Fluffy Peanut Butter Pie (Cheesecake) or Trifle-No Baking Needed!

Lately I’ve been trying to explore more recipes that are no-bake, quick to make, or ones where flour is NOT the main ingredient. This of course leads me to a lot of short-cut recipes, or ones that only call for a few ingredients…but who says it needs to fancy and fussy to be good, right? In fact, the other night we had a trifle-like dessert that had chocolate pudding, cream cheese, Oreos and cool whip, delicious! I’m sure I ate almost 1/2 of the pan over the period of a mere 2 days, much as I hate to admit it.

So tonight I had a hankering for something with peanut butter, and in pie form. I wanted something cool and creamy, so no cookies or cakes or anything like that. Now I’ve never heard of a Peanut Butter Pie before, but with as many PB lovers there are out there I just KNEW that there had to be such a thing. And as always, recipezaar.com did not disappoint! I found a recipe for Peanut Butter Pie and pretty much followed it exactly except I omitted the 1/2 cup milk to keep it creamier. Oh, and I did use fresh whipped cream, as we didn’t have any cool whip on hand. I made a graham cracker crumb crust (1 sleeve or 1-1/3 cup crumbs + 4-5 TBLS butter) and topped it with a dollop of whipped cream, chocolate syrup drizzle, and crushed Oreo cookies.

This turned out creamy, fluffy, with just the right amount of peanut butter flavor…almost like a no-bake peanut butter cheesecake. If you want a really intense peanut butter flavor then add in 2/3 cup instead of just the 1/2 cup called for. This is PERFECT straight out of the freezer, making it a great option for dinner parties as it can be made ahead of time and then plated up the second you need it without any fuss.  Besides, this is so much cheaper then buying those pre-made frozen desserts or pies and easy enough that even the kids can help make it.

And as if the recipe above isn’t simple enough already, you can make this even QUICKER and HEALTHIER by turning it into a trifle dessert! Just make up the filling but layer it with plain crushed graham crackers instead, and top off with a pretty cookie or some chocolate shavings

Easy Chicken Fried Rice-great for OAMC

I feel I should preface this post by stating that though this is not the most *authentic* fried rice recipe, it certainly doesn’t mean that it’s not a good one! And by authentic, I mean the kind you can only get at the restaurants that have the menu in both English and Chinese/Vietnamese, where at least 1/2 the people who eat there are of Asian decent. Those were the kinds of “Asian” restaurants I grew up eating in, as my parents would have it no other way and knew exactly where to go for the good stuff.

So what makes this one not quite authentic? Well for starters, the list of ingredients has been pared down for ease of everyday cooking, ingredient availability and speed. Also, I cut way down on the oil, as traditional friend rice has quite a bit in it. Though I’m not a health nut, I do try to cut down here and there on the fat without sacrificing too much flavor.

No matter, this recipe is so easy you’d be foolish to pass up trying it if you like fried rice to begin with. The bonus of this recipe is that it is a great OAMC (once a month cooking) recipe; a recipe you can make in huge quantities and then portion out and freeze, making for quick weeknight dinners. Also, it is extremely versatile as far as what meats and veggies you add in and in what quantities. I like to use this recipe when we have some meat that needs to be cooked up, it’s also a great way to use up some left over rice so it doesn’t go to waste!

A couple notes on this recipe-because the recipe is so versatile and forgiving, all of my measurements are approximate. Just use whatever you have on hand or tailor this recipe to suit your tastes. Also, you can freeze this completely cooked/done, but I prefer partially and that is how the recipe and instructions are written.

Also, I notice many American recipes call for the addition of eggs, which is not really found in authentic friend rice.  The egg is good in it’s own right, but it does make the rice more tender.  So if you prefer your fried rice to be a little on the harder (more fried tasting) side, then omit the eggs.

OAMC Fried Rice recipe-approx. 16 servings

FOR THE FREEZER

• freezer bags-4 gallon-sized or 8 quart-sized
• 14-16 cups COOKED jasmine or long-grain rice completely COOLED (best if it’s not an instant version)
• 2 large chicken breasts thinly sliced and COOKED (you could also use beef or pork)
• 1 bag of frozen veggies (peas, carrots, broccoli, etc…)
• 1 onion-diced

Directions:

• Mix everything together in your largest mixing bowl, you can split everything in half if your bowl is not large enough. Portion out the mix equally into the freezer bags, push out any excess air, and seal. Place in freezer until you are ready to eat; can be stored for up to 6 months.

WHEN YOU ARE READY TO EAT- for a 1 GALLON BAG

• 2-3 TBLS cooking oil
• 2 cloves of garlic-thinly sliced
• 2 eggs-beaten (optional)
• 1+ TBLS good soy sauce (I only use brands from the local Asian market)
• 1 TBLS good sesame oil (I only use brands from the local Asian market)

Directions:

• Heat a wok over medium-high heat with 1-2 TBLS cooking oil. If you don’t have a wok you can also use a pan with high sides.
• While the oil is heating, vent the ziploc bag and microwave on medium power until you can break up most of the rice mix. I use a rolling pin to help this along too
• Saute the sliced garlic for about 30 seconds, then pour all of the frozen mix into the wok and begin stirring it around in the oil, breaking up the chunks of rice as you go. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently.
• Once the rice is heated and no more frozen chunks remain, push all of the rice to one side and add in 1 TBLS of oil to the area you cleared off. Then add in the beaten eggs to the cleared off area. Allow it to cook just until the bottom starts setting up, but the top is still moist. Mix the eggs right into all of the rice, making sure to incorporate well. Cook for another few minutes, continually stirring.
• Pour in the soy sauce and stir well, then give it a taste. Repeat this step until the rice is to your liking, then turn off the heat and add in the sesame oil and give it one last good stir.

Gingerbread Waffles with Homemade Cinnamon-Orange Syrup

Gingerbread Waffles with Cinnamon-Orange Syrup and Chopped Pecans

I found this recipe as I was looking for a traditional waffle to make for my daughter, as she likes having them for breakfast on school days. I make up a whole batch, allow them to cool, then place them in ziploc bags and freeze. Anyways, I LOVE gingerbread and one of the reviewers said they paired this with a Cinnamon Syrup….well now, that sounded just too tasty to pass up.

As usual I found it hard to stick to the recipe, this time because I was too lazy to whip egg whites and putting mustard in them just sounded too weird. I made the syrup as written, but would only use 1-1/2 TBLS flour next time, as it was just a little too thick for me. Oh, and I used 1/2 tsp of orange extract in place of the vanilla extract.

I have to say, the first couple of bites I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the more I dug in, the more I liked it! It is just such a far cry from the standard “waffles and syrup” that it takes a couple bites for your taste buds to wake-up and realize “hey, this is a waffle?!? Different but SO GOOD!” Needless to say, I polished off my 2 waffles in no time They do come out more tender then the traditional waffle, almost a little cake-like. However, if you want them sturdy like the norm just don’t add in as much liquid; keep the batter really thick (this is how I prefer them). So here’s my version, adapted from Gingerbread Waffles.

Easy Gingerbread Waffles-makes about 9 waffles:

• 2 tsp white vinegar mixes with 3/4 cup milk OR 3/4 cup buttermilk

• 1-1/2 cups white flour
• 1 TBLS baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp all spice
• pinch of salt

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 molasses
• 1-1/2 TBLS vegetable oil or melted butter

• Cinnamon Syrup (recipe above)
• chopped pecans for garnish (optional, but I think the nuts really makes these great!)

Directions:

• If you are using the vinegar & milk mixture- pour both into a glass measuring cup (or small bowl), stir well and set aside.
• Plug in your waffle iron and allow it to heat up while you get the waffle mix made.
• Combine the first set of ingredients into a large mixing bowl (flour through salt) and mix well.
• In another bowl, cream the brown sugar and egg together; then add in the molasses, oil, and milk. Mix well and combine with dry ingredients, mix until most of the lumps are gone.
• Pour about 1/3 – 1/2 cup of batter into each side of the waffle iron, then cook as usual.
• Serve while hot topped with syrup, nuts, or whipped cream.

Glazed Lemon Cake from Scratch-no mix needed!

Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake from scratch

This past weekend I was craving Lemon Cake, which is a good way to use up all of those lemons from sam’s club. I did not have a recipe for it, but I love lemon and have no idea why I don’t have one! So I’m thinking finding a good one will take no time at all, as it’s a fairly popular flavor and not too complicated, right? Well, I did find many, but it seemed that all of them called for starting out with a lemon cake MIX, what?!? Seriously, recipe after recipe called for a boxed “mix” or lemon pudding, but I wanted to make was one from *scratch*. I’m ok with mixes and such, but I didn’t have any of that stuff on hand.

Well I wasn’t about to give up, as when I get a craving it doesn’t go away, so 20 minutes or so later I finally found this recipe for INCREDIBLE LEMON CAKE! I made it in a bundt pan and it turned out GREAT, even with the changes I made based on what I had available to use and the shortcuts I took to speed things up a bit. Did I mention that I’m impatient??

Oh, and I recommend allowing the cake to cool completely before digging in, as the acid in the lemon needs the time to mellow out a bit. We had some while it was still warm and it tasted good but a little harsh, but not when it was cool. This didn’t last more then 2 days, yum!

Here is my version adapted from the recipe mentioned above, you can easily make this a lemon poppy seed cake by adding in about a 1/2 TBLS of seeds with the dry ingredients:

Glazed Lemon Cake Recipe-1 bundt cake:

• 1 TBLS white vinegar
• 3/4 cup + 2 TBLS milk
• 16 TBLS melted butter (2 sticks)
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temp
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice-divided
• 1 tsp lemon extract (optional-if you want it really lemony)
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• scant 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• about 2 TBLS lemon juice

Directions:

• Combine vinegar, milk and 1/4 cup lemon juice in a bowl and set aside.
• Grease a bundt pan then dust with flour, tapping out any extra. Set aside. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream butter and white sugar together in a large mixing bowl, then add in the eggs and mix really well.
• Pour the milk mixture, 1/2 cup lemon juice and lemon extract into the mixing bowl and blend.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients-flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, make sure to mix together completely until smooth.
• Pour the batter into the bundt pan, tap it on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles and smooth the top over so the batter is nice and even.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester/toothpick comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to cool for 7-10 minutes, then gently tap it on the counter to loosen the cake. Place a cooling rack over the cake and flip it over, so that the cake it released onto the cooling rack.
• Stir together the powdered sugar and lemon juice for the glaze, add in more juice for a thinner glaze. (I like mine really thin like a semi-clear glaze and covering the whole cake)
• Glaze the cake by slowly pouring the glaze onto it, or use a large spoon to drizzle it on (my preferred method).

Awesome Meatballs for Subs and Spaghetti!

photo submitted to recipezaar by "Caroline Cooks"

Spaghetti is a popular yet complicated dish in our household, as between the 5 of us we can never seem to get it to where everyone is happy with it! The sauce is too tart, too tomato chunks, meatballs not meat sauce, and the list goes on. Honestly, it’s one of the very few staple dishes I keep taking a stab at, as I REALLY want Spaghetti to work out for all of us because I love it myself!

So this past week I gave it another go, having finally found a sauce that everyone seems satisfied with (a store bought version that I do a lot of doctoring to) and I wanted to add in some great meatballs. Not just any meatballs, but GREAT ones…ones that you “write home about”. I of course went to recipezaar (where else do I go, right?) and searched for “Italian Meatballs” and decided to try the highest rated recipe, Kittencal’s Famous Italian Melt In Your Mouth Meatballs.

So I gave it a try….and WOW, these were yummy!! They key to making these taste great is to cook them IN the sauce itself, from it’s raw state. They are so flavorful, just the right degree of tenderness, and would be awesome in meatball subs! If you are doing subs try using a canned spaghetti sauce, as it will thicken well and get a bold “tomato-y” taste. The thick sauce will hold up well on the bread and be bold enough in flavor that you won’t have to add too much.

Just a quick word of caution…these dissapear fast! My younger daughter never really cares much for meat or meatballs, but this time around that is ALL she want to eat, forget the noodles! Also, if you find your sauce has become too concentrated, just add back in some of the water that evaporated during the cooking process. I followed the recipe exactly except used a fresh slice of chopped bread and Italian Seasoning, as I didn’t have bread crumbs or Oregano & Parsley on hand.

So we are getting pretty close to finding a recipe that everyone likes! We all love the meatballs, spaghetti noodles “daddy’s way”, which is a good dose of lemon pepper, Italian Seasoning and shredded Muenster cheese, and we are getting darn close on the sauce (that’s a secret for another day). Honestly, with our personal touches and these awesome meatballs I think ours comes out tasting just as good, if not better, then the restaurant versions. Give this a try with your favorite sauce, you won’t be disappointed!

Weeknight Banana Cream Pie Recipe

It’s been a long time now, but back when my daughter and I used to go to Perkins we would get the Banana Cream Pie for dessert, if they had it. I say a long time ago because we don’t have one up where we live now, and we just tend to go for fast food these days when we are in the mood for something non-homemade. But Banana Cream Pie has been longstanding on my list of “things to try”, so I finally decided to give it a try.

Now, I call this a “weeknight” version, as it comes together fairly quickly and isn’t too difficult. It’s not the “super-easy-shortcut” version, nor is it the “100% authentic-everything-from-scratch” version either. In any case, it was a huge hit with my daughter, who couldn’t stop smiling as she was eating it, and I really liked it as well and will definitely make it again! Best eaten chilled, but I did freeze mine to make it easier to cut and plate up. So if you want it to look like the slice in the photo, freeze it first, plate it up, then let it sit for 20 minutes or so to thaw out a little before digging in.

The recipe below is pretty darn close to the Banana Cream Pie I found on recipezaar, but I did add a little more detail to the instructions and altered the milk ingredient a little. It calls for a 10-inch pie shell, but we used an 8 or 9 inch pre-made graham cracker shell so there was some leftover filling. The key to this recipe is to keep a watchful eye on the hot pudding mix and make sure whisk often.

Weeknight Banana Cream Pie Recipe:

• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1-12oz. can evaporated milk
• 2 1/4 cups cold milk (I used skim)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 bananas, sliced diagonally
• 9-10 inch pre-made graham cracker shell
• fresh whipped cream or cool whip topping

Directions:

• Mix cornstarch, sugar, salt in a bowl, making sure to breakdown all of the cornstarch “lumps”.
• Pour the evaporated milk and milk into a medium sized sauce pan, then whisk in the cornstarch and sugar mixture.
• Turn the heat onto medium until it * just* starts to bubble. You will need to whisk it every 30 seconds or so, especially towards the end as it gets thick, to prevent scorching and build-up on the bottom of the pot.
• Once it *just* begins to bubble, remove it from the heat. With the beaten eggs is a large bowl, add in a little less then 1/4 cup of the hot mix right into the eggs while whisking vigorously. This will temper the eggs and prevent it from “lumping”. Repeat this step 3 times, or until the egg mix feels lukewarm to the touch.
• Put the hot pudding mix back onto the stove over medium heat, add in the tempered eggs and whisk well. Allow the mixture to heat back up until it *just* begins to bubble.
• Turn heat off and take pudding mix off the heat, add in vanilla and butter and whisk until the butter is completely melted.
• Fill graham cracker crust halfway with pudding mix, then layer on all of the bananas, and top off with more pudding mix. The mix should be pretty thick, allowing you to over-fill the crust without flowing over, you may even need to help spread it out a little.
• Chill for a few hours then top off with fresh whipped cream or cool whip. If using fresh whipped cream, I used about 1 cup of cream for the whole pie.

Quick Broccoli, Almond and Cranberry Salad

This recipe goes back to my low-carbing days, and is one of my favorite quick side dishes for a raw veggie. It’s great for picnics and parties, as it can be made a day or 2 ahead of time, and seems to be a big hit with the crowd. There are a few different versions of this salad, most of them have added ingredients like cheese, sunflower seeds, raisins instead of cranberries, and either bacon or hard salami. This is the simplified version and you can dress it up however you’d like, also really good with the addition of cheese tortellini or cauliflower.

To keep it lowest in carbs you can sub in splenda for the sugar.

Quick Broccoli, Almond and Cranberry Salad (about 6 servings):

• 1/2 cup Hellman’s or Best Foods mayonnaise
• 2-3 TBLS sugar
• 1 1/2-2 TBLS white vinegar
• approx. 1 head of broccoli florets-cut to bite sized (I use about a 1/3 of a bag from sam’s club)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, like Craisins
• 1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds

Directions:

• Mix first 3 ingredients together really well in a large mixing bowl. Adjust to your taste. I like mine on the sweet AND tart side, so I use the full 3 TBLS sugar and 2 TBLS vinegar.
• Add in 3/4 of the broccoli and all cranberries and mix well. Depending on how “saucy” you like your salad, you may want to add a little more or less then the 1 head of broccoli. I use about 1/3 of a sam’s club bag as I don’t like too saucy, just enough to cover the florets and none of my dressing to pools at the bottom of the bowl.
• Cover and chill until ready to eat. Garnish with nuts and/or cheese right before eating so they don’t get soggy/mushy.

Chocoholic Coma: Ultimate Flourless Chocolate Brownies

Flourless Bittersweet Chocolate Brownies with Whipped Topping

This is not for the faint-hearted or the chocoholic “wanna-be’s”; you know who you are. This recipe turns out an extremely *deep and rich* chocolate dessert….notice that I didn’t say “sweet”, as chocolate-laden items are not necessarily sweet. So if you are looking for a tooth-achingly sweet item, this is not for you. Because it uses Bittersweet chocolate, it really isn’t for those who only like Milk Chocolate, though you could probably try substituting. This is one of those desserts that you serve up in small portions and savor, not because of it’s sweetness, but because of how rich it is. I would even go as far as to say this is an “adult” dessert, as most kids will be expecting something a little more traditional and may not like the richness or depth of flavor. But hey, I’m not a kid and I know a good dessert when I taste one, and not just “anything” will do when my chocolate craving hits!

So strap your on your aprons and get your spatula’s ready! This comes together fast and is best eaten chilled. Due to the high content of butter and chocolate, it tends to be too soft at room temperature and will actually melt from the heat of your fingers, plus it cuts much cleaner when chilled. This is great as it is, or try it with some whipped cream, ice cream or a pure fruit sauce. I had mine plain or with Vanilla ice cream, to-die-for.

I bake mine in a 8 x 8 square baking pan, but you make these in individual sized pans as well for a fancier outcome. If your kids like this, you can easily spruce it up for a special occasion by using a cookie cutter on it once chilled, it will cut great! Just make sure to dip the cookie cutter in a little flour before pressing into the brownies.

Ultimate Flourless Chocolate Brownies:

• 5 oz. good quality Bittersweet Chocolate (Ghiradelli bittersweet chips work great)
• 6 TBLS butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 TBLS vanilla
• 2 eggs-beaten
• pinch of salt

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, line the bottom of an 8×8 pan with parchment paper and then seat aside.
• Place butter in large microwave safe bowl, place chocolate on top. Gently heat at medium power until the butter mostly melted. Take bowl out of the microwave and stir briskly with a spatula to melt the chocolate until mix is smooth.
• Add in the sugar, salt and vanilla, mix well. Then add in the eggs and mix really well again, you want the batter to be shiny, smooth and silky.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until set.
• Allow to cool on a cooling rack for at least an hour, then refrigerate for at least another hour before enjoying.

MMM…Funnel Cakes at home!

I’m *almost* ashamed to admit this, but I’ve NEVER had a funnel cake before, even though they seem to be a staple “theme park” *& “fair food” here in MN. Oh, I’ve stared longingly at the Funnel Cake booths numerous times, but just never got around to purchasing one. So my hunt actually started out as one for a good donut recipe, but I quickly realized that the kind I like are the fluffy yeast donuts and those require something I am not very fond of….rising time. Twice to be exact, which is just not *instant gratification* enough for me. I mean, I would have to REALLY like what I was making to wait for it to rise twice. Just as I was about to lose hope and throw in the towel, I remembered FUNNEL CAKES! Something I’ve always wanted to try and really, how much time could it take, right? I mean, it fried batter topped with gobs of powdered sugar for goodness sake! Plus, so much CHEAPER to make your own.

I’ve made them twice now, and have to preface this with a reminder that I have *nothing* to compare these to, as I’ve never had a Funnel Cake before. But in my humble opinion, these turned out quite delicious and so easy. Plus, you can keep the leftover batter (leftover, haha) in the fridge and just pipe some out whenever you want a quick treat. Oh, and if you don’t have a funnel don’t worry, I don’t either and just used a ziploc bag with the corner cut off.

Lastly, you can make these turn out 2 different ways:

• Light, crisp, and airy: cook them until golden brown on each side and use 1/3 cup cream and 2/3 cup water.
• Slightly crisp and a little more dense/doughy (how I like it): cook until lightly brown on each side and use 1/3 cup cream and just over 1/2 cup water.

Homemade Funnel Cakes Recipe (makes approx. 1/2 dozen 6 inch round cakes):

• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup heavy cream (please see note above)
• generous 1/2 cup of water (please see note above)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 TBLS of sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• powdered sugar, jam, chocolate syrup or cool whip for toppings
• cooking oil for frying

Directions:

• Heat roughly 1/2 inch of oil in medium sized pan or pot, making sure it is a bit larger then the size cakes you want to make.
• Meanwhile, whisk the egg, cream, vanilla and water together in a large bowl and then set aside.
• In a different bowl, mix together the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt, then combine it with the liquid and mix well. The batter should be fairly thick, a little stiffer then pancake batter.
• Pour the batter into a quart sized ziploc bag and seal it up. Set the bag upside down (sealed side on the bottom) in a bowl and snip off a corner with a scissor, just under a 1/2 inch wide.
• Test the oil by putting a drop of batter in, if it starts sizzling/cooking right away then it’s ready. If it gets browned almost instantly then the oil is too hot.
• Make sure to pipe the batter fairly close to the oil to prevent splattering. Starting from the center, pipe the batter in a swirl design (circles) until it is roughly 5-6 inches round.
• Allow the cake to cook to your desired consistency (see notes above) and then flip it over to finish cooking. Once it’s done place it on a parer towel lined plate to absorb the extra oil (I pat it down as well to get even more oil out) and then top with desired topping and enjoy while warm.