No-Yeast Cinnamon Rolls

Have you ever wanted some warm, gooey, sweet bread, but just didn't want to wait... and wait... and wait... for the dough to rise and then to prepare the filling, roll out the dough, and then wait... for it to rise one more time... and then to cook!!!  You get my drift... by the time they are ready you have already eaten something else.

So I got really excited when this recipe came across my Facebook Feed.  Unfortunately, I forgot to write down who initially posted it.  I did do a little search through our magic friend Google, and I found several recipes that were very similar, but couldn't find this exact one.  So, whoever's recipe this is THANK YOU!!  Because I really love the ease of this recipe and the true deliciousness of it, even in my altered  Low-Sugar  version.

This recipe has 3 sets of ingredients:  the dough, the filling, and the glaze.

 The Filling:

• 1/3 c. Splenda Blend brown sugar
• 1/4 c. Splenda granulated
• 3 t. cinnamon
• 1/8 t. salt

Mix these ingredients in a small bowl and set them aside.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Grease/Spray a 9" pan:  round or square.

 The Dough:

• 2 1/2 c. flour
• 3 T. Splenda granulated
• 1 1/4 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 1/4 c. buttermilk  (if you don't have any buttermilk, simply pour the milk just shy of the amount you need, and add a splash of white vinegar to complete the amount--let it set for 5-10 minutes before using to allow to curdle)
• 6 T. butter, divided into 3 parts of 2 T. each, melted

Add the dry ingredients into your mixing bowl.  Use a whisk attachment if you have one.  Slowly add in the buttermilk and the first 2 T. of melted butter. 

 Dough will be quite sticky.  Flour your counter and knead dough 1-2 minutes until smooth.

 Press/Roll dough out to a rectangle of approximately 9 x 12 inches.

 Brush the second 2 T. of melted butter all over the dough.  Then, sprinkle the filling you mixed up all over the rectangle.

(A couple of the recipes I came across when searching for this one also called for raisins.  I love raisins, and think I will add some here in the filling the next time I make them.)

 Starting on the short side, roll the dough tightly.  You may have a little bit of filling squish out towards the end, but it won't be a problem.

Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into 8 even pieces.

 Place the rolls in your prepared pan.  Using your last 2 T. butter, brush the tops of the rolls, allowing the butter to run down the sides and into the layers.

Bake rolls for 20 minutes.

 The Icing/Glaze:

The original icing recipe called for:  2 T. butter, 1 t. vanilla, 1 T. milk... and you guessed it... 1 c. powdered sugar.

So of course I tried to come up with something that would allow me to avoid the powdered sugar.  So here is what I used:

• 4 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese
• 1/4 c. Splenda granulated
• 1 t. vanilla
• 2 % milk as needed

Beat the cream cheese until smooth; add Splenda and vanilla and beat until combined.  Add milk a little at a time until icing is thin and pour-able.  Pour/Spread icing over warm rolls.

You will be enjoying these cinnamon rolls before you know it.  None of that wait time involved.

Cocoa Cream Pie

My mom makes a great cream pie.  I remember eating warm coconut cream pie as a kid... amazing!  My husband is always talking about the cream pies that his grandma Rebecca used to make.  I wish I would have been able to try them.  I guess that cream pies are just something that I have never tackled for fear that they wouldn't come out.  I have always just taken the instant pudding mix way out and made non-cook pies that way, and they are good... just not amazing.

As with so many of my new recipes, this one came across my Facebook Feed, from someone named Andrea Green in Love Yourself Healthy:  Granny's Cocoa Cream Pie    So I thought I would give it a try.  It came out pretty good if I do say so myself, although I am not sure I will put it in the amazing category yet...  maybe I need to "practice" a few more times.  I'm sure that my husband would not complain, he mostly enjoys being the guinea pig.

• 1 refrigerator, prepared pie crust  or 1 recipe for a 9" pie crust
• 1/2 c. cocoa powder
• 1/4 c. cornstarch
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 c. Splenda granulated
• 1/4 t. salt
• 2 c. milk (2%)
• 1 t. vanilla

 I know that we have discussed pie crusts before.  And I love to make my own pie crust, it really isn't that hard.  But there is nothing wrong with using a refrigerator, roll-out pie crust from time to time to speed things up a little.  Even when using a prepared crust, you can take just a couple of minutes and fancy it up a bit by fluting the edges.  Fold under the edge so that the pie crust is a little thicker along the edge.  Just press your thumb between your thumb and forefinger of the other hand.  Work your way around the entire pie and ...  voila!

 Prick the bottom of the pie crust with a fork to allow the steam to escape and bake according to the package directions, or according to your pie crust recipe.  Set the cooked pie shell on a cooling rack while you prepare the cream filling.

 Separate eggs.  Save the whites if you would like to make a meringue for the top of your pie, or if you would like an egg white omelette for breakfast tomorrow.
Beat egg yolks and add to a heavy-bottomed saucepan along with Splenda.  I decided that it was most helpful to mix these with a whisk.

 Add the cornstarch, cocoa and salt, then whisk together.  Begin to heat over medium-high heat.

 While stirring, gradually add milk.  Continue to stir constantly, cooking until thick, beating it smooth.  The recipe said that this might take from 10-15 minutes.  It didn't take that long, and it thickened rapidly, so don't walk away!  Don't quit stirring!
As soon as it thickens, remove from heat and pour into the pie shell.

Put in the fridge to chill.  One of things that I remember from my mom, making cooked puddings, etc., was that she was always trying to prevent a "skin" from forming.  So I used some plastic wrap and gently pressed it on the top of the filling before I set it in the fridge.  It will take an hour or so for the pie to chill.  Then just gently pull the plastic off.

You can serve this with whipped cream, either homemade or store bought or as previously mentioned, you can make a meringue from your egg whites and top the pie.

I think this is a great easy recipe and my husband didn't even know it was one of my  Sugar Free  recipes!

Apple Dumplings

Are you just hankering for something sweet after dinner, but you didn't plan for anything?  The other night, my husband and I were thinking just that.  I found that I had a couple of apples in my fridge and a prepared pie crust left over as I had made a quiche a couple of days before and only used one in the package.  You can throw this in the oven quickly and it will make your house smell wonderful!

•  1 apple per person
• I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
• Splenda brown sugar Blend
• cinnamon and/or nutmeg
• prepared pie crust

Start by coring the apples.  Clean all of the seeds and core through the entire middle.  Next, find a shallow baking dish.  A 9 x 9 works great if you have 4 or 6 apples... I have this small one, that worked perfect for two apples.
I used about 1/3 of the pie crust for each apple.  It doesn't have to fit around the apple perfectly, but put the crust down in the bottom of the dish.  Add 2 or 3 T. of butter into the core of each apple and then a couple of spoonfuls of the brown sugar blend.  This makes the recipe a  Low Sugar  recipe.  If desired, give a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or nutmeg.

Wrap the pie crust around the apples.  No worries if it doesn't wrap up nice and neat... trim and patch.
Bake the apples at 350 degrees for 45 to 1 hour.  Just check it occasionally.  You want the crust to become a beautiful golden brown.

You can serve these apples with a little half-n-half or a small scoop of no sugar added ice cream or frozen yoghurt.  The apple inside is going to be warm, sweet and soft.

Sorry there isn't a picture of the finished apples.  They smelled so good, that we dove in and ate them right away and I forgot to take the picture... the smell went straight to my brain!

Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

There is not a single word in that name that doesn't excite me!  My never-ending sweet tooth jumps for joy at the thought of combining chocolate and peanut butter.  This recipe comes from the Facebook Group:  High Protein Foods.  So that makes me feel even better!  High Protein...  that has to be good for me.

This recipe does have a couple of ingredients that I don't regularly keep in my pantry, so I did have to plan ahead  and be sure that I had all of the ingredients.

• 1 c. peanut butter
• 2/3 c. honey
• 1/2 c. coconut oil
• 2 c. old fashioned oats
• 1 1/4 c. (8 oz.) sugar-free chocolate chips
• 3/4 c. reduced-sugar, dried cranberries 

This was a super simple recipe to make.  You can reduce the sugar in this  Low Sugar  recipe a little more if you chose to use a non-processed peanut butter.  Of course, there are obviously natural sugars in the honey and the cranberries.

 Start with a medium saucepan on medium heat.  Add the peanut butter, honey and coconut oil.  This was the first time that I had worked with coconut oil.  So I was surprised when I opened the container and found out that it was not a liquid.  Wonder why they don't call it coconut shortening??
Heat these three ingredients  and stir occasionally until melted together.

 Meanwhile measure out the remaining 3 ingredients.  I found out that 1 1/4 c. of the sugar-free chocolate chips were exactly the 8 oz. bag.

Once the first 3 ingredients have become completely smooth, remove the pan from the heat and stir in your last ingredients.  Stir until the chocolate is completely melted.

Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 pan and spread out into an even layer.  Put the pan into the fridge for an hour or so until the chocolate is set up.  This will make it much easier to cut into squares.
That is not to say that you can't sneek a bit with a spoon if you just can't wait.
Once you have cut into squares, these need to be stored in the refrigerator to maintain their firmness.
This would be a great snack for your lunch box!

Sticky Bun Breakfast Ring

So what do you do on a weekend morning...when it is snowing like crazy... and you just want something WARM for breakfast.  Oh wait... I haven't been to the grocery store in more than a week.  Hey!  There is a can of biscuits in my fridge.  You can make something warm and gooey without any special ingredients.

I came across this recipe one day last summer and it comes from the Stamps 4 Fun blog.  I was able to make this a  Low Sugar  recipe since it has a little bit of brown sugar blend in it.  Something about a sticky bun just says winter and this last weekend was certainly the right time.  Now I was by myself this weekend and happened to have a small can of biscuits (5 count).  So you will notice that the pics of this recipe make a small ring, but I am writing up the full recipe here, as I am sure most of you are not just cooking for yourself.

• 2 cans of refrigerator biscuits  or  1 can of Pillsbury Grands biscuits
• 3 Tbs. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
• 1/2 c. sugar-free pancake syrup
• 1/6 c. Splenda brown sugar Blend
• 1/2 t. cinnamon

 Start by spraying a bundt pan with non-stick spray.  You will notice that I used a regular cake pan for my smaller version.  If you don't have a bundt pan, I think a regular cake pan will work fine.
Combine the melted butter and the syrup in a small bowl and set aside for the moment.

 In another small bowl, mix the brown sugar and the cinnamon.  If you like pecans or other nuts in your sticky buns, this is where you would mix them in.  You can either use them whole or chop them up, but mix them in with this brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.  Now that I am writing this up, another great add-in here would be raisins.

 Pour about half of your butter/syrup mixture into the bottom of your pan.  Sprinkle about half of the brown sugar mixture over the syrup.  Cut your biscuits into half moon shapes and lay them in the pan slightly overlapping.
NOTE: If you are using the Grands biscuits, they are very thick and have a natural split.  Split them in half horizontally before you cut them in half moon shapes.

 Top with remaining butter/syrup mixture and finally sprinkle on the last of the brown sugar/cinnamon.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

I just left mine in the pan.  But if you were having company or if you just want to impress your family, invert pan onto a serving platter.  The gooey mixture on the bottom will drip all over.
Warm and gooey... great for a snowy morning!

Chocolate Banana Pineapple Pie

One of my friends is from Hawai'i and shared this recipe with me from cookinghawaiianstyle.com   I love tropical flavors and so I have been waiting for the time when I could make this pie.  The combination of bananas and chocolate and pineapple...  Mmmmmm!!!

The first thing you can say about this pie is that it is ... beautiful!!  It is considered a  Low Sugar  dessert since I have yet to find any sugar free graham crackers and there is a small amount of brown sugar Blend in the crust.  So here's what you do...

•  1 c. graham cracker crumbs
• 1/6 c. Splenda brown sugar blend
• 1/4 c. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, melted
• 1 c. sugar-free chocolate syrup
• 2 medium to large bananas, firm
• 8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
• 2 pkg. sugar free vanilla pudding
• 3 c. 2% milk
• 12 oz. crushed pineapple, drained
• 8 oz. sugar free Cool Whip

 Mix first 3 ingredients for crust and press into the bottom of a pie plate.  Bake at 325 degrees for 6-8 minutes to set.
Now you can probably tell from my picture that I decided to use an already prepared graham cracker crust.  I just happened to have a reduced-fat crust in my pantry and decided to use it.  While it tasted fine, when I make this pie again, I will make my own crust, simply because the pre-made crust was not large enough and it did not hold the entire filling.  As a matter of fact, it didn't even hold half.  What I may try is doing a one and half times the recipe for the crust and make this in a 9x9 pan, so that it is deep enough to hold the entire filling.
Next, pour the chocolate syrup and spread over the entire crust.  I took a second before measuring the syrup and sprayed my measuring cup with a little cooking spray, so that the syrup came out easily.

 Slice your bananas.  Make sure that they are not too thick or too thin.  Layer them all over your chocolate syrup.

Whip together cream cheese & pudding mix and then slowly add milk.  I felt like this mixture didn't quite smooth out.  Tastes wonderful, but the cream cheese didn't seem to fully mix in.  Next time, I will mix the pudding mixture with the milk in a separate bowl and allow it to start thickening.  Then after whipping the cream cheese to lighten it a bit, slowly add in the pudding.  I believe this will allow for a smoother filling.
Pour filling over the banana layer.

Drain pineapple.  This is an extremely important step.  If you have some kind of strainer, I might open the pineapple before you begin the rest of the pie and let it set over a bowl and drain until you are ready for it.  Don't throw that pineapple juice away!!!  It mixes in to make a great smoothie!
Sprinkle the pieces of crushed pineapple over the top of your filling.
At this point, I allowed the pie to set up just a bit in the fridge; 30-45 minutes.

 Finally, top your pie with with the Cool Whip and drizzle with some additional chocolate syrup.

















Allow the pie to firm up just a little longer in the fridge.  Serve and enjoy.....

Thanks Jennie W!!!!  Can't wait to try this with some fresh Hawai'ian pineapple!

Cake Balls

Wow!!!  How time flies!  I guess that I baked so much during the holidays that I have kind of been on a hiatus the last few weeks.  I just didn't realize that it has been a month since I posted a recipe.  That just won't do.
So, another holiday is hitting us this week and with my daughter away at college, I just decided that I should send a small care package.  I remember being in college and it was always nice to get anything in the mail... even a card.. but a care package... WOW!!!  I think that my daughter feels the same and I try to send her something a few times a year.
Since it is Valentine's Day, I thought I would try for a more elegant look and decided on cake balls.  I had tried to make them before, and while they tasted good, just didn't stick together the way they should have and were a little messy and crumbly.  So I made a phone call to my sister, who I knew had had some success with these in the past.  What she let me know is what she had learned from our mom, work with the cake while it is still warm, so I did just that and they turned out great!

First you need to decide on the flavor for your cake balls.  I decided on strawberry since I knew they would turn out pink and I was looking for something pretty.  You can choose a box of sugar-free Jell-o powder or a container of quart size drink mix in the flavor of your choice and add it to your cake mix to create the flavor of choice.

• box of sugar-free cake mix (yellow or chocolate)
• box of sugar-free Jell-o or quart-size drink mix
• 1 c. lower fat milk
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 c. vegetable oil
• can of sugar-free frosting (vanilla or chocolate)
• package of vanilla flavored candy coating (almond bark)
• 2 T. vegetable shortening
• sprinkles of your choice

Add the cake mix and the flavoring powder of choice to your mixture.  As I mentioned earlier, I went with a yellow cake mix and a box of sugar-free strawberry Jell-0.  Add the eggs, oil and the milk instead of water as directed on the package.  The milk will bring a richness to your cake mix.  I usually have 2% milk in my fridge, but whatever you have is fine.

 After you have mixed well, spray a 9 x 13 pan and add your cake mix and bake according to package directions.  Remember that you are going to crumble this cake up, so it really doesn't matter what you bake it in.  A 9 x 13 just seems easiest to me, but if you don't have one, or if you prefer, you can use round cake pans too.

 Once the cake is done, take it out of the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes.  This is the secret... let it cool just enough so that you can handle it, but make sure that the cake is fairly warm.  Crumble the cake into a large mixing bowl.  The best tool is your hands.  Just crumble the cake until it is in pretty small pieces.
Next, add the can of frosting and use a wood spoon or spatula and mix the frosting into the crumbs.  With the cake being somewhat warm, this will allow the frosting and the cake to "melt" together and become a good consistency.

 Once you have the cake and frosting well mixed, form into small balls and put on a sheet on waxed paper.  You can either form these by hand or use a small meatball scoop.  The size is really a personal preference.
Put the sheets of cake balls into the freezer to harden.  This will only take about 45 minutes to an hour.  But if you want to do this in stages, this is a great place to stop.  Once they are frozen, you can store these in an airtight container in the freezer until you are ready to dip them in the outer coating.

 When you are ready to dip them, use a double boiler, or I just use a small saucepan and a glass bowl.  Put water in the pan and turn the heat to medium high.  Make sure your bowl is not touching the water or your candy coating will scorch.  You should chop the coating into smaller pieces so that it will melt more quickly.  Add a couple of T. of shortening to the coating to thin it down a little and make your dipping easier.  Stir occasionally until melted and smooth.
If you want to make this a completely  Sugar-free  dessert (and I know that is normally my goal)  you should use a package of sugar-free chocolate chips.  I usually add some parafin slivers, about a 1/4 stick, to my chocolate to help thin it out and make it glossy.  But this was all about the pretty and I very much wanted to use the white; so I settled for a  Low-Sugar  recipe since there is obviously sugar in the candy coating.

 Once your coating is melted, turn the heat down on your water just to keep it simmering and keep your coating melted.  Bring your cake balls out of the freezer.  I like to use a toothpick to dip my candies.  I just feel like I can get the coating all over the entire piece.  Be sure to shake it well and remove any excess coating.
One of the things that I have started doing in the last year is tilting my bowl towards me.  This allows the coating to pool deeper and it makes it easier to dip.  Be especially careful not to get your fingers in the hot coating.

 Set your coated cake ball back on the waxed paper.  If you would like to add a little sprinkle, do so at this point, so that it will stick before the candy coating starts to set up.
I usually work with 2 toothpicks.  By the time I have used the second one, the first one has set up enough that I can twist the toothpick out fairly easily and use it on the next one.  It seems I have to get new toothpicks after 20 or 25 cake balls.

Afterwards, set your tray into the fridge or back into the freezer and allow the coating to set up well.  I usually store these in the fridge until I am ready to serve.  They will keep in the freezer for quite some time if you keep them in an airtight container.
Since I am a chocoholic, this was a nice change for me and I hope my daughter finds them the same.
However, now my mind is reeling... chocolate cake with cherry Jell-0 powder and chocolate icing, dipped in chocolate...  Nothing says "I love you" quite like chocolate covered cherries!  Maybe I should make just one more batch.