Blueberry Cheese Danish

Blueberry season is upon us. So, is Independence Day. So, I did a twofer-used up blueberries, made a patriotic looking breakfast. These pastries are as delicious as they are beautiful. They are very easy to make but look complicated. No one needs to know.

This Danish can be made without the fruit. You can also forego the pie filling and use just fresh fruit at the end. If you choose to do this, use more berries. You can use other types of fruit-peaches, raspberries, strawberries-if you want.

If you really  want to make them look more luxurious, you can sprinkle them with powdered sugar OR drizzle a little glaze over the top.

Servings:  11 Danishes
Time: Active time: 10 minutes; Thaw: 20 minutes Cook: 13-15minutes; Danishes in about an hour
Hardware:  Measuring spoons and cups, a clean flat surface, a rolling pin, a mixer and mixing bowl, a silicone spatula, a zester, a can opener, a 4.5 inch round cookie cutter (I used a Tupperware lid), a drinking glass, parchment paper or silicone baking mat, and a baking sheet

 

Ingredients:

• 2 frozen puff pastry sheets-thawed (one box)
  
• 1-8-ounce package of cream cheese
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 lime
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla
• 1¼  cups of blueberry pie filling
• 5 ounces fresh blueberries (rinsed0
• Flour 

 

 
 
 
 

1.  Read through the recipe before beginning. Allow the puff pastry to thaw for about 20 minutes. Set out the cream cheese, too. Zest and juice the lime. Set aside about 1 teaspoon of the lime zest for garnish. Open the blueberry pie filling. Cover the baking sheet in parchment paper (or the silicone mat) and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Place the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, lime juice and lime zest into the mixing bowl. Blend until the texture is completely creamy. Set aside.
3. Unfold one puff pastry sheet onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the sheet until it is about 1x1 inch larger on each side. With the 4.5-inch cookie cutter, cut out four circles. Using the drinking class score a smaller circle in the middle of each larger circle by pressing down but NOT through. You just want the smaller circle to be an outline. Do this with the second puff pastry sheet as well. Roll out the scrap dough to make 3 more Danishes. Place them on the baking sheet, not touching.
4. You may need to cook in batches. Place the waiting Danishes in the fridge until you are ready to use them. Make sure they aren't touching.
   
5. Place 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture in the center of each Danish. Use the spatula to spread the filling to the edge of the inner circle. Top the cream cheese mixture with 1½ tablespoons of the pie filling. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the Danishes are golden brown. Top with fresh berries and a sprinkle of lime zest.
6. Allow the Danishes to cool to room temperature before serving.

Stuffed Meatball Sliders

Stuffed Meatball Sliders

Stuffed Meatball Sliders may seem like a great deal of work. They are. However, they are completely worth it. 2 of these make a meal and your family and guests will be so impressed. This is what you should serve on Independence  Day.

I used King’s Hawaiian Slider Rolls because they are a good size for this dish, they come pre-sliced and they are YUMMY! You can use your favorite brand. Mid’s pizza sauce was perfect for the marinara sauce. It is inexpensive, made with all-natural ingredients, and most importantly, delicious. 

You can make the meatballs and peppers a day before. Remove them from the fridge to give them enough time to come to room temperature and then assemble the sliders as directed. Make an extra batch of meatballs and freeze them for another day.

 

 

 

 

Servings: 9 sliders
Hardware:  Measuring spoons and cups, a mixing bowl, a smaller bowl, a cutting board and knives, a large heavy pan, a smaller skillet, a fork, a silicone spatula, tongs, an 8x11.5 glass baking dish, and foil (maybe a serrated knife)
Time:  Active time 30 minutes; Cook: 75 Minutes, Sandwiches in about 2 hours

 Ingredients:

Mozzarella Middle

• 1 ½ pound ground beef
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 12-ounce container of baby mozzarella balls (ciliegine- say ‘chili-ay-JEE-nay”)
• Braising liquid (stock, sauce, wine, whatever strikes your fancy)
• 1-9 pack of King’s Hawaiian Slider Rolls
• 1 red bell pepper (8-10 ounces)-I used different colored baby bells for color
• 1 ½ cups of your favorite marinara sauce (I used Mid’s Pizza Sauce)
• 9 slices of provolone, cut a bit larger than the slider buns
• 6 tablespoons of butter

1.  Remove 10 of the mozzarella balls from the container and set aside. You don’t want to contaminate the rest of the cheese.
2. Combine the first 8 ingredients in the bowl and mix with your hands. Take a pinch of the meat and fry it. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
3. Roll out about  2 ounces of the meat, just as if you were making a regular meatball. Then pat the meat ball out flat. Place one cheese ball in the center and pinch the meat closed around it. Check and make sure that no cracks appear in the meatball were the cheese can escape while it is cooking. Make the meatball a little flat, so it sits nicely on the bun.(See the video below.) Continue to do this until you have 9 meatballs. You will have a little bit of meat left over. Make a test meatball.
4. Heat the oil on medium.  Brown the meatballs on all sides for about 8 minutes.  Turn them ¼ time every 2 minutes. Drain the fat from the pan.
5. Add enough liquid to the pan to cover the meatballs about 2/3 of the way.  Simmer them for about 45 minutes. Check the test meatball to see if it is done.
6. While the  meatballs are cooking, cut the bell pepper into long then strips and cook until desired crispiness. I usually like my pepper still crispy, but for sandwiches I prefer them to be softer.
7. When the meatballs are done, melt the butter in the microwave safe bowl. Preheat the oven to 350˚. Lay a large piece of foil in the bottom of the baking dish.
8. King’s Hawaiian Slider Rolls come pre-sliced. If you are using another brand, use the serrated knife cut the rolls in half horizontally.
9. Place the bottoms of the bread on the foil. Spread the bell peppers evenly over the bread. Top the peppers with the meatballs. Use the spatula to spread the top halves of the bread with marinara sauce. You can spoon a little onto the meatballs if you want. Lay a slice of cheese onto each meatball. Place the top bun onto each sandwich. 
10. Pour the butter evenly over the sliders. Use the pastry brush to make sure all the bread is covered in butter. Seal the foil closed. You may need another sheet of foil. 
11. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow the sliders to rest for 2-3 minutes. You may need a knife to cut the sliders apart. Serve warm.