Let's Make...Arugula and Prosciutto Flatbread

I originally made this flatbread a couple of years ago to impress someone. They were so impressed, that every time I offered to cook for them, they requested flatbread. I have since made this really simple and delicious recipe for family and friends with the same response- this is REALLY good!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese
• 6 slices of prosciutto
• Handful of arugula
• Prepared flatbread

To make:

• Preheat oven to 375
• In a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter and stir in flour for about 30 seconds
• Whisk in cream, stirring frequently until mixture thickens (about 6-7 minutes)
• Add in Gorgonzola cheese until melted
• Remove mixture from heat
• Place flatbread on baking sheet and spoon on Gorgonzola mixture and spread to edge of the flatbread
• Top with prosciutto and arugula 
• Bake in oven for 15 minutes
• Remove from oven and cut into pieces, serve hot
• Enjoy!

Notes:

• Blue cheese can be used in place of Gorgonzola
• Prepared thin crust pizza can be used in place of flatbread
• I break the slices of prosciutto into smaller pieces, but can use whole pieces
• I will sometimes sprinkle parmesan cheese over the prosciutto and arugula before placing in the oven

Let's Make...Blended Coffee

I am not a daily coffee drinker, but I am known to enjoy a coffee based beverage from time to time. I hardly say no to a frappuccino, especially on a hot day. I am currently living in rural Ontario and while I love it here frappuccino and other blended coffees are a bit harder to come by. So, I've spent the past few weeks experimenting and I think I have finally mastered a good blended coffee recipe!!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 tablespoons of white sugar
• 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup
• 1 cup of ice

To make:

• Combine all ingredients in a blender
• Blend well
• Enjoy!

Notes:

• I have been using chocolate milk in place of milk and chocolate syrup
• I will sometimes add a tablespoon of vanilla extract
• I've tried two tablespoons of sugar, but found it too sweet for my personal taste
• 1 cup of ice cubes works out to be 6-7 ice cubes

Let's Make...Old-Fashioned Fudge Pie!

A number of year's ago, my cousins decided to put together a cookbook of family recipes to give to their mom for Christmas. Family members had the opportunity to purchase copies of the cookbook, which of course I did. Over the years I have made a few things from the cookbook, recipes that have become 'go to' for me. I decided that one of my COVID-19 projects would be to make something different from the cookbook, and I ended up making my cousin Angela's Old-Fashioned Fudge Pie. 

This was such an easy recipe and just might become my contribution to the next pot luck I attend- if we are every allowed to have pot lucks again!

Ingredients:

• 2 1oz squares of semi-sweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup of butter
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 graham or chocolate cookie crumb crust 

To make:

• Prep pie crust according to package directions
• Preheat oven to 375
• Melt chocolate and butter together in microwave
• Remove chocolate/butter mixture from heat, add sugar and mix well
• Add eggs and mix well
• Pour filling into pie crust
• Bake for 25 minutes or until set
• Enjoy!

Notes:

• You can also use a 9" unbaked pie crust
• Pie can be served warm or cold
• Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for a little something extra

Let's Make...Strawberry Cream Pie!

Years ago, I was having dinner at my great-aunt and uncle's house, and my aunt made Strawberry Pie for dessert. During dinner, it came out that this recipe had been 'lost' to our family. My aunt had lent the handwritten recipe card to another family member. It was unclear what happened next- the family member lost the recipe, the family member passed it on to another family member, the family member gave it back to my aunt and she lost...there were possibilities. The recipe was eventually found and, when my cousins decided to create a (printed) family cookbook, they made sure to include it. 

This Strawberry Pie is simple to make and never fails to impress those who get to enjoy it!

Ingredients:

• 12oz (1 1/2 packages) cream cheese
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2 cups whipping cream
•  1 9" baked pie shell
• 2-3 cups ripe strawberries, sliced

 To Make:

• In a bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and almond extract until smooth
• In another bowl, beat whipping cream (not too stiff)
• Fold cream into cream cheese mixture
• Spoon half the cream cheese/whipped cream mixture into pie shell
• Cover with 2/3 of sliced strawberries
• Pour remaining cream cheese/whipped cream mixture over strawberries
• Place remaining strawberries on top
• Chill at least one hour
• Enjoy!

Notes:

1. I use vanilla extract in place of almond extract
2. I usually beat the whipping cream for 5-ish minutes
3. This is a strawberry cream pie, and I personally love strawberries, but think this would be delicious with peaches

Prosciutto & Cheese Rolls

Like everyone else, I lead a busy life so I am always on the hunt for quick and easy recipes. One of my 'go to' things to make is stuffed crescent rolls. Recently, I have been loving prosciutto and cheese stuffed crescent rolls! These roll are great as an appetizer, lunch, or an on-the-go breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 1 package crescent rolls
• 1 package of prosciutto
• 1 package of cheese

 To Make:

• Roll out crescent rolls
• Layer a slice of prosciutto 
• Layer a slice of cheese
• Roll crescent roll
• Bake crescent rolls according to instructions on package
• Enjoy!

Notes:

1. These can be served warm or cold
2. I use Pillsbury Mini Crescent rolls
3. I use gouda cheese

Make With Me: No Bake Cheesecake

I love cheesecake and I am always on the hunt for delicious cheesecake, as well as easy cheesecake recipes. The recipe I am sharing today is a combination of a recipe that I got from my friend Kristin, a co-worker, and a few that I found online. It is super easy, no bake, and can be prepared in minutes!

Ingredients:

• 1package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip, thawed
• 2 cups Oreo crumb crust
• Butter (for the crust)
• 1 box chocolate pudding mix

To Make:

• Make crust according to instructions on the box (Note: you'll need roughly 1 and 1/3 cups of the crumbs for the crust)
• Press crust mixture into pan
• Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with whisk or mixer until well blended
• Stir in Cool Whip to the cream cheese mixture
• Stir in package of chocolate pudding mix and 1/2 cup of Oreo crust crumbs
• Spoon mixture into crust
• Sprinkle remaining Oreo crust crumbs on top of cheesecake
• Refrigerate for 3 hours
• Enjoy!

Notes:

1. Instead of Oreo crust, you can use graham cracker crust.
2. Chocolate pudding mix can be substituted for any flavour pudding mix. I personally really like butterscotch.
3. Can use chocolate chips or chocolate shavings as a topping instead of Oreo crumbs.

From The Archives: Spinach Manicotti

One of my favourite dishes to make is spinach manicotti. I grew up (half) Italian, so pasta based dishes were staples growing up. Spinach manicotti is a really easy dish to make, it's delicious, and it looks/sounds fancy. 

 

I shared this recipe back in 2012- crazy to think that was five years ago! You can find the post with ingredient list and instructions here. 

 

I don't like tomato sauce and I forgot to buy mozzarella cheese...still delicious!

Make With Me: Tiramisu

I love Tiramisu! It is so good and super easy to make. My parents and I made Tiramisu for Christmas, and I forgot to take a picture of it when it was done. Regardless, I thought I would share the recipe with all of you!

Ingredients:

• 1packages (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups cold milk
• 2 packages (4 serving sizes each) Jell-O Vanilla Flavour Instant Pudding and Pie Filling
• 1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip, thawed
• Nilla Wafers (approx 50)
• 1/2 a cup of brewed coffee or espresso, cooled
• 2 squares of semi-sweet baking chocolate, coarsely grated
• 1 cup fresh raspberries

Tiramisu in the making

To Make:

• Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy
• Gradually beat in milk
• Add dry pudding mixes, mixing well
• Stir in 2 cups of cool whip
• Line bottom and sides of a 2 1/2 quart bowl with about half the wafers
• Drizzle half the coffee on the wafers
• Layer half the pudding mix over the wafers
• Top with half the grated chocolate
• Repeat all layers, starting with the wafers
• Top with remaining cool whip and raspberries
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours
• Enjoy! 

Notes:

1. Instead of a bowl, you can use a glass pan.
2. If using a pan, you can use either wafers or lady finger cookies.
3. I like to dunk the wafers/cookies in coffee/espresso, instead of drizzling the coffee over them, letting the flavour soak into them a bit.
4. Leftovers are to be stored in the refrigerator.
5. Makes 16 servings.

From The Archives: Pink Flamingo

For today's post, I thought I would head back into the archives and share this fantastic drink recipe- Pink Flamingo. 

We are fully into the summer season and one of my favourite summer activities is to socialize with friends- aka drinks on the patio/deck/balcony/outdoor space. Combine this activity with my favourite animal, flamingos, and you have one of my favourite summer drinks. I often serve this drink in the summer months when I have friends over. A great thing about this drink? It can easily be adjusted and made into a non-alcoholic drink so everyone can enjoy it!

Christmas Cookies

For years and years, my grandmother and I would bake cookies (and in later years, cheesecake) during the holidays, to be shared with our family and friends. The holidays are the only time my grandmother bakes- coincidentally, it's the only time (outside of super special occasions) that I bake too. 

   

I think the best cookies for Christmas are sugar cookies!! They are so easy to make and super easy to turn into festive holiday cookies. Sugar cookies, are essentially, a blank slate. They taste like "cookies", meaning they don't have an additional flavour like the rest of the cookies listed in this post. You can easily use different cookie cutters to make holiday shapes (Christmas trees, snowmen, wreaths, etc). Icing and/or coloured sugar can be used to decorate the cookies to make them more festive.

One of the cookies my grandma and I make- and a family favourite- are peanut butter balls.We actually leave the peanutbutter balls in the fridge overnight before dipping them in chocolate. These cookies are by far the most time consuming cookies on this list, but are so worth it!!

The cookie that most people associate with Christmas, in my opinion, are gingerbread!! I have never made gingerbread cookies. A couple of years ago, one of my sorority sisters made gingerbread cookies..she had tried a new recipe and was unsure how they'd turn out, because the recipe had called for salt...you could taste the salt, but that's what made them so good!!

Another cookie my grandma and I make, and my personal favourite, is shortbread. We use the classic recipe, which is super easy and super tasty. There is a bit of debate in my family as to which of my grandmother's cookies- peanut butter balls or shortbread- are the best.

None of the cookies listed above are personal recipes, but links lead to recipes that are very similar, if not identical, to the ones I use (with the exception of the gingerbread, since I've never made it). 

Hope everyone has a fantastic Monday!!

 

From The Archives: Yogurt Dots

A couple of years ago I came across a great snack that is also super easy to make. It's on of my favourites so I thought I would go into the Archives and share with you my recipe for Yogurt Dots! 

With so many different yogurt flavours available, this snack can be made in a variety of flavours too. It's healthy, delicious and takes minutes to prepare. I usually have a container of yogurt dots in the freezer. They are a great snack for basically every occasion!

From The Archives: Campfire Cookies

Happy Wednesday!! It's always fun to go into the archives and be reminded of things I have posted about in the past. I realize I haven't gone into the archives in a few months, so I thought I would do so today. 

So, what do we have from the archives? Campfire Cookies!! 

 

These cookies are not only delicious, but they are super easy to make!! 

The recipe can be found here. Enjoy!

From The Archives: Rolo Stuffed Crackers

Happy Friday!! While it has been an overall good week, I'm happy to see it come to an end. I'm looking forward to this weekend- no travel, I'll be spending it at my apartment! I can't even remember the last time I spent a weekend here, it's been THAT long. 

On Tuesday, I had some friends over and I made rolo stuffed crackers. This used to be a 'go to' recipe for me and for some reason, I just stopped making them. I decided to make them on Tuesday and they were a huge hit!! A friend asked me how I got the recipe, and I told her; Pinterest, made them, shared them online and I got great feedback from readers- one person even said to me 'In this case, sharing is not caring' as I was ruining her diet/healthy eating. 

I originally shared this recipe back in 2013, almost two years ago and before I was a .com, so I thought I would share it again. For the full recipe, check out this post. These are super easy to make and I haven't had anyone not love them!