Peach Whip Snickerdoodle Cookie Cups

Peach Whip is a favorite dessert in our household because it is almost literally the easiest recipe in the world. I suppose if we are trying to quantify, "ice" would be the easiest recipe ever... or maybe "pop tarts." I don't know, is simply heating something a recipe?

Anyway, Peach Whip is really easy and it tastes really good... and usually, I would just make some and then eat it out of a whipped topping container with a spoon, but I figured I would class it up a little and so I present to you:

Still super easy, and fast, but now in a crunchy, sugary self-contained bite.

What you'll need for 48 cookie cups (with a little left over Peach Whip, possibly):

Dinner at the Improv- California Roast Beef

I like to improvise sometimes, which means I just throw things into the pan and wing it. Every once in a while, it is horrible, more often though, it turns out pretty darned well. I wanted to share these improvisations to inspire other cooks who feel comfortable cooking by taste.

I think that recipes for cold sandwiches are kind of silly, but alas, I have a whole bunch of sandwiches to share. Thankfully we have "Dinner at the Improv" which makes sandwich sharing so much easier. Instead of a step by step process with pictures to insult your intelligence, I'll give you my sandwich concoctions with general measurements and trust you to make it to your liking.

For episode three of Dinner at the Improv, we're having- California Roast Beef Sandwiches and Wraps. 

If you'll remember, I don't eat bread because of a yeast intolerance, but I can eat wraps until the cows come home, so most of my sandwiches will be prepared both ways.

Now, this specific sandwich comes from my childhood when I grew up in California and there was a food court restaurant called A.T.C.'s , which stood for avocado, tomato, and cucumber, and it had quintessential California ingredients in all kinds of sandwiches. One of our favorites to get was this: rare roast beef, cream cheese, avocado and the piece de resistance, alfalfa sprouts. Really, the sprouts are what make this sandwich special. They have an earthy crunch that is as perfect as potato chips on sandwiches.

To make a California Roast Beef Sandwich (or Wrap) you'll need:

Chewy roll or bread - like sour dough or challah (or a wrap/tortilla)

Cream cheese (about an ounce per sandwich, softened)

Rare roast beef, thinly sliced (about 1/4 lb per sandwich)

Ripe avocado, thinly sliced, (2-3 slices per sandwich)

Alfalfa sprouts (a large pinch, mine ends up being about 1/4 cup, but I realllllly like sprouts)

I start with toasting the bread and softening the wrap, which I do by microwaving refrigerated tortillas, covered with damp paper towels, for about 25 seconds.

Then, I soften my cream cheese in the microwave, about 30 seconds (I made 5 sandwiches so used 5 oz from the 8 oz bar). Once it is soft, the cream cheese goes on the bottom of the roll/wrap. Then on top of that goes the roast beef, then the sprouts, then the avocado. You can change the order if you like, I just find that this order gets the best taste combination per bite.

Then, close your sandwich, or roll up your wrap, flipping up the bottom, then bringing in the sides, to make it look like the wrap in the picture...

And then you are ready to eat. It is that simple, because sandwiches are pretty stinkin' easy... but they certainly don't have to be boring. 

Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies

Two or three Springs ago, my husband planted a few raspberry bushes in our backyard, and raspberries are total hussies in case you didn't know, so during the summer, our back patch is full to the brim with raspberry bushes. I came up with this recipe to utilize the abundance of raspberries that I have when the plants are producing, but then I wanted this recipe during the winter, so I present the non-green thumb version of my original recipe.

What you'll need for a 9x11 pan of brownies:

Dinner at the Improv - Bacon, Chowder, Pizza Pizzazz!

I like to improvise sometimes, which means I just throw things into the pan and wing it. Every once in a while, it is horrible, more often though, it turns out pretty darned well. I wanted to share these improvisations to inspire other cooks who feel comfortable cooking by taste.

For episode two of Dinner at the Improv, I've made Cheesy Sage Corn Chowder and Bacon Ranch Pizza.

Like the rest of the country, it has been ridiculously cold and snowy here in Montana. That means, I want something warm and comforting, without having to spend too much time outside my bed, where I would like to be, covered by every blanket that we own. That means, perfect night for soup and pizza.

This pizza is really less pizza and more fancy bread sticks. I use a store bought can of pizza dough. Spread it out on a sheet pan lined with non-stick foil until the crust is fairly thin, and then slather that in homemade ranch dressing. It is a mix of mayo, sour cream, dried dill, chives, granulated garlic, a touch of onion powder, and some salt and pepper. Over that goes Italian cheese blend to cover, and then 6 slices of crispy bacon (that I baked in a 425 degree oven for about 15 minutes), crumbled over the top. That bakes according to the directions on the dough canister, for about 10 minutes (according to mine- which was Pillsbury Refrigerated Pizza Crust).

Next, in a large soup pot, I melt 4 tablespoons of butter (that's half a stick in America, usually) and about a tablespoon of sage, to bloom the herbs, which lets out the oils and makes it very fragrant. Once that is bubbly, I add a can of drained premium white corn. Once the corn has warmed a bit, I add 4 tablespoons of flour, let that cook, stirring, until it smells nutty, and add 3-4 cups of chicken stock, a cup at a time, whisking to make it smooth. During this time, I salt and pepper the soup to taste and then let it come up to a boil. 

A few minutes before the pizza is ready, I lower the temperature on the soup to low and add a handful of that Italian cheese blend (cheddar would be great also), about a cup of milk, and a half a cup of heavy cream. I stir that until the cheese is melted, careful not to let it boil once the dairy is added so we don't get a curdled soup, taste, and re-season as needed. It couldn't be much easier.

Then, serve it up in a bowl with crumbled bacon over it, and maybe a little extra cheese if you like, with a slice of the tasty Bacon Ranch Pizza on the side. It's perfect for sopping up the rest of that creamy soup before you have seconds!