Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Snack Cake (Low-fat)

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*Two for one blog post special today! Why? Because you need to make these this weekend! Your family, friends and your taste buds will love you. Trust me.

Have you ever combined pumpkin and chocolate in a sweet baked good? Well, if you haven't, may I introduce to you this recipe. WARNING--it is sheer EVIL! I think they call it a "snack cake" as a form of mind control to keep you from eating the whole pan in one sitting! Yes, it is that good. I mean, like, super-duper yummy pumpkin-chocolate chippy awesomeness!! The best part about this recipe, other than being incredibly easy to whisk up, is that I made it low-fat! That actually might be a bad thing because you'll want to eat more than one "snack".  I subbed half of the original amount of oil with plain yogurt.  I recommend just plain (fat-free or low-fat) and not Greek yogurt.  But if you like a little extra tang, then go ahead and use Greek.

Most of you probably have all of the ingredients in your kitchen this time of year, but in case you don't, no worries.  You can make your own pumpkin pie spice and homemade pumpkin purée. And as for the mini chocolate chips...you can use standard size.  I might even finely chop up some white chocolate next time because I know from experience that that is a winning combo😋. (See Spiced Pumpkin Rice Crispy Treats recipe.)

Back to the "snack" word.  Snack in the morning? Yes.  Snack in the afternoon? Absolutely! Snack after dinner with a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt? You better believe it!! Happy Baking!

P.S. Need to serve a crowd some "snacks"? Just double the ingredients (use the whole (15-ounce) can of pumpkin purée if you use store bought) and bake in a 9 x 13-inch metal baking pan.

Sunday Dinner

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Gouda and Lemon Thyme Gougères 

with Peaches

Tomato Based Gazpacho 

with Lump Crabmeat Salad Garnsih

Lemon Yogurt Mousse with Blueberry Sauce

Sunday dinners are a little different now.  My son, Jack, is a recent Mizzou graduate and getting ready to move into his own world in Madison, WI.  My daughter, Emma, is finishing up her last year at Tulane and my youngest , Mabelle, is sixteen; therefore she is barely seen or heard from.  So, it is pretty much me and my husband and the two black black furry creatures lurking under the table at dinner time.  I'll have to fill you in on our newest family member another time.  On to the menu and recipe...

It is HOT here in Illinois!! I mean, it seems like it was 50° F just a couple of weeks ago and now the heat index is over 100° F. 🔥 That means, it is a "no oven or stove" Sunday dinner. Ok, I did turn the stove on for a few minutes for the blueberry sauce.

The feature of tonight's menu is the dessert, Lemon Yogurt Mousse.  I like to think of it is as a no-bake, cold summer soufflé. A little bit of the fresh blueberry sauce is spooned into the bottom of each ramekin and then the light and airy mousse is spooned on top of the sauce. There is a nice tang from the addition of Greek yogurt to the mousse and the lemon adds a zesty (pun intended) punch.  As for the Greek yogurt, I have had equally good results using whole, 2% or 0%.  It just depends on your preference.  I used 0% for tonight.  The mousse is served in 4-ounce ramekins, so it is the perfect amount of sweetness to end our dinner on a hot summer day.  Happy cooking!

Pineapple-Mango Smoothie

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I love it when my local market (shout out to Sunset Foods) helps me plan my weekly menus. Pineapples, mangoes, and oranges were on sale this past week, so I was able to make a tropical take on my basic smoothie formula for a breakfast treat over the weekend.  There was even extra fruit left over to keep in the freezer for future concoctions.  

This smoothie tastes like sunshine in a glass.  And just when we need it around here.  It comes together in a flash and can be enjoyed at leisure or on the go.  I used freshly squeezed orange juice this time around, but I have also had good results with coconut water in its place. I like the added taste and sweetness that the vanilla yogurt lends, but plain yogurt can be used if that's what you have on hand. The combination of flavors (and the optional paper umbrella☺) are much needed when trying to mentally escape the current seasonal conditions of cold and snow.

Looking for more smoothie flavors?  Give these a go...

Strawberry-Banana Smoothie

Tropical Green Smoothie 

Pineapple-Blueberry Smoothie

Sunday Dinner

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Hot Onion and Cheese Soufflé Dip

Roast Chicken

Potato Gratin with Tomatoes, Gruyère, and Thyme

Simple Salad with House Vinaigrette

French Yogurt Cake with Honey Glaze

Preparing a Sunday dinner with a trifecta of basketball games to attend this weekend makes my job a little more difficult.  So having a recipe like this one is comes in handy.  This classic French cake is simple to prepare; no stand mixer or special equipment required.  It comes together quickly and it can be made in advance.  And in my opinion, the flavor improves with age.  

Speaking of the flavor-- lemon zest and vanilla yogurt are the key ingredients.  An additional flavor element comes from the honey glaze that also acts as a seal that keeps the cake perfectly moist.  Serve it in the classic way with just a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream or enjoy it with seasonal fresh fruit, a good chocolate sauce, or a spoonful of lemon curd.  Not only are the accompaniments variable, but the cake can also be enjoyed at any time of day.  Have a slice with your morning coffee, an afternoon pick me up with a cup of tea, a simple ending to your dinner, or a sliver for a late night snack☺.

Sunday Dinner one year ago

Sunday Dinner two years ago

Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

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You may have figured out by now that I have a bit of a sweet tooth.  And after the Hot Chocolate Layer Cake with Homemade Marshmallows, I thought I would take it easy on you (and my family, of course).  You might be asking yourself, "frozen dessert in winter?"  Yes, absolutely!  Ice cream, sorbets, sherbets, and frozen yogurt are year 'round treats for me.  This frozen yogurt is one that I prepare all year long and is a nice departure from the store bought/chain operation frozen yogurts out there.  For a low fat and rather plain dessert, the taste and texture are anything but ordinary. In the winter, I use Greek yogurt for a rich, tangy flavor.  In the summer, I use plain yogurt for a lighter and tasty spoonful. The key ingredient for the creamy, cloud-like texture is beaten egg whites and yes, they are raw.  Just make sure your eggs have clean, unbroken shells and crack them on a flat surface rather than on the edge of a bowl to prevent any possible bacterial contamination.  If you are still concerned about the use of raw eggs, you can use powdered egg whites instead.  Just beat them according to the manufacturer's instructions.

One beautiful thing about this yogurt is that it is good any time of the day.  Top a scoop with a drizzle of honey and granola for breakfast.  A bowl in the afternoon with some fresh fruit is great way to keep you going.  My favorite way is a big spoonful after dinner to cleanse the palate and satisfy that sweet tooth of mine without any guilt.  

Strawberry-Banana Smoothie

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I love smoothies.  They are quick and easy, kid-friendly, nutritious, really satisfying on a hot summer morning, portable, and extremely versatile when it comes to ingredients.  However, smoothie recipes are ones for which most do not have a precise recipe.  They fall more along the lines of "a little bit of this and a little bit of that".   I hope this recipe can provide a trunk of sorts that can support many different limbs and branches of ingredients that one might choose for his or her own personalized smoothie.  

I like to use yogurt and frozen fruit instead of ice (which can water a smoothie down) to achieve that frosty-like feel.  This time of year when berries are at their peak in the markets, I buy them in bulk and freeze them for future smoothies.  For the berries-- I wash and dry them, then lay them in a single, even layer on a parchment or waxed paper lined baking sheet.  I freeze them until solid and then place them in large one gallon freezer bags.  For the bananas-- I peel them first before placing them on the baking sheet to freeze.  When I am ready to ready to use one, I simply remove it from the bag and slice it with a sharp knife to make for easier blending.

Whether you are sipping leisurely while reading the morning paper ( yes, we still read tree bark in lieu of social media first thing in the am), drinking on the go, or trying to get your children (who are still adjusting to the early morning back to school start) out the door to catch the bus, smoothies are a quick and easy way to provide delicious and nutritious fuel for the body.

Banana Bread

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I often wonder how many recipes there are for banana bread.  From the mixing methods to the variations of ingredients, there seem to be thousands.  I make my share of these variations, but today I am sharing the recipe for my standard, plain ol' banana bread.  

My idea of a good banana bread is one with a tender cake, but not so moist that it is gummy.  So, with the goal of straddling this fine line, I use butter and bit of sour cream or yogurt.  I aim for a nice dome with a crunchy, sugary top.  To this end, I sprinkle the top of the unbaked bread with Demerara sugar.  I like for the mashed banana to be speckled throughout, not in chunks here and there.  To achieve that, I press my ripe banana through a potato ricer before mixing it in with the other ingredients.   My secret addition to really brighten the banana flavor is to add a splash of vinegar.  The end result for me--a perfectly textured and tasty banana bread that is just the right vehicle for a slathering of butter.