Sugar Free dessert #1

This is from the cook book "I can't believe this has no sugar" cookbook by Deborah E. Buhr ISBN # 0-312-04330-9
I'll continue to post the handful of recipes, I'm trying to satisfy my sweet tooth :D Keep posted!

We've had this cookbook as long as I can remember. probably from one of my Mom's DI finds. I used it a lot growing up for it's pie crust recipe, which uses wheat germ. When I do it right and don't mess it up, it makes the crust really flaky and light; since it does not use butter or lard.

Milk chocolate cake:
2C. frozen dark sweet cherries
2-4 tbs water
2 extra large eggs
1/3 C. vegetable oil
1/4 C. unsweetened grape juice concentrate
1/4 C. unsweetened pineapple juice concentrate
4 tbs powdered milk
1 & 1/3 C. flour
1/4 C. unsweetened carob or cocoa powder
1 & 1/4 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 325 F. oil and flour a 9x9 baking pan ( I used a 9" round pan)

Puree frozen cherries and water in a blender. blend till mixture turns and folds when blender is on. Place puree in a small strainer over a bowl and let it drain for 10 min, stirring occasionally. Pour pulp remaining in strainer into a measuring cup and add enough of the juice to make 3/4 C. of pulp and juice ( I blended it until it started to just fold in on it's self and since it wouldn't separate I just added it to the batter as is.)
In a large bowl, combine 3/4 C. cherry pulp and juice , eggs, oil, juice concentrates, and dry milk. Mix with a hand mixer for 30 seconds. Add the 1 &1/3 C. flour and cocoa and mix well. Stir in baking soda quickly with 28-30 beats and immediately pour mixture in prepared baking pan.
Bake about 31 minutes or until inserted knife in center of cake come out clean.
Remove pan from oven and place on wire rack until cake is completely cooled. To store use an airtight container and keep in fridge or freezer.


Chocolate Date Sugar Frosting:( I double the recipe to cover the whole cake,)
1 oz baker's all natural unsweetened chocolate ( I used unsweetened carob chips)
1 tbs vegetable oil
5 tbs water
1/2 C. date sugar (can be found at health food stores)

In a small sauce pan, melt chocolate/carob, oil and water over medium heat until all smooth.
Reduce heat to low, add date sugar, and cook, stirring for 2-2.5 minutes..
Remove from heat and continue to stir mixture for 1-2 mintues
Spread frosting on cooled cake.

The Crock Pot Lady

last year we had the Crock Pot Lady a.k.a Carol Patterson come and give a presentation on cooking with crock pots. Here are the notes that were taken from Bev Nowak.

Crock pot cooking is for multi task-ers its time, cost and energy efficient...in other words easy!

To test your crock pot fill it 3/4 way full of water and place on high. After four hours test the tempeture with a instant read thermometer..it should read 180 degrees. If not its time to replace the crock pot!

Do not cook on high as it defeats the purpose (most cookers have two settings)

High tempetures cook at about 300 degrees

Low tempetures cook at about 200 degrees

Always cook with frozen meat because it tastes better. If you start in the evening to cook make sure you check it in the morning. I meat is starting to tender turn it to warm temperature

For stew meat buy in large chunks and cut into bite size to save money.

Never add water to a crock pot unless the recipe states differently

When layering a dinner always put the root vegetables in the bottom with the frozen meat second.

Bev Nowak suggest the following tips from her files..

1. Before adding ingredients, spray non stick coating inside the slow cooker for quicker cleaning.

2. Tempetures vary on slow cookers, generally, 1 hour on high is equal to 2.5 hours on low.

3. Cooker should be at least half full. but no more than 3/4 full for food to cook properly.

4. Place foods that take longer to cook (meats, carrots, potatoes and other root veggies) near the bottom of the cooker.

5. Large pieces of meat should be cooked on hight for at least the first hour and then low to prevent bacteria from growing.

6. Ground Beef should be browned and drained before adding to a slow cooker

7. Frozen meat can be used in a slow cooker. Just add 2 hours to the cooking time for high heat and 4-6 hours for low heat.

8. To prevent curdling of dairy products, add milk, cream, sour cream and cream cheese during the last hour of cooking (evaporated milk will not curdle and can be used as a substitute)

9. Lifting the lid lengthens the cooking time sometimes as much as 1 hour.

10. Cool ceramic insert before cleaning. Do not submerge electrical base in water.

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Three Ingredient Recipes

Chicken breast with cream of chicken soup PLUS one can chicken gravy (canned preferred) and 1 can mixed canned veggies drained

Roasts: chuck, round bone or any inexpensive cut works the best

2 cans golden mushroom soup or 2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 pkg. lipton's dry onion soup mix

sprinkle over frozen meant and add the can of soup undiluted.

Try using your favorite meat loaf recipe: To cook a meat loaf in a crock pot form the meat into a "veggie steamer" and cook for 6 hours. The holes and the legs of the veggie steamer will keep the grease away from the meat. Form an indention all around the meat so the sauce will not run off during cooking. Sauce can also be added towards the end.

Bev Nowak's recipe for meat loaf sauce

3 Tbs brown sugar

1/4 C. Ketchup

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. dry mustard

Combine all together. I add the sauce the last ten minutes or put in a dish to serve with the loaf.

Baked potatoes in a crock pot: 4 Baked potatoes - wash dray and rub with canola oil, it adds a nice flavor to the skin. Stand teepee style so the potatoes dosen't rest on the side of the crock pot. Cook six hours

Caramel or chocolate sauce

Makes two cups

1/3 C. cream

1/3 C. butter

1 C. brown sugar

2 Tbsp light Karo syrup

Mix together in a sauce pan and bring to a boil on the stove. remove and serve

For chocolate add 6 oz. chocolate chips to the above recipe or even the whole bag!

Soup's On!!

Taco Soup From Julie Adolphson

6 C. water
1 lb. ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 garlic minced
2 Lg. cans tomato sauce
2 Lg. cans diced tomatoes
2 cans mexi corn
2 cans chopped green chilies
2 Lg. cans drained kidney beans
2 pkgs. taco seasoning

Brown the hamburger, onion and garlic, combine all the ingredients in a pot and cook to a heavy boil. Serve with sour cream, cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.

Corn Chowder from Darlene Thomas

2 sticks of celery, sliced thin
1/2 medium onion, chopped finely
4 medium potatoes cut into small pieces
10 C. milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 Lg. can of corn
seasonings

Boil the celery, onions and potatoes together until tender, in just enough water to cover. Add remaining ingredients and reheat (add milk powder to make it creamier) Season to taste ( I use johnnies seasoning salt)
Serve with warm rolls

Try adding bacon bits or browned hamburger for a heartier soup.

Beef Stew from krystel Beyer

2-1/2 Lbs beef
1 16oz bag of carrots cut into chunks
1/3 C. flour
1/3 C. salad oil
1 Lg. onion chopped
1 garlic clove minced
3 C. water
4 beef bullion cubes
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp worestershire sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
5 med. potatoes cut into chunks
1 10oz bag frozen peas

Cut meat into 1/2" chunks place on a wax paper and cover meat with the flour. In a 6 qt. dutch oven over med-high heat, heat oil. Brown meat all over in oil, a few pieces at a time; remove pieces as they brown. Reduce heat to medium. To the drippings left in the pan add onion and garlic, cook 3 min. stirring until onion is almost tender. Stir in reserved flour. Gradually add water, boullion, salt, worcestershire and pepper cook stirring until mixture is slightly thickened Add meat heat to boiling, stirring reducing heat to low; cover; simmer 2-1/2hrs until almost tender, stirring occasionally. Add potato and carrot chunks over med. heat and heat to boiling and reduce to low; cover and simmer for 20 min. Stir in frozen peas and simmer for another 10 min. and serve.

Holiday Recipes

Holiday Jello Dessert from Darlene Thomas

3 C. broken pretzels

1/2 C. melted butter

2 C. cream cheese

2 C. powdered sugar

3 C. whipped cream

1 6oz box of red Jello

1 16oz bag frozen raspberries

1 20 oz can crushed pineapple

9x13 dish or cake pan

Mix pretzels and butter in a baking dish, spread evenly. Bake at 400 for 10 min. and let cool.

Prepare a layer of crea by creaming together the cream cheese and powdered sugar, and then fold in the whipped cream

Drop the cream mixture by spoonfuls evenly over the pretzel layer, and then gently spread until the cream mix completely seals the pretzel layer (there needs to be a barrier between the pretzels and the Jello)

Mix the Jello according the box, and then add the raspberries and pineapple with juices. Gently ladle the fruit and Jello mix evenly over the cream layer

Refrigerate the dessert for 3 hours or until the Jello is set

Baker's Simply Sensational Truffles from H. Powers

2-1/2 pkg. (20 squares) Baker's semi sweet chocolate divided

1 pkg. (8oz) cream cheese, softened

decorations: chopped peanuts, sprinkles

Melt 8 chocolate squares. beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Blend in melted chocolate. Refrigerate until firm

Shape into 36 balls and place on a waxed covered baking sheet. Melt remaining chocolate. use a fork or candy making dipper tools to dip truffles into chocolate. Return to baking sheet, decorate and refrigerate 1 hour

No Bake fudge cookies from Lisa Kyes

2 C. white sugar

2 C. brown sugar

1 C. butter

1 C. milk

2 C. chocolate pieces

4 C. quick cooking oats

1 C. nuts optional

1 C. shredded coconut

Bring sugars, butter and milk to a boil and boil for 2 min. Place other ingredients in a large bowl and pour the hot mixture over them. Mix well. Drop from a spoon onto wax linded cookie sheet. let cool.

Caramels from Anastasia Lott

2 C. white sugar

1 cube butter

14 oz sweetened condensed milk

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 C. nuts optional

Combine everything but the vanilla and nuts in large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, STIRRING CONSTANTLY. Heat to 240 (test with candy thermometer) or until softball stage. (this will take some time) Stir in vanilla and nuts. Pour into a buttered 9x13 pan cool and cut and wrap in wax paper.

Hershey's Best Brownies from Ashley Walker

1/2 C. butter melted

1 C. sugar

1 tsp. vanila

2 eggs

1/2 C. flour

1/3 C. cocoa powder

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 C. chopped nut optional

Heat oven to 350 Grease 9" sq. baking pan. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl

Add eggs; beat well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking poder and salt.

Gradully add to the butter mixture, beating until well blended. stir in nuts and spread into pan.

Bake 20 -25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool ;frost with creamy brownie frosting.

Creamy Brownie Frosting

3 Tbsp. butter, softened

3 Tbsp. powdered cocoa

1 Tbsp light corn syrup or honey

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 C. powdered sugar

1-2 Tbsp. milk

beat butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla. Add powdered sugar and milk; beat to spreading consistency.

Cream Cheese Surprise Cupcakes from Andrea

3 C. flour
2 C. white sugar
1/2 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2/3 C. vegetable oil
2 C. water
2 Tbsp. vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. (8oz) cream cheese
1/2 C. white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 C. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, mix together, 2 C. sugar, cocoa, 1 tsp salt and baking soda. Stir in oil, water vinegar and vanilla until blended. Pour mixture into prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
To make the filling: In a med. bowl, beat together the cream cheese, egg, 1/2 C. sugar and 1/4 tsp until light and fluffy. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop a heaping tsp full of the cream cheese mixture into each cupcake. Bake for 25 min. Allow to cool completely.

Easy Oreo Truffles From Mary Rino

1 pkg. original or mint I like to use double stuffed
1 8oz pkg cream cheese softened
about 2 C. chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk) or special chocolate for candy making
1 spoonful vegetable based crisco

Decorating options
powdered sugar or cocoa
chocolate spinkles
crushed oreos
drizzled white chocolate

To crush Oreos place in a heavy duty plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. In a large bowl mix cookie crumbs with cream cheese and blend until creamy. Using your hands, melon baller or a cookie scoop works better; scoop Oreo blend into 1" round balls onto a waxed paper lined cookie sheet. Chill for 2 hrs.
melt chocolate and crisco in a double boiler or mircowave safe bowl ( I use a small pot with a rimmed glass bowl set just on top of the pot) if using the mircowave melt chocolate in 20 sec. intervals on a low setting stirring after every 20 sec. Watch your temperature carefully as not to burn the chocolate ( burnt chunks in the truffles are no good!)
Using a fork or chocolate dipping tools, or hands submerge chilled balls completely in chocolate and Crisco mix and gently tap off excess chocolate and place again on the waxed paper lined cookie sheet. Top with desired decorations and chill until firm.
Best kept in the fridge for storage.

Pies

Fresh Peach Pie from Julie Adolphson

pastry for a two crust 9" pie

1 C. white flour

1 C. wheat flour

1 scant tsp. salt

3/4 C. shorting

8 Tbs. cold water

Mix flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in shorting throughly. Sprinkle in water one Tbs. at a time, mixing until all flour is moist and dough almost cleans the side of the bowl. Gather dough into two equal balls; shape into two flattened rounds on a flour covered surface. Make circle about 2" larger than pie pan. Fold pastry into quarters then unfold into pie pan. Add desired filling and dot with butter. Fold second crust into quarters and unfold onto top of filling. Flute the crust and trim excess. Bake as directed in recipe.

Peach filling

5-6 C. fresh sliced peaches

1 tsp. lemon juice or more to taste

2/3 - 3/4 C. sugar

1/3 C. flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

3 Tbsp. butter

Heat oven to 425. prepare pastry. Mix teaches and lemon juice. Stir together sugar, flour and cinnamon; mix with peaches. Turn into pastry lined pan; dot with butter. Cover with top crust and cut slits into it, seal and flute. Cover and edge with 2-3" strip of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil last 15 min. of baking. Bake 35-45 min. or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through the top crust slits.

Basic Apple Pie Recipe from Darlene Thomas

double crust dough recipe

2-1/2 C. white flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 C. cold butter, broken into small pieces

5 Tbsp. cold vegetable shorting

8 Tbsp. ice water

Measure the flour, sugar and salt together, stir to combine

Add the chilled butter pieces and shorting to the bowl. Cut them in with a pastry cutter. Don't over mix.

Add the ice water. Mix until the dough holds together (add a bit more water if needed)

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead it together, then divide in half.

Flatter each half into a disk, wrap in saran wrap and chill for at least half an hour

Roll out one of the disks on a lightly floured surface until you have a circle about 12" in diameter.

Put the circle in a 9" pie pan, trimming any extra dough from the edges with a sharp knife. Return it to the fridge until you are ready to make the pie and add your filling

Roll our the second ball of dough and cover top, cut slits in the top and seal and flute edges

Apple Filling

1/3-2/3 C. sugar

1/4 C. flour

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

a pinch of salt

8 med. apples (1 med. apple= about 1 C.)

2 Tbsp. margarine

Heat oven to 425

Peel, core and slice the apples. Try to keep the slices even.

Mix sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl.

Stir in apples and pour into pastry lined pie pan

dot with margarine

Cover with top crust, seal and flute the edges and cut slits in the top.

Bake 40-50 min. or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble.

Buttermilk Pie from Anastasia Lott from the book Lion House Classics
1-1/2 C. sugar
1 C. buttermilk
1/2 C. bisquick
1/3 C. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs

Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased pie pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 min. or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool five min. Serve warm with fresh fruit or caramel sauce and whipped cream

When served warm its very custard-y and if cold it is like spoon bread. Delicious either way

Homemade Bisquick from Anastasia Lott (in parenthesis measurements for bulk supply)
1 C. flour (12 C.)
1-1/2 tsp baking powder (6 Tbsp.)
1/2 tsp. salt (2 Tbsp.)
1 Tbsp. shorting (3/4 C.)

Combine all ingredients and use as a substitution for bisquick. Store in a air tight container or ziploc bags