28 August 2012

Skinny Milk Chocolate Caramel Frozen Pies {2 points+ and Kernel Seasons}

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If there is one thing my husband and I love to do, it's go to movies. B.K. (before kid) we went every to see a movie every weekend. Sometimes two.

I still remember the last B.K. movie we saw, In Good Company. I seem to remember it was a cute movie. What I do remember is having to pee, like, three times during it, as I was a gazillion months pregnant at the time.

Since Jordan was born we've been to no more than 10 movies. In over seven years. By the time you pay for a sitter, who can afford a movie?

Back in our movie-going heyday, we lived in Chandler, Arizona, home of the mega-movie theaters. I have fond memories of those theaters, probably because being able to go to a movie without worrying that your phone is off for an hour and a half and someone might drown or get sick or need you was quite nice.

The other fond memory I have of those theaters was that they offered a popcorn seasoning bar. You could get your ginormous tub of popcorn and then add flavor. Like movie theater popcorn, only better.

Alas, movie theaters here  in Sacramento (at least the ones by me) don't have this option.

Something I never thought to do was buy my own. I mean, I stuff my purse with everything else at the movies, why not bring my own seasoning?


So, when the folks at Kernel Season's contacted me about trying their popcorn seasonings, I was so on board. Like, faster than you can say "popcorn seasoning!" I asked, of course, that they send me sweet flavors (although, their savory ones sound super awesome, heeellloooo parmesan and garlic!) because, well, this is a sweet blog. And boy, did they deliver! I got four fabulous seasonings to try: Milk Chocolate Caramel, Kettle Corn, Apple Cinnamon, and Chocolate Marshmallow.

Of course, I couldn't just put them on popcorn, now could I?

{Although I did do that too. And it was gooooood.}


Instead, I made a sweet pie. A frozen sweet pie, flavored with the Milk Chocolate Caramel flavor.

{You could totally use any and all of the flavors. I just used that one. Afterwards I kinda kicked myself for not making a few flavors. Don't make the same mistake as I did.}

Aaaandd...because I went to Old Navy last week to try on clearance clothes and somehow their sizing is all messed up and I'm not the size I used to be, I made these skinny. My husband does weight watchers online, so I input the recipe into his builder using the low/fat-free ingredients I've noted in the recipe, and it told me that these babies are only 2 points+. And they're gooood. Which means I can eat two.

Right?

That's another thing that is awesome about the Kernel Season's flavorings. They are all really low-cal and you don't need a lot to flavor your popcorn, cereal, coffee, oatmeal, or whatever your mind can imagine. So it's a great low-cal way to add sweet flavor without adding pant sizes.

I have soooo many ideas on how to use these. Especially one with the Chocolate Marshmallow. And the Apple Cinnamon. Stay tuned!


I can pretend that the caramel sauce for garnish is skinny too, right?

Good, because, um, I *may* have licked my plate.

Skinny Milk Chocolate Caramel Frozen Pies
by Crazy for Crust

Ingredients
    For the Crust
    • 6 graham cracker sheets (reduced fat is fine)
    • 3 tablespoons butter spread, melted
    For the Filling
    • 1 cup Cool Whip (I used fat-free)
    • 1/2 cup fat free vanilla yogurt
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
    • 4 teaspoons Milk Chocolate Caramel Kernel Seasons (or any flavor you like)
    Instructions
    1. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners. Finely grind graham crackers in a food processor. Add to melted butter spread and stir until combined. Equally divide between each muffin liner. Press to compact (I use the bottom of a shot glass for this step).
    2. Stir Cool Whip, yogurt, vanilla, and Kernel Season's powder in a medium bowl. Equally divide it among the muffin cups. Freeze until solid, at least 3 hours.
    3. Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving. Top with caramel or chocolate sauce if desired.
    **Using the fat-free/low-fat equivalents I’ve listed, this recipe works out to be 2 WW Points+ per pie. (Adding caramel sauce will add more points.)**
    Powered by Recipage

    Kernel Season's provided me with four bottles of their flavorings to try and review. All opinions are my own. Kernel Season's can be found at major grocery stores as well as Target and Walmart or online.

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    27 August 2012

    Crazy Sweet Tuesday

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    Hey, hey! Welcome to Crazy Sweet Tuesday, where it's always sweets o'clock.

    Within the next week I hope to make the move to the self-hosted wordpress site I have been working on. I apologize if you stop by and something weird is happening! I am hoping downtime will be at a minimum, but I appreciate your patience!

    If you follow me through Google Friend Connect...please make sure you also follow via Facebook and Twitter. (Or...just use my RSS feed instead!) I am hoping all my GFC friends can come with me to my new digs...but there is a chance the feed transfer will have problems. I don't want you to miss a minute of sugar! Thanks so much for following along!

    Second order of business this week...the winner of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook Software.

    Congratulations Judy! I hope you enjoy your software. Thanks for entering the giveaway!

    Bummed you didn't win the software? No worries! Remember that Crazy for Crust readers can get $10 off the software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories store, a $20 value! Be sure to use the code STMMMS18039 at checkout to receive this offer.

    I have a few freebies for you this week! And the best part is you can use the freebies in any program, because they are .jpg and .png files.



    The freebies come with digital papers, embellishments, and quick pages. You can use them with any software, but they are fully customizable using the My Memories Suite.

    You can get the free downloads here, here, and here.

    For the fabulous features this week...I think I was drawn in by rainbows. Maybe because if it rained it would cool the frick off around here!

    M&M Sugar Cookies by Family, Food, & Fun.
    Lightened Up Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fro Yo by The Domestic Rebel

    Cake Batter Sugar Cookies by Sally's Baking Addiction.
    Rainbow Heart Cakes by Wine and Glue.

    Paint Pallet Sugar Cookie Tutorial by One Creative Mommy.
    Carrot Cake Cookies by Inside BruCrew Life.

    And the most clicked sweet treat was...



    Berry Cheesecake Muffins by Pink Recipe Box.

    Thank you all for linking last week! Again, it warms my heart to know you come visit me. I'm still shocked so many do!

    (((Hugs!)))

    Now onto the party...




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    26 August 2012

    Cake Ball Chocolate Chip Cookies

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    There are lots of things that I do well.

    Making baked goods.

    Eating baked goods.

    Reading.

    Math.

    Being a wife and mom (well, I think I do that well).

    Eating baked goods.

    Watching Real Housewives, and my new fav, Beverly Hills Nannies.

    Having the discipline to exercise (notice I said discipline to do, not actually doing).

    Eating baked goods.

    Of course, there are lots of things I don't do well.

    Like trying new foods. (Thanks to Dr. Google, I'm pretty sure I have food neophobia.)

    Discipline (really, I suck).

    Cleaning (I hate it).

    And, among other things, I am really not good at rolling cake balls.

    Seriously, I see cake balls all over the internets. Perfect ones. Gorgeously round, plump, and smooth. And that's before dipping!

    And it's not just cake balls. Truffles. Cookie dough balls. Anything round that requires rolling. Other people seem to be able to roll perfectly round spheres of goodness.

    Mine? Look like deformed brains.

    I have never, ever, not even once rolled a perfect round ball-of-anything.

    They always look oddly misshapen, like they been sent through a wormhole to another dimension and back.

    Probably why I don't make cake balls and truffles very often.

    That, and dipping in chocolate makes me want to poke a sharp stick in my eye.


    Now, I love cake balls as much as the next person. I've been known to throw back a few dozen or so in a sitting.

    I also love cookies. And it seems fashionable as of late to stuff cookies with things.

    So why not marry the two? Stuff a cake ball in a cookie?

    But, then came my dilemma. Cake balls require rolling, thus causing misshapen, deformed little brains and lots of frustration.

    And then I remember something that the Desperate Chefwife did awhile back. She made her own Nutella chunks by spreading it out in a thin layer and freezing, then cutting chunks of Nutella goodness to add to her cookies.

    Would it work with cake ball mixture?


    Yup, it totally does.

    {Although you should cut them smaller than in that photo. Those were a little big. They'll break up a little bit in the mixing process.}


    Added to my chocolate chip recipe, the cake ball chunks added a marbled texture of goodness. No deformed brains here!


    Like I said. I'm good at baking.

    And eating....sigh.

    ~Read More~

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