Some sweet ladies came to our house for a brunch a couple of weeks ago. Because I had talked about sausage gravy over biscuits at water aerobic class, a couple of the ladies expressed a desire to have some, as they had never experienced this wonderful southern dish. While others in the class are talking about how this class is helping them feel better and building muscle strength, we are at the other end of the pool planning our sausage gravy biscuit brunch. One of the ladies said that she would bring some watermelon so we would have one healthy food item, while yet another said that she would bring a coffee cake. Well, this is the pastry she brought and everyone had a hissy (I’ve been dying to see that word)fit over it. We had such a grand time that morning. The night before, I got this great idea to type out questions to pass around the table and let everyone pick out one a the bowl was passed around. Here are some of the questions that got us talking and getting to know each other a little better. So before I post the recipe a little further down, why not think about having some ladies over that you would like to get to know and use this idea to start the conversation flowing. IT was a really nice morning and we had some really nice memory sharing among us.
What is one of your favorite summer vacations?
What is your favorite toppings to put on a hot dog?
Tell us about a memorable 4th of July
What color of the American flag best describes your personality?
A favorite summer food/drink
Which do you prefer, the beach or pool and why
Did you have a favorite swimming place to go growing up?
What time/place did you experience watching fireworks that is still a great memory?
Favorite flavor of homemade ice cream
Favorite thing to grill
Now for the great recipe that Patty was so kind to share. Thanks Patty for another reason that my bathing suit is tighter than before our breakfast
Crescent Ring:
3 oz cream cheese, softened to room temp
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tables fresh lemon juice
2 teas grated lemon peel
1 can 8 oz Pillsbury refrigerated Crescent Dough Sheet or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2-3 teas milk
Heat oven to 350. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix cream cheese, granulated sugar, lemon juice and peel with mixer on medium speed until blended.
Unroll dough sheet (if using the rolls, unroll dough and separate into 2 large rectangles) Overlap long sides to form 13×7″ rectangle; firmly press edges and perforations to seal.
Spread cream cheese mixture on rectangle to within 1/2′ of edges.
Starting with 1 long side of rectangle, roll up; pinch edge to seal
With seated knife, cut into 12 slices.
arrange slices on cookie sheet in a circle; over lapping slightly.
Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. In a small bowl, mix glaze ingredients until thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over warm crescent roll.
* (Because I love orange flavor also, I’m going to use orange juice/peel next time I make this)
Last evening a friend of mine and I decided that after playing golf for a few weeks, we wanted to participate in what is called Glo Golf, here in Arizona. Apparently, this particular golf club entices folks to come out at night with this marvelous idea of playing after the sun goes down. All I can tell you is that I don’t remember having that much fun outside of the kitchen when I have a mixer in my hand and a pound of butter beside me. Our husbands decided they would like to go so they could “help” us find the balls, or shine the flashlight on the course so we wouldn’t end up in a water hazard trying to find the tee box. So off we went to play in our first glow golf tournament. We picked out our out-fits that would go with our 4th of July led necklaces. Randy was even instructed to wear a shirt that would match the blue in my necklace so our pictures would look perfect, color wise. We arrived to find that apparently the 50 golf carts that were lined up had made a trip (or 5 trips) to the Dollar Store. Every imaginable glow in the dark neon bracelet, necklace, hanging ornaments had been purchased and adorned the golf carts. We were the only ones that didn’t have a golf cart that could be seen from space. But, what a night. They had told us that if we found ourselves using the glow balls that were given to us and needing more, they would could be purchased for $8/each. Those of you who know Randy know that he would swim an ocean to retrieve a lost ball before spending $8 for a ball. So we take off, realizing that, if at all possible, that glow ball that came in our alloted amount, would be treated like gold. And swim some of us did. On about the 3rd hole, I actually (in the dark don’t forget) crawled under a wire fence that separated the driving range from the “out of bounds” area to the right of the fairway. But retrieve I did. With the help of two different golf clubs and muscles from crawling on my stomach that I had not used in years since trying to get dirty diapers from under furniture that was too heavy to move, when the kids were little. Thank goodness, it was dark. A little further down the course, Teresa found herself crawling over a fence to find her glow ball which was laying near the street. She came back with a splinter in her finger from the wooden fence. Both of our balls landed in the water hazard which we, once again, using the longest clubs we could get, dragged the ball to the edge of the lake, then sticking our hand in that filthy water, was able to rescue the treasured ball. We discovered drainage ditches that we had never noticed when we play in the daytime. All in all, we had a ball. The laughter, the new adventure, the memories that were made with our husbands there to cheer us on, were priceless. We cannot wait to sign up for the next one.
We have a young chef who comes into our community once a month who is absolutely wonderful. Not only does she bring us amazing recipes, but she is funny and just livens up the people who show up. You come away laughing and in such great moods, it is just a great class to attend. Last week she made 4 really good recipes of which I have already made one. It will be one of our staples from now on. Open Faced Caprese Sandwiches. She also gave us the recipe for Butterscotch Peanut bars, Watermelon-Feta-Basil Salad and a summer mixed drink which I will post tomorrow. But today I am posting the Caprese Sandwiches and Butterscotch Bars.
This weekend found us keeping our just turned 6 and 8 yr old grandsons. We cannot say that we babysat the 16 year old, because he would never speak to us again, but we did manage to have him here with us Saturday night and a few hours Sunday morning before he ran off to “go study his music”. At least he didn’t tell us he was going back home to clean up his room as we knew that would have been a total fib. But because we were so busy trying to entertain the little ones and at the same time try to look like the “cool and hip” grandparents that doesn’t get worn out keeping kids for 36 hours, we were almost glad when Jaden told us that he needed to go home to practice his music. Yea, one kid down and 2 more to go. It all started Saturday morning when our kids left town for their anniversary. We figured that we would take them to a movie to kill a few hours, but the only movie on was the Avengers. Jaden told us that he had gone to the midnight showing and that Caleb and Noah would love it and he would even go again with us. So after getting Chick Fila for the gang, we headed over to the movies. Jodi had told us that if Noah got bored because it was a long show, that we could put him in the child care there at the movie house. She said you just go show your movie ticket and they let them stay and play there in the play room. Randy suggests that I take the kids to the Dollar Store to let them buy candy for the movie. So off we go when the kids tell me that they prefer to buy their candy at Walgreens. Why is candy at Walgreens better than candy at Dollar Tree? But being the great Nana that I am I find a Walgreens where they select their candy and of course see the red noses for sale for $1. Each of them got one. On the way home to pick up Randy to head to the movie, Caleb’s nose broke and now there is one red nose that they begin to fight over. I take the one nose away to avoid further arguing. We meet Jaden at the movie and find a seat 4th row from the front. It is packed. Movie begins and I know within the first 5 minutes that I am going to hate this movie. Noah’s eyes get as large as saucers and he leans over to tell me that he wants to go. Well, no problem, I will take him to the child care center. So Noah and I leave the movie and proceed to the child care center where they inform me that if I didn’t have a rsvp, they are sorry but the child care is full and they cannot take him. Noah tells me that if I give him money, (after already spending over $40 to get us all in) he will just play games in the game center until the 2 1/2 hour movie is over. I tell him I don’t think so. So we go back into movie and tell Randy for he and Caleb to ride home with Jaden. We are out of there. So Noah and I head to the Dollar Store where he proceeds to find a hula hoop and several other little toys. Because we are having Jodi and Eric over for dinner when they come back to town on Sunday night, Noah and I head to the grocery store. I went in for 5 items, came out with about 15-20. I had forgot what it is like going grocery shopping with a 6 year old. So we come home with 2 packages of cookies, a carton of ice cream and sodas that I had no intention of buying Saturday.
I have made this cake twice in one week. The first time I made it was for a friends birthday and used some of the batter to make about 6 cupcakes so Randy and I could have some. Having a new neighbor next to us, 3 of the cupcakes went to her and so I got one and Randy had two. Well, I can tell you that just having one simply was enough to leave me with a craving for more carrot cake. This recipe was handed to me back in 2002 when, at a company picnic, Randy was talked into being in a dunking booth and all the employees bought tickets trying to dunk him. If you know Randy, you will know that the Penny loafer-Polo shirt wearing, brief case carrying man was not in “hog heaven” that day. But I walked away with this great recipe of a cake that one of the ladies from the office brought to the all day picnic.
We are having friends over for dinner tonight and I know they are chocoholics so was wanting to make them something that I haven’t made them before. Looking through my old recipes, I came across this and since I had everything needed, it became the cake for dessert tonight. Whipped up some whipping cream to spoon over the top because, well, it has been several days since I have had whipped cream and a girl can only go so long without it. Taken from a Southern Living Magazine several years ago…
Chocolate Castles 