Strawberry-Banana Muffins - sugar free

Strawberries and banana in a muffin that is sugar free. YUMMMM.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
2 bananas, mashed
2 Tbsps. vanilla Greek yogurt
2 tsps. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup strawberries, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F.
In a large mixing bowl, blend together applesauce, butter, egg, bananas, Greek yogurt, and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients, and mix in strawberries.
Scoop batter into lined muffin tins.
Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, then lower to 350°F and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!

Banana Santa

 Want a healthy and fun idea for the little ones for Christmas? Just remember that bananas go brown quickly so make and enjoy right away!

Ingredients:
Bananas
Strawberries
Miniature Marshmallows for top of hat
Regular size Marshmallows cut into slices for hat
M & M for nose
Brown sprinkles for eyes
Wooden Kabob stick for handle

Note: a simple trick to keep bananas from turning brown is to splash lemon juice (fresh or bottled) over the fruit. Keep these in a plastic bag until ready to use the bananas. This works great on apples and pears also.

simply squeeze some lemon juice over them. You can use fresh, or bottled lemon juice (which I usually have on hand). No need to measure a certain amount, just squeeze a generous amount over the fruit and toss the fruit to coat. Make sure to cover the fruit tightly with plastic wrap, or place it in an air-tight container until you are ready to eat it.

Recipe: http://www.centercutcook.com/how-to-prevent-fruit-from-turning-brown/

simply squeeze some lemon juice over them. You can use fresh, or bottled lemon juice (which I usually have on hand). No need to measure a certain amount, just squeeze a generous amount over the fruit and toss the fruit to coat. Make sure to cover the fruit tightly with plastic wrap, or place it in an air-tight container until you are ready to eat it.

Recipe: http://www.centercutcook.com/how-to-prevent-fruit-from-turning-brown/

Thanks to cleanandscentsible for the idea.

Watermelon Pizza

Talk about refreshing. Imagine this at your 4th of July event!

Want a pretty party presentation or a special treat for the family? Try this delicious dish of fruit. The children will love to help with this one. Also try Yogurt Parfait, page 52, Tastes & Treasures cookbook.


Watermelon Pizza

Ingredients:
Watermelon
Blueberries
Kiwi
Peaches
Grapes
Strawberries
Strawberry jam
Feta Cheese
Coconut
Bananas
Any fresh fruit in season

Directions:
Slice watermelon in 1” thick size. Drain to remove excess moisture.
Add a layer of strawberry jam
Cut into 8 sections.
Arrange fresh fruit on the top
Sprinkle with Feta Cheese, coconut, use your imagination

Strawberry and Cream Dream bars

Cheesecake is good in so many variations. Tastes & Treasures cookbook has a wonderful recipe on page 170. The following recipe adds lots of extras. Add some blueberries and it becomes a 4th of July treat.

Strawberry and Cream Dream bars
Ingredients:
Crust
1 pouch ( 1 lb 5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 large egg

Filling
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 package ( 8 ounce) cream cheese, softened

Topping
3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan with non-stick spray.
In a large bowl, mix together the cookie mix, butter and egg until a dough forms. Press dough into the bottom of the baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

In a small, microwave-safe bowl, microwave white chocolate chips for 45 to 60 seconds or until chips are melted. Stir until smooth. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in the melted chocolate chips. Spread this mixture evenly over the cooled sugar cookie crust. Refrigerate while making the topping.

In a small bowl, crush 1 cup of the strawberries. In 2-quart saucepan, add the 1 cup of crushed strawberries, sugar, cornstarch and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes. Gently fold in remaining strawberries. Spoon over the filling. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until set.
Serve and enjoy!

Thanks to countrycook.net

Magical Chocolate Pudding

It sounds most unusual but tastes delicious. The kids will love it. Who would have thought . . .
Tastes & Treasures Cookbook has Strawberry Spinach Salad but this takes healthy to another level.

Magical Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients:
1 medium banana, frozen (it makes the pudding more creamy when frozen)
Flesh from 1/2 medium or 1 small avocado
1/3 cup strawberries, hulls removed
1/3 cup kale, chopped
2 dates
2 heaped tbsp cocoa powder (raw if desired)

Directions:
Put everything in a food processor, and process. Serve immediately or allow to chill in the refrigerator first.

Thanks to bitesizedthoughts.com for recipe

Thanksgiving dessert idea

Beautiful presentation and yummy treat. Impress your friends, guests and even yourself with this recipe.

Don't forget to try other delicious desserts and appetizers in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Ingredients:
1 lb large strawberries

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 – 1/2 cup powdered sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 – 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
Instructions

Directions:

Rinse strawberries and cut around the top of the strawberry. Remove the top and clean out with a paring knife, if necessary (some of them are hollow already. Prep all of the strawberries and set aside.
 In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add cream cheese mix to a piping bag or Ziploc with the corner snipped off. Fill the strawberries with cheesecake mixture.
 Once strawberries are filled, sprinkle or dip the tops with graham cracker crumbs. If not serving immediately, refrigerate until serving.

Fourth of July Tart

 Celebrate the holiday with a fabulous Fourth of July tart. The pastry is filled with vanilla custard then topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream. Decorate to your heart's content!

Thanks to historic Garland's Oak Creek Lodge for this delicious pastry crust. The recipe is also found on page 49 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook along with a history of Garland's Lodge. Great reading and great recipe.

Tart Pastry
Ingredients:
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Directions:
Whisk the flour, salt and sugar lightly in a medium bowl to blend. Add the butter and shortening and toss lightly to coat.

Cut with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles a very coarse cornmeal.
Mix the water and vinegar together. Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of the vinegar mixture over the flour mixture and toss to blend. Continue adding the vinegar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing to form a cohesive ball that will hold together when pressed. Divide the dough into two equal portions and shape each portion into a disk.
Wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before using or store in the freezer. Makes 2 pastry disks.

Red White and Blue Trifle

Celebrate the 4th of July with this fabulous dessert. Lower in fat and calories than most trifles, this layered dessert is both beautiful AND delicious -- just right for that Fourth of July cookout!

We also like Desert Picnic Salad (Tastes & Treasures cookbook, page 132) thanks to Historymakers Kax and Bob Herberger's family memories of picnics.

Red, White and Blue Trifle



Ingredients:

One 8-oz. container Cool Whip Free (thawed)

1 sugar-free vanilla pudding snack with 60 calories or less 

Half of a 13-oz. angel food cake, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups cubed)

2 cups chopped strawberries

2 cups blueberries

2 cups raspberries



Directions:

In a medium-large bowl, thoroughly fold pudding into Cool Whip. 

In a large glass bowl (or trifle dish, if you've got one), evenly layer half of each ingredient: cubed angel food cake, Cool Whip mixture, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. 

Repeat layering with remaining ingredients. Serve, or chill until ready to serve!



MAKES 8 SERVINGS

Thanks to Hungry Girl for reduced fat and calorie recipe.

Healthy Fruited Popsicles

Summer is coming and nothing beats the heat like frozen popsicles. The kids will love this treat and can help make the icy delights.

Another yummy fruit dish is Yogurt Parfait from The Hassayampa Inn. Recipe on page 52 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Healthy Fruited Popsicles

Ingredients:
3 cups watermelon puree (seedless if possible)
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup chopped fresh strawberries
1 kiwi, peeled and sliced
1 peach or nectarine, diced small
handful fresh cherries, pitted and chopped

Directions:
Cut the watermelon into chunks and then puree it in a blender until smooth. Set aside.

Set out about 1 dozen popsicle molds (amount needed will vary depending on size of molds). Fill each one with the chopped fresh fruit. Then pour in the watermelon puree until each mold is full to the top. Place a popsicle stick into each one. Place into your freezer and freeze for about 6 to 8 hours.

When ready to serve, run the popsicle molds under warm water for a few seconds and then pull each one out.

from Heather Thomas on FB

Red White and Blue

Beautiful presentation. Who can guess the ingredients?

Red, White and Blue Trifle

Celebrate the Fourth of July with this layered dessert. It is both beautiful and delicious -- just right for that cookout. Plus you can use your elegant trifle dish.

Summer Trifle, page 154 in Tastes & Treasures, is also delicious with the addition of blackberries and orange juice. A few more calories and it is made from scratch - well worth it.

Red, White & Blueberry Trifle

Ingredients:
One 8-oz. container Cool Whip Free (thawed)
1 sugar-free vanilla pudding snack with 60 calories or less (like the kind by Jell-O)
Half of a 13-oz. angel food cake, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups cubed)
2 cups chopped strawberries
2 cups blueberries
2 cups raspberries

Directions:
In a medium-large bowl, thoroughly fold pudding into Cool Whip.

In a large glass bowl (or trifle dish, if you've got one), evenly layer half of each ingredient: cubed angel food cake, Cool Whip mixture, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.

Repeat layering with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately or chill.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Thanks to Hungry Girl for the statistics.
Serving Size: 1/8th of trifle (about 1 cup)
Calories: 170
Fat: 1.5g
Sodium: 133mg
Carbs: 38g
Fiber: 3.5g
Sugars: 20.5g
Protein: 2g

Patriotic Stuffed Strawberries

Very impressive recipe for that very special dinner. Add a small flag and you have a perfect Fourth of July dessert.

Stuffed Strawberries


Ingredients:

1/2 tbsp. Jell-O Sugar
Free Fat Free Vanilla Instant pudding mix


1/2 tbsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) or 1/2 tbsp. sugar
1 drop vanilla extract


1/4 cup Cool Whip Free (thawed)


2 tbsp. fat-free cream cheese, room temperature

6 extra-large strawberries

2 tsp. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips



Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix, sweetener, vanilla extract, and 1 tbsp. cold water. Stir vigorously until smooth and slightly thickened. Stir in Cool Whip and cream cheese until smooth. 

Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 10 minutes.



Slice the stem ends off the strawberries, about 1/2 inch, revealing an opening in each berry. Use a narrow spoon to remove about half of the flesh inside each berry, allowing room for filling.



Spoon pudding mixture into a bottom corner of a plastic bag; snip off the tip of that corner to create a small hole, and pipe the mixture through the hole into the strawberries.



Press chocolate chips into the exposed filling. Serve and enjoy!



MAKES 1 SERVING

Thanks to Hungry Girl for the statistics.
Entire recipe: 173 calories, 4g fat, 309mg sodium, 30g carbs, 3.5g fiber, 16.5g sugars, 5.5g protein.
Granulated white sugar in place of Splenda, this recipe is 194 calories, 35.5g carbs, and 22.5g sugars.

Fantastic Fruited Chicken Salad

Fruited Chicken Salad
A delicious meal in a salad. It tastes different every time I make it because I use different fruits and vegetables. Make it your own recipe by adding the ingredients your family loves.

Strawberry Spinach Salad, page 151, from Tastes & Treasures cookbook is also a wonderful dish.


Ingredients:
1 cup (about 4.5 oz.) cooked & roughly chopped skinless lean chicken breast
1/2 cup chopped Persian or Kirby cucumber**

1/3 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup green onions, chopped

1/3 cup red seedless grapes, halved
1/3 cup chopped apple
1/3 cup craisins
1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/3 cup dried blueberries
1/3 cup strawberries, halved
1/3 cup kiwi, sliced
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
2 tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise
1 no-calorie sweetener packet (like Splenda)
1/4 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
dash salt

Directions:
Mix together the yogurt, mayonnaise, sweetener, lemon pepper seasoning, and salt. Coat the chicken in this mixture, and then stir in the chopped cucumber, grape halves, chopped apple and other fruits. Serve on a bed of lettuce. Arrange strawberry halves and grape halves on top. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
The presentation will bring oohs and aahs.

Strawberry Shortcake Muffins

Recipe exchanges bring new ideas. This muffin recipe (page 41 in Tastes & Treasures) takes the one from Garland's Oak Creek Lodge to a different level with the addition of heavy whipping cream instead of sour cream. Great to make with either Strawberries, Cranberries or Blueberries .
Tobe Daum made the Blueberry Muffins for a League meeting. Yummm.
Strawberry Shortcake Muffins from recipe exchange

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup heavy whipping cream or 1/2 cup whipping cream and 1/2 cup orange juice (I prefer the cream and juice)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup fresh strawberries diced

Directions:
Mix flour, baking powder, and sugar in medium bowl. Cut in butter.
In another bowl, mix egg, vanilla, whipping cream, and orange juice.
Add egg mixture to flour mixture and mix with a spoon. Gently fold in strawberries.

Spoon batter into greased muffin tin or use paper liners. Bake at 350 for 20 t0 25 minutes. Check at 18 to 20 minutes. Tops of muffins remain light. Cool before removing from pan.
Makes 12 muffins.

Memorial Day BBQ

Remembering those loved ones is an important part of this day. Flags are flying, speeches are being made and flowers freshen up the gravesites.

We also enjoy getting together with family and friends around a BBQ and salad. Try this fresh salad from The Cottage Place Restaurant in Flagstaff.

Exotic Greens with Strawberry Vinaigrette in Tastes & Treasures. page 21.

Strawberry Vinaigrette
8 ounces frozen strawberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup soybean oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Salad
8 cups baby salad greens
1 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
6 whole strawberries, fanned
2 ounces goat cheese

For the vinaigrette, process the strawberries in a blender until pureed. Add the sugar, balsamic vinegar, rice wine vinegar, olive oil, soybean oil, salt and white pepper and process until blended.
For the salad, toss the salad greens and tomato with the vinaigrette in a salad bowl to coat. Place on six chilled salad plates. Top with the pine nuts, strawberries and goat cheese. (I made it in a big bowl instead and got rave reviews from guests.)

Serves 6

Strawberry Yogurt Pie

Good friends, Georgia and Tom Desmarais host great dinner parties with lively conversation. She created a fabulous Orzo with Shrimp and Scallops.

They like to spend time with their guests so this make-ahead dessert was perfect.

Strawberry Yogurt Pie
1 pint fresh strawberries
1 envelope Knox Unflavored Gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup milk
1 cup (8 ounces) Strawberry yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 drops red food coloring (optional)
1 Graham Cracker pie crust

In blender, puree enough strawberries to equal 3/4 cup, reserve remaining strawberries for garnish.
In medium saucepan, mix unflavored gelatin with 1/4 cup sugar, blend in egg yolks beaten with milk. Let stand 1 minute. Stir over low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes. With wire whip or rotary beater, blend in pureed strawberries, yogurt, lemon juice and food coloring. Chill, stirring occasionally, until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from spoon.
In medium bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form, gradually add remaining sugar and beat until stiff. Fold into gelatin mixture. Turn into prepared crust and chill until firm. Garnish with reserved strawberries.

Serves 8

Berry Fruit Salad with Mint Sugar pg 118

Terrie Sanford made this delicious fruit dish for our monthly Historical League meeting. It was so refreshing with the minty taste lingering in my mouth.
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint
6 tablespoons sugar
3 cups sliced strawberries
3 cups blackberries
3 cups blueberries
Pulse the mint and sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Sprinkle over the strawberries, blackberries and blueberries in a large bowl and toss gently to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Terrie commented it was easy to make but can be very expensive if the berries are not in season.

Kudos to April Riggins and Mary Pearce for the lovely Easter display on the buffet table. Note the tatting on the recipe card that Mary made. Love to see a lost art still in use.