Sugarless Apple Butter Yogurt - TO DIE FOR

OK, so let me tell you that if you are not making your own yogurt you must.  Why not?  It is so incredibly easy to do in a crock pot and it's SO GOOD.   Here is my tutorial, now go do it.  (Then come back and do the apple butter).  I cannot believe how much sugar is even in the "good for you" yogurt, and let's not even talk about the ones with artificial sweetener.  Homemade yogurt is amazing and paired with this Crock Pot-No Sugar Added-Apple Butter it is TO DIE FOR.  Make your yogurt with skim milk, and the whole thing is fat free.  I make mine with 2%...I like a little fat :)

The hardest part of the apple butter is reducing down the apple cider.  For this, you put 6 cups of no sugar added apple cider in a saucepan and slow boil it until it's about 3 cups.  Can you handle that? Then chop the apples (no need to peel!), add some spices and the reduced cider and let your crock pot do all the work.

 

When you get this beautiful brown mess (and your house smells of cinnamon apples) you put it in the blender to puree.

 

That's it.  Honestly.  Get that crock pot out and make the yogurt.  The next day make the apple butter.  The next day email me and tell me how much you love it.  Just trying to make the world smile a little more, one simple recipe at a time :)

 

Need a Pancake Recipe?

We had Whole Wheat Brown Sugar Banana Bread Pancakes from how Sweet it is for dinner the other day.  I  highly recommend them if you have a few past-their-prime bananas sitting around.  I didn't like the syrup so much (too sweet) but the pancakes are going in my Tried and True folder.  Hearty.  Great warmed up the next day.  Next time I'm making a double batch so I can freeze them.  

What are your favorite pancakes?

"In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response."So head over to her site, An Island Life and answer her question but while you are here you might as well answer mine :)

Kale Chips

Kale chips. Who knew?  Have you tried them?  I've seen several recipes for these and when I saw kale in the produce department it was time to give them a try.  They took all of a minute to prepare.  Eight minutes to cook.  Two minutes to snarf almost all of them down.  I couldn't help myself. Gotta get my green leafy veggies :)

Kale Chips

Wash and dry. 

Cut into chip sized pieces. 

Spray with olive oil. 

Sprinkle with garlic salt.  

Arrange in a single layer on a pan.

Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Honestly, you are not going to screw them up so no need for an exact recipe.

My Version of Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a French stewed vegetable dish.  I've never had it and I'm sure this dish isn't the same, but I was at a loss what to call my dish and it IS a stewed vegetable dish.......so, here is my ratatouille; a comfort food of all veggie proportion.

Saute onion, carrot, celery, and broccoli in the olive oil for 10 minutes.  I like to get some of these veggies a little brown and crunchy.

Cut tomato, tear spinach, and mash lentils.

Add the above, along with the spices and water.  Cover and cook for 35-45 minutes, depending on how soft you like your carrots.

Enjoy!  It's not the prettiest dish but it's comfort food that is healthy and sort of tastes like stuffing without the bread. 

My Ratatouille (which is probably nothing like ratatouille)

1 large onion, sliced

2 or 3 carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 cup broccoli, chopped into little pieces

4 cups spinach

1 tomato, diced

1 cup lentils, cooked and mashed

1 tsp basil

1 1/2 tsp sage

1/2 to 1 tsp salt

1/2 cup water

Saute onion, carrot, celery, and broccoli in the olive oil for 10 minutes.  Add tomato,spinach, and lentils, along with the spices and water.  Cover and cook for 35-45 minutes, depending on how soft you like your carrots.

Go check out Blessed with Grace for more Tempt My Tummy Tuesday recipes!

Have You Ever Had a Fig?

I like to try new things so when Publix had their fresh figs BOGO it was time for me to try one. 

I bought two varieties because I had no idea what I was looking for or what the difference was between them.  Turns out the Kadota were much sweeter than the Brown Turkey.  I ate a few, and knowing we were going to be gone all weekend, decided to make a compote out of the rest.

I didn't use a recipe but know that balsamic vinegar is used in lots of fig recipes.  SOOOO.....I cut them up (left the skins on because they didn't seem to have a taste and they weren't tough), added a splash of balsamic, a little sugar, and a little lemon juice, then cooked them until they were the consistency I like when I add fruit to my slow cooker yogurt.  I like to make my own compotes because I can adjust the sugar.  I'm not big on store bought yogurt because even the stuff that should be good for you is so sweet.

It turned out really good and I had enough to put a jar in the freezer for later.  I love how the little seeds add a tiny bit of a crunch. 

Have you ever tried figs?  If so, how did you have them? 

Taco Pita Pizza

Did you see the Taco Pizza recipe on The Pioneer Woman last week? I couldn't get it out of my head and knew I couldn't get the entire family to eat it. SO, in comes the pita pizza, which is always my personal size pizza fallback. I used a whole wheat fluffy pocketless pita, but a regluar pita sliced in half would work just as well. This was amazing. I made one for breakfast the following day as well. Who says taco pizza can't be for breakfast?

Taco Pita Pizza for One

1 pita, sliced in half or a pocketless pita
black beans, seasoned (mine were already seasoned but if yours are not, use chili powder, cumin, garlic, etc. until they taste good to you)
cheddar cheese, shredded
lettuces, finely chopped
tomato, finely chopped
creamy sauce (I used a mixture of ricotta, sour cream, and taco seasoning)
olives? jalepenos? salsa? cilantro? All options!

Top the pita with black beans (you can mash them first or leave them whole) and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted. Top with whatever taco toppings you like! Eat! Enjoy!

This post has also been linked to:
Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff
Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life
Recipe Swap at Prairie Story
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Blueberry Breakfast Bread Pudding

I am loving The Part-Time Vegan cookbook by Cherise Grifoni. The first recipes I made was Cuban Black Beans, Sweet Potatoes, and Rice. Yum!! I have also tried the Garlic Quinoa. EASY and so good! The first breakfast recipe I tried was the following bread pudding. The original recipe used twice as much honey, which I through was too sweet.

Easy Breakfast Blueberry Bread Pudding
(adapted from The Part-Time Vegan)

2 slices whole wheat bread

1/2 cup almond milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup blueberries (mine were frozen)

1/2 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon jam

Toast the bread and tear into small pieces, add to a small saucepan.

Add almond milk and vanilla. Heat on medium so the milk is warmed but not simmering. Stir often. Add blueberries, honey and jam, continue heating for 10 minutes until bread is saturated with milk and excess is mostly evaporated. Serve hot.

This post has also been linked to:
Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff
Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life
Recipe Swap at Prairie Story
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Raw "Oatmeal"

I find raw food very intriguing. I know that it is great for you. We eat too much highly processed foods. I know there is a nice variety that I could make. I know that I wouldn't get any buy-in from the rest of my family (except for smoothies). But because we all eat different breakfasts, I can definitely do raw breakfasts for myself. This morning I made a raw oatmeal and was very pleased. I am not subjecting you to a picture of it because it looks like a bowl of brown mush.....but yummy brown mush none the less!

Raw "Oatmeal"

1 Tablespoon flax seeds
1 teaspoon chia seeds
2 apples, pealed and chopped
1 banana
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup almond milk or water

Soak flax and chia seeds overnight. Drain seeds and put everything in the food processor or blender. Blend until desired consistency (I left the apples a little chunky) and enjoy! Then eat the apple peel because it's good and good for you :) This is supposed to make 2 servings but each serving is only 170 calories, not enough to sustain me until snack, so I ate the whole thing.


I made a raw apple pie over the weekend and while it was very good, I still want to work on making the filling a little less wet. Here is a picture of it without the cranberry/red grape/blueberry topping. The crust was like a Larabar. YUM!!!

This post has also been linked to:
Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff
Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life
Recipe Swap at Prairie Story
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Carmelized Onion Pita Pizza

I made caramelized onions in my crock pot last week and they are so easy and yummy. I have heard caramelized onions are great on pizza so I tried them on my pita pizza. THEY are right! SO good and less than 3 minutes prep time. Seriously. Cut a pita in half (to make a full circle but with half the pita). Spread a little pizza sauce, cheese, spices, and caramelized onions. Put under the broiler in the oven and bake until your cheese is a little melty and golden. Enjoy!

To make the caramelized onions, slice 4 or 5 big onions into your crock pot. Add a stick of butter and cook on low for 12 or so hours until they are golden brown. Save for all the little things that would be so much better with caramelized onions (which is a lot of things, if you think about it).

This post has also been linked to:
Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff
Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life
Recipe Swap at Prairie Story
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

The Part-Time Vegan Cookbook Review - Cuban Black Beans, Sweet Potatoes, and Rice

I try to incorporate meatless dishes into my menu plan so was very excited to be able to review the cookbook, The Part-Time Vegan: 201 Yummy Recipes That Put the FUN in Flexitarian by Cherise Grifoni. I read cookbooks like novels and this one was is well written and funny so it was a joy to read. The first chapter is entitled, Veganism 101 and gives a background on the vegan lifestyle and ingredients that are typical in the vegan pantry.

The chapters are broken down into Dips and Appetizers, Easy Breakfasts, Salad Dressings, Salads, Super Soups, Vegetable Dishes, Rice, Pasta Dishes, Grains, Tofu, Seitan, TVP, and Tempeh, and Dinner Plans (which plans your meal of appetizer, main course, and dessert), and Desserts. As I went through I had several recipes in each category that I bookmarked to try (I have even used TVP before so that chapter wasn't completely out of my mindset....although I'm not really on board with the Tofu, Seitan and Tempeh, which you could do a little meaty substitutions here).

I can't wait to try the Homemade Tahini, Easy Breakfast Blackberry Bread Pudding, Cranberry Apple Stuffing, Pumpkin Cream Pasta, Easy Garlic Quinoa, and Raw to Die for Apple Pie with Berry Topping (among MANY others). Most recipes are very easy to make and easy to substitute out ingredients you don't have.

I am not interested in a vegan diet but know that many of the recipes in this cookbook will become family favorites. I recommend this to anyone trying to get more veggies into their diets. You will not be disappointed!

Here is the first recipe I tried from the cookbook. Amazing! Healthy! Incredibly easy!

This book was sent to me by the Thomas Nelson Publishing company through their BookSneeze program in exchange for honest review.




Cuban Black Beans, Sweet Potatoes, and Rice
Serves 4


3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 grande sweet potatoes, chopped small
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained
2 cups brown rice, cooked
1/4 cup vegetable broth (I used chicken broth because that is what I had, I know, not vegan and also used 1 and 1/2 cups......it was burning to the bottom of the pan)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 Tablespoon lime juice (I used 2 to 3 Tablespoons)
splash hot sauce

1. In a large pot set on medium-high, saute the garlic and onions in the olive oil for about 3 minutes.

2. Lower the heat to medium low. Add all other ingredients except the lime juice and hot sauce. Simmer, covered, for 25 minutes.

3. Add in lime and hot sauce and serve while still all warm and steamy.

Rice and Lentils - a quick pantry meal

I found this recipe tucked away somewhere I knew I would find it (from years ago) and threw it together for lunch last week. I forgot how easy and how tasty it was!

Rice and Lentils
1 cup lentils (whatever color you have)
1/2 rice (I used white although you could alter the cooking time for brown)
6 cups water
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garam marsal
1 tsp curry powder
2 tsp salt
caramelized onions (optional, I just finished caramelizing onion in the crock pot so had some on hand)

Mix lentils, rice and water in a medium saucepan. Heat until boiling, cover, turn down to low and cook 30 minutes. Take off  heat and add spices and onions, if using.

Easy. Filling.

This post has also been linked to:
Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff
Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life
Recipe Swap at Prairie Story
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Spaghetti with Fried Egg and Bread Crumbs

I have been wanting to try this recipe for awhile now and I'm sorry I waited so long. One of my favorite tastes is runny egg yolk soaked up with toast, and if that makes you squirm, you don't want to read any further. This recipe cost about $2.50 TOTAL for my family of 5 with plenty of leftover garlic noodles. Bonus - everyone liked it (or at least a part of it :)!

Speghetti with Fried Eggs and Bread Crumbs
(adapted from America's Test Kitchen Cookbook)
3 slices of bread
6 Tablespoons evoo
2 Tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves. minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 pound speghetti
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
7 eggs (adjust accordingly - the recipe says 4, one for each serving but I used two eggs for each adult and 1 for each child, and it fed us all with lots of leftover pasta)

 Preheat oven to 375. Pulse the bread in a food processor or blender to get course bread crumbs. Toss crumbs with 3 tablespoons evoo and season with salt and pepper. Spread crumbs over a baking sheets and put in the oven until golden brown - 8 to 10 minutes. You want them nice and crispy - browner the better. Set aside. Don't try them or you'll risk eating them all before dinner is ready.

In a small sauce pan combine 3 T evoo, butter, garlic, pepper flakes (if you are using), and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Warm over low heat about 8 to 10 minutes. You want to make the oil nice and flavorful.

Cook pasta according to the package directions and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain pasta, transfer back to pot, add reserved pasta water, 3/4 teaspoon salt, most of the parmason, and garlic evoo mixture. Toss pasta well. Cover to keep warm.

Fry your eggs (however you prefer, but the yolks must stay runny). I spritz evoo in my cast iron skillet on medium high heat. Cook on one side for about 2 minutes, flip and immediately turn off the burner. Some of you probably think it's unheard of to flip. Do it however you like but keep those yolks runny.

Plate the pasta, top with an egg, left over parmesan cheese, parsley, and lots of bread crumbs. Poke your yolk and use that for the sauce to mix this wonderful plate of goodness together.

I'm drooling. It's really easy and yummy. I had an egg over the leftover pasta for two breakfasts in a row and was sorry I didn't save any bread crumbs. They were delightful. I also put my pepper flakes on at the end because I was the only one who wanted some heat.

This post has also been linked to:

Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace

Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff

Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life

Recipe Swap at Prairie Story

Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Let's break Bread together at Wit, Wok, and Wisdom

Cheerios Peach Crisp

The folks at Cheerios asked me to come up with a breakfast or springtime experience my family will love using Original Cheerios and seasonal ingredients. I made a Carmel Apple Cheerios Picnic Mix and then couldn't accept that I made it using fall ingredients (even though it is great for spring picnics).  The next thing I came upon were peaches.  Our family drives through Georgia each year, stops at a roadside stand and loads up on peaches.  I freeze them just for peach crisp and they are still so pretty when spring roles around.  So on my second attempt I came up with a peach crisp using a ground Cheerio topping.  YUM!!  We all love this.  The Cheerios give the streusel topping so much more depth of flavor than a regular white flour base.  This will be my go-to peach crisp.  So, can we all get on board with peaches as a spring ingredient?  LOL, probably not.  I missed the mark again with the seasonal ingredients but I sure didn't miss the mark with the recipe!  I even ate it the next morning for breakfast, you know, just to be in line with the given theme :)  Try it!

Peach Crisp with Cheerio Streusel

Filling:

9 ripe peaches, peel and pit, sliced

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons wheat flour (or ground Cheerios)

Topping:

1 stick cold butter

3 1/3 cups Cheerios, divided

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine peaches, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and flour in a 9x13 pan.

Put 3 cups of Cheerios in a blender and blend until it's the consistency of flour.

Combine ground Cheerios, butter, sugars and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Using your hands (or a pastry cutter) rub through your fingers until the topping is a coarse texture.  Add remaining 1/2 cup of Cheerios and blend well (smoosh the butter mixture all around the whole Cheerios)

Place topping on top of peaches.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  The topping will be golden brown and peaches will be bubbly.

Eat it warm topped with vanilla ice cream. 

Skip the ice cream when eating it for breakfast the next morning (or not :).

Have you visited the Cheerios Facebook page yet?

Caramel Apple Cheerio Picnic Mix

The folks at Cheerios asked me to come up with a breakfast or springtime experience my family will love using Original Cheerios and seasonal ingredients.  Mine turned out a little fall like but is a GREAT addition to picnics or park outings - which are certainly spring like!  My girls couldn't get enough of this!

 

 Caramel Apple Cheerio Picnic Mix

6 cups Cheerios

1 cup caramel bits (or regular wrapped caramels)

½ cup dried apples, diced

3/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, lightly salted

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon water

large paper bag for mixing

 In a large bowl, melt caramel with vanilla, and water in the microwave. Cook on high for 30 second intervals, stirring in between. Stop when all ingredients come together – about 1 ½ minutes.

 Add 4 cups Cheerios and ½ cup peanuts to the caramel mixture and stir to coat.  I like some of the ingredients not coated to balance out the sweetness but if you like it really sweet, you don't have to reserve any and coat it all.

 Put ½ cup powdered sugar in a brown paper bag. Put the Cheerio mixture on top of the sugar and the last ½ cup sugar on top. Fold the bag over may times and shake to coat Cheerio mixture.

Empty into a clean bowl, add remaining Cheerios, peanuts and dried apples. Stir gently and serve.

Bring on a picnic - it's yummy and portable!  Perfect for you next outing.

Have you checked out the Cheerios Facebook page yet?



Cauli with Curry Butter and Almonds

Cauliflower with Curry Butter and Almonds


from www.pinchmysalt.com

Serves 4.

1 medium head of cauliflower, about 2 pounds
4 tablespoons butter 1 shallot, peeled and finely diced (can use 1/2 a small onion)
2 teaspoons curry powder (Pinch My Salt used a Red Curry Powder, I used Madras - I would double it because Madras isn't spicy)
3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
3-4 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted**
salt, to taste

Rinse cauliflower under cold water and cut into small florets. Steam cauliflower in a basket over boiling water for 5-8 minutes, or until just tender. Remove the cauliflower to a plate or bowl and set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened. Add curry powder and stir for another 30 seconds. Stir in lemon juice, cilantro, and honey. Add steamed cauliflower and almonds and toss until well combined and heated through. Season to taste with salt.

Serve over steamed white or brown rice or alone, as a side dish.

**I put my almonds in a cast iron skillet and put them in the oven until they were golden brown.

This post has also been linked to:
Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff
Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life
Recipe Swap at Prairie Story

Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Meatballs Stroganoff

My mom made these and put them atop of spinach noodles. Spinach noodles must have been popular in the 80's and 90's because she got them at the big box grocery stores. It was hard for me to find spinach noodles in a mainstream grocery store but they now have "Garden delight" noodles that are partly spinach (party some other veggie flavors) and they do the job just fine. If your not weird like me and like nostalgic food, egg noodles would be pretty good as well.

Mom's Meatball Stroganoff
makes 24 meatballs

1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup onion, minced
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 pound ground beef

Mix the above ingredients and form into 24 balls. I used a cookie scoop for proportion then rolled them nicely by hand. Brown in a frying pan (I don't use oil when browning but you may). Take meatballs out of the pan.

Mix together 3 Tbs flour (I use wheat) and 2 cups beef broth (I use a salad dressing shaker or a jar to mix them well). Add to the pan you used to brown the meat. You may add a 1/2 cup dry red wine a this point or leave it out. I add a can or two of sliced mushrooms as well. Simmer for 15 minutes then add your meatballs back in. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Just before serving add 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt. You may want to add salt, pepper, or minced onion flakes to the sauce.

Serve over (spinach) noodles :)

Enjoy!

This post has also been linked to:

Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace

Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff

Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life

Recipe Swap at Prairie Story
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Cranberry and Blueberry Sauces

I had a ton of blueberries in my freezer (from when they were $1 pint at Aldi) and the same with cranberries (they were .49 after Thanksgiving). I made these sauces that I will freeze and use with yogurt. I make my yogurt in the crock pot so need fruit sauces to flavor it. You could also use them over pancakes or waffles. It's nice to have control over how much sugar is added. Have you noticed the sugar content in some store bought yogurts??? You can play with these recipes to suit your taste. They are forgiving. If your sauce is too thin, just boil it until it's right.

Orange Cranberry Sauce

1 package fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup honey, sugar or whatever sweetener you desire (adjust to taste)
splash of lemon juice
2 teaspoons citrus zest (use lime, lemon, orange, or a combo of them)

In a medium sauce pan combine berries, sugar, and juices. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, them lower hear and simmer for 5 minutes. Mix in zest when done cooking.

Blueberry Sauce

2 cups blueberries
3/4 cup honey, sugar or whatever sweetener you desire (adjust to taste)
1/3 cup orange juice or water
2 teaspoons orange zest

In a medium sauce pan combine berries, sugar, and juice. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, them lower hear and simmer for 5 minutes. Mix in zest when done cooking.

This post has also been linked to:
Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff
What's on The Menu Wednesday at Dining With Debbie
Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life
Recipe Swap at Prairie Story (Thursdays)
Colleen's Fall Recipe Swap at Colleen's Kitchen (Fridays)

Semi-Good For You Appetizer - Pull Apart Veggie Rolls

Pull Apart Veggie Croissant Rolls

2 cans croissants
4 to 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (can be low fat)

1/2 cup sour cream (can be low fat)

seasoning (I used a half a packet of ranch dressing mix)

various veggies of your choice (aren't they pretty)

Open the can of croissants but leaved them rolled up. Cut each can into 16 slices and arrange on a cookie sheet just barely touching (in whatever design you like). Bake according to the direction on the package but watch to make sure they don't overcook. Cool rolls completely. You can transfer them to a serving dish, if desired. They should all be stuck together.

Mix together cream cheese, sour cream, and seasoning until the desired consistency (spreadable). Spread on cooled croissants, covering up any holes between the rolls. Sprinkle veggies on top and serve. Rolls should easily pull apart. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for at least 3 days in a sealed container.

Too Good - Parmesan Orzo

A while back I was meaning to buy risotto and ended up getting orzo instead. One is a rice, the other a pasta. SOOOOO....I've been trying to clean out my pantry and decided it was time for the orzo. I did a Swagbucks search that lead me to this DELISH side dish. I could have eaten it all. My husband, who doesn't like mac and cheese or lasagna (gasp! I LOVE those cheesy noodle dishes~!) didn't like it. No worries....more for me!

The recipe that I use is from Cooking Light.

Creamy Parmesan Orzo

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup orzo
1 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese (I actually used Romano and Asiago - it's what i had on hand)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (used a little more than this, LOVE fresh basil)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons pine nuts, toasted (didn't have, so didn't use)

Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add orzo, and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and orzo is done (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in cheese, basil, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with the pine nuts. Serve immediately.

Yum! If you have orzo that you are wanting to use up, try it!

This post has also been linked to:
Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff
What's on The Menu Wednesday at Dining With Debbie
12 Days of Bloggie-mas at A Moderate Life
Recipe Swap at Prairie Story (Thursdays)
Colleen's Fall Recipe Swap at Colleen's Kitchen (Fridays)

Thin Crust St. Louis Style Pizza

This summer while we were at my Aunt's cabin in Northern Minnesota I copied down this recipe from one of her magazines. I find that if I write the recipe out by hand I am more likely to try it. I have SO MANY recipes on file to try. Anyway....this has been my family's favorite pizza crust yet (although I cannot tell if my husband likes it, he won't really say, but he eats it) and it's really easy to make. I cannot say if it's authentic St. Louis style, but it sure is yummy!

St. Louis Style Pizza Crust

2 cups flour

2 TBS corn starch

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup plus 2 TBS water

2 TBS olive oil

Mix together dry ingredients then add water and oil. Mix/knead until it comes together. You may have to add a tiny bit of additional water. Break the dough into 2 portions then roll THIN. The original recipe says to roll the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper, which I did the first time I made it and works beautifully. But I just got the most wonderful pastry mat and it rolled out just fine without anything (no additional flour, no parchment). It will all depend on your surface.

Preheat pan or stone (or like we do, both) at 475 degrees. When the oven is preheated I put the crust on the pan/stone and bake for 3 or 4 minutes before topping because we like it crispy. Then I take it out, top it however, and put it back in to bake until the cheese is a little brown, 8 minutes or so.

See THIS is my new pastry mat and it is perfect! It sticks to the counter - absolutely no sliding around. Whatever I am rolling out does not stick to it. The only down side is that it has a slight criss cross pattern to it, so when I am rolling out fondant I need to use the up side to get a completely smooth surface. I love this mat.

And THIS is where I was coming from. Pretty worthless. There is just no comparison.

This post has also been linked to:
Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff
What's on The Menu Wednesday at Dining With Debbie

Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life

Recipe Swap at Prairie Story (Thursdays)
Colleen's Fall Recipe Swap at Colleen's Kitchen (Fridays)