Affogato

after dinner affogato...

My dad is a simple food person and since this series of recipes is for him, I'm making a very simple dessert - an affogato. It's an Italian dessert of ice cream or gelato served with a shot of expresso poured over top. That's it! Affogato means "drowned" in Italian, so in essence we are drowning ice cream or gelato in expresso. Besides coffee, ice cream is definitely one of my dad's weaknesses (me too!).

This dessert isn't really even a recipe because it's so simple. It's perfect for a crowd because you can top it as each person likes (or let them do it). Among the optional toppings and add-ins my favorite are shaved dark chocolate, toasted slivered almonds, whipped cream, and a shot of Godiva Liquor. But, make it any way you like it (or how your dad likes it). Here's how...

Ingredients - Makes 1 Dessert
2 Scoops Ice Cream or Gelato (suggest vanilla, chocolate, or coffee)
1 Shot Expresso (or 3T strong brewed coffee)
Optional Toppings & Add-ins: Shaved Dark Chocolate, Toasted Hazelnuts/Slivered Almonds, Whipped Cream, 1 Shot Frangelico/Grand Marnier/Godiva Liquor, and/or Biscotti

Directions
Make the expresso or strong brewed coffee.

Put 2 scoops of ice cream or gelato in a serving dish. Top with the shot of expresso and any other optional toppings or add-ins desired. Enjoy this simple dessert on a warm summer evening.

Dark Chocolate Chunk-Zucchini Bread

break bread...

For my final post in this series I've made a usual subject as far as zucchini goes - zucchini bread. But, to pass it off as a dessert, I've added dark chocolate chunks into the mix. This bread is still perfect for breakfast, but it's also enough to satisfy my sweet-tooth after dinner. Break bread any time of the day!

This recipe is a little different than those for traditional breakfast bread. It uses oil and yogurt instead of butter, which helps keep the bread moist. It has both granulated and light brown sugar, which gives the crust a nice crunch. And finally, it primarily contains allspice, instead of the usual cinnamon. The next time you need to make a dessert, consider trying this twist on a classic. Here's how...

Ingredients - Makes 1 Loaf
Cooking Spray
1 C Shredded Zucchini, squeezed dry
1/2 C Vegetable Oil
1/2 C Plain Greek Yogurt (low-fat okay)
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 C All Purpose Flour
1/2 C Granulated Sugar
1/2 C Light Brown Sugar, packed
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Allspice
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1 C Dark Chocolate Chunks

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Coat with cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl combine the shredded zucchini, oil, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix together well and set aside.

Combine the dry ingredients: In a large bowl combine the flour, sugars, baking powder, allspice, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg. Whisk well and then stir in the dark chocolate chunks.

Bake the bread: Fold the wet ingredients into the dry, just until everything is incorporated. Pour into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool and serve: Allow the bread to cool for an hour in the pan. Then remove to a rack to cool completely. Slice to serve. To store: wrap in plastic wrap and then foil. Store at room temperature for up to one week. Enjoy!

Frozen Minty Grapefruit Bars

naturally sweet, tart, fresh...

About two months ago I was ordering a few things on Amazon...mostly kitchen stuff that will debut on this blog! And, one of the things I got was ice pop molds. It was still chilly out, but I've always wanted to get some and I was pining for summer. So, I added them to my cart and checked out. Now that it's finally staying warm it's a great time to try them out. So, for this recipe and to finish up this series I've made Frozen Minty Grapefruit Bars.

Grapefruit loves mint. There are many salads, sauces, and dessert pairing the two. Therefore, I thought I'd join in and make these super simple frozen fruit bars. My ice pop molds only hold about 3.5 oz each. So, this recipe is roughly 2 cups of liquid. It's important to leave about 1/2 inch space at the top of each mold as the water will expand as it freezes (a little physics for you today!). So, adjust the ingredient amounts to fit your ice pop molds. No molds? No problem! Fill small paper cups (suggest Dixie), cover with foil, and insert a popsicle stick. Voila! Don't let anything stop you from making these sweet, tart, and fresh fruit bars. Here's how to make them...

Ingredients - Makes 6 (~3oz.) Bars
3/4 C Granulated Sugar
3/4 C Water
Pinch Kosher Salt
~10 Fresh Mint Leaves, divided
1 1/4 C Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
To Make: Ice Pop Molds

Directions
Separate about 4 mint leaves from the rest and finely mince them. Set aside.

Make the mint simple syrup: Combine the sugar, water, and salt in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil and dissolve the sugar, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the remaining whole mint leaves, and steep for about 10 minutes.

Fill the molds: Next, remove the mint leaves from the simple syrup. Pour the syrup and grapefruit juice into a measuring cup or spouted bowl. Stir in the minced mint leaves. Then, carefully pour the liquid into the molds, making sure to leave about a 1/2 inch space at the top.

Freeze the bars & serve: Put the caps on the molds and place them in the freezer. Allow the fruit bars to freeze until solid, 5-6 hours. When ready to serve, quickly run the molds under warm water. This will help loosen the mold. Serve and enjoy!

Tropical Fruit Salad

taste of the tropics...

It's the last day of April and the weather in Cincy is rainy and cold. I wish I was some where warmer and drier right now! Sadly, I don't have a vacation planned until the end of September and it's to no where tropical. This time last year I was gearing up for our family cruise to the Caribbean. In tribute to this warm memory (and in an effort to take my taste buds there) I've made this Tropical Fruit Salad.

This fruit salad is light and refreshing like so much of the tropics are and it's very different from those that I grew up eating. My mom makes a few different "Americanized" versions of fruit salad with things like apples, bananas, grapes, oranges, and usually Cool Whip! She also makes some gelatin fruit salads, not my favorite, but it's another type. One that we make and I really love is a Waldorf Salad, which is for special occasions. So, make your favorite fruit salad or try this tropical one tonight. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 4-6
1 Mango
1/2 Pineapple
2 Kiwi Fruit
2-3 Sprigs Fresh Basil (~2 T)
1-2 Springs Fresh Mint (~1 T)
1 Lime, zest & juice
1 T Fresh Ginger, minced
2 T Blue Agave Nector
1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
Garnish: Black Chia Seeds

Directions
Peel and dice the mango, pineapple, and kiwi to similar size. Chop the herbs together. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the lime zest, juice, ginger, agave, and cayenne pepper together. Add the fruit and herbs. Stir and let stand for 10 mins. This allows the flavors to meld and the fruit juices to release.

To serve: Divide the mixture among bowls or cups and sprinkle with the black chia seeds. Close your eyes and taste the tropics. Enjoy!

Caramelized Shallot & Fig Jam

jam session...

I'm not sure if I can convince you that this is a dessert, but it is a sweet treat, and in France would be served along side cheeses and breads apres (after in French) dinner. So, I'm going to count it (my blog, my rules)! Now that we've gotten that out of the way let's talk about this pretty purple jam.

It's really quite a simple recipe, requiring only butter, shallots, figs, red wine, salt, and sugar. What makes it so good is the time taken to develop each layer of flavor. First, you give the shallots plenty of time to caramelize in the butter. Then, you reduce the wine and infuse that flavor into the figs. Finally, you sweeten the deal by adding the sugar and allowing that to cook down into a syrupy, jammy consistency. So, if you have the time, try out this recipe...

Ingredients - Makes ~16 oz.
2 T Unsalted Butter
3-4 Shallots (~1 C), thinly sliced
10 oz. Dried Black Mission Figs, stemmed & halved
2 C Dry Red Wine
Pinch Kosher Salt
1 C Granulated Sugar
To Serve: Buttery croissants, biscuits, and/or bread

Directions

Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over low heat. Add the sliced shallots and cook until soft and caramelized, 20-25 minutes.

Next, add the wine to deglaze the pan. Add the figs and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer. Cook until the figs absorb most of the wine and become plump and soft, about 20 minutes.

Then, smash the figs with the back of a wooden spoon to break them up a bit. Stir in the sugar and cook an additional 20-25 minutes over low heat, or until the desired jam consistency is met. Cool and store. Serve with any buttery bread; I suggest croissants or biscuits. Bon appetit!

Chocolate & Raspberry Black Bean Crepe Cake

a beautiful disaster...

Impress guests with this 16 layer chocolate cake in more ways than one! First off, it's really quite beautiful, but does require a good part of an afternoon to make and a little skill cooking the crepes. That said, it's totally something that can be learned with some practice. I got pretty good at making them by the end! Additionally, your guests will never know that there's a cup of black beans in the crepe batter. You absolutely can not taste them.

This crepe cake should be served chilled and at your home. We tried to travel with it yesterday and it was a beautiful disaster. I hadn't chilled it at all and the layers went in opposite directions as soon as we made our first turn out of the driveway. I was so defeated. So, take my advice and serve this impressive cake well chilled and at your home. Or, build it when you get to wherever you are going! Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 8
Black Bean Crepes
2 C Whole Milk
2 Large Eggs
1 Stick Unsalted Butter, divided
1 1/2 C All-Purpose Flour
1/3 C Cocoa Powder
1/4 C Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 C Prepared Black Beans

Chocolate Mousse
1 Package Dream Whip
2 C 2% Milk, divided
1/2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Package Jell-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling

Raspberry Sauce
2 Pints Raspberries
1 T Granulated Sugar
1 T Chambord (Raspberry Flavored Liquor)

Topping: Chocolate Sauce

Directions
Prepare the black beans as directed in my previous posts. A little less than 1/2 C dried will yield 1 C prepared.

Make the crepe batter: Melt 3 T butter; reserve the remaining stick to cook the crepes. Combine the milk, eggs, melted butter, flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and beans in a blender. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Make the mousse: While the crepe batter chills, make the mousse. Following the directions on the Dream Whip box, make the whipped topping (see side panel). Then, follow the directions on the back to make the Chocolate Mousse. Cover and chill the mousse while making the raspberry sauce and crepes.

Make the raspberry sauce: Set aside ~10 raspberries to garnish the cake. Put the remaining raspberries, sugar, Chambord, and 3 T water in a small sauce pot. Cook over medium-low heat until the raspberries break down and the sauce begins to thicken, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool.

Cook the crepes: While the raspberry sauce is cooking, make the crepes. Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium low. Add 1/2 T reserved butter to the skillet and turn the pan to coat the bottom. Then, pour in ~1/4 C crepe batter, again turning the pan to spread the batter to the edges in an even layer. Cook the crepe until set, about 1 minute. Carefully flip the crepe and cook another minute. Transfer to a plate to cool. Repeat with the remaining butter and batter to make about 16 crepes.

Build the crepe cake: Once everything is ready, it's time to assemble the cake. On a cake stand, lay one crepe in the center, top with ~2 T chocolate mouse spreading it evenly over top, and then top with ~1 T raspberry sauce spreading that evenly over the mousse. Stack a crepe on top and repeat by adding more mousse and raspberry sauce. Repeat this process until all of the crepes have been used up. Top the last crepe with any remaining mousse and raspberry sauce. Decorate with the reserved raspberries and chocolate sauce. Chill, then slice to serve. Enjoy!

Strawberries & Cream Cornmeal Bars

with a name like strawberries & cream, you know it has to be good...

The brain child for this dessert literally came from a childhood memory. I had cornbread at least once a week at my baby sitter's house...I'm sure it was more often than that. Anyway, when she served cornbread at dinner we always had butter and jams on hand. I always loved strawberry preserves on my buttered cornbread. So, when I was thinking about this post it only seemed appropriate that I'd create a recipe with these flavors.

But, I needed to sweeten it up a little more, so I thought what pairs well with strawberries? Cream came to mind, but more specifically cream cheese frosting (my favorite). I have to say, I was skeptical of the cornmeal crust. I was worried it might be too gritty, but after trying one of the bars tonight, I'm happy with this recipe. The cornmeal crust gives these bars the crunch they need. Come down memory lane with me and make these dessert bars. Here's how...

Ingredients - Makes 12 bars
Cornmeal Crust
Nonstick Baking Spray (with flour)
1 C Yellow Cornmeal
1/2 C All Purpose Flour
1 Stick Cold Unsalted Butter, diced
2 T Granulated Sugar
1/4 C Confectioner's Sugar
 1/4 tsp. Salt

Filling & Frosting
1/2 Jar (18 oz.) Strawberry Preserves
8 oz. Block Cream Cheese (low fat okay), softened
1 Stick Unsalted Butter, softened
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 C Confectioner's Sugar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8x8 pan with foil, leaving a 2 inch overhang on all sides. Grease the foil well with nonstick baking spray (with flour). Set aside.

In a food processor, combine the cornmeal, flour, butter, sugars, and salt. Pulse to mix together. Add 1 T cold water and continue to pulse until the dough begins to form. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden and browned around the edges, about 25 minutes. Allow the crust to cool.

Once the crust has cooled, spread the strawberry preserves evenly all over the top. Place the bars in the freezer to harden the preserves, about 30 minutes. This helps with spreading the frosting on top.

Meanwhile, make the frosting: In a medium bowl cream the cream cheese and butter together. Mix in the vanilla and then gradually mix in the sugar. Remove the bars from the pan and frost. Note: you will have extra frosting. Cut into squares and serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Enjoy!

No Bake Chewy Chocolate Clusters

chocolate covered...

Finally, we come to the end of this rainbow series of comfort foods converted to healthier versions. I'm tackling dessert for this post. Something that by definition isn't good for you and most people avoid when eating better. However, as I've said in my other posts, moderation is key. I don't believe in cutting anything out of my diet, just having a little less of it - including dessert!

I've made a no bake dessert that requires very few ingredients, but ingredients that are full of health benefits. That's the problem with most desserts, they have empty calories! Not so with my Chewy Chocolate Clusters. They are loaded with pistachios, dried fruit, and dark chocolate. Nuts are full of good fats and fill you up. Both the dried fruit and chocolate are loaded with antioxidants. Even better, each of these clusters are only about 150 calories so enjoying one isn't going to spoil your healthy eating for the day. Don't skip dessert, make these...

Ingredients - Makes 12
1 C Roasted & Salted Pistachios, shelled
1/2 C Dried Cherry & Berry Mixed Fruit
6 oz. Dark Chocolate, finely chopped
Zest of 1 Orange

Directions
Line a baking sheet with wax paper or a Silpat mat. In a medium bowl mix the pistachios and dried fruit together. Set aside.

Bring a medium sauce pan or double boiler filled with 1 inch of water to a simmer over medium heat. Place half the chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Put it over the simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water, and stir until the chocolate is completely melted.

Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining chocolate until it is completely melted. Remove the bowl from the pot or double boiler. Then, stir in the fruit and nut mixture.

Next, spoon out heaping tablespoonfuls of the chocolate mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Placing them approx. 1 inch apart. Sprinkle the orange zest over the top of each cluster.

Put the baking sheet into the refrigerator to set, about 15 minutes. Serve and store at room temperature. Enjoy!

Neelys' Sweet Potato Pie Cookies (Remix)

mix it up...

For this recipe I took some help from Gina and Pat Neely (from Food Network fame). I've made a few of their recipes in the past, but this one is a keeper. Following their Sweet Potato Pie Cookie recipe I added a few extra ingredients to remix it. So, this recipe isn't an original from me, but I never said I was a baker.

This would be a great use-up for a leftover baked sweet potato from Thanksgiving, or any other dinner for that matter. These cookies are soft and cake-like due to the sweet potato. As part of my remix I've added oats for chew, cayenne for a kick, and dried fruit for a little extra sweetness. Lastly, I changed the glaze to something a little richer. Try out this remix cookie recipe, here's how...

Ingredients - Makes approx. 36 cookies
1 1/2 C All-Purpose Flour
1/2 C Whole Wheat Quick-Cooking Oats
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp. Allspice
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 Stick Unsalted Butter, softened
1 C Granulated Sugar
3/4 C Light Brown Sugar, packed
1 Egg
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 C Sweet Potato Puree (from about 1 large potato)
1 C Chopped Pecans
1/2 C Dried Fruit, such as Cranberries/Cherries/Mixed Berries

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, spices, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl cream the butter, granulated, and brown sugars together. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until just incorporated. Stir in the sweet potato puree. Beat in the dry ingredients, a little at a time. Finally stir in the pecans and dried fruit.

Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them. Bake until the cookies are light, golden brown, about 18 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack to cool completely. If desired, glaze the cookies (recipe follows). Enjoy!

Brown Butter Glaze
4 T Unsalted Butter
1/2 - 3/4 C Granulated Sugar

Heat a small pot over medium-high. Add the butter and cook until browned. Turn off the heat. Keep the pot on the burner and whisk in the confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, until a glaze forms. Place the cookies (keep on the cooling racks) onto sheet trays and drizzle the glaze over top.