Monday, February 25, 2008

Cheese Danish Squares

Oh wow are these easy. They're a cheat; you use packaged ingredients but I get comments every time I make them and I hadn't made them in awhile then The Food Goddess from the AJC reminded me to last Thursday in the Food Section. So I did for some girlie friends. Just FYI, they go great with bellinis but better with cawfee.

2 8 oz. packages refrigerated crescent rolls
1 12 oz container whipped cream cheese
1 cup plus 2 T. granulated sugar, divided
1 egg, separated
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

Preheat oven to 350. Pam your 13x9 baking dish. Line the bottom with 1 package of crescent rolls and pinch the seams together.

In a mixing bowl beat together cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, egg yolk and vanilla. Spread over dough. Carefully unroll the second package of crescent rolls over the filling.

In a small bowl whisk together the egg white and remaining 2 T. sugar until foamy; brush over top of the rolls. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nuts if desired.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting.

P.S. Sometimes I fool around with the vanilla, and use almond flavoring instead, or reduce the vanilla and use a couple of drops of almond. I like it better with a touch of the almond.

Tiedye

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Valentines help

a recent post over on HTE by kimmy brought out a few ideas for kid friendly baking ideas for a school function fundraiser.

Not only is this a great forum for decorating these ladies know how to bake.

Check out a few of these that may help your next baking project.

First up GailD supplied the ever so popular Snickerdoodles.

"What about heart shaped Snickerdoodles? I came across my Snickerdoodles recipe this afternoon! I bet there is a way to make them heart shaped!"


Snickerdoodles
1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbs sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and beat until fluffy. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Blend in to cream mixture to make a stiff dough. Make walnut size balls.

Mix 2 Tbs sugar with the cinnamon. Roll balls in the sugar. Place on a greased baking sheet and flatten with a fork. Bake 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees until lightly browned.

Next up Lee_sa_D supplied these tasty gems "this is one of my favorites and super easy!!"

Wonderful White Chocolate Cookies

2 cups white chocolate chips or the equivelent in white almond bark
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup unsalted peanuts
1 cup toasted rice cereal
Melt white chocolate chips in a baking pan in a 200°F oven (I use the microwave ... stir frequently to melt evenly). Remove from oven and stir in the peanut butter. Stir in marshmallows, peanuts and toasted rice cereal.
Drop by small spoonfuls onto wax paper to cool. Store in a covered container in a cool place.
Makes 24 cookies.

KimMi donated this morsel of sweetness.

"This is a CERTAIN hit with kids! Trust me, you will love these cookies!"

Peanut Butter Cracker Cookies

Ritz crackers
White candy coating bark (1 or 2)
Creamy peanut butter
Red sugar, sprinkles or Valentine sprinkles
Using 72 crackers, spread peanut better (about 2 tsp. per cracker) on one cracker and top with the other. You'll have 36 cracker sandwiches when done. Spread a piece of wax paper on a cookie sheet to use for placing the completed cookies on.

Melt white candy coating according to pkg. directions. Make sure you add a little solid shortening (about 1-2 TBS.) to the candy coating while melting.....but not too much or it won't harden completely. Using a fork, balance the cookie on the fork and dip it into the candy coating..making sure cookie is completed covered. Tap the base of the fork on the side of the pan to remove any excess coating. Place cookie onto wax paper. Continue this process until all 36 cookies are done.

Watch the cookies after they're coated. They will start to harden. When the cookies have lost their glossy look (they've started to harden), spinkle some type of decoration--red sprinkles, red sugar, Wilton's valentine sprinkle mix, etc.--on the tops of each cookie. You may need to do this midway thru making the cookies, so don't let the candy coating get too hard.

After all cookies are completed, you can pop them into the refrigerator (or in the cold garage if space doesn't permit in the ref.) for 20 minutes or so to harden. I think they will eventually harden if left on the countertop, but I like to jump start them by placing in the refrigerator.

I would recommend, Kim, that you buy two pkgs. of the candy coating. I usually get about 32 cookies out of a pkg., so I'm not sure you could stretch it to do 36. Also, you'll probably want to do some cookies as trial runs since the dipping process takes a little practice. Remember, practice cookies MUST be eaten!

Nanny supplied us with this nameless yet easy treat, easy is good!

"here is a quick treat"
200* temp of oven
place pretzel on cookie sheet..
Hershey Kiss in middle
let it melt 5 min. in oven
then place M&M's in holes let it cool.
bag.. we used red and white M&M's .

Next we have some favorite go to spots of our group.

ShoeGirl gave us these links.......

"These are things that I'm going to make this week for some friends with little kids"

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recip...D223B433BE08DF

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recip...81F0ECBA99B236

I put in my two cents with this site that looks simple and yummy!!

http://thepioneerwomancooks.com/2008...nd_candy_.html

So there ya go ask and ye shall receive.

Next up I hope will be some Easter ideas!!!