Quick and Easy Cheese Danish

What’s better than a fresh made piece of pastry? Even if it IS done the easy way? A chocolate glazed, preferably filled, doughnut is always my first choice but I’m all about these fun little treats! I chose cherries to top ours but you can do just about anything. Jam, preserves or fresh fruit would be yummy! So good, guys! And SO simple!!

Quick and Easy Cheese Danish

2 8-ounce packages Grands Crescent Rolls

1 8-ounce package cream cheese ~ room temperature

4 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon sour cream

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons butter ~ divided use, room temperature

1 - 2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons of sugar for sprinkling

1 can fruit pie filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Remove dough from packaging. Separate dough into 4 rectangles, using 2 triangles of dough to form each rectangle. (Four rectangles per package of dough.) Press seams together.

Using a pizza cutter, slice rectangle in half from top to bottom. Using both rolls of dough, you should yield 16 strips of dough.

Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of the sugar over the strips.

Taking the end of a strip of dough in each hand, twist the dough in opposite directions into a rope.

Gently place one end of the dough onto the prepared pan and wrap the twisted dough around itself to form a circle, making sure to tuck the edges under.

Press your fingers into the center to form a well.

In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, the 4 tablespoons of sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and sour cream until smooth.

Place a heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture into the well of each piece of dough.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and brush the edges of each danish.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until light golden brown.

Allow to cool on the pan for 10 minutes then remove to a cooling rack.

In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, the remaining tablespoon of butter and enough milk to create a smooth glaze.

Top baked danish with your choice of pie filling then drizzle the powdered sugar glaze on top.

Okay....let's make some goodies!

Separate the dough into rectangles 

using two of the triangles. Then 

slice each rectangle into 2 strips. 

Sprinkle with sugar.

Now twist!

Wrap the twists around themselves 

to form rounds then press the center 

of each round to make a well.

Next combine the cream cheese, 

sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and 

sour cream.

 

Fill the centers with the cream 

cheese mixture the brush the 

edges with melted butter. 

Bake then cool!

Mix together the powdered sugar, 

butter and enough milk to make a glaze.

Add the fruit then drizzle of the glaze. Then eat!!! So yummy!

Coconut Cream Dream

IT Guy is a coconut NUT! Loves it. Candy, desserts, whatever....he’s a fan. So I knew he would love this. My mom has made something similar to this since I was a kid so switching up the pudding flavors and adding some toasted coconut on top turned an old family favorite into this! I took this to a potluck and also made a pan just for us...in the same week. Yep...it’s that good. And aside from toasting the coconut in the oven, this is NO-BAKE! Perfect for summer!

Coconut Cream Dream

 

1 14-ounce package Golden Oreo’s

6 tablespoons butter ~ melted

2 8-ounce containers Cool Whip

1 8-ounce block of cream cheese ~ room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

2 3.4-ounce boxes instant coconut cream pudding

3 1/4 cups milk

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/2 cups coconut ~ toasted (Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread coconut onto a cookie sheet and toast for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned. Watch closely so it doesn’t burn.)

 

Lightly spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.

 

In a food processor, crush the Oreo’s then add the melted butter until combined.

 

Spread mixture into prepared pan and chill while preparing other ingredients.

 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and the sugar. 

 

Add the 2 tablespoons of milk and mix until smooth.

 

Add 1 1/4 cups of Cool Whip to the cream mixture and fold in with a spatula.

 

Spread cream cheese mixture on top of cookie crumb crust.

 

In a medium bowl, mix the pudding with the 3 1/4 cups of milk until well blended.

 

Add the remaining Cool Whip from above and fold in gently.

 

 Spread pudding mixture on top of cream cheese mixture.

 

Cover with plastic wrap and chill until set.

 

Spread the remaining container of Cool Whip over pudding mixture.

 

Sprinkle with toasted coconut.

 

Chill.

White Chocolate Strawberry Cream Pie

You’re not going to believe how yummy this pie is. And the best part is you don’t even have to turn on your oven! Mix a few simple ingredients, slice some strawberries and you’re done. IT Guy spied this in the fridge when he got home from work and could hardly wait to cut into it. This little pie is so pretty with the berries on top drizzled with white chocolate. I’m pretty sure you’re going to love it as much as we do!

White Chocolate Strawberry Cream Pie

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups graham crackers crumbs

6 tablespoons butter ~ melted

2 tablespoons sugar

Mix ingredients in a small bowl and press into a 9 inch pie pan. Set aside.

For the pie:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese ~ room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup white chocolate chips ~ melted

1 8-ounce container Cool Whip

1 pound strawberries ~ washed, patted dry and sliced

3 tablespoons white chocolate chips ~ melted

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and vanilla until smooth.

Add the melted white chocolate and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Beat in the powdered sugar.

Fold in the Cool Whip until well combined.

Pour mixture into the prepared crumb crust.

Arrange sliced berries on top of cream filling. Drizzle with the 3 tablespoons of melted white chocolate.

Chill until ready to serve.

Tomato Cream Sauce with Sweet Sausage

I ran across some fun pasta the other day so I had to come up with a way to serve it. I kind of think of Italian food like I do Mexican food...there’s a ba-jillion ways to serve the same ingredients. But, it doesn’t make me love either one any less. Love, love, love them both. So making this tomato cream sauce to go with our new pasta was like eating something brand new! This is super good, comes together in a flash and the leftovers are great!

Tomato Cream Sauce 

with Sweet Sausage

1 14-ounce can petite diced tomatoes (do not drain)

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

1 pound Italian sweet sausage ~ casings removed

1 medium onion ~ diced

2 cloves garlic ~ minced

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt & pepper to taste

8 ounces pasta (I used calamarata) ~ cooked and drained. 

In a large skillet, cook the sausage until done. Remove to a plate. 

In the same skillet, saute the onion and garlic for 10 minutes. 

Pour in the chicken stock to de-glaze the pan. 

Add the canned tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil and red pepper flakes.

Allow to cook for about 10 minutes. 

Stir in the cream then add the cooked sausage. 

Allow to heat through then serve over pasta.

The line-up!

Brown the sausage then remove to plate. Brown the onion and garlic in the pan.

Add the chicken stock. Then add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil and red pepper flakes.

Add the cream and allow to cook for about 10 minutes.

Then add the cooked sausage to the cream mixture and heat through.

Serve over pasta and enjoy!

Cream of Chicken and Green Chile Soup

This super easy and super yummy soup is the best thing for a time when you're needing something...well, easy and yummy! We loved this! Of course it's got IT Guy's name all over it because it has green chilies in it and it's got MY name on it because it's so simple to make. If you want, you can even use a rotisserie chicken instead of cooking your own chicken. You know rotisserie chicken is a cook's best friend, right? You totally need to make this soon...these cold winter evenings would be a perfect time!

Cream of Chicken 
and Green Chile Soup



4 chicken breasts ~ cooked and shredded
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 small onion ~ diced
1 32-ounce container chicken broth
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 7-ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 cup long grain rice
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large dutch oven, saute the green chilies, carrots, celery and onion in the butter until tender.

Add the flour and stir and cook for a minute or so.

Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Add the rice. Cover and cook 20 minutes or until rice is done.

Add the chicken and cream. Heat through and serve.

 

The stuff!

 

In a large dutch oven, saute the 

green chilies, carrots, celery and 

onion in the butter until tender.

 

Add the flour and stir and cook for a minute or so.

 

Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.

 

Add the rice. Cover and cook 

20 minutes or until rice is done.

 

Add the chicken and cream.

 

Heat through....

 

...and serve!!

Chicken and Rice

This recipe has been 'round the block and then some. I used to make it for my family back in the day but for some reason, I haven't made it in years. Until the other day when I thought about it and wondered to myself why on earth I stopped. Well...I'm bringing back this throw back recipe that we've all had at some point in our lives because if you're like me...you loved it then...and you'll love it now!

Chicken and Rice 



1 cup rice
2 cans cream of mushroom soup (may use cream of chicken, cream of celery or a combination)
1 cup of milk
6 - 8 chicken thighs (may use boneless, skinless or boneless skinless chicken breasts)
1 packet dry onion soup mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.

Spread rice in the bottom of the prepared pan.

Lay the chicken on top of the rice.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soup and the milk then pour over the chicken.

Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix over the top.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through.

 

Okay...this is all you need for this simple dish.

 

 

Spread the rice in the bottom of 

the pan then lay the chicken on top.

 

Mix together the soup and the milk.

 

Pour over the chicken and rice.

 

Then sprinkle the dry onion soup mix on top.

 

Cover tightly with foil and bake.

 

Scoop and serve! Homey goodness!

Berries and Cream Pull-aparts

I saw this on Pinterest the other day and thought it would be a super easy and super yummy little treat. Aaaaaand, I was right. I had some blackberry jam in the fridge so I used that but you could use just about anything. Another thing I did was to add a little butter on top of the rolls to help them brown a little bit better. And, really....butter makes everything better, right? Give these a try if you need a quick little snack after dinner some evening.

Berries and Cream Pull-aparts



1 11-ounce foil pan of Sister Shubert's Parker House Rolls ~ thawed and uncooked
6 ounces cream cheese ~ room temperature
1/2 cup Blackberry jam (or any kind of jam)
A little butter for melting on top (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove thawed rolls from pan in one piece.

Slice through the rolls horizontally.

Spread cream cheese on the bottom portion of the rolls.

Spread jam on top of the cream cheese.

Replace the top half of the rolls and carefully place them back in the foil pan they came in.

Bake for 20 - 30 minutes until lightly browned. (About halfway through baking, rub a stick of butter on top to aid in browning.)

Allow to sit for 10 minutes before pulling rolls apart. 



 

Okay...here's what you need. And 

a little bit of butter if you're going 

to put that on top of the rolls. 

Totally your call.

 

Split the rolls horizontally in one piece.

 

Spread on the cream cheese.

 

Then the jam.

 

Replace the top and pop back in the foil pan.

 

Bake about 15 minutes then, if desired, 

rub the end of a stick of butter over the 

hot rolls to aid in browning. Optional but 

gooooood! Continue baking until lightly browned.

 

Allow to cool for a few minutes then eat!

Coconut Cream Pie Jars

As you may or may not know, coconut cream pie is IT Guy's favorite dessert. I make him one for his birthday every year and he almost always get a couple during the holidays. So I knew when I made this yummy dessert, he'd be thrilled. Even though it's a little different than the one I normally make, this was every bit as good. It has a more coconutty flavor but he was totally okay with that. If you don't want to put this into jars, you can just use a 9-inch pie pan instead. Still good!

Coconut Cream Pie Jars



1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 13-ounce can coconut milk
2 eggs ~ beaten
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1⁄3 cup + 1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups flaked coconut
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 sleeve graham crackers ~ crushed (about 1 1/2 cups crumbs
1 stick butter ~ melted
3 tablespoons sugar

In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar. Stir to combine.

Reserving 2 tablespoons, divide remaining mixture between 6 8-ounce canning jars, tamping down lightly.

In a large sauce pan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt.

Pour in the half & half and the coconut milk. Stir to combine.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened...about 10 - 15 minutes.

Add a little of the milk mixture to the beaten eggs to temper, then pour mixture back into the milk mixture in the pan. Cook and stir until thick. Remove from heat.

Stir in coconut and extracts. 

Gently pour coconut mixture into jars. Allow to cool, then cover (I used the jar lids) and place in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

Top with whipped cream or Cool Whip and sprinkle with reserved graham cracker crumbs and some coconut. 

Note: If you don't want to use jars, just use a 8-inch pie pan instead.


 

Here we go!

 

Crush the crackers then stir in 

the melted butter and the sugar.

 

Divide the mixture between your jars.

 

In a saucepan, combine the half & half, 

the coconut milk, the sugar, cornstarch 

and salt. Cook and stir over medium 

heat until thick, about 10 - 15 minutes.

 

Add a little of the milk mixture 

to the beaten eggs to temper.

 

Then pour mixture back into the 

milk mixture in the pan. Cook and 

stir until thick. Remove from heat.

 

Add the extracts.

 

And stir in the coconut.

 

Divide mixture between the jars. 

Cover and chill.

 

Top with whipped cream before serving!