With the summer heat fast approaching here in the south, recipes to help keep cool are in high demand. This nearly guilt-free recipe will satisfy the chocolate lover and fruit-aholic alike!
~Chocolate- Covered Fruit Pops
1 kiwi
2 bananas
1/2 a cup of blueberries
1 1/2 cups of dark, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate chips
Skin and cut a kiwi into 1/4 inch rounds. Peel and cut two bananas into 1/3's. Carefully stick the popsicle stick into the center of each piece of fruit. The kiwi slices should look like lollipops and the bananas should look like popsicles. Skewer two blueberries on each toothpick. Cover a baking sheet with either wax paper or aluminum foil. Next, melt one and a half cups of chocolate chips in a double broiler over medium-low heat while constantly stirring. When the chocolate is completely melted, reduce the heat to a simmer and generously dunk the skewered fruit in the chocolate. Place on the covered baking sheet. Once all of the fruit is covered, place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes to harden the chocolate. If the fruit will not be eaten immediately, store in an air-tight container in the freezer. To defrost, take the fruit from the freezer and allow to thaw on the counter for 10 minutes.
While shopping at the grocery store, my Mom and I found a perfect bunch of grapes. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take a picture of such a beautiful bunch. Some fun ideas for using grapes are:
- Freezing them and using them as ice cubes in punch or water
- Freezing them and eating them on a hot day
- Slicing them and tossing them in a salad for a fruity kick
- Making a fruit salad
- Just eat them!
Who loves cake? Everyone should be saying: "me" as they read this. This is the cake that Mom and I decorated for my Dad's birthday. Though it's not as fancy as some of the cakes you see at bakeries, the bright colors, squiggles, and polka dots just make me smile; and isn't that what cake is all about? This is a traditional pound cake with buttercream icing that disappeared almost instantly.
After watching an episode of Paula Deen, my mom and I were inspired to makeover her goulash. It's hard to believe, but it's even more fun to eat than it is to say!
~Goulash
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
3 cups water
1 (29-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
A dash of season salt
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 tablespoon pepper
1/4 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
2 cups dried elbow macaroni
In a Dutch oven, saute the ground beef and ground turkey over medium-high heat, until no pink remains. Break up meat while sauteing; drain off any grease. Add the onions to the pot and saute until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups water, along with the tomato sauce, tomatoes, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and seasoned salt. Stir well. Place a lid on the pot and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, return the lid to the pot, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, and allow the mixture to sit about 20 minutes more before serving.
- A delicious, healthier version of your favorite comfort food.
- ~Macaroni and Cheese
- 1 package macaroni
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons liquid Butter Buds
- 2 1/2 cups shredded Fat-free Cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish with Pam.
- In a large pot of salted water, lightly boil the macaroni for about 5 minutes until half-cooked.
- Whisk the egg and milk together in a large cup. Add Butter Buds and half of the cheese to the egg and milk. Stir well.
- Place the lightly cooked macaroni in the prepared baking dish. Pour the egg and cheese liquid over the macaroni, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and the remainder of cheese, and stir well. Press the mixture evenly around the baking dish.
- Bake uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
Before saying "Eww," just give this recipe a chance. With the addition of the light cheese, the spinach gets thick and creamy without the calories and fat that whole milk or cream adds. This creamed spinach tastes so good that you would never know that this comfort food got a healthy makeover.
~Healthy Creamed Spinach
1/4 cup liquid Butter Buds, already prepared
1/4 cup flour
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup light tri-blend shredded cheese
1 (16 oz) bag frozen spinach
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese, to top
Blend Butter Buds and flour in a double boiler over low heat. Cook until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Gradually add milk, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until thickened. Add spinach. Cover and cook over boiling water, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. Mix in light cheese. Plate and top with parmesan cheese.
This crusty white bread is delicious, that's all there is to it. Paired with a little bit of my mom's muscadine jelly, it's absolutely addictive. It's the best thing since, well, sliced bread!
~Crusty White Bread
2 Envelopes of active dry yeast
2 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)
1/2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 T. salt
1 T. lemon juice
6 c. bread flour
1. Combine yeast, warm water, and 2 t. sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer. Let stand five minutes Stir in eggs and next three ingredients, 3 c. flour, and remaining sugar. Beat dough at medium speed using paddle attachment until smooth. Gradually, beat in remaining 3 c. flour until soft dough forms.
2. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes), sprinkling surface with flour as needed. Spray bowl with Pam spray and place dough in turning to grease top. Cover with plastic wrap and place in microwave for about 1 hour.
3. Punch dough down; turn out onto lightly-floured surface. Divide dough into thirds.
4. Roll each third into a rectangle. Starting at one short end, tightly roll up each rectangle jelly-roll fashion, pressing to seal edges as you roll. Pinch ends of dough to seal, and tuck ends under dough. Place each roll, seam side down, in a lightly greased loaf pan. Spray tops with Pam. Cover and let rise in microwave for about an hour or until doubled in bulk.
5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to wire rack and brush the tops with butter. Let cool for an hour before slicing.
