Month: December 2018


Dec
2018

Mini Zucchini Loaves with Browned Butter Icing

categories: Breads, Breakfast
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Mini zucchini loaves (with creamy browned butter icing) are a delicious treat or snack. This easy recipe makes 2 mini loaves, which are perfect for gift-giving!
Mini zucchini loaves, with creamy browned butter icing are a delicious treat or snack. Easy recipe makes 2 mini loaves, perfect for gift-giving!

This past Fall, I saw a recipe for a zucchini cake that had amazing looking frosting on it, and knew I had to try it! The twist to the original recipe came when I decided to make mini zucchini loaves out of the recipe (instead of a cake), but still use the creamy frosting!

The recipe was very easy to make, and yielded two very moist, absolutely scrumptious mini zucchini loaves. My husband and I shared a loaf over the next couple of days, and we gave the second loaf to one of our neighbors.  Oh YUM… what a great tasting treat!

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

How To Make Mini Zucchini Loaves

The process is very easy to make this bread. Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F. Stir the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Set the bowl with these dry ingredients aside until later.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs well. Add the granulated sugar to the eggs, and beat well again, until combined and sugar has dissolved. Stir vanilla extract and vegetable oil into the egg mixture, until fully combined. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the egg mixture, and stir the ingredients just until the mixture is combined.

Mixing dry ingredients, then adding eggs, sugar and vanilla to better for mini zucchini loaves.

Add the chopped walnuts (or pecans) and the grated, drained zucchini to the batter (see tip below for “draining” zucchini). Gently stir the zucchini and nuts in, until combined. This is the batter for the mini zucchini loaves. See how EASY that was?

Adding dry ingredients, zucchini and nuts to batter for mini zucchini loaves.

TIP For “Draining” Zucchini

You can easily “drain” the shredded zucchini between layers of paper towels, to help absorb a lot of the moisture from the veggie. Trust me, you don’t want wet, soggy zucchini in your mini zucchini loaves!

To do this, lay out several layers of paper towel, and place all of the grated zucchini on top.  Add a couple layers of paper towels on top of the zucchini, and press down to absorb lots of excess moisture. Who knew zucchini had so much moisture in it? You will be glad you did this!

Draining shredded zucchini between layers of paper towels, to absorb moisture.

Baking The Mini Zucchini Loaves

Once you have your batter prepared for the mini zucchini loaves, it’s time to BAKE!  Divide the batter evenly into 2 greased mini sized bread loaf pans. Bake the mini zucchini loaves in a preheated 350°F oven for 40-45 minutes. Since oven temps vary greatly, be sure to check the loaves at 35 minutes, then 40, to make sure they are completely “done” .

To test their “doneness”, simply insert a toothpick into the top center of a loaf. If the toothpick comes out “clean” (with no wet batter hanging on for dear life), the loaves are done. The mini zucchini loaves should also be nice and golden brown on the outside. Transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool completely before covering them with browned butter icing.

Baking mini zucchini loaves in oven and 2 finished loaves, out of oven.

Making Browned Butter Icing For Mini Zucchini Loaves

To make the browned butter icing, melt 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter in a skillet on medium low heat. Cook the butter on this temperature until the color starts to change slightly to golden brown.

Turn the temperature down to low heat.  The milk solids will begin to turn into brown specks in the liquid (see middle photo below).  Continue cooking, taking care to not let it burn, until butter is a nice brown color (photo on right, below). Remove skillet from the heat.

3 photos showing how to brown butter for the icing for mini zucchini loaves.

Let the browned butter cool for 5-6 minutes, then add the powdered sugar.  Add cinnamon and vanilla, and then thin the icing out by adding the milk. Stir to combine. If necessary, add a tiny bit more milk (if needed), to create a spreadable consistency for the icing for the mini zucchini loaves.

Powdered sugar and cinnamon are added to icing mixture for mini zucchini loaves.

Evenly divide the browned butter icing between the two mini zucchini loaves. Spread as much (or as little) as you want onto the loaves. I used it all on the two loaves, and the icing was nice and thick on top!

Two mini zucchini loaves are topped with browned butter icing.

Time To EAT!

Let the mini zucchini loaves sit for a few minutes, to give the icing a chance to firm up a little bit. The only remaining step left is to slice a nice piece… and EAT IT! YUMMY! The mini zucchini loaves are very moist, full of cute little pieces of zucchini and chopped nuts, flavored with cinnamon and taste WONDERFUL. The browned butter frosting takes it OVER THE TOP to Flavor Town! Enjoy!

A slice of one of the mini zucchini loaves is held in hand before eating!

Sure do hope you will consider trying this recipe for mini zucchini loaves, with browned butter icing. Pour yourself a hot cup of coffee or tea, and enjoy a slice (or two). Have a GREAT day!

By the way, if you are looking for more homemade sweet bread loaf recipes, I hope you will check out a few favorites. These and ALL my recipes can be found in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page.

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 (1st and 15th) 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 Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

Recipe Adapted From: https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/end-of-summer-zucchini-cake-with-browned-butter-frosting/

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Mini Zucchini Loaves with Browned Butter Icing
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Resting Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
 

Mini zucchini loaves (with creamy browned butter icing) are a delicious treat or snack. This easy recipe makes 2 mini loaves, perfect for gift-giving!

Category: Bread/Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: mini zucchini loaves
Servings: 10 servings (2 mini loaves)
Calories Per Serving: 385 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Bread:
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pinch baking powder
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup shredded zucchini , drained and packed into cup
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
For Browned Butter Icing:
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 cups confectioner's sugar (powdered)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 Tablespoons milk, to thin , plus additional if needed
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Stir the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

  2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs well. Add the granulated sugar to the eggs, and beat well again, until combined and sugar has dissolved. Stir vanilla extract and vegetable oil into the egg mixture, until fully combined. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the egg mixture, and stir the ingredients just until the mixture is combined. Add chopped walnuts (or pecans) and the grated, drained zucchini to the batter. Gently stir zucchini and nuts in, until combined. TIP TO DRAIN ZUCCHINI: Lay out several layers of paper towel, and place grated zucchini on top.  Add a couple layers of paper towels on top of the zucchini, and press down to absorb lots of excess moisture.

  3. Divide batter evenly into 2 greased mini sized bread loaf pans. Bake in 350°F oven for 40-45 minutes. Since oven temps vary greatly, be sure to check the loaves at 35 minutes, then 40 etc., to make sure they are done. To test "doneness", insert a toothpick into the top center of a loaf. If it comes out "clean" (with no wet batter hanging on for dear life), loaves are done. Transfer loaves to a wire rack to cool completely before removing from pan and covering with  icing.

To Make Browned Butter Icing:

  1. Melt butter in a skillet on medium low heat. Cook the butter at this temperature until the color starts to change slightly to golden brown. Once golden brown, lower the temperature to low heat.  The milk solids will begin to turn into brown specks in the liquid.  Continue cooking, taking care NOT to let it burn, until the butter is a deep brown color. Remove skillet from the heat.

  2. Let the browned butter cool for 5-6 minutes, then add powdered sugar.  Add cinnamon and vanilla, then thin the icing out by adding milk. Stir to combine. If necessary, add a tiny bit more milk, to create a spreadable consistency for the icing. Evenly divide the browned butter icing between the two mini zucchini loaves. Let the loaves sit for a few minutes, to give the icing a chance to firm up.  Slice each mini loaf into 5 pieces, serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Mini Zucchini Loaves with Browned Butter Icing
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 385 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Cholesterol 9mg3%
Sodium 229mg10%
Potassium 75mg2%
Carbohydrates 55g18%
Sugar 44g49%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 130IU3%
Vitamin C 2.2mg3%
Calcium 16mg2%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Mini zucchini loaves (with creamy browned butter icing) are a delicious treat or snack. This easy recipe makes 2 mini loaves, perfect for gift-giving!


Dec
2018

Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla

categories: Chicken, Lunch - Quick and Easy, Main Dishes, Mexican / Southwestern
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You’ll love this easy, tasty, grilled Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla with salsa verde, corn, and cheddar cheese, served with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.
You'll love this easy grilled Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla with salsa verde, corn & cheddar cheese, served with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.

I don’t know about you, but we LOVE Mexican food in our home. We especially love tacos, enchiladas and quesadillas!  Sometimes people tend to think of quesadillas only as melted cheese on a flour tortilla, and call that a quesadilla.

While that type of quesadilla tastes okay, we like to serve them loaded with more ingredients at our house, to really make it a MEAL!  We’ve enjoyed these so many times over the years I can’t even begin to count! The cooking process for cooking a plain or loaded quesadilla is the same. I really think you’re gonna like eating this filling chicken black bean quesadilla a whole lot MORE than a plain one!

Occasionally I change up the recipe a bit, depending on what we have in the pantry at the moment. However, the core recipe I came up with over 30 years ago almost always stays the same.  I am glad to share it with you today!

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

How To Make This Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla

Quesadillas are simple to make, taste absolutely delicious, and are a super simple dinner to throw together after a busy day! You can save time by using leftover cooked chicken breasts or a rotisserie chicken!

For each chicken black bean quesadilla, place grated cheddar cheese, sliced green onions and cooked chicken breast chunks onto ONE HALF of the flour tortilla. Once you have all the filling ingredients ready to go, it’s amazing how quickly you can throw several of these quesadillas together!

Cheese, chicken and green onions are placed on a flour tortilla half for chicken black bean quesadilla.

Evenly distribute the corn, black beans and a spoonful of the salsa verde sauce to each chicken black bean quesadilla.  Remember to leave one half of the tortilla bare.

Black beans and corn are added to tortilla for chicken black bean quesadilla.

Green sauce (salsa verde) is added to chicken black bean quesadilla.

Grilling The Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla

The empty half of the flour tortilla is folded up and over the toppings for the quesadilla. Each of the quesadilla halves are placed onto a lightly oiled grill (or large skillet) on medium low heat. NOTE: If using a large skillet, you may need to cook these in batches.

Cook each chicken black bean quesadilla for a few minutes on medium low heat until golden brown on the bottom.

Carefully turn each quesadilla to the other side using a spatula. Continue cooking until the bottom side has turned nice and golden brown as well. When done, the cheese should be melted and the other fillings should be heated through.

Each chicken black bean quesadilla is folded in half and place on griddle to cook.

Each chicken black bean quesadilla is turned to other side when golden brown during cooking.

Slicing The Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla

Once the chicken black bean quesadilla is done cooking, carefully remove two halves (at a time) to a cutting board or surface.

It’s been my experience that a pizza cutter (or a really sharp knife) works really well to slice the quesadilla into serving portions. Slice the quesadilla similar to how you would cut a pizza, into 3 slices per half.

Each chicken black bean quesadilla is sliced using a pizza cutter, when done.

Each chicken black bean quesadilla half is sliced into three pieces.

Garnishing The Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla For Serving

In the photo below I placed 2 quesadilla halves on a plate all together, to garnish and photograph the finished meal. It sure looks GOOD once it is “prettied up” a bit, right?

The grilled, sliced chicken black bean quesadilla is garnished with additional grated cheddar, shredded lettuce, diced fresh tomatoes, salsa verde sauce, and a dollop of sour cream! A typical serving would be 3 slices per person, but if you’re REALLY hungry (and don’t mind the extra calories), go for the whole thing!

Chicken black bean quesadilla is garnished with lettuce, tomato, sour cream and salsa verde.

You can see the chunks of chicken breasts, melted cheese and black beans inside a slice of the chicken black bean quesadilla! This is one great tasting quesadilla, whether you pick up each slice like pizza OR use a fork for each bite! Yum!

Side view of a slice of chicken black bean quesadilla.

I really hope you will give this recipe for a delicious chicken black bean quesadilla a try! The quesadillas are really easy to make, and they sure do taste GREAT! Have a fantastic day, friends. Make it a good one!

Looking For More Tex-Mex Recipes?

You can ALL of my recipes using the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. Some of our favorite Tex-Mex recipes include:

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 (1st and 15th) 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 Find Me On Social Media:

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

Have a GREAT day!

Author's signature

Recipe Source: my hungry brain…

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

5 from 1 vote
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Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
6 mins
Total Time
16 mins
 
You'll love this easy grilled Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla with salsa verde, corn & cheddar cheese, served with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.
Category: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chicken black bean quesadilla
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 394 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4 flour tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts , pre-cooked
  • 1 stalk green onions , white and green parts
  • 6 Tablespoons whole kernel corn (canned) , drained
  • 6 Tablespoons black beans (canned) , drained
  • 4 Tablespoons salsa verde sauce , or substitute red salsa
  • cooking spray or vegetable oil , for grill or skillet
For Garnish (OPTIONAL):
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
  • 1/2 cup fresh tomato , diced
  • 4 teaspoons salsa verde sauce
  • 4 Tablespoons sour cream
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. For each quesadilla, place grated cheddar cheese, sliced green onions and cooked chicken breast chunks onto ONE HALF of a flour tortilla. Evenly distribute corn, black beans and a spoonful of the salsa verde sauce to each quesadilla.  Leave one half of each tortilla bare.

  2. Fold empty half of tortilla up and over the toppings. Place each quesadilla half on a lightly oiled or sprayed flat grill (or large skillet) on medium low heat. NOTE: If using a large skillet, you may need to cook these in batches. Cook for a few minutes on medium low heat until golden brown on the bottom. Carefully turn each quesadilla to the other side, and continue cooking until the bottom is golden brown. When done, cheese should be melted and filling heated through. 

  3. Transfer each quesadilla to a cutting board. Slice each half into 3 pieces. Garnish with cheese, lettuce, diced tomatoes, salsa verde, and a dollop of sour cream! Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Caloric calculation is for three quesadilla slices, and includes all garnish toppings (salsa verde, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and sour cream).

Nutrition Facts
Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla
Amount Per Serving (1 (3 slices))
Calories 394 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Cholesterol 84mg28%
Sodium 822mg36%
Potassium 507mg14%
Carbohydrates 26g9%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 27g54%
Vitamin A 795IU16%
Vitamin C 4.4mg5%
Calcium 368mg37%
Iron 2.1mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You'll love this easy, tasty, grilled Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla with salsa verde, corn, and cheddar cheese, served with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.


Dec
2018

Apple Cream Cheese Pastries

categories: Breads, Breakfast, Doughnuts/Pastries
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Apple cream cheese pastries are easy to make baked puff pastry sheets, topped with a sweet cream cheese spread, apple pie filling, and vanilla icing!
Apple cream cheese pastries are easy to make baked puff pastry sheets, topped with a sweet cream cheese spread, apple pie filling, and vanilla icing!

A few years ago I made some puff pastry tarts that had a variety of flavored jams on top, and we really enjoyed them a LOT! Last year I wanted to experiment a bit with my original recipe. I made a couple very slight changes to my original recipe for Fruit and Cheese Danish Pastry, and used some of my own home-canned apple pie filling, to create a NEW version!

A sweet friend of mine named Grace had knee replacement surgery just over a year ago, so I took dinner over to her home while she was recuperating. I also took her family some of these apple cream cheese pastries, for dessert (or a quick breakfast treat)!

The results turned out wonderful, and she told me they loved them, so now I am FINALLY getting the recipe for these dessert OR breakfast treats on the ol’ blog! Better late than never, right? They are fairly simply to make! Here’s how:

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

Make The Cream Cheese Filling

In a medium sized bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and milk (or half and half) together, using an electric mixer. Mix the filling for 2-3 minutes, until mixture is very smooth and sugar has dissolved. Set this mixture aside, once spreadable.

Cream cheese filling in bowl, used for apple cream cheese pastries.

How To Prepare Pastry Dough For Apple Cream Cheese Pastries

Remove a sheet of puff pastry from the freezer, and let it thaw slightly (for about 15 minutes) before unfolding it. While the dough is thawing, preheat your oven to 400° F.

Once the dough has slightly thawed, gently unfold it. Press the dough together where any line perforations may be, to form one large piece of dough.

Cut the pastry dough into 8 rectangles. Do this by cutting the dough in half, then cut each half in half. Finally, cut each of the 4 squares in half once again. You should end up with 8 equal sized rectangles. I use a pizza cutter for nice even cuts!

Cutting puff pastry dough to make individual apple cream cream cheese pastries.

Place the 8 rectangles of dough onto 2 parchment paper lined baking sheets. Place 4 pastries per baking sheet, and make sure to leave a couple inches between each pastry.

Scoring A Border On The Pastry Dough

Using a sharp knife, score a border all the way around each of the pastries, about half an inch from the outside edge. By cutting this border in the dough, the edges will rise up and hold the filling in better! Don’t forget to do this step! IMPORTANT: Make sure to NOT cut all the way through the dough to the bottom!

Evenly distribute the cream cheese filling into middle of each of the apple cream cheese pastries. Use a knife or small spatula to spread the filling over the dough, BUT STAY INSIDE THE BORDER!

Placing the cream cheese filling onto pastry dough, for apple cream cheese pastries.Cream cheese filling is placed onto puff pastry rectangles.

Add The Apple Pie Filling

Place approx. 2 Tablespoons of apple pie filling onto the cream cheese filling. Gently spread the apple pie filling over the cream cheese, to cover most of  the apple cream cheese pastries!

Apple pie filling is placed on top of cream cheese on pastry.

Mix the egg yolk in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg yolk mixture around the outer border of each pastry. While the dough is still wet, lightly sprinkle the outer edge of the dough with a tiny bit of sugar.

Egg yolk is brushed onto edges of apple cream cheese pastries before baking.

Time To Bake The Apple Cream Cheese Pastries

Place the baking sheets into the preheated oven. Bake the apple cream cheese pastries at 400°F. for 13-14 minutes. The pastries should turn a beautiful golden brown, and be slightly crispy around the edges, and will have risen a bit, when done.

Remove the baking pans from the oven. Using a spatula, carefully transfer the apple cream cheese pastries to a wire rack, to cool.

Apple cream cheese pastries are baked, then cool on a wire rack.

Prepare The Sweet Icing

While the pastries are cooling, mix powdered sugar, water, and vanilla for icing in a small bowl. TIP: If icing is too thick to drizzle, add a few more drops of water. Too thin? Add more powdered sugar.

Powdered sugar glaze is prepared, to drizzle on top of apple cream cheese pastries.

Once the apple cream cheese pastries are completely cool, use a spoon and drizzle the glazed over the pastries from side to side. TIP: Cleanup is really easy if you put a piece of plastic wrap, foil, parchment or wax paper UNDER the wire rack before doing this step! It will catch any drips!

Apple cream cheese pastries are drizzled with powdered sugar glaze.

Close up photo of apple cream cheese pastries with glaze, on wire rack.

Let the pastries sit while the icing firms up, then the apple cream cheese pastries are ready to be served!

Apple cream cheese pastries, on red platter, ready to serve!

I sincerely hope you will consider trying this recipe! The pastries are REALLY GOOD! Have a blessed day, friends. Make it a GREAT one!

Looking For More PASTRY Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have several pastry 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 (1st and 15th) 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 Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

0 from 0 votes
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Apple Cream Cheese Pastries
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
13 mins
Total Time
38 mins
 
Apple cream cheese pastries are easy to make baked puff pastry sheets, topped with a sweet cream cheese spread, apple pie filling, and vanilla icing!
Category: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple cream cheese pastries
Servings: 8 pastries
Calories Per Serving: 318 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Pastries:
  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
  • 4 ounces cream cheese , room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon milk , or half and half
  • 16 Tablespoons canned apple pie filling , approx. 2 T. per pastry
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 8 teaspoons granulated sugar
For Icing Drizzle:
  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered)
  • 2 Tablespoons water , or more (to thin)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. In a medium sized bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and milk (or half and half) together, using an electric mixer. Mix filling for 2-3 minutes, until mixture is very smooth and sugar has dissolved. Set mixture aside, once spreadable.

  2. Remove a sheet of puff pastry from freezer, and let it thaw slightly (for about 15 minutes) before unfolding it. While dough thaws, preheat oven to 400° F. Once dough is slightly thawed, gently unfold it. Press dough together where any line perforations may be, to form one large piece. Cut pastry dough into 8 rectangles. Do this by cutting dough in half, then cut each half in half. Finally, cut each of the 4 squares in half once again. You should end up with 8 equal sized rectangles. I use a pizza cutter for nice even cuts!

  3. Place the 8 rectangles of dough onto 2 parchment paper lined baking sheets. Place 4 pastries per baking sheet, and make sure to leave a couple inches between each pastry. Using a sharp knife, score a border all the way around each of the pastries, about half an inch from the outside edge. By cutting this border in the dough, the edges will rise up and hold the filling in better! Don't forget to do this step! IMPORTANT: Make sure to NOT cut all the way through the dough to the bottom! Evenly distribute the cream cheese filling into middle of each of the apple cream cheese pastries. Use a knife or small spatula to spread the filling over the dough, BUT STAY INSIDE THE BORDER!

  4. Place approx. 2 Tablespoons of apple pie filling onto cream cheese filling. Gently spread apple pie filling over cream cheese, to cover most of  the  pastries! Mix the egg yolk in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush egg yolk mixture around the outer border of each pastry. While dough is still wet, lightly sprinkle the outer edge of the dough with a tiny bit of sugar.

  5. Place baking sheets into preheated oven. Bake pastries at 400°F. for 13-14 minutes. The pastries should turn a beautiful golden brown, and be slightly crispy around the edges, and should have risen a bit, when done. Remove baking pans from oven. Using a spatula, carefully transfer pastries to a wire rack, to cool.

  6. While the pastries are cooling, mix powdered sugar, water, and vanilla for icing in a small bowl. TIP: If icing is too thick to drizzle, add a few more drops of water. Too thin? Add more powdered sugar. Once pastries are completely cool, use a spoon and drizzle the glazed over pastries from side to side. TIP: Cleanup is really easy if you put a piece of plastic wrap, foil, parchment or wax paper UNDER the wire rack before doing this step! Let pastries sit while icing firms up, then the pastries are ready to be served!

Nutrition Facts
Apple Cream Cheese Pastries
Amount Per Serving (1 pastry)
Calories 318 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 32mg11%
Sodium 159mg7%
Potassium 67mg2%
Carbohydrates 44g15%
Sugar 26g29%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 120IU2%
Vitamin C 0.5mg1%
Calcium 29mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!These delicious apple cream cheese pastries are easy to make baked puff pastry sheets, topped with a sweet cream cheese spread, apple pie filling, and vanilla icing!


Dec
2018

Quick Easy Cornbread Stuffing

categories: Holidays!, Side Dishes
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Make this flavorful, quick easy cornbread stuffing as a side dish for the holidays (or any MEAL)! This savory dish, which pairs well with turkey, chicken, pork or fish can be made in 10 minutes, which is a real timesaver!
Make this flavorful, quick easy cornbread stuffing as a side dish for the holidays (or any MEAL)! This savory dish can be made in 10 minutes, a real timesaver!

Do you enjoy stuffing, served at Thanksgiving, Christmas or any other day of the year? We do!  Many people cook their Thanksgiving turkey with stuffing inside the bird, but many others serve stuffing as a side dish, cooked separately.

When I was growing up, we always had stuffing served as a separate side dish for Thanksgiving. No stuffed bird for our family! It was ALWAYS on the side!

Thanksgiving Day was full of excitement as the meal was lovingly prepared. My sisters and I would watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV while our parents made the stuffing and got the turkey and yams ready to put into the oven. Oh, the yummy smells that came out of our kitchen as they cooked!

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

My Mom and Dad Always Made HOMEMADE Cornbread Stuffing

I grew up with the cornbread stuffing cooked as a side dish. My Texas born and raised Mom and Dad called it “dressing”. There are some wonderful holiday memories of my Mom and Dad getting up early on Thanksgiving morning to make their “southern-style” dressing.

Mom would make homemade cornbread a few days before Thanksgiving and let it sit out to get dry and stale. My parents would break up all the dry homemade cornbread in pieces. They would mix up the dressing in a big plastic tub, because my Mom wanted a LOT of dressing for leftovers (it was her favorite dish)!

Mom BAKED Her Cornbread Stuffing

They would add the broth, celery, onions, eggs, and the many spices needed to the dry cornbread pieces. Mom and Dad would each take turns taste testing, mixing, and adding more spices and broth as needed. Once they got it “right”, and the mixture was the right consistency and taste, they would BAKE it for quite a while! Boy, did it smell good!

They did this every year together, and it remains one of my most vivid, wonderful memories! This process took quite a while, but the results were always delicious!

Why I Choose To Make Quick EASY Cornbread Stuffing

Once I started making stuffing for our family (and all the other dishes for the holidays), I realized I could save time by just as easily BUYING a box of inexpensive stuffing mix (with the bread already dried out and all the spices included).  I tried this one year to save time, and have never gone back!

I decided I could just as easily add celery and onions to the convenient box of stuffing mix ingredients.  Guess what? It ended up tasting very much like the traditional stuffing side dish I grew up with. Plus… it only takes a few minutes to make this easy cornbread stuffing! A WIN-WIN!

Because holidays can be so busy preparing traditional dishes, I like to think of it as a wonderful, timesaving “HACK” of a beloved traditional dish.

Here’s How Easy It Is To Make Quick Easy Cornbread Stuffing

In a large sauce pan, place the water, butter, chopped onion and celery. Bring the water to a boil on medium high heat, which will melt the butter and cook the celery and onion. Cook on medium high for 4-5 minutes.

Cooking onions, butter and celery for quick easy cornbread stuffing.

Cooking the veggies and broth to add to the easy cornbread stuffing mix.

Adding The Stuffing Mix To The Liquid

I use the Stove Top brand of stuffing mix, because I love the spices they use. The flavor also reminds me of my Mom’s homemade stuffing! No, I am not paid to endorse this product… I just really love the spices they use!

Add the stuffing mix to the liquid and veggies in the pan, and stir the ingredients to fully combine.  Remove the pan from the heat. Place a lid on the pan.

Using pre-dried stuffing mix makes this a really easy dish to prepare!

Two boxes of stuffing mix are stirred into the veggies and broth for easy cornbread stuffing.

Once the dry stuffing mix has been mixed into the liquid, you will see that it begins to rehydrate the dry cornbread pieces. Let stuffing stand (covered) for 5 minutes, because it takes a few minutes for the dry cornbread in the mix to fully rehydrate.

When the easy cornbread stuffing has rested for 5 minutes, fluff it up with a fork. The cornbread stuffing is now ready to serve! See how easy that was?

Easy cornbread stuffing is fluffed up in pan, after absorbing the broth.

Transfer the easy cornbread stuffing to a serving dish, and serve!  The stuffing tastes great, because the celery and onions add color, texture and additional flavor to this simple side dish!

Easy cornbread stuffing is transferred to a serving dish.

Close up photo of easy cornbread stuffing in serving dish.

Quick Easy Cornbread Stuffing Is A Great Side Dish!

We ALWAYS have quick easy cornbread stuffing for Thanksgiving (and often for Christmas, too). We have it occasionally through the year for other meals, as well. It is inexpensive and very easy and quick to prepare.

The cornbread stuffing is a perfect side dish, served alongside other traditional family favorites, like Pecan Praline Yams, Green Beans, and Strawberry or Lime Pineapple Jello Salad.

Easy cornbread stuffing is served, along with green beans, yams, and jello salad.

Easy Cornbread Stuffing Is NOT ONLY for The Holidays!

This easy cornbread stuffing is not just for the holidays, though! This can be served any time of the year, with turkey, chicken, pork or fish!  It’s a great tasting side dish, because the flavors of celery, onions, and spices in the stuffing mix pair with these variety of meats very well.

I hope you will consider trying this simple side dish! I posted it on my blog, so that long after I’m gone from this earth, my family will know how I made my easy cornbread stuffing each Thanksgiving! They’ll be surprised at just how easy it really was (wink, wink). Hope you enjoy a wonderful day, filled with encouragement, and love.

Looking For More Side Dish Recipes?

You can find all my side dish recipes in the Recipe Index at the top of the page. A few favorites include:

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 (1st and 15th) 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 Find Me On Social Media:

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

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Quick Easy Cornbread Stuffing
Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Make this flavorful, quick easy cornbread stuffing as a side dish for the holidays (or any MEAL)! This savory dish can be made in 10 minutes, a real timesaver!
Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy cornbread stuffing
Servings: 12 servings
Calories Per Serving: 162 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 3¼ cups water
  • 6 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup celery , sliced
  • 1/2 cup onion , chopped
  • 12 ounces Stove Top Stuffing Mix (cornbread) , 2 (6 ounce) boxes
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. In a large sauce pan, place the water, butter, chopped onion and celery. Bring the water to a boil on medium high heat, which will melt the butter and cook the celery and onion. Cook on medium high for 4-5 minutes.

  2. Add the stuffing mix to the liquid and veggies in the pan, and stir the ingredients to fully combine.  Remove the pan from the heat. Cover the pan with a lid.

  3. Once the dry stuffing mix has been mixed into the liquid, you will see that it begins to rehydrate the dry cornbread pieces. Let stuffing stand (covered) for 5 minutes, because it takes a few minutes for the dry cornbread in the mix to fully rehydrate. When the easy cornbread stuffing has rested for 5 minutes, fluff it up with a fork. The cornbread stuffing is now ready to serve! Transfer to a serving dish, serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Quick Easy Cornbread Stuffing
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 162 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 451mg20%
Potassium 90mg3%
Carbohydrates 22g7%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 195IU4%
Vitamin C 0.7mg1%
Calcium 32mg3%
Iron 1.1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make this flavorful, quick easy cornbread stuffing as a side dish for the holidays (or any MEAL)! This savory dish can be made in 10 minutes, a real timesaver!


Dec
2018

Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites

categories: Appetizers, Holidays!
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Make these colorful & delicious Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites for your next party or get together! These EASY bite sized appetizers are made in 15 minutes!
Make these colorful & delicious Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites for your next party or get together! These EASY bite sized appetizers are made in 15 minutes!

Recently I hosted a Christmas get together for former co-workers. Several of us hadn’t seen each other in 12 years! It always seems like the holidays are a great time to renew friendships and enjoy spending time with those you love!

I made a couple simple desserts, provided beverages, and asked everyone that came to the party to bring an appetizer to share! It was a lot of fun, and there were some nice food choices we all enjoyed!

Getting ready for Christmas party where Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites will be served.

The appetizer I decided to make was this recipe for Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites.  I originally found the recipe on Pinterest, from Jessica (at The Novice Chef), and decided to try it!

The recipe is super easy to make, and the results? Fantastic! Creamy, slightly sweet cheese balls, are coated in dried cranberries, fresh parsley, and chopped pecans. These colorful (green and red) tiny bite size treats were a perfect appetizer for the holiday season! YUM!

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

How To Make Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites Filling

Place the goat cheese, cream cheese, honey and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to fully combine these ingredients until blended and smooth.

Once the goat cheese mixture is smooth, add 1/2 cup of the chopped pecans, reserving the remaining pecans (1 cup) for later. Stir the 1/2 cup of chopped pecans into the cheese mixture until combined. This will be the filling for your cranberry pecan goat cheese bites!

NOTE: I “dry-toasted” the pecans in a skillet (no oil, etc.), stirring for a few minutes to slightly toast them before using them in this recipe. I then let the pecans cool before adding them to the cheese mixture. THIS STEP IS COMPLETELY OPTIONAL (but good!).

Ingredients for cranberry pecan goat cheese bites are mixed together in bowl.

Covering The Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites

Place a sheet of parchment paper on kitchen counter. Put the remaining 1 cup of chopped pecans, dried cranberries and chopped fresh parsley on the paper.

Gently combine the pecans, cranberries and parsley. Spread them out a bit on the parchment paper.  Grab a cookie scoop (or a Tablespoon measuring spoon), and get ready to create these cute cranberry pecan goat cheese bites!

Chopped parsley, pecans, and dried cranberries are mixed to garnish cranberry pecan goat cheese bites.

Place a scoop of the goat cheese mixture on top of the cranberry/pecan/parsley mixture.  Make sure the cheese mixture is rounded into a ball. Roll it around in the topping, until the cheese ball is covered on all sides. When done, place the cranberry pecan goat cheese  ball on a large plate or platter.

Repeat this process (one at a time) until all the goat cheese mixture is gone. The recipe will yield about 18 cranberry pecan goat cheese bites!

Cranberry pecan goat cheese bites are rolled in parsley, cranberries and pecans, to cover.

The cheese balls will need to be refrigerated, for peak flavor and texture. They will firm up a bit as they chill. They are at their best, when served cold, right from the refrigerator! You can make these cute and festive little appetizers up to 3 days in advance, which is really a great timesaver! They need to be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed, airtight container.

Close up photo of cranberry pecan goat cheese bites, on plate.

Don’t they look colorful? Perfect for the Christmas holidays! And… since they are so easy to make (and can be made ahead of time), this appetizer is PERFECT for such a busy time of year!

Cranberry pecan goat cheese bites are on a plate.

Serving The Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites

Right before serving the cranberry pecan goat cheese bites, I transferred them to a pretty Christmas serving platter. Gently insert a stick pretzel into the center of each cheese ball, to serve. That step is completely optional, but it made it very easy for my guests to pick up the cranberry pecan goat cheese bites to put on their plate!

A pretzel stick is inserted into cranberry pecan goat cheese bites, to serve.

I received several compliments on these colorful and yummy appetizers! They are GOOD! Sure do hope you will consider making these for your family, friends, a holiday party… or ANY time of the year! Have a wonderful day, friends. Make it a GOOD one!

Looking For More Appetizer Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index located at the top of the page.  A few favorite appetizers (that are wonderful for parties) are:

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 (1st and 15th) 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 Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe Source: https://thenovicechefblog.com/cranberry-pecan-goat-cheese-truffles/

0 from 0 votes
PRINT
Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Make these colorful & delicious Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites for your next party or get together! These EASY bite sized appetizers are made in 15 minutes!
Category: Appetizers
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry pecan goat cheese bites
Servings: 18
Calories Per Serving: 150 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 10 ounces goat cheese (chevre)
  • 6 ounces cream cheese
  • 3 Tablespoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1½ cups pecans , chopped and divided
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Place goat cheese, cream cheese, honey and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to fully combine ingredients until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of chopped pecans (reserve the rest for later). Stir the pecans into cheese mixture until combined.  NOTE: I "dry-toasted" the pecans in a skillet (no oil, etc.), stirring for a few minutes to slightly toast them before using them in this recipe. I then let the pecans cool before adding them to the cheese mixture. THIS STEP IS COMPLETELY OPTIONAL (but good!).

  2. Place a sheet of parchment paper on kitchen counter. Put remaining cup of chopped pecans, dried cranberries and chopped fresh parsley on the paper. Gently combine pecans, cranberries and parsley. Spread them out on the parchment paper.  

  3. Place a scoop (using cookie scoop or Tablespoon) of the goat cheese mixture on top of the cranberry/pecan/parsley mixture.  Make sure the cheese mixture is rounded into a ball. Roll it around in the topping, until the cheese ball is covered on all sides. When done, place the cranberry pecan goat cheese  ball on a large plate or platter. Repeat process (one at a time) until all the goat cheese mixture is gone. 

  4. The cheese balls will need to be refrigerated, for peak flavor and texture. They will firm up as they chill. They are at their best, when served cold, right from the refrigerator! You can make these appetizers up to 3 days in advance, which is a great timesaver! They need to be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed, airtight container. Serve as is, or gently insert a stick pretzel into the top of the cheese ball right before serving. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 150 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 12mg4%
Sodium 103mg4%
Potassium 73mg2%
Carbohydrates 10g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 360IU7%
Vitamin C 2.3mg3%
Calcium 47mg5%
Iron 0.7mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make these colorful & delicious Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites for your next party or get together! These EASY bite sized appetizers are made in 15 minutes!