Masonable Mondays #7 - Cheesecake

Welcome to Masonable Mondays #7! I know it has been a while. I am sorry about that. But I think this #Masonable will make it up to you. Have you seen those new cheesecake snacks? They sell them as a divided cup with cheesecake filling on one side and chocolate, caramel or cherry topping on the other. What a perfect idea for a masonable! Now I decided to use cottage cheese to make my cheesecake snacks. I had recently seen a Dr. Oz show that boasted the nutritional values of cottage cheese. It is a great source of both protein and calcium. When you blend it up smooth it looks more like yogurt and can be used in both sweet and savory recipes. It works beautifully in these cheesecake masonables. Perfect for a snack, breakfast or dessert! I sweetened it with maple syrup, vanilla and lemon zest. It has that classic cheesecake flavor. But just think about it, the possibilities are endless. You can use light cottage cheese, neufchatel or cream cheese if you like. Any cheesecake flavor you can imagine can be adapted to a masonable. Whether you enjoy fruit toppings or indulgent rich mix-ins. You are just limited by your imagination. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Top with any combination of fresh or frozen fruit. 

I chose thawed frozen dark cherries today. But try blueberries, peaches or strawberries. Heck top with jam or pie filling if you like.

Oreo! Try stirring in or topping with crushed oreos 

or spoon cheesecake filling on thin oreos.

What about Amaretto? Substitute Almond liquor or extract for vanilla or maple syrup. Top with toasted almonds and serve with Italian Amaretti cookies.

Or Peanut Butter Cup!? Stir in peanut butter and drizzle with melted chocolate. Or keep it simple and just chop up some Reese's peanut butter cups.

So many ideas come to mind. I hope you will try this recipe or create your own. Be sure to let me know what you put in your Cheesecake Masonable.

Cheesecake Masonable
Makes 4 - 1/2 cup servings

Supplies

4 wide mouth half pint Mason jar
4 empty fruit cup

Ingredients

2 cups cottage cheese (4% milkfat, small curd)
3 Tbsp. real maple syrup
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
zest of small lemon
20 frozen dark cherries, thawed
24 Honey Nut Thins, Honey Cinnamon flavored

Directions

Place cottage cheese, maple syrup, vanilla and lemon zest in a blender container. Blend until smooth. Divide into 4 wide mouth half pint mason jars. Top with five cherries or toppings of you choice. Place lid on top of the jar. Stack six nut thins on lid. Place fruit cup inverted on top of nut thins and lid. Add mason jar ring to secure everything in place. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: You can reduce the serving size and calories by making 6 - 1/3 cup servings. That is almost one a day for an entire week. Yum!

By the way, in case you're wondering. The Honey Cinnamon Nut Thins are AMAZING! They taste buttery and have that cinnamon roll or pancake 

flavor thing going for them. 

But you can use graham crackers or any dippers you prefer.

Picture of a not so thawed cherry.

Masonable Mondays #4 - Open Dome Top

Welcome to Masonable Mondays #4! I must admit this post is more about another way to use all those fruit cups. No recipes today, sorry! The weather is kind of wet up here in north Louisiana and since I sprained my ankle I have been a little reluctant to go out in wet conditions. So expect a more elaborate post using this same idea in the future. I just couldn't make my sure footed self go out to the store in this weather. In the mean time I am glad to share this idea with you.

Did you know you can use that fruit cup as an open dome top with just the ring? It basically add more head room to each jar. Now you can pack more in each jar. You can protect a frosted cupcake and send a surprise in a loved ones birthday lunch.

It is so simple! Place your cupcake in a half pint wide mouth jar.

Place the fruit cup inverted over the top. 

No need for the flat sealing top, it sits on the edge of the jar.

Then secure the cup in place with the ring. Done! 

Now you can send a birthday wish to anyone you love.

This idea would work for so many things from sweet to savory. Here are a few for you to try:

Sweet

The dome top would allow you to prep desserts ahead of time or for a large group. Think about Ice Cream Sundaes, Trifles, Pie a la Mode, Strawberry Shortcake with Whipped Cream, Cookies layered with Whipped Cream and Parfaits. That dome has a lot of room for whipped cream and icing.

Savory

This dome isn't just for desserts. It can help pack savory foods as well. Think about meatloaf in cupcake form. You can pack Meatloaf with a swirl of Mashed Potato Topping. Or place a cornbread muffin on top of your comfort food like

Chili, just place a Cornbread Muffin upside down on top. The fruit cup with cover all that goodness. How about filling the jar with Spaghetti and sauce then placing a big Meatball on top. Now that is a great lunch.

I hope this has inspired you to use your mason jars and fruit cups in a few more ways. Be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you plan to put in your #Masonables.

Butterfly Cheesecake Muffins

Dear sister just had a birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! She wanted to bring something to share at work since she had to be there on her birthday. I said I would make mini cheesecakes for her to bring. We have been making cheesecake muffins for years. You can make so many variations. I have shared a few on the blog already. These I wanted to make special so I set out to make them "springy". Sister loves butterflies so I wanted to use this cute pretzel idea I saw all over Pinterest. But I needed to find a way to make a green topping or field for them to sit on. That is when it came to me I could tint the sour cream topping from the Ultimate Cheesecake recipe. It worked perfectly. It also makes a great flat top on each muffin. This little technique is going to make for tons of other cute cheesecake muffins. Sister said the sour cream topping balances the other sweet ingredients. These little cuties are sweet because hidden inside is an Oreo and a Snickers bar. So with the pretzel and the candy inside and out this little muffin is salty and sweet. They are cute and tasty too! Perfect for any birthday or Easter event. I hope you will find a way to celebrate spring with this recipe.

Butterfly Cheesecake Muffins

Makes 24 to 28 muffins

Ingredients

1 pkg. Oreo thins

1 bag mini Snickers bars

3 (8oz.) pkg. Cream Cheese

3 eggs

1-1/4 cup Granulated Sugar, divided

1-1/8 tsp. Vanilla, divided

16 oz. light sour cream

16 drops green food coloring

1 bag Flipz white fudge covered pretzels

1 bag Easter M&Ms

1 bag peel and eat Fruit Punch Twizzlers, peeled

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

Place 1 Oreo thin in paper lined cupcake pan. Place a Snickers on each cookie and set aside. Cream the cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and beat until well mixed. Spoon cream cheese over each cookie until cup is 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile mix sour cream, remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/8 tsp. vanilla and green food coloring adding drop by drop until desired green color is achieve and sugar is dissolved.

Remove muffins from oven and top with green sour cream mixture. Bake for 5 more minutes, remove from oven and let cool completely. Top each muffin with two pretzels spread just far enough apart for a row of M&Ms in between. Place one color of M&M to make the head of the butterfly. Place three of a different color below for the body. Poke two pieces of Twizzler string near the head for antennas. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Note: Be sure to let the muffins cool completely before decorating. Heat and moisture will affect the candy. Heat will make the coating melt. Moisture will make the candies caulk. For perfect muffins you may want to decorate just before serving.

Linking to:
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday

Peachy Crisp Yogurt Jar

Here is another meal prep idea for those fruit cups and wide mouth mason jars. I made yogurt with a "peachy" crisp topping. I bought a quart of vanilla Greek yogurt and made 5 jars. The yogurt went into the bottom of the jars. Then I used a mix of dried apricot pieces, vanilla almond granola and cinnamon in the fruit cup for the topping. The cinnamon and crunchy oats in the granola is what gives these yogurt jars that crisp or cobbler topping. Such an easy and delicious breakfast to go! I made one with dried berry fruit blend too, also very tasty. I hope you find this meal prep idea helpful next week.

Peachy Crisp Yogurt Jar

Serves 1

6 to 8 oz. vanilla non-fat Greek yogurt

3 Tbsp. vanilla almond granola (I used Bear Naked Brand)

3 dried apricots, chopped

3 shakes of cinnamon

Place yogurt in a pint size wide mouth mason jar. 

Place granola, dried fruit and cinnamon in re-cycled fruit cup. 

Place cup in the top of mason jar. Secure with mason jar lid and ring.

Looking for more meal prep ideas? 

Try these other ideas using mason jars and that little fruit cup here.

Linking to:

Tornadough Alli: Throwback Thursday Link Party

Chunky Monkey Yogurt Pie

#MadeWithChobani

the Official Yogurt of College Football

When I heard Chobani was looking for bloggers who would be interested in featuring their products in one of their posts I was thrilled. After all I already buy and use Chobani. I thought of all the many uses I have for their yogurt. I use it as a replacement for sour cream and as a topping. I use it in dips and dressings. I eat it for breakfast and as a sweet treat in the evenings. Then finally I use it to make all kinds of Yogurt Pies. My family has been making yogurt pie for years. It is often dessert at celebration dinners, get-togethers and holidays. So it just seemed natural that I would create a new one for Chobani's campaign.

Go check out their website for even more recipes using Chobani.

So let me tell you a bit about Chobani's ad campaign. With football season upon us, Chobani has been named the Official Yogurt of College Football! They want to remind us not to drop the ball when it comes to staying healthy at the tailgate. So they are asking bloggers, well everyone to share healthy recipes for tailgating with the #MadeWithChobani.

Most of my tailgating is done at home these days; getting together with family and friends to watch and cheer on our favorite teams. So I decided to use Chobani Flip Nutty for 'Nana Greek Yogurt to create a new Yogurt Pie. Nutty for 'Nana is a delicious Banana Low-Fat Yogurt with Honey Roasted Salted Almonds and Dark Chocolate on the side. You can flip the specially design cup to add the crunchy toppings to the creamy yogurt. Trust me it makes a delicious healthy dessert all by it's self. But I thought I would make it into a dessert for a group of college football fans. As a Louisiana Tech Alumni this house cheers for the Bulldogs. So this frozen treat will be decked out in red and blue. GO DAWGS! Now back to the pie... 

You can make all kinds of Yogurt Pies using #Chobani. Fresh fruit flavors or decadent ice cream flavors. With Chobani Flips you get the yogurt and a mix-in or garnish in one. Nutty for 'Nana is the perfect base for re-creating the ice flavor Chunky Monkey. You get the banana yogurt, nuts and chocolate in one carton. It made a delicious low-fat frozen dessert with all the flavor of a decadent ice cream. I decided to use the topping as a mix it; after all that is what makes the ice cream so good, all the chunky treats. I also decided to leave some of the bananas in slices too. This pie really lives up to the title of chunky.

For the garnish I had to go with something with team spirit. A bag of almond M & Ms re-enforces the almond and chocolate flavors and makes it so easy to decorate this pie for your favorite team. Beside that, the brown almond M & Ms look a lot like little footballs. So print out your team pennant or mascot and garnish this Chunky Monkey Yogurt Pie for your favorite team.

Chunky Monkey Yogurt Pie
Serves 6

Ingredients

2 cartons of Chobani Flip Nutty for 'Nana Greek Yogurt

1 cup sliced banana, divided

12 oz. light whipped topping, thawed

1 prepared Oreo pie crust

Hot fudge topping

Almond M & Ms, chopped and whole for garnish

Directions

Select your team colors (I used red and blue) from the bag of M & Ms. Roughly chop and set aside. Also set aside 7 brown M & Ms for garnish.

Place 1/2 cup banana slices in a mixing bowl, mash with the tines of a fork. Add remaining banana slices and yogurt; fold together. Fill yogurt portion of cups with whipped topping (about 1-1/2 cups or half of the carton) gently fold whipped topping into yogurt and fruit mixture. Sprinkle in the nut and chocolate topping and gently fold together. Pour into pie crust and spread evenly. Place pie in the freezer and freeze solid. When frozen, spread the top with a thin layer of hot fudge, the remaining whipped topping, chopped M & Ms in team colors and whole brown M & Ms for garnish.

Note: Remove the pie from the freezer and decorate 20  to 30 minutes before you are ready to serve. That way it is thawed just a bit when it is time to serve dessert. If you forget no worries serve with forks instead of spoons.

Disclaimer: I did not receive any monetary or product compensation for this post. I purchased the products myself and all opinions are my own.

Linking to:
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday

Peanut Butter Brownie Yogurt Pie

This is so funny but the inspiration for this Yogurt Pie came from a girls trip to a burger restaurant. Mom, dear sister and I went to Twisted Root for burgers. The burgers were good, the toppings amazing, but the most memorable thing was the dessert we tried to share. We ordered one piece of Peanut Butter Brownie Pie. It came to the table frozen solid. All we had was plastic utensils to try to eat this thing. We struggled, bending most of the utensils just to saw and chip at the delicious peanut butter ice cream and brownie filling. Then there was the crust, it was a really thick homemade Oreo crust and it was rock hard. I was laughing as I watch my Mom and sister saw and stab at it trying to get a bite. Then it happened! One of them who will remain nameless to protect their reputation, picked it up with their hands and gnawed on it just to get a bite. I really started laughing then. Eventually after lots of laughing, no manners, sawing, bent plastic tools, the pie was gone. It was so good! The pie was really rich and decadent. I bet thawed a little bit, it would have been much easier to eat. 

On the way out of the restaurant Mom and I discussed how to recreate this pie at home. I was sure it would be pretty easy; peanut butter ice cream, oreo pie crust, brownies, I mean that sounds simple enough. Then I had the idea to try to make it a yogurt pie. I don't think we would save any calories, but maybe a little fat? It would definitely be packed with protein from the Greek yogurt and peanut butter. Well this weekend we gave it a try. It was really easy, more assemble than cooking. It was also just as decadent. The only trick is to mix the peanut butter with one carton of yogurt at a time. You want it to be thoroughly combined and a little fluffy before you fold in the whipped topping. We used store bought brownies cut into bite size pieces and folded them in as well. We were both pleased with the results. I will definitely make it again next time I have a peanut butter and chocolate craving.

P.S. My apologizes for the photography. 

I was at Mom and Dad's and did not have my camera with me.

Peanut Butter Brownie Yogurt Pie
Serves 6

Ingredients

2 cartons of light vanilla Greek yogurt
1 cup smooth peanut butter
12 oz. carton of light whipped topping (Cool Whip)
4 store bought brownies, cut into pieces
1 prepared Oreo cookie crust

Directions

Place one carton yogurt in a mixing bowl. Fill carton with peanut butter and add to bowl, combine yogurt and peanut butter really well. Add second carton of yogurt mixing well. Add an equal amount of whipped topping (about 1-1/2 cups or half of the carton) gently fold whipped topping into yogurt. Cut 3 brownies into 9 squares each, fold into yogurt mixture. Pour into pie crust and spread evenly. Place pie in the freezer and freeze solid. When frozen, spread the top with the remaining whipped topping, and garnish with additional brownie pieces.

Note: Remove the pie from the freezer when you sit down to dinner. That way it is thawed just a bit and you will not bend any utensils or lose your manners when it is time to serve dessert. LOL!

No plastic utensils were harmed in eating this pie.

Linking to:

Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends

Mexican Coffee Mug Cake

Here is another Fun with Coffee idea. This is a great way to use coffee to make an individual low fat dessert for one. I learned about using the microwave to bake angel food cake mix in a mug from one of those recipe books you see in the grocery store line. I tried their recipe for a chocolate mug cake. It was fine but it gave me the idea to experiment and boost the flavor. I have try many combinations, mixing different ingredients into the basic recipe. It was this experiment that tastes like a Mexican Coffee or Mexican Hot Cocoa that got me to post about it. It is delicious! It has a light texture but a rich deep flavor. I love the coffee, it makes the chocolate flavor darker. The cinnamon is great with the chocolate too. It adds spice and just warms everything up. I will keep experimenting but I see myself making this version time and time again. Such a quick little dessert and you don't have to heat the house up using the oven.

Mexican Coffee Mug Cake
Serves 1

Ingredients

1/4 cup angel food cake mix
2 tsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbsp. cool coffee

Directions

Combine cake mix, cocoa and cinnamon in a two cup coffee mug. Stir well until combined. Add coffee and stir well. Microwave on high for one and a half minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and serve.