Tag Archives: dessert

No-Bake Cookie Dough Bites

Posted in Desserts, Food and Drink by

I know I’m not alone when I say I love to eat cookie dough before it goes into the oven!  I like it more than cookies.  The problem is that I always have to listen to people tell me I’m going to get sick from the eggs, so I made it my mission today to find a recipe for cookie dough that requires no eggs.

There are some out there, but I ended up creating my own because when I read the comments under other people’s there were always complaints about the dough not being perfect.  I read their complaints, changed some things, and now I’m going to share the creation with you!

It’s the perfect dessert for a night with friends and a chick flick!

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 2/3 cups flour
  • heavy whipping cream- added 1 splash at a time (up to 1/4 cup)
  • chocolate chips- as many as you like! (about 1/2 cup-1 cup recommended)

Directions:

Combine melted butter, brown sugar, white sugar and vanilla extract.  Add flour, 1/3 a cup at a time.  Mix to make sure no flour is visible. Add heavy whipping cream, a little at a time until dough is smooth.  Stir in chocolate chips.

I rolled my dough into cookie-sized balls to keep myself from overdoing it, but you could go at the bowl with a spoon if the occasion called for it!

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Crescent Cinnamon Rolls

Posted in Breakfast, Food and Drink by

Last weekend I had some friends that I used to teach with over for brunch.  It was so good to see them and catch up!  It also reminded me of why I left teaching because I was able to talk to them without feeling this immense weight on my shoulders.  I served Crescent Cinnamon Rolls alongside  a make-your-own-baked-egg station and fruit.  We also had mimosas, coffee and water of course. (How could I not?)

These turned out even better than I imagined.  I probably won’t be making them any other way for a while.  The original recipe came from The Hungry Housewife.  I have a slight obsession with filling crescent rolls with things because I know they’re going to turn out well.  These are no exception.

I even messed up while baking and it turned out OK..  I put the icing on before putting the rolls in the oven.  They definitely would have been more visually appealing if I hadn’t made a mistake, but it didn’t hinder the taste.

If I were to do these for a brunch again, I would prepare them in advance.  They would be just as good if they sat in the fridge for a couple of hours before going into the oven.  That way I’d have more time to entertain my guests!

Ingredients:

  • 1 tube crescent rolls

Filling Ingredients:

  • 5 Tbs. butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Glaze Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbs. butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup + 2 Tbs. powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat to 375.  Unroll and separate crescent rolls on a greased cookie sheet.  Make sure there are sides to you cookie sheet because some of the filling will leak out.

Prepare the filling by combining butter, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.  Evenly spread the mixture on the crescent rolls and rolls crescents like usual.  Bake 10-12 minutes.

While rolls are baking, prepare glaze by mixing butter, powdered sugar and vanilla.  Place in ziplock bag, cut a small hole in the corner and pour glaze over the top of the crescent rolls.

Ramekin Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Posted in Desserts, Food and Drink, So easy even Julie can do it! by

Have you ever tasted a Warm Delight?  They’re these delicious microwavable brownies that Betty Crocker makes, and I’ve been obsessed with them for years. The downside is that they cost $2.50 per serving!  I’m always looking for alternatives that make food more affordable, and this works perfectly!

I stumbled upon the original recipe on Pinterest, and decided to try it almost immediately.  No need for an extra trip to the store because you probably have all the ingredients on hand!

It takes about five minutes to make at most.  All you have to do is mix the ingredients together.  I didn’t have a mixing bowl on hand, so I did it in a big cup and poured it right into the ramekins.

I served it with a scoop of ice cream, but whipping cream would be good too!  Such a perfect combination after a long work/school day!

Ingredients:

  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tbs. brown sugar
  • 1 Tbs. flour
  • 1 Tbs. cocoa powder
  • 2 Tbs. peanut butter
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • handful of chocolate chips

Directions:

Combine all ingredients.  Pour into a ramekin.  Stir in the chocolate chips last.  Microwave at 30 second intervals until done.  It took me one minute.  This will make a dessert for one, so double the ingredients if you want to make two!

This dish can be served in a ramekin or on its own.  It flips out of the ramekin into a perfect circle!  Top with whipped cream or ice cream for that finishing touch (not pictured.)  They would also be good with a little vanilla frosting if you have some extra and have time to blend it with cocoa powder!

Tres Leches Cake

Posted in Desserts, Food and Drink, So easy even Julie can do it! by

This recipe comes courtesy of one of my boyfriend’s clients, Tere Baker.  He’s a personal trainer, and about a year ago she invited us over for an authentic Cuban dinner.  It was phenomenal!  What I remember the most is this dessert that I loved so much I asked for the recipe.

I served the cake with  Chicken Valdostana (which is basically sauteed chicken with prosciutto and provolone on top.)  I’d put the recipe for that up here, but what really made it was the sauce I got as a gift from my new boss at Gregory Paul’s.  There is no way I could recreate that deliciousness, so unfortunately I can’t share it.  If you wanted to make the chicken, I’d recommend adding gravy to it to get a similar effect.  It went perfectly with a good salad.

The cake itself is spongy and moist.  It was fun to make too.  When pouring the milk mixture in I couldn’t believe how it absorbed.  I will definitely be making this again.

Ingredients:

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp. real vanilla
  • 1 can evaporated milk
  • 1 can condensed milk
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup white sugar

Directions:

Make yellow cake according to package directions in a 13X9 pan.

Cool for half and hour or more then poke holes with a bamboo skewer or something like that.

Mix half and half, evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk.  Pour the mixture over the cake until it won’t absorb anymore.  Do it ladle by ladle.  You may have a little leftover.  That’s ok.  Use the leftovers to pour over the cake once it’s plated.

Combine two cups heavy whipping cream and sugar.  Spread over soaked cake.  Refrigerate at least 3-4 hours, or overnight.

This picture is not the best… I should have taken it when i was first serving the cake! It was much prettier before I cut it into pieces…

Funfetti Dip

Posted in Desserts, Food and Drink by

No girl’s weekend is complete without some kind of decadent sweet.  All my girls visiting were super healthy, so when planning a sweet treat, I knew I had to find something that also has a low calorie count (without sacrificing flavor, of course.)  I pinned this recipe forever ago, from a website called Eat Yourself Skinny and recently realized I already had all the ingredients, so it was the perfect choice.

We devoured this after a nice, relaxing day on the beach.  It tastes a lot like frosting and only has 100 calories per 1/4 cup.  There were no leftovers, so it wasn’t the healthiest thing we’ve ever had, but it covered the necessary sweet treat perfectly.

Ingredients:

  • 1 box funfetti cake mix
  • 2 cups fat-free plain yogurt
  • 1 cup fat-free cool whip
  • 1 box animal crackers (my friends would argue that you need two boxes)

Directions:

Mix cake mix, yogurt and cool whip.  Let chill in fridge for at least 4 hours.  Serve with animal crackers.

Nom nom nom… What is your favorite “healthy” sweet treat?

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie

Posted in Desserts, Food and Drink by

Possibly my all-time favorite combination is peanut butter and chocolate.  I’m pretty much addicted to Reese’s cups- to the point where my students would bring them to me if they were tardy in an attempt to suck up.  So, when I saw this recipe at A Beautiful Mess, I knew I had to try it.  It doesn’t actually use Reese’s cups, but it has a similar taste.

Be very careful when spreading the top layer!  You can see in the picture that mine smeared just a little.  If I had chocolate syrup, I’d pour it in a design on top, and you wouldn’t even be able to tell! (Just an idea if it happens to you too…)

This pie is so unbelievably good.  Well, I guess that it isn’t that surprising considering the combination is heavenly.  My favorite part about this is the cheesecake texture.  Love!

Ingredients:

  • 6 oz. chocolate chips
  • 2 cups whipping cream, divided
  • 1 graham cracker pie crust
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 8 oz. softened cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Melt chocolate chips on stove with 1/2 cup whipping cream.  Once melted, pour into graham cracker crust and let cool while preparing the rest.

In a separate bowl, place softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup whipping cream brown sugar and peanut butter.  Mix with blender.  Once combined, add remaining whipping cream (1 1/4 cup) and vanilla extract.  Mix until smooth.

Pour peanut butter mixture over chocolate and spread delicately.  Top with chocolate chips and chocolate syrup if desired.  Cover and freeze overnight.  Enjoy!

Fourth of July Celebration

Posted in Desserts, Food and Drink by

Hope that everyone enjoyed their fourth of July!  These are just a few Instagram photos from yesterday.  The first is my festive cupcakes and chocolate covered strawberries!  I was crunched for time, so I didn’t make the red velvet cupcakes from scratch, but I did discover a great way to make sugar any color!  All I did was put a drop of food coloring into a bowl of sugar and stir.  It added that perfect touch to my cupcakes!

After that I made so chocolate covered strawberries.  I melted down white chocolate in my homemade double broiler (essentially sticking a smaller pot inside a pot of boiling water.)  I added a tablespoon of canola oil to the chocolate to give it a smoother texture.  After dipping the strawberries, I rolled them in sprinkles.  Just set them on wax paper and refrigerate until solid.  So refreshing and yummy!

Cupcakes and chocolate covered strawberries!

beach cruising with my sister!

How did you spend your fourth of July?

Banana Pudding

Posted in Desserts, Food and Drink by

If you’re like me, you grew up eating banana pudding!  My grandmother used to make some for my dad’s birthday, and he would eat it at every meal until it was gone, including breakfast!  This isn’t exactly the same recipe, but it is delicious!  It’s a Paula Deen recipe (which I almost always love!) so I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

I made this version for my boyfriend’s half-birthday cake.  I know it’s strange to celebrate a half-birthday, but he was born on Christmas, so we celebrate it in June so he gets to feel special.  The tradition was started because I love celebrating my birthday, and felt bad that he didn’t get the same treatment.  We don’t do a party or anything, I just cook his favorite food (Mer’s Meatloaf) and whatever cake he’s expressed interest in recently.  This recipe is just so perfect, I had to share it with you.

Ingredients:

  • 1 box vanilla wafers
  • 4 bananas, sliced
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 (5 oz) package of vanilla pudding
  • 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (14 oz) can of sweetened, condensed milk
  • 1 (12 oz) container of frozen whipping cream, thawed

Directions:

In a 13 by 9 baking dish, line the bottom with half the box of vanilla wafers.  Top with banana slices.

In a bowl, combine pudding and milk using a hand mixer.  In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese with condensed milk.  Fold the whipping cream into the cream cheese mixture.  Stir everything together.

Top with the remaining vanilla wafers.

Place in refrigerator until time to serve!  Enjoy!

Lemony Angel Food Bars

Posted in Desserts, Food and Drink by

Whenever I have lemons, I think about my grandmother who absolutely loved them.  Especially if they were part of dessert- then she couldn’t resist. I really think she would have loved this dessert!  This has a light lemony flavor, so those of you that don’t enjoy the bitter will probably still like this because of the fluffy angel food cake element!

I initially found it on a website that was advertising it as a two-ingredient recipe.  When I went to the grocery store, they didn’t have lemon pie filling, so I figured out I could use Jello pudding mix in the same way.  I came across the frosting while looking for the canned pie filling, and decided to take it a step further, making a frosting for the lemon square.  It ended up looking like a creamy pillow, and now I feel very creative!  Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • one box of angel food cake mix
  • 1 can of lemon pie filling (or as I used, lemon flavored Jello pudding mix, prepared according to package directions)
  • 1 container lemon frosting
  • 2 cups cool whip

Directions:

Preheat to 350.  Prepare Jello pudding according to package directions.  Stir into angel food cake mix.  Do not follow the directions on the angel food cake box- the lemon pudding will provide enough moisture!  Pour into a 9X13 cake pan.  Bake 20 minutes, or a little less, until cake is browning on top.  Let cool at least 1 1/2 hours.  Once cake is cool, mix cool whip and frosting and ice the cake.  You don’t have to put icing on the sides because it just drips down and coats it.  Yum!

Berries and Cream Bars

Posted in Desserts, Food and Drink by

Every time I see this recipe, I think of that commercial for Starburst’s berries and cream candy with the Little Lad Dance.  I’ve included the video below for those of you that haven’t seen it.  For some reason I find it hilarious.  These are pretty time consuming, but today there is a tropical storm with potential for tornadoes hovering over my house, so I have more than enough time for these!  They are so good, especially on a hot summer day!

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. strawberries, halved if large
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
  • dash of salt
  • 7 large egg whites
  • 2/3 cup cold heavy cream
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

In a food processor or blender, combine strawberries, 3/4 cup sugar and salt.  Puree until smooth.  Pour into a 9-by-13 inch baking dish.  Put in freezer and scrap with a fork every 30 minutes until mixture is thick and slushy (about two hours).  Smooth the top.

In a large bowl, use and electric mixer to beat egg whites on high until foamy.  With mixer on medium, slowly add 3/4 cup sugar.  Increase to high speed and beat until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.

In another medium bowl, beat cream and vanilla on high until stiff peaks form, 1-2 minutes.  With spoon, combine whipped cream with egg white mixture gently.  Pour over strawberry mixture and smooth top.  Freeze until firm, about 4 hours (or, covered up to 3 days) before cutting into squares.

Optional: top with fresh blueberries to make a festive Memorial Day/4th of July treat!