Can you imagine making ice cream with only 1 ingredient? It really is that easy! And the fact that it’s natural without any added sugar or additives makes it that much better! If you’re a fan of bananas then you will love this ice cream. Bananas going bad or getting a little mushy? Freeze them and then make up a batch of this yummy ice cream!

Start by chopping up the bananas into pieces BEFORE you freeze them. This will make the process a lot easier. Then when you’re ready for ice cream on-demand, pop them into a food processor or blender.

Start by slowly pulsing your food processor to break up the pieces a bit. You may even want to let you bananas sit for just a minute before starting. You don’t want them completely hard as a rock, but still pretty stiff. Once you get them broken up well, you can turn it on full blast and mix for about 5 minutes.

It may end up looking like this, a bit clumpy but this is ok. You’ll see that when you go to spoon it into a bowl that it will come together just like ice cream. We even made ice cream cones! The possibilities are endless with what you could add to this. You could add a teaspoon of cocoa powder to give it that chocolate banana taste. You could add frozen strawberries for strawberry banana ice cream. You could add vanilla to take the banana-y taste down a notch. You name it, I’m sure it would taste great!

Simple & Natural Banana Ice Cream

Ingredients

4 Bananas, Sliced into pieces and frozen

Directions

1. Place frozen bananas into food processor and pulse a little to break up into smaller pieces.
2. Process for about 5 minutes until clumpy. Serve immediately for soft serve texture or freeze for 5 minutes for a harder texture.

More Whip it Up Wednesday here.

For the fans out there who devour those little Chinese donuts at the Chinese buffets, for the kiddos who just loves donuts, and for those with a big sweet tooth and enjoy yummy and doughy goodness….listen up! Most stores have store brand buttermilk biscuit 5 pks for around $.50. They are a cheaper alternative to buying a huge pack of biscuits. They are perfect for a breakfast for two and are fairly light compared to those flaky and buttery biscuits out there. But there is just one more thing that I love to use them for- DONUTS! Yes, these simple little biscuits can turn into the most magnificent of delights.

You simply fry them for a few seconds and roll them in a little sugar and voila! You have that yummy, doughy goodness. With the big Food Lion Super Sale going on, you can grab these buttermilk biscuit 5pks for only $.25 in the end. I stocked up on them so of course, I had to whip some of these up. I fancied them up a bit with some chocolate chips inside and that just sent them over the top. By the way, you don’t have to use the buttermilk biscuits. I just chose to use them because they were cheap. Most any biscuit that isn’t flaky will most likely yield the same result.

You start with your extremely cheap biscuits which you are very proud of. $.25 is a steal and you deserve a pat on the back for that one!

Roll out the biscuit dough and flatten as much as you can. When they fry, they will puff up and an entire biscuit is quite big. We’re going to half them to make them bite-size.

Cut each biscuit in half and then place 4-5 chocolate chips inside the dough like so. Of course, the chocolate chips are completely optional. They just make them a bit tastier.

Here’s what the dough balls look like when ready to fry. They don’t have to be perfect, just try to make sure the chocolate chips can’t pop out.

It’s a simple process, but here’s how you can become your own magician and turn those puny little buttermilk biscuits into super fancy and yummy “beignets”.

Beignet noun. – fritter or doughnut.

Chocolate Filled Beignets

Ingredients

Tube Biscuit Dough
Chocolate Chips
Oil (Vegetable or Canola)
Sugar (for coating)

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a fryer or sauce pan to medium high heat.
2. Remove biscuits and flatten well. Cut each biscuit in half making two crescents.
3. Place 4 or 5 chocolate chips in the middle of the dough and roll the dough up. With the ball of your palms roll the dough into balls.
4. Fry the balls in batches of 4 or so as to not crowd the pan. Let brown on one side then flip to brown on the other. Each second will only take about 5-8 seconds.
5. Remove from oil and roll in the sugar.

More Whip It Up Wednesday here.

We’re not a spicy bunch around here. In fact, we’re probably the blandest folks that you’ll meet (foodwise :p). Things that are very mildly spicy to some is extremely spicy for us. Because of that, we don’t tend to make things that are spicy too often. I bought a bunch of boneless, skinless chicken breast at Save A Lot the other day and I was looking to make a hearty wintery meal with it. With some cans and spices, this is what I came up with.

The variation in spices and seasonings is what really makes this taste different than most other chicken chilis. You can really taste the sweetness of the carrots and cinnamon and it blends well with the tomatoes and spiciness.

Just keep in mind that if you don’t want it way spicy then only add 1 (or none) of the chipotle peppers in adobo.

Spicy White and Black Bean Chicken Chili

Ingredients

• 1.5 Bonesless Skinless Chicken Breast
• 3 Tbsp Chili Powder
• 15 oz Can Black Beans, Drained and Rinsed
• 15 oz Can White Beans (I used Cannelini), Drained and Rinsed
• (2) 28 oz Cans Diced Tomatoes
• 2 Carrots, Chopped
• 1 Onion, Chopped
• 15 oz Can Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1-2 Chipotle Chilies in Adobo with Seeds, Chopped (Take it easy here, this is HOT stuff)
• 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp Water
• 1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
• 1 Tbsp Onion Powder
• 2 Tsp Minced Garlic
• 1 Tsp Dried Oregano
• 1 Tsp Ground Cumin
• 1/4 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

Suggested Toppings: Sour Cream, Shredded Cheese

Directions

1. Put all ingredients except the corn starch, water, and chicken breast into the slow cooker. Stir well.
2. In separate bowl dissolve the water into the 2 tbsp corn starch. Add to slow cooker. Then add chicken breasts in.
3. Cook on low for 6- 8 hours.
4. Just before serving, remove chicken breasts and shred. Add back into slow cooker.
5. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and your choice of toppings. The sour cream really does help to tame the spiciness.

P.S.- I used 2 chipotle peppers and it completely cleared my husband’s stuffed up sinuses!

More Whip It Up Wednesday here.

Today’s Whip It Up Wednesday isn’t one that will save you calories or even carbs. It will however, fill you up and make a GREAT fancy meal for company or a special dinner night.

I found this recipe while watching one of my favorite chefs, Giada on the Food Network. This is her recipe for Cappelini Al Forno that originally came from her grandmother- Nonna Luna. It’s really simple, but comes out looking like you ordered takeout from your local Italian restaurant. I am in love with this recipe and it will forever remain one of my favorites. There are also numerous ways that you could change it up too with ingredients and such.

It looks just like heaven on a plate once cut up into pieces. The spring form pan is really what makes it looks so perfect. There is cheese, pasta, and bacon in this and believe me that is a winning combo. I have served this with a little bit of alfredo sauce each time. You don’t need much because the pasta already has a good flavor by itself. I made this for a potluck dinner around Christmas and I also made it for a special holiday dinner for my husband’s parents. Everyone has loved it!

Cappelini Al Forno

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing pan (I used Pam for that)
• 1 pound capellini (angel hair) pasta
• 1 cup plus 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 3 eggs, at room temperature, beaten
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt (I used regular)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 pound prosciutto, sliced 1/8-inch thick and coarsely chopped (I used turkey bacon)
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded smoked mozzarella (I used regular mozzarella, could not find smoked)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (I used extra virgin)
• 1 (25-ounce) jar marinara or tomato-basil sauce, warmed (I used Alfredo, tasted better to me)

Directions

One of the last things that I want to do on Christmas morning is cook! That’s why anything that I can get done on Christmas Eve while we put big toys together or wrap last minute gifts is very helpful!

Recipe Lion has put together this awesome (and FREE) 12 Overnight Breakfast Casserole Recipes eCookbook! The picture above is Make Ahead Baked Eggnog French Toast!!

The French Bread Breakfast Casserole might just be on my menu this year!

I am all about easy. Whether it’s finding a shortcut that makes my laundry easier or a simple recipe that tastes like I’ve been in the kitchen for hours, I love easy! That’s why one of my go-to kitchen essentials is Betty Crocker Specialty Potatoes. I honestly couldn’t imagine making dinner each week without them, that’s how much a part of my menus they have become. For the price and the time they save, why would you not use Betty Crocker Specialty Potatoes? You just wouldn’t believe how many meals they can accompany.

I don’t ever cook with ground chicken and decided to go out on limb recently and make chicken and spinach meatballs. You wouldn’t expect something like meatballs to go with mashed potatoes, but Betty Crocker didn’t disappoint. The meal turned out absolutely divine! I made up the meatballs and served them right atop a heaping mound of Betty Crocker Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and there wasn’t a drop left of this entire meal.

It’s pretty incredible how fast you can whip up Better Crocker Specialty Potatoes. My chicken and spinach meatballs were almost done cooking in the oven and I decided to go ahead and get the mashed potatoes cooked. They both came out at the perfect time. The whole family enjoyed this meal and I guarantee that this will be a new staple in our family’s menu! Here’s the recipe for the chicken and spinach meatballs. I originally got my recipe from this one. I could easily see this being part of a holiday menu!

Chicken and Spinach Meatballs

Ingredients

1 lb Ground Chicken Breast
1 Package Frozen Spinach-Thawed and Dried (I used fresh and boiled it then chopped it up)
1 Large Egg
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs
1 Medium Onion- Chopped
1 Clove Garlic- Minced
3 Tbsp Milk
2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Chop onion and garlic. Saute in olive oil until tender. Let cool.

3) Place chicken, spinach, parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, egg, onion and garlic into large bowl. Mix well.

4) Shape into golf ball size meatballs and place on a greased baking dish. Depending on the size, you may need two dishes.

5) Cook for 20-30 minutes or until cooked through.

A really great resource for finding recipes to pair with Betty Crocker Specialty Potatoes is the Betty Crocker Spud Hub! One that I found there that I will be trying next is the Meatloaf Sandwich, yum! Whatever meal you make, just make sure that it’s simple, easy and requires no headache. Those are the best kind for sure! And if you need a simple side dish, Betty Crocker Specialty Potatoes are always a very smart choice.

Would you like to try some of those yummy recipes for yourself? Save money on the ingredients by winning this fantastic $50 Visa Gift Card courtesy of Betty Crocker!

______________________________________________________

$50 Visa Gift Card Giveaway

Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite meals to make including Betty Crocker Specialty Potatoes!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Betty Crocker. I was compensated and provided with a $50 Visa Gift Card to giveaway. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

These aren’t your typical Christmas cookies, in fact they aren’t really Christmas cookies at all! They are super yummy Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies that are very simple to make. A simple twist on a traditional peanut butter cookie, I found that even though these sound like you’re taking them to kindergarten class, they actually look quite elegant.

I got this recipe from the Food Network site one of my very favorite chefs and talk show hosts, Rachael Ray! What drew me to this recipe above many other peanut butter cookie recipes was the fact that it didn’t contain a whole lot of ingredients and it didn’t call for a lot of sugar. I really like simple and not much sugar is definitely a plus. The reviews on these cookies weren’t too amazing. There were a lot of folks who said they fell apart and that the jelly made their cookies too soft, but I didn’t have any of those problems. I did a few things differently and that may have been why I didn’t have the same issues.

Anywho, I hope you like these cookies as much as my family did! Thanks Rachael!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup smooth peanut butter (I used reduced fat)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup raspberry jam

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
• Grease a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
• Combine the peanut butter, brown sugar, baking soda and egg in a medium-size bowl.
• Roll into balls (around a dozen) and place on cookie sheet.
• Using a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the middle of the cookie about halfway through.
• Fill the hole with the jam. Some may spill over, but that’s alright just get what you can into the hole. When the cookies bake they will flatten and the jam will most likely stay in the indented area.
• Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool. Enjoy!

Rachael’s version calls to use your index finger to make the indention. I find that the wooden spoon handle really helped to make a perfect indentation. Also for an added sweet (not that they need them) you could also dip the dough balls into sugar before baking.

More Whip It Up Wednesday here.

Not only have we been into making crafts, but we LOVE to bake cookies! Especially around the holidays, cookies are always so much fun!

Mr. Food has a new FREE eCookbook available for us. 12 Days of Christmas Cookies eCookbook has some great recipes inside. I’m looking forward to checking out the Macadamia Nut Balls and they even have a recipe for biscotti.

I am a mom that wears many hats. I spend most of my time with my girls either entertaining them, driving them to pre-school, doctors appointments, and play dates. I’m also the maid who does the laundry, vacuums, dusts, and unfortunately cleans the toilets. Another hat I wear is resident chef. I actually enjoy cooking, and sometimes I like to take shortcuts. My time is valuable and when there are hungry tummies, you have to take any help you can get from the grocery store.

One of my favorite homemade things to make on rare occasions is mashed potatoes. There is nothing like warm, buttery, and creamy mashed potatoes. While I can scare monsters out of Addie’s closet and magically make boo boos all better, I don’t have the time to make mashed potatoes very often. However, almost as quick as magic I can whip up Betty Crocker Specialty Potatoes that taste just like homemade. What’s even better are the different flavors that Betty Crocker incorporates into their specialty potatoes. Loaded Potato and Roasted Garlic are two of my favorites and are bursting with flavor.

I made Sheppard’s Pie the other night with Betty Crocker Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes that turned out absolutely fabulous. That’s a pretty popular dinner meal, but the roasted garlic flavor really added something extra. Not to mention the time I saved having to whip up the potatoes themselves. And you can’t go wrong with the value that you get from boxed potatoes. Did you know they are made with 100% real mashed potatoes?

Plus, these days there are so many ways to make instant potatoes with your meals. You can find a lot of great recipe ideas at the Betty Crocker Spud Hub. You will definitely be inspired. Here is the recipe for Sheppard’s Pie that I used the other night. It was so simple, but so tasty!

Sheppard’s Pie

Ingredients

1 lb Ground Beef
1 Small Onion (chopped)
2 Cups Hot Mashed Potatoes (prepared according to package minus the milk)
4 oz Cream Cheese (cubed)
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese (divided)
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
3 Cans Mixed Vegetables
1 Can Beef Gravy 10 oz

Directions

1)      Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

2)      Brown the meat with the onion. Drain.

3)      Mix potatoes, cream cheese, ½ cup cheddar cheese and garlic until blended.

4)      Combine meat, vegetables and gravy. Spoon into a casserole dish.

5)      Cover with potato mixture and remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until heated all the way through.

I think this might have been the BEST Sheppard’s Pie that I’ve ever tasted. The Betty Crocker Roasted Potatoes really added a tasty flavor that complemented the entire dish. You should definitely try this one! Just make sure to save yourself time and hassle by using the instant potatoes.

There you have it. Not only do I wear many hats, but I’m pretty smart too!

$50 Visa Gift Card Giveaway

Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite meals to make including mashed potatoes!

This giveaway will end on Sunday, December 18th at midnight CT. I will contact the winner on Monday, December 19th and they will have 24 hours to respond. If I have not heard from them, I will name a new winner. The winner will allow 4-6 weeks for delivery of their prize.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Betty Crocker. I was compensated and provided with a $50 Visa Gift Card to giveaway. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

I’ve got a warm and cozy slow cooker recipe for you today. This one can be transformed into many different things which makes it a GREAT meal when you need leftovers or a lot of food for company. I adapted my recipe from this one.

It’s super easy and basically consists of placing a bunch of simple things inside a slow cooker together….

…And dropping some chicken on top. Let it cook and voila! I made this to be like a stew, but I ended up eating it more like a dip. Then later on, I put it on tortillas and made yummy burritos! And lastly, I transformed it into a tostada. Every way that we ate it, it was very tasty! It’s nice to have a meal that can change into so many different things. Though it still has the same “taste” each meal, it just feels different when its in a different form you know what I mean? I especially liked it as burrito stuffing.

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Stew

Ingredients

1 Medium Onion (Chopped)
1 Can Black Beans
1 Can Red Kidney Beans (I used Cannelini Beans)
1 Can Whole Kernel Corn
1 Can Tomato Sauce
2 Cans Rotel (Diced tomatoes with green chilies)
1 Package Taco Seasoning
1 Can Refried Beans
1 lb Chicken Breasts

Directions

1) Place all ingredients except the chicken in the slow cooker and stir well.

2) Place chicken breasts across top and cook 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.

3) 30 minutes before serving, take out chicken breasts and shred. Then place back in slow cooker for last 30 minutes.

Serve as stew, for stuffing of burritos, as a dip, on a tostada or however you like! Add shredded cheese and sour cream and its very tasty!

More Whip It Up Wednesday Recipes can be found here.

The awesome Two-Ingredient Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe was just featured on the SavingStar blog as part of 28 recipes that use SavingStar eCoupons to buy the ingredients! What a fantastic way to actually make these coupons applicable.

Have you heard of SavingStar? Its another awesome digital coupon option for saving at the store.

Here’s how it works:

1. Select the eCoupons you like on the website or mobile app, and they are automatically linked to your store card.
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I want to preface this recipe by telling you it was mostly made up and inspired by a few different recipes that I’ve seen on TV lately. I’m a Food Network junkie, what can I say?

I recently got the craving for a sweet treat, but I really get tired of the same things don’t you? I like to try new things and different tastes. So I set out with my can of pineapple tidbits (I was out of rings), a few other sweet ingredients, and a very experimental brain to create what you see above. It turned out so good and warm and fall-like that I thought I’d share it with you! Mind you, it’s not anything too special, but an idea if you pineapple and want something a bit different.

I got this package of walnuts at Dollar Tree believe it or not. I popped them into the oven to given them a little toast and to add a crunch to my sundaes.

This may be the silliest thing I’ve ever done, but hey it worked! I threw most of my can of pineapple tidbits on the George Foreman Grill and let them get all warm and a little bit dark. Of course, you could just use the pineapple rings if you have them. But if you don’t have those, these will work too!

Unfortunately, I didn’t get any good shots of the caramel sauce while it was cooking or when it was finished. You mix in your toasted walnuts with your caramel and it is DIVINE! You can see it on the finished product.

You start by placing your grilled and warm pineapples in a little circle…

Top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream…and then your toasted walnut caramel sauce. I eyeballed all of these ingredients so I’m guessing at specifics here.

Grilled Pineapple Caramel Sundae

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz Package Walnuts (Dollar Tree has them!)
• 2 Tbsp Butter or Margarine
• 1/2- 3/4 Cups Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Evaporated Milk
• 1 Can Pineapple Rings or Tidbits
• Vanilla Ice Cream

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once heated, toast the walnuts for about 3-5 minutes. Your nose should know when they are done.

2) Meanwhile, preheat a grill or skillet and warm the pineapple until it darkens and is warm.

3) Once your walnuts are toasted, throw the butter into a hot sauce pan and add the sugar. Heat to boiling and then remove from heat.

4) Stir in the evaporated milk. Add the walnuts and let it thicken.

5) Assemble like this- pineapple, ice cream scoop, caramel walnut goodness on top!

Enjoy!

It’s another edition of Whip it Up Wednesday and I’m excited to share with you another recipe that I think would make a great gift idea! Especially if you might be giving Two-Ingredient Peanut Butter Fudge too! This recipe comes to us from the show Five Ingredient Fix and from Keegan Gerhard who was a guest host that day. What can I say? I’m a Food Network nut.

Anywho, you’ll find this recipe to be SUPER easy as it only contains TWO ingredients. The recipe calls for dark chocolate, but I’ve found it to be a little bitter, so I’m going to start making it with milk chocolate.

You start by melting up an 8 oz bag of dark chocolate in a double boiler. Or you can do what I did and just put a pot inside a pot.

Then you slowly whisk in an 8 oz box of heavy cream that you’ve had boiling.

Then it’s just a matter of refrigerating them for at least an hour and then rolling them into balls. You can then roll the balls in whatever toppings that you’d like! We used sprinkles and chopped nuts. I got a little brave at the end and crushed some corn flakes and tried that, but I don’t recommend it. I also attempted to put peanut butter in the middle of a few, but I’m going to have to work on perfecting my technique with that!

Also a quick tip- they recommend only using chocolate bars or chips with not below 60 percent cocao in it. I used 65%.

Here’s the recipe!

Easy Truffles

Ingredients

• 8 ounces good dark chocolate, chopped (not below 60 percent cocoa, recommended: Valrhona)
• 8 ounces heavy cream, scalded

Directions

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler.
2. Add the heavy cream to medium bowl and pour in the chocolate.
3. Whisk the mixture very slowly creating a shiny, emulsion.

The other night I decided to put those frozen chicken breasts that had been in my freezer FOREVER to good use. I’ve been on a garlic kick as a lately so I decided to check out recipes for garlic chicken. I came across this Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken recipe. I adapted it a little to fit what I had and seared it in a skillet instead of baking it. It turned out really yummy. Just imagine garlic and parmesan cheese together cooked into your chicken. It’s super easy. As easy as mixing a little parmesan cheese with your bread crumbs and mixing garlic with your olive oil.

The recipe didn’t call for the chicken breasts to be pounded, but I always like to do this to make them really tender. I served these up with garlic parmesan green beans that I also kinda made up. They turned out so delicious too!

Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2-4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (Thawed and Pounded with Mallet)

Directions

1. Heat your skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil.
2. In a bowl, blend the olive oil and garlic. In a separate bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and pepper. Dip each chicken breast in the oil mixture, then in the bread crumb mixture.
3. Place in skillet and sear for about 5-8 minutes on each side or until juices run clear and chicken is cooked all the way through and has a nice crust on the outside.

More Whip It Up Wednesday Recipes here.

Mr Food has another great eCookbook, this time for Thanksgiving! Grab this FREE Ultimate Thanksgiving eCookbook from Mr Food.

I’m still thinking about my Thanksgiving menu and this will come in handy for inspiration for sure. From appetizers to dessert, you’re sure to find something yummy inside.

I have got a SUPER duper simple recipe for you today. It’s one that I was a little skeptical about at first, but after making it I’m sold! How about a little peanut butter fudge that takes only minutes to make and only contain TWO ingredients? The ingredients won’t cost you much either.

2 Ingredient Peanut Butter Fudge

Ingredients

(1) 16 oz Jar of Crunchy (or creamy) Peanut Butter
(1) 16 oz Tub of Frosting (Works well with Vanilla)

Directions

1) Empty both the peanut butter and frosting into a microwave-safe dish and microwave for 1 minute. Stir.

2) Microwave once more for 1 minute. Stir until smooth.

3) Pour the mixture into a lightly greased pan (8×8 or 9×13 works well). Or I use plastic wrap to line the bottom for easy cleanup.

4) Refrigerate or freeze until hard.

Voila! Homemade fudge that’s cheap and extremely yummy too. I found this recipe over at Money Saving Michelle!

I like to keep it in the freezer to keep it extra firm. Also- I made this same recipe with reduced fat peanut butter and sugar-free frosting and it was amazing still! You could barely tell it was “better” for you.

More of my Whip It Up Wednesday Recipes here!

Both Recipe Lion and Fave Crafts have put together a Thanksgiving eBook full of recipes and fall crafts. Inside are recipes for Thanksgiving dinner and dessert ideas as well as crafts to create a holiday atmosphere.

Drop by and get your FREE 24 Thanksgiving Recipes and Fall Crafts eBook!

Who wants to spend time baking during the holidays? Not me! I want to spend time with family and I want my cooking to be as easy as possible.

Grab this FREE No Bake Desserts eCookbook from Mr. Food. Inside are 18 easy, no bake desserts including S’More Pudding Sandwiches mmm!

I am just not a big pumpkin pie fan. I never have been. But I love the idea of it! That probably sounds really silly, but I really do want to enjoy the flavor. I set out looking for something to make that would have the pumpkin taste but not be overpowering and too pumpkin-y. I came across this recipe for Pumpkin Mousse and it seemed perfect! Low cal and low fat, the pumpkin taste but not so much as a pumpkin pie would contain.

It involves some of the easiest ingredients and takes no time at all to whip up.

Inevitably, it’s going to require pumpkin! Only a cup. I’ve never cooked with this stuff and I tell you it reminded me of Britton’s baby food!

It has cinnamon for that warm fall spicy flavor.

And what better ingredient to give this its mousse texture, than whipped cream? Keeping me from eating this straight from the carton is difficult!

You mix all of those yummy ingredients (and a few I didn’t mention) together and they fluff up to create this incredible mousse! Are you ready to make it yet? Here’s how!

Pumpkin Mousse

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup fat free evaporated milk
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 1 package vanilla pudding and pie filling
• 1 1/2 cups low fat frozen whipped topping

Directions

1. Combine the pudding mix, evaporated milk, pumpkin and cinnamon in a bowl until they are combined well.
2. Gently fold in your whipped cream. Careful not to over-mix.
3. Cover and then refrigerate for at least one hour before serving in order to let it set well.

I didn’t have any cute little dessert bowls, so I used wine glasses and they turned out just as cute. Addie just loved this stuff and I did too!

photo credit: lydiajoy1

Applesauce is one of those things that just about everyone likes. Its fairly inexpensive at the store, but there aren’t always coupons for it. But there ARE lots of sales on apples. I’ve been making my own applesauce lately as a means of baby food for Britton and its saved me a little money and plus I know exactly what is going into my applesauce.

Its not an exact science and you can change the recipe to your liking. More chunky or less chunky. Sweeter or less sweet. You know, whatever floats your applesauce boat!

It starts with peeling your apples. I used Golden Delicious because I just love their flavor. While you peel them, place them in some fairly cool water to keep them from going brown on you.

You boil the apples until tender. Depending on how many apples you are using, it may take around 15 minutes.

Throw them into a food processor or use a potato masher (if you want chunky) and add sugar and cinnamon and voila! Tastes just like it came out of a jar at the grocery store!

Homemade Applesauce

Ingredients

Desired amount of apples (usually 4-6) – Golden Delicious is a good choice!
Enough Water to cover the apples in sauce pan and to add the mixture
Sugar
Cinnamon (if desired)

Directions

1) Peel apples. Keep already peeled apples in cool water to keep them from browning.
2) Boil apples in enough water to cover them for around 15-20 minutes or until tender.
3) Drain water from apples.
4) Add sugar and cinnamon to taste to. Place in food processor or mash to desired consistancy adding water if necessary to thin mixture.

If you’re making this for baby food, you’ll need more water than if you weren’t. The sugar wouldn’t be needed as well. You may not even need sugar anyways. I’ve found its plenty sweet just naturally.