Category Archives: Treats

by | February 29, 2012 · 8:25 am

No-Bake Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Over the winter months I desperately miss all of the fresh produce that comes in the summer, especially berries.  Last week I splurged on a pint of raspberries that looked to good to pass up.  Because I am a huge lover of anything with chocolate raspberry, I decided to dress these berries up and make a  no bake cheesecake covered with raspberries and chocolate.  The combination was amazing and also gave me my fresh berry fix.

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

1 premade graham cracker crust
2  8oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1  14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 pint raspberries, washed and dried
1 cup chocolate chips
1 Tbsp butter

In a large bowl, beat 2 packages of room temperature cream cheese until smooth.  Add the can of sweetened condensed milk and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until the mixture is smooth with no lumps.  Add the lemon juice and mix to combine.

Pour mixture into your premade graham cracker crust and top with raspberries.

In a microwave safe bowl, place 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1 Tbsp of butter.  Microwave for 30 seconds and stir.  Continue to microwave and stir for 15 seconds at a time until the mixture melts completely and has no lumps.

Let cool slightly and then pour into a small ziplock bag.  With a scissors, cut a small hole in the corner of the bag.  Drizzle the melted chocolate over the raspberries.  Refrigerate for about 2 hours or until set.

This cheesecake is a little stickier than a traditional, baked cheesecake but the taste and texture is divine.

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by | February 20, 2012 · 7:46 am

Cherry Oatmeal Flaxseed Bars

I’ve been recently intrigued with flaxseed. Relatively unnoticeable with just a hint of a nutty flavor, these little powerhouses are packed with omega-3s, antioxidant lignans and everyone’s favorite, fiber. I’ve been trying to work them into more dishes and figured they would be pretty discreet in these easy bars. With fruit and two whole grains, it’s almost like they become a health food…right? Ok, not quite but it can’t hurt!

Cherry Oatmeal Flaxseed Bars
makes 16 bars
3/4 C butter, softened
1/4 C sugar
3/4 C brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp almond extract
1 egg
1 C flour
1 Tbsp ground (milled) flaxseed
1 C heaping, dried cherries
2 C rolled oats

In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in almond extract, salt and egg. Lightly beat in flour and flaxseed. Use a spatula to fold in oats and cherries.

Line a 9×9 glass baking pan with parchment paper and grease lightly with butter. Transfer batter into pan, smoothing out so that batter is evenly dispersed. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Let cool completely.

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by | January 25, 2012 · 8:44 am

Key Lime Tarts

I have this strange obsession with mini treats.  For some reason dessert seem so much  more special when you are given your own personal tart!  I made these Key Lime Tarts for my good friend’s baby shower.  I found the recipe off of Our Best Bites and couldn’t believe how easy and delicious they were.

Key Lime Tarts

10 mini graham cracker crusts
5 egg yokes
1  14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup key lime juice or fresh lime juice – do not use the imitation juice out of the bottle, only the real stuff!
2 drops of green food coloring if you would like your tarts to have a little more color

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and place your mini pie crusts on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, mix the egg  yokes, sweetened condensed milk and lime juice until well combined.  Add your food coloring to adjust the color if you would like.

Distribute the mixture evenly among the pie crusts.  Bake for about 11 minutes.

Cool, chill in the refrigerator and top with whipped cream right before serving.

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by | December 23, 2011 · 8:00 am

Mexican-Themed Christmas Fiesta

As I mentioned last week, my family and I decided to celebrate in a different way this year, Mexican-style! We celebrated this past weekend with festive drinks, food and desserts. It was a Feliz Navidad indeed.

To start the party out, I served Cranberry Pomegranate Margaritas using a recipe I found on the blog, My Life as a Mrs. Potent, but festive!

After making a special trip to my new favorite grocery store, El Rey, I put together a spicy Mexican meal that got us all in the Christmas mood. The shining star of the meal was the Chipotle Pulled Brisket Taco. Cooked in a slow-cooker, the beef was juicy and tender with a little kick.

Chipotle Pulled Brisket Tacos
Serves 6-8 people

3 lbs brisket
1/4 C apple cider vinegar
1 can diced tomatoes
1 TBSP chili powder
1/2 TBSP minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp sea salt
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely diced
1 TBSP adobo sauce
guacamole
Queso Fresco
flour tortillas, warmed

In a slow cooker, place brisket. Pour in apple cider vinegar and diced tomatoes, including the juices. Add minced garlic. In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, cumin, coriander and sea salt. Shake evenly over beef. Add chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. Make sure tomatoes and peppers are evenly spread across the brisket. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours. 30 minutes before serve time, take two large forks and shred beef. The beef should easily tear apart. Mix throughly, reduce to warm and cover until serve time.

Place guacamole in bottom of warmed tortillas. Layer beef into taco. Sprinkle Queso Fresco over the top and serve with Spanish rice.

We rounded the meal out with an easy and beautiful Dulce de Leche dessert I found over on Oh My Sugar High. This dessert took less than 10 minutes to whip up and wasn’t too heavy after  a big meal. I plan on making different variations in the future!

Wishing all of you love and joy this holiday season.

From my table to yours, Feliz Navidad!

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by | December 21, 2011 · 8:35 am

{Homemade gifts} Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Over the past month, I have made and frozen dozens of cookies.  This weekend I pulled out all of the cookies to put together cookie plates for neighbors and friends but I quickly realized that I was short cookies.  Looks like my husband and I may have stolen too many cookies out of the freezer!

I had a day to come up with something else to deliver to friends.  I pulled out my favorite Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread recipe and purchased disposable holiday tins from Michaels.  They came together so quickly and were the perfect gift.

Need a last minute gift?  Try making your favorite recipe and find a creative way to package it.  Everyone loves to receive something homemade.

Have a wonderful Holiday!

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by | December 14, 2011 · 8:56 am

{Homemade Holiday Gifts} Chocolate Caramel Drizzle Chex

I love delivering homemade goodies to friends and neighbors this time of year.  I usually stick with the traditional cookie plate, however this year I came across this Caramel Chocolate Chex recipe and k new I wanted to try it.  It is incredibly easy to make and is a perfect little snack!

Chocolate Caramel Drizzle Chex

3 cups Corn Chex cereal
3 cups Rice Chex cereal
25 Caramel Chews
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Milk
1/4 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips

In a large, microwavable, bowl mix the 6 cups of Chex cereal.

In a medium bowl, microwave the caramels, butter and milk for 2-3 minutes stopping ever minute or so to stir.  The mixture is done when the caramels are smooth and the mixture is well combined.

Pour the caramel mixture over the cereal and gently stir until evenly coated.   Then, microwave the caramel coated cereal for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir after each minute, until the mixture just begins to brown.

Spread the cereal mixture on wax paper in order to cool.

In a small bowl, microwave the chocolate chips for about a minute or until smooth and melted.  Drizzle over the cooled cereal.  Let the chocolate harden, then store mixture in an airtight container.

I made a couple batches of this snack and placed them in colorful treat boxes that I found at Michael’s   There were the perfect gift to deliver to neighbors!

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by | December 9, 2011 · 8:00 am

{Cookie Week} Zesty Mexican Wedding Cookies

This year for my family Christmas party, I’ve decided to switch it up and take a note from our country to the South and host a Feliz Navidad Mexican Fiesta (Stay tuned for more on that). Naturally, my mind turned to a favorite Christmas cookie of mine to finish off the meal, the Mexican Wedding Cookie. I’ve added my own citrusy twist to these nutty little powdered sugar nuggets, making them a great compliment to a fresh margarita.

Feliz Navidad

Zesty Mexican Wedding Cookies
Yields: approx. 2 dozen

1 1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp finely grated lime zest
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp fresh lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on baking sheet and toast in oven for 8 minutes, turning once halfway through.

In a food processor, pulse almonds, until finely chopped. In a large mixing bowl, mix almonds, flour, salt, cinnamon and zest until well combined.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and 1 C confectioners’ sugar until fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Add vanilla and lime juice and mix thoroughly. Slowly add almond mixture and mix until combined.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes, until light golden brown. Transfer to wire cooling rack. Dust warm cookies in 1/4 C confectioners’ sugar until coated. Allow to cool. Dust final cookies with extra powdered sugar, if necessary.

Feliz Navidad Amigos! Thanks for sharing Christmas carol cookie week with us!

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by | December 8, 2011 · 8:00 am

{Cookie Week} Reindeer Peanut Butter Cookies

On Dasher! On Dancer! On Prancer! On Vixen! On Comet! On Cupid! On Donner! On Blizten! Do you recall the most famous reindeer of all?

Rudolph of course! In peanut butter cookie, chocolate pretzel and M&M form. I was inspired to make these reindeer cookies after viewing the old stop animation Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer movie with my son. The slightest bit creepy (if I dare to say) but festive none the less. Lincoln hasn’t stopped talking about reindeer since.

These adorable cookies are easy and fun to make, especially if you have little elves to help. If you don’t feel like making the peanut butter cookies from scratch, you can always use the slice and bake version, they will look just as cute!

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Reindeer Peanut Butter Cookies
Yields 2-3 dozen

2 C Creamy Peanut Butter
2 C sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp vanilla
Brown and Red M&Ms
Chocolate Covered Pretzels (I used Snyders)

Preheat oven to 350. Thoroughly mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Allow the cookies to sit for one minute after taking cookies out of oven. Then, insert pretzels at a 45 degree angle in the top of each cookie to make ears. (Be careful, the chocolate will melt if it touches the hot baking sheet!) Insert brown M&Ms for eyes and a red M&M for the nose. Once set, move to wire cooling rack to complete cooling.

Merry Christmas!

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by | December 7, 2011 · 9:21 am

{Cookie Week} Coconut Macaroons

Walking in a Winter Wonderland…

This Christmas I wanted to try out some new cookie recipes along with my usual favorites. I came across these coconut macaroons created by Rachael Ray and knew I had to try them. These cookies are simple and delicious. A chocolate drizzle would give them an extra special touch!

Coconut Macaroons

2/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp cold water
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
One 14-ounce bag sweetened shredded coconut
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat to 375.

Place the coconut into a bowl and set aside.  In a small pan, bring sugar, water, corn syrup and salt to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved.

Combine the sugar mixture with the sweetened shredded coconut and set aside to cool.

In a separate bowl, beat together 2 egg whites and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract until it is foamy and thick.  Stir into the coconut mixture.  Using a cookie scoop, drop tablespoonfuls of the mixture 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.

Bake about 10-12 minutes or until golden.

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by | December 6, 2011 · 8:39 am

{Cookie Week} Marshmallow Holly Wreaths

The Holly and the Ivy…

I have such wonderful memories of making these cornflake marshmallow wreaths with my Mom around the holidays.  They are so easy to make and kid friendly.  Best of all, they are so delicious!

Marshmallow Holly Wreaths
1/3 cup butter
35-40 regular sized marshmallows
1 teaspoon green food coloring
6 cups Corn Flakes cereal
Red cinnamon candies

Measure out 6 cups of the cornflakes cereal into a large bowl.

In a double boiler, melt the marshmallows and butter until smooth.  Add the green food coloring and stir until well combined.

Add the marshmallow mixture into the cornflakes and stir until all of the cornflakes are covered with marshmallow.

Using buttered or damp fingers, scoop out about 1/4 cup of the mixture and shape into wreaths.  Add cinnamon candies quickly before the marshmallow sets.  Store in the refrigerator or an airtight container.

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