D-Feast Friday - Gooey Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

Have you ever been at the mall and walked by Cinnabon?  The smell of those cinnamon rolls baking is intoxicating in my opinion.  They are also loaded with carbs, calories, and fat.  Don't get me wrong I've had one once or twice but certainly not since D has entered our lives.

Here is Hungry Girl, Lisa Lillien's, version of "Gooey Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing".   Let's be honest, they don't compare to a huge Cinnabon roll, but they are good and fun for kids to make.  It is a better alternative plus you won't feel guilty after eating one of these.



Picture taken from "Hungry Girl 200 under 200" cookbook



Gooey Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

For Dough:  1 pkg. Crescent Rolls

For Filling:

1/4C brown sugar (not packed)

1/4C Splenda

1/2T Butter at room temperature

1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/8 tsp Salt

For Icing:

1/4C Cool Whip, thawed

3T cream cheese at room temperature

1T Splenda

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all filling ingredients making sure butter is incorporated evenly.  Set aside.

Combine all icing ingredients until smooth and chill in fridge to set.

Remove dough from package and knead into a ball using flour if necessary to help prevent sticking.  Using a rolling pin dusted lightly with flour, very firmly roll out dough into a thin sheet about 8x12 inches.  Spray the dough evenly with spray butter or an additional tablespoon of melted butter.

Spread filling out evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2inch border around edges.  Starting with a long side of the dough, roll it up tightly, forming a log.  Once dough is completely rolled up, pinch the long seam to seal.

Working with the seamside down, use a sharp knife to cut the log into 8 even pieces, being careful not to squish the dough. (A serrated bread knife is your best bet here.)

Arrange rolls in a baking pan swirl sides facing up. (I like to put them in a muffin tin!)  Press down on the tops of the pieces to flatten slightly and pinch side seams if necessary.

Cover pan with foil.  Bake 8 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Distribute icing over rolls and enjoy!

Makes 8 servings
126 calories and 18.5g carbs

Letting Go

I'm just going to cut to the chase here.  Taylar slept over her friend's house last night.  Yep, I LET her sleep at a friends.  A non-D friend at that.  This is her first sleep over with a non-family member so this was a huge deal.  Honestly, I'm glad it's over but we all did survive.  If anything it was a great hands-on learning experience for Taylar's friend's Mom. 

Taylar's bags were packed and she was on her way at 5:00 on Friday.  I equipped the Mom with everything Taylar could possibly need in any circumstance that may arise.  I had written things down and even gave her our Calorie King book.  It all began with dinner (No phone call! This Mom is good!  Of course I was hoping for a call but she had already told me what they were going to have so I gave her a guesstimate of the carbs.) Blood sugar of 135.  Nice.  I got my first phone call around 7:00 for dessert.  The kids were jumping on the trampoline and Taylar was now testing at 62.  Those stinkin' trampolines.  Every time that girl has fun jumping around on one she goes low.  No worries though.  She had some juice and then her ice cream and was back in range after that. 

At 10:35 I hadn't heard anything about a "bedtime" reading so I called over there.  They were ending a movie but the Mom had Taylar test and she called me right back.  165.  Ok, that's a good bedtime number.  I was SO nervous though.  That's a good number if I'm going to check her again at midnight...especially after the trampoline incident.  Ugh.  You know how it is.  You get all those negative possibilities flowing through your head.  I prayed about it.  I prayed again and again.  

At 11:40 the phone rang again and it was Taylar.  She was fine.  She was just calling to say goodnight.  I guess they had gone to bed around 11 but she said she couldn't sleep until she called to say goodnight.  Awww.  I wanted to magically have her come through the phone and be at home.  Letting go.  Man, this was SO hard.  Instead I (prayed again and) went to bed. 

Somehow I got a decent night's sleep.  Taylar was 90 in the morning and eventually came home.  Looking back I'm so glad that Taylar had her first sleep over!  It is so much easier to just say no but she had an absolute ball and I know the next time will be easier....not that I'll have it happen again too soon. :-)  I'm proud of how she handled herself and her pump on her own and proud of myself for letting go.

D-Feast Friday - Frozen Peanut Butter-and Chocolate Pie

What is it about chocolate and peanut butter together?  All I can say is yum!

Frozen Peanut Butter and Chocolate Pie
1 1/2C milk
1/4C sugar
1/2C + 1T creamy peanut butter
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2C thawed cool whip
1 (6oz.) graham-cracker crust (Or you could make your own!)
Chopped dry roasted peanuts
1/2 oz. semisweet chocolate, grated

Combine milk and sugar in saucepan and set over medium-high heat.  Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat.  Whisk in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.  Pour into a medium bowl and refrigerate until completely cooled, about 1 hour.

Gently stir cool whip into chilled milk mixture; spoon into crust.  Sprinkled with peanuts and grated chocolate.  Loosely cover the pie with wax paper, then aluminum foil.  Freeze until completely frozen, at least 4 hours, or up to 2 days.  Let pie soften at room temperature 20 minutes before serving.

Serving: 1/8 pie, 34g carbs

The Walk



Taylar with her photo board that was posted at the walk

This Sunday was our JDRF "Walk to Cure Diabetes".  I showed up at 7:30 a.m. with my Mom to help set things up and to run the "New Walkers" information table.  It was only about 42 degrees that morning so I was thankful they supplied hot coffee for the volunteers!

It was so exciting when our team members started to arrive!  I loved seeing everyone in their "Sweet T" t-shirts!  There were 26 of us who walked and showed up to support Taylar.  It truly was heartwarming.  Last year things happened so quickly that we only had 8 walkers so to triple our team meant a lot to me.  It meant a lot to Taylar to have five of her cousins and three of her friends show up to walk as well.  It made it lots of fun to be together. 

There was a kid's tent with face painting and such, snacks and drinks, a little traveling zoo type thing, and great raffle prizes.  Three people from my team won a raffle item so that was exciting.  There were two walk routes this year and we chose to walk the wooded trail.  It was pretty cool and I think the kids enjoyed it especially. 

Heading up to the wooded walking trail

I am happy to say that Sweet T raised just over $3,000 for JDRF!  We surpassed our goal that's for sure!  To know that our team members were out there getting donations and spreading the word about type 1 diabetes makes me feel truly blessed.  I am humbled by the whole thing.  Thank you to all the friends and family members who helped make Sweet T so successful this year.  I love you all!


Here is a close up of Taylar's photo board. A cure. What would life be like? Do I even remember?  Maybe we won't have to have a walk next year. That is what I pray for every day.

D-Feast Friday - Ham with Apples

Here is a great, simple, fall meal that was a hit in our house.  Super easy for a weeknight too.

4 1/4lb ham steaks
1 small onion, chopped
3 apples, cored and cut into 1/2" wedges
1 1/2 C apple cider
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1T cornstarch
2T water

Lightly brown the ham steaks in a skillet with a little olive oil for about 2 minutes on each side and then set aside. 
Add onion to skillet and cook over medium heat stirring until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add apples, cider, and mustard; cook, stirring frequently, until apples are tender, about 5 minutes longer.

Stir together cornstarch and water in a cup until smooth, then add to skillet.  Cook, stirring contantly, until the sauce thickens and bubbles, about 2 minutes.  Return ham to skillet and cook until heated through.

4 Servings: 1 ham slice and about 1/2C apples with sauce:
261 calories, 30g Carbs


*This recipe is from the Weight Watchers Momentum Cookbook*