Faithy's Favorite Red, White & Blue Salad

Just thought I'd share this quick & easy salad recipe in case you're looking for something healthy and delicious for the 4th of July. 

Ingredients:
--salad greens (I used a mix of red leaf lettuce, spring mix and spinach - but just use whatever you like!)
--fresh blueberries & raspberries (you could also use strawberries or even watermelon)
--crumbled feta cheese
--sugared nuts (This time I used store-bought sweet & spicy pumpkin seeds with black pepper, but you could also use sugared pecans or walnuts or even almonds.  I like to just dump some in a pan with sugar and seasoned salt, and stir them over low to medium heat until the sugar is melted and coats the nuts.  The you just spread them on parchment paper to cool, and break them up before using.)

Just toss everything together and serve in a clear glass or plastic bowl.  I generally serve it with poppy seed dressing and/or raspberry vinaigrette on the side.  (It stays fresh much longer if you don't "dress" the salad before serving.)

"Dressed" Salad

Quick, easy & delicious!

Happy 4th y'all!!
Blessings,
--Faithy 

Fun Stuff for the Fourth of July - Watermelon Slice Cookies

HOWDY!  Just wanted to pop in and share a fun recipe for the 4th of July!  I've made these several times, and they never fail to receive rave reviews.  They take a little effort, but they're really yummy and lots of fun.

I found this recipe called Watermelon Slice Cookies many years ago, in a copy of Taste of Home magazine.  They've published it several times since in various cookbooks, and even another edition of their magazine.  You can find the recipe by clicking here.

Believe it or not, I really haven't tweaked this one much, so I won't repost the entire recipe here.  The only things I've done differently, are:

1. Rather than 1/2 tsp. almond extract, I use 1/4 tsp. almond extract and 1/4 tsp. vanilla (I've also made them with vanilla only when I found myself out of almond extract once.  They're delicious either way.)
2. ALWAYS double the recipe so you'll have plenty of them.   (With the effort it takes to make them, you won't want to start over for the second batch!)
3. I like cutting the cookies into wedges rather than halves (they're super cute, and you get more cookies this way!).

Give this recipe a try, you're sure to impress, and you'll be glad you made the extra effort.

And...when you try them, don't forget to tell me know what you think of them!

As I celebrated the 4th of July with at least 4 generations of my family this past weekend, I was reminded once again how grateful I am to live in a country where we can get together to celebrate the many freedoms we are blessed with - including the freedom to worship, pray and play together.  I don't take lightly the sacrifices made by so many men & women (and their families) to ensure that those freedoms continue.  I hope you don't either.

Blessings,
--Faithy

 

Pumpkin Cobbler

HOWDY!  I hope this joyous holiday season finds each of you well and happy.  We are all doing well, and all wrapped up (LOL) with work, family & holiday preparations.  I came across this recipe online a few weeks back, and have been dying to try it.  I hadn’t had an opportunity until this weekend (in preparation for a potluck luncheon), so I was excited to pull it out and give it a try.

I made my usual adjustments/substitutions, but pretty much stuck to the original recipe (except that I completely left out the nutmeg…I’m not a nutmeg fan).  My baking pan was a bit larger than the one used in the original recipe, so my cobbler was a bit thinner than Serena’s.

Then, I forgot to adjust the cooking time, so mine cooked a little longer than it should have, but it was still absolutely delicious!!  The only difference was that it should have been a little creamier in the center.  (Although my hubby said he really liked it this way…it made the topping extra crunchy.)  No problem…there’s always next time…and there WILL be a next time.  This stuff is REALLY good!!

If you’re a fan of pumpkin…you’ll definitely want to give this a try.  It’s really quick & easy to put together, but it needs a bit of time to cook.  Just pop it in the oven and let it cook while you do other things.  BONUS:  It will make your house smell fabulous!

When you get a chance stop by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch and check out her other yummy recipes.  She’s got plenty…and don’t forget to tell her Faithy sent you!

Anyway…on to the recipe…

Pumpkin Cobbler

INGREDIENTS:

Base:
15 ounces pumpkin puree (If you don’t want to use canned, here’s my recipe for homemade pumpkin puree.  NOTE:  You can use regular orange pie pumpkins in place of the kershaws - both are delicious.)
3/4 cup egg substitute (or 3 whole eggs)
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup fat free (skim) milk (the original recipe called for whole milk)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or 1/4 tsp. regular salt)
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour

Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar (or Whey Low Gold for a lower calorie option)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (you can also use Whey Low Granular for a lower calorie option)
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
1 teaspoon sodium free baking powder (or regular baking powder, as in the original recipe)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 cup egg substitute (or 1 whole egg)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all base ingredients.  When well mixed, pour into a 9” x 13” baking pan.  (NOTE:  The original recipe called for an 8” x 11” baking dish, but I didn’t have one.  This came out a little thinner, but still very good.  Feel free to use whatever you have, although I wouldn’t use anything larger than 9”x13”.)

Stir together the first seven topping ingredients (all the dry ingredients), until thoroughly mixed.  Add egg & vanilla, and stir together with a fork until everything is well mixed and a crumbly texture is achieved.

Crumble topping over the pumpkin mixture (in baking pan) until evenly distributed, then pour melted butter evenly over the crumb mixture.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until top is golden brown with slightly loose center.

Cool until set, and serve warm with a dollop of sweetened whipping cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Trust me…you’re gonna love this!  Give it a try, and let me know what you think.

Gotta run for now.  Happy cooking!

Blessings,

--Faithy

Mini Lemon Mint Cakes

HOWDY friends!  I hope you are all well and happy on this fine day.  It’s been really hot and humid in Zig Zag lately, sure makes me grateful for air conditioning!  I’ve been busy as ever, but I just had to find a minute to share one of my favorite new “go-to” recipes with you.

One of my favorite bloggers is Ally over at Ally’s Kitchen.  I love her creative takes on old favorites.

I was perusing her Facebook page a while back, and came across her recipe for Lemon Mint Cake Pie.  I love lemon, and mint, so I knew I had to try it.  I needed something to serve some volunteers at my office one morning, so I decided to make it into mini-muffins rather than the larger pie pan cake in Ally’s original recipe.  The final product was very light and flavorful, and I’ve made it quite a few times since.  It gets rave reviews every time I serve it!  I just love the little bite-sized bursts of flavor.  It’s impossible to eat just one!

This is DEFINITELY one you’ll want to try my friends.  Take my word for it!  It’s perfect for brunch or tea time snacking.  My adapted recipe is below, but please go by and check out Ally’s version too!

Mini Lemon Mint Cakes 
Yield:  24 mini muffin cakes

INGREDIENTS

Batter: 
8 Tbsp. salted butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup Whey Low Granulated (or regular granulated sugar) 
1-1/2 lemons, juice & zest (about 3 to 4 Tbsp. lemon juice & 1 Tbsp. zest) 
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. fresh mint, finely chopped (I've played around with several varieties, and haven't found one I didn't like yet!  Just use your favorite or whatever type you have on hand.) 
1-1/4 cups flour, all purpose
1 tsp. sodium free baking powder 

Lemon Glaze: 
1/3 cup Whey Low Powder (or powdered sugar), sifted
2 Tbsp. lemon juice 
1/2 tsp. lemon zest 

Garnish: 

turbinado sugar (optional)
sifted Whey Low Powder (or powdered sugar) 
1 tsp. fresh Lemon Zest (optional)
finely chopped mint (optional)

DIRECTIONS 
Preheat oven to 325°F.

Batter:  
Combine butter and Whey Low Granulated (sugar) in a large mixing bowl, and mix until light and fluffy.

Add the remaining lemon juice and zest to the bowl.  Blend until incorporated throughout.

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Remove from mixer and stir in mint with a rubber spatula.

Whisk flour & baking powder together in a small mixing bowl.  Stir into batter about 1/4 cup at a time.  Blending well after each addition.  The batter will be thick.

Fill mini muffin cups (sprayed with cooking spray) to the top.  (My small cookie scoop works perfectly for this!)

NOTE:  If you decide to go with Version Two...see below BEFORE you put them in the oven! 

Bake in a preheated 325° oven for 12 to 15 minutes.  (I like to cook them until they are just starting to brown on the edges.)  Remove from pan to a cooling rack.

While the cake is baking, make the glaze.  Whisk together the Whey Low Powder (powdered sugar), lemon juice and lemon zest in a small bowl (or 2-cup measuring cup), until all lumps are dissolved. 

I've made this quite a few times now, so I've played around with the recipe a bit.  I think I like the extra lemony goodness absorbed in Version One (below) the best, but Version Two (pictured above) looks a little prettier.  Both variations are scrumptious! 

Version One: 
Brush glaze liberally over hot muffins.  (You want the muffins to absorb as much as possible.) 

Once muffins have cooled completely (waiting is SOOOOOO hard!), dust with Whey Low Powder (powdered sugar).  (I have a great Pampered Chef flour & sugar shaker that works perfectly for this, but a fine mesh strainer works well too.)  Top with additional lemon zest and the remaining fresh mint, and enjoy! 

Version Two (pictured): 
Sprinkle with turbinado sugar/lemon zest before baking.  (This adds a delicious crunchiness!)

Allow the muffins to cool completely, and dust with Whey Low Powder (powdered sugar).  Drizzle with lemon glaze, and garnish with fresh mint.

I hope that this will become one of your favorite recipes, just like it has become mine.  Be sure and stop by Ally’s website or Facebook page, and tell her Faithy sent you!

Enjoy your summer my friends, and try to stay cool out there!
Blessings,

--Faithy

Faithy’s Favorite Layered Dessert

HOWDY friends…praying you are well and happy on this wonderful day that our Lord has made for us!  I seriously can’t believe how long it’s been since I posted something here.  How does life get so busy?!

Anyway, I’ve recently had several requests for this recipe, so I figured the easiest way to share it would be to post it here.  I have no idea where it originated.  It’s one of those recipes that have been around church potlucks pretty much forever, and there are about a million variations floating around in cyber-space as well.  One of the things I love most about it, is that you can make so many variations of it.  It is very easy to put together, and always a hit!

 

Faithy’s Favorite Layered Dessert 
Ingredients:

Layer #1:   1 cup flour

                  1 cup finely ground nuts (I prefer pecans, but use whatever you like)

                  1 stick of butter or margarine, melted

Layer #2:   8 oz. cream cheese, softened (fat free or low fat work as well as regular)

                  1 cup whipped topping (I’ve used regular, fat free & sugar free - all good)

                  1 cup powdered sugar (regular or Whey Low)

Layer #3:   2 small packages instant pudding (Chocolate, coconut & pistachio are my favorites, but feel free to experiment with whatever flavor you like!  I’ve seen a pumpkin variation that sounds yummy, and a lemon one too.  As with the other ingredients, sugar free pudding works fine too.)

                  3 cups milk (I generally use fat free, but use your favorite)

Layer #4:   Additional whipped topping and topping of your choice (use your imagination!)

                  --For chocolate pudding try chopped roasted pecans or almonds, chocolate sprinkles or chocolate curls for a nice touch

                  --For coconut pudding I use toasted coconut

                  --For pistachio pudding use chopped pistachios

Directions:

Mix layer #1 ingredients and press into a 9x13” pan.  Bake at 350° for 15 minutes (or until lightly golden).  Let cool.  Mix layer #2 ingredients and pour onto 1st layer.  Mix layer #3 ingredients and pour onto other layers.  Top with additional whipped topping and sprinkle with topping of your choice.  (You'll need to work carefully when spreading each layer if you don't want them to mix together.  I've found that if I plop spoonfuls of each layer around the pan, it's easier to connect them together, rather than starting from one big blob in the middle.)

It’s really easy to make the different layers the day before and refrigerate them in separate containers.  Then you can put it all together just before serving.  If you layer everything too early, sometimes the colors from the pudding start to run a bit.  (The chocolate pudding will make your other layers a bit pink.)  It will still taste great, but may not be as good to look at.

I apologize for the poor photo…as many times as I’ve made this, you’d think I’d have a better one.  LOL!  Maybe I’ll remember to take a better one next time I make it.

If you haven’t already, you definitely need to give this recipe a try.  It’s been a favorite in our family for years, and I hope it will become one in yours as well.  Please leave a comment to let me know if you’ve made it before and what variations you’ve used.

I hope it won’t be quite as long before I check in with you again!

Blessings,

--Faithy