Recipes

Gluten Free Recipes: Nutella & Peanut Butter Bars

May 12, 2013 - 4 Comments

Nutella and peanut butter bars

I LOVE anything peanut butter and chocolate! Butter Baking has this great treat recipe that includes both, gluten free style! Can’t wait to try it! YUM!

Nutella & Peanut Butter Bars {Gluten Free}

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
6 tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup milk
6 tbsp Nutella
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 cups oats
1 1/2 cup rice crispies
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Line a 8 x 9 inch tray with baking paper.

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, both sugars, cocoa and milk. Place the saucepan over a high heat and bring the mixture to boiling point, continuously stirring. Boil for 90 seconds, still stirring, then remove from heat.

Mix in the Nutella and peanut butter well, then stir in the oats and rice bubbles to coat.

Pour into the lined tray and spread the mixture out evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top.

Place in the freezer for about an hour, until set, then slice up and enjoy. Makes 16 bars.

http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/2013/05/nutella-peanut-butter-bars-gluten-free.html

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Easily transport your delishish baked goods to and from gatherings, parties and family events!

Wilton Recipe Right Square 9 by 9 Inch Covered Pan $7.99

By Jessica

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Filed Under: Awesome, Dessert, Recipes
Tagged With: chocolate treats, gluten free, gluten free recipe, gluten free treats, no bake treat, Nutella, peanut butter, recipe, Recipes

Gluten Free Recipes: Peanut Butter Cookies

May 12, 2013 - Leave a Comment

Peanut Butter Cookies: flour-less & gluten-free, but also delicious!

gluten free peanut butter cookies

So, I went through about 3 jars of peanut butter this week because I wanted to try out a few different flour-less peanut butter cookie recipes. Good thing they are so easy and quick to whip up! I made a few tweaks and tried a few different things, but this is the recipe that I like the best so far. Great texture, great flavor. Gluten-free with ingredients you probably already have!

Peanut Butter Cookies {Gluten-Free}

Yield: 20-24 cookies

Ingredients

1 large egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Topping Ideas:

Reese's Pieces
crushed peanuts
M&Ms

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium or large bowl, lightly whisk the egg. Whisk the sugars and vanilla in with the egg until combined. Set aside to let sugars dissolve a bit.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

Measure out the remaining ingredients. (I like to spray my measuring cup before adding peanut butter.) Stir the peanut butter into the sugar mixture until smooth. Then stir in the salt and baking soda.

Working with about 1 Tbsp of dough for each cookie, place them on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Lightly flatten the balls with the palm of your hand. If using toppings, gently press the toppings onto the top of each cookie.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating half way through. Edges should be set and starting to brown slightly. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes. Transfer to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Results may vary depending on the type of peanut butter you use.

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Recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Quick Family Cookbook and Make and Takes.

peanut butter cookies no flour

If you don’t have one of these handy scoops, you should get one….

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By Melanie

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Filed Under: Awesome, Dessert, Dessert, Gluten Free, Recipes
Tagged With: cookie recipes, cookies, gluten free, gluten free recipe, peanut butter, recipe, Recipes

How To Make Your Strawberries Last Longer!

May 10, 2013 - 29 Comments

Make your strawberries last for weeks instead of days using this tip!

I stocked up on strawberries early last week at WinCo. They have their strawberries on sale for $1.48 for a 2lb package. I saw this tip on making your strawberries last longer (I can’t even remember where now) but I tried it and this bunch of strawberries lasted for almost two WEEKS in the fridge after using this soak on them! It is really easy, all you need are strawberries, vinegar and water! *Note* this will work on any type of berries.

Mix one part vinegar with 10 parts water. I used 5 cups water to 1/2 cup vinegar. The vinegar kills the mold spores that are already growing on the berries so it lengthens the shelf life!

I soaked them for 2 minutes and drained them.

I suppose you could rinse them with water but I didn’t. There was absolutely no hint of a vinegar taste at all!

I washed out the original container and stored them back in it because it has nice ventilation. I am sure you could use any container.

Store them in the refrigerator or a cool location.

Check out our Strawberry recipes:

Joie Stainless Steel Strawberry Huller

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By Kearna

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Filed Under: Awesome, Frugal Living, Recipes, Tips
Tagged With: fresh berries for longer, Frugal tip, Make your strawberries last longer, strawberries, strawberry preservation, strawberry recipes, strawberry sales, using strawberries

Simple Maple-Pecan Scones Recipe

May 5, 2013 - Leave a Comment

maple-pecan scones

Oh my. These scones are amazing. Perfect for brunch or any time, really. I’m pretty sure I could polish off the whole batch in one day. In order to prevent that from happening, I quickly gave some away and my neighbor said they looked like they were from a bakery. Nope, just whipped them up real quick from scratch within 30 minutes…. and you can do it too!

Simple Cream Scones

Yield: 8 wedges

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-in pieces and chilled
1/2 cup currants (optional)
1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until combined. Scatter cold butter pieces over top and pulse until mixture has coarse crumbs and some slightly larger butter lumps remaining, about 12 pulses. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and stir in currants, if desired. Stir in cream until dough begins to form, about 30 seconds.

Empty the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand for about 5-10 seconds, until dough forms a rough ball. Press dough into a 9-inch round pan. Flip dough out onto surface and cut into 8 wedges.

Arrange wedges on prepared baking sheet. Bake until tops are a light golden brown, 12- 15 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway though. Move scones to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cranberry-Orange Scones

Add 1 tsp orange zest to flour mixture with butter and sub 3/4 c dried cranberries for currants.

Maple-Pecan Scones

Omit sugar. Sub 1/2 c coarsely chopped, toasted pecans for currants. Whisk 3 Tbsp maple syrup into cream before adding to flour mixture. For glaze, whisk 6 Tbsp confectioners' sugar and 2 Tbsp maple syrup together. Then drizzle glaze over cooled scones.

Notes

The key to the perfect scone is to handle the dough as little as possible.

http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/2013/05/simple-maple-pecan-scones-recipe.html

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Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen Quick Family Cookbook.

I find that I’m using my food processor a lot lately. Definitely a worthwhile kitchen tool! I also use this whisk all the time. Love it!

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By Melanie

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Filed Under: Awesome, Bread, Breakfast, Recipes
Tagged With: Bread, brunch, recipe, Recipes, scones

Praline French Toast

May 5, 2013 - Leave a Comment

This is easy to make the night before put in the fridge and cook right before you need it!

This would be a great Mother’s Day breakfast or brunch idea!

Praline French Toast

Ingredients

Glaze

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey, maple syrup or corn syrup

Bread

French or Italian bread sliced 1/2" thick, enough to cover the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan

Custard

1 1/2 cups whipping cream, half and half, milk, or fat-free half and half
5 large eggs, or 1 1/4 cups egg substitute
1/2 teaspoon flavor: pralines & cream, eggnog, vanilla-butternut, Amaretto, or your choice; OR 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1) Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan or shallow 2-quart casserole.

2) To make the glaze: Melt the butter in a saucepan, and stir in the brown sugar and syrup. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cooking until the sugar melts. Pour the glaze into the prepared pan, spreading it to the corners.

3) Lay the slices of bread in the pan, atop the glaze. Use baguettes for smaller servings, a fat loaf of Italian bread for larger servings. Leftover/stale bread works well here; kids may prefer softer, sandwich-type bread, which will make softer, smoother French toast. Adults seem to prefer bread with more body.

4) To make the custard, whisk together the cream, half and half, or milk, eggs or egg substitute, the flavor, and the salt. Pour it over the bread in the pan, pressing the bread down into the custard.

5) Cover the pan, and refrigerate overnight, or for up to 24 hours.

6) When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F.

7) Make the topping by stirring together the brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Sprinkle it evenly over the bread.

8) Bake the French toast for 40 to 45 minutes, until it's bubbly and the top is very lightly browned.

9) Remove it from the oven, and allow it to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve individual slices of bread, turning it over on the plate so the syrupy bottom is on top.

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Thanks King Arthur Flour for the recipe and photo!

BonJour Stoneware 9″ x 13″ Rectangular Baker, Chocolate Brown

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By Kearna

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Tagged With: breakfast, brunch, Mother's Day Breakfast recipe, Mother's Day Brunch Recipe, Praline French Toast, recipe

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

May 5, 2013 - Leave a Comment

I LOVE how pink these cupcakes are! The candy lemon wedge and straw are such an easy and cute addition. These would be a great spring or summertime treat for all kinds of occations like Mother’s Day, birthday parties, or even a treat for kids to sell at a lemonade stand!

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 pkg Pillsbury Moist Supreme Pink Lemonade Flavored Premium Cake Mix
1/3 cup Pure Vegetable Oil
1 1/4 cups water
4 large egg whites
2 (16 oz.) containers Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Pink Lemonade Flavored Frosting
Sparkling pink sugar
24 flexible straws (optional, but super cute!
12 candy lemon slices (also optional)

Instructions

1. HEAT oven to 350°. Line 24 muffin cups with paper baking cups.

2. PREPARE cake mix according to package directions using the oil, water and egg whites. Divide evenly among the muffin cups. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from baking pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

3. FILL resealable plastic bag with about half a can of frosting at a time. Make a 1/2-inch cut off one corner of bag. Squeeze frosting in a circular pattern on top of each cupcake. Repeat with remaining frosting until all cupcakes are frosted.

4. SPRINKLE frosting with sparkling sugar. Cut straws 2-inches above flex and 1-inch below flex to make a 3-inch straw. Bend straw; insert into frosting. Cut lemon slices in half. Place at edge of cupcakes.

TIP: Instead of a plastic bag, a decorator bag with a 1/2-inch coupler with no tip added may be used to frost the cupcakes.

http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/2013/05/pink-lemonade-cupcakes.html

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Thanks for the recipe Pillsbury!

32 Count Foil Bake Cups, Light Pink – $1.99

By Jessica

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Tagged With: cupcake, dessert, Mother's Day Recipe, Pink cupcakes, Pink Lemonade Cupcakes, recipe, Recipes, treat

Cinnamon Swirl Bread Recipe

May 5, 2013 - Leave a Comment

cinnamon swirl bread

There are some good recipes for Cinnamon Swirl Bread out there, but I decided that I like the slightly dense crumb of this one because it reminded me of a cinnamon roll. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any raisins or currants to use in my loaf, but it was still good! Definitely tastes great plain or toasted, and was excellent as French Toast! A yummy treat for all of my fellow bread-lovers…

Cinnamon Swirl Bread Recipe

Ingredients

Dough:

3 c (12 3/4 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 c (1 1/2 oz) potato flour, or 1/3 c (3/4 oz) potato flakes
1/4 c (1 1/4 oz) nonfat dry milk
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp (1 1/4 oz) sugar
2 1/2 tsp instant yeast
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick, 2 oz) butter
1 c (8 oz) water

Filling:

1/4 c (1 3/4 oz) sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c (1 1/2 oz) raisins or currants
2 tsp unbleached all-purpose flour
Egg Wash, made from 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tbsp water

Topping:

2 Tbsp (1 oz) butter
2 Tbsp (7/8 oz) sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c (1 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour

Instructions

For the Dough: In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine all dough ingredients, mixing until the dough begins to come away from the sides of the bowl. Knead (about 10 minutes by hand, 5-7 mins by machine) until the dough is smooth and satiny. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set it aside to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled.

For the Filling: Pulse the filling ingredients except egg wash in a food processor.

To Assemble: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface and shape it into a long, narrow rectangle, about 16 x 8 inches. Brush the dough with some of the egg wash (set remainder aside) and pat the filling gently onto the dough. Beginning with a short edge, tightly roll the dough into a log. Pinch the side seam and ends closed and place the loaf in a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan. Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap and let the bread rise for about 1 hour at room temperature, until it's crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan.

For the Topping: In a small bowl or food processor, combine the butter, sugar, cinnamon and flour until the mixture is crumbly.

Brush the top of the loaf with some (or all) of the reserved egg wash and gently press on the topping.

Preheat oven to 350. Bake the bread for about 45 mins, tenting it lightly with foil for the final 15 mins if it appears to be browning too quickly. Remove the loaf from the oven. After about 5 mins, loosen all around the edges of the loaf with a knife, then turn the pan on its side and gently pull it away from the loaf. Some of the topping will fall off, but that is ok. Enjoy!

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toasted cinnamon swirl bread

Recipe from The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion

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By Melanie

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How to Peel and Fry Green Plantains

April 28, 2013 - 2 Comments

Fried Plantains are Platanos at our house.

My husband and I recently had a the opportunity to go to Colombia and visit family. While we were there we had lots of platanos or plantains. I loved them. I have craved them since I came home. I decided I would share my new platanos skills with you and show you how to cook plantains.

Plantains are different than bananas. Plantains and banana look a lot alike. They both grow on a palm type of tree. Plantains are usually bigger and you usually find them green in the grocery store. Plantains have a starchy taste and really are not good when eaten raw. They sweeten as they ripen, but I prefer the green ones.

I hope you enjoy this recipe for your Cinco de Mayo celebrations. My friend from Mexico told me that he likes to wait for the plantains to get sweeter and then cook them then he drizzles sweetened condensed milk or cream on top and eats it more like a dessert rather than a side dish.

plantains