Peanut Butter cookies

This also works really well as a base for an ice cream cake.  WARNING- They are really, really crumbly!

Prep time- 5 minutes

Cooking time- 12-15 minutes

Feeds- makes 24 small cookies, or two loaf pan ice cream cake bases

Number of things that get dirty- 4

bowl

mixer

fork

baking trays

Ingredients

1 c natural peanut butter

1/3 c sugar or sweetener (I use splenda)

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 tbs spoons extra sweetener

parchment paper

Combine all ingredients except for the extra sweetener (and parchment paper).

Drop by teaspoons on parchment lined baking sheets

dip fork into extra sweetener, and use to ppress cookies to about 7mm thick (ish)

Bake 180*C for 12 to 15 minutes.

Almond Flour Cake/muffin base

This is a really bland and sort of heavy cake (or muffin) recipe that is terrible on it's own, but fantastic as a base for all sorts of lower carb desserts.  I add strawberries and cream to make a really easy strawberry shortcake, or just leave of the berries for cupcakes kids can decorate themselves.  You can also add all sorts of things to it like bananas and walnuts, chocolate chips, berries, or lemon juice and cranberry to turn it into fantastic low carb muffins that are great for quick snacks or even for breakfast.

Prep time- 5 minutes

Cooking time 15 minutes ish.  Longer for a cake

Feeds- 12 normal sized muffins or 30 mini muffins

Number of things that get dirty- 3

mixmaster

baking tray

spatula

Ingredients

2 cups almond flour

2 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1/2 cup melted margarine or butter

4 eggs

1/3 c water

1/4-1/2 C sweetener

1tsp vanilla

Combine and bake at 180*C for roughly 15 minutes.  Can be frozen really well and are awesome microwaved for a few seconds.

Ahuva's apple crisp

Prep time- 10
Cooking Time- 30 minutes ish
Feeds- 10+

Number of things that get dirty- 3
peeler
knife or food processor
oven safe bakeware

Ingredients
8 or more apples
2/3 c sugar
2/3 brown sugar
2/3 c margarine
2 c flour

combine everything except the apples into a bowl or ziploc bag until you get a crumbly mixture
peel and slice apples into relatively bite sized pieces
place apples in oven safe bakeware or disposable foil pan
cover in crumb mixture

bake until golden brown (roughly 30 minutes) at 180*C (350*F)

Baked Apples

Prep time- 20 minutes or s
Cooking Time- 30 minutes minutes
Feeds as many as you want

Number of things that get dirty- 3
apple corer
apple peeler
oven safe bakeware

Ingredients
apples (1 per person)
margarine
brown sugar
flour
cinnamon

core as many apples as you need
peel the top third of each apple
cut an "x" into the exposed flesh so the apple has room to expand
in a ziploc bag or large brown combine a chunk of margarine and enough flour and brown sugar to make a crumbly mixture.
add a pinch or two of cinnamon
place apples in lightly greased oven safe bakeware
fills holes in apple with mixture
add about an inch of water to the pan around the apples

bake at 180*C (350*F) for about 30-45 minutes, spooning liquid from pan over every 15 minutes.

reheats amazingly well on a hotplate.

The chocolatiest of Brownies

This recipe is very, very rich. A small piece will do it for most people. It is also really dense and gooey.

Prep time- 5 minutes
Cooking Time- 20-30 minutes
Feeds 12 ish. more or less depending on how big you cut the pieces.

Number of things that get dirty- 4
mixing bowl
rubber spatula
electric mixer
9x13 baking tray

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
5 eggs
3/4 cup oil
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips (pareve)

Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips and blend until smooth ish
Sprinkle 1/2 of chocolate chips into the bottom of the pan
pour in batter
sprinkle on remaining chocolate chips

bake at 180 for 20-30 minutes

Auntee Renee's Easy Fruit Cake

Prep time- 7 minutes
Cooking Time- 45-60 minutes
Feeds - at least 8-10

Number of things that get dirty- 3
1 pan or pyrex
mixing bowl
electric beaters

Ingredients
3 eggs
1 C sugar
3/4 C flour
3/4 C oil or apple sauce
1/3 C orange Juice
2 tsp baking powder
1 can pie mix filling (pick your favourite flavour)

mix all ingredients except for the fruit filling
pour into pyrex or baking pan
spoon in globs of fruit filling and cut/swirl filling into cake. Do not break up completely, but break it up so it mixes throughout the cake.

Bake 350* for 45 - 60 minutes until golden brown and firm

Ahuva's chocolate chip Banana Cake

This recipie comes from one of my best friends (funny enough her name happens to be Ahuva- now is that a coincidence or what?

Prep time- 10 minutes
Cooking Time- 35 minutes
Feeds - a bunch, freezes well. Slice and then freeze for a quick single snack. Just pop it in the microwave for a couple minutes and you are good to go.

Number of things that get dirty- 3
electric beaters (you can use a fork but the mixer is just easier)
mixing bowl
large flat pyrex

Ingredients
4 bananas - the browner the better! ( freeze bananas that are too brown to eat and use them for banana cake whenever I get around to making it. There are times where I have a small countries worth of bananas in my freezer)
2 eggs
1/2 C oil OR applesauce
1 C sugar
1 1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
chocolate chips

Blend everything until smooth.
add as many chocolate chips as you deem necessary
pour into pyrex

Bake at 350* for 35 minutes

Mom's Carrot cake

I remember making this cake with my mom when I was little. I used to beg for it on a regular basis.

Prep time- 10 minutes
Cooking Time- 55-60 minutes
Feeds - a bunch, freezes well. Slice and then freeze for a quick single snack. Just pop it in the toaster for a couple minutes and you are good to go. Serve with vanilla ice cream if you want to be fancy. Also doubles well.

Number of things that get dirty- 3
electric beaters (you can use a fork but the mixer is just easier)
mixing bowl
loaf pan

Ingredients

8 oz carrot baby food or carrot puree
1 C sugar
2 eggs
3/4 C oil or apple sauce
1 1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
optional- raisins

blend carrot, sugar and eggs
add oil or apple sauce slowly until smooth
ad remaining dry ingredients and blend until flour disapears
add raisins if desires

pour into greased loaf pan
bake 350* for 55-60 minutes until toothpick comes out mostly clean.

Chocolate Mint Brownies

Ok, this recipe is anything but quick and patchka free, but it is hands down the best dessert on the planet so although I make it incredibly rarely, when I want something really special it comes out of hiding to wow everyone. It is not hard to make, just somewhat time consuming as there are a number of steps.

The nice thing about this recipe is it freezes incredibly well so I triple the recipe whenever I make it, make it in foil pans, and pop the others in the freezer for up to 6 months or so (well sealed).

This is, quite possible the worst possible tihng in the word healthwise, but it is my goto for fancy affairs.

Prep time- 20 minutes spread out an 2 hours
Cooking Time- 25 - 30 minutes +
Feeds 10+

Number of things that get dirty- A lot

Ingredients

Brownie layer
1 C flour
1 C sugar
1/2 C softened butter or margarine
4 eggs
1 1/2 C (16 oz) Chocolate syrup

Mint Layer
2 C powdered sugar
1 C sofened butter or margarine
1 tbs water
3/4 tsp mint extract
3 drops green food colouring

Chocolate topping
6 tbs butter or margarine
1 C semi sweet chocolate chips

Combine all brownie ingredients and beat until smooth
Pour into greased 13" x 9" pan
bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes
Cool

Combine ingredients for mint layer in bowl
cover brownie layer

Combine chocolate topping ingredients over low heat until melted.
pour over mint layer.
cool completely

Can be served frozen, but it is difficult to cut.

Chocolate Pie

This is my "Company's coming for shabbat and I have no time to do anything" dessert.

Prep time- 5 minutes
Cooking Time- 10 minutes ish
Feeds 8+

Number of things that get dirty- 2
one sauce pot
one spatula

optional mixer

Ingredients
Store bought grahm cracker crust
small carton of low fat whip cream
small package of chocolate chips

Pour UNWHIPPED whipping cream into the pot.
Heat slowly
add chocolate chips and mix until smooth and melted
pour into premade crust
pop into fridge for a few hours until solid.

Optional ideas

• add whipped whip cream on top
• add a layer of peanut butter or jam under the chocolate later
• add nuts or crushed wafer to the chocolate layer
• add your favourite extract to the chocolate as it is cooking for mint, vanilla or rum flavoured pie