Kristen's Recipes

 

3 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin

1 1/4 cups whipping cream

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 cups lowfat strawberry kefir or your favorite flavor

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Fresh fruit and  mint leaves, for garnish

 

Pour 3 tablespoons water into a small custard cup and sprinkle gelatin over it. Let stand until gelatin soften for about 10 minutes. Combine whipping cream and sugar in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot; don’t boil it. Remove from heat; stir in gelatin mixture until completely dissolved and mixture is smooth. Cool mixture to room temperature, about 45 minutes. Stir kefir and vanilla extract into cream mixture. Pour mixture through a fine strainer into a large 4-cup measuring cup. Divide mixture among six (3/4-cup) custard cups or ramekins. Refrigerate until panna cotta is set, at least 6 hours or up to 1 day. You can eat the panna cotta right out of the ramekins or unmold them. To unmold, run a thin knife around the sides of each panna cotta. Then, one at at time, place bottom of each ramekin in a bowl that has 1-inch of hot water in it. After about 45 seconds, remove the ramekin from the bowl of water. Place a plate over the ramekin and invert. Then, while holding tightly onto the custard cup and plate together, give it one strong shake. The custard should then release and settle onto the plate. Garnish with fresh fruit and mint leaves, if you like.

4 cups chocolate chips, divided (or 2 1/2 C. chocolate chips for the nougat and chocolate candy melts for the coating)

1 (8 oz.) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

 

Line an 8 or 9-inch square pan with wax paper.  In a medium bowl, melt 2 cups of chocolate chips in the microwave at fifty percent power, or use a double boiler.  Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat melted chocolate for about 30 seconds.  Add frozen whipped topping to melted chocolate and beat until well combined and fluffy, 30-60 seconds more.  Spread chocolate mixture evenly into prepared pan (if mixture is too stiff, press into pan with lightly dampened hands).  Place in freezer for 30 minutes.  Remove pan from freezer and turn chocolate mixture onto a cutting board; cut into one-inch squares.  Return squares to freezer for another 15-20 minutes.  Meanwhile, melt additional 2 cups chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and stir until well combined.  Dip frozen chocolate squares into melted chocolate to coat.  Place on wax paper to set.  Keep chocolates in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  I was skeptical that these would really taste like a Three Musketeers bar, but they came awfully close.  And the longer these sat in the refrigerator, the more they tasted like the real thing. 

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) white cake mix

1-3/4 C. cold root beer, divided

1/4 C. vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 envelope whipped topping mix (Dream Whip)

 

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry cake mix, 1-1/4 C. root beer, oil and eggs; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. In a small mixing bowl, combine the whipped topping mix and remaining root beer. Beat until soft peaks form. Frost cake. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 12-16 servings.

 

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix

3/4 C. water

1/2 C. orange juice

1/2 C. egg substitute

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 T. canola oil

1/2 tsp. grated orange peel

1 carton (6 ounces) reduced-fat orange-cream yogurt

2 C. reduced-fat whipped topping

1 C. diced fresh strawberries, patted dry

1 C. canned unsweetened pineapple tidbits, drained and patted dry

 

Coat two 9-in. round baking pans with cooking spray; line with waxed paper. Coat waxed paper with cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat for 2 minutes. Fold in orange peel. Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 18-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. In a large bowl, combine yogurt and whipped topping. In another bowl, combine strawberries and pineapple. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with half of the yogurt mixture; top with half of the fruit mixture. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining yogurt mixture over top of cake; sprinkle with remaining fruit. Store in the refrigerator.

 

1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)

1 can frosting (16 oz.)

1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate) or candy melts

Lollipop sticks

Styrofoam Block

 

Candy Writers (Candy writers are colored chocolate (candy coating) in a tube that can be melted and then used to paint molds or add details to candies and baked goods)

Edible Ink Pen

Jimmies, Sprinkles, sugar pearls, confetti sprinkles, Small candies, etc

 

After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)  You may not need the entire can of frosting, so start out by using almost the entire can and add more if you need to.  Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.) Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.) Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.  Dip the tip of your lollipop stick in a little of the melted candy coating and insert into the cake balls. (Insert a little less than halfway.) Once firm, carefully insert the cake ball into the candy coating by holding the lollipop stick and rotating until covered. Once covered remove and softly tap and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off. Don’t tap too hard or the cake ball will fall off, too. Place in a styrofoam block to dry.

 

 

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

3 T. confectioners’ sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)

FILLING:

1-2/3 C. heavy whipping cream

1-1/2 C. canned pumpkin

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 C. sugar

1-3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

 

In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread into pastry shell. In a bowl, whisk filling ingredients until smooth. Pour over cream cheese layer. Cover edges loosely with foil. Bake at 350° for 70-80 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Store pie in the refrigerator.

1 red or green apple

juice of ½ a lemon

1 tablespoon honey

½ cup mascarpone cheese

1 cup berries

 

Raspberry sauce

½ cup raspberries (frozen)

¼ cup caster sugar

 

FOR THE SAUCE: Place frozen raspberries and sugar in a food processor with the blade attachment and pulse 5-8 times until the raspberries are crushed. Place in an airtight container and store in the freezer.

 

FOR THE APPLES: In a medium bowl, mix the honey and lemon juice. Slice the apples thinly, using a mandolin slicer and drench slices in the lemon and honey mixture. Set aside for 5 minutes to soak.

 

Spread a thin layer of mascarpone cheese on two slices of apples. Place one layer on a plate and top with berries, place the second slice of apple on top and top with another layer of berries. Top with another slice of apple and drizzle, with raspberry sauce.

 

3/4 C. butter, cut into chunks

9 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped (about 2 C.)

1 1/2 C. firmly packed brown sugar

1 C. granulated sugar

5 large eggs

1 1/2 T. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Mexican chocolate streusel

 

In a large bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stir butter and unsweetened chocolate until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla and almond extract. Stir in flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt until well blended. Spread batter level in a buttered and floured 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Squeeze handfuls of Mexican chocolate streusel until it sticks together, then crumble into chunks evenly over surface of batter. Bake brownies in a 325° oven until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pan on a rack for at least 20 minutes, then cut into 24 or 32 squares (if making up to 1 day ahead, cool completely, then wrap uncut brownies airtight).

 

Mexican chocolate streusel. In a food processor or a bowl, whirl or stir 1/2 C. all-purpose flour and 1/4 C. firmly packed brown sugar until well blended. Add 5 T. butter and whirl or rub in with your fingers until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Pulse in 4 1/2 ounces (about 1 1/2 tablets) coarsely chopped Mexican chocolate (some larger chunks will remain), or chop finely with a knife and stir into flour mixture. Use immediately or chill airtight for up to 1 week.

 

8 oz. Sour Cream

4 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

3 tsp. Frozen Lemonade Concentrate, thawed

1 tsp. Honey

Lemons

 

In medium bowl combine all ingredients except lemons.  Cover and refrigerate to blend flavors (at least 2 hours).  Halve lemons and carefully scrape out the pulp to form small “bowls” made of the rind.  Spoon dip into the lemon bowls.  Top with a little grated lemon zest.  Serve with assorted fruits for dipping.