Veggie Pizza

Eat your veggies! 

Eat your veggies!

How many times have we heard this?

They are good for you!

Well, guess what they are good for you.

And they taste awesome on this veggie pizza!

 Especially covered in shredded cheddar cheese.

About nine years ago 

a good friend of ours, Sandy 

made this appetizer and Debbie fell in love with it.

We had never had "cold" pizza before.

We are not talking leftover pizza,

 that you eat cold from the refrigerator.

(Yuk, by the way.)

But a pizza that was suppose to be cold when you eat it. 

A delicious finger food.

Great for parties and gatherings.

While Dakota was not a huge fan of it

 when she was younger some of her friends 

couldn't get enough of it.

So it became one of the finger foods we made 

for New Year's Eve parties, scrapbook nights,

 and family gatherings.

Easy to make.

Start with two packages of crescent rolls.

Roll them out on to a sheet cake pan, cookie sheet, or  a stoneware pan like we did.

It all depends on how thick you want the crust.

Bake and then let it cool.

You can use light mayo and cream cheese 

to go lighter on the calories.

 Or the regular kind if you like.

It's up to you.

Mix up the "sauce".

 Spread it on the cooled crust.

Now for the fun part.

Chop up whatever veggies you like. 

Your family favorites.

As you can see we like it with cauliflower, broccoli, 

celery, onions, tomatoes, and carrots. 

Well, the carrots were a little shy

 and didn't want in the picture.

Put your chopped veggies on the sauce 

and then top them with shredded cheddar cheese.

Chill for about an hour and serve.

Who said pizza wasn't good for you?

Veggie Pizza

2 pkgs. of crescent rolls

2 - 8oz. pkgs. cream cheese

1 cup mayonnaise

1-3 Tbsps. milk

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Mix

Chopped vegetables: carrots, celery, broccoli,

 onions, tomatoes, cauliflower 

(whatever kind of veggies you like)

2 - 3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spread (flatten) the crescent rolls on cookie sheet.

Bake for about 10 minutes,until the crust is golden.

Cool completely.

Blend together the cream cheese, mayo, and ranch mix.

Spread over the cooled crust.

Sprinkle with the chopped veggies.

Then top with the shredded cheddar cheese.

Chill for about an hour.

Cut into squares or rectangles 

and serve.

Enjoy!

Thanks to Sandy G. for the recipe all those years ago.

Thanks to Aaron for eating so much of it at the parties.

 

White Chocolate Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

White Chocolate Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

The graham cracker crust.

Cool and creamy cheesecake.

The taste of white chocolate mousse.

Fresh vanilla bean whipped cream.

The curls of white chocolate.

Yum.

 Just saying it makes you want to try some

White Chocolate

Vanilla Bean

Cheesecake.

Imagine being able to make your own 
Cheesecake Factory
or T.G.I. Friday's
Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
in your own kitchen.

This isn't a hard recipe but it does take a while to make.
BUT it is worth every second.
Trust us.

 
Start with a graham cracker crust.
Combine crushed graham crackers 
with sugar, butter, egg yolk and vanilla.

Press the crumbs firmly into a springform pan.
 Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes.
 Let cool.
A springform pan is a pan where the bottom and the sides of the pan are separate pieces. They fit together and are secured by the latch on the side. After you are finished making your cheesecake the side of the pan can be removed.

This is a vanilla bean. 
You can get them at some grocery stores or on-line. 
They really add to the flavor.

To use a vanilla bean 
split the pod down the middle length wise.
Then scrape out all of the tiny seeds to use.

 

Combine the cream cheese with sour cream, sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract and melted white chocolate.Add the vanilla bean seeds to the cheesecake mixture.

Add the eggs one at a time, 

mixing on low after each egg until blended.

   Looks good already.

Pour the cheesecake mixture 
into the cooled graham cracker crust.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until center is almost set.

 Cool for one hour.
Meanwhile start on your white chocolate mousse.

Melt your squares of white chocolate and set aside.
In a cold mixing bowl beat the whipping cream until peaks form. 
Slowly add the powdered sugar
 and beat until stiff peaks form.
 Put in a separate bowl and put in the refrigerator.
Then beat the cream cheese until fluffy.
Add the melted white chocolate and mix until smooth.

By hand, gently mix in the whipped cream.

Once your cheesecake has cooled, top it with the white chocolate mousse. Notice how the cheesecake has cracked. It is fine.  It happens a lot. Plus you are going to cover it with the mousse so no one will know.

After you spread the mousse on the cheesecake make the vanilla whipped cream. Beat the whipping cream in a cold bowl. Slowly add the sugar and vanilla bean seeds, and 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Beat until stiff.

Spread the vanilla whipped cream on top of the mousse.

Top with white chocolate curls.

Melt 1 to 2 cups white chocolate chips with about 
1 Tbsp. white Crisco in a small bowl in your microwave.
Then spread on a cookie sheet and freeze for a couple of minutes. Take it out of the freezer. Using a sharp spatula, run it along the top creating chocolate curls.

Place the chocolate curls on top of the vanilla whipped cream layer.

Chill for several hours before removing the outer side of the springform pan.

 Delicious

White Chocolate Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
    Print recipe  
Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham crackers, crushed
1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
 Cheesecake:
 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
 seeds from 1 vanilla bean
4 - 1oz. squares white chocolate
3 eggs
 Mousse:
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 - 1oz. white chocolate squares, melted
Whipped cream:
1 cup whipping cream
1 Tbsp. sugar
seeds from 1 vanilla bean 
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
White Chocolate Curls:
1 to 2 cups white chocolate chips
1 Tbsp white Crisco

Crust:
Mix the sugar into crushed graham crackers.
Add the egg yolk and vanilla.
Stir in the melted butter.
Mix well.
Line the bottom of a springform pan with parchment paper.
Press the mixture onto the bottom of the pan.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes or until edges are just turning brown. 
Let cool.

Cheesecake:
Mix cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar. Add butter, vanilla extract, seeds from the vanilla bean and the melted white chocolate. Blend until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low after each egg until blended.
Pour on top of crust and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes, 
until center is almost set.
Cool 1 hour.
White Chocolate Mousse
In a cold mixing bowl beat the whip cream unit soft peaks form. Slowly add the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Move the whipped cream to another bowl and refrigerate. In the mixing bowl beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the melted white chocolate and mix until smooth. Remove whipped cream from the refrigerator and slowly fold it into the the mixture.
Top cooled cheesecake with the mousse.

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream:
In cold mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream 
until soft peaks form. 
 Slowly add the sugar. 
Add the vanilla extract and seed from the vanilla bean 
and beat until stiff peaks form.
Spread this on top of the mousse.

White Chocolate Curls:
  Melt 1 to 2 cups white chocolate chips with about 1 Tbsp. white Crisco in a small bowl in your microwave.
Then spread on a cookie sheet and freeze for a couple of minutes. Take it out of the freeze. Using a sharp spatula, run it along the top creating chocolate curls.

Place them on top of the Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream. 

Chill for several hours before serving.

Remove the sides of the pan.

Ahhhh..... 

White Chocolate Vanilla Bean Cheesecake!

Enjoy! 

   

Double Quiche Recipes! Bacon Basil Quiche & Spinach Bacon Quiche

 

Bacon Basil Quiche

and 

Spinach Bacon Quiche

 

Easter is this weekend 

and we thought we would give you 

an early Easter present

with two recipes this week!

Two delightfully delicious quiches.

Both perfect for a Sunday Brunch 

or a lovely addition to 

Easter Dinner.

  Bacon Basil Quiche is creamy and smooth 

with provolone cheese, bacon, and fresh basil.

This light dish is a perfect meal

with a salad and crusty rolls.

You can use any pie crust you like.

Made from scratch, from a box mix, or

a ready-to-use pie crust.

We like to use Pillsbury Pie Crust.

So simple.

Layer your provolone cheese in the bottom of the crust.

Whisk your eggs.

Chop your bacon and basil.

Layer it on top of the cheese.

Gently pour the egg mixture on top of the bacon and basil.

Top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and nutmeg. 

Fresh out of the oven.

Bacon Basil Quiche

One pie crust, unbaked

6 eggs

 1/4 tsp.salt 

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 cups milk

4 slices bacon, cooked

6 leaves basil

6 slices provolone cheese

Parmesan cheese

Nutmeg

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put your pie crust in a pie plate. Crimp your edges.

Place the provolone cheese slices 

in the bottom of the pie crust. 

In a medium size bowl whisk the eggs until golden yellow.

Add salt & pepper and milk.

Mix well.

Crumb the cooked bacon.

Chop the basil.

Put the basil and bacon in the pie plate 

on top of the provolone.

Pour the egg mixture on top of the bacon and basil.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and nutmeg. 

Bake in a 350 degrees oven for about 40 minutes,

until the eggs are set in the middle.

Cool for about 10 minutes.

Enjoy.

And now your bonus quiche!

Spinach Bacon Quiche

 

 We have a family member who is a picky eater, but absolutely loves this quiche!

Imagine not liking salad, but loving spinach.

Go figure! 

In fact, she is the one who gave us this recipe.

Even if you are not a big fan of spinach 

this is a delicious quiche. 

Try it.

Start with a pie crust, milk, bacon, cheese, eggs, and spinach.

We use frozen spinach. Thaw it ,then squeeze with between paper towels to remove the liquid.

 Sprinkle half of the chopped, cooked bacon in the pie crust.

Whisk the eggs, milk, and flour together.

Add the spinach and cheese.

Mix.

Pour into the crust and top with the other half of the bacon.

Bake for 45 - 60 minutes, until set.

Yum!

Spinach Bacon Quiche

1 pie crust, unbaked

8 slices bacon, cooked

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

9 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 1/2 cups milk

3 eggs

1 Tbsp. flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put your pie crust in a pie plate and flute edges.

Sprinkle half of the chopped bacon 

in the bottom of the pie crust. 

Beat the eggs and add the milk and flour.

Mix well.

Add the drained spinach and cheese.

Mix.

Pour the egg mixture into the pie crust on top of the bacon.

 Sprinkle with the remaining bacon.

Bake in a 350 degree oven 

for about 45 to 60 minutes until center is set. 

Cool 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Bacon Basil Quiche was inspired by 

My Just Desserts

and 

Bacon Spinach Quiche by 

www.soyouretheministerswife.com