Show Us Your Life Friday - Favorite Dessert Recipe

Okay, this isn't my absolute favorite dessert recipe.  I don't have just one.  If it is dessert, there's a good chance I'll like it.  LOL!  Anyway, here is one of my favorites, and it's a cinch to make, too.  If only they were all this easy to make. 

I wish I had a picture to share.  Trust me, these are so worth it.  Give them a try sometime.  Oh, and head on over to Kelly's Korner to see what other dessert recipes are being shared.

Easy Cream Cheese Danish

Ingredients:


8 oz. pkg refrigerated crescent rolls

8 oz. cream cheese (or Neufchatel), softened

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg, separated


Directions:

Unroll dough to create a 9X12 rectangle. Press seams closed. In a bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and egg yolk. Spread filling over crust. Roll the dough on the long seam to create a log. Slice into pinwheels, about ½” thick. Arrange on baking sheet. Brush pinwheels with egg white. Bake at 350F for 15-18 minutes, until brown. Serve warm.

Creamy Shrimp with a Kick

I made this yummy dish the other night.  It was a hit with the family, so I thought I'd share the recipe here.

Ingredients:

1 lb raw shrimp, shelled and deveined. 

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup sour cream (I use light sour cream)

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

tabasco sauce

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons cornstarch

water

Directions:

Melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the garlic and saute a minute or two.  Reduce the heat to low-medium.  Add the white wine and let it simmer for 15 minutes.  Dissolve the cornstarch in a little water, just enough to make it pourable.  Pour the cornstarch mixture in the pan and stir it up.  Add the shrimp.  Keep stirring until the shrimp is cooked and the sauce it fairly thick, about 5 minutes.  Add the sour cream and stir.  Lower the heat to make sure it doesn't boil.  Add a few shakes of the tabasco sauce.  I used about 10.  That gives it a little kick without making my ears burn.  Add more or less to your liking. 

Serve with pasta or rice. 

Recipe - Mango Salsa

I made this for dinner tonight and it was magnificent! It's loaded with vitamins and good nutrients, so it's a keeper. Give it a try and let me know what you think.


Ingredients:

1 mango (aim for medium to large size), peeled and rough chopped.
1 medium tomato, chopped and seeded
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained, reserve the juice
2-3 stems of spring onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, scraped and finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoons finely chopped garlic (I use jarred)
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil



Instructions:

In medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic and saute for a minute or two. Add the thyme and ginger, and saute for a minute more. Add all of the reserved pineapple juice and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer. Add most of the spring onion and jalapeno, saving a few pieces for bright color in the final salsa. Let it all simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Turn off the heat. Add the mango, pineapple and tomato. Stir well. Let it rest for 3-5 minutes, so that the temperature is consistent throughout. Just before serving, toss in the remaining spring onion and jalapeno. Mix. Inhale the wonderful aroma.

Serve over grilled chicken breasts. I suspect it would be yummy over salmon, too.

Note - I don't much care for really hot food. This is definitely a very mild version. If you want a little more kick, leave the seeds and membranes in the jalapeno, or increase the number of jalapenos you use.

Carol

Several years ago, we hosted an exchange student. Carol arrived from Brazil and spent 11 1/2 months being our "daughter for a year". She is a beautiful young woman and we are still in contact. She recently asked me for the recipe to a dish we had while she was here. So, for Carol, here is the Pineapple Casserole recipe.

Carol...We love you and we miss you!...Enjoy!!

Pineapple Casserole

Ingredients:
4 cups (about 1 litre) fresh white bread, crumbled
20 oz (about 567 grams) chunk pineapple, drained
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar (about 480 ml)
1 cup melted butter (about 240 ml)

Directions:
Mix everything together. Pour into 2 quart (2 litre) baking dish. Bake at 350-F (about 175-C) for 30-40 minutes.

Pepper Crackers

This recipe was shared by my friend, Sherry. These are absolutely scrumptious! They make plenty to share, too. Give them a try.

Ingredients:
1 cup canola oil
1 package ranch dressing mix (the dry mix)
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
1 box (4 sleeves) saltine crackers

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine oil, dressing mix and red pepper flakes. Mix thoroughly.

In a large, sealable container, empty 1 sleeve of saltine crackers. Pour 1/4 of the oil mix over saltines. Add another sleeve of crackers and top with 1/4 of the oil. Repeat twice more. Seal the container.

Gently shake and/or roll the container numerous times for at least several hours, to ensure the oil mixture thoroughly coats the saltines and does not collect at the bottom of the container.

Serve with a savory dip or spread. Also delicious with tuna salad or chicken salad.

Enjoy!

Chicken Cheese Soup

I recently made this delicious recipe. My hubby loved it and my daughter has been begging me to make it again. The neat thing is that almost all the ingredients are pantry staples. It's thick and creamy and yummmmm.

Ingredients:

½ bunch of green onions, sliced (or more if you like)
3 tablespoons butter (slightly less is okay, but don’t use spray instead)
½ cup all purpose flour
4 cups milk
1 quart broth, chicken or vegetable
1-12.5 oz can chicken breast, drained and fluffed
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)

Instructions:

Note – Have all ingredients assembled and set aside.
1 – In a dutch oven, melt the butter and sauté the onions until tender (approx 10 minutes), over medium-high heat.
2 – Reduce the heat to MEDIUM and stir in the flour.
3 – Slowly add the milk and chicken broth, stirring thoroughly.
4 – Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and black pepper.
5 – Continue to cook and stir until the soup is thickened and bubbly.
6 – Stir in the chicken and the cheese and reduce the heat to LOW.
7 – Cook and stir until the cheese is melted, just a couple of minutes.
9 – Serve hot.

Note – No extra salt is needed. Between the broth, canned chicken and Worcestershire sauce, there is plenty of saltiness. We did find we needed more black pepper.

Additions:
For extra flavor, consider adding 1 cup shredded carrots (cook with the onions) or 1 can drained corn (add with the chicken).