APPLE-CHERRY COBBLER

This is an article I wrote many years ago for an internet publication. I saw it in my archives and thought I would share it with you before deleting it. By the way, my husband (deceased 3 years ago) now has admitted he never knows when he is eating a sugar-free dessert. He's decided they are as tasty as those full of sugar. The picture is a file photo as I haven't taken one of this recipe.

Have you ever made a mistake or am I the only one who does that? One evening I was working on a new recipe to add to my website and guess what--you got it, I goofed! I had an apple I needed to use, and I had a really bad sweet tooth. The perfect combination for coming up with a new recipe for us diabetics.

I was tired and I was excited as I was figuring this all out. I melted butter in a casserole dish in the oven. I grabbed a mixing bowl and started measuring and adding ingredients. "Yum! This sounds good," I thought. The more I worked the better it sounded. So, I got a little anxious to get this dessert in the oven, as I knew it would need to bake for about an hour. Glancing at the clock, I realized it would be after 9 pm before my wonderful creation would come out of the oven. And you know we diabetics aren't supposed to eat before going to bed. Too bad, guess I'll stay up until midnight.

I'm sure you are getting the idea by now that I'm not really concentrating on what I'm doing. Ever been there? I go there often! Too often in fact! I finish up and slide my new creation into the oven, grab a glass of iced tea and head for my computer work area. After all, I do need to get this down on paper and onto my website before I forget exactly what I've done. You see, in addition to being scatter-brained, I am also forgetful. Don't tell anyone, okay? It'll be our secret!

I am sitting at the computer, and my husband is in his recliner close by. Suddenly, as I'm listing the ingredients, I gasped. "What is the matter," my husband asks. "I wish you would quit doing that," he adds before allowing me to answer his question. "With you," he continues, "I never know what that's going to mean." To hear him, you'd think I do that fairly often! Silly man!

"I forgot to put the milk in my wonderful new cobbler," I explained, evidently with a worried look on my face.

"Is that all?" he had the nerve to ask. To which I repeated, "Is that ALL? Don't you see," I tried explaining. "You can't make this type of cobbler without milk."

"Then go add some milk," he calmly replies. HUH? My cobbler has been in the oven 10 or 15 minutes. I can't go add some milk! "You can always give it to Dustin" (our 18-year-old grandson)", he adds. "He'll eat anything you make. But you know I won't eat it; it's sugar-free." Isn't that just like a man? Trying to pass the culls off on the grandkids!

But guess what, folks. My cobbler actually turned out to taste pretty good. Even Dustin said so. You know, the grandson who will eat anything I make! So now I have two new recipes in one. Add the milk and you have a cobbler. Forget the milk and you have sort of a fruit crisp dessert. Especially if you hurry to the oven and sprinkle some finely chopped pecans over the top.

If you have a sweet tooth, an apple you need to use and a can of lite cherry pie filling in the pantry, give it a try. You'll be glad you did. By the way, if you don't have an apple you need to use or a can of lite cherry pie filling in the pantry, pick some up the next time you're at the grocery store. It's actually a pretty good dessert. Just ask Dustin, you know, the one who'll eat anything I make.

7 tbsp butter
3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup Splenda granular (Stevia works, too)
3 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 large apple, peeled and diced
1 can lite cherry pie filling (no sugar added)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put butter into a large oval or a square baking dish and place in oven to melt butter. In a medium mixing bowl, combine Splenda, flour, baking powder, vanilla and milk. Mix well. Remove dish from oven and add batter by pouring into the center of the butter; do not stir or mix. Add apple on top of batter and pie filling on top of apple. Do not stir or mix! Bake at 325 for 50 minutes or until crust is golden brown and crispy around the edge.

Serving note: Serve warm with sugar-free vanilla frozen yogurt or whipped cream for a really yummy dessert. Just don't make this often. It is a dessert and must be treated as such One serving for you and the rest for family and/or friends. By the way, I had a serving one day and a serving the next. My blood sugar reading stayed fine both days. Dustin, the grandson took care of the rest of it for me.

MIXED BERRY COBBLER

2/3 cup white whole-wheat flour (or the equivalent of your favorite low/no carb flour but never all-purpose flour)

1/2 cup Splenda OR Stevia Granular
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 low-fat milk (or soy milk)
1 pkg ( 20-oz) unsweetened frozen mixed berries

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, Splenda, baking powder and salt. Add the milk; stir until the batter is smooth.

In a 9-inch square baking dish, spread the berries evenly over the bottom. Pour the batter over the berries. Bake for 45 minutes, or until lightly browned, at 350 degrees.

Yield: 9 to 12 servings

Remember this is a dessert and should be treated as such. One serving per day. Share the rest with family and/or friends.

file photo 

STRAWBERRY-APPLE-ALMOND CRUMBLE

Diabetics, or anyone really, should never use regular all-purpose flour. White whole-wheat flour works great for me. There are other substitutes such as almond flour, coconut flour, etc you may choose to use. It is best for diabetics to use whole-grain vs refined grain products.

5 cups fresh strawberries, halved*

1 large apple, peeled, cored, chopped**
1/4 cup Splenda Granulated
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp white whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine strawberries, apple, Splenda, vanilla, and flour in a large bowl; stir to mix well. Spread mixture into a shallow baking dish and set aside.

*You may substitute unsweetend frozen berries
**In my opinion, Macintosh apples work the best.

Topping:

1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp firmly packed Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
2 tbsp butter

Combine flour, oats, almonds, nutmeg, and Splenda in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it forms coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the crumbs over the top of the fruit mixture. Bake until the topping is light brown, about 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes.

Serve topped with whipped cream or sugar-free ice cream, if desired.

file photo

PUMPKIN CRUNCH COBBLER

 This is my diabetic version of a recipe from an Appalachian recipe site a few years ago.

1 can (15-oz) pumpkin puree

1/2 cup Splenda or Stevia granulated
1/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 box sugar-free yellow cake mix
1 cup pecan pieces

1/2 cup toffee bits (omit if your blood sugar is not controlled)

1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray; set aside.

Whisk together the pumpkin, Splenda products, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger cloves, salt, cornstarch, eggs, and milk. Pour into the prepared pan.

Stir together the cake mix, pecan pieces, and toffee bits, sprinkle evenly over the top of the pumpkin mixture. Drizzle the butter over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool slightly. Serve warm with ice cream or refrigerate and serve cold with Cool Whip.

Yield: 12 servings (one serving per day!)

file photo for reference

BLUEBERRY SKILLET COBBLER

4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup Splenda Granulated
1/2 cup water
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice

Biscuit Dough*
1 cup white whole-wheat flour
2 tbsp Splenda Granulated
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup low-fat milk

Sugar-free vanilla ice cream, for serving, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, combine berries, Splenda, water, zest and juice; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for around 10 minutes until slightly thickened; stir occasionally.

To make biscuits while berries cook, whisk the flour, Splenda, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. Cut in the butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs; stir in the mix just until moistened.

Drop biscuit dough into six portions atop the simmering berry mixture. Place in the preheated oven and bake, uncovered, 17 to 20 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.

Serve while warm and top with some of the ice cream, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

Note: This is a dessert, only one serving, please!

*I use white whole wheat flour as it is a whole grain which I need. If you prefer, there is an almond biscuit recipe on this site you could use.

file photo

EASY CROCKPOT FRUIT COBBLER

1 - 2 cans no-sugar-added fruit pie filling

1 box sugar-free yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, melted (or 1/2 stick butter and 1/4 cup no-sugar-added applesauce)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Place the pie filling in the bottom of the cooker.

In a medium bowl combine the cake mix, butter, and vanilla; mix well until a dough-like consistency forms.  Drop dough over the pie filling in cooker.  Sprinkle the nuts over the dough.

Place lid on cooker and cook for 3 to 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high.

File Photo

Delicious served hot with sugar-free ice cream!

Notes: I prefer cherry pie filling but any fruit filling will work fine.  With apple pie filling I prefer to add 1/2 tsp cinnamon to the cake mix mixture.  I sometimes add 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract to the cherry pie filling, stirring to blend it in.

Also, I prefer 2 cans pie filling because I like lots of filling and don't care much for the doughy part of cobblers.  Use 1 or 2 cans to suit your preference.

LINDA'S PEACH COBBLER

A few years ago I just had a craving for peach cobbler.  Since I didn't have any fresh peaches, I used Del Monte Orchard Select peaches in extra light syrup.  I used two jars and poured all the liquid off the second jar to cut way back on the sugar. Here is what I did.

2 tbsp butter
1 cup Splenda Granulated
1 cup low-fat milk
1 1/4 cup white whole-wheat flour (Diabetics should not use refined flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt, optional
1 tsp ground cinnamon (this will help to counteract the sugar)
2 jars (20-oz each) sliced peaches
A sprinkling of raw oats (the oats work with the whole-wheat flour to slow down sugar absorption)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the butter in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

In a medium mixing bowl combine the Splenda, flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; add milk and stir to blend well.  Spread batter evenly over the bottom of the pan.

Drain most of the juice from 1 jar of peaches.  Pour the peaches with the juice over the batter in pan.  Add the drained peaches, filling in any bare spots over the batter then adding any liquid remaining in jar. 

Sprinkle the raw oats overall.

Bake cobbler at 350 degrees 1 hour or until lightly browned, bubbly, and cooked through.

Serve with sugar-free ice cream, if desired. (I'm not fond of ice cream so I do not use.)

Note a reasonable serving of this per day does not raise my blood sugar. Only you know your body and your blood sugar levels so make at your own discretion. I am a controlled diabetic whose A1C is usually between 5.and 6.

DIABETIC VERSION OF AMISH PEACH COBBLER

 I was born and raised in Indiana where there are several Amish communities. I love the dishes the Amish serve so I took this Amish recipe and made it okay for me, as a diabetic, to eat.

1 cup whole-wheat flour or your favorite low/no carb flour

1 cup Splenda Granular

1/3 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup low-fat milk

1/2 stick (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

Approximately 3 cups fresh peeled and sliced peaches

Mix the flour, Splenda, salt, baking powder and milk together. Pour into a baking dish and level it out. Pour the melted butter overall but do not stir. Place the peach slices over the top and bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes until a crust is formed and browned.

file photo

DIABETIC APPLE CRISP

This is one of my old Internet articles I came across in the archives. It was first published in February 2008.I did make one change. I changed the all-purpose flour to white whole-wheat. Today we have excellent white whole-wheat flour on the market. In fact, it is all I buy now. No refined white flour in my house.

If you have a diabetic among your family and/or friends, there is no need to worry about what to serve for dessert. There is also no need to make two desserts, one for the diabetic and one for everyone else. With this delicious Apple Crisp recipe, everyone can enjoy the same dessert and you won't hear one complaint. That is because this dessert doesn't taste like a "diabetic dessert". When you serve this recipe, no one will guess you just served them a diabetic crisp. If you and/or the diabetic don't tell, no one will ever know!

                           

DIABETICS APPLE CRISP

1/2 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
2 tbsp white whole wheat (or almond)  flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 cups peeled and thinly sliced apples (Rome recommended)
TOPPING:
1 1/4 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup white whole-wheat (or almond) flour
1/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
3/4 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray an 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
To make the apple filling, combine brown sugar blend, flour, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add apples, tossing to coat. Spoon into the prepared baking dish. Set aside.
To make topping, combine oats, flour, brown sugar blend and nuts in a bowl. Stir in butter. The mixture will be crumbly. Spoon over the apples mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the apples are bubbly and the topping is golden brown. Best when served warm.

NOTE: Yield: 9 servings at 310 calories, 38 carbs, 4 grams protein each. As with all fruits, there is the natural sugar of the apples and a high carb count. However, the oats and nuts counter balance most of that. Enjoy this dessert after a meal that has a good protein count. You would not want to serve this dessert after a pasta or vegetarian meal. And as with all desserts, it is not a good idea to over indulge!
Enjoy!

 Note: This is a file photo.

EASY PEACH COBBLER

8 cups sliced fresh or frozen peaches
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup Splenda granulated (or equivalent of your favorite sugar substitute)
1 cup white-whole-wheat flour (or equivalent of your favorite low/carb flour)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp Splenda granulated

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Place the peaches over the bottom of a 9 X 13-inch baking pan or dish; set aside.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and 1 cup Splenda. Add the flour and mix together well. Sprinkle the mixture over the peaches.

Stir the cinnamon and 1 1/2 teaspoon of Splenda together in a bowl until well combined; sprinkle overall.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until the topping is a golden brown.

Serve with sugar-free frozen yogurt, if desired.

Note: File Photo