Dairy-Free Sugar-Free Ice Cream

Adapted from: Food Network

Yield: 1 quart

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14.5 oz can coconut milk
about 2 cups almond milk
1/2 cup honey
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise and scraped
4 large egg yolks
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

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Pour coconut cream into measuring cup.  Add almond milk to fill to 4 cups.

 

Heat the cream, milk, honey and vanilla beans and seeds in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until hot, being careful not to let the mixture boil and curdle. 

 

Lightly whisk the egg yolks in a medium heatproof bowl, then slowly drizzle 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks while whisking. Pour the yolk mixture into the saucepan of cream; heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a wooden spoon, again being careful not to let it boil and curdle.
 

Pour through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the vanilla beans and any bits of cooked egg yolk. Stir in the vanilla extract.

 

Cover the custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 6 hours. (You can speed this process dramatically by partially submerging the bowl of custard in a larger bowl of ice water to form an ice bath and stirring the custard occasionally until cold. The colder the custard is, the faster the machine will be able to freeze it for ice cream.)

 

Follow the directions on your ice cream maker to freeze. Once the mixture is frozen, put it into containers and allow it to "ripen" for at least 2 hours in the freezer.

Golden Bars of Happiness

3/4 cup peanut butter or sunbutter
3/4 cup honey
1 cup oats
1 cup brown rice cereal
2 cups total of any combination of:  chopped nuts, coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, dried fruit, mini chocolate chips, etc.

In a medium sized saucepan, melt together peanut butter and honey.

Remove from heat and add oats and cereal.  Mix in chosen nuts/fruits.

Line 9x13 or quarter sheet baking pan with wax or parchment paper.  Spread and press mixture into pan.

Chill for two hours, then cut into bars.

Wrap in plastic wrap for a quick grab and go snack!

Torta Caprese

a.k.a Flourless Chocolate Cake

Adapted from Food Lovers Odyssey

9 oz good quality dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces (I didn't have dark chocolate, only semi sweet.  So I decreased the amount of sugar to 1 cup.)
1 cup butter
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tbsp almond extract
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cups ground blanched and toasted almonds (see instructions below)
6 eggs, room temperature

Preheat an oven to 310° and line the bottom of a 9-inch spring-form pan with parchment paper.

Slowly melt the chocolate and butter over a double-boiler.  In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk together the melted chocolate mixture, the cocoa powder, almond extract and sugar until combined.  Add the ground almonds and whisk until combined.  Add the eggs one at a time, adding each egg after the first has been incorporated into the mixture.

Pour the mixture into the spring-form pan.  Make sure the mixture is level and smooth on top.  Bake for 50-60 minutes.  Cool and serve with chocolate spirals or shavings and powdered sugar.  Serve with gelato or whipped cream.


Almonds
Blanch:  Boil some water and add desired amount of almonds.  Let almonds sit in water for 30 seconds.  Drain almonds and place on paper towels.  Pinch the almond at the fat end and the almond should pop right out!  Get the kids involved.  It was lots of fun!

Toast:  Heat oven to 350°.  Place almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake for 5 minute intervals stirring in between, until almonds are blonde to light brown in color.  They will smell divine!

Grind:  Pulse almonds in blender until somewhat fine in texture.

Rocky Road Brownies

Favorite brownie recipe to fit a 9"x13" pan  (I used a box mix.  No need to fix what's not broken!)
1/3 cup buttermilk
½ cup butter
3 tbsp cocoa
1 lb powdered sugar
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts

Make brownies.

While brownies are cooling, combine buttermilk, butter and cocoa in saucepan.  Bring to boiling, stirring constantly.  Mix in powdered sugar.  Stir in remaining ingredients quickly.  Immediately pour over brownies.  You can also use this with a chocolate cake.  But come on!  Brownies are WAY better!

Chewy Nutty Candy

Compliments of Simple Healthy Tasty

1 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup peanut butter
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup almonds, chopped
1 cup oatmeal
Chopped walnuts or coconut (to roll candies in)

Cook honey over medium heat until it reaches the soft ball stage using a candy thermometer. Take off heat and add vanilla. Cool and add peanut butter, coconut, almonds and oatmeal. Scoop out tablespoonfuls and form into round balls. Roll in chopped nuts. Chill and enjoy!

Caramel Popcorn

2 cups honey
½ cup oil
¼ cup molasses
3 heaping tsp peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
dash of sea salt
Peanuts (optional)

Mix ingredients and pour over popped popcorn (enough popcorn to fill 10-quart stainless steel mixing bowl). Mix well to coat popcorn. Leave in mixing bowl and bake in oven at 200° for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove and cool. OR bake for 45 minutes, remove, and form into popcorn balls using oiled hands.

Cracker Jacks

1 cup peanuts
8 quarts popped corn
1½ cups honey
½ tsp salt
1½ tsp vanilla
¼ cup oil (can omit or use less)

Place peanuts on cookie sheet in 350° oven, stirring occasionally until browned and roasted, about 8 minutes. Lift popcorn with open fingers into another bowl, allowing un-popped kernels to sift out.

In a large saucepan, heat honey and salt over medium heat until hard crack stage with a candy thermometer. Take off heat and add oil, vanilla and peanuts. Stir well and pour over popcorn mixing thoroughly to coat. Spread out on 2 cookie sheets to cool. Break into clusters.

Oat Crispies

Compliments of Simple Healthy Tasty

½ cup peanut butter
½ cup syrup
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp maple flavoring
3 cups rolled oats
pinch of salt (optional)
Options: chocolate chips, raisins, raw cashews, unsweetened coconut or whatever you like.

Mix peanut butter, syrup, vanilla and flavoring together in large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Press into 9”x13” baking pan spreading to about 1-inch thick. Freeze.

Tee Pee Granola

Adapted from Clawson Live

1 cup honey
1 cup oil
1¼ cups brown sugar
8 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup wheat bran
3/4 cup flax seed

½ cup millet
1½ cups sunflower seeds
2 cups coconut
1 cup sesame seeds
2 cups slivered almond (or any kind of nut you like)
1-2 tbsp cinnamon
Dried fruit (cherries, blueberries, raisins, mangos, apricots, craisins, chopped dates, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350°. Divide oats between two large cookie sheets and toast for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring honey, oil and sugar to a simmer on the stove. Make sure the sugar has dissolved.

Combine remaining ingredients, except fruit, with honey mixture and mix until everything is coated.

Spray cookie sheets with Pam and divide the granola between the pans. Bake for 30 minutes stirring every 10 minutes.

Allow to cool. Break up granola and add dried fruit of choice. Place in bags and freeze what won’t be immediately used.

Cereal Crunch

1 box Golden Grahams
1 box Corn Chex
1 lb slivered almonds
1 small pkg shredded coconut
1½ cups butter
2 cups sugar

2 cups light corn syrup

In a large bowl, mix cereals, almonds and coconut. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add sugar and corn syrup; bring to boiling. Boil 2 minutes stirring constantly.

Pour syrup over cereal mixture and mix well. Spread out on wax paper and let cool at least 2 hours.

Pistachio Cake

Happy St Patty's Day!!  Sorry, I don't have a picture of the cake itself.  Just my cute daughter enjoying a piece!  I got this recipe from Allrecipes.com which took it from Jello.  It was REALLY good!

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Pistachio Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling

4 eggs

1 1/4 cups water

1/4 cup oil

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

7 drops green food coloring (or until it looks green enough for you!)

2 cups powdered sugar

milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place all ingredients except powdered sugar in large bowl.  Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute.  Beat on medium speed 4 minutes.

Pour into greased and floured 10-inch fluted tube or tube pan.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan.  Cool completely.

Mix powdered sugar and a few teaspoons of milk together in a bowl.  Add milk until it reaches drizzling consistency.  Drizzle frosting on cake and serve!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are delicious! I've been craving these cookies for a while now and finally found a recipe that I love! After I mixed the batter, I split it and added 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips to one half and 1 cup of walnuts to the other (for my non-chocolate self). This isn't a difficult recipe, so enjoy!

Makes about 6 dozen cookies

2½ cups canned pumpkin
2 cups sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup applesauce
2 eggs
4 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp milk
2 tbsp vanilla
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, applesauce and eggs. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by two tablespoonfuls on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.

Butterscotch Brownies

Sorry, no picture. I ate them all! It's my alternate to chocolate brownies. And they are delicious! TIPS: These are really easy, but you will ruin them if you use a larger pan. They will come out hard and dry instead of soft and chewy. To remove them, invert them onto a lightly oiled cooling rack, remove parchment paper, then flip them onto a cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares with a pizza cutter.

Makes 16 squares

½ cup butter, room temp
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temp
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp molasses
1 cup flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter an 8”x8” baking pan and line bottom with parchment paper.

Beat butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and molasses with electric mixer for about 1 minute, until creamy and smooth. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and add to butter mixture. Fold gently with rubber scraper until flour is about half incorporated. Do NOT over mix. Stir in nuts and continue folding gently until flour is fully mixed in.

Scrap batter into prepared pan and spread top until smooth and even. Bake for 30-35 minutes, turning pan 180° half way through. When brownies are done, the center top will be firm and spring back when pressed and the sides will start to pull away from pan. Let cool completely in pan.

A Most Splendiferous Brownie

I thought the recipe I had for brownies was pretty good. My only complaint was that they would fall. They are very fudgy, but I wanted a thicker brownie. WOW!! These are incredible!!!! They are thick, chewy, fudgy, HEAVENLY!!! Unfortunately, I can't eat them. But my husband wouldn't shut up about how perfect they were! TIPS: The cooking time on these varies slightly, but makes a HUGE difference. If you leave them in for 50 minutes, they will be very moist, almost fudgy. But if you leave them in for 5-10 minutes more, they will be slightly drier, but chewier. Bake them how you like them. If you really want fudgy, I tried adding chocolate chips instead of walnuts. It may as well have been fudge. They were so rich and chocolatey. I (or my husband) preferred the walnuts as they were already very fudgy and chewy. Lots of different combinations! Enjoy the results!

Makes 16 squares

4 oz unsweetened chocolate
10 tbsp (1¼ sticks) butter, room temp
3 large eggs, room temp
2 tsp vanilla
1¾ cups sugar
½ tsp salt
1¼ cups flour
1 cup walnuts (not optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Line an 8”x8” baking pan with foil.

In a small saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over very low heat. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla together. Add melted chocolate mixture and whisk to combine (mixture will thicken considerably). Add remaining ingredients and mix together with a rubber spatula. The batter with be thick and greasy looking.

Scrap batter into prepared pan and press into place with rubber spatula. Bake about 50-60 minutes. Let cool at least 2 hours (if you can handle it) before removing from pan, cutting and serving. They will continue cooking and become chewier as they cool.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bread

I know it's been a while since I posted, but I just had a baby and baking hasn't been on my list of top priorities. Sorry. Anyway, I'm getting back into a good routine so there should be more deliciousness to come more often!

This bread is really good! It's not too chocolatey; just enough to make it tastier!!

2 cups flour
½ cup sugar
½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
2 tbsp baking cocoa
½ tsp salt
1 egg
1 1/3 cups milk
1/3 cup oil (or applesauce)
¾ cup chocolate chips
¾ cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease three 5¾"x3" loaf pans. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt in medium bowl. Mix egg, milk and oil in small bowl. Add to flour mixture; mix just until moistened. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Put one cup batter in each pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes; remove from pans. Cool on wire rack. Enjoy the goodness!

Coconut Caramel Bars

Holy cow these are delicious! They are so easy to make and taste so good they will be gone before the end of the day. I didn't have pecans when I made them, but I'm sure they would be delicious with them as well. If you aren't a chocolate fan, try butterscotch or white chocolate chips instead.

I have also discovered the BEST way to cut brownies, sheet cakes, bars, etc. In this recipe I lined my pan with parchment paper. When the bars where mostly cooled, I lifted them out and put it on my counter. Then I used my pizza cutter to cut the very edges off. Then I cut them into 2" squares. The pizza cutter doesn't drag through the bars like a knife does so you end up with much nicer looking pieces. I did the same with my frosted brownies and they looked store bought! So get yourself a nice sharp pizza cutter and have perfect looking desserts!

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter
2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
1 cup flaked coconut
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp vanilla
20 caramels
2 tbsp milk
1 cup chocolate chips

Crust
Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Press crumb mixture into an un-greased 9"x13" baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle pecans and coconut over hot crust.

Filling
Combine sweetened condensed milk and vanilla; pour over pecans and coconut. Bake for 25-30 minutes more or until filling is set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

In a small saucepan, combine caramels and milk. Cook and stir over medium-low heat just until caramels melt. Drizzle caramel over filling. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Cool completely and cut into bars.