Cherry Cheese Danish

Oh, I love fresh cherries. I especially love when they are in season and are reasonably priced. We have been eating them like maybe tomorrow they won't be available anymore. Well, I figured I could depart from eating a couple of them just until I used them in a dish of some kind. I figured a breakfast danish would be perfect. I will admit sometimes I feel bad that I'm not one of those mothers that make their children a great breakfast before school. A lot of times we are running down the street to catch the bus while eating breakfast. My oldest daughter is good and will sometimes make up some eggs for her younger siblings. So, I decided to make this recipe for breakfast on a school day. They were really happy but we did miss the bus. I didn't mind since I think the danish was worth the little extra time to savory it. My oldest daughter told me it was wonderful. 

Cherry Cheese Danish
1/2 cup sliced almonds
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 egg yolk
4 Tbsp flour
6 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract (or 1/8 tsp almond extract)
1/3 to 1/2 cup cherries, pitted and chopped
2 (9 inch) sheets of puff pastry, thawed
1 egg for egg wash
powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. On a small baking sheet, arrange the almonds in a single layer and toast the almonds for about 7 minutes. Allow to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, egg yolk, flour, sugar and vanilla extract. 
4. Fold in the chopped cherries.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
6. Roll out the puff pastry sheets. Cut each puff pastry sheet into 4 sections.
7. In the center of each puff pastry, spoon about 1 Tbsp of filling.
8. Fold the puff pastry diagonally in half. Seal well.
9. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg.
10. Brush the top of each puff pastry with the whisked egg.
11. Top each puff pastry with the toasted almonds slices.
12. Bake the danishes for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
13. Allow the danishes to cool for about 10 minutes.
14. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. 

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris. 
Tip: If your cherries are very juicy, use less cherries or your filling will be a little more wet. It will still taste great.

One year ago.........................I made Homemade Mascarpone.

Did you already know...........
-The Sweet Cherry originated from Asia.
-In 1600s, English colonist brought sweet cherries to America.
-Michigan is the leading
-The Bing Cherry is a sweet cherry.

Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes with peanut butter frosting

My husband just celebrated another birthday. He doesn't want me to discuss his age but all I can tell you is he is currently a couple years older than me. He doesn't think I'm funny and reminds me in a couple of months that he is now only one year older than him. My husband loves Superman but I didn't have any matching liners so we went with the next best thing....Spider-Man. He loved the cupcakes and frosting. I used this peanut butter frosting recipe with chopped fine pieces of peanut butter cups mixed into the frosting.

Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes
12 oz. unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cups buttermilk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
4. Scrap down the sides of the bowl before adding the egg. Mix until just combined.
5. Add the egg whites and mix until combined.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
7. Add 1/3 cup of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until incorporated.
8. Add 1/4 cup of buttermilk and mix.
9. Add another 1/3 cup of flour and mix before adding another 1/4 cup of buttermilk.
10. Add the remaining flour mixture and then the rest of the buttermilk. Mix until combined.
11. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full of batter.
12. Bake the cupcakes about 18 minutes or until golden brown.
13. Allow the cupcakes to cool before removing from pan and allowing to fully cool on a wire rack.

Recipe adapted from Pastry Queen cookbook.

One year ago.................I made Savory Lobster and Shrimp Cheesecake.

Did you already know........
-Peter Parker's middle name is Benjamin.
-Peter Parker was born in Forest Hills (Queens), New York.
-Spider-Man is 5'10" and weights 167 lbs per Marvel website.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

When I was in high school, we were suppose to wake someone up for psychology class. Then we were suppose to ask them what they were dreaming about. So, I woke up my sister and she told me that she was dreaming about The Young Riders. Sometimes it is better not to ask any more questions. Well, I noticed my son was dreaming the other day and tried to wake him up. It isn't an easy thing to do. Eventually, he answered my question about what he was dreaming about. His reply, "I was dreaming about sleeping." It is one of his favorite things to do besides eating. Well, this recipe is one of his favorite meals. He has asked for me to make it a couple of times.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
1Tbsp vegetable oil
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped fine 
1 (10 oz.) can Rotel original, drained
1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, cut up and softened
2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped
8 flour tortillas
2 cups Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup chives

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray with cooking spray a 9x13 baking dish.
3. In the skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
4. Add the jalapeno pepper and saute for 1 minute.
5. Add the drained Rotel tomatoes and green chilies to the pan. Saute for 1 minute.
6. To the skillet, add the cream cheese and the cooked chicken. Cook until the cream cheese melts.
7. Add 1/2 cup of the Pepper Jack cheese and turn off the heat.
8. In the middle of each tortilla, spoon about 3 Tbsp of the chicken mixture.
9. Roll up the tortilla and place it seam side down into the baking dish.
10. Sprinkle the remaining Pepper Jack cheese over the top of the tortillas.
11. Bake for about 20 minutes and the cheese has melted.
12. Top with chives and salsa.

Recipe adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

One year ago........................I made Mahogany Cake.

Did you already know..........
-The Young Riders was a television show that aired between 1989 to 1992.
-The Young Riders were about a group of Western Pony Express riders.
-Some noted actors who starred in the show was Stephen Baldwin and Josh Brolin.

Peanut Butter Cup PB Cookies

The other night I made sloppy joes for supper. For the sides, I had green beans and cut up fresh pineapple. All the children loved the pineapple except for my youngest niece. She didn't even want to try it. My sister tried but she refused. So, I told her if she tried it then I would make her some peanut butter cookies. My sister suggested I should add peanut butter cups into the cookies. With this type of enticement, my niece did try the pineapple. She says she doesn't like it but she tired it. However, she did like these cookies. All the children liked these cookies. 

PB Cup PB Cookies
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed firmly
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup miniture peanut butter cups, chopped
1 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
1 Tbsp heavy cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 
3. In a large bowl, combine the butter with the peanut butter.
4. Add the sugar and brown sugar to the peanut butter mixture. Mix well.
5. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
6. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined.
7. Fold in the peanut butter cups.
8. Scoop about 2 inch balls of dough and place onto the parchment paper. Space the dough about 3 inches apart. (I used an ice cream scooper.)
9. Lightly flatten each ball of dough.
10. Bake the cookies for about 13 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.
11. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
12. Optional: melt the chocolate chips in a double broiler or microwave. Stir in the heavy cream then drizzle over the cooled cookies. 

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago........................I made Feta Topped Chicken.

Did you already know..........
-Pineapples originated from South America.
-The majority of pineapples are grown in Asia.
-Pineapple contain an enzyme bromelain which is used as a herbal remedy for arthritis.

Star Cake

When I was a kid, my Dad would make this wonderful sitting bear cake. He would use the star tip for the frosting. We all thought it would be great. I have used the star tip occasionally but not on the whole cake. I thought the star tip would be appropriate to use for this cake. My daughter Allie helped me decorate it. We took turns. I would pipe the white and she would pipe the blue. 

Red, White, and Blue Star Cake
One cooked rectangle cake
Red, white, and blue frosting

Directions:

1. Lightly trace a star design onto the top of the cake. (Either free hand, use a template, or a ruler.)
2. Once the desired pattern is traced on the top of the cake, cut the pattern out. Be carefully but if you make a mistake use frosting to fill in the error.
3. Lightly cover the cake with a base coat of white frosting.
4. Pipe the sides with the white frosting using the star tip.
5. Border the side of the cake with the white frosting.
6. Pipe the blue frosting onto the cake on each triangle of the cake.
7. In the middle of the cake, alternate between the red and white frosting.
8. Pipe 3 white stars in the middle of each triangle.

Cake created by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago.................................I made Mahogany Cake.

Did you already know...................
-Memorial Day once was known as Decoration Day.
-Memorial Day is honor those who have died serving our nation.
-In 1967, President Johnson legally named Memorial Day a national holiday.

Please have a safe Memorial Day!