Delightfully Diet Ginger Ale Lemon Cake

May 13, 2013 by

Ginger Ale Lemon Cake

Sometimes I dread going to birthday celebrations. I always know there are going to be really delicious but entirely too calorie laden foods, drinks galore and – of course – birthday cake.

So whenever I can, I try and take control. I am the one hosting the party and I have control of the menu. So when we celebrated my dad’s birthday last week I made sure that everyone came over to my house and I served all of the foods I felt good about eating.

Including cake!

That’s right… a cake that I can enjoy without guilt. Plus it’s super easy to make and very, very tasty! The guests had no idea and kept talking about how moist it was. How? By using a few simple ingredients…

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The Ultimate First Street Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich Recipe

May 11, 2013 by

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Smart & Final.

First Street Ultimate Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich #ChooseSmart

Mother’s Day is all about mom’s favorite things, right? And I know that my mom – and mother in law – loves sweets. Since it’s been so warm lately I knew she’d appreciate something cool if she were down here (don’t worry mom, we can make these again!).

So when I headed out to Smart & Final to pick up some ingredients for an awesome dessert to serve on Mother’s Day, I knew that First Street ice cream would be the perfect base for any dish.

I thought bringing my husband along with me as we shopped would be a bad idea but he inspired this dish when he asked if he could pick up some chocolate chip cookies too. Genius!! Why not make ice cream sandwiches?

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Frozen Fruit Skewers – The Perfect Summer Cookout Dessert

May 7, 2013 by

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This content has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Fruti #cbias #SocialFabric #FreshNFruti

Fruti Frozen Fruit Skewers

This past week has been HOT! Like in the 90s one day hot and 80s the rest. So we needed a snack that would cool us down and satisfy our sweet tooth without being too bad.

Well, we found an amazingly cool and refreshing treat that’s low-fat and quite good. Fruti frozen fruit bars have become my new obsession and boy are they tasty! Plus they’re low in calories and the strawberry bars have zero fat. Talk about a great find!

They’re conveniently located at Sam’s Club so  I can pick up a box to keep in our freezer so we can enjoy them any time we need a delicious frozen fruit pop. And they come in a convenient 4 pack inside the large box that I can break out to make more room in my freezer. Or so I can keep one box in my inside freezer and the others in the freezer in the garage. Easy access!

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The Perfect Easter Sweet Treat – Peeps Rice Krispie Treats Recipe

March 4, 2013 by

Peeps Rice Krispie Treats

Easter is right around the corner. And in our house that means one thing… Peeps are here!

I remember getting Peeps chicks in my Easter basket every year as a child. And when I had kids I wasn’t quite sure if I should continue the tradition. For the past 3 years I simply gave my son a chocolate Sees bunny instead. But this year I think he’s ready to graduate to Peeps.

But Peeps aren’t just for the Easter basket! They’re also very fun to get creative with. And this weekend we made Peeps Rice Krispie Treats also known as Rice Krispie Peeps. And yes, they’re super good!

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Chocolate Ricotta Stuffed Strawberries

February 11, 2013 by

Chocolate Ricotta Stuffed Strawberries

Love is in the air and Valentine’s Day is just a few days away. For those of you who, like me, are watching their girlish figures this dessert recipe is for you! These chocolate ricotta stuffed strawberries are not only delicious, they’re filling too! They’ll satisfy even the biggest sweet tooth.

The strawberries at my local Costco looked absolutely amazing this week. So I knew I was either going to dip a few in chocolate or come up with something creative. This was the creative option. And it took all of 10 minutes to prep and make.

Make a few for you and your significant other or a whole platter for a party! Everyone will be glad you did.

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No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars with Brownie Crust

January 25, 2013 by

No bake peanut butter cheesecake bars with brownie crust

So you remember the cinnamon brownies I posted about yesterday? Well… I just couldn’t wait to share with you what I made with them! Because who doesn’t love peanut butter and chocolate and cheesecake together?! Ok… maybe quite a few people. But if you DO love this combo then you have to try these!!

While these do require two steps AND waiting for the cheesecake topping to set in the fridge a few hours they are totally worth it. You could even bake the brownies the night before, then mix up the cheesecake in the morning, put them in the fridge and enjoy them for dessert that night.

Don’t like peanut butter? Just skip it for a classic cheesecake or add some berries for an equally tasty treat. I originally was going to cut out cute strawberry hearts and put them on top (sans peanut butter) but the peanut butter was calling out to me. I’m so bad!

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Cinnamon Brownies

January 24, 2013 by

Cinnamon Brownies

One thing I absolutely love about making brownies from scratch is the amount of variation you can do and still have something turn out amazing! I’ve been on a cinnamon kick lately. With the delicious taste of it in my morning latte I wanted something I could enjoy in the  afternoons as well.

My absolute FAVORITE brownie recipe comes from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking from My Home to Yours. Her classic brownie recipe is simply amazing. Ooey, gooey, thick and chocolatey. It’s perfect. So I’ve always used her approach to brownies when I make mine.

Cinnamon Brownies

If you love brownies you’re going to love this cinnamon brownies recipe. I’ve made them in a bigger pan for a more narrow brownie because I’ll be using some of them as the crust to my no-bake peanut butter cheesecake. If you want a thicker, more traditional brownie feel free to use an 8×8 pan.

And the cheesecake I’m making? Just wait! They’re going to be an out of this world dessert for Valentines Day you won’t want to miss. But you’re going to have to wait until next week for that recipe!

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Better than Panera Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

October 30, 2012 by

There’s one thing my family is obsessed with. And that’s cookies. Our favorite cookie? Chocolate chip cookies!

There are many nights that my husband comes home and, after eating dinner together, heads to the  kitchen to start a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies. You can understand now why it’s so hard to stick with a diet plan in this house.

One cookie we absolutely love are the Panera chocolate chip cookies. Every bite is filled with chocolate and they’re super soft with the perfect crunchy outer layer. So when we heard of a chocolate chip cookie recipe that was deemed better than Panera we had to try it out.

The results? Oh, these cookies are definitely better. And worth making again and again!

Better Than Panera Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 cups mini semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until mixture is creamy.

Mix in the sifted dry ingredients until just combined. Using a spatula, fold in the mini chocolate chips.

Using a cookie scoop, drop cookie dough (about 1/4 cup) onto the prepared chookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before serving.

Makes about 18 large cookies.

What’s your favorite cookie?

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Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting {Dessert Recipe}

September 26, 2012 by

As I mentioned before, I’m a bit obsessed with pumpkin. And as soon as I got a whiff of coolness in the air I got to baking. I’ve been craving these cupcakes since the first time I made them a few years ago and with a few minor tweaks I think I’ve perfected my recipe.

These were delicious! And even better when left in the fridge overnight and eaten for breakfast the next morning with a hot cup of coffee 😉 But if you can’t wait that long to savor the goodness just make sure to allow the cupcakes enough time to cool before frosting them. You won’t be disappointed!

Pumpkin Cupcakes With Maple–Cream Cheese Frosting

Cupcakes

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin

Frosting

  • Two (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

 Preheat the oven to 350° (175°C). Line a cupcake pan with 18 liners.

Cupcakes:
Pour the milk into a measuring cup and add vanilla.

In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper into a medium bowl.

Add the eggs one at a time to the mixer, scraping down the sides after each addition. Alternate adding the flour and milk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat in the pumpkin until smooth. Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners, about 3/4 of the way up. Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on racks completely.

Frosting:
In a stand mixer beat all the ingredients on medium until fluffy but firm. Frost the cupcakes using either a spatula or a pastry bag w/ a large tip. Refrigerate the cupcakes for 30 minutes to set up frosting.

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Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars {Dessert Recipe}

September 20, 2012 by

When Fall comes there is one thing I am most excited about. The return of canned pumpkin on the shelves! I start out small. Buying maybe 4 cans of pumpkin on my first spotting. Then I get a bit crazy. I need to stock up for the rest of the year. How can I not have 10 or so cans of pumpkin in my pantry by mid-October? And what do I use these cans and cans of pumpkin for? Healthier recipes!

Pumpkin is a great ingredient in baking, cooking and no-bake recipes such as this one. It’s simple and easy to use and best of all… it’s super tasty and healthy! Now I’ve already been making my pumpkin waffles, pumpkin muffins and even a pumpkin oatmeal shake. But I hadn’t yet tried anything with pumpkin and cheesecake before. So this past weekend I decided to try out a no-bake recipe for pumpkin cheesecake bars. And they were delicious.

If you have a can of pumpkin lying around you have to try it!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

  • 1 package (8 oz.) neufchatel cheese, softened*
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1/3 cup agave nectar (or 1/2 cup sugar)
  • 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip Free whipped topping, thawed, divided
  • 1 package graham crackers (about 24), crushed
  • 4 tablespoons light butter, melted

Line an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish with plastic wrap. Mix graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until the crumbs resemble moist sand. Push crumb mixture into dish with your fingers evenly to create a level crust on the bottom. Make sure to get the crumbs into the corners of the dish as well.

Beat cream cheese, pumpkin, agave and pumpkin pie spice with electric mixer on low speed for one minute. Increase speed to medium and mix for another 3 minutes or until no lumps are visible. Gently stir in 2-1/2 cups of the whipped topping. Cover and refrigerate remaining whipped topping for later use.

Spoon cream cheese mixture into crust and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Serve topped with remaining whipped topping. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

*How to Soften Cream Cheese
Place completely unwrapped package of cream cheese in microwavable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 10 to 15 seconds or until slightly softened. If you cannot find neufchatel cheese in your grocery store just go for the reduced fat cream cheese. Same thing, different name.

Serves 16 | 5 WW+ Points

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