Cookbook Offers Lemon Coconut Cake Made with Splenda

I know that Easter's on the way, and if you're like me you are starting to go through your recipes looking for that special dessert that everyone will love. I'm aware that that's a little more of a challenge for folks with diabetes. So our Old Cookbook Review is especially for you today.
My brother, Greg, likes to cook, and tries to keep it healthy. We are recipe-swapping buddies (we've even chatted about pot roast recipes... as I grocery shopped... via the cell phone). So this may be a cookbook that he'll want to look for at yard sales or on the internet (he's a computer bug , as well).
The book today is Unbelievable Desserts with Splenda; Sweet Treats Low in Sugar, Fat, and Calories by Marlene Koch. It is dated 2001 and is published by M. Evans and Company. It's ISBN is 0-87131-964-0. I give the book a thumbs-up today because it is chock full of recipes that I would actually make. Sure, there are a few recipes like Mousse and Torte that aren't usually on my to-do list, but three fourths are great recipes for sweets that are common to most folks; Coconut Cream Pie, Apple Pie in a Bag, Blackberry Cobbler (a big, "Oh Yeah") and Chocolate Cake. Plus, there's a section on beverages, and any book that includes a recipe for Creamy Iced Coffee is O.K. with me. You might want to start the search for this one!


P. 95 Lemon Coconut Layer Cake

3 egg whites
2 TBSP granulated sugar
3 TBSP canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C low-fat buttermilk
2/3 C Splenda Granular
1 large egg
1 C + 2 TBSP cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 C lemon curd (or sugar-free lemon pudding)
1 1/4 C light whipped topping
1/3 C shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch cake pan with non-stick baking spray. In a medium bowl, beat 3 egg whites until frothy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted from the whites. Set aside.
On medium speed mix oil, vanilla, buttermilk, Spenda and egg in a large bowl and blend until smooth. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites. Spoon into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake for 20 min. or until center springs back when lightly touched. Cool cake in pan on rack for 10 min. Loosen cake from pan by inverting briefly. Let cake layer cool completely.
Set cake on plate and slice horizontally to make two layers. Mix the lemon curd (or sugar-free pudding) and whipped topping together in a bowl. Place 1/2 C of the frosting on the first layer of the cake. Place second layer on top and frost top and sides with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle coconut over the top of the cake. Refrigerate until serving. Makes 8 servings. Keeps very well in the fridge for several days.


(These numbers are accurate if using lemon curd in the recipe).
calories 175
carbs 22 (sugar 7)
protein 4 grams
Diabetic exchange=1 1/2 carbs, 1 1/2 fat
fat 8 grams (sat. 1.5)
fiber 0 grams
sodium 200 milligrams





P. 133 Lemon Curd

2/3 C lemon juice
2 TBSP water
1 large egg, beaten
1 large egg yolk
2 TBSP cornstarch
2/3 C Splenda Granular
2 TBSP light butter

In a med. non-aluminum saucepan thoroughly whisk together the first 6 ingredients. Place pan on stove and turn heat to med. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil, whisking for 1 min. Mixture should be thick and clear. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Cool. Fourteen servings (1 TBSP each).

Per serving:
calories 25
carbs 4 grams (sugar 0)
protein 0 grams
Diabetic exchange=1/4 carb
fat 1.5 grams (sat. 0.5)
fiber 0 grams
sod
Pium 0 grams

Go to Grocerycartchallenge for more recipes at the recipe swap today.

Chicken Bacon Club Pizza

Last night we had Wednesday night Bible study at church and I teach the 2nd through 5th grade class. My husband usually flies through the door just in time to take off his tie, grab a bite of supper and back out the door we go! So, on Wednesday it has to be something quick for our evening meal.
I realized that I had "smothered chicken" and broccoli and cheese sauce on the menu...for Wednesday?! I don't think so! What a mistake, so I had to do a quickie menu shuffle.
We ended up having a favorite of ours which is "chicken bacon club pizza". Luckily, I discovered my mistake early in the day (I usually check the menu on the side of my fridge first thing in the morning). So, I laid out two loaves of frozen bread dough to thaw on greased pizza pans; I also grease tops of loaves and cover with wax paper). I, of coarse, had my roasted chicken breasts stored in the fridge from Monday. It made it easy to swap meal plans for that evening. Because we had pizza, we used paper plates...oh, I love quick and easy on Wednesday! Here's the recipe in case your Wednesdays-or any night is a supper challenge.

Chicken Bacon Club Pizza

2 loaves of frozen bread dough, thawed
1 jar Ragu alfredo sauce
1 1/2 C Hormel Real Bacon Bits
2 cooked chicken breasts, cubed
Parsley
2 C mozzerella cheese
(Ham bits, broccoli, mushrooms-optional)


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread dough on two pizza pans and make a crimped edge. Half bake the crusts til they don't look moist any longer. Spread with alfredo sauce,and all toppings except parsley. End with mozzerella layer. Bake until the crust is the way you like it and cheese is melted. Pull out of oven and sprinkle with parsley.
(We had cantaloupe on the side.)


Here's a tip: If, after Thanksgiving or Christmas you are "turkey-ed out" on sandwiches and want something different, you can make this great pizza with turkey instead of chicken!

_Thursday's Ultimate Recipe Swap is hosted by www.Lifeasmom.com

Why God Gave Labrador Retrievers Such Great Personalities and Looks

As I was Swiffering the black dog hair off my floors this morning, I pondered the plight of all indoor- Lab owners. We want them inside because they are adorable creatures. They have to be one of the most people-friendly breeds ever created. But do you know WHY? I have a theory on this subject: God gave the Labrador Retriever a great personality and looks because he knew that with some of their other (unintentionally-annoying) traits, they were going to need looks and charm to survive!
What follows may sound like complaining; it is not! It's just observations that I've made over time:
A Lab can clear a coffee table with one swipe of her tail...which is wagging feverishly because she is excited to see you (or the prospect that you might take her O-U-T-S-I-D-E). After" said run", the Lab comes in the house to slurp water at the same fevered pitch! Water around the bowl and up the wall...making me thankful for tile floors. I think the reason the drinking is messy when she is really thirsty is because of the soft palates that Labs have...so as to not bruise the game birds that they might retrieve. Again, not her fault.

The fact that Labs shed their coats like an old Christmas tree sheds pine needles is well-known. Indoor Lab owners would put the Swiffer static mop on their list of this century's greatest inventions. They have an under coat, so they need regular brushing; luckily Stormy considers this "pampering" instead of "torture"! I, on the other hand, love the way her coat looks when I'm done, but having dog hair stick to my sweaty hands and arms as I brush her outside in the summer is not a treat. Again, this falls in line with my theory; that beautiful sleek black coat makes these dogs look absolutely regal, but we owners pay the price by mopping up hair every other day.

I guess for everything that's really worthwhile in life there is a price to be paid and a little sweat involved. As in everything else that he created on this earth, God knew what he was doing. Once you own one of these sweet tempered, lovable dogs...well, what's a little mess?!



-Enjoy WorksformeWednesday hosted by WeAreThatFamily