Vegan Creamsicle and Root Beer Float cupcakes! Oh MY!!!!!

This has been the best invention yet, I believe. Who doesn't like creamsicles or Root Beer floats? They are the epitome of summertime deliciousness! BUT....when you go vegan, you choose not to eat the standard brand ice creams or desserts that are on the market. Of course there are awesome vegan brand ice creams out there, but I just don't happen to buy them.....but I LOVE baking cupcakes, which lead to trying some new flavors.

The basic vanilla cake mix recipe is from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, again, by Isa and Terry. Love these recipes. They are excellent and bake up perfectly.

The only difference between the two, is the two flavorings used. Both have plain frosting filling in the cupcakes too. I think I do that on most of my cupcakes now....it just adds an additional surprise to the eater~

Vegan creamsicle cupcakes

vegan rootbeer float cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcake Recipe:

1 cup of non dairy milk and I use soy milk
1 tsp of apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups of flour
2 T of cornstarch
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup of canola oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract *** (see options below)
1/4 tsp almond, caramel or more vanilla ***


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in pan. Measure soy milk in a liquid measuring cup, add cider vinegar and mix. Let sit for a few minutes to curdle, then add sugar and oil and extracts, and whisk together. In a large bowl, sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder soda, and salt together. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry, and mix till thoroughly combined and no large lumps remain. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full, and bake for 20-22 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and frost when completely cool.


***** Creamsicle cupcakes: Use 1 1/2 tsp of pure Orange extract (I used McCormicks)in the batter, and another 3/4 tsp to 1/3-1/2 of frosting recipe- kind of a taste as you go. I like tasting the orange personally (See below). I added orange Wilton food coloring to the batter with the orange extract, and the white frosting has no added flavoring in it.

In a pastry bag with it folded outward, place the colored frosting in half the bag, and the white in the other half, and using a 1M large decorating tip, start around the outer edge, and pipe around, and inward to make it twist-like.  See Wilton's page here to see how to hold the bag.

***For the rootbeer floats, I used 2 tsp of McCormick's Root Beer Concentrate in the batter, and then another 1+ tsp in half the frosting....Again, use your own judgement in how strong or weak you like the flavor. This amt worked for me. Be aware that the concentrate will make a brown frosting, and was piped with just the open end of a pastry decorating bag, then smoothed, before the small balls of white frosting were applied. For the small icing balls, I used the small end of a melon baller. Small scoops with a spoon could work too.  Then cut colored straws down, taking about 2 1/2- 3 inches off the bottom, and bend the straw, as if it were in a soda, and place strategically!


Standard buttercream frosting

1/2 cup Earth Balance non hydrogenated margarine (or reg marg)
1/2 cup non hydrogenated vegetable shortening
4 1/2-5 cups of confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup soy milk
1 tsp vanilla (or other extracts as desired)

This makes a moderately stiff frosting, thin or stiffen as you see fit.  Cream with margarine and shortening with an electric mixer, add powdered sugar, milk, and extract and continue to mix till nice, light and fluffy, for several minutes.

Quinoa Burgers made with chickpeas and served with a lemon dill sauce.

I am a self proclaimed (vegan) cookbook lover! I read them like others read novels. I get immersed in the pictures (no wonder!), and I love to see how others combine ingredients, spices, and herbs. I can follow directions to a "T", and according to a patient of mine, he says I'm a good German girl, because of it. I usually don't deviate from recipes too far, unless I actually don't have an ingredient, or I know I want to make some changes.

Which leads into my recommendation of a fairly new cookbook that is out now, by the name of Vegan Diner- classic comfort food for the soul, by Julie Hasson, who is well known on her Everyday Dish TV.
Can I tell you how much I L-O-V-E this cookbook??? Simple down home cooking that tastes great!

The quinoa burger recipe comes from that cookbook, and I only changed the spice blend I used, which she encourages the reader to do, to fit their taste.  Quinoa is naturally gluten free, which is a plus for so many too!

 

The adapted recipe for

Quinoa Burgers from Vegan Diner, by Julie Hasson

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

3 cloves garlic

12 oz chickpeas, (about 1 1/2 cups canned and drained, or homemade)

1/2 cup quick oats (not instant)

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa ***

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1 tsp of poultry seasoning or favorite spice blend (I used a local blend called Symeon's Seasoning from a local restaurant)

1 tsp of smoked paprika

2 Tbsp Braggs Liquid Amino or soy sauce

2 Tbsp of chickpea flour

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

freshly ground pepper, to taste

additional chickpea flour for dusting the burgers

olive oil for cooking

Burger buns

Lettuce or greens

sliced tomato and onion for serving

Makes 6 burgers. Add the onion and garlic to a food processor bowl, and pulse till finely chopped. Add the chickpeas and oats, and pulse until well mixed, but not pureed. Remove to a large bowl, and stir in the quinoa, parsley, poultry seasoning or spice mix, smoked paprika, Braggs, and chickpea flour. Stir in 1-2 Tbsp of water if necessary to help the burger mixture stick together, but you don't want it too moist. Add salt and pepper to taste. Thoroughly mix the ingredients well, cover the bowl, and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Form the burger mixture into 6 balls, and press into 3 1/2-4 inch patties.

Heat a large cast iron skillet or heavy duty fry pan over medium high heat. And lightly coat or spray with olive oil. Place the chickpea flour on a small plate and dust the burgers on all sides with the flour. Add the burgers to the hot skillet. Cook the patties for about 5 minutes, or until nicely browned and crispy. Reduce the heat to medium if necessary, to continue cooking without burning. Add more olive oil if needed, to keep the burgers from sticking. Flip the burgers over and cook on the other side. Repeat with the remaining burgers.

Remove from the skillet and let sit for minutes before serving. Letting the burgers rest will give them a better texture. Serve on a roll with all of the fixings you like, or serve or a salad as shown.

*** to cook quinoa, bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a pan on the stove, rinse 3/4 of a cup of quinoa in a mesh strainer under running water. Once water is boiling, add the quinoa, cover and cook for 12-15 minutes till the quinoa appears spiraled, and the water is absorbed. ( I like to add vegetable stock powder to the water for a little extra taste, and then reducing the amt of salt added to the recipe)

Lemon Dill sauce

1/4 cup Vegenaise (or mayo)

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2-1 tsp dried dill

1/2-1 tsp of garlic powder

freshly ground pepper, to taste

Mix in a small bowl and add as a topping to your burger. If you like a lot of sauce, you may want to double the recipe. (I only used a small amt to keep the calories down)

Delicious tempeh salad

I am a self proclaimed tofu disliker, 1) unless it's in dessert, or 2) it's prepared by a restaurant. But tempeh is wonderful! With all of the soy bashing in the news, it's good to know what kinds of soy you should be consuming.

Tempeh is a feremented soy product, made with chopped up soy beans and mixed with Rhizopus olligosporus, and allowed to ferment, then packaged, creating an easier to digest food. It is one of the approved and suggested soy foods to eat, vs. all of the soy isolates that can be found in nearly every packaged food on the market.

This salad is so delicious, you'll be tempted to just eat it out of the bowl, like I did, after the pictures were taken. This makes a great hor dourve served on top of crackers, or as a sandwich filling. I must be in the mood for lighter dinner or lunch fare, wishing spring would finally spring!

This recipe is my own:

8 oz package of your favorite tempeh, cut into 10 pieces, (place in a pan of water, just covering the tempeh, bring to a boil, and lightly simmer for 15 minutes. This helps improve the flavor, and reduces it's denseness. Drain and let cool, then finely chop into small pieces)

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp of black pepper

1/4 tsp of celery seed

1/4 of a medium red onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

1 carrot peeled and finely chopped

3 Tbsp of pickle relish (or chopped pickles)

2 tsp of dijon mustard

scant 1/3 cup of Vegenaise mayo or regular mayo

2 Tbsp of chopped flat leaf parsley

Comine all to cooled and finely chopped tempeh, adjust salt and pepper to your liking. I prefer this to sit for several hours to overnight before using it. It helps the flavors infuse the tempeh!





I have found the healthiest frozen dessert recipe, and I'm in LOVE!

I think the original picture showed up on one of the food porn sites like Tastespotting or Foodgawker and it said two ingredient "ice cream", and frankly, I was intrigued. I visited the site, but then checked out another one or two sites, and came up with this.....It's basically out there in cyber world, so there really isn't any one person to credit....I actually think even the Vitamix blender company may have the treat in their cookbook.

Anyway, I have never been a person to just store cut up frozen bananas in the freezer.....until now! I know they're great for making smoothies cold, but the frozen chunks of bananas are the basis of this recipe!

the RECIPE is actually very simple......for one serving....cut up a banana in several chunks, place on some wax paper or plastic wrap on a plate for about 45 minutes in the freezer. After they are frozen, in a small glass bowl, place 1 1/2 tsp each of coconut oil, maple syrup or agave, and cocoa powder in it, and microwave for 15 seconds. Remove from the oven, and stir till smooth and creamy. 

Next, add the frozen bananas to a food processor or sturdy blender, and add 1 Tbsp of cocoa. I did this today, and ended up adding 2-3 tsp of maple syrup to add some liquid to it to get the blending started.

Blend till the bananas form a nice smooth and creamy dessert, with no or few lumps.

(this is pure vegan heavenly deliciousness, right here!)

Place in a dessert cup, and drizzle the chocolate sauce over the "ice cream". It will be the consistancy of soft serve ice cream. Add your favorite toppings of coconut flakes, nuts, chocolate chips, or whatever fits your fancy!

I've expanded my baking experience with a wonderful vegan gluten free chocolate cupcake recipe.

Karina from the Gluten Free Goddess website truly has the biggest gluten free cooking and baking website online! She has extensive recipes for baking and cooking, due to her own allergies. She has vegan and non vegan recipes alike, and a fantastic page on GF substitutions here. It was very educational reading up on the different flours used and combined to get nearly the same results as regular baking.

So recently, a co worker was diagnosed with celiac disease, and it turned her world upside down, especially when she has a family to feed, and many of her regular favorite foods are now off limits. It's still a learning process for them, but Karina's website was the first one I gave to her, to brush up on all of the ins and outs of GF cooking. I came into play, being the baker at work for the rest of our coworkers, wanting to be able to share some goodies with her too, since she was being left out.

What I didn't realize is the variables for baking, with so many options for flours. I had picked up some sorghum flour, potato flour, (then there is potato starch too-not to be confused!), and some xanthan gum. Then my search began for a vegan recipe for me, but a GF recipe for her that would use these ingredients. And Karina's site came to the rescue with the recipe for GF chocolate cupcakes with coffee icing. It fit the bill for vegan and GF!

I am not gluten sensitive or intolerant at all, so I had no idea what to expect when eating these cupcakes, but they were really good! I was surprised at how high they rose, and the recipe did make 12 cupcakes as  the instructions said. They were light and airy, and very moist. What else do you need in a cupcake, as long as it looks pretty too!

I didn't use Karina's exact coffee icing recipe, but I did use Earth Balance margarine instead of the spectrum shortening, and ended up doubling it, since frosting the cupcakes with the rosettes, required a larger amt of frosting. I must not have made the coffee strong enough, as I didn't even taste it, so I added 1/2 tsp of organic almond extract to each batch of frosting, instead of the vanilla. (1 tsp extract for a double batch of her recipe). They were just as nice as any of my previously made vegan recipes, and I highly recommend giving it a try!

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe with Coffee Icing


If you don't care for the taste of coffee, use plain water or a light rice milk in the batter in place of the coffee and make a vanilla or chocolate flavored icing.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners.
Whisk together the dry ingredients:

3/4 rounded cup sorghum flour
3/4 rounded cup potato starch, cornstarch or tapioca starch
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum


Add in and beat till smooth:

1 cup warm coffee (not too hot or it will make the potato starch gluey)
1 tablespoon Ener-G Egg Replacer beaten with 1/4 cup warm water
3 tablespoons light olive oil
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon light tasting vinegar

Beat the batter for a full two to three minutes until all the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth. Using an ice cream scoop, plop the batter into the cups and smooth the tops. Bake in the center of a preheated oven till done- about 20 minutes or so. Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack (don't let them sit in the baking pan too long or they'll get soggy). Frost when completely cooled. See recipe for coffee flavored icing below.

Vegan Coffee Icing Recipe

2 cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar

2-3 tablespoons Spectrum Organic Shortening (or Earth Balance margarine)

2-4 ounces cold coffee, as needed

1 teaspoon bourbon vanilla (or a half tsp of almond extract)

Starting with the least amount of liquid, beat the sugar to incorporate the shortening, coffee and vanilla. if you need more liquid, add a small amount at a time. beat for two minutes or so until smooth. If you need to stiffen the frosting, add a little more confectioner's sugar. Chill the frosting before using it. I chill it, covered, for roughly an hour ( I didn't chill it all and used it right out of the bowl). Frost the cupcakes. Cover in an air-tight container until serving. best eaten the first day. If making ahead of time, chill frosted cakes briefly in the freezer before wrapping individually and freezing. Makes twelve cupcakes.

Creamy peanut butter frosted chocolate cupcakes!

I've been sitting on posting this for a few days, as I just hadn't taken the time to sit down to write out the recipe, but this is one of my favorite flavor combinations. Who doesn't like peanut butter and chocolate together?

From the ever famous cookbook, Vegan Cupakes Take Over the World, by Isa Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero, this is the standard chocolate cupcake recipe, which makes a dark, and nearly black cupcake, using dutch processed cocoa.

Chocolate Cupcake

1 cup soy or non dairy milk

1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract or more vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup dutch cocoa powder, or regular
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Whisk the soy milk and vinegar together and let sit for several minutes.
Add the suagr, oil and extracts, and whisk till foamy.
In another bowl, add dry ingredients, sift, and mix till combined.
Add dry ingredients in two batches to the wet ingredients, and beat till no lumps remain. A few small ones are acceptable.
Pour into liners, 3/4 full. (original recipe states 12 cupcakes, I usually get 13 or 14)
Bake 18-20 minutes, till toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack to completely cool before frosting.

Closeup of the yummy pieces parts!

Peanut Butter Frosting

(Note: The above are mini cupcakes, so I actually only made half of the frosting recipe to pipe, but if you make regular sized cupcakes, you will have plenty of frosting to pipe down in the center, for creamy filled mouthfuls!)

1/2 cup of Earth Balance, non dairy margarine (It's also trans fat free, and whey-less!)

2/3 cup peanut butter

3-4 cups of confectioners sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1-2 Tbsp of non dairy milk

With an electric mixer, cream the margarine and peanut butter together, till creamy, for about a minute. Add remaining ingredients, and start mixer out on low speed, and gradually increase, to prevent a powdered sugar cloud. Mix till light and fluffy- about another 1-2 minutes.  Using your favorite piping tip, frost till your heart's content!

I had left over caramelly goodness in my fridge, which I used to drizzle over these cupcakes, and added some finely chopped peanuts on top.

Recipe for vegan Southwestern Pot Pie

There are some days when you still want some warm foods, that come in casserole form. Yesterday was one of them, so I searched through my many cookbooks, and came across Robin Robertson's Cornbread Topped Southwestern Pot Pie. This is adapted from her original recipe.

Southwestern Pot Pie

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion chopped
1 large carrot, diced finely
1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
3 large cloves of garlic finely minced
1 cup of corn kernals, fresh or frozen
3 cups of cooked pinto or black beans, or 2 cans of either, rinsed well
1- 4 oz can of green chilis drained
1 cup of vegetable stock
1 Tbsp of Tamari or soy sauce
1 Tbsp of chili powder
1 tsp of cumin
1 canned chipotle chili pepper with 1/2-1 tsp of adobo sauce. (Freeze the rest individually, and keep in a freezer bag to have on hand)
1 Tbsp of cilantro leaves chopped

Cornbread Topping

1 cup cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 T oil
1/2 cup non dairy milk


In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat, add onion and carrots and cover, cooking till softened- about 5 minutes.

Add peppers, garlic, corn, beans, and chili peppers. Stir in the stock, tamari, cilantro and spices. Lightly simmer, covered, for about 10-15 minutes till carrots are nearly tender.

Transfer to a 2 qt baking dish. Mix the cornbread topping, and spread in an even layer over the casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for approx 20-30 minutes, till hot and bubbly, and cornbread is lightly browned.

More Vegan cupcakes! It really isn't all I know how to make, I swear!

One of my fellow coworkers retired yesterday, and we had a food fest at work, and I was responsible for making, guess what......cupcakes! This coworker has been a nurse twice as long  (44 yrs) as I have,  and has worked at our place of employment for 34 or 36 yrs....I forget already. That is dedication to say the least. Nursing is hard work, and to stay in one place for that long, is to me, rather incredible.  Good luck Yo- we're going to miss you, but it brings me great pleasure that we got to eat yummy food together!

I have found out through my most dedicated coworkers,  what cupcakes tend to go rather fast! I believe the site of  CHOCOLATE anything, makes people salivate. Combine chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting and filling, and that is a win win combination! The other cupcakes were vanilla with a mint chocolate ganche filling, and a buttercream frosting, using Earth Balance margarine.

Don't forget people....we are talking the most awesome of vegan cupcakes here! So much so, that a day shift nurse called back to the unit, asking for me, so she could tell me how awesome they were, while talking illegally on her cell phone, driving! Really...she did. People don't realize that vegan baking is not hard or a mystery, but it is chemistry, and much healthier!

Vegan cupcakes rock my world!

I'm on a cupcake baking kick right now, also practicing my food photography along the way. Love natural light, but that means you have to cook and photograph during the day, which is sometimes kind of hard with my schedule. I have been lucky enough though to make sure I have day light hours to photograph these beauties!

The first up is Oreo Delights, which I can tell you, caused more than just the women at work, to go nuts....even the guys were raving about their deliciousness!

I happened to take two different setups of that particular cupcake so the other is more of a high key, but on white fur.

then another one made recently for a family get together were also snapped up in a jiffy! These are chocolate with a chocolate buttercream frosting, which also provided filling for the center of the cupcake. Bed Bath and Beyond has a cupcake corer/filler tool that is actually pretty nice, but while I didn't think of it, a small round cookie cutter would have been cheaper and just as effective!

ok.....you better check your keyboards to see if there's any drool dribbles on your keys!  Enjoy your baking adventures!

How about some nice Chocolate-Raspberry Ice Cream? Dairy free of course!

This recipe is sooo good, and yes, especially during the hot summer months, but even though it is winter, it is still enjoyable. I went out and bought myself an ice cream maker, because I was missing eating ice cream, and I found some dairy free ice cream recipes that I thought I needed to try! Well, this soy creamer based dessert fit the bill nicely, and is a little chocolate raspberry indulgence, esp topped with the raspberries that were picked this summer.

The recipe can be found here: http://veganicecream.blogspot.com/2006/08/chocolate-raspberry-ice-cream.html

No added fat granola!

Just made this wonderful granola the other day, and it's almost gone. The hubbs doesn't follow the recommended 1/2 cup portion, so it's gone rather quickly!
This is a cinnamon almond flax raisin granola recipe, that has NO added fat, and in this recipe, I used the option of maple syrup, instead of the agave syrup, mainly because I didn't have any in the house. I also added chia seeds, and roasted pumpkin seeds. This, like most granolas, can be changed to suit your individual tastes.


The recipe is from VegWeb's site at Cinnamon Almond Raisin Flax Granola

Hope you enjoy this as much as we are!

Easy Low Fat Applesauce Bread

I'm always looking for low fat, healthier versions of foods I love, and this one fit the bill today, using homemade, fresh applesauce. There is no oil in the recipe at all, just one whole egg!

Low Fat Applesauce Bread

2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 cup applesauce
1 egg
1 cup skim milk


Heat oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 9x5 inch bread pan. Mix all the dry ingredients together, add the applesauce, egg, and milk, and mix till thoroughly combined. Pour into greased pan, and bake 50-60 minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick, which should come out cleanly.

12 slices. Cal-77, Fat- 1.1 gm, fiber 1 gm (Weight Watchers: 1 point)

Pumpkin Lasagna! Great fall flavor!

I haven't posted a recipe for awhile, and thought this was worthy, and it tasted great on a nice fall evening.


This recipe is from the current issue of Taste of Home Healthy Cooking magazine.

Pumpkin Lasagna

1/2 lb sliced fresh mushrooms
1 small onion chopped
1/2 tsp salt, divided
2 tsp olive oil
1 15 can solid pack pumpkin
1/2 cup half and half cream
1 tsp dried sage leaves
dash pepper
9 no cook lasagna noodles
1 cup reduced fat ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1) In a small skillet, saute the mushrooms, onion and 1/4 tsp salt in oil until tender; set aside. In a small bowl, combine the pumpkin, cream, sage, pepper, and remaining salt.
2) Spread 1/2 cup pumpkin sauce in an 11x7 inch baking dish, coated with cooking spreay. Top with 3 noodles. Spread 1/2 cup pumpkin sauce to edges of noodles. Top with half of mushroom mixture, 1/2 cup ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers. top with remaining noodles and sauce.
3) Cover and bake at 375 degrees, for 45 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining Parm cheese. Bake at 10-15 minutes longer until cheese is melted.

(I think it needs another 1/4 cup skim milk added to the sauce, to add a little more moisture)

Nutrition facts: 6 servings. 310 calories, 12 gm fat,497mg of sodium, 32gms carbs, 5 gms fiber, 17 gms protein. Diabetic exchanges 2 starch, 2 fat, 1 lean meat.

chocolate zucchini cake

I love chocolate, and I love zucchini....match them together, and you have a scrumptious desert! Recipe comes from Allrecipes.com.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated zucchini
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or CHOCOLATE CHIPS!
Add to Recipe Box


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add the eggs and oil, mix well. Fold in the nuts and zucchini until they are evenly distributed. Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely before frosting with your favorite frosting.

I used 1/2 oil and applesauce, which decreases the amt of fat in the recipe, and I only used 3 eggs....tastes simply marvelous! Hope you enjoy.

Recipe for Bread and Butter Pickles-batch 2

So, I'm hooked, and I don't want to stop making pickles, esp when you taste how good these are, even very warm, right out of the pot. (I have to confess, I ate most of the left overs, that I couldn't squeeze into the jars....I'm off to find more cukes today, so I can make batch 3 with Splenda.

I believe I got this recipe off of Allrecipes.com, but I'm not sure. I scoured the net the other night, and pulled off a few, and didn't mark the source of this one, sorry!

The Recipe:

4 Qts sliced medium sized cucumbers, unpeeled (I used all of the 23 or 25 I had)
6 medium white onioins, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 green bell peppers, chopped
1/3 cup pickling salt, non iodized
5 cups of sugar (the reason I want to use splenda next!)
1 1/2 tsp turmeric (will stain EVERYTHING it comes in contact with- be careful!)
1 1/2 tsp celery seed
2 T mustard seed
3 cups white vinegar

1.Slice the cukes thin
2.place the cukes in a large bowl and add sliced onions, chopped peppers, and whole garlic cloves
3.Add salt and cover with ice. Mix well. Let stand for 3 hours.
4.Drain the cucumber mixture well.
5.Transfer the mix to a large pot, add all remaining ingredients. Bring just to a boil.
6.Pack cucumber mix into hot sterilized 1 pint jars.
7. Seal with lids and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes (20 minutes for high altitues over 1,000 feet)
Allow to sit in a cool dark location for at least 2 weeks prior to use.
Makes about 4 pints.

I got 5 pints with left over brine, so I think next time, I'd up the cucumbers to 25-28. Supposedly, the Splenda recipe online, is very close to this one, but using only about 2 1/4- 2 1/2 cups of splenda, instead of the 5 cups of sugar.

If these taste as good or better in 2 weeks, after they tasted so good in the pot, these are going to be terrific!

Rhubarb and apple crisp makes everything so nice!

MMMMMMM, the rhubarb is ready, and that means it time for crisps or cobblers, or pies.

Today, I'm going to share an awesome healthy recipe, from The Heart Association's Low Fat Low Cholesterol cookbook. ( I love that cookbook!) It's nice and sweet, and not too tangy or tart.

Apple Rhubarb Crisp (eight servings)
Filling:
2 cups sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb
2 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/2 cup of sugar
1 Tbsp of cornstarch

Topping:
2/3 cup quick or regular oats
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar packed
3 1/2 Tbsp of tub light margarine

In a large bowl, mix all of your filling ingredients and let sit for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 degreees. Then spoon into an 8 inch baking pan or 1 qt baking dish.

In a medium blowl, stir together the topping ingredients except the margarine. Using a pastry blender, cut th emargarine into the topping until the mixture resembles coarse crums. Sprinkel the topping over the apple-rhubarb mixture.

Bake uncovered for 30-35 miutes, or until the topping is light brown. Let cool for about 20 minutes before serving.

Nutritional values: calories, 173, total fat 2.5 (no sat fat), cholesterol 0mg, sodium 44mg, fiber 2 gms, and protein 2 gms

WEIGHT WATCHERS points: 3

(I couldn't wait 20 minutes!)
Now for the pictures, right?


and how about a little closer?


Enjoy! Feel free to post back here if you tried it and liked it!

Added some color to a dinner shoot

I used some Pampered Chef items for a picture of dinner tonight. I love their white dishes, but don't use them enough!, and a towel from a previous Fall Collection added some base color.

Tonight's dinner was Black Bean Chili Pot Pie (I used kidney beans in this dish)

The Recipe is from The Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook


taken while still hot and in the dutch oven. If you don't have a peice of cast iron cookware, but esp a dutchoven, you don't know what you are missing! It's a great addition to the kitchen, but is useful for so many reasons.

Dinner Fare......

I have really gotten into cooking again this past 3 weeks, trying out new recipes, and actually realized tonight, that we haven't had a repeated meal yet! Tonight's fare, with items bought at the co-op this am, was spinach fettucini with yellow squash and tomatoes, grilled fresh pinapple, corn frittata, and I made/ate beet greens for the first time ever. I really liked them too!

I have to say, that my dad is enjoying the lighter fare, if he is down for dinner, which is usually once a weekend.

I'm going to challenge myself to try setting up little sets on weekends for food photography. I think this is an area I'd like to experiment with!