Cheesy Cherry Danish

It has been cold here in Texas.  We haven't been above 50 in a week, so, we've been huddled up in the house all weekend.  It would have given me a great opportunity to bake, but I am out of flour.  It would be easy enough to go to the store and buy some, but I don't want to leave my house for work, much less shopping.  I raided the fridge for ingredients.  I found crescent rolls, cream cheese, pie filling.....hmmm that sound like the makings of something good.

I have made this before, but used apple pie filling.  I think the fam likes it better than cherry, but they ate it nonetheless.

Cheesy Cherry Danish

Ingredients:

2 cans crescent rolls

2 bricks of cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, divided

1 egg white

1 tsp vanilla

3 tbl milk

Directions:

Using one can of rolls, press in to the bottom of a greased 9X13 pan.  Make sure you pinch the seams together.  Beat together the cream cheese, 3/4 cup of powdered sugar,vanilla and the egg white.  Spread over the crescent roll crust.  Then, spread the pie filling over the top.  Lastly, top with the other can of crescent rolls.  Bake at 350˚ for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.  

Whisk together the other 3/4 cup of the powdered sugar and the milk and drizzle over the top.

  

Yum!  On a side note, how do you separate your eggs?  I prefer the old through the fingers trick, but it's messy.

Mocha Cheesecake. Crazy Cooking Challenge

When I received the email on this month's Crazy Cooking Challenge I was a bit excited and a lot intimidated.  See, I've never baked a cheesecake before.  Oh, sure, I've plopped a brick of cream cheese in a bowl with some instant pudding and some Cool Whip, but never actually baked one.  In fact, I don't even own a spring-form pan.

So, as you can see, this month's cooking challenge, was just that....a challenge.  I searched the internet.  Google, Pinterest, Facebook, anywhere I could think to look for a great cheesecake recipe.

I always find some of the best recipes on About.com, and sure enough, that's where I found this gem.   The only problem?  It's Monday and the challenge goes live on Tuesday!  I sure hope this works.

Mocha Cheesecake

Ingredients

1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust (2 extra servings)

24 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup heavy cream

6 oz semi-sweet baker's chocolate

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup strong-brewed coffee

Directions

Melt chocolate and set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the heavy cream.

Pour the chocolate slowly into the cheese, and add the coffee and vanilla.  Stir well until blended.

Pour the batter into the crust and bake at 350˚ for 45 minutes or until the sides of the pie are puffed slightly.  Cool, with the oven door cracked, then cool to room temperature. Chill before serving. Store in refrigerator.

And, there ya have it.  My very first baked cheesecake. Ever.  And you were witness to it.  I hope you try it out too; it was very good.  I thought, after I had the chocolate all mixed, this would be great as a marbled cheesecake as well.  I think I just might have to try that too.

If you can't get enough cheesecake, check out some of the other great cheesecake recipes.  I know they will be happy to have you. :) 

York Peppermint Patty Brownies

I have a horrible weak spot for brownies.  A huge, never-ending weak spot for brownies.  I could eat brownies all day, every day.

Pinterest is a gross enabler.  It enables me to find yummy chocolate recipes.  It enables me to take ordinary chicken and make it fabulous!  I found this poem that sums up the whole Pinterest experience.  

Here it is, just in case you don't want to click off this wonderful recipe: 

"If Pinterest was real, the whole world would be shiny,
no thighs would touch, every waist would be tiny.
There’d be no time to sleep and no time to rest,
while we try 50 new ways to cook chicken breasts.

We’d use proper technique to chop all our onions,
our boyfriends would dress like urban Paul Bunyans,
the walls of our bedrooms say “Live, Laugh, Love,”
and our black sequin miniskirts fit like a glove.

We’d all follow strict workout plans to stay lean,
and use vinegar to keep our homes spotlessly clean.
We’d eat cookie-stuffed brownies and never gain weight,
we’d buy Chanel purses and never pay the rent late.

We could make macarons our very first try,
no dress is too fancy, no heel is too high.
Every outfit is stylish and perfectly posed,
every girl can french braid with her smoky eyes closed.

Makeup and hair tips are carefully taught,
and who needs an oven when you have a crockpot?
We’d make beautiful crafts to display on the shelf.
Like my necklace? Why thank you, I made it myself.

In Pinterest world everything’s pretty and nice,
but remember perfection always comes with a price:
manicures never chip and tights never run,
but in real life this world wouldn’t be any fun."

Winona Dimeo-Ediger- The Frisky.com

Did she nail it?  Oh, I think so!  Too funny, but so true.  

So, I was perusing the fabulous site we all call Pinterest, and came across this pin:

Source: fearlesshomemaker.com via Dana on Pinterest

Doesn't that look wonderful?  I also have a weakness for York Peppermint Patties, so I knew I had to make these.  

Ok, let's get this thing started!  

First, combine 2/3 cup butter and 5 oz unsweetened baking chocolate and 1 tsp instant coffee in a 1-quart sauce pan.

Melt it over low heat; stirring constantly.

Hey, there, good looking!  Ahem...  

Next, you'll need 1 3/4 cup sugar in a mixing bowl

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1 Cup flour; yup you read right.  I added my flour with the rest of the ingredients instead of at the end... 
Beat with electric mixer on high for 5 minutes.   

Beat in chocolate on low speed; scraping bowl occasionally. 

Line a muffin tin with 12 liners; add 1 heaping spoonful of the brownie batter.

Place a mini-York Peppermint Patty in the center and press it in.

Cover the peppermint patty with another tablespoon of batter. 

Bake at 350˚ for 30 minutes.  

York Peppermint Patty Brownies

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter

5 oz unsweetened baking chocolate. cut into pieces

1 tsp instant coffee

1 3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 large eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350˚

Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners

Melt butter, chocolate and instant coffee in 1 quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly.

Beat sugar, vanilla, eggs and flour in medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes.  Beat in chocolate mixture on low speed, scraping bowl occasionally.

Scoop 1 heaping tablespoon of batter into each liner.

Place York Peppermint Patty in the middle and press it in

Scoop another 1 tablespoon batter over the patty.

Bake for 30 minutes. 

Original idea found: Fearless Home Maker

Brownie recipe adapted from: Betty Crocker Cookbook

Made Monday #25 Church Supper #43 Whimsy Wednesday 16 Uncommonly Yours Linky Party #33 Show and Share #45 From Dream to Reality #21 Weekend Wrap Up Part What's Shakin Link Party #14 Scrumptious Sunday Link Party #17 The Pinterest Challenge Moms Test Meals #3 

Chocolate Almond Pudding Pops

We are always looking for new summer recipes to keep us cool.  So, when my new Taste of Home magazine came and had this recipe, I knew we had to try it.   What made it even better?  I could adapt it to include things I already had in the house!  

Chocolate Almond Pudding Pops

Ingredients:

1 3.9oz pkg instant chocolate pudding

1 cup half n half

1 cup 2% milk

3 T powdered nonfat amaretto creamer

1/8 tsp almond extract.

Directions:

Whisk all ingredients together until creamy.  Pour into 8 ice pop molds or paper cups (3 oz each).  Top molds with holders or insert wooden sticks into cups.  Freeze for 4-6 hours or until solid.

If you noticed, the original recipe called for 1/2 cup sugar.  I didn't add any extra sugar to mine, and the boys didn't mind at all!  Enjoy!

Shared with: Weekend Potluck
Sunday Round Up {14} 
Made Monday #25
Church Supper #43
Uncommonly Yours Linky Party #33
Whimsy Wednesdays 16
BBQ Bash Link Party

Flag Day and Yummy Banana Pudding

Today is Flag Day.  Flag Day is a day to show respect for our flag, it's designers and it's makers.   Our flag is a great reminder of our Independence and the men who died serving to provide and protect it.

Fly your Stars and Stripes proudly today!

Well, more bananas almost bit the dust again.  If it weren't for great banana desserts, my trash would be extremely full of them.  

I realized, after making this, that Kolby and I are the only two in the house that like banana pudding.  What the what?!?  That's un-American, un-Texan and maybe just plain un-human.  No offense to any of  you out there who don't like banana pudding.  I, on the other hand, love banana pudding.  

My mom used to cheat when she made banana pudding and just stir the bananas and wafers into plain vanilla pudding.  (I didn't know it was cheating until I grew up, lol).  But, after having the 'real' stuff as an adult, I can't make it that way anymore. 

We had a day of rain on Tuesday.  Thunderstorms blew through so I unplugged for a couple of hours.  Perfect time for making some 'naner pudding.  

Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups cold milk

1 pkg (3.9 oz) french vanilla instant pudding

1 pkg (3.9 oz) banana cream instant pudding

1 can condensed milk

1 container of Cool Whip

bananas

'Nilla Wafers

Directions:

Mix the pudding with the cold milk until well mixed.  Stir in the condensed milk until smooth.  Fold in 1/2 of the Cool Whip.  

Line the bottom of a baking dish with 'Nilla Wafers, cover with bananas.  Spoon the pudding mixture over the top.  Continue layering until pudding is gone.  Top with the other 1/2 of the Cool Whip; and garnish. 

No, I did not eat this for breakfast; okay I did. And, I just might do it again this morning.  Technically, it IS bananas and milk.  Works for me!

I know, I know, many of you will consider this version a cheater's version, but work with me.  Baby steps, one day I'll make my own custard and meringue.  Just not today.

Shared with: Weekend Potluck