Pin Wheels

ingredients: crescent roll dough 1/2 bar cream cheese baby spinach leaves lunch meat slices (i used ham) Roll crescent dough on work surface. Use rolling pin to thin out dough just a bit, not too much Spread a layer of cream cheese on the dough and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place spinach leaves on top, then lunch meat, press into cream cheese. Roll up jelly roll style. Wrap roll into plastic wrap. At this point you can put into fridge to freeze and cook the next day. Otherwise place in freezer for about 30 - 50 minutes. It's easier to cut when slightly frozen but impossible to cut when completely frozen. Cut into slices about 1/3". Place slices on greased cookie sheet. Cook at 350 deg for about 20 minutes or until done.

ideas for kids

Check out this great site that a friend sent to me, lots of cooking ideas for those with kids of all ages.

http://weelicious.com/

Breakfast on the go

Just made these, i used one packet as suggested then the other pack of rolls in a mini muffins. the mini ones worked out so good. It was part of a Pillsbury bake off contest.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (8 ounce) cans Pillsbury garlic butter crescent rolls
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
  
• 3 eggs
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 (9 ounce) box spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray muffin cups with Cooking Spray.
2. Separate each can of crescent dough into 8 triangles. Press 1 triangle on bottom and up side of each muffin cup.I used one triangle for two mini's
   
3. In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in onion, spinach, salt and pepper until well mixed. Fold in cheese. Fill each cup to the top with egg mixture (do not overfill).
4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean and edges of rolls are golden brown. Remove from pan. Serve warm.

Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese

So haven't been putting anything on for a while as quite frankly we don't eat complicated meals anymore. Dave's on his diet and i make all my meals for the kids and i just eat one or the other. Not very organised, but the diet is too restrictive for the kids. Anyway enough rambling, everyone else is eating and with the snow outside i am posting some comfort food. Saw this on Rachael ray yesterday, it looked so good.

The list looks long but basically it's pasta, spinach, artichoke and cheese, with other basics that you probably have. I am making this next pot luck..... All i need is a party

Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese

• Salt
• 1 pound regular or whole wheat penne
• 2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 cups milk
• A few grates fresh nutmeg
• 1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung dry in a kitchen towel
• 1 10-ounce box frozen chopped artichokes, defrosted and wrung dry in a kitchen towel
• Ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups shredded Italian Fontina cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top
• 1 1/4 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top

Make pasta

While the pasta is cooking, place a medium pot over medium-low heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons, and the butter. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook the veggies until very soft, about 10 minutes.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and sprinkle the flour into the pan. Cook for about 1 minute then whisk the wine into the pan, cooking for another minute to burn off the alcohol. Whisk the milk into the pan and bring up to a bubble. Add the nutmeg, veggies, some salt and pepper to the sauce, and simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Add the cheeses to the sauce and stir until melted.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and sprinkle the flour into the pan. Cook for about 1 minute then whisk the wine into the pan, cooking for another minute to burn off the alcohol. Whisk the milk into the pan and bring up to a bubble. Add the nutmeg, veggies, some salt and pepper to the sauce, and simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Add the cheeses to the sauce and stir until melted.

Toss the prepared sauce with the cooked pasta and transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle some more Fontina and Parmigiano over the top and bake until the cheese has melted and the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.