feta cheese foldovers

my husband's mom asked me to bring some appetizers to their family gathering at thanksgiving. it's always nice to have some good food for everyone to munch on while the finishing touches are being put on the turkey. my specialties, however, are bakes/casseroles and desserts, so i had to do some hunting for some good appetizer recipes suitable for thanksgiving. i found this one, and i found it to be quite perfect.

one recommendation i make for this appetizer is to pop them into the oven right before they are served. if you let them sit too long, they lose their charm. but these take minimal effort and are actually quite fun to make. i love cooking with puff pastry, because it's like magic happens in the oven! and anyone who knows me knows my motto about feta... "feta makes it betta" - feta is the cheese that can do no wrong.

ingredients:

16 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

6 tablespoons finely chopped green onions

2 eggs, beaten

2 (17.5 ounce) packages frozen puff pastry, thawed

egg yolk mixture for brushing on foldovers: 2 egg yolks, beaten with 2 teaspoons water

directions:
1. preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. in a small bowl, blend feta, green onions, and beaten eggs.

 3. cut pastry into 12 (3 inch) squares.

4. place a mounded tablespoon of feta mixture in the center of each square. moisten edges with water. fold pastry over filling to form a triangle. press edges together firmly to seal.

5. lightly brush pastries with the egg yolk mixture.

6. bake for 20 minutes in the oven, or until golden brown.

7. serve warm.

the original recipe said that these can be served at room temperature, but i think they are MUCH better warm.

what i love about these appetizers is that they can easily be made ahead. just do steps 1-5, refrigerate, and when ready, lightly brush with egg yolk mixture and bake! when they come out of the oven, they are ooey, gooey, flaky, and basically just perfect. if the party runs awhile, hold them warm in the oven and take them out to refill your party platters when you see they are getting low.

happy eating!

fin.

vintage book wrapped ornaments

i was inspired to do this by a project i saw by one of my favorite blogs, mod podge rocks. i am ADDICTED to mod podge. i try to think of new ways to use it all the time. it just reminds me of kindergarten craft time, and i can't get enough! so anyways... i saw these, and i thought that they would translate well to Christmas ornaments! so off i went to make them...

but before i get into the blogging for this project, let me start off by saying... tyler and i have been incredibly blessed this year. i was so worried that we wouldn't be able to decorate our apartment for Christmas, but God has made a way! we have spent a grand total of 35 cents (plus tax) and some mod podge i already had to make our perfect Christmas tree for our first "marry" Christmas. we had a dear friend graciously give us a pre-lit tree, ornaments, indoor/outdoor lights, and a wreath! in addition, our parents have also passed down decorations, which means a lot to us as well, because many of those decorations have a lot of emotional attachment for both of us. it has been so fun seeing how God really provided us with Christmas decorations. i know that there are so many more important things than decorations, but it has really helped tyler and i both get in the Christmas spirit on our first Christmas away from our parents' homes. just another example of how God truly does provide for the desires of our hearts. our tree isn't some big, grand tree. it's a lot smaller than the trees at our parents' houses and even in some of our friends' houses, but this tree is ours. and we absolutely adore it more than if we had the tree from rockefeller centre in our living room.

so, after that mini-sermon, on to the blog...

what i used:
mod podge
a 35 cent copy of "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens that i found at a local used bookstore
sponge paintbrush
ornaments that were given to us by a dear friend

what i did:
1. i laid out that crate and barrel magazine to provide protection for my table. of course, i had already looked through it... gleaning much inspiration for other projects. but i digress.

2. i tore out pictures of the book and cut each page into strips, generally 2-3 lines long. i tore many of those in half as well to make them fit onto the ornaments, because some were smaller than others.

3. i spread mod podge over the entire ornament.

4. i attached the pieces of paper one-by-one to the ornament. i started at the top and went towards the bottom. i layered them side by side. i took the tops of the paper and tucked many of them underneath the top of the ornament to secure them without exposing the ends of the papers.

5. continue to spread mod podge over the tops of the papers gently. this helps when you are attaching other paper on top of strips and also to provide a glossy finish over the entire ornament.

6. once all the strips were attached to the ornament with none of the ornament underneath showing, glaze the paper with a light coat of mod podge.

7. hang ornaments to dry... be sure to look for any globs of mod podge. it can group together as it is hung, but you want to make sure you smooth those areas out, or those clumps will dry in clumps (i.e., not pretty)

(these pics were from the first ornament i made... as i made more, i found it easier to line the papers up side by side, as pictured below.)

8. once dry, hang!

i love these ornaments. i really wanted a vintage inspired black, white, and red tree, and that's exactly what i got! i paired these ornaments with white sparkly mini christmas ornaments and red shiny christmas ornaments. it's a perfect combo!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y'ALL!

fin.

ooey gooey caramel pie... revisited AND homemade vanilla infused whipped cream

this blog is an update on my previous blog about caramel pie

i revisisted this recipe for thanksgiving with my family this year, and i decided to dress it up a bit. the recipe remains largely the same as last time (i made a few little additions), but it is still quite easy.

caramel pie
ingredients:

2 cans eagle brand sweetened condensed milk

pie crust

packaged whipped cream - OR homemade whipped cream (see recipe below)

chopped walnuts

mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

homemade whipped cream

ingredients:

1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

directions for the homemade whipped cream:
1. combine cream, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla in a bowl.

2. use an electric mixer to whip to stiff (but not grainy) peaks.

3. chill until ready to use. (you should use within one day.)

directions for the caramel pie:
1. take the labels off the cans of eagle brand milk.
2. boil the unopened cans in water for three hours. you will likely have to add water to the pot as time goes on because of evaporation.

3. remove the cans from water. LET THE WATER COOL FIRST. and PLEASE use some potholders and GOOD tongs for this project. (i'm putting emphasis on this, because i learned this step the hard way... HOT water splashed on my entire right arm and face because i lost grip on my tongs as i was taking the cans out of the water. so, please... trust me on this...)

4. let the cans cool completely - about 30 minutes out of the pot will do the trick.

5. CAREFULY open the cans. caramel will likely escape from the can as you open, so don't be alarmed.

6. immediately pour the caramel into the pie crust. let the caramel set and cool. an hour in the refrigerator should do the trick, but i prefer to let mine chill overnight. (if you make your own whipped cream, letting them both set overnight is a good plan.)

7. top the pies with whipped cream.

8. toppings options: you can either reserved some of the caramel and drizzle it on top of the pie (which is what i did last time) OR you can top with mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and/or chopped walnuts OR turn it into banoffee by adding sliced bananas on top. the chocolate chips and walnuts are how they do it at o'charley's... and this recipe is a dead ringer for the restaurant version.

other options for this recipe are to make mini versions in individual graham cracker pie crusts OR you can even make your own pie. you don't have to make your own whipped cream, but i just prefer to be able to say that i made the entire thing myself. although the taste difference is really minimal. the whipped cream i make just has a little more infused vanilla flavor in it.

this recipe got rave reviews at thanksgiving, and i was asked to make it again for christmas! (that's when you know you've stumbled upon something truly scrumptious!) this recipe is so easy but seems like it you slaved over it. add this to your recipe arsenal. you won't regret it. and neither will your guests!

fin.

 

pepperoni roll-ups

tis the season to have yummy, easy recipes with minimal ingredients to throw together in a flash for company or kids! this recipe is PERFECT for exactly that. these pepperoni roll-ups make a great appetizer for a casual get together, or something delightful for kiddos to chomp on. picky eaters don't stand a chance!

ingredients:
crescent rolls
pepperoni
string cheese (i found this provolone-mozzarella string cheese, and i did a happy dance in the dairy section of the store... and that happy dance was well-deserved...)
cream cheese
ranch/marinara/alfredo/whatever-you-like sauce (for dipping)

(i still can't figure out this sideways picture crap! anybody know why it does this?! ugh... moving on...)

directions:
1. roll out the crescent roll.

2. separate the crescent rolls into triangles.

3. place 4-5 pepperonis on each triangle. you may tear a few to make them fit easier.

4. top each triangle with half a piece of string cheese - torn into bite size pieces. (i actually took an extra piece of string cheese just to add a bit extra cheese in the empty spots, so i used 5 strings total.)

5. try not to eat all the string cheese!

6. if you decide to go against that advice (as i obviously did), don't get caught.

(i got caught!)

7. the original recipe didn't call for this step, but i added it to make things interesting. well, that and cream cheese was BOGO and i had just a little leftover and didn't know what to use it for. i thought this would be great! so, back to the point, top each triangle with a small dollop... or two... or three... of cream cheese. cream cheese makes me happy (see picture).

8. carefully roll up the sides and bring sides to seal.

 9. bake according to directions on crescent roll package. mine was 10-12 minutes.

10. bake until golden brown. when cheese starts to ooze out just a bit, they're PERFECT. take em out!

11. serve with a side of ranch, marinara, alfredo, or whatever sauce you would like for dipping. or you can even eat them alone. they're good enough! i actually like to mix a little alfredo in my marinara, and that's what i did to serve alongside the pepperoni roll-ups. it's super easy. just put some marinara in a small bowl, add a little alfredo, warm up in the microwave (be sure to put a paper towel over it, as some popping will likely occur, and this will save you clean up time later), mix together, serve! if that's too confusing for you, i included pictures...

these little roll-ups were gobbled up quickly - and there were only two of us! like i said before, these are great for picky eaters, kiddos, or casual appetizers... or pair it with a salad (maybe with caesar or italian dressing) and make an easy weeknight dinner!

the addition of the cream cheese makes it a little heavier. if you want something lighter, you can nix it altogether. but why would you do that? it's cream cheese, silly.

i really think it would be super cute to serve these in a basket at a kids table or to have these at a kids' birthday party. tell me what occasion you make these for and how they go over with your family/friends!

fin.

asian style zucchini

i am addicted to japanese food. like, badly. so when i found a recipe of how to make asian style zucchini at home (which is often my favorite part of the meal), i jumped on it. it doesn't take EXACTLY like hibachi... i need some ginger sauce to throw on it... (i need to find a recipe for homemade ginger sauce... someone remind me of that later...) but this recipe is very delicious!!

ingredients:
1 teaspoon butter
1 large zucchini, cut into 1 inch slices OR cubed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
garlic powder to taste
ground black pepper to taste

directions:
1. melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.

2. stir in the zucchini.

3. cook zucchini until lightly browned.

4. sprinkle with soy sauce and sesame seeds.

5. season with garlic powder and pepper.

6. continue cooking until zucchini is well coated and tender.

this would be a great side item to any kind of fried rice or stir-fry. i wouldn't know how it keeps for leftovers because they were all GONE. i can't wait to make more. :)

fin.

parmesan encrusted baked chicken tenders

this recipe is a saving grace for a quick and easy dinner on a weeknight. or anytime, really. with only four ingredients and minimal time, make this with some leftover or easy to make sides, and you've got dinner on the table in no time! not going to lie... this recipe has become a staple in casa de evatt recently! the hubs actually requests it quite often.

ingredients (there are only FOUR):

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (from 2 breasts) OR 8 chicken tenderloins (i used 4 breasts, making 8 halves, so the mayo mixture got used up quickly. if using more than 2 breasts, double the rest of the ingredients.)
italian seasoned dry bread crumbs

directions:
1. preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. if using chicken breasts, cut chicken breasts in halves. i fileted them. (they need to be thinner to soak up the mayonnaise mixture and to cook through without drying out.)

3. combine mayonnaise with parmesan cheese in medium bowl. (sorry this pic was after i had used most of it, because i forgot... i was a bad blogger!)

4. arrange chicken on a greased baking sheet.

5. coat each piece with mayonnaise mixture.

6. sprinkle (pretty heavily) with bread crumbs.

7. bake 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

my little sister came over for dinner when i made this, and she loved it so much that she asked my mom to make them again. my mom did, and she had a fantastic suggestion. if you want to cut down on calories, you could opt to use plain yogurt instead of mayo. she tried it, and she said they turned out great - very moist.

i paired this with slow cooker mac and cheese and zucchini, and it was scrumptious! (those recipes are coming soon...)

i don't know how this was as leftovers... it didn't make it that far! let me know what you pair this yummy, quick, and easy chicken dish with!

fin.