Thanksgiving leftovers?

My mom always made turkey dumplings after Thanksgiving with the leftover turkey and it is one of the things I look forward to the most. I don't know why but this isn't something that I make...except for after Thanksgiving. I had been eyeing this recipe for a while and finally got around to make it and I am so glad I did. It was perfect! Pretty quick to throw together and I LOVED the rosemary in the dumplings.

Chicken and Rosemary Dumplings

(Source: Cooking Light: Chicken)

Soup:

4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

3 cups water

1 pound chicken drumsticks, skinned

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (I did not use the chicken drumsticks. I only used 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts.)

2 thyme sprigs (I used dried thyme.)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups diced carrot

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

1 cup diced onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dumplings:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon chopped freshe or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Remaining Ingredients:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup water

Freshly ground black pepper

1. To prepare soup, combine first 5 ingredients in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove pan from heat. Remove chicken pieces from broth; cool slightly. Strain broth through a sieve into a large bowl, discard solids. Remove chicken from bones. Discard bones; chop chicken into bite-sized pieces. Set chicken aside.

2. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add carrot, celery, onion, and garlic; saute 6 minutes or until onion is tender. Add reserved broth mixture and 1/2 teaspoon salt, simmer 10 minutes. Keep warm.

3. To prepare dumplings, lightly spoon 1 1/4 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1 1/4 cups flour, rosemary, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine buttermilk and egg, stirring with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined.

4. Add chicken to broth mixture, bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Lightly spoon 1/4 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and 1/4 cup water, stirring with a whisk until well blended to form a slurry. Add slurry to pan; simmer 3 minutes. Drop dumpling dough, 1 tablespoon per dumpling, into chicken mixture to form 12 dumplings. Cover and cook 7 minutes (do not let broth boil.) Sprinkle with pepper.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 dumplings and 1 1/3 cups soup).

It is a poker party!

Philip is having a poker party. A good excuse for him to play poker and me to make yummy munchy food! I love to entertain and while this isn't really me entertaining since I am sitting upstairs blogging and he is downstairs with his friends, I still got to plan the menu and make all the food. For me that is pretty much my favorite part of entertaining. The cleaning up afterwards is my least favorite...which is why this part is so great! I was still able to do the best part...and since it isn't MY party I don't have to clean it up! Oh the beauty of it....

The party menu consisted of (boy food):

Veggies & Dip

Ranch Pretzels

Baked Mini Corn Dogs

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Puppy Chow

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Beer!

I really wanted to blog the buffalo chicken dip since I have made it a million times and it is always a hit but I forgot to take a picture and they in the 30 minutes that they have been playing it has basically been devoured. So I will only do the ranch pretzels and the baked mini corn dogs (which were pretty darn good and so stinkin' cute!).

Baked Mini Corn Dogs

(Source: Food Network Magazine, June/July 2009)

1 cup reduced-fat milk

1 package active dry yeast

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing

2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

1 cup fine yellow cornmeal

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting and kneading

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or paprika

9 reduced-fat hot dogs, halved crosswise

1 large egg, beaten

1 tablespoon balck sesame seeds (optional)

1. Warm the milk to about 110 degrees in a saucepan; pour into a medium bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast and let soften for about 2 minutes. Stir in the olive oil, brown sugar and cornmeal with a wooden spoon. Add the flour, salt, baking soda and cayenne pepper; stir to make a sticky dough.

2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if needed, until smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Meanwhile, insert a wooden stick or small skewer into each hot dog half, about 1 inch deep; set aside.

3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and lightly oil a large baking sheet. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 18 pieces. With your palms, roll each piece into a 10-inch length. Wrap each piece around a hot dog half, tucking and pressing the edges to seal; place on the baking sheet.

4. Brush the dough-wrapped dogs with the beaten egg; sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. Bake until golden, 15 minutes.

Ranch Pretzels (The same as the oyster crackers)

(Source: Me!)

Ingredients:

Pretzels (I use most of a bag.)

1/3 cup canola oil

1/2 tsp dill weed

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 oz package of dry ranch seasoning mix

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a Ziploc bag and shake until pretzels are well coated. Spread out onto a baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until all of the oil is absorbed.

Taco Loco

The first time I had this I didn't think I would like it. I am not a huge fan of red meat and I really prefer my tacos with chicken, but this was soooo yummy and I knew I had to find a recipe. The meat is supposed to marinate for 24 hours...I forgot to get it ready the night before so ours only marinated for maybe 5 hours. I thought it had a decent amount of flavor and I really enjoyed the flavor it did have so I imagine it would be even better if it marinated for the full 24 hours. The recipe says to pound the meat to a 1/4" thick...I gave up and left it about an inch thick. I thought it was fine and we just sliced it super thin. Philip thinks we should cut it before we marinate it next time to get more flavor. The recipe says it serves twelve (I did pay attention to this until AFTER I started cooking). I don't think it would serve twelve...maybe four (but my steak was not quite 3 pounds). We had quite a bit leftover!

Lisa's Favorite Carne Asada Marinade
(Souce: allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup lime juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon finely chopped canned chipotle pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
3 pounds flank steak

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine the orange, lemon, and lime juice in a large glass or ceramic bowl along with the garlic, soy sauce, chipotle pepper, chili power, ground cumin, paprika, dried oregano, black pepper, and cilantro. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until marinade is well combined. Remove one cup of the marinade and place in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for use after the meat is cooked.
2. Place the flank steak between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound the steak with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/4 inch. After pounding, poke steak all over with a fork. Add the meat to the marinade in the large bowl, cover, and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
4. Remove the steak from the marinade and grill to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium rare. Discard used marinade. Remove meat from heat and slice across the grain.
5. Pour the one cup of reserved, unused marinade over the hot meat and serve immediately.

Spicy Black Bean Dip

I was supposed to go to a potluck team meeting for the FRGs (family readiness group) in our battalion this week. I had planned on making this dip but then at the last minute I didn't end up going to the meeting. I figured since I had already bought everything I might as well make it and I am glad I did! It was very good and different than your typical bean dip.

Spicy Black Bean Dip

(Source: Amber's Delectable Delights)

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

4 cloves minced garlic, separated

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

4 oz cream cheese

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeds removed

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

S&P to taste

Cheese for topping (I used monterey jack)

1) Saute' corn and 2 cloves of garlic until the corn is slightly browned. Set aside to cool.

2) Add 2 cloves garlic, beans, cream cheese, jalapeno and the seasonings into a food processor and process until smooth.

3) Place 1/2 of bean mixture into bottom of serving dish, then 1/2 the corn; repeat with remaining beans and corn. Top with cheese, if desired. Serve with tortilla chips.

Fish are food, not friends

I don't like fish. Ever since having to cook for myself I have become much more experimental. I have grown to be able to eat mild fish. Philip loves fish. I decide that since we have been married for 2.5 years I could make him fish once. So I found this recipe that I thought I could handle and I really enjoyed it. I don't think he will have to wait another 2.5 years for it. I served this with a parmesan orzo that I have been making for a while. It is a quick, easy and pretty tasty side dish.

Panko-Breaded Tilapia

(Source: Penzey Spices Early Summer 2009 catalog)

Ingredients:

4-4 ounce tilapia filets

4 tablespoons reduced fat mayonnaise (1/4 cup)

1 teaspoon Lemon Pepper

1/4 teaspoon thyme (I omitted this because I don't really care for it.)

1/4 teaspoon Cracked Rosemary

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lemon pepper, thyme and cracked rosemary. Pour the panko breadcrumbs in a wide, shallow bowl. Heat the olive oil in a roomy pan over medium-high heat. Brush the tilapia fillets with the mayonnaise mixture, using a quarter of the mix per fillet, then dip in the breadcrumbs. Gently place in the hot pan and cook the fillets for 3-5 minutes per side, until nicely browned. It is important the oil is hot so the breading doesn't stick. Shake the pan gently every minute or so to keep the breading from sticking to the pan and getting left behind.

Parmesan Orzo

(Source: Amber's Delectable Delights)

Ingredients:

1 cup orzo, uncooked

1 tablespoon of butter

1-14.5 ounce can of chicken broth

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon dried parsley

Directions:

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add orzo and stir for 2-3 minutes until lightly toasted. Add broth, bring to a boil for 1 minute, turn heat to low, cover and cook 15 minutes until broth is almost absorbed and orzo is soft. Add cheese and parsley and stir.

Pizza, Pizza

I found this recipe for pizza crust a long time ago but now that Philip is home he is the one that is always making the pizzas. He is more of a perfectionist about his pizza crusts than I am. His have to be perfectly round and he will spend forever making them that way. So he has been fiddling around with this recipe, trying different things with it each time and this time he nailed it! It was perfect...not too soft, not too crispy. Of course my Pampered Chef pizza stone helps a great deal! Seriously....homemade pizza is SOOO much better when it is made on this thing!

Quick and Easy Pizza Crust

(Source: adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

1 package active dry yeast

1 teaspoon white sugar (Philip used 1 1/2 teaspoons)

1 cup warm water

2 1/2 cups bread flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

*Philip added a very little bit of Penzey's Pizza Seasoning into the dough. Italian seasoning would work as well.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in wamr water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

2. Stir in flour, salt and oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest 5 minutes.

3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or baker's peel dusted with cornmeal. Spread with desired toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Almost Famous

Every issue of the Food Network magazine (which is a wonderful magazine and I highly recommend subscribing!) has a copycat recipe of a well known restaurant food. The June/July 2009 issue has Olive Garden salad and breadsticks. However, according to the article, the Olive Garden "staff" would not release their recipe for either of these so the Food Network Kitchens created recipes that are pretty darn close. We thought they were both wonderful and just like the restaurant. The breadsticks were not very good reheated the next day so I would definitely cut the recipe in half next time...unless I can find a use for 16 breadsticks.

That is my beautiful Longaberger bread basket. It was a parting gift when I moved out of my parents house...I'm not sure if my mom knows I took it. :)

Almost Famous Breadsticks

(Source: Food Network Magazine June/July 2009)

FOR THE DOUGH:

1 package active dry yeast

4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon fine salt

FOR THE TOPPING:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Pinch of dried oregano

1. Make the dough: Place 1/4 cup warm water in the bowl of a mixer; sprinkle in the yeast and set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, butter, sugar, fine salt and 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons warm water; mix with the paddle attachment until a slightly sticky dough forms, 5 minutes.

2. Knead the dough by hand on a floured surface until very smooth and soft, 3 minutes. Roll into a 2-foot-long log; cut into 16-1 1/2 inch-long pieces. Knead each piece slightly and shape into a 7-inch-long breastick; arrange 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a cloth; let rise in a warm spot until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make the topping: Brush the breadsticks with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt with the garlic powder and oregano. Brush the warm breadsticks with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with the flavored salt.

Almost-Famous Garden Salad

(Source: Food Network Magazine June/July 2009)

FOR THE DRESSING:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons Miracle Whip

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

FOR THE SALAD:

1 10-ounce bag American salad blend

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

4 small pickled peppers, such as pepperoncini

1 small vine-ripened tomato, quartered

2 tablespoons sliced black olives

1/2 cup large croutons

1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

1. Combine all the dressing ingredients and 1 to 2 tablespoons water in a blender or food processor; puree until smooth.

2. Place the salad blend in a large bowl and top with the remaining salad ingredients. Drizzle with the dressing.

Who needs the ice cream truck...

when you have homemade popsicles in the freezer! Walked into the grocery store the other day and the berries were buy one, get one free...I HAD to buy some. Philip asked me what I was going to do with them and I didn't know...but I knew I would think of something. So I decided to make popsicles!


These popsicles were delicious! I cannot wait to make them again. I think next time I will add a banana to them as well.





Strawberry-Cream Fruit Pops
(Source: MyRecipes.com via Sunset Magazine)


Ingredients:

2 cups fresh strawberries (rinsed and hulled)
1/2 cup light sour cream
2-3 Tbls sugar
2 tsp lemon juice


Preparation
1. In a blender, whirl 2 cups rinsed, hulled strawberries until smooth. Push through a fine strainer into a 1-quart glass measure; discard seeds. Return berry purée to blender and whirl in 1/2 cup light sour cream, 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar (to taste), and 2 teaspoons lemon juice until smooth.
2. Pour fruit mixture into 6 to 8 juice bar molds (with a 1/4-1/3 cup capacity). Attach covers firmly and insert sticks, leaving 1 1/2 to 2 inches of each sticking out. Set molds in freezer, making sure they're level and upright, and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours, or up to 2 weeks.
3. To unmold, run warm water over the molds up to the rim, just until pops are released from sides, 5 to 15 seconds. Remove the covers and pull out the pops.

Comfort in a Bowl

A big bowl of chicken noodle soup is the most comforting thing. There is nothing better than a big bowl on a cold day, or when you are sick, or when you just needed cheering up. Philip had his wisdom teeth out and one of the things he requested a few days after surgery was this soup. The recipe is from one of my most favorite people in the world. I remember years ago, when there was a death in our family, she made this for my family. She sent me the recipe a while ago and I have made it MANY times since then.

Chicken Noodle Soup

(Source: My friend Dolly)

Ingredients:

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 tsp black pepper

1 tablespoon chicken bouillon or cubes

2-3 Stalks of celery, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

pinch of celery leaves (I used celery seed)

1 pkg Mrs Grass Noodle Soup

1 bag frozen Reames' Noodles

Directions:

Fill a Dutch oven pan with water and add chicken breasts, black pepper and chicken bouillon. Boil until chicken breasts are cooked through. Remove chicken breasts and shred. Add celery, onion, carrots and celery leaves to the dutch oven (with the cooking liquid in it). Add the shredded chicken and Mrs. Grass's noodle soup. Let cook for at least an hour. Then add Reames' noodles and cook for another 30 minutes.

Add a can of chicken broth or more seasonings if it needs more flavor.

Dinner on the MAN Stove...

Philip refers to our grill as "the man stove." My favorite part of this dinner was that Philip took it all outside and did it all on the grill (read: I did not have to cook.). The recipe was for baked teriyaki chicken and I have to say...it was much better baked than it was grilled. I don't know why. I just really prefered it baked. It was still a very good dinner though!

Baked Teriyaki Chicken

(Source: allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon cold water

1/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

1) In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles. Let sauce cool.
2) Pour cooled sauce into bottom of greased 9x13 casserole dish. Dip one side of each chicken piece into the sauce and then place piece, sauce dipped side up, into the pan. Let marinate in fridge for at least one hour.
3) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
4) Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until internal temp is 165 degrees. Baste the chicken with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking.

Happy Mother's Day!

We went to a picnic today for Mother's Day/Birthdays. Unfortunately it wasn't the nicest day ever but we still had a nice time. I made the cupcakes for the big bash...homemade funfetti (Pillsbury has nothing on me!) frosted with vanilla buttercream. I like buttercream but don't usually LOVE it. I usually have a few bites of cake with frosting and then scrape the rest of it off. I thought this buttercream was super yummy and not quite as sugary as the store bought version. I would definitely make it again. I actually had to make a test cake (Yes, I am a dork!) because some of my cake recipes will sink at this altitude. So I made one recipe earlier in the week and it was good but it wasn't quite what I wanted it to be. I ended up finding this a recipe for a plain white cake and added the sprinkles to make it "funfetti." This recipe is a "high altitude" recipe and it was perfect!
Happy Mother's Day Mom! I love you!

High-Altitude White Cake

(Source: Joy of Cooking)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans as directed for your altitude.

Whish together thoroughly:

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat in a large bowl until foamy:

4 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Gradually add and beat on high speed until soft, slightly droopy peaks form:

1/3 cup sugar

Set aside. Beat in another large bowl (no need to wash beaters) until well blended:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond or other extract - optional

On low speed, add the flour mixutre in 3 parts, alternating with:

1 1/4 cups milk

in 2 parts, down scraping the bowl after each addition. Beat on high about 30 seconds, until smooth and creamy. Gently fold the white by hand into the batter in 3 additions, until flour is no longer visible. (Then, I added 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles to make it Funfetti.) Divide the batter between the pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 27 minutes. Cool in the pans on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then invert the cake and remove the paper liners, if using. Let cool completely.

Easy Vanilla Buttercream

(Source: Cook's Illustrated, April 2007)

Ingredients:

20 tbsp. (2 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1/8 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. heavy cream

Directions:In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds. Scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds. Then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

Dos de Mayo

Philip is having his wisdom teeth out on Cinco de Mayo, so we had our Cinco de Mayo meal on the 2nd. To be honest...this isn't a holiday we celebrate...we just like Mexican food. This casserole is one of my favorites and it is pretty quick throw together.

Mexican Casserole
(Source: Sweet, Savory, Southern)

1 lb lean ground turkey
1/2 an onion, diced
1/2 cup corn kernels (canned or frozen)
1 bag Minute rice (The boil-in-a-bag kind)
1 packet taco seasoning
10 oz can diced tomatoes with chillies
14 oz can enchilada sauce
shredded Mexican cheese
6-8" tortillas

My Changes:

• I added half a can of black beans.
• I cannot find a 14 oz can of enchilada sauce so I bought 20 oz and used *almost* all of it.

Preheat oven to 375. Begin by sauteing the onion in a little olive oil until it begins to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add the ground meat to the pan. While the meat is browning, cook the rice according to the package directions and set aside. Once the meat is browned, drain any fat or liquid from the pan. Add the corn kernals, taco seasoning and 3/4 cup water. Stir to combine. Add the rice and stir. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Add 1/2 the can of enchilada sauce to the bottom of the pan. Next, make a layer with two tortillas. They should overlap a little. Add a layer of the meat mixture and then 1/2 the can of diced tomatoes with chilies. Add a thin layer of shredded cheese. Add two more tortillas and repeat the layers, ending with a layer of tortillas. Top with the additional enchilada sauce and cheese. Cover the pan with foil and bake for about 25 minutes. Remove the foil and allow to cook an additional 5-10 minutes. Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

I also wanted to make a desert to go with this dinner. This dessert was so quick to make and it tasted wonderful. Philip thinks this might be the best dessert I have made. I think it is definitely in the top 10. I apologize, the picture does not do it justice.

Sopapilla Cheesecake
(Source: Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls (I used 2 packages of Pillsbury Recipe Creations.)
1/2 cup melted butter (I would use 1/4 cup next time.)
1/2 cup white sugar (I think this could be cut back to a 1/4 cup as well.)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (This could be cut back to 1/2 tsp.)

Directions:
1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Beat the cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth; set aside.
3. Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough and use a rolling pin to shape each sheet into 9x13 inch rectangles. Press one sheet into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of crescent dough and brush with melted butter. Stir together 1/2 cup of sugar with the cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top of the cheesecake.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.

You Scream...I scream...

Ice cream? Good. Chocolate chip cookies? Good. Ice cream and cookies? Gooooood. I saw this and knew I had to make it. They were so cute and yummy looking.

P.S. White Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream from Safeway is to die for!

Ice Cream Cookie Bowls

(Source: Family Fun)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips (I used normal size milk chocolate chips because that is what I had on hand)

Directions:
1. To make the cookie cups, beat together the shortening, butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg and vanilla extract, beating until combined.

2. In a spearate bowl, sift together the salt, baking powder and flour, then gradually stir them into the batter. Stir in the chocolate chips.

3. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a flat disk and wrap it in plastic. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

4. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Turn two 12-cup muffin tins bottom side up and cover 10 of the cup bottoms with squares of aluminum foil (use every other cup so there's some space between them).

5. Unwrap 1 disk of dough, place it between 2 sheets of waxed paper and rool it out to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 4-inch circles of dough and place each one over a cup bottom, smoothing out any cracks. Repeat with the other disks, rerolling and reusing any scraps.

6. Bake the cookie cups for 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Let them cool for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and cookies together from the muffin pan. Peel off the foil and let the cups cool completely on a rack. Just before serving, fill each cookie cup with a scoop of ice cream.

Nice Buns...

I have become quite obsessed with the task of baking homemade bread. There is really nothing better...the smell of bread in the oven...warm rolls fresh from the oven with dinner. So I decided I should tackle making hamburger buns.

Hamburger Buns

(Source: Rosa's Yummy Yums)

Ingredients:

1 cup water, lukewarm

2 tbls unsalted butter, at room temperature and creamed

1 egg

3 1/4 cups plain white flour

1/4 cup castor sugar (I just put regular sugar through the food processor)

1 tsp salt

1 tbls instant yeast

1 egg yolk (+1 tsp water)

Sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Sprinkle the yeast into the water and leave for 5 minutes. Stir to dissolve.

2. Combine all remaining dough ingredients and mix well.

3. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured working surface and knead for about 10 minutes until you've made a soft, smooth dough.

4. Place the dough in a clean and lightly greased bowl.

5. Cover it with a towel and let rise for about 1 or 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.

6. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and shape each piece into a flattened ball.

7. Place the buns on greased baking sheets, cover with a towel and let rise 30 to 40 minutes, until they're quite puffy and doubled in size.

8. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

9. Glaze the buns with the egg yolk and water mixture, then sprinkl with sesame seeds.

10. Bake the buns for 12 to 15 minutes, until they are golden brown.

11. Remove them from the oven and cool them on a wire rack.

Homemade Bagels

Philip and I were going to a Dave Ramsey class every Tuesday night so we needed something that we could grab for dinner real quick on our way out the door. Regular sandwiches got boring very quickly so I need to find a way to "dress" them up a little...enter the homemade bagel...

The recipe is for a plain bagel. I added seasonings to the top of the bagels before putting them in the oven to make them into "everything bagels." I can't wait to try using this recipe again to make cinnamon raisin bagels.

Homemade Bagels
(Source: Adapted from Baking Bites)

1tbsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1 3/4 cups water, warm (100-110F)
4-5 cups bread flour (NOT all purpose)
1 tbsp salt
1 egg, for egg wash

Optional Seasonings:
Poppy Seeds
Onion Powder
Caraway
Sesame Seeds
Kosher Salt

In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) combine yearst, sugar and water. Let stand for 5 miminutes, then stir in flour and salt. Mix dough thoroughly until it comes together in a large ball, pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Add an additional tablespoon of flour or water, if needed.

If kneading by hand, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until very smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If using a stand mixer, knead dough with the dough hook until elastic, about 8 minutes on a low spped. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and left rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

When dough has risen, turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and divide into 8 equal pieces (first quarters, then halves). Shape each piece into a tight ball, pinching the corners together at the bottom of the dough. When all the balls are shaped, let the dough rest for 30 minutes covered with a clean dish towel.

Once dough balls have rested, the bagel shape can be formed. Using your fingers, poke a hole through the center of each dough ball. Stretch out the dough into a ring with your finers and be sure to make the hole a little larger than you want the finished bagel to have, as it will shrink slightly while the bagel is expanding during the baking process. Let bagels rest for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil and preheat the oven to 400F. (I used a deep dish skillet.) Line a baking sheet with paper towels and another baking sheet with parchment paper sprinkled with cornmeal.

Working four at a time, drop the bagels carefully into the boiling water. (I did 2 at a time.) Boil for 2 minutes on each side. Using a slotted spoon or strainer, transfer bagels to the paper towels to drain for a moment, then place on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining bagels.

Brush boiled bagels with a lightly beaten egg (a pastry brush is a good tool for this) and sprinkle with seasonings. Bake for 24 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack (bagel will soften slightly as it cools). Slice and toast to serve.