STRAWBERRY SPREAD
1 qt fresh strawberries
3/4 cup cold water, divided
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup Equal Sugar-Lite
Wash, hull, finely coarsely chop berries. Combine in a small dutch oven or other heavy saucepan, strawberries, 1/2 cup water, lemon juice and cinnamon. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring well. Dissolve cornstarch in the remaining cold water and add to the boiling mixture. Reduce the heat and simmer a couple of minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and cool. Stir in Equal after mixture has cooled down.
NOTE: This is good spread on toast or used as you might use jelly or jams.
1 tbsp = 11 calories, 3 g carbs, trace protein
APPLE-CHERRY COBBLER
7 tbsp butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Splenda granular
3/4 cup milk
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 large apple, peeled and diced
1 can lite cherry pie filling (no sugar added)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put butter into a large oval baking dish and place in oven to melt butter. In a medium mixing bowl, combine Splenda, flour, baking powder, vanilla and milk. Mix well. Remove dish from oven and add batter by pouring into the center of the butter; do not stir or mix. Add apple on top of batter and pie filling on top of apple. Do not stir or mix! Bake at 325 for 50 minutes or until crust is golden brown and crispy around the edge.
Serving note: Serve warm with sugar-free vanilla ice cream.
Note: You can omit the milk and you will have more of a fruit crisp dessert, if desired. Before baking, sprinkle 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans over the top.
CHOCOLATE DIPPED ORANGES
For a pretty dessert tray on a buffet or a "pitch-in" meal, try the following.
6 fresh blemish-free oranges (tangerines also work well but you will need 10-12)
4 - 5 oz sugar-free chocolate sauce or 4 oz bittersweet chocolate.
Wash oranges, hand peel and seperate into sections. Lay sections on paper toweling.
If using bittersweet chocolate, break into pieces and place in a microwavable-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and continue to microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each until chocolate is melted enough to be smooth when stirred.
Dip one end of orange segments about 1/3 of the way into chocolate. Lay on a cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil. Chill until chocolate is set. Remove to a pretty serving platter.
PINEAPPLE SOUFFLE
2 cans (16 oz each) crushed pineapple in it's own juice--do not drain
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup Splenda
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
white bread slices, crusts removed
melted butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together pineapple, flour, Splenda, sugar and eggs. Pour into a shallow casserole dish. Cut bread slices into small squares. Dip squares individually into melted butter and place on top of mixture in dish. Bake 45-60 minutes until lightly browned.
Note: Excellent served with pork.
Note: This is a recipe from the Crystal River Inn in San Marcos, Texas. I reworked it to make it more diabetic friendly.
BAKED APPLES WITH CARAMEL SAUCE
4 large baking apples
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup uncooked oats
1/4 cup raisins
2 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar-free caramel topping
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray an 8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Wash apples thoroughly and core. Cut a small slice off the bottom is necessary to make apple sit upright. In a small mixing bowl, combine cinnamon, nutmeg, oats, raisins and butter; combine well. Stufff mixture into apples. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 45-50 minutes until apples are tender. Remove from oven and drizzle caramel topping over apples. Serve warm.
This recipe is one I received in the mail from SMUCKER'S.