Sugar Free Chocolate Covered Cherries

This past holiday season my poor husband was really missing some of his favorite holiday treats, such as chocolate covered cherries.  Since being diagnosed with diabetes, he has had to abstain from such sugary fare as you see throughout the holidays.  I was moved with compassion for him and truly wanted him to enjoy holiday treats like everyone else, especially his beloved chocolate covered cherries.  My first attempt was no good and ended up in the garbage.  This second attempt worked beautifully and my darling husband is very pleased with the final result!  So without further delay, here's the recipe!  Video Tutorial for this recipe.

Ingredients:
1 Package of Frozen Cherries (you will only use about half)
1 Package of Hershey's Sugar Free Chocolate Chips
1 Can of No Sugar Added Cherry Pie Filling (you will only use about 1/4 of this but it can be stored in the freezer for future use)
1 Tbs of Shortening
1 Cup Splenda
Mini Baking cups

Directions:
Puree the Cherry Pie Filling in the blender or food processor and mix in the Splenda, set aside.  Melt the chocolate chips with the shortening for 1 minute and then in 30 second increments until completely melted.  Stir after every heating period.  Place 16 of the baking cups onto a cookie sheet or on a shallow baking pan.  Spoon a small amount of the chocolate into each baking cup and use the back of the spoon to work the chocolate all the way up the side of the baking cup.  Put in freezer until chocolate is set.  Remove from freezer and place one cherry in each chocolate lined baking cup.  Spoon a small amount of the pureed cherry pie filling in with the cherry.  Put back in freezer for 15 minutes.  This makes the next step a little easier.  Remove from the freezer.  You may need to re-melt the chocolate for 30 seconds to a minute in the microwave.  Spoon enough chocolate on the top of the cherry and filling to cover completely and make sure the chocolate topping reaches all the way to the chocolate coating on the sides of the baking cups.  Place in fridge until the chocolate is set.  You can now place them in a zip lock bag or other container to store.  I recommend storing them in the fridge due to the nature of the ingredients in the filling.

Sugar Free Chocolate Delight

My husband was recently diagnosed with diabetes.  Because of that we have learned  A LOT about what foods spike his sugar levels and which don't.  Through much experimenting I have developed some dessert recipes that satisfy his sweet tooth but don't elevate his blood sugar.  They are simple, delicious and satisfying.  I dare you to serve them to your friends and family and see if they even notice the difference! Video Tutorial for this recipe.

Ingredients:
1 Package of Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding
1 8 oz container of Sugar Free Cool Whip
2 cups of cold Milk
4 oz of Cream Cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup of no calorie sweetener such as Splenda
1/2 package of Sugar Free Creme Sandwich Cookies
2 Tbs of Butter
1/2 cup Chopped Pecans - optional

To crush the cookies you can use a food processor or put them in a ziplock bag and pound them with the back of a spoon or with a rolling pin.  Crush the cookies and mix with the butter then pat into the bottom of a small casserole dish.  Mix the softened cream cheese with the Splenda and half of the container of cool whip and carefully spread over the cookie crust.  Mix the milk and pudding together with a hand mixer or wire whisk for 2 minutes and pour over the cream cheese mixture.  Refridgerate for 15 minutes then spread the rest of the cool whip over the pudding layer.  Sprinkle with chopped pecans if desired.

Triple Threat Chocolate Cheesecake

The mothers of boys out there will understand my plight with trying to stay connected to my two sons as they're growing older.  It seems like it gets harder every year to find common ground with them that lends to quality time spent with them as well.  My oldest son Daniel, who is now 22, shares my passion for cheesecake and together we've discovered a common interest in the television show Duck Dynasty.  Daniel was ready to reach beyond our comfort zone of plain cheesecake and into the wonderful world of flavored cheesecakes.  I searched many recipes and decided to try my hand at a chocolate Cheesecake.  I developed a recipe that I thought Daniel would enjoy and made it for his birthday.  Since he also wanted a Triple Threat Duck Call from Duck Commander for his birthday it occurred to me to bring our two shared interests together and name this cheesecake the "Triple Threat Chocolate Cheesecake" due to its three chocolaty layers. I just had the pleasure of teaching his beautiful fiance how to make this dessert for him. In some way I feel like every time she makes it for him, I'll be there with them. Thank you Duck Dynasty for inspiring wonderful time spent with my son, a delicious treat and a new family tradition!  So without further suspense, here is the recipe for the most decadent cheesecake you will ever eat!

Crust:
1/2 Box of Chocolate Graham Crackers
2 tbsp Sugar
1 1/2 sticks of Sweet Cream Salted Butter melted

Filling:
3 - Blocks of Cream Cheese at room temperature
3/4 cup of Sugar
4oz of Semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Topping:
1 block Cream Cheese at room temperature
3 oz Semi-sweet chocolate chips
8 oz container of Cool whip

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°.  Crush graham crackers in food processor and mix with melted butter and sugar.  Press into a 9 inch spring form pan and place in oven while you're mixing the filling.
To make the filling, melt the 4 oz of chocolate chips in the microwave.  Cream together the cream cheese and sugar together and mix in the melted chocolate and vanilla.  Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each one.  Remove the crust from the oven and pour the filling on top.  Bake for 45 minutes or until filling is set.  Let cool for 10 minutes.  Run a knife around the inside of the pan and remove outer ring of spring form pan.  Refrigerate cake until completely cool. 
For the topping, melt 3 oz of chocolate in microwave.  Cream the cream cheese with mixer and add melted chocolate.  Mix in the cool whip then spread over cooled cake. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Gammy's Fudge Candy

This is my Grandmother's (Gammy as we called her) recipe.  She is the beautiful lady pictured above holding my mother.  She perfected this recipes over the years and was her favorite home made gift to give during the Holidays. It was also everyone's favorite gift to receive from her! That included me as well. One of my fondest holiday traditions is this fudge.  As I grew into womanhood I learned to make this fudge and carried her loving torch in gifting it to others.  It quickly became famous in my little circle of friends.  There are people I haven't seen all year or in years who still contact me at Christmas to know if they are getting their annual batch of fudge.  I like to think there is some Gammy, some of that beautiful loving woman inside of me.  At least I know I have her fudge making abilities!

Ingredients:
3 cups of Sugar
1/2 cup of Powder Cocoa (the kind you bake with)
1 cup of Evaporated Milk (regular milk will do if that's all you have on hand)
1/4 cup (1/2 a stick) of butter or margerine
4 tablespoons of Corn Syrup
Pinch of Salt

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a heavy, large saucepan.  Cook over medium heat until the mixture reaches a soft ball consistency (235° - 240°).  Remove from heat.   Add 1 cup of chopped nuts if desired.  Stir until it cools a bit and starts to get a little stiff.  Either pour it into a buttered dish or drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper.  Let cool completely before storing it in containers.

Useful Tips:
If you are a novice at making candy you should buy a good candy thermometer. This will help ensure you take your candy off the fire at the appropriate stage and that your candy will set properly.  If you are unsure about whether the candy has cooled enough but not too much to be dropped by spoonful, then pouring it into a buttered dish is much easier.  The candy doesn't have to cool as long to be poured and doesn't require as much accuracy in knowing the "feel" of your fudge.  If the candy has set too much and is too stiff to be poured or dropped, add a little milk to the pot and return it to a medium fire until its liquid again and then remove from the fire and stir again until the consistency is a bit stiff again.

Now for the best part, PICTURES!

Louisiana Pecan Pie Bars

Anything and everything pecan pie related is a staple in Louisiana cuisine.  We are more than a little obsessed with our pecans!  Pecans trees grow wonderfully and almost wild down here and are always plentiful.  Because of the time of year that the pecans mature, you find them utilized in fall and Holiday recipes quite often.  This is one of my favorite dessert recipes using pecans.  It showcases their flavor so well.
Ingredients:
Crust-
2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 cup Butter Flavor Shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
Mix all ingredients together with a Mixer or Pastry Blender until dough resembles coarse crumbles.  Press into the bottom of a 10 Inch x 13 Inch Pan.  If you are having difficulty pressing the dough into the pan because it is sticking to your fingers, just sprinkle a little flour onto your hands and onto the dough and it should be much easier.  Bake in a 350° oven for 20 minutes.
Filling-
1 1/2 Cups of Corn Syrup
4  Eggs
1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar
1/4 cup of melted Margarine or Butter
1 teaspoon of  Pure Vanilla Extract
2 1/2 cups of chopped Peacans
Mix all ingredients together except pecans on high speed for 2 minutes.  Add pecans and stir well.  Pour mixture over hot crust and bake an additional 30 minutes.  Let cool then cut and serve.  Goes wonderfully with icecream.  Makes 20 - 30 servings depending on how small you slice it into servings.  Enjoy!