No Bake Frozen Lemon Cheesecake with Vanilla Sweetened Berries

To start with..I have a really bad habit of making something, taking pictures and posting them on facebook BEFORE I write a post!  lol  I always get caught and end up writing it right then.  I hope I didn't stumble or leave out anything.  Okay..now on with the show.  ~smile~

It's Hot Outside!!  When it's hot I want a frozen or icy cold snack, treat, dessert, well, everything!  Fresh fruit is always a plus, too.  Today I sweetened strawberries and blueberries and added double strength vanilla to give them that extra loving touch.  <3  This pie is fast to make with long lasting delight.  I really like this because I made it lower in fat and delicious to boot!  You are going to have to make this ahead of time so make plans accordingly.  After 4 hours in the freezer the boys wanted a piece.  It wasn't completely frozen but still very cold.  At 6 hours it was just right!  Are you ready to make smiles?  Then get started!  <3 and hugs!

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Thursday's Treasures Week 42

Another week has flown by and it's Thursday once again.!!!  I always look forward to Thursdays so I can see what delicious, wonderful recipes you have brought to share.  Don't forget to check out the previous week's links to Thursday's Treasures, listed below.

My computer has still been running very slow lately but is little better since I removed my pictures, all 110 GB of them!  It's still slow, being old, a slow connection and not being directly connected to my modem has a lot to do with it.  I haven't commented on all links and really feel awful about it.  My computer takes forever to get to the links and then usually drops off before I can finish more than a few.   I will try my best to pin your links on my Thursday's Treasures pinterest board and of course, share on my page.  I'll also tweet this page throughout the week...that's about all I know how to do on Twitter.  lol  With summer here, I am spending as much time with my boys as I possibly can leaving less time for my blog, facebook and etc...   

My gorgeous co-hostess, Joan at Chocolate, Chocolate and More (blog) and facebook.  Please stop by and tell her she was missed and give her <3 and hugs from us.  

These are the most viewed links from last week!   

Annie's Noms KFC - Homestyle

The Frugal Farm Wife Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

Hugs & Cookies XOXO Salted Caramel

Please let me know if you would like to co-host Thursday's Treasures one week. We'd love to have you join us! <3 and hugs!

Rules, yeah, I know.

Now......Let's Party!

Link to your recipe directly, not your blog.

Link back to this post.

Please follow my blog, facebook, pinterest, twitter, e-mail, rss...you get it. Whatever is your favorite way to follow to stay up to date.
Please do the same with my lovely co-hostesses.

Share as many recipes as you like. The party is open all week.

Please visit others...they appreciate it as much as we do.

Leave a comment. I love to know you were here.

Y'all have a beautiful week. Be good to yourselves and each other.

Previous week's parties!

Week 41

Week 40

Week 39

Week 38

Week 37

Week 36
Week 35
Week 34
Week 33
Week 32
Week 31
Week 30
Previous weeks are found
Here

Peanut Butter Cookies Gluten Free

Each Tuesday this summer means my twin 5 year old boys are going on dates to the movies.  ~smile~  I'll be honest with you...I'm a Mom that takes food to the theater.  There is just no reason to charge 3 dollars for a bottle of water or 6 dollars for a soda (I drink way to many diet cokes).  The food is ridiculously priced as well.   The exception is a large popcorn.  I can divide it 5 ways and refill it for free on the way out for us to munch on later.  Most Tuesday mornings you will find me bustling about the kitchen making a snacks to take with us.  This morning I was out of flour, all flour.  I remembered this one my precious Mama would make for me oh so many years ago.  ~smile~  I made them and added mini chocolate chips to the tops before putting them in the oven.  They are sweet, I think I will reduce the by half next time I make them.  My boys loved them and I hope you do, too! <3 and hugs!

Peanut Butter Cookies Gluten Free
makes 2 to 3 dozen bite size cookies

1 cup peanut butter, your choice

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup, more or less, chocolate chips, optional

1/4 cup, more or less, oats, optional

1/4 cup, more or less, peanuts or pecans, optional

Stir both sugars (start with half of each and taste, adding more if you wish), egg and vanilla together.  

Add chocolate chips, nuts, oats or whatever you wish, if you want to.  Start with 1/4 and adding a little more if desired. 

Pinch dough and roll into a quarter size ball for bite size cookies and place on an un-greased cookie sheet.  

I pushed the dough slightly and added mini chocolate chips on the top instead of in the dough.

Bake for 5 minutes, turn and bake another 2-5 minutes depending on size.  

They are done when brown on bottom and light brown around edges. 

Put on cooling rack immediately out of the oven.   

Enjoy!  <3 and hugs! 

Shared on:

Vegetarian Mamma Gluten Free Friday #1

Soda Pop Pancakes

You read it right.  I made pancakes with cola!  My oldest son loved them and wants me to make more tomorrow.  The original recipe, which I found rummaging around yesterday, calls for club soda.  I didn't have club soda on hand but did have cola.  My son couldn't taste the cola but I detected a trace of it.  I think other flavors may have a more distinct flavor.  I want to use orange soda with pineapple preserves, root beer with whipped cream,  grape with, uh, well, I'll have to think about that one!  Try it and let me know what flavors you pair.  <3 and hugs!

Soda Pop Pancakes

2 cups biscuit mix

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup soda, you may not need the full amount

1/2 to 1 teaspoon vanilla, optional

Stir eggs and vanilla, if using, into biscuit mix.  

Add 3/4 cup soda, stirring to incorporate, adding additional soda if needed.  You do not want the pancake batter to be too thin.

Spray griddle, or pan, and heat to medium - medium high.

Ladle pancake batter into hot pan.

Cook until bubbles form around the edge and flip over.

Lowering heat if needed.  

Cook an additional 1-3 minutes, until the bottom is brown and pancake is done.

Top with your favorite toppings.  Enjoy!  <3 and hugs!  

Chocolate Ice Cream Made In The Freezer

Who says you can't have ice cream without an ice cream maker!  I'm pretty certain as long as I keep making ice cream this way, I'll never get the ice cream maker I want either!  It's really easy to make the worst part is the wait.  Make it in the morning if you want it for the evening or the night before even for a really hard set.  The ice cream melted, once again, before I could take a picture.  It was hard set when it started.  ~smile~  Who wants ice cream?  <3 and hugs!

Chocolate Freezer Ice Cream

2 squares unsweetened chocolate, 1 oz each, chopped into small pieces

2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided

pinch salt

1 can condensed milk, chilled

Heat 1 cup cream until it gets hot but does not boil.

Take off heat and add chopped unsweetened chocolate, stirring until melted. 

Chill until completely cool.

Put condensed milk in large bowl.

Beat remaining 1 cup of cream with chilled cream and chocolate until firm peaks form. 

Do not over beat.

Fold into condensed milk and put in a loaf pan or shallow pan for faster freezing.  

Freeze at least 6 hours.  My freezer was opened at least one hundred times while trying to make this set.  It was soft serve at 4 hours.    Try at least 6 hours for a firm set. Enjoy!  <3 and hugs!

Can also be viewed here.

Thursday's Treasures Week 41

I hope each of you had a great weekend filled with loving family, special friends and amazing food and fun!!  If you celebrated the 4th of July yesterday, I hope you had a great day!  We grilled burgers, chicken breast and corn along with so much more.  I also made chocolate ice cream in the freezer and red, white and blue individual cakes for my boys.  <3 <3 <3

Thank you for sharing your treasured recipes and memories!  I truly love reading, sharing and making them.  &lt;3  They are all wonderful and delicious, I want them all!

Please stop by and see Joan, Chocolate, Chocolate and More on her facebook and blog. She is a beautiful friend and I love having her co-host each week.  <3

I want to apologize for not commenting on a lot of links recently.  My computer and internet service are giving me a fit.  Last night I typed a post, published it and it was gone....into cyberspace for some unknown reason.  ARGH!!!!

The most viewed recipes last week were:

Back4Seconds Bubble Gum Cookie Truffles

Dishing With Leslie Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Something Sweet Winnie's Blog Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Weekend Experiment Buttermilk Bread

Please let me know if you would like to co-host Thursday's Treasures one week. We'd love to have you join us! &lt;3 and hugs!

Rules, yeah, I know.

Now......Let's Party!

Link to your recipe directly, not your blog.

Link back to this post.

Please follow my blog, facebook, pinterest, twitter, e-mail, rss...you get it. Whatever is your favorite way to follow to stay up to date.
Please do the same with my lovely co-hostesses.

Share as many recipes as you like. The party is open all week.

Please visit others...they appreciate it as much as we do.

Leave a comment. I love to know you were here.

Y'all have a beautiful week. Be good to yourselves and each other.

Previous week's parties!

Week 40

Week 39

Week 38

Week 37

Week 36
Week 35
Week 34
Week 33
Week 32
Week 31
Week 30
Previous weeks are found
Here

Chocolate Oat Toffee Bars

I found this, and other, unnamed recipes not long ago.  Don't you love finding treasures like that?  It was a great gift finding them but I really wish the names had been on them.  NOTE TO SELF:  Write names when jotting down a recipe!!!  

Today seemed like a good day to try these.  I was taking the twins to the movies with their little girlfriends.  They love going and look forward to seeing them each week.  I always bring a special treat for them to munch on in-between the tiny fistfuls of popcorn. 

These turned out soft with chocolate, caramel, oats in a bar that have the buttery taste of toffee.  It's a cookie bar that tastes like candy!  Small pieces are enough to satisfy me.  A nibble here and there do the trick.  My boys would eat big pieces, and all at once, if I let them.  ;D  Make and share with those that make you smile...they taste better that way.  <3 and hugs!

Chocolate Oat Toffee Bars

2 cups flour

2 cups oats

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt plus a pinch

1 cup butter, melted

1 bag caramel bits 

1/4 to 1/3 cup cream or milk 

pinch of salt or 1/8 teaspoon

1 bag chocolate chips, 2 cups more or less 

1/2 cup coconut, optional

1 cup almond slivers, optional

Preheat oven to 350F 

Line 9x13 pan with parchment paper

Mix dry ingredients with melted butter until crumbly. 

Reserve 1  1/4 cup and add coconut, if desired.

Pat remaining mixture in pan and bake for 10 minutes.

While it is baking, melt caramel with 1/4 cream or milk, according to directions on bag.

Add more cream or milk if necessary to make a smooth consistency.  Stir in pinch of salt. 

Take out of oven after 10 minutes and sprinkle chocolate chips over top.

Spread chocolate once melted.

Spoon melted caramel over chocolate.

Sprinkle slivered almonds on top, if using. 

Top with remaining crumb mixture.

Bake an additional 15-18 minutes until done.  

My bars were soft.  I try cooking additional time, 2-5 minutes checking every minute,  to get a firmer texture.  

Enjoy!  

Shared on:

The Better Baker Weekend Potluck