Supper-Time "Sunday?"

So, I'm back. I know, I know. It has been a long time. But I have been evaluating and figuring out what I want to do.

I don't want to be solely a food blogger or solely a family blogger. I love health, fitness, nutrition, religion, everything. So you are going to get a little bit of everything here. I will continue to report on my family on our family blog (http://jacobshayla.blogspot.com) but here will be my more personal space where I get to share with you what I love.

So what have I been loving lately? Well for starters....

WENDY'S PROTEIN FROSTY

Recipe + photo courtesy of Janetha over at Meals & Moves

I will always be a smoothie lover. Do I realize that we just had the coldest January Utah has seen in many many years? 19 degree average temperature? Yes. Did that stop me from having a smoothie probably 4 or 5 times a week? Uhhh... no. It just didn't. I sit in bed with my heating pad on high on my stomach, under the covers, delightfully sipping away at my smoothie. 

This particular smoothie is one that I have made for the cute hubster and I a few times while we watch endless episodes of The Mentalist. Love the show? Hate it? Favorite character? Of course, we love Jane but there is just something about Cho that you have to absolutely adore. Love love love.

Anyways, back to smoothie talk. Does it taste like a Wendy's Frosty? Yeah, it is pretty close although you will need to add sweetener if you want it to be close-er. The biggest issue we had with it is that this puppy is THICK. Like, super super super trying to suck a pillow through a straw thick. 

Recommendations? Load up on the ice and go carefully on the xanthan and guar gums. They are necessary but you want an icy/creamy texture not a jaw workout. 

I will post later about my classic go-to protein smoothie. It has cute hubster approval and everything.

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Not enough of a satisfy for your sweet tooth? Well...

CHOCOLATE PB-FUDGE

Recipe + picture courtesy of Katie over at Chocolate-Covered Katie

You can be into health and fitness and nutrition and I can guarantee you are still going to want something sweet now and again. I have a sweet-tooth, no doubt. Is that complicated when I am restricted by a gluten-free/refined sugar-free diet? Oh yeah. That is why people like me RELY on people like Chocolate-Covered Katie to get our sweet-tooth satisfaction.

This fudge was everything that fudge should be. Rich, decadent, with seriously the perfect flavor. Did I change anything in the recipe intentionally? Well, no. Did I not exactly measure things out perfectly precisely? Lol... yes... but it still turned out amazing! We didn't wait to refrigerate ours. We smeared it on strawberries and enjoyed ourselves. However, cute hubster and I both agreed that we liked it better plain. 

And sometimes a spoonful of health-ier fudge is JUST what is needed at the end of the day. 

QUESTION FOR MY DEAR READERS: What are your favorite health-ier desserts? Do you watch The Mentalist?

Loves...Shayla

Supper-Time Sunday!

Key Lime Coconut Bars

Rating on cooking method: B-, Rating on taste (for me): B, Rating on taste (for everyone else): A+

Lol. Are you laughing at my ratings? Well I needed to give you an accurate representation of this recipe! This is not an easy dessert to make. And make no mistake - this is not a healthy dessert. This is an indulgent dessert that I made for a really big family party. :-) Squeezing enough key limes to give you the juice you  need for this is a PAIN. And if that weren't bad enough, you have to zest them too. Luckily we have a cool squeezy tool that made the job a bit easier. But you will need a TON of key limes. I made the mistake of underestimating how many I would need. If you happen to do the same thing, make up the rest of the "key lime" juice with a mixture of 1/2 lemon juice and 1/2 lime juice. It will taste almost exactly the same.

I doubled the amounts called for in this recipe since I was making it for a big party and it fit into a BIG pan. Like, the one bigger than the 9x13. I am not exactly sure on the size... 11x17? Something like that. But it filled it to the BRIM.

I didn't think that the crust held together well enough. It seemed like it needed more butter to help it along. But it worked just fine with the amount called for and I used fat free sweetened condensed milk and it still worked out perfectly. 

If you choose to whip your own topping instead of using Cool whip like I did I used 1 pint of whipping cream and it covered the whole thing in a nice thin layer that offset the richness of the dessert. It was a bit too rich and sweet for me (remember I don't eat a lot of sugar) but everyone seriously ooohed and aaahed over it. And what matters most is that my mom loved it and since I made it special for her that is what I care about!

LINK: http://projectsforyournest.blogspot.com/2012/04/key-lime-coconut-bars.html

Spinach Quesadillas

Rating: A

This is a really easy and tasty lunch (or dinner) idea. I added some red pepper flakes to mine since I like things a bit spicy and used whole wheat tortillas.

LINK: http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-recipes/healthy-sandwich-recipes?page=5

Vegan Quinoa & Sweet Potato Chili

Rating: A-

I really enjoyed this chili and liked the different textures. My whole family liked it as well, including my children. We topped ours with avocado and a little bit of Greek yogurt. That would nullify the fact that it is supposed to be Vegan but it is a wonderful addition and a great alternative to sour cream. I thought that it tasted a lot like a regular chili and since it is so much healthier that is great. My husband didn't agree but he liked it all the same. We will definitely be making this one again!

LINK: http://www.milkfreemom.com/vegan-quinoa-sweet-potato-chili/

Supper-Time Sunday!

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Rating: A+

Okay, maybe I am a bit biased but my all-time favorite "guilty" dessert is banana pudding. Why? I have no idea. Something about the flavor combination. Is this a healthy dessert? No. However, you can improve the recipe in many ways. When using a boxed cake mix the oil can be completely replaced with unsweetened applesauce. I have done it twice now and both times it turned out the most gorgeous boxed cake I have ever made. Secondly, if you whip your own whipping cream you get to control the amount of sugar that goes into it and it won't have a bunch of yucky additives like high fructose corn syrup. I added a layer of freshly sliced bananas between the pudding and whipped topping and it was soooo delicious. Everyone raved about this dessert at my baby boy's birthday party. Yummy!

Link: http://www.thecountrycook.net/2012/06/banana-pudding-poke-cake.html

Pasta with Cilantro-Peanut Pesto

Rating: F

No, I am not kidding. This dish was terrible. The lime zest was completely and totally overwhelming - So badly that you couldn't even taste anything else (and there are a lot of other ingredients that should have strong flavors!) This was bad enough that we rinsed off the noodles to try and save dinner and we could STILL taste the lime. Wow. Steer clear of this one. 

Link: The site is down right now so I can't get the link but if you really want to try this one here is the link to my pin on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pin/206954545347039565/

Zucchini Lasagna

Rating: A+

This meal was so tasty and I thought it tasted a lot like normal lasagna. I didn't miss the noodles at all and, even though the cute hubby wouldn't admit it, I don't think he did either. It came out with the most amazing pops of flavor. I used ground chicken instead of shredded and I ran out of zucchini and so I used part yellow squash. Ironically, we liked the yellow squash best. It takes on an almost cheesy taste to it. We will absolutely be making this dish again.

Link: http://munchercruncher.blogspot.com/2011/05/seasons-are-lil-bit-different-in-sunny.html

Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Candy Bars

Rating: A- on flavor and texture

Sound healthy? Surprisingly, they are very respectable for a dessert. All natural ingredients and no added sugars except for honey (which isn't processed nearly as heavily as white sugar) and whatever sugar might be on your dried cranberries. These had a very rich and creamy flavor and texture and a little bit goes a long way. Unfortunately, a long way isn't very long for me when it comes to sweets and even after just a little bit my body went into "sugar shock" and I felt sick to my stomach for the rest of the night. *Sigh* So even though these were delicious I probably won't make them again. I bet you would enjoy them though!

Link: http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.ca/2010/05/best-recipe-ive-ever-messed-up.html

Oatmeal Breakfast Cookie

Rating: B

I really like the concept of this "cookie" and it turned out pretty good. I made a blueberry version and did agave instead of maple syrup. I also didn't have vanilla yogurt and so I added a tsp of 100% vanilla whey protein powder and just used plain, nonfat yogurt. It was tasty and I enjoyed it, however it didn't keep me feeling full for very long. That is a deal breaker for me and breakfast so I won't make this one again for me but maybe for my kids?

Link: http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/?p=2583#.UAlqqbRDwrc

Oreo Puddin' Poke Cake

Rating: A+ according to my husband

I have to confess... I didn't actually eat this one. My baby sister turned 7 yesterday and specifically requested a "Special Shayla Dessert" and she wanted chocolate cake. I knew that she would love this cake although I don't personally eat Oreos. Once again, you can replace the oil in the cake mix for unsweetened applesauce 1:1. My sister had 2 BIG pieces of this cake and my husband went on and on and on about how good it was. He doesn't normally like cake but he said this one was so perfectly moist and the perfect amount of sweet without being overbearing. I added a layer of whipped topping on top of the pudding after it had completely set (8 ounce container) and I think that that is what balanced the sweetness out. 

Link: http://www.thecountrycook.net/2011/07/puddin-poke-cake.html

Tijuana Tortas

Rating: A+

I cannot possibly say enough to praise this meal. It comes together in no time at all (like 5 minutes) and is incredibly tasty. I think I had it for 4 or 5 meals over the course of 2 days because we loved it so much. The avocado mixture is really what makes it. The limey, oniony creaminess is just a burst of flavor. I didn't want to search for pickled jalapenos so I used chopped banana peppers instead. I am actually planning on making this again tonight. Really. We also didn't hollow out our whole wheat sub rolls - we just ate these like sandwiches. I know that that is cheating and not really a torta but they were fantastic, nonetheless. And meatless too!

Link: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/tijuana_torta.html

Supper-time Sunday!

Chicken Coconut Curry

Rating: B-

We love curry around here and I was excited to try this one out; however, I didn't feel like it lived up to our curry standard as it was written. It was bland and too thin. I added 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper and  about 1 1/2 more tsp curry powder and still topped my portion with Sriracha. What can I say? We like things spicy. I think that this dish has potential and my mom is going to try it with curry paste instead of ground curry powder. My husband liked it just fine and we might do it again but it definitely wasn't a favorite. 

Link: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2008/11/coconut-chicken-curry.html

Banana Vanilla Protein Pancakes

Rating: C

These ones had an okay flavor but they were really dense. They had a strange texture... it was like a mix between a pancake and a cookie. Too hard. If you are looking for a protein pancake that resembles a normal pancake really closely... this is not the one for you. I won't make them again.

Link: http://www.pbfingers.com/2012/05/26/banana-vanilla-protein-pancakes/

Peanut Butter Banana Oat Pancakes (Vegan)

Rating: B

Her method for adding the bananas is CRAZY!!! They made the pancakes fall apart and they were SOOO unmanageable I was going insane. The texture is really good and very much like a normal pancake despite being vegan and the peanut butter flavor is quite strong but good if you really like peanut butter. We just topped our pancakes with bananas after they were cooked and didn't add them to the uncooked batter. I also didn't have buckwheat flour or vanilla soy milk. Instead we used all wheat flour and regular milk and just added 1/2 scoop of vanilla whey protein powder. Not vegan, but it works. :-)

Link: http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2012/06/peanut-butter-banana-oat-pancakes.html

Greek Yogurt Pancakes

Rating: A-

This is a wonderful basic recipe for pancakes. My mom didn't have baking soda on hand so we had to use baking powder and they did NOT fluff up, but we added 1/3 cup blueberries and 1 tsp lemon extract to the batter and they had an AMAZING flavor. They were my dad's favorite. I think you could add a bunch of different flavors or fruits to this one or just top them with it afterwards. We will definitely repeat this one. 

Link: http://www.everydaybelle.com/2011/06/greek-yogurt-pancakes/

Banana Chips

Rating: B-

This was a link on Pinterest that doesn't link to anything but a picture so here is the "recipe": 

Slice banana into thin chips, dip in lemon juice, and spread on a cookie sheet. Bake for 2 hours @ 200 degrees and flip. Bake for another 1.5-2 hours or until crisp. (They wont be totally crisp in the oven, but will harden as they cool) IMPORTANT STEP: Spray the cookie sheet with PAM

These were decent but the cooking method caramelizes the bananas and makes them really sweet. I could only eat three before they were too sweet for me. They weren't easy enough or good enough to warrant repeating for us but it is a good healthy treat.

Greek Yogurt Blueberry Banana Bread

Rating: A

Oh  my deliciousness! This one was a great one. The whole family loved it and my husband had 3 pieces after it came out of the oven. I didn't have pastry flour but so I just used normal whole wheat flour. I used agave instead of the brown sugar. And I also didn't have vanilla flavored greek yogurt so I just used my plain, nonfat yogurt and added 1/2 scoop of vanilla whey protein powder to my batter. It was just the right amount of sweet without being overly sweet.

You have to be careful about cooking it. Banana bread bakes REALLY fast on the outside and gets very dark. Mine got a little bit too dark for my liking on the outside but I was diligent about checking the inside so that it wouldn't be raw. Mine took about 55 minutes and the outside was BORDERLINE too dark. But it was still yummy and we will definitely repeat it. 

Link: http://nosugarsweetlife.com/content/greek-yogurt-blueberry-banana-bread

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal

Rating: A

This was a lovely and easy breakfast to put together for the family. We all enjoyed it and I didn't add any extras to the dish except for a little bit of cinnamon. It really doesn't require any sweetener since the banana sweetens it nicely. I didn't add the coconut oil but wouldn't be against trying it. I made mine in individual ramekins for easy serving to the family and topped with a bit of plain Greek yogurt. We will definitely repeat this one!

Link: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/03/22/banana-bread-baked-oatmeal/

Cranberry-Oatmeal Bars

I was looking for a dessert recipe that wouldn't "break the calorie bank" for a Family Home Evening treat one night and I came across this one. I was on a serious orange craving kick and the combination of flavors intrigued me. They were pretty easy to make although it may have been more difficult without a grater for the orange zest and a juicer for the orange juice... but overall I still think it was pretty easy. They are pretty strong tasting but I loved them and will be making them again. This would be a great holiday dessert! And don't be taken off guard about the fact that you are supposed to cut these bars into 24 pieces... they are rich and you don't need a whole lot to feel satisfied. If you have a sweet tooth, however, the great thing about Cooking Light recipes is that you can eat 3 or 4 and still be in an okay range.

The picture and original recipe are courtesy of MyRecipes.com and can be found at this site here: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cranberry-oatmeal-bars-10000001853985/

CRANBERRY-OATMEAL BARS

Adapted from Cooking Light
Serving Size 24
Printer Friendly Version

4 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)

Click to 1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Click to see s1/4 teaspoon salt

Click to see savin1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Click to see savi1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Click to see savin6 tablespoons butter, melted

Click to see savi3 tablespoons orange juice

Click to see savinCooking spray

Click     

Filling:

1 1/3 cups dried cranberries (about 6 ounces)

Click to see savin3/4 cup sour cream (I used fat free)

Click to see s¼ cup honey

Click to see savin2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Click to see saving1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Click to see saving1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind

Click to see savin1 large egg white, lightly beaten 

Click to

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. To prepare crust, weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through cinnamon) in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle butter and juice over flour mixture, stirring until moistened (mixture will be crumbly). Reserve 1/2 cup oat mixture. Press remaining oat mixture into the bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. To prepare filling, combine cranberries, sour cream, granulated sugar, and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well. Spread cranberry mixture over prepared crust; sprinkle reserved oat mixture evenly over filling. Bake at 325° for 40 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

CALORIES 135 (31% from fat); FAT 4.6g (sat 2.6g, mono 0.8g, poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 1.7g; CARB 21.5g; FIBER 1.3g; CHOL 13mg; IRON 0.7mg; SODIUM 68mg; CALC 27mg (Based on using ½ cup sugar instead of ¼ cup honey)

Cherry-Oatmeal Bars: Substitute dried cherries for the dried cranberries and lemon rind for the orange rind in filling.
Maple-Date-Oatmeal Bars: Substitute chopped pitted dates for the dried cranberries. Omit granulated sugar from filling, and add 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 2 tablespoons brown sugar.

Kathy Farrell-Kingsley, Cooking Light
NOVEMBER 2008

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Krispie Treats

I don't usually make things that are quite this... sinful. But I needed a dessert to take to a party and these are so easy to make and SO extremely delicious. The krispies are a perfect texture compliment to the gooey peanut butter and chocolate. And although these little delights are sinful they are pretty rich so I would be surprised if anyone could get down more than 1 or 2 bars. I had 1/2 of a bar and it was plenty for me although they were really good and I wish my sugar meter wasn't quite so short sometimes.

I doubled this recipe for the party and put my concotion in an 11x17" pan. They were completely gone by the time dinner was almost over. Completely. That is how delicious these are!

This lovely recipe and picture are courtesy of Jamie Cooks it Up and can be found at this site here: http://jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com/2011/09/peanut-butter-and-chocolate-krispie.html

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Krispie Treats

www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com Time: 15 minutes + 30 minutes for chocolate to set Yield: A 9x9 pan, cut as small or large as you like Printer Friendly Version 1 C sugar 1 C light corn syrup 1 C peanut butter (I used creamy) 4 1/2 C rice krispie cereal 1 t vanilla 2 C chocolate chips (I used semisweet) 1. Pour your rice krispies into a large bowl and set it aside. 2. Into a medium sized sauce pan pour the corn syrup and sugar. Mix it together and bring it to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Let the yummy concoction boil for 1 minute, then remove it from the heat. 3. Add the peanut butter to your sauce pan and mix it all in. 4. Stir in a splash of vanilla. 5. Pour the peanut buttery, sugary concoction of bliss over the top of your rice krispies. Use a wooden spoon to stir it until all of the cereal is coated nicely. 6. Spray a 9x9 pan with cooking spray and pour the coated cereal into it. Spray your hands with cooking spray and use them to press the peanut buttery goodness to the sides and corners of the pan. 7. Pour your chocolate chips into a glass bowl or measuring cup. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir it. Heat it for another 30....stir it. Heat it again for 30 seconds and stir until smooth. You don't want to get the chocolate too hot, here. It will turn pasty and chalky and all your dreams will crumble into ruins right before your eyes. Just heat it slowly and life will be swell. 8. Pour the chocolate over the top of the yummy cereal and spread it evenly. Pop the whole pan in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes, to allow the chocolate to set up. If the bars are left in the fridge for an extended period of time, they will get hard enough to break a butcher knife. Okay, maybe not that hard but I made this mistake and they were REALLY hard! But don't worry about it! Leave the pan on the counter until the bars have reached room temperature and the texture will be just perfect. 9. Once the chocolate has set, remove the pan from the fridge and cut into bars.

Sugar Cookie Bars

We were at my parent's house for dinner on Sunday evening and around 9:00 pm my mom decides she has to have dessert. So we started scanning the internet for possible recipes that not only looked good, but that she had the ingredients for. I came across this recipe on Real Mom Kitchen and it looked so simple that I had tot ry it out. Turns out that it is a super simple recipe and it feeds a crowd! The cookie bars turned out chewy and delicious and I even liked the frosting which is a big deal for me because I am NOT a frosting person. These were even better the next day around and fun to eat bite by bite instead of in a whole bar.

The picture and recipe are courtesy of Real Mom Kitchen and can be found here.

SUGAR COOKIE BARS
From Real Mom Kitchen
Reminder Recipe! One Year Ago: Chicken Sour Cream Enchiladas

1 cup butter; room temp.
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla & mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt & soda & stir with a whisk to combine. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased baking sheet (use a 13 x 18 pan). Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely and frost.

FROSTING

1/2 cup butter; room temp
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
food coloring (if desired)

For frosting combine butter and shortening until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk & mix until smooth and spreading consistency. Spread over cooled cookie.

*NOTE! The second time I made this I used 1/2 cup less white flour than the first time. The dough was MUCH easier to handle and a lot more moist. If you are using finer flours like fresh ground wheat I would stick to the original amount, otherwise REDUCE!

Chili's Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie

This recipe is a replica of the dessert that you can get at the Chili's restaurants from Real Mom Kitchen. My dad put it best when he said, "With a name like that it is better to not question what is in it." Is this dessert healthy? HA HA HA HA HA HA... no. But! It is delicious. My hubby isn't a big dessert eater and he said that this was fabulous. I got lots of compliments about it at the dinner party I took it to. Just don't think too much about the ingredients and what parts of your body they are going to and you'll be just fine!

The only thing I changed in this recipe was that I used roasted peanuts instead of walnuts. We are very allergic to walnuts and so that option wasn't going to fly for us. The peanuts definitely give it a peanut butter undertone but it was a good compliment to the rest of the bar. You could also do chopped almonds or pecans if you want to turn over a pretty penny to purchase them!

The picture and recipe are courtesy of Real Mom Kitchen and can be found here.

CHILI’S CHOCOLATE CHIP PARADISE PIE

From Real Mom Kitchen

• 1 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 6 eggs
• 3 tsp. vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup coconut
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips
• caramel sauce
• hot fudge sauce
• more chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a jelly roll pan (this is the bakers half sheet size -  it’s like 11 1/2 inch x 16 1/2 x 1 or you could use 2 9×13 inch pans.  The pie may be a little thicker and may take a little longer to cook).
2. In a large bowl, combine sugar and melted butter; beat with electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla; mix well.
3. Combine flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add to the sugar mixture; mix well.
4. Stir in nuts, coconut, and chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan.
5. Bake 40+ minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve warm, or reheat individual servings in the microwave (10 seconds for a serving). Top with ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce and hot fudge sauce then sprinkled with chopped walnuts. Or just eat them like a brownie or bar cookie.  They are also excellent that way too.  Makes 24.

*NOTE!!! I used 2 9x13 inch pans to cook mine and it took about 35 minutes for them to cook. I did, however, bake them one at a time because my oven wouldn't fit both pans. Just be careful about the cooking time. I would start with 30 minutes and go up from there.

Fresh Berry Gratin

This is a recipe that I found over at Mindika Moments. It looked so simple to put together and delicious that I had to try it. My dad's birthday was a few days ago and since I am always asked to bring the desserts I thought this was a perfect opportunity to try it out! It was fabulous! Definitely one of my favorite desserts and I usually don't like chunks of fruit in things. This was the perfect combination of flavors with the sour cream and the cream cheese and the tartness of the berries. I used all four of the berries and although I bought the strawberries fresh because they looked so beautiful, I bought the other three (raspberries, blueberries and blackberries) frozen. To avoid the mushy taste that normally comes from frozen fruits, I put them in a strainer in the sink and let them thaw out naturally for several hours. NO rinsing. They turned out just perfect and saved me a pretty penny. The photo is courtesy of Mindika Moments and can be found here at her wonderful site!

FRESH BERRY GRATIN
(Recipe from Emily Nuttall, friend of Mindika)

48 oz. mixed fresh (or frozen) berries (raspberries, strawberries, blackberries or blueberries)
16 oz. cream cheese
2 C. sour cream (you MUST measure this out - a 16 oz. container is only about 1 1/2 cups)
½ C. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/2 C. brown sugar

1. Wash berries. Slice or cut to desired size.
2. Place in the bottom of a 9x13 pan, or divide into individual ramekins.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla until well combined.
4. Top the berries with the cream cheese mixture.
5. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the cream cheese mixture.
6. Place under a broiler for 4-6 minutes or until the brown sugar starts to caramelize. Watch carefully so it doesn’t burn.
7. Serve immediately.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Topping

Oh.My.YUM!!!! These were delicious. They are crunchy and creamy and flavorful and delicious. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side and you have the perfect dessert! My family loved these. They were more involved to make but don't be put off by the length of the recipe. It is time consuming but not hard to do. And trust me, these are WELL WORTH THE EFFORT! This is going on the list of my all-time favorite recipes! Thanks so much to the wonderful site My Kitchen Cafe for the recipe and picture. You can visit Melanie's site by clicking here.

CARAMEL APPLE CHEESECAKE BARS WITH STREUSEL TOPPING
From My Kitchen Café

Base:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cream Cheese Layer:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Apples:
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Streusel Topping:
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup caramel sauce (homemade recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, two tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine all the streusel topping ingredients and mix until crumbly. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two forks until mixture is crumbly but combined. Press evenly into a 9X13-inch baking pan lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

While the crust is baking, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Then add eggs, one at a time and then the vanilla. Mix well. Pour over the warm crust.

Spoon the apple mixture evenly over the cheesecake layer. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the apples. Bake for 30 minutes until the filling is set.

Cool the bars to room temperature. Drizzle with the caramel topping (or plate individual slices and drizzle with topping one by one).

Caramel Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ cups half-and-half or cream
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon vanilla

Mix butter, brown sugar, half-and-half or cream, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook while whisking gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until thickened slightly. Add the vanilla and cook another minute to thicken further. Turn off the heat and pour the sauce into a jar. Refrigerate until cold. If the caramel sauce has cooled in the fridge long enough to harden, warm slightly before drizzling on bars.

Hello Dolly Bars

These bars are a dessert my mom maakes a lot because we LOVE it. They are so rich and flavorful and REALLY easy to make. Some unusual ingredients but trust me, it is worth the purchases! Sorry the picture isn't great.... Sufficite it to say that they are even better than they look!

SHELLEY’S HELLO DOLLY BARS

1 stick of butter
1 c. Graham cracker crumbs
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. butterscotch chips
1 c. flaked coconut
1 c. sliced almonds
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Melt butter in 9x13 pan. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs in butter and press. Layer chocolate and butterscotch chips, coconut, then almonds. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool slightly and cut into bars.

*Why do they call them Hello Dolly Bars?*

Answer from: http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/hello_dolly_squares_hello_dolly_bars_hello_dolly_cookies_hello_dolly_cake_h/

Entry from December 22, 2007

Hello Dolly Squares (Hello Dolly Bars; Hello Dolly Cookies; Hello Dolly Cake; Hello Dollies)

The Broadway musical Hello, Dolly! opened on January 16, 1964, and became one of the longest-running Broadway shows ever. The musical features a restaurant scene. The origin of foods named “Hello Dolly” requires some explanation.

Clementine Paddleford’s food column in “The Week “ magazine on September 19, 1965 featured a “Hello Dolly Cake” recipe by 11-year-old Alecia Leigh Couch, of Dallas, that she borrowed from her grandmother. The recipe included graham crack crumbs, flaked coconut, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and condensed milk. However, on July 22, 1965, the Ada (OK) Evening News had published a similar recipe for “Hello Dolly Cookies.”

Pre-1966, the recipe was variously called “Graham Chip Squares,” “Chocolate Graham Squares,” “Washington Cookies,” “Chewy Delights,” “7-Layer Cookies,” and other names. The popularity of “Hello Dolly squares” has lessened since the 1960s, but there are many recipes on the internet.