Reduced Guilt Key Lime Pie

Five years ago, I dedicated an entire month to pies on my blog.
I made so many pies that month it's amazing I didn't gain tons of weight.
Please remember that all posts are from 2011, but here are five of my favorites:
Lemon Meringue Pie
Mini Pumpkin Pies
Dutch Apple Pie
Chocolate Cherry Pie
Turkey Pot Pie

With all the pies I made, it's amazing I never made a Key Lime Pie.
I changed that recently though and made one,
but decided to try to make it just a tad healthier!

The Goods:

Graham Crackers

Brown Sugar

Salt

White Chocolate Chips

Butter

Reduced Fat Greek Yogurt

Key Limes

Eggs

Fat-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk

Whipped Cream

Crush your graham crackers in a gallon bag using a rolling pin.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup graham cracker crumbs,

1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1 ounce chopped white chocolate.

Add 2 tablespoons melted butter and toss until evenly moistened.

Press crumb mixture into greased pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

While crust is cooling, in another medium bowl combine 1/2 greek yogurt, 

1/2 cup fresh key lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon key lime zest, 

3 large egg yolks and (1) 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk.

Pour mixture into crust and bake at 350 degrees for about 14 minutes.

Cool pie completely on wire rack. 

Chill at least 2 hours before cutting. 

And of course, serve with whipped cream!

Reduced Guilt Key Lime Pie

Adapted from Cooking Light

For the Crust:

1 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

1/8 Teaspoon Salt

1 Ounce White Chocolate Chips

2 Tablespoons Butter

For the Filling:

1/2 Cup Reduced Fat Greek Yogurt

1/2 Cyo Key Limes

3 Large Egg Yolks

1 (14 Ounce) Fat-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk

1. Crush your graham crackers in a gallon bag using a rolling pin.
2. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1 ounce chopped white chocolate. Add 2 tablespoons melted butter and toss until evenly moistened.
3. Press crumb mixture into greased pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.
4. While crust is cooling, in another medium bowl combine 1/2 greek yogurt, 1/2 cup fresh key lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon key lime zest, 3 large egg yolks and (1) 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk.
5. Pour mixture into crust and bake at 350 degrees for about 14 minutes. Cool pie completely on wire rack. Chill at least 2 hours before cutting. 

White Chocolate Pretzel Blondies

A few months ago I ran across this recipe while doing some blog reading.
My mouth immediately started watering and I knew I had to make them.
I've made blondies before and couldn't wait to make this version.

I keep a pretty stocked pantry and I actually had everything I needed already!
I think that was the Universe's way of telling me to make them right away.
And man oh man, I'm glad I didn't wait too long because they are SO good!

Enough talking outta me, let me show you how they're made.

The Goods:

All-Purpose Flour

Sea Salt

Baking Soda

Butter

Brown Sugar

Sugar

Eggs

Vanilla Extract

White Chocolate Chips

Mini Pretzel Twists

Measure out and prepare all your goods.

Mix melted butter and both sugars and beat until combined.

Add your two eggs and mix again until incorporated.

Add your flour mixture and beat once again.

Lastly mix in your white chocolate and chopped pretzels.

Spread mixture out evenly in a greased 9 X 13 baking dish.

Arrange whole pretzels on top, pressing down just slightly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, 

until blondie are golden brown.

Cool in pan completely and then cut into squares,

with one mini pretzel in each individual blondie.

White Chocolate and Pretzel Blondies

(Insipired by The Pioneer Woman)

2 1/8 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

12 Tablespoons Butter, Melted and Cooled

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Sugar

2 Eggs

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1 1/2 Cup White Chocolate Chips

1 Cup Chopped Pretzels

30 to 35 Mini Pretzel Twists 

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, salt and baking soda, then set aside.
2. In stand mixer of large mixing bowl, mix melted butter and both sugars and beat until combined.
3. Add your two eggs and mix again until incorporated.
4. Add your flour mixture and beat once again.
5. Lastly mix in your white chocolate and chopped pretzels.
6. Spread mixture out evenly in a greased 9 X 13 baking dish.
7. Arrange whole pretzels on top, pressing down just slightly.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, until blondies are golden brown.
9. Cool in pan completely and then cut into squares, with one mini pretzel in each individual blondie.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Birthday Cookies!

Today is the birthday of one of my BEST FRIENDS!

She is spending the weekend away hiking in Joshua Tree

and I'm home baking her some yummy cookies!

Last weekend I got the idea to make her cookies

and then blog about it as a way to celebrate her!

So today, this post is about cookies for an amazing gal!!!

For these cookies, I modified my chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Which is the original Tollhouse recipe on the back of the bag.

The only thing I do differently is bake them a few less minutes.

The Goods:

Whole Wheat Flour

Baking Powder

Baking Soda

Sugar

Brown Sugar

Unsalted Butter

White Chocolate Chips

Macadamia Nuts

Vanilla

Eggs

Let butter soften, then beat with mixer.

Add sugar, brown sugar and vanilla then mix.

Add eggs and mix to incorporate completely.

Add the dry ingredients and mix again.

Add your white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.

And mix one last time - on the slowest speed.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Using a small scooper, scoop cookies onto cookie sheets.

Making sure to leave enough room for them to expand.

Bake for 5 minutes, flip the pan around

and then bake for 2 to 3 more minutes.

Cool on the pan a minute or two,

then finish cooling on a wire rack.

And if you have already made enough but still have more dough,
freeze a tray full of scooped out dough to bake sometime soon!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie Recipe

2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 brown sugar

1teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 bag white chocolate chips

1 cup macadamia nuts - chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Let butter soften, then beat it with mixer.
3. Add sugar, brown sugar and vanilla then mix.
4. Add eggs and mix to incorporate completely.
5. Add the dry ingredients and mix again.
6. Add your white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts and mix one last time - on the slowest speed.
7. Using a small scooper, scoop cookies onto cookie sheets. Make sure to leave enough room for them to expand.
8. Bake for 5 minutes, flip the pan around and then bake for 2 to 3 more minutes.
9. Cool on the pan a minute or two, then finish cooling on a wire rack.

Elina and Robyn Make...BLONDIES!

We'reeeeeeeeeeeeee back!

And back with some AMAZING Blondies! These are crazy delicious and SO easy to make. I made them one weekend for co-workers, and after discovering how great they were - Elina and I made them the following weekend. I decided to blog about them so no one missed out on these tasty treats!

Check out how to make them and then do so - you WON'T be upset!

The Goods:

1 cup Self Rising Flour

OR

1 cup All Purpose Flour AND 2 tsp Baking Powder

3 1/2 ounces Unsalte Butter

1/2 cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 to 3/4 cup Macadamia Nuts - roughly chopped

3 1/2 ounces White Chocolate

Parchment Paper

Preheat Oven to 350.

Lightly grease 8" square pan and line with parchment paper.

Set aside until batter is ready.

Bring water to boil in large sauce pan.

Remove from heat and place heat proof bowl on top.

Add butter and white chocolate to heat proof bowl, 

stirring occasionally until melted completely. 

Add the sugar.

And then the eggs and vanilla too!

Fold in the flour and nuts until fully incorporated.

Pour batter into pan and smooth with spatula.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

If top starts browning before fully set,

cover lightly with foil.

Anddddd they're done!

Cool in the pan a few minutes.

Remove and then cool completely before baking.

Now...go make some and enjoy!!!