Honey Ham & Baby Swiss Crescent Calzone

Were you ever so hungry but you just didn't know what to make?  Nothing could be easier than this crescent calzone.  I mean, it felt like it took me literally 5 minutes to make.  Took me longer to take the pictures than the actually assembly of it.  What I ended up having was this AMAZING, WARM, FLAVORFUL, GOOEY, CHEESY and YUMMY dinner.  Now I was satisfied with just this but if you were to turn it into a meal for like 4 people, I'd double the recipe and make a salad or some potatoes like French Fries, Roasted Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes or whatever, even a veggie too.  I went solo on this one.

So basically it was just taking my lunch meat, cheese slices and rolled it up in a non-perforated recipe ready crescent roll sheet.  I've done step by step photos with instructions.  I have to mention, I used Baby Swiss in this recipe, My favorite is Guggisberg Baby Swiss.  I love it because it melts perfectly, it's creamy and the perfect taste.  It's not a harsh hard Swiss that many people are used to.  So if you kinda have a love & hate relationship with Swiss, I would try this Guggisberg Baby Swiss.  You will not be disappointed, at least I wasn't.  If you don't like Swiss AT ALL, you can certainly use another cheese and if you don't like Honey Ham, you certainly can swap it out for any other lunch meat, or cooked steak or chicken sliced thin.

THIS RECIPE MAKES ONE Calzone enough for 2 people

Honey Ham & Baby Swiss Crescent Calzone
1 Refrigerated Pillsbury Recipe Creations Crescent Dough or Crescent Roll Dough with Perforations Sealed
1/2 Pound Honey Ham or Any Lunch Meat or Thinly Sliced Cooked Meat (Steak, Chicken or Pork)
1/2 Pound Sliced Baby Swiss Cheese or Your Favorite Sliced Cheese, you can also used Shredded Cheese.
Any Spread like Ranch Dressing, Mustard, Honey Mustard, Thousand Island Dressing, Italian Dressing
(I wouldn't use mayo inside, while baking it could get icky, I would slop it on while you eat it or in a dipping cup.  You can also skip this step completely)
You can certainly add some veggies too if you'd like, like Sauteed Mushroom, Peppers, Roasted Red Peppers, Pepperoncini or Onions, etc....  (If adding veggies do so on top of the cheese).

Preheat Oven to 350'F.

Line a Baking/Cookie Sheet with Parchment Paper.

First Step is to unroll your crescent dough and stretch it out a little but do not tear it.  Just to get it out of it's tight form from being in the can.

Lay your lunch meat down or your cheese down first, (I think this worked better the second time around, helps not to make the dough soggy).

Add your sliced or shredded cheese on top of the lunch meat.  Leave about a half inch space so that you can pinch close.

Start at the long end and begin rolling to the end.  Pinch all opening together.  Snip with a scissors or poke top with a fork to do some venting.  Cook until a Golden Brown, it varies depending on temperature but I checked it about 15-20 minutes in.  You may see some cheese oozing.  That's completely fine!  Means it's hot and cheesy!  =)

Important step is to let it set up before cutting because if you don't it will just smash and fall apart.  You want some stability while eating this.

I hope you enjoy, we sure did.  I think I just thought up my most versatile recipe yet.  It might of been made before by others but hey for me, I thought of it!  ;)

Stay tuned for my sweet dessert version using this method....Can you guess what I might use?  Here are some photos....

Before laying the lunch meat down or cheese down, this is when you add your spread lightly and gently over your crescent dough.

This is when I put down the cheese first over the stretched crescent dough.

Secondly, place your lunch meat or cheese down, whichever way you do it.

This is when you can add your veggies.

Start at the end and start rolling....

Finished rollings, do small snips, just a couple on the stop or poke with a fork to vent.

Bake in a 350'F oven for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown.  

Enjoy and I hope you make it.  Let me know how it turns out.  Don't forget to add some sides to complete the meal!  YUMMY YUMMY!

Happy November (EEK! Already!),

Annamaria

Chocolate Chip Eggo Waffle Sandwich with Nutella and Bananas!

I said what?  Yes, Chocolate Chip Eggo Waffles with Nutella and Bananas!  That was Scott's midnight snack.  One night he tells me, "Ya know what's good?",  A Chocolate Chip Waffle Sandwich with Nutella and Bananas.  Huh?  Yes, I must admit, it sounds good!  Really good!  I haven't had the urge to quite do it yet, but if I do have a slight late night craving, I may just give in!

So as I was sitting, Scott walks in not with one but two sandwiches.  I saw it and it looked good!  I didn't ask for a bite.  I wasn't ready for it!  What's holding me back?  I don't know!

See Scott is a Mailman, he works about 12 hours a day, 6 days a week.  He walks his route.  So all those calories he consumes, burns right out of him.  I suppose I have eaten worse.  After all, it's just 2 waffles (well 4 in his case), so 2 waffles, a fruit (the banana) and some Nutella spread.  Sounds like a complete meal right?  I mean we're not using maple syrup or butter right?  So seems like this is looking better as a meal at breakfast.  Right?  Back me up  here!!!!

So I wanted to share this with you.  I just had to.  I need some convincing!  It couldn't be any worse than bacon, eggs, toast with butter and potatoes?  So if you get to try it before I do, let me know how it tastes.  This is looking great right about now.  So it's very easy to make....obviously....  But I will list them as I do with everything.  I give credit to Scott for this one!  Have a Sweet Weekend!

Mind you, I have to say, all the items used are wonderful products!
I encourage you to try Chocolate Chip Eggo Waffles
Ferrero's Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
of course Bananas!

My favorite Eggo Waffles Flavors:
Blueberry
Strawberry
Chocolate Chip
French Toast
(waiting to try....)
Pumpkin Spice
Smores

The Chocolate Chip Eggo Waffle with Nutella and Bananas Sandwich
2 Toasted Chocolate Chip Eggo Waffles
2 Tablespoons of Nutella
1/2 a Banana, sliced

Toast your waffle to desired crispness.  When done, spread one side of each waffle with Nutella and add the sliced banana, make a sandwich.  Voila!  Chomp Away!

I hope you enjoy it!  It seems Scott does as he has eaten 2 sandwiches!  He convinced me to share it with you!

L'eggo My Eggo!

Photo Courtesy of Eggo Waffles via Facebook

Love Me Some Nutella,
Annamaria

Sweet Buttery Vanilla Glaze for Donuts, Cookies, Cakes, Cinnamon Rolls & More

Yummy Glaze!

This has to by far be the best ever glaze to use on just about anything that requires a glaze.  For instance, Donuts, Cakes, Cinnamon Rolls, Muffins, Scones, Cookies and more! It's just like that glaze on that amazing  fresh yeast or cake donut, or freshly baked cinnamon rolls.  You know how there is just not enough glaze in the refrigerated cinnamon roll cans?  Well make this instead and you will have yourself some gooey yummy cinnamon rolls.  It's great for that drizzle on Bundt Cakes.  The butter just gives it a comfort smoothness to the glaze and the milk/cream of course give it that creaminess along with the butter and the vanilla is a great flavor for it.  You can also use lemon extract, anise extract, almond extract, maple extract, rum extract....etc...  I like to use pure extracts if I can and if it's available, imitation is only a last resort.  Pure extracts are a little more expensive but really worth it and you can use one bottle a long way.  You get the real true flavor potency too.  So a little bit ago I made a Cinnamon Roll Coffeecake, which I used this glaze. It was perfect.  I am forever in love with this recipe.  Make sure you follow the directions exactly to get the best smoothness possible, or you can always send it through a mesh strainer to get the lumps out from the powdered sugar.  Make sure to sift it the powdered sugar.  Enjoy and if you do use this glaze please give me your feedback!

Vanilla Butter Glaze for Cakes, Cinnamon Rolls and Donuts: 
2 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tablespoon of Milk or Heavy Cream
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Directions:
Sift powdered sugar into a bowl. Add the melted butter. Add 1 Tablespoon of milk or cream. Mix in Vanilla Extract. Beat until smooth and creamy, adding more milk if necessary. Drizzle over cake, cinnamon rolls or donuts.

Have A Sweet Weekend!
Annamaria

Wellesley Coffeecake; Cinnamon Roll Coffeecake

Scott came home today with the Wednesday Recipe in the local newspaper.  This recipe was actually one where I had all the ingredients.  I thought why not and give it a try.

It's a pretty straight forward recipe and not hard to follow.  I think the only recommendation is to cook it a little longer than what the recipe said.  Other than that, it's outstanding.  It's moist and melt in your mouth.  Buttery and Sweet.  I don't think is the typical coffeecake.  It's a bit heavier than most coffeecakes but so good and dense in a sense.  I loved the filling, like a cinnamon roll.  I also used Brown Sugar instead of regular sugar in the filling as written in the recipe below.  I added some cinnamon into the batter to just give a little more cinnamon kick but you can skip that if you'd like.

I baked mine into a bundt pan but the recipe didn't state whether to bake in a 9x13 pan or a bundt pan.

I really love the taste of it.  The whole family loved it so it's a winner and added to my list of recipes.  I think the newspaper however needs to recheck their writing on how to completely write a recipe out.

If I had to describe this cake it was like eating a cake, a cinnamon roll and a donut all in one.  Yes, it was that good!  So if I had to call it something, I guess I would call it a Cinnamon Roll Coffeecake.  Perfect to serve at Breakfast, Brunch, Coffee or Tea or as a dessert after dinner.  This would be great for any Tea Party!

Wellesley Coffeecake
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups of sugar
2 eggs
1 cup of sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Sprinkle of Cinnamon (optional)

Filling:
4 teaspoons brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350'F
Thoroughly Grease and Flour Bundt Pan.

Cake Directions:
Cream Butter and Sugar.
Add Eggs, one at a time, beating with each addition.
Add Sour Cream, vanilla and almonds extracts, sprinkle of cinnamon (cinnamon optional); beat well.
Sift together Flour, Baking Powder and Salt together and add in wet ingredients.

Filling Directions:
In a separate bowl, combine sugar, pecans and cinnamon.

Assembly:
Place 1/3 of batter in prepared bundt pan.
Sprinkle with 3/4 of filling mixture
Spoon in rest of batter and sprinkle with rest of filling on top.

Bake for 1 hour until toothpick inserts comes out clean.

When cake is cooled, either dust with powdered sugar, leave plain or glaze it with the following glaze recipe.

Vanilla Butter Glaze for Cakes, Cinnamon Rolls and Donuts:
2 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tablespoon of Milk or Heavy Cream
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Directions:
Sift powdered sugar into a bowl.
Add the melted butter.
Add 1 Tablespoon of milk or cream.
Mix in Vanilla Extract.
Beat until smooth and creamy, adding more milk if necessary.
Drizzle over cake, cinnamon rolls or donuts.

OH MY OH MY, WAS IT YUMMY!

Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice!
Annamaria

La La Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Since it's Summer I decided that Lemon seems to be the flavor these days.  Although it has been exceptionally hot all over the United States, I couldn't give up baking!  I know the heat varies throughout the Summer months nationally but I have to tell you reaching a heat index of about 105'F with about 90% Humidity is just utterly disgusting!  Just standing you have sweat pouring down your body.  The air is so thick you feel like you're suffocating and all your joints ache!

I feel so bad when the weather is so horrible for my husband since he has to walk and deliver the mail.  He walks about 12 miles a day carrying packages, mail, magazines and advertisements.  It adds up and the bag gets heavy.  I know I couldn't do his job.  So think of your mailman during bad weather whether it's cold, hot, snowing or raining.  They go through a lot especially when the are on foot.  So offer them a cold beverage and remember them during the holidays.  It really is a stressful job!

So back to this recipe.  I added this recipe to my line up of cookies to bring to a graduation party that was so much fun!  My platters looked abundant and nice.

These cookies are like a marshamallowy cloud with a hint of lemon that is not overpowering to even the people who don't eat lemon desserts.  The kids loved them as well as the adults.  What is even more awesome that these are using the biggest short cut....CAKE MIX!  You can't even tell and they are so yummy that I was blown away.  The whole concept of using Cake Mix for something other than making a Cake was not so believable by me, but you have to try!  After all if it's approved by Sandra Lee of Semi Homemade and all her cut corners ideas, than it's good enough for me!

So I used the same concept as I did my Snickerdoodles but did a Lemon Cookie.  These are puffy and soft as well.  They are super easy and a great quick cookie to make in a flash.  With all my cookies to keep them uniform I use a cookie scoop.

So here we go!

La La Lemon Crinkle Cookies
1 pkg. Lemon Cake Mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tbsp. lemon juice
Powdered Sugar to roll dough ball in


Preheat oven to 350'F. Mix cake mix, oil, eggs, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice together.

Dough will be very stiff. 

Scoop dough or pinch dough and roll into balls.

Roll around in a bowl of powdered sugar.

*Great for kids to chip in!

Place dough balls on parchment paper lined cookie sheets.

 *My daughter did such a great job and got powdered sugar on her and her face!  =)

Bake cookies between 10-14 minutes until cookies are set and barely golden around edges and crackle shows on cookies. Do not over bake.

Remove from oven and let cool and transfer to cooling racks.


This was a great recipe to get my daughter involved to make some memories just like I was a little girl helping my mom.  The tradition continues....


My daughter loved the cookies so much she kept stealing them and I had to eventually put them away in an air tight container so I can plate them up on the platters the next day for the party.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Annamaria

Thick and Soft Snickerdoodles

OMG!  It's not easy to have a perfect tasting cookie and be simple on top of it all!  But this has to take the cake, in fact it's made with Cake Mix!  Yep, I said it Cake Mix!  They are one of those cookies that you're like No way, you make it with cake mix!  That was what I thought when I made them.  

We all love them and they go fast so I suggest doing a few batches.  It's a buttery, sugary and cinnamon goodness.  The cinnamon and sugar on the outside creates a great crust with a yummy soft goodness inside!  A comfort cookie!  You have to make these!  So yummy!

I'm in love!

Thick & Soft Snickerdoodles
1 package Classic Yellow Cake Mix
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Coating:
3 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine 3 Tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon in small bowl, set aside.

Combine cake mix, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, eggs and oil in large bowl. Stir until well blended.

*My daughter was awesome at mixing!

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Place balls 2-inches apart on cookie sheets.

*That's powdered sugar from cookies I made right before the Snickerdoodles! =)

Bake at 350ºF for 8 to 9 minutes or until set and look crackled on top.

Cool one minute on cookie sheets. Remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Here they are about to be hidden from the cookie monsters in my house.

Powdered Sugar gets everywhere!

Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice,
Annamaria

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Biscotti di Regina; Italian Sesame Cookies

A friend's son is graduating from High School!  I can't believe it!  I remember when he was a baby, a toddler, a teenager and now he's a high school graduate!  He's grown in to such a handsome man!  We got the invitation in the mail and I couldn't believe it was him!  Where did the time go?  Seriously?  I didn't believe it was him.  I just remember this little munchkin with his prophetic opinions.  =)  

Well time does pass and funny thing is that his mom has known me before well I was born.  She grew up with my sister in a group of friends.  All of them were like my older sisters.  They took me everywhere and were so good to me all through my life and still have a place in my heart after all this time.  I've seen them grow up, get married, have careers and now see their children grow up!  Now I feel like I'm one of the girls now.  I wish only that I could see them more often.  Thanks to Facebook, we can keep in touch more often! You know life gets busy and like I said boy does time fly!

I offered that if anything is needed like bakery or whatever let me know.  Rosa took me up on my offer and these are one of the cookies I made.  These cookies are on every Italian cookie tray!  A traditional Italian Bakery Cookie and also a Christmas Cookie.  They are so easy to make that these can be made all the time and are perfect to be served with Tea, Coffee or even just on their own.

Don't let the sesame seed derail you from trying these cookies, they provide a nutty flavor and texture.  I mean who eats cookies with Sesame Seeds, well Italians do for starters.  Sesame Seeds are a Mediterranean staple.  Of course it's not a surprise that these cookies are of Sicilian origin.  We enjoy them countrywide and in among all Italians no matter where you are from.

Most people secondly would also dodge the traditional Anise flavor in them.  I am the same way when it comes to Anise, but Anise could be used well or bad.  In this recipe it's perfectly played.  If you are insistent on avoiding Anise, you can certainly use Pure Almond or Vanilla Extracts.  There is also a great  extract called Fiori Di Sicilia (Flower of Sicily) that you buy online to substitute the Anise.  It's a Citrus, Vanilla and Floral notes in the extract.  Perfect for this cookie as well.

I highly recommend you store these in a tightly covered container to maintain their flavor and freshness and perfect for freezing!  If you want you can also skip shaping the cookie into a log and make them into balls.

I hope you give these cookies a chance, I don't think you will be disappointed!

**Just in case you have a hard time finding sesame seeds, don't waste money on the little jars from like McCormick and such those are just to accent, they don't have enough in the jar and cost too much, go to a local Asian food store or ask your local Grocer or Bakery to sell you them!  I found every other seed except Sesame Seeds and my local Grocer's Bakery sold me a Pound so cheap!

PS:  Congratulations Max!!!!

Biscotti Di Regina

2 sticks of Unsalted Butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar 

1 egg, room temperature 

2 teaspoons PURE Anise extract 

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1/4 teaspoon baking powder 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

1 cup sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.

Beat in the egg and anise extract until well blended. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well incorporated with a mixer.

The dough will be soft, but will hand roll easily. Pinch off pieces of dough slightly smaller than a walnut, and roll them into small logs. Roll in sesame seeds.

Place cookies one inch apart on a cookie sheet. Cookies will not spread very much.

Bake for 14 to 20 minutes (depends on your oven strength, mine runs a little hotter) in the preheated oven, or until bottom and sides of cookies are lightly toasted.

Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Mmmmm!

*Yes that is a Halloween Platter Plate from Corelle!  LOL!

Dolci Sogni

(dole chee sewn yee)

Sweet Dreams in Italian,

Annamaria

La La Lemon Blueberry Cake

Here is an addition to my La La Lemon Recipes.  I love making this cake.  Pretty much it can be made into cupcakes, bundt cake, layered cake or pound cake loaves.

It's very lemony and the addition of the blueberries are delicious.  You can also add or substitute with Rasberries.  If you were to top this yummy cake, a perfect simple whip cream would be a great finishing touch!

I made these and gave one of the to my mom.  She loves it and it's pretty popular with family.  I usually make it into a bundt cake but this time I did loaves and gave them as gifts.

When I need to make something quick I will use Betty Crocker's Lemon Cake Mix and add things in.  You can certainly make your lemon cake from scratch which I will also add to this recipe if you want to make the cake from scratch.  Either way they are delicious.  I know sometimes people scoff at the fact of using cake mix but I find nothing at to do it.  They are what you need all in a box.

From scratch recipe is at the bottom of page.

La La Lemon Blueberry Cake
1 box Betty Crocker Lemon Cake Mix
1 cup of water
1/2 vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 (4 serving box) of Jell-O instant lemon pudding mix
1 box of fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 325'F

Mix all dry ingredients and wet ingredients. Mix on medium speed until well incorporated.

   

Toss Blueberries in a separate bowl with about 3/4 of a cup of flour until completely dusted then add it all to the bowl with the batter. (Coating berries with flour helps to prevent the berries to sinking to the bottom of the cake.)

 

Fold berries into cake batter.

Pour into a greased and floured loaf pan that is lined on the bottom with parchment paper and top of the batter with blueberries.

   

 Bake for 25-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

   

Cool in pan before removing cakes. Dust with powdered sugar. These loaves are wrapped in plastic wrap in the photo to give. 

 

Slice and serve. Either frost in whip cream or serve slices with a dollop of whip cream. **If you want to make them into cupcakes, bundt pan or layered cake, bake according to package directions. The cooking time may vary from pan finish and ovens. I think my oven tends to be on the hotter side.

From Scratch Lemon Cake

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Line the bottom with parchment paper.

Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. 

CONTINUE THE RECIPE FROM ABOVE TO ADD BLUEBERRIES.

Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, add blueberries on top and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

When the cakes are done, allow to cool. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan.

This is a delicious summer dessert but I have made this anytime of the year. This is perfect for Lemon Lovers! 

Enjoy and Happy Summer Solstice! 

Annamaria