German Brown Mustard Dip

A little odd to see a healthy veggie snack on a sweet-treat blog? Well, I do love to eat my fruits and veggies! This is a Smart Little Cookie way of eating healthy AND enjoy some treats! This is a little something I threw together late this morning for a snack and I want to share it!  I love brown mustard, and wanted to mellow out the flavor just a little to go with my yummy baby carrots...Yum!

The Recipe

1 T German Brown Mustard

1 T Fat Free Ranch Dressing

Cut up veggies

Combine brown mustard and dressing together, mix well. 

Smart Little Cookie Tip:

Use your favorite brown mustard in place of the German Brown if you'd like.  I purchased my yummy German Brown Mustard at Whole Foods. In place of the ranch dressing, you could use sour cream or plain yogurt.  This is an equal parts recipe, so you can easily make more or less.

So Simple, and So Delish!

Almond Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

 Today, I wanted to make my daughter's some yummy cookie dough for a fun after school treat.  I was ready to whip up a batch, and sadly discovered I'm out of vanilla extract...
so, after much thought, my 2 year-old daughter and I decided almond extract would be a wonderful substitute for vanilla.  
I've lightened up the recipe...a girl should be able to eat her cookie dough without all of the guilt, right?
I also made this completely egg-free, making the cookie dough safe to eat.    
Almond extract is the perfect flavoring in this recipe! 

The Recipe

1/2 cup I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spread       1 cup plus 1 T unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar                                                    1/4 t salt

1/3 cup brown sugar                                          1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t almond extract                                          1/2-1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Combine flour, salt and baking soda together, mix well.

Beat the butters and sugars until well blended, add almond extract.

Add flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Smart Little Cookie Tip:

This recipe is very versatile.  If you would like to store the cookie dough, place it in a covered container to refrigerate, or, in a freezer safe container or freezer bag and freeze. These also bake beautifully into delicious, soft cookies! Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.
To use this recipe in ice cream, use your favorite sweet cream base and follow your ice cream makers manufacturers instructions.

For the original Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream recipe,
visit: www.heathersbytes.com/homemade-cookie-dough-ice-cream/

Fabulously Delicious!

Luscious Lemon Cupcakes

Some days are just meant to have the flavor of lemon in them, and these pretty little yummies are the perfect treat for today.  They will sweep you off your feet!

Makes 2 dozen

The Recipe

Cake:

1 lemon                                                                1 3/4 cups sugar

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour                        2 large eggs

2 t baking powder                                                 2 egg whites

1/2 t salt                                                              

1 cup skim or 1% milk

6 ounces non-fat lemon yogurt                              Frosting:

(or, 6 ounces non-fat plain yogurt with                  3/4 cup I Cant' Believe It's Not

 2 t lemon zest mixed in)                                                    Butter Spread  

1 t lemon extract                                                  16 ounces confectioner's sugar  

3/4 cup I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spread          2 T lemon juice (from zested lemon)     

1 T butter, softened                                             1/2 t lemon extract            

Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line muffin tins with paper liners.  

Zest lemon peel (about 2 teaspoons).  Juice lemon, set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix well with a whisk until completely combined.  In a measuring cup, whisk together milk, yogurt and lemon extract, set aside.  In a large bowl, beat butters and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs and egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each.

Mix flour mixture into the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with milk mixture.  Start and end with flour mixture, mix well after each addition.  Fold in 2 t lemon zest.  Divide batter evenly into each cupcake cup.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of one, comes out clean.  Cool completely.

Frosting:

Beat butter, confectioner's sugar, reserved lemon juice and lemon extract.  Mix until smooth, adding more confectioner's sugar as needed for desired consistency.

Smart Little Cookie Tip: 
If you like, or even love the flavor of lime, like I do, substitute 1 lime in place of the lemon in this recipe for both the cupcakes and the frosting.  You could also use 4-5 key limes for the equivalent of 1 lime-You can never go wrong with the flavor of key lime! Yum!!!

Avoir un jour succulent de citron !

Have a luscious lemon day!

Pumpkin Custard

Today is April Fools Day, one of my favorite holidays, and it has been snowing for two days where I live.  Apparently, Mother Nature has a very good sense of humor.  So, when Mother Nature gives you lemons on April 1...you make Pumpkin Custard!   I love pumpkin, and I for one, do not believe it's to be enjoyed only a few months out of the year.  Why not in April, and May, and June, and July?  
This is one of my family's favorite desserts.  It's Absolutely Delicious, 
and, Oh! My home smells so Heavenly, and yours will too! 
What better way to enjoy this fun day of trickery!

8 Servings

The Recipe

1 1/4 cups sugar                                                     2 large eggs

1 t salt                                                                   4 egg whites

2 t ground cinnamon                                               1 15 oz. can 100% pure

1 t ground ginger                                                         solid-pack pumpkin

1 t pumpkin pie spice                                              1 12 oz. can fat free

                                                                                      evaporated milk

            

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In small bowl, lightly whisk eggs and egg whites, set aside.  In large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, egg mixture, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and pumpkin pie spice.  Mix well with a whisk, until completely combined.  Add evaporated milk slowly to pumpkin mixture while mixing until completely combined.

Using a ladle, pour pumpkin mixture into 8 individual ramekins.  Place ramekins on cookie sheet and place in oven, baking at 425 degrees F. for 15 minutes.  Turn oven to 350 degrees F. and bake for 30 minutes, or until toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.  When cool, place in refrigerator until ready to serve.  Top with whip cream and place a pecan, walnut or a dusting of cinnamon on top.

Happy Indulgences!

Greek Easter Bread

With Easter on it's way, I've made one of my favorite Easter recipes, Greek Easter Bread.  This bread is not only Delicious (it tastes very similar to Hawaiian Bread), it is Absolutely Gorgeous! It will look Beautiful on your special Easter table at breakfast or dinner.  It also makes a delicious french toast, when sliced.

Bon Appetit!  
 20 Servings

The Recipe

1 t. allspice                                                             1/2 sugar

2 t. cinnamon                                                          3 T. butter

1 cup warm water                                                    2 large eggs

pinch of salt                                                            2 egg whites

pinch of sugar                                                         1 t. salt

2 packages yeast                                                     1 T. water

4 3/4 cups unbleached flour                                      1 large egg yoke

Combine water, pinch of salt, pinch of sugar, and yeast in a large bowl, stir with a whisk.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Add 1 cup flour to the yeast mixture and stir until combined.  Let stand 20 minutes.

Place sugar and butter in a large bowl and mix until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and egg whites, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Stir in the allspice and cinnamon.  Add the yeast mixture to the butter mixture and mix with a whisk until well combined.  Stir in 1 t. salt.  Add 3 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup at a time.  The dough will be sticky.

Place the dough in a large bowl, coated well with cooking spray, coat the top as well.  Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until size has doubled.

Divide dough into 3 equal portions.  Shape each portion into 14-inch-long ropes.  Place the ropes lengthwise on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Pinch the ends together at one end to seal.  Braid the ropes and pinch the end pieces to seal.  Lightly coat with cooking spray.  Cover and let rise 45 minutes or until size is doubled.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine 1 T. water and egg yolk, stirring with a whisk.  Brush half of yolk mixture over the loaf.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Repeat with the remaining egg yolk mixture.  Bake for 30 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped.  Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.  Mmmm...!

This recipe is from Cooking Light, so the recipe has already been lightened.  I have cut a tad more fat and cholesterol in the recipe by using 2 egg whites, along with 2 whole eggs.  This does not compromise the taste or texture of the bread. 

Delicious!

Somewhere Over The Rainbow Cupcakes

These are the best little rainbows you'll ever eat! They're worth the effort and are a lot of fun to make. They're definitely worth their weight in gold!!

Makes 2 dozen

The Recipe

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour                 2 1/4 cups sugar

2 t. baking powder                                        1/2 t. vanilla extract

1 t. salt                                                        1 cup skim milk

1 stick unsalted butter                                   8 large egg whites

1 cup unsweetened applesauce                       food coloring~red,
                                                                    yellow, green and blue       

     
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with white paper liners.  Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt (I love to use Redmond Realsalt sea salt, found at Target or your local health food store).  Set aside.

In a separate medium size bowl, beat together the butter (I like to use natural and organic unsalted butter, such as Tillamook-found at Walmart, and Archer Farms-found at Target), applesauce and 2 cups sugar (I like to use organic Florida Crystals brand sugar, found at Walmart), until light and fluffy.  Mix in the vanilla extract.  Add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; mix until just combined.  Set aside.

In another clean medium size bowl, beat egg whites on low speed until foamy.  With the mixer on, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form.  Do not over beat.  Gently fold a third of the egg-white mixture into the cupcake batter mixture until combined.  Gently fold in the remaining egg whites.

Divide the batter by 1/2 cups into 6 separate bowls.  Add food coloring in each bowl making the colors of the rainbow-red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.

With a small cookie scoop, scoop a half-scoop of purple batter into the bottom of each muffin liner.  Rinse scoop, add blue on top of purple...green on top of blue...yellow on top of green...orange on top of yellow...red on top of orange, rinsing the scoop before each new color is added.  Liners should be about 3/4 full.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, and until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.  Move cupcakes to a cooling rack.

White Cloud Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup skim milk

1 T. natural or organic unsalted butter, softened

2 t. almond extract

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl, adding extra powdered sugar until desired consistency.  Frost each Rainbow with White Cloud Frosting.

Keep an eye on your pot of gold while eating this treat, leprechauns are very aware of how distractingly yummy these are!

My two-year old daughter, excited to eat her first rainbow!

Scrumptious Confetti Popcorn Treats

These scrumptious little goodies are perfect for a party snack or a tea party hosted by the little princesses in your life.  Each time I make these, they are eaten up very quickly-daintily, of course!

The Recipe

1 bag microwave butter popcorn

(I like to use 2 small bags of 100 calorie popcorn)

1/2 bag small marshmallows

sprinkles

Microwave the popcorn according to the package directions.  When popped, transfer to a medium size mixing bowl.  In a separate microwave safe bowl, melt marshmallows for about 1 1/2 minutes.  Spray rubber scraper with cooking spray and pour marshmallow mixture over popped popcorn and mix thoroughly, but gently.  Spread popcorn mixture onto a flat surface (such as a sprayed casserole dish or cookie sheet).  Sprinkle the sprinkles over the popcorn mixture and let set, about 10 minutes.  Pull apart and enjoy! (And yes, before typing out this recipe I've had several bite size yummies, myself.)

Smart Little Cookie Tip:

Be creative, use any topping your heart desires, especially for holidays or themed parties.  You could use colored sugar sprinkles, oreo bits, peanut butter cup bits (found in the ice cream topping aisle of your local grocery store), you could also mix in nuts, chocolate chips, etc., etc...the possibilities are as endless as the rainbow!  

Happy Munching!