Coconut Lemon Custard Pie w/Self Making Crust

I wanted something to eat besides chocolate.  We had our Dark Chocolate Coconut Bunny Butt cake for Easter...It was good!  I still have some coconut left so I thought I would make a pie.  It has been so long since I made this...I just about forgot how.  ;D  Grab a fork and help yourself....there is always plenty.  If not, I can always make more.  Enjoy!

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Stuffed Soft Pretzel Bites

I love soft pretzels and thought I would try my hand at making them from frozen dough.  Super easy and fun!  I stuffed them with everything!  Chocolate chips, colby/jack cheese, hot dogs, rolos, broccoli and cheese,  and even chocolate chip cookie dough.  Yes, I did!  ~smiles~  Only thing was....they got mixed up and I didn't know what was in each one!  LOL  We had fun guessing and biting into each one.  It was like a box of chocolates.  You just don't know what you are getting until you dive in and take a bite out of it.  And, just like chocolates...you have to eat what you get.  ~smile~  Mix yours up too, for a little added fun!  Enjoy!

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Ricotta Chocolate Chip Cups

Lucas is sick and I wanted to make him a little snack today.  By little, I do mean little.  This made 4 mini bites, you can easily adjust and make more.  Hope you like these little darlings, he certainly did!  <3 and hugs!

Ricotta Chocolate Chip Cups

this is just a snack makes 4 mini cups

ready made chocolate chip cookie dough, or your favorite

1/4 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

2 teaspoon milk, more or less depending on thickness desired

favorite toppings

Chocolate Chip Cups

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease mini muffin pan. 

Get a little bit of dough, the size of a quarter.  Roll it up then make an indentation in it.  Put it in the greased muffin tin.  Repeat until desired amount is made.

Bake for 5 minutes.  Take out of oven.  I used the back of a round 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon to make another indentation in the cookie dough.  Do not go all the way through the sides or bottom.  

Put back in oven and cook an additional 3-5 minutes.  Until brown outside is brown and inside is very close to being done.  Take out of oven, run a knife around the edges and let cool in pan for 5 minutes.  Take out of pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Ricotta Topping

Whisk ricotta cheese, vanilla, sugar and milk until incorporated and whipped.  Spoon, or pipe into chocolate chip cups.  Top with your favorite fruit or grated chocolate.  Enjoy!  <3 and hugs!  

Spizza

Friday night and I promised my boys pizza.  I look, search, and plunder through cabinets and drawers for the yeast to make the pizza.  Uh Oh!  I am in trouble!  I cannot find it!  Think, think, think....  I remember seeing a pizza made with spaghetti...I'm saved!!!!  I hope.  I get the spaghetti out and they look at me as if I have lost my mind.  ;D  I made the spizza and it Works!  Woot Woot!  It tastes like spaghetti but it is Good!  Eating spaghetti in a pizza shape with your hands...Oh Yeah!  ;D  Hope you like it!  <3 and hugs!

Spizza

6 oz spaghetti, cooked al dente

salt to cook spaghetti, if desired

italian seasoning, basil, oregano to sprinkle, pick and choose or use non 

parmesan cheese

1 egg, beaten

mozzarella cheese, or as we do, string cheese...btw, 1 string cheese = 1/4 cup

spaghetti or pizza sauce

pepperoni, cooked to release grease, optional

veggies, optional 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook spaghetti or use leftover.

Grease pizza pan or cookie sheet.

Toss spaghetti, 1/4 cup parmesan, and beaten egg to cover spaghetti.

Form a circle on greased pizza pan.

Sprinkle with more parmesan and cook in a preheated 350 oven for 5-7 minutes, till starting to set.

Sprinkle again with parmesan and mozzarella on top.

Top with sauce and cooked, precooked pepperoni and/or other toppings.

Cook 15 to 20 minutes, depending on ingredients. 

If the bottom is moist, place on paper towels to remove moisture.

Cut and serve.  

Enjoy!  <3 and hugs! 

Alfredo Green Bean Casserole

A spin on my Mama's, and probably yours too, green bean casserole.  The one with mushroom soup, french style green beans and fried onions.  I loved my Mama's green bean casserole and looked forward to eating it.  However, my boys like alfredo better, so....I made it with alfredo sauce and it was  HIT!    Try it for something different.  I bet your family will like it too.  <3 and hugs!

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Moist and Flavorful Roasted Turkey

I saw a turkey in the freezer the other day and knew right away that is what I wanted to eat.  The only problem was I had to way for it to thaw!  Oh boy, it was so worth the wait!  Every now and then, I just have to have turkey. It seems I always associate turkey with a holiday.  The smell of turkey throughout the night and into the morning as the day begins.  My Darling Daddy would set the clock for midnight, wake up and put the turkey in the oven, having it all set to go in the fridge. It was an amazing turkey but I prefer to cook mine just before I eat it.  Sometimes I brine it but today it went straight into the oven with a lemon, lemon basil, thyme, onion and margarine...Can you say YUM?!  I hope you enjoy it, we did!

 Moist and Flavorful Roasted Turkey

1 12 lb. turkey

1 stick margarine, very cold and sliced
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper (to your taste), more if desired for sprinkling

2 teaspoon dried thyme, more for sprinkling

6 to 10 lemon basil leaves

handful of garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed or head of garlic,cut in half

1 lemon, halved

1 small onion, quartered

spray or melted margarine to baste, if needed

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove neck and giblets from cavities of turkey.  Save to make gravy, if you wish.

Rinse turkey and pat dry.

Sprinkle salt, pepper and thyme inside of turkey cavities, body and neck.

Place garlic, lemon and onion pieces inside turkey.

Cut cold margarine into thin slices.

Mix salt, thyme and pepper in a small bowl.

Press margarine slices into salt mixture.

Fit your hand under skin of turkey and place slices of margarine between skin and meat.

Saving a few to rub the skin with.

Put lemon basil leaves under skin and on top of meat of turkey.

Rub remaining margarine slices on skin, squeeze half a lemon over the turkey.

Sprinkle salt, thyme and pepper if desired.

Put in a roaster and cook in preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Baste with drippings, if any.  If not,  spray or brush with margarine.

Continue to baste every 30 minutes.

It should be done in 2 hours 15 to 30 minutes or 20 minutes per pound.  Mine was done in 2 hrs. 20 minutes.   Liquid should be clear when pierced in meaty part of thigh and drumstick move easily.  Temperature should be 175 to 180 degrees in the thickest part of thigh without touching bone.  Let sit for at least 15 minutes before carving.  Save juices in pan to serve over turkey as it is or made into gravy.  Enjoy! <3 and hugs! 

First day.  Very moist and oh so yummy!

Second day...just as moist and more flavorful! 

Banana Cream Chocolate Eclair Cake and Mama

April 1st was the 20th anniversary of my Precious Mama's passing.  There isn't a day that goes by that I don't feel the void that was made, the day I had to say goodbye.  Nobody, try as they may, can take the place of your Darling Mama, or the ones that raised you.  She is your best friend, the one you think of when something, or someone, makes you smile, laugh, frown, cry....  My Sweet Mama wasn't around when I found out I was pregnant with my oldest, my first born child, at the age of 40.  She wasn't there to hear my twins first cries.   I needed her so when I had cardiomyopathy and congested heart failure one week after my twins were born.  When the cardiologist told me he didn't know if I would live or not.  When I was alone in Cardiac ICU because my husband had to stay home with my precious boys...my newborn twins and oldest son that was 2 1/2 years old.   I was praying desperately that my boys would have their Mama in their lives and not have to go through the pain I have.  I am truly Blessed to be here with them and to hear their sweet voices call my name "Mama."  <3 <3 <3

Mama's aren't replaceable, neither are the treasured recipes they used to make and the precious recipes that accompany them.  I found one of my Mama's recipes for Chocolate Eclair Cake the other day.  A very easy, no bake cake.  I new immediately I would make it, when I told the boys, they were very excited!  I decided to use banana cream, instead of vanilla, and added bananas in the cake, it was a hit.  Hope you enjoy making this recipe and making a new memory with, and for, your loved ones.  <3 and hugs!

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