Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Home made pediatric electrolyte replacement.

2 quarts water
1-teaspoon baking soda
1-teaspoon salt
7 Tablespoons sugar
1 packet Sugar-Free Kool-Aid
1/2-teaspoon salt substitute


The salt substitute and Kool-Aid are optional. Store in the refrigerator. Be creative; use your special Kool-Aid to make ice cubes so it will stay cool in their bottle or sippy-cup. Or, insert toothpicks into your ice cubes before freezing and make homemade popsicles.

Note: I used Crystal Light because that is what I have in my pantry and the ingredient list is virtually identical to the Sugar-Free Kool-Aid package.

Another note: If your child is sick enough to need this, Call their doctor--this recipe can in no way be considered replacement for medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional who has actually assessed the patient in person!!!

Saturday, April 22, 2006

Lemon cheesecake squares

I made this for a friend's baby shower as it originally appeared in one of my favorite cookbooks, Crazy Plates. I made it a second time and modified the recipe to suit my tastes. Here is my version of "Jolly Good Squares"

Jen's Fluffy Lemon Cheesecake Squares

In a small bowl, mix together:
1 3 oz box lemon jello
1 cup boiling water
Refrigerate until thickened, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile make the crust:
Melt 1/4 cup light butter and blend with 1-1/2 cups low-fat graham wafer crumbs and one tablespoon brown sugar.
Press into the bottom of a 9 x 13" pan that has been sprayed with no-stick spray.
Refrigerate while you make the filling.

Filling:
Blend 1 block of light cream cheese that has been softened with 1/2 cup sugar, the juice of one lemon, zest from half the lemon, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract until well combined.
Add in the thickened jello and mix well. Fold in 4 cups of light whipped topping that has been thawed. If you are not counting calories, fold in 4 cups of stiffly whipped cream instead. (you may have to add a bit more sugar and vanilla if you are using whipped cream.)
Pour into prepared crust and garnish with the zest from the other half of the lemon.
Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

If sliced into 24 squares, each serving is 3 weight watchers points

Variations:
Prepare dessert in a springform pan and freeze.
Serve dessert drizzled with strained, pureed berries sweetened to taste.
Use filling as a dip for fresh fruit.

Friday, April 21, 2006

Best. Cinnamon. Buns. Ever.

My good friend Cheryl sent me this recipe and now I must share the love. You will thank me for this. Or maybe if your family is like mine, the buns won't last the weekend. Then you may not thank me after all, but consider yourself warned. Cheryl says they freeze well, but you may never find out. If you are feeling dangerous, try them with cream cheese icing and toast your nuts before adding--they will caramelize in the sugar and turn to candy in your buns. (heh, heh, I typed candy buns.)

Soft, Moist and Gooey Cinnamon Buns that will elevate you to domestic god(dess) status and cause your family bow down and kiss the ground you walk on and then volunteer to wash the dishes and do all the laundry and reorganize your shoe collection.

Garlic Pizza Crust

Garlic Pizza Crust

This recipe would make super breadsticks. Brush with butter before baking, or brush with an eggwash and sprinkle with sesame seeds, or a mixture of parm and mozza cheeses. Serve warm marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

Low-Fat Chocolate Bran Muffins

Super-Easy Chocolate Bran Muffins

Mix together:
3 cups All-Bran Cereal with 2-1/2 cups water and let stand 5 minutes.
Add in:
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder and one package of low-fat brownie mix.
Add in some mini chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries or cherries, nuts, if desired.
Blend well and pour into greased muffin tins (or line with paper...you know the drill.)
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes

Edited to add: One of my friends said she made these and poured boiling water over the cereal instead of cold and it broke the cereal down a lot better. It greatly improved the texture of the muffins. I tried it and she is right. One more thing...you can add All-bran in this way to increase the fiber and decrease the points of other low-fat baking mixes as well. Try it with other muffin mixes, and let me know how they turn out.

If you are counting points: 2 points each if you make 18 muffins, 1.5 points if you make 24 (these will be pretty small)

Do you like food?

I created this blog so that I could have one place to store the recipes I have been posting on my blog. Enjoy. Don't expect any more like the cinnamon bun recipe--I am on Weight Watchers right now!!