Where do I begin? Sweet angel food cake? No, that was good, but that’s not the start. Luscious homemade whipped cream? No, as decadent as that was, it’s not the start of the story. The best, best part of this was the strawberry mix – – combing the balsamic and sugar along with the berries enhanced the flavor so much that it was like eating strawberries to the 10th power. It was just wonderful ! When you combined that flavor with the whipped cream and cake, this was just the most perfect dessert. I think it was way better than regular Strawberry Shortcake !
At only 160 calories, there is plenty of room to add some chocolate sauce – I’ll have to try that next time 🙂
Strawberry Shortcake
4 servings
160 calories per serving
4 2 ½ inch thick slices Angel Food Cake (prepared)
1 pint strawberries, sliced
½ T balsamic vinegar
1 T sugar
¼ c heavy cream
¼ t vanilla
Mix berries with vinegar and ½ T sugar and let sit. Combine cream, vanilla and ½ T sugar and beat at high speed until soft peaks form. Top each slice of cake with cream and strawberries.
Even though I make these pops in a Zoku maker, you can make any of these recipes in traditional pop makers – each pop here is 2 oz. so adjust accordingly. And if you love pops like me, then do yourself a favor and get a Zoku 🙂 Their recipes turn out fantastic pops – I often skinny them up a bit, but I mostly use their measurements and basic recipe and am always pleased with the results.
Neopolitan Pops
6 servings
113 calories per serving
Strawberry Layer
3 ½ oz. hulled and quartered strawberries
3 T skim milk
1 T light sour cream
1 T + 1 t sugar
1 ½ t vanilla extract
½ t heavy cream
Combine the strawberries and milk in a blender until smooth and then press through a fine mesh sieve so you strain out the seeds – I usually run a spoon back and forth over the berries and that pushes the mix through the sieve pretty good. You should end up with ¼ c plus 3 T of seedless puree. Whisk in the sour cream, sugar, vanilla and cream.
Vanilla Layer
¼ c + 2 T skim milk
2 ½ T heavy cream
1 ½ T sugar
1 ½ t vanilla extract
Whisk all ingredients until the sugar is dissolved.
Chocolate Layer
1/3 c skim milk
2 ½ T chocolate syrup
1 T heavy cream
1 ½ t water
¼ t vanilla extract
Whisk all the ingredients together.
To make the pops in a Zoku, pour the strawberry layer 1/3 of the way up the mold and let freeze all the way. Then repeat with the vanilla and chocolate layers.
In traditional molds, freeze each layer at least an hour before adding the next and then freeze the whole thing 6 hours.
Toast the pecans in a skillet with the butter and sugar. Cook about 3 minutes stirring often. Let nuts cool completely.
In a saucepan over low heat whisk water and butterscotch morsels and cook until melted, but don’t boil. Cool 10 minutes then stir in the half and half and vanilla and then refrigerate until completely cool, about 20 minutes. Whisk occasionally so that a skin does not form on top of the mixture.
Working in 2 batches – place approximately 6 pecan halves in each mold and then pour in the butterscotch mixture up to the fill line. In 7-9 minutes you’ll have rich, flavorful pops that rival the experience of butter pecan ice cream
If you are using traditional molds, freeze 6 hours.
By mixing the cream and the vinegar, you are almost making your own ‘sour’ cream. This is a very rich tasting dressing for the cucs and it is a nice side dish to serve with chicken or fish dishes.
Cucs in Cream Sauce
2 servings
70 calories per serving
2 medium cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
2 t salt
2 T heavy cream
2 t vinegar
¼ t salt
1/8 t pepper
Mix cucs with salt and let stand 1 hour in a colander. Drain and pat dry. Mix cream, vinegar, salt and pepper and add cucs. Chilll 3-4 hours.
Mark this down as another of those recipes that you will make again and again. Some of the noodles get a little crunchy from the oven and it makes the dish that much more enjoyable. Tetrazzini is usually made with spaghetti, but I like using fettucine noodles sometimes !
Chicken Tetrazzini
6 servings
400 calories per serving
7 oz. FiberGourmet pasta (fettuccine noodles or spaghetti) – without FiberGourmet pasta, this dish will not come in under 400 calories !
¼ c margarine
¼ c flour
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
1 c chicken broth
3/4 c heavy cream
¼ c skim milk
2 T water
1 ½ lb. cooked chicken in bite sized pieces (Perdue Shortcuts work great here!)
1 can sliced mushrooms
½ c parmesan cheese
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Melt margarine on low heat and stir in flour, salt and pepper and stir constantly until smooth and bubbly then remove from heat. Stir in the broth and cream and then heat to boiling stirring constantly and cook 1 minute. Then stir in water, pasta, chicken and mushrooms. Put into a baking dish and sprinkle with cheese and bake ½ hour.
This recipe gives you a simple seafood soup that has such a deep flavor ! Using all the shells in the broth preparation makes such a difference. You will love this one !
Garlic Seafood Soup
6 servings
301 calories per serving
8 oz. medium shrimp, shells on
Pam
2 c onion, chopped
12 cloves garlic, minced
½ green bell pepper, halved
1/4 c chicken broth
6 c water
1 T butter
2 T flour
3/4 c heavy cream
1 t salt
1 lb. red snapper fillets, cut into bite size pieces
3 T chopped cilantro leaves
Peel and clean the shrimp. Reserve the shells. Heat a soup pan on medium high and spray with Pam. Add shells, onion, garlic, and pepper and saute 5 minutes. Add broth and cook 3 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes or until liquid equals about 3 cups. Strain liquid into a bowl and discard all the solid pieces. Clean the pot and heat to medium high again. Melt butter and stir in flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly add shrimp broth whisking constantly. Stir in rest of the broth and salt and bring back to a boil. Cook 5 minutes and then drop in shrimp and fish and cream. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until fish is done. Promptly remove from heat. Top each bowlful with cilantro.
It is amazing how creamy of a product this turns out considering there is no ice cream maker involved. I’ve made it many times, always with good results. It’s well worth the calories 🙂
Coffee Soft Serve Ice Cream
12 ½ c servings
299 calories per serving
½ c whole milk
1 T vanilla
2 T instant coffee powder
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/8 t salt
2 c heavy cream
Stir milk and coffee together so coffee dissolves than add vanilla, condensed milk and salt. Beat heavy cream to stiff peaks (but don’t over beat or the cream will begin to break down) and then fold into the milk mix. Folding is just a method to mix things a little gentler than stirring. You just keep inserting a spatula or spoon UNDER the ingredients and left or fold them up on top – keep repeating to fully incorporate the ingredients. Pour into a shallow 1 ½ quart METAL (because it conducts the cold better) bowl and freeze the mix 4 hours, stirring once halfway through.
If you keep this in the freezer for more than a day, it will get very hard and you need to let it sit a few minutes before scooping out servings.
It is amazing how creamy of a product this turns out considering there is no ice cream maker involved. I’ve made it many times, always with good results. It’s well worth the calories 🙂 If you are lucky enough to know what Carvel ice cream tastes like – – well, this is similar !
Vanilla Soft Serve Ice Cream
12 ½ c servings
299 calories per serving
½ c whole milk
1 T vanilla
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/8 t salt
2 c heavy cream
Stir milk, vanilla, condensed milk and salt in a medium bowl. Beat heavy cream to stiff peaks (but don’t over beat or the cream will begin to break down) and then fold into the milk mix. Folding is just a method to mix things a little gentler than stirring. You just keep inserting a spatula or spoon UNDER the ingredients and left or fold them up on top – keep repeating to fully incorporate the ingredients. Pour into a shallow 1 ½ quart METAL (because it conducts the cold better) bowl and freeze the mix 4 hours, stirring once halfway through.
If you keep this in the freezer for more than a day, it will get very hard and you need to let it sit a few minutes before scooping out servings.
Variations:
Strawberry – omit the milk and vanilla – instead stir in 4 c pureed strawberries and 2 T corn syrup.
Coffee – add 2 T instant coffee to the milk and dissolve , then continue with other steps
Others – add 2 T flavored coffee creamers to the milk mix (Irish Cream tastes GREAT)
