Key Lime Pie with Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

Ingredients
4 egg yolks
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
½ cup freshly squeezed Key Lime juice
1 teaspoon finely grated Key Lime zest
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust
1 cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla beans from a 2 inch piece of fresh vanilla bean
Key lime slices for garnish (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Beat egg yolks in a medium bowl on low speed; gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, Key lime juice and zest.
Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until pie crust is golden brown.
Cover edges of pie crust with wide strips of foil after first 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning.
Cool thoroughly on cooling rack before topping with whipped cream.
Whip cream until almost stiff.
Add sugar, vanilla and vanilla beans; beat until cream holds peaks.
Spread over top of cooled pie.
Refrigerate several hours before serving. Garnish with key lime slices if desired.

Makes about 10 small slices.

Strawberries & Whole Grain Cinnamon Shortcakes

Ingredients

Whole Grain Cinnamon Shortcakes
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, diced
½ cup whole milk
1 large egg

Strawberries
4 pounds strawberries
1 – 1 ½ cups sugar

Directions
Prepare strawberries several hours in advance; slice, cover with sugar and refrigerate for several hours or overnight to allow juices to form.
When ready to make shortcakes, heat oven to 450°F.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and baking powder.
Cut in butter with fork, fingers or pastry cutter until no pieces are larger than small peas.
Mix milk and egg together in small bowl; add to flour mixture and stir with fork just until combined, about 30 strokes.
Form mixture into a ball in bowl, gathering up all loose flour. Knead about 10 times lightly in bowl.
Turn out onto lightly floured surface; pat into ¾-inch thick circle.
Cut into 8 wedges and place on large baking sheet.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly golden brown.
When cooled, cut in half and top with strawberries and strawberry juice.

Makes 8 shortcakes/servings.

Dark Chocolate Cherry & Nut Clusters

Ingredients
1 bag (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips (54% cacao)
1 ½ cups dried tart cherries (about 2 bags, 5 or 6 oz each.)
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons sunflower seed kernels

Directions
Cover one or two large baking sheets with wax paper; set aside.
Melt chocolate in a double boiler over slightly simmering water.
Combine cherries, walnuts and sunflower seeds in a small bowl, add to melted chocolate and stir lightly to completely coat all ingredients.
Spoon measuring tablespoon-sized clusters onto baking sheet about one-inch apart. Refrigerate 30 minutes until completely set.
Clusters can be stored at room temperature or in refrigerator, but flavors taste best at room temperature.

Makes about 30 to 36 clusters

Nutrition information per cluster: 95 calories, 1 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 5 mg sodium, 1.5 g fiber.

Double Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients
1 box (18.25 oz.) Devil’s Food cake mix (such as Duncan Hines)
1 can (12 oz.) room temperature Diet Coke®
1 egg white
16 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao), finely chopped
¼ cup low-fat milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F for metal pan and 325°F for dark or coated pan.
Line muffin tin with foil baking cups and coat bottoms with vegetable cooking spray.
Blend dry cake mix, Diet Coke® and egg white in a large bowl with electric mixer at low speed until moistened, about 1 minute. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
Pour batter into cupcake pans and bake immediately.
Bake approximately 15 to 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Remove cupcakes immediately from pan and cool on wire rack.
Combine chocolate and milk in medium microwavable bowl; microwave for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring every minute, until completely melted.
Top each cooled cupcake with a heaping teaspoon or so of melted chocolate; spread around to edges of cupcake.
Let cupcakes sit at room temperature until chocolate is firm. Store at room temperature.

*This also makes a great 9x13-inch cake. Simply grease sides and bottom of pan with cooking spray and bake according to directions, checking for doneness five minutes earlier than recommended.

Nutrition information per cupcake: 180 calories, 2.5 g protein, 28 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat, 4.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 175 mg sodium, 35 mg calcium, 1.5 mg iron, 2 g fiber. 

Whole Grain Oatmeal Cherry & Date Bars

Ingredients
2 sticks (1 cup) + 2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 extra large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
¾ cup all purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups old fashioned oats, uncooked
1 cup dried tart cherries
1 cup chopped dates

Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla and almond extracts and beat well. Add flours, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt and mix thoroughly. Add oats, cherries and dates and mix until blended.

Spread/pat batter in 10 x 15-inch jelly-roll baking pan coated with vegetable cooking spray.  Bake 22 to 26 minutes or until light golden brown. (Bars may appear slightly sticky in center with toothpick.) Do not overcook, as bars harden slightly as they cool. Cool on wire rack. Cut into bars after cool and store in tightly covered container.

Bars freeze very well, too.  Wrap individual bars in plastic wrap and place all in zippered freezer bag.

Makes about 24 bars.