Chocolate Brownie Clusters

Ingredients:

• 3 extra-large egg whites
• ½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1½ cups raw walnut halves

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325* F.
2. Put the egg whites and lemon juice in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. (Be sure bowl is immaculately clean, as any grease will prevent whites from whipping to stiff peaks) Whip whites on low speed for 2 minutes and then increase speed to high whip until stiff peaks form. (Buddy says 5, I say more like 10)
3. Sift the sugar and cocoa powder a bowl and then fold into the batter with a rubber spatula until batter is smooth and shiny. Fold in the walnuts, until they are well coated with batter.
4. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or use silpat, silicone baking sheets. Drop heaping tablespoons of batter ½ ” apart , being sure to include about the same number of walnuts (3 or 4) in each cluster.
5. Bake until outside has crisped and the bottom starts to pull away from the parchment paper, 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven. As soon as the clusters can be moved, use a spatula to transfer them to a rake and let them cool.
7. Store in an airtight container for up to one week. They won’t last more than a day though!

Source:  whatagirleats.com

Granny’s Own Breakfast Bars, Gluten Free

Ingredients:


2 cups sugar
2 cups crunchy peanut butter
2 cups coconut
2 cups chocolate chips
2 cups oats, gluten free
2 bananas, mashed
2 eggs or ½ cup apples sauce
2 Tbsp cream or milk, rice milk, almond milk
2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

When well blended press into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake 350 degrees F. for 40 to 45 minutes.

Let cool completely, cut into breakfast bars. Let sit on wax paper to firm up. Enjoy!

To Store, wrap each breakfast bar in wax paper, and place in plastic baggies. Keep in Air tight container.
 
Source:  The Deedol Collection

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, Gluten Free

Ingredients:

Cookie cup:

2 cup peanut butter
2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together cookie dough, roll into a log; chill for 2 hours or overnight.

Filling:

1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 ½ cups peanut butter, divided ¾ cup + ¾ cup
¾ cup crushed gluten free granola bars, 4 bars


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 24 mini muffin cups with shortening. Cut cookie dough into 24 slices. Press one slice in bottom and up the side of each mini muffin cup, forming ¼ inch rim above top of cup; sprinkle fingers with powdered sugar if need be. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown. Cool in pans on cooling racks 5 minutes. With tip of handle of wooden spoon, press dough down in center of each cup to make room for 2 Tbsp filling.

In saucepan, melt white chocolate chips and 3/4 cup of the peanut butter over low heat, stirring constantly. Divide mixture evenly into cookie cups, about 1 Tbsp each. Refrigerate 10 minutes.

In same saucepan, melt semi sweet chocolate chips and remaining 3/4 cup peanut butter over low heat, stirring constantly. Divide chocolate mixture evenly on top of peanut butter mixture in each cup (about 1 tablespoon each).

To easily crush granola bars, do not unwrap; use rolling pin to crush bars; Sprinkle crushed granola bars over top of each. Refrigerate until set, about one hour or so. Remove from muffin cups before serving.

Variation: May use a sugar cookie or chocolate cookie recipe for the cup...and dark chocolate chips in the filling.

Source:  The Deedol Collection

Cauliflower Crust Grilled Chicken And 3 Cheese Pizza

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 cauliflower pizza crust (see recipe below)

For the sun-dried tomato pesto
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 large garlic clove
2 tbsp avocado oil
Generous pinch salt and pepper
8-10 walnut halves
16-20 large fresh basil leaves
3-5 tbsp water

For the pizza toppings:

1 cup leftover grilled chicken, cut into bite size chunks
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled (I use feta cheese)
5-6 walnut halves, chopped
A handful of fresh arugula leaves (optional)

To make the sun-dried tomato pesto:

Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, avocado oil, salt, pepper and walnuts to the bowl of a small food processor and process until reduced to a crumbly puree. Add fresh basil leaves and pulse a few times until fully incorporated. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time and process until fully incorporated. Add as much water as necessary to reach the desired, “spreadable” consistency, which should be 3 to 5 tablespoons (depending on how moist your sundried tomatoes were to begin with)

To assemble:

After the crust comes out of the oven, spread as much or as little sun-dried tomato pesto as you like over the entire surface of the crust (I used about half the recipe). Top with grated mozzarella cheese, followed by the grilled chicken, walnuts, half the goat and half the blue cheese.

Place in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cheeses are melted and start to get bubbly and golden around the edge. Take pizza out of the oven and sprinkle with the remaining goat and blue cheeses. Top with a handful of arugula leaves, cut into 4 to 6 slices and serve.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Ingredients:

2 cups cauliflower, grated
1/4 cup coconut flour
2 tbsp almond flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 large eggs

Directions:

Place a pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven and preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Use a box grater or the grater disc of your food processor to grate the cauliflower.

Place the grated cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl and cover loosely; microwave for about 4 minutes on high. Place the cooked cauliflower in a fine mesh sieve and press it down real hard with a ladle or an unbreakable bowl or plate that fits snugly into the sieve; You need to remove as much water as you possibly can, so don't be afraid to squeeze. If you don't have a fine mesh sieve, you could also dump the cauliflower onto a clean tea towel, let it cool for a few minutes then wrap it like you would a candy and squeeze the heck out of it by wringing the towel.

Add the cauliflower into a bowl, along with the rest of the ingredients. Mix well by hand until all the ingredients are well incorporated and resemble dough.

Place a piece of parchment paper onto a cutting board and dump your dough smack in the center. Form it first into a ball, then flatten it down gently with your fingers and form it into a nice, flat disc or approximately 8 to 10 inches in diameter. If you want a ticker border, you will have to also form that with your fingers, as the dough won't rise.

Use the cutting board to slide your crust onto the hot pizza stone or baking sheet that's been sitting in the oven. Bake for 8 - 11 minutes, until it starts to turn golden brown; remove from oven by sliding it back onto your cutting board. 

Source: The Healthy Foodie

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding Pie

Ingredients:

3 cups Chocolate Chex cereal, finely crushed
5 tablespoons butter, melted
12 oz semisweet baking chocolate, chopped,
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa, sifted
2 cups half-and-half
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks
6 tablespoons whipping cream, plus another 1 cup whipped
1/2 cup white vanilla baking chips
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions:

In small bowl, stir together cereal and melted butter. Press in bottom and up side of ungreased 9-inch pie pan. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake crust 15 minutes. 

Sprinkle with one-third of the chopped chocolate.

Meanwhile, in large heatproof bowl, mix cocoa and remaining chopped chocolate; reserve. In 1-quart heavy saucepan, heat half-and-half over medium-high heat until almost boiling. In medium heatproof bowl, beat sugar, egg and egg yolks with whisk until pale yellow. Slowly beat in half of the hot half-and-half, then stir egg mixture back into remaining half-and-half in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium. Heat mixture just to boiling. Cook, beating with whisk, about 1 minute or until thickened.

Pour through sieve into reserved cocoa mixture; beat with whisk until smooth. Pour into crust; refrigerate 30 minutes.

Wipe out saucepan. Add 6 tablespoons cream. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat. Place vanilla baking chips and peanut butter in medium heatproof bowl. Pour hot cream on top and let stand until chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes; beat with whisk until smooth. Spread evenly over chilled pie.

Refrigerate until firm, about 1 1/2 hours.

To serve, top servings of pie with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. 

Source: bettycrocker.com

Salisbury Steak: 30-Minute Meal

When is a hamburger not a hamburger? When it’s a Salisbury steak, a 19th-century invention named for the doc, J.H. Salisbury, who was big on high-protein diets. Classic Salisbury steak combines ground beef with onions, bread crumbs, eggs, and various spices and herbs. It’s formed into a steak shape (not a patty), is traditionally broiled, not fried, as a burger is, and it can be served with a brown gravy or other meaty sauce.

Salisbury steak is distinctly old-school, but it remains a delicious alternative to plain old burgers. Especially when you give that old-school recipe a distinctly new-school twist. And these “superburgers” take just about a half-hour to make.

In this Asian Salisbury Steak recipe, all the basics are there, but when hoisin sauce and sherry are added, along with chopped red peppers and scallions, it becomes an irresistible nod to the East. These steaks are served on a bed of sautéd watercress, which makes them ultrahealthy.

Pasta with Baby Salisbury Steaks takes the classic broiled beef, makes each one a mini version, and combines it with pasta, tomatoes, and zucchini for a wonderfully complete one-dish dinner.

Ingredients:

•  12   ounces 90%-lean ground beef
•  3/4  cup finely diced red bell pepper
• 3/4  cup chopped scallions
• 1/4  cup plain dry breadcrumbs
• 4   tablespoons hoisin sauce, divided
• 2   tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 3   teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 4  2 - 4  ounce bunch watercress, trimmed (16 cups)
• 1/2  cup Shao Hsing rice wine, (see Ingredient note) or dry sherry

   

  Directions: 

   

  1. Place rack in upper third of oven; preheat the broiler. Coat a broiler pan and rack with cooking spray.

  2. Gently mix beef, bell pepper, scallions, breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce and ginger in a medium bowl until just combined. Form the mixture into 4 oblong patties and place on the broiler-pan rack. Brush the tops of the patties with 1 teaspoon oil. Broil, flipping once, until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

  3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add watercress and cook, stirring often, until just wilted, 1 to 3 minutes. Divide the watercress among 4 plates. Return the skillet to medium-high heat, add rice wine (or sherry) and the remaining 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce and stir until smooth, bubbling and slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Top the watercress with the Salisbury steaks and drizzle with the pan sauce.

   

  Tip:

   

  Ingredient Note: 

   

  Shao Hsing (or Shaoxing) is a seasoned rice wine available in most Asian specialty markets and some larger supermarkets' Asian sections.

   

  Nutrition information

   

  Per Serving: cal. (kcal) 303, Fat, total (g) 13, chol. (mg) 56, sat. fat (g) 4, carb. (g) 18, Monosaturated fat (g) 6, fiber (g) 2, pro. (g) 21, vit. A (IU) 3401, vit. C (mg) 83, sodium (mg) 392, Potassium (mg) 623, iron (mg) 3, Vegetables () 1, Other Carb () 1, Lean Meat () 1, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

   

  Source: recipe.com

  
  

Four Ingredient Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 8 ounce tub of cool whip
1/3 cup of lemon or lime juice
1 8 ounce package of cream cheese.

Directions:

Most important part of this recipe, is to leave the cream cheese out for a couple hours at room temperature. The cream cheese will become soft and smooth. The importance of this is to create a smooth texture. Not doing so, will create horrible lumps of cream cheese that will ruin the flavor of this pie.

After your cream cheese is softened enough, I like to see if it will spread easily with a plastic spatula. In a mixing bowl, mix all before mentioned ingredients. Please note: the lemon/lime juice must come last. The reaction of the citrus juice will start to harden your mixture almost immediately.

On the low speed of you hand mixer, blend well. Around 2 minutes of so is plenty, just make sure all ingredients are incorporated. Immediately pour mixture into a waiting graham crust or for those of us that can't have the gluten, I opt for muffin cups. Refrigerate for an hour to and hour and a half and viola.

Source:  kaiyan717.hubpages.com

Gluten Free Sour Cream Pound Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cup white rice flour
1 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup sweet rice flour
1 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

Directions:

In a bowl cream the butter and sugar.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
In a small bowl mix together the baking soda, sour cream, and vanilla.
In another bowl mix rice flour, cornstarch, sweet rice flour, and xanthan gum.
Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternating with sour cream mixture.
Mix just until combined.

Grease a bundt pan and pour batter into pan.
Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until caked tests done. Cool in pan for 10-15 minutes and then remove from pan to cool on wire rack.

Source: YummyRecipes

Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake

A tasty, gluten-free way to take advantage of local strawberries! When berry season hits, the one dessert that people typically think about is strawberry shortcake.

Ingredients:

Filling
 
1½ lb. (680 g) strawberries, washed & sliced
3 Tbsp. (45 mL) sugar (less if your berries are sweet)
1 tsp. (5 mL) lemon juice

Biscuits

1¼ (310 mL) C. brown rice flour
1/4 C. (60 mL) tapioca starch/flour
1 tsp. (5 mL) xanthan gum
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) baking powder
½ tsp. (2 mL) baking soda
¼ C. (60 mL) granulated sugar
½ tsp. (2 mL) salt
½ C. (125 mL) cold unsalted butter, placed in freezer for 30 min. before use
6 Tbsp. (90 mL) buttermilk
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. (15 mL) vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) heavy whipping cream
2 tsp. (10 mL) coarse sugar

Topping

1 C. (250 mL) cold heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) granulated sugar
1 tsp. (5 mL) vanilla extract

Directions:

Sprinkle berries with sugar & lemon juice. Toss to coat. Allow to sit for at least 20 30 min. before serving.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. 

In a mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients until evenly combined. 

Using a coarse grater, grate the slightly frozen butter into the dry ingredients. Stir to coat the butter with the dry ingredients. Whisk the wet ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour over the dry ingredients & stir until the dough begins to come together. 

Place a sheet of plastic wrap on a slightly damp counter. Sprinkle the plastic wrap with sweet rice flour or potato starch. Turn the dough out onto the plastic wrap, & without handling the dough too much, knead it until it comes together in one ball. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the dough & roll to about ¾” (2 cm) thick. Remove plastic & cut into circles using a 3” (8 cm) biscuit cutter, & place biscuits on prepared baking sheet. Repeat until the dough has all been formed into biscuits, trying to handle it the least amount possible.
Brush the tops of the biscuits with heavy whipping cream, & sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake biscuits in preheated oven for 12 14 min., or until a nice golden brown on top. Allow to cool for at least 10 min. before serving.

Place cold whipping cream, sugar, & vanilla in a deep, chilled bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip the cream until soft peaks form.

To Serve: Slice biscuit in half. Top with about 1/3 C. (80 mL) sliced strawberries & a dollop of whipped cream before placing the top of the biscuit back on top. Garnish with more strawberries if desired. 

Serves 8.