Pumpkin Pie Parfaits

This was inspired by a food network recipe. It is by no means, a low fat recipe. I am going to try to alter it next time and use Free Cool Whip instead of the heavy whipping cream. I'll let you know if it turns out!

Regardless of how awful these are for you (especially for those of you with lactose intolerance like myself!) , they are a crowd pleaser.

 

 

Ingredients

• 13 gingersnaps
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin pie mix
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 2 cups cold heavy cream
• 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Put 7 cookies in a resealable plastic bag and crush into crumbs with a heavy pan. Brush the bottoms and about 1 inch up the sides of 6 parfait glasses with the butter. Add a spoonful of crumbs to each and roll them around the insides of the glasses reserve some for topping. Refrigerate the prepared glasses. 

2. Put the pumpkin mix and melted chocolate chips into a food prosessor and pulse until smooth. (To melt chips: in a microwave-safe bowl  microwave at 50% power until melted, about 1 minute, stirring halfway. Add to the pumpkin mixture and process until combined. Transfer to a large bowl.)

3. Beat 1 1/2 cups cream with a tablespoon of sugar in a bowl with a mixer until soft peaks form; fold into the pumpkin mixture until smooth. Divide among the prepared glasses and refrigerate until ready to serve.

4. Beat the remaining 1/2 cup cream with a mixer until foamy. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, 1/8 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 a tsp cinnamon and beat until soft peaks form. Top the parfaits with the whipped cream, reserved cookie crumbs and the remaining 6 cookies.

Great Gelato

This is the information on the Gelato I bought at meijer in the ice cream section. It came in a lot of different flavors. We had the Limoncello one but we will certainly be back for more of this!  It was so fluffy, and creamy. It tasted just like the gelato I get at Gelaterias. 

I found it in the ice cream section and it came in a 30 fl. oz small rectangular, plastic container. I'm serious people... try this stuff!

IL Vero Gelato Italiano

Gelateria Italiana

Product of Italy

Blueberry-Lemon Coffee Cake

John signed up to bring breakfast to his work today and I thought of it as the perfect excuse to make my all-time favorite Blueberry-Lemon Coffee Cake. This recipe is exactly like the original which I found in Cooking Light Magazine in 2005. It is just too good to change anything! I still had some fresh blueberries leftover from blueberry picking so I used those. Make sure to use fresh lemon juice and zest. It really makes a difference. If you like a really nice crumbly top on your coffee cake, I would suggest doubling the topping.

I don't have a pretty picture of my own for this but I stole the one off of Cooking Light's site. It looks exactly the same!

Blueberry-Lemon Coffee Cake
Cooking Light Magazine
Serves 12
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup almond paste
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup fat-free milk
1 1/2 cups blueberries
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
Cooking spray

Topping:
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons sliced almonds, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1) Preheat oven to 350°.

2) To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.

3) Place 1/2 cup sugar, almond paste, and 2 tablespoons butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add egg and lemon juice, beating well. Add flour mixture and fat-free milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries and rind. Spoon batter into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray.

4) To prepare topping, combine 1/4 cup sugar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, tossing with a fork until moist. Sprinkle topping evenly over batter. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Calories: 196

Fat: 6.5g

Protein: 3.8g

Carbohydrate: 31.6g

Fiber: 1.4g

Cholesterol: 27mg

Iron: 1.2mg

Sodium: 243mg

Calcium: 82mg