Archive for Recipes
Healthier Cheesecake Brownies
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Warning: The following post is full of calories, sugar, and rich gooey chocolate. Reading this post will not result in any weight gain, neither will you have a sugar crash when you are finished looking at the pictures. However, baking and actually eating these Cheesecake Brownies in real life is a different story - especially if you struggle (like I do) with over-indulging in such things as cheesecake or brownies or a fantastically incredible combination of the two. These are made with healthier ingredients such as whole grain flour and unrefined sugar, but it’s not like these are made of green leafy vegetables. Oh how I wish. Therefore, I recommend that if you make these Cheesecake Brownies, you should plan to take them immediately to a potluck or otherwise heavily populated event where there are many servant-hearted people to help you consume them. Participating in a short time of “quality control” before taking them to an event is acceptable, as long as you don’t feel that you need to test the quality of the entire pan of goodies.
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Trust me, I am offering this warning from the botom of my sugar-loving heart. I am the girl who, when asked, “Which do you like best? Brownies…or Cheesecake?” I always answer with an definite and enthusiastic, “Yes!!!” I love them both, but put them together and that pan of Cheesecake Brownies and I could have a fine party, just the two of us. But I’m also working hard to get in shape and to eat a healthy diet. Cheescake Brownie binges and my running shoes just don’t go together.
In other words: Share the love, people.
Cheesecake Brownies
Brownie Layer
1 cup melted butter
2 cups sucanat
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
Cheesecake Layer
2 – 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup sucanat
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix together melted butter, sucanat, and cocoa powder. Add eggs and vanilla, stirring well. Mix in flour and stir until thoroughly mixed. Spread the brownie batter into a 9×13 inch baking dish and set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, cream together all cheesecake layer ingredients: softened cream cheese, eggs, sucanat and vanilla. Once it is well mixed and creamy, spoon the mixure into about twelve “plops” over the top of the brownie batter.
Use a butter knife to “cut” and swirl the cheesecake mixture through the brownie batter.
Try not to hyperventilate while you anticipate how good these will taste once they are baked. Good luck.
Bake in a 350° oven for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the Cheesecake Brownies to cool completely before slicing. Makes 24 servings.
I will say it again: This recipe makes twenty-four servings. These cheesecake brownies are not to be consumed by you alone – not even in 24 different settings. Not even if you first ate a good dinner. These are to be shared. Do not forget this important information.
Oh, but when you do indulge in your Cheesecake Brownie, I give you full permission to thoroughly enjoy yourself. Savor each rich, chocolaty, cream cheesy bite of gooey goodness. Put your feet up, turn on some music, and make it an event. And if you think of it, call me. I like events that include brownies and cheesecake.
What would you answer to the question of: “Which do you like best? Brownies…or cheesecake?” (“Yes” is an acceptable answer.)
Baked Oatmeal Cups (Bird’s Nests)
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My four boys are just about getting too old to appreciate anything cutesy I try to make with food.
When they get up in the morning, they bound into the kitchen, excited to see a big pile of bacon on a tray with a dozen scrambled eggs and mountain of pancakes. Does it really matter to them if I tried to arrange the food in such a way as to make the platter look pretty? Do they even care that I woke up extra early, and lovingly mustered all of my artistic ability to form the pancakes into the shape of the country of India? After all, we’ve all been enjoying our studies about William Carey and his missionary efforts there. Who wouldn’t have fun smearing butter all over Calcutta? I figured they’d be thrilled!
But no. They don’t care at all. They just want me to hurry up and pass them the maple syrup and while I’m at it, another slice of bacon.
I’m telling you, I am sooooo unappreciated around here. From now on, I think I’ll just flip some boring ol’ round pancakes straight off the griddle and onto their plates ten feet away. I’ll skip the serving platter. I won’t mess with a lovely presentation of fruit arranged on a plate in the shape of a clown face. They can just stuff their faces with “normal” food for all I care.
Hmmph.
Now that I’ve thrown a fit that is so becoming of a grown-up, I suppose I should now confess that my intentions and my artistic abilities are not even close to being able to pull off much of the above. I’ve never really attempted to make pancakes into the shape of India - or any other country for that matter. Incidentally, I did turn out the state of Texas once, but that was totally an accident and as usually happens when I have not gone out of my way one little bit, my boys were actually quite impressed.
“Whoa Mom! You made a Texas pancake! Can you make me a Maryland and an Idaho next?”
I obviously got right on that, but ended up instead with a lopsided gourd and another pancake that resembled the fuzz under my couch. I gave up at that point and figured they could chew the pancakes into the shapes of their requested states, because really, have you ever tried to pour Florida onto a griddle with a spoon?
This leads me to the special breakfast I made recently in an effort to be cute. It is spring after all. Doesn’t the idea of eating a bird’s nest for breakfast sound simply delightful?
Okay fine. We can just call these Baked Oatmeal Cups. Either way, these are easy to throw together and are versatile enough to add variety and meet your family’s taste preferences.
Baked Oatmeal Cups (or Bird’s Nests if you’re feeling cute)
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup sucanat or honey
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup melted butter
Topping choices: mini chocolate chips, raisins, other dried fruit, coconut flakes, apple chunks
Mix together oats, sucanat, salt and baking powder. Stir in eggs, milk, and melted butter. Scoop batter into 12 paper lined muffin cups. Sprinkle toppings of choice into the center of each cup. Bake in a 350° for about 30 minutes, or until the oats are golden brown. These are easier to eat with a fork, unless you like cleaning partial bird’s nests up off of your table and floor.
Do you try to be cute when you cook and bake at your house? And how do those efforts go over for you? Ever tried to make India out of pancake batter?
Creamy Crock Pot Chicken and Rice
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Hey, check it out! This is a chicken recipe AND a crock pot recipe! It’s as if the best of both worlds just came together for a lovely party, don’t you think? I mean, there is not much more exciting than combining the Week of the Chicken with a Crock Pot Recipes post, I’m pretty sure. (This makes it clearly obvious that I don’t get out much.)
And guess what else? Many of you have asked that I try to experiment and come up with some healthy alternatives to boxes of Rice-a-Roni – and I think this recipe might just meet that need for some of you. When it was all said and done, I thought this dish kind of looked and tasted rice-a-roni-ish. Try it and see what you think.
If you haven’t tried making my homemade Onion Soup Mix, I recommend throwing it together to use for this recipe. Store bought onion soup mixes typically have not-so-good for you ingredients in them that I avoid. The homemade mix is super easy and very inexpensive.
Creamy Crock Pot Chicken and Rice
2 cups brown rice (uncooked)
Sea salt
3 cups water or chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 Tablespoons Onion Soup Mix
Place rice in the bottom of a crock pot, and sprinkle it generously with salt. Pour water or broth and cream over the rice. Cut chicken breasts into serving sized portions and place on top of the rice and liquid. Sprinkle Onion Soup Mix over the top.
Cook on a low setting for 4-5 hours. Serves 6-8.
Here’s another chance to win one of the ten $10 Heavenly Homemakers Shop certificates that we’re giving away during the Week of the Chicken! Leave a comment on this post, pin it, share it on facebook, tweet it – whatever you’d like to do to grab another shot at one of the certificates. (Leave a separate comment for each.)
How To Make Almond Butter
Posted by: | CommentsI am completely addicted to these Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites. They are made with such wonderful and healthy ingredients and are wonderful way to use your Coconut Flour if you have some.
What does my cookie dough bite addiction have to do with making almond butter? A lot. The recipe calls for almond butter – which is not something I keep around the house very often. However, I do typically have a nice store of almonds stored in my pantry. Therefore, I easily make almond butter any time I need it.
If you’ve read my tutorial for making homemade peanut butter, you’ll find that you will follow the same basic instructions for making almond butter. Nut butters are very easy to make in a food processor. The biggest thing to note: The process of making nut butter is a little bit loud. Warn the family to plug their ears before you turn on the food processor. Although the way I look at it – my family is always making a bunch of noise. When I’m making nut butter – it’s my turn. So there.
Step One: Pour almonds into a food processor. I have found that eight ounces of almonds creates one full cup of almond butter. I don’t recommend putting more than eight ounces of almonds into your food processor at one time. The process takes a while, and the more almonds you have, the longer it will take.
Step Two: Place lid on food processor and turn it on. (Plugging it in is always a plus as well.) ;) Yes, it’s loud isn’t it? Told ya.
Step Three: After processing almonds for two to three minutes, use a spoon to scrape down the sides of your food processor and shift around the almonds.
Step 4: Continue to process, but stop and scrape and stir almonds around from time to time to aid in the butter making process.
Step 5: You’re getting closer! Process, scrape, stir, and process some more. Continue until the almonds have become the almond butter you’ve always dreamed of. Because yes, we all do spend much of our time dreaming of perfect almond butter, do we not?
And there you go – lovely, smooth and creamy almond butter.
What other nut butters have you made? Have you tried making Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites yet?
P.S. I order organic almonds from Braga Farms. They are a wonderful company to work with and offer high quality nuts. Almond Butter will stay fresh in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Whole Wheat Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
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Typically, I am a regular ol’ chocolate chip cookie girl. I began making chocolate chip cookies when I was about eight years old, and made them almost daily in the summer when we had hired hands helping us on the farm. I can make chocolate chip cookies in my sleep. I don’t have to even think about the ingredients or the measurements while I make chocolate chips cookies. And shucks, if I do say so myself, my chocolate chips cookies taste pretty good.
Lately though, my boys have been asking for something a little different. What!? They don’t want the same chocolate chip cookie over and over and over? C’mon. Change is hard for me. And if I really care to admit it – thinking is often hard for me as well. I’d rather make something that is a no-brainer, thank you very much. Don’t they understand?
Okay, fine. A change of pace in the cookie department every now and then is nice. Which is why I played with a chocolate cookie recipe to make it healthier. We all loved the way it turned out. And if you throw some homemade white chocolate chips in these, you’ve got a fantastic “healthy-ish” cookie.
By the way, if you don’t feel like taking the time to make homemade white chocolate chips, I completely understand. Just know that regular store bought white chips typically have hydrogenated oils and corn syrup in them, which I recommend avoiding if at all possible. I did find some healthier white chips at Whole Foods a few months ago that were “clean”, and I noticed that VitaCost and Amazon had some too – so hey, all is not lost!
Whole Wheat Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
3 eggs
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sucanat (or brown sugar)
1/2 cup melted coconut oil (butter would also work)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat flour (I use freshly ground flour from hard white wheat.)
1 cup white chocolate chips (optional)
Whip together eggs, cocoa, and sucanat. Stir in melted coconut oil, baking powder, and vanilla. Mix in flour until a nice dough has formed. Fold in white chocolate chips. Spoon teaspoon sized balls of dough on to a cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake in a 350° for 8-10 minutes. Allow the cookies to sit on the cookie sheet for about five minutes before removing. Makes about 24 cookies.
The dough just looked too yummy, so I had to take a picture. Kind of makes you want to reach into the computer with a spoon, doesn’t it?
These cookies are soft, sweet, and slightly coconutty if you use virgin coconut oil. (Use expeller pressed coconut oil of you don’t prefer a coconut flavor.)
What’s your favorite kind of cookie? Do you ever get into a cookie rut?
Flaky Cream Cheese Pastry – The Healthy Way
Posted by: | CommentsBack in my former life – the one in which I innocently and cheerfully ate Chillsbury* dough from a can – I loved making a cream cheese pastry dish that always got rave reviews. It was simple. You spread a can of Whillsbury* crescent dough on the bottom of a pan, throw in some cream cheese filling, top it with another round of Gnillsbury* crescent dough, bake it, and eat. I loved that stuff, as did everyone else who ate it with me.
Gone are my days of eating biscuits or crescents from a can. Oh, and can I just pause to say this: I do not miss that vulnerable and insecure feeling that always came from never knowing when the can would pop open and dough would ooze out. Maybe it is just me, but waiting for the biscuit can pop always put me slightly on edge. Yeah, it was probably just me. I have can-popping-biscuit-bursting-forth issues, I think.
Anyway, I had forgotten all about this delicious dish, which is crazy, because hello? It does have cream cheese in it. It occurred to me recently that the perfect replacement for Billsbury* crescent dough would surely be my go-to whole wheat yogurt dough. Why I hadn’t thought of using it to figure out a new Cream Cheese Pastry dish, I have no idea. But I finally thought of it, tried it, and here it is. My family devoured it for breakfast this morning, which means that next time, I have to double it for sure!
*name changed to protect the innocent guilty
Flaky Cream Cheese Pastry
Dough:
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Filling:
1 – 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup real maple syrup (sugar, sucanat, or honey would work too)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
Mix together all four dough ingredients and knead lightly to form a nice ball. Divide in half. Press one half of the dough into an 8×8 inch baking dish.
Whip together the cream cheese filling ingredients. Pour filling over the bottom crust.
Roll the second half of the dough into a square and place it on top of the cream cheese filling.
Bake in a 350° oven for 30-40 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.
Allow pastry to cool slightly before slicing and serving.
Tell me – am I the only one here with can-popping-biscuit-bursting-forth issues? I’ll admit it right now, it makes me jumpy just thinking about it. ;)
Baked Three Cheese Chicken Pasta – a Make Ahead Meal
Posted by: | CommentsThe chicken was on its last leg.
Well actually, the chicken no longer had legs, as it had already fulfilled its glorious life purpose and had been cooked and made into a rich broth and good healthy meat for my family.
Regardless, legless though he was, the last little bit of cooked chicken in my fridge was indeed on its last leg. It needed to be eaten. It could no longer be left alone…neglected, unused, and unwanted.
(It would appear that, apparently, I felt the need to create some chicken drama when all I really needed to say was: ”I had leftover chicken- so I used it.” I can’t just be normal. What fun would that be?)
So the chicken - it was begging to be used. I needed a quick lunch for the family. But I needed to make the meal in the morning and have the capability to reheat it quickly at lunch time. Therefore, I decided to play with my Three Cheese Garlic Chicken Pasta recipe and make it into a “Make Ahead Meal“. The chicken and I are happy to report that my idea worked, and the meal was delicious.
Actually, the chicken has nothing at all to report because not only is he not on his last leg anymore, he is officially gone.
Why? Why do I say these things? I’m going to just give you the recipe already before I say anything else ridiculous about the chicken.
Baked Three Cheese Chicken Pasta
2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
2 1/2 cups whole wheat pasta
3 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (add more if you like)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 ounces softened cream cheese
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
In a large cooking pot, combine cooked chicken, uncooked pasta, milk, garlic powder, and sea salt. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until pasta is tender and the starch from the pasta has thickened the milk, creating a creamy sauce. Remove cooking pot from the heat. Stir in parmesan cheese and cream cheese until it is mixed throughout.
Pour pasta mixture into a casserole dish. (A 9×13 inch pan works well, or any variety similar in size.) Sprinkle shredded cheese on top and bake in a 350° oven for about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
If you make this ahead of time, you may need to adjust the baking time so that the casserole will be heated through and through. Also, you can freeze this dish! Simply thaw and bake in a 350° oven for 30-40 minutes.
All this talk about chickens and legs kind of has me hungry for fried chicken legs, which pretty much makes no sense - unless you are in my brain and then it does make sense. Oh people. Be glad you are not in my brain. It is not pretty.
So tell me, what do you do when your chicken is on its last leg? (Yes, I think I am actually talking about leftovers here.)
Easy Homemade Granola
Posted by: | CommentsI didn’t really plan it this way, but what better way to follow up a post about not soaking grains than by giving you a recipe which includes unsoaked grains. Do with this what you wish. :)
This recipe works great as a snack or for a quick breakfast, especially if you’ve made it ahead of time. We like to put it in a bowl and add dried fruit and milk or cream. A friend of mine even adds applesauce to this granola for a sort of “apple crisp” taste. Her kids love it that way!
Easy Homemade Granola
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup sunflower nuts
1/2 cup sesame seeds
3/4 cup honey
1 cup coconut oil
In a small sauce pan, melt together coconut oil and honey. Stir all remaining ingredients together in a large bowl. Drizzle on the honey/coconut oil mixture and stir well. Pour mixture onto a large, parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 300° for 35 minutes, stirring after the first 20 minutes. Store granola in an air tight container.
Is it a little bit obvious that I got a few new dishes for Christmas and had a fun time taking pictures of granola?
Are you granola eaters at your house?
Homemade Chocolate Caramel Creamer
Posted by: | CommentsDisclaimer: No one actually passed out while the following event took place.
I absolutely do not like coffee. Can’t stand the stuff. Never have liked it, no matter how I’ve tried to doctor it up. However, as I’ve mentioned before, I’ve always loved the way it smells, which is why, when a friend was over one morning earlier this week, I was excited to brew her some coffee. She actually likes how it tastes – and making some for her gave me an excuse to smell it. I know. I’m weird.
This is why I can hardly believe I’m about to say the following words: I drank a cup of coffee on Tuesday. And I liked it.
Yes, my husband passed out when he heard the news. As did my children. Thankfully, they have all recovered nicely from the shock. I’m not sure I’m over it though. Seriously. I can’t believe I drank a cup of coffee and liked it.
Here’s how it all went down: When I asked my friend what she would like for her coffee, she told me that she would usually add a shot of “Chocolate Caramel Creamer”. Since she and I are good at talking smack to each other, I said something very gentle and kind like, “Oh gag, are you serious? Do you know what’s in that stuff?”
(Partially hydrogenated oils, plus a bunch of weird stuff I can’t pronounce – in case you were wondering.)
Well, it just so happened that we had hosted a birthday party for Elias last week. And it just so happened that we had offered an ice cream sundae bar during the party. And it just so happened that I had leftover homemade hot fudge sauce, leftover homemade caramel sauce, and fresh cream in my fridge.
So I said to my friend, “You want REAL chocolate caramel creamer in your coffee? I’ll give you chocolate caramel creamer.” And so, I heated some hot fudge and hot caramel on my stove, drizzled them into her coffee, then poured in some fresh cream.
She took one drink and passed out from the deliciousness. Not really. But she loved it and said something like, “You have got to try this!” To which I reminded her, “Um no. I don’t like coffee”.
(It’s just like you’re a fly on my wall, huh? You’ve gotta love a play-by-play of my first coffee drinking experience.)
I finally gave in to the peer pressure, because shucks, it did smell really good, and I took a tiny, little sip. That was when it was my turn to pass out. Wow, it tasted good. I couldn’t believe it, so I took one more small sip just to see if I had completely lost my mind. I think the question of me losing my mind is definitely up for debate, but yeah – that stuff was good. I therefore made myself my very own cup of coffee with hot fudge, hot caramel, and cream. I sat down at the table with my friend, and together, we drank coffee.
Well now, I can’t say I’ve ever been able to write that sentence before.
The reason I share this with you is not ultimately because I have discovered a super healthy new recipe. I can’t say that this beverage is a must-have because of its stellar nutritional content. However, many of you have asked for an alternative to non-dairy creamers, which are really full of some not-so-good-for-you ingredients. If in fact you are looking for a better option for your coffee, I believe this might be just the thing you’re looking for.
Ingredients: One cup of hot coffee that smells really good, one teaspoon hot fudge sauce, one teaspoon hot caramel sauce, and a few teaspoons of cream.
Make it. Smell it. Try it. And then, we will all pass out together.
Are you a coffee drinker? Have you found any great alternatives to purchased creamers you’d like to share?
Healthy Crock Pot Recipes: Hamburger Sauerkraut Dip
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All I have to say about this recipe is: Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.
I completely understand if you read the name of this recipe and your initial reaction was to make a face of disgust. I’m with ya. I don’t like sauerkraut. I don’t like the way it smells. I don’t like the way it tastes. I don’t even like the way it looks.
But I promise you, this dip tastes so good that you really might just pass out from the delicious flavor. It doesn’t taste like sauerkraut at all – but instead is a wonderful mix of flavor that is completely addicting. The first time I tried it, I stuffed myself so full, I could barely walk out of the kitchen. It was not cute.
I got the recipe from my friend Jen, who, for the record, does not like to cook. That may tell you something about how easy this dip is to put together. We prepped all the ingredients together one evening, then I threw everything into my crock pot the next morning for us to chow on that night. And did I mention that I stuffed myself? Seriously, whether you like sauerkraut or not, you must try this dip.
Hamburger Sauerkraut Dip
1 pound ground beef
4 tomatoes, chopped
2-3 green peppers, chopped
27 ounce can of sauerkraut, drained
12 ounces sour cream
Brown ground beef until thoroughly cooked. Stir browned meat, chopped tomatoes and peppers, sauerkraut, and sour cream into a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-8 hours. Stir occasionally. Sneak bites often. Try not to eat the entire pot. Good luck.
I’m very happy to point out the fact that I have posted all kinds of different cheese dip recipes on this site, so you must surely be very impressed that I have climbed out of my cheese dip lovin’ box to post a dip that is significantly different and exciting. See, here they are: Healthier Cheese Dip; Super Simple Chip Dip; Cream Cheese Salsa Dip; Hamburger Cream Cheese Dip. And here I am posting a dip recipe that does not include cheese – but sauerkraut. How about that?
So, are you a sauerkraut fan, or do you tend to avoid it? Any chance that if you aren’t a fan, I could convince you to try this dip anyway? I promise you won’t regret it. :)
