EASY CHEESE DANISH

Ingredients:

2 cans of crescent rolls
1 8oz package of cream cheese at room temp.
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 tsp sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350. Place a sheet of parchment paper on cookie sheet or baking pan.

Open the crescent rolls carefully so as not to tear the dough. Do not unroll...you will need to leave it in it's cylindrical shape. Slice the dough into pieces about 1/4 inch thick (as though you're slicing cookie dough). Place the slices on a cookie sheet. Now press the center in to make an indentation for the cream cheese filling.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cream cheese, regular sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and sour cream. Add a dollop of the mixture to the indentation you made in each circle of dough. I find that about a tbsp works well, but you can use as little or as much as you like.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes. While the danish are baking, you can make a quick royal icing to drizzle over the tops.

Drizzle for top:

1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp softened butter

Mix together the confectioner's sugar, milk and butter in a small bowl. Use a spoon to drizzle it over the tops of the danish, or you can put it into a small zip-top bag and snip of the corner for an easy "piping bag."

Take the danish out of the oven and allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes before icing.

DINNER ROLLS

BEST EVER LIGHT AND FLUFFY DINNER ROLLS

Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 package dry yeast
1 1/2 cups hot tap water
1 egg
1/3 cup softened butter

Instructions:

Sift together two cups of the flour with the sugar, and stir in the yeast. With mixer at low speed, blend butter into the flour mixture. Add the hot water (the hottest it comes from your tap, all at once, with mixer running. Add the egg, and continue mixing.

Add in the remaining two cups flour to make a soft dough.
(At this point, I changed my mixer beaters for dough hooks and let the mixer knead the dough for about ten minutes and then put it into an oiled bowl to rise.)
OR YOU CAN DO IT THIS WAY.

Knead lightly on a floured board and shape into a ball. Put into an oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and allow to rise in a warm spot until doubled, about two hours. Punch dough down. At this point it can either be refrigerated or shaped in rolls or loaves and allowed to rise a second time until doubled. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven until barely brown. May be frozen after baking and reheated to serve.

Homemade Muffins

         ~~Snickerdoodle Muffins~~

Ingredients: 

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp cream of tartar

3/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1 1/4 cup sour cream

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar and 1 TBSP cinnamon mixed together for rolling*

directions:

1.Cream the butter and sugar until soft about 3 to 5 minutes. Add in the vanilla. Add in the eggs one at a time and mix until each is incorporated.

2.In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar and nutmeg.

3.Add the flour mixture and the sour cream alternately to the egg-butter mixture in the additions. Start with the flour and end with the flour. Scrape the bowl occasionally.

4. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out muffin batter one at a time and drop into a shallow bowl filled with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll the muffin around in the mixture until it is covered completely in cinnamon sugar. Place muffin into muffin tin. Depending on the size of your tins, you should get about 12 to 14 muffins. Bake them for approx. 20-22 minutes in a 350F oven or until they are golden brown. — Enjoy!

Mac & Cheese!!

CREAMY BAKED MACARONI AND

 CHEESE!

Makes 8 -10 servings.

Ingredients:

16 ounces elbow macaroni (about 3 cups)

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 ½ cups milk, divided

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 lb (16-ounces) cubed (1/2 inch size) Velveeta cheese

8 ounce shredded Kraft Mild Cheddar Cheese (about 2 cups), divided

8 ounce shredded Kraft Monterrey Jack Cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

1. Cook macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water until tender but not mushy, 

about 8-10 minutes. Drain well and pour into a large mixing bowl.

2. Melt on low the Velvetta Cheese and ¾ cup milk until melted (stir often)

3. Pour Melted Cheese Sauce over Pasta and Stir. Add in butter, ¾ cups milk, eggs, 1 cup shredded cheeses, salt and pepper. Mix well and transfer to a 2 quart baking dish. Pour the remaining cheese on top.

Bake until top crust is golden brown and casserole is bubbling, about 25 minutes. Serve hot .

chicken recipe

Weight Watchers Parmesan Chicken Cutlets

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)

Directions:

1 Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2 In resealable plastic bag, combine cheese, crumbs and all seasonings; shake well.
3 Transfer mixture to plate; dip each chicken breast in cheese mixture, turning to coat all sides.
4 Arrange on nonstick baking sheet.
5 Bake until chicken is cooked through, 20-25 minutes.

Nutritional Facts for Weight Watchers Parmesan Chicken Cutlets

Serving Size: 1 (128 g)
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving:
Calories 178.0
Calories from Fat 45
Total Fat 5.0 g
Saturated Fat 1.8 g
Cholesterol 81.0 mg
Sodium 299.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 3.3 g
Dietary Fiber 0.3 g
Sugars 0.3 g
Protein 28.1 g

CROCKPOT CINNAMON ALMONDS!!

Great holiday gift idea!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. Sugar
1 1/2 C. Brown Sugar
3 Tbsp. Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Salt
1 Egg White
2 tsp. vanilla
3 Cups Almonds
1/4 C. Water

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl, mix together sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. In another medium sized bowl, whisk the egg white and vanilla until it’s a little frothy. Add almonds. Make sure the almonds are thoroughly coated in the egg white mixture. Add cinnamon mixture to the almonds and toss until coated.

Thoroughly spray with the stoneware of your crock pot with non-stick cooking spray and add the mixture of almonds and sugars.

Cook on low ( with the lid on) 3-4 hours stirring every 20 minutes. In the last hour, add the 1/4 C. of water and stir well. This ensures a crunchy yummy coating. (*make sure after you've added the water that you continue to cook the nuts for another 45 minutes to an hour.)

You have to stir really well, especially as it gets later in the cooking process.

Line a baking sheet with parchment and spread the almonds flat to cool. The almonds will be sticky at this point, so make sure you separate them a little and have no large mounds.

A Great Dessert

Turtle Cheesecake

Crust

3 cups finely chopped pecans
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cheesecake Filling

24 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 large eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Toppings

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1 11-oz bag caramel candy, unwrapped
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons milk, divided

Insructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Line a 13x9 pan with parchment paper, so that parchment extends over long side of pan.
In a bowl, mix crust ingredients together with a fork; press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan.
Bake crust for 20 minutes; while crust bakes, prepare filling.
Cream together cream cheese, yogurt or sour cream, sugar and vanilla.
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
After crust bakes, remove from oven and immediately sprinkle on 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Pour filling over chocolate chips and return to oven; bake for 50 minutes.
Allow cheesecake to cool for about hour, then place in refrigerator to chill overnight.
When ready to serve, remove cheesecake from pan using parchment paper and place on serving platter, then prepare toppings:
Toast pecans in oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
Unwrap caramels and place in a microwave safe bowl, along with 4 tablespoons milk.
Microwave in 30 second intervals until caramels have melted and sauce is smooth.
Pour caramel sauce over cheesecake and immediately sprinkle on toasted and chopped pecans.
Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl, along with 2 tablespoons milk, and microwave in 30 second intervals, about 2 minutes total.
Stir until smooth and drizzle over caramel-pecan topping.
Allow chocolate to set before serving.