November 2016

Month: November 2016

29
Nov
2016

Gingerbread Bundt Cakes With Cinnamon Icing

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Miniature gingerbread bundt cakes with cinnamon icing are delicious, and make a wonderful gift to give friends and family during the holidays!
Do you enjoy gingerbread? I sure do. The warm flavors of the spices has always been a favorite of mine. There is quite a bit of history behind this beloved cake. You can read all about gingerbread here.

A few years ago I enjoyed making miniature Gingerbread Cakes With Cinnamon Icing to give to our neighbors and friends. Using a miniature bundt pan (preferably a 12 cup pan), I was able to make two dozen of these delicious food gifts to give away!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How Many Gingerbread Bundt Cakes Will This Recipe Make?

The recipe is simple to prepare, and as written, makes approximately 24 cute, mini bundt cakes. Each individual sized gingerbread-flavored cake is covered with a delicious creamy Cinnamon icing (or glaze), then drizzled with chocolate to “fancy” them up.

The gingerbread bundt cakes are then garnished with a pecan and a mint sprig. When I made these, I doubled the amount of cinnamon icing. With double the amount of cinnamon icing, it covered more of the top of each cake.

Another Way To Serve These Gingerbread Bundt Cakes

Another option for serving these yummy treats is to leave the cinnamon icing off of the finished cakes. When ready to serve, cover the tops of each cake with whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon. The gingerbread bundt cakes are delicious served this way, as well.

Great For Gift-Giving!

It was fun to wrap up each individual mini cake (the ones with the cinnamon icing) and decorate them with pretty seasonal Fall leaves and ribbons. Gingerbread bundt cakes are also a wonderful Christmas gift for friends who enjoy food! They are a nice homemade gift to share (from our kitchen) with our friends and neighbors.

If you enjoy giving food gifts like gingerbread bundt cakes to family and friends, be sure to check out my recipes for Spiced Tea Mix, Old-Fashioned Fudge, and Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies. These, along with other recipes for holiday goodies are available in my Recipe Index, at the top of each blog post.

The little gingerbread bundt cakes taste wonderful… they are LOADED with flavor! Sure hope you will consider making these little edible gifts for those you love! They would be a perfect food gift for the holidays!

Looking for More GINGERBREAD-INSPIRED Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have several delicious, gingerbread-inspired recipes you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so. If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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Recipe Adapted From: http://thesepeasarehollow.blogspot.com/2010/10/gingerbread-bundts.html

0 from 0 votes

Gingerbread Bundt Cakes With Cinnamon Icing

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Miniature gingerbread bundt cakes with cinnamon icing are delicious, and make a wonderful gift to give friends and family during the holidays!

Category: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gingerbread bundt cakes

Servings: 24 mini cakes

Calories Per Serving: 216 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Gingerbread Cakes:

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ salt
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 cube unsalted butter (melted, then brought to room temp.)
¾ cup dark molasses
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 egg (large)
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup milk

For Cinnamon Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
6-8 Tablespoons milk (depends on how thick or thin you want icing!)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
(OPTIONAL) Melted chocolate for drizzle, whole pecans and/or mint sprigs for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the miniature bundt pan cups.
Place flour, baking soda, salt, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, cocoa powder, cinnamon and ginger in a medium sized bowl. Whisk together until combined.
Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer, combine molasses, granulated sugar and melted (but at room temperature) butter until blended well. Add the egg to this mixture, and continue beating until ingredients are completely combined.
Slowly pour in the buttermilk, followed by the milk, beating slowly as you add, until ingredients are combined. Add the dry ingredients from the medium bowl (flour, spices, etc.) in small increments to the wet ingredients in mixing bowl, beating well after each addition. Be sure to scrape down the sides of bowl as you go. Stop mixing when ingredients have all been added and are just incorporated into batter.
Pour or spoon batter into each prepared bundt pan cup, filling each to 3/4 of the way full. Smooth the top of the batter. Bake at 350 degrees, with the pan on the middle rack of oven, for approx. 30 minutes, OR until a toothpick that is inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove pan to a wire rack. Let cakes cool for 15-20 minutes, then remove cakes from pan to wire rack.
To prepare icing: Place the powdered sugar, cinnamon and milk in medium sized bowl. Mix well with a fork until smooth. Too thin? Add powdered sugar. Too thick? Add milk. Pour or spread icing over tops of each cooled cake. Let icing firm up before serving.
If desired, drizzle melted chocolate over each cake. Garnish with a whole pecan or walnut, then add a sprig of mint for a festive garnish. Let chocolate firm up before serving or wrapping. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Gingerbread Bundt Cakes With Cinnamon Icing

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 216 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Cholesterol 28mg9%

Sodium 40mg2%

Potassium 192mg5%

Carbohydrates 34g11%

Sugar 24g27%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 270IU5%

Calcium 43mg4%

Iron 1.1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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24
Nov
2016

Happy Thanksgiving!

categories: Holidays!, Inspiration

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Happy Thanksgiving! We really do have so much to be thankful for, if you think about it. Enjoy this holiday; hopefully you will be able to carve out some quiet time of reflection, and give thanks for God’s many blessings, large or small in your life.

One of the quotes I LOVE is this “There is ALWAY something to be thankful for”. My sincere hope is that your day is filled with laughter, love, fantastic food, and the gift of family and friends. May your celebration be sweet!

From our home in Oregon to yours… Happy Thanksgiving!

May your Thanksgiving celebration be made even more special by sharing it with your loved ones. God Bless You, and truly hope you have a very happy Thanksgiving.

Interested In More Recipes?

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21
Nov
2016

Old-Fashioned Cake Doughnuts

categories: Breads, Breakfast, Doughnuts/Pastries

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You’ll be surprised how easy it is to prepare old-fashioned cake doughnuts, with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. The recipe makes 12 doughnuts + holes!

In spite of all the fancy gourmet doughnuts available at specialty shops nowadays, sometimes a simple Old-Fashioned Cake Doughnut, maybe sprinkled with powdered sugar or cinnamon-sugar hits the spot!

If and when we have doughnuts, it’s because my doughnut-crazy husband picks them up at a local doughnut shop. BUT… I wanted to try my hand at making this simple cake doughnut out of simple curiosity on the “how-to’s” of making them. I located a recipe that sounded good on Pinterest and gave it a go… with very good results!

These old-fashioned cake doughnuts do not contain yeast, so there is no time waiting for dough to rise, which is a real timesaver! They are made with simple ingredients that are typically found in most kitchens. These yummy doughnuts are very easy to prepare. Here’s how to make them:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Cake Doughnuts

Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg into a medium-sized bowl.

Mix in melted butter and stir until dough is crumbly. Stir in milk and beaten egg. Turn out the dough (it is sticky) onto a lightly floured work surface. Flour your hands a little bit, and then knead the dough lightly, adding a sprinkle or two of flour if the dough remains sticky.

Cut Out The Cake Doughnuts

Pat the dough out so that it is 1/4 inch thick. Dip a doughnut cutter or a biscuit cutter into flour, then cut out doughnuts. Be sure to dip the cutter into flour before cutting out each doughnut..

Because I used a biscuit cutter, I then used a very small cap from a bottle to cut out the center of the doughnuts. Gather scraps of leftover dough, and cut additional doughnuts out.

Cooking Old-Fashioned Cake Doughnuts

Heat oil to 375 degrees (make sure oil is at correct temperature before adding doughnuts). I used my electric skillet with a temperature gauge on it, but a meat or candy thermometer would also work!

Carefully add the doughnuts, 3-4 at a time to the hot oil. Cook them for 3 minutes, turning them over at mid-point in the cooking time. I use two chopsticks (one in center of doughnut, one on outside) to carefully flip the doughnuts over. Doughnuts should be golden brown on both sides.

Old-Fashioned Cake Doughnuts Are Done Cooking – Now What?

Place the cooked doughnuts onto several layers of paper towels to drain. Make sure oil comes back to temperature and continue cooking doughnuts until all have been prepared.

Once the doughnuts have cooled off, they are ready to serve, as is (plain and simple). If you want you can sprinkle some or all of the doughnuts with sifted powdered sugar OR sprinkle with a cinnamon-sugar mixture.

TIP: When using powdered sugar, make sure the doughnuts are totally cooled off before adding. If using cinnamon-sugar mixture, sprinkle it on while doughnuts are still hot.

However you enjoy eating cake doughnuts, I hope you consider making these. It’s nice to know that occasionally you can make your own, instead of having to go to a shop to buy them.

Have a blessed week, as you gather with family and/or friends, to give thanks to God for our many blessings, big or small. There is ALWAYS something to be grateful for!

Looking For More DOUGHNUT Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have several doughnut recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Recipe Source: http://baking.about.com/od/doughnutsanddonuts/r/plaincake.htm

0 from 0 votes

Old-Fashioned Cake Doughnuts

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

3 mins

Total Time

23 mins

You'll be surprised how easy it is to prepare old-fashioned cake doughnuts, with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. The recipe makes 12 doughnuts + holes!

Category: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake doughnuts

Servings: 12

Calories Per Serving: 140 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 Tablespoons butter , melted
1/2 cup milk
1 egg , beaten
approx. 1 quart oil , for frying
Optional: powdered sugar or cinnamon-sugar mixture for cooked doughnuts

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg into a medium-sized bowl.
Mix in melted butter-stir until dough is crumbly. Stir in milk and beaten egg. Turn out dough (it is sticky) onto a lightly floured work surface. Flour your hands and knead dough lightly, (adding a sprinkle or two of flour if dough remains sticky) until it comes together in a ball.
Pat the dough out until it is 1/4 inch thick. Dip a doughnut cutter or a biscuit cutter into flour, then cut out doughnuts (dipping cutter into flour before cutting each one). Cut out center of the doughnuts if using biscuit cutter. Gather scraps of leftover dough, and cut additional doughnuts.
Heat oil to 375 degrees (make sure oil is at correct temperature before adding dough). I used an electric skillet with temperature gauge, but a meat or candy thermometer would work! Carefully add doughnuts, 3-4 at a time to hot oil. Cook for 3 minutes, turning them over at mid-point in the cooking time. I use two chopsticks (one in center of doughnut, one on outside) to carefully flip the doughnuts over. Doughnuts should be golden brown on both sides. Place cooked doughnuts onto several layers of paper towels to drain. Bring oil back to temperature and continue cooking doughnuts and doughnut holes until all have been prepared.
Once doughnuts have cooled, they are ready to serve. If desired, sprinkle doughnuts with sifted powdered sugar OR with a cinnamon-sugar mixture. If using powdered sugar, make sure doughnuts are totally cooled off before sprinkling. If using cinnamon-sugar mixture, sprinkle it on while doughnuts are still hot.

Recipe Notes

The quantity of doughnuts made will vary, depending on the size of the doughnut or biscuit cutter used. Caloric calculation does not include optional toppings such as powdered sugar or cinnamon-sugar.

Nutrition Facts

Old-Fashioned Cake Doughnuts

Amount Per Serving (1 doughnut)

Calories 140 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 19mg6%

Sodium 221mg10%

Potassium 141mg4%

Carbohydrates 25g8%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 95IU2%

Calcium 60mg6%

Iron 1.1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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17
Nov
2016

Chicken Divan

categories: Casseroles, Chicken, Main Dishes

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Chicken Divan is a delicious, easy to make casserole, with chicken breasts and broccoli, baked in a creamy cheese sauce, and served on a bed of fluffy rice.
Over 39 years ago, just before getting married, a friend gave me this recipe for Chicken Divan. At this point in my life it would be difficult to count how many times I have made this fantastic casserole recipe over the years. It has been a family favorite!

According to Wikipedia, Chicken Divan was named after the Divan Parisienne Restaurant in New York City where it was created for a contest their Chef entered. His recipe for a chicken casserole, with broccoli, in a creamy Mornay sauce won the contest and became the restaurant’s signature dish!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How I Received This Recipe For Chicken Divan

Many years ago I was given the recipe by my friend Elnora when I was getting married. I worked for Elnora’s husband in the Music Department at the church I attended, and that is how we met. Now, over 40 years later, I am so grateful she gifted me with her recipe, because we truly LOVE this chicken divan.

The recipe makes a phenomenal tasting casserole that serves 8-10 people, and is VERY easy to prepare! Here’s how you make this: (by the way… when I took these photos I only made HALF the recipe, which is reflected in the photos).

Making Chicken Divan

Before assembling the casserole, cook boneless chicken breasts in boiling water until done. You can add onion, celery, and carrots to water for additional flavoring if desired. Remove the chicken pieces when done, and let them cool. Once chicken is cool, cut it into bite-size pieces, and set aside.

Spray a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick spray. Arrange thawed broccoli across bottom of baking pan. Sprinkle generously with grated Parmesan cheese.

Arrange the chicken cubes on top of the broccoli. Sprinkle the top of the casserole again with Parmesan cheese.

In a medium bowl, combine cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, mayonnaise, grated Cheddar, lemon juice, curry powder, salt and pepper. Mix these ingredients until they are fully combined. The sauce will be fairly thick.

Spoon or pour the sauce evenly over the top of the casserole, spreading it out, to cover. Generously sprinkle the top with additional Parmesan cheese, then lightly sprinkle with paprika.

Time To Bake The Chicken Divan!

Place several small pads of butter on the top of the chicken divan casserole. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, until golden in color. The cheese sauce should be bubbly around the edges of the pan.

When the chicken divan is done, remove the pan to a hot pad, and let it sit for 5-6 minutes. This will allow the casserole time to firm up a bit (the sauce is VERY hot!).

Time To Serve It And Eat!

When ready, serve hot over fluffy rice, and ENJOY this delicious chicken divan casserole! It’s wonderful, because you’ve got chicken, rice AND broccoli all in one dish. The leftovers are fabulous, as well.

Chunks of chicken breast taste magnificent with the sauce and broccoli. Placing it on a bed of rice provides a great medium to soak up some of the delicious sauce! It’s SOOOO delicious!

While I know this is not the most “health-conscious” or calorie-conscious meal, sometimes ya just gotta go for it and enjoy a great meal! Everything in moderation, right? Sure hope you will try this recipe… it’s a definite KEEPER!

Looking For Other CASSEROLE Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. You might also enjoy my casserole recipes for:

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so. If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You can also follow me on social media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Have a wonderful day, friends.

Recipe Source: Elnora Hall

0 from 0 votes

Chicken Divan

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

1 hr 10 mins

Chicken Divan is a delicious, easy to make casserole, with chicken breasts and broccoli, baked in a creamy cheese sauce, and served on a bed of fluffy rice.

Category: Entree - Casserole

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken divan

Servings: 10 servings

Calories Per Serving: 482 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

3 boneless , skinless chicken breasts
2 small packages frozen broccoli spears
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 carton (8 ounces) sour cream
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
Salt and pepper , to taste
Parmesan cheese (fresh grated OR can use "green shaker can")
Paprika (to sprinkle on top of casserole prior to baking)
Butter (enough for small pads of butter on top of casserole)
Rice , prepared according to instructions on package

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook chicken breasts in water (enough to cover); bring to a low boil, cook until chicken is done (about 25-30 mins.). See *NOTES. When done, remove chicken from water. Let cool, then cut into bite-sized cubes.
Spray a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick spray. Place thawed broccoli evenly on bottom of baking pan. Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese. Evenly arrange the chicken pieces over the broccoli. Sprinkle again with Parmesan cheese.
In a medium bowl, fully combine (with a spoon) cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, mayonnaise, grated cheddar cheese, lemon juice, curry powder, and salt and pepper (to taste). Pour or spoon sauce evenly over top of casserole. Spread out, to cover entire casserole. Generously sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, then lightly sprinkle with paprika. Dot the top of casserole with small pads of butter.
Bake casserole, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, until casserole is bubbling all around the edges and is golden brown in color. Remove casserole. Let it sit for 5-6 minutes to allow time to firm up just a bit.
Serve casserole hot over a bed of fluffy rice... and ENJOY!

Recipe Notes

Original recipe says to cook chicken with onion, celery & carrots for flavor. I have never done this, but include it in case you wish to do so. The original recipe also said to cook the frozen broccoli, but I find that if I thaw it out completely, then pat it dry, there is no need to cook it.

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Divan

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 482 Calories from Fat 261

% Daily Value*

Fat 29g45%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Cholesterol 61mg20%

Sodium 734mg32%

Potassium 433mg12%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 17g34%

Vitamin A 605IU12%

Vitamin C 41.7mg51%

Calcium 156mg16%

Iron 1.4mg8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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14
Nov
2016

Lime, Cranberry & Raspberry Refresher

categories: Beverages

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Lime Cranberry Raspberry Refresher is a family-friendly, delicious, sparkling, non-alcoholic beverage everyone can enjoy, especially on warm days!

Looking for a great tasting, bubbly beverage everyone can enjoy during the upcoming holidays? How about a Lime Cranberry Raspberry Refresher? This non-alcoholic beverage also contains apple juice and sparkling water, and I think you will really like it!

The lime cranberry raspberry refresher recipe is absolutely simple to prepare (ready in 3 minutes!), and makes eight, 1 cup servings. It is full of cranberry-raspberry juice, apple juice, and lime infused sparkling water, so this drink has plenty of flavor!

I found the recipe in a cookbook I own called “Cooking Light – Fresh Food Superfast”, changed the recipe up just a bit, and REALLY enjoyed it! The cookbook got it right – a pitcher of this delicious drink certainly IS super fast to prepare!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At the Bottom Of The Page

Lime Cranberry Raspberry Refresher Is Also Perfect For The Holidays!

If you want to make a festive non-alcoholic beverage that everyone can enjoy (including the kids), consider making this refreshing drink during the holidays. You can add fresh or frozen raspberries and/or frozen cranberries to each drink, and garnish each glass with a lime wedge, to make it even more festive looking!

Looking For Other Refreshing, Family-Friendly Drinks?

If you enjoy or are searching for other sparkling beverages like this that are non-alcoholic, you might also really enjoy my recipes for Pineapple, Lime and Mint Agua Fresca , Watermelon, Lime and Mint Agua Fresca, or homemade Blackberry Soda. All are equally delicious!

Any of these cold, refreshing beverages would taste GREAT on a hot day… don’t ya think?

Sure hope you enjoy this colorful, bubbly and flavorful lime cranberry raspberry refresher! We sure do. Have a wonderful day, and be sure to check out ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page.

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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Recipe Adapted from: The cookbook called “Cooking Light – Fresh Food Superfast”, page 150, published 2011, Time Home Entertainment, Inc.

0 from 0 votes

Lime, Cranberry & Raspberry Refresher

Prep Time

3 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Total Time

3 mins

Lime Cranberry Raspberry Refresher is a family-friendly, delicious, sparkling, non-alcoholic beverage everyone can enjoy, especially on warm days!

Category: Beverage

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lime cranberry raspberry refresher

Servings: 8 servings

Calories Per Serving: 86 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

4 cups cranberry-raspberry juice
2 cups apple juice
2 cups lime flavored sparkling water
Ice cubes (optional, but recommended)
Fresh raspberries or frozen cranberries (optional)
Thin lime wedges (as garnish for glass-optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pour the cranberry-raspberry juice and apple juice into a large pitcher. Stir in 2 cups sparkling LIME water, until combined.
Serve drink over ice cubes.
(Optional) Add frozen cranberries OR fresh or frozen raspberries to each glass (for decoration).
Garnish glass with a thin lime wedge, if desired.
Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

If you wish to make this up ahead of serving time, mix cranberry/raspberry juice and apple juice in pitcher. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, add cold lime sparkling water to pitcher. Serve over ice, and other garnishes.

Nutrition Facts

Lime, Cranberry & Raspberry Refresher

Amount Per Serving (1 serving (8 oz.))

Calories 86

% Daily Value*

Sodium 29mg1%

Potassium 160mg5%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Sugar 21g23%

Vitamin A 55IU1%

Vitamin C 12.3mg15%

Calcium 21mg2%

Iron 0.4mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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10
Nov
2016

Chocolate Cream Cheese Danish

categories: Breads, Breakfast, Doughnuts/Pastries

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You’re gonna LOVE this decadent chocolate cream cheese danish! This chocolate filled pastry is EASY to make, using store bought crescent roll dough!

If you enjoy a good pastry AND enjoy chocolate, I’m pretty sure you will love this recipe for a Chocolate Cream Cheese Danish I found online recently. Added bonus? It’s EASY to make! This pastry is super easy to prepare, because it starts with a can of store-bought crescent rolls, and only takes about 30 minutes total to prepare! Let me show you just how easy it is to make this treat!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make A Chocolate Cream Cheese Danish

Before beginning, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. (See? I told you this would be EASY!). Mix together room temperature cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla extract in a small bowl. I used an electric mixer to do this and it was mixed in a flash! Once it is creamy and thoroughly combined, set aside.

Open the can of crescent dough; without separating the triangles, unroll the dough and place it onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Using your fingers, press the dough together to close all the holes (perforations) up, so you have one complete piece of dough.

Filling The Pastry

Once you have pressed all the holes in the dough together, drop the cream cheese filling (by spoonfuls) in the center, down the length of the dough. Make sure to evenly spread the filling out, so that the filling for the chocolate cream cheese danish is between 2-3 inches wide.

Evenly sprinkle the chopped chocolate over the top of the cream cheese filling.

Cutting The Pastry Strips For “Braiding”

Starting at one end of the pastry, cut 1 inch strips (at a slight angle toward the top) into both sides of the dough. Cut in until it reaches the filling.

Pull the strips up and over the filling making sure to alternate sides (L,R,L,R, etc) until entire chocolate cream cheese danish has been “braided. Tuck in any extra bits of dough that you may end up with, on each end of the roll.

Once the chocolate cream cheese danish has been braided and rolled, it’s time to bake it, after it gets one more special touch. Give the chocolate cream cheese danish an “egg bath” BEFORE baking. To do this, whisk an egg YOLK in a small bowl, then brush the surface of the pastry roll with the beaten yolk.

Ready To Bake!

Bake the chocolate cream cheese danish at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown in color. Remove the pastry from the oven and place it (still on the parchment paper) onto a wire rack to cool. Let it cool COMPLETELY.

Make The Glaze For The Chocolate Cream Cheese Danish

While the chocolate cream cheese danish is cooling, make the glaze to top the pastry. Mix together a simple glaze of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl, until smooth. Once the pastry has cooled completely, decoratively drizzle the glaze back and forth across the pastry until all the glaze is gone.

The parchment paper will help to collect any run-off glaze, and will help to make it an easy cleanup. Let the chocolate cream cheese danish rest, while the glaze firms up.

The pastry is ready to serve, once the glaze on top has become firm. When ready to serve, cut the pastry into slices, grab a cup of coffee or tea… and dig in!

This chocolate pastry is decadently rich, creamy, and filled with chocolate, so obviously it’s not something you want to eat every day, but for an occasional treat! It really is delicious! A small piece goes a long way! Sure hope you enjoy this chocolate cream cheese danish. We sure do. Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day.

Looking For More Delicious Breakfast Treats Like This?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of yummy breakfast treats, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Recipe Source: http://www.laurenslatest.com/chocolate-cream-cheese-danish/

0 from 0 votes

Chocolate Cream Cheese Danish

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

You're gonna LOVE this decadent chocolate cream cheese danish! This chocolate filled pastry is EASY to make, using store bought crescent roll dough!

Category: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate cream cheese danish

Servings: 8 servings

Calories Per Serving: 330 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Pastry:

1 can crescent rolls
8 ounces cream cheese , softened (at room temp)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ounces chopped semi-sweet chocolate
1 egg yolk , beaten (for brushing onto rolled pastry before baking)

For Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Before beginning, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
Cream together softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, flour and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
Unroll the crescent dough without separating any of the triangles. Keep the dough all in one piece! Place dough onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, then press together all the perforations in the dough with your fingers.
Spoon the cream cheese filling down the center of the dough lengthwise. Spread the dough out so it is 2-3 inches wide in center of roll.
Evenly sprinkle chopped chocolate on top of the cream cheese filling.
Cut 1 inch strips of dough evenly on each side of the filling (at a slight angle toward the top).
Starting at top, lift pieces of dough and pull up and over filling, alternating sides as you go, so that you end up with a somewhat "braided" pastry. (Left side strip, Right side strip, etc.). Tuck any leftover pieces of dough into the ends.
Beat an egg yolk in a small dish. Using a pastry brush, gently "paint" the yolk over the surface of the pastry until covered. Place pastry in a preheated 375 degree oven; bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown in color. Remove pastry (keeping the parchment paper underneath) to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
Mix together glaze ingredients until smooth. Once pastry is completely cool, decoratively drizzle glaze over surface of pastry. Let glaze firm up, then cut into slices, serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Chocolate Cream Cheese Danish

Amount Per Serving (1 slice)

Calories 330 Calories from Fat 171

% Daily Value*

Fat 19g29%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Cholesterol 56mg19%

Sodium 315mg14%

Potassium 79mg2%

Carbohydrates 37g12%

Sugar 26g29%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 415IU8%

Calcium 35mg4%

Iron 1.1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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07
Nov
2016

Honey BBQ Chicken Strips

categories: Chicken

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Fantastic tasting honey BBQ chicken strips are marinated, seasoned & browned chicken breast tenders, covered with a sweet/sticky honey BBQ sauce and baked.
My husband and I really enjoyed a new (to us) recipe for Honey BBQ Chicken Strips that I made recently. Sweet and slightly sticky from a Honey/BBQ sauce, these nicely seasoned, browned, then baked chicken strips were fantastic!

Best part? The honey bbq chicken strips were full of flavor… and didn’t take too much time to make! NOTE: I only made a HALF recipe since only two of us were eating, so that is reflected in my photos.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of the Page

How To Make Honey BBQ Chicken Strips

Cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into strips. Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a medium sized bowl, cover with 2 cups of buttermilk, and stir to fully coat the chicken pieces.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate/marinate chicken for at least 2 hours. When chicken is nearly done marinating, preheat oven to 350 degrees and prep the remaining ingredients.

Make The Coating For Chicken and Mix The BBQ Sauce

Mix together 2 cups buttermilk and hot sauce in a small bowl. Set the bowl aside.
Stir together flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika in a second bowl. Set the bowl aside.
Mix together the BBQ sauce, honey and apple cider vinegar in a third bowl. Set the bowl aside.

Prepare The Chicken Strips For Cooking

Once the chicken is done marinating, remove the chicken strips from the buttermilk and let excess buttermilk drip back into bowl. Dip and fully cover the chicken strips (one at a time) in:

FLOUR MIXTURE (shake off excess), then
BUTTERMILK MIXTURE (letting excess drip off), then
Back in to the FLOUR MIXTURE. Set all the coated pieces of chicken on a large plate or platter until all pieces are finished being coated. It’s a tad messy, but keep going… it will be worth it!

Cook The Chicken Strips

Heat vegetable oil in large skillet. Heat oil to 350-360 degrees (use a thermometer if you have one). Once the oil is at the correct temperature and is really hot, gently place the chicken strips in the oil. Cook in batches, if necessary.

Fry the chicken strips until they are golden brown, and then flip them over and cook the other side. Once both sides are golden brown, remove to wire rack or paper towels. The chicken will be baked after this step, so strips don’t have to be fully cooked through.

Bake The Honey BBQ Chicken Strips

Using a pastry brush, cover the chicken strips with the BBQ/Honey mixture on both sides. Place the coated strips onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake the honey bbq chicken strips at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until fully cooked.

Time To Serve Honey BBQ Chicken Strips

When done, remove the chicken strips from the oven. Sprinkle each of the pieces with sesame seeds and/or parsley (fresh or dried) for a garnish (optional). Serve the honey bbq chicken strips while hot… and enjoy!

I served the honey bbq chicken strips for our dinner, with a small salad and rice on the side. The strips would also be a great “snack/appetizer” treat for munching on while watching football or a great game on TV with a friends or family! These delicious pieces of chicken have great flavor, and the sticky sweet BBQ sauce makes them “lip-smacking delicious”!

I sure hope you will consider making these delicious honey bbq chicken strips. I am thankful to have found the recipe from Trish, at “Mom On Time Out”. It’s a “keeper”. Have a blessed day!

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find all my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of chicken recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe Source: http://www.momontimeout.com/2015/08/honey-bbq-chicken-strips-recipe/

0 from 0 votes

Honey BBQ Chicken Strips

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Fantastic tasting honey BBQ chicken strips are marinated, seasoned & browned chicken breast tenders, covered with a sweet/sticky honey BBQ sauce and baked.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: honey BBQ chicken strips

Servings: 6 -8 servings

Calories Per Serving: 553 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken tenders or boneless chicken breasts , cut into long strips)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Vegetable oil (for frying... at least 1 inch deep)
4 cups buttermilk (divided)
1 Tablespoon hot sauce
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Sesame seeds/parsley (Optional, for garnish)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Season chicken strips with salt and pepper. Place in a medium sized bowl, cover with 2 cups of buttermilk, and stir to fully coat chicken pieces. Cover bowl, and refrigerate/marinate chicken for at least 2 hours. When chicken is nearly done marinating, preheat oven to 350 degrees and prep the remaining ingredients.
In medium bowl, mix together 2 cups buttermilk and hot sauce. Set aside.
In small bowl, stir together flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Set aside.
In shallow bowl, mix together BBQ sauce, honey and apple cider vinegar. Set aside.
When chicken is done marinating, remove strips from buttermilk and let excess drip off. Place chicken strips (coating one at a time) in FLOUR MIXTURE, then BUTTERMILK MIXTURE, then put back in FLOUR MIXTURE to coat. I set all the coated pieces on a large platter until all were coated.
Heat vegetable oil in large skillet. Heat oil to 350-360 degrees (use a thermometer if you have one). Once the oil is at the correct temperature and is really hot, gently place the chicken strips in the oil. Fry until golden brown; flip over and cook other side. Cook in batches, if necessary. Once both sides are golden brown, remove to wire rack or paper towels (chicken will be baked, so strips don't have to be fully cooked through).
Using a pastry brush, cover the chicken strips with the BBQ/Honey mixture on both sides. Place the coated strips onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until fully cooked. When done, remove from oven, sprinkle with sesame seeds and/or dried parsley for a garnish (optional). Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Honey BBQ Chicken Strips

Amount Per Serving (1 serving (1.5 pieces))

Calories 553 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 114mg38%

Sodium 1667mg72%

Potassium 951mg27%

Carbohydrates 71g24%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 35g39%

Protein 42g84%

Vitamin A 580IU12%

Vitamin C 3.7mg4%

Calcium 214mg21%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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03
Nov
2016

Crispy Homemade French Fries

categories: Appetizers, Side Dishes

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Crispy Homemade French Fries (restaurant quality) are EASY to make at home, using this classic 2 step process that ensures a crisp exterior, but soft inside!
I LOVE french fries, which is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because Crispy Homemade French Fries are easy to make and delicious, and a curse, because they are easy to make and delicious! See my dilemma? Uh Huh.

I tried a recipe for beer battered fish last year, and ended up making some homemade french fries (chips) to serve on the side. Boy, oh boy… they were delicious, and actually very easy to make. Crispy on the outside… soft on the inside. Thought I’d share it with you.

By the way… do you know the history of how french fries came to be? There’s an interesting article on Wikipedia that is full of interesting facts you might enjoy reading.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Here’s How To Make Delicious Homemade French Fries:

Peel, rinse, and then cut the potatoes, by slicing them lengthwise into 1 inch slices. Cut each slice into finger thickness sized strips. Dry the potatoes as much as you can by patting them dry with paper towels.

Heat oil in large skillet or stock pot until it reaches 350 degrees. I used my electric skillet, which has a temperature gauge on it. (No electric skillet? Try using a meat or candy thermometer to get the accurate temperature).

Cooking Homemade French Fries

To ensure you get a good “fry” on the potatoes, make sure the oil is heated to 350 degrees. Carefully add cut, dried potatoes into the hot oil. Let them cook for about 8 minutes, turning to cook on both sides.

Remove the french fries from the hot oil. Use a slotted spatula or slotted spoon to help remove them, letting excess hot oil drip back into the skillet.

Place hot potatoes onto a baking pan or a wire rack with paper towels underneath, to drain the oil off of them (without the paper towels sticking to the fries). Then let the fries rest on paper towels for just a minute while you reheat oil back to temp.

Cook The Homemade French Fries A SECOND Time!

Heat the oil back to 350 degrees. Once oil is at temperature again, carefully add the fries for a second cooking (this is what gives them a crispy texture on the outside). Cook for 3-4 additional minutes, until crispy and hot! Remove chips and drain on paper towels once again.

Season to taste with salt (or seasoning salt). Serve and enjoy your crispy homemade french fries!

It’s really easy to make delicious and crispy homemade french fries in the comfort of your own kitchen. The key is cooking them twice and the temperature of the oil being ACCURATE and hot enough. If I can do it, so can YOU. Hope you have a great day, and please pass the ketchup to dip my fries in, okay?

Looking For More SIDE DISH Recipes?

You can find all my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a good variety of side dishes you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a FANTASTIC day!

0 from 0 votes

Crispy Homemade French Fries

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

11 mins

Total Time

16 mins

Crispy Homemade French Fries (restaurant quality) are EASY to make at home, using this classic 2 step process that ensures a crisp exterior, but soft inside!

Category: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: homemade french fries

Servings: 4 servings

Calories Per Serving: 216 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

3 large russet potatoes
Vegetable oil (enough for 2 inches depth in skillet)
Salt (or seasoning salt), to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Peel, rinse, then cut potatoes, by slicing potatoes lengthwise into 1 inch slices, then cutting each slice into finger thickness sized strips. Dry the potatoes as much as you can by patting them dry with paper towels. The drier the potato strips, the less oil splatters you should have.
Heat oil (enough to cover skillet with 2 inches of oil) in large skillet or stock pot until it reaches 350 degrees. Use a thermometer (meat or candy) to gauge temperature. I used my electric skillet, which has a temperature gauge on it. Carefully place cut, dried potatoes into hot oil. Let them cook for about 8 minutes, turning to cook on both sides. Remove potatoes from hot oil (I used a slotted spatula to help remove them). Place hot potatoes onto a baking pan or a wire rack with paper towels underneath, to drain the oil off of them).
Let them rest for just a minute while you reheat oil temperature back to 350 degrees.
Carefully add the chips for a second "fry". Cook for 3-4 additional minutes, until crispy and hot! Carefully remove fries from hot oil with a slotted spatula or spoon and drain on paper towels.
Season to taste with salt (or seasoning salt). Serve hot, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Crispy Homemade French Fries

Amount Per Serving (1 -1/4 of total)

Calories 216 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Sodium 7mg0%

Potassium 666mg19%

Carbohydrates 28g9%

Fiber 2g8%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin C 9.1mg11%

Calcium 21mg2%

Iron 1.4mg8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Month: November 2016

How Many Gingerbread Bundt Cakes Will This Recipe Make?

Another Way To Serve These Gingerbread Bundt Cakes

Great For Gift-Giving!

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How To Make Cake Doughnuts

Cut Out The Cake Doughnuts

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How I Received This Recipe For Chicken Divan

Making Chicken Divan

Time To Bake The Chicken Divan!

Time To Serve It And Eat!

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Lime Cranberry Raspberry Refresher Is Also Perfect For The Holidays!

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How To Make A Chocolate Cream Cheese Danish

Filling The Pastry

Cutting The Pastry Strips For “Braiding”

Ready To Bake!

Make The Glaze For The Chocolate Cream Cheese Danish

Looking For More Delicious Breakfast Treats Like This?

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How To Make Honey BBQ Chicken Strips

Make The Coating For Chicken and Mix The BBQ Sauce

Prepare The Chicken Strips For Cooking

Cook The Chicken Strips

Bake The Honey BBQ Chicken Strips

Time To Serve Honey BBQ Chicken Strips

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Here’s How To Make Delicious Homemade French Fries:

Cooking Homemade French Fries

Cook The Homemade French Fries A SECOND Time!

Looking For More SIDE DISH Recipes?

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media: Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks! Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks! Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks