Lower Fat French Yogurt Apple Cake

Lower Fat French Yogurt Cake with Apples

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups flour
1/2  tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
7 Tbsp. butter (1 stick less 1 Tbsp)

1/2 plain unsweetened NON-FAT yogurt
2 apples, peeled, cored and diced (use 2 different varieties of apple)
2 tsp lemon juice

2 eggs
1/3 sugar for top

Parchment Paper (recommended)

Instructions

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 inch cake pan or spring form pan with parchment paper, letting the square edges flap over the sides (gives the dessert a Parisian flair once cooked).  Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.  If you do not have parchment paper, simply spray the pan with cooking spray.  

2.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, 1/2 cup sugar and salt.

3.  Melt the butter until browned in a small saucepan.  Add to dry ingredients.  Add yogurt, apples and lemon juice and stir until well incorporated.  Add beaten eggs and stir until well mixed.  Pour the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle the 1/3 cup sugar evenly over the top of the cake.

4.  Bake for about 1 hour until  toothpick comes out clean.  Tastes amazing warm with vanilla bean ice cream.  Enjoy!

Ultra Moist Lower Fat Chocolate Mayonaise Cake

Ultra Moist Lower Fat Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
2/3 cups cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup LIGHT Mayonnaise
2/3 cup red wine
2/3 cup water
3 eggs
1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional - if you like a little extra-chocolate)

Frosting:
Chocolate Ganache Frosting

or
A delicious chocolate buttercream or chocolate cream cheese frosting of your choice

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and brown sugar) together with a whisk until well incorporated.

2.  Add mayonnaise and vanilla to dry ingredients (do not mix yet).  In a microwave or saucepan heat the wine and water until just before boiling.  Add wine/water to dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated.  Add 3 beaten eggs and mix until there are no lumps and all ingredients are well incorporated.  Add chocolate chips and mix, optional.

3.  Baking Options:  Pour mixture in to prepared pans (sprayed generously with cooking spray) of choice and bake as noted:
2 8 inch cake pans - bake for 25-35 minutes or until done
Bundt Pan - bake for 45-55 minutes or until done
About 30 cupcakes - 15 minutes or until done
2 9 inch Loaf Pans - 30-40 minutes or until done

A toothpick will come out clean when cake is done.

4.  Let cool completely and frost as desired.  Enjoy!

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!

Easy Peasy 4 Ingredient Brown Sugar Cookies

So easy to make and SO GOOD!!!

Ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 cups flour

Direction:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon into melted butter.  Mix in flour until incorporated.

Roll into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Place about 1/2 inch apart.  Cookies do not spread much at all.

Bake for about 10 minutes until done.  Let cool and store in airtight container.  Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Turtles

Dark Chocolate Turtles

Ingredients:
Ghirardelli Dark Melting Wafers (about 30 wafers)
Whole Pecans Haves (about 150 whole pecans; about 2 1/4 cups of whole pecan halves)
1 (14 oz.) bag caramel candies unwrapped (I used Kraft Caramel Squares)
Non-stick Cooking Spray

Directions:
Spray a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Place all unwrapped caramels in a double boil and melt caramel over medium-high heat.

While caramel is melting arrange pecans in groups of 5 pecan halves.  Prepare for at least 30 turtles.  You want five pecan halves grouped with one edge of each pecan half in the center which is where the drop of caramel will go to  hold the turtle together.  The pecan halves represent the turtles 4 feet and head.  Depending on how much caramel you use per turtle you may be able to make more than 30 turtles.  It's not an exact science.

When the caramel is melted, place about 1 heaping tsp. caramel over the center of each turtle to hold the turtle together, caramel will spread a bit.  Keep the caramel on medium low in the double boiler during this process so caramel doesn't become difficult to work with.  It is a little messy, but worth it.

While the turtles are still hot, place one melting wafer on top of the hot caramel.  I put wafers on the turtles after every 5 or so turtles  to make sure the caramel is still hot enough to melt the chocolate.  Let the turtles cool at room temperature or in the refrigerator until chocolate hardens.  Remove from pan and store in tin, separating each layer with wax paper.  Store at room temperature if you plan to eat within 1-2 weeks.Can refrigerate for a longer shelf life or freeze and keep turtles for months.

But make sure to always serve at room temperature or caramel will be really hard.

Makes about 30 turtles.

Makes a great cookie tray addition!

Mocha French Silk Pie

Mocha French Silk Pie

Crust Ingredients:

Pie Crust.- Roll out and fit into pie dish baked at 350 degrees until golden.  Let cool.  Using this recipe you should only need half the dough, freeze the rest to thaw and use it another day -

or

Chocolate Graham Cracker Pie Crust
 or

To save time - (you can also use a pre-made crust)

Filling:
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
4 egg yolks
3 cups milk (skim or 1%)
2 Tbsp. instant coffee powder
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Grind up chocolate using a food processor.  Set aside.

In a bowl whisk your egg yolks.  Add milk and whisk together.  In a medium sauce pan, add sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Turn on to medium heat and whisk in milk mixture.  Add instant coffee.  Whisk for about 7 minutes until thick.  Turn off heat, add ground chocolate, butter and vanilla.  Whisk together until combined.

Pour into cooled pie crust and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.  Serve with whipped cream or cool whip.  Also great topped with chocolate shavings.  Enjoy!

Gooey Apple Bars and Gooey Fruit Bars

Apple Filling:

3 - 4 apples cored, peeled and chopped into thin slices.
3 tsp. cinnamon

Directions
Make Gooey Butter Bars as directed, except before baking spread the Apple filling in between the dough and the topping layers.  I like to put my apples down in spiral patterns as the design will show through after baking.  Bake as directed.

***  You can also try with peaches, fresh sliced strawberries (add 1 tsp. lemon juice to filling mixture and no cinnamon), plums, nectarines, pears, or other fruit of your choosing.

Gooey Butter Bars

Ingredients:

Dough:

2 cups granulated sugar
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 sticks butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 egg

Topping:

2 eggs
8 oz cream cheese, softened (use low-fat)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
4 cups (1 lb) powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Spray a 9×13 X 1 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix sugar, flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt together in a large mixing bowl.  Add melted butter and mix until combined.  Add one egg and vanilla and combine to form a soft dough. Press into the bottom of the 13 by 9 inch pan.

Beat softened cream cheese and eggs until smooth, about 1-2 minutes in max master. Slowly add the powder sugar until incorporated.  Pour on top of crust. Bake at 300 for 40-50 minutes until top is golden brown.

Chocolate Chip Banana Crumb Loaf

Ingredients:

Batter:

1 egg

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup milk mixed with 1 tsp. lemon juice

2 large or 3 medium-small overripe bananas, mashed

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup chocolate chips (recommend dark chocolate to contrast with the sweetness of the banana)

Optional:  ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar (or powder sugar or sugar)

1/2 cup flour

4 + 1 Tbsp. melted butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In the oven in your loaf pan melt your 4+1 Tbsp. Butter.  Once melted remove from the oven, turn pan slightly to coat sides and bottom with melted butter.  Pour about 4 Tbsp. of the melted butter in a medium bowl to make your crumb topping later.  About 1 Tbsp. of melted butter will remain in the loaf pan to coat sides.  Put loaf pan aside to cool.

In a mix master, cream butter.  Add sugar and beat until fluffy.  Add in egg and vanilla until combined, scrapping the sides to make sure mixture is well-incorporated. Mix in milk, lemon juice and bananas until just combined.  Mixture will look curdled, this is normal.

Slowly add the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and chocolate chips stirring only until just combined. Pour into cooled loaf pan.

Make the crumb topping by combining the sugar, flour and melted butter. Crumble the mixture over the batter evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until done.

Or make 2 smaller loafs and bake for 30-40 minutes or until done (toothpick comes out clean).

Also great as muffins (bake about 18-24 minutes) or 3-4 mini loaves (bake 20-25 minutes).

Easily doubled for giving as gifts.

Alternative Recipe:
Amazing Cinnamon Banana Crumb Loaf

Amazing Cinnamon Banana Crumb Loaf

Ingredients:

Batter:

1 egg

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup milk mixed with 1 tsp. lemon juice

2 large or 3 medium-small overripe bananas, mashed

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

Optional:  ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar (or powder sugar or sugar)

1/2 cup flour

4 + 1 Tbsp. melted butter

1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In the oven in your loaf pan melt your 4+1 Tbsp. Butter.  Once melted remove from the oven, turn pan slightly to coat sides and bottom with melted butter.  Pour about 4 Tbsp. of the melted butter in a medium bowl to make your crumb topping later.  About 1 Tbsp. of melted butter will remain in the loaf pan to coat sides.  Put loaf pan aside to cool.

In a mix master, cream butter.  Add sugar and beat until fluffy.  Add in egg and vanilla until combined, scrapping the sides to make sure mixture is well-incorporated. Mix in milk, lemon juice and bananas until just combined.  Mixture will look curdled, this is normal.

Slowly add the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon stirring only until just combined. Pour into cooled loaf pan.

Make the crumb topping by combining the sugar, flour, cinnamon and melted butter. Crumble the mixture over the batter evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until done.

Or make 2 smaller loafs and bake for 30-40 minutes or until done (toothpick comes out clean).


Also great as muffins (bake about 18-24 minutes) or 3-4 mini loaves (bake 20-25 minutes).

Easily doubled for giving as gifts!

Alternative Recipe:
Add 3/4 cup chocolate chips to the batter for Chocolate Chip Banana Crumb Loaf

Smore Cookie Checkerboard Bars

Ingredients:

Your favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (uncooked)
I suggest:  Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Your favorite Brownie Dough (uncooked)
I suggest:  Decadent Double Chocolate Brownies

Graham Cracker Crust:  Graham Cracker Pie Crust (but leave in bowl mixed and follow directions below)

1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

If your brownie dough uses melted butter, make sure to melt it in a 13 X 9 X 1(or more) inch baking pan.  If not, melt 1 tbsp. butter in a 13X9X1 inch pan and spread melted butter evenly across bottom of pan.

Plop the cookie dough in large tablespoon full in a checkerboard pattern in buttered 13X9X1 inch pan alternating leaving the spots for the brownie batter empty, as shown in diagram below.  Use all cookie dough.
    ------------------------
|   C   B   C   B   C   B   |     B = brownie dough
|   B   C   B   C   B   C   |     C = Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
|   C   B   C   B   C   B   |
|   B   C   B   C   B   C   |
    ------------------------

Mix 3/4 cup marshmallows into the brownie batter.  Spoon about 1/12 of the pie crust mixture into each empty space in your baking pan.  Press the pie crust lightly into each space.  Cover the pie crust with about 1/12 of the brownie batter.  Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 marshmallows on top of the brownie dough spots only.

Bake at 350 degrees until done about 35-45 minutes.

Serving Suggestion:  Great served warm topped with 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce!

Amazing Checker Board Bars

Ingredients:

Your favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (uncooked)
I suggest:  Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Your favorite Brownie Dough (uncooked)
I suggest:  Decadent Double Chocolate Brownies

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

If your brownie dough uses melted butter, make sure to melt it in a 13 X 9 X 1(or more) inch baking pan.  If not, melt 1 tbsp. butter in a 13X9X1 inch pan and spread melted butter evenly across bottom of pan.

Plop in large tablespoon full in a checkerboard pattern in buttered 13X9X1 inch pan alternating between brownie and cookie dough, as shown in diagram below.  Use all dough.

    ------------------------
|   C   B   C   B   C   B   |     B = brownie dough
|   B   C   B   C   B   C   |     C = Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
|   C   B   C   B   C   B   |
|   B   C   B   C   B   C   |
    ------------------------

Bake at 350 degrees until done about 35-45 minutes.

Serving Suggestion:  Great served warm topped with 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce!

This also works great with other combinations such as:

Peanut Butter Cookie - Chocolate Chip Cookie
Peanut Butter Cookie - Brownie
Blondie - Brownie
Blondie - Peanut Butter Cookie

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup  sugar
1  egg
2 teaspoons vanilla 
2 cups flour
2 tsp.cornstarch
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 and 1/2 cups chocolate chips (pick your favorite dark/white/milk/semi-sweet)

Optional: 1/2 cup nuts

Directions:

1. Beat butter until light and creamy using a mix master. Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla, mix to blend scraping sides to make sure well-incorporated. Slowly add flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt; and mix only until just combined, scraping sides as necessary.  Chill dough covered in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to a few days.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Once chilled, roll the dough in your hands to form 1 1/2 inch balls (it will be crumbly).  Bake for 7-10 minutes, until barely golden brown at edges. Let cool on pan 5 minutes before coloing on a wire rack.
4. Enjoy!

Decadent Double Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
2 oz. Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate 
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips (your preference - milk, dark, semi-sweet or white)

Directions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Melt butter over medium heat in saute pan. Add chocolate and cook until chocolate is melted and fully combined stirring constantly. Set aside to cool. In medium bowl whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla. Add chocolate mixture to egg mixture and stir to combine. Add remaining ingredients and stir until just combined.   Add chocolate chips.  Pour into a greased 8X8 inch cake pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until done. Let cool for 5 minutes at least before slicing. Goes great with ice cream, hot fudge or whipped cream, or simply serve by itself.

If you want to make more, simply double the recipe and bake in a 13X9 inch pan.

Cranberry Double Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

One of many little twists on my classic Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies.

Ingredients:
1 stick melted butter
1/4 sugar
1/5 cup powder sugar; if you don't have a 1/5 cup, just use slightly less than a 1/4 cup ;)
1 Tbsp. Vanilla
1 cup + 2 Tbsp. flour
1/3 cup each of semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix melted butter, sugars and vanilla until combined.  Add flour and mix until mixture sticks together and is the consistency of play dough.  Add chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, cranberries and nuts (if desired) and mix until just incorporated.  Mixture will be crumbly, press together to form cookies into 1 inch balls.  Place on cookie sheet spread about 1 inch apart.  Bake for about ten minutes or until done.  Cookies will not get light brown.  Let cool on wire rack.  Store in airtight container once cool.  Makes about 30 small cookies.  Enjoy!

Summertime Peach Cobbler Bars for the UVA Tailgate

Crust:

1 package Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix

1 stick melted Butter

1 tsp. cinnamon

Fruit Spread:

5 medium peaches peeled and sliced

1 Tbsp. corn starch

1 tsp. vanilla

Cobbler Topping:

1 stick butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a 13 by 18 inch jelly roll pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.

In medium bowl mix together sugar cookie mix and 1 tsp. cinnamon.  Add 1 stick melted butter and stir until combined.  Press evenly into prepared jelly roll pan to cover.

Mix together peaches, vanilla and corn starch in medium bowl.  Spread evenly over crust.

Place butter, flour, brown sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon into medium bowl.  Blend together until mixture is small crumbles with a pastry cutter.  Evenly spoon over peach layer.

Bake for 25 minutes or until done.  Best served warm, but also can be served later.  Refrigerate any leftovers.  Great on their own or with fresh whipped cream, ice cream and a sprig of fresh mint.  Enjoy!

.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S...and super simple to make.

Ingredients:

Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust (you can also use a pre-made crust):
1 1/4 cup chcolate graham cracker crumbs or oreo crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
5 Tbsp. butter

Filling:
1 (8 oz.) brick lowfat cream cheese softened
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup powder sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (8 oz.) light cool whip

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter in microwave or place butter in 9 inch pie pan, bake until butter is just melted.  Add butter, graham cracker crumbs and sugar to pie pan.  Mix until well blended.  Press into sides and bottom of pie dish being careful not to burn your fingers.  You can choose to bake the crust for a slightly crispier texture or simply use the crust as is.  Optional:  Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes.  Let cool.  

You may also use a pre-made pie crust instead.  Again, if you want a crispier crust, you can bake the pie crust at 350 degrees for 6 minutes.  Make sure to completely cool the pie crust.

When the pie crust is completely cooled:  In a medium bowl, mix softened cream cheese with peanut butter until well blended.  Add powder sugar and vanilla and mix until well blended.  Fold in the cool whip until well incorporated.  Fold in the cool whip in until most of the small chucks of cream cheese mixture disappear.  Pour into prepared cooled pie crust and smooth top with a spatula.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours before serving.  Enjoy!

May top with crumbled Reese's, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, or any combo thereof!