Pumpkin Bites

This is a recipe I adapted slightly from the Healthy Snack to Go book by Katie Kimball. My kids love them and we have even made it as our Halloween pumpkin pie during GAPS intro.

Pumpkin Bites
8 eggs
2 cups pumpkin
4 tsp cinnimon
1 tsp nutmeg
1-4 tbs honey or maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350F. Whisk or blend together all ingredients with an electric mixer, blender, or strong arm. Pour the mixture in to a greased 9x12 pan. Bake for 30-40 min. They are done when the center is set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before slicing into little squares. Store in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. They can also be frozen.

Options
Use butternut squash or other pureed winter squash for the pumpkin (carrots or sweet potatoes might work as well).
Use any pumpkin spice you may like instead of the cinnamon and nutmeg
We have made it without any sweetener or spices during intro.
Add butter, whip cream, or yogurt as a topping.

Meringues

I always have these in the pantry! They are super easy and the flavor combinations are endless. When we use egg yolks we freeze our whites in sets of 6 in small containers. When we want to make meringues we take out a container of yolks, they defrost on the counter in about an hour.

Meringues
6 Egg whites
Pinch of  salt
1 tbs - 1/4 Cup honey or maple syrup
1 Tbsp Vanilla

Beat the egg whites and salt with the whisk attachment on a stand mixer, until they form stiff peaks.  Add the honey and vanilla and beat until well mixed.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a spoon or pastry bag to put mounds of meringue on the baking sheets. Put both sheets in the oven. Bake in preheated oven at 170º-200ºF for 2 hours*. Rotate the baking sheets after 1 hour. 

*Use the lowest temperature setting your oven will do. The higher the temp the quicker they will cook or burn. Check on the meringues after 1 ½ hrs. They should be crispy and slightly browned. Very large meringues may take 3-4 hours or more.

Options

-¾ tsp cream of tarter

-3 Tbsp arrowroot powder

-Replace part or all of the vanilla with almond, peppermint or other extract

-Sprinkle with crushed chocolate, peppermint, or toffee before baking

-1-2 tsp pumpkin pie, apple pie, or gingerbread spice

- 3-4 tbs of lemon and 2 tbs poppy seeds

- 3-4 tbs of lime juice and 1 cup finely shredded coconut

- 2 tbs cocoa powder

- 3-4 tbs orange juice and the seeds from 1 vanilla bean

Creme Eggs

I love the Cadbury creme eggs they have always been one of my favorite parts of Easter. Knowing all I know now though with the artificial colors and flavors in them I no longer want to buy them or let the kids eat them. So this year I decided to make my own since I can make candy corn and conversation hearts I knew I could figure out creme eggs. 
I made these without any added colors, I always use natural food dyes for my sweets but for these I wanted to try for dye free. Making them without colors required me to make 2 types of fillings both are delicious on their own but putting them together makes the classic white and yellow look. If you want to you could just make the white filling and take some out to color yellow instead of making the second filling. 
These can be made 2 ways either in molds or on sticks. I like the molds but the sticks are fun too. Any egg mold will do I found some plastic ones at Hobby Lobby for $2 each, I think they are intended for peanut butter filled eggs. With this recipe I was able to make 40 of the eggs.

Here are the recipes for the fillings and the chocolate followed by my instructions for making eggs. There seems to be a lot of instructions but they are actually quite easy to put together.

Thick Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar

¼ cup water

Over low heat in a small saucepan heat the sugar and water stirring constantly. Remove from heat once the sugar is dissolved. 

Agave nectar, honey, or maple syrup can be used in place of the simple syrup remember each adds its own flavor to the filling.

Yellow Custard Filling
¼ cup butter
¼ cup heavy cream
1-4 tbs thick simple syrup
1 egg yolk
½ tsp vanilla
Pinch salt (optional)

In a medium saucepan heat the butter, cream, and simple syrup over low heat stirring until the butter is completely melted. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in egg yolk*. Continue to whisk and place it back on the heat cook over medium-low heat until mixture coats the back of a spoon this will take about 3-5 min. You can till it is done if you run your finger over the back of the spoon and it leaves a trail. Remove from heat and add the vanilla and salt.Stir well to thoroughly mix. Allow to cool slightly then place in a covered bowl and place in the fridge.

*If the custard starts to get little piece of cooked egg in it immediately pull from the heat and strain the mixture. It will still work just fine.

White Crème Filling

½ cup thick simple syrup

¼ cup butter softened to room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon salt

3 cups powdered sugar

With a mixer cream together the simple syrup, butter, salt and vanilla. Sift in the powdered sugar. Slowly beat the sugar into the butter mixture 1/2 cup at a time until fully incorporated. Place in a covered bowl and refrigerate.

Chocolate Egg Coating

2 cups of chocolate chips

You can use any chocolate chips you like, milk, semi sweet, dark or a combination of chips.

Using a double boiler melt the chocolate over med heat. Stirring the chocolate as it melts till smooth. Remove the double boiler from the heat. If the chocolate starts to harden or gets thick you can easily warm it back up.

Putting together the eggs

Using a mold

Make the fillings and place them in fridge to firm up for 10-20 min. While the fillings are hardening melt the chocolate and use it to paint the insides of the molds. Remember to be sure to put a thin layer around all sides. Place the molds in the fridge for 5 min until they harden. 

Next you need to fill the molds. This is the method that worked best for me. I also tried pipping the filling into the eggs but I kept overflowing the eggs. With a little more practice the piping might work just as well. 


Take the molds and the yellow filling out of the fridge. Place a small amount of the yellow custard in each mold. I filled about 1/4 - 1/3 of the mold with the scoop of yellow custard. 
Next take out the creme filling. Working quickly, so the filling does not get to warm and sticky, scoop out a small amount of creme filling, just enough to fill in the rest of the mold. If the fillings start to get sticky place it back in the fridge for 5 min to harden up. The filling is very easy to work with when it is cold but next to impossible to work with when it is warm.

Flatten out the creme slightly and place it in the mold pressing down lightly so it fills the entire mold. Once the molds are filled place them back in the fridge. while you warm the chocolate back up.

Reheat the chocolate and paint a thin layer of chocolate on each mold completely covering the filling. Place the molds in the freezer for 5 min to firm up and make removing from the mold easier. 
When ready gently push on the top of the molds to get the eggs to pop out. Store what ever you do not eat immediately in a lidded container in the fridge. They will also do fine sitting out on the counter unless the room is quite warm. Just like chocolate chips they will soften if the temperature is to high.

On a stick

Make the fillings and place them in fridge to firm up for 20 min. Remember to take out the fillings (as needed) and work quickly, so the filling does not get to warm and sticky. If the fillings do start to get sticky place them back in the fridge for 5 min to firm up before continuing.

Start by making small balls of the custard and placing them on a parchment paper lined try. Then place the trays in the fridge.

Next take out the creme filling and make flat circles with it. The circle need to be large enough that you can wrap it around the custard balls you made. Place the circles on a parchment paper lined tray and then in the fridge to firm up before continuing. 

After about 5 min take out both of the fillings and place the ball of custard in the middle of the crème circles. Place a stick in the custard and fold up the crème around the custard and stick. Smooth the creme into a ball or egg shape they look best if you can make them slightly smaller at the top and a bit rounder at the bottom. Place each egg on the parchment paper lined tray. Then place them in the freezer so they get really firm for dipping.

While the fillings are freezing melt the chocolate. Take out the fillings and carefully dip each in the chocolate fully covering them. You may need to smooth the chocolate around all sides of the eggs or use a spoon to pour chocolate over the eggs so they are fully covered. Make sure you are only putting on a thin layer of chocolate or it will drip everywhere. Place them back on the parchment paper or stick the bottom of the sticks into a Styrofoam block so the sides are not flattened while they dry. After dipping place them back in the fridge to harden.

Ice Cream and Sourdough ebooks

I recently bought 2 ebooks which I am loving.
The first was Sourdough from A to Z it was written as part of the GNOWFGLINS ecourse on sourdough. I did not want to do the ecourse so I just bought the book which I have been reading through and making recipes from. It is really the best resource I have found for sourdough, or at least for nourishing wholegrain sourdough. It is wonderful to have a whole book where I do not have to tweak the recipes to use more nourishing ingredients.

We love to make ice cream and the book Just Making Ice Cream is a perfect fit for our family. The recipes are full of nourishing ingredients and we can not wait to make our way through them all.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Sometimes I like to add a little cream cheese frosting to my veggie drops or my veggie bread. It makes them seem like a decadent treat! Leftover cream cheese frosting is delicious on graham crackers. This could also be used to top a carrot cake you just would have to increase the recipe.

Cream Cheese Frosting
¼ cup cream cheese
¼ cup powdered sugar
¼ tsp vanilla.
Mix all ingredients together until well blended using a stand or hand mixer. Beat until the frosting is smooth and a bit fluffy.

Valentines Conversation Hearts

Here is another special holiday recipe. Just like candy corn at Halloween growing up conversation hearts were Valentines Day. These hearts are vegan if you use the agar and agave, unlike the store bought ones which contain gelatin and by using natural food dyes and organic flavorings they are chemical free! They also taste so much better then the chalky hearts you find at the store.

Candy Hearts

2 tbs agar flakes or 2 tsp agar powder*

3/4 cup water

2 tsp agave or honey
9 cups powdered sugar

Flavor extracts*

Food Colors

Extra Powdered Sugar

Heat water, agar, and honey in a pan over low heat till agar is dissolved. Be sure to watch closely and stir constantly add extra water 2-3 tbs at a time if needed. Be sure to stir the mixture close to constantly you do not want it to burn. Beat together the agar mixture and 1 cup powdered sugar in a stand mixer. Add another cup of sugar mix until incorporated. Continue adding sugar 1 cup at a time mixing well after each addition and periodically scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl. Continue to add sugar until a stiff dough forms you may not need all of the 9 cups of sugar before the stiff dough forms but you should use most of it. If the dough stiffens up too soon you may need to add up to 1/4 cup more water in order to incorporate more sugar into the dough.

Dust a work surface with sugar. Place the dough on the work surface and knead dough until satiny and not sticky anymore. Divide the dough and add colors and flavors. About ⅛ -¼ tsp flavoring and 4-5 drops of color for each section of dough. Knead in the color until evenly distributed, this takes quite a bit of work since the dough is very stiff. I knead, roll, and rub the dough until the color is even. If the dough feels very dry dip your fingertips in water and place a few drops at a time on the dough. It will get sticky very easily if it gets too sticky add more powdered sugar.

Dust the work surface with more sugar and roll out to desired thickness between ¼ -1 inch. For smaller hearts the dough should be rolled thick for bigger hearts roll the dough thinner. Cut out desired shapes and place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Cover with a towel and let dry for at least 24 hrs.I like the flip my hearts about halfway though drying time to evenly dry out both sides.If you can wait even longer they get more crunchy each day. I think they were completely dry all the way through by day 4 but then there was only a few left by then!

Messages can be written on the hearts with a little bit of food coloring and a toothpick. Be sure to wait until the hearts are completely dry before writing on them or else the dye will run.

*Flavors we used in our hearts
Lemon
Orange
Vanilla
Almond
Peppermint

If you would rather use gelatin replace the agar with 2 tsp gelatin, decrease the water to 1/2 cup and increase the sugar to 11 cups.

Candy Corn

For the last 3 years we have been making our own candy corn. Conventional candy corn is often filled with chemical dyes, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, and gelatin all things we avoid in our house. Although it is quite a process to make candy corn (the shaping and cutting is the longest part) it is well worth it. I must say it tastes so much better then store bought and it has the added bonus of not having any nasty chemicals.
Next year I think I am going to increase the honey and decrease the agave (which is really just a very processed sugar just like corn syrup). 

Candy Corn

2 1/3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

Pinch of salt

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup agave nectar or corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla
5 tbs butter

1 cup sugar –the candy corn base will turn out the color of the sugar

Use white sugar for a real white base, turbinado sugar for a slightly off white base, and rapadura sugar for a brown base.

Natural food coloring

Sift together the powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.

In a saucepan combine the agave, honey, vanilla, butter, and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat to medium and continue to boil for 5 min, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Add the sugar/cornstarch mixture to the agave/honey mixture. Mix well until fully incorporated a whisk works well. 

Let sit for 20 minutes or until slightly warm and easy to handle.

Place the dough on a large sheet of wax paper or other nonstick surface.

Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Add food coloring to one section of dough at a time. Kneading the dough to work in the color until it is evenly distributed and the dough is smooth. Repeat with the other 2 pieces. If leaving a section white knead it until it is smooth but do not add any color.

Most Halloween candy corn is white, orange, and yellow but you can use any colors you like. 

Roll the dough into long ropes, dividing them as needed so the ropes are easy to handle.

Line up the dough with the other colors and gently squeeze them together to form a long rectangle.

Using a sharp knife cut the rectangle into triangles. The tips will alternate colors.

Smooth out the edges and dust or roll in cornstarch to make them a bit less sticky.

Lay them out in a single layer on a surface lightly dusted with cornstarch. If possible let them sit for 24 hours to dry out. Not many of mine ever make it this long! 

*The dough can be used to make any shape you want- Try making little orange pumpkins out of the dough or just break off little pieces and roll them in to a ball for a much quicker way to make little candies.

Nut Butter Drops

We make lots of drops around here. They are perfectly sized for snacks, freeze great, and travel well plus the kids love them. I have made these with almond butter, cashew butter, peanut butter and sunflower butter.

Nut Butter Drops

¼ cup butter 

¾ cup rapadura sugar or brown sugar

½ cup nut butter
2 eggs 
1 tsp vanilla

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

½ cup all purpose flour  

¾ cup whole wheat flour 

2 tsp baking powder  

2 cups rolled oats

Optional Additions

½ cup chocolate chips

½ cup coconut flakes

½ cup dried fruit

Preheat oven 375°. In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar with a stand or hand mixer. Add nut butter mix until well blended. Beat in eggs one at a time then add the vanilla and applesauce. Mix together the flours and baking powder in a separate bowl and then slowly add to the butter mixture. Stir in oats and any desired additions. Scoop tablespoon size drops onto baking sheet or stone. Bake at 375° for 10-12 min. until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack, serve slightly warm, store in an airtight container for 3-5 days, or freeze for later use. 

Veggie Bread

I made this last week for our trip to Alabama. We used walnuts and cocoa powder this time and called it chocolate bread! It freezes wonderful and thaws quickly.

Veggie Bread
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup applesauce, oil, or softened butter- any combination will work as well
3 cups shredded veggies such ass zucchini, squash, or carrots
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Optional Additions
1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans
1/2 to 1 cup dried fruit such as cranberries, current, or raisins
2 tbs cocoa powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Beat together the eggs, sugar, applesauce or oil until well blended add the veggies, and vanilla and mix thoroughly. In a seperate bowl mix together the flours, salt, baking soda, spices, and cocoa powder if using. Slowly add the flour mixture to the veggie mixture one cup at a time until blended. Stir in any nuts, fruits, or chips. Pour into 2 loaf pans or 4 mini loaf pans. Bake at 350º for 50-60 min.

Serving Ideas
For Breakfast or snack make the bread with nuts and chocolate chips. Cut the bread in slices and using peanut butter and sliced bananas make sandwiches.

For dessert make the bread using the cocoa powder and nuts. Cut the bread into slices top each slice with a small amount of homemade whip cream.

Top with cream cheese frosting for a yummy treat!

Ice Cream Sandwiches

We have a rule at our house that we do not buy sweets if we want a sugar treat/dessert we must make it our selves. So this summer the kids asked for ice cream sandwiches and I was happy to help them make some. These are absolutely delicious and can be made as big or small as you would like. They take a bit of time and are fairly messy but well worth it in the end. We ended up with about 20 of them which I think is just enough to last us most of the summer.

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup salt
2 cups all purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and the sugar. Beat in the eggs and then the vanilla. In a separate bowl mix together the cocoa powder, flour, and salt. Slowly beat into the butter mixture. Beat until well combined gather into a ball cover and refrigerate about 1 hour.
Roll out the dough onto a well floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Using the shape cutter from an ice cream sandwich mold* cut out and even number of shapes. Be sure to ave a top and bottom for each sandwich.
Place the cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 8 min at 375º. As I took the hot cookies off of the baking sheet I gently pressed the shape cutter back over them to be sure they were still the correct shape. Some needed a little trimming before cooling and I put the mold impression on half the cookies before they cooled. Allow the cookies to cool completely.

Putting together the sandwiches
This is where I am happy I had the molds. Using very slightly softened ice cream, it must not be too hard or too soft or you will end up with a big mess, follow the mold instructions to put together the cookies. Place them in a single layer on a freezer tray and freeze till solid. I put the tray in the freezer and the ice cream in a large bowl filled with ice. Each time I made a sandwich I would put it on the tray in the freezer. This way nothing melted during the process.

*We used some Tovolo Ice Cream Sandwich Molds to create ours. I am not one for using many fancy gadgets but these made the sandwich making quite easy and I would recommend them to any one making these. The recipe for the molds came with a brownie type cookie but I like these better. They took a bit more work but I think it was well worth it since I like a crunch in my Ice cream Sandwich.

Ice Cream

We love ice cream! Growing up my family made homemade ice cream at every holiday and family gathering. It is so much tastier then the store bought and very easy especially if you have and ice cream maker. With a good base the possibilities of flavor combinations are endless. Here is the basic ice cream we make it Philadelphia Style because It is delicious and a bit easier then making an egg custard ice cream. When we add egg yolks to the ice cream we do not cook them. We believe, after much research, that when properly handled fresh farm eggs (not the store bought junk eggs) are safe for raw consumption.

Basic Vanilla
1 cup milk
2 tbs- 2/3 cup sweetener
2 cups heavy cream
dash of salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract

In a small sauce pan stir the milk and sugar over low heat until the sugar dissolves. In a large bowl mix together the cream, salt, and vanilla. Add the milk mixture to the cream stir till combined, cover and refrigerated for 1 hour. Place in ice cream maker following manufactures instructions. Makes about 4 cups ice cream.

Options
-Add 3-6 egg yolks to the cream mixture for added vitamins, protein, and nutrition.
-Use sugar, maple syrup, or honey as the sweetener.
-Replace the milk and cream with a combination of yogurt, sour cream, and or dairy kefir, the more cream in the mix the richer the ice cream. 
-Replace milk and cream with non dairy substitute which as nut milk or coconut milk/cream.

Flavor Ideas
Chocolate- Add 1/2 cup cocoa powder and up to 1/4 cup more sugar to the milk before heating.

Peppermint- Replace the vanilla with 1 tsp peppermint extract and add 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy to the ice cream following manufactures directions.


Pumpkin- add 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp nutmeg to the cream before refrigerating.


Fruit- Instead of vanilla extract add 1 1/2 cups of mashed fruit or 1 cup of pureed fruit. Some good options are berries, peaches, plums, even melons will work. Depending on the sweetness of the fruit more or less sugar may be needed.

Mint/Basil- Add 1/3 cup fresh basil or mint leaves to the milk and sugar before heating. Let cool and blend until smooth before adding to the cream mixture. Add 1/4 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate to the ice cream following manufactures instructions on the ice cream maker.

Monkey Ice

In my constant effort to create healthier desserts for my kids I found a banana ice cream recipe. Really just pureed frozen bananas but it had lots of good reviews. I added a few mix ins and created what we call Monkey Ice. Soft bananas are perfect for this recipe. So when you have one or two bananas that get soft before you get a chance to eat them just cut them up and place them in a freezer container. When you are ready to make Monkey Ice they are ready for you.

Monkey Ice
4-5 cut up frozen bananas
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts

Set the bananas out for about 5-10 min. Place all ingredients in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Place the puree in a freezer container. Serve immediately or freeze. I am not sure how long it will keep in the freezer ours never makes it more then a week.

Squash Drops

I made a Butternut Squash Risotto the other night and had left over cooked butternut squash. I decided to puree it and try making a drop recipe with it. They turned out wonderful and my kids are begging for more. 

I recently made this again but this time I used pumpkin puree and added 1/4 tsp ground cloves they were delicious!

Squash Drops

1 cup Butternut Squash or Pumpkin Puree

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup rapadura sugar or granulated cane sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

Optional Additions

½ cup chopped nuts
½ cup chocolate chips

⅛ tsp ground cloves (add with the rest of the spices)

Blend together the puree, applesauce, and sugar using a stand or hand mixer. Add the rest of the ingredents except the flours and mix until well blended. Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time until completely mixed in. Depending on how liquid the puree was you may need to add up to 1/4 cup more of each flour for a total of 1/2 cup more flour. Stir in and desired additions. Scoop tablespoon sized drops on to a baking stone. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 for 10-12 min. Cool on a wire rack, serve slightly warm, store in an airtight container for 3-5 days, or freeze for later use.

Banana Cake

Last night we made a delicious banana cake with chocolate frosting. It also made a wonderful breakfast:)

Banana Cake
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 ripe bananas mashed
3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Grease and flour two round baking pans. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With an electric mixer beat together bananas, buttermilk, butter, and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture till combined. Add eggs and beaton medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour the batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Cool in cake pans for 10 minutes then remove from pans and cool completely before frosting.

Apple Oat Drops

Currently these are one of my son's favorites. As with my carrot drops I scoop out all of the dough and then freeze the uncooked dough. When it is frozen I put all the uncooked cookies in a freezer container. I then take them out and bake as needed. 

They also work great if you cook them and then freeze them just pull them out and let them defrost in the fridge.

Apple Oat Drops

1/3 cup butter

2/3 cup rapadura sugar or brown sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp baking soda

1 egg

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

1 1/3 cup all purpose Flour

1/3 cup whole wheat Flour

1 ¼ cup rolled oats 

Optional Additions

½ cup dried fruit
½ cup chopped nuts
½ cup chocolate chips

Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl using either a stand or hand mixer. Beat in the egg and applesauce until well blended. Mix together the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Then slowly mix flour mixture into the butter mixture until well blended. Stir in the oats and any additions you like. Place tablespoon size scoops on a baking stone and bake at 375° for 10-12 min. Cool on a wire rack, serve slightly warm, store in an airtight container for 3-5 days, or freeze for later use.

Veggie Drops

My kids love these as a snack. Sometimes I add a small amount of cream cheese frosting for an extra treat. When making these often I scoop out all the dough and then freeze the uncooked dough. When it is frozen I put all the uncooked cookies in a freezer container. I then take them out and bake as needed. They can also be cooked and then frozen just let them defrost in the fridge when you are ready.

Veggie Drops

½ cup butter
¾ cup rapadura sugar or granulated cane sugar
1 egg
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 ⅓ cups all purpose flour
1 ⅓ cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
2 cups grated veggies*

Optional Additions

½ cup chopped nuts
½ cup chocolate chips

 

Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with a stand or hand mixer. Beat in the egg and applesauce until well blended. Mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a separate bowl. Alternatively mix butter mixture and carrots into the flour mixture. Beat until well mixed. Scoop tablespoon size drops onto a baking stone or sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 375° for 12-15 min until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack, serve slightly warm, store in an airtight container for 3-5 days, or freeze for later use.

*Some good veggies to try

Carrots

Parsnips

Summer Squash

Rutabaga

Zucchini

Chocolate Layer Cheesecake

This is one of my favorite desserts for gatherings. It is a combination of three different recipes that I combined into a wonderfully rich dessert.

Chocolate Layer Cheesecake

1-1/2 cups crushed chocolate gram crackers

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

3 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup Sour Cream

3 eggs

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350°F if using a 9-in. silver springform pan (or to 325°F if using a 9-in. dark nonstick springform pan.) Combine crumbs and butter. Press firmly onto bottom of pan.

Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended.

Remove 1 cup of the batter to small bowl; stir in cocoa. Pour into crust; top with remaining plain batter.

Bake 45 to 50 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around side of pan to loosen cake. Cool completely.

Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan on low heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until completely melted. Cool slightly. Pour over cheesecake. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. Remove side of pan before serving. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

For the leaves I melted white chocolate and colored it with food coloring. Then I poured it on to wax paper when it had cooled a little I used a knife to cut out leaf shapes a small cookie cutter would also work. I then let the chocolate cool completely before putting them on the cake.