Lindsay, Author at Laughing Lindsay

Naturally Sweet Tiramisu Recipe

February 14, 2013 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Earlier today I shared the roasted garlic mashed potatoes recipe which I mentioned would be great for a Valentine’s Day side dish. Now, I want to share a special tiramisu recipe that would be fabulous for tonight’s dessert. This version contains NECTRESSE™ Natural No Calorie Sweetener. So, it doesn’t contain sugar and everyone should be able to enjoy it. I can’t wait to try it out.

Naturally Sweet Tiramisu

Tiramisu that contains NECTRESSE sweetener.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Servings 9

Calories 330 kcal

Ingredients

8 oz. block light cream cheese
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup NECTRESSE™ Natural No Calorie Sweetener
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 cup hot water
1/3 cup Coffee-flavored liqueur *
1, 7 oz. pkg. Italian ladyfingers savoiardi
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

ALLOW cheeses to come to room temperature. Using a hand held mixer, whip cheeses, NECTRESSE™ Natural No Calorie Sweetener and vanilla in a bowl for 2 minutes. Set aside.
DISSOLVE espresso powder in hot water. Stir in liquor. Quickly dip one lady finger cookie in the espresso mixture and place in an 8X8 pan. Repeat with 11 more cookies for a total of 12 cookies for the bottom layer. Spread half of the cream cheese mixture on top. Repeat process with remaining 12 lady finger cookies and cream cheese spread.
SPRINKLE cocoa powder and cinnamon on top of cream cheese.
REFRIGERATE for at least 2 hours. Can be made up to two days ahead.

Notes

A 7oz. package of ladyfingers is equal to 24 cookies. Instant espresso can be replaced with 1 cup of freshly brewed strong coffee. Angel food cake or ladyfinger sponge cookies can be used in place of Italian ladyfinger cookies. *For dietary purposes, please note this recipe contains alcohol.

Keyword Chocolate

You can find this naturally sweet dessert recipe on the NECTRESSE website, but I just wanted to share it with my readers because I thought it sounded delicious. Please let me know if you try it and what you think of it.

Disclosure: Nothing was received for this post. The opinions are my own.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe

February 14, 2013 By Lindsay 2 Comments

Last week, I posted the white wine sauce chicken recipe which I thought would be great for that Valentine’s Day dinner with your loved one(s). Since today is actually Valentine’s Day, I thought people might be searching for a quick side for that dinner. That’s why I want to highlight another recipe from Campbell’s Kitchen which just happens to feature the useful Swanson Chicken Broth again. You can purchase that stuff for the chicken and use it in this side. I think it’s great when I purchase such a universal product. I also happen to love mashed potatoes. So, I think this spin on the classic dish could be really tasty (especially if you happen to have leftover chicken broth). It’s roasted garlic mashed potatoes. Yum!

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

A spin on the classic mashed potatoes.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 15

Total Time 1 25

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Ingredients

1 whole bulb garlic
2 2/3 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth Regular, Natural Goodness® or Certified Organic
5 large potatoes cut into 1" pieces (about 7 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped chives or green onion tops

Instructions

Cut off the top of the garlic bulb. Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of the broth. Wrap the bulb in aluminum foil and bake at 350°F. for 1 hour or until it's softened.
Place the broth and potatoes in a 3-quart saucepan and heat to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain, reserving the broth.
Mash the potatoes with 1 1/4 cups of the broth, 2 or 3 cloves of roasted garlic* and chives, if desired. Add additional broth, if needed, until desired consistency is reached.

Keyword Potatoes

So, do you think these mashed potatoes sound delicious? How do you typically prepare your mashed potatoes? Let me know if you try this recipe and what you think of it in the comments.

Disclosure: Nothing was received for this post. I’m just sharing a recipe that looks tasty.

Spiced Apple Cake with Orange Glaze Recipe from Musselman’s

January 22, 2013 By Lindsay 56 Comments

We were hit with a big snow storm on Thursday night while I was staying at my boyfriend’s house. It knocked out the power until Saturday night. Within hours of the power being back on, we made this lovely spiced apple cake using Musselman’s apple butter. Between the use of oranges, apple butter, and spices it’s a great winter treat to warm up with!

Note: we used whole wheat flour which made it darker and a little heartier. You can use a flour of your choosing, know it may turn out looking a little differently. I think it will probably be delicious regardless of the type of flour used.

Spiced Apple Cake

Spiced Apple Cake with Orange Glaze

Spiced Apple Cake with Orange Glaze featuring Musselman's Apple Butter.

4.72 from 14 votes

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 5

Total Time 1 20

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 10

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup MUSSELMAN'S Apple Butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. orange juice
1 tsp. orange peel

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Sift flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves.
Cream sugar and softened butter or margarine in large bowl.
Add eggs, beating thoroughly.
Beat in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk.
Stir in apple butter.
Grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan and pour batter into.
Bake in 350°F oven 55 to 65 minutes or until cake tests done.
Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.
Make orange glaze by combining powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange rind.
Spoon glaze over warm Apple Butter Cake.

Keyword Apple, Bread

I don’t typically like orange-flavored stuff. However, I really liked this cake. The orange glaze goes well with the cake. The different flavors compliment each other well. Plus, the glaze gave the cake a different consistency on top. Then again, I’ve liked every other thing I’ve made featuring Musselman’s apple butter, including the apple butter bbq sauce I made. My boyfriend also loved this cake since he is a huge fan of oranges. It was the perfect way to celebrate the return of the electricity.

Disclosure: I received the apple butter used in this recipe for free. No compensation was received. The opinions expressed are my own.

Substitute Teacher Supply List

January 16, 2013 By Lindsay 2 Comments

Since I couldn’t get a full-time teaching position in the fall, I signed up to substitute teach for the county I live in. I have been subbing pretty regularly since September now. Granted, there are some issues that occur because the students don’t know me and I’m there for only a day. However, I have found that being prepared with the right materials can definitely help. Plus, it also helps that I actually love my job. I thought I would share with you my substitute teacher supply list which is a list of stuff I keep ready to go.

* Tote Bag – I’m actually using the Vera Bradley Va Va Bloom Go Round Tote Bag that I reviewed last year. It’s pretty and it holds all of my stuff from this substitute teacher supply list nicely. A high school student even commented on it because she loves Vera Bradley.

* Notebook – I try to take copious notes throughout the day, just in case. At the high school, I write stuff down for each period (even if it’s just a simple “all present”) and for the elementary level, I try to write things as they happen. At end of the day/week, I combine my notes to write up a letter to the teacher I’m filling in for. I also keep a running list of the days I’ve worked (including place and teacher).

* Writing Utensils – I need pens/pencils to write my notes and letter. I’ve also found it useful to carry around some chalk and dry erase markers as I write down the assignments on the board (along with my name and the date) for the students. Occasionally, the teacher doesn’t have any out. So, I carry some, just in case. Also, some students may not come to class prepared with a pencil/eraser.

* Food – I always have a bottle of water in my bag along with a snack and some gum.

* Beauty supplies – This includes a pony tail holder, deodorant, lip balm, hand sanitizer/lotion, etc.

* Book – It can be boring to sit in a classroom without anything to do for 50 minutes (during planning period). So, I always carry around a book.

* Money – I always pack a lunch if I’m going to work all day. However, sometimes I’m scheduled to work the first half of day and get asked for the second. So, it’s nice to have some money for lunch.

Now you have my substitute teacher supply list. What do you think of it? Do you have any suggestions for me? What should I add to my substitute teacher supply list?

It Does Not Feel Like Christmas

December 25, 2012 By Lindsay 6 Comments

Merry Christmas! I sincerely hope you are spending time with family today (instead of reading my site). I hope all of my readers have a fabulous holiday season that is filled with love, laughter, good food, and perhaps a great gift or two. There won’t be any reviews or giveaways posted today as I’m taking today off. I hope you aren’t too disappointed. However, now that dad has passed away, I am all too aware of how important it is to spend time with family. You just never know when it will be the last time you see someone. So, be nice and joyful today.

It Does Not Feel Like Christmas

I am sure that today will be hard for me and my family. I am baking homemade peanut butter chocolate chip cookies on Christmas Eve, because I used to bake peanut butter cookies with my mom back in the day. It’s been really hard these past few weeks. I miss dad. I think about him multiple times a day. I do better during the day because I can stay busy. However, it really hits me at night when the house is quiet and I feel like he should be walking down the hallway to go to the bathroom and check on me.

With dad (and my grandmother who passed away 9 years ago) being gone, it really doesn’t feel Christmas this year. It feels like something is missing to complete the Christmas festivities. I miss talking to dad. I am also sad because I went to visit dad in the hospital on Thanksgiving and I asked him what he wanted for Christmas. His response was “I want to come home for Christmas.” Obviously, that didn’t happen. So, it breaks my heart. I know he is better off now because he is no longer suffering. However, I want him here for selfish reasons.

Instead of snow, it’s raining here in Virginia for Christmas. That doesn’t help any with the spirit. Then, we put up our Christmas tree last week. It’s a pre-lit tree. As soon as mom plugged it in, a whole string of lights was out (right in the middle of the tree). Then, a couple of days later, another strand went out. Also, our tree topper that we’ve had for years wouldn’t work either.

Like I said, it doesn’t feel like Christmas this year… at all. I don’t know how hard today will be. Nonetheless, it is Christmas and I want to spend it with my family and loved ones. I haven’t been able to deal with being around many people lately. So, I’m hoping today goes well.

Merry Christmas!