Tropical Cream Cheese Chicken Puffs

The history of cream puffs is a mystery.  No one knows who invented them or when they were first served.  But they have been served world wide for every grand occasion imaginable.  I have revised the commonly known sweet treat into a delicate appetizer filled with a cream cheese and chicken mixture with a little tropical twist.   Hope you enjoy them….!!

Tropical Cream Cheese Chicken Puffs

Mix together in mixing bowl:

12.5 oz. can Chicken Breast Chunks, drained

¾ c. crushed pineapple, drained (reserve 1 t. of juice)

¾ c. sunflower seeds

½ t. salt

3 T. fresh chives, snipped (plus some for garnish)

½ c. whipping cream

4 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese

20 miniature cream puff pastries (empty)

Mix together;  chicken, pineapple, sunflower seeds, salt and chives and set aside. 

Beat whipping cream on high speed for 1 minute.  Add Philadelphia Cream Cheese and beat about 30 seconds more.   Take out ½ c. of this cream cheese mixture stir in the 1 t. of pineapple juice and set this mixture aside.  Mix the remaining cream cheese mixture in with the chicken mixture.

Slice off the top of the cream puffs.  Gently lift off the top and using a medium sized cookie scoop place 1 Tablespoon of the filling on each cream puff and replace the top of the cream puff. 

Place the cream cheese mixture that you have saved in a quart sized Ziploc bag and snip off one corner.  Pipe this mixture in a swirl on top of each cream puff and sprinkle with snipped chives.  Refrigerate until serving time.  

Leek-Gruyere Cream Soup

• I grew leeks in my garden this year....and now I don't know what to do with them.....So I am searching for recipes....Found this one from Better Homes and Gardens....I might have to try it??
• Gruyere cheese is one of the most famous cheeses produced in Switzerland, and is characterized by its nutty, slightly sweet taste. In this recipe, Gruyere cheese is melted as a creamy base for soup. Along with the cheese, this recipe features pureed mushrooms and leeks. Top with sliced leeks, and you will enjoy a rich and complex cream soup.
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• Leek-Gruyere Cream Soup
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups sliced leeks
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon fines herbes, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups shredded process Gruyere cheese (6 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Thinly sliced leeks (optional
• In a large kettle or Dutch oven combine 4 cups of the chicken broth, the leeks, mushrooms, fines herbs, and pepper. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until leeks are tender. Cool slightly.
• Place one-third of the leek mixture in a blender container or food processor bowl. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Repeat with remaining leek mixture. Return all of the smooth leek mixture to the kettle or Dutch oven; stir in 1 cup of the remaining chicken broth.
• Combine the remaining 1 cup of the chicken broth and the flour until smooth. Stir into hot broth mixture along with shredded cheese and parsley. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly and cheese melts. Stir in whipping cream; heat through.
• If desired, garnish with additional sliced leeks. Makes 8 servings.

Lemonade Ice Cream

This recipe is from Kate Ensign-Lewis.....one of the authors of "Our Best Bites"........When I think of summer, I think of this refreshing dessert.

There’s something about this recipe that just whispers to me across the sands of time. From summers spent eating it on the patio at my grandma’s house to stealing an extra piece after our Fourth of July celebration when I was 9 (and owning up, unsolicited, to the pilfered piece later, like a good little Mormon girl)—it just speaks of summer throughout. Maybe it’s the freshness of the lemon. Maybe it’s the cold sensation of ice cream. But I have a theory that it’s both.

It’s super easy:
She didn't name it and so I will call it "LEMONADE ICE CREAM"  and I am thinking that I would make it without the crust too just in an individual serving cup.  
1 box Nilla wafers
¼ cup butter, melted
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
½ gallon vanilla ice cream (softened)
8-ounce pink lemonade from freezer section (thawed)

Pulse 1 box (or about 36 cookies) of Nilla wafers in food processor until pulverized (like what you would expect in a graham cracker crust). Add butter and sugar and stir. Press into bottom of 9×13-inch pan.

Stir softened ice cream and lemonade in a large bowl until well combined. Spread over crust and allow to freeze until hardened, about 3 hours.

Hot Pepper Jelly

• Here is the recipe I actually used.....it came to me from Kristy Lish.  The notes in red are MY NOTES...
• This stuff is very addicting.....and not too hot......we have been eating it on Wheat Thins or Ritz Crackers with cream cheese.  So yummy!!

This is an actual TESTED/APPROVED recipe.  It is the recipe in the CERTO liquid pectin box.  This is the altitude recommendation for 2000 to 3000 ft. 

• Hot Pepper Jelly
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• 6 medium jalapeno or serrano peppers  (Kristy uses Serranos, I like the flavor better for the jelly. But anything works and you can mix them up.)

  About 3/4 cup total.  I use 6 or 7 Jalapenos
  1 Medium green bell pepper  & 1 Medium red bell pepper   (about 2 cups total) I used 3 bell peppers of various colors

   Finely chopped all peppers  - leave seeds in the hot peppers but take them out of the bell peppers.   I put the peppers in my food processor I drained the bell peppers in a colander to get rid of all the juice so the jelly would not be too runny

  1 1/2 c. Apple Cider Vinegar 

  6 1/2 c. Sugar   I  use 5 c.  
  1 pouch "Certo" Liquid Pectin
•  1 T. crushed red pepper   (add with pectin)

  
  

  Add peppers and cider vinegar to a large pot.  Stir

  Add Sugar and stir to mix.

  Over high heat stir occasionally until mixture comes to a rolling boil add pectin and red pepper flakes.

  Boil for 1 minute.  I don't want it too runny....I do 2 minutes

  Take off of heat, ladle into jelly jars - leave 1/8 in head space.   Makes about 7 half pint jars.  It works to make a double batch....just make sure you use a big enough pan....should be half full or less.....spray in a couple sprays of cooking spray to help prevent a boil over and help to make it not so foamy.  
  Hot water bath for 10 minutes 
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or for powdered pection......use this one

• Enjoy this spicy treat over cream cheese with crackers. It also makes a festive holiday appetizer.

HOT PEPPER JELLY

• 2 1/2 cups finely chopped red bell peppers
• 1 1/4 cups finely chopped green bell peppers
• 1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeno peppers
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1  (1.75 ounce) packages powdered pectin 
• 5 cups white sugar
• Run the peppers through a coarse grinder, or blender, or pulse in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a strainer, and drain really well. This is key to your success.
• Place red bell peppers, green bell peppers, and jalapeno peppers in a large saucepan over high heat. Mix in vinegar and fruit pectin. Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a full rolling boil. Quickly stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil, and boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and skim off any foam.
• Quickly ladle jelly into sterile jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the tops. Cover with flat lids, and screw on bands tightly.
• Place jars in rack, and slowly lower jars into canner. The water should cover the jars completely, and should be hot but not boiling. Bring water to a boil, and process for 10 minutes.

Cucumber Appetizers

Cucumber Appetizers
1 loaf cocktail-size pumpernickel slices
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
4 to 6 oz. sour cream
1 (4 oz.) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
Cucumbers, sliced
Dill weed

Cream softened cream cheese. Add enough sour cream to make desired consistency for spreading on bread slices. Mix in 1 small package Hidden Valley (dry) Ranch Dressing mix. Spread mixture on Pumpernickel slices. Top with a slice of cucumber. Sprinkle cucumber with dill weed. Refrigerate and serve.

Reduced calorie ingredients work fine too....

Cinnamon Cheesecake Bars

This recipe really did the job at impressing my co-workers…..I hope it will impress you too!! I was in-charge of lunch for 30 people and I wanted a dessert to compliment a taco buffet. That was the inspiration to create this recipe. I recently discovered the Pillsbury Crescent Baking Sheets and they make this recipe a cinch to make. The creamy Philadelphia Cream Cheese filling is heavenly and the cinnamon and honey topping is the perfect finish. The aroma of this baking brings everyone to the kitchen.

CINNAMON CHEESECAKE BARS

• 8 ounce(s) of PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese
• 3/4 cup(s) of sugar (divided)
• 1 tsp. of pure vanilla
• 16 ounce(s) of Pillsbury Crescent Seamless Dough Sheets (2 cans)
• 2 tsp. of cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. of butter, melted
• 3 tbsp. of honey

Place in mixing bowl: the cream cheese, 1/2 c. sugar and vanilla.  Beat mixture until smooth and creamy; about 2 minutes and set aside.  (If you don't beat it enough it will be hard to spread.)

Spray a 9x13x1 inch pan and roll out one can of the Pillsbury Dough in that pan and press it out until it covers the bottom of the pan and comes up the sides of the pan about ½ inch.

Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the dough in your pan.  

For the second can of Pillsbury Dough spray the counter and roll with rolling pin into a 9x13 inch rectangle. Carefully lift this dough and place it over the cream cheese mixture and pat into place.

Pour melted butter over the top and spread with a pastry brush to cover the dough.
Stir together 1/4 c. sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the melted butter.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey while still hot. Cool completely in the pan before cutting.  Cut into 16 bars.

Chive Infused Ham and Cheese Oven Omelet

Nothing says breakfast like Ham and Cheese and Eggs…..this omelet says it all….fast, delicious, impressive, moist, flavorful, sure to please, serve it anytime you want kind of dish.  

My newest creation; made especially for my omelet loving Husband and shared with you at his request!   Fresh chives are the perfect compliment; bringing all the flavors together in a subtle way. 

Philadelphia cream cheese keeps this omelet moist and the blender mixes it perfectly. I can have this mixed and in the oven in less than 5 minutes..  It is perfect for those times when you need a delicious impressive dish but you don’t have much time to spend in the kitchen.   If you have a crowd to feed; simply double the recipe and bake it in a 9x13 inch baking dish. 

Chive Infused Ham and Cheese Oven Omelet

2 T. Butter, melted in baking dish

 4 oz.  PHILADELPHIA cream cheese

½ c. milk

10 eggs

1 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

1 c. thinly sliced ham, diced

¼ c. fresh chives, snipped (plus 1 T. for garnish)

1 c. cheddar cheese, grated

Place butter in (7 x 11 inch oval or 8 x 8 inch square) casserole dish while oven preheats to 325.  Remove casserole dish from oven as soon as butter has melted and tilt the dish to coat bottom with butter. 

Place in blender; the PHILADELPHIA cream cheese and milk.  Blend for 10 seconds on high speed.   Add the eggs, salt and pepper and pulse blender 5 – 6 times.  Add the diced ham and snipped chives and pulse 2-3 times. 

Pour mixture into the casserole dish and bake about 35 minutes; until the eggs are set, but still moist.  Top with grated cheese and more snipped fresh chives and bake about 5 more minutes; just until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately. 

Pina Colada

Alisha's says, "Toby made me the best pina colada's!!!! Here is the recipe: 7 oz pineapple juice (1 TBL less than 1/2 cup) 2 TBL coconut cream and 1 cup ice. Put in the blender and wow!!! I'd never heard of coconut cream before, it's amazing stuff."