Pineapple Cheesecake Bars

This is a recipe I got from foodnetwork.com and modified to be a little lighter in calories and fat. Didn't lose any of its deliciousness...these went FAST!

Crust:

1 1/3 cups flour (I use Pamela's GF baking mix)

1/4 cup sugar (I sub. 1/8 cup + 1 tbsp Splenda)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (I use light)

Bake at 350 in a 13x9 pan for around 12-15 min. The edges should just be starting to brown.

Batter:

8oz cream cheese (I use fat-free)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 large egg (I use 1/4 cup egg sub.)

1/4 cup sugar (or, again, 1/8 + 1 tbsp Splenda)

1 8oz can of crushed pineapple, drained (I like Dole)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts

1/4 cup white chocolate chips

Mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar until lump-free - I prefer to use my big stand mixer for this. Add egg, sugar, pineapple, and vanilla and mix throughly. Add in the nuts and chocolate. Pour over the cookie crust and bake at 350 for an additional 15-20 min. or until batter is set.

Melt and drizzle an addtional 1/4 cup of white chocolate over the bars and sprinkle with 1/4 cup finely chopped mac nuts. Enjoy!

Disneyland Recipes

Here are two of my very most favorite recipes from the happiest place on earth:

Disney's BBQ Beans

First prepare the dry bbq rub. In a small mixing bowl combine:
2 cups sugar OR 1 cup Splenda (my personal preference),
3 tbsp paprika,
1 1/2 tsp chili powder,
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder,
1 1/2 tsp black pepper,
and 1/4 tsp cayenne.

On the stove top simmer 1 can of Bush's best vegetarian baked beans, 1/4 cup of the dry rub, and 1/4 cup of Sweet Baby Ray's original BBQ sauce.

Disney's Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw

First make the sweet and sour dressing. In a blender combine:
1 cup white wine vinegar,
1 cup sugar (or 1/2 cup Splenda),
1 1/2 tsp salt,
1 tsp celery seed,
1 tsp paprika,
3/4 tsp black pepper,
and 1/4 tsp cayenne.
Blend thoroughly. Slowly add in 1/3 cup olive oil and blend.

Toss w/ a package of pre-cut coleslaw mix and chill for at least two hours before serving.

Note: these are great served together. The extra dry rub and bbq sauce can be used on ribs or chicken. Baked some sweet cornbread and you have one tasty meal! Make sure to have plenty of napkins or wet-naps handy!

Gluten-Free Strawberry Pizza

So I've already been slacking on my blog...that's what 2 weeks of the flu will do to you!
I'm feeling better today, so I'm whipping up a little treat for Easter tomorrow: Strawberry Pizza. This has become a family Easter fav around here. When you live in Central CA. and have fresh strawberries available, how can you resist?!

My recipe:

Crust:
2 1/2 cups Pamela's GF Baking and Pancake mix (Can easily sub. for flour in almost any recipe. Available at Whole Food's or http://www.pamelasproducts.com/)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter (I use Smart Balance 50/50 blend w/ Omega 3's)
1/2 cup Splenda baking blend (or 3/4 cup gran. sugar)
1/2 cup Splenda brown sugar blend (or 3/4 cup lt. brown sugar)
1 tsp real vanilla extract
2 eggs (I use eggbeaters)

Bake in an 11x9" pan at 375 for approx. 16-20 min. (until edges are brown and fork comes out clean in the middle - I like to leave mine the tiniest bit "gooey"...makes the crust nice and chewy!) Let cool ALL THE WAY (this is very important - otherwise the topping will melt!) If I'm in a hurry, I put mine in the freezer for about 30 min.

In a large bowl combine 8oz softened Philadelphia cream cheese (I use the fat free) and 8oz Cool Whip (again, I use the fat free). Blend until smooth using an electric hand mixer (I use my KitchenAid stand mixer). Add powdered sugar to taste - I usually end up using about 1/3 - 1/2 of a small (16oz) box. Put bowl in the fridge to firm.

In a separate bowl combine 2-3 pints of fresh, thinly sliced strawberries (the riper the better) with a 14oz tub of Marie's Strawberry Glaze. You can also use the sugar-free glaze and add Splenda to the mix to taste (the sugar-free is a little tart). Again add Splenda or powdered sugar as needed to get the desired sweetness.

When the crust is completely cool layer the whipped topping/cream cheese/sugar mix on top. Next, pour the strawberry mix on top. Chill and serve. I find it's best when made the day before serving...the flavors really "pop" the next day!

Happy Easter and THANK-YOU LORD FOR GIVING YOUR LIFE FOR US! How can you NOT want to celebrate that?!