100th Post Giveaway! Low Fat Ice Cream and Brownie Pie

Well it took long enough! Didn't it? I finally hit 100 posts and I am finally having my first giveaway!

I have two obsessions. Well three. Food, diets and organizing. You already know about my food and diet stuff, but ever since I can remember I have loved paper. I am obsessed with paper, calendars, lists, planners, stamps, labels, containers...you get the picture. In my perfect world everything has a place and a label on it!

But as we all know, the world is not perfect. I struggle to stay on top of clutter, but I never lose hope that one day, I'll have my house back. At the moment it has been hijacked by 3 messy children who, like clockwork, drop their coats and backpacks on the floor everyday at 4 pm. Instead of organizing, I am just trying to stay on top of the mountains of laundry and keeping my 2 year old from mortal harm.

So for now, I am just going to have to settle for being the Queen of the Calendar. This is do-able for me.

I found this great calendar system that sticks right onto any flat surface. It is used like a wipe board with a dry erase marker (included), but it is vinyl so it is very thin and looks like it is part of the wall or refrigerator. It comes with the calendar, a to do list and a contacts list for important phone numbers to have on hand.

Here are the details:

Stay organized with these calendar wall stickers. In brown.

• Calendar, to do list and contact list offer customized use.
• Dry-erase design lends reusable style.
• Self-adhesive vinyl construction clings to the wall like a decal, so you can remove and reposition without harming your paint.
• Details:
  • 14"H x 26 1/2"W
  • Horizontal display
  • Includes: 3 stickers & dry erase marker
  • Vinyl
  • By Die Cuts With A View
    

Here is my calendar:

I like how it has 6 weeks on one calendar.

This is how I give my husband subtle hints!

Right now I have this calendar set up for the family, but I may use it for something else like my dieting obsession. I'll let you know when I get it all sorted out.

ANYWAY..........

I am giving away one of these calendar systems to one lucky reader!

Here is how you enter:

• 1 entry: Leave a comment and tell me your obsession!
• Extra entry: Become a follower of Cheat Day Cafe and leave a separate comment telling me that you are a follower.
• Extra entry: Share this giveaway on your blog. Leave a separate comment with blog address.
• Extra entry: Grab one of my cute "Cheater" buttons to put on your blog. Leave separate comment with your blog address.
  
• Extra entry: Share this giveaway on Facebook.
  

1. You must be 18 or older to enter.
2. You must live in the continental US.
3. You don't need to be a blogger to enter. Just leave an anonymous comment but be sure to leave me your email address so I can contact you if you are the winner. :)

I will choose a reader by random draw on Thursday, March 4th.

Now for the refreshments:

This is so easy and good. How could it not be?

Low Fat Ice Cream Brownie Pie

Ingredients:

1 boxed low fat brownie mix
1 half gallon of 1/2 fat ice cream (I like Edy's or Dryers)
hot fudge or chocolate syrup

Directions:

1.Make brownies according to package.

2. Spray springform pan or just use a 9x13 or 8x8 dish. Add brownie batter and bake according to box direction. Let cool completely in pan.

3. Let ice cream sit on counter for 10 minutes or so to soften. Spoon ice cream onto cooked brownie. Use a knife to loosen edge of brownie from around the springform pan.

4. Drizzle fudge or chocolate sauce on top. Place in freezer for at least 4 hours.

5. Open springform pan and cut. Use thin spatula to lift servings.

Good luck everyone and thanks for reading!!!!

Walnut Crunch Pumpkin Pie

This is a yummy variation to the traditional Libby's pumpkin pie recipe. The walnuts and brown sugar give it a nice flavor and a different texture.

I wish I could have cut the pie and had a picture of the inside, but it wasn't mine to cut. I made it for the teachers at my kid's school. The hospitality committee makes a Thanksgiving dinner for the teachers during parent teacher conferences and I brought desserts. Nice huh?

So go ahead...give it a try! Mix things up a little this year!


Walnut Crunch Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

• 1 9-inch deep-dish pie shell, unbaked
• 1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 425° F.

COMBINE walnuts and brown sugar in small bowl. Place 3/4 cup nut-sugar mixture on bottom of pie shell. Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, granulated sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice and salt in medium bowl; mix well. Pour into pie shell.

BAKE for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F.; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

COMBINE butter and remaining nut-sugar mixture; stir until moistened. Sprinkle over cooled pie. Broil about 5 inches from heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbly. Cool before serving.

Be sure to visit my review blog, Cheat Day News and Reviews, for my review of Pepperidge Farm New Petite Treats and the recipe for my guilt free, deconstructed apple pie. Leave a comment for your chance to win a $150 spa gift card!

Fresh Peach No-Bake Cheesecake

Guess what I did today for the first time. I bottled 17 quarts of peaches! I am so proud of myself. The peaches were from a patient at work. He brought in 2 big boxes full. Everyone took what they wanted and when nobody wanted anymore....I took the rest. I picked up a canner at a yard sale this summer with all the accessories for $5. So now I had no excuses. I woke up on this Labor Day and labored!

So far so good. It looks like they all sealed and they look great. I saved a few peaches to make this yummy cheesecake. It tastes like good old peaches and cream. Simply delicious.

Fresh Peach No-Bake Cheesecake

1 reduced fat graham cracker crust

11 ounces of 1/3 fat cream cheese (room temp)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 (8 0z.) container light whipped topping

Fresh peaches

sugar or Splenda

Cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar in medium sized bowl. Fold in whipped topping. Put mixture into a ready made graham cracker crust. Refrigerate.

When ready to serve cut peaches and add 1 TBSP sugar or Spenda. Slightly mash the peaches and spread over pie or already cut slices.

This can of course be served with whatever topping you choose.

South Dakota

As if that is your real name.......

Yes, South Dakota is the real name of this amazing simple yet unforgettable dessert. The only reason I can think of for this ridiculous name is that it reminded someone of the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Now I've got that song stuck in my head from Doris Day's movie Calamity Jane. I am a big fan of classic movies and musicals and this is one of my favorites. Enjoy this little tribute:


Funny name aside, this is an all time favorite dessert of my growing up years and now. I remember helping my mom in the kitchen, breaking up the angel food cake and sneaking a few morsels here and there. Ahhhh, memories.....

I better stop now before I post a video from "Cats!" Enjoy!

South Dakota

1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

3T. sugar

2 T. water

4 eggs

1 c. heavy cream

1 large angel food cake

Melt chocolate chips, sugar and water on low heat and let cool. Add four egg yolks, one at a time and beat well after each addition. If you are afraid of using raw egg yolks, this step can be omitted. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture. Whip cream and also fold into chocolate mixture.

Break angel food cake into medium sized peices and spread 1/2 in 9 x 13 dish.

Spoon 1/2 of the chocolate mixture over 1st layer.

Top with remaining angel food cake peices and pour remaining chocolate over top.

Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Can be cut into squares or made individually in parfait glasses.

Low-Fat Lemon and Strawberry Supreme

This little concoction is something I made up from two past recipes that I shared. The cake part I decided to tweak a little from my recipe for Sugar Free Jell-O Cupcakes and the cream part is my recipe for Fruit Dip. This was such a refreshing little dessert. The kids and my husband loved it.

Here is what you need for the "cakey"
(my son came up with this term for the cookie with a cake texture)

1 box lemon cake mix
6 oz. lemon sugar free Jell-O (prepare the whole box according to box directions, but just use 6 oz. of the lemon jell-o liquid for the recipe)
2 egg whites (whisked together)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix together with hand mixer until fully incorporated.
Spray cookie sheet with non stick spray and spoon batter on sheet by heaping spoonfuls. Shape the cakey on the sheet with the bottom of a spoon so the top is smooth. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-7 minutes. Watch carefully since all ovens cook differently. The cakey is done when it is completely set. Let cool on sheet for a few minutes and then remove, using a thin spatula, onto a cooling rack.

For the Cream:

1 8 oz. container of fat free or light whipped topping
1-2 containers of fat free or light mixed berry yogurt (or your favorite flavor)

Mix together to your liking and then chill.

To assemble:

Just put one cakey on a plate, top with cream, put another cakey on top and spoon fresh berries over the whole yummy dessert.


Each cakey is about 85 calories. If you want to cut your calories, just leave the top cakey off. Calculate the calories in your cream mixture to determine the total calories.

Hope you give this a try!

Incredibly Impressive Ice Cream Pie

Mmmmmm.......Ice cream pie!

Need I say more? Not really, but I will anyway.

This is one of my mom's signature desserts. You know...the one that us kids would ask for on our birthdays, when company came over, for Christmas dinner or pretty much any occasion that called for a special dessert.

I loved when she made this at Christmastime with peppermint stick ice cream on top and chocolate on the bottom. It was so pretty and festive for the holidays.

You know....I never liked fruit pies growing up and I think that this Ice Cream Pie is the reason. In my book, ice cream trumps fruit any day of the week!

Do you have a "signature" dessert or other type of food that you are known for? I'd love to know! In the mean time......I give you:

Ice Cream Pie (Makes 2 pies)

What you will need:

2 chocolate cookie crusts

(2) 1/2 gallons of ice cream (I usually put chocolate on the bottom and a different flavor on top)

1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup whipping cream (not whipped)

Spoon 1/2 the container of chocolate ice cream in each pie crust. You might need to let the ice cream sit on the counter 5 minutes or so until it is soft before you scoop it into the crust. Put pies into the freezer to harden.

While pies are in the freezer make your chocolate sauce by putting your chocolate chips and whipping cream in a heavy sauce pan. Melt the chocolate until smooth and then let mixture cool to room temp.

Take pies out of the freezer and drizzle chocolate sauce over the 1st ice cream layer. Place back into the freezer to harden chocolate sauce.

When sauce is hardened, remove pies from freezer and spoon 2nd flavor of ice cream on top. I like to mound it more in the center so that it is kind of "dome" like. Drizzle with remaining chocolate sauce. Place in freezer to harden.


When hardened you can put it in a large Ziplock freezer bag to store. Your second pie can keep really well in the freezer until you need it. (if it lasts that long)

This time I put cookies and cream on my first pie and Moose Tracks on my second pie. I had some Reese's Peanut Butter Cups on hand so I chopped them up and put them between the layers and on top of the Moose Tracks pie. It was delicious!

From my family to yours.....I hope you like it as much a we do!

Kid's Corner: Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Do you want to boost your child's self confidence and help them feel proud of an accomplishment? Let them make cake!

THIS CAKE!

Kenna made this cake, from start to finish, with verbal direction from me. She was so proud of her creation and couldn't wait for us to try it!

It was delicious and we let her know it!!!!! She was beaming inside and we had such a good night with her. She was so helpful and even lightened up on teasing her brother. Now that is a miracle!

It is amazing what a little praise and success can do for a child.

Here is the recipe for success:

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

24 Ice Cream Sandwiches (can use reduced fat, or mint)

12 oz. whipped topping (used light)

Your favorite chocolate sauce

Here is the step by step:

Get those ice cream sandwiches out of their wrappers!

Layer 1/2 of the sandwiches in glass 9 x 13 dish.


Top with 1/2" of whipped topping

Repeat layers.

Drizzle top layer with chocolate sauce.

Freeze until ready to serve.

Note: You can add toffee chips, chopped peanut butter cups or whatever your heart desires on the whipped topping layer. This is a great time to teach creativity and self expression!

This dessert serves 12

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

I wanted to revisit a past post of mine and make a variation. I had a yellow cake mix and pumpkin pie filling in my pantry so I decided to give this a try:



Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (makes 24 muffins)

1 box yellow cake mix
15 oz. canned pumpkin pie filling (not pumpkin puree)
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Put cake mix in a mixing bowl and break up clumps with a fork. Add pumpkin and mix until it is all incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups 1/2 full and place in 350 degree oven for 12 minutes.

I got the idea to drizzle these from Reeni at Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice. Just melt some semi sweet chocolate chips in a plastic baggie, cut off the tip and drizzle over the muffins.


I think I may have a "drizzling" problem. I want to drizzle everything with chocolate!

Chocolate Covered Caramel Pretzel Rods

Awwwww yeah! Perfection!

I have been visualizing how to make the perfect chocolate covered caramel pretzel rods since the pretzel rod disaster of '08.

I was all ready to make some of these babies as Christmas gifts for friends and neighbors when I hit a major road block. The caramel I bought and melted became as hard a rock after it cooled on the pretzel rod. I couldn't have my friends and neighbors breaking their teeth on my gift! So I scrapped the project and made them cookies instead.

Ever since that fateful day, I have been going over my mistake. Store bought caramel! So I've been waiting for my opportunity to make these again to redeem myself.

I recently had a luncheon at church to show appreciation for all the teachers who teach the children each Sunday. I gave a little talk about how our teachers are like shepherds for these little lambs and how we can love them as the Good Shepherd has shown love to us. I made the pretzel rods to give to the teachers to represent a shepherd's rod.

Now, did I plan the gift around the lesson or the lesson around the gift. You decide!

Anyway, it turned out great and I wanted to share my caramel recipe so no one has to go through a caramel debacle!




Chocolate Covered Caramel Pretzel Rods

Things to get:
Pretzel rods (recipe makes about 50!)
Whole package of Chocolate candy quick (found at Wal-Mart) or 2-3 bags of chocolate candy melts
Vanilla candy melts to drizzle (optional)
Caramel ingredients

First make a batch of caramel:

1c. Karo syrup
1c. Brown sugar
1c. White sugar
1 stick of butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk


Put first 5 ingredients in a large sauce pan over medium heat and stir until melted and combined. Bring to a boil and stir for five minutes. Be careful to keep stirring so that it doesn't start to burn on the bottom of the pan. Take caramel off the burner after 5 minutes.

Put the hot caramel in a deep container. I used my Pyrex 4 cup measuring cup.

Prepare a couple cookie sheets lined with wax paper and spray the paper with PAM or coat with a thin layer of softened butter so caramel won't stick.

Dip pretzel rod in caramel, about 3/4 of the way and let it drip off any excess caramel. Then lay the rod on the cookie sheet.

Repeat with remaining pretzels.

Put cookie sheets in the fridge to help set up caramel.

Once caramel is set, lift up each pretzel rod off the wax paper and mold caramel around the rod since it will puddle on the sides as it cools.

Prepare the cookie sheets again with new pieces of wax paper. No PAM or butter needed this time.

Melt chocolate in a deep container and dip caramel covered pretzel rods.

Place chocolate covered pretzel rods on cookie sheets and place in fridge to set up.

In a zip lock baggie, melt the vanilla candy melts in the microwave. When completely melted, cut a tiny hole in the corner and drizzle the chocolate on the rods.

Place back into the fridge to set up.

Tip: I ran out of pretzel rods before I ran out of caramel and chocolate. So I put the caramel in a greased glass 8x8 and made some yummy soft caramel squares. I also put some dry roasted peanuts in the leftover melted chocolate and spooned in out on wax paper for some yummy peanut clusters. I'm just like the Indians. I don't let anything go to waste. Especially chocolate!


Well, I hope these turn out for you. They are a lot of work but so very worth it! Enjoy!