Mini Berry Cakes

Dieting or not, everybody wants dessert. So why not take a bite and make this cute little cake-like creation? This mini dessert will satisfy the sweet tooth craving without pushing your calorie intake to the limit. It may be quite small but it's jam packed with fruity flavors! YUM!

Also, it gives me a chance to show off some of my new dishes! I got 4 white square snack plates, 4 Mini Trifle dishes, and the Tasting Party Ramekins set, both from Pier1. Mommy loves me.

A few notes about the recipe before I jump in. 

This recipe is courtesy of Diabetic Living  magazine and the BHG Test Kitchen.

The original recipe calls for:

6 6-ounce ramekins or quiche dishes - I used 6 2.75 oz ramekins and halved the recipe. Nutritional info altered.

Fresh berries - I used frozen, then thawed. Fresh would work better and the top would bake more completely.

Eggs - I used Egg Substitute. Nutritional info not altered.

Fat Free Milk - I used 1%. Nutritional info not altered.

Here is the halved recipe. You can obviously double it for the bigger pans.

Mini Berry Cakes

serves 6

Non Stick Cooking Spray

1/4 c. Egg Substitute

1/8 c. Sugar

1/2 t. Vanilla

Dash of Salt

1/2 c. 1% Milk

1/4 c. Flour

1/4 t. Baking Powder

1 1/2 c. Assorted Berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc.)

Preheat over (toaster oven!) to 400 degrees.

Place ramekins on baking sheet and spray with non-stick spray.

In small bowl whisk egg and sugar until combined. Add and blend in the vanilla and salt. Whisk in milk until combined and smooth.

Divide berries between dishes and pour batter over the berries. The batter will not completely cover the berries. 

Bake 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. 

Mine didn't turn golden brown. As you can see in the picture above, they turned grey. I had to thaw my berries in warm water, and obviously didn't drain them well enough. Too much juice was in the bottom of the ramekins so it blended with the batter and didn't turn out as pretty as planned. But! That's ok. It was yummy.

Nutritional Info (not altered to reflect 1% milk or Egg Substitute):

Cal 70.5

Fat 1

Carb 13

Prot 2.5

All-Purpose Flour

Warm Caramel Apple Cake

It has been a while since I've added anything, but here is your first February recipe. Also, it is 'Fast Sunday', so I am hungry and practically drooling over my keyboard. For those of you who don't know what Fast Sunday is, in the LDS church, on the first Sunday of each month people fast (or don't eat) for 24 hours, or two meals. Most people add up the amount of money that they could have spent on the meals and donate it to a church fund as a 'Fast Offering'. Also, instead of having 2-3 speakers in the Sacrament Meeting, all the congregation has the chance, and is invited to go up to the pulpit and bear their testimony of the church and Gospel related things. It's a great experience for everyone.

So today's recipe is one I made a few months ago, but would like to make again soon. This is a variation of Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. It was featured in the 2010 Betty Crocker Recipe Calendar (best. calendar. ever.)

About every other Sunday, Dad, Boo, Chelle and I head up to Grandma and Grandpa's for dessert after dinner, after church. Sunday is a great day for spending time with family. Every so often I volunteer and this is what I made.

Warm Caramel Apple Cake
serves 15


1/2 c. Butter
1/4 c. Whipping Cream
1/2 c. Brown Sugar
1/2 c. chopped Pecans
2 large Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist Yellow Cake
1 1/4c. Water
1/3 c. Vegetable Oil
3 Eggs
1/4 t. Apple Pie Spice (if you don't feel like buying it you can use cinnamon for a different flavor)

I served this with Vanilla Ice Cream but the nutritional info includes this topping:

Mix 2/3 c. Betty Crocker Whipped Fluffy White Frosting and 1/2 c. Whipped Topping. Fold together to keep fluffy.W

Directions:


Preheat oven to 350. In small saucepan, over low, stir butter, whipping cream, and brown sugar until butter is just melted. Pour into 13x9 baking dish, evenly distributed, and sprinkle pecans and apples evenly.

In large mixing bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs, and spice on low until moistened, then on medium speed for 2 minutes. Carefully pour or spoon over apple mixture.

Bake 40-45 minutes, until toothpick inserted near middle comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the dish to loosen. Place serving platter inverted on top of baking dish, and invert (flip). Let dish sit over platter for 1 minute so the caramel drizzles down on to the cake. Remove baking dish and cut the cake 3 slices x 5 slices. Serve warm out of the oven with ice cream or whipped frosting topping.

Nutritional Info (cake with whipped frosting topping):
410 cal
21g fat
52 carb
3g prot

It is really delicious and easy. Let me know what you thought about it, and if you used cinnamon or apple pie spice.

Caramel

Cookie Salad!!!!

In honor of National Cookie Day, which was yesterday... I am posting my favorite salad recipe. Sorry, no picture yet.

Cookie Salad.

This makes me want to go on a salad diet. 

Happy Day-After-National-Cookie Day!

2 cans Pineapple Tidbits or Chunks, drained
2 cans Mandarin Oranges, drained
16 oz. Cool Whip
1 lg pkg Instant Vanilla Pudding
2 c. Buttermilk
1 pkg Keebler Fudge Stripe cookies.

Dump cookies into a gallon zip locking bag. Break cookies against counter, floor, wooden spoon, sister's head...
Mix pudding with buttermilk, fold in the Cool Whip, add other ingredients.
Add cookies prior to serving to avoid soggy cookies (I actually prefer them with a little less crunch though). Refrigerate until ready.

Enjoy. This is a Fourth of July tradition, but it was National Cookie Day. How could I not share?

I brought this to a work potluck (Eddie Bauer's 91st Anniversary) and everyone loved it. I know of at least two people who clocked out to go home after their shift, then sat down and had another scoop : )

If you've tried it, let me know. If you've made it, tell me what you do differently.