{Chocolate Calzones}

 Two days ago my keyboard just decided that it had had enough. It was going on strike. It worked the night before, but when I woke up...The jig is up, Mufasa, I'm outtie.

Weird thing is, it was a new keyboard. Like, a month old. *I'm looking at you HP*. I had had it over a year, it came with my computer, but I just kept using my old one, until I got a new desk. Don't ask why, but for some reason, new computer doesn't = new keyboard. New desk, however, totally = new keyboard. Don't ask.

I just plugged the new guy in. Look, I'm not even correcting my mistakes if I make them, because sometimes keyboards are , like, way different for some unknown, companies are tryinta drive us crazy, reason. So, yeah, mistakes... they stay. We'll call this an organic post. Unaltered, man, unaltered.

So, my old new keyboard decided that it would only capitalize the letters it wanted to. And just the punctuation it felt like. There was no rhyme or reason. At first I thought it was just the bottom row of keys, but no, my T wouldn't work either. (Oh! lookit! A capital T! I haven't seen one of those in 2 days!). The biggest problem though? (HELLO QUESTION MARK! I'VE MISSED YOU, MY FRIEND). The lack of a question mark. I started sending emails and Facebook posts where I would say something like "Do you know what time that starts question mark", "Have you see that yet question mark", "Do you know what I mean question mark".

In case you've ever doubted this fact, question marks are important and ? is much easier than typing 'question mark' every time you ask something.

True. Fact.

Last week, I made Pie Pops for the Bean to take in to Math Class for Pi Day. Last year I made apple. This year I decided to make cherry, but at the last second, I also decided to make chocolate. Those were such a hit that it inspired this SUPER EASY recipe.

It's also one that the Bean declared "Stupid good".

And. Easy. Did I say easy? Cause. Easy.

Oh, and these aren't really calzones at all, they are made of pie crust, not pizza crust, I just called them that because of the shape :)

Pie Crust. Chocolate chips. Egg Whites. Sugar.

That's it.

And if you want a glaze, you'll only need a few more ingredients!

Butter. Powdered Sugar. Water. Vanilla. Cocoa Powder.

Cut out crust, add chips, fold, bake.

Yuh-hummmy.

The dip puts these lil guys OVER THE TOP!!!!!

These have become a new quick treat for the Bean. 

And you know what? I'm not even fond of pie crust, but... I like these!!

I wouldn't eat them without the dip though, they are a bit too dry for my liking.

Stupid good.

Tina

Did I make it through this post typo free??

* * *

Chocolate Calzones

by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers

For the Calzones:

Pie Crust

Chocolate Chips

Sugar

For the dip:

1 cup powdered sugar

4 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 Tablespoon hot water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For chocolate dip:

add 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 375F

Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicon mat or grease cookie sheet

Roll out your pie crust (refrigerated is fine!). Using a standard sized biscuit cutter, cut out circles of dough. Add a scant teaspoon of chocolate chips (or white chocolate chips, or add some caramel bits, or nuts, etc!), moisten the rim of the crust, and fold over. Press to seal. Brush with egg whites and dust with granulated sugar.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden.

Serve warm!

As they are baking, whip up your dip.

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the butter and powdered sugar. Add in your water. Whisk until glossy. Stir in vanilla.

If making a chocolate glaze, add 1-2 Tablespoons of cocoa to taste. Whisk well.

Yields: 9*

This is what I got from 1 refrigerated pie crust, I cut 18 circles to make 9 calzones.

I didn't reroll the crust after cutting, if you did that you could certainly get a few more.

{ Egg In A Frame & Stories About My Mamma }

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Have I told you about my Mamma yet?

I know there are about 100 different ways to spell this word, but this is how we've always spelled it.
There's also Mama, Mamaw, Mammaw, and then the variations like MeMa, MeMaw, MawMaw.
In any case, this post is about my Grandmother. Specifically, my Mom's mother.

She's a dynamo.

In April, she will be 92 years young.

She can work circles around people 1/4 of her age. She loves to wash dishes and do laundry. She REALLY loves to organize.

No grass ever grows under her feet.

She's still very active in the community. If the church doors are open, she's there. Every summer, she works the snack station at our Vacation Bible School. She still a member of the Hospital Auxiliary as well as the American Legion Auxiliary. She goes to Card Parties at the local Grange Halls and American Legion Posts three times a month. She plays Chair Volleyball (and is dang good at it) at the Senior Center each Thursday.

She'd do anything for anyone who needed it.

Need a shirt? Because she'd give you the one off her back.

Everyone loves my Mamma!

When I grow up, I want to be just like her.

As a kid, there was nothing better than going to Mamma's house and spending the night. We'd build puzzles, go on nature walks, play dominos, walk to town (about a mile) and get ice cream, she'd tell me stories, and we'd just have the best time ever.

In the morning, she'd make me my very favorite breakfast. Egg in a Frame. Oh, and coffee. Yes, I was like 8 years old and drinking coffee. Well 1/2 milk, 1/2 coffee, and a whole lotta sugar.

Yes, my Mamma made me lattes long before they were popular here in the USA!

I just love, love, loved Egg in a Frame.

I know this is a simple recipe, and most of you have probably had it, or made it, but eating this always reminds me of sitting on the counter in her teeny, tiny kitchen, sipping my 'coffee', while she fried me up an egg in a frame.

Here's the deal.

For one Egg in a Frame you'll need:

Egg in a Frame

1 slice of bread
1 egg
butter
salt
pepper

Most any bread should work. When I was a kid, it was always white, yum. Now, it’s wheat… Still delicious though!

I've seen a lot of people plop the butter in the in the pan, Mamma did not do this. She buttered the bread on both sides.

Then, she cut a hole in the center

and popped it into a pan. I spray mine with cooking spray first.

Keep your pan no higher than Medium.

Crack the egg into the hole you made in the center. You can break your yolk, if you are the type that likes hard yolk. Me? I’m all about the runny stuff.

Liquid Gold. YUS!

Salt and Pepper to your liking.

Toast on one side until nice and brown, then flip

Cook until the other side is browned and delicious looking.

Oh! It’s not in these photos, but I did toast the little circle. My pan was too small to do it all at once.

BE SURE YOU TOAST THAT CIRCLE. It’s The Circle of Deliciousness!

In the end, what you get is a toasty, buttery, eggy dish.

For me though, I get memories on a plate.

Do you have a food that brings back memories for you?

Share with me!

One last thing, I really think you need to see this. Last Christmas my Mamma was in the play at church. She played a teenager.

Yes, I said a teenager!

Our minister's 20-something daughter put her up to it. She also made this shirt for Mamma.

To which Mamma said to me, “I’m Bieber’s biggest fan! I don’t know who that is, but I think he’s a singer or something!”.

Man, I squishy heart love that lady.

Isn’t she cute!

Tina



Shared at:
Miz Helen's
Gooseberry Patch

{ Chocolate Chip Cheeseball }

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My mom first made this several years ago.

I'm not sure where she found the recipe, honestly.

This takes the traditional savory cheeseball and turns it on it’s head.

Dessert cheeseball? Oh, yes.

This only takes a few basic ingredients, I’d guess you have them in your house already, and about 10 minutes

(plus chilling time, I mean for the cheeseball, but you can chill while it does as well).

I didn’t do step by step photos because this is so simple.

Oh, and as for the mini chocolate chips, use ‘em if you’ve got ‘em, but I have made this many times with full sized chocolate chips.

Believe me when I say no one complained about said chip size.

You know, because their mouths were full.

Merry Chocolate, I mean.. Christmas! Yeah, Merry Christmas!

Tina

Chocolate Chip Cheeseball

1 package cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

3/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Beat your cream cheese, butter and vanilla in mixer until fluffy.

Add your sugars until well mixed.

Stir in chocolate chips nuts, if desired.

Cover and chill for 2 hours, then form into ball.

(This is not actually necessary. I mean, if you feel the need and aren’t worried about firmness, just plunge right in. You know you want to. Who needs it in ball form anyway?)

Serve with graham crackers or vanilla wafers.

{ Christmas Recipe Roundup }

I’m going to take a little time here and round up my favorite recipes for Christmas both from my blog… and from some of my favorite blogs.

Heres ya goes…

There’s my most recent post about the Cinnamon Rolls with Cinnamon Ice Cream linked here.

My 1.2.3. Cheeseball here.

Caramel Corn- great for Holiday Snacking or for Gifting! Linked here.

Caramel Apples, also good for eating or gifting. Find the link here.

Always a hit- Holy Moses Dip! Link is here.

Great for Christmas Eve, Christmas Parties, and after Christmas Caroling is my Warm Apple Pie Dessert Drink- find it here.

This Cinnamon Sugar Butter would be great on your Christmas Breakfast Table.

Also a great compliment to rolls at Christmas Dinner.

Mix up and put into cute containers, and you have an inexpensive and delicious gift! Link is here.

You can also drizzle this butter onto popcorn for a salty but sweet treat.

If you dare, you can make these huge, sugar overloaded marshmallow pretzel treats. Great for gifts! Link is here.

Peanut Butter Patties, great for gifting as well, found here.

I love, love, love this Saltine Toffee. A tin of this will add you to anyone’s nice list. Find out how to make it here.

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies are always in fashion and Christmas is no exception. Find the Bean’s favorite here.

The hubster’s favorite cookie is this oatmeal, linked here.

My personal favorite cookie is the Snickerdoodle. Here is that recipe.

Now on to other sites

From Confessions of a Cook Book Queen we have these super fun cocoa stirrers

photo property of Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

The Bean’s FAVORITE Cake from The Pioneer Woman. We make it sans pecans, of course!

photo property of The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond

From Bakerella, I give you the hit of our Thanksgiving, the Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie, link here.

photo property of Bakerella

Since I’m always having issues with Sugar Cookies, under the ‘have to try in the next week’ category, we have these from Peppermint Plum.

photo property of Peppermint Plum

I can’t forget my pooches, Jingle and Luna

So, I’ll be making these, from Bakingdom (who has TONS of great human food & Harry Potter goodness too! check her out),

sometime in the next week as well! Link here.

photo property of Bakingdom

If I have time, I’ll come back and link more.. if not, have a beautiful Holiday Season!

Tina

{ Delicious 15 Minute Dessert }

It’s the Holiday Season. That’s a news flash, in case you didn’t know.

Consider yourself warned. You are welcome.

When this time of year rolls around, life gets a little hectic. 

So, if you are hosting a Christmas party and need a quick and easy and.. well, sinfully delicious dessert, give this a try.

I first thought of this 10+ years ago. I was having a party, had done all my shopping, and then realized I had NOTHING for sweeties.

What’s a girl to do? 

*rumble through cabients*

nada. 

*rumble through freezer*

zero. 

*rumble through fridge*

zilch.

Wait, a tube of Cinnamon Rolls? But, that’s lame, right?? 

That’s for breakfast, not dessert.

Hang on, I saw vanilla ice cream in freezer.

*DING*

Sweet Baby Ray, I just had a LIGHT BULB MOMENT!

I now offer you a bowl of gooey, cinnamony deliciousness, brought to you in 15 minutes.

How’s that for a Christmas gift?

All ya need is this

A tube of Cinnamon Rolls (shh… don’t tell, but we actually prefer the store brand over Pillsbury, but this is what I bought last night).

A cinnamon/sugar mixture. 

I used about 1/4 cup sugar to 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Add to your cinnamon preference.

I also threw a bit of white sugar crystals (like for topping cookies/cupcakes/etc) in there to make it prettier.

Then, bake rolls, and immediately put into serving dishes, add a scoop (or 2!) of ice cream. 

Sprinkle your cinnamon sugar mix over the ice cream, and…

that’s it! 

Yummness.

You can also top with whipped cream.

If you want to take it a step further, add a little apple pie filling to the bowl. 

My friend, Stephanie, was with me when I purchased the cinnamon rolls last night. 

 

When I told her what I was doing with them, I think she was a bit skeptical. 

Let me just tell you, she’s a convert.

Try it sometime… you won’t be sorry.

And you'll wonder why you didn't think of this earlier!

Tina