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Archive for the ‘Fruit’ Category

If you are diabetic or on a sugar-restricted diet, you don’t have to miss out on all the treats. Here are some recipes for sugar free applesauce cookies that taste delicious and are healthy. You won’t miss the sugar at all!

Sugar-Free Applesauce Cookies (Courtesy of Almanac.com)

Yield: 24 cookies

1-3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of kosher salt

1/2 cup of butter

1 tablespoon sugar substitute

1 large egg

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup of raisins

1 cup bran cereal (any type you have around)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment. Mix the ingredients together until they are well combined. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the cookie sheet depending on the size of cookie you are looking for. To make the sizes more uniform, I use an ice cream scoop to measure each cookie and then use a fork to flatten them. Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Arrange them in a basket or box and they make a great sugar free cookie gift!

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APPLESAUCE COOKIES (SUGAR FREE)

Printed from COOKS.COM

1/2 c. butter

1/3 c. artificial sweetener

1 egg

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. All Bran cereal

1 c. unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

Cream butter, add artificial sweetener and egg. Mix well. Stir together dry ingredients and add alternately with the applesauce. Stir in cereal. Drop by level tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets. Bake in 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. (I often make fresh applesauce but canned works just as well.)

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And if you’re wondering how to make your own sugar free applesauce, it’s easy.

Sugar Free Applesauce (courtesy of grouprecipes.com)

Time 10 minutes

Serves 8

Ingredients

4 medium apples pared cored and quartered

1/2 cup water

2 sticks cinnamon

1/4 cup sweetener

How to make it

Combine apples, water, and cinnamon, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove cinnamon and mash apples until smooth, then stir in sweetener.

MORE SUGAR FREE DESSERTS:

If you want to try a scrumptious sugar free apple crisp recipe on one of those chilly fall nights, try this one.

SUGAR FREE APPLE CRISP

Printed from COOKS.COM

4 c. peeled, sliced apples

2 tbsp. water

4 packets Equal

1 1/4 c. Bisquick

1 egg

1/4 c. butter

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Mix water and 2 packets Equal together. Place fruit in greased pan or baking dish and sprinkle with water. Thoroughly mix Bisquick, cinnamon, and 2 packets of Equal. Beat egg then slowly add Bisquick mixture until you have a crumbly dough. Sprinkle dough over fruit. Melt butter and pour over top. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

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For a sugar free apple pie, try this recipe that uses alternatives to sugar.

Ingredients:

Sugar Free Apple Pie (Courtesy of lifeclinic.com)

Pastry for double-crust 9-inch pie

3 tablespoons cornstarch

7-1/4 teaspoons Equal® for Recipes OR

24 packets Equal® sweetener OR

1 cup Equal® Spoonful™

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 cups sliced, cored, peeled, Granny Smith

or other baking apples (about 8 medium)

Equal® sweetener can be substituted with other sweetener products.

Directions:

Roll 1/2 the pastry on floured surface into circle 1 inch larger than inverted pie pan. Ease pastry into pan.

Combine cornstarch, Equal®, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; sprinkle over apples in large bowl and toss. Arrange apples in pie crust.

Roll remaining pastry into circle large enough to fit top of pie. If desired, cut hearts in pastry with cutters; place pastry on pie, seal edges, trim and flute. Press pastry hearts on pastry. Bake in preheated 425 F oven until pastry is golden and apples are tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Yield: Makes 8 servings.

Fruit salad is such a "must have" for any summer gathering!  You could make a fruit salad to go along with your patriotic cookies for the big fourth of July celebration. Take advantage of the abundant summer fruits by creating a delicious summer fruit salad.   Below we combine a variety of delicious fruits with some rhubarb sauce for a scrumptious summer treat.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup water

• 2/3 cup sugar

• 3 cups thinly sliced rhubarb

• 15 seedless grapes, halved

• 1/2 orange, sectioned

• 10 fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

• 1 apple, cored and diced

• 1 peach, sliced

• 1 plum, pitted and sliced

• 15 pitted Bing cherries

• 1/4 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:

1. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the rhubarb, turn heat to low, cover, and simmer until rhubarb is soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Mash and chill in the refrigerator, about one hour.
2. To serve, mix the grapes, orange, strawberries, apple, peach, plum, cherries, and blueberries with 2/3 cup of the rhubarb sauce. Stir gently, but thoroughly to coat. Refrigerate for at least two hours to allow the flavors to blend.

If you want to try another summer fruit recipe, try making Peaches and Cream Trifle!

This creamy and refreshing dessert looks as good as it tastes!  Use a trifle bowl or a 4 quart clear mixing bowl to layer berries, cake and creamy pudding.

This recipe works great for a Sunday brunch, family reunion or just for patriotic desserts - everyone will be amazed so be ready to share the recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 package (3.4-ounce) instant vanilla pudding
• 4 cups fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries), washed and hulled, plus extra for garnish
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 24 to 36 ladyfingers

Directions:

1. To make the fillings, prepare the pudding according to the package directions and Let it chill.
2. Slice strawberries then toss all of the berries with the lemon juice and the 1/4 cup of sugar. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the berries to release their juices.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, whip the cream, vanilla extract, and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar until soft peaks form. Set aside.
4. To make the layers, set a layer of ladyfingers (around 7 or on the bottom of a large, clear serving bowl. Top with the berries with half of the pudding.
5. Add another layer of ladyfingers, another third of the berries and juice, and the rest of the pudding. Add a final layer of ladyfingers and berries. Top with the whipped cream and a berry garnish.
6. Refrigerate until you're ready to serve. Serves 8 to 10.

If you like this recipe, you may want to try the Peaches and Cream Trifle recipe as well!

Just 6 ingredients make up this sweet treat!  Fruit added to star-shaped cookies make this the perfect snack to serve at your summer outings.

Ingredients:

• 1 tube (18 ounces) refrigerated sugar cookie dough, softened
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 package (8 ounces)
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 24 small fresh strawberries, thinly sliced
• large kiwifruit, peeled and sliced or 1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:

• In a small bowl, combine cookie dough and flour until combined. Roll on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-in. star-shaped cookie cutter.
• Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
• For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Set aside 1-2 tablespoons. Spread remaining frosting over cookies. Place five strawberry slices on each cookie. Using reserved frosting, attach one kiwi slice or 4-5 blueberries to each. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 2 dozen.

Everyone has been on the receiving end of cookie baskets, but how many times have you received a cheesecake bowl? A trifle bowl or glass dish lets you see the delicious layers of this sweet and fruity dessert!  Perfect for a Sunday brunch or after-dinner treat, the pudding and layers of strawberries will make this an instant favorite!

Ingredients:

3 cups sliced fresh strawberries

3 Tbsp. sugar

2 pkg. (8 oz. each) Neufchatel Cheese, softened

1-1/2 cups cold milk

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

2 cups thawed Lite Cool Whip, divided

2 cups frozen pound cake cubes (1 inch)

1 square BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Directions:

1. Combine berries and sugar; refrigerate until ready to use. Beat Neufchatel cheese with mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in milk. Add dry pudding mix; mix well. Whisk in 1-1/2 cups Cool Whip.

2. Spoon half the Neufchatel cheese mixture into 2-1/2-qt. bowl. Top with layers of cake, berries and remaining Neufchatel cheese mixture. Refrigerate 4 hours.

3. Melt chocolate; drizzle over trifle. Top with remaining Cool Whip.

If you love this recipe, you'll love trying your hand at cocktail cupcakes. They're so tasty!

If you're looking for a delicious and romantic Valentine's Day treats, here's a simple mouth-watering idea!  Chocolate covered strawberries can be very expensive, but in just a few easy steps you can make your very own!

Ingredients

• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate (chopped)
• 3 ounces white chocolate (chopped)
• 1 pound (about 20) strawberries with stems

Directions

Wash and dry the strawberries well.

Melt the chocolates in separate bowls in a microwave at half power for 1 minute.  Stir and then heat another minute if needed. Repeat until melted.

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the strawberry into the dark chocolate, lift and twist slightly letting any drips fall back into the bowl. Set strawberries on the wax paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries. Once you finish dipping the last strawberry, dip a fork in the white chocolate and drizzle over the dipped strawberries (starting with the first strawberry you dipped, so the chocolates don't blend).

Set the strawberries aside for about 30 minutes until the chocolate sets.

What about white chocolate? Check out how you can use white chocolate in baking!

If you've ever wondered what you can do with bananas that doesn't involve making banana bread or even banana cookies. Well look no farther. This recipe is a foolproof way to take bananas to the limit.

• 6 bananas
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup vanilla ice cream

Cut bananas in half lengthwise and cover with flour. Melt the butter in skillet and fry bananas until they are golden brown in color. Drain and arrange on a dish; sprinkle with sugar and serve with the vanilla ice cream.

So you want to make banana crisp. Well, I have a great recipe to share with you. Usually my posts are about cookies or other delicious desserts, but I suppose I will take a break to celebrate and share the amazing side of bananas with this recipe for banana crisp.

• 6 medium bananas (cut into 1/2 inch strips)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Whipped cream

Arrange bananas in a greased baking pan. Sprinkle with salt. Combine butter and crumbs. Add cinnamon and sugar, mixing well. Sprinkle mixture over bananas. Bake 20 minutes in moderate oven. Serve with whipped cream.

If you want to stray from baking cookies, try this apricot danish recipe for a change!

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 tbsp. yeast
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup 2% milk
• ¾ cup butter
• 2 tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup apricot jam, melted for icing

In a large bowl, mix 2 cups of the flour, ½ cup of sugar, yeast and the salt. Heat water, milk and ½ cup of butter until warm. Pour over the dry ingredients, mix. Add eggs and the remaining flour to get dough that shapes up well into a ball.

On a floured surface, knead dough until has a smooth and supple surface. Cover and let rise for 10 minutes.

Roll out dough to a dimension of 22 in. x 18 in. Melt the rest of the butter and spread it over dough. Sprinkle the rest of the sugar and cinnamon over dough. Roll up dough like a jelly roll, pinching sides to seal edges well.

Cut roll into 24 slices. Place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let dough rise at room temperature until they double in size [about 45 minutes]. Preheat oven to 359 degrees F. Bake for 29 minutes or until golden. Let cool and garnish with apricot jam.

A unique dessert that you might enjoy making is ambrosia. This delicacy is anything but ordinary. There are a few more steps than you might be used to when making cookies or other common desserts, but the reward is well worth it.

• 1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks

• 1 can (20 oz.)Mandarin orange segments

• 1 firm, large banana, sliced (optional)

• 1 ½ cups seedless grape

• 1 cup miniature marshmallows

• 1 cup flaked coconut

• ½ cup pecan halves or coarsely chopped nuts

• 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

• 1 tbsp. brown sugar

Drain pineapple and orange segments, banana, grapes, marshmallows, coconut and nuts. In a 1 quart measure, combine sour cream and brown sugar. Stir into fruit mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour or overnight.