Balsamic Strawberry Crumble

This Sunday I was inspired by the beautiful weather to create a nice yummy treat. I moved into a new apartment and had fun making a new treat in a new place with new roommates. Since I hadn't gone grocery shopping yet, all I had was strawberries. This was the end result:

Balsamic Strawberry Crumble

Balsamic Strawberries

3 c of strawberries, sliced

1/4 c balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp cardamom

Heat balsamic vinegar over med. heat. Stir in brown sugar and cardamom. Simmer for 2 minutes on low. Stir in strawberries so they are well coated. Remove from heat after 1 minute.

Scoop into individual ramekins.

Crumble

1/2 c oats

1/2 c flour

1/2 c brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cardamom

1/4 c (1/2 stick) butter

Beat all ingredients and sprinkle over strawberry mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

*eat with a scoop of ice cream or a little bit of whipped cream

Cranberry Crumble

Over the holidays, I was kind of obsessed with Cranberries. I was making things up left and right. This one I made right after Christmas and I was very surprised at how yummy it turned out to be. Cranberries can be quite scary to cook with, in my opinion. Either they're too tart or too sweet. This recipe turned out just how I wanted it...a mix of both! With my blackberry crumble recipe, I was inspired to make this yummy Cranberry Crumble.

** I would've taken a picture of it except for the fact that we ate it too quickly... whoops!

Cranberry Crumble

4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c quick cooking oats
1/2 c brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c flour
1/4 c butter (1/2 stick)
1/4 c water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl combine cranberries and sugar. Allow to sit for several minutes. Combine oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour until well mixed. Cut in butter and mix until crumbly. Spoon cranberries into a buttered 8x8 baking dish. Pour water over cranberries. Sprinkle crumble mixture over the cranberries and bake for 45 minutes. Serve with ice cream.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cupcakes

So you may have seen me post this about this. Well, I don't ever follow recipes exactly. I use other recipes for inspiration at times. I like to make it my own. In fact, writing some of these recipes is sometimes extremely difficult because I can't seem to measure anything when I cook. I'm more of an eye-baller, if you will. Last year, during the holiday season. I made these cupcakes and they were TO DIE FOR! To get ready for my pumpkin phase in October (as mentioned... here), I wanted to start you off with an old favorite.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cupcakes

1 2/3 cups (11-oz. pkg.) Butterscotch flavored morsels, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup Pure Pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup white chocolate morsels
1/3 cup evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Microwave 1 cup morsels in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on med-high power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave in 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted. Cool to room temperature.

Combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in medium bowl. Stir together melted morsels, pumpkin, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract in large bowl with wire whisk. Stir in flour mixture. Spoon batter into prepared cupcake pan with liners.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with butterscotch sauce (see below).

Butterscotch Sauce:
Heat 1/3 cup evaporated milk in medium, heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat just to a boil; remove from heat. Add remaining butterscotch morsels and add white chocolate morsels; stir until smooth. Return to heat. Stirring constantly, bring mixture just to a boil. Cool to room temperature. Stir before serving.

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding

This is my favorite dessert during the fall! It just screams "Hi, its fall! Apples are in season and you really need to make me so you can devour me!" Yes, that is exactly what I hear when this is mentioned. And I could list for days the words (or sounds) that will come out of your mouth once you taste it. The best part is that I don't have to feel guilty about it! Its only 187 calories! I am totally ok with that! So... enjoy and I'd love to know your response after trying it. Its to die for!

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding

1 cp unsweetened applesauce
½ cp packed brown sugar
1 cp fat-free milk
½ cp egg substitute
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp ground cinnamon
5 cps cubed wheat bread
½ cp chopped peeled apple
½ cp fat-free whipped topping
½ cp fat-free caramel topping

Preheat oven to 325. In large bowl, combine applesauce, milk, brown sugar, egg substitute, vanilla & cinnamon. Fold in bread cubes & apple. Pour into an 8-in. square baking dish (or pie dish) coated with cooking spray. Bake uncovered for 35 – 40 minutes (I bake for 45 min.) or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Serve warm w/ whipped topping and caramel topping. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 8 servings.

Serving size: 8
**Only 187 calories!

Caramel S'more Rolls

I made these up last night. Heaven. That's all I have to say....


Ok, maybe I'll explain a little bit more. Its basically a s'more inside of a pastry drizzled with caramel and powdered sugar. It doesn't get any better than that. Yum!

2 pkgs (8 ct) pillsbury crescent rolls
1 jar marshmallow cream
1 cup chocolate chips
cinnamon (for taste)
cinnamon sugar (for dusting)
caramel (for drizzling)
powdered sugar (for dusting)

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray to prevent rolls from sticking. lay rolls flat on cookie sheet. Near the larger end of the roll, scoop 1 tbsp marshmallow cream for each roll. Dust with cinnamon and then add a tbsp of chocolate chips. Roll up so that no filling will come out while in the oven. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes and place on a platter. drizzle with caramel and dust with powdered sugar.

YUMMY!