Creamy and Delicious Eggnog, Cooked and Refined sugar free

I have been off refined sugar for almost a year now. I love it and feel great, but sometimes there are

those little things you miss, like eggnog. The holidays just make me want to sit down with a steaming cup of eggnog while watching A Muppet Christmas Carol. Since I needed eggnog with no store bought remedy in sight I scoured the internet looking for homemade options. I didn't find what I wanted and so resorted to cobbling together my own recipe. It was a total success! Even my super picky nephew loved it. This is a custard and therefore not an easy recipe and requires lots of vigilance, so be warned! It also works best if you have a candy thermometer to avoid overcooking and making eggnog flavored scrambled eggs. Good luck!

Ingredients:
6 eggs
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup maple syrup and 1/2 tsp salt

2. Crack 6 eggs into the mixing bowl and whisk very well until homogeneous.

3. Pour 3 cups of milk into a large pot and turn the heat up to medium.

4. Pour the egg mixture into the milk and whisk very quickly.

5. Continuously whisk while it heats up. You want to get the mixture to about 150º to 160ºF. If  you have a food thermometer keep track of the heat that way, but if you don't have one simply heat the mixture until you start to see a little steam, then give it another 30 to 60 seconds to cook while whisking. You will notice that it thickens a bit and becomes smooth. It will take about 5 minutes. Stir well.

6. Take the pot off the heat as soon as the proper temp is reached. Add 1 cup of cream and 1 tsp vanilla extract.

7. Optional Step: At this point I like to strain the eggnog through a strainer and cheese cloth to make sure any lumps of egg that did not get creamed properly don't make it into the final product.

8. Add remaining spices.

9. Put into a bowl or pitcher and refrigerate until it is cold and thick, about 8 hours to overnight.

10. When ready to serve, stir or shake the eggnog well and pour into serving glasses. Dust with nutmeg.

Oat and Nanner Bites

REPOST: This is adapted from a vegan cookbook. These are uber healthy and tasty. The first day or two they are soft and delicious, they then turn hard and are perfect for teething biscuits because they are dairy, egg, and wheat free (which is what I made them for in the first place).

Ingredients:1 c quick oats

1 c ground oats (grind oats and make a coarse oat flour)

1/4 t salt

1/4 t cinnamon or ginger or cardamom (we do all 3 spices.)

1/4 t nutmeg

1 t baking powder

1 c (~2) overripe bananas, mashed

1 t vanilla extract

3 T oil of choice
1-2 Tbsp pure maple syrup (optional)

Directions:Mix dry, mix wet, add wet to dry. Drop by the spoonful onto parchment paper or greased baking sheet and flatten into desired shape (they will not spread). Bake 12-15 min at 350.

5 minute Raspberry Syrup

We love fruit syrup around my house but I have only been able to find the really cheap, high fructose corn syrup garbage ever since we moved to Mississippi. The obvious solution: make my own! This recipe is so easy and you can use fresh or frozen raspberries, although the frozen are typically cheaper. The amount of sweetener is totally up to your taste, so start slow and add more to your preference. If you like really tart syrup, only put in 2 Tbsp of sweetener. This is terrific on pancakes, waffles, mixed into plain yogurt, or on a bagel with cream cheese.

Ingredients:
1 package frozen raspberries (12 oz)
1/4 cup honey or 100% real maple syrup, more or less to taste
1/4 cup cold water
1 Tbsp cornstarch

Direction:
Put raspberries and sweetener in a sauce pan (break up berries with a spoon). Heat on medium until bubbly. Mix water and cornstarch. Add to berry mixture. Stir and cook 2 minutes past when sauce thickens. Strain seeds if desired. Makes 1 3/4 cup sauce. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. (I use a salad dressing shaker).

Sugarless Apple Pie Filling

My mom can't have sugar, and I like to eat as little as possible myself, so I'm always on the lookout for yummy sugarless treats I can pass off as "dessert." This has been a favorite lately. It still has a lot of calories and natural sugars, but if you're just looking to avoid sugar (and any carcinogenic sweetener), this is a great one!

1 can (12 oz) frozen apple juice concentrate

2 T butter

3 T quick-cooking tapioca

1/8 t salt

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t ground nutmeg

6-7 cups peeled, thinly sliced baking apples

In a saucepan, combine all ingredients and simmer, covered 10-15 minutes. 

Use in a pie shell, wrapped in bread dough (like a calzone) or just top with whipped cream and eat out of a bowl. Yummy!

French Banana Pancakes

I make breakfast every morning, so I'm always looking for something more interesting than oatmeal and scrambled eggs. I would call these crepes.

Pancakes:
1 C flour
2 T sugar
1 C milk
2 eggs
3T melted butter
1 t vanilla
1/4 t salt

Filling:
1/4 C butter
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 C milk
4-5 firm bananas, cut in half, the split in thirds.
whipped cream (optional for topping)

Sift flour and sugar into mixing bowl. Add milk, eggs, butter, vanilla and salt; beat until smooth. Heat a lightly greased 6" skillet; add about 3 T batter, spreading to almost cover the bottom of the skillet. Cook until lightly browned; turn over. Makes 10-12 pancakes. Grease skillet as needed.

FOR FILLING: Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stiry in cream and cook until slightly thickened. Add bananas a few at a time and spoon sauce over them. Place one banana in each pancake and roll up. Top with whipped cream if desired. 5-6 servings.

Swedish Apple Pie

My mom brought me a bunch of apples from her tree last week so I needed to come up with creative and healthy ways to use them. I came across this recipe in a cooking magazine and loved it! This recipe is a mix between cake and a crustless pie. The ingredients come together so quickly I couldn't believe it. This is also a great substitute for coffee cake. The best part about it is the 175 calories per slice, most apples pies are between 400-600. I made it even healthier by substituting 1/3 cup agave for the 1/2 cup sugar. If you don't like nuts you can omit them for a cakier pie. I did a half and half since my husband likes nuts and I don't. He said the nuts made it for him, but I liked it without. Serve with vanilla ice cream if you want.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 medium apples, chopped
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
• Confectioners' sugar, optional

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a small bowl, whisk egg and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apples and walnuts.
• Transfer to a 9-in. pie plate coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar if desired. Serve warm. Yield: 8 servings.

Ice Cream Cake (like you buy)

My mom came up with this method for ice cream cake. It is so simple that I will never spend $30 on an ice cream cake again when I can make it myself for around $5. My grandma requested this recipe, so I am posting it. You can watch a demo video by clicking here, or go to the end of the post.

• 1 spring form pan (a must) 8 or 9"
• 1 box favorite cake mix
• 1.5- 2 quarts favorite ice cream
• frosting:
• 8-12 oz cool whip
• 4 oz instant pudding package
• 1 c. milk
• 1/4 c. powdered sugar
• optional stir in's to put on top of (or in the middle of) the ice cream before the cake layer goes on top:
• brownies, (goey undercooked works best) broken in dime size pieces, crushed candy canes, candy bars, chocolate/carmel sauce, cookie pieces, pie filling etc, etc, etc.

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DIRECTIONS:

1. mix cake batter as directed on box. (you may use one egg)

2. Pour about 1/2 cake mix into prepared (spray with PAM) spring form pan and bake as directed on package about 20-25 minutes. If you have 2 pans bake both at the same time.

3. remove cake from pan by running a knife around edge to loosen, taking off side and flip onto a cookie sheet covered with wax paper or aluminum foil. Don't worry if it is lopsided, falls apart or whatever. It will be covered by “forgiving” icing. set aside. This will be your cake top.

4. Bake the other half of cake mix in the same spring form pan if you haven’t before. If you have two spring form pans the same size or 1" difference, you can cook both at the same time. Do not remove second cake from pan. This is your cake bottom Let cool by setting in the freezer or on counter.

5. When cake and pan are cool, remove ice cream from freezer to soften. Start scooping ice cream onto the cake in the spring form pan. Smooth the ice cream as you go and fill in all holes or gaps. Don’t be afraid of really pushing the ice cream on the cake to get rid of air holes. If you want to use optional stir in's, this is the place, on top of the ice cream, or in the ice cream. Put the reserved cooked cake on top and gently push down to not have any gaps, this will fill in the sides. Place in freezer until frozen. This depends on your freezer temp, overnight is best. Make the frosting.

FROSTING:

6. mix 1 c. milk with the

7. 4 oz instant pudding and whip. This will be a thick pudding. Add the 1/4 c. powdered sugar and stir in 8-12 oz. of cool whip.

8. When mixed, remove cake from spring form pan by sliding a knife around the edge. You may need to put your knife in water. Unclamp the pan and gently take off. You will serve the cake on the bottom of the spring form pan.

9. Frost the top and sides making sure not to miss any areas. You may need to get the counter messy or put the cake on another pan to get if off the counter. Quickly put into freezer for at least 3 hours. I don’t cover it. Will keep uncovered 5+ days.

10. To serve: let sit on counter 10 minutes or we just saw through frozen cake.

11. 2:1 favorite is chocolate cake, mint chocolate ice cream and chocolate instant pudding.

Rye Cookies (Ruiskakut)

I attended a cookie exchange today where we had a quick demo of making rye cookies. These are traditional Christmas cookies in Finland. People will decorate their Christmas trees with them and when guests come over they can break a cookie off the tree. These aren't super sweet, but Claire couldn't get enough of them.

Ingredients

1 cup rye flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour, unsifted

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, cut in pieces

4-5 tablespoons milk

Stir the flours together with salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add butter and rub with your fingers until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring with a fork until a stiff dough is formed. Gather together and press into a ball. Chill.

Roll a portion at a time on a floured board or pastry cloth to about 1/8" thickness. Cut out rounds with a 2" cookie cutter. Using a tiny round cutter (1/2" diameter-you can use the cap from a food coloring or flavoring bottle), cut a hole slightly off center. Prick each cookie several times with a fork and place on lightly greased baking sheet, slightly apart. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes or until cookies are firm when touched. Cool on wire racks. Store airtight at room temperature for 2 or 3 days; freeze for longer storage. Makes about 2 dozen.

My new favorite thing

For anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis knows that I am totally obsessed with yogurt. I cook with it constantly and we eat a lot of it in my house. It is my kids favorite food. In my quest to find delicious yogurts for my kids, Marc picked up a tub of Greek God's Honey Flavored Yogurt. It is just about the most delicious thing ever! It is rich, creamy and sweet (but not too sweet). It is similar to Russian cream and oh, so delicious. Both Marc and I love it so much there is no way my kids are getting any of it. If you see it in your dairy section, GET IT!

Homemade Yogurt

Someday I might get a yogurt machine, but I've been doing it in the oven with great success, so maybe not. Here's my recipe:

1 C dry milk
4 C water
1 yogurt start

Your yogurt start is either a store bought start, or 2-4 T active yogurt. I buy a quart container of plain yogurt and freeze it in 2 T dollops. Makes about 25 starts.

Combine dry milk and water in a saucepan. Stir and slowly heat to 180F. Pull off heat and cool to 110-120F. Preheat oven to the lowest setting. Stir in yogurt start until dissolved and place mixture in a clean dish. Turn off the oven, and turn on the inside light. Place the dish in the oven and let it incubate for 6-8 hrs or until doesn't slosh around when jiggled (I do about 6 ½ for a mild flavor). Oven should hold at around 120-110F if the light is on. Keep the oven closed to retain heat.

Chill for several hours.

Eat plain, with fruit chunks and/or granola. To flavor, add blueberry or strawberry syrup. For a simple flavor add ¼ to 1 t sugar and ¼ t jello mix to every cup of yogurt. I've also used crystal light drink mix plus sugar to the rave of all.

Strawberry Syrup:
1 T cornstarch
¼ C sugar
½ C water
¾ C mashed strawberries

Blueberry Syrup:
1 t cornstarch
2 T sugar
1 C blueberries
¼ C water

Mix sugar and cornstarch and add to fruit and water in a saucepan. Bring to boil until desired consistency.

Pumpkin Pie Cake

• I adore this cake in the fall! it is a Fantastic twist on pumpkin pie. The original recipe calls for 1 1/2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice, but I like it with more, so i double it. A quick tip about buttermilk, if you only have sweet milk, put a splash of vinegar in to curdle the milk. I never buy buttermilk.

  Ingredients

  • CAKE:
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (about 13 1/2 ounces)
• 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 
  GLAZE:
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare the cake, lightly coat a 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray; dust with flour. Spread pumpkin over 2 layers of paper towels; cover with 2 additional layers of paper towels. Let stand about 10 minutes. Scrape drained pumpkin into a bowl.

Place 3/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 3 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in pumpkin and vanilla. Lightly spoon 3 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and 3/4 cup buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare glaze, combine 1/3 cup buttermilk and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Drizzle cake with glaze.

Fruit Dip

Subtitle: Yogurt Cheese Part II

OK, I'm a bit obsessed with this yogurt cheese. The flavor is milder than plain yogurt and the texture is so much more spreadable. It adapts easily to any flavor added to it. This time I made a fruit dip:

Yogurt cheese (I used maybe about 1/2 C)
Polaner all-fruit spread--one of my FAVORITE food products (two or three spoonfuls to taste)
Couple shakes cinnamon

I also put this on a bagel. YUM!

Sidenote: My kids are more excited to try new things if it's presented well, hence the pretty platter.

Yogurt Cheese

Today I discovered yogurt cheese. It's so easy to make, all you do is pour plain yogurt into a strainer covered with 3 leayers of cheesecloth and let it sit overnight or up to 2 days. One recipe I found said to put it in the fridge, but when I put mine in there, it froze (?!) and I ended up taking it out anyway to finish up. This picture is in the early stages, but after it's all strained, it has the exact same consistancy as cream cheese. In fact, the book I got the recipe from (Eating Clean by Tosca Reno) claimed it could be subsituted for any recipe using cream cheese. So with that, I had to make bagels too. (Basic recipe here. I added stuff of course, like whole wheat and onions. Yum.) The flavor of the yogurt cheese is much milder than cream cheese, but it worked beautifully. I think next time I'll add some roasted garlic, maybe some dill? This might be a good base for something to replace mayo as a sandwich spread, any good ideas for flavors?

Other uses for yogurt cheese:

• Yogurt cheese whipped cream: Mix 1 1/2 C yogurt cheese with 1 t vanilla and 1 t cinnamon. Blend well and use as a topping in place of whipped cream.
• Cake frosting: 2 C yogurt cheese, mix 1/2 C powdered sugar, 1/2 t vanilla. Mix well and frost cake. Store in refrigerator.
• Chocolate Mousse: 1 C yogurt cheese plus 3 T melted dark chocolate that has been mixed with 1 t honey or agave nectar (or probably just sugar for me--totally trying this one!)