Glazed Pepper Salmon



Usually, I'm not a huge fan of salmon. I took a chance today in the dining hall with the glazed pepper salmon. It was very yummy...after I scraped off the majority of the pepper. There was just entirely too much pepper for my liking and it burned my mouth. Afterwards, though, it was delicious. It was sweet from the glaze and just plain good. I don't know what else to say about it! It was salmon. It was slightly sweet from the glaze. It was super peppery, but good after scraping off the pepper. I ate it. I enjoyed it. I wanted more.

Isn't that all you need to know about food? If it's worth having more of, you know it's worth trying in the first place. So you should definitely find a glazed pepper salmon recipe! Oh, you don't want to go to the effort? Well, it's your lucky day! Guess what I went surfing the internet for when I returned from dinner. A SALMON RECIPE! (Shocker, I know.) Yummly is always good for recipes. The advanced search features are fantastic for getting the exact results you want.

This recipe seems very similar to what I ate tonight. I also had rice pilaf and lima beans with the salmon. The rice was awesome and I was surprised at how much I liked the lima beans. For all of my childhood, I had heard of how awful lima beans were. I had never actually tried them. I'm pretty sure this is the first time I have ever tried them. They were good! I had always just assumed I didn't like them because it seemed like no one else did. I thought wrong. They're not a favorite food of mine, but I would enjoy eating them again. So, if you have never tried lima beans before, I suggest that you do. You don't need to eat a whole bowl of them, but try a spoonful or two. You might be surprised. Well, here is the salmon recipe. The rice pilaf recipe can be found....right about....here. Wait, no. Here. Yes that is definitely it.

I really hope you enjoy the recipes! The rice pilaf is asparagus cashew rice pilaf. I think the salmon would be a nice pairing for it. If I had a kitchen at my disposal, I would definitely make it. But I don't. And that is sad. Maybe I can go home soon and give it a shot. (hint, hint, Mom and Dad)


Picture from http://www.sangiorgiositalianbistro.com/menu.html

Super Waffle Saturday!

Waffles are a truly magnificent creation. They have perfect compartments to hold syrup and other wonderful toppings and they go well with just about anything you can imagine. Saturday, my friend and I made two amazing types of waffles. The first kind I already wrote about. The strawberry banana waffle had fresh fruit and whipped cream. Between the two of us, we only had one waffle. We each had half then we each did half of our half with the strawberry banana waffle toppings. The other half was the reasoning for splitting one waffle between the two of us. Chocolate peanut butter waffles! Sounds simple, right? No. We had to work with what the dining hall gave us (which was actually quite a lot). We used everything we possibly could have for this waffle. We started off with peanut butter and spread it into all of the little waffle compartments. We then put the waffle in the microwave to get the peanut butter perfectly ooey gooey. Next, we dropped a spoonful of whipped cream on top. After that, we sprinkled peanuts, mini chocolate chips, peanuts, crushed Reese's Puffs, and chocolate syrup over top. May I just say that we are geniuses? The waffle was gooey, sweet, and crunchy. The absolute perfect combination.

See that picture up there? That lovely sideways picture is not a waffle. It's peanut butter pie (recipe). The pictures on Google of chocolate peanut butter waffles did not even come close to what our waffle looked like, so I grabbed this instead. It looks delicious doesn't it? Let me answer that for you. Yes.

Well, I can't just give you a picture of something and not give a recipe. First thing's first. The waffles.


Strawberry Banana Waffle


Ingredients:

Belgian waffle
strawberries
banana
whipped cream

Directions
Slice the bananas and strawberries. Spoon the whipped cream on top of your waffle. Sprinkle the fruit slices over top. Eat!



Chocolate Peanut Butter Waffle


Ingredients:

Belgian waffle
about 8tbsp peanut butter
1 cup whipped cream
1/8 cup mini chocolate chips
1/8 cup peanuts
chocolate syrup
1/4 crushed Reese's Puffs

Directions
Spread peanut butter over waffle. Microwave for about twenty seconds, until peanut butter is melty. Spoon whipped cream over top. Sprinkle chocolate chips, peanuts, and Reese's Puffs over the entire waffle. Drizzle chocolate syrup over top. Serve.

All ingredient amounts are suggestions. By all means, put the entire bag of chocolate chips on the waffle if that's what you want to do!




The picture was from http://site.delishcaterer.com/

"Proper" Meal Mondays

Before I really get into today's post, I would like to rename Waffle Saturdays to "Super Waffle Saturdays," because it's much more fun, appropriate, (the waffles are going to be superbly super) and I think the alliteration sounds better. Hopefully I don't come up with a better name by Saturday because naming the day three times before I actually have one is slightly ridiculous. Also, I actually have a picture and recipe for today's post, so I'm not being really plain and boring anymore. (Scroll down to the bottom of the page for a preview!)

"Proper" Meal Mondays! I came up with that brilliant name on the way back from the dining hall. It seems like I come up with all of my good ideas while walking back to my dorm room from the dining hall. It must be some sort of extra special ingredient they put in the food. Back to the point. I decided to go ahead and follow the meal suggestions today. When I say "suggestion," I mean the food is placed side by side so that the two foods (usually a meat and a veggie and/or grain) compliment each other. Today, cajun shrimp and rice were available, along with flank steak, wild rice, and beans with carrots. I chose the flank steak, wild rice, and beans with carrots. Then, I added my own spinach salad on the side with tomato, cucumber, and red pepper. It was slightly awesome.

The really cool thing about that meal was that it almost made me feel as if I was home. Plus, I had nearly every spectrum of the food pyramid and it was healthy ("A" plus!). Honestly, the rice was really, really yummy. The steak was, too. The beans left something to be desired, but the carrots were sweet and made up for the beans. All I want to do now is go home and fix this meal my own way. While I was eating, all I could think was that it was a shame the kitchen didn't serve medium rare steak. Personally, I think it tastes much better that way, but that's just me.

I also started thinking about what the dining hall will begin serving when Thanksgiving comes around. Then, I thought about Halloween. They have to serve at least a special dessert, right? My friends and I had a conversation about Thanksgiving food today (the reason for my thoughts at dinner). All I could think about was my aunt's cornbread casserole, because cornbread was served at lunch. The casserole is to die for. My friend and I began talking about what we did and did not like about Thanksgiving food. Well, in her case it's "I like this, not that." In my case, it's "I like this and that...ooh and that over there. OH MY GOSH, WHAT IS THAT? I'm gonna eat it. That wasn't as good as what I thought it'd be, I better try some more of it, just to make sure my tastebuds weren't mistaken. Hmm...nope, not quite as good as what I thought. Third time's a charm. Ooh, pie!" Funny thing was, when I started thinking about traditional Thanksgiving food, my first three thoughts were different sorts of casseroles - sweet potato, cornbread, and green bean. Thanksgiving's all about the casseroles, isn't it? I'm not complaining about it. I think it's fantastic, but it never occured to me before.

The last paragraph may have seemed off topic, but during the conversation, I thought about this amazing wild rice recipe that my mom and I found over the summer. We both agreed that between its pretty color and flavor, it'd probably have to be inducted into the holiday food menu. See? Everything ties right in! The recipe has wild rice, craisins, orange juice/peel, and maybe some other ingredients, but they're not important for the picture I'm trying to convey (deliciousness). I don't think the recipe would taste really good with the beans and carrots I had at dinner, but pairing it with a marinated steak would be good. The dining hall is a very inspirational place. Who knew?

Now that I think about it, I need to share the recipe for the wild rice. It's even called "Harvest Rice Dish." How appropriate for Thanksgiving! My mom changed the recipe a little bit, because we didn't have all of the ingredients necessary. The end result was probably better anyway.

 

This picture isn't representative of my mom's creation. The use of white rice in place of the brown rice really adds to the contrast and beauty of the dish.

 

I think that just about wraps up my thoughts for today. If I come up with some weird name and theme for another day, I'll be back soon. If not, I'll be back for Super Waffle Saturday.

Waffle Saturday

Before I get to the main point of this post, I would just like to declare Saturday as "Waffle Saturday." I just want some sort of food project for Saturdays. This way, I can feel almost as if I'm baking.

Just so everyone knows, I realize it's Sunday. I didn't get to go to breakfast yesterday, so Waffle Saturday became Waffle Sunday. This will happen whenever I miss breakfast on Saturdays or if I just happen to forget (unlikely.)

So you know how you can be somewhere, doing something, and the second you leave you come up with this great idea that you could've used just thirty minutes before but then it's too late? Yeah, that happened to me at breakfast today.

I went to the dining hall today, ready to try out my friend's peanut butter banana waffle idea, but then decided it'd be too dry for my liking. Instead, I went to the topping bar to check out what was available. I spooned blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and the juices they were sitting in all over my big, fluffy waffle. Whilst looking at my magnificent triple berry waffle, I felt there was something missing. I glanced back at the topping bar. I saw a lovely, white, fluffy substance staring back at me. Bingo! I scooped a spoonful of whipped cream on top of my berries and practically pranced to my friend's table.

This is when some serious innovation took over. I mixed the berries and whipped cream together to make an entirely new substance. I'll call it whipped cream with berries. Well anyway, I frosted my waffle with my new creation, making sure every crevice was thoroughly covered and moistened by the mixture. I then devoured my delicious waffle.

It wasn't until I had walked through the dining hall doors (point of no return) that my fabulous idea hit me. Prior to leaving the dining hall, I grabbed a banana to stash in my room for some other occasion. While leaving, I thought, "Darn! I probably should've grabbed a peanut butter packet. That would've been great with my banana." THE BANANA. MY WAFFLE. Nooooooooooo! (Proper pronunciation - low, in slow motion, like the movies.) My idea? Strawberry banana cream waffles. Now that would have been absolutely magical. I could've even used fresh strawberries with it! (healthier) I'm just going to have to wait for brunch on Saturday to give strawberry banana waffles a try. Then, on my way out of the dining hall, I'll come up with some other great waffle idea that I'll have to wait to try until the following Saturday. It'll be a vicious cycle. At least, I'll get some awesome waffles out of it.

On another note, I watched "Being John Malkovich" last night. It was one of the weirdest movies I've ever seen, but it was pretty good.

College Food

So, I'll admit it. I'm terrible at keeping up with this blog. I am happy to say though that for the past (almost) month, I've had a very good excuse. College. I am now in my freshman year and I do not have a kitchen at my disposal. This is very sad. I actually went to my boyfriend's  house and baked cupcakes last week. This was slightly unexpected and I still had a lot of homework to finish, so that explains why I did not update my blog.

On my way back from the dining hall today, I had an idea of what I could write on here. Although I cannot bake or cook, I can eat! And eat, I do. I have heard so many complaints about the dining halls here. Usually the complaint has something to do with there always being the same things brought out at each meal. This is not entirely true. The dining hall closest to my dorm has a sandwich station (YES. A sandwich station! This may not sound amazing, but someone makes the sandwich for you. All you have to do is say "I want blah blah blah," and presto! there it is.) At this station, you have the option between wraps and bread. The combined totals of options there equal about fifteen to twenty. You can get ciabatta bread, pita bread, white panini, wheat panini, italian... You name it, they probably have it. Then the meat options - roast beef, corned beef, bacon, turkey, ham...and more. You can choose between the vegetables, cheese,  and condiments that are usually available at Subway. To top it all off, you have the option of having your sandwich/wrap put into a panini press! I feel like I've been rambling on about the food at the dining hall forever and I've only covered the sandwich station. Can you believe people complain about this place?

Next is the salad bar. There isn't much variety to really be had in a salad bar, but the one here is (in my personal opinion) pretty awesome. The options for "leafy greens" include lettuce, spinach, and a spring mix. They have tomatoes, red peppers, carrots, cucumbers...the usual. That's only one half of the bar, though. The other half is frequently changed. Yesterday, they offered pitas and hummus in addition to hard boiled eggs, tuna salad, and a few other items I didn't stop to read up on. On top of this fantastic salad bar are options for dressings and croutons. Dressings tally in at at least ten a day - and those are changed too! So, let me see...so far I have covered the sandwich station and salad bar. Still not done.

Brick oven pizza. Need I say more? Today, I walked in and my jaw nearly hit the floor. Ten different types of pizzas were just sitting in front of me and more were coming straight out of the oven. It was a beautiful sight.

Now for the items that are "always the same." Healthy options, with the nutrition chart, are available everyday. These are grouped with the "hot meals" served in a buffet setup. I can't really go into detail about everything they offer, because it changes so much. This is how it works - two or three types of meat are available (sometimes they will be in the form of sweet and sour chicken, etc.) at least one cooked vegetable, usually two types of rice/grain, and they always have pasta with alfredo/marinara.

Next station! Soup. There are always two different types of soup available, complete with special soup spoons and bowls.

Drinks. Two types of Icees, three types of juices, plenty of soda, lemonade, iced black tea (sweetened and unsweetened) sweetened iced green tea, water, coffee, hot chocolate, cappuccino, hot water for tea are ALL just sitting there, waiting for you to drink them.

Desserts. The holy land. Chocolate, vanilla, and mixed frozen yogurt in your choice of a kid cone or sugar cone. Top it off with three different topping options. Sugar free desserts appear everyday along with four other types of desserts that range from cookies to brownies to cake to pie. And yes, those are different everyday, if not every meal.

I forgot to mention this - they have a massive jar of Nutella sitting in the dessert section, waiting for you to dig in.

Breakfast! I'll make this section quick because I have homework to do. The cereal bar includes varieties from Raisin Bran to Lucky Charms. Milk includes chocolate, skim, and 2%. The salad bar is turned into a fruit bar with fresh fruit, including strawberries, melon, and blueberries. Yogurt and granola are also available. The basics are always there too. Eggs, sausage, bagels, donuts, toast, english muffins, and BELGIAN WAFFLES can be eaten at will. The waffles even have their own topping station! It makes me drool just thinking about it. Mmmmm.....

Well, back to my main point. Can you believe people complain about this place? I've been going there all year, for nearly every meal and I haven't run out of options. There are at least six more places on campus to go eat, too. If they're not happy, they must be very picky.

I actually wanted to write this so I could follow it up with other posts about great options for college food. The great thing about all the options is that you can get creative when you want to! Today at breakfast, my friend made herself a waffle, then covered it in peanut butter, bananas, and peanuts. I was so envious. Now for homework! I'll try to write again within the next week!

Stuffed Mushrooms

Finally, I have made my way back to my blog after a very long break. Now that I don't have to worry about softball, graduation, or college orientation, I can get back to sharing my new recipes! I have frequently thought about this blog during my break, especially because my baking and cooking never took one. If anything, I've been in the kitchen more now than I was before I stopped updating the blog. My love for food lives on, even if my neglected blog does not show it.

I may have previously touched on the fact that I'm usually not a huge fan of mushrooms. I honestly can't eat them raw or cooked on their own. Okay, I can, I just really prefer not to. But, for some unknown reason, I crave things I don't necessarily like. Maybe it's because "stuffed" is in the title of the food. If something is stuffed, it can't be bad. It's an unwritten food rule that is rarely broken. It's like candy. Can candy be bad? Yes. Does it mess with your mind when it is? Yes. It's the reason candy corn has returned to us year after year for Halloween. Everyone sees it, thinks "Ooo, candy corn! That's a festive candy for Halloween, let's get it!" Then they eat three pieces and leave the rest to harden in a small serving bowl until Thanksgiving rolls around. Back to the point - This is when good things happen. I was planning on using certain ingredients for my stuffed mushrooms, so I started my search for recipes that included them. I wasn't very successful. Luckily, while unwrapping the mushrooms from their packaging, I found a recipe. It was located on the inside of the label. All of the ingredients were either on hand, interchangeable with what I wanted to use, or easily left out. Lucky me.

And so the cooking began. It was glorious. I knew from the second I tasted the filling that I had created something yummy. I couldn't stuff enough into the little portobello caps and there was still plenty leftover. The cheese wasn't too overpowering and the mushrooms were cooked just right. I found myself craving more afterwards, but this time it was a craving for something I did like. Yum!


Stuffed Mushrooms
makes 6

Ingredients:
6 baby portobellos, stems removed and chopped
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup chopped onion
8oz. ground turkey
poultry seasoning
1/2 cup smoked gouda cheese, shredded
1/4 tsp garlic powder
dash cayenne

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place caps on a baking sheet, open side down, and drizzle with 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the onions and mushroom stems in the remaining olive oil until tender. Remove and place in a bowl to cool. When mushroom caps are done, remove and flip over. Set aside. Cook turkey in the same frying pan. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning, to taste. Cook through. Add to the bowl of mushroom stems and onions. Add garlic powder, cayenne, and gouda. Mix well. Put mixture in caps (pile it high!) and sprinkle with more shredded gouda. Cook in oven for 15-20min.

Green Smoothie

I have seen these smoothies all over the place. Between food blogs, Pinterest, and Stumbleupon, I think I've probably seen at least fifty different recipes for them. Some recipes turn out to look more like puke than a green smoothie, though. If you care about what color your smoothie will be, pay attention to the fruits you decide to use! For example, if you want a bright green smoothie like the one shown above, only use green or yellow fruits. I made a smoothie with bananas and strawberries earlier this week and it ended up looking awful. Speckled and everything. I liked it, but the visual aspect of it was hard to get over.

Very occasionally, being in a rush can be beneficial for recipes. I stress the "very occasionally" part of the last sentence. I had to get out of the house quickly this morning and had a hard time deciding what to put in my smoothie. I grabbed the usual - baby spinach and water. Then, I had a hard time deciding which fruit combinations would lead to a smoothie with a good taste and appealing color. I peeled a banana and threw it in. All other fruits in the kitchen either had another purpous for a later date or were just too difficult to prepare in the short amount of time I had (I'm looking at you, pineapple). I threw in some crushed ice and began blending. The outcome was not too thick, not too thin, and just banana-y enough for me.


Green Smoothie
serves one


Ingredients:

two small handfuls of baby spinach
one banana
scant cup of water
about 1/3 cup of crushed ice


Directions
Put the spinach, water, banana, and ice into the blender. Put the spinach in first to make blending it easier. Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Green Velvet and Bailey's Irish Cream Cake Balls

I love having reasons to bake treats. I look for them constantly. The only problem is that even though I make half-recipes, (one time I quartered one) I still have way too much cake, cookies, etc, for me and my dad to eat. Well, we'd have absolutely no problem whatsoever finishing off everything, but we enjoy not gaining a ton of weight. So, I've taken to making half-recipes and taking half of the recipe I make into school. No one complains...much. I have one friend who barely ever misses school, until I bake something and bring it in. On those days, she always ends up being absent. Today, that happened again. I might just have to bake something everyday so she'll eventually get to try some of my creations. Oh, darn.

I baked these cake balls for St. Patrick's Day. I know, I know, St. Patrick's Day isn't until Saturday, but I don't have school on Friday. So, today was the last day to bring in my festive little treats. They went fast. That's the way food and school work. If someone has food, people flock to them. It doesn't matter if you know them well or not, they want your food. And they will get said food if they bug you enough. Some people take the sneaky approach to getting it. One girl waited until the inital hoard of people went away, then casually walked up to me and asked about a homework assignment. She then engaged in nice small talk. I don't think much more than a minute went by before she was asking for food. How do you say no to that? Even if I don't want to give someone something, I usually do it anyway because I feel too bad about saying no. The only way I'm able to refuse someone is if I'm saving whatever I have for a friend I haven't seen yet. Today, I actually did try saying no to a few boys in one of my classes because they told me I was going to give them a cake ball. Then, they begged. I gave in. It doesn't matter though - it helps me more than anything. I don't have to worry about eating the cake balls myself now!


Green Velvet Cake

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 oz green food coloring

green sprinkles (optional)
white candy coating (I used the Kroger brand)


Directions
Heat the oven to 350F. Mix all of the dry ingredients together and set aside. Mix all of the wet ingredients together (except the food coloring) and set aside. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients gradually, while beating on low speed. When incorporated, add in the green food coloring. It will be very green. Pour into a baking dish (I used 9x9) and bake for 25-35min. Check the cake with a tester before removing from the oven.


Bailey's Irish Cream Buttercream

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons Bailey's Irish Cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
Combine all ingredients and mix until creamy. If the frosting is a little runny, don't worry about it - it's going to go into the cake anyway.


To Assemble:
Let the cake cool. Then crumble it in a big bowl. Add the buttercream until you get the right consistency. (The cake balls should be able to hold their shape.) Roll the cake into balls about the size of a golf ball. Set on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Place the cake balls in the freezer for 20-30 minutes, or until firm. At this point, you can continue on to dipping them or you can take them out and rid the balls of imperfections (bumps, creases, etc.) If you do the latter, refreeze the cake balls afterwards. Melt the candy coating. Place a cake ball in the candy and coat it. Don't roll the ball! You don't want to get green crumbs in the white candy coating. Pick up the cake ball using a fork and tap the fork on the side of the bowl. This will smooth the candy coating and get rid of excess coating. Place the cake ball back on the baking sheet lined with wax paper. Sprinkle with green sprinkles. Repeat with the rest of the cake balls, then place in the freezer or fridge to harden. 


Sources
Recipe Girl
Love From the Oven

Moroccan Chickpeas

If you don't like chickpeas, the least you can do is make this recipe for the smell. My kitchen smells heavenly. I have never had chickpeas before, but let me tell you, they are awesome. They get nice and crunchy when cooked. (Some didn't get crunchy, and they were very yummy too.) The spices work wonders for them. These chickpeas are good to eat by themselves or on salad. By themselves, they are a nice salty snack that's full of protein.


Moroccan Chickpeas
serves 3-4


Ingredients:

1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoons allspice
1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (optional)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons cayenne powder (or more if you like spicy food)
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon sea salt


Directions
Heat oven to 400°F
Drain the chickpeas. Coat with the olive oil and set aside. In a small bowl, mix all of the spices together. Sprinkle over the chickpeas and stir to coat evenly.

Spread the chickpeas in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook for thirty minutes, stirring them about half way through. Make sure they aren't soft when the thirty minutes is up. If they aren't, put them back in the oven. You only want the center to be a little bit soft. After cooling, the chickpeas will be crispier.  

Simple Hot Chocolate

I was in the mood for hot chocolate today, but I didn't want to have to go out and buy a big box of powdered mix. My first thought was to grab the cocoa powder out of the cupboard and the packets of splenda off of the table. I poured them haphazardly into my cow mug (complete with udders) filled with warm milk and stirred it together. I was fairly satisfied with what I created. This is a very quick and easy way to make hot chocolate. It is also much less expensive than buying mixes at the store. Using skim milk and splenda reduces the amount of calories, making this a lighter version of the creamy, chocolatey drink that everyone loves.

Simple Hot Chocolate
serves one


Ingredients:

1 1/2 milk (skim for a lighter version)
1 1/2 cocoa powder
2-3 packets of splenda

Directions
Heat milk in the microwave for 50 seconds. Mix in cocoa powder and splenda. (You may have to squish clumps of cocoa up against the side of the mug.) Heat in the microwave for another 30-45 seconds.

Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream

Have you ever wanted a special kind of ice cream but you're just stuck with vanilla? At my house, we usually only get vanilla. This has forced me to become very creative in the ice cream category. For homemade ice cream, without an ice cream maker, the concoctions I've come up with are pretty darn good in my opinion. My favorite is chunky peanut butter, chocolate syrup, and crushed Oreos in vanilla ice cream. As good as it is, I didn't choose to write about it because I never thought about using crushed candy canes in ice cream before. It's more unusual and definitely worth having. I have to thank my mom for giving me the idea to put crushed candy canes in ice cream. I wouldn't have had it had she not thought of it.

This recipe isn't going to be like other recipes. The amount of everything you want is completely up to you. You don't even need to use vanilla ice cream if you don't want to. Everyone has different tastes, so the combination of ingredients I like best may not be the best for someone else. It's ice cream - there really shouldn't be a "recipe" for it. You just grab the toppings you want and throw it into your bowl.

Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream

Ingredients:

vanilla ice cream

candy canes (or any other peppermint candy)

chocolate syrup

Oreos!

Directions

Scoop ice cream into bowl. Throw on toppings. Mix. Eat. Enjoy.

If you like chocolate and peanut butter...

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Ingredients:

vanilla ice cream

chunky peanut butter

chocolate syrup

crushed Oreos

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

It is National Peanut Butter Lover's Day. I am a peanut butter lover. I am a peanut butter fan. I love peanut butter. A lot. So, I celebrated National Peanut Butter Lover's Day with delicious peanut butter chocolate brownies. I would like to credit Hershey with an ultimate brownie mix. It is ultimate. It has super chocolateyness, it's moist, and best of all, it has chocolate chunks in it. Big chocolate chunks. Do you understand how much I love Hershey's Ultimate Chocolate Brownie Mix and peanut butter? I know the picture above doesn't do the brownies justice. I apologize for that. But don't deny yourself the decadence of these brownies due to my poor photography skills. If you love peanut butter, you will love these brownies. Period. Make them. Here's the recipe.


Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies


Ingredients:

1 pouch Hershey's Ultimate Chocolate Brownie Mix (or any other favorite brownie mix)
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp water

For the peanut butter filling:

3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp butter, melted


Directions
Heat oven to indicated temperature on the brownie box.
Follow directions on brownie mix package. The ingredients listed below the Hershey mix is for the Hershey mix only. Use what the packaging tells you to use if you use a different brownie mix. Keep the batter in a bowl and set aside.

Add all of the peanut butter filling ingredients to a bowl and mix until smooth.

Grease an 11x7in pan. Add 1/3 to 1/2 of the brownie batter and spread across the bottom. Place dollops of peanut butter a few inches apart throughout the pan. Cover in remaining brownie batter then drizzle (it won't "drizzle"...but this is the best word I have for what needs to be done) across the top of the brownie batter. Using a knife, swirl peanut butter around as much as you like. Bake in the oven (according to directions on box) and enjoy! 

Source
Food for Poems

Mini Cinnamon Roll Bites

When I began this recipe, I fully intended it to be cinnamon rolls. It still ended up as cinnamon rolls, but I wanted full-sized, fluffy, breakfast cinnamon rolls. That didn't happen. When I started the recipe, I was concentrating on doing everything just as the recipe told me to. And I did. Or so I thought. When I got to the step that told me to add in the yeast, it said something along the lines of, "Wait until the mixture is just warm, then add the yeast." Well, I tested the mixture with my finger and it felt slightly warm, so I added the yeast. It wasn't until I was whisking it together that I saw the steam coming out of the pan. Next time, I'll stir the mixture so I'm not testing the temperature of the portion that has cooled off the most. Actually, at this point, I didn't think anything was wrong. It didn't occur to me that I had just killed the yeast. I went about finishing the rest of the dough recipe, rolled it into a ball, put it in a greased bowl, and covered it with plastic. When I came back to the dough, it had not risen at all. Not even a little bit. It just sat there and did nothing while I was away. I was confused to say the least and asked my mom about it. That's when we figured out I messed up the recipe, and we would not be eating cinnamon rolls for breakfast the following morning. It was a sad moment. But, I decided I would not let the dough go to waste and went to bed.

Before I began baking the next morning, I searched the internet in hope of finding a way to save the dough. One website said to make breadsticks or crackers out of dough that didn't rise. Bingo! I decided I would do exactly that. Making the dough into little cracker-like creations ended up being a lot faster than making cinnamon rolls. I didn't have to worry about letting the rolls rise for another two hours after putting them together. I only had to roll, slice, and bake - very simple and easy to manage. My biggest problem was trying to figure out how long it took to bake and cool to get them crunchy all the way through. The middle of mine were still a tiny bit soft compared to the crunchy outer parts. They were addicting, nonetheless. I probably ate most of them, but they didn't even last a day. That's the problem with bite-sized snacks - they're so small that eating four or twenty of them doesn't seem like a big deal.


Mini Cinnamon Roll Bites
makes 40-50

Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk
7 tbsp butter
1 tbsp plus 2 tbsp sugar
4 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp ground sea salt
1 egg
2 egg yolks

For the filling:

2 tbsp plus 1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp brown sugar
2 1/2 tbsp butter
sugar (optional)

1 egg


Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter in 1/2 a cup of water and the milk. Take off of heat. Add a tablespoon of sugar. Whisk together then set aside.

Sift the sifted flour into a large bowl with the salt, and 2 tbsp of sugar. Whisk the egg and egg yolks together in a small bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and add the milk mixture and eggs. Stir together then work with your hands to make a rough dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes, or until smooth. Add flour if it is too sticky.

In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon and brown sugar together. Break apart any clumps that form. 

Split the dough in half. Roll dough out to a 15x11in rectangle. Cut the dough in half lengthwise. The end result should give you dough that is 15x5-1/2in. Melt the butter in a small bowl and brush over the dough, making sure to get the edges. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon mixture over the dough and rub it into the dough. Tightly roll the dough up lengthwise again. You should still have dough that is 15in long in the end. Cut the rolls 1/2in thick and place on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat with the other half of the dough. They do not rise or spread out during baking, so there is no need to put a lot of space between each one. Lightly beat an egg and brush a small amount over each mini cinnamon roll. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from baking sheet immediately after baking. Place on a wire rack and let cool completely. They can be eaten before being cooled, but will not be very crunchy.

Chicken and Shrimp Creole

In honor of Mardi Gras, I decided to make a Cajun dish. I've been craving something with shrimp in it anyway. Plus, I've been dying to go to New Orleans just to try the food. I doubt this quite measures up to the food down there, but it's still very yummy. I wouldn't know the difference anyway - I've never been to New Orleans.

Thanks to my boyfriend, over the past few years I have grown accustomed to spicy food. I'm shocked at how well I can handle the spice now. Just a few weeks ago, I managed to down the Thai Curry chicken wings at Buffalo Wild Wings. Although they made my nose runny and my mouth burn, it was completely worth it. They were delicious and I would definitely recommend them. I occasionally crave spicy things now. Watching Man v. Food probably has something to do with that, too. Seeing Adam take on the hot wing challenges makes me want to try one for myself. Considering he usually comes out of them with tears in his eyes, I'm not so sure how committed to the challenge I would be, but I can still dream.

Back on topic. This dish really isn't that spicy. I could feel the burn a little bit, but it was definitely there. Just the perfect amount of heat for my liking. Don't let that scare you away, though. The spice level is all up to you for this dish. You can add (or not add) as much spice as you want. Hot sauce was in the original recipe, but I thought there was enough heat without it. Once again, we find the beauty of cooking. This dish can be made incredibly mild or tear-inducingly spicy. Whatever floats your boat. It's all up to you. Have fun with it!


Chicken and Shrimp Creole
serves 4


Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
1 lb boneless chicken breast, cut into bitesize pieces
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
14-ounce can of diced tomatoes
8 oz tomato sauce
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
2 tsp Cajun Seasoning (more or less to taste)
1 bay leaf
1 cup corn
1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 
1 tbsp of all purpose flour (1 tsp corn starch for gluten-free)
1 tbsp water
about 10 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt to taste

Directions
This can be served over rice or by itself.

In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic, celery, chicken, and cajun seasoning and saute until the chicken is cooked. Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, cayenne pepper, bay leaf, corn, and Worchestershire sauce and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer 20-30 minutes.

Mix the flour and water together. Stir into the tomato mixture. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle the shrimp with a small amount of Cajun seasoning and add to the tomato mixture. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, or until shrimp is cooked through. Add salt if needed.

Source
adapted from Skinny Taste

Red Velvet Cake

I watch way too many TV shows on TLC and Food Network. This is a fact my family has had to get used to over the past few years. When I choose what we watch, it will always be on TLC or Food Network (with the exception of Desperate Housewives and Glee). For the longest time, I was hooked on Cake Boss. Over time, I stopped watching so much and switched over to Chopped, Iron Chef America, etc. I happened to come across Cake Boss again not too long ago. It was the Valentine's Day episode and I watched Buddy make a special heart-shaped cake for a couple who had come to his bakery for their honeymoon. He started with a red velvet cake and filled the center with chocolate mousse icing, strawberry slices, and chocolate ganache. He then continued to frost the entire cake in buttercream and decorated it appropriately. I was dying to make this cake, so I did. Luckily, I bought a heart-shaped cake mold a few months ago at a church garage sale. That came in handy, but a heart shaped mold isn't necessary for this recipe.

This cake has so many elements to it. There are three different types of icing! The end result is oh so very worth it, though. Although it was yummy, I wish I would have filled the cake with more chocolate mousse icing. I can't get enough of the stuff. It's good enough to eat on its own as a dessert. It's not quite as thick as actual mousse, but it tastes almost exactly like it. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

For the decorating I just did my own thing. I had never worked with royal icing before, so it was a new experience. The icing was incredibly thick. I had a hard time making the roses without it melting into itself when I thinned it out, so it had to be thick to work with. After it dried, the icing was really crunchy, like a little piece of candy. Now, for the recipe(s)!


 Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients:

about 5 strawberries (or more if you want them)

2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured)

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk (or one tbsp butter plus a scant cup of milk)

1 tablespoon red food coloring

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans.

Sift sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl.

Whisk together buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla in a small bowl. Cream sugar and butter in large bowl. Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Mix in dry ingredients in four additions and the buttermilk mixture in three additions, alternately. (dry, wet, dry, wet, etc)

Divide batter between pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 27 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and let cool on a rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Cream the butter and cream cheese together. Add the vanilla and mix well. Add the powdered sugar slowly and mix until smooth.

Chocolate Mousse Frosting

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
small pinch of salt

Directions
Place a mixing bowl in the freezer for a few minutes to chill (this doesn't take long). Add heavy cream to the bowl and slowly stir in the dry ingredients. When most of the dry ingredients have been moistened, whip the mixture until stiff peaks hold.


Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:

1/2 cup heavy cream
4 1/2 oz dark chocolate

Directions
Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl. Heat the heavy cream over medium-low
heat until it just begins to boil. Pour over the chopped chocolate and stir until incorporated.


Royal Icing

Ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar                                                 
3/4 tablespoon meringue powder                                                 
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract                                             
about 1/8 cup water

Directions
Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add the vanilla extract and water and mix with a fork/spoon until combined.
Add water or powdered sugar to get the right consistency.

To Finish...

Spread the chocolate mousse frosting inbetween the two layers of cake. Pour desired amount of chocolate ganache over the top then cover in sliced strawberries. You will probably have extra ganache. Pour it on the extra strawberries...DO IT! Place the other cake on top of the first. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting over the top and press into the gap between the cakes. Then, continue to frost the cake. Once again, you may have extra frosting. Spread it on graham crackers. Put the royal icing in a frosting bag and decorate the cake however you like. Eat and enjoy!

Sources

Epicurious

Cooks.com

Group Recipes

Oatmeal with Oven Roasted Fruit

I have a thing for roasted vegetables. They will probably make it into a later post, but for now, I'm doing a post on roasted fruit. Oh, how I love fruit. I never thought about roasting fruit until last night, when I roasted cabbage and apples. Watching the steam pour off of the apples, I began thinking about roasting fruit. I had not seen it tried before, but I thought, "vegetables work, so why not fruit?" I went to bed with a plan for the morning.

Morning came and I bounced out of bed, into the shower, and down the steps. I was preheating the oven and chopping fruit before my dad realized what was going on. Once the fruit was in the oven, I began thinking about what would go best with it. Yogurt was my first thought, but I wanted something that was more substantial. My pantry threw a box of oatmeal at me and it was decided. Right onto the stove the oatmeal went. Yogurt was still on my mind though. There's just something about it that is so very yummy. "I'll replace milk with yogurt," I thought. I mixed everything together, added cinnamon, and enjoyed my breakfast.


Oatmeal with Oven Roasted Fruit
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
oatmeal
1 pear, chopped
1 apple, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
1 banana, sliced
(other fruit will work too)
cinnamon
sugar
vanilla yogurt


Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.

After cutting the fruit, layer it on a baking sheet in the following order - apples, pears, bananas. Make sure that the bananas don't touch the baking sheet. Sprinkle the fruit with cinnamon and sugar, to taste. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 25 minutes, or until the apples are tender.

Prepare the desired amount of oatmeal by following the directions on the package it came in.

When everything is prepared, divide the oatmeal and fruit evenly between two or three bowls. If you're only planning on two servings, there will be extra fruit. Sprinkle more cinnamon and sugar over the fruit, if desired. Mix the oatmeal and fruit together and add the yogurt (mix it in...or don't.)

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

A few weeks ago, I saw cheesecake stuffed strawberries online. I immediately knew I had to try them. I just needed a reason. Today was that reason. No, not Groundhog Day, my boyfriend's birthday! I usually make cupcakes for my friend's birthdays but this time, I decided to try this recipe. It may not be as awesome as a cupcake, but it's still really yummy AND a lot healthier. I made it even less fattening by using reduced fat products. Of course, there are plenty of ways to make this just as unhealthy as a cupcake (three words - chocolate, chocolate, chocolate) but I chose to stick with the basic recipe.

The basic recipe is a sweetened cream cheese filled strawberry with graham cracker crumbs. It really doesn't get much easier than that. I used an old potato peeler (the completely metal kind) to core the strawberries. For the most part, they already have a slightly hollow center, but you still need to cut a hole in the top to get to the hollow part. I scraped some extra strawberry out of the middle, but not much. If you don't have pastry/frosting bag, then cut a small hole in the corner of a sandwich bag. This works just as well and doesn't require cleaning. To make this recipe even sweeter, try dipping the strawberries in chocolate, drizzling them with chocolate, or adding mini chocolate chips to the cream cheese. Do whatever you want with them. Marshmallow fluff or whipped cream would probably be pretty amazing too.


Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Ingredients:

1 pint strawberries
4 oz reduced fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
reduced fat graham crackers (about 1-2)
Baker's chocolate, chocolate chips, or any other yummy addition (optional!)


Directions
Cut the tops off of the strawberries. Using a small knife or a potato peeler, cut out the inside of the strawberry. Set the strawberries aside.

Add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a small bowl. Using a spatula, mix the ingredients together until combined. (If adding extra ingredients - mini chocolate chips, etc...put them in now!) Cut a small hole out of the corner of a sandwich bag and add the cream cheese mixture. Pipe mixture into the center of the strawberries, overflowing a little bit.

Smash the graham crackers into crumbs in a bowl. Dip the strawberries in the crumbs to coat the cream cheese coming out of the top. Serve immediately.

*If you wish to dip your strawberries in chocolate, melt a few blocks of Baker's chocolate. Dip the strawberries and set on a piece of wax paper to harden.

Chocolate Cake Balls

Have I mentioned that I love chocolate? Well, I do. These cake balls are perfect for chocolate lovers. The main focus of my picture is a white chocolate covered cake ball with crushed walnuts. The only reason it's the main focus is because it's prettier than the plain chocolate cake balls. Although they are yummy, the semi-sweet chocolate covered cake balls are the stars of this post. I don't know how much it matters which cake recipe you decide to use, but I've had cake balls before and these were amazing. Credit for the superb cake goes to "Sandy" from allrecipes.com.

Before starting this recipe, I searched the web and my baking books for a chocolate cake recipe that didn't involve baking chocolate or vegetable oil (didn't have any on hand) and I came across this recipe. Lucky for me, it ended up being perfect. After baking, I scraped my cake pans clean to get the bits of cake that stuck to the bottom out. Then, I ate those little bits of extra cake. It was delicious. I actually only made half of the cake recipe because it was supposed to make a three layered cake. My first thought was, "that's going to be a lot of cake balls." There was no way I was going to make that many. Half of the recipe made about two dozen golf ball-sized cake balls, and that was definitely enough for me. My first plan was to cover the cake in Wilton candy melts. That failed miserably. Wilton candy melts are the last thing you want to use when trying to coat things in chocolate. They are good for making molded chocolates. The consistency is all wrong for dipping and will never (unless you're magical) work. Even Toll House chocolate chips and Hershey bars don't work (tried and failed). If you ever need to dip things in chocolate, use baking chocolate squares. Doing this will save you a lot of time and money.


Chocolate Cake Balls

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3/8 cup baking cocoa

1/2 tablespoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cups sour cream

2/3 cups boiling water

for the frosting:

4 tbsp unsalted butter

2/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1/4 cup cocoa powder

splash of milk, if necessary

16oz Baker's semi-sweet chocolate squares (or any other chocolate you would like to use)

nuts, cookie crumbs, or any other toppings you want

Directions

I made the cake the night before to save time.

Preheat oven to 350°F

Cream the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat the mixture on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix to combine.

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternately with the sour cream. Mix on low speed until combined. Stir water in until combined. Pour batter into two 9 inch cake pans. You don't have to worry about greasing the pans because you need to shred the cake. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely before removing from the pan.

for the frosting

Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Beat to combine, adding milk if the frosting is too stiff.

for the cake balls

Make sure the cake is completely cooled. Place all of the cake in a large bowl and, using a knife, stir/chop it until it turns into crumbs. Next, add half of the frosting and mix until combined.Continue to add frosting until the desired consistency is met. The cake should hold its shape on its own but not crumble. Roll the cake into balls about the size of a golf ball and set on a plate or cookie sheet (whatever will fit into your freezer.) Freeze the cake for about 30 minutes, or until firm.

In a heatproof bowl, melt half of your chocolate in the microwave. Try melting it in about 30 second increments, stirring inbetween each one. Once completely melted, set up an area to dip the cake balls. One by one, drop the cake balls into the chocolate. Coat each cake ball completely, then rest on a fork and tap on the edge of the bowl to rid the cake ball of excess chocolate. Using a second fork, slide the cake ball off of the first fork and onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. If you want to add cookie crumbs, nuts, etc, this is the time to do it. Sprinkle whatever toppings you want over the cake balls before the chocolate is set. Continue this process until all of the cake balls are coated in chocolate. Put the cake balls in the fridge to set.

Source

allrecipes.com

Pancit

This has to be the easiest dinner recipe I have ever tried. I made it once and I can easily recall all the ingredients and steps involved. I don't even need the recipe anymore to make it. I honestly wouldn't be able to tell you the best part about this recipe. There are three different types of meats in it. That is awesome. But, the cabbage is really yummy. And so are the carrots. And the noodles. See what I mean? So. Good. I could've eaten it all night if my stomach could handle that much food. Even my boyfriend, who had just recently had this same dish in the Philippines, said it was really good. (Yay!)

This recipe was supposed to feed four people, but I think it really meant six. Or seven. Possibly eight or nine, depending on how much you like to eat at a meal. Although that may be because my head of cabbage was slightly bigger than "medium." What does a "medium" head of cabbage look like anyway? I've only ever seen one size and obviously, that's the size I bought. It didn't seem very big to me, but I guess it just depends on what's available in your area. Well, anyway, I may have also used a little more than half a pound of chicken, but those factors shouldn't add three (five) extra servings to a meal. Maybe, when the recipe said "serves 4" it actually meant "serves 4 ravenous 6' 10'' teenage boys." That would make a lot more sense. My mom and I had two good-sized servings. My boyfriend had one enormous serving plus another smaller serving (he needed those carbs for hockey!) Then my step-dad came home and he and my mom each had a serving before they went to bed. Even after all of that, there was enough for two of us to have more for lunch the next day. We still have more in the fridge. So, adding all of that up, there are at least...10 average-sized servings in this recipe. I wouldn't cut it in half though. It's definitely something that you'd like to have two or ten servings of.  


Pancit
serves...a lot

Ingredients:

8 ounce package thin rice noodles

1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 pound pork tenderloin, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 cup soy sauce

ground black pepper to taste

1/2 medium head cabbage, shredded

2 carrots, shredded

2 green onions, chopped into 1 inch pieces

1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions

Place the noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot tap water. Soak for 15-20 minutes, or until soft. They will feel a little bit underdone to the taste, but will soften when cooked with the rest of the ingredients. Place the noodles on a cutting board and give them a few chops to shorten them and make them more manageable.

Pour a small amount of olive oil into a very large skillet and brown the chicken and pork. Make sure no pink shows on any of the pieces. Add the soy sauce and pepper. Remove everything but a small amount of soy sauce from the skillet.

Saute the carrots and cabbage until tender (use a lid to make this go faster.) Stir in the noodles, green onions, and shrimp. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the shrimp are nearly cooked, then add the chicken, pork, and soy sauce. Mix everything together then cook for 5 more minutes.

 

Source

Ozzyzmommy - Allrecipes.com

Danish Pastries

What happens when your mom wants you to use the rest of the puff pastry that is sitting in the fridge? Danish pastries happen. I received a Christmas gift in the mail last week - Illustrated Step-By-Step Baking by Caroline Bretherton. It. Is. Beautiful. That is where I came across the idea for these pastries. In the book, it gives a recipe for the pastry dough, but for a quick and easy treat, I used a premade dough. It also shows pictures of how to mix the dough, roll it out, and cut it. It makes recipes that are more advanced much easier to understand. The book also has variations of most of its recipes. Instead of only having a chocolate fudge cake ball recipe, it has strawberry and coconut too. The recipes range from whoopie pies to chicken pot pie. I can't wait to try every last one of them. I'm going to be doing a lot of baking from now on!

Personally, I really like raspberries. They're good with just about any dessert, which is why I chose to use red raspberry preserves for these pastries. Add cream cheese, and you have a creamy filling that isn't too sweet or overpowering. Of course, the cream cheese is optional. This recipe will work just as well with or without cream cheese. Another idea for this dessert - serve it with ice cream!

Danish Pastries
makes 9

Ingredients:

One sheet of Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry
1/3 cup red raspberry preserves
about 1 1/2 oz cream cheese, room temperature
egg (beaten, for egg wash)

Directions
Preheat oven to 400° F

Warm the cream cheese in the microwave for about ten seconds if it isn't at room temperature. Mix the preserves and cream cheese together. Set aside.

Place puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Cut the pastry into 3 1/2 inch squares. Cut each square, starting at the corner, about 3/4 inch out from the center. Place about a teaspoon of the raspberry mixture in the center and fold the corners into the center. It should look like this when you begin to fold...

After folding all of the corners towards the center, drop a little more of the raspberry mixture over the center. Brush the dough with egg wash and place on a baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. After taking the pastries out of the oven, use a metal spatula to detach the pastries from the cookie sheet. Let set for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.