Orange Creamsicle Cake & some weekend fun

1 - ingredients, 2 - Orange Creamsicle cake and mini strawberry cheesecake
mason jar desserts, 3 - YUMMY cake!, 4 - the men - Kevin (BIL), Marvin
 (nephew), Dad, Jarek (DS), and behind Jarek, John (DH)

Had a great weekend with family...parents came over Friday and stayed until Monday;  sister and her family came over Sunday for a cook out.  We did a belated Fathers' Day celebration with our dad on Sunday.  When I was deciding on what to make for dessert, I knew this cake would be perfect.  Orange Creamsicle cake.  I did change it up a little...I did not make cupcakes or use her icing recipe.  Due to time limitations I decided to make a cake and I used store bought frosting.  I picked up one of the new stir in frosting in orange creme flavor...it was good, but pretty sweet.  So....to help cut the sweetness I did not frost the middle of the cake, but used orange marmalade instead.  It was YUMMY!  I also made strawberry cheesecake in little mason jars.  We had a nice dinner, visiting time, and yummy desserts.

Now to get my craft on...I need to make cards, do a challenge, finish up some swaps....feels like a Monday :)  Hope you are having a WONDERFUL day!  Thanks for stopping by.
Marie

Good Friday: Hot Cross Buns

 I always wondered about the tradition of Hot Crossed Buns during Easter time and a few years back I decided to investigate.  While I understand the cross on the buns is to remind us of the Crucifixion, I knew there had to be more to the story. 

Here are a few things I found out:
*  Hot Crossed Buns predate Christianity, they are actually a carry over from the Saxons.  The Saxons ate the buns in honor of the goddess Eostre, with the cross representing the four quarters of the moon.
*  Early missionaries adopted the buns and changed the interpretation of the cross to that of the Crucifixion.
*  In the early 16th century even though Roman Catholicism was banned in England, the popularity of the buns remained so Queen Elizabeth passed a law banning the eating of the buns except on Easter, Christmas and funerals.
*  There are many superstitions associated with the buns :  Sharing a hot cross bun with another is supposed to ensure friendship throughout the coming year, particularly if "Half for you and half for me, Between us two shall goodwill be" is said at the time; hanging a bun in the kitchen assures safety from fires and perfectly baked breads; and if taken on a sea voyage they ensure safe travel.

So, while that is all interesting and I now have a better understanding of Hot Crossed Buns, that is not why I make them....I make them because they are YUMMY!  I am going to share with you my simple version that I love.  I am not much of a bread maker so I came across this recipe a few years back and just had to try.  My family loves it.  Enjoy!

You will need:
2 tubes of crescent roll dough
1 C dried cherries
1 C golden raisins
2 T crystallized ginger, chopped
1/2 C butter, softened
1/4 C sugar
3/4 t orange zest




1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a square pan with cooking spray.
2.  Mix Butter and zest; reserve.  Combine cherries, raisins, ginger and sugar; shake up to coat fruit.
3.  On a lightly floured surface, unroll crescent roll dough side by side; seal all seams to create one large piece.  I use my hand roller to smooth and stretch a little.

4.  Spread butter mixture over dough; top with fruit mixture.  Starting with short edge, roll up.  Cut into 9 pieces.  Place in pan cut side up.
5.  Bake 25-30 minutes.  Cool.
6.  While cooling, mix up glaze:  2 t milk + 1/2 C confectioner's sugar.  Pipe cross on top of buns.  (I use a small plastic bag with the corner snipped off to pipe the glaze on top.)





Whether you celebrate Easter, Passover, or whatever...give these a try...they are super easy and super yummy :)

Golumpki (cabbage rolls)

 My husband likes Cabbage Rolls, or Golumpki as I have always known them to be.  I decided there needed to be an easier way to make them so...since I love skillet meals, that is what I decided to do.  Super easy, super fast to put together and cook.  Super Yummy!

You will need:
Cabbage (6-8 leaves)
1 pound ground beef
1 1/2 C tomato sauce (I use a basic marinara)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 C prepared rice
1-2 T Worcestershire sauce


Directions:
1.  Prepare rice...sometimes I use minute rice and I cook it in the microwave while I start prepping meat and cabbage leaves.  Uncle Ben's rice pouches work well too...whatever you prefer.

2.  Mix rice, ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, 1 C of diced tomatoes, and salt and pepper in a large bowl.

3.  Pour the rest of the diced tomatoes and the tomato sauce into a large skillet.  Turn skillet onto med-high heat.

4.  Form ground beef mixture into large meatballs.  I use a 3/4 C measuring cup to divide up.

5.  Place the large meatball into the center of a cabbage leaf and put into skillet, continue until skillet is full.
Cover and cook for about 10 minutes.  Uncover and tuck ends of now wilted cabbages around the 'meatballs" to form more of the traditional cabbage roll.  Cover and simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until done through.

6.  Serve with sauce on top.

Enjoy!

Banana Foster Crepes

Tonight I decided to experiment with my crock pot...since I currently have no range ;)  We have a new one on order, but...it will be a week before it arrives.  So, I had seen this recipe for crock pot bananas on Pinterest and wanted to try it, but after reading the recipe I decided it needed a few changes.  My end result was a bananas foster crepe.  

You will need:  
 4-6 bananas
1 C. shredded coconut
1/2 C.chopped pecans
1/2 C. butter
1/2 C. light corn syrup
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. lemon zest
2 T. rum
crepes (homemade or store bought)
whipped cream
vanilla ice cream

Cut bananas into 2 inch pieces and place in bottom of crock pot.  Top with coconut and pecans.

Melt butter; whisk in all other ingredients to form a syrup.  Pour syrup over banana mixture in crock pot.

Cook on low setting for 1-2 hours.

If using prepared crepes, warm.  Fill warmed crepe with bananas, roll and place on plate.  Top crepe with ice cream, whipped topping and more bananas and syrup.


My taster....he declared them "really good".

Soup's on...

Yesterday I got a new toy...a Cuisinart Food Processor.  It is amazing!  I have been putting off getting one only because I had a food processor.  Notice, I said had...a few days ago in the middle of shredding cheese my old one decided to die.  I have to admit I was a little excited that it was no longer working ;)  So, now to get a new one...with no guilt.  Of course, once I got it home, I had to play with it a little...I pulverized an onion, mashed potatoes...without meaning too!  It is a very powerful machine  and you have to get used to it.  Needless to say when I decided to use it to make dinner last night, my son was right there...what boy can't resist chopping things up in a cool machine?  Little did he know that he was going to get a cooking lesson in the process...We decided to make Zuppa Tuscano.  It is our favorite soup from Olive Garden and after some searching around and tweaking of recipes I have finally come up with a delicious home version...ours is a little creamier.

1 lb Italian sausage

1 large onion, chopped

3-5 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups sliced potatoes

32 oz chicken stock

2 cups kale, chopped

2 cups heavy cream

salt & pepper to taste

-In large pot, brown sausage; drain off fat.

-Move sausage to side and saute onions and garlic until onions   are translucent.

-  Add chicken stock and potatoes.  Cover and simmer for approximately 20 minutes until potatoes are tender.

-  Stir in kale and cream.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cover and simmer for 5 more minutes.

-  Serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

Delizioso!

Sweet Treats



Valentine Treats:  Strawberry Fudge, Chocolate Covered PB crackers, Chocolate
Covered Fluffer Nutter crackers, and pretzel bites two ways.



After browsing around on Pinterest and being reminded of some of the easy, but yummy, treats you could make I was inspired.  I used to make these treats for various holidays, but haven't in awhile...so, it was fun to do some 'old favs'. 

They are all so simple...I don't even have 'recipes', but here goes...

Strawberry Fudge:  You will need 1-12 oz bag of white chocolate baking chips and a can of Strawberry frosting.  Melt the chips in a micro safe bowl; stir in frosting.  Spread mixture into a lightly greased 9x9 pan.  Top with sprinkles, if you like.  My son LOVES this...next he wants to try lemon frosting...maybe for Easter with pastel sprinkles.

Chocolate Covered PB crackers:  You can do this really easy and use pre-made PB crackers or make your own; you will also need chocolate bark.  Assemble your PB cracker sandwiches & set aside.  Melt bark in a micro safe bowl.  layout wax or parchment paper.  Once bark is melted cover sandwiches in chocolate.  This can be a little messy...I use two forks to dip and then drain off before placing on paper to harden.

Chocolate Covered Fluffer Nutter crackers:  same as above except you add marshmallow fluff to your cracker sandwiches.  This are my favorite...better than a candy bar!

Pretzel Bites:  You will need mini pretzels, chocolate candy  (any kind...I used Hugs and Rolos), and a topper (I used M&M's and whole pecans).  Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Spread pretzels out on a cookie sheet.  Top with chocolate candy.  Place in oven for approximately 2 minutes to soften, not melt, chocolate. Remove and add topper.  You could come up with lots of combos on this one, but I did Rolos with pecans and hugs with M&M's.  My husband and son LOVE THE pecan ones...just like Turtles!

What sweet treats are you making for the holiday?