Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes

I may spend the majority of my time in the kitchen figuring out how to pack lots of vegetables, whole grains, and legumes into a simple yet flavorful dinner, but I can’t pretend that packaged food never makes an appearance in our house. There’s just something about Oreos I can’t resist, even though I know they’re full of junk.
I swear I’m not trying to make all the cupcakes out of Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes, but lately every recipe that’s jumped out at me as I scroll through dozens of food blogs happens to be from that book.
These are awesome, and if you’re at all hesitant about making cheesecakes this is a great place to start, because you get all the good qualities of a cheesecake without having to worry about cracking or water baths or springform pans. They’re easy to put together, and the hardest part is definitely waiting the four hours they need to chill (but you can speed that up by putting them in the freezer for some of the time).

Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 22 Oreos: 16 left whole, and 6 coarsely chopped
• 2 8-oz packages cream cheese, at room temperature (Neufchatel is fine)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 275 F.
2. Line 12 standard muffin tins and 4 ramekins (or 16 muffin tins, if you have them) with paper liners.
3. Place 1 whole Oreo in the bottom of each lined cup.
4. Beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium. Gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla.
5. Pour in the beaten eggs, a little at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
6. Beat in the sour cream and salt.
7. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared tins, filling each almost to the top.
9. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, 22-25 minutes.
10. Cool in the pans for about 15 minutes, on a wire rack, then transfer to a plate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

(adapted from 52 Cupcakes, originally from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes)

http://catesworldkitchen.com/2010/01/oreo-cheesecake-cupcakes/

Strawberries ‘n’ Cream Trifle

So this beautiful weather is making me crave summer foods (OK…I know it’s only in the 60’s, but that is warm after a LONG Michigan winter!) One of my favorite desserts/snacks in the spring/summer time is my strawberry trifle! It is so easy to make, (it literally takes about 10 minutes to prepare) and it ends up looking like you spent hours making it! I like to bring it to parties/get together’s, and it always gets rave reviews and is gone in minutes!


You can vary the recipe in so many ways by using different berries or pudding flavors.  You could try adding your favorite combination of flavors, like blueberries with lemon pudding, or strawberries with cheesecake pudding (and you could even garnish with graham cracker crumbs!)  I made a gingerbread/pumpkin version of this trifle for our Christmas party this year, and it was gone before any of the cookies or pies were even touched! (And little did everyone know, it was much healthier!)  So try this recipe the next time you are entertaining, or just want a light creamy dessert!

Ingredients

• 1 Package  Sugar Free/Fat Free instant vanilla pudding mix (You could also try cheesecake/white chocolate/or lemon sugar free pudding instead of vanilla. You can also use regular pudding, but it will add more sugar/calories to the dish)
• 3 Cups fat free cold milk
• 1 Angel food cake, cut into 1 inch cubes (you could even buy a sugar free angel food cake if you are sensitive to sugar, but I find that the real thing tastes better in this dish!)
• 1 (16 ounce) package fresh strawberries, sliced lengthwise (or frozen strawberries, thawed and sliced lengthwise)
• 1 (12 ounce) container light frozen whipped topping, thawed
• *Optional: Dark chocolate shavings to garnish the top!

Method

1. Prepare pudding with milk according to package directions.
2. To the pudding mixture, add half of the cool whip. (Set the rest of the cool whip aside to garnish on top of each trifle).
3. Make layers in clear glass cups (or in a trifle dish/big glass bowl if you prefer) starting with the angel food cake, pudding/cool whip mix, and strawberries.
4. Repeat until the cups (or trifle dish/bowl) are full.
5. Garnish with the left over whipped topping, a few strawberries, and chocolate shavings (if you desire!)
6. Cover and chill in refrigerator at least 4 hours before serving. (I find overnight works best to get all the flavors married!)

Enjoy! 

Servings:10 (1 cup servings)

Calories:135 per serving
Weight Watchers Points Plus Value: 5 Per Serving

LINK

Cookies & Cream Milkshake (118 Calories)

Ingredients

1 cup reduced-fat (1%) milk or ½ cup fat-free and ½ cup reduced-fat 2%
2½ reduced-fat Oreo cookies
1 tablespoon instant vanilla pudding (dry mix)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 package Splenda or Equal
1½ cups ice cubes

Directions

1. Add all the ingredients in a blender. Blend on high until smooth. Add a few more ice cubes if the shake isn’t thick enough.
2. Serve at once.
Makes 2 (1 cup) servings

for 1 serving
118 calories, 2.5g fat, 3g protein, 20g carbs, 0g fiber, 181mg sodium, 8g sugar

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/517684-skinny-oreo-cookies-and-cream-milkshake

No Bake Oreo Truffles

The best part about this recipe...

It only has 3 INGREDIENTS!

OREO TRUFFLES

• 1 package Double Stuffed Oreos
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened (you can use up to 8 oz., I just like this consistency better)
• Dipping chocolate

Chop Oreos up finely in a food processor.  Save some of the finely crushed Oreos for garnish later and set it aside.  You don't need too much.

With hands (or a spoon, I just think hands are faster), mash softened cream cheese and crushed Oreos until well combined.

Roll into 1" balls and place on a wax covered cookie sheet. Put in freezer for 15 minutes.

While balls are in freezer, melt chocolate according to directions.

Pull the Oreo Truffles out of freezer, and dip into chocolate.  Garnish with reserved Oreo crumbs before the chocolate sets up.

Let chocolate set, refrigerate and enjoy!

Linking up to these parties and here


For those that were wondering what kind of chocolate I used, Here is a picture of mine.  I used about half of the package.  I followed the microwave instructions.  I used a small but tall bowl to dip them in so that the entire truffle can get covered and carefully lifted it out with a fork, you can use skewers as well or a toothpick.  It is ideal to cover them in chocolate when they have sat in the freezer for 15 minutes, the chocolate will stick to them better if they have done so.

I hope that helps, email me at chefintraining.recipes@gmail.com if you have any questions!

http://www.chef-in-training.com/2010/03/oreo-pops.html

No Bake Cake Batter Truffles Take 2

No Bake Cake Batter Truffles

CAKE BATTER TRUFFLES

Recipe from: The Girl Who Ate Everything

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 cup yellow cake mix
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3-4 Tablespoons milk
• 2 Tablespoons sprinkles

Truffle Coating:

• 16 ounces (8 squares) almond bark (or white candy melts)
• 4 Tablespoons yellow cake mix
• sprinkles


Beat together butter and sugar using an electric mixer until combined. Blend in vanilla.  Add cake mix, flour, salt, and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add 3 Tablespoons of milk or more if needed to make a dough consistency. Mix in sprinkles by hand. Roll dough into one inch balls and place on a parchment or wax paper lined cookie sheet. Chill balls in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up.


While dough balls are chilling, melt almond bark in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Stir between intervals. Once melted, quickly stir in cake mix until incorporated completely. Using a fork, dip truffles into almond bark and shake of excess bark by tapping the bottom of the fork on the side of your bowl. Place truffle back on the cookie sheet and top with sprinkles. Repeat with remaining balls until finished. {Note: for smoother looking truffles, don't add cake mix to melted chocolate, just leave it by itself}

Chill cake batter truffles in the refrigerator until serving. Makes around 24-30 truffles.

Enjoy!

http://www.chef-in-training.com/2011/09/no-bake-cake-batter-truffles-take-2.html