Get the Milk! It's Cookie Time!! (OUTSPOKEN_DIVA'S Favorite Recipes)

A personal & healthy portion of cookies for me is zero. I like cookies, but I like cookies too much. I try to respect my waistline. Like when it says I shouldn't eat more than one slice of cake or pie, I usually eat one.

I really do try. Yet cookies cause me to be disrespectful to my waistline. And the smaller they are, the more trouble making they are.

Luckily, I don't make my favorites well. Since my Aunt Stump retired from making them, I have to luck upon an Archway release in the store for my Mexican Wedding cookie(Snowballs) fix. Subway has the best Peanut Butter cookies. Talk about Tastes Fresh. And Toll House has sugar cookies that remind me of those perfect gems I had in elementary school.  I think my waistline in cahoots with these companies because I don't get them often.

A cookie I make well is a cookie I think I made up. If there is a recipe similar like it, let me know. I want to see it and give them credit. It is comprised of a nice, basic butter cookie with some good nut brittle pieces that my grandmother gives up for the holidays in it.

Caramel Nut Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb. butter (3 sticks) softened to room temperature.
• 1 1/2 cups sugar.
• 2 eggs lightly beaten.
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1/3 teaspoon salt.
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
• 2 cups nut brittle(I use peanut, pecan, & cashew), crushed into medium pieces
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter, then slowly beat in sugar 
3. Add lightly beaten eggs
4. In a separate bowl, mix flour and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture. Blend well
5. Add vanilla
6. Fold the brittle into the cookie mixture
7. Spoon cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes
9. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool 10 minutes while on a cookie sheet
10. Transfer to a rack to cool completely

Makes 48 cookies

So, pray for my deliverance from too much cookie eating. Until then it's zero or too many. I need a healthy, happy medium. Oh, the video? If you don't know about Troop Beverly Hills, I demand you go find it and go watch it. That is a cinematic & cookie gold standard. No, it didn't get an Oscar. Oh, what do those movie muckity mucks know? And yes, watch it with a cookie.

As Always Talking to You In Adult Terms!!!

Oh The Pie in the Sky (OUTSPOKEN DIVA'S Favorite Recipes)

The title is in the tune of the Reading Rainbow theme song. So, got back and sing it now.

Apple

I Love making pies! Even the flavors I don't eat, I enjoy making those also. Pies may have different steps but they are very easy to make, in my opinion. Pie making is very relaxing. Making the crust is the most relaxing part. I use store brought crust, sometimes. And I make it sometimes. When I do make the crust, I use this simple recipe.

Basic Flakey Pie Crust

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 cup butter, chilled and diced 
• 1/4 cup ice water

Cherry Cobbler

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt.
2. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Stir in water, a tablespoon at a time, until mixture forms a ball.
4. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
5. Roll dough out to fit a 9-inch pie plate.
6. Place crust in pie plate.
7. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate.

I've told you guys before my favorite pie is Millionaire's Pie. Read about it HERE. It's an icebox pie. Oh, I love making icebox pies too. Hey, all pies are not baked.

Strawberry Lemonade

Sweet Potato is a close second. The third is Cherry Cobbler. Yes, I'm on Team Cobbler is Pie. And you will be okay with my team. Now, my favorite pie to make is a pie I don't care for. I was assigned by my mom, Much Diva & grandmother, Granny to make Lemon Meringue Pie because I make gravy from scratch very well. Lemon Meringue Pie is fun to make because with the high heat to make the filling & exact way to make meringue peaks is a true example of the science in cooking. Yep, the food nerd in me shines when I make this pie.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 (9-inch) pie crust
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1/4 cup cornstarch 
• 1 1/2 cups cold water 
• 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten 
• Grated peel of 1 lemon 
• 1/4 cup lemon juice 
• 1 tablespoon butter OR margarine

• 3 egg whites
• 1/3 cup sugar

Lemon Meringue

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 475ºF
2. Place rolled out pie crust in pie plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.
3. Prick bottom and side of pastry thoroughly with a fork. 
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown; cool on a wire rack
5. Bring oven temperature to 350°F.
6. Combine 1 cup sugar and cornstarch in medium saucepan.
7. Gradually stir in water until smooth.
8. Stir in egg yolks.
9. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, and boil 1 minute. 
10. Remove from heat. 
11. Stir in lemon peel, lemon juice, and butter.
12. Spoon hot filling into pie crust.
13. Beat egg whites in small bowl with mixer at high speed until foamy.
14. Gradually beat in remaining 1/3 cup sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form.
15. Spread meringue evenly over hot filling, sealing to edge of crust.
16. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. 
17. Cool on wire rack at room temperature for 30 minutes; refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.

My grandfather, PauPau loved corny jokes. He would hear the equation, πr2 and would joke, "No, cobbler & cornbread are square". Yes, a chuckle is befitting. I like cobblers. It's filling and top crust in a pan. Warm cobbler is the best. Apple cobbler is the household favorite. Everyone likes it. I can always tell when Granny is craving it or apple pie. She volunteers to peel and cut the apples if I agree to make it. LoL

Apple Cobbler

Ingredients

Filling:

• 8 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut
• 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground
• nutmeg
• 1/4 cup cornstarch

Crust:

• 1 pie crust
• 1 stick of butter

Apple Cobbler

Directions

1. Mix the filling ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate overnight
2. Preheat oven at 300 degrees F. Butter the bottom of a large baking dish.
3. Roll out the pie crust really thin, as thin as possible
4. Pour the apples with the liquid into the pie pan. 
5. Dot 3/4 of a stick of butter around the apples. 
6. Use the pie crusts to cover the apple mixture entirely (let the pie crust overlap the pan).
7. Pinch the edges of the dough around the sides of the pan so the mixture is completely covered.
8. Melt final 1/4 stick of butter and brush all over the top of the crust.
9. Bake at for up to 3 hours
10. Remove from oven
11. Cool for 30 minutes then Serve.

Oh the Pie in the Sky

Make the Meringue a Mile High

Get a Good Book

I Mean a Cook Book

Make Pies & Cobblers

Sweet Potato

If you are not giggling...

As Always Talking to You In Adult Terms!!!

Cake, Cake, Cake (OUTSPOKEN_DIVA'S Favorite Recipes)

I don't make most cakes from scratch. I tried!!! Several times, I really tried. I mostly fail to put out a decent cake from scratch. My only successful homemade cake is THIS, Fresh Apple Ginger Cake. So if I make a cake, it is probably a "doctored up" box cake mix.

With Ginger Green Tea Lemonade

My taste buds mostly like simple flavored cakes. My only requirement is that they are moist and not dry. I like vanilla, strawberry, lemon, & Sock-It-To-Me. I'm not wild at all about chocolate or coconut cakes, but I really like German Chocolate. I know, it's weird. My favorite cake is basic Yellow or Butter cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Ooh, you can't go wrong with a great buttercream. If I have my way, my wedding cake will be a vanilla cake with different fruit fillings between the layers with buttercream frosting or royal icing. The baker can save their creative fondant skills for the next wedding.

My favorite cake to make is a Marble Cake. Taking the knife to swirl both different flavors is so much fun. And the results are very pretty, in my opinion.

OUTSPOKEN_DIVA'S Favorite Marble Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Duncan Hines Butter Cake mix
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 large eggs
• 7 Tbsp. softened butter
• 1/8 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F for metal or glass pan(s), 325°F for dark or coated pan(s). Oil sides and bottom of each pan with shortening or oil spray. Use baking cups for cupcakes.
2. Blend cake mix, water, softened butter, oil, and eggs in a large bowl at low speed until moistened (about 30 seconds).
3. Beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.
4. Measure 1 cup of batter into a small bowl. 
5. Pour remaining batter in pans.
6. Blend cocoa with the cup of batter in a small bowl.
7. Spoon onto batter in pan(s).
8. Swirl with a knife and bake immediately.
9. Bake the following chart below. *Add 3-5 minutes to bake time for dark or coated pans. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Cool completely before frosting. I prefer Fudge Buttercream.

Pan Size / Bake Time Chart

2 8": 26-31 minutes

2 9": 23-28 minute

13 x 9": 23-28 minutes

Bundt®: 33-36 minutes

24 Cupcakes: 18-21 minutes

So, that is my simple life with cake. Nothing more, darn sure can't be less. It's just a piece of cake.

As Always Talking to You In Adult Terms!!!

Baking with Yogurt (Healthier Soul Food)

A few years ago I read a study that said,
One cup of whole milk has as much saturated fat as 5 strips of bacon.
One cup of 2% milk has as much saturated fat as 3 strips of bacon.
One cup of 1% milk has as much saturated fat as 1 and 1/2 strips of bacon.

I had already switched to 2% milk by then. Now, I drink or put 1% milk on my cereal. I only use 2% for special holiday baking. I use non-fat plain yogurt for my daily baking uses, now. This idea came from a family friend suggesting I put sour cream in a failed pan of cornbread and a brand name yogurt commercial came to mind.

One cup of Sour Cream has 26g of saturated fat of its 45g of total fat content.

One cup of Low-Fat Yogurt has 2g of saturated fat of its 4g of total fat content.

Combine those with the fat grams on butter or oil was still too high for me. 

One cup of NonFat Yogurt has 0.2g of saturated fat of its 0.7g of total fat content.

So, it was a better choice for lowering the fat content in the baked goods in my home.

The first thing I tested on was Sweet Potato Pie. I loved making and eating this pie but it is very heavy. Once I learned how to switch the milk for yogurt it became a hit in my home.

Low Fat Sweet Potato Pie (Recipe found on Diet Solutions Facebook Page)

Ingredients

• 3 sweet potatoes

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

• 1 Tbsps vanilla extract

• 2 1/2 cups sugar

• 2 Tbsps pumpkin pie spice

• 4 eggs, beaten

• 1/4 cup water

• 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt 

• 2 (9 inches) unbaked 9-inch pie crusts

Directions

1. Wash and dry sweet potatoes. Put on baking pan unwrapped. Bake at 350 ° for about 1 hour and 45 minutes or until potatoes feel soft. Remove from oven, cool and peel. Keep oven at 350 °

2. In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, butter, sugar, vanilla and spice mix. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, and yogurt and blend into the sweet potato mixture.

3. Pour into pie shells and bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until done.

Cornbread is an item on my "Burned Out" list for me but eaten in my home weekly. My 1st time using yogurt in cornbread is a blessed result of me praying that it came out ok. If you mess up cornbread in my Texan, southern, black home, your feelings will be hurt. I thank God for those results. Now, my household does not want it made any other way. Recently, I ran out of yogurt and used canned milk and they noticed. 

Yogurt Cornbread (Recipe Idea came from Taste of Home)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup yellow or white cornmeal

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• 1 cup (8 ounces) fat-free plain yogurt

• 1/2 cup water

• 2 Tbsp. canola oil

• 2 tsp sugar

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients.

2. In another bowl, combine the egg, yogurt, water, oil, and sugar. 

3. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. 

4. Pour into an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray. 

5. Bake at 425° for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Easier Yogurt Cornbread (Recipe is my own recipe)

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 1/2 ounce) box corn muffin mix

• 1 egg 

• 1/3 cup yogurt

• 3/8 cup (6 Tbsp.) water

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients well. 

2. Use either cupcake paper cups or a greased pan. 

3. Bake at 400 ° or according to box instructions for 20-30 minute

Whenever I attend a Soul Food theme luncheon or dinner I hope somebody brought either some vanilla ice cream with the cobbler or a pound cake. If not I opt out of eating dessert. So, this one is for the pound cake makers that understand that everyone does Not eat Banana Pudding or Peach Cobbler. Oh yeah, I don't like Banana Pudding or Peach Cobbler. LoL

Yogurt Pound Cake (Recipe from Cooks.com)

Ingredients:  

• 3/4 cup butter, softened

• 2 1/4 cup sugar

• 3 eggs

• 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/8 tsp. baking soda

• 3/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt

• 1 tsp. vanilla flavoring

• 1/4 tsp. almond extract

• 1/4 tsp. lemon extract

Directions:

1. Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed of an electric mixer.

2. Add eggs, gradually; after each 1/4 cup addition, beat well. 

3. Combine flour and soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until well blended.

4. Stir in flavorings.

5. Pour batter into greased and floured 10" Bundt cake pan. 

6. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 

7. Cool in pan 10 minutes, remove from pan; allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

I also use non-fat yogurt in other dishes like nacho dips and mashed potatoes. Same taste as sour cream with less of the fat. Valentine's Day is coming up. Add a little non-fat yogurt in place of your regular dairy products in your baked goods. Give your sweetie's something to help them be here a little longer to love you for it. *wink*

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms