Cherry Butter Cookies

My cousin posted this recipe on facebook. I thought they sounded like a fun cookie to give away with some of my other Christmas goodies. I loved them, and they are easy to make, which is always a plus! Thanks for sharing Becky!

Cherry Butter Cookies
Rebekah Pitts
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup margarine
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 cups flour
1 can cherry pie filling

1. Beat butter and margarine together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and flour. Mix until combined.
2. Roll dough into tablespoon sized balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Make a small indention in the center of each cookie with your thumb. Spoon a cherry into the center.
3. Bake at 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cookies are golden on the edges. Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

Toffee Butter Crunch

This is my favorite candy to make at Christmas. I love it! I make it with almonds, but the recipe says you can also make it with pecans.

Toffee Butter Crunch

bhg.com

1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds or pecans, toasted
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 TBSPs water
1 TBSP light-colored corn syrup
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds or pecans, toasted

Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Sprinkle the 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts in pan. Set pan aside.

Butter sides of a heavy 2-quart saucepan. In saucepan melt butter. Add sugar, water, and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils.

Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Reduce heat to medium; continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate, stirring frequently, till thermometer registers 290 degree F, soft-crack stage (about 15 minutes). Watch care-fully after 280 degree F to prevent scorching. Remove saucepan from heat; remove thermometer.

 Pour candy into the prepared pan. Let candy stand about 5 minutes or till firm; sprinkle with chocolate. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes. When chocolate has softened, spread over candy. Sprinkle with the 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts. Chill until firm. When candy is firm, use foil to lift it out of pan; break into pieces. Store tightly covered. Makes about 1-1/2 pounds

Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip

I was introduced to this dip 3 years ago by my friend Aubri. I loved it, and since then I make it every year during the holidays.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip
Aubri Larson
Cranberry Sauce
1 cup orange juice
1 cup sugar
1 (12oz.) package fresh cranberries

Cream Cheese Spread
1 (8oz.) package cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 TBSP honey
1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon

Toasted slivered almonds (optional)

1. Combine orange juice and sugar in a saucepan. Heat to a soft boil, and boil for 2 minutes. Add cranberries and boil 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate overnight.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, honey, and cinnamon; mix well.
3. Spread cream cheese mixture on a platter, plate, or pie pan. Spread cranberry sauce on top. Sprinkle on toasted slivered almonds, if desired. Serve with crackers.

Microwave Peanut Brittle

Here's another Christmas candy I like to make. I did a little trial and error with this a couple years ago. I tried dry roasted peanuts, Spanish peanuts, and a couple different microwaving methods. This is my favorite and it's the easiest. It only takes about 15 minutes to cool, so from start to finish you can have peanut brittle in less than 30 minutes.

Microwave Peanut Brittle

1 1/2 cups salted peanuts
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 TBSP butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda

1. Grease a baking sheet and set aside. In a glass bowl combine peanuts, sugar, and corn syrup. Microwave on high for 6 minutes. Stir in butter and vanilla and microwave for 2 more minutes.
2. Stir in baking soda until light and foamy. Pour onto baking sheet and spread thin. Cool completely and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Chocolate Cherry Cake

My husband requested a chocolate cherry cake for his birthday. He specifically asked for one with cherry pie filling mixed in the cake. So here it is. I found it on allrecipes.com. It was simple and we all loved it. The frosting is kinda fudgy and very good. 

Chocolate Cherry Cake
allrecipes.com
1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
1 tsp almond extract
2 eggs
1 cup white sugar
5 TBSPS butter
1/3 cup milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, cherry pie filling, almond extract, and 2 eggs by hand; stir until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it tests done. Cool.
4. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, butter or margarine, and milk. Boil, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Immediately pour over partially cooled cake.

Peanut Butter Fudge

Here's another easy and yummy fudge I make at Christmas. It's a recipe from my mom's collection. Lining the pan with foil also works in place of buttering the dish.

Peanut Butter Fudge 
Mom
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 1/3 cups peanut butter
1 jar (7oz.) marshmallow creme

In a saucepan, bring sugar and milk to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Add peanut butter and marshmallow creme; mix well. Quickly spread into a buttered 8 inch square pan. Chill until set. Cut into squares.

Foolproof Chocolate Fudge

I make this fudge every Christmas. It's so easy! It's fun to try different variations too. My husband created his own variation this year based on his favorite candy bar (Cadbury Fruit and Nut). If you've never made fudge you should try it this year!

Foolproof Chocolate Fudge
Eagle Brand®
3 cups (18 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
Dash salt
1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 1/2 tsps vanilla extract

1. Line 8- or 9-inch square pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan.
2. Melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk and salt in heavy saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Spread evenly into prepared pan.
3. Chill 2 hours or until firm. Remove from pan by lifting edges of foil. Cut into squares.

Variation:
Gavin's Fruit and Nut Fudge
Make fudge as directed above using 1/2 cup of toasted almonds, and adding 1/2 cup raisins (packed) with the nuts.

Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy

Salisbury Steak is essentially a beef patty served with a brown sauce. My husband loves his meat and potatoes, so I occasionally make this dish, give the kids the noodles and make him some potatoes.

Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy
Taste of Home
1 egg
1 can (10-1/2 ounces) condensed French onion soup, undiluted, divided
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch pepper
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cold water
6 cups hot cooked egg noodles
Chopped fresh parsley, optional

1. In a large bowl, beat egg. Stir in 1/3 cup of soup, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Crumble beef over mixture; mix gently. Shape into six oval patties.
2. In a skillet, brown patties over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside; drain. Add the water, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and remaining soup to skillet. Bring to a boil. Return patties to skillet. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Remove patties. Combine flour and cold water until smooth. Stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve patties and gravy over noodles. Garnish with parsley if desired. Makes 6 servings

Fall Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

I forgot all about this salad. I've had it ready to post for a few weeks. I served this at my book group and everyone seemed to really like it. I made some changes to the original allrecipes.com posting based on some of the reviews. The dressing is a bit tart, you could substitute red wine vinegar for the cider vinegar to make it less tangy. I used a container of mixed greens that I bought from the store to make the preparation go a little quicker.

Fall Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
adapted from allrecipes.com
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup cranberries
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TBSPs white sugar
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

2 red Anjou pears, diced, with a few reserved slices for garnish if desired
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or Feta cheese

1. In a saucepan, combine vinegar and cranberries. Cook over medium heat until cranberries soften. Remove from heat; add olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Place in blender and mix until smooth. Refrigerate until chilled.
2. In a large bowl, combine the Romaine lettuce, endive, diced pears, walnuts and Gorgonzola. Toss and drizzle with enough dressing to coat.
4. Divide among salad plates and garnish with pear slices.

Classic Pecan Pie

Pecan is my favorite Thanksgiving pie. This is the recipe my Mom has always used, and I've been making for a few years now. It's actually the Karo syrup recipe. It's very easy and so much better than store bought. I like to use the light syrup because I always have it on hand. If you like more of a molasses flavor then use the dark. I also use chopped pecans instead of halves. I like a little real whipped cream on the top too.

Classic Pecan Pie
adapted from karo.com
1 cup Karo® Light OR Dark Corn Syrup
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 TBSPs butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups (6oz) chopped pecans
1 (9in) unbaked deep-dish pie crust

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla using a spoon. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into pie crust.
3. Bake on center rack of oven for 60 to 70 minutes. Cool for 2 hours on wire rack before serving.

 Ready to bake.

Cranberry Jello

This is my one and only must have (besides the turkey) at Thanksgiving. I have had this jello at every Thanksgiving I can remember. It's not actually like jello, because it's so full of fruit. Sometimes I like to add a little mandarin orange too. It's almost like dessert, and don't forget whipped cream on the top. It's great for Christmas too.

Cranberry Jello
mom
1 (3oz) small package cranberry jello (or you can use cherry)
½ cup sugar
¾ cup boiling water
1 small can (8oz) crushed pineapple, UNDRAINED
1 cup ground cranberries (about 6 oz)
1 cup ground Granny Smith apples (about 1 1/2 medium apples)

1. Combine jello and sugar in a large bowl.
2. Add boiling water and stir until jello and sugar are dissolved.
3. Add fruit; mix well.
4. Pour into a 2 quart dish, 8 x 8 inch pan, or individual serving cups.
5. Chill overnight or until firm.

Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Creamy Brussels Sprouts

Thanksgiving is not extraordinary without a fresh vegetable. We have this weird family joke about my Dad not allowing us to talk about Brussels sprouts at the dinner table, so last year I made this and took it to my parents house for Thanksgiving. Most everyone tried it, and those who did liked it. If you like cabbage, then give these a whirl. Of course, the bacon and cream make it all the more flavorful!

Creamy Brussels Sprouts
bhg.com
4 slices peppered bacon (you can use regular bacon, just add a little more pepper)
2 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved through stem end
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup whipping cream
Cracked Black Pepper

1. In 12-inch skillet cook bacon over medium heat until browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet.

2. In skillet add Brussels sprouts to drippings; cook and stir over medium heat 4 minutes. Add broth, salt, and pepper. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Uncover; cook 2 to 4 minutes or until liquid is nearly evaporated. Add cream. Cook 4 minutes more or until thickened.

3. Transfer sprouts to serving dish. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and cracked pepper. Serves 8.

Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe uses a bread machine. It makes it so much easier in my opinion, because I can just put the ingredients in and forget about it for an hour and a half. They still take about 3 hours start to finish, but most of that is rising/baking time and there is no kneading for you. If you like a thinner more glaze like frosting, then add a little milk. Update 2/14 - OK I'm changing this recipe up a little because it's my blog and I can. I make this a lot, but end up using 1 less egg, less flour and less cinnamon and sometimes using a little white sugar with the brown. The dough was too dense and I want a bit fluffier of a roll. I feel like the cinnamon was overwhelming too. Guess I'll need a new pic. :) If you want the original post it's called Clone of a Cinnabon on allrecipes.com.

Cinnamon Rolls
adapted from allrecipes.com

1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F)
1 egg, room temperature
1/3 cup margarine, melted
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsps bread machine yeast

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1 TBSP ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
  
 Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start. After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. 

 Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. 

 Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. 

 Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. 

 Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

 Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving. 

Candied Yam Soufflé

We have this every year for Thanksgiving, and it is always the most loved dish. I made some yesterday so I could get the recipe on here, and I had forgotten how good it is! I follow the recipe exactly, except for maybe adding a few extra marshmallows. (I did change some of the directions from the original recipe to make them a little clearer.) There is a lot of butter in the topping and you can cut it down a bit if you prefer.

Candied Yam Soufflé
Lion House
Soufflé
6 medium sweet potatoes/yams
1/3 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
Topping
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

1. To make soufflé, boil, peel, and mash yams. In a large mixing bowl, beat together yams, milk, sugar, eggs, lemon juice, butter, and vanilla. Pour into casserole dish.
2. To make topping, combine brown sugar and flour in a medium bowl. Chop butter into 1/2 inch pieces and add to bowl. Cut butter in with pastry blender until it is about pea size. Add pecans and mix well. Sprinkle on the top of yam mixture.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and top with miniature marshmallows. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or broil until marshmallows are golden brown. Watch carefully!!
Makes 10-12 servings

These pics are of the recipe halved.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I really like to eat pumpkin seeds, but don't make them every year. I'm not a fan of separating them from all the pumpkin gunk. I've got a couple of variations. The first is my "original" flavor and the second has a bit of a kick. 

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Original (pictured above)
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, rinsed and dried
1 TBSP butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Combine pumpkin seeds, butter, salt and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until seeds are evenly coated. Spread the pumpkin seeds out on cookie sheet, and bake at 300 for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Honey Sriracha (pictured below)
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, rinsed and dried
1 TBSP honey
1 TBSP sriracha sauce
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 TBSP salt

Combine pumpkin seeds, honey, sriracha, vinegar, and salt. Stir until seeds are evenly coated. Spread the pumpkin seeds out on cookie sheet, and bake at 300 for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pumpkin Squares

A friend of mine from way back posted this recipe on Facebook, and it looked so easy that I had to try it. They are great! I love that it makes a big pan full and feeds a lot of people. You can add chocolate chips too to make it even better!

Pumpkin Squares
adapted from a Melissa Blair recipe
Squares
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1 can (15oz) pumpkin
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips (optional)

Frosting
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
2 tsp vanilla OR vanilla paste
5 cups powdered sugar
Sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)

1. In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin; mix well.
2. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg; stir to combine. Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well. Mix in chocolate chips (if desired).
3. Spread on rimmed cookie sheet (I used a 15in. x 10in.) and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
4. To make frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, and shortening together. Add vanilla and cinnamon (if desired), and gradually add powdered sugar. Beat until creamy. When the pumpkin squares are cool, spread with frosting. Cut into squares.

Chicken Pot Pie in an Acorn Squash

I had to post this separately because it's such a fun fall dinner. I use a chicken pot pie filling recipe that I've posted and also my pie crust. It's really an all in one dinner, because once you've eaten all the yummy filling you get to start on the squash. It takes a little bit of time to prepare these, but you could always make it easier and buy the refrigerated crust.

Chicken Pot Pie in an Acorn Squash
6 acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds each)
Chicken Pot Pie Filling
Single Pie Crust

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Prepare the pie crust. Roll out, and cut the dough into 24 lattice strips (about 3/4in. wide and 4-5in. long). Cover and refrigerate until needed.
3. Wash the acorn squash. Cut the stems off of the tops. Slice the bottoms off and scoop out the seeds. Place squash on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle the squash with salt and pepper and cover each with foil. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
4. Prepare the chicken pot pie filling.
5. When the squash is done, remove the foil and fill each squash with pot pie filling. Arrange the strips of pie dough on the tops of the squash.
6. Return to the oven and bake for 30 more minutes.
Serves 6

Chicken Pot Pie

I love chicken pot pie! This is a recipe found on the internet claiming to be a copycat of Marie Callender's Chicken Pot Pie. The only change I've made, is I use 1/2 an onion instead of a whole. I like to make it with my pie crust recipe that I've posted. To save time, use the refrigerated Pillsbury Pie Crusts. I have substituted milk for the heavy cream and it works just as well. You can also serve it in an acorn squash like this, or use your leftover Thanksgiving turkey like this. 

Chicken Pot Pie
Filling
2 cups water
14 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 carrots, peeled and cubed
2 ribs celery, sliced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 TBSPs chicken bouillon granules
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup butter
4 TBSPs cornstarch
1 TBSP flour
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup frozen peas

Double Pie Crust

To make the filling: In 4-quart saucepan combine water, chicken, carrots, celery and onion. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken bouillon, pepper and butter. Dissolve cornstarch and flour into whipping cream and stir into chicken mixture. Simmer 3 minutes stirring frequently until thickened. Add peas and set aside.

Crust: Roll out bottom crust on floured surface to 1 inch larger than inverted 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Lift dough off floured surface by rolling onto rolling pin and unroll over pie plate. Ease the dough into the plate loosely and press in place. Trim bottom crust even with edge of plate.

To assemble: Pour filling into bottom crust. Roll out top crust, cut slits for steam to escape. Cover filling with top crust and fold top crust under bottom crust. Seal crust and flute edge. Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Serves 6

Basic Butter and Shortening Pastry Pie Dough

Time to start busting out holiday recipes. This is my pie crust recipe. I got it from a book called "Bubby's Homemade Pies". This book describes the ins and outs of making pies like Alton Brown would do it. Here's an interesting snippet from the book:

"Fats hold the key to both the flavor and texture of a crust. The better the fat flavor, the better the crust flavor. A flaky crust can be achieved with any fat as long as proper consideration is shown to keeping the fat cool and well below its melting temperature. It is necessary to keep fat in its solid state during mixing and rolling to achieve a desirable crust texture and structure. Whatever fat you choose, it should be very cold when it is mixed into the dough".

Good to know huh? It goes on to talk about how butter softens quickly at room temperature, is harder to work with and keep cold, but has better flavor. Shortening has a higher melting temp, is easier to work with, and yields a very flaky texture. So, I make a combination of butter and shortening crust. This is about a 10 page illustrated recipe with very specific instructions that I've condensed. I left out a lot of the rolling out and baking directions...you can do that part right? :) Don't forget to make pie crust sticks with your leftover dough.

Basic Butter and Shortening Pastry Pie Dough
Bubby's Homemade Pies
8-10 inch Single Crust 
4-5 TBSPs ice cold water
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
5 TBSP cold unsalted butter
3 TBSP cold shortening

Double Crust
5-6 TBSPs ice cold water
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
7 TBSP cold unsalted butter
4 TBSP cold shortening

Measure out water; chill in freezer. Measure out flour and add to medium bowl. Add salt; stir. Use cold butter; coat solid stick with flour mixture in bowl. Cut lengthwise in half then lengthwise in quarters, coating with flour as you go. Dice into 1/4 inch cubes. Chop shortening into 1/4 inch pieces and add them to the bowl. Chill briefly in freezer.

 Using a pastry cutter, cut until fat is size of shelling peas and lentils. Rechill if necessary.

Add water, 2-3 TBSP at first, quickly tossing with hands with light upward motion to distribute water evenly. Work dough as little as possible. Continue adding little bits of water. When there are no floury bits anymore -just comet like cobbles that don't quite cohere- slow down and sprinkle on the water. To test dough, lightly pat together some dough the size of a tennis ball. If ball crumbles, it's too dry. Let it break apart add a drop or 2 of water and work just a little. If butter starts to melt or dough ceases to feel cool, put whole mixture in the freezer about 10 minutes.

Shape into ball (I slightly flatten my ball into a disk). Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out, and place into pie plate. Trim excess dough about 3/4 inch beyond the edge of the pan. Roll dough edge under to lip of the pie pan; crimp edges. Chill for another 20 minutes before filling or baking it.

For baked pies: Follow the pie recipe's baking directions.

For a pre-baked (blind-baked) crust: Poke the bottom of the entire crust with a fork. Line the inside of the crust with parchment paper or foil and fill it with dried beans or pie weights. Bake at 450 for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and lift out liner and weights. Turn oven down to 375 and bake for 10 more minutes.

Here's the pie I made with this crust: Sugar Cream Pie . It's a recipe my mom makes, but I'd never had before. I made it for a friend, but was able to have a little slice when I dropped it off. It was really good; kinda custardy.

Meal Idea - Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

This idea is from Cat Cora's newest cookbook. In it she has a recipe for tomato soup, and then a recipe for grilled cheese croutons, which essentially are just plain old grilled cheese sandwiches cut into small pieces. I thought this would be an easy meal for me and the kids while the hubby was out of town. I used canned soup :), and made a couple grilled cheese sandwiches 1 with cheddar an 1 with provolone (Cat Cora uses sharp white cheddar). The little sandwiches in our soup made it kinda fun.

Fruit Dip

I love this fruit dip. It's very easy and tastes great!

Fruit Dip
Lion House
1 (8 oz.) tub of strawberry or pineapple soft-style cream cheese
1 (7 oz.) jar of marshmallow creme
1 TBSP orange juice
1 TBSP lemon juice

In a mixer bowl, beat together cream cheese, marshmallow creme, orange juice, and lemon juice. Beat until smooth. Refrigerate before serving. Serve with fresh fruit. Makes 2 cups.

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

I found this recipe on ourbestbites.com. I've made it twice in the last week so I could try out different ingredients. First I did Canadian bacon and pineapple, and then pepperoni and olive. Both times they were great! They're a fun bite sized meal or could even be an appetizer. I bought a brick of mozzarella and cut it into small cubes because it was easier to stack and keep inside the small square of dough than shredded cheese. I also chopped the Canadian bacon and pepperoni up so it could easily fit. When putting your toppings on, make sure you don't do too much, or you won't be able to close it up.

Stuffed Pizza Rolls
ourbestbites.com
1 roll refrigerated pizza dough
Pizza toppings of your choice: ie, ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, sausage, etc.
Mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
1 TBSP olive oil or melted butter
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
2 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese
Marinara or pizza sauce for dipping

1. Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package.
2. Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares.
3. Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).
4. Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese.
5. Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.