Kool-Aid Pie

I’ve been on a Kool-Aid Pie kick lately.

And why not?!  They’re so easy!

I know they’ve been around for a while but it’s a new attempt at an easy and delicious pie.

I’ve had several elderly friends to pass away lately and I was looking for something quick and easy to take to the dinner for the family.    It’s kinda hard to make a complicated recipe when you work full time.  This recipe is exactly that…easy, that is, and delicious, too! You can change the flavor depending on what kind of Kool-Aid you use.

I’ve made three flavors…Strawberry, Lemon-Lime, and Orange.

Delicious…very easy…and perfect for Spring!

KOOL-AID PIE

1 graham cracker pie crust
1 pkg unsweetened Kool-Aid powdered drink mix
1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip
1 (14 ounce) can condensed milk
In a medium bowl, mix condensed milk and Kool-aid until well combined.  Fold in Cool Whip and spoon pie mixture into the graham cracker crust. Garnish according to flavor.  Chill for 2 hours and serve.

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And for my low carb readers…
3-INGREDIENT LOW-CARB LEMON ICEBOX PIE

from Jimmy Moore’s site.  Sounds yummy!

Fruit Pizza

Fruit Pizza is one of my favorite desserts!

It’s a wonderful dessert during springtime or any other special time of year, say like the upcoming holidays!  :)

On this particular Fruit Pizza I used fresh strawberries, bananas, and kiwi but you can use your favorite fruits.

FRUIT PIZZA

1 pkg. (16.5 oz.) refrigerated sliceable sugar cookies, sliced
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
½ tsp. vanilla
4 cups assorted cut-up fruit (kiwi, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, drained canned mandarin
oranges)
1/2 cup apricot preserves*
1Tbsp. water

HEAT oven to 375°F.

LINE 12-inch pizza pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. Arrange cookie dough slices in single layer in prepared pan; press together to form crust. Bake 14 min.; cool completely.  (I used my Pampered Chef baking stone for bars and my cookie crust got a little crisp.)

BEAT cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Spread over crust.

TOP with fruit.  Mix preserves and water; brush or spoon over fruit.  Cover and refrigerate  overnight.  (*I usually use Sugar Free Apricot Preserves.)

TIP-How to soften cream cheese:  Place completely unwrapped package of cream cheese on microwaveable plate.   Microwave on HIGH for 10 to 15 sec. or until slightly softened.

Debate Dessert

My daughter has been making cakes for the debates and calling them the Debate Dessert.  :) Don’t know where she got that idea, but it’s been pretty popular around here.

Here’s her dessert cake for tonight…a Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Icing in the middle and topped with Coconut Pecan Frosting.

Nutter Butter Banana Pudding

Looking for a tasty dessert for July 4th?

This one won’t heat up the kitchen and it is sooo

easy and delicious!

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Nutter Butter Banana Pudding

For real?!  I can’t believe I didn’t think of this.

My hubby loves Nutter Butters!

and Banana Pudding…well, not the bananas so much,

so I try to make him a Banana-less Pudding ever now and then.

But bananas and peanut butter go so well together

I just had to add a few to this tasty treat!

(Note: I’ve made this twice lately and tried it once with some peanut butter sandwich cookies I picked up at Wally World.  I added a little PB to amp up the flavor and  it was delicious!  So if you’re looking to save a few pennies, go for the PB sandwich cookies and if that’s not an issue, grabbed the Nutter Butters.  :))

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Layers of yummy peanut butter cookies, bananas, and a creamy cool pudding.

I used my no cook recipe for the pudding mixture, but I’m eager to try it some day with the classic cooked custard recipe that mom taught me.

And finally…

Nutter Butter Banana Pudding

1 (5 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix (I used sugar free French Vanilla)
2 cups cold milk
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (16 ounce) package Nutter Butters cookies, broken into several pieces
3 bananas, sliced

In a large mixing bowl, beat pudding mix and milk for about 2 minutes.
Blend in condensed milk, vanilla, and peanut butter until smooth.
Fold in whipped topping.

Layer cookies, bananas and pudding mixture in a glass serving bowl.
Chill overnight to allow the cookies to soften.

Personal note: I prefer my pudding more of a sauce, so I add water to
the mixture to get it closer to a sauce.

Enjoy and have a great 4th!

Chocolate Cola Cupcakes ~ Just 2 ingredients and low calorie

Sometimes you just need that chocolate fix but you don’t want to go overboard on calories…

Enter Chocolate Cola Cupcakes!  

With just two ingredients, it’s hard to beat the ease and convenience of these tasty little morsels!

I did dress mine up a bit with some light whipped topping and a fresh strawberry, but that is totally optional.

Chocolate Cola Cupcakes

1 box Pillsbury Devil’s Food Cake Sugar Free (just mix)
12 oz Diet Pepsi (or other diet cola flavor)
Lite Whipped Topping, optional
Fresh strawberry halves, optional

Blend the cake mix and the cola together.

Spoon into cupcake liners. Bake according to mix instructions.

Makes 18 regular size cupcakes.

Without whipped topping and strawberry per serving:
Cal 80, carb 19, fat 2, protein 1, fiber 1

 

 

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Fruit Tray

Here’s a fruit tray I made for our Sunday Covered Dish dinner at church.

At the dinner, someone wondered where the Fruit Dip was.  Although I was tempted to dip some in chocolate, I didn’t.  But I do love me some chocolate dipped strawberries!

Speaking of fruit dip…have you ever tried that super easy recipe of mixing cream cheese with marshmallow cream?  Dee-licious!

If you’re watching your sugar, try sweetening sour cream with a little low calorie sweetener and adding a teaspoonful of vanilla extract for a great tasting fruit dip.

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Fruit is naturally low in calories, but if you’re low carbing you might want to go easy on the strawberries and pineapple while skipping the grapes all together.

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Brownie Crusted Butterfinger Cheesecake

(I’ve added a PRINT button.  Hope this helps.)

I’m on a cheesecake kick it seems!  :)

Actually I made this for our Pastor’s Appreciation Dinner.  Our pastor loves peanut butter and I wanted to make a special dessert.  This rich cheesecake was very tasty and gone within just a few minutes.

Butterfinger Cheesecake with a Brownie Crust

For the crust:

Bake your favorite brownie recipe in a springform baking pan lined with parchment paper.

Cheesecake filling:

16 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tub 8 oz whipped topping
3 Butterfinger candy bars (2.1 oz ea), frozen and
chopped

Blend the first five ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Fold in the whipped topping and crushed candy bars.  Spread the cheesecake mixture into the brownie crust.  Sprinkle with crushed candy bars and brownie crumbs.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Topping:

1 Butterfinger candy bar (2.1 ounces), frozen and chopped

brownie crumbs, optional

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PITY PARTY 71 over at 30 Handmade Days

And now featured on BUTTERFINGER’S  Facebook page.  :)

Sopapilla Cheesecake

I love Pinterest!  :)

Here’s a great little dessert from Pinterest that’s fast and easy to make, plus it’s yummy!

I only tried it plain, but I’m thinking it would be great topped with some fresh fruit and whipped cream just to raise the special factory just a little.   Hope you enjoy it.

Sopapilla Cheesecake

2 cans crescent rolls
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon (I used a little more)
16 ounces cream cheese softened
1 stick butter
1/4 cup honey

Preheat oven to 350.  Press 1 can of crescent rolls into bottom of rectangular 9×13 pan.

Mix cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla until creamy then spread over rolls in pan.  Cover with the other can of crescent rolls.

Melt butter and stir in rest of sugar and cinnamon then pour over top.

Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown,  about 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey.  Cool completely in the
pan before cutting.  Serves about 12.  (I also sprinkled with more cinnamon before cutting.)

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Cake Batter Blondies

Since I was having company for Sunday dinner, I wanted to

find an easy dessert to throw together.

Cake Batter Blondies

This recipe was perfect!

You’ve got to check out the recipe.  It’s just a couple of links away.

Photo courtesy of Scrumdillydilly

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and for my low carb friends…

a fabulous looking Chocolate Chip Blondie

or what about  LindaSue’s Pecan Blondies?

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*Click on the photo to be taken to the recipe.

Easy Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

Oh, my!  I just had to share this recipe from The Country Cook with my readers!  

*Disclaimer:  This is not a low carb recipe…but oh how I wish it was!  :)

A few weeks ago before I started the HHCG diet, I made this easy, yummy coffee cake.  It has a secret ingredient that helps make it easy…pancake mix!  I just happened to have all the ingredients so I threw it together and I was so happy I did.

Hurry over to The Country Cook’s blog to get this easy recipe and make it this weekend.  You know you want to!  :)

My breakfast that day…

Randomosity

First of all, I want to say “Welcome” to all my new subscribers and readers!  It touches me that you find my blog worth following.

This is a very tough and busy time of year for me and I have not been able to post like I would really like to.

A dear friend of mine passed away, too soon after my precious mother left me.

There’s been family sickness, then a short vacation away to visit family, then more family sickness, tornadoes, rain, rain, rain, flooding in our area…and the list goes on.

What a turbulent time we live in!

Hopefully brighter days are coming.

I’ll return soon with a wonderful Southern cookbook review, more great recipes, and hopefully that long promised giveaway!

So don’t go anywhere!  :)

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In the meantime…check out one of my favorite Springtime desserts…

Fruit Pizza!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you

and

Happy Birthday to one of my dearest friends, Laura!

Here’s a Lime Jello Salad I made

just in time for this holiday!

My Quick Lime Jello Salad

1 cup small curd full fat cottage cheese

1 small box of sugar free lime jello

1/2 cup of whipping cream

Dissolve jello in lightly beaten whipped cream, add the cottage cheese and mix well.  Pour into small container and chill until set.

* This is pretty rich and I’m only able to eat about 1/3 of a cup at a time.  It was nice for a quick treat, but nothing like Mom’s Lime Jello Salad with pineapple, marshmallows and nuts!  Her’s was the best.

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Stormy Monday

Storms And Rainbows by Ruth Warren

Storm clouds gather in a cobalt sky Beneath a far-away world, gazing high Embracing power of nature’s force Commence a journey of ancient course Whipping winds cleanse the deepening doubt Assembled force from within, without Darkness surrounding gathering light Face assaulted by blustering bite Arms raised high in a soulful appeal Summoning strength long thought unreal Undisturbed, the storm passes by Quiet electric a new heart held high In crystal clarity, sublimely calm Silently praised with cherished alms Arched in beauty, promises new Rainbow emerges in precious dew Unvoiced praise escapes without a sound Untold joys of inner peace abound Timeless harmony one could only know Of tempest storms and peaceful rainbow.

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2 years ago around this time, I posted my Southern Pecan Pie recipe.

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Mary Todd Lincoln’s Vanilla Almond Cake

In honor of Presidents’ Day…

Courtesy of Cakespy.com

Abraham Lincoln / Mary Todd Lincoln’s Vanilla-Almond Cake: It’s said that this is the one Mary made when courting Lincoln in the early days.

Since they both met and later married during the holiday season–not to mention that Honest Abe declared it to be the best cake he’d ever tasted– we figure it’s a good holiday offering to represent Lincoln’s era.

While the cake itself is good–dense, slightly nutty, and plenty buttery–we’re not so sure about its aphrodisiac powers. We made our cake in just one layer, not two; all the more frosting to glaze on over it all. 

Mary Todd Lincoln’s Vanilla-Almond Cake (via Recipe Goldmine)

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 1 cup almonds, finely chopped
• 6 egg whites, stiffly beaten
• White Frosting

1. Cream together sugar, butter, and vanilla extract.
2. Stir together the cake flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in almonds.
3. Gently fold in the egg whites.
4. Pour into two greased and lightly floured 9 x 1 1/2-inch round baking pans.
5. Bake at 375 degrees F for 28 to 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Fill and frost with White Frosting.

White Frosting: In a saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar and dash salt. Bring mixture to boiling, stirring until the sugar dissolves. 

In mixing bowl place 2 egg whites; very slowly pour the hot sugar syrup over, beating constantly with electric mixer until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Recipe and information courtesy of Cakespy.

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Andrew Jackson is from my home state of Tennessee.

His beautiful home, The Hermitage, is located in Nashville.  As a 7th grader, my whole school class made a trip to visit the Hermitage.

Since opening as a museum in 1889, approximately 16 million people from around the world have toured the Hermitage mansion, which historians consider the best-preserved early U.S. presidential home.

Misc fact from The Hermitage website: Andrew Jackson was the only President in American History to pay off the national debt and leave office with the country in the black.

Information from the Hermitage website.

Another story: Andrew Jackson’s Christmas.

Great Low Carb Breakfast Recipes

These are great for a quick breakfast on a cold snowy morning.  Grab and go!

(click on the pictures for the recipes)

Cheesy Sausage Egg Muffins

Coconut Flour Pancakes

Cheesy Sausage Balls

Low Carb Biscuits

PB & J Wrap

Low Carb Sandwich Rolls

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And last, but not least, ’cause it’s so good…here’s a Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe from my friend Grace.  It’s my breakfast on this cold snowy morning.  It’s even good enough for dessert! Thanks, Grace, for such a tasty recipe!

More low carb links:

Low Carb Diet Recipes

Low Carb Lunches

Low Carb Office Lunch Tips

Low Carb Brown Bag Lunches

Low Carb Low Cal Lunches

Rachel Ray Low Carb Lunch

Low Carb Guy Lunches

More Low Carb Lunch Ideas

AC Low Carb

Simply Recipes Low Carb

Kalyn’s SB Low Carb

Low Carb Friends Soup Recipes

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