Blueberry Cream Cheese Braided Loaf!

Oh my goodness!!! This is amazing. I saw it last week on Rhoda's Southern Hospitality Blog and KNEW I had to make it!

I made it yesterday and now I can't walk into the kitchen without wanting another piece! It is truly delicious!

If you don't like blueberries, don't sweat it. It would be just as good with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, canned drained peaches...well, you get the idea.

You can click on the link above in purple to see the recipe on Rhoda's blog. She made a couple of adjustments and the recipe below reflect those adjustments. This recipe is SUPER easy and I hope you try it!

Blueberry Cream Cheese Braided Loaf

Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 large egg, separated
1 1/4 cup confectioners sugar, divided
1 (11 oz.) refrigerated breadstick dough
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, rinsed, drained and dried
2 tsp. water
2 Tbsp. orange juice

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Beat cream cheese in a mixing bowl at med. speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg yolk and 1/4 cup confectioners sugar. Beat until well mixed. Set aside.
3. Remove breadstick dough from can. Unroll and separate dough into rectangle. Place dough horizontally on baking sheet. Press seams together to seal.
4. Spoon cream cheese mixture onto center third of dough.
5. Sprinkle blueberries over cream cheese mixture.
6. Separate dough at perforations up to cream-cheese mixture slightly stretching dough strips. Beginning at top edge of dough, braid strips to cover filling (this makes more sense as you are doing it). Tuck last 2 ends under at bottom of loaf.
7. In a small bowl, beat egg white and water with fork until blended to form an egg wash. Brush egg wash over braided loaf.
8. Bake until golden brown, approx. 20 minutes. Cool for at least 45 min.
9. In another small bowl, combine remaining 1 cup confectioners sugar and orange juice, whisking until smooth. Drizzle glaze over braided loaf before serving. Slice with bread knife.
10. Enjoy and try not to each too much!

Rhoda's braid was prettier than mine but you get the idea. Also, please don't comment on the condition of my baking sheet. I LOVE my old seasoned sheets! They work the best!

I know this looks a little brown but it's not that brown in real life. Just be sure to watch yours in the oven. My oven is a little hotter than it should be so I baked mine for 17 minutes.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen!

Almond-Orange-Peach Crescents!

A few years ago I saw Rachael Ray make Almond-Orange-Apricot Crescent Rolls on her 30 Minute Meals show. I liked the idea but I didn't have apricot or sesame seeds so I improvised and used what I had on hand.

These have now become a favorite with the Farmer's Breakfast Casserole in our family. See previous post for that recipe.

Almond-Orange-Peach Crescents

Ingredients:

1 package of Pillsbury crescent roll dough

3 Tbsp. orange marmalade

3 Tbsp. peach preserves

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

~Preheat oven to the instructions on your crescent roll package.

~Roll dough out on a cookie sheet and break apart triangles.

~Combine orange marmalade and peach preserves in a bowl and stir well with a teaspoon to break down the preserves to a spreadable consistency.

~Using the back of the teaspoon, spread a thin layer onto the crescent dough and roll it up per the package directions.

~Using a pastry brush, brush the beaten egg on top of the rolled crescent and sprinkle sliced almonds on top.

~Bake per package instructions until done or lightly golden. Serve warm.

Note:

~Substitute apricot, pineapple, cherry, red raspberry, strawberry or blueberry preserves for the peach. Yum! You are only limited by your imagination.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen!

The Moistest Cornbread!

The one thing I don't like about cornbread is that it crumbles! I don't know about you but I don't want it falling apart in my hand when I'm trying to butter it.

After several tries trying different cornbread recipes, I think I found one that's a keeper. I made it to go with our meal for Allison's birthday this year. My Dad even liked it and he doesn't throw compliments out very often. I told him that I have a secret ingredient but wouldn't tell him what it was. Well...it's cottage cheese! Yes. It melts and makes it very moist. I didn't tell him because although I love cottage cheese, my parents, sister and brother don't care for it. Some things are better left unsaid. ;)

I have to laugh though. One day Allison and I were watching Paula Deen and she was making cornbread. Guess what she put in hers? Yup! Cottage cheese! Well. Allison flipped out and screamed "Mom, Paula Deen stole your secret ingredient!" Too funny!

The Moistest Cornbread

Ingredients:
2 boxes of Jiffy corn muffin mix
4 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 (12 ounce) package of frozen corn, thawed (I use the baby corn)
1 medium, onion, diced fine (I use a very small onion)
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
1 pinch of sugar

Directions:
~Preheat oven to 375 degrees
~Combine all ingredients and mix well. The batter will be very thick.
~Pour into a buttered 9" X 13" casserole dish.
~Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.
~Let it cool for 10 minutes to let the flavor develop. It's also good at room temperature.

Variation: You could add one or more of the following. A can of chopped green chiles, drained or 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese or 1 cup of shredded pepper jack cheese.

One a side note...I also took this cornbread to my best friend's campsite this Summer. She said that all it needed was Dutch Butter. You see there is a restaurant not far from where we grew up that's called the Das Dutch Haus. Well. They make the most delectable homemade food and people stand in line forever just to eat there. They also serve this gooey, peanut buttery spread for their cornbread. Well after Susan mentioned it, I went on a search and finally found it. Come back tomorrow and I'll share with you what to smear on your cornbread so your tummy thanks you over and over again.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen!