My Name is Amanda and I am addicted to food.  Not just any food but luscious, savory, delectable treats. I have a hard time not baking with butter or cream cheese.  I love dessert and there aren’t many nights that go by that I don’t crave something sweet. The problem is that other people are starting to notice my love of food.  Not by the glint in my eyes when I look at a slice of chocolate cake, but by the size of my rear. ~chuckles~

In all seriousness, do you know how hard it is not indulge when the first thing your kids say after dinner is, “What’s for dessert?” I love eating fresh fruit, but sometimes that just doesn’t cut it.  I have started buying these Oikos Greek Yogurts with Fruit on the Bottom and they are my new addiction.  My kids asked me why I like them so much and I said, “MMM…they taste like cream cheese in a cup.” It was like my own words echoed in my head. Hmm…I wonder.

I hit the kitchen with my “cream cheese in a cup” and an idea.  I came up with these Short Cut Skinny Strawberry Cheesecakes and they are heavenly.  Not only will they do on those nights when I want something more.  But they only have about 140 calories each which makes me completely innocent if I happen to have one.

I like that you can personalize them by changing the flavor of the yogurt, or the graham crackers to Chocolate or cinnamon.

Gather your ingredients. I chose strawberry greek yogurt because that is what I had in the fridge…and I had some fresh strawberries to go with!

Just crumble the graham crackers.  I didn’t want to get my food processor out so I used my hands and got more of a chunky crumble.  Which was fine by me. I opted to not put any butter or anything to hold the crumbs together (I am going for low cal!) The yogurt and the paper line help hold it all together.

Top eat cup of graham crackers with about 1/3 cup of yogurt. Once topped place them in the freezer for atleast 2 hours.

When you remove them top them with a dollop of cool whip.  Keep frozen until ready to serve.

I have been on a D.I.Y. rampage lately.  I am really trying to stay away from packaged and processed foods.  My kids still love to have treats in the house, and don’t understand why I am not buying their favorite treats.  Instead of giving in I have just been making a lot from scratch.  This brownie mix is great to make in large batches and put in bags or jars to have on hand.

I also, love this because I can make it gluten free, which makes it super friendly for everyone in my house.  Gluten free brownie mix costs $4+ a box.  So this is a money saver too. Don’t miss all of these other great D.I.Y. Recipes too!  You can make so many things yourself!

 

Mother’s Day is Sunday, and it left me pondering what I wanted to do.  My husband offered to take the kids, and as lovely as that sounds, it wouldn’t be Mother’s Day without them.  All the messes, screams, and tattling wouldn’t be worth it without all the hugs, kisses, cuddles, and artwork that come along with it.

I then began to think of food…cause that is what I do…..strawberries are my favorite, add some chocolate and it makes it even better.  Now, if I could just have it for breakfast. Hmmm…I think I got all the bases covered. Plus, they are easy enough to make that the hubby and the kids can make them. Now, let’s see if they make it to me Sunday Morning.

Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees F and set out the puff pastry to thaw. Once thawed unfold and roll out to a 13×9 rectangle.

In a large bowl mix together softened cream cheese, strawberries and sugar.

It will resemble this.

Spread Cream cheese mix on the puff pastry leaving 1/2 inch bare on the long end.

Roll up the dough and moisten the seam with water to seal. Refrigerate for atleast 20 minutes.

Slice roll into 1/2-3/4 inch slices. Place on a parchement lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Yum! Perfect!

Feel free to glaze with plain or chocolate glaze and serve. ENJOY!

There are times when I sit down to type a recipe post, and I think to my self, wow I am lazy.  I really just don’t feel like doing much of anything.  Then, I take a minute to think about all of the things that I do accomplish in a day.  It isn’t that I am lazy, I am just worn out.   Taking care of a family, working, cleaning house, running errands, it adds up. I know many of you feel the same way by the time 5 O’clock Friday rolls around.  So, it is nice to slow down with an easy recipe that allows me to have fun with the family and enjoy a treat.

Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow.  So along with all those nachos, tacos, guacamole, etc that will be served make this easy and amazing dessert! I seriously through these taquitos together in less than 10 minutes.  Then the oohs and aaahs made me feel like a chef at a 5 star restaurant.

 

 

I got out a package of flour tortillas and some bananas.  I actually tried both flour and corn and both worked great, but I got more eye pleasing results with the flour tortillas.

Peel the bananas and slice them in have long ways and across.  Roll them up in the tortilla and secure with a  toothpick.

Drop rolled tortilla in hot oil about 350 degrees and fry for about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.

Laugh if you want, but I was out of toothpicks, so I used this big serving fork to hold my tortillas together…Hey, it worked!

Removed from oil and drain on paper towels. Serve with Caramel Sauce and toasted coconut.  Feel free to dust with cinnamon sugar.

Easter will be here this weekend, and I think I have jelly beans coming out my wazoo! LOL  The kids seem to be getting them from everyone, and I (of course) bought a bag or two.  Now, what to do with all those jelly beans.   I love to eat a handful for a snack but I wanted to be more creative with them this year.  I whipped up a batch of blondies and plopped those juicy jelly beans right in their.

They turned out amazing and my kids are in love with our new Easter treat!  So whether you serve them for an Easter treat, or make them as a way to use up some of those after Easter Jelly Beans, these Blondies are a great recipe to have on hand!

Mix up the blondie dough and spread in a greased 8×8 pan.  Sprinkle the jelly beans on top.

Bake at  350 for 20-25 mins.  The blondies will bake up around the jelly beans.

All to cool and enjoy!

This recipe is a classic in my family.  I remember going to my grandma’s house when I was little and her having one of these bad boys in the kitchen.  It was my Pappy’s favorite pie.  As a kid, I was not a big peanut butter fan…I know, I was weird.  So this pie did not grow on me until I was older.  Let me tell you what, this pie is rich, but oh so good as a special treat!

Beat cream cheese until creamy

Beat in sweetened condensed milk, and PB.

Fold in whipped topping..I dare you not to lick the spoon.

 

Pour into a prepared chocolate pie crust.  I just bought one to make it easier.

Drizzle the pie with hersheys syrup and pop in the freezer for 4 hours.  Cut and serve!

 

Spring is here and Easter is around the corner.  The kids and I wanted something to help usher in spring this week.  These Birds Nest Cookies are just so stinkin cute, we couldn’t resist!

I love love love them because the are Gluten free, and Dairy Free (minus the cadbury eggs).  Making them a great treat for everyone in my house!  They are also super easy.  The hardest part is waiting for them to come out of the oven.  I had several pacers this time around, but they were glad they waited when they were finished.  These are such a cute Easter dessert, you have to give them a try!

Beat together 4 Egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until soft peaks form.

Slowly beat in 1 cup of sugar until meringue becomes glossy and stiff.

Fold in 1/2 cup of shredded coconut.  Be-careful not to stir because that will flatten your meringue.

Scoop the meringue mix onto parchment lined baking sheets and use a spoon to make a dent in the middle for the nest.  Sprinkle the outsides of the “nests” with more shredded coconut. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 250 Degrees F.

Tuck in the candies once the cookies are cool!

I had to get a picture of this one…it looks like they are hatching!   Enjoy!  Store uneaten nests in an airtight container.

Friday night is typically taco night in our house, and the night I make “Snack”urday.  It ushers in a relaxing weekend, and it is a great way to kick back and relax with the kids.   Seeing that tacos and dessert are our typical Friday night combo, I am surprised that this hasn’t made our rotation much sooner!

These Apple Nachos are the perfect mix of healthy, decadent, and convenient all rolled into one. The crisp green granny smith’s give just the right tartness to compete with the sweetness of the caramel and the chocolate.  Just FABULOUS!

Gather your Granny smith apples. Core and slice them.  You can do this early and place them in a bowl of water with 1 tsp of lemon juice to prevent browning.

 

I made homemade cinnamon tortilla chips for with this for added crunch.  You can omit them and just use the apples.  The chips are just corn tortillas cut into strips and placed on a baking sheet.  You then spray them with cooking spray and sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar. Bake at 375 F for 15-20 minutes until crisp.

Assemble the nachos with the apples and tortillas on the bottom.  Drizzle with caramel and chocolate, then top with your choose of toppings.  These are to die for!

I have been hunting high and low for cute ideas for St Patrick’s day.  I love really having fun with the holidays with the kids.  I was trying to find something rainbowy with fruity pebbles.  When all else fails make something!  So, I hit the pantry and started gathering ingredients not quite sure how it would turn out.

I had a little helper, but don’t let her cuteness fool you.  She was after only one thing…chocolate. My girl!

Here is what my helper and I came up with.  Hope you love them as much as we do!

Measure out cereal and pretzels into a large bowl.

Microwave 10oz of marshmallows and 3TBSP butter or margarine on high for 1.5-2 mins.

Poor melted marshmallows over cereal mix and stir…move fast!

 

Grease your hands and press the gooey cereal mix into a greased cupcake pan.  You should be able to fill the pan.  Allow to cool.

Serve and enjoy or store in an airtight container!

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Peanut butter is a major staple at my house!  We love the stuff! Peanut Butter Cookies, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Peanut Butter Pie, oh Peanut butter!

Now that I have the love fest out of the way.  The kids and I hit the kitchen for something easy this weekend.  It has been a long week, and we are tired…but we needed something to satisfy our sweet tooth!  These peanut butter balls are like making your own Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in a matter of minutes! The best part is I can make them Gluten Free and Dairy free so everyone in my house can enjoy them.  Well….except for me, since I am being super good right now.  I am trying really hard to loose a few lbs before my birthday. Although, I may have snuck a nibble.

In a microwave safe bowl you will want to place 2 cups of peanut butter (1 16oz jar) and 1/4 cup of butter ( I used coconut oil and it turned out great!) Microwave for 30 seconds and stir together.

Once the peanut butter is all soft mix in 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and vanilla.  It will turn into a dough like pictured above.

Once you have your peanut butter dough.  Roll it into teaspoon size balls or whatever size floats your boat. and place them on a wax paper lined cookie sheet.

Now these should hit the fridge for a couple hours until they harden…or for the impatient types like me.  The freezer for about 15 minutes.

In another microwave safe bowl melt together 1 bag of semi sweet chocolate chips and 2 tbsp margarine (again I used coconut oil and it turned out fantastic!) I did this in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stirred, then returned to the microwave for another 30 seconds until fully melted.

Dip the cold peanut butter balls in the chocolate and place them back on the wax paper.

When done return them to the fridge or the freezer to harden.

When you are finished you will have a gooey delicious treat that you will make over and over again, because they are just that good!

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Like many of you I took advantage of the great Kellogg’s Cereal coupons that have been floating around and stocked up on Froot Loops.    Not only are they a yummy snack, but I knew I could find a dessert recipe made with them.  Aside from a Rice Krispie Treat made with froot loops I found almost no recipes.  How could this be? A cereal as American as Froot Loops and no recipes?   You know I got busy in the kitchen.

I did find (after some serious searching.)This recipe from Easy Baked.  I love them because they are so colorful and perfect for a rainbow themed St Patrick’s day, or just for Spring.  I tweaked the recipe a bit, but let me tell you what.  The taste of these is so uniquely delicious, I can guarantee you will be making them again!

First you will want to take your anger out on a bag of unsuspecting froot loops.  About 2-3 cups of whole cereal.

Then we are going to cheat a little bit.  I rarely cheat and by store bought cookie dough, but I did it this time.  Shh….don’t’ tell!

Dump that store bought dough in a bowl.

Then mix in about 1 cup of that crushed cereal.

Press the cookie dough into a greased muffin tin.  Like pictured above.  You want it to look like little cups.  I made mine a big big I guess cause I only ended up with 10 ….you should have 12. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.  while baking….

Here is the unexpected and fun part.  You are going to mix a pouch of unsweetened Kool Aid into the cream cheese! I used Strawberry Kiwi, that turned out AWESOME!  You can pick any flavor you want!

You are then going to beat in 2 cups of marshmallow fluff and 1 cup of cool whip until your filling looks like the one above..or it might be a different color depending on the flavor.

This is what your cookie cups will look like after 12 minutes.  Let them cool in the pan for about 3 minutes and then gently use a butter knife to loosen them and put them on a tray to cool down the rest of the way.

Once they are completely cool.  You will want to fill them.  The easiest way is to take a plastic ziploc freezer bag and fill it with the cream cheese mixture.  Snip a small piece of the tip and squeeze it into the cups like you would with a pastry bag.

Aren’t they cute already?! Pop them into the fridge for a couple hours to set up.  Or the freezer if you are super inpatient.

Sprinkle the tops with some extra crushed froot loops and you are ready to go!  These are unbelievably tasty!

Mardi Gras is around the corner, and Fat Tuesday is a time to indulge in all things food.  You don’t have to tell me twice to indulge in food.  After a bit of reflection this week I have just decided I love food. I love to make it, I love to experiment with recipes, and most of all I love to eat it.  Sometimes it takes cutting back on food to truly appreciate it.

I was watching the Food Network, which always makes me hungry, and I saw a commercial with a big piping hot plate full of Beignets.  I thought to myself, what better way to celebrate Mardi Gras?!   So I hit the kitchen to whip up a batch…then I got the eyes.  The really cute little ones that can’t eat gluten.   I then made it my mission to make a gluten free batch too.  They turned out superb!

 

Combine the warm water, sugar and yeast; stir and set aside to activate the yeast. Allow mixture to sit until it becomes frothy, at least 5 minutes.
In a large bowl beat together the egg and milk. Add 1 cup of the Flour and the salt. Beat until integrated.

Cut the shortening into small chunks and mix in with the 1 cup flour, egg and milk.
Slowly beat in remaining flour and the proofed yeast mixture until completely mixed. The dough should not be stiff or sticky at this point.

Turn the dough out onto a clean surface or pastry mat dusted with Flour.
Roll gently with a rolling pin into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle.

Using a large, sharp knife, cut strips of dough 2 inches wide, on a diagonal (not straight up and down, leaving a diagonal edge to the strips). Cut across these strips in the same way, creating diamond-shaped Beignets.

Place cut Beignets onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover loosely with a damp towel.
Allow to rise in a warming drawer or an oven brought to 200° F, then turned off. The Beignets will roughly double in size after rising for 45+  minutes (You can leave them covered overnight to rise as well)

After the Beignets have risen, pour vegetable oil into a large saucepan to a depth of 2-3 inches. Heat the oil on medium-high to 310° – 360° F.
Once the oil is to temperature, gently submerge 2 – 3 Beignets in hot oil and cook until lightly browned and puffed on each side – approximately 1- 2 minutes only.

Remove with a skimmer or slotted spoon to drain on paper towels, and sprinkle confectioner’s sugar liberally over top of each Beignet. Serve warm.

 

 

The red rose was the favorite flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love. The color red stands for strong romantic feelings making the red rose the flower of love.  So it is natural that the strawberry turns up in many Valentines desserts.

I found myself making a huge mess in the kitchen today experimenting with these Whoopie Pies.  Not because they are difficult, but because I wanted to get them just so for the pictures for you guys.  I felt like that lady from the Rice Krispie Treats commercial back in the day.  When she is standing in the kitchen reading a book and then throws flour on her face and comes out with a plate of treats. Only I didn’t need to throw flour on my face.  I am pretty sure it made it there all by itself.

This is a great recipe if you are feeding a crowd or you have a bake sale because it makes a huge amount of pies.  If you are just making them for your family, you may want to think about halving the recipe or freezing some for later.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup of shortening and white sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs one at a time then stir in the vanilla and buttermilk.
Combine the flour and salt, stir into the creamed mixture.
Stir together the baking soda and hot water then mix them into the batter last. Stir in White Chocolate chips.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet. I made mine a little bigger

Bake for 8 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm but not overbaked.
Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Use a store bought frosting or make this…
To make the filling: In a medium bowl, cream together the 1 1/2 cups shortening with the confectioners’ sugar and 1/4 cup of flour until light and fluffy.
Gradually beat in the milk, strawberries, and vanilla until well mixed, then fold in the egg whites. Sandwich at least 1 tablespoon of filling between the flat sides of two cookies.

Refridgerate or freeze uneaten pies.

I swear the computer is going to be the death of me.  I get emailed links, and find things on pinterest that I have no business having.  I think I can feel my behind growing every time I find some new yummy concoction!

It is every woman’s god given right to be a chocoholic, and my daughter wants to be a chocoholic so badly!  Her dairy allergy has made it pretty much impossible to enjoy this simple stress relieving pleasure.  The only dairy free mainstream chocolate we have found at this point is Ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate chips …which make one killer cookie I might add.

When I found this recipe for these homemade chocolate bars the other day that contained no dairy I was all over it.  I was concerned that they may not be that great, so a taste test was involved.  Plus, like many of you I don’t want to spent 2 hours in the kitchen making a huge mess and then having it not turn out.

So I got busy and melted and stirred.  I poured this chocolaty goodness into a pan and waited.  I didn’t have to wait too long, cause I put it in the freezer.  After the longest 10 minutes in the world I pulled out this huge brick of chocolate, and I think I heard the angels sing.  This chocolate not only has an exquisite taste, it melts on the tip of your tongue.

My mind has not stopped swirling about all the things I can do with this chocolate.  So far, in the last 2 days, I have made a chocolate ganache for her cupcakes, dipped strawberries in it, and made these wonderful homemade chocolate bars.  You can mix in anything your heart desires for you or your valentine.  I made these with almonds and valentine sprinkles on the top.

Gather all of your ingredients. I found the agave nectar at walmart, but many stores carry it now as a sugar alternative.

Melt the coconut oil in the microwave and stir in agave.  I am sure you could use light corn syrup instead, you would have to experiment with the amount.  I would start low and add more after a necessary taste test.

Stir in the cocoa powder.

Pour the chocolate into your mold or container and add your mix ins.  I added almonds.  Then I sprinkled some valentine sprinkles on top. (They sunk in…but shh…we aren’t telling.)

The final deliciousness.

I am on a Valentine’s Kick this year.  I was sitting here just minding my own business the other day flipping through a cookbook and it hit me.  Well, it didn’t really hit me but I saw this recipe for 2 ingredient fudge.  I had never heard of such a thing, but whoever came up with it is pure genius!

I decided I would try to make Strawberry fudge, since strawberries are one of my most favorite things in the world.  I love this recipe even more because my dairy free oldest daughter can actually eat it!  Not this strawberry variety, but you can mix and match to make whatever flavor you choose.

Don’t miss these other great dessert recipes for something sweet for your Valentine

This is the only 2 ingredients you need.

Dump in a large microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds, stir and then continue until melted together.

This is what it looks like all melted.

Spread in a 9×9 greased dish, or take the easy way like I did and line with wax paper.  Allow to cool and cut into squares.  Decorate with sprinkles

 

Every holiday I make themed treats, and every holiday my poor son (who is gluten free) ends up with gluten free brownies while we eat all the cute goodies.  So for Valentines day I am putting my foot down. He will have the cute themed treat!

I know we have a couple weeks yet, but I had to do a test run to make sure it tastes ok. LOL So we busted out the great popcorn maker that Santa brought this year.  Half the fun is watching it pop the corn!

Gluten free or not, this is some seriously addictive good stuff! I will work out a little extra tomorrow to make up for it, because I just can’t resist it!  Don’t forget to check out all the great dessert recipes here on A Few Short Cuts!  There are some really good ones!

 

Gather all of the ingredients including the popped corn.  You could even add pretzels for the salty contrast, it would be incredible!

Mix the popcorn and cereal in a large bowl.

In a microwave safe bowl melt together 1 bag of white chocolate chips and 2-2 1/2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil.  On 50% for 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds until it looks like the picture above.

Poor the melted chocolate over the popcorn and cereal. Stir to coat. Then sprinkle in the M&Ms and stir.

Allow popcorn to cool and set.  Serve!

Place in cute little cellophane bags for adorable Valentines Gifts!

I love “Snack”urday.  It came out of my love for making special treats with my kids on Friday nights and Saturdays.  While some “Snack”urdays are more adults, or just a family indulgence.  It all comes back to fun times with the family.  Tonight me and the kids got in the kitchen, rolled up our sleeves and got our hands dirty.

We had some fun making these Chocolate Football Bites…and of course had a blast taking pictures with our new kids cooking utensils that happen to have little bodies. LOL

If you are watching football this weekend or even for the superbowl, but these fun treats with your kids.  You will make amazing unforgettable memories with them! Plus they are gluten free and dairy free so they are perfect for everyone!

 

Gather you ingredients.

Place Chocolate, karo syrup, and butter in microwave safe bowl

Microwave for 1 1/2 -2 Minutes.

Place 4 cups of cereal in a large bowl.

Pour the chocolate mix over the cereal and stir.

Shape with moistened hands into 3 inch footballs and place on a wax paper or parchment paper covered cookie sheet.

Decorate footballs with icing or white decorator gel.

 

Enjoy!