Thumbprint Jam Cookies

If you want a quick and simple cookie, yet delicious and buttery soft with a sweet surprise, these "Thumbprint Jam Cookies" are it!!! 

I was shopping at the BX, here on our military base, and stopped to pick up our favorite "Wild Maine Blueberry Jam" and spotted a bunch of recipe cards and wanted to give these cookies a try. Super glad I did! For all my military friends I highly recommend all of Stonewall Kitchen's specialty jams and jellies that are sold at the BX. They are a bit pricier, but are on sale right now 2 for $11.

I made a couple changes...I added almond extract (did 1/2 almond and 1/2 vanilla), used less sugar, and didn't add the walnuts. *Also remember to leave your butter out overnight, so it's room temperature and that you should chill the dough for an hour.

These cookies are fun to make with your kids. My kids had fun pushing their little thumbs into the cookie dough and sneaking some dough and then dropping the jam into the holes. Because of my food sensitivities and intolerances I am unable to eat these cookies, so I really rely on others feedback and I'm so glad these turned out! That my family and friends have all said how incredibly yummy they are! 

Now go and make your own and enjoy!!

Berry Bliss Cheesecake!!!

If you find delight in mixed berry goodness over cheesecake then you will

 LOVE

this Berry Bliss Cheesecake!!!

All made in the incredible Instant Pot. So delicious.

Recipe found here at This Old Gal.

For the topping I used about 1.5 cups of Wyman's frozen Mixed Berry's...

Get a 1/4 cup of sugar and mix them with the berries and pour over the cheesecake.

Enjoy!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake!!!

Who doesn't love the classic Pineapple Upside Down Cake?!

This is one of my easy go to cakes, especially when providing meals for others. It's so vibrant and delicious! I use Duncan Hines Pineapple Supreme cake mix....

Super easy!

https://www.duncanhines.com/recipe/pineapple-upside-down-cake/

Ingredients

• Topping:
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 (20 oz) can pineapple slices
• Maraschino cherries
• Cake:
• 1 pkg Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Pineapple Supreme Cake Mix
• 1 (3.4 oz) pkg vanilla instant pudding and pie filling
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup oil

Baking Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Melt butter. Remove from heat and pour in baking pan.*Aluminum cake pan works best.
• Sprinkle with brown sugar over butter and evenly spread throughout the pan.
• Arrange pineapple slices on top of mixture and place cherries in center of each pineapple; set aside.
• Combine cake mix, eggs, water, oil and instant pudding in large bowl.
• Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Pour batter evenly over fruit in skillet.
• Bake 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool cake completely on wire rack. Invert onto serving plate.
• 
• Yum Yum!!!

Delicious Vegan & Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie!

This is the most delicious vegan pumpkin pie I've ever had! The filling is from Elana's Pantry! You don't have to bake the filling, which makes it the easiest pumpkin pie to make! 

Ingredients

2 cups pumpkin           *I use this Organic Pumpkin Pie

1 cup coconut milk fat, from 2 cans  *I use this Coconut Milk

1/3 cup coconut oil

1 Tbsp. maple syrup    *I did 3T and 1/2T Brown Sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla stevia   *I didn’t do stevia, just plain vanilla

1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice   *Made my own

1/8 tsp. sea salt

1 Nut-Free Egg Free Pie Crust, baked & cooled  *I made a Paleo crust

Instructions

1. Place pumpkin on a plate and set aside
2. Get two cans of coconut milk and turn heavy side on the bottom, you want all the coconut fat at the bottom. Open the top and pour/save the coconut water into another cup. Then scrape the coconut fat out of the can. 
3. In a medium pot, melt coconut milk fat and coconut oil until liquefied
4. Stir in pumpkin and maple syrup until mixture is very warm
5. Transfer mixture to a blender and puree on high speed until very smooth. *I don't think you have to use a blender if you are using canned pumpkin, it's already smooth. 
6. Blend in vanilla stevia, pumpkin pie spice, and salt
7. Transfer mixture into nut-free egg-free pie crust
8. Refrigerate for 2 hours to set

This pie crust was NOT a nut-free, egg-free crust. It was Against all Grains' paleo "Honey Graham Cracker Crust." So, this pie crust isn't vegan because of the egg. 

But it's really good!

With a few changes to the recipe, I replaced the honey with maple syrup and the almond meal with hazelnut meal because that's what I had. 

It's so so good!

If you have food allergies or sensitivities, this is the perfect pumpkin pie for you. Or if you just want to make an extra healthy pumpkin pie that is gluten free, egg free, dairy free, and is Paleo, Keto and Low-Carb friendly!

Last but not least serve with some coconut whip cream on top...soooo good!

Coconut Whip Cream

1. The most important thing to do is put a can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight. To let all the fat solidify at the top of the can.

3. To open the can turn it upside down, so the cream is on the bottom end and then open it up with a can opener.

4. Pour out coconut water into another container and save if you want.

5. Scrape out the cream into a mixing bowl.

6. Add some kind of sweetener...white sugar, powdered sugar, maple syrup, honey, agave, etc.

7. Beat/whip it together with a mixer.

8. Taste test and sweeten to your liking.

Enjoy!

Instant Pot: Creamy Coconut Rice Pudding

This is so so good! Incredibly good and easy to make.

I use This Old Gal's recipe here.

I don't always have coconut creme and just omit it. 

Here is another great Instant Pot rice pudding.

Enjoy!

Awesome Pineapple Cake!

Amy from She Wears Many Hats has a really great Pineapple Cake! We love pineapple everything over here and my kids loved this cake. Get the recipe here. 

This time I did use a boxed cake mix "Pineapple Supreme Moist Cake Mix." I added some vanilla pudding mix and instead of butter I used coconut oil. 

And I whipped up this yummy 7 Minute Frosting.

It smelled super good and tasted even better!

The Cheesecake Post!

I really wanted to make something extra special for my hubby's birthday!

His favorite is oreo anything so of course I had to make an Oreo Cheesecake.

You can't live in Japan and not love Pocky! Well at least that's how it is for the Fish Fam. So I was excited to make a Strawberry Pocky Cheesecake! Let me tell you these Okinawan strawberries are out of this world delicious. The Pocky is a pretzel stick dipped in a chocolate or yogurt of all sorts! Japanese love coming up with all kinds of flavors. I'm sure you can find them around in the States at your local Asian Grocery Store.

For you gingerbread lovers I think you'll love Martha Stewarts Holiday Gingerbread Cheesecake. Smells divine.

Check them out in the individual posts...

Strawberry Pocky Cheesecake

This Old Gal's New York Cheesecake is a classic and I was so excited to pair it with delicious Okinawa strawberries and oh so good Japanese Pocky. Yum Yum. 

I love love how it turned out! So beautiful.

I'm not lying when I say that these strawberries gown here in Okinawa are some of the best that I've ever had. They are the perfect sweetness, tenderness, and texture. They melt in your mouth and all you can say is wow! Not kidding.

All you have to do to get some is come to Okinawa, Japan! Ha!

When you eat out and buy cheesecake it can be pretty expensive for a slice. That's not the case when you make it yourself! I will say these strawberries made this the most expensive cheesecake of the three I made! Strawberries are in season right now and depending on where you buy them you pay $5-7 for the small pack above. The way Japanese grow and take pride in their fruits and veggies is awesome. They pick the best of the best and package it so nice and neat! Which end up being more expensive, but you look at it and want to buy it because it looks so lovely and good! Well, that's how it is for me anyways. Lol!

If you live in the States you can most likely find Pocky at your local Asian Grocery store. So go out and buy some and make that cheesecake!

Yum :)

Holiday Gingerbread Cheesecake

This is Martha Stewarts Holiday Gingerbread Cheesecake!

It holiday spices smell oh so good.

For my little 6" springform pan I had to cut her recipe in half and then into the Instant pot it went.

I found these perfect little gingerbread cookies at the grocery store. I did want top it with some whipped creme, but forgot to buy it. Nonetheless, it turned out and (hopefully) tasted great! I've passed it out to friends and they all say how delicious it is.

Enjoy :)

Cookies & Cream Cheesecake!

This Old Gal has the best pressure cooker cheesecake recipes. So of course I had to make my husband her Cookies N Crème Cheesecake!!

I've only made cheesecake in my Instant Pot and I'll tell you it's actually really easy! But you do have to  follow the directions closely for it to turn out right. Then before you know it in an instant you've got a beautiful cheesecake! 

Cooking time from when it's in the pot and I push the start button to when it's done cooking and I let the natural release pressure go for 15mins this cheesecake is done in an hour! After cooking you do have to let the cheesecake set up overnight in the refrigerator for at least 8 hrs. but longer is more ideal like 12hrs.

The next day pull it out of the springform pan and give a big shout out to yourself...you just made a beautiful cheesecake! YAY. 

Top it off with yummy Oreo's.

 Then take a step back to admire it!

Make sure to take some pictures :)

Enjoy!

Pressure Cooker New York Cheesecake!!

So. Cheesecake. Who doesn't love it?!

I would have never made cheesecake had I not joined an Instant Pot group on Facebook. Lots of people make all kinds of different cheesecakes in this pressure cooker and I just had to try it!

I used This Old Gal's New York Cheesecake recipe! So try it out. If all goes well and you don't end up over mixing the eggs everything will cook and set up just right and I'm super happy that mine came out!...

 The true test is if people like it. We had some friends over for dinner, so they got to decide! And they loved it. Them and my Fish Fam said over and over how good it was. Whew! Then my husband took the last of it to a family he went to visit after dinner. He came back saying how much they loved it and couldn't stop saying how good it was. I was glad to hear that because you all know cheesecake isn't something on my menu, so I didn't know how it tasted! It's definitely something my food intolerances will not tolerate. Too bad so sad! But honestly after seeing all the dairy and sugar that went into this thing, I'm not sure I could eat it even if I could eat it! Lol!! I'll stick to my raw paleo cheezcakes! 

If you want to make cheesecake in this pressure cooker you need to have a few specific things...

This 6in cheesecake pan that will fit into the pressure cooker. I bought this recommend springform pan at amazon... https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Daddios-Anodized-Aluminum-Springform/dp/B001VEI05G/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1478696303&sr=1-3&keywords=fat+daddios+6+inch+cake+pans

 The pan needs to be on top of a trivet... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H3CXWW6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1SJABPS7VUUEM or this steamer is also recommended because it has these handles so you can pull out the cheesecake...https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A2KD8IY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. These two things are needed so the pan isn't submerged into the water.

*The green steamer is nice to use for making hard boiled eggs and I've used it for making banana bread and this cheesecake in the spring form pan, but because it's silicone and the springform pan fills the pot pretty good and us heavy from the bread or cheesecake the silicone rubs on the sides and makes it harder to pull it out. So I will try the trivet and her hand made foil sling next time!

Follow her directions closely and you're good to go!

Enjoy!!

Strawberry Shortcake w/ Coconut Whip Cream

While out grocery shopping I've noticed all the strawberries coming out on the shelves. And since the weather has dramatically warmed up I couldn't resist wanting to make this!

We had some guests over and after our meal enjoyed this awesome treat outside while the kids played and everyone (but me I enjoyed my Maple Pie Cocoroon) enjoyed the weather and delicious dessert that was on the back of my Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Sugar bag. One of my kids requested these for their birthday cake. I make my own Coconut Whip Cream to top it off!

Frontera's Famous Strawberry Shortcakes 

By Chef Rick Bayless

Ingredients

For the shortcakes:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp Wholesome Sweeteners Fairtrade Organic Sugar (divided use)

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 large cage-free organic egg

1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp buttermilk (divided use)

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract, preferably Mexican

1/4 cup grated semi-sweet or Mexican chocolate

For the topping:

1 qt strawberries, hulled

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp Wholesome Sweeteners Fairtrade Organic Sugar, divided use

1 to 1 1/2 cups heavy (whipping) cream

Wholesome Sweeteners Fairtrade Organic Powdered Sugar, for garnish

Directions

To make the shortcakes: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Measure the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the baking powder and the salt into a food processor. Scatter the chilled butter evenly over dry ingredients. Pulse the processor 10 to 12 times (1-second pulses) until the butter is in tiny bits. Add the egg, 1⁄3 cup buttermilk, vanilla and grated chocolate. Pulse the processor 7 to 8 times until the soft dough just comes together. 

Turn out the dough onto a well-floured board and press together to form a disk that is ¾ inch thick. The dough will be very moist. With a floured 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut out 4 biscuits. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Gently bring the scraps back together and pat out the dough again. Cut two more disks and transfer to the baking sheet. Brush tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon of buttermilk, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake for about 18 minutes, until the biscuits are lightly browned. Cool.

To fill and serve: Thinly slice the strawberries and scoop into a medium bowl. Gently mix in 1/4 cup of the sugar. With an electric mixer, beat the cream and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar (using the whisk attachment if available) until the cream holds soft peaks. 

Just before serving, split each biscuit as you would a bagel. Top the bottom layer with a generous dollop of whipped cream, spoon on a portion of the strawberries (and any of their juices), then set the top in place (or off slightly off to the side, to show off the strawberries more). Sprinkle with powdered sugar and you’re ready to serve.

Recipe source

Chef Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, Chicago, IL

*We don't drink cows milk (just occasionally), so no buttermilk for us. Luckily, I've discovered how to substitute with a diary free option. In a bigger measuring cup put one tablespoon of white vinegar and then add your dairy free milk (I usually use coconut milk) until it reaches 1 cup. Mix and let it sit for five minutes and then it out "Buttermilk" is ready to use!

*Next time I'm going to sub coconut oil for the butter. Yum. 

Enjoy :)

Valentine Sweets & Treats < 3

There was plenty of Valentines baking and treat making over the week!

I'm pretty wiped out from all the Love Day Week events going on with my little ones.

Nonetheless, we made some yummy sweets and treats!

I make two different kinds of sugar cookies with butter or switch it for coconut oil.

The Fish Fam prefers the coconut sugar cookies.

Recipe for Coconut Sugar Cookies here and for the butter sugar cookies this recipe.

I made these heart shaped fruit pizzas for my youngest's Vday Party.

Yummy! Just make your sugar cookie, spread cool whip over the top, and then add your favorite sliced fruits. <3

These were for the older kids school teachers.

I used heart shaped silicone cupcake molders.

Then I put the Vday sprinkles and M&M's at the bottom. Then poured the melted chocolate on top. Which, I had to do some research on it is important to use the right type of chocolate to melt and use. There is a big difference that will give you very different results. Read here!

Homemade Fruit Snacks!

By Wellness Mama

Recipe here.

My kids sure loved these. Once you have all the right ingredients they are easy to make, but let me tell you it does take some practice to get it right. Mine failed the first time because come to find out I used fresh pineapple juice and just like she said it won't thicken. So I made them into popsicles. But, the second time they formed using pineapple juice from a can. Finally, but I still have much room for improvement.

We got some pretty sweet molds at amazon...heart shaped, dinos, and legos.

(I'll make a more detail post about this sometime soon.)

Banana Cream Pie Bars

Since I'm raising Monkey's we always have plenty of bananas to go around!

And WOW, these Paleo Banana Cream Pie Bars were amazing.

Definitely an enjoyable treat for me :)

Taylor Made It Paleo

Banana Cream Pie Bars

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

-1 1/2 cups almond flour

-1/4 cup honey (I used maple syrup)

-2 T nut butter (I used almond)

-1 T maple syrup

-pinch of salt

For the Topping:

-1 can of coconut milk (left in the fridge overnight to let the cream settle at the top and ONLY use the cream on the top and not the liquid underneath.)

-1 ripe banana, mashed (I used to small bananas)

-1 T maple syrup

-1 tsp vanilla (I don't add, don't like the taste)

Directions:

1. Combine all crust ingredients until crust like texture forms.

2. Press dough evenly into the bottom of a pan.

3. Whip together coconut cream, banana, maple syrup, and vanilla until well combined.

4. Spread evenly over the top of the crust.

5. Top with additional banana slices.

6. Place in freezer for 1 hr.

7. Cut into squares and enjoy!

8. Store in fridge. (I've kept mine in the freezer because if you don't eat it all up fast enough it gets too soft and runny.)

And nope, you don't need to bake the crust, I had to double check myself :)

These are really easy to make and very delicious!

Maple Peanut Sesame Chicken

This meal was awesome!

Following a low fodmap diet can be oh so tricky and confusing, but I'm working on it and finding some good meals to make. Kate Scarlata is a well know Fodmap expert and she has plenty of great recipes. Including this one...

Maple Peanut Sesame Chicken

By Kate Scarlata

From Well Balanced

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken tenders (boneless, skinless)
• 2 Tablespoons all natural peanut butter
• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
• 3 Tablespoons reduced sodium tamari (soy sauce)
• 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

Instructions

1. Wash and pat dry chicken.
2. In medium casserole dish, add peanut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, sesame seeds, ginger and maple syrup whisking to blend.
3. Add chicken and toss to coat with mixture.
4. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes-several hours.
5. Keep chicken in 'marinade' and place casserole uncovered in oven.
6. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve over rice vermicelli noodles or baby salad greens.
   
   
   I made this meal to feed to our sister missionaries and they loved it. We have them over often and finally I made something that we could all eat. Yay!
   
   
   I also make my own dressing, which I pour a little bit of this and that in.
   Depending on how much you need make accordingly and let call it...
   
   
   Garlic Infused Ginger Dressing
   
   
   

   -Garlic Infused Olive Oil

   -Coconut Aminos
   -Sesame Oil
   -Squeezed Lemon
   -Ground Ginger
   -S&P
   
   
   I've also added some vinegar, just a little bit, and maple syrup to sweeten it up for guests. Infused oils are delicious a must do in cooking! Add the most of the olive oil, then just a bit less of coconut aminos or soy sauce, a little bit of sesame oil for that toasted sesame flavor, as little or as much fresh squeezed lemon as you like, prob less though, about a pinch of ground ginger, and salt and pepper to taste.
   
   
   We also had this oh so good...
   
   
   
   
   
   Which I was also able to enjoy for the first time in who knows how long!!
   
   
   I made Against All Grain Paleo Pie Crust.
   (gotta buy her book for the recipe.)
   
   
   
   
   
   Beans are used as my "pie weights" while baking.
   
   
   Then find my previous Lemon Meringue Pie post for the filling.
   
   
   Oh happy day :)