It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

Hehehehehehe, sorry I couldn't resist! Who doesn't like PB and J's? These Popsicles taste just like a PB and J sandwich. I posted this recipe a while back and I have decided to leave the chocolate sauce out and layer these with strawberry jam, but feel free to use grape if you like that better. I will be using Splenda for the sugar called for. I made these with 2 tbsp. Splenda, but I think next time I will use 1/4 cup.

PB and Jelly Popsicles

1/2 cup milk (can use skim)
1/2 cup PB
1/2 cup yogurt (can be fat free plain)
1/4 cup sugar or Splenda

grape or strawberry jam or jelly (I use sugar free)


Mix all of your ingredients (except jam) until very, very smooth. In 3 ounce paper cups ("Bathroom Cups"), layer PB mixture, then jelly, then PB mixture. Insert Popsicle sticks and freeze for at least 6 hours.

Aww, how cute! This is not my photo.

Chocolate Yogurt PB Pops

Hi kids, yet another Popsicle recipe here, From Bemused, I made these with Splenda and Splenda sweetened chocolate syrup and if I had some natural peanut butter they would be even healthier. I used fat free milk and fat free yogurt, thinking the fat from the peanut butter would make them creamy. The mix tastes delicious. Review and more pictures to come.......This recipe makes 5 small pops. Creamy, smooth, peanut buttery and delicious. Try these!!!!! Next I am going to make these without the chocolate sauce, and layer with sugar free either grape or strawberry jelly.

Deep Vegan Cake/Moosewood Chocolate Cake

Chocolate and Peanut Butter combine in this cake to make a match made in heaven. I have been making this cake since I became a vegetarian. Also called "wacky cake" as it has no eggs, butter or milk, this cake was believed to be made up due to rationing during WWII. It can be served without icing and it is almost as delicious. Make sure to use the cake pan(s) lined with parchment, this makes the cake moister and easier to remove from the pan(s). This makes a very rich, chocolate-y cake, perfect for a get together and especially birthday parties. Double the recipe for a double layer cake that will rock your world ;) Make sure you whip the peanut butter chocolate frosting with a hand beater to make it smooth, fluffy and spreadable.

Deep Vegan Cake/Moosewood Chocolate Cake

SERVES 8

Chocolate Cake

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil ( I always use 1/4 cup applesauce and 1/4 cup oil here)
• 1 cup cold water or chilled brewed coffee
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 Tbs. cider vinegar

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Frosting

• 1/4 cup peanut butter 
• 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate 
• 3 to 4 Tbs. water (or soy milk)
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Generously oil 8-inch square or round baking pan. Dust with sifted cocoa, or line bottom of baking pan with parchment paper.
2. To make Chocolate Cake: Sift flour, cocoa, soda, salt and sugar. In another bowl, combine oil, water or coffee and vanilla. Pour liquid into dry, and mix until smooth.
3. Add vinegar and stir briefly; baking soda will begin to react with vinegar, leaving pale swirls in batter. Without wasting time, pour batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve cake from pan, or, when cool, transfer to plate.
5. To make Chocolate-Peanut Butter Frosting: In heavy saucepan, melt chocolate over medium heat. Beat together peanut butter, water and vanilla until smooth. Beat in confectioners’ sugar, and add melted chocolate, mixing until blended. Spread frosting on cooled cake.

Udon Noodles with Spicy Peanut Ginger Sauce

I was looking online for udon noodle recipes that were spicy and I came upon this recipe , I am making it however without meat and using tofu instead, I also had no bean sprouts so I also left them out, along with the chili oil, which I subbed out with some garlic pepper sauce. I subbed out the almond butter for peanut butter and left out the vinegar. It is spicy, with a hint of ginger. I really enjoyed it. Here is the recipe that I made....

 Udon Noodles with Spicy Peanut Ginger Sauce

• 2 sleeves prepared udon noodles
  
• 1 tbsp. garlic pepper sauce
  
• 4 tbsp. teriyaki sauce
• 1 lime, juiced (one tbsp.)
  
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 tsp. sesame seed oil
  
• 2 tsp. dry ginger
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. sesame seed oil
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 2 cups Napa cabbage, shredded
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  
• 1 Tbs sesame seeds
  

Combine ingredients from Teriyaki Sauce to crushed red pepper in a small bowl.
Cook 2 sleeves udon in boiling water for 8 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water.
Combine sesame seed oil and vegetable oil.
 If you happen to have some tofu, cut into triangles and cook on medium until browned on both sides.

Saute garlic cloves in oil mixture

Add your carrots and the Napa cabbage, stir fry on medium high until lightly wilted.
Add your noodles.

Mix in sauce and half of the chopped cilantro.
Serve with tofu and garnish with remaining cilantro and sesame seeds.

Little Wieners to love.....

Smokey Little Wieners and the people who love them on the next Geraldo....LOL, just kidding. Seriously though, these cocktail wienies rock. When I found this recipe for Little Wieners, I knew I had to try it. It is a recipe for "cocktail wieners" or "Lil' Smokies". I finally made it today, and it was fairly simple to make. I also made the BBQ sauce to go with the little wienies which was very hot and spicy, Chris loved these recipes and he kept saying how hot the sauce was but he kept coming back for more ;P I think that I will cut back on some of the heat of this BBQ sauce the next time that I make it. The most tedious part of the recipe is actually rolling the little wieners up, candy style, in aluminum foil. I love that the seitan is steamed in this recipe and the texture is better than most homemade seitans that I have made. I know that I will make this recipe again, and make the other seitan goodies listed on the website, including the brats. I don't think that I will be buying any pre-made wienies anymore. While I worked on these recipes, I helped Chris make some spring rolls and I made some Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce which IMO is so much better tasting than the sauce you get at Pho. We used bean sprouts, napa cabbage, shredded carrots, green onion, rice vermicelli, mint and cilantro in our spring rolls however use what you like. More on those in posts later on this week including photos.

Saucy spicy goodness.