For My Valentine - Peanut Butter Cheesecake Parfait

As we laid in bed one Saturday morning talking, I asked my husband what kind of dessert he wanted for Valentine's Day. He instantly said pudding. I turned my head and looked at him with an odd look.

 

"You always complain about how I bake for everyone else but you and now that I ask you, you say pudding?"

 

"Anything with peanut butter and chocolate?" he offered.

 

"Argh!"

 

My husband likes simple desserts. If it were up to him, everything I bake would be peanut butter and chocolate flavored or a cheesecake. The blogger in me wants to resist the simple and sometimes wants to over complicate things. For a week, I wracked my brain for something creative to write about for Valentine's Day but then I had to stop and think....KISS! (keep it simple stupid). Why was I making a Valentine's Day treat for my blog when I should be making a treat for my Valentine? Yup, I was going to make what my husband asked for from the very beginning.

 

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Parfait

 

1-1oz box of sugar free cheesecake flavored pudding

2 cups of cold milk

1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter

Approximately 10 chocolate creme cookies, crushed

Lite whipped topping

Chocolate jimmie sprinkles for garnish

 

Whisk the pudding mix and milk in a cold metal bowl until mix is dissolved. Whisk in the peanut butter and until smooth. Allow to set in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.

In a clear container (such a mini trifle dish), layer ingredients starting with the crushed cookies, pudding, cookies, and whipped topping. Garnish with sprinkles or mini chocolate chips.

 

Sueshine Note: I couldn't find any chocolate graham crackers so I stood in the cookie aisle for quite some time trying to figure out what to use as a "crust." The store I was at didn't care any of my usual sugar free cookies so I ended up using something I had discovered awhile ago. European biscuits tend not to be so sweet and have a great crispy texture. Luckily, the store did carry Hit chocolate cream cookies. These cookies have a very light chocolate flavor (compared to an Oreo) but they complimented the peanut butter pudding. If your local store does not carry these, another alternative I found were chocolate BeVita. I haven't tried those yet but I'll definitely have to look into that soon.

 

 

I handed my husband his parfait and he asked me what it was. He drove right in and between spoonfuls, I asked him what he thought.

 

"I think this might be my favorite thing you have ever made."

The parfait was so easy to make, involved no baking at all, and had a limited sugar content. Although small, it would easily satisfy you and your sweetie's sweet tooth after a nice homemade Valentine's dinner (which I will be doing on actual Valentine's Day due to my husband's other comment on that Saturday morning: "Why don't you have a steak  blog?")

 

I hope all of you have a lovely Valentine's Day with your special someone and don't forget it's all about showing the one you love you care and that it doesn't have to be all fancy or expensive. It's about what they desire....even if it's just pudding :)

 

Sweets for your Sweetie - Easy Stuffed & Dipped Strawberries

Have you purchased a gift for your special someone yet for Valentine's Day?? No? DO.NOT.PANIC. I have an easy solution for you and a way for your to earn bonus points with your loved one. Chocolate dipped strawberries are one of the easiest desserts to make. Impress your hunny by taking that extra step to stuff them by following these instructions.

Easy Stuffed & Dipped Strawberries

What you will need: 

2 pounds of large strawberries

1 8oz package of sugar free chocolate chips

1 8oz tub of sugar free or french vanilla Cool Whip, frozen

1 quart size ziplock bag, wax or parchment paper 

1) With a paring knife, cut a small "+" at the tapered end, halfway through the strawberry.

2) Melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for about 1 minute. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. If the chocolate is not melted, only heat 10 seconds at a time or it will burn.

3) Spoon half the Cool Whip into the ziplock bag.  Cut one of the bottom corners of the ziplock bag (be sure not to make the hole too big). Gently insert the tip of the ziplock into the strawberry and slowly fill until the stuffing just begins to come out the sides.

4) Dip 2/3 of the strawberry into the melted chocolate. Place on a tray covered with wax or parchment paper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

The directions above are for a version that involves no sugar added or sugar free products but there are endless possibilities on what you can stuff the strawberries with. Other filling ideas include:

As with any sugar free or no sugar added products, only your doctor and you know what's right for your diabetic diet plan.

-Vanilla curd (ready made in a jar is available at some stores)

-Pudding

-Cheesecake

-Mousse (sugar free options such as Jello Temptations in flavors of caramel, dark or regular chocolate)

-Nutella

Get creative with these and I guarantee there won't be anything left by the end of the night. If you are anti-Valentine's Day, well I think you should still make these anyways. Who needs an excuse to have chocolate dipped strawberries when they are this easy to make? I'm sending much love your way, whether you celebrate it or not. Happy Heart Day!