Happy 4th of July to all of my American friends! My daughter and I are planning to make one of these fun, festive desserts and we're hunting for a good place to see some fireworks. Enjoy your weekend!

all photos via Martha Stewart

This weekend I needed just a little sweet treat and remembered a recipe I had seen in Clean Food. I didn't have the book handy, so I made a quick version on a whim and the results were immediately satisfying. 

To make, simply:

• cover the bottom of a square pan with granola (I use this recipe).
• Melt about a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and spread over granola.
• Sprinkle with unsweetened coconut.
• Place in the refrigerator until set. 

When it was ready, I broke it into pieces and store it in the refrigerator. Simply Yummy!

One of the new quick bread favorites in my house are these yummy strawberry muffins. I found the recipe in an issue of Body & Soul and make ours gluten-free by substituting an all-purpose gluten-free flour plus a teaspoon of xantham gum for both flours in the original recipe. Enjoy!

Strawberry Muffins (Makes 12)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup light olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Toss together strawberries and 1/3 cup sugar. Using a potato masher, lightly mash berries; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a glass 2-quart measuring cup or a medium bowl, combine buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla; whisk to combine.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk mixture and the berry mixture (with juice). Fold just until combined. Using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter among the muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with remaining sugar.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe via Body and Soul

PS - I mini-sized this recipe and it made 24 mini-muffins + 1 mini loaf of bread

During late winter and early spring, on those days that the sun decides to shine and all the birds come out to play, and you long for the days of summer and home-made ice cream or berry desserts, those are the days that I make this dessert.  It's like a little bit of sunshine.  

Peaches & Cream Cheese Cake (but it looks like a pie)

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 t. salt
• 3 oz. pkg vanilla pudding mix (not instant!)
• 1 t. baking powder
• 3 T. butter (soft)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk

Mix ingredients on medium speed for two minutes and pour into greased 9 or 10 inch pie plate

• 15-20 oz. can sliced peaches (drain, but reserve juice)

Place peaches over batter

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 T. reserved peach juice

Beat 2 minutes on medium speed and spoon over peaches, leaving a border around the edge.

• 1 T. sugar
• 1/2 t. cinnamon

Combine and sprinkle over cream cheese filling.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until crust is golden brown.  Store in refrigerator.  

I like this dessert best the next day after it is very cold; Enjoy!

My daughter's birthday is coming up soon, and while I started planning it today, I was reminded of the cupcakes I made for her last year.  They were made using a recipe from Better Homes & Gardens, and were so good that I'm tempted to make them again.  You'll see if you click over to the original recipe that it is for a stack cake with two frostings, but I simplified it a bit with just one frosting and these cakes, with just a hint cinnamon were delicious!

Recipe from BHG (adapted by me)

ingredients

• 3/4  cup plus 1 tsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/3  cup plus 1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1  tsp. baking powder
• 1/2  tsp. baking soda
• 1/2  tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4  tsp. salt
• 1/3  cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4  cup sugar
• 2  eggs
• 1  tsp. vanilla
• 1/2  cup sour cream

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cupcake tins with cupcake papers. Set pans aside.

2. In bowl combine 3/4 cup flour, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.

3. In large bowl with electric mixer beat butter on medium to high for 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth. Beat in sour cream and flour mixture. Pour batter into cupcake papers.  Fill 2/3 full.

4. Bake 18-25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched and edges begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on rack.

Cherry Frosting: In chilled large mixing bowl combine one 8-ounce carton sour cream. 1 cup whipping cream (do not use ultra-pasteurized whipping cream), 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, and 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice. Beat with chilled beaters on medium-high until fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Chocolate-Dipped Cherries: Drain 16 maraschino cherries with stems; pat dry with paper towels. In small microwave-safe bowl combine 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate pieces and 1 teaspoon shortening. Cook on 50 percent power (medium) 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted, stirring once. Dip cherries in chocolate; place on waxed paper until set. Store, covered, up to 24 hours

photo by me!

I love chocolate and I love good branding, so it's no surprise that I'm completely smitten with chocolate editions.  I have fond memories of eating neapolitan ice cream at my grandparents' house as a kid, so I can't wait to try the neapolitan chocolate bar.  (hint, hint honey)

(via happyladyeats)