January 10, 2013

Quick Mini Pie Bites

I love tiny desserts! I love them even more when they are super simple. I was having a craving after dinner and needed something easy and sweet.  I pulled a couple of ingredients together and figured the results couldn't possibly turn out bad.

I was right!  I'll be honest and say that I could have easily eaten all of them by myself but I'm so nice I shared with my husband.  He loves raspberry so I let him have most of the ones with raspberry jam.  I ate most of the pockets with cherry jam.  They tasted like little cherry pies. Yum! These would also be good with a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream. 


1 sheet of puff pastry
Jam of your choice (cherry, raspberry, apricot)
sugar for sprinkling
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 415 degrees. Butter a cookie sheet. Lightly beat the egg in a small bowl and set aside.  Fold out pastry and cut along seams to get 3 long strips. Then cut each of those twice so you get 3 squares. I used a pizza cutter as it the easiest and cleanest way in my opinion. Place the squares onto prepared cookie sheet.

Spoon about a tablespoon of jam in the center of each square of pastry. Pull up 2 opposite corners and pinch together, then the remaining corners and pinch corners closed in the center so it forms a little pouch. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle a pinch of sugar over the top of each pouch.

Bake for about 15-18 minutes or until golden and puffy.  Makes 9 small bites.

January 1, 2013

2012 Recipes in Review

Happy New Year!  I hope you had a great and memorable 2012 and welcome the new year with open arms and mind.  Try something new this year!  If you don't cook, give it a try.   The worst that can happen is that you burn it and you can order a hot and delicious pizza.  Nothing wrong with that.   But the BEST that can happen is a meal that you will be proud of and your family will beg you to make it for them again.  That will make you feel good.  I promise.  So either way, nothing to lose.

We all have our favorite go-to recipes.  Sometimes we make them over and over and sometimes tweak them slightly to improve or even experiment to expand our taste buds.  What is your favorite recipe that you or someone else makes that you really enjoy?

I wanted to recap a few of my favorite recipes from this past year. If you didn't have a chance to see them the first time, here they are. Click on the name below photo and it will take you to the original post and recipe.  None of these recipes are hard. It's worth the minimal work it takes.  Bon Appetit!


Pear Dutch Baby
Chicken & Wild Rice Soup












Beer & Gouda Risotto
Chocolate Bundt Cake with Salted Caramel














Garlic Parmesan Wings
The Best Chili EVER