Recipe - Oven Smores with Strawberries

I can't pretend that as an adult, I still don't love a good smore. I've tried my hand at making them in the oven many times, only to have them fail because the chocolate melted too much and when I added the marshmallows, it all dripped out. Finally I found a quick and easy way to make it work, AND include something a little healthy.

Treat yourself to this indoor outdoor-treat with this recipe for Oven Smores with Strawberries.

Ingredients

1 whole graham cracker
2T chocolate chips
1/4 cup marshmallows
4 small strawberries, sliced (fresh picked will be best, if available)


Directions

Set oven to broil, or as high as your oven will go.

Place graham cracker on a cookie sheet. Put chocolate chips on the graham cracker and top with marshmallows.

Broil until marshmallows begin to toast and remove from oven.

Let cool for a minute until chocolate has cooled enough to eat. Spread the strawberries on top and enjoy.

Recipe - Chocolate Pain Perdu (French toast)

I was watching my usual Food Network and came across Melissa d'Arabian's new show, Ten Dollar Dinners. I must say, I was happily impressed. Both with her show and the great recipes and tips, but also with Food Network for finally adding a show that is for everyday people. Most recipes require far too many, expensive or impossible to find ingredients, or other shows require few ingredients, but cook something that most kids would never touch. Anyway, in one of her shows she cooked a dish which is similar to bread pudding. I urge you to make it a point to try this, it's simply amazing and incredibly easy.

Ingredients

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch kosher salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
2 eggs
6 slices white bread, crusts removed and cut into triangles


Directions

In a small pot over low heat, add 1/4 cup cream, milk, sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, vanilla, and salt and bring to a simmer. Put the chocolate into a medium bowl and pour in the cream mixture. Let sit until the chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and mix until well combined. Grease the baking dish with the remaining tablespoon of butter, and it line with the bread slices, overlapping slightly. Pour the chocolate mixture over the bread, making sure to cover the tips. Push the bread down with your fingers to coat the bread completely. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake until the custard sets and the bread turns golden at the edges, about 30 minutes.

Add the remaining cream to a chilled bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Serve the French toast on individual plates with a dollop of cream.

Recipe - Old Fashioned Fruit Scones

Recipes that can occupy more than one space are great. A sauce that doubles as a dip, a mix that can be turned into two quick dishes...or a breakfast treat that can easily take place of an afternoon snack or dessert. This scone recipe is easy and versatile. Change the raisins out for almost any dried fruit for a great change in taste.

Start your morning with this Old Fashioned Fruit Scone.

Ingredients

3 cups All-purpose flour
5 tsp Baking powder
1 cup Granulated sugar
1 Egg
1 cup Butter, shortening or margarine
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Raisins, currants or mixed dried fruit


Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Measure flour, baking powder and sugar into a mixing bowl. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender (I don't have one, so I use knives or forks) until the size of peas.

Beat in milk, egg and fruit until well incorporated.

Turn out onto a lightly floured board and pat to 1/2-inch thickness.

Cut out with a floured cutter into 2-inch rounds (or, using a sharp knife, cut into triangles, which is the traditional Scottish method) and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.


***TIPS***
Change the dried fruit for a easy recipe update. It's great served with jam and freezes well. I like to make a batch, freeze them and set a couple out at night. They're nice and thawed by morning, and ready to be eaten.

To make it healthier, substitute half of the AP flour for wheat flour. While I wouldn't suggest substituting all of it, if necessary, use 7/8 C whole wheat flour instead of 1 C AP flour.

Recipe - Caramel Flan

I used to be scared of flan. I used to be scared of a lot of food, actually. But I decided that when we went out to eat, I was going to order something different. I went from cheeseburgers to Jalapeno burgers, and from alfredo to chicken parmesan with roasted red pepper alfredo. And I was pleasantly surprised at how much I was loving eating different foods. So it was this revelation that lead me on a quest for a great flan recipe.

Open your mind to fine Mexican cuisine with this recipe for Caramel Flan.

Ingredients

1/3 cup Sugar
3 Beaten eggs
1 1/2 cups Milk
1/3 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
Fresh fruit (I like to use mango, strawberries or bananas)


Directions

In a heavy, medium skillet place 1/3 cup sugar. Cook over medium-high heat until sugar begins to melt (do not stir); shake skillet occasionally to heat sugar evenly. Reduce heat to low and cook until sugar is melted and golden brown; stir as necessary after sugar begins to melt. Pour caramelized sugar into an 8-inch quiche dish. Tilt dish to coat bottom. Let stand 10 minutes.

Combine eggs, milk, 1/3 cup sugar, and vanilla. Beat until well combined. Place quiche dish in a 13x9x2-inch baking pan on the oven rack. Pour egg mixture into prepared quiche dish. Pour boiling water into the baking pan around quiche dish to a depth of 3/4 inch. Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Carefully lift quiche dish from water. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or cool completely and cover and chill up to 24 hours. Loosen edge of dish with a spatula or knife, slipping point of spatula down sides to let air in. Invert onto a serving platter. Garnish with fruit.

Recipe - Healthy Banana Bread

This recipe is VERY figure friendly. It uses wheat flour and bananas and very little sugar, so it's also a great snack for kids. My son loves to eat it with Cool Whip. I use Homemade Gourmet Spice Dip Mix with my Cool Whip and spread it over a slice of this bread. But if you can't get the HOGO stuff from a dealer near you, a little cinnamon and allspice mixed into your Cool Whip makes a great dip or spread.

Spend the day baking some bread with this recipe for Healthy Banana Bread.

Ingredients

4-5 very ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup sugar free spiced unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose white flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)


Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray, set aside.


In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients, whisking to combine. Add the chocolate chips and nuts if using.

Beat the eggs with the sugar together at medium-high speed until creamy. Beat in the applesauce and bananas.

Fold in the dry ingredients.

Pour into the prepared pan and place it in the oven. Once the oven door is closed, reduce the heat so it’s between 325-350 degrees. Bake for about 35-40 minutes (the cake is done as soon as a tester comes out clean). Cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Invert on the rack, remove the pan, cool and store in an airtight container.


***LEFTOVER ALERT***
I like to take slices of this and use it to make french toast. It gives it a lovely flavor from regular french toast, and is sweet enough that I don't have to use much syrup (or can top with with Cool Whip instead). Can you tell I like Cool Whip? haha