Black Bean Brownies! Really?

I am a fan of Joy Bauer. A few weeks ago, she posted a recipe for black-bean brownies touting the health benefits of using the beans as opposed to the oil. Fewer calories and more fiber than the traditional after school snack, I thought I'd give these a try.

Her recipe calls for a brownie mix, egg and a can of beans. I didn't happen to have any brownie mixes on hand, so I improvised and came up with my own recipe. My children ate them up without complaint. Once I told them what was in them, they did start to say they didn't like them as much. Ha ha. They were just a little more moist and fudgy than what they are used to -- that's not a negative, is it?

Black Bean Brownies

1 (15 oz.) can of black beans
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Open can of beans and rinse them. Don't empty the beans, but refill the can along with the beans with water. Dump the water and beans in a blender and mix up. Add the bean puree and the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix up with a spatula. Once completely blended add to a lightly greased 8x8 pan. Bake for 25 minutes in a 350-degree oven. 

Mastering Mashed Potatoes

I have been making mashed potatoes with a potato ricer for years! I will never do it without one again. This is the ultimate way to make lump-free, smooth and tasty mashed potatoes. Perfect timing for Thanksgiving coming up, wouldn't you say?

here.

I recently bought my second Potato Ricer on Amazonsince I am giving my first one to my daughter. It is stainless steel so I figure this one will be more sturdy.

For those of you who aren't familiar with ricers, I simply boil my potatoes, then place them into the vessel (yes, with peels still on) and smash them through the strainer. And BAM! Lump-free potatoes. They come out stringy looking. Kinda fun. My favorite disc to use is the small-holed one.

I then add nearly a can of evaporated milk, depending on the amount I am fixing and a cube of butter and then add kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Then, with a hand mixer I stir away.
My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Potato Ricers will certainly change your way of making potatoes -- it did ours! Let me know what you think!
Psst! For a great roast beef recipe to accompany these potatoes check this one out. For light and fluffy white rolls, go here.
(This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience.)

Lightened-up Pumpkin Bread with an Fluffy Pumpkin Spread

This pumpkin bread is lightened up so you can afford to lather up the spread on these slices.
Years ago, I found this recipe in a healthy cooking Taste of Home cookbook. Proving to my children they couldn't taste a difference in this recipe compared to the ones full of fat, I gave them a blind taste test. Each one picked the less fattening version as tasting better. Yay!

Whether you want to try this one or use your favorite stand-by recipe, you must try the spread. I'm afraid my children don't eat pumpkin bread without this now. It makes a lot, so we usually run out of bread before spread. So begins the cycle. Make more bread. Run out of spread. Make more spread for the leftover bread. Repeat.

Lightened-up Pumpkin Bread (courtesy of Taste of Home)

2 1/4 c. sugar
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/3 c. cake flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
4 eggs
1 can (15 oz.) solid-pack pumpkin
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/3 c. canola oil

1. In a large bowl, combine the first nine ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin, buttermilk, applesauce and oil. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened.

2. Transfer to two greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Pumpkin spread

1 16 oz. container of Cool Whip
1 large (5 oz. ) pkg. Instant Vanilla Jell-O pudding mix
1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin
1/2 - 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

In a large bowl, mix all of the above ingredients together. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Cucumber Mini Toasted Bites and a STEAL on a Mandoline Slicer

I can't get enough of these little cucumber toasty bites. Adapted from Taste and Tell's blog I have made these several times and probably have eaten more than my share. They are a quick and unique appetizer I think you'll like.

Cucumber Mini Toasted Bites 

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/2 of a (.06 oz.) package of dry Italian season dressing mix
1 baguette
1 English cucumber, sliced
1-2 T dill weed
olive oil

Slice baguette and brush each slice with a little olive oil.
Toast them in an oven at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.
Blend the cream cheese, mayo and Italian dressing mix together.
Once baguettes are cooled, spread dressing on top of each slice.
Top with a cucumber.
Sprinkle dill on each one.

I recently bought this Mandoline Slicer that made slicing the cucumbers much easier. It's very affordable, but you can get it for a steal at 40% off with a special code for my readers. Use code ZI6ZU5ST at checkout and you'll get $8 off! I've always wanted one of these. This is a simple one that is so easy to use and cleans up well in the dishwasher. Let me know what you think!

Book Darts

I know a lot of you love to read like me. Indeed if you are truly like me, you have a million books in the works at a time, so you need a lot of bookmarks.

I found these darling little Book Darts  a while back that spoke to me. I attend a book club where we often want to refer back to a part of the book for a discussion. Rather than have a bunch of sticky note/flags, these darts come in handy for marking a spot. Of course, they can also just be a sole bookmark in the book you're reading.


They are pliable and can fit just a few pages to a clump of pages. 

By the way, have you read this Melissa Michael's book? I am only into it a chapter or so, but I can tell it will be a game changer for me.  

Our Favorite Scotcheroos

I know. There are a million recipes of scotcheroos out there. However, I have tried probably at least 10 and have found this one to be our favorite. It certainly pleases every mouth in our house. 

















 Scotcheroos

1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
5 cups Rice Krispies
1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips (or one 11 oz package)
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips (or one 11-12 oz package)

Bring the corn syrup and sugar to boil over high heat in a saucepan. Add the peanut butter and remove heat. Pour mixure over cereal in a large bowl. Stir until the cereal is all covered.

Pour and press cereal mixutre into a lightly greased or buttered 9x13 pan. While that is cooling, place all the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a microwave-safe bowl and in 30-second increments,  melt the chips on high heat stirring after each 30 seconds. It takes about three to four times to make the frosting smooth and lump free. Once ready, spread the frosting on top of the rice krispie mixture. Cool in the refrigerator until set.

Tropical Fruit Dip

This dip is so easy; you won't feel like you need a tropical vacation after making it. I love the light texture and the coconut taste.

I have used the cream of coconut in the can before, however I am now a fan of this kind because it seems to keep better after using just the 3 T of it. It has some fun recipes on the back as well. 

Tropical Fruit Dip

1 sm. box of vanilla pudding mixed according to directions
12 oz. tub of cool whip
3 Tb. cream of coconut (found in the drink mixers isle of the grocery store -- see picture above)
2 tsp. coconut extract

Combine the pudding and the cool whip in a bowl and mix with a blender for a minute or so. Then add the cream of coconut and the coconut extract.

I like it to chill for at least a couple of hours before serving. 

That's it! Go find your cabana.