Bake Up a Storm This Christmas and New Year 2022!

Plan on indulging in a sweet treat this Christmas?
Or do plan on making a sweet treat this Christmas or New Year’s Eve?

Well, you’re in luck, thanks to some amatuer and popular T.V. chefs
you can have your brownies (low-cal of course) and eat them too.

The Hacks For Your Favorite Sweets:

a) Whipped Cream-
You place the whip cream on a slice of pie or cobbler, but it always
looks flat. The simple hack: Whip the cream into soft peaks, then
beat in some Greek yogurt (about 1/4 cup per cup of cream).
The yogurt helps stabilize the cream so it stays perfectly creamy
for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

b) Frosting-
If you’re favorite part of the cake is the frosting, but not all of those calories,
the simple hack to get rid of some of the calories: Use avocados.
Popularized by Football great Tom Brady, (using avocado in place of
cream and unhealthy fats) T.V. chef Alton Brown also uses avocados.
To make: Beat 2 pitted, peeled avocados and 2 tsp. of lemon juice until
light and fluffy, about 2 mins. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup of dark honey
and 1/2 cup of cocoa powder until smooth and creamy. Use a spatula
or pastry bag to spread the frosting on a cake or cupcakes.

c) Apple Pie-
If you plan on making an apple pie this Christmas and don’t want it to collapse
when cutting into it, use this hack: Get out the skillet, cook half of the apple filling
over medium heat for 10 mins; stir in the remaining filling, then let cool and pour
into the crust. Precooking some of the apples removes the excess moisture
that causes that soggy crust.

d) Hot Cocoa-
Have some hot cocoa with that apple pie or choc. cake with Choc. frosting
and this cocoa trick from T.V. chef Rachael Ray is much lower in calories.
The simple hack: In a pot over medium heat, combine 1 cup of coconut
water, and 1 oz. of dark choc. almond bar, (chopped )
Allow the choc. bar to melt. Add 1 Tbs. of unsweetened cocoa powder;
stir until simmering. Divide mixture among 4 mugs and top with mini-
marshmallows (optional).

e) Powdered Sugar-
Need confectioner’s sugar and aren’t able to go out and get some?
Use this hack: Combine regular sugar with a small amount of cornstarch
(about 1 Tbs.) per cup of sugar. Place in a food processor or blender and
blend until light and fluffy (about a min. or two).

f) Cheesecake-
Some find it too daunting to make at home, and just rather buy one,
but if you’re game and want to make the “perfect” cheesecake, use
this hack: Don’t bake your cheesecake in a small bath, why?
The water leaks into the springform pans. The better option:
Buy a turkey bag, and lay the bag in a roasting pan, place the springform
pan inside, leave the bag unsealed and pour water into the roasting pan. The
bag acts like a barrier to the water, leaving you with a creamier and less
watery cheesecake.

g) A Tip From Dr. Oz’s Daughter-
You may know her as Daphne Oz, and her tip for lower calorie brownies
are vegetables. Her hack: Puree a 15 oz. can of black beans* and 1 cup
of mashed sweet potatoes in a blender; pour into a bowl, and stir
in 2 Tbs. of melted butter, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup of cocoa powder and 1/2 tsp. of
baking soda and 1 tsp. of salt. In a bowl, whisk 1/2 cup of choc. chips
and 1/3 cup of hot black coffee until melted. Mix into the batter and
pour into a large greased pan or 12 muffin tins, bake at 350*F for 8 to 10 mins.
Stick a knife into the center and if it comes out clean, they’re done.
* Rinse the black beans a few times to remove the salt.

h) A Quick Breakfast-
No time to prepare an elaborate breakfast on Christmas or New Year’s day?
Use this hack: Turn oven to 350*F.
Get out a casserole dish, spray it with Pam or run a stick of
butter on the bottom and sides. Place bread in the casserole dish.
In a bowl, whisk 1 dozen eggs, (use fewer eggs if there are only 2 or 3 people)
pour over the bread. The last step: swirl in some jam, (strawberry, blackberry
or mixed berry, Bake at 350 Degrees for 35 to 40 mins. or until lightly browned.
Remove from the oven and serve hot, add a few slivers of dark choc. or whipped
cream. Simple hack to cooking a Christmas day favorite: French Toast!

That’s it- a simple guide to making some of your favorite sweet treats.

Good Luck, Good Eating and Good Health!

Sources:
* Alton Brown, Food Network Chef and Author
* Rachael Ray, Food Network star and cookbook author
* Daphne Oz,- T.V. personality and cookbook author
* America’s Test Kitchen
* A Taste of Home, The Magazine
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

One last reminder to all of the last minute shoppers,
If you haven’t bought your Christmas gifts yet and need some tips on
how to navigate the stores, coupons and apps, go to the top of this
blog and click on the buy button.
Download the 1st E-Doc you see, The Procrastinator’s Guide To Last-Minute Shopping.
Spend $100 or Less.
Also go to Amazon.com/the kindle store and find the same E-book, under the same title.
Thank-You!