dessert Archives - Simply Sells Kitchen

Molasses Cookies

Sandra Sells — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 02:30:18 +0000

This is one of my top two favorite cookies, only next to our family chocolate chip oatmeal cookies recipe. Every year as the fall and winter approach I give myself permission to indulge at times. I mean it the most wonderful time of year, am I right? Another holiday favorite is my mothers Millionaire Shortbread. It’s divine and a must try! Thinking about the holidays I had to make our molasses cookies to bring on the cheer. The chewiness and rich flavor of molasses is very nostalgic. It reminds me of everything Christmas and all things gingerbread. The outer sugar coating really brings a crunch and sweetness that makes this cookie a delicious treat! In our house we pair the molasses cookies with a hot latte or a cold glass of milk. The ingredients for this are usually a staple in most pantries. I don’t always keep molasses on hand but just happened to have one from last year that I never opened. Molasses Cookie Recipe The recipe is very basic ingredients and the star of the show is molasses. Rolling the dough in sugar creates an amazing crunchy outer layer over the chewy cookie. Begin by preheating the oven to 350℉. To make the dough, I start by adding the softened butter, brown sugar, white sugar, molasses, and Pure Vanilla Extract (the wet ingredients) to my kitchen aid stand mixer. In a separate bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, ginger, cardamom, salt, and baking soda. When the dry ingredients are combined you can add them slowly into the wet ingredients (1/3 at a time). Add the tbsp of water to the mixer to help combine the dough. We enjoy using a cookie scoop to keep our cookies even for looks but also for even baking. Take each scoop, roll it in a ball and roll it in the white sugar. Place each ball a couple inches apart on a lined cookie sheet as they do spread. Bake the molasses cookies for about 10-11 minutes. The cookies will look very soft in texture. However it’s in the after baking that the beautiful chewiness with the sugar crunch begins to happen! 🤩 Allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes. Special Family Time My daughter Norah wanted to help this year with the molasses cookie recipe. It was a precious memory. You’ll see her little hands featured in our Instagram reel. It has been a lot of fun bringing her and her brother Jonas into the kitchen and creating memories and traditions. Both kids love to bake with us! The molasses was a new scent to her at the age of 5. At first I wasn’t sure if she’d like the recipe. I quickly found out it took her only one bite to get her high approval. Children can be so skeptical when it comes to new foods. We often make my husbands chocolate chip oatmeal cookies for the children because it is the family favorite and a crowd pleaser. However these molasses cookies are dear to my heart and earned their place. This recipe will be on our Christmas cookie line up and I hope in yours too. There are many recipes for cookies and sweets out there but sometimes having a tried-and-true classic recipe is all you need. Milk and cookies will never be the same. The molasses cookies use very basic ingredients from your cupboard. Of course the star of the show is unsulphured molasses. Try them out this Christmas season. I promise your family and friends won’t be disappointed! 😀

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Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Sandra Sells — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 16:47:55 +0000

This delicious vegan chocolate pudding is so silky smooth, rich in flavor, and full of nutrition. You can’t even taste the avocado! As a mother tricking your kids may not be the nicest thing to do, but if it is for their own good it’s not so bad, right? Haha! Well, I am a firm believer in keeping things nutritious for my family. I also love to let them live and enjoy foods in moderation that are delicious. Currently i’m in a clean up the pantry phase in my home. Keeping the thought that nutritious eating can include desserts helps both myself and my kids keep a better overall attitude. Health and fitness are a priority to us but can sometimes be our greatest struggle in our very busy lives. I always try to limit processed foods and am constantly recreating our kids’ favorite food dishes, like french fries. This is especially true for my son who could out eat anyone in the french fry department. 😅 Just a few swaps and you have delicious fries that are a much healthier leaner version. Healthy vs Not Healthy There are such things as good fats and bad fats, good sugars and bad sugars. The kind of ingredients you include in your diet are like building blocks to your health. Usually, we tend to think fats make you fatter, but your body requires a certain amount of good fat. Olive oil and avocados are easily accessible and loaded with omega-3 fatty acids. This is great for heart health and brain function. Avocados are a monounsaturated fat and provide essential nutrients to your body so why not make a dessert out of them! We also love to make our delicious sweet corn guacamole during avocado season. It is also good to think about the natural and least processed sugars when being nutritionally minded; perhaps leaning towards fruit-based sugar or those that are lower on the glycemic index. I do believe sugar is sugar in all forms, but the impact to your body is on a spectrum. Some great choices that we love in our family are date syrup, coconut sugar, agave, pure maple syrup, monk fruit, and honey. Children’s bodies grow and develop quickly. It is so important to make sure they are getting all the nutrients they need. Even as adults we need to make sure we take care of our bodies for long term health. Making smart choices is extremely important! With that in mind, we want to share a favorite in our family. It has a few surprising ingredients that make an extraordinarily rich and luxurious dessert. The Recipe So without further delay, we share our fantastic avocado chocolate pudding! This recipe is vegan, gluten free, and is customizable to fit any lifestyle. The best thing about it is putting all the ingredients in the food processor and no cooking necessary! In my book, that is a big win! Add in your avocados, cocoa powder, maple syrup, salt, and vanilla, and then pulse the ingredients until everything is combined. Open the food processor and scrape down the sides. Place the lid back on and blend about 30 seconds, until completely smooth. Sometimes, instead of maple syrup we use alternative sweeteners such as honey, date syrup, or agave. All the ingredients provide great taste and flavor. Chill the pudding in the refrigerator for about an hour, and then enjoy! You can serve the avocado chocolate pudding in little ramekins with your favorite dairy or vegan whipped cream toppings and a few raspberries. This pudding can compete with any other pudding or chocolate mousse. Other toppings we really like to use are shredded coconut, chia seeds, and whole medjool dates. Delicious! ☺️

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Millionaire Shortbread

Sandra Sells — Sat, 25 Dec 2021 15:18:18 +0000

I have wanted to make this dessert for our Simply Sells Kitchen family since we started the website. Nothing excites me more than to bring you into our family and share what we enjoy in times of celebration. I come from a family that has very few traditions, but this one seems to have stuck for a long period of time. No pun intended as the caramel in this recipe is no joke, Ha! I wouldn’t say we have generational traditions but we usually bring this millionaire shortbread recipe out during Christmas time and have for years. Christmas traditions help bring on the Christmas cheer. Our Millionaire Shortbread is a layered dessert that has shortbread as the base, followed by a rich caramel in the middle and covered in chocolate. The ingredients are simple in each layer but bring a lot of richness when combined. It is a dessert that you would find in the UK, as it originated in Scotland (the Scottish are known for their shortbread). The layers of this bar resemble the components of a Twix candy bar. The UK is famous for their sweets and buttery pastries, which may be my biased opinion because I was born in England, but I honestly believe they make delicious sweets. Making Shortbread The first step in making Millionaire Shortbread is to make the shortbread biscuit layer. Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and then prepare an 8×8 pan by lining it with parchment paper that overhangs the pan so that you can lift the entire dessert out of the pan when it is complete. Next, in a large bowl beat together the sugar and butter till fluffy. Slowly add the flour and salt, and then combine them until crumbly in texture. Press the dough into the prepared pan and then bake for about 35 minutes. The corners should be a light brown and the center like a soft baked cookie. Let it sit out to cool. The second step is to begin the next layer, which is the caramel. This is the part that requires a little muscle but isn’t as hard as you may think. A candy thermometer ensures that you get the caramel to the right candy stage. Start by melting the butter in a medium saucepan on medium heat. To the butter, add the can of sweetened condensed milk, light corn syrup, and salt. Begin to stir the ingredients together and monitor consistently to avoid burning the mixture. While stirring, insert the candy thermometer and bring the temperature up to 220-225 degrees. The consistency should be soft and the appearance a light golden milky color. Next, mix in the vanilla. The last step for this stage is to pour the caramel over the shortbread layer, spreading it evenly. Last but not least it is time melt the chocolate. I have used several types of chocolate and I have never been disappointed. Begin by melting the chocolate over a double boiler or use your microwave. Once the chocolate is melted, pour it over the caramel layer, spreading it evenly. It takes about 30-40 minutes for the chocolate to set, but if you place the pan in the fridge it may speed up the process. To serve your Millionaire Shortbread To serve the millionaire shortbread or “caramel squares,” as my mother calls them, lift the dessert out of the pan by using the overhung parchment paper and transfer it to a cutting board. A tip for cutting the shortbread is that cutting them upside down on the shortbread side is easier. The size of the bars is a personal choice and no judgement will be given (ha ha). The millionaire shortbread bars are so delicious it seems like you can’t have just one. I hope you enjoy these with your family and friends! They are great to package up as a gift, also.

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Tres Leches Cake

Sandra Sells — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 14:55:06 +0000

Baking at the Sells household is always a fun family affair. Whether brownies, cookies, or cakes it doesn’t matter. Kodi and I love it, the kids love it and, of course, neither of us can hardly wait to lick the spoon! This tres leches (three milks) cake is no exception. Baking as a family For us, baking dessert is a sign that we are relaxed and happy. Out come the kid’s stepping stools shortly followed by the young ones slightly arguing about who will be the closest to the mixing bowl action. We get so much happiness from our family coming together. I really do believe baking is therapeutic and brings a sense of hope that something good is just on the horizon. I know that might sound slightly dramatic but it does bring tons of joy in our house! We’ve always had a sweet tooth – who doesn’t – so we want to share a tres leches cake recipe that is sure to cure sweet tooth cravings. Besides satisfying your own sweet tooth the recipe is fantastic for a potluck, party or family gathering. History of Tres Leches Historically, canned evaporated milk used in tres leches started being made in the 1850’s and became more popular in the early to mid-twentieth century during both world wars. At that time it was popular to soak sponge cake in evaporated milk to preserve or sustain the cake’s life. In trying to keep up with demand for canned evaporated milks, companies expanded operations to Central and South America. Some say Nicaragua was responsible for using canned evaporated milk to create the delicious tres leches treat while others trace its origin to England in the Middle Ages. Miami even tries to stake claim to the origin of the popular dessert. Either way, regardless of who’s responsible, we can all agree that tres leches is truly a heavenly and magical dessert! The back story Our recipe started as a cure for Kodi’s sweet tooth back in his college days. It was originally a budget branch-off recipe of a coconut cake that he learned to make while living in Boston, which always hit the spot. After moving back to Florida, he discovered and grew a love for Spanish flavored foods. Tres leches cake has been a favorite of his since. In the beginning, he started with box cake, a few milky toppings, and then covered in sweet whipped topping. The cake was quick, easy, delicious and required very little effort. Now that we are well beyond college days, the cake has been reinvented into an upgraded version made from scratch. The result gives bragging rights to any baker! The tres leches recipe can be adapted for any holiday by decorating the top with colored sprinkles, berries or any other seasonal fruit. By doubling the recipe you can make a very large sheet cake that will really impress at your next gathering. Have fun and let us know what you think! Feel free and be creative!

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It’s The Holiday Season

Sandra Sells — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 14:59:40 +0000

Fall has come and my most favorite time of the year is starting. I love when you get that first cold front, the fire pit lights up, and out come the smores. Pumpkin spice and everything nice, is my motto. Family time is a must and the boots are coming out! I am not one to be swayed so easily but in this season I volunteer to be swayed by all this coziness as December approaches. I usually start to plan my Thanksgiving menu via Pinterest because I try to lean-up my feast to lessen the guilt. It’s just what I do. My favorite dessert that I make is a guiltless and crustless pumpkin pie. Essentially, it is pumpkin custard with a sugar free sweetener, but I really enjoy it. I serve a big slice with whipped cream of choice (usually sugar free) with a cup of coffee alongside. I am not an advocate for sugar free sweeteners because they are not that healthy for you and your gut but it’s a choice on my weightless journey. To make the crustless pumpkin pie, you need four large eggs, one 15 oz. can of pumpkin, 1/4 cup of Swerve sweetener, two teaspoons of vanilla, 1/2 cup of almond milk, two teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice, and ½ teaspoons of salt. Mix it all together, and then pour it into a lightly greased (Pam or alternative) 8 x 8 glass Pyrex pie plate or other deep pie plate, and then bake it for 1 hour at 350oF. It’s done when the pie doesn’t jiggle too much in the middle. Allow time for it to cool before serving so that it sets up nicely, and then serve it with your favorite whipped topping. This dessert has all the indulgence but a limited impact on the figure. Family time is one of the most important parts of the holiday season. I find that holiday planning and meals are great but quality time with our parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews is priceless. We spend all year being so busy that I just treasure this time. It’s amazing how much our families lives can change in a year and how mature the kids become so fast. When Christmas approaches, I love shopping for my loved ones. We’ve had years where the number of presents were so numerous due to the growing families that your gift was just one of many. I struggled with this because I always tried to make gifts very personalized to the person and place a lot of thought into what I make or purchase for them. I think that in different years we had more money than others but the thought was always a personal one. I’ve made changes to how I’ve given gifts to all the kids over the past few years. I’ve now started a tradition where I give the gifts privately, and most of the time not on Christmas day. It suits my desire of giving to the family and it spreads out the receipt of presents for them throughout the season. I want to see their faces as they open the gifts and be able to give them a hug with love in the moment. Maybe it’s me just not wanting to give stuff but to give love. I said that family time is the most important thing for me and it is true. What can I say, my kids are my greatest gifts and if I just had them and their giggles I would have it all. Being a parent is not easy; it is selfless and it is hard work. I have two very smart and beautiful young children who fight like siblings should and they do it well. They are getting to an age where they have their own opinions and they test boundaries. Thank the Lord that I can see beyond the moment, forgive easily, and know that putting in the hard work now will pay off in the future. They are our first ministry in life and our biggest investment. They can be exhausting but also they can melt my heart faster than you can blink an eye. Motherhood has been the most wonderful thing and has filled my life more than I expected. God is so good. I look forward to giving my kids memories and having family traditions for them to remember and pass on to their kids. I look forward to making them smile and teaching them to be grateful for the blessings they have. Christmas time for a Christian is an especially important time. It is a time of teaching them a balance of the joy of the season and also making sure they know the true meaning of Christmas. We strive to show them that the reason for the season is Jesus Christ our Savior! I know that with human history and pagan influences Christmas seems to have become more about Santa Clause, consumerism, retail sales, and a greedy spirit. But, I want my kids to know that we set this time aside to share the biggest gift of all – the celebration of a miracle – a baby named Jesus, who is the Son of God, born in a manger, the Savior of the world. God sent an angel to tell a young girl she was going to have a baby that would carry a mission to die on a cross to rid us of sin so we could live and not die. The truth is none of us are worthy of eternity in heaven but through the acceptance of Jesus Christ and the sacrifice He made, we carry His status of a child of God. We gather this season to remember this truth and let faith in this be our reason for everything. If I could give you, the reader, a Christmas gift it would be a prayer that you would come to know the story of Jesus and let it become real in your life. There are some that can’t look beyond the physical and can’t fathom a miracle like this. But, existence is a miracle! Life is not logical. Science does its best but you must even believe in something beyond yourself to even believe in science. My recommendation is that it is better to believe in something that gives you hope than something that ends in nothing. I pray that you and your families have reconciliation where there needs to be and that your holiday season is filled with wonderful memories and love. I pray that you are blessed today and in the days to come. I pray that you find what you are looking for in life and you live life well. Enjoy this time, even through the circumstances that we are living through in 2020. Stop and remember to be grateful for God’s goodness. He is always good! Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!

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