June 26th, 2013
Tonight was the night…a graduation of sorts. I think in a post about 16 weeks ago, I might have mentioned that I had committed for 1 year to a program where we were going to be counting fats. NIH did a 5 year, landmark program and that’s what we have been following. I feel so much better…and my doctor agrees.
For those 16 weeks, a group of strangers at the beginning…they are now friends. We have met once a week. We have talked and talked and counted fats and rallied for each other. Also, the scale has been used once a week, as well. We all see less of each other.. haha. The program continues for another 8 months, but we will only be meeting once a month. Still continuing with what we have learned…a low fat diet, plenty of exercise, and a good disposition.
So, we all got together…and a pot luck dinner took place.
But, I guess bad habits are hard to break so, I am starting with dessert. Both desserts, the Trifle and the Peanut Butter Pie, were made to fit our new way of eating. So I’ll start with the Trifle.
Pat brought this Trifle and it was truly delicious. It was light, refreshing, easy to make, and low fat.
SKINNY STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE TRIFLE
5 cups or 2 pints, fresh strawberries, sliced
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup store-bought prepared strawberry glaze
1 (14 ounce) ready baked, fat free, angel food cake, cut in half and into 1-inch cubes
1 8 ounce container fat-free frozen Cool Whip (Pat used the low fat.)
2 snack packs of already prepared fat-free vanilla pudding
In a large serving bowl or trifle dish, place half the angel food cake pieces on the bottom of bowl.
Sprinkle about 2 cups strawberries evenly over the cake.
Dollop 1 package of pudding all over top of berries.
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup blueberries and drizzle with 1/4 cup strawberry glaze over blueberries.
Spread 1/2 container Cool Whip evenly over glaze.
Repeat the steps starting with angel food cake and ending with Cool Whip. Decorate top of the Strawberry Shortcake Trifle with remaining sliced strawberries and blueberries.
Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Store any leftovers, if any, covered in the refrigerator.
I did enjoy my guilt free desserts…the one on the left is the Peanut Butter Pie!!
Note: The recipe was taken Skinny Kitchen.
December 17th, 2011
Tiramisu is an Italian dessert that uses Ladyfingers dipped in coffee. The layers in between are filled with a mixture of whipped eggs, mascarpone cheese, a little liquor and a sprinkle of cocoa on top.
My goodness, there are so many varieties!! I like the traditional one the best. Some still follow the classics; others have evolved from those methods and have different additions.
For the person that has to eat gluten free, then there is the question of the ladyfingers. No way.
Gluten intolerance or sensitivity is one of the most common conditions at present. Celiac disease is an allergy. Both have to approach food in a very different way. No wheat or its derivatives.
Adhering to a gluten free diet is the only way to go and the only remedy. Once the diet is started the results are amazing; you start feeling so much better; tests results will show that, as well.
The most important thing to know is that it is not a fad diet. People with no gluten issues that follow the gluten free diet do feel better; I do.
Some time ago I found a company called Schar. It is from Europe. Their gluten free products are fantastic. You can find these products at Giant in Rehoboth Beach. I am sure you can also find them in nature stores, as well.
They do make ladyfingers that are gluten free. In the back of the box there was a recipe for Tiramisu. Ha…finally!!
This recipe is so easy. No cooking is necessary. At this time of the year, it can be made ahead of time. Everyone will love it.
Sweet endings; dessert. It is the final chapter of a meal…I love a good ending.
I always change a recipe, making it my own. In the ingredients on the box it said 3 egg yolks. But, in the preparation it said 4 eggs. I figured it was a typo and just used the 3 egg yolks.
Another ingredient I changed a bit was the sugar. Instead of 4 tablespoons, I only used 3.
It said to use rum but I used white wine. There are gluten free rums; I just did not have any in the house.
The glass container could have been a bit larger. I had some of the mascarpone mixture overflowing,
Other than that, it was really good.
Tiramisu
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites
3 tablespoons of sugar
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons white wine
A whole package of Schar Ladyfingers
1 cup of brewed espresso or coffee
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
Beat the egg yolks with sugar; then add the mascarpone cheese and the wine.
Beat the egg whites until stiff and carefully fold into the mixture.
Dip ladyfingers in the coffee. Arrange them closely together in a flat glass or ceramic dish.
Cover them with half of the mascarpone mixture, then add another layer of ladyfingers and top with another layer of the mascarpone mixture.
Sprinkle with cocoa powder and refrigerate for at least 4 – 6 hours.
It makes about 6 servings.
A little tricky cutting it but it is very delicious and light…..well it does have plenty of calories.
Note: Schar’s Ladyfingers are not quite as big as regular ones. If you want to buy 2 packages, do so and add a few more. I just used one package, though.
Have a good one!! Talk to you later. You can find Schar and AboutMyBeaches on Facebook.
October 12th, 2011
 Last year's nature turning on the color. It is that time of the year…I love it!! I cannot wait for the leaves to change and show those magnificent colors like last year. Awesome was the word.
The pumpkins are gorgeous. Have you seen all the roadside markets? Even though they have said it is not a good year for pumpkins, the ones that are out are very nice; all kinds of shapes, colors and sizes.
If you go on the left hand side of my website, AboutMyBeaches, you should click on the month of October, 2009 and then, scroll down to the 6th. You will find 3 recipes using pumpkins. Good for a stay home dinner, football nights or just dessert.
One one them was Pumpkin Bars. It is a great recipe. My problem? That in my household there is someone that has to eat gluten free. The recipe used a Duncan Hines Yellow Cake mix for the bars. A big no no.
Off to my daily trip to Giant, my supermarket. What got me into baking, I don’t know. I am not very good. Up and down the isles I went.
I decided to experiment and substitute with something else. Did not know with what.
Staring at me was a pancake mix by King Arthur Flour. It said that it was new. Gluten free, also soy free and nut free. Why not? If it was good for pancakes it would probably be good for the bars.
I have changed this recipe to be gluten free, and with less sugar by using Splenda sugar blend; regular and brown sugar.
I was worried. You will see from the pictures that they did look good. I can tell you they were because I tasted them. Then, the picky one of the house loved them too.
Total success!! So, here it goes.
My Somewhat Modified Pumpkin Bars
1 box (15 ounces) of King Arthur Flour (Pancake Mix) Gluten Free
1/2 cup melted butter
4 eggs
1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin
1 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
1/4 cup Splenda Sugar Blend
1/2 – 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup soft margarine
Confectioners Sugar for dusting the bars
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove 1 cup from pancake mix; set aside.
Mix together remaining cake, melted butter and 1 egg. Pat into a 13″ x 9″ pan; set aside.
Mix pumpkin, remaining eggs, evaporated milk, pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar; pour over first layer in pan. I used a hand mixer for this step.
Stir together reserved pancake mix, sugar, cinnamon, and soft margarine; sprinkle over pumpkin layer.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 – 50 minutes.
Cool, cut into bars, sprinkle with confectioners sugar and serve.
These bars are not overly sweet; just so. You can add ice cream…yum or have them with a nice cup of coffee.
Note: Just remember that if you think you want to follow the original recipe then either follow directions above to see the recipe on my site or just use a box of the Duncan Hines Yellow Cake mix. You can use the real sugars or the Splenda blends like I did.
Also please note that you can probably use any other kind of gluten free pancake mix on the market, as well.
Hope you like them….talk to you later….
July 4th, 2011
 I found him in the neighborhood. “Let’s go blueberry picking”…I can still hear myself telling that to a good friend, Deveraux. At other times, it was to Shelley or Nancy. All summer long we would go, at least once a week, to Ryan’s Blueberry Farm located at, where else but at Blueberry Lane in Gumboro, Delaware. This was west of Bethany Beach, crossing over Rt. 113.
Later on, as we all had kids, at times, we would put them on our backs and still go blueberry picking. Then, the older ones had their own empty margarine buckets with holes on the sides and string over their necks for “easy” and “faster” picking. I don’t know who picked or ate more from the blueberry bushes. My older son thought his were bigger than anyone else’s, except we might have been picking from the same bush. It was so much fun. We used to get so dirty.
But, that seems like ages ago. Wow, it was. On May 8, 1999 the United States Department of Agriculture proclaimed July as the National Blueberry Month.
As July gets underway with a celebration, I thought a blueberry crisp was a good addition to my crab, corn and tomato eating extravaganza. It is an easy recipe with that buttery crunchy top; warm it up, top it with vanilla ice cream and, oh boy, it is so delicious!!
At the present time, North America produces 90% of the world production of blueberries. The harvest runs from mid-April to early October; the peak harvest being in July.
Hope you like this recipe because it is so easy; can be doubled and can also be adapted so that people with gluten allergies can enjoy it, as well.
Blueberry Crisp
2 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries, washed and drained well
1/4 cup granulated white sugar (I used Splenda blend)
1 tablespoon corn startch
2 teaspoons lemon juice
a sprinkle of black pepper
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (I used Splenda Blend)
1/2 teaspoon (or more) cinnamon
1/3 cup of flour (I used Pamela’s Pancake & Baking Mix Gluten Free)
3/4 cup quick cooking rolled oats (I used Lara’s Rolled Oats)
Pinch of salt
1/2 stick softened butter (about 4 tablespoons)
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a bowl combine the blueberries, granulated sugar, corn starch, lemon juice, and pepper. Mix and combine evenly.
Pour into a buttered baking dish.
In the same bowl combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, oats, salt, and butter. Stir with a fork until the mixture is crumbly and evenly blended.
Spread the mixture over the berries and bake in a 375 degree oven for 40 minutes.
Let cool to warm before serving.
Enjoy…..and make it your own….talk to you later…
May 15th, 2011
I don’t which one I like better; a flan, a creme brulee, a baked custard or a floating island. Last night my perfect ending, after finally cooking my softshells they way I like them, was a floating island.
I had to make a boiled custard first. I don’t know why it is called “boiled” when you really do not let it boil. Basically, it is eggs, sugar and either flour or cornstarch.
Floating island is considered to be a French dessert. I love it when the weather gets warm because you can fix it ahead of time and with so many berries available; it looks so pretty.
Floating Island
3 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour or 1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Separate the eggs, saving the egg whites. Beat egg yolks with a hand mixer. Add sugar and either flour or cornstarch.
Then, add milk, and stir. Place in a medium saucepan.
Cook over medium to low heat and stir until slightly thickened. Do not let it boil.
Remove from heat and let it cool before placing it in the refrigerator.
At this point you can serve it just like that, topped with berries. Or, you can make a floating island.
Floating Island
Just before serving the custard, whip the 3 egg whites. Keep whipping and add 3 tablespoons of sugar, gradually. Then, add 1/2 tsp of vanilla. You can also a little bit of finely grated lime into it for more color and taste.
Whip until stiff and place spoonfuls on the custard.
Note: I made it gluten free using cornstarch or you can use gluten free flour. Make sure the vanilla is gluten free, as well.
Enjoy!!….talk to you later….
July 22nd, 2010
Okay Renee, I got it. Totally a fan now. I can see why you go there every day and have one of Annie’s Banannies.
And, Mac, you are also a regular and you were not kidding when you told me it is the best dessert in town.
The friends who mentioned that Annie’s Banannies is their favorite place. I did not know they also knew Mac.
The word is spreading; how good this dessert is. Word of mouth again is a powerful tool.
Annie’s Banannies is my post tonight. I went twice to their location on 9 1st Street South in downtown Rehoboth Beach. If you are a local or a resident and know the town well, Annie’s Banannies is one door down from the Frogg Pond. The telephone is 302-260-9875. The website is www.anniesbanannies.net. The e-mail address is anniesbanannies@comcast.net.
Please check the website because the menu is posted, as well as Annie’s story; on how finally her store was realized; a tender and uplifting summary of what Annie is all about. It is her own creation!!
Her motto? You’ll never dream….it’s not ice cream.
All natural ingredients that are good for you. The main ingredient? A frozen banana that will be put through a “juicer” and the outcome is like the most delicious ice cream. Soft, not overly sweet. There are no refined sugars used; fruit purees are sweetened with agave nectar. The toppings range from fruits to nuts.
Annie’s Bananies is also an eco-friendly company. The cups and straws are made from corn; the spoons from potatoes. All cups, desserts spoons, straws, and napkins are biodegradable and organic products are chosen when available.
Annie’s Banannies is sensitive to those customers with nut allergies. Plenty of Banannies that are vegetarian, vegan and gluten free, are available.
I decided to go with the Bunchberries. This one is made with fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberry puree. It was gluten free and vegetarian/vegan friendly.
I kept watching how they just put a couple of frozen bananas in the juicer and the transformation was underway. Could not get over it. It was so good and refreshing. On a hot day like today it was the best prescription.
On my second trip, the Tropical Banannie was ordered. It had fresh mango, pineapple and coconut flakes. Again, it was gluten free and vegetarian/vegan friendly. Loved it just as much.
So, yes, I am hooked……Hours of operation are: Mondays – Wednesdays from 3 – 11 p.m. and Thursdays – Sundays 11 – 11 p.m.
Talk to you later….you know I will.
July 7th, 2010
It is so funny that it is so late at night and I am writing about Flan. I came late from Two Seas (tomorrow’s blog) in Dewey Beach and my Flan was ready. I had made it this afternoon. It is the perfect dessert for balmy evenings.
A Flan is like a custard, but at the same time it isn’t. It is more than that; it is a dessert that can be adapted to any occasion.
Let me tell you how I like it. First of all, just like with creme brulee, I want the original and most simple of the recipes. Forget flavors and enhancements. This dessert does not need all that.
The following recipe serves about 12 people. I cut it in half and it fit perfectly on my metal pie pan.
Flan de Leche ( Puerto Rican Baked Custard) Serves 12 (to adapt it just cut it in half; instead of 7 eggs, use 4). I also cut the sugar in half.
6 cups of milk (whole milk)
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
peel of fresh lime, rinsed
7 eggs
1 cup sugar (to caramelize the pan)
Combine the milk, sugar, salt and lime and bring rapidly to a boil. Reduce heat to moderate and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain and allow to cool.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Caramelize a round 9 x 3 1/2-inch aluminum pan without tube, by putting sugar in the pan; placing it in the oven until it turns to a light gold. Swirl the pan to coat bottom and sides with caramel. Set aside.
In a saucepan, blend egg yolks and whites with a rubber spatula. Mix milk gradually, and strain.
Pour strained mixture into the caramelized pan. Set pan in a large shallow baking pan containing about 1 inch or so of hot water. Bake 1 hour for the full recipe or a little bit over 1/2 hour for half of the recipe. It should be set and golden. You may insert a knife in the center and if it comes out clean, it definitely is ready. Then, remove pan from water bath.
Allow to cool and then cover and set in refrigerator. When ready to serve, turn custard onto a platter. This can get tricky so first run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen it up.
As with any recipe, you do have, at times, to play with it and make it your own. Then, enjoy it.
If you want to make it more festive, you may add berries on the side.
Talk to you later….you know I will….
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