Guilt Free Chocolate Cake
August 11th, 2010 | 
Author: No kidding…kid tested, neighbor tested, chocolate lover tested…basically everyone has tested this cake and it is AWESOME!!!! The recipe comes from the Hungry Girl (check out her out at www.hungrygirl.com) and it is just fantastic. BONUS: You don’t even need a mixer! THANK YOU HUNGRY GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 180 calories, 3.25g fat, 306mg sodium, 34.5g carbs, <0.5g fiber, 20g sugars, 3.5g protein –
Ingredients:
One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix, Devil’s Food
1 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt (Fage 0%)
Non stick cooking spray
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine cake mix and yogurt in a large bowl then add 1 cup water. Whisk thoroughly and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray; bake in the oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. I use a 9×13 pan and refer to cake mix for cooking time..around 30 minutes or so usually.
If you feel the need to make it prettier just sift a little confectioners sugar on top. It is soooo yummy! Naturally, I cut up the servings and press ‘n seal them then freeze them for later!!
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Tia Carla’s Famous Tart
Wow! My sister in law, Carla made this for all of us when we were visiting our fabulous in-laws in California and it was a hit! What fun we all had in the kitchen learning how to make this tart, it was a great time. The tart is beautiful as well as delicious.
Ingredients:
For the pastry: 1.5 cups all purpose flour, 6 tablespoons butter (cold), 1 egg
For the filling: 1 stick butter (8 tablespoons, close to room temp), 7 tablespoons sugar (preferably in the raw)1 egg beaten, 1 cup ground almonds, 2 tablespoons flour, 12-13 fresh dates (the kind in the jar) pitted and halved, 1/4 cup apricot jam
Preheat oven to 400. Put baking sheet in oven. Sift flour in a bowl, add the COLD butter (sliced) and work w/ fingers until the mixture looks like fine bread crumbs. Add the egg and a tablespoon of cold water then work to smooth dough.
Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface and line an 8 inch tart pan with the pastry. Prick the bottom with a fork and then chill until you need it.
To make the filling, cream the butter (close to room temp) and sugar until light then beat in the egg. Stir in the ground almonds, flour and mix well. Spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pastry shell. Arrange the dates, cut side down, on the almond mixture. Bake on the hot baking sheet for 10-15 minutes then reduce the heat to 350. Bake for another 15-20 minutes, until light golden and set.
Transfer the tart to a rack to cool. gently heat the apricot jam, then strain. Brush the tart with the jam and serve at room temp.
This sounds pretty difficult but Tia Carla does it and makes it look effortless…what a gift!!
Break
So I’ve taken a little break…spent some wonderful time with family visiting California and now I am still on a break! Got some delicious recipes from my sister in law, Carla and I will post them soon. Stay tuned!
Biby’s Summer Salad
This salad is so delicious and refreshing…I can’t stop eating it is the only problem! My mother in law gave me the recipe a couple of years ago and I’m telling you, I saved the extra fruit coated with the dressing in the fridge and I kept going back with more lettuce for more salad. It is so good! I also double the dressing because I like to have a bit more dressing to cover the lettuce. Add grilled chicken or your protien choice to make it a meal! (I even do Honey Maple Turkey pieces from the deli if time is short!)
- 3 tablespoons lemon olive oil (buy or I add strips of lemon rind to olive oil and let sit overnight)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon apple-cider vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 large ripe nectarines, cubed
- 3 ripe plums, cubed
- Red leaf or romaine lettuce, spinned in your salad spinner and crisp!
In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey, vinegar, salt, and pepper until blended. Add fruit, tossing to coat with vinaigrette. Serve fruit over lettuce and toss as you would a salad. Enjoy!
Jean’s Rosemary Chicken
Where have I been? Well, it was my birthday and then it was Mother’s Day so I was getting some Royal Treatment!! Had so much fun with my husband, Alex, the kids and our puppy…Rosie! Many of you have asked for me to post some healthy ideas so I will get on that real soon but for now we have Jean’s Rosemary Chicken and it is delicious. Jean usually serves with mashed potatoes (me, too) and something green like asparagus and a salad. Level of difficulty is pretty much anyone can do it so get cooking! PS It freezes very well, just microwave it and you’re good to go!
Ingredients:
6 thighs BONE IN SKIN ON chicken or any chicken pieces bone in and skin on
1 lemon
Lawry’s Season salt (you really must use Lawry’s)
Lawry’s Garlic salt (a must, Lawry’s)
TONS of fresh rosemary
Preheat oven to 500. Spray baking dish w/ olive oil Pam. Sprinkle bottom of chicken w/ Lawry’s season salt and Lawry’s garlic salt and place in baking dish. Squeeze an entire lemon all over chicken. Sprinkle top of chicken with Lawry’s season salt and Lawry’s garlic salt. Put TONS of fresh rosemary all over chicken. Cook uncovered in 500 degree oven until brown (I like it quite brown and crispy looking) then reduce heat to 350 and continue cooking uncovered until done, about 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on size and type of chicken.
This chicken is delicious with the crisp skin and the tender chicken!
Cornbread Chili Casserole
This recipe comes from my sister, Kim and everyone in her family loves it and I mean she has got hungry boys and they are all over it!! It is so easy to make and great to take to a potluck or something. I have only made it with the Morningstar Farms crumbles and nobody knows the difference! You can also add whatever you want…spice it up…
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oil
1 medium onion, chooped (or 1/2 container already chopped)
1 1/2 # ground chuck or 1 1/2 bags Morningstar Farms Meal Starters crumbles
1 1/2 cup jarred salsa
1 15oz can corn , drained
1/4 cup water
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (can use 2%)
a little cumin (a couple of shakes)
a little chili powder (a couple of shakes)
S and P
1 7 or 8 oz box cornbread mix, I use Jiffy
1/3 cup milk
1 large egg
I use a stovetop skillet, large enough to fit everything…also preheat oven to 375.
Brown meat stovetop (if using crumbles skip this step) then drain and set aside. Saute chopped onion in 1 tablespoon oil until soft or transparent. Add meat back into pan (and if using crumbles then add frozen crumbles at this point) and also add cumin, chili powder, s and p, salsa, drained corn, cheddar cheese and 1/4 c water. Stir all together and spoon into pan. I use one a little smaller than 9 x 13 and the recipe says to use 2 quart one. In separate bowl mix cornbread mix, 1/3 cup milk and 1 egg…stir and put thin layer all over chili mixture in pan. Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes, take out of oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Yum!
Anyone Can Make…Puerto Rican Chicken!
Puerto Rican Chicken is so absolutely delicious and pretty easy to make. Buy the ingredients now and you can be enjoying this over the weekend just like us! It all cooks in one pot so clean up is not bad and it is good for company because you aren’t in the kitchen prepping … it’s just in the pot cooking! Make sure you do the rice in the rice cooker, have your spinned salad in the fridge and you are good to go.
This is the easiest, dump everything in one pot, chicken…and it is delicious!
Ingredients:
4# chicken pieces, bone-in, skin off
1- 15 oz. can tomato sauce (use almost all of it)
3 to 4 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar (I use white)
12 pimiento stuffed green olives (I use many more, we love them)
1 teaspoon capers
12 cloves garlic, crushed in mortar or pressed, if pressed use a bit less
1 onion, vidalia or Spanish, peeled and sliced or quartered
2#’s of potatoes, peeled and cubed (not too big)
1 cup sherry
Wash chicken and place in large pot with all other ingredients, give a little stir and over high heat bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, medium low, cover and keep at low boil for about an hour. That’s it! If not ready then leave uncovered for a bit. Serve over white rice. This freezes very well.
Ooey Gooey
My mom has been in town for a visit and we have sure had fun! (but I haven’t been posting!) I had some ooey gooey butter cake on hand in the freezer (press ‘n sealed and then put in a baggie) and she couldn’t believe how delicious it is. So many people ask me if I have any and I surprise them because I usually always have it iin my freezer or I’d eat the whole thing. Just thaw at room temp. Easy to make, enjoy…
Easy to make with the help of a cake mix!
Ingredients:
1 package (18.25 oz.) plain yellow cake mix
2 sticks butter, melted (1 for crust, 1 for filling)
3 large eggs (1 for crust, 2 for filling)
1 package (8oz) cream cheese at room temp
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 box confectioner’s sugar, sifted (1 # box)
Preheat oven (rack in center of oven) to 350. Put cake mix, 1 stick melted butter and 1 egg in mixing bowl. Blend on low until batter comes together kind of like a ball. Pat the batter evenly in an ungreased 9 x 13 pan. Smoosh it down until it reaches all of the sides and the top is smooth. In the same mixing bowl blend the cream cheese on low until fluffy (about 30 seconds). Add 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 stick melted butter and beat for about 1 minute. Add the sifted confectioner’s sugar and beat until all mixed. Pour mixture on top of crust mixture in the 9×13 pan. Spread so it covers all of the crust. Bake about 45 minutes (well browned but center a bit jiggly) Cool on wire rack, cut and serve. You may want to put in fridge a bit for easier cutting. I cut with a pizza cutter.
May be stored at room temp for 5 days or in fridge for 1 week. I cut into squares and press ‘n seal each quare then freeze so I always have a snack in freezer. (individual pieces thaw quickly and are also yummy frozen!) You may want to bake ahead and press ‘n seal the entire cake for up to 6 months. No matter what, you’ll always have dessert on hand!
Elvia’s Crock Pot Ropa Vieja
What a joy to have my sister in law Elvia, brother in law Juan along with niece and nephew, Nina and Nicholas come for a visit! We had a wonderful time and I thought you would all enjoy learning how to prepare Elvia’s Crock Pot Ropa Vieja. There is nothing better than a crock pot meal, especially when you come home from a hard day at work OR a fun day at the beach (yes, Spring Break is here, thank goodness!)
Elvia’s Crock Pot Ropa Vieja SUPER EASY!!!
Ingredients:
Flank Steak (I use about 2#)
1 cup chopped yellow or Spanish onion (or 1 container already chopped)
1/2 cup chopped green pepper (or 1/2 container already chopped, label and freeze the other half)
1/2 cup green, pimiento stuffed olives, no juice
3 to 4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 bay leaf
8 oz can tomato sauce (I like more so I get the larger can and add about 10 or 12 oz)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup red wine
Night before: Put chopped onion, green pepper and pressed garlic in crock pot. Add all other ingredients, except for the meat and salt. Stir around to mix it up. Use the salt to salt meat on both sides and put on top of everything in crock pot. With spoon put some of the sauce on top of the meat, too. Cover and put in fridge overnight.
Morning of: You may flip meat, if you wish. Cook in crock pot on low for 8 hours.
Ready for dinner? Shred meat with fork and serve with sauce over white rice. The shredded meat is delicious and fun for really young ones because it looks like spaghetti! This also freezes very well.
My Friends Cooked For Me!
Well, they really cooked for our entire Recipe Exchange. Hats off to Susan, Ashley, Ricki and Tammy for an awesome brunch! It was great for Easter Brunch ideas and so yummy.
Baked French Toast With Sweet Pear Topping
Fantastic, ladies!
If you are not a Brunch/Breakfast person then you may want to try:
Sour Cream Pound Cake (my sister, Kim, fills the middle, empty part of the bundt with jellybeans..after it has cooled..and it looks really cute)
You may also want to look under the appetizer section for some easy ideas.
Happy Easter to all of you and God bless you!!!