This dessert has got to be one of my favorite ways to enjoy summer fruit! Supposedly the recipe makes 6 servings, but our family finds it's never quite enough! Double the recipe for a 9X13.
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups sliced peaches, fresh or canned 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen 1/2 cup blackberries, fresh or frozen 1/4 cup organic butter 1/2 cup oats (I use gluten-free) 1/4 tsp sea salt 3/4 cup raw cane sugar Directions: Gently stir fruit together. Pour into the bottom of a square baking dish (8x8 or 9x9). In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients together until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of fruit. Bake at 375F until top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Serve warm with shipped cream. Makes 6 servings.
Alternatively, replace the peaches and berries with 4 cups of pears or sliced Granny Smith apples.
Cream puffs aren't nearly as intimidating as they seem. The trick to getting them nice and puffy is how you add your flour and the heat at which they bake. The cool thing about these delightful pastries as that you can make them any size, and fill them with whatever you please. Yesterday I posted about Strawberry sauce. Can Cream Puffs taste good without it? I'm really not sure. I don't think I've ever tried. They're awfully messy, but that just adds to the experience. :-) You'll need: 1 cup water1/2 cup butter1 cup all-purpose flour1/4 tsp salt4 eggs In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour and salt all at once. This is very important. Stir together until you get a smooth ball. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until you get a smooth, shiny mixture that looks something like above.
Drop by round tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to wire rack. Immediately slit puffs open. Remove tops and set aside. Discard any soft dough inside. Cool completely. Now the fun part! Fill them with whatever you please-from classic whip cream, strawberries and chocolate, to funky flavored lemon pudding, or mocha mousse. Either way, you've got the perfect shell to compliment your choice of filling!
It's time once again for Flea Market Finds!!! YAYYYY! WHOO HOOO! YIPPEE!! Seriously I really mean it this week because I had a fabulous tiquing extravaganza! So keep reading *winks* This past week the hubbs and I went for a day trip to Centralia Washington. I didn't expect to find much (rarely do) But it just goes to show ya... you never know when serendipity will strike! It seemed everywhere I turned there were amazing finds! I don't even know where to begin with my favorites because I have so many! So... I'll just start here with this beautiful small oil portrait of a girl on board. I can't stop looking at her. She's a little the worse for wear but I LOVEEEE HER!!
She was 49 well spent dollars *winks*
Then this 1920's twin bed was a MAJOR score at $45... Yes that's right 45 dollars! Can you believe someone would sell this bed for soooo little? It has paintings of nudes on both the head and footboard! I do NOT need another bed but I couldn't say no to this one.
Dancing nude ladies (The three muses?)... Love em!!
Do you see the little sheep in the background?... Perfect!!
Then... I found a fab Dresden-esque vanity mirror with cavorting (Don't you just love that word?Lol!) cherubs and had visions of it sitting on my vanity table. Problem was it only had a hook for hanging on the wall. Sooooo off to the Goodwill we ran, where we (And by "we" I mean my husband *winks*) found an old picture frame (99 cents) with the perfect sized back to convert the mirror to one that will stand on a dressing table. The hubby cut it to fit and applied some silicon glue so it could be removed if desired and... After applying the back piece.
VOILA!!!... After!
Hazy old glass.
I'm loving it so much I might just have to keep it + the same mirror is on ebay for $1500 (crack smoker!) but just sayin' *winks* What do you think? Doesn't it look good here? My hubby is the handiest darn guy! So if you're needing an inexpensive solution for how to stand up an old mirror? This did the trick nicely!
Then I hit the silver blessings button when I found a Victorian bun warmer and a HUGE butter dish! It's so large it's almost a server. The tea cup and saucer set with legs ($6.99) was what I scored at the Goodwill run for the mirror back solution while the hubby was digging through about a gazillion frames! Divide and conquer! *winks*
Open
Another cute but slightly tattered doll ($28) for my boudoir doll collection HERE
An antique celluloid box with a pretty girl for $20.
A large shabby rose painting on tin for $20. I'll be doing an arrangement of some rose paintings in my shabby guestroom so I hope you'll come back for a peek.
A 1940's body double dress form that came with it's original box and pamphlet for a steal from my new friend Jenny! I want to give her a shout out because she's such a lovely person to deal with and has the most wonderful shabby chic items in her booth space in Centralia at the Northwest Tub Company (Don't let the name fool you, it's actually a small antique mall that carries old tubs in addition to lots of other wonderful goodies. *winks* So if you ever find yourself there please stop in and say "hi!" She's booth space #10... and she'll wheel and deal with you too!
This aqua vase was $4.99 at the Goodwill.
A couple of jewel caskets (Both for $20) to go with my collection HERE
And finally this set of frenchy doll furniture for $10 with its original box. I paid too much, but I love that the little piano and bureau are trinket boxes.
Well those are my treasures for this week. To quote my friend Dawn from Bohemian Valhalla I'll be "adding some water to the beans" for awhile to make up for this wonderful bender! Lol! I hope you'll come back next week for more flea market finds! Though they might be a bit piddlin' *winks* Please leave me a comment and I'll do the same. I just love to hear from you! Vanna I'm joining my friend Sherry at No Minimalist Here for:
My sweet friend Courtney at French Country Cottage for:
This recipe is easy-peasy! And has zero nutritional value. But, oh is it ever good! Monkey Bread is a great hit with young people as well as a perfect recipe for little chefs. It's a fast, no-fail winner that everyone and their uncles will love.
You'll need: 1 (3.5 ounces) package of cook and serve butterscotch pudding mix1 Tbsp. Cinnamon3/4 cup Sugar1/2 cup Butter, melted3 (10 ounce) cans of refridgerated biscuts (I used Pilsbury)icing sugar & milk for glazeoptional: nuts of your choice Combine pudding mix, sugar, cinnamon and nuts (if you're using them) together in a bowl with a tight fitting lid. Pour melted butter into a seperate dish. Cut biscuts into quarters with kitchen shears. Dip each piece in butter and than place in cinnamon mixture. Seal lid and shake until each piece is evenly coated. Remove to a greased, 10-inch bundt or fluted pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Dig in!
If you're on a mission to clean up your diet, getting your kids on board with the idea can seem impossible. If they're used to snacking on cookies, party-mix, Smarties, or packaged granola bars it can be frustrating for both of you to adopt healthier eating habits. Thankfully, there are many scrumptious, nutritious recipes available that'll appeal to the pallet the same way junk food does. But instead of artery-clogging fats, refined sugars and flours, MSG, and simple carbohydrates, you'll be serving your child snacks that are loaded with nutrition and energy to help build a growing body. Here are 10 snacks our kids love (and have no idea they're good for them!):
1. Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Flax Muffins
2. "Just Like Wheat Thins" Crackers with Cheese from Trim Healthy Mama
3. Snicker Snackers
4. Apples or Bananas with Peanut or Almond Butter
5.Raw vegetables with natural, homemade salad dressing.
If you need to make an impression but are completely intimidated by the idea of baking a real cheesecake, this recipe will stop the show. I've made it many times and love the silky smooth texture, the way it slices perfectly, the combination of vanilla and chocolate, the richness of the cream, and how versatile it is for decorating. Not to mention that it can be whipped up the day before and stays good for a really long time.
That is, if you haven't eaten already.
You'll need:Crust: 1 1/2 cups of crumbled Oreo cookies 3-4 Tablespoons melted butter Chocolate Layer: 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin 2 Tablespoons cold water 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Vanilla Layer: 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin 2 Tablespoons cold water 1 2/3 cups heavy whipping cream 1/4 cup sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Directions:Crust: Mix cookie crumbs and melted butter together. Pat into a 9" spring form pan. Set aside. Chocolate Layer: In a small saucepan, bring cream to a simmer. In a separate small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Add to warm cream and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir chocolate chips into remaining warm cream until melted. Stir in gelatin mixture and remaining cream. Pour on top of crust. Cool in fridge for 45 minutes or until firm. Vanilla Layer: In a small saucepan, bring cream and sugar to a simmer. In another bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Stir into cream until gelatin is completely dissolved. Add vanilla. Carefully spoon over chocolate layer. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm. After removing the sides of the spring form, you can garnish this beautiful dessert any way you like. In the picture shown above, I simply rubbed some more Oreo cookie crumbs onto the sides. Using several thin strips of waxed paper, I created a lattice stencil on the top of the dessert, sprinkled on some more crumbs, and carefully removed the strips of paper. Then I added a "haystack" of chopped chocolate covered peppermint sticks. I've also served this with a fresh strawberry sauce made by pureeing strawberries and sugar in the blender for a fresher taste. Be creative-the possibilities are endless!
*GF Variation: Simply use Gluten-free cookie crumbs instead.
"Say: 'These are scrumptious'." My husband told me to write that when I asked him how I should describe these bars. He also wanted you to know that he cuts the grass straighter than anyone else he knows, and that he's wearing white socks today. Ha!
He also said I better not write that. ;-) Back to the bars. They are really yummy. We ate a whole recipe between the two of us in just four days. Pretend that isn't true. The cool thing about these bars is that not only are they a cinch to make, they can also be made very quickly, everyone loves them, and the possible variations are endless. More on that at the end.
You'll need:
1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/8 tsp salt 1/2 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 inch square pan, line with parchment paper and then grease well.
Combine your dry ingredients together and mix in your butter until crumbly.
Press 2 cups of the mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan.
Spread jam on top...
... and then sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Press lightly so top coat sticks into jam.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool, cut into bars and Enjoy! Now for the variations. The raspberry jam could be replaced with any jam or jelly. Think blackberry, strawberry, blueberry, peach, or maybe even a combo deal! Or try making the middle layer chocolate or date for an even richer taste. I skipped drizzling these bars with icing sugar or melted white chocolate, but that equals yummy too. I'm sure of it. I have a sweet tooth.
This is the perfect bread recipe for a beginning baker. If you're kinda like me and get a little intimidated by terms like "proofing yeast," "kneading dough," and the like, than this recipe is for you. I'm not one to measure ingredients exactly, which isn't always the best policy when it comes to sensitive baking situations where yeast is involved. This recipe leaves a large margin for error (probably why it's one of my favorites!), and you'll be walking away from it like you've been baking bread for years!
You'll need: 1 envelope (1/4 oz) active dry yeast 2 cups warm milk 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour ( plus more for dusting ) 1/2 cup butter, room temperature, cut into pieces 1/2 cup sugar 2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg that's lighty beaten 2 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup raisins 1 tbsp cinnamon vegetable oil for bowl For filling: 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 tbsp cinnamon 2 tbsp water
In bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle yeast over the warm milk and whisk to combine. Add flour, butter, sugar, 2 eggs, and salt. Attach the dough hook to your mixer. Mix on low speed until all ingredients are well combined (about 3 minutes). Increase speed to medium-low and mix until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl (about 3 more minutes).
Your dough should look soft-like something above.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat dough into a 9-inch round (about 1 1/4 inches thick) and sprinkle with raisins and cinnamon. Knead dough until incorporated. Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place (I use my oven-warmed slightly by heating to the lowest degree for 50 seconds) until doubled in volume, about an hour.
Return dough to lightly floured work surface, and pat into a round again. Fold the bottom third up, and then top third down, and the right and left sides over, tapping dough to release excess flour and pressing down to seal. Return dough to the bowl, seam side down and cover with plastic wrap, and let rise again until doubled, about 40 minutes.
To make filling : Mix sugar and cinnamon with 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl.
Place dough on lightly floured surface and divide in half.
Roll out one half to a 12 x 10 inch rectangle. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with half the filling. Repeat with the other half of dough.
Grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, set aside. Fold in both long sides of dough, about an inch. Then roll dough toward you with short side facing you, making a nice and tight log. Place in prepared pans with seam side down. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until dough is just above the rim of the pan, about 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Brush tops of loaves with beaten egg and place loaf pans on a baking sheet to catch drips.
Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until loaves are golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before turning out to a wire rack.
These recipes are reprinted with permission from the authors.
Just Like Wheat Thins Crackers | Trim Healthy Mama, I had my doubts about this recipe. "Just Like Wheat Thins?!" Yeah, right. You need refined flour and sugar to achieve that kind of deliciousness, don't you? Apparently not. These crackers are amazing and taste like the real thing I can't seem to keep our house stocked though - they disappear quickly!
3/4 cup flax meal
3/4 cup almond flour
2 egg whites
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp. parmeasan cheese
1/4 tsp sea salt
dash of black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder
1 Tbsp olive or coconut oil
1/2 tsp baking soda
Combine ingredients well and work into a dough ball with your hands. Place ball on parchment lined cookie sheet. Place another piece of parchment paper on top of dough ball and roll out into a slab the thickness of a cracker. Take off top piece and score into small squares. Bakes at 350 for 15-20 minutes.
Fooled Ya Pizza |Trim Healthy Mama, I've always felt bad for Brad who used to eat cardboard-like gluten-free pizza crusts while we enjoyed the gluten packed version! I had heard rave reviews about this cauliflower crust from other mamas on the Trim Healthy Mama plan and decided to give it a try even though it sounded pretty gross. Boy, was I wrong! Our entire family enjoys it just as much as the real thing! You'd never know cauliflower was the magic ingredient!
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen cauliflower (I used fresh)
3/4 cup egg whites
2 cups skim mozzarella cheese
sea salt and other seasonings (I used Epicure's Pizza seasoning blend)
pizza sauce and other pizza toppings (I used pepperoni, green pepper, red onion, cheddar and mozzarella cheese)
Lightly steam cauliflower and squeeze out all the excess water otherwise your crust won't get crispy (I skipped this step and used raw cauliflower with great results!). Put cauliflower in food processor and pulse a few times until you end up with rice sized pieces.
Add egg whites and pulse again. Add cheese and other seasonings (sea salt, Italian seasoning, onion and garlic powder). Mix ingredients together well with a spatula. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and grease well. Spread crust mixture evenly across cookie sheet. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes. Cool. Add pizza sauce and toppings and broil until toppings are done (I baked it at 400 for 8-10 minutes).
Peanut Squares | Trim Healthy Mama, These squares are so yummy! A combination of sweet and salty, we enjoy them as a snack and a dessert. They're gerat to give along with a meal to a new mom too.
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
2 tsp Truvia
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
10 tsp Truvia
2/3 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup whipping cream
Mix almond flour, peanuts, melted butter, and 2 teaspoons of Truvia together in a bowl. Press into 8x8 baking dish and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.
While crust is baking, beat cream cheese and second measurement of Truvia together until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter and beat some more.
In a separate bowl, beat whipped cream. Fold into cream cheese mixture and spread over cooled crust.
Place in refrigerator to chill until set.
Cheeseburger Pie | Trim Healthy Mama, This is probably our #1 favorite supper on the plan. It's all the goodness of a cheeseburger without the bun. You would never miss it! This is so satisfying and delicious. I make once a week in place of burgers on the barbie.
2 lbs of ground beef
3 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. sea salt
6 oz. grated cheddar cheese
pickles, tomatoes, red onion
2 eggs
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup heavy cream
sea salt
ground pepper
6 oz. grated cheddar cheese
Brown ground beef and drain fat. Stir in onion powder, sea salt, and 6 oz. of grated cheese. Place beef mixture in casserole dish. Layer on any of your favorite burger toppings. Our family loves a combination of red onion, tomatoes, and pickles. In another bowl, beat eggs, mayo, cream, sea salt, and black pepper together. Pour on top of casserole and sprinkle on the remaining 6 oz. of cheese. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. We like it serve on a bed of chopped iceberg lettuce and drizzled with mustard and ketchup.
Chunky Cream Pops | Trim Healthy Mama, This frozen dessert reminds me of my favorite ice cream, President's Choice Chocolate Fudge Crackle... except it's waaaay healthier, made with good fats and no sugar. We love this treat. It's Brad's favorite of all the desserts I've made from Trim Healthy Mama so far.
1 batch of Skinny Chocolate
2 8oz. blocks of cream cheese
10 tsp. Truvia
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 heaped Tbsp. peanut butter
Make up a batch of Skinny Chocolate and put in the freezer to harden. Beat cream cheese, Truvia, and vanilla together. Cut up Skinny Chocolate into little bits and stir into cream cheese mixture along with peanut butter. Place wax paper on cookie sheet. Dump bite-sized spoonfuls of mixture onto paper. Insert a toothpick into center of cream pop and transfer to freezer. After an hour, pull pops off wax paper and transfer to a Ziploc bag for easy access. Here's a few more pictures of other Trim Healthy Mama recipes to satisfy the foodie in you:
Spicy Chicken Wings, pg. 323
Taco Salad, pg. 347
Special Agent Brownies, pg. 383
Trim Healthy Pancakes, pg. 223
In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Growing Home. I humbly thank you for your support.
We learned how to make these raw energy bites in a Goodness Me! whole food cooking class. I still have a hard time believing they're good for you. Usually anything I get cravings for is unhealthy, but I find myself wanting these things all. the. time. They're right up there with chocolate. Charity fondly calls them "Timbits" (you might have to be Canadian to get that). If you've committed to eating healthy (good for you!), Snicker Snackers are a guilt-free indulgence for when the urge to eat something rich is just too strong.
Ingredients
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup seasame seeds
1/2 cup raw honey
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup cocoa or carob powder
1/4 cup ground flax
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
Directions:
Combine ingredients in blender. Roll into small balls (refrigerate mixture for 1/2 an hour if it's too soft). Store in an air-tight container and keep refrigerated.
If you love whole food recipes, you'll love the Cottage Mama's eBooks written by Kristy Howard. The Cottage Mama Plans Her Menu is a favorite in our house with 29 healthy, tasty, budget-friendly recipes and a 2-week menu plan. You can download it here for $3.00.
We love this healthy, hearty winter squash soup! It's made even better when topped with grated cheddar, fried bacon, ham, or sausage, and served with a thickly buttered slice of crusty bread. Mmm! "Scrumdidilly," as my husband would say.
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp butter
1 large onion
4 cups water
4 cups chicken broth (I use a GF bouillon)
4 cups squash, peeled and cut into chunks
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup parsley flakes
1 tsp. thyme
sea salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat oil and butter in heavy pot.
Add onion and cook until soft.
Hey! How'd those little fingers get in there?! ;-) Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until veggies are soft. Carefully add small amounts to blender. Puree the entire batch, add to new pot and warm over low heat.
Optional: Stir in fried bacon or sausage and top with grated cheese. Enjoy!
