Breads · Breakfast · Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Fruit · Uncategorized

Lemon Cream Cheese Crescent Ring

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)

Cakes · Desserts

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes

*2015-03-17 15.55.50

Strawberry and Cream Cheese make such a delightful Spring flavor. I am catering a luncheon for a friend tomorrow and since it is suppose to be raining all day, I wanted to end the lunch time with something that would put a “spring” in their step, so I decided to make strawberry cream cheese cupcakes with strawberry cream cheese frosting. Each lady has a little pink bag to take away, filled with the chocolate-toffee biscotti I posted a couple of days ago.

Cupcakes:

1 box of Duncan Hines Strawberry Cake mix. *This was the ingredients on the cake mix I bought, but which ever brand you use, use ingredients listed on back of box.*

*3 eggs

1 cup cold water

1/2 cup oil

Filling:

4 oz of cream cheese, softened

2 teas flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 teas vanilla

Mix all filling ingredients together until well mixed.

Mix cake mix according to directions. (different brands call for different measurements, so be sure to follow the ingredients on the back of the cake mix you buy.

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full. Drop about 1 tables cream cheese filling in center of batter. Bake about 18 min or until cupcakes tests done. Cool on wire rack and frost with frosting given below.

Frosting:

4 cups powdered sugar

1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

Small container of frozen strawberries, thawed. Drain off some of the juice in a small container to use in frosting. You can use the strawberries for another use.

Enough of strawberry juice that you have drained off frozen strawberries to get frosting  the consistency you need to cover cupcakes. I used about probably 2 tables of juice. If it gets too thin, just add a little more powdered sugar.

Be sure cupcakes are completely cool before frosting and store in covered container in fridge.

*I bought the heavy cupcake liners that you can actually bake in. Just set them on a baking sheet and fill them according to the instructions. They make such a pretty presentation, other than just cupcake liners.

Breads · Breakfast · Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts · Holiday Fare

Kitchen Addiction

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I don’t know what is happening, but the past few days, I cannot walk through the kitchen without baking. Is it the weather? Is it that I know I am getting older and there are so many recipes out there and so little time, or is it that I am just a sugar hoarder? Last night I found myself making the carrot cream cheese pound cake that I posted yesterday and it is absolutely amazing. Then this morning, I headed to the kitchen, still in jammies and pulled out the Pillsbury Pumpkin cake mix and proceeded to bake Pumpkin Poppers that I talked about the other day. I just followed the directions on the box except that I added 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Baked them in mini muffin pans (made 60) and then rolled them in cinnamon sugar while still hot out of the oven. Have eaten 5. Then our daughter sent us a picture of Kenley our grandaughter we are headed to see at Thanksgiving. They were making acorns out of miniature Nutter Butter cookies, Hershey Kisses and chocolate chips. A little melted chocolate holds the 3 items together, as you can see in the picture. So open those windows, celebrate this gorgeous autumn weather and get those baking pans out. Baking time is here.