Mini Fruit Pizza

I made these bites of yumminess last weekend for a bridal shower and had many requests for the recipe. So light and refreshing. Perfect for any summer party!

Mini Fruit Pizzas

Glaze:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp lime juice

Cookies:
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp butter flavoring
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 cups cool whip


Fruit:
16 oz strawberries
6 oz blueberries
6 oz raspberries
3 kiwi

For the glaze: Combine sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Whisk together to combine. Add apple juice, water, and lime juice. Stir and heat over medium heat. Let mixture come to a  boil, stirring constantly. When thick, remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

For the cookies: Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and flavorings. Beat until well mixed. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour dry ingredients into the butter mixture and combine. Roll dough into 2 inch balls and place on sprayed cookie sheets. Press each dough ball down slightly with the palm of your hand. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes or until tops of cookies are cracked. Allow to sit for a couple of minutes on cookie sheets before removing to racks to cool completely.

For the frosting: Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and cool whip. Mix until combined.


For the fruit: Wash and slice strawberries and peel and slice kiwi. Wash berries. 


Frost one cookie at a time, then add the fruit. If you frost all the cookies and then add the fruit, the fruit may have a hard time sticking in place. Drizzle each cookie with some glaze and refrigerate until ready to serve. Don't make these too early before you serve them because the fruit will get juicy and runny.






jamie cooks it up

Favorite French Toast

I love, love, love this recipe and would eat it everyday if it was somewhat healthy for me. We usually save this for special family weekends, but it's too good not to share!

Favorite French Toast

3 eggs 

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 loaf french bread, cut in thick slices

2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 cup walnuts

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Preheat skillet or griddle and spray with cooking spray. In a shallow dish, beat together eggs, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Dip the slices of bread in egg mixture and place on the skillet to cook about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown. 

In a small saucepan, cook the butter and the brown sugar until butter is melted. Add walnuts and toss to coat with mixture. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the sugar is dissolved and the walnuts are fragrant. Stir the mixture into the ricotta cheese.
Spread some ricotta mixture on each piece of cooked french toast and serve with either powdered sugar or maple syrup.

I love to serve this with magic syrup...I will make that my next post.

Serves 4

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

We are loving these snacks at our house. My kids like them, my husband likes having them for breakfast, and I like knowing that they are eating something fairly healthy. It's cheaper than buying granola bars every week too!

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup honey

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 cups quick cooking oats

1 cup rice krispy cereal

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp mini chocolate chips

In a large bowl, stir oats and cereal together. Set aside. In a small pot, melt butter, honey, and sugar over medium high heat until it comes to a bubble. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in vanilla and stir till combined. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well to moisten all ingredients. Pour into lightly greased small jelly roll pan and press out to be about 3/4 inch in thickness. (I just press mine into one side of a cookie sheet.) Press down firmly so mixture will stick together. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and press down lightly. Cool on a counter top  at room temperature for 2 hours or until chocolate chips are set before cutting into bars. Store in plastic wrap or baggies. 

Makes about 8 granola bars