Best LOW FAT Chocolate Chip Cookies

So, I've been baking and cooking a lot lately~ just not blogging about it. Here is a great recipe link. I like to save them here so I know where to find them again:)

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/08/best-low-fat-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

Homemade Tortillas

Haven't tried this yet. Just putting it here so I know where to find it when I do! Thought it would be a great recipe using my food storage.

Tortillas

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teas baking powder
• 1/2 teas salt
• 2 Tablespoons of butter (softened)
• 1/2 cup of warm water

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and butter in a medium bowl.

Gradually add water and mix until a smooth dough is formed. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour.

Roll dough into one and one-half inch balls. Set on a plate and cover. Let rest for ten minutes.

Flatten one ball at a time between two small plates and then roll into a six inch circle.

The flatter you roll the dough the more it will resemble soft tacos, thicker dough is more like a gordita.

Place the tortillas on a griddle and cook over a medium heat until the tortillas turn white, then flip and repeat.

Ready to eat.

You can even make these for dessert. Just follow the recipe above and when the tortillas are right off the griddle, butter them and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Delish!

39 Favorite Fall Desserts

Pumpkin Squares with Cider Caramel Sauce

Pumpkin Pie-sicles

Check it out: 39 Favorite Fall Desserts!

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Prepared by Chef Tom

www.cookwithtom.com

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 oz bag milk chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. (tip from Caren: you will need extra flour, if not, flat cookies. So I add about 1/2 cup or until the dough thickens up quite a bit and so it is not so sticky/runny like.) Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough (abt and hour or two- if not, flat cookies), then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. (tip from Caren: make'em big! abt golf ball size and then shape them into hockey pucks- that is what the creater suggested. makes a big thick cookie:) ) Bake for 11 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

For an added zing, top each cookie with a few crystals of either fleur de sel, or coarse sea salt.

Harvest Pumpkin Bars

Bars
2 c all-purpose flour
2 c sugar
1 Tbps pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 (15 oz) can solid pack pumpkin
3/4 c vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
Frosting
3 oz cream cheese, softened
6 Tbps butter, softened
1 tsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 c confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl.
Stir in pumpkin, oil and eggs.
Spread in a greased 10x15 inch baking pan.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until edges pull away from the sides of the pan.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Frosting- Combine cream cheese, butter, milk, vanilla, and confectioners sugar in a medium mixing bowl.
Beat on medium high speed until smooth, scraping the bowl constantly until of spreading consistency.
Spread over the baked layer.
Chill, covered, until serving time.
Cut into 48 bars.

A Pampered Chef recipe.

Banana, Zuccinni, or Pumpkin Bread

3 eggs
1 c butter
2 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
2 c mashed bananas or shredded zucchini or pumpkin
*if making zucchini or pumpkin bread add 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie spice
3 c flour (I used 2 c regular flour and 1 c whole wheat)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
Optional: Chocolate chips!

Preheat oven to 325. Beat eggs, butter and sugar. Add vanilla and bananas (or whatever you are using). Add rest of ingredients. Bake in greased (and floured if desired) bread pans until golden brown and thoroughly cooked (mine took about 45-50 minutes).

Makes 2 loaves.

Crepes

I've been making this recipe since I was 15 and have always loved it! Very easy!

1 1/2 c flour
1 T sugar
1/2 tsp baking pwdr
1/2/ tsp salt
2 c milk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 T butter (melted)

Combine flour, sugar, bkg pwdr, and salt. Stir in the rest of ingredients and beat.

Heat skillet and spray. Pour a small amount of batter and then tilt pan to help spread it around. Flip over when top side thickens.

After removing the crepes from the skillet I fold them in quarters and serve them that way. I love them with a little butter, homemade strawberry jam, and a dusting of powdered sugar for breakfast. Also works as a dessert with ice cream and hot fudge!

Chocolate Fillers

This if for you Kim!

3/4 c butter or margarine
1 c packed brown sugar
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c flour
1 c quick cooking oats
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 c chocolate chips

Cream butter with brown sugar and salt. Blend in flour and oats until particles are fine. Press abt 2/3 of mixture into bottom of 13x9inch pan (recipe says to grease the pan but I didn't and was fine- I think there's enough butter in the mixture to grease it up). Heat condensed milk in saucepan. Stir in chips until melted. Spread over mixture in pan. Sprinkle with remaining crumbs; press down lightly. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until light golden brown.

Caramel Apple Dip

The perfect fall treat! I make this every year and could eat it by the spoonful. The special ingredient is the small amount of cinnamon!

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

Heat the above ingredients over medium heat. Stir. Be patient and don't turn up your heat- you don't want it to burn on the bottom!

When above mixture is smooth and brown sugar has dissolved completely, remove from heat. Stir in the following in the slightly cooled caramel mixture:

1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

Pour into serving bowl. Serve with apple wedges.

Berry Upside-down Cake (with zucchini)

Let me just preface this with the fact that I'm a firm believer that you shouldn't put food where it doesn't belong. Pepper shouldn't be in cookies, cinnamon and sweet things don't belong in stew and raisins don't belong anywhere. That being my opinion I don't eat zucchini bread... ever. My mom sent me a recipe to use all my yellow zucchini I have in my garden, a CAKE recipe! Gross! But I tried it. It originally called for yellow squash but I didn't grow any this year. I made it and then I tweaked it and made it a few more times and loved it more each time. The last time I made it I was attempting to find a way to get the jam to stay on the inside of the cake. Then, when I dropped the experiment version of the cake on the open oven door and watched batter and jam run into the bottom of the oven, all over the door and through the hinge onto my kitchen floor I thought, "Screw it, let them conduct their own experiments! I'm done!" I renamed the recipe and updated it with all my tweaks. It is the moistest, tastiest amazing yellow cake I've ever had. I love it! I've eaten 3 of them almost entirely on my own justifying it each time by saying out loud to myself, "It's ok, it has zucchini in it!"

Berry Upside-down Cake

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1 C. Pureed Summer Yellow Squash or Yellow Zucchini
1/2 C. Water
2 T. Vegetable Oil
3 Large Eggs
3/4 C. Sour Cream
Boysenberry Spreadable Fruit Jam
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut up squash or zucchini into chunks and puree in a food processor. It can be a little more than a cup. Mine always is. Add the water and puree some more.
3. In a mixer, combine the cake mix, squash puree, oil, eggs, and sour cream. Beat on low till combined. Beat in Medium for 1-2 minutes.
4. Spray 2 round 8 or 9 inch cake pans with cooking spray. Spray it thicker than you normally do. (or one pan and 12 cupcakes. Also 8 inch pans will make a thicker moister cake)
5. Add half the batter to the pan, then drop the jam all over the entire cake in small spoonfuls. The more spread out it is the more consistent looking it will be when you turn it out. I used about 2/3 of a smaller jar of jam.
6. Cover with the rest of the batter and bake at 350. 20-25 minutes for cupcakes and 25-30 for round cake or till it's light brown on top and springs back when you touch it.
7. Let it cool in the pan for about 15-25 minutes. Run a knife around the outside of the pan and turn it upside down onto a plate. Don't try to force it out or the jam will stick to the pan. Let it sit there upside-down till it drops out. Keep it covered or it dries out fast and gets really hard.

Chocolate Cake "A Al Francaise"

Some friends wanted this recipe so I am posting it here. My friend Elodie makes this and it is wonderful~ as is everything she bakes!

8 oz butter
6 eggs, separated
1 Tbls flour
1 c sugar
5 Tbls cocoa "perfect for baking" 100% cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9" cake tin with wax paper. Melt the butter over a small flame. Beat the egg yolks and sugar. Fold in the chocolate, butter and flour. Beat the egg whites until frothy. Fold in softly the beaten egg whites.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.

Gooey Apple Cake

This recipe has become on of my favorites because it's a perfect one when you want a Sunday dessert, but don't really have any ingredients to make something yummy. I've had to improvise on a few things and love it everytime. (ps-- it is also very similar to my mom’s apple cake that I put in the family cookbook, but is a little easier and serves a smaller crowd.)

8 T. butter, divided
1 ½ c. sugar, divided
1 egg
1 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
2 large apples, cored and chopped (I've always only had one apple in my fridge whenever I want to make this and it's still good)
1 c. walnuts (I don't keep these on hand that often, so they get left out)
2 tsp. cornstarch
¼ c. evaporated milk (I think it tastes great with just plain milk)
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-in. square pan with cooking spray. Cream 5 T. of butter and 1 c. sugar. Add egg and beat well. Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, apples, and walnuts. Batter will be stiff. Spoon into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake about 35 minutes.

Combine remaining 3 T. butter, ½ c. sugar, cornstarch, and evaporated milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour over hot cake. Serve warm.

Magnolia's Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Makes enough for one 2-layer 9-inch cake or 2 dozen cupcakes*

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

*Note: If you are icing a 3-layer cake, use the following recipe proportions: 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter 8 to 10 cups confectioners’ sugar 3/4 cup milk 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcakes

I made these for Vinnie's Birthday. I loved the cupcakes but thought the frosting recipe I used was a bit, okay, way to sweet. You don't need as much as I put on the cupcakes. I thought the cupcakes were wonderful plain!!! I doubled the vanilla and recommend you do the same.

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes (depending on the size of your cupcake papers and muffin tins)

CUPCAKES:
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
ICING:
Vanilla Buttercream (recipe also listed in blog) or Chocolate Buttercream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing. At the bakery we ice the cupcakes with either Vanilla Buttercream or Chocolate Buttercream.
Note: If you would like to make a layer cake instead of cupcakes, divide the batter between two 9-inch round cake pans and bake the layers for 30-40 minutes.

Chocolate Pudding Dessert

This is a really yummy and pretty dessert. I love to make it for ward functions.

1 c. flour
1 c. pecans/chopped almonds (I prefer the pecans)
1 8 oz. pkg. of Cool Whip
1 large pkg. instant chocolate pudding
1 c. powdered sugar
1 large pkg. instant vanilla pudding
3 c. cold milk
1 grated Hershey’s chocolate bar
½ c. butter
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

Mix flour, butter, and nuts till crumb-like. Press into bottom of 9 X 13” pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Cool.

Mix cream cheese, sugar, and ½ pkg. Cool Whip. Spread over crust.

Mix vanilla and chocolate pudding with milk until smooth (follow pkg. directions on pudding box). Pour over crust and add remainder of Cool Whip on top. Top with grated Hershey’s bar. Chill and serve!

Fruit Pizza

I think this might be a Pampered Chef recipe, but I'm not sure. It's a perfect summer treat!

Sugar Cookie Crust:
1 c. butter softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
2½ c. flour
2½ tsp. baking soda
2½ tsp. cream of tartar
½ tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. almond extract

Filling/Frosting:
16 oz. cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Fruit:
Peaches
Strawberries
Kiwi
Bananas
Mandarine oranges
Any other berry (blueberry, raspberry, etc)

Orange Sauce:
½ c. sugar
1 c. orange juice
¼ c. lemon juice
¼ tsp. grated orange peel

Combine all ingredients for sugar cookie crust. Flour hands and divide dough in half. Pat dough onto 2 lightly greased pizza pans/stones. Cook at 375 degrees for 12 minutes, or until cooked. Let cool.

Mix all ingredients for filling/frosting. Spread over cooled crust.

Chop up desired fruit (remember to make it colorful)! Cover fruit on top of frosting. Combine ingredients for orange sauce, stirring in the lemon juice and grated orange peel very last. Drizzle orange sauce over fruit pizza.

Royal Raspberry Cake

This is one of my favorite cakes. The consistency can change if you are not careful so stick to the recipe precisely.


The following ingredients need to be at room temp.

1/3 c. butter
1 egg
1 c. milk

Combine the following three ingredients;

2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1 T baking powder

1 c sugar
1 t vanilla
3 1/2 c. raspberries whole

Glaze:
1 1/2 c. confectioners sugar
2 T cream or milk
1 t melted butter
1 t vanilla


Cream softened butter with mixer, add sugar gradually, beating well after each addition until mixture is fluffy and light. Stir in egg; beat 1 min. combine milk and vanilla. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla mixture, beating well after each addition.Spread cake batter in greased, floured 9x13 baking pan. Spread w/berries evenly over top of batter. Bake @350 for 30-35 min or until venter of cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool 5 min. Combine glaze ingredients; spread over cake leaving berries exposed. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Strawberry Lemon Shortcake

I got this recipe from that sweet cooking magazine Mom sends me! It was so good!

1 1/2 c sliced fresh strawberries

2 Tbls sugar

SHORTCAKE:

1 c all-purpose flour

2 Tbls sugar

3/4 tsp baking pwdr

1/8 tsp salt

2 Tbls cold butter

3 Tbls 2% milk

1 egg yolk, beaten

3/4 tsp grated lemon peel

LEMON BUTTER: (I omitted this part to save calories and instead used the lemon peel on top of the strawberries and whip cream at the end.)

1 Tbls butter, softened

1/4 tsp grated lemon peel

WHIPPED CREAM:

1/3 c heavy whipping cream

1 tsp sugar

In a small bowl, combine strawberries and sugar; cover and refrigerate until serving.

In a bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking pwdr and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine the milk, egg yolk and lemon peel; stir into crumb mixture until a soft sticky dough forms (dough will be sticky). (Mine was not. Oh, well- it still ended up tasting good!)

Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 10 times. Divide dough in half (I divided mine into thirds- you could probably divide it into fourths for a smaller serving). Gently pat or roll each half portion of dough into a 3/4-inch-thick circle. Place 2 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack; cool for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine butter and lemon peel; set aside. In a small mixing bowl, beat cream until in begins to thicken. Add sugar; beat until stiff peaks form.

To assemble, split shortcakes in half. Place cake bottoms on dessert plates; spread with lemon butter, then top each with a fourth of the strawberries and whipped cream. Cover with shortcake top and remaining berries and cream.

Yield: 2 servings

Tarte aux Fraises (Pie with Strawberries)

My dear French friend, Elodie, taught me how to make this a couple of days ago and it is divine!!! The different parts of the recipe can be used for a variety of desserts- like the pie crust or the Crême Patissière (filling for cream puffs, side dish to cake, etc). The recipe is very detailed and isn't as complicated as you may think due to its length. I added a bunch of tips Elodie taught me along the way. Next time I make it I will take a photo and post it with the recipe- it looks beautiful!

Tarte aux Fraises (Pie with Strawberries)

Pie Crust (Can be used for any type of pie)
7 Tbls butter (softened)
1 cup flour
Pinch of salt
1 egg
1/3 to ½ cup sugar

Mix flour, butter, and salt with hands until crumbly.
Wisk sugar and egg until white (pale yellow).
Pour sugar/egg mixture into flour mixture. Stir with spoon until manageable and then mix with hands.
When it’s mixed (should be sticky), wrap up dough in plastic wrap and put in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

While crust dough is in fridge:
Prepare the strawberries (you could also use raspberries, apricots, blackberries, or kiwi).
You will need about 1 or 2 cartons of strawberries. *KITCHEN TIP: Wash your berries by placing them in a large bowl of water to soak. Twist of tops but do not yet dig out the middle (this will prevent water from getting inside the strawberries). Remove berries and put them in a strainer. Completely dry berries with a towel. Cut out the center of the strawberries and then cut in half (be sure to cut in a way that will allow the berries to lay the flattest). Set aside.

Bake crust:
Take dough from fridge and spread into a French pie dish (if dish is flimsy, put dish on top of a cookie sheet). If you don't have a French pie dish use a larger shallow pie dish. Pull crust evenly up the sides close to the top of dish. Poke crust with fork prongs. This is an empty crust so to prevent it from bubbling up in the middle, lay parchment paper/aluminum foil lightly on top and up sides of dough. Place dry beans on top of foil. Bake 15-20 minutes or until edges are turning brown. Remove from oven and remove foil and beans to cool.

While crust is baking:
Make the filling- Crême Patissière. (This is custard-like. It can also be used for éclair or cream puff filling. The French also eat this on the side with cake or pie as American’s eat cake with ice cream.)

4 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
1 1/3 cup milk
Optional: 1 tsp vanilla or strawberry extract (best to use the French Sucre Vanilliné but if you don’t have it, use non-alcohol vanilla or a little strawberry jam)
¼ cup cornstarch

Mix yolks, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixture until white (pale yellow).
Put a couple Tbls of milk with cornstarch to make it liquid and add to yolk mixture.
Boil milk over medium high heat. Once it starts to boil, remove and pour into yolk/cornstarch mixture. Mix just enough to blend all ingredients.
Return to stove. Once it barely starts to boil (just one bubble), turn heat to low and cook 3 minutes. (If you find your filling getting chunky real fast, remove from heat immediately and stir quickly until it smoothes out.)

Finish the pie:
Put filling in cooled crust and lay the strawberries decoratively on top. You can sprinkle with powdered sugar or glaze the strawberries with strawberry jam (warm jam for 30 seconds in microwave and then use a brush to paint the berries).

Place pie in refrigerator for 1-2 hours before serving.