Strawberry Cheesecake Brownie Cupcakes

Brownies:
 I used the brownie recipe found here omitting the fudge.

Cheesecake:
 2 ( 8 oz pkgs ) cream cheese
1 (14 oz ) can sweetened condensed milk
2 T lemon juice
2 large eggs

Strawberry Jam:
Jam of your choice

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prepare 3 cupcake pans with 36 cupcake liners. 
• Prepare brownies according to recipe. 
• Cream cream cheese until it is light and fluffy. Slowly beat in sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. Beat in eggs one at a time. 

 Build cupcakes:

• Put just enough brownie batter into the cupcake cups to just cover the bottom (about 1 Tablespoon). 
• Add cheesecake batter until cups are about 2/3 full. 
• With about 1/2 tsp of strawberry jam place 3 small dabs onto each cupcake. 
• Bake for about 25 minutes
• Remove immediately from cupcake pans 

Note: There may be left over brownie batter. Enjoy a small pan of brownies. :)

Best Yellow Layer Cake

I found this recipe here. This is one awesome cake!

4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (480 grams) cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon (5 grams) table salt
2 sticks (1 cup, 1/2 pound or 225 grams) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups (400 grams) sugar
2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk (475 ml), well-shaken

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line with circles of parchment paper, then butter parchment. (Alternately, you can use a cooking spray, either with just butter or butter and flour to speed this process up.)
Measure flour, sift and remeasure. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled). Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just Incorporated.
Spread batter evenly in cake pan, then rap pan on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles. (I like to drop mine a few times from two inches up, making a great big noisy fuss.) Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edge of pan. Invert onto rack and discard parchment, then cool completely, about 1 hour.

No Bake Power Balls

I found this recipe on The Well Floured Kitchen . I made a few adjustment because I didn't like the idea of so much extra fat along with the fat of the peanut butter. I may even try this without the applesauce and add just the reduced amount of butter.

• 1 Cup Peanut Butter (or other nut butter)
• 1/2 Cup Honey
• 2 Cups Rolled Oats
• 1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds or nuts
• 1/4 Cup Ground Flax Seeds
• 1/4 Cup Butter 
• 1/4 Cup Apple Sauce
• 1/2 to 1 Cup Coconut
• 3 Tbsp.  Cocoa Powder

Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and turn it on until blended. Shape into balls using a cookie scoop or spread into a pan and cut into squares. Super Yummy!

Whole-Wheat Blueberry Bars

We went blueberry picking this last Saturday and came home with 16 lb of blueberries. The girls and I had the greatest time. I love picking blueberries!  Needless to say with so many blueberries I went looking for blueberry recipes. This one is so, so good!

Crust

1 1/3 cups plus about 3 Tbs whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blueberry Filling

1/3 cup Agava or 1/2 cup sugar 
2-3 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour
3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice

 Preparation

1. To make crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk together 1 1/3 cups + 3 Tbs whole-wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Beat together brown sugar, butter, oil, egg and vanilla in another large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth, making sure no lumps of brown sugar remain, about 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until well blended. (The dough will be quite firm.)
3. Transfer two-thirds of the dough to the prepared baking dish; cover the dough with a piece of plastic wrap and use it to press the dough into the bottom of the dish in an even layer. Remove the plastic wrap. Bake until puffed and golden, about 15 minutes.
4. To make the topping: Gradually work about 3 more tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour into the remaining dough using your fingertips, until it resembles coarse crumbs.
5. To make filling: Combine blueberries and lemon juice in a medium saucepan; cook, stirring, over medium heat until the berries begin to exude juice. Add the Agava syrup and stir. 
6. Gradually add up to 3 Tbs of whole wheat flour, stir until the filling reaches a simmer and thickens.
7. Push down the higher outside edges of the baked crust with a wooden spoon; pour the hot filling over it and spread all the way to the sides of the dish. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the top. Bake until the topping is golden, 15 minutes longer.
8. Transfer the baking dish to a rack and let cool, covered with a kitchen towel to soften the crumbs slightly. Cut into 15 bars. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Chocolate Frozen Fruit Smoothie

2 cups Almond or Soy milk, original or vanilla flavored
2-4 pitted Dates
3-4 T cocoa powder
Stuff the blender with frozen strawberries
Blend until smooth

Frozen Fruit Smoothie

2 cups Almond or Soy milk, original or vanilla flavored
1 banana
hand full of spinach
fill until stuffed the blender with any combination of frozen fruit on hand
blend until smooth.  This will be a thick smoothie due to all of the FROZEN fruit.

Yummy! 

Trail Mix Cookies or Energy Bars

I've been on the look out for a good, soft, homemade granola bar. These are, by far, the best that I've tried.  
This is the original recipe Trail Mix Cookies.
The recipe below includes the changes that I made to the recipe.

    2 medium sized bananas, mashed
    1/4 cup agave nectar
    1/4 cup molasses
    1/4 cup maple syrup
    1 tablespoon corn starch (I used 1 tablespoon egg replacer)  
    1/4 cup water
    1/2 cup applesauce
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    1 cup whole wheat flour
    1 teaspoon cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon cloves
    3 cups quick oats
    generous handful raisins, craisins, currents, apricots, prunes or chocolate chips
    generous handful walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, almonds, chopped (your choice)
  
Directions:

1.T Heat oven to 375 degrees F.  Mix thoroughly bananas, maple syrup, molasses, agave, applesauce, and vanilla. Combine corn starch and water add to banana mixture.  Stir in remaining ingredients, leaving the oats and fruit/nuts until the end.

2.  Lightly spray cookie sheet with nonstick vegetable spray or line with parchment paper.  Form dough into balls, and flatten and shape into large, round cookies.  Or press dough into a 9x13 pan for bars. 

3. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until bottoms are lightly browned.  Cool, and enjoy!

Chocolatey Oat Bars

I made these yesterday for a special treat. This is the original recipe  Aunt Barbs Chocolatey Squares.
The recipe that follows include the changes I made.

    1/2 cup water
    1/4 cup maple syrup
    2 tablespoons peanut butter
    2 tablespoons cocoa powder
    1/4 cup natural coconut,
    1/4 cup almonds pieces
    1/3 cup craisins
    1 1/2 cups whole oats 

1. Heat together water, maple syrup, peanut butter and cocoa powder and stir until combined. 

2. Add coconut, nuts, crasians and oatmeal.  Mix together and pat into an 8x8 pan. 

3. This is great served as a granola bar for an after school snack. For a special treat add chocolate chips to the oat mixture or melt chocolate chips and frost the oat bars. 



 

Heather's Muddy Buddies

Sometimes I just want something simple with chocolate. So, for Super Bowl Sunday I am going to make Muddy Buddies with some changes.

4 1/2 cups mixed Chex's cereal
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or bar, melted
1/4 cups natural peanut or almond butter
2 T coconut oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
unsweetened coconut

The original recipe calls for powdered sugar to keep the individual Chex's squares separated. I think I will try grinding unsweetened coconut in a food processor and using that in place of the sugar. If it doesn't keep the Chex's separated I will spoon individual servings onto wax paper.

Cake Pops

From Cake Pops

This year I have found a new passion! Cake Pops or Cake Balls if they are not put on a stick.
And the best part, they taste just as good as they look!

1 box cake mix
I have used both a red velvet cake mix and a chocolate fudge cake mix.
I fancied  up the chocolate cake mix using this recipe:
http://heathercookshealthy.blogspot.com/2008/11/darn-good-chocolate-cake.html
When I used just the cake mix it made 40 cake pops
When I used the "Darn good chocolate cake" recipe it made 60 cake pops.

Cool the cake completely then cut it into squares and crumble into a large bowl. I use my kitchen aid.
At this point you can add any flavor of frosting you would like. I have always used the Chocolate frosting recipe on the back of the Hershey's cocoa package.
Add about 3/4 of the frosting. Using a spoon or ,if using a kitchen aid, use the dough hook  and mix thoroughly.
Use a medium size cookie scoop to form the balls. Roll them in your hands to round them.

At this point you can choose to make cake pops on sucker sticks or to plan to put them in a small candy cup.
Dip either and sucker sticks or a tooth picks in melted chocolate and insert into the cake balls.
Place in the freezer for at least 1 hour. If they do not stay very cold they begin to fall apart as they are dipped. Very frustrating!

Here are some web sites to see pictures of how other people decorated their cake pops
http://www.bakerella.com/category/pops-bites/cake-pops/
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cake-balls/detail.aspx

Dip in Chocolate chips or White chocolate using the dipping instructions on the package. 
I have tried using candy coating, it didn't work well because the cake is so cold coming out of the freezer.
Quickly decorate while the chocolate is still wet.

Use foam to hold the cake pops while they dry. I have also found,if only making a few cake pops, that large rice cakes also work to hold the cake pops while they dry.

I store the cake pops in the fridge

 Have fun and Enjoy!

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

This is by no means low fat.
But boy is it good!

Crust:
1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate wafers
2 T sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:
1/4 cups chocolate chips melted
1/4 cups heavy wiping cream
24 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla

Topping
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla

Directions

In a small bowl, combine wafer crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 1-1/2 in up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325°.
For filling, melt chocolate chips in a small heavy saucepan or microwave; stir until smooth. Remove from the heat; add cream and mix well. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add cocoa and beat well. Add eggs; beat on low just until combined. Stir in vanilla and reserved chocolate mixture just until blended. Pour over crust. Return pan to baking sheet.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until center is almost set. For topping, melt chocolate chips in a heavy saucepan or microwave, stir until smooth. Stir in cream and vanilla; mix well. Spread over filling. Cool pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.
Remove sides of pan. Just before serving, garnish with whipped cream and miniature chocolate kisses if desired. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 12 servings.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 Box Devils Food Cake Mix
1 1/2 Cup Canned Pumpkin
1 Cup Water
2/3 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Combine cake mix, pumpkin and water. Mix well.
Bake at 350*
Makes 24 muffins

2 Points Each

Multigrain Energy Bars

1/4C Dried Tart Cherries (opt.)
1/4C Crasins (opt.)
1/4C Dried Blueberries (opt.)
1/4C Chocolate Chips (opt.)
1/4C Toasted Salted Sunflower Seeds (opt.)
(A total of 1 cup of mix in's)
2C Rolled Oats
1/2C Bob's Red Mill 7 Grain Cereal
1/2C Water (for the 7 Grain Cereal)
1/2C Honey
3/4 to 1C Natural Peanut Butter
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Vanilla
1-2T Chocolate Chips


1. Toast the oats under a low broiler, allowing them to turn a light golden brown before removing. Set aside to cool. Or use 2 cups of this Granola recipe in place of the oats.
2. Combine mix in's and chop finely.
3. Combine mix in's, oats (or Granola) to a large bowl and mix well.
4. Bring the 1/2 cup of water to a boil in a small sauce pan. Add the 7-grain cereal, stir thoroughly, and remove from heat. Allow it to rest in the pan for 2 minutes. Add peanut butter, honey, salt, and vanilla to the pan and return to low heat, stir until well combined and warm.
5. Add the peanut butter mixture to the oat mixture and combine thoroughly.
6. Pour mixture into a medium baking dish. Cool for a bit then sprinkle the top of the mixture with
1-2T of Chocolate Chips.
6. Firmly press the mixture into the glass baking dish. Don't be shy about it. You want to compress it into the bottom of the dish so that the top becomes level. I use a flat metal spatula. Allow the dish to rest at room temperature for two hours or longer. The longer you wait, the firmer the bars will be when you cut them.
7. Cut into bars and enjoy. The bars should be firm enough to retain shape, but will give to pressure.
8. Wrap each bar individually and store in the fridge. 

Peanut Brittle

"This is a wonderful peanut brittle that is easy to make and wows everyone! Have all the ingredients for this recipe measured out and ready. This recipe requires that you react quickly. You do not have time to measure ingredients in between steps."

Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 to 1 1/2 cups roasted peanuts with salt
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
1. Line a large cookie sheet with tin foil, spray with cooking spray. Place in a warm oven 170 or less.
2. In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, over medium heat, bring to a boil sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water. Set candy thermometer in place. Stir in peanuts when the candy reaches 290* and continue cooking. Stir frequently until temperature reaches 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), or until a small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into hard and brittle threads.
3. Remove from heat; immediately stir in butter or margarine and baking soda; pour at once onto warmed cookie sheets lined with tinfoil sprayed with cooking spray. Tip warm cookie sheet to spread candy over pan or with 2 forks, lift and pull peanut mixture into rectangle about 14x12 inches; cool. Snap candy into pieces.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

Ingredients

* 1 pkg. (18.25 oz.) yellow cake mix, divided
* 2 large eggs
* 1 2/3 cups LIBBY'S® Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix
* 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
* 1/3 cup flaked coconut
* 1/4 cup chopped nuts
* 3 tablespoons butter



PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

COMBINE 3 cups cake mix, eggs, pumpkin pie mix and pumpkin pie spice in large mixer bowl. Beat on low speed until moistened. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan.

COMBINE remaining cake mix, coconut and nuts in small bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over batter.
BAKE for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.

Amount Per Serving 20 servings Serving Size 1/20 of recipe Calories 170 Calories from Fat. 60 % Daily Value Total Fat 6g 10% Saturated Fat 2.5g 12% Cholesterol 30mg 9% Sodium 220mg 9%Carbohydrates 26g 9% Dietary Fiber 1g 5% Sugars 16g Protein 3g Vitamin A 2% Vitamin C 0% Calcium

4 Points each

Lighter option
* 1 pkg. (18.25 oz.) yellow cake mix, divided
*1/2 cup egg substitute
* 1 2/3 cups LIBBY'S® Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix
* 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
* 1/4 to 1/2 cup rolled oats
*1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Chocolate Pumpkin Bar

1/2 C Pumpkin
1/3 C Brown sugar
1 egg
2 egg whites
2 Tbs oil
3/4 C Flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 C cocoa powder
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 to 1 C Chocolate chips

Combine pumpkin, sugar, eggs, and oil. Beat with an electric mixer until blended.
Add flour, baking powder, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt. Beat until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Bake at 350* in a greased 8 or 9 inch pan for 17 min or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Serves 9
4 points using 1 cup of chocolate chips
3 points using 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Chocolate Delight

The original recipe was courtesy Paula Deen. However I have made my own variation.

1 recipe "Darn Good Chocolate Cake"
3 pkg chocolate fudge instant pudding prepared
1 large Cool Whip
Chocolate syrup for garnish
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 C chopped pecans, lightly toasted

Prepare the cake as directed. Cool completely.Slice the bunt cake into thin slices.
Prepare the chocolate pudding.

To assemble:
In the bottom of a trifle bowl or other glass bowl of the same size tare half of the bunt slices into small pieces. Layer half of the pudding and Cool Whip. Garnish with chocolate syrup, half of the chopped chocolate and half of the pecans. Repeat!

If you are making this for a smaller party one layer would be sufficient. However you will half a cake left over.

Serves 20-30

Chocolate Muffins

Marissa found this recipe on nick Jr. We had a really good time making these muffins together.

1 3/4 C flour
1 C sugar
1/2 C cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 C milk
1/2 C butter, melted
1/2 C chocolate chips

Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, soda, salt and chocolate chips, Whisk to blend.
Add the eggs, milk and melted butter. Stir until just blended.

Spray a 12 cup muffin pan. Spoon batter into the prepared pan
Bake at 375* for 18-20 minutes

Cinnamon and Sugar Banana Bread

This is a very noddy banana bread recipe the my brother Nate gave me. It is quite wonderful! Very moist.

1 C margarine
1 C sugar
2 eggs
1 C mashed banana
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 C sour cream
2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

1/4 C sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Spray the bottom of a large loaf pan and sprinkle half of the cinnamon and sugar mixture onto the bottom of the pan.

Cream sugar and margarine add eggs, banana, vanilla and sour cream. Stir in flour mixture just until incorporated.

Pour half of the batter into the pan and sprinkle on the rest of the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Pour the rest of the batter into the pan

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until the top is browned and a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs but now wet with batter.

Rice Krispies Treats

2 3/4 cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
18 medium marshmallow(s)
Baking M&M's or chocolate chips

Instructions:
Melt the butter in the microwave. Add the marshmallows and melt for 1 minute in the microwave. Stir in the vanilla and Rice Krispies.
Spread into an 8x8 square pan.
Top with M&M's or chocolate chips