Cheesecake Shooters

Looking for a cute little dessert for Valentine's Day?

Cheesecake Shooters are small, but oh so yummy!!

Make some for your special Valentine :)

Cheesecake Shooters
Recipe from Souffle Bombay

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
16 oz. sour cream
1 small box vanilla instant pudding
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 TBS
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 can of cherry or strawberry pie filling
1 pack (not box) of plain graham crackers
3 T melted butter

In your mixing bowl combine the cream cheese and sour cream until blended. Pour in the pudding mix, sugar and vanilla and mix on medium for 3 minutes more. Place in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.

Crush the graham crackers in your food processor until just crumbs. Add in the butter and 1 T sugar and pulse until combined. Place in a small bowl and set aside.

In your blender or food processor blend/pulse the cherry pie filling until it become syrup (no chunks left). You can make your own syrup from strawberries, blueberries, etc. instead of the pie filling if you have the time. Set aside.

In the shooter cups, wine glasses or whatever you may be using, first spoon enough graham cracker mixture to cover the bottom. Spoon or pipe in some cheesecake, then spoon enough syrup in to cover the cheesecake. Repeat with a second layer of cheesecake. Place a few drops of syrup on top and swirl around for a spiral design by using a wooden toothpick or skewer.  I garnished mine with mini Nilla wafers.

Keep cold until ready to serve.

*Congrats to Jenny for winning my Progesso Soup and The Biggest Loser Workout DVD!! Thanks to all that entered!

Linking To:
Made By You Monday
Sunday Showcase Party
New Nostalgia
Tuesday Talent Show
Fireflies and Jellybeans
Seven Thirty Three

My Favorite Side Dish

When I get home from work I want a healthy meal that is easy to prepare and doesn't take long because I am usually starving!  Grilled chicken and oven baked Salmon are my go-to entrees, but my favorite side dish is a yummy sweet potato! 

Sometimes I bake them whole, sometimes I make oven roasted sweet potato fries, but most of the time I just slice them, toss them in olive oil, sprinkle on a little sea salt and fresh ground pepper and bake them in the oven for about 20 minutes.  So, so good and good for you too!! 

How do you like your sweet potato???

Don't forget to enter my Progresso Soup giveaway for the opportunity to win some soup and The Biggest Loser Workout DVD!

Roasted Sweet Potato Medalions

2 large Sweet Potatoes
1 T olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
Slice sweet potatoes about 1/4 inch thick and toss with olive oil.  Place them on the cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with sea salt and fresh ground pepper and place them in the oven for about 20-25 minutes.
**I usually turn them over after 10-12 minutes so they cook evenly.

Serves 3

Progresso Souper You Contest, Coupon and a Giveaway

Did you know Target has swim suits in now!?!?
I don't know about you, but I could definitely lose 10 lbs. before I even step foot in that section of the store!

Progresso soup can help you stay on track with your diet plan.  They offer 40 different delicious soups with 100 calories or less per serving.  Progresso soups are packed with hearty ingredients like beans, rice, meat and pasta so you don't get bored eating the same old thing. 

Give them a try. You can download a printable coupon for $1.25 off the purchase of four cans of Progresso Soup - just click HERE for the link.

This year Progresso is having another Souper You contest and they are giving away fabulous makeovers in Hollywood, CA.   They will provide three lucky winners with a complete makeover, $1000 fashion retail card, $1000 cash, and tickets to see the biggest Loser finale this spring.  To enter, simply visit http://www.souperyou.com/  no later than February 22nd to submit a photo and brief essay about why you deserve to win.  Good luck!

One of my readers will win 2 Coupons for Progresso Soup and a copy of “The Biggest Loser” Workout DVD. 

Lucky you!!

Here's how to enter:

(You must leave a comment below for each entry)

Follow me on Google Friend Connect (on my sidebar) and leave a comment telling me which Progresso Soup you want try first.  (Mandatory entry)

Extra Entries(leave a separate comment for each):

Like Progresso on Facebook and leave me a comment below that you did.

Like Me and My Pink Mixer on Facebook and leave a comment below that you did.

Follow Me and My Pink Mixer on Twitter and tweet the following:

"I just entered a giveaway for Progresso Soup and The Biggest Loser Workout DVD @mypinkmixerblog #myblogspark"

Contest ends at midnight on January 26th.  Open to US addresses only please.

Contest is now closed.

The Progresso^® Souper You^® prize pack, information, coupon, and giveaway have been provided by Progresso through MyBlogSpark.

Guilt Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

I baked a guilt free chocolate chip cookie pie last night...and ate half of it.
I am NOT kidding.
I feel kind of guilty.
But not really...because this pie has no eggs, no flour and no butter!!
The secret ingredient...chickpeas (Garbanzo beans).
And it tastes delish!

I served it to my PICKY teenager and she ate the entire slice and never noticed a thing!
HA!

I topped it with fat-free whipped cream, but next time I'm going with vanilla frozen yogurt.
So good!!

Guilt Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
Recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie

1 can Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup quick oats
2 T unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 T canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend the chickpeas in a food processor.  Add the rest of the ingredients into the food processor, except for the chocolate chips and blend until all ingredients are combined.  Mix in the chocolate chips with a spoon. Pour into a greased Pyrex glass pie plate.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until set.  Cool for at least 10 minutes.  Serve with fat free whipped cream or vanilla yogurt.

Try not to eat the entire plate of pie :)

P.S.  Come join Me and My Pink Mixer on Facebook. 
        We would love to see you there :)

Hello Monday

Hello Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate.

You taste like a liquid Reese Cup - so yummy on these cold January nights.



(Just add 1 T Peanut Butter to any hot chocolate mix, top with whipped cream - YUM)



Hello cute little snack container.

Still trying to plan ahead and have healthy snacks with me.

Hello new book and magazine.

Oh how I love you!!

(Anyone else reading the Hunger Games?)

Hello to drinking more water.

The lemon and cute cup sure do help.

Hello to making banana muffins healthier with flax seed and whole wheat flour.

Hello to my pretty aqua pan too :)

Hello Ziploc freezer containers that keep my muffins nice and fresh.

Hello to third week of January.

Hope it's a great one for you!



Banana Muffins

1 3/4 cup King Arthur white whole wheat flour

1/4 cup ground flax seed

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 cup mashed ripe banana (I used 2 bananas)

1/3 cup milk (I used Almond Breeze)

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 large egg

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray bottoms only of muffin pan or use liners.

Combine flour, flax seed, baking powder, salt and brown sugar.

In a large bowl beat milk, bananas, applesauce and egg with a whisk until well mixed.

Add dry ingredients to wet just until flour is incorporated.  Do not over mix.

Scoop batter into muffin tins.  Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

Linking Up to Hello Monday with Lisa Leonard.

Double Chocolate Pudding

Even though I'm trying to watch what I eat - a girl still has to have some chocolate.
I do anyway.
This little chocolate pudding is made with low-fat milk and dark chocolate chips and guess what?
It is only 3 Weight Watcher points!!!
I can't wait to have another one after dinner tonight :)

Double Chocolate Pudding

1 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I used 1/4 cup Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Chips)

2 cups low-fat chocolate milk, at room temperature, divided

3 T cornstarch

Fat Free aerosol whipped cream

In a small pot, over low heat, melt chocolate, stirring constantly, about 1 minute.

Add 1 1/2 cups chocolate milk and cook, stirring occasionally, to combine, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix remaining 1/2 cup milk with cornstarch until well-blended with no lumps; add to pan with chocolate milk mixture.  Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil; stirring constantly; boil for one minute.  Reduce heat to low and cook until thickened; about 30 seconds; pour about 1/3 cup pudding into each of 6 small ramekins.  Cover ramekins with plastic wrap, pressing plastic down onto the surface of pudding (so skin does not form) and refrigerate until chilled.  When ready to serve, top with whipped cream.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

3 PointsPlus Value

Hello Monday

Hello latest Pinterest Project.

I love, love, love Pinterest.

(Come follow me - it would be more fun if you were there too)

Hello Saturday morning pancakes.

Hello running shoes.

Nice to get you outside since the weather was so nice.

Hello Chocolate Covered Sunflower Seeds.

I love your pretty colors and you're tasty too.

Hello lemons.

Drinking lots of lemon water to detox from all the Diet Coke :)

Hello vintage ornaments.

I'm loving these beautiful ornaments that my mom gave me this weekend!

They hung on our family tree when I was a child.

Hello to a brand new week!

Hope it's a great one for you :)

Linking Up to Hello Monday with the awesome Lisa Leonard.

Homemade Dog Treats

Since it's January and I'm on a lose 10 lbs, exercise, eat only whole foods, take my vitamins daily kind of kick, I have been ignoring my pink mixer.

Can you imagine?!?!?

Well it's only been a few days, but I couldn't take it any more, so I decided to show my mixer some love and make some treats.

Dog treats!

I got to use my pink mixer and didn't gain a pound!  Love it!

Our dog Biscuit loved it too!

I used a 3 1/4 inch dog bone cookie cutter, but a round cookie cutter would be fine too.

Bake for 14-16 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Cool on a wire rack.

Watch your dog enjoy his treat :)

Homemade Dog Treats

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon of virgin coconut oil (or olive oil)

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix peanut butter, honey, oil and chicken broth. In a separate bowl, combine flours and oatmeal. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Place dough on flour dusted surface. Roll or press dough out to about 1/4” inch thick. Use a small bone cookie cutter to cut out cookies. My cookie cutter was a 3 ¼ inch bone-shaped , but for small dogs you may want to use a small cookie cutter (around 2″). Roll out leftover scraps and cut out as many as possible. Put cut out cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 14-16 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.

Watch you dog enjoy his homemade treats :)

Recipe from A Cozy Kitchen

Linking to:
Sugar and Dots
Fireflies and Jellybeans
Serenity Now
Thirty Handmade Days
Tatertots and Jello
Comfy In The Kitchen
Whipperberry
Six Sisters Stuff
Made By You Monday

Hello Monday

Hello January.

Hello woodstove with your nice clean window.

(Did you know that the easiest way to clean the glass door on a woodstove is to put a little ash from the stove onto a wet paper towel or cloth and then wipe the window. Rinse your cloth or paper towel and wipe again until the window is clean.)  That's my tip for the day :)

Hello healthy snacks all ready to go for the rest of the week.

(1/4 cup whole almonds, 2T dried cranberries, 1T Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips)

Hello treadmill.

I know you've missed me.

I'll be visiting you a lot in the coming weeks!

Hello S'mores candle - you make my kitchen smell heavenly.

Hello craft room from hell. 

My goal is to get you cleaned and organized this month!!

Hello swim girl. 

Only one more month left of your high school swimming career :(

Hello work desk.

I'll be seeing you tomorrow - I enjoyed the break :)

Have a great week sweet readers!

Linking up to Hello Monday with Lisa Leonard.

Hello 2012 & My Favorites of 2011

Happy 2012!


I would like to say thank you to all of my sweet readers. 
I appreciate you stopping by my little blog to see what me and my pink mixer have been up to each week. 
Your comments make me happy :)

Here are a few of my favorite recipes and posts from 2011:


Strawberry Cookie Tarts



Chocolate Eclairs in a Jar




Jell-O Poke Cupcakes



Mini Chocolate Chip Maple Pancake Cupcakes



Twix Bar Cookies



Kristy's Baby Shower

Wishing you all a safe, happy and sweet New Year! 

 

Lynda