Blueberries with a touch of maple, buttery topping with sliced almonds and a dollop of creamy Greek yogurt. Great way to start the day with a breakfast bowl. Or end a delicious meal with dessert. Use ice cream for the topping if you are feeling indulgent. Blueberries are a nutritional powerhouse no matter what time you eat them! This crisp comes together quickly but you will have to allow around 40 minutes for baking. Enough time to prepare the rest of the meal -- and check your text messages. You can use fresh or frozen berries. If you have a favorite cast iron skillet (10" size) bake the crisp in it for a rustic flair. A 9x9 inch pan or 8x11 inch will also work. The maple honey combination keeps this dessert from being too sweet or overpowered by one flavor. Out of one? ... [Read More]
Dessert
Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars are perfect anytime of year, for any occasion. Like Wheel's recent birthday. He now loves dessert -- a fact that amazes me since he never did before. Take it or leave it and most times he would leave it. But a moderate sweet tooth has definitely made its appearance! I think it is because we've eliminated all the overly sweet cookies, cakes (and thick, sugary icings!), etc from our diet. Everything tastes better now. Especially a great fruit and cheesecake dessert for a birthday treat! Just a hint of lemon, a delicious layer of big blueberries surrounded by creamy cheese cake on a crunchy bed of graham crackerness (yeah, totally a word!) topped with a crumbly struesel top and slivered almonds. Oooommm...... that's wonderful. Use fresh ... [Read More]
Peanut Butter Banana Bars
What do you do with a bag of bananas? Make Peanut Butter Banana Bars! Last time I was at the neighborhood grocery by my sister's house, they had just set out bags of perfect golden yellow bananas. I brought one of the bags home with me. I made Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream and Banana Strawberry Blueberry Smoothies earlier. Peanut Butter Banana Bars were quick and easy to make, no added sugar. Except in the chocolate chips and you could make those sugar free to if you wanted. Or you could substitute chopped walnuts or peanuts instead. The peanut butter adds flavor, but it also gives a nice boost of healthy fat and protein, making the Peanut Butter Banana Bars even more filling and satisfying as a snack or dessert. The mixture will be rather wet, but that is what prevents these ... [Read More]
Peanut Butter and Banana Ice Cream
What do you do with a bag of bananas? Make Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream! One of the little groceries in town is a great place to find unexpected bargains. Last time I was there, they had just set out bags of perfect golden yellow bananas. I brought one of the bags home with me. Since none of the bananas were over ripe, I figured I would have time to research recipes. Here’s the first recipe I made: Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream is simple – and supper delicious. Cut up four bananas and freeze till firm. Put frozen bananas in food processor, add the other two ingredients. It does not matter if the peanut butter is creamy or chunky. Any kind of milk will work. Spin until mixed. Freeze again. Yum! Hint: Forget using the blender. You’ll end up with a frozen glob above ... [Read More]
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are a pretty addition to the table, with the contrast between the deep red berries and the white chocolate. They are deliciously just right sweet. I was afraid they would be on the tart side – not true. Cut each cranberry, though. I cheated and put a little hand full of very small ones in whole. THEY were tart -- if you are a tart avoider like me. Bytes said, when he bit into a little whole cranberry, "that had a burst of zing!" Those that were cut without regard to size of the berry, just blended nicely into the overall flavor of the cookie. Use a cookie scoop to make uniform cookies that will bake evenly. The cookies won't spread a lot as they bake so you can space them about an inch apart. The added drizzle is a nice touch. Use the candy ... [Read More]
Buttery Apple Crisp
Nate the Great's Mommy set the dessert on the table. MMMMMM Apple Crisp. One bite and it was wow! Light and buttery, cinnamony, and just right sweetness. This apple crisp just whispers in your ear and wraps you in warm apple flavor kissed with butter and cinnamon. Where did you find this recipe, I asked. (just for you, of course!) In grandma's community cookbook, she said. Of course. Every cook who knows someone from that little town has a fat orange covered spiral bound cookbook on the shelf or in the kitchen drawer. Apparently even those who weren't even in kindergarten yet when it was published! How could I have missed it? Granted there are 7 apple crisp recipes in the book, including one with marshmallows, one with eggs and one with raisins. Interestingly they all call ... [Read More]
