Pepperoni Pizza Pinwheels

While walking through the isles of the grocery store last night something caught my eye, mini pepperonis by Hormel. Once I saw those cute mini pepperonis my mind started thinking of all the possibilities that can be done with them. The first thing that popped in my head were pinwheels made with canned crescent rolls. When I was younger and my mom would throw parties we would make crescent pinwheels with ham and cheese or turkey and cheese as her hours d oeuvres. So I decided that the first thing I will make with the mini pepperonis would be pepperoni and cheese pinwheels just like the ones I made for my mom. 

As I was making them for dinner Tomas kept asking me what I was making and I just kept telling him it was a surprise. As they were cooking he asked again because he said it smelled good and I still would not tell him. As soon as they were done he came into the kitchen and said "those look amazing." I then proceeded to pour him some marinara sauce, which he then doctored up with some garlic and spices, then he took one of the pinwheels and gave it dip. It was love at first bite. He loved these little flaky pizza bites and lets just say they were so good that they on lasted a few minutes until we devoured every last one. I will have to make more the next time I make these instead of the little bit that I did.  :)

Pepperoni Pinwheels  

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls

Shredded Cheese

Hormel Mini Pepperonis

Marinara sauce

Preheat the oven to 375*F. Take two of the crescent triangles and piece together to make a rectangle. You should get four rectangles per can of crescent rolls. Sprinkle some cheese on top of the rectangle and then sprinkle some pepperonis on top of that. I really don't have a precise measurement for the cheese and pepperoni, just put however much you want, just don't over fill or they will become to hard to roll up. After you put the cheese and pepperoni on the crescent dough start rolling from one short end to the other. Press the end to seal shut. Take a knife and cut the roll four times to make circle pinwheel shapes. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. As soon as you remove the pinwheels from oven, use a spatula to remove from pan before the cheese causes then to stick to the pan . Enjoy while hot and use marinara sauce for dipping if you like. Enjoy :)   

Pin It

Quick Trail Mix

What a view.

I just recently took a trip to Yosemite where we hiked the trail to Clouds Rest. You can read all about our trip under My Life page. It was a very long hike, but very rewarding. Along our hike we took a lot of breaks and one of the things we ate along our hike was the trail mix I quickly put together the night before. Trail mix is something anyone can make. The best things about making it yourself is you can put all the things you like in it and keep the things you don't like out. I would have put more in it but I just used what I had on hand. In my trail mix I took some salted peanuts, a package of dried cranberries, Reese's peanut butter chips, and chocolate covered raisins and dumped them in a large Ziploc gallon bag, sealed it shut and threw it in my backpack and headed off for our hike. Well I hope you get a chance to make your own trail mix and take a beautiful hike in Yosemite.

A view of the trail mix with Half Dome in the background and the clouds passing through us.

Pin It

Homemade Cheez-Its

I just finished making my own homemade Cheez-Its and decided that this is something I must share. My mom told me about this recipe for homemade Cheez-Its on a blog called In Katrina's Kitchen. After reading her post I decided that I too need to make these, especially since Tomas loves Cheez-Its. Now they don't taste exactly like the same things, but they do come pretty close and are very yummy. As I am writing this, Tomas brother Lukas is in the kitchen munching away at them. So if you like Cheez-Its I highly recommend you try making them on your own, especially since they are easy to make. Enjoy :)

Homemade Cheez-Its

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
· 3 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature
· 1 Tablespoon vegetable shortening*
· ½ teaspoon salt
· 1 cup flour
· 2 Tablespoons ice water
· Coarse salt for sprinkling

Combine cheese, butter, shortening, and salt in the bowl of your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. The mixture will be crumbly. Slowly add flour and then the ice water. You may add a few more drops of water to help it come together but be careful not to add too much. You don’t want a wet dough. Pat the dough into 2 discs and wrap in plastic wrap for at least 30 minutes (or longer).

Preheat oven to 375⁰F.Using parchment paper or a silicone mat roll each disc to 1/8 inch or less and cut into 1 inch squares (a pastry wheel or pizza wheel is easiest). Use a toothpick to punch a hole into the center of each square. If you have difficulty separating and transferring the crackers onto the baking sheet return the parchment paper/mat to the refrigerator for 10 minutes (while you roll out the 2nd dough disc). Bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until puffed and browning around the edges. If you pull them out too soon and the crackers don’t have the desired crispiness you want then simply return them to the oven for 2-3 more minutes. Move crackers to a cooling rack.

Pin It

Chocolate Covered Pretzel Peanut Butter Sandwiches

Since the marshmallow pretzel sandwiches were such a hit, I just had to make other variations of them. Therefore I decided that I should try using peanut butter this time. I am so glad I did because these too came out very good. I have to say the peanut butter are my favorite, but that may be because I love peanut butter. Tomas is the opposite because he prefers the marshmallow ones over the peanut butter ones. So it is up to you to decide which ones taste better. Either way I hope you enjoy them as much as we have been. :)

Chocolate Covered Pretzel Peanut Butter Sandwiches

1 bag of pretzels

Jar of peanut butter

1 package of dipping chocolate

Take two pretzels and place a decent amount of peanut butter between the two pretzels. wipe off any excess peanut butter that comes out or push back in. Melt the chocolate in the microwave according to package directions. Take the pretzel sandwiches and dip, using a fork. and cover the entire pretzel sandwich. Transfer to a parchment lined cookie sheet and let set. Swirl with melted peanut butter over tops if you desire (it doesn't ever fully dry though, unless kept in the fridge). Transfer to a plate. Serve and enjoy.

Pin It

Chocolate Covered Pretzel Marshmallow Sandwiches

A while back, while shopping at the grocery store, I came across the chocolate covered pretzel sandwiches with a york peppermint patty center. So I decided why don't I try to do something similar at home. I looked at in my pantry and I saw that I had a jar of marshmallow cream (sad thing is I couldn't remember why I had it and what I intended on using it for). But anyways I decided that I will put some of the marshmallow cream between two pretzels and dip that in chocolate. They were such a hit everyone devoured them up. Since they were so good that Tomas sister Monika made a batch as well and of course those were gone in no time as well. Well I hope you enjoy them as much as we did. Also there wasn't a exact amount made in each batch. WE just made them until we ran of chocolate. Therefore the results will vary. Enjoy :)

Chocolate Covered Pretzel Marshmallow Sandwiches

Bag of pretzel twist or checker squares

1 jar of marshmallow cream

1 bag of dipping milk chocolate

2 tablespoons white chocolate chips melted, optional

Take two pretzels and place a decent amount of marshmallow cream between the two pretzels. wipe off any excess cream that comes out or push back in. Melt the chocolate in the microwave according to package directions. Take the pretzel sandwiches and dip, using a fork. and cover the entire pretzel sandwich. Transfer to a parchment lined cookie sheet and let set. Swirl white chocolate over tops if you desire. Transfer to a plate. Serve and enjoy.

Pin It

Sugar Coated Pecans

About a couple of weeks ago my mom came to Fresno with her friend Susan to do a little shopping. While here they came by my job to pay me a visit and I got to hang out with them during my lunch break. Well while my mom found a can of burnt sugared pecans I have never had them before so I tried them. It was love at first bite. I have been thinking about them ever since. When I went home for Christmas I actually finished up the can we bought and I still can't stop thinking about them. Well as I was at the grocery store tonight I thought to myself that I should make some burnt sugared pecans of my own. Well I wasn't quite able to do that one reason being I didn't know how and two I could not find a recipe online or in my cookbooks. I did however find a recipe for sugar coated pecans on allrecipes.com and they came out amazing. They were so good that I have been munching on them as I write this post. So if you love pecans, you will love these. So I hope you enjoy them ax much as I have. :)

Sugar Coated Pecans

1 egg white

1 tablespoon sugar

4 cups pecan halves

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 250*F. Grease one baking sheet. Mix the sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside. In a separate mixing bowl whip together the egg white and water until frothy. Add the pecans to the egg mixture, stir to coat the nuts evenly. Place the nuts in the sugar mixture and toss until evenly coated. Spread the nuts on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes. Enjoy. :)

Pin It

Fried Ravioli

Today's national food holiday is national fast food day. I didn't make a food that you would be able to get at your local fast food joints, I did however make something that is fried. I ended up making fried ravioli for me and Tomas, which happened to be the first time I made them for him. My mom use to make these at her parties all the time, which is how I learned how to make them. They are best served warm with some marinara sauce fr dipping. But let me warn you now, they are so good that you will have to keep making them because the plate will be empty before you know it. :)

Fried Ravioli

1 package already made refrigerated cheese ravioli

About 1/2 cup canola oil for frying

Marinara sauce

Heat the oil in a skillet over a medium high heat. When the oil is hot, gently drop a few ravioli at a time into the skillet. Cook 15 seconds on each side or cook until they turn a nice golden brown. Transfer the ravioli to a paper towel lined plate. Continue until all the ravioli is cooked. Serve warm with marinara sauce and enjoy. :)

Pin It

Fried Won Ton Wrapped Rolos

After Halloween I stocked up on a lot of candy, especially since they were half off. I let every one at my house eat most of the candy besides the Rolos because I was going to make these candies called Pecan Pretzel Turtles that my mom made on her blog. Well while I was working yesterday this idea popped in my head to wrap a rolo in a won ton wrapper and fry it, almost like I did when I made the Fried Nutella Won tons. They came out so good and I loved the warm chocolate and caramel centers. The only tricky part was sealing the wrapper completely so the oil didn't go inside or so a Rolo didn't escape, which did happen once. But after you get the sealing part down they become easier to make. Well I hope you love these little crispy pillows of goodness. :)

Fried Won Ton Wrapped Rolos

Small square Won ton Wrappers

Rolos, unwrapped

Oil for Frying

Heat up the oil in a fryer or a pot on the stove. Take a won ton wrapper and wet the edges with a little bit of water. Place a Rolo in the center. Bring up the edges to the middle and seal the edges by firmly pressing them together leaving no openings. Gently place in the hot oil and fry until a nice golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to cool. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy warm.

This is my attempt of taking a photo of the chocolate caramel goodness on the inside of the Won ton. It doesn't look as pretty as it taste.


I was just having fun with this shot.

Pin It

Dessert Nachos

I feel like it has been a while since the last time I celebrated a national food holiday and the sad thing is I missed out on some good ones that would have been fun to do. So to get back in the game I decided to celebrate today's national food holiday but with a twist. Today is national nachos day and instead of me making regular nachos I decided to make dessert nachos. I started off by making baked cinnamon and sugar won ton chips (which I will provide the recipe below)and I topped them off with some apples and chopped peanuts and then I drizzled chocolate sauce and caramel sauce on top. There is no right or wrong way when it comes to what you want on top of your dessert nachos because you can put what ever you want on top. Just remember to have fun and be creative on national nachos day :)


Now I don't have a precise measurement for the won ton chips because it depends on how many you want to make and how much cinnamon and sugar you want to sprinkle on top. These chips are pretty yummy so you might just end using up the whole package.

Cinnamon Sugar Won ton Chips

won ton wrapper squares, cut into triangles
Splenda or regular sugar
Cinnamon

Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Line up the cut won ton wrappers on top of the greased pan. Spray the tops of the wrappers with a little cooking spray. Sprinkle the Splenda or sugar on the tops of the wrappers and then sprinkle a little cinnamon on top of that; you can also premix the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and then sprinkle that on top of the wrappers. Place in the oven and broil until they start to brown a little. Let cool and enjoy. :)

Pin It

Sweet and Salty Party Mix

A few weeks ago my mom hosted a Pampered Chef party, and when she throws parties she always serves great food. I was sad because I had to work that day and didn't think I would make it. Since I got off some what early, I realized I would make it to Atwater just in time to go to her party. I actually made it early enough that I was able to help her prepare. As I was helping her I noticed this delicious looking snack mix, so I snuck over to the table and sampled a little bit. It was so good that I kept going back for more until my mom yelled, "Save some for the Guest." When the party started I was able to eat some more. I kept thinking about the snack mix for a couple of weeks until I made some for myself. And of course it didn't last long. So let me warn you; if you like carmely, salty, crunchy snacks then you are going to love this party mix. Enjoy :)

Sweet and Salty Party Mix

1 package mini-size (3-3.5 oz) microwave popcorn (about 5 cups)

3 cups miniature pretzel twists

2 cups dry-roasted salted peanuts

2 cups oven-toasted rice cereal squares

1 cup butter (2sticks)

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup corn syrup

1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 300⁰F. Prepare popcorn according to package directions. In large mixing bowl, combine popcorn, pretzels, peanuts and cereal; set aside. Combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in a medium size saucepan. Cook and stir with spoon over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook without stirring for 3 minutes. Remove from heat; carefully stir in baking soda.Pour caramel sauce over popcorn mixture; stir until evenly coated. Spoon onto large baking pan; bake 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven.Transfer popcorn mixture to a large piece of parchment paper. Cool completely, breaking mixture into clusters as it cools. Store mix in an airtight container for up to three days.Yield: 12 cups

Pecans, walnuts or macadamia nuts can be substituted for the peanuts, if desired.

You can also view this recipe on my Mom's blog Stefanie's Cooking Spot.

Pin It

Homemade Salsa

Growing up I never really cared for salsa; probably because it was full of vegetables and it was spicy. But now I love salsa, but mostly just the juice it creates at the bottom of the bowl (I'm kind of weird I guess). Well the other day I got a weird craving for salsa, but not for the typical kind you can buy in a jar at the grocery store, I wanted a more authentic salsa that you get at a restaurant or make yourself. So I called my mom up and asked her how she makes her really good salsa and she gave me the recipe. As I was driving home from work I stopped at the store to buy the few ingredients that I needed and then headed home to make it for everyone. It was pretty easy to make. I did get very emotional when it came to dicing the onions, but as soon as that was over with it was a piece a cake. I hope you enjoy this salsa recipe as much as everyone in my house did. :)

Homemade Salsa

About 6 Roma Tomatoes
1 small red onion
Half a can of canned carrots with jalopenos (in the hispanic isle at the grocery store, Sorry I cant remember the name)
Half of a bunch of cilantro

Dice the tomatoes and place in a big bowl. Dice the tomatoes and mix it with the tomatoes. Take the half can of carrots (or if you want more carrots you can use the whole can if you desire) and place in a food processor with the cilantro. Process for a few seconds until nicely diced mix with the tomato and onion mixture.

If you feel that the salsa needs more of any of these ingredients feel free to add more. The measurements above were to our liking. Thanks Mom for the recipe :)

Pin It

Ritz Cracker Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Snacks

This delicious and simple snack is something my mom has been making my sister and I since we were little girls. To this day I still make this snack and I plan to make it for my kids in the future. All you need is a few ingredients and you too can have a delicious snack. Depending on how hungry you are you can make a lot or just make a little bit if you are not as hungry. Either way I hope you enjoy this treat as much as I do.

Ritz Cracker Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Snacks

Ritz Crackers (as many as you want)
Peanut Butter
Miniature Marshmallows

Take a Ritz Cracker and spread a descent amount of peanut butter on it. Take three or four marshmallows and place on top of the peanut butter. Repeat until you have as many crackers as you desire. Place on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Broil them until the marshmallows start to turn golden brown on top. Let cool slightly so the peanut butter or marshmallows do not burn you. Enjoy

Pin It

Muddy Buddies

Chex Mix Muddy Buddies are one of my favorite snacks. I have heard this delicious snack go by other names as well. I have heard them called Puppy Chow, Monkey Munch, and even Pigeon Poop. Whatever they may be called I cannot get enough. You can usually get the recipie on the back of the Chex cereal box or on their website. But to make it eaiser for you I will post the recipie on here as well.

Chex Mix Muddy Buddies

9 cups Chex cereal

1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup butter

1 cup powered sugar

Measure out cereal and place in a big bowl; set aside. In a 1-quart microwave safe dish, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter on high for 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds. If needed, heat an additional 30 seconds until mixture is smooth. Pour mixture over cereal and stir until evenly coated. Transfer to a 2-gallon resealable bag and add powdered sugar. Shake until evenly coated. Enjoy

Pin It