Apple Dip

Here's another "healthy" snack recipe. And when I say healthy, I mean it's a better option than the giant bowl of ice cream that I was really craving.

I make this fairly often and I love dipping apples, strawberries, grapes, and kiwis in it. And it makes a lot, so I always cut the recipe in half.

Apple Dip

1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened (I use the 1/3 less fat stuff and it works great)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 T. vanilla

Use a mixer to cream together all three ingredients until smooth.

Yummy Cupcakes

fresh rosemary & lemon cupcakes

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Prep: 30 minutes Bake: 22 minutes Cool: 5 minutes 

 

ingredients

• 1/2  cup butter, softened
• 2  eggs
• 1-3/4  cups cake flour
• 2  tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1-1/2  tsp. baking powder
• 1/2  tsp. salt
• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 1-1/2  tsp. lemon extract
• 1/2  tsp. vanilla
• 2/3  cup milk
• 2  tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
• 3  Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1  recipe Lemon Glaze (see recipe)

directions

1. Let butter and eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Line fifteen 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups; set aside. In medium bowl combine cake flour, rosemary, baking powder and salt; set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium-high for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, lemon extract, and vanilla. Beat on medium-high for 2 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping bowl.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture; beat on low after each just until combined. Stir in the lemon peel and lemon juice.

4. Spoon batter in prepared cups to three-fourths full. Bake 22 to 25 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. (Bake 36 mini cakes 15 to 18 minutes; 6 jumbo cakes 25 to 30 minutes.) Cool in muffin cups on rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely.

5. Spoon Lemon Glaze on cupcakes. Let stand 10 minutes. Makes 15 (2-1/2-inch) cupcakes.

6.Lemon Glaze: In small bowl combine 1 cup powdered sugar and enough lemon juice (5 to 5-1/2 teaspoons) for spreading consistency. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel.

nutrition facts

• Calories 213, 
• Total Fat (g) 7, 
• Saturated Fat (g) 4, 
• Cholesterol (mg) 45, 
• Sodium (mg) 159, 
• Carbohydrate (g) 35, 
• Protein (g) 3, 
• Vitamin C (DV%) 4, 
• Calcium (DV%) 3, 
• Iron (DV%) 7, 
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

I made these for our Relief Society activity that was about using fresh herbs.  They were a hit!  If you don't have cake flour, here is a substitution.  To make 2 cups cake flour, use 1/4 cup cornstarch and add flour to make 2 cups.  

Your kids will eat it.

Maybe. Or just pick the fruit out. I love a good fruity salad in the summer. Here's what you'll need:

-I used a combination of baby lettuces and threw in some spinach for good measure, but it doesn't matter, use what is in your fridge. I do think it tastes better with dark greens though.
-strawberries
-blackberries
-oranges
-nuts if you like them. I put cashews in (it was all I had, I'm sorry!). Much better with toasted almonds or candied pecans.
Basically throw in whatever lettuce, fruit and nuts you have into a big bowl. Does this even count as a recipe?!
And here is the dressing (I halved it and still had way too much).

1 cup sugar
2 t. dry mustard
1t. salt
2/3 C. apple cider vinegar
2 C. vegtable oil
1 T. poppy seeds

Toss and serve:)

Peanut Butter Crunch Snack Balls

I really have a lot of recipes to post! It's because my life revolves around food when I'm pregnant.

Jamie and Bekah tried these while they were out here and wanted me to post the recipe, and I was planning on it anyway. This is one of those perfect snacks I like to eat to satisfy my cravings for junk food, especially when I want cookie dough!

This makes a huge batch, even when you half the recipe, but they freeze really well. Take a couple of them out of the freezer and let them sit for a few minutes and they are the perfect consistency.

Next time I will also make some of them into much smaller balls so Alta will eat them (I don't think she liked having to take bites of them).

Peanut Butter Crunch Snack Balls
recipe and photo from www.melskitchencafe.com

Makes about 120 balls. (I halved the recipe but still ended up with about 80 balls.)

2 cups honey
6 cups peanut butter (creamy or crunchy, I also used part omega-3-fortified peanut butter)
3 cups rice krispies
1½ cups grape nuts
3/4 cup applesauce
2 cups coconut
3 cups crushed cereal (use whatever is in your pantry-I think I used cheerios and chex)
1½ cups chocolate or butterscotch chips – or substitute dried fruit, like raisins (I used both mini chocolate chips and raisins)
5-8 tablespoons powdered milk
4 cups crushed mini-wheat cereal

Mix all but last two ingredients and mix until well combined. Add powdered milk, like flour, to make a soft, cookie-like dough. Form into 1” ball and roll in crushed mini-wheats. A scoop works very well for this. Refrigerate or freeze.

Chocolate Blueberry Cake

Two words to describe this cake? Seriously good. I don't really even like cake, but I will definitely be making this again. The cake was moist and rich and dense, almost more like a brownie. And the blueberry sauce is so simple but so delicious; it would probably be good on lots of other things. We had leftovers of both the cake and sauce and they kept nicely in the fridge for a couple days.

Excuse the photo, I'm still trying to learn how to take good pictures of food.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Blueberry Cake
recipe from Better Homes & Gardens



1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
6 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1 egg
1 cup frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
Fresh blueberries and/or Blueberry Sauce (see below)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In blender combine water, blueberries, and the egg. Cover and blend until smooth. Add to flour mixture. Whisk until well combined. Pour into greased 8x8x2-inch baking pan.
2. Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack. Invert onto serving platter.
3. In small microwave-safe bowl combine dessert topping and chocolate pieces. Micro-cook, covered, on 50 percent power 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Let stand 5 minutes. Pour onto cooled cake, spreading evenly.
4. Cut cake into squares to serve. Top with fresh blueberries. Serve with Blueberry Sauce.

Blueberry Sauce
In blender combine 1/2 cup frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed, and 1/2 cup fresh blueberries. Cover and blend until smooth.

Southwest Chicken Stacks

This recipe is similar to Jamie's salsa chicken recipe (in the family cookbook). I make her recipe and this one fairly often because they are so convenient and oh so delicious.

I make this on days when I don't feeling like planning dinner or going to the grocery store. I just have to remember early enough in the day to throw the stuff in the crockpot, and it's done. It makes good leftovers, too! We switch between serving it over tortilla chips or making burritos out of it.

Recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

2 cups frozen corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 large frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 cups salsa

Lightly grease the bottom and sides of the slow cooker. Pour frozen corn into the bottom of the slow cooker and place the frozen chicken breasts on top. Cover with beans and salsa. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with forks. Return to the slow cooker and stir until the chicken, corn, beans and salsa are combined.

Serve on a bed of tortilla chips and top with additional garnishes: lettuce, tomato, avocado, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, lime wedges, etc.

Zucchini Burgers

I just have to say thank you to my cousin Kaylee...she posted these on her blog a while back and I dared try them with Jim...not only did he like them, but said "it's a keeper..."!! I made a few changes just to fit our tastes but I'm sure either way its delicious!

1-1.5 lbs ground meat (we used beef)
1 small carrot, peeled and grated
1 small zucchini, grated
1/4 C. diced onion or green onion
1 T chili powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. cumin
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
I added diced red peppers too. That was really good.

Just mix it all together, make some patties and grill them up!! Yummy! We put more spices in just to give it more of a kick and topped it off with some fresh parm. cheese. Sawyer and Wyatt BOTH ate some...shocking! You gotta try them at least once...