A Guiltless Indulgence 

Created by: Mary Seiffert    

Sugar-free Angel food cake - 1

Strawberries – sliced or quartered

SF Chocolate pudding (1 box) made with skim milk

1.      Rip or cut cake into bite-sized pieces.

2.      Layer it into a large pretty glass bowl, alternating cake/strawberries/pudding and so on.

3.      Refrigerate.

4.      Before serving, top with a few squirts of fat-free whipped cream (the Reddi-Whip type in the can). Dust with granola or Cocoa Krispies if desired.

Empanadas

1/2 C Butter (softened)

3 oz Cream Cheese

1 C Flour (sifted all-purpose)

1 C Fruit Preserves

1/3 C White Sugar

1 tsp Cinnamon (ground)

DAY BEFORE:  Cream butter and cream cheese together until smoothly blended.  Beat in the flour.  Shape dough into a smooth ball.  Wrap in foil or Cling Wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to a week.

AT BAKING TIME:  Remove dough from refrigerator 30 minutes before using.  Start heating oven to 375 degrees.

Roll chilled dough thin. Cut with 3 or 4 inch round cookie cutter.  Place small spoonfuls of jam in center of each round, moisten edges with water.

Fold round over and press edges together.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 15-20 minutes and immediately roll in sugar mixed with cinnamon (traditional) or confectioners sugar if preferred.

Energy Bars

1/2 c peanut butter

1 bag mini marshmallows

1/4 c butter

4 c cereal (Special K, or other favorite healthy crunchy cereal-can blend a

couple of different kinds together)

1/2 c mixed nuts or peanuts

1/2 c golden raisins

1/4 c dark chocolate chips

In double boiler, melt the butter & marshmallows. Add the peanut butter &

stir til smooth. Remove from heat & in large bowl, pour in the cereal, nuts

& raisins. Stir in the melted mixture 'til well coated. Add chips, stir

again & press mixture into either a buttered 9x13 pan or a pan lined with

waxed paper. Chill in fridge before cutting & serving.

Mini Cheese Cakes

1 8oz pkg of Cream Cheese

1 Egg

1 tsp Vanilla

1/4 C Sugar

1 C Pecans (ground)

1/3 of a stick of Butter (melted)

3 TBS Sugar

1 can Pie Filling

Spray mini muffin pan if needed with non stick cooking spray.  Blend cream cheese, egg, 1/4 C sugar, and vanilla.  Set aside.

Mix ground nuts with butter and 3 TBS sugar.  Divide between the 12 cups on baking sheet. (About 1/2 tsp each)  Press into bottom of pan and up the sides.  Fill evenly with cream cheese. (1/2 tsp each)

Bake 14 minutes at 375 and let cool about 20 minutes on rack.  Gently remove cakes from pan.  Place on desired topping and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Freezes well without the topping.

Note: Best cooked 350 degrees for 10 minutes in some ovens.

Raisin Spice Bars

From Maggie Stende

Bars:

3/4 C Sugar

1/2 C Shortening

1 Egg

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Cloves

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Vanilla

1 3/4 C Flour

3/4 tsp Soda

3/4 C Raisins

Cook raisins in 1 cup water and boil down to 1/2 cup water.  Drain, saving the 1/2 cup water.  Dissolve the soda in this water.  Blend all the ingredients together.  Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Icing:

2 C Powdered Sugar

Cream

Vanilla

Sir together and spread over hot bars.

Sugar Cookies

1 C Margarine

1 C Brown Sugar

1 C Granulated Sugar

2 Eggs

3 Cups Flour

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Vanilla

Roll dough into balls and roll each ball in sugar.

Flatten with textured drinking glass.

Bake at 350 on oiled cookie sheet for about 10 minutes.

Thumbprint Cookies

1/4 C Butter or Margarine (softened)

1/4 C Shortening

1/4 C Brown Sugar (packed)

1 Egg (separated)

1/2 tsp Vanilla

1 C All Purpose Flour

1/4 tsp Salt

3/4 C Nuts (finely chopped)

Jelly or Icing

Icing - 2 C Powdered Sugar

2 TBS plus 1 tsp Milk

Mix until smooth. Can be colored with food coloring.

Preheat oven to 350.  Thoroughly mix butter, shortening, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla.  Work in the flour and salt until the dough holds together.  Shape dough by teaspoonful into 1 inch balls.  Beat the egg white slightly.  Dip each ball into egg white and roll in nuts.  Place one inch apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Press thumb deeply into the center of each ball.  Bake for 10 minutes or until light brown.  Remove from baking sheet immediately and cool.  Fill thumbprints with jelly or frosting.