Dessert Wraps

Have you ever had just 2 or 3 tortillas left over after a meal?  I sometimes do, and they would sit in my pantry or fridge until they were moldy.  I just kept thinking I would use them for something!  Well...this is that something!  A great way to use them up before the mold starts!  Ha! In fact, these are so good, we've been known to buy tortillas just so we can make these.  An extra bonus is that the kids can make them anytime they are have a craving for sweets.

These are crazy simple!  You just start with any size tortilla (I think I used a soft taco size).  Just spread creamy peanut butter over the whole tortilla.  Then sprinkle mini marshmallows and chocolate chips (we prefer milk chocolate) over half of the tortilla.

Next, you just roll it up like a burrito, starting at the marshmallow side.

A dessert burrito...yum!!!

Now, just wrap it in foil and cook in a pan on med-low heat for around 5 minutes. Then roll them over and cook a few more minutes.  If you open them up and the chocolate isn't melted yet, just wrap them back up and cook a little longer.

Then, enjoy all of that melted goodness!

We've also tried these with Nutella and butterscotch chips, which is very good, but just these three ingredients are so yummy...you kind of don't need to mess with it much!  These are also easy to do on the grill, or at a campfire, you could just set them in the hot ashes.  They are actually a little too easy :-)

Panzanella

Last year I discovered Panzanella and now it is a most looked forward to dish in this house!  Panzanella is an Italian salad.  It has toasted bread cubes in it (in Italian 'pane' means bread...so it is a bread salad) that soak up the yummy vinaigrette dressing.  MMmmm.  The more bread (basically homemade croutons) the better!

I make the croutons by cutting up an italian or french bread into fairly large cubes.  You can bake them in the oven, but I just toast them in a skillet on med-low heat until they are dry and crispy.  Then I drizzle a few tablespoons of butter seasoned with garlic salt over the bread while it's toasting in the pan. 

I didn't take many pictures because all you do is chop up the veggies and mix them together in a bowl with the oil and vinegar.  Then you add the croutons right before serving.  This is a great recipe for using all the garden veggies.  It is also such a nice, cool, refreshing meal or side dish.

This is so customizable..just throw in whatever you want!  But just make sure you've got lots of bread in it!
 Go make some Panzanella!! 

Panzanella

6 cups cubed Italian or rustic bread
4 large ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 medium yellow peppers, seeded and cubed
1 large seedless cucumber, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
3 TB red wine vinegar
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt (I sometimes just leave out the garlic and salt and add garlic salt)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped parsley

Line a jelly roll pan with foil.  Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on pan.  Toast in 400 degree oven 10-12 minutes, tossing once, until evenly browned. (or do this in a skillet on the stove top) I also drizzle with butter while toasting.

Meanwhile, put tomatoes, onion, oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes or until tomatoes release their juices. Toss occsionally.

Add peppers, cucumber and parsley to tomatoes.  Let stand at least 15 minutes for flavors to blend.  Just before serving, add bread cubes; toss to blend.  Or add bread cubes to each serving as it is being served.

Easy homemade egg rolls

If you have never made egg rolls at home, you must try these!  They are so easy and sooo much better than even most restaurants.  And when you make them at home they are so nice and crispy!

This isn't really a recipe, just kind of what I did and what we liked :-)


You start by thinly slicing some napa cabbage and some green onions.  Then I add some shredded carrots.

Next, brown some sausage and add it to the cabbage mixture.  Drizzle in a little soy sauce to kind of bind everything together.

Now comes the wrapping part.  I buy these wraps at Wal-Mart in the produce section.  Kind of by the tofu and organic items.

Lay out the wrap like a diamond and add about 1/4 cup of the filling.  You don't want to little filling or the wrap will roll around itself too many times and end up doughy after frying.  But you don't want too much filling or it will be too hard to roll and seal.  After you make a few of them you'll see how much you'll need.  You are supposed to place the filling closer to the bottom, but apparently I didn't do that this time!

Now, the rolling...tuck the bottom part over and around the filling, then fold in the sides...(by the way, the wrapping instructions are on the back of the wraps package!)

Next, you dab a little water on the rest of the edges (kind of like where the glue would be on an envelope) and roll the filling part on up.  The water will really help make the top part stick.  Also, if I have any gaps, I will dab a little water there too.  If there are too many openings, it will fill with oil during frying and be too greasy.     Here is a plate ready to cook up!

I like to fry them in a skillet with straight sides in about 2-3 inches of oil. That way I can do 6-7 at a time. Fry on one side until brown and then turn them and cook until the other side is brown.  Drain on paper towel.  So crispy and soooo good!!

I just serve them up with a little fried rice and a side of soy sauce for dipping.  This post is making me hungry!  I may need to make these again soon!

Try these sometime..you will be so glad you did!!

Homemade Fried Egg Rolls

2 cups shredded napa cabbage
2-3 sliced green onions
1 cup shredded carrots
1 lb sausage, browned ( I used Jimmy Dean Lite. It's not as greasy, there is not much to drain off)
few dashes of soy sauce.
1 pkg egg roll wraps

Mix ingredients, roll in wraps.  Fry a few minutes on each side and it's supper time!!

Lemon pudding cake

This really is a 'pudding-cake'.  It has such a yummy lemon flavor and it is almost custard like. 

First off, you combine the sugar, flour and lemon zest.

The next step is to add the juice and melted butter. Then mix the egg yolks and milk and add to flour mixture.

Then beat the egg whites till stiff peaks form and fold into flour mixture.

It will look a little weird and soupy, but that ok...it's supposed to!  Bake at 350 (in a water bath*) for about 40 minutes and serve warm.  This is SO good with sweetened strawberries.  We tried it with frozen/thawed berries and with fresh ones.  It was good either way.  So light and fluffy!  I know this picture looks like scrambled eggs, but it's the only one I took!  Just trust me...it's amazing!  And really easy.

Lemon Pudding Cake
1/2 cup sugar
3 TB flour
1 tsp. lemon zest
3 TB lemon juice
2 TB butter, melted
2 slightly beaten egg yolks
1 cup milk
2 egg whites.

Combine sugar and flour.  Stir in lemon zest, juice, and butter.  Combine yolks and milk.  Add to flour mixture; stir just till combined. 
Beat egg whites till stiff peaks form (tips stand up straight).  Gently fold egg whites into lemon batter.  Transfer batter to a 1-quart casserole. (I used a 9 inch square pan) *Place in a larger pan on oven rack.  Add hot water to larger pan to a depth of 1 inch.  Bake in a 350 degree oven about 40 minutes or till golden and top springs back.  Serve warm.

Peach Cobbler Muffins!

These are the new favorite muffins around this house!  Lots of peaches, sugar, cinnamon and butter...you can't go wrong. 

You start by cutting the butter into the dry ingredients..

Next add the milk and diced peaches

These muffins also have a cinnamon/butter topping.  Cut the butter into the cinnamon and sugar until crumbly.

Now fill the muffin tin 3/4 full.  Sprinkle with topping.  I actually press the topping into the batter a little so that it works it's way down into the muffin as it bakes.

Half-way done...see the butter/cinnamon/sugar melting into the middle!  Mmmmm

 A look in the middle...so fluffy, and cinnamony, and peachy!  I think these are best when they are warm, but they aren't bad room temperature either!  I would definitely recommend using the muffin liners to bake these in though.  I was out of them and mine ended up getting too brown and they had some crunchy edges. 

Peach Cobbler Muffins

3 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1-1/2 TB baking soda

1/2 t. salt

3/4 c. butter, diced

1-3/4 c. milk

16-oz. can peaches, drained and chopped

Mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  Cut in butter with a pastry knife or a fork.  Add milk and peaches; stir just until moistened.  Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined muffin cups, filling 3/4 full.  Sprinkle topping onto muffins.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until golden.  Turn out and cool slightly on a wire rack; serve warm or cold.

Topping

2 TB butter, diced

2 TB sugar

1/2 t. cinnamon

Mix together in a small bowl until crumbly.  (I usually double the topping :-))

Raspberry Pretzel Dessert

Well, it's  been a while since I've posted a new recipe!  But hopefully I will have a few good ones for Christmas up soon.  This is a great dessert to take to family get togethers.  It's made in a  9x13 pan and it's a beautiful red and white festive looking treat!

You start by crushing the pretzels.  I just put them in a freezer bag and crushed them with a rolling pin!  You could use a food processor, but I think it's better to leave a few little pieces or else you end up with almost a pretzel flour.  Mix the pretzels with sugar and melted butter...MMMmm..., press into pan and bake for 5-7 minutes.  Let it cool.

Now you mix the cream cheese, sugar and cool whip.  Then spread over the cooled crust and chill.

Dissolve the jello in the boiling water.  Chill until partially set.  Then stir in the frozen raspberries and spread over cream cheese.  Refrigerate until set.  You can do this a little bit ahead of time, but not really the night before. The raspberries thaw and get kind of soft.  It's still good...but not as good as when it's fresh.  I made the crust and cream cheese part the night before, and then added the jello/raspberries the next morning and it worked great. 

The mixture of the tart raspberries, the sweet cream cheese, and the salty crust make for the perfect dessert!  It's not too bad for breakfast the next day either ;-)

Raspberry Pretzel Dessert
1-1/2 cups pretzels, crushed
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
8-oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
8-oz. Cool Whip, thawed
6-oz. pkg raspberry jello mix
2 cups boiling water
2 10-oz. pkgs. frozen raspberries

Mix pretzels, sugar and butter; press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 pan to form a crust.  Bake at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes; let cool. Combine cream cheese, sugar and Cool Whip; spread over baked crust and chill.  Combine jello and boiling water in a medium bowl; chill until partially set. Stir in frozen berries; spread over cream cheese layer.  Refrigerate until serving time.  Makes 12-15 servings.

crock-pot lemon chicken

We loooove this melt in your mouth lemony chicken!  After cooking in the crock pot it is just falling apart and so full of flavor. 

First off you mix together the spices and herbs, then rub onto the chicken.  I have used whole chicken breasts, but when I made this I was a little short on time so I cut the chicken into strips. 

After the spices, it's time to brown the chicken in butter...

After all of the chicken is browned, move it to the crock-pot.  To the leftover butter in the pan, add the water, lemon juice, garlic and bouillon.  Bring to a boil.

I usually double or triple the sauce ingredients just to make sure there will be plenty.  After bringing it to a boil, pour over chicken in crock-pot.

Cook on low for 3-4 hours, basting occasionally.  Thicken the cooking juices and serve with chicken and rice.

This is such a flavorful comforting meal.  It is often requested in this house by everyone!

Crock-pot lemon chicken

6 boneless chicken breasts
 1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 TB butter
1/4 cup water
3 TB lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced (I used garlic powder in with the spices)
1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
hot cooked rice

Pat chicken dry with paper towels.  Combine the oregano, seasoned salt and pepper; rub over chicken.  In a skillet over medium heat, brown the chicken in butter; transfer to a 5 qt. crock-pot.  Add water, lemon juice, garlic and bouillon to the skillet; bring to a boil, stirring to loosen browned bits.  Pour over chicken.  Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours.  Baste the chicken.  If desired, thicken cooking juices and serve over chicken and rice.