Two Ingredient Oreo Dessert

I'm going to start with a disclaimer: yes, it is technically 2 ingredients BUT I usually make it 4. 

Don't come after me for the extra ingredients on the list - you don't HAVE to add them. It will just be a smidge better if you do. 

Now that is out of the way - looking for the easiest dessert in the history of the world? This one is top of the list. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't love it. (Except for those who don't like Oreos but...really...they're already wrong so what are you gonna do?)

You just need a few minutes to put this together and then it needs to sit for a couple of hours - up to overnight. Easy peasy. 

Two Ingredient Oreo Dessert

Ingredients

1 bag of Oreo Thins (or regular Oreos will also work)

1 container of Cool Whip (or ~3 cups whipped cream, whipped)

*Note - I use a little vanilla extract and sprinkle of sugar if I use whipped cream - thus the 4 ingredients*

Directions

Place a little line of Cool Whip (or whipped cream) down on the tray (Like THIS ONE) you intend to serve the dessert on. This will be what holds the cookies up but does not need to be thick. 

Take one Oreo and spread about a tsp of Cool Whip (or whipped cream) on top. Squish another Oreo on it. Continue until you have a stack of about 5 cookies. Place the cookies onto the prepared tray. 

Continue with all of the cookies. I make two lines of cookies (see photo below)

You can also layer these up in stacks of 3 or 4 cookies in individual jars for an alternative way to serve. 

When all the cookies are used up, spread the remaining Cool Whip (or whipped cream) over the top and sides of the cookie logs. 

Sprinkle any crumbs from the package on top (or keep one cookie and crumble it up).

*Boom* Done. 

Cover and put in the fridge for a couple of hours, up to overnight, so the cookies can soften.

When ready to eat, simply slice on a slight angle and serve. FYI - you CAN cut it straight across you just won't get the pretty cross section of the cookies like you see here. 

The Oreos soften and it's like cutting cake. 

Want to get fancy? Drizzle with a little chocolate sauce. 

I use the Oreo thins because they soften quicker and this is often my last-minute go to dessert so I don't have time to let it sit as long as it should. Regular Oreos will work fine, as will almost any type of sandwich cookies. See our Maple Cookie version HERE.  

Add cocoa powder to the Cool Whip/whipped cream for a more chocolatey version. Use a flavored sandwich cookie for even more options. 

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Lime Cake (Dairy Free)

 

This tangy lime cake is one of those desserts you need, you just don't know it yet. 

It is delightfully different than the usual chocolate, vanilla, or caramel cakes that everyone is used to. I've made it dairy free by using oat milk, vegan butter, and vegan yogurt BUT you can use "regular" milk products for the same result. 

Perfect for the holidays or birthdays and anniversaries OR just because you want a delicious cake. No reason needed. #NoJudgement 

I used 3 - 8 inch pans but you could also make cupcakes or a 9 X 13 - it just means changing the cooking time. 

Lime Cake (Dairy Free)

Ingredients

Cake

1/2 cup vegan butter

1 3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

1/2 cup vegan yogurt

1 cup oat milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 3/4 cup flour

2 Tbsp cornstarch

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

juice and zest of 2 limes

Buttercream

1 cup vegan butter

zest of 2 limes

6 - 7 cups icing sugar

oat milk to thin -  about 1 or 2 Tbsp

Extra lime slices for decorating

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Line 3, 8 inch pans with parchment paper and set aside. 

Beat together butter and sugar until light. Beat in eggs and yogurt until smooth. Slowly beat in milk, oil, and lime juice until well mixed. 

In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lime zest. 

Beat dry ingredients into wet ingredients until no flour streaks remain. 

Spread evenly into prepared pans. Bake at 350 until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean, about 15 - 20 minutes. When done, remove from heat and let cool on wire racks for 10 minutes before inverting pans and removing cakes. Let cool completely. 

Prepare buttercream - Beat butter until smooth. Add in the lime zest and 6 cups of icing sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add in a little oat milk at a time, if necessary, to get to spreadable consistency. Add the last cup of icing sugar if it is too runny. Place in fridge until cake is ready to frost. 

While cake and frosting are chilling I like to slice the zested limes and put the slices on paper towel to dry them off to be used for decorating the cake. 

Assemble the cake - place bottom layer of cake on a plate and spread a layer of lime buttercream on top. Repeat with other layers. 

Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting. 

Decorate as desired. I like to use the lime slices. 

Chill until ready to serve. 

The lime flavor shines through in this cake. The crumb is delicate but not fragile. It's a solid cake.

You could slice each layer in half and fill with lime curd for an even MORE limey experience, or add cranberries or white chocolate to change things up and add a more complicated flavor profile. As is, it is a simple,  lovely, bright dessert for any celebration.  

As part of the Amazon Affiliate Program if you click the links in this post and purchase anything from them, we earn a small commission. 

Cake pans we use - 8" cake pans link 

Need a hand mixer to make things easier? Try this one - Hand Mixer Link

Great Gift Ideas and Other Cool Things Under $50.00

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Who doesn't want a mini chainsaw?? Perfect for him or her. 

Helps make the yardwork easier for everyone!

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There's tons of reasons to get these hand warmers for that special someone (or yourself). 

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A power bank is a great item to have on hand. Super useful gift for someone when you just don't know what to get them. 

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We will continue to add cool gift ideas as we come across them. Let us know if there is something you are interested in and we can try and track it down for you! 

Seafood Lasagna

Lasagna with crab, prawns, and scallops is the decadent dinner you didn't know you needed.

It's definitely a bit more money to make but - not even lying - it's probably the best lasagna I have ever made. Rich, creamy, flavorful - all those things and more. 

I didn't really measure when my love and I made this so I am writing down the closest estimate. It is pretty forgiving with amounts so don't be too worried if you have a little more or a little less of an ingredient. 

We made homemade lasagna noodles but store bought/oven ready noodles would work here too. 

Feel free to change up the type of seafood you use too. We went with crab, scallops, and prawns, but lobster, salmon, etc... would also be tasty. 

Seafood Lasagna

Ingredients

Cheese Layer

1 1/2 cups ricotta

1 egg

1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, shredded

1 cup mozzarella, shredded

salt & pepper

Rose Sauce

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes, canned

1 1/4 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, shredded

salt & pepper

Seafood Layer

2 cans crab meat, drained

20ish good sized prawns

30ish medium scallops

15 - 18 Lasagna Noodles (homemade or oven ready)

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

parsley, for garnish

 Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray a 9 X 13 pan with cooking spray, set aside. 

Prepare seafood: Cook prawns and scallops until just done. 

Chop until fine.

Mix with the drained crab meat. Set aside. 

Prepare rose sauce: In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook and stir for one minute. Add in the tomatoes and stir well. Add in the whipping cream, cheese, and salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes and then remove from heat. Set aside. 

Prepare cheese layer: Mix together ricotta, egg, cheeses, salt & pepper. Set aside. 

Assemble lasagna: 

Spread a few generous spoons of the rose sauce in the bottom of the pan. 

Cover bottom of pan with noodles. 

Spread half of the cheese mixture over the noodles. 

Sprinkle half of the seafood over the cheese mixture.

Place another layer of lasagna noodles. 

Spread remaining cheese mixture.

Spread remaining seafood. 

Place last layer of lasagna noodles. 

Spoon a generous amount of the rose sauce over the top to completely cover the noodles. Sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella. 

Bake at 350 for about 45 - 50 minutes. Sauce should be bubbling and cheese melted.

FYI - If it is getting too dark on top you can cover it with tinfoil. (I like to spray the tinfoil with cooking spray so it doesn't stick to the cheese on top - just be careful not to push it down onto the cheese!) 

Let sit for 5 - 10 minutes to set a bit before cutting. Garnish with a sprinkle of dried (or fresh) parsley.

You can serve it with more rose sauce if you like a saucier lasagna. 

IMPORTANT - as I mentioned above, I didn't really measure the ingredients. The shredded cheeses I did by the handful. If you use the measurements I have listed here and you feel like it needs more cheese - add some more. 

If you want saucier lasagna - add more sauce. You can even add a little rose sauce in the middle layer, if you prefer. I didn't because I really wanted the flavor of the seafood to shine through and not be drowned out by the sauce. 

The seafood layer can also be altered without too much being affected. I didn't put can size but I'm going to say it was about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of crab. Prawns and scallops I just used what I had left in my freezer so I can't tell you the weight. 

My partner felt there should have been some rose sauce in the middle as well to make it saucier. I preferred it like this but that's a personal choice. You can absolutely tailor this to your preferences. 

If you don't want to make the rose sauce, you can use a jarred pasta sauce. I find the rose is a bit more mild and works well with seafood. 

**Also, the recipe for rose sauce here will leave you with extra sauce. It freezes well or will be okay in the fridge for a few days.**

Keto Garlic Gnocchi

 

I have been following keto off and on for over 5 years now. I find one of the things I end up missing the most is pasta and pasta adjacent foods. Gnocchi is one of those foods. 

Original gnocchi is pretty distinctive in texture and taste and is hard to replicate while keeping keto friendly. I would say this version is very tasty and very similar looking but still isn't as "chewy" as the original. That being said - I really enjoyed it. 

You get to have a fairly large serving and the macros are reasonable. As per Myfitnesspal - one serving (recipe, as written makes 4) is: 217 calories, 10.5 carbs, 4 fiber, 17.4 protein, for a total of 6.5 net carbs. 

It is far more fragile than original gnocchi so takes a bit of time to make BUT, in my opinion, it is worth the effort to get to eat something that fills a craving I am having. 

Keto Gnocchi

Ingredients

2 eggs

1 cup ricotta

2/3 cup grated parmesan

1 tsp minced, fresh garlic

4 Tbsp coconut flour

2 tsp xanthan gum

Directions

Whisk eggs for about 1 minute. Whisk in ricotta, parmesan, and garlic until well combined. Whisk in coconut flour. 

Sprinkle xanthan gum over surface and let sit for a few seconds. Whisk in well. 

Cover and place in freezer for 15 minutes OR in fridge for an hour OR in fridge overnight. 

Pat into ball and divide into 8 pieces. 

Working with one piece at a time - oil hands and roll or press into a log about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 1 inch pieces. 

Press each piece firmly between your fingers so it is not crumbly. Then press lightly with a fork.

Repeat with all 8 pieces of the dough. You should have approx 60 - 65 pieces. 

Freeze dough for approx 20 minutes. You want the pieces to be firm but not completely frozen. 

Heat butter (or oil) in a pan and fry gnocchi until golden brown. I did about 1 - 2 minutes on 2 sides. (So about 4 minutes total). Watch closely as it will burn quickly. Do NOT crowd the pan. 

Serve hot with a sprinkle of shredded parmesan and dried parsley. 

You can also serve in a keto friendly sauce (such as Raos). 

A serving is approx 15 - 16 gnocchi. 

Of course, you can use your favorite sauce with this recipe. You can also fry up onion and garlic and add the gnocchi to it. (Just watch how much as onion will up the carbs quite a bit)

In the photos, after I fried the gnocchi in butter, I added 1/4 cup of Raos, 1 Tbsp parmesan, and 1 serving of the gnocchi and it was 316 calories, 14 carbs, 21 fat, 20 protein, and 5 fiber. 

Net carbs: 9. 

Once you make the gnocchi it can be frozen up to 3 months. When you go to cook it thaw it but make sure it is still very cold and firm. Recipe, as written, makes 4 servings. 

I ate one serving as a complete meal. If I were going to use it as a side with a steak or chicken breast and greens, I would probably only need half a serving. It is filling. I'm thinking I'd like to try it with gravy instead of pasta sauce - I think it would be like a hashbrown/roasted potato. 

Also - you can leave out the minced garlic. I add it because I find the coconut flour is a strong flavor and the garlic helps to drown it out a bit. 

#keto #glutenfree #lowcarb #vegetarian

Shrimp Po Boy Sandwich

 

I'm going to start right out of the gate by saying I had never tried a shrimp po boy before today. Sure, I'd seen tons of recipes and social media posts about them and they looked uh-mazing. But, I'd never tried one until now. 

To be fair this version is kind of a cheater version BUT it is still super duper delicious. All I did was pick up some crispy battered shrimp at the store instead of deep frying my own. Am I going to try a "real" po boy if I get the opportunity? YES. Absolutely. I need to see how close this one comes. 

What do you think? 

Regardless of how close it comes to an authentic po boy - it's pretty darned good and so easy peasy to make. 

Shrimp Po Boy 

Ingredients

Sauce

1/4 cup mustard

1 1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tsp horseradish (prepared)

1 tsp pickle juice (or vinegar)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp paprika

2 tsp Cajun seasoning

Sandwich

sausage buns (or other soft bun) 

crispy breaded shrimp

shredded iceberg lettuce

tomato slices

chives, diced fine

Instructions

Prepare po boy sauce - whisk together mustard, mayo, horseradish, pickle juice, garlic, paprika, and Cajun seasoning. You can add a tsp of hot sauce as well if you want it spicier!  Set aside. **This is best prepared at least 20 minutes before use so flavors can build. 

Prepare po boys - Cook shrimp as per package directions. Remove from heat and let sit while preparing buns. spread sauce generously on both sides of buns. Top with shredded lettuce, then shrimp, then a little more sauce, then tomato slices, then sprinkle with chives. 

These are delicious served warm but you can wrap them well and refrigerate until later. 

You do want to eat them the day they are prepared . They get a bit soggy if you leave them until the next day. 

They really are that simple. 

Of course, for the authentic experience you should fry your own shrimp but I'm pretty sure the secret to the shrimp po boy is the Cajun mayo. As written, this recipe makes a good amount so unless you are making a lot of sandwiches, you will have left overs. It's great on roast beef sandwiches, burgers, and as a veggie dip too.