Ari's Menu

Little changes making a big difference.


Heath Bar Fro-yo

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Well, I guess whether or not we had a perfect 85 degree Memorial Day weekend, that is long gone, and summer is here to stay. Although, I’m not. Come Sunday, I will be on a plane to Oregon where I will be spending most of the summer! I get to do theatre in a beautiful location with some of the most amazing people. I cannot wait! But while I’m still here “enjoying” the triple digits, you better believe I am getting my fro yo fill.

Not that I need warm temperatures to eat frozen yogurt. We all know that it’s my weakness in any temperature. But there is something special about the cool treat in the hot weather, especially when it’s made at home.

And can we talk for a second about Heath toffee bits? Is there anything more delicious to put into a cookie, cupcake, bowl of cereal ice cream? They’ve always been one of my favorite additions. I used to make these super unhealthy cookies filled with white and dark chocolate chips, and ridiculous amounts of toffee bits that gave it a slight crunch, and made the whole thing taste like toffee. You should try it sometime. But keep them far away from me, because I will eat the whole batch. Then make more.

It’s okay, I have this bowl of deliciousness to keep me occupied. And it has Greek yogurt, so I can eat it for breakfast, and call it healthy. I love dessert for breakfast. I am totally my mother’s daughter. She never likes to eat her dessert at night. Instead, she saves it, and eats it for breakfast the next morning. She also loved ice cream. And chocolate. She’s basically me, with a New York accent.

Mom, come over and eat fro yo. Okay, actually, it’s all gone (I’m sure you’re shocked), but it honestly is the easiest thing to make ever, and it is basically fool proof. Even I can’t mess it up!

So, I know my house is not Yogurtland. I will never forget the first time I made frozen yogurt for my friends, and they asked me where the toppings were. But, I would say Heath and chocolate are among the best of toppings. And Yogurtland’s sprinkles suck. I love my sprinkles crunchy. I can’t stand a soft sprinkle. Is that weird? Do other people out there have a sprinkle preference?

Rainbow and crunchy. Or pink and crunchy. No chocolate sprinkles. Those are lame, and boring. Apparently, I’m a sprinkle connoisseur. That is because sprinkles go on fro yo (they may not be in the picture, but you better believe they made it onto my bowl), and I am, without a doubt, a fro yo connoisseur. And this fro yo is creamy, filled with delicious vanilla bean (if you’ve never used one, you don’t know what you’re missing!!), and the delicious crunch of one of the best candy bars around.

Heath Bar Fro-yo

yield 12 4oz servings

  • 3 cups nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • 3/4 cup turbinado sugar
  • 1/2 vanilla bean, split length wise
  • 1/3 cup Heath toffee bits
  • 1/3 cup mini dark chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, and sugar. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into the bowl, and combine. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
  2. Freeze according to ice cream maker instructions.
  3. When yogurt is frozen, gently fold in toffee and chocolate chips before serving, or transferring to a container to freeze for later.

Speculoos Cookie Dough Truffles

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Sometimes, you just need to eat raw cookie dough dipped in chocolate.

Okay, at all times I really need raw cookie dough dipped in chocolate. Who am I kidding? But, for some greater good, or something, I surpress my need, and save it for the days where I need a little pick me up.

Like, you know, when you find out you need surgery, and you’re going to miss out on the race you’ve spent the last 3 months training for. Wahhhh. It’s okay though, because these made me feel better. A lot better. Like in Ratatouille when that little rat takes the bite and the fireworks go off around him, and the whole world stops. I heart Pixar.

I would tell you that these are a huge problem. And they are were. I ate them all up. Problem solved. I am so good at solutions. Have a food problem? Here is the solution: Give it to me. Unless it’s strawberries. Or pineapple. Or beets. Yuck. Also, crisco, but is that even food???? It can’t be! It gives me the creeps. Some people I know keep pounds of it in their pantry. I have strange friends. 😉

Anyway, I made 3 kinds of truffles. When you’re indecisive like me, and you can think of a million ways that these truffles could taste good, it would be silly to choose just one. So I made some with fleur de sel (fancy for sea salt–don’t worry, you don’t have to spend $15 on your salt; regular sea salt will do), and I topped some with cinnamon chips, and drizzled white chocolate over the rest. The salted ones were my favorite. Shocking, right?

All I can say is you’re welcome. Or, I’m sorry. Depending on how you take eating a dozen truffles in one sitting….

Speculoos Cookie Dough Truffles

yield 1 1/2-2 dozen truffles

  • 2 tbs light whipped butter
  • 1/2 cup TJ’s Speculoos Cookie Butter (or Biscoff spread, or any other Speculoos spread you prefer)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 2/3 cup dark chocolate, melted
  • optional toppings: fleur de sel, cinnamon chips, white chocolate

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, beat together butter, cookie butter, vanilla and flour until well combined.  Cover and chill for 30min-1 hour.
  2. Roll dough into 1/2 tbs sized balls, and use a fork to dip and fully coat in melted chocolate. Set on parchment paper, and repeat with remaining dough.  Freeze for 1 hour to set, then keep in freezer or refrigerator.

Toppings:

  • If using fleur de sel, or cinnamon chips, top before freezing. Sprinkle fleur de sel on top, or place 2-3 small cinnamon chips into the top.
  • If using white chocolate, wait until set. Melt desired amount of white chocolate and drizzle lightly using a toothpick. Refreeze to set.

Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

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This never happens. We eat a lot of bananas in this house, so they never stick around long enough to make banana bread/muffins/etc.

But I guess one day I got overzealous on my banana buying. Or we got sick of them for a while, because all of the sudden I had more over ripe bananas than I knew what to do with.

Okay, that’s a lie. I knew exactly what to do with them!

Note to self: bananas don’t typically stick around too long. Banana muffins don’t make it through the night.

I always talk about how I love experimenting with cooking for different diets. I won’t ever, ever, ever do an other diet with rules again, unless I develop some medical condition in which it is necessary or I’m going to die, and even then I’d still consider my options. Kidding. Mostly. 😉 I do love trying different things, however, and cooking in different ways. I’ve been dying to find some amazing looking recipe to make Diana some candida baked goods! Soon, soon, soon. But for now, amazing people like Jen that can’t have dairy, can eat delicious muffins (and Jen, I promise I am sending your cookies before I leave for camp!).

I could not get over how soft and moist these muffins were! Honestly, what is the point of butter in a muffin? Bananas and applesauce do the same thing and, in my opinion, like a million times better. I mean, don’t get me wrong…I love butter. It’s sick, really, how much I love butter, but well…now I feel slightly embarrassed because about my last statement, so let’s get back to these muffins which don’t fill my love of butter, but fill my bigger love of baked goods and chocolate. And now I am reminded of how sad I am that there are no longer any left in my house. First world problems people. This means you should make them, and enjoy them for me!

Like, perhaps, while lounging by the pool. 😉

 

Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

yield 1 dozen

  • 2 1/3 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • dash salt
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 3 extra-ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 3/4 cup turbinado sugar + more for sprinkling
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/2 cup non dairy dark chocolate chips (I recommend using the mini size)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tin with paper liners, and spray lightly with nonstick spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat together bananas, vanilla, applesauce, 3/4 cup sugar, and almond milk, until well combined. Slowly, beat in dry ingredients, then fold in chocolate chips.
  4. Evenly divide batter between the 12 muffin tins. Sprinkle an extra pinch of turbinado sugar on the top of each muffin (optional), and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer immediately to wire racks to cool.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

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Want to know what’s special about these cupcakes???

Well for one, they are my first batch that were ordered and SOLD! EEEEEK!!!!

Susan ordered them for her Niece’s graduation party, along with a bunch of candy cups to contribute to my fundraising goal!

So, confession: I was ridiculously nervous about this! Sure, I love to bake and share my recipes, and invite people over to help me not inhale 7 servings of my food enjoy my food with me, but am I really good enough for someone to pay for it??? I honestly still don’t even really consider myself a cook, or a baker, or much of anything, other than someone with a sweet tooth the size of Canada. This was a big and scary step! The good news? They came back to rave reviews!!

Everyone I know goes crazy over chocolate covered strawberries. Me? I don’t like strawberries. Not a bit. However, my taste tester said they were delicious, soft and fluffy with the perfect strawberry flavor. The perfect strawberry flavor for me would be not, but I kind of liked that because it meant I consumed way less batter during the process. The frosting…well that’s an other story. It’s my favorite.

You know what else? I took all of these photos myself! Check out my rude husband taking all the credit with his signature 😉 To be fair, he did help me get everything set up, but then it was all me! I’m learning, and I’m really enjoying getting better at the photography!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

yield approx 2 dozen

For the cupcakes:
adapted from Eat Live Run

  • 3 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • dash salt
  • 1 1/3 cups pureed fresh strawberries (from about 2 cups whole strawberries—puree in a blender until smooth)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • zest from one large lemon
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 3/4 cup turbinado sugar
  • 1/2 cup egg substitute (or 3 more egg whites)
  • 4 egg whites
For the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
barely adapted from How Sweet It Is
  • 3 x 8 oz blocks reduced fat cream cheese (you could also use fat free, I just had red fat on hand)
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 1/2 oz grain sweetened chocolate chips, melted and cooled
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • sprinkles for topping (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake tins, and spray with nonstick spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together pureed strawberries, lemon zest, milk and vanilla. Also set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, beat together applesauce, sugar and egg substitute. Add egg whites one at a time, beating after each, until combined. Alternate between adding the dry ingredients and the wet strawberry ingredients to the sugar mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
  5. Evenly divide batter between prepared cupcake tins (I used a cookie scoop). Bake for 25-27 minutes or until golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer immediately to wire racks to cool completely.
  6. Meanwhile, in a large bowl , beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add vanilla extract.
  7. Add in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating on low speed, followed by cocoa powder.
  8. Increase to medium speed and add melted chocolate. Beat until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl often.
  9. Frost completely cooled cupcakes, then top with sprinkles if desired.

 

Nonfat Brownie Batter Fro Yo

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Friends, it is getting hot in Phoenix. The high today is something gross like 105, and it’s only May. Not a fan.

Okay, let’s be honest for a second–I eat fro yo year round. It could be snowing and I would still want fro yo. In fact, no other dessert really satisfies my craving the way frozen yogurt or gelato does.

And when it’s hot outside, it is even more refreshing. I could eat frozen yogurt for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

In fact, today when I came back all hot and gross from my run, all I wanted to do was eat this for breakfast.

Remember when you were a kid and you had parents to tell you that you weren’t allowed to eat dessert for breakfast? That’s what I need. MOM LOOK! I am actually asking you to tell me what to do! That is a far stretch from my teenage years, right?

All I’m saying is watch out Yogurtology! You may have the best self serve in Phoenix, but I can also serve this myself, and it is creamy, chocolatey and also packs quite a bit of protein! HOW MUCH PROTEIN DOES YOUR YOGURT HAVE YOGURTOLOGY???? HMMMM???? Sorry, I love your yogurt, really. I just really love mine too 😉

Brownie Batter Fro Yo

adapted from my BBFF Nicole

  • 3 cups nonfat Greek yogurt (I used TJ’s vanilla bean)
  • 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
  • 2-3 tbs Splenda
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tbs No Pudge or Reduced Guilt brownie mix (or gluten-free brownie mix if desired)

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl combine yogurt, sugar, Splenda and brownie mix, stirring together until well combined. Chill mixture in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  2. Pour chilled mixture into the bowl of an ice cream maker and freeze according to the ice cream makers instructions.

Orange Chocolate Lava Cookies

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Have you ever had one of those big chocolate oranges? I always thought they were weird, but it turns out orange and chocolate together is brilliant and delicious. I guess those chocolate orange people were right all along 😉

Is it just me, or do things seem fancier when they have a filling? It’s pretty deceptive, really. These are just as easy to make as chocolate chip cookies, but it’s so much more fun to take a bite and have melty, gooey, rich chocolate surprise you in the middle.

Apparently this chocolate was too impatient, and couldn’t wait to be a surprise. Silly chocolate.

I love surprises. Poor Steve…I always tell him “I require a lot of surprises.” Whether it’s coffee, fro yo (my #1 fav surprise), or a note, it just makes me happy. 🙂

But ya know what I do not prefer? When someone tells you they have a surprise for you, and then refuses to tell you what it is!! What is that about? If you have a surprise, then just surprise me! Don’t tell me you’re going to surprise me! I can’t deal with not knowing things, people!

Clearly, I am the easiest person on Earth to be married to. I bet you’re all sad that you didn’t scoop me up first. Sorry guys. I know it sucks.

But seriously, I like to think that my baking at least slightly makes up for the fact that I’m kind of an obnoxious human being. I mean, I still have friends, so it must be the cookies.

This is where you compliment me, and tell me I have a personality that shines like a star, or something cheesey like that. Ready, go!

Okay, back to the cookies, because these cookies are ridiculous. Sweet, citrusy, chocolatey, tons of flavors and textures all fitting together to make up cookie heaven.

I’m on a bit of an orange dessert kick it seems. Which is funny, because I don’t even like actual oranges. Or orange juice. But I do like these…and also these.

 

Orange Chocolate Lava Cookies

  • 1 1/4 cups gluten-free baking blend (or white whole wheat flour)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • dash salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbs orange zest
  • 1/4 cup fat free cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup apple butter
  • 1 tbs fresh orange juice
  • 1 egg white
  • 4 oz dark chocolate (small squares or coarsely chopped)
For the glaze:
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tbs orange juice
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together baking blend, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl mix together sugar and orange zest. Then beat in cream cheese, apple butter, egg white, and orange juice until combined.
  4. Beat dry ingredients into wet until combined, scraping down sides of the bowl as necessary,
  5. Roll cookies into 1″ balls, then stuff with a 1/4 tsp size chunk of dark chocolate (eye ball it–you want to make sure it is bigger than a chocolate chip, but that the dough can still cover it completely). Re-roll into 1″ ball, making sure all chocolate is covered. Repeat with remaining dough.
  6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden. Let stand for 3-5 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Meanwhile, in a small-medium mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and 1 tbs orange juice. Slowly continue to add more orange juice (and I mean very slowly. A little bit of liquid goes a long way with powdered sugar) until desired drippy consistency.
  8. Dip tops of completely cooled cookies into the glaze, then let stand to set on a flat surface.

 

Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

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Perhaps you are lucky to live somewhere that it has not yet reached 100 degree temperatures. If so, talk to me in December 😉

Because it is already nearing oppressively hot here in Phoenix, I figured it’s only a matter of time before I stock up on sugar free creamsicles and start eating about 10 a day. That’s not a joke. Lisa, how much do we love sugar free popsicles? Well, these may have more than the 20 calories that sugar free creamsicles contain (wouldn’t it be awesome if the didn’t!!), but they are ridiculously delicious, and that’s more important, right? 😉

I love when cupcakes get that perfect dome top. It makes me so happy! Ahhh, the little things.

I was surprised at how perfectly the orange and cream flavors of one of my favorite frozen treats translated into a cupcake. I am a total ice cream person, but I might even dare to say I like the cupcake version better!

To view the recipe head on over to the AZ Bloggers Network!! If you haven’t checked it out yet, we are so lucky to have an incredible group of female bloggers here in Arizona, and my lovely friends Nicole and Emily, have put a ton of work into creating a network where we can all communicate and collaborate together!

Skinnified Sunday: Birthday Cake Donuts

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Okay, first of all I’m not sure if I’m supposed to spell it ‘doughnut’ or ‘donut’.

Donut has less letters, but doughnut sounds kind of fancy.

And I ask you this: How can there be two correct spellings of the same word???? My type A brain can’t handle it.

Anyway, I made do(ugh)nuts! Fancy, sprinkly, festive, birthday cake do(ugh)nuts!

Yes, sprinkly is a word. It’s a synonym for fancy.

I found a super easy, and already light-ish recipe for cake doughnuts from All Recipes that I only had to slightly modify to get a pretty darn healthy, delicious, and festive looking do(ugh)nut.

My Swaps:

  • ½ recipe (-temptation, the last thing I need is a dozen donuts sitting around)
  • white whole wheat flour for all-purpose (+protein, +fiber)
  • turbinado sugar/Splenda combo for white sugar (-sugar, -calories, and using all natural turbinado sugar makes me feel a little better about the Splenda—it’s all about balance, right?)
  • all cinnamon for cinnamon and nutmeg (personal preference)
  • unsweetened vanilla almond milk for regular (-fat, -calories, -sugar)
  • egg substitute for whole egg (-fat, -saturated fat, -calories, -cholesterol)
  • extra vanilla (I just really like it)
  • light whipped butter for shortening (-fat, -saturated fat, -trans fat, -calories)

Birthday Cake Donuts

Yield 6 donuts

Yes, I like it spelled donuts. 😉

  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • ¼ cup + 2 tbsp turbinado sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • pinch cinnamon
  • dash salt
  • ¼ cup + 2 tbs unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • ¼ cup egg substitute
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tbs light whipped butter, softened

For the glaze:

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • dash almond extract
  • 1-2 tbs hot water
  • sprinkles for topping (optional)

**Note: If you are in the anti Splenda club, just user all turbinado sugar. We don’t need to get hateful about it 😉

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325. Spray a donut pan with nonstick spray, and set aside.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, Splenda and cinnamon.
  3. Using a hand mixer, beat in all remaining ngredients (excluding those for the glaze) until just combined.
  4. Transfer batter to a plastic freezer bag, and cut a small hole in the corner.
  5. Evenly divide batter between 6 donut forms.
  6. Bake for 8-10 minutes, then let stand for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Meanwhile, in a small-medium mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, almond extract and 1 tbs hot water. Slowly continue to add more water (and I mean very slowly. A little bit of liquid goes a long way with powdered sugar) until desired drippy consistency.
  8. Dip tops of donuts into the glaze, then let stand on a flat surface. Top with sprinkles if desired.

White Chocolate Peanut Butter S’mores Sandwich Cookies

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So the other day, Steve surprised me by picking me up fro yo. Yes, he’s awesome, but that is beside the point. The point is, he topped my fro yo with peanut butter and marshmallow sauce, and it was freaking delicious. As I was eating it, I couldn’t help, but think of what a perfect combination those flavors were.

I started coming up with all sorts of desserts that I could combine those flavors in.

My incredible friend Stacey has this really important weekend coming up. She has a very special birthday, she is running her first half marathon, and she has some other big life accomplishments going on. It’s pretty amazing, you should head over to her blog and congratulate her! As my congratulations, I made her these cookies, obviously. She loves white chocolate, so that was the final piece in these delicious treats.

Ummm, yeah. Marshmallow, peanut butter and white chocolate is actually the perfect combination. Oh, and graham cracker cookie. Yes.Please.

 

Happy Weekend Of Amazingness, Stace!! I’m proud of you, and I’m sure these cookies will be your perfect pre-race fuel!

White Chocolate Peanut Butter S’more Sandwich Cookies

yield 14 sandwich cookies

For the cookies:

  • 6 tbs fat free cream cheese, softened
  • 6 tbs honey apple butter
  • 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup Splenda
  • 1/4 cup egg substitute
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 1 sleeve whole wheat graham crackers, finely crushed
  • dash salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda

For the filling:

  • 1 cup all natural white chocolate chips
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 cup marshmallow fluff
  • 1-2 tbs unsweetened almond milk’
  • approx 1/3 cup peanut butter (I suggest PB & Co White Chocolate Wonderful)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Beat cream cheese and apple butter together in a large bowl. Add brown sugar and Splenda, and beat until fluffy.
  3. Beat in vanilla, egg substitute, and baking soda.
  4. Add flour and graham cracker crumbs and beat until just combined.
  5. Use a cookie scoop (or your hands) to drop dough in about tablespoon amounts.  Flatten dough out with a sprayed piece of parchment paper, until approx 1/4″ thick.
  6. Bake 8-10 minutes until just set, then remove and let stand 5-10 minutes to finish baking themselves, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. While cookies cool, melt white chocolate chips in a medium bowl in the microwave at 30 seconds increments, stirring after each, until melted. Stir in vanilla and marshmallow fluff. Add 1-2 tbs almond milk until slightly thinned and creamy.
  8. Spread white chocolate marshmallow sauce evenly over  the flat side of half of your cookies. Spread the other half with 1 tsp peanut butter. Sandwich together, and serve.

Brulee’d Butterscotch Banana Cream Pie

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Can you believe up until a few days ago, I had never actually made a pie? Ever since the holidays, Hermano has been asking me to make pie, and for his birthday he requested a “caramelized banana cream pie”. Quite a request. Not exactly what you’d expect from a teenage boy, but whatev. I was thinking about how I wanted to make this thing happen, when I got the brilliant idea to add something I’ve had my eye on to my kitchen for this creation. Say hello to my new friend!

You see, I’m still living off the Williams Sonoma gift cards/exchanges we received from our wedding. Instead of buying a million things I may not use all at once, I’ve been saving it, and that way any time I do want to add a kitchen gadget, I can just go purchase it without having to feel guilty about my poor bank account. Side note: life in performing arts is not conducive to a Williams Sonoma habit. I know, you’re shocked and appalled.

Here is an other picture of pie to ease the pain of knowing that fun jobs make no money. Such is life, my friends.

Anyway, more about this pie. It’s actually really simple. You may have thought I would find the pudding pie route unacceptable for a special occasion, but I heard several people swear by it, and now I see why! It was ridiculously easy, and the taste was spot on!

You see what my new BFF Torchie is doing there? Yes, I name my tools. Every time I refer to my Garmin as “Garmi”, it is not a typo, it’s a nick name. You can tell all of my nicknames are very original, creative, and intuitively thought out.

LOOK AT THAT!!!! Doesn’t it make you want one??? I am going to brulee so many things, just you wait! I have plans, people. Big plans.

But for now, just enjoy this delicious flavor combination of banana, butterscotch, cinnamon and vanilla, because it is kind of like a piece of heaven.

We were all about the action shots that day! Flying cinnamon chips! They are magical.

 

Brulee’d Butterscotch Banana Cream Pie

yield 10 servings

  • 1 1/2 cups low fat ‘Nilla Wafers, finely crushed
  • 1/2 extra ripe medium banana, pureed
  • 3  medium bananas
  • 1 package fat free, sugar free butterscotch pudding mix
  • 1 3/4 cup skim milk
  • dash almond extract
  • 1 cup cinnamon cool whip
  • 1-2 tbs turbinado sugar
  • 1-2 tbs cinnamon or butterscotch chips for topping (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Reserve 1 tbs of crushed ‘Nilla Wafers and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine remaining cookie crumbs with pureed banana. I recommend using your hands.
  3. Press banana/cookie crust into bottom and along the sides of a 10″ pie dish. Bake for 10 minutes, then cool on wire rack.
  4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine pudding mix with milk, and almond extract, beating for about 2 minutes.
  5. Thinly slice 2 of the 3 bananas on top of cooled crust, spacing evenly. Poor pudding over top of bananas.
  6. Gently spread cool whip over pudding. Wrap dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate 5-6 hours.
  7. When pie is thoroughly cooled, thinly slice remaining banana on top, then sprinkle sugar over banana slices.
  8. Using a brulee torch, heat all coated banana slices until a crisped, dark sugar layer forms on top.
  9. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs and cinnamon or butterscotch chips.
  10. Return to refrigerator and cool for 1-2 hours.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies

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So the thing is, we are definitely not perfect, but Steve and I have learned a bit about photography (him), food presentation (me), and composition (both of us) since starting this little blog. Whenever I go through my old recipe posts, I cringe and hope the people visiting my blog don’t look at them and run away forever. I keep them because the recipes are good, but I have this grand plan to recreate everything I love and get some good quality pictures so that everything on here looks cohesive. And not like a 5 year old made it. The problem is, I get excited and creative and want to make new recipes! However, these I love. Like a to the depths of my heart kind of love.

They were actually pretty popular around the internet too. I mean seriously, peanut butter, chocolate, and pretzels. It’s kind of a sure thing.

My favorite thing about these cookies is all of the contrasting flavors and textures.

Sweet & salty.

Crunchy & soft.

Perfect balance.

I may not always achieve perfect balance with my personal, professional, and health goals, but the most important thing is that I can accomplish it in a cookie, right?

Okay, good. As long as we’re all on the same page. Since we’re going with balance, I even made these slightly healthier this time around, and you know what? They were equally delicious. So to balance out the healthy, I ate about 7 of them in one day. It was awesome.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies

yield approx 2 dozen

  • 1 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • dash salt
  • 1/2 cup apple butter
  • 5 tbs packed light brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter (preferably PB & Co White Chocolate Wonderful)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
  • approx 24 pretzels (one per cookie)

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat apple butter, sugars, and peanut butter until smooth.
  3. Add egg and vanilla. Mix well.
  4. Slowly stir the dry ingredients.
  5. Fold in chips. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  6. Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  7. Roll dough into small 1″ balls, or use a cookie scoop and drop on prepared cookie sheet.
  8. Bake for 7 minutes, then press a pretzel into each cookie. Cook for an additional 7 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.

White Chocolate Cake Batter Cups

· by ·

I’m sorry for this.

You see the thing is, you will have to make these. They are ridiculous.

I will never buy a Reese’s peanut butter cup again. I mean, these aren’t peanut butter, but in case you didn’t notice, I’m on a bit of a kick here with the home made candy cup business.

The cake batter dip in the center is the perfect soft and silky consistency covered in the delicious white chocolate shell.

I made these as a going away gift for my wonderful, amazing friend Kara. You know my very favorite running and spinning buddy? Yeah, life as I know it is over, and no I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to drown my sorrow in white chocolate and cake batter. IS THAT SO WRONG????

I know, you’re probably devastated as well. Care to join me in this sorrow drowning?

It may not be healthy, but I will say, it’s far less unhealthy than it sounds…

White Chocolate Cake Batter Cups

yield 26-30 cups

  • 2 10 oz bags white chocolate chips
  • 1/2 tbs coconut oil
  • approx 1/2 cup cake batter dip (I used Cinnamon Spice, but you could also use the original)

Directions:

  1. Line 24 mini muffin tins with paper liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, melt white chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring after each, until melted.
  3. Spoon enough white chocolate to cover the bottom of each baking cup.
  4. Add 1-2 tsp Cake Batter Dip.
  5. Fill with chocolate until Cookie Butter is completely covered and top is smooth.
  6. Freeze to set. Keep in freezer or fridge.

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