Kefir/Yogurt Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Fiiinnalllyyy, I’m posting a pumpkin recipe.

I’ve been feeling pretty innovative with the Redwood Hill Farm and Green Valley Organics yogurts and Kefirs, but this recipe came straight from the PR people at Redwood Hill.

And I do not suggest you change it; it’s pretty perfect!

Sorry about the photo quality, they’re iPhone pictures.  Also, don’t forget to enter my giveaway!

Kefir/Yogurt Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
From: Green Valley Organics

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Green Valley Organics or Redwood Hill Farm Plain Kefir or plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice or cider
• 1/4 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/2 medium fresh or frozen banana or 2 pitted dates
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 2 Tbs. sweetener of choice (we like maple syrup)
• 1/2 to 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (optional)
• 1/2 cup ice cubes (adjust to reach desired consistency)

Directions:

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Top It Off: Add a couple of tablespoons of cinnamon granola (and a bit of candied ginger) to the top, grab a spoon, close your eyes and you’ll swear you’re enjoying Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.

PER SERVING: 295 CAL; 8G PROT; 5G TOTAL FAT (2G SAT. FAT); 54G CARB; 5MG CHOL; 124MG SOD; 5G FIBER; 32G SUGARS*

 

Easy and Delicious Sopapilla Cheesecake

I’m taking Spanish 2 and we had a fiesta this week.

Everyone was required to make something or bring something to class and I (obviously) opted to bake something.

I got on All Recipes and looked up “Best Mexican Desserts” and they included:

Sopapilla Cheesecake Pie

Quick Elephant Ears

Cinco de Chili Chocolate Cupcakes with Chili Cream Cheese Frosting

Nutty Bunuelos

Mexican Flan Cakes

Tres Leches (Milk Cake)

Apple Enchilada Dessert

Empanadas

Margarita Cake

Churros

Polvorones de Canele (Cinnamon Cookies)

Mexican Wedding Cakes II

It was hard to pick, but the Sopapilla Cheesecake Pie was the winner… it’s the BOMB! Seriously, so good and so easy.  I normally don’t use packaged things when I bake, but I did it and I’m proud of it, because this was a definite crowd-pleaser.  One of the people in my class took home 4 pieces with him.  It was gooood.. but then again, how do you go wrong with crescent rolls, cream cheese, and sugar? You don’t!

Easy and Delicious Sopapilla Cheesecake
Adapted from: All Recipes

Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract
• 2 (8 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup honey**
• 
  

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Beat the cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth.
3. Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough, and use a rolling pin to shape each piece into 9×13 inch rectangles. Press one piece into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of crescent dough. Stir together 1/2 cup of sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Dot the mixture over the top of the cheesecake.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 squares.

**I excluded the honey (on accident) and it still tasted great!

Coconut Cream Cheese Balls (AKA Heaven)

I love my new town!

It’s full of Victorian houses, side roads filled with gravel, a cute little downtown of “mom and pop” stores, greenery everywhere, etc.  But, the best part about it is the feeling I get when I drive around the area.  For me, it’s a sort of nostalgic feeling.  I couldn’t describe it myself, so I looked it up and I think this is perfect: “I think it’s the feeling you get when you are overwhelmed with passion and longing for the favorite things from your youth. And the satisfaction you get when you re-live them.”

I spent my Saturday exploring and just taking it all in.  Please indulge me and check these out (all via Google… none of these are mine):

To top off all this goodness, I made my moms Coconut Cream Cheese Balls.  They are the best quick and easy dessert ever. I’m not exaggerating.  Unless you don’t like cream cheese or coconut, you will agree with me and I guarantee that.  These are heaven in a small bite-sized ball.  Please try them… they won’t disappoint you!

What do you guys love about your town?
Give links to your favorite fast and easy desserts!

Coconut Cream Cheese Balls

Ingredients:
1 8 oz. block of cream cheese, room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar (*If you don’t want these super sweet, sub 1/2 cup flour for 1 cup powdered sugar)
1-2 cups shredded coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla
*1 cup pecans, optional

Directions:
1. Beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth.
2. Slowly, cup by cup, beat in the powdered sugar, until it reaches a semi-doughy consistency.  It will be a bit gooey, but still hold it’s shape when formed into a ball.
3. Beat in vanilla.  If using pecans, fold them in now.
4. Roll each ball in the coconut.
5. Chill for about an hour before serving.