RECIPE SWAP: RECIPE SWAP READERS DEMONSTRATE SWEET TREATS CAN BE LOW IN SUGAR

A couple of weeks ago Recipe Swap received a letter from Bethany, a young child who is an insulin dependent diabetic. She was hoping Recipe Swap readers could share some recipes with her that are sugar-free or very low in sugar. Bethany, your wish came true. We have several to share with you this week. All of us hope you find enjoyment in these recipes, as well as other area diabetics.

Ann Culbertson of Jackson has a very good reason for cooking sugar-free. One week after her Grandson's fifth birthday he was diagnosed as an insulin dependent diabetic. Then, after only two years, Ann's husband was diagnosed. Needless to say, "sweet treats" around their house had to make a big change to sugar-free or low sugar. Ann shares some of her families favorites.

Brownie Pie

2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons coffee

4 eggs, separated

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

dash salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch pie pan with nonstick spray.

Place the chocolate chips and coffee in top of double boiler over hot, but not boiling, water. Stir occasionally. When the chocolate is almost melted, remove from heat and whisk until smooth, add vanilla and stir. Beat eggs and sugar until thick and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat the chocolate into the yolk mixture.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and salt until stiff but not dry. Stir one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Gently fold in the remaining whites until blended. Pour mixture into pie pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. As it cools, the mixture sinks in the middle to form a thick fudge pie shell.

At this point fill with favorite sugar-free filling. (Ann's family enjoys the following filling.)

Filling:

1 large package sugar-free instant vanilla pudding and pie filling

1 (8 ounce) carton light cream cheese

1 (8 ounce) light whipped topping

1 3/4 cups 2 percent milk

Beat together until smooth. Fill baked brownie crust.

This next recipe is one that Ann and her daughter came up with.

Dessert Bars

1 small package sugar-free pudding mix, cooked according to directions. When cooked add 1 box Estee's cake mix, dry, and mix well to be sure lumps are gone. Spray and flour an 8x8-inch pan. Pour pudding and cake mixture into pan. Top with chips and nuts. Bake at 350 degrees until done.

Different combinations include:

chocolate pudding-chocolate cake mix-chocolate chips

vanilla pudding-white or yellow cake mix-peanut butter chips

butterscotch pudding-white or yellow cake mix-butterscotch chips

Let your taste be your guide. Experiment with different combinations. Be sure the pudding is the cook type, not instant, and is sugar-free.

Quick Dessert

1 Angel Food cake, cut into pieces

2 cans light cherry pie filling

1 (16 ounce) carton light whipped topping

Put layer of Angel Food cake in pan. Top with pie filling and whipped topping. Repeat layers ending with whipped topping.

Sugarless Apple Pie

8 cups sliced apples

1 (6 ounce) can frozen concentrated apple juice, undiluted

cinnamon

1/4 cup water mixed with 2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 unbaked pie crust

Cook apples in juice until tender. Add water and cornstarch mixture and desired amount of cinnamon. Cook until thickened. Pour into pie crust. Dot with margarine. Strip top with crust and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown.

Cake Roll

5 eggs, separated

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon dried lemon peel

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

24 packets Equal

Beat egg yolks, water and lemon juice until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually beat in lemon peel. Fold in flour and baking powder. Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry, peaks form. Fold into lemon mixture. Spread batter onto wax-paper-lined 11x15-inch jelly roll pan sprayed with non-stick coating. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and place on clean kitchen towel that has been dusted with 12 packets Equal. Remove wax paper and sprinkle remaining 12 packets over cake. Roll up jelly roll fashion, starting with short side. Cool cake, then unroll. Spread with filling and re-roll.

Fillings:

Use your imagination. Use sugar-free jelly, sugar-free pudding, strawberries or any variety of fruit.

Ann's favorite is:

Beat 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese with 1 (8 ounce) carton light whipped topping. Stir in 1 cup sliced strawberries.

Ann also adds that she uses this Cake Roll recipe to make birthday cakes. She makes two, does not roll them up, but cuts each cake into equal halves to make four layers. She then uses the strawberry cream cheese mixture between layers and cream cheese and whipped topping for the outside. It sounds great!

No Name Pie/Cake

Spray a 9x13-inch pan with butter cooking spray. Pour into pan: one 20 ounce can unsweetened crushed pineapple, undrained. Drain the juice (and save it) from a 15 ounce can unsweetened sliced peaches. Dice peaches and add to the pineapple.

Mix together:

1 1/3 cups self-rising flour

2/3 cup fructose

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 bananas, mashed

peach juice and skim milk to equal 1 cup liquid.

Pour this mixture on top of pineapple and peaches. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. Good if served while still warm.

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Anna Marie Daume of Cape Girardeau shares a sugar-free favorite of hers. She notes that this pudding tastes so much better than box mixes. Give it a try for yourself.

Sugarless Chocolate Pudding

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

4 packets sugar substitute

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch

dash salt

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Microwave oven setting should be 100% power.

In a 1 quart microwave-safe bowl combine cocoa, sugar substitute, cornstarch and salt. Toss well with fork to blend. Add milk and stir well. Microwave 2 1/2 minutes. Stir well. Microwave 1 1/2 to 3 minutes longer or until mixture thickens. Add vanilla. Let cool and pour into serving dishes. Cover with plastic wrap.

Anna also tells us she sometimes adds vanilla wafers in the dish, then garnishes with fresh strawberries or light whipped topping and pecans.

We have other diabetic recipes that we will share with you next week also. I have five cookie and bar cookie recipes that sound great and they will be in next Wednesday.

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One of my friends at the Senior Center told me several people at the Center had been asking her for her recipe for Watergate Cake. So much so, she decided to give it to me to share with Recipe Swap readers.

Watergate Cake and Icing

1 package white cake mix

3/4 cup cooking oil

3 eggs

1 cup lemon-lime or club soda

1 package (3 ounce) pistachio instant pudding

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup coconut

Combine ingredients in order given and mix well. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Cover-up Icing:

2 envelopes (3 ounces each) whipped topping mix

1 1/2 cups milk

1 package instant pistachio pudding mix

1 cup coconut

3/4 cup chopped pecans

Combine topping mix, milk and instant pudding mix. Beat until thick. Spread on cooled cake, sprinkle with coconut and nuts.

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Opal Rodgers of Cape Girardeau answers a couple of requests from previous weeks. Her first recipe is for sauerkraut and she also shares ice cream recipes. Each of them sounds really good.

Kraut

1 gallon water

1 cup salt

1 cup vinegar

1 cup sugar

Bring to a boil and cool. Pour over cabbage in jars and seal.

That sounds easy enough. I think I could even do that.

Ice Cream

1 quart milk

2 cans evaporated milk

6 eggs

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 tablespoons vanilla

1 box instant vanilla pudding

Mix part of milk, canned milk. eggs, and sugar in saucepan, and cook over low heat or in microwave, add remaining milk and vanilla and instant vanilla pudding. Beat well and put in freezer. Freeze according to directions. (Junket tablets may also be dissolved in water and mixed with mixture of other ingredients. See directions on Junket tablet box.)

Ice Cream II

4 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons vanilla

1 tall can milk

9 eggs

Beat all ingredients, except vanilla. Cook over low heat. Beat 15 to 20 minutes. Add vanilla. Put in freezer, adding enough milk to fill to at least 1-inch from top. Freeze according to directions. Makes 6 quarts.

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One of our very faithful readers sent in a delicious lime sherbet recipe made in an ice cream freezer. She also shares a recipe for basic vanilla ice cream with many different options for a flavor variety, which we will share next week.

Creamy Lime Sherbet

1 (3 ounce) package lime gelatin

1 cup boiling water

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 (6 ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed

dash salt

1 quart milk

1 pint half and half cream

8 drops green food coloring, optional

In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in water. Add sugar, limeade, and salt; mix well until sugar is dissolved. Add remaining ingredients, and blend well. Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturer's directions. Makes about 2 quarts.

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One of the best parts of Recipe Swap is being able to help some of our readers who are looking for recipes. This week we have several requests. Look through your favorite cookbooks and see if we can answer these requests.

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Betty Rosenquist of Scott City is looking for a recipe for Banana Nut Roll like the one made at the Martin Bakery in Cape Girardeau years ago. She was hoping someone still had the recipe or could find one. She said it had a real creamy filling, but was not whipped cream. OK readers, this is a real challenge.

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Frances Miner has misplaced her recipe for Cheesy Grits Casserole. She would very much like to have it again. Personally I like my grits casserole with a little garlic in them.

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We also have other requests for Corn Relish, Honey Roasted Peanuts, Vinegar Dumplings and Chocolate Pudding. Wow! That will keep everyone busy. Have fun looking for these recipes and I'll see you next week.