Chocolate Pudding Dessert

Photo by Life as a Healthy Mom

Today is my husband's birthday..the big 40.  I turned that age myself about three weeks ago.  Our running joke is that he is allowed to call me his "old lady" from 22 days each year  (although he never puts the rule into force)....I believe he knows better! So, for his birthday I asked him what kind of dessert he would like.  He mentioned my famous pudding dessert; and I say famous because I have been making this dessert for as many years as we have been married...and we will be celebrating 19 years of marriage next week.  Whenever my grandmother's birthday rolls around each year (she is 86!), she always asks for the lemon version of this recipe as her birthday dessert. It's pretty much a given that I make it a few times a year.

Honestly, I have no clue who gave the recipe to me, if it was some one's original recipe, or it came out of a cookbook.  It has always been in my handwritten recipe collection for as long as I can remember.  But the original recipe called for items, such as pudding and whipped topping (aka Cool Whip).  Have you looked at the ingredients lately of these two items? The pudding list contains items such as artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives, such as BHA. The whipped topping contains hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors.  NO THANK YOU!

Many years ago, I used to follow the recipe to a T....including buying everything in boxes, and of course having it prepared in minutes because isn't that what buying processed food is all about....the convenience? But I have changed my ways by refusing to buy items that I can make at home with real ingredients. 

This new recipe I have now adapted using homemade whipped cream and chocolate pudding, and I make the crust from my gluten free flour mix.  I also use organic dairy products so I know there are no added chemicals in the food such as antibiotics or hormones.  It takes a little more time, because this dessert has four different layers--crust layer, sweetened cream cheese layer, chocolate pudding layer, and whipped cream top layer.  It is SO WORTH IT....it is DELICIOUS!  Even though it may be high in calories, you will only be able to eat one piece because the chocolate has such a rich taste to it. 

Here is a recipe with real ingredients. 

Make the first layer:  

1 1/2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cup gluten free flour (or you can use all-purpose flour)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1.  Cut above ingredients together with a pastry blender.  Pat mixture into a 9 x 13 pan (the layer will not be thick)

2.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  The crust will not be brown. Cool.

Make the whipped cream:

1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla.  Continue to beat on medium until soft peaks return, about 3 minutes.

Save one cup of the whipped cream for the 2nd layer.  Put the rest in the refrigerator to use as the final layer.

Make 2nd layer of dessert:

1 cup powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup homemade whipped cream

Blend these ingredients in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.  Spread over cooled first layer (crust).  Place the 9 x13 pan into the refrigerator.

Make 3rd layer of dessert: 
(adapted from "Better Homes and Garden: New Cook Book" copyright 1989) :

3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
2 tbsp. cornstarch
3 cups milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a heavy medium saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, and cornstarch.  Stir in milk.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat.  Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into beaten eggs.

Return all of the egg mixture to the saucepan.  Cook until nearly bubbly, but do not boil.  Reduce heat.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat.  Stir in butter and vanilla.  Pour pudding into a bowl.  Cover the surface with clear plastic wrap.  Chill.

Now it is time to assemble the dessert layers:

After the pudding has cooled, it is time to assemble the rest of the dessert. Remember, you have already assembled the first two layers, the crust and the sweetened cream cheese.  Now it is time for the third layer....the chocolate pudding. Spread the chilled chocolate pudding over the sweetened cream cheese.  

The fourth and final layer is the whipped cream.  Spread the whipped cream over the chocolate pudding, being careful not to disturb the pudding.  

And there you have it.  The total time it takes to make all the separate layers is about a 1/2 an hour.  The final assembly takes minutes.

Enjoy!

Labeling Canisters



Photo by Life as a Healthy Mom

Yesterday I spent some time refilling my canisters that sit on the kitchen counter.  The canisters span across the counter in two separate areas and not only provide a quick access to a snack or an ingredient to a recipe, but they also add a bit of decor to the kitchen.  I love how these natural ingredients add to the warm colors I use to enhance my home......the brown and cream colors just bring  their own element to the space. 

My dilemma is that many of these ingredients look the same.  Of course, the kids and the hubby can tell the difference between pecans, oatmeal, walnuts, and cashews.  But I also have my gluten free flour, organic sugar, cornmeal, quinoa, and steel cut oats in the mix as well.  I didn't want to go the route of etching each canister with the name of the food that resides in it.  I am a bit  obsessive about symmetry, so I like the look of sameness of the canisters,  and I think adding etching changes the overall look that I am striving for. I also like to change what I want in the canisters, so etching them would not allow me to do that.

But, I wanted to label them, so if my husband wanted to make dinner one night, he wouldn't have to question what was in the canister.  The only reason why I mention my husband is because, bless his heart, many years ago he attempted to make cookies with my then-toddler aged son.  He picked the canister in the pantry that housed my powdered sugar and not the one that housed the flour.  Needless to say during the baking process, the cookies became soup-like and ran all over the cookie sheet.  It was quite a mess.



Photo by Life as a Healthy Mom

So, here is an easy way to identify what is the canister..................a simple label inside the lid.  I retrieved my handy-dandy label maker out and started labeling the ones that were not quite easy to identify.  See....very easy!  And whenever I want to change the food in the canister to something different, I put the label off.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Muffins

So I have ventured into gluten free territory for about a month now and am feeling pretty good.  I decided to go gluten free after having repeated bouts of radiating joint pain, upper abdominal pain, and major bloating.  And don't get me started on the brain fog.  Currently, I am waiting for the results of having a test for celiac disease to confirm if it is an allergy or just a gluten intolerance.  Either way, I cannot see myself shoving a wheat-laden muffin or cookie in my mouth again after how great I am feeling.

With that being said, gluten free for me means excluding all grains........most of the time at least. I really didn't want to deal with buying a bunch of gluten free flours just to make baked goods that tastes just like their wheat counterpart. 

And, it can get expensive buying all the different flours!!!

Now, my family is another story.  They love their bread, cookies, pies....basically anything made with flour.  But they are starting to come around knowing I can whip up some of their favorite desserts that tastes the same (or even better in my opinion) as the ones used with wheat flour. But, you must use kid gloves in transitioning one into a change....especially with food.  I don't want a full-blown mutiny on my hands, so I am easing them into it by baking them the treats they currently like to eat. 

So last night, my son had a friend sleepover and he asked if I could go get them donuts.  First of all, he knows I do this only on very RARE occasions...............and today was NOT one of them.  But I thought today would be a great day to try a gluten free muffin recipe.  


Photo by Life as a Healthy Mom

This recipe is adapted from Food.com

Gluten Free Cinnamon Muffins--
Makes 12

• 1 1/2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour 
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• Extra Cinnamon/Sugar for sprinkling

 

Directions:

1.  Sift together flour, xanthan gum, sugar, salt, cinnamon, brown

     sugar, and baking powder.

 

2.  Combine egg, oil, and milk.  Add to dry ingredients. Stir just

     enough to moisten.
 

3.  Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full or use a medium-sized ice cream
     scoop.

4.  Mix 1 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 c sugar in a small bowl.  Sprinkle
     over tops of muffins.
 

5.  Sprinkle tops of muffins with a cinnamon/sugar mixture.

6.  Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.

 

Well, of course, the boys came running down the stairs to the scent of cinnamon wafting through the air.  They immediately started eating them.....it didn't matter that they were just out of the oven and very hot.......teenagers!

 

His friend was first to make a comment by saying, "these are really good. " I looked at my son and asked him, "so, are they good?"  He nodded because his mouth was full with his second muffin.  I then said, "do you know they are gluten free?"  He stopped chewing (uh-oh)....gave me a smile and nodded again.  What!?! He could taste the difference? Although.......he is my dessert connoisseur.

 

So I asked him, "how do you know.....do they taste that different?" 

 

His reply?  "No, they are really good, but I only knew it when I saw you eat one." 

 

That's my boy!

 

 

 

Gluten Free All Purpose Flour

Photo by Life as a Healthy Mom

I am new to this whole experience of being gluten-free, so prepping my kitchen to be a fully gluten-free zone has been quite the experience.  I am a baker.....I always have been, and I always will be; so the thought of converting from wheat flour to flours with names such as tapioca flour, sweet sorghum flour, brown rice flour kind of overwhelmed me at first. 

But alas, I found out there are many blogs on the web and books at the library with recipes using different mixtures of flours you combine to make an all-purpose mix.  The one recipe I have found success with in baking items such as cakes, muffins, pies, and cookies was found in the book, "Gluten Free Baking Classics" by Annalise G Roberts. So far, I have made chocolate chip cookies and cinnamon muffins with great success.  She also has recipes for bread making, but I haven't tackled that area yet. 

In her book, Annalise has measurements depending on how much flour you need.  I make a large batch of it, so I don't have to mix all the flours together each time I have the urge to bake. 

Photo by Life as a Healthy Mom

Here is Annalise's recipe:

6 cups brown rice flour (finely ground)
2 cups potato starch
1 cup tapioca flour

Mix all the ingredients together.  Store in an airtight container. Shake well before each use.

Enjoy!