Nutty Danish Pastry

Melt in your mouth?  Yes, Nutty Danish Pastry will do just that.

I found this pastry in a long-forgotten magazine at least 25 years ago and pulled it out for that brunch we hosted recently.  This is a fairly simple recipe but there are three specific steps that at first glance may lead you to think it is much more complicated.

The key is taking it one step at a time, and taking your time, but it is so worth the time spent.  I love this pastry's shortbread-like bottom layer and the top layer is one of my favorites when it comes to frosting.

Nutty Danish Pastry

Layer one:
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons water

Cut 1/2 cup margarine into flour until crumbly.  Sprinkle 2 tablespoons water evenly over surface; stir with a fork until moistened.  Shape into 2 equal balls. Place each ball on a parchment-lined baking sheet and flatten into a 12-x3-inch rectangle.

Layer two:
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine 1/2 cup margarine and one cup water in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil.  Add one cup of flour.  Reduce to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture forms a ball and leaves the sides of the pan.  Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.  Add eggs, one at time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Divide mixture evenly onto the 2 pastry rectangles and spread until covering the first layer from end to end.  It will seem like way too much but it is the thicker layer so just keep spreading.  Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes until set and golden brown.

Frosting
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans, divided

Melt 1/4 cup margarine in a medium saucepan.  Stir in brown sugar and cook over low heat about one minute.  Add 1 1/2 tablespoons milk, sifted powdered sugar, and vanilla.  Use remaining 1/2 tablespoon of milk, if needed, for better consistency.  I used the full 2 tablespoons.

  
Spread frosting evenly over the two pastries while still warm.  This frosting sets in the blink of an eye so you will need to work quickly.  Sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped pecans on each.

  
Slice each pastry crosswise into 12 1-inch pieces.

Serve immediately, or if serving later cover and refrigerate then bring back to room temperature when you're ready.

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Tater-Tot Casserole

5 ingredients plus seasonings!!

My idea of a quick and delicious weeknight meal.

Our first football game is this week which means we are heading full steam ahead into another marching band season.  Mixed feelings on that one though, because this is our last marching band season.  My baby is now a high school senior!

After school rehearsals, weekend ballgames, weekend marching competitions, all team up to add a few more layers of busy-ness to our schedule so anything quick and easy is very much in order right now.

Tater-tot casserole goes together before you can turn around twice and bakes almost as quickly.

Tater-Tot Casserole

1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can cream of chicken soup
(or cream of mushroom but I am not a fan of mushrooms, in fact, I dislike them intensely)
frozen tater tots
shredded colby-jack cheese

Press ground meat in the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch casserole dish.  Season with salt and pepper then sprinkle with chopped onions.

Spread soup over onions and top with a layer of frozen tater tots, placed end to end and squeezing in as many as you can.

Cover with a generous sprinkling of shredded cheese and bake at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes until bubbly.

While the casserole is baking, mix up a nice, green salad and you have yourself a meal.

 
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Spaghetti Pie

This was a staple in our cabinet when I was growing up.

We had Kraft spaghetti at least once every other week if not more often.  And, the sauce was made from the directions on the box using the herb seasoning packet included and usually a pound of cooked and crumbled ground beef.

To me, it's hard to beat.

This was confirmed years ago when we had out of town family over for dinner, the daughter bringing a boyfriend with her.  He filled his plate several times and said over and over how wonderful the spaghetti was.  As it turned out, his grandmother was an Italian immigrant!  That's someone who should know his spaghetti so what a compliment for Mother's simple boxed version!

Here is a little variation on the usual plate of spaghetti.

Spaghetti Pie
1 package Kraft Tangy Italian Spaghetti Dinner
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
shredded parmesan cheese

Prepare spaghetti according to package directions and drain well.  Stir in eggs, parsley, and the package of grated parmesan cheese included in the box.

Place half of the spaghetti in a greased 9-inch pie plate.  Sprinkle one cup of shredded mozzarella.  Repeat layers.  Bake in a 350-degree oven for 12-15 minutes.

While spaghetti is baking make sauce as the box directs, using the tomato sauce option.  Empty the two cans in a medium saucepan, stir in herb seasoning and 1/2 can of water.  Heat until warm.  

Slice spaghetti in wedges just as you would a pie, top with sauce and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

Pressed for time on a weeknight?  Spaghetti Pie can be ready to serve in about 30 minutes!  Add a salad, some garlic bread, and you're done.

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Apple Berry Cobbler

Here's one for the other man in my life!

I tried this cobbler almost eight years ago and my son - the picky eater member of the family who at that time was existing on peanut butter, mac-n-cheese, and chicken nuggets - absolutely loved it.

And he has mentioned it several times over the past few months, so I decided it had to be found and baked again.  This one came from a 2004 issue of Southern Living.

Apple-Berry Cobbler
1 (16-ounce) package frozen blueberries, unthawed
1 (16-ounce) package frozen cherries, unthawed
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 slices white sandwich bread
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon sugar

Stir together frozen blueberries, frozen cherries, chopped apple, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup flour.  Place in an 8-inch, lightly greased baking dish.

Trim crusts from bread and cut each slice into five strips.

Melt butter in small saucepan and stir in 1 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and 1 teaspoon vanilla.  Add small amount of mixture to the beaten egg to temper then add the egg to butter mixture, mixing well.

Arrange bread strips evenly over fruit mixture, pressing down lightly.  Pour butter mixture over bread strips and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until golden brown and bubbly.

The cobbler juice is incredibly rich and the bread strips make the most delicious topping!  I think it just speaks red, white and blue, especially if you add a good-sized scoop of vanilla ice cream, so this one needs to reappear on the table for the 4th celebration.   

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