Strawberry Cream Cheese Hand Pies

 

With valentines day approaching, suddenly heart shaped things are appealing to me much more than they normally do. I even went to Joann and bought myself a set of heart shaped cookie cutters. But what to make with them?

The answer appeared with this picture I kept seeing floating around Pinterest involving pie crust, strawberries, and cream cheese, and my curiosity got the better of me. I had to try it out myself.

The results were pretty tasty and relatively low intensity for a super cute treat. 

Strawberry Cream Cheese Hand Pies 

(Inspired by this picture) 

makes 4 pies

1/2 Pie crust, store bought or homemade

1/4 cup strawberries

1/8 cup cream cheese

1 tablespoon sugar

1 egg, beaten

Sugar Sprinkles

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.

Finely dice strawberries and sprinkle with sugar. Roll out pie crust and using a cookie cutter in the 3 inch range, cut out 8 pieces of dough, re-rolling scraps if necessary.

Separate four of the cut pieces and set aside. These will be the tops. Divide the cream cheese between the remaining four dough pieces, gently dabbing it flat in the center of each shape. Spoon 1/4 of the strawberries on top of each cream cheese dollop, keeping the edges of the shapes clean. 

Brush egg around the edges of the shape. Lay the top pieces on top of the strawberry and cream cheese and gently press edges together. With the tines of a fork, seal the edges. 

Brush more of the egg mixture over the top of each closed pie and sprinkle with sugar sprinkles. 

Transfer to prepared baking pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

Before Pinterest, I had never really heard of Chicken Cordon Bleu. I vaguely knew of the dish, but I had no idea what went into it and figured it must be something unbelievably fancy and french. 

Turns out, it's not all that complicated. This recipe that I found from Creations By Kara couldn't make it more simple or divine. To put it simply, take a ham and cheese roll-up, shove it inside a chicken breast and bake. 

Despite how easy it is, this is the kind of chicken that my leading man scrapes of the plate in minutes. And the sauce really adds a nice touch, but then again, I like slathering my food in sauces.

Overall, I'd definitely give this chicken the blue ribbon. When you've got all the ingredients on hand, you couldn't serve up a more sophisticated looking meal with less effort.


Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu
(barely adapted from Creations by Kara)
Serves two


For the Chicken:
2 skinless chicken breasts
2 slices of deli ham
2 slices cheese (Swiss seems to be the internet favorite but I prefer Muenster)
1/4 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs


Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray an 8x8 cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.

With each breast laying flat, slice in half horizontally almost all the way through. Lay out the ham slices and place a piece of cheese on each. Roll them both up and place one in each of the sliced chicken breast openings.

Place the flour on a small plate, beat the egg in a bowl, and pour the breadcrumbs onto another small plate. Coat a chicken breast in the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs before placing in the greased pan. Repeat with remaining chicken breast.

Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 10 minutes at 450. After that, turn the oven down to 400 degrees and cook for another 25-30 minutes or until chicken is done.


For the sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup milk
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese


Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour. Once flour has absorbed all the butter, pour in milk and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly until thickened.

Spoon over cooked chicken and serve.  

Sun Dried Tomato Mayo

I've been looking for something to add some flavor to my sandwiches and this really hit the spot. Sandwich shops always use the most amazing spreads and I've been dying to find one that's fast to pull together at home. This one adds the right amount of tang and goes especially well on a turkey bacon panini. Plus, it was easy to whip up a batch just the right size for one panini. 


Sun Dried Tomato Mayo
(makes enough mayo for one sandwich)


1 sun dried tomato packed in oil
1 tablespoon mayo (I used light mayo)
salt and fresh ground pepper
a dash of basil, thyme and oregano


Finely dice the sun dried tomato and stir in mayo. Mix in the spices and refrigerate 5-10 minutes to allow flavors to mingle. 

Spread on a sandwich and enjoy!     

Caramel Shots

Like caramel? Like booze? Then I've got the perfect shot for you.

What more could you ask from your liqueur beyond that it taste like dessert? With these, you get the sweet treat, and the added kick of alcohol. What's not to like?


Caramel Shots

1 oz Smirnoff Caramel Kissed Vodka 
1 oz Godiva Carmel Liqueur


Combine all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake well and pour into a shot glass rimmed with caramel. 

 

Simple Caramel Sauce

Sometimes I want something sweet, but I don't want to have a bunch of it laying around forever. I don't think I'll have that problem with this caramel sauce.

Initially I made this stuff to rim the glasses of my Caramel Shots, but it's just too damn good to not eat with everything. Smeared on apples, drizzled over ice cream, this stuff couldn't get any better, and amazingly it was super easy to whip together.

I've tried my hand at caramel sauce before. I had forgotten about it until I opened up my Joy of Cooking book to the recipe I tried and saw my own handwriting telling me "not good, tasted like watery burnt sugar." 

Now I highly doubt it was the recipe's fault, but I don't think my skills have improved enough to reap any better success out of it, so I tried looking for fool-proof caramel sauce recipes online and I think I found it. 

It isn't exactly the kind of caramel I had in mind but it is delicious, and it definitely does not taste like watery burnt sugar which is a huge plus. 

The original called for vanilla, which I included in mine, but I highly suggest tasting it before adding it. I think I liked it better before I added that last ingredient, thought it is still very tasty. Also, I halved the original recipe. I probably don't need to tempt myself with a cup and a half of this stuff.


Simple Caramel Sauce
(recipe from Ree Drummond)
 yields 3/4 cup sauce


1/2 packed brown sugar
1/4 cup half and half (I used heavy cream)
2 tablespoons butter
pinch of salt
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract (I would exclude this)


Whisk the brown sugar, cream, butter, and salt over medium low heat allowing the sugar to melt. Stir continuously as the mixture bubbles for about two minutes.

Stir in the vanilla (if you so desire) and remove from heat. Cool slightly before pouring into a jar or container. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

    
    

Prosciutto Carbonara

Ah, Italian food. I'm pretty sure pasta runs through my veins. And I've gotta admit, once I discovered the existence of whole grain pasta, eating it all the time became much less guilt inducing. 

I hear a lot of people saying that is has a cardboard-like flavor, but I've never really noticed that. I like my pasta slathered in creamy sauces, so I've never had a problem with the flavor. And this dish is the perfect example of flavorful, rich sauce to completely coat the angel hair.

The thing I love about this recipe is that I almost always have the ingredients on hand, and when it gets to the time of the month when we've worn down most of our groceries, it still makes an utterly delicious meal.

Did I mention that one serving is under 500 calories, cause it doesn't taste like it is. And made with whole grain pasta, it's filling enough to hold you over for a while. 

I made it with prosciutto because that's what I had around, but this recipe also works well with bacon. 


Prosciutto Carbonara 
Barely adapted from Get off Your Butt and Bake
(serves two)


4 oz angel hair pasta
2 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 slices prosciutto
parsley for garnish


Slice the prosciutto into thin strips and lay on a baking sheet. Crisp up in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes.

Beat the eggs, cream, Parmesan, salt, and peppers together in a bowl.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water before draining and returning to the pot.

Pour the egg mixture over the cooked pasta and stir constantly over very low heat for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. If the sauce gets too thick, loosen with a bit of the reserved cooking water.

Garnish with crisped prosciutto, parsley, and additional Parmesan.

 

Pesto Prosciutto Chicken

We eat a lot of chicken. Besides the fact that it's diet friendly, chicken is super diverse and really tasty. I always love trying out a new chicken recipe, especially if it's stuffed with something delicious... like cream cheese and pesto.

And that's exactly what's inside these babies. Not to mention they are wrapped with a delicious layer of prosciutto, which adds a nice salty, chewy coverings.

This recipe works well served up with a side of whole grain pesto pasta, as pictures above. Bon apetit!

Pesto Prosciutto Chicken
 (serves two)


2 skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup cream cheese 
1 tablespoon pesto
4 slices prosciutto


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking pan with non-stick spray.

Lay the chicken breasts flat on a cutting board and slice horizontally 3/4 the way through the breast, leaving a portion of the top and the bottom connected.

In a small bowl, mix softened cream cheese with pesto. Spread mixture into the opening slits of the chicken, dividing it evenly between the two breasts.

Fold chickens closed and wrap 2 pieces of prosciutto around each breast. Lay wrapped chicken onto baking pan and cook for 30 minutes or until cooked through.

 

Crustless Spinach Goat Cheese Quiche

Eggs are pretty much awesome in every form I've ever come across. They are so diverse and mix well with pretty much any add in ever. 

That's why I love them when the kitchen stores get a little low before the next grocery run. They are the perfect throw-together-whatever-you've-got-in-the-fridge meal.

Crustless quiches are pretty much oven baked omelets, but by baking the eggs, you get a much more light texture than cooking them in a skillet. Try this basic recipe with any of your favorite mix ins.


Crustless Spinach Goat Cheese Quiche
 (serves 2)

4 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1/3 cup frozen spinach, thawed in the microwave
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two ramekins with non-stick spray.

In a bowl, scramble eggs and milk with a fork. Stir in spinach, goat cheese and salt and pepper.

Divide egg mixture evenly between the two ramekins and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

White Pizza Dip for Two

Like I mentioned before: I seriously love dip. I'm pretty sure I could eat some sort of dip for every meal. 

My friends know me for bringing over dip to just about every gathering we ever have. Besides the fact that I love to cook and I love to feed people, I see it as a rare opportunity to try out recipes that serve a crowd. I can't very well cook up a block and a half of cream cheese for just the two of us. I mean, I'd love to, but I think my heart would be pretty unhappy afterwards.

 This white pizza dip is by far my favorite dip ever. It's the kind of cheesy, gooey, creamy goodness that utterly hits the spot. 

By the way, every time I've made the whole sized recipe and brought it over to a party, it disappears within minutes. I'm not exaggerating. Everyone stops talking and just inhales this stuff. It's that good.

That being said, if you want to feed a crowd of 6-8, check out the originally proportioned recipe linked to below. But if you want a snack for yourself and one other, or maybe you want to taste test a dip for a gathering, try out the recipe bellow. 

White Pizza Dip for Two
adapted for smaller portion from How Sweet It Is

Handful of grape tomatoes (6-8), cut in half  
1 tsp olive oil  salt and pepper   
1/2 block cream cheese (4 oz)
1/2 cup mozzarella-provolone cheese blend
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon each chopped fresh basil, thyme and oregano
2 tablespoons grated parmesan


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Fold a piece of aluminum foil over twice and fold up the edges to make a tray.Toss tomatoes with olive oil and salt and pepper on foil tray and roast for 15 minutes.

In a bowl, stir softened cream cheese, mozzarella-provolone, garlic and herbs. Stir in the roasted tomatoes and pour into a 10 oz ramekin. Place of a baking sheet and bake for another 15 minutes or until the top is bubbly and melted.

Serve with bread crostini or pita chips.

Bacon Turkey Panini

When it comes to pulling together a fast delicious lunch, nothing does the job as spectacularly as a panini.

Sandwiches are awesome. Warm sandwiches are even better. And those grill lines really class up a simple meal.

There's a million ways to mix and match the insides of a sandwich, but this one is my all time favorite. Of course it is. There's bacon inside.

Bacon Turkey Panini

2 sandwich rolls (I used La Brea's Take and Bake Taleria Rolls)
1/4 lb thin sliced deli turkey
2 slices of muenster cheese
4 piece of thick cut bacon, cooked up crispy
Butter


Warm up the panini press according to device direction.

Lightly butter the outsides of the sandwich rolls. Layer half the turkey, one slice of muenster, and two slices of bacon on each sandwich. 

Lay sandwich on panini maker and close. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until grill marks are deep golden brown. 

*If you don't have a panini maker, you can warm up a large non stick frying pan over a burner and cook sandwich for about 2 minutes on each side. 

 
 

Grapefruit Brulee

Want a super easy, awesomely healthy dessert idea? Try this one on for size:

Grapefruit Brulee (a.k.a. the best grapefruit you will ever eat).

A nice thick layer of caramelized sugar and grapefruit juice combats the bitterness of this pink fruit far better than plain old sugar, and a sprinkling of coarsely ground sea salt even further ups the sweetness. I'd never eaten a grapefruit before and thought "wow," but today I did.

Best thing about it? Grapefruits are ready made for two servings and throwing this dessert together takes less than five minutes. Really it couldn't get any simpler.

Grapefruit Brulee
recipe from Alton Brown

1 grapefruit, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons sugar
A pinch of coarse ground sea salt

Run a knife along each segment, loosening the flesh from the pith. Pour off whatever excess juice cutting the segments creates.

Sprinkle each half evenly with the sugar and caramelize with a kitchen torch until golden. While the sugar is still warm, sprinkle with the salt and serve.

Spinach Artichoke Dip for Two

I have a serious weakness for dips. I don't really understand it, but smearing something creamy on top of a crisp piece of bread or crunchy cracker is immensely satisfying. Problem is, when you make dip, you usually make it to feed a crowd, not just two people.

But I say to hell with that. I want to eat dip and I don't want to feel guilty about eating a whole bunch of it, so I guess I'll just size it down.

If you've ever been to Maggiano's and had their spinach artichoke dip, you know what vegetable heaven tastes like, and this recipe is the closest to that taste I've found. It turns out Asiago cheese is the key, it's almost nutty flavor really complimenting the vegetation. This recipe tastes good with any cheese, but the Asiago really takes it over the edge.

Spinach Artichoke Dip for Two
 adapted from recipelink


1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon flour
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper
4 tablespoons Parmesan
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed in the microwave and drained
1/4 cup shredded Asiago Cheese
2 large artichoke hearts from a can, drained and chopped
5 slivered, re-hydrated sun-dried tomatoes, chopped


Heat oven to 350.

In a microwavable cup (I just used the 14 oz ramekin I was going to bake the dip in), stir together cream, flour garlic, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Heat in microwave for 30 seconds or until hot and slightly thickened.

Stir spinach, artichokes, Asiago and sun dried tomatoes into the cream mixture.

Spread evenly into a 14 oz ramekin. Sprinkle top with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until dip is hot and bubbly.

Serve with pita chips or toasted, thinly sliced bread.