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!

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!

Hashbrown Bacon and Egg Casserole

Hashbrown, Bacon and Egg Casserole

My family visited me this weekend and I decided to give them "the red carpet treatment", to quote my sister, and make them a hearty and yummy breakfast of Hashbrown, Bacon and Egg Casserole, Fruit and Yogurt Parfait with apples, blueberries, banana and cinnamon and homemade biscuits.  We all loved this casserole!

Ingredients:
8 hashbrown patties
1/2 lb bacon put into small bits
2 small or 1 large onion diced
1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 egg whites + 5 whole eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Start cooking the bacon in a medium sized skillet over medium heat.

While bacon is cooking place the hashbrown patties in a single layer on the bottom of an ungreased 13X9X2 inch baking dish and then place the hashbrowns in the preheated oven to begin cooking (about ten minutes).

Once your bacon is almost done, drain and remove bacon and place on a plate.  Pour out the remaining grease from the skillet (it's ok to have a layer of grease, you want that), reserving skillet.  Put skillet back on medium heat and add back the bacon and the onions (but not the grease!).  Saute until onions are translucent and tender (about 6 minutes).

While the bacon and onions are cooking, whisk eggs, egg whites, salt, pepper and milk together in a bowl and set aside.

Once the bacon and onions are done, remove the baking dish with the hasbrowns from the oven.  Cover hashbrowns evenly with the bacon and onions.  Cover evenly with the cheese.  Pour egg mixture over the top.  Bake at 400 degree for 15 minutes.  Turn temperature down to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the casserole is golden brown at the edges.  Serve hot, great with homemade biscuits or Skillet Bread.

Photo courtesy of my awesome sister Jenny.

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!

Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust

Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust 
1 1/4 cup chcolate graham cracker crumbs or oreo crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
5 Tbsp. butter

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.  

Crockpot Hearty Beef Tomato Sauce

Crock Pot Hearty Beef (or Pork) Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

2 small sweet onions chopped (or 1 large)
2 Tbsp. garlic minced
1-2 Bell Pepper diced, orange, red or yellow
1 lb. 97% lean ground beef (or 1lb. pork sausage)
4 slices of Prosciutto sliced into small pieces (***optional)
3 diced tomatoes (or 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes with garlic and green pepper)
1 jar tomato sauce of your choosing (or marina sauce)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a crockpot (except the Parmesan), break up the beef or sausage into chunks.  Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.  Serve over Cheesy Bread or pasta of your choosing.  If you love cheese, top with some shredded mozzarella.  Serves 8.

***My all-time favorite Tomato Sauce is Ragu Robusto Parmesan & Romano...it's amazing!

If you don't have fresh tomatoes, the 3 tomatoes can be replaced with another jar of tomato sauce such as Ragu Parmesan Romano Robutso

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!

Easy Penne Meatball Bolognese Casserole

Easy Penne Meatball Bolognese Casserole

Ingredients:
About 20-25 Pre-cooked 1 inch round Meatballs (frozen or homemade, my meatball recipe will be posted shortly)
1 Box Penne Pasta cooked according to directions to al dente
2 Tbsp. butter
2 stalks of celery finely diced
1 Sweet (Vidalia) onion finely minced
2 Tnsp. minced garlic
2 carrots finely chopped
1 cup dry red wine
2 (24 oz.) Ragu Parmesan & Romano Robusto Sauces
2 cups Mozzarella
1 cup Grated Parmesan

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat.  Add celery, onion, carrots and garlic.  Cook until tender, about 5-6 minutes.  Add wine and reduce to about half over medium to medium-high heat (about 5-7 minutes).  Turn off heat and add 1 can of Parmesan & Romano Robusto Ragu Sauce.  Mix to combine.

In a 13 by 9 by 2 inch baking dish evenly spread out the cooked Penne pasta.  Drop meatballs into Penne so they are evenly distributed throughout the casserole.  Pour your homemade sauce evenly over the casserole.  Cover with 1 cup Mozzarella and 1 cup Parmesan.  Pour the extra jar of Ragu Parmesan & Romano Robusto Sauce evenly over the cheese.  Cover with foil.  Bake for 45 minutes covered.  Uncover, and top with remaining 1 cup of Mozzarella.  Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Serve hot.  Great with Garlic Parmesan Skillet Bread.

Cauliflower Spinach Au Gratin

Cauliflower Spinach Au Gratin

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup flour
2 cups milk
16 oz. frozen or fresh spinach
1 head of cauliflower cut up into bite size pieces (use all of the cauliflower, including green portion)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese shredded (or your favorite cheese)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Directions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees.

In a medium-large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Quickly whisk in the flour, and slowly add in milk stirring constantly with whisk to avoid lumps.  Add salt, pepper, spinach, and cauliflower.  Cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes until vegetables are tender.  Add sharp cheddar cheese and cook until cheese is melted.  Pour into baking dish (11 X 7 X 2 inch works well, but basically any medium sized baking dish should work).

Cover evenly with grated Parmesan.  Cover evenly with breadcrumbs.  Cover with foil.  Bake for 25 minutes covered, continue baking for 15 more minutes uncovered.  Serve hot.

Balsamic Glaze

1/3 cup balsamic
3 Tbsp. brown sugar

Cook over medium heat in small saucepan stirring ingredients together while it cooks.  Mixture will start to bubble.  When mixture has thickened and is filled with bubbles.  Turn off and let thicken.  Mixture should have reduced to about half.

Great as a drizzle over your favorite pizza, grilled chicken, or tomato Caprese salad.

Also great as a pizza sauce for a pizza with savory toppings like prosciutto, fig and Manchego cheese.

Garlic Parmesan Skillet Bread

Skillet Bread

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups lukewarm water
2 1/4 tsp. dry active yeast
4 1/3 cups flour + more for working dough
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. butter
3/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan
3 Tbsp. minced garlic
Splash of extra virgin olive oil or an extra 1 Tbsp. melted butter

*You need a cast iron oven proof skillet for this recipe.  I use a Le Creuset cast iron oblong skillet with grated bottom like this one:



Le Crueset Grill Skillet Oblong

In large bowl.  Mix the yeast and lukewarm water until incorporated.  Add the salt and stir.  Add the flour, Parmesan and garlic and stir until incorporated.  Cover with saran wrap and make sure the seal is air tight.  Let sit for 45 minutes to 1 hour near warm oven if possible.  Do no store near cold drafts.

In the meantime, melt the butter in your cast iron oven-safe skillet on medium heat and spread butter throughout grates all along the bottom.  Use more butter if necessary.  Turn off heat and let cool on stove top.

Once the dough has risen 45 minutes to an hour in the bowl (and after your grill pan has cooled), add some flour to the top of your dough.  Slowly pull dough from sides of bowl and coat with flour to make less sticky.  Place the ball of dough in the skillet and pull slightly to spread out in the skillet.  Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise for an additional 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

After the dough has risen a second time, slash an x into the top with a sharp knife and pour a little extra virgin olive oil on top or extra melted butter.  Bake for about 40 minutes or until bread is a nice light brown color.  Best served warm right out of the oven.

Great with dishes that have a hearty sauce such as Beef Bolognese.

Also great with olive oil.

If you make ahead, put back in the oven at 350 degrees for ten minutes before serving.

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.

Porter Marinated Chicken Skewers

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. minced garlic

½ cup honey

½ cup water

3/4 cup porter (or stout or other dark beer)

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/3 cup soy sauce

1 Tbsp. olive oil

½ tsp. red pepper flakes

¼ tsp. black pepper

¼ cup minced red onion

1-2 lbs. chicken breast cut into bite sized cubes

Directions:

Mix together all ingredients except cubed chicken in a large airtight container, or dish that can be covered.  Once well mixed, add chicken.  The chicken should be wholly covered by the marinade.  Keep refrigerated for 4 - 24 hours.  Skewer the chicken.  Grill, Broil or bake the chicken until done. 

Great served atop:Crisp Asian Spinach Salad

Crisp Asian Spinach Salad

Salad:

Ingredients:

About 12 oz. baby spinach leaves, washed, and dried (or alternatively use any lettuce you prefer)

2 large carrots chopped or shredded

1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper minced

½ green bell pepper minced

½ a red onion chopped (mince remaining onion and add to marinade recipe below)

3 tablespoon sesame seeds toasted for topping

Dressing:

Asian Honey Sesame Salad Dressing

Directions:

Place cleaned dried greens in a large salad bowl.  Top evenly with carrots, bell peppers, onion and finally sesame seeds.  Serve immediately topped with Asian Honey Sesame Salad Dressing.

Optional: Top with Porter Marinated Chicken Skewers.  Or try making an extra recipe of Asian Honey Sesame Salad Dressing and use half as a marinade for steak, chicken or pork and the other half for salad dressing.  I would suggest marinating the meat or seafood for at least 2 hours (or up to 24 hours).  Make sure that any dressing exposed to raw meat, poultry or seafood is thrown away and is not ingested!

Asian Honey Seasme Salad Dressing or Marinade

Salad dressing:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 tsp. chopped fresh ginger

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. honey

3 Tbsp. sesame oil

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted

Directions:

To Toast Sesame Seeds.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Place sesame seeds in single layer on a cookie sheet and bake for 5-10 minutes until lightly toasted.  Set aside to cool.

Mix all ingredients together in a Tupperware container with lid adding sesame seeds last and only after cooled.  Store in refrigerator, can be used for up to 2 weeks.  Shake before each use.

***Also makes a delicious marinade for chicken, salmon, tuna, pork or steak.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower processed until fine (using food processer or mini chopper)

1 egg

½ cup mozzarella

½ cup parmesan

1 tsp. oregano (fresh or dried)

1 tsp. basil (fresh or dried)

2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dried red pepper flakes

1/2 cupflour

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread cauliflower evenly into a 13 by 9 inch baking dish.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes or until cool enough to touch.  Turn oven up to 425 degrees.  Let cool.

2.  Mix cauliflower and remaining ingredients until well combined.  Pour mixture onto a greased cookie sheet and press into a flat circle pizza crust shape.  Mixture should hold together easily.  Crust should be about ¾ centimeter thick. 

3.  Bake crust for 15 minutes at 425 degrees until edges are lightly browned.

4.  Top as desired.  Bake an additional 10-15 minutes until done (cheese should be slightly browned in spots and bubbly).

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