Sunday, February 28, 2010

Cream Cheese Bacon Crescents
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 16 servings, 2 crescents each
Ingredients:
1 tub (8 oz.) Philedelphia Chive and Onion Light Cream Cheese spread
3 slices bacon, cooked, and crumbled
2 cans (8oz. each) reduced fat refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
Preheat oven to 375. Mix cream cheese spread and bacon in small bowl until well blended.
Seperate each can of dough into 8 triangles each. Cut eact triangle in half lengthwise. Spread each dough triangle with 1 generous tsp. cream cheese mixture. Roll up, starting at shortest side of triangle and rolling to opposite point. Place, point sides down, on ungreased baking sheet.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Note: I used more than three slices of bacon!!!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Oops!

I just wanted to say sorry for adding soooo many recipes at once! I've had all these pictures saved up for a while and just had a little time to get them up right now. I thought I'd get them all done while I can. I'm sorry for unindating you with my stuff! And I don't want my recipes to sound cocky with my "tips" or "what I do"...they are just how my family likes things as opposed to how the recipe is written...I share both the recipe and my own twist to it for those who are like me and for those who are not! haha Anyway, sorry...no recipe in this post just an apology!

Samoa Bars

I found this on a blog which is now no longer running or whatever. These definitely are the closest thing to the Girl Scout Samoa Cookies I've ever found. They take quite a bit of time but are well worth it! I was irritated that I had to share them at a party...I wanted to hoard them all to myself! Even with the time it takes, it's worth making!
Homemade Samoas Bars
Cookie Base:
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
First, make the crust. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Working at a low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly, like wet sand. The dough does not need to come together. Pour crumbly dough into prepared pan and press into an even layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until base is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack before topping.
Topping:
3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
14-oz good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 tsp salt
3 1/2 T milk
10 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)
Preheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a baking sheet and toast, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside. Unwrap the caramels and melt with milk and salt either in a sauce pan over low heat or in the microwave. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula. Put dollops of the topping all over the shortbread base. Spread into an even layer. Let topping set until cooled.
When cooled, cut into 30 bars with a large knife or a pizza cutter (it’s easy to get it through the topping).
Once bars are cut, melt chocolate in a small bowl or saucepan stirring often to avoid scorching. Dip the base of each bar into the chocolate and place on wax paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle bars with chocolate to finish. Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.Makes 30 bar cookies.

Tips:
Next time I’d like to try spreading the cookie base in one 9x13 as well as an 8x8 pan. I thought the cookie base was too thick in just the 9x13 pan.
If I spread the cookie base onto another pan then I’d just use the whole bag of toasted coconut and add a handful more of caramels and maybe a ½ tsp. more of milk.
I used about a full bag of chocolate chips and had quite a bit as leftover. So I’d still just use a full bag since I’ll be making more of everything else…it will even the chocolate out.
The blogger who wrote the above instructions said greasing your hands to spread the caramel/coconut mixture was the only way to go…I didn’t have a problem at all with spreading the mixture with my spatula. So that’s a step that’s not needed.
I'd like to see if they freeze well for the future.

Pizza Dough

This is from Marilee Leishman. It was the lightest and yummiest pizza dough ever!
1 pkg. yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 cups flour (split in half)
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. oil
1 cup warm water
In a seperate little bowl, combine sugar, yeast and the warm water. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast and if the water is too cold, it won't activate the yeast. After about 5 minutes of sitting the yeast should have started "growing."
While the yeast is activating, mix 1 1/2 cup flour, salt, and oil. Mix for 2 minutes. Then add the yeast mix and add the last 1 1/2 cup of flour. Once it gets hard to mix, use your hands to knead it. Don't overknead just make it into a ball and cover with a damp, warm towel. Let it rise for 15 minutes. Turn on the oven to 400 degrees. The dough may not rise a whole lot but it should be malleable to work with (easy to tug and pull on). Roll it out into the shape of your pizza pan.
Top the pizze with your sauce and toppings and bake for 10-15 minutes.
This usually makes enough for 1 large pizza. I usually double the recipe so we have a lot of leftovers.

Forgotten Kiss Cookie

I found this recipe on the blog: littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com It was submitted by Amanda Buechler from Two of a Feather (via Pioneer Woman)
1 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
24+ Hershey Kisses, unwrapped
some chocolate to melt on top of cookies
Set oven at 350 degrees.
Beat together butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Slowly add flour and mix well. Form 1 inch balls around each kiss.Bake 350° for 8-10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to rack. After cooling, melt some chocolate to top it off. Can use a variety of kisses and hugs.
This is a picture of my cookie with the caramel kisses in the center. I don't think these worked out so well...the caramel I think just got smooshed and you couldn't taste it as well. But I'm sure any of the other kisses would work great! It tasted a lot better with chocolate drizzled on top.

Chicken Enchiladas

I'm not sure where this recipe is from but it's absolutely delicious and easy!!! This is something I highly recommend making double of periodically and freezing for emergencies when you have no time to make dinner (or to take over to someone in need).
350 degrees
20 minutes

1 large can chopped green chilies ½ lb. mild cheddar - grated
1-2 cup sour cream ½ lb. Monterey Jack - grated
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup 1 pkg. 10" flour tortillas
4 chicken breasts - cooked and cut up

Start oven at 350 degrees.

Mix chilies, sour cream, and soup. Divide into two bowls.

To one bowl, add all the chicken and half of both cheeses. Spoon the chicken mixture into tortillas and roll. Place in a greased 9x13 pan. Spread remaining sauce on top of tortillas and add remaining cheese on top of that. Cook for 20 minutes.

***Can be made a day ahead and put in fridge. Or to freeze: just seperate the enchiladas in wax paper and freezer bags one by one so it's easy to warm up in the microwave. Or you can cook it all in one of those throw away tin pans and cover and freeze. Another idea is to assemble it all in a throwaway tin and freeze. Then when you need it or someone else is in need...just have them pop it in the oven.
Oh and I don't like chilis so I omit those in my batch. I make two batches. One will be without chilis and the other with. To deferentiate which is which I put green food coloring in the sauce to make it look green and remind myself of the green chilis.
Enjoy!

Soft Sugar Cookies and Frosting

The soft sugar cookie recipe is from allrecipes.com by Georgie Bowers and the sugar cookie frosting is also from allrecipes.com by JBS box.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 8 Minutes
Ready In: 3 Hours
Servings: 48

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour (and a ½ cup to roll the dough out)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened on stovetop
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Parchment paper

Directions:
1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Gradually blend in the sifted ingredients until fully absorbed. Cover dough, and chill for 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets. On a clean floured surface, roll out small portions of chilled dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are barely brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.
Tips: Just when the center doesn't look wet anymore, take them out! If you like soft sugar cookies, roll them out thicker. If you like them crispy, roll them thinner.
I also substitute 1 cup white sugar and 1 cup powdered sugar instead of the 1 1/2 cup white sugar. The consistency of the dough is nicer that way.
You can also roll these out in powdered sugar instead of flour.
If you divide the dough into 4 sections, wrap each in plastic wrap or something and freeze while working on one section then you'll won't have to deal with sticky dough as much. It's much easier to work with if it's chilled.
Frosting:
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 15 Minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
assorted food coloring
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
2. Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush.
Tips:
I love this icing/frosting because I'm not a huge fan of a lot of fluff on my cookies. This is perfect for me. It looks very wet...make sure it's dry before stacking cookies.
I use spoons, measuring spoons, etc to apply on the cookies and smear. And I seperate the frosting in little bowls and add the food coloring that way.
I add small amounts of milk (1 tsp at a time) to get the consistency that I want. DO NOT add more corn syrup to get the consistency you want---that will make it so the frosting never dries.
You can add flavors to the frosting. I like almond or vanilla.

Twirly Whirly Pizza


I got this recipe from a Parents magazine. My family LOVES it! It can be messy but this is one that supposedly the kids can help with. (I can't imagine them helping since it's messy with me making it...but my daughter likes to watch and hold things for me). I'm including the recipe from the Parents magazine and how to make it then I'll put my own ingredients list since we like lots of stuff in our pizza---which might be the reason why it's so messy for us!! We pack it in!!)


Ingredients:

1 (13.8oz.) tube refrigerated pizza dough

1/2 cup pizza sauce

1/2 cup shredded italian mix cheese, divided

1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves


How to:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Unroll dough from tube. Spread Pizza sauce on top.


Sprinkle with half of cheese and top with spinach leaves. Roll up, starting with short end.


Cut into 8 pieces, then lay the pieces flat on a greased pie pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 8 servings.


***Now we like to nix the spinach leaves but add cooked ground beef, mozzarella cheese instead of italian mix cheese and add pineapple tidbits. And we double the recipe--so 2 tubes of dough. It's really messy to get on the pan but it's tasty.