Baseball Opening weekend! (mind you, this was weeks ago when Bebe was here...I've just gotten around to downloading them off my camera...)
Then there was the teacher luncheon that I help with every year. This year I was in charge of hors devours, and dessert. I made stuffed mushrooms, bruschetta, and apple dumplings. Then for 'thank you' take home gifts, I made little 4 inch Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecakes that looked like this.
YUM. I made 12 of them! ***See below for recipes...
Then there was the pink eye epidemic that lasted weeks. In case you are wondering, yes, I still have it. Don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me? Don't cha? I know you do. Sorry, you don't get a picture of me, although this is exactly how I have been looking and feeling! (complete with the Shakeology stache..)
Next up was the whole Easter celebration at school. Parker didn't have to get so dressed up did he? Also, I'm not sure the smiles could have been faker. But OF COURSE they had so much fun..
Finally was Easter weekend. We had a fabulous day, really. We started with The Easter Bunny
Then moved on to 'Cinnabunny's' for breakfast
After Cinnabunny's came an awesome church service and an Easter Brunch and Egg Hunt at Gentle Creek Golf Club, but unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of us all pretty. After that wrapped up, I came home and GOT IN BED! One of my favorite things to do on the weekend is nap and we have been so incredibly busy with baseball that I haven't done that in so long. Mike woke me up just in time for dinner. It was awesome and much needed.
I hope everyone had a fabulous Easter filled with love!
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**recipes
Stuffed Mushrooms
24 ounces, weight White Button Mushrooms
⅓ pounds Hot Pork Sausage
½ whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
4 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
⅓ cups Dry White Wine
8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese (I use light)
1 whole Egg Yolk
¾ cups Parmesan Cheese, Grated
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Wipe off or wash mushrooms in cold water. Pop out stems, reserving both parts.
Chop mushroom stems finely and set aside. Brown and crumble sausage. Set aside on a plate to cool. Add onions and garlic to the same skillet; cook for 2 minutes over medium low heat. Pour in wine to deglaze pan, allow liquid to evaporate.
Add in chopped mushroom stems, stir to cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set mixture aside on a plate to cool. In a bowl, combine cream cheese and egg yolk. Stir together with Parmesan cheese.Add cooled sausage and cooled mushroom stems. Stir mixture together and refrigerate for a short time to firm up. Smear mixture into the cavity of each mushroom, creating a sizable mound over the top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool at least ten minutes before serving; the stuffed mushrooms taste better when not piping hot.
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Pomodoro Fresco Sourdough Bruschetta
1 (12 to 16-inch) sourdough baguette
2 garlic cloves, halved plus 1 tablespoon minced garlic
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for garnish
2 cups diced Roma tomatoes
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut the baguette in half lengthwise, place on a sheet tray and bake in the oven until lightly brown. Rub with the garlic cloves. Drizzle with 2 ounces of the olive oil and sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Return to oven to melt cheese.
In a medium mixing bowl, add the tomatoes, minced garlic, basil, vinegar, remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and let sit for 5 minutes at room temperature.
Remove baguette from oven and top with the tomato mixture. Garnish with basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
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Apple Dumplings (Pioneer Woman's!)
2 whole Granny Smith Apples
2 cans (8 Oz. Cans) Crescent Rolls
2 sticks Butter
1-½ cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
Cinnamon, To Taste
1 can (12 Oz.) Mountain Dew Soda
Peel and core apples. Cut each apple into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan.
Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour entire mixture over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.
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Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup crushed cream filled chocolate sandwich cookies
1/4 cup sugar (scant)
6 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
FILLING:
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup hot fudge ice cream topping. divided
1 small bag peanut butter cups, cut into small wedges. Put them in the freezer as well to assure them being hard and not melting.
In a bowl, combine cracker crumbs, cookie crumbs, sugar and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a greased 9-in springform pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack. In a microwave safe bowl, heat peanut butter on high for 30 seconds or until softened. Spread over crust to within 1 inch of edges.
In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and sour cream until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in vanilla. Pour 1 cup mixture into a bowl; set aside. Pour remaining filling over peanut butter layer.
In microwave safe bowl, heat 1/4 cup fudge topping on high 30 seconds or until thin; fold into reserved cream cheese mixture. Carefully spoon over filling, cut through filling with a knife to swirl.
Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Cool in the fridge overnight.
In the morning take the remaining fudge topping and microwave 30 seconds or until warmed. Pour over top of cheesecake til top is covered. Garnish the top of chocolate topping with chopped up peanut butter cups. I used enough to lighty accent the top.
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