Fruit Pizza

The final dish I made to round out our ACC championship shin-dig was this fruit pizza. I got the idea from the Pioneer Woman, but I've had tons of different kinds of fruit pizzas in my life. I'll reference her in this recipe because, technically, I got the idea that day from her :) These types of recipes are AWESOME because you can totally adjust to what is in season. And, I mean, who doesn't like eating sugar cookies and fruit?? Come on!

Fruit Pizza
as adapted from Pioneer Woman's Deep Dish Fruit Pizza

1 roll of sugar cookie dough
1 14 oz jar of marshmallow fluff
1 8 oz fat free cream cheese
whatever fruit you like! (I used strawberries, bananas, and peaches)
lemon juice (if needed)
brown sugar

Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy cookie removal. Roll out cookie dough until it becomes a thin rectangle (or as close as you can get it, mine was a very lumpy rectangle!)

Bake cookie according to directions on package. (I baked mine according to the package, temperature and all, but watched it closely to ensure it didn't burn.)

While the cookie is baking, whip together marshmallow fluff and cream cheese until creamy and mixed through. Chop up fruit into pieces, if needed.

**Important, if you use fruit for your pizza that could possibly brown after being cut up, be sure to sprinkle with some lemon juice. I didn't have any, and thus didn't do that. Result: browned fruit :(

When the cookie is done baking, remove from oven and let cool completely. Spread cream cheese mixture on as thick as desired. Refrigerate until completely cooled. Add fruit and refrigerate again until ready to eat. Sprinkle on a bit of brown sugar before serving.

Delish Spicy Queso!

This is another recipe from our ACC championship day, which included our version of PW's Spicy BBQ sliders and fruit pizza. We LOVED this dip! It was so easy to put together and tastes way better than Velveeta and Rotel by themselves! I say, pick up the couple of extra ingredients, it will be worth it! But this isn't for the faint of heart, it is pretty spicy!

Spicy Queso Dip
as adapted from the Pioneer Woman's Chile Con Queso, Revved Up

1 16 oz. block of 2% milk Velveeta
1 can of Rotel, original
1 4 oz. can of chopped green chilies
1 Tb. diced jalapenos (more or less to taste)
1 lb. spicy sausage
3/4 c. chopped onion

Brown sausage and onion together in a cast iron skillet. Drain and set aside.

Chop up Velveeta into small squares, toss into a slow cooker. Add in Rotel, with juice, green chilies, with juice, jalapenos, and sausage mixture. Stir all together. Let the mixture cook together on low for an hour before eating for best flavor!

Enjoy!

Whiskey BBQ Sliders

A lot of people completely sink once football season is over. However, my husband is a huge UNC basketball fan, so once basketball season comes around, we just keep on tailgatin'. We usually move the party inside and make lots of little goodies. I love this, because it lets me try out fun recipes I find online. For the latest ACC championship, I made PW's Spicy Whiskey BBQ Sliders, Chile Con Queso, and Deep Dish Fruit Pizza. (Our version of the queso and fruit pizza are here and here.)

Whiskey BBQ Sliders
as adapted from the Pioneer Woman

1 lb. ground beef
2 Tb. butter
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. BBQ sauce
1/4 c. whiskey (1 mini bottle is the exact amount you need!)
several jalapeno slices (to taste)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
12 Hawaiian rolls

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Form beef into 12 little patties. Place into a cast iron skillet with 2 Tb. of butter. Cook until almost done. Remove from the pan, scrape out any grease.

Put about 2 Tb. of grease back into the pan with the onions, cook until soft.

While the onions are cooking, split the slider rolls and put them into a 9x13 baking dish and into the oven to toast for a few minutes. Watch carefully so they do not burn. Times can vary, depending on whether you simply want them warm or actually toasted.

Once the onions are softened and cooked down, add in whiskey and jalapenos and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Add in BBQ sauce and cook for another 2-3 minutes. 

Once the sauce is thickened, add burgers back in to cook for another few minutes.

When ready to assemble, place one slider burger on bottom half of each roll, top with sauce and a little bit of cheese, and other roll half.

Enjoy!

Soft Spicy Ginger Cookies

My husband loves ginger. The more ginger-y tasting, the better. Form time to time we scour the local World Market, finding all kinds of ginger candies from other countries. Did you know they carry bags of ginger gummy bears from Australia? 'Cause they do!

Then we found a Whole Foods in South Florida that had a huge canister of crystallized ginger, one that allowed you to fill your own bag with whatever amount. BC was ecstatic. We bought a big batch....and then realized that you can only eat so much ginger before the little squishy ginger pieces get tough. Enter this recipe. Now, I don't really like Ina Garten, what with her hoity-toity-too-good-to-help-out-people-with-cancer-trying-to-make-their-last-wishes-come-true thing. However, I can't deny its a good recipe.

So, if you like spicy cookies, and looooove ginger, this one is for you!!

I forgot to take a picture until the next day....and there was only one cookie left! 

Soft Spicy Ginger Cookies

as slightly adapted from Ina Garten

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 tp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. ground ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. oil

1/3 c. molasses

1 egg

1 1/4 c. chopped crystallized ginger (6 oz.)

granulated sugar, for rolling cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In one bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. With a mixer, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn mixer to low, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. Continue to scrape the bowl down while mixing to ensure ingrediatns are being combined. While mixer is on low, slowly add the dry ingrediants to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the crystallized ginger and mix until combined. Dough may be very thick, and you may have to combine the crystallized ginger with your hands!

Take tablespoon sized pieces of dough and roll them into balls. Roll each cookie in sugar and place onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie ball. Bake for at least 12 minutes. Adjust cooking time for size of cookie. Let cookie cool on wire racks.

Try not to eat too many immediately...they taste even better then next day!

Italian Balsamic Chicken

I don't really know how to describe this marinade, except it is so full of flavor and delicious for grilled chicken! Try it soon!

Italian Balsamic Chicken

as adapted from Plain Chicken

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 c. EVOO

4 Tb. balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 pkg. zesty italian seasoning/dressing mix

2 tsp. onion powder

Combine all ingredients in a gallon bag, except for chicken. Make sure all ingredients are well combined and then place thawed chicken into bag. Let soak for several hours, even overnight, and mix chicken around in the bag often. For best results, grill it up!