Top 10 Recipes of 2015

2015 has drawn to its end and it's always fun to look back and see some of the fan favorites.  Most of them are from this year but a few from last year snuck in. 

I hope you enjoy the look back with me. Click on the title to see the recipe or click on the "pin it" link to go right to Pinterest to re-pin for later!

Grilled Chicken Tenders with Cherry Citrus Glaze

Change up that plain ol' chicken dinner with this sweet fruit glaze.  A little goes a long way so be sure not to drown your chicken.  This main dish is ready in less than 30 minutes so you can have your meal in no time!

Grilled Chicken Tenders with Cherry Citrus Glaze                     Printable Page

1/4 cup cherry all fruit spread (I used Polaner)
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1-1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
2-3 teaspoons bourbon
olive oil
1 pound chicken tenders
salt and pepper (if desired)

Key Lime Cheesecake Bars

I saw a bag of Key Limes at the store the other day.  Curious about these tart little fruits, I bought the bag.  Not sure how to go about making Key Lime bars I looked a few recipes and then came back to the Apple Pecan Cheesecake Bars I made last fall and tweaked the recipe a little bit.  A little sweet, a little tart. They are perfect little bites of yummy!

If you don't have Key Limes where you are or don't want to take the time to squeeze those little guys you can use regular limes or lime juice from the bottle.

Key Lime Cheesecake Bars                                                             Printable Recipe

Crust:

1 cup flour

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

6 Tablespoons butter

Filling:

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon flour

1/2 Tablespoon Key Lime zest

1/3 cup Key Lime juice

8 ounce package light cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

Crumb Topping:

6 Tablespoons all purpose flour

2 Tablespoons cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons old fashioned oats

2 Tablespoons quick oats

3 Tablespoons cold butter, cubed

Berries and Cream Croustade

Our strawberries are in season and I had some fresh blueberries so I set forth to make a dessert using those fruits. Who doesn't love a nice flaky pie crust bursting with berries?  How about a pie crust with cream cheese and berries?  Yes, please!! 

Berries and Cream Croustade

Croustade:
1-1/3 cup all purpose flour (I used Jovial Einkorn flour)
1 stick cold butter (salted)
1/4 cup ice cold water
(or use your favorite pie crust recipe or store bought)

1 egg white

Filling:
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
8 ounces low fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar 
1 egg yolk
2 Tablespoons flour (I used Jovial Einkorn flour)

Topping:
2-3 cups fresh berries
additional powdered sugar (for dusting.)

Using a food processor, add butter to flour, pulsing until butter is pea sized. 

With the machine pulsing, add ice water just until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky.  It should "ball up." If you need more water add it 1/2 tablespoon at a time. 

Place dough onto piece of plastic wrap.  Flatten dough a little bit into the shape you are going to use.  I used a rectangle shape so I shaped it into a rectangle but you can also make it round. Place in refrigerator for one hour. 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place a piece of parchment paper onto a flat cookie sheet.  Be sure it is large enough for your dough piece. Flour the surface you are going to roll the dough out onto. Place dough side down leaving the plastic wrap on top to roll onto.  Roll out dough into shape you need. Your dough should be 1" wider on all sides than the final size you need and be 1/8" thick. If you are using a rectangle shape you can cut off the odd shaped edges to even it out.  

Using your rolling pin dusted with flour roll the dough onto the rolling pin and then unroll it onto your parchment paper. Fold 1" of edges in toward center, forming even border.  If you like, pinch edges to form fluted edges. 

Using a fork, prick holes in the bottom of the crust.  

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack while you make the filling.

For filling, beat together lemon juice, cream cheese, powdered sugar, egg yolk and flour until smooth.  Spread onto middle of your croustade.  

Brush outside edge with egg white.  Return to oven for 14-16 minutes or until crust is golden and cream cheese is set. (The flatter you make your cream cheese the less you need to cook it to be sure egg is done.)

Slide parchment and crust onto a cooling rack.  Cool completely.  Slide crust off of parchment onto serving plate. Sprinkle berries on top.  

Dust with powdered sugar and serve.  Refrigerate leftovers

Strawberry Pie

The best way to eat fresh strawberries?  In a pie!  This one is easy to make. Make your own pie crust or buy one (I won't tell!)

Strawberry Pie

1-1/2 cups cool water

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 (3 oz) pkg strawberry Jell-O (or you can use sugar free)

1 pound (or as much as you can fit in your pie crust) strawberries, hulled and halved

1 pie shell

Pre-bake pie shell as recipe calls or as instructed from box or package.  Cool.

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #81

Welcome to the Foodie Friends Friday 

BERRY FRESH Party!!

Last week's recipes that received the MOST CLICKS!!  

Gluten Free Buttermilk Berry Muffins

These muffins are soft and fluffy.  I send them to school with my oldest daughter as a snack to replace the fruit grain bars that contained gluten. If you aren't watching gluten you should be able to sub you regular flour back in for the amount I put here. 

Gluten Free Buttermilk Berry Muffins

2 cups flour (I used Jules GF flour)

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup frozen berries (I used blueberries and raspberries)

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup canola oil

2 eggs

Combine dry ingredients.

In separate bowl mix together liquid ingredients.

 Add berries to flour mixture

 and mix until coated.

Dump into liquid and mix just until dry ingredients are wet.

Scoop into greased muffin pan. (I have not tried these with papers so I don't know if they will work well or not.) I filled mine fairly full. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool in pans for at least 5 minutes then finish cooling on rack.  

Eat now or freeze for another time.

"Fruit" Party

Gluten Free Peach Crisp

We loved the apple crisp so much we decided to try it with my canned peaches.  It is quite delicious!

Gluten Free Peach Crisp

2 quarts canned peaches (or 2 large cans peaches in fruit juice only)
1/2 cup PURE maple syrup
1/2 cup pecans (or more as you like)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups gluten-free old fashioned oats
1/2 c cold butter

 Mix  together maple syrup, cinnamon, pecans and oats in medium bowl.

Cut in butter (you may have to use your hands...just break it up the best you can.) 

Drain peaches and reserve juice for another use.  Spread into bottom of 9x13" baking dish.
Top with oatmeal mixture (you made need to 'recrumble' a little.)

Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Careful your oatmeal doesn't get too brown.  If you find yours does I would suggest covering with foil for 1/2 of the time.

Serve right away with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.  This crisp does not stay crispy overnight.  My family still loves it the next day anyway.  

Cheesecake Shooters

Cheesecake Shooters

12 ounces low fat cream cheese
2 Tablespoons sour cream or 1 Tablespoon milk
2 eggs
5 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla


1/2 cup graham crackers (use GF crackers if you like)
dab of butter
frozen sliced strawberries or other fruit
whipped topping


In a bowl, mix together cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, and sugar until blended well. Pour into large saucepan and cook over medium heat for 8 or so minutes or until thickened.  Be sure to stir to keep from burning.  Add vanilla toward the end so it doesn't cook out.  The cheesecake should be thick enough to stick to a spoon when you hold it up. Place in a container and put in the fridge for several hours. 


Melt butter and mix with graham crackers. Spoon some into bottom of glass. (I used new candle votive holders I found at the store.  I think they were about 4 oz.  I like them because unlike shot glasses they have a flat bottom and are able to get the spoon down to get all the goodies.) If you like you can reserve some to sprinkle on top. Top with cheesecake filling.  If it's handier for you put it in a disposable bag and pipe it in or a small cookie scoop. Next is the fruit, then whipped cream.  Sprinkle with the reserved graham crackers. Enjoy!


P.S.  I have not tried this yet with Truvia sweetner but I am sure it would be pretty good.

Strawberries and Cream Mini Muffins

Strawberries and Cream Mini Muffins

1 cup strawberries, diced

1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup vegetable oil

4 ounces low fat cream cheese

1/4 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add baking cups to mini muffin tins. Put strawberries in small bowl, toss with lemon juice.

 In medium bowl stir together flour, sugar, and baking powder.

In another small bowl whisk together oil, cream cheese, orange juice, vanilla, and egg.

Pour over dry ingredients, stirring just until combined with a spoon or spoonula. (If you don't switch you'll be digging the batter out of the whisk.)

  Fold in strawberries.

Scoop into mini muffin tins (I use small cookie scoop.) Bake for about 9-10 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool in the tins on a cooling rack for 5 mins. Take out the muffins and continue to cool. If serving right away, let them set for 5 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar. If serving later wait until you are ready to serve to dust.