Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie

Ingredients:
Crust
2 cups crushed oreo cookies
4 tablespoons melted butter
Filling
1 8-ounce thawed container fat free cool whip
1 quart softened vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup melted peanut butter
1/2 cup Peanut Butter Cups
1/2 cup crushed Reese’s Pieces or Peanut Butter M&Ms
Directions:
-Combine the oreos and melted butter and form a crust.  Press mixture evenly into a nonstick 8-inch pan.
-In a large bowl, combine the Cool Whip and ice cream evenly.  Fold in the Peanut Butter Cups and half of the Reese’s Pieces.  Layer half of the filling and then drizzle half of the melted peanut butter on top.  Layer the other half of the ice cream filling and drizzle with the remaining peanut butter.  Sprinkle the rest of the crushed Reese’s Pieces on top.
-Cover and freeze for 5-6 hours or until firm.
-Allow the pie to soften at room temperature for about 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Peanut Butter Cookies

I’m so glad that Melissa is one of the Mormon Mavens now.  I’ve loved her cookbook, The Hows and Whys of the Year Supply, for many years (email us at mormonmavens@gmail.com to find out how to get your own copy).  This recipe from her cookbook, sure to please any peanut butter lover, has turned out to be a favorite because of the lovely texture of the cookie it produces.  Give it a try.


Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla

1.  Cream together the butter and peanut butter.  Then add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
2.  Roll into balls (I use a cookie scoop to measure out the dough) and roll in sugar.  Place on cookie sheet.
3.  Bake at 375 degrees until very lightly browned (7-9 minutes by original directions, 10-11 minutes in my oven).  Do not overbake them!  Allow to cool for 1-2 minutes on the cookie sheet, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Source:  Melissa Coombs’ cookbook, The Hows and Whys of the Year Supply

Frozen Grapes

I am one of those moms….you know the ones that don’t like high fructose corn syrup, food dye, ….etc.  So we usually don’t have Popsicle in our home unless they are homemade.  I don’t know why but homemade sometimes just seems like too much work, so I found an easier way.  Frozen Grapes!  They have a wonderful icy crunch, are prefect for those hot days, and super easy!  
Wash Grapes well (I use food wash for grapes to get off all the pesticides)
Pull off the vine and place individually on a cookie sheet
Freeze
It is that easy.  Once mine have frozen (I usually leave them in for 3 hours), I put them in a zip lock bag to save space in my freezer.  Enjoy!

Berry Cheesecake Pops & Happy 4th!

How did I get so lucky to post on Independence Day?  I am honored to post on the 4th of July because I am a patriot.  I get teary-eyed when the national anthem is played and the Stars and Stripes are presented at ballgames.  Every time. 
For our followers who are not of the LDS faith, I would like to share a couple of our Articles of Faith–what we believe–that correlate with our celebrations today:
Article of Faith #11–We claim the privilege of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
Article of Faith #12–We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
I just thought these were very appropriate as we celebrate our freedoms and the principles upon which this great country was established.

Now that I have given you food for thought, here is my food post for today.  Have you seen the new cookbook from our lovely Kate and Sara at OBB?  It is entitled, “Savoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites.”  Yummy stuff .  This recipe comes from that book and it is a perfect summer treat for this holiday.




Ingredients:

2 cups assorted berries (I used strawberries and blueberries)*
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, divided
3 oz. cream cheese
1 cup Half-and-Half
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice



1.  Place berries and 3 tablespoons powdered sugar in a blender or food processor and roughly puree.  Add more sugar, if needed.  You should end up with about 1 cup of berry puree–smooth or chunky. Whatever you want.

2.  Transfer puree to a bowl or measuring cup with a pour spout and set aside.  Wash out food processor and place the cream cheese, half-and-half, vanilla, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup powdered sugar inside.  Puree until smooth–not going to show a picture but it is white and liquid.

3.  Fill popsicle molds, alternating berry mixture and cream cheese mixture.  You can swirl it with a popsicle stick or leave in layers.  Freeze until slightly firm if you are adding your own popsicle stick.  My form came with stick/lids so I just put mine in at the get-go and froze them completely.

4.  To remove from molds, carefully run warm water around the outside of molds until popsicles are loosened.  Store in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the freezer.

Next time I make these I am going to try some of my freeze-dried fruit and see how that turns out.  Sounds like a good way to use that fruit from my food storage and it is a healthy snack–pretty much.


Source:  Savoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites, p. 124.

Strawberry Lemonade Bars

Ingredients:

Crust
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, room temperature
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 t. salt

Filling
1 c. fresh lemon juice
2/3 t. lemon zest
1/2 c. pureed strawberries (about 3/4 c. berries)
1 1/4 c. sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.

2.  Begin by making crust.  In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until smooth and fluffy.  Working at a low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly.  Pour into prepared pan and press into an even layer.  Bake for about 17 minutes, until set at the edges.

3.  While the crust bakes, prepare the filling.  In the bowl of a food processor, combine lemon juice, lemon zest, strawberry puree, sugar and eggs and process until smooth.  Add in flour, baking powder and salt, then pulse until smooth.

4.   Gently pour the filling over the hot crust when it has finished baking.  Return pan to oven and bake for 23-26 minutes, until the filling is set (There will be a light colored “crust” on top from the sugar in the custard— nothing to worry about).

5.  Sprinkle the bars with some powdered sugar.  Cool completely before slicing and use a damp knife to ensure clean slices.  Store bars in the refrigerator, especially on a hot day.  Makes 24 bars.

Source:  baking bites
 

Layered Turtle Cheesecake

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
  • FILLING:
  • 4 packages (8 ounces each) Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, divided
  • 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, melted and cooled
  • 1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans
  • GANACHE:
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
  • Additional caramel ice cream topping, optional

Directions

  • Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan.
  • In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and pecans; cut in butter until crumbly. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 12-15 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.
  • In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugars until smooth. Beat in 1/4 cup flour, cream and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Remove 1 cup batter to a small bowl; stir in melted chocolate. Spread over crust.
  • In another bowl, mix caramel topping and remaining flour; stir in pecans. Drop by tablespoonfuls over chocolate batter. Top with remaining batter. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan.
  • Bake at 325° for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath; remove foil. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.
  • For ganache, place chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chips; whisk until smooth. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove sides of springform pan. Spread ganache over cheesecake; sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate until set. If desired, drizzle with additional caramel topping before serving. Yield: 12 servings.

Mayonnaise Chocolate Cake

I know, I know, the picture doesn’t really show the deliciousness of the cake….but it does show the most creative birthday cake I have ever made (thanks to Julie Finlayson)!  This is my go to cake recipe.  It is always yummy and it is really easy.

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. salt (I usually do a little less)
1 tsp. baking soda

Mix above ingredients together then add:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup hot water
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together well and bake in a greased and floured 9X13 pan at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.  I often times (as in the above cake) will 1 1/2 times the recipe and bake it as a sheet cake, when doing this the baking time will decrease by about 5 minutes.

Source: My husband’s grandma Mary Smith

HEALTHY Deep Dish Cookie Pie

This recipe is going to SHOCK you!

I’ve been trying to eat better so I can drop a few pounds and improve my health. BUT I LOVE A WARM HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE!!! I have to get my cookie fix, so I searched and found this healthy alternative.

How can a deep dish cookie pie be healthy? BEANS! You might be skeptical, but just read it and try it! It will take the guilt out of your guilty pleasure!

Deep Dish Cookie Pie

Ingredients:

2 cans white beans or garbanzos (drained and rinsed) 
1 cup quick oats
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 tbsp oil (canola, vegetable, or coconut)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 and 1/2 cups brown sugar (I only used 1 cup) *see notes for sugar free
1 cup chocolate chips (maybe not truly healthy, but definitely yummy!)

Directions:

1. Blend all of the ingredients in a food processor,  except the chocolate chips. If you do not have a food processor, mash the beans as well as you can first, and then use a hand mixer or Bosch or Kitchen Aid (or something like it) to mix the batter. 

2. Mix in chips, and pour into an oiled pan. I used a deep dish pie pan, but you can use a small casserole dish, a springform pan, etc.  

3. Cook at 350 degrees for about 35-40 minutes. Let it cool for 10 minutes or so before cutting and removing from the pan. 

4. Serve with ice cream, chocolate syrup, nuts and whipped cream….or whatever your heart desires. YUM!

Notes: 
* If you want to go sugarless, you can omit the brown sugar and use 4 packets of Stevia, and/or 2 cups of pitted dates, blended up in a food processor. You might want to half the recipe and play around with it a bit to suit your tastes and dietary needs. This definitely has the potential to be an amazing treat that is gluten free and sugar free! I don’t mind having a little sugar, and I thought it was great with 1 cup of brown sugar, but my children would have preferred it to be a little sweeter. I’m making it with dates next time!

Source: Chocolate Covered Katie





Strawberry Crisp

It’s Springtime in the south… that means it’s strawberry pickin’ time! My little family went strawberry picking earlier this week. We came home with 2 gallons of delicious ripe strawberries. Now we’re eating strawberry this and strawberry that. I came up with the idea for this recipe, and boy did it turn out well! Give it a shot, hot strawberries are SO good!

Uh, How cute is she?! Nothing like strawberries with a tad of dirt!

Strawberry Cobbler

Ingredients

Topping:
1 C. oats, old fashioned
1/2 C. flour
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 C. butter, softened
scant 1/4 C. water

Filling
5 C. stawberries, washed hulled, sliced in half
1 T. sugar

Directions
1. Prepare strawberries by washing and slicing. Toss in sugar.
2. Combine all ingredients (except for water) for the topping. Use a pastry cutter to blend.
3. Pour topping over strawberries. Pour water over topping.
4. Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes. The sides should bubble and the strawberries should be tender.

Andes Layered Frozen Mousse Pie

I LOVE Andes Chocolates. A few years ago I discovered their Creme de Menthe baking chips and I was so excited. On the back of the package was this recipe (you can also find it on their website http://www.tootsie.com/rec_moussepie.php) 
 I have made it multiple times for family gatherings around the holidays. I added the whipped cream and extra chips on top, but this pie is so delicious and rich. Definitely a family favorite.

Ingredients: 2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
1 ready-to-use chocolate wafer crumb crust (6 oz. or 9-inch)
1-1/2 cups whipping cream, divided
2 cups Andes Crème de Menthe Chips or 2 packages 4.67 oz Andes Crème de Menthe Thins, chopped. (28 candies)
2 egg yolks

Directions:

Stir 1/2 cup of Andes Crème de Menthe chips into ice cream. Spread onto bottom of crust; freeze.

Melt remaining Andes chips with 1/2 cup whipping cream in saucepan over low heat stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in egg yolks. Continue heating over medium-low heat 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Do not allow to boil. Cool to room temperature.

Whip remaining 1 cup whipping cream until stiff peaks form; fold into Crème de Menthe mixture. Spoon over ice cream in crust. Freeze 4 hours or overnight.

Note: Allow pie to stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting.