Fig & Bacon Pizza

 

Hellllllloooooo Stranger!!! 

 

It's been weeks {and that is being kind} since I have blogged and I am absolutely ashamed of myself.  It's not that my creative juices have left my kitchen or that I haven't enjoyed some amazingly flavorful dishes....it's just that this stay-at-home mom thing keeps me unforeseenly busy!  Now don't get me wrong, I am loving every chaotic second of the hustle & bustle---I just don't have a free hand to capture anything on camera!!

 

So, one of the great little weekend trips we were able to take this summer {since I'm not working!!} was to the stunning college campus of Stanford.  What a breathtaking site--the architecture is a flawless beauty and the lush grounds make for a perfect afternoon stroll.  After wandering the campus for a few hours we stopped for lunch at Pizza My Heart.  Just when you thought you have tried every pizza combination out there, this pizza joint will prove you wrong in so many yummy ways.  The slice that stole my heart was the Figgy Piggy. 

 

Not that I really need to explain any further than figs-n-pigs but the fusion of ripened figs, crispy bacon,  fresh sage and feta cheese is uncanny. I could just feel my taste buds dancing about :)

 

 

My re-creation of this pizza wonder was simple and just as
 fig-tastic.  And once I had perfect pizza dough {courtesy of the master, Mr. Bobby Flay} within a few minutes, I thought to myself....why don't I make scratch pizza dough more often?

 

On a side note--my apologies for the terrible photo.  I was able to get one lousy shot and then my family devoured the pizza in the middle of my photo session!  Must be that good.

 

Have a Splendid Day!

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Ingredients

by Splendor in the Kitchen 

 

1 14inch Pizza Crust from Fresh Pizza Dough recipe by Bobby Flay

6 Slices Bacon, cooked until crisp and then crumbled

6-8 Fresh Figs, peeled & sliced

3/4 Cup Feta Cheese, crumbled

2 Tbsp Fresh Sage, sliced thin

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Balsamic Vinegar for drizzling

Directions

 

Prepare pizza dough according to directions. 

 

Prepare a large piece of aluminum foil with non-stick cooking spray.  Arrange pizza dough crust to a 14 inch {approx.} circle on the prepared foil.  Brush olive oil across the entire crust surface.  Layer pizza with feta cheese, fig slices, crumbled bacon and sliced sage.  Crack pepper generously over the top. 

 

Heat grill or bbq to medium-high heat.  Keep pizza on the foil and cook on grill until the dough is cooked through and slightly crispy, about 15-20 minutes.  If the crust is charring, turn heat down to medium-low. 

 

Remove pizza from heat.  Drizzle lightly with balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orzo Salad

 Orzo is one of those tricky foods--is it a pasta?-- is it rice?  It looks exactly like a grain of rice....but it the texture is plump, chewy and 'al dente' similar to pasta.  Verdict says....it is definitely pasta!!  Which must be why I love it so much, because I know I was born with pasta streaming through my fraction of an Italian-blood. 

My mom actually dished up this deliciously hearty summer salad and sent me over the photos and recipe to share {fyi, iPhone cameras are not as good as they claim to be so my apologies}.  I believe the salad evolved from some of her besties {friends that is}, and I remember eating this sparkling side dish at many gatherings.  

For those of you lucky enough to have a garden this year {whatever you do, please don't use the words garden or deer around me!}, Orzo salad really lends itself to the vibrance of those fresh tomatoes, raw sweet corn straight off the cob and oodles of fresh parsley.  

And the burst of citrus?  YUM. 

Have a Splendid Day!

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Ingredients 

Zest of 1 Lemon 

2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice 

1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 Tbsp Olive Oil 

2 Tbsp Salad Oil {Almond or Canola}

Fresh Italian Parsley, Chopped {about 1/4-1/2 cup}

Summer Gold or Grape Tomatoes, sliced lengthwise 

Raw Corn on the Cob {about 2 ears}, sliced off cob

1/2 Box Orzo Pasta, cooked according to directions, drained & rinsed 

Directions 

Whisk together lemon zest, juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, olive oil and salad oil.  

In a serving bowl, toss together cooked and cooled orzo, tomatoes, corn and parsley.  You may adjust to your preference by adding more or less vegetables and parsley.  Toss salad with dressing. If desired, garnish with more parsley and edible flowers.  Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes prior to serving. 

Serves 4-6  

Ultimate Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut butter cookies bring out the kid in my husband. Well, lots of things do actually; a freshly pressed golf shirt, a football game with the kids, pizza {he is one of those overly perky types and yes, I would love to be more like him but let's face it--I am victim to the "don't talk to me until I have coffee or wine"syndrome}, so give him a freshly baked-warm-out-of-the-oven peanut butter cookie stuffed with Reese's Pieces & Mini Peanut Butter Cups and you will see a smile that lights up all the way to his hazel eyes.  

That smile makes me smile! And I guarantee these cookies will make you melt somebody's smile too ;) 

I've been craving peanut butter cookies for a good month now and each time I've been to the store, I continue to buy peanut butter candies not realizing that I have already stocked up my pantry 4 times prior for cookies, so I figured it's time to bake or I will need to secretly eat 4 bags of candy before my children find them and I really was not in the mood for that guilt-fest. 

Happy husband and satisfied craving---I think we both win!!

Depending on your own cookie style, you can have a chewy PB cookie with Reese's pieces or a crunchier PB cookie with Reese's Mini peanut butter cups. The texture came out different on each cookie even though I used the same dough.  


No complaints here and if you are like me, you will make them both and happily eat them both. 

Have a Splendid Day!

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Ingredients 

adapted from simply recipes.com 

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2.5 oz Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Minis
• 1/2 cup Reese's Pieces Candies

Directions 

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Cream butter and both sugars using an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Mix in the peanut butter and egg. Stir in molasses, cinnamon and vanilla. Mix together the dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the sugar butter mixture.

Split dough in half and set one half aside for later. Stir in 1/2 cup Reese's candies. Roll dough with candies into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with a fork. Bake until light brown, 9 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for a minute; transfer to rack to cool completely.

Shape other half of dough {without candy} into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with a fork. Bake until light brown, 9 to 10 minutes. Immediately place 3 Reese's peanut butter mini cups in the center of each cookie. They will melt slightly. Cool on baking sheets for a minute; transfer to rack to cool completely.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Bbq Portabella Mushroom Burger

Burgers are a summer staple –I get so jealous when the unwavering aroma of a grilled burger wafts down the street from a neighbor’s house. If it werent so awkward for me to knock on the door, drooling, and request a plate, I probably would.

An amazing burger is juicy, chocked full of flavor and kind of artistic if you think about it.  You can put just about anything on a burger and nobody will judge you--- bacon, sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, peppers, pesto, avocado, cheese…..oh, don’t even get me started on all the types of cheese that would be fabulous {my sister in law and I will be living in a house made of cheese one day}!

These burgers I made last night were definitely a work of art….and I will admit to you now that there was not an ounce of meat in them!! That’s right, I totally snuck a grilled portabella burger onto my boy’s plate and they ate up every last bite. 

 My sneak attack plan started while they were out of the house at Taekwondo.  I prepped the mushrooms, sprinkled on some oil and spices, hit the grill and assembled the burgers just as they were walking back in the door.  I knew I had to step it up a bit from the traditional toppings of lettuce and tomato so I got crafty & colorful and piled high with my husband’s top secret homemade bbq sauce, crispy onion straws, and pepperjack cheese on my brother-in-laws top secret melt-in-your-mouth yeast rolls. 

Mission accomplished! 

And they were still talking about how tasty they were today.  I am not one to pat myself on the back often but that deserved a double pat if you ask me! For bonus brownie points, serve with homemade roasted potato fries.

Have a Splendid Day!

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Ingredients for Portabella Mushroom Burgers

by Splendor in the Kitchen.com

This recipe works best by "eyeballing" amounts of spices, sprinkling well on both sides of the mushromm to coat evenly.

4 Large Portabella Mushrooms, rinsed and patted dry

8 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Paprika

Onion Powder

Garlic Powder

Salt

Pepper
4 slices PepperJack Cheese

½ Cup Bbq Sauce, divided

1/2 Cup Crispy Onion Straws

Baby Spinach Leaves

Horseradish Sauce {optional}

4 Good Quality Burger Buns

1 Tbsp Butter

Directions

Remove stems from mushrooms and discard.  Gently scrape the gills from the inside of mushroom caps, removing all black with a small spoon. 

Rub 2 Tablespoons olive oil on each mushroom, coating well.  Sprinkle enough of the spices; paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper onto both sides of the portabella mushroom, allowing for good coverage. Spoon 1/4 of a cup of bbq sauce over top side of mushrooms and set aside.

Prepare a barbecue or grill to medium heat. Place mushrooms top side down on grill and cook about

4-5 minutes.  Turn mushrooms over and continue cooking until juices begin to run clear, another 3-4 minutes. Flip mushrooms back to top end up and place cheese slices across each mushroom and cook 2 minutes until cheese has melted. Remove from heat and tent with aluminum foil.

Slice buns open and spread butter evenly on the insides of each bun.  Place on hot grill for 2-3 minutes, until slightly crispy and grill marks have appeared.

Assemble burgers by spreading a thin layer of horseradish sauce on the bottom bun. Place a layer of spinach and then the portabella mushroom on top.  Sprinkle crispy onion strings over the mushroom and finish with a spoonful of bbq sauce. Top with the other half of bun and serve immediately.

Serves 4



Garden Panzanella Salad

Hey Y'All! :}

So, you may have noticed that I've been MIA for a few weeks, {and maybe you are too tied up in your own summer that you haven't} but listen, I can explain.....Texas was a callin' me. There must of been a logical reason that I would choose to go to a 100 degree state with like 100% humidity in July, RIGHT?!

Well there was, so you can call off the sanity check. Two of the most gregarious, delightful, entertaining children of all time live there and belong to me as nephews. AND, my most favorite sister in law east of California just so happens to be their mommy so I got to relish in a week of their presence along with the bundles of joy {yes, plural!} she is keeping warm & expecting for arrival in the fall. As the unexpecting and still energetic one, it was my sisterly duty to affirm a constant supply of brownie sundaes, giggling children and the tug-of-war battle between the playroom and a toddler.

Now that I am back in my home state and finally functioning again {it's amazing how you really do need a vacation after a vacation...life takes an eternity to get back to normal!}, I've trekked back into my abundant garden and stumbled upon all sorts of farm fresh treasures; lemon cucumbers, tomatoes, basil, zucchini, green beans, peppers and oh so much more! 

I decided in honor of my veggie lovin' sister-in-law, I would make a beautiful Florence style Panzanella salad.  I'm sure this tomato, bread and basil beauty will shoot her pregnancy cravings on overdrive, but hopefully she isn't too bummed that I'm not there to make it for her ;)

Technically, a Panzanella salad is made with stale bread, tomatoes and oil & vinegar, but of course, leave it to a splendid kitchen to create this lovely variation.  You may also use just about any vegetable you love or have growing in your own garden.  Flawless as is and perfect for a side dish or a simple entree but I will share my son's tip upon first bite...."needs bacon", lol! He is so brilliant!

Have a Splendid Day!

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Ingredients for Garden Panzanella Salad

by Splendor in the Kitchen

3 Small Lemon Cucumbers, peeled and chopped in 1/2" pieces

1 Medium sized Zucchini, sliced in 1/2" pieces

1 Heirloom Tomato, chopped in 1/2 " pieces

8-10 Kalamata Olives, pitted and sliced lengthwise

2 Peppadew Peppers, drained and sliced thinly

1/4 Cup Fresh Basil, loosely packed

2 Tbsp Shaved Parmesan Cheese

2 Slices Good Quality Sourdough Bread, sliced 1" thick

Extra Virgin Olive Oil {approx 4-5 Tbsp}

Blood Orange Vinegar, to taste {you can substitute balsamic or red wine}

Salt & Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste



Directions

Heat indoor grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high heat. 

Lightly brush zucchini slices and bread slices with olive oil on both sides.  Cook on grill just until you have grill marks on each side and zucchini is crisp but tender in the center and bread is crisp. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cooled down, cut into 1/2' pieces.

Assemble the salad by adding cucumbers, zucchini, tomato, olives, peppers and bread to a bowl. Stack all basil leaves in a pile, roll and slice thinly.  Add basil and cheese.  Give the salad a sprinkle of salt and a very generous portion of freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir salad, then add a small amount of vinegar {about 1 teaspoon to begin with} and 2-3 Tbsp olive oil.  Adjust according to your likely.

Refrigerate at least 20 minutes prior to serving.

Serves 2-4 as a side dish.

Mushroom Salad with Lemon Dressing

Five days into Summer and it is freaking cold...Mother Nature must be really mad at somebody. Sure hope it's not me!

Well, I'm not about to let a little freak of nature frigidness stop me from dragging out the barbecue, grilling up a bountiful & tender Tri-tip and fixing a few fresh side dishes to accompany.  I immediately decided that it would be smart of me to share an unsophisticated dish with you at some point so I don't lose your interest....my "fanciness" gene kicks in a little to much sometimes. {hey- at least I can admit I have a problem!}

I figured one of my most favorite salads was a perfect fit for the simplicity of Summer.  This mushroom & cheese salad is basically just that--and came about long ago by my obsession with it from a bistro that I used to frequent.  It has been closed for years so I did my best to recreate their amazing version and I think I came pretty darn close. At least close enough to tempt my taste buds and hopefully yours. 

Just be sure you only use enough mixed greens to make an appearance on the plate--no sense in overshadowing the mushrooms and tanginess of the cheese.

Minimalism at its best.

Have a Splendid Day!

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Ingredients for Mushroom Salad with Lemon Dressing

by Splendor in the Kitchen

1 Lb White Button Mushrooms

1 Cup Jarlsberg Cheese, grated

1/4 Cup Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley, chopped

1 Cup Mixed Greens, roughly chopped

2 Lemons

Zest of 1 Lemon

1 1/2 Tsp. Sugar

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Pepper

Directions

Remove stems from mushrooms and discard.  Rinse mushroom caps in a strainer with water and then gently rub any excess dirt off with a paper towel. Dry thoroughly. Thinly slice mushrooms so they are 1/4" thick or less.

Layer a shallow salad bowl or platter with the mixed greens.  Layer a third of the mushrooms and cheese over the greens. Sprinkle with salt & pepper.Continue to layer with mushrooms, cheese, salt & pepper two more times until you have used them all.  Sprinkle all of the parlsey over the top of the salad. 

To make the dressing; zest 1 lemon into a small bowl.  Squeeze both lemons into the bowl to gather all of their juices {be sure not to get any seeds}.  Dissolve sugar into lemon juice & zest.  Whisk in olive oil quickly to emulsify.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Refrigerate 20 minutes. 

When ready to serve the salad, whisk the lemon dressing and pour over the salad. Lightly toss to cover all mushrooms with dressing.  Crack a generous amount of black pepper over the top.

Serves 4



Jambalaya

Yesterday was my husband's birthday and most adoring wives would bake a cake to celebrate... undoubtedly, I am not most wives....I tackle Jambalaya.

 

jambalaya {juhm-buh-lahy-uh}

Noun: a dish of Creole origin, consisting of rice, ham, sausage, or shellfish, herbs, spices and vegetables, especially tomatoes, onions and peppers.

Why, do you ask?

 Is it a favorite of his?  

Nope.   I am an overachiever by nature and decided to take on this uphill battle for a wonderful home-cooked dinner instead of leading him into the demise of a restaurant with mediocre food, a silly party hat, and off-key birthday songs sung by apathetic waiters. 

So, out came my trusty Epicurious.com app, a few "Splendor in the Kitchen" modifications, and my brand-new Dutch oven {remember my gift from Mother's Day?!}.

The recipe which appealed to me most included bacon {yes, please!}, ham, chicken and sausage but I'm somewhat 

anti-ham {too salty} so I left that out and added fresh shrimp.

I would encourage you to browse my recipe and the original {see link below} and play around with both.  The colors and flavors are so bold and vibrant, you can do no wrong.    

A simple one pot dish--- you just layer upon layer with flavor. Start by rendering the bacon and browning the sausage.

Sweat out the onions and peppers. 

Layer in the spices {adjust for your own spice tolerance}, tomatoes and chicken.

Add the rice and bake in the same pot in the oven.  At the last minute, you will add the shrimp to cook just for a few, and then garnish with an invigorating squeeze of a lemon, green onions and Italian, flat-leaf parsley.

What would Emeril say?  "BAM"!

Have a Splendid Day!

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Ingredients for Jambalaya

adapted from Epicurious.com 

3 slices applewood-smoked bacon, diced

12 oz Cajun Style Andouille Sausage, sliced in 1/4" diagonal pieces

1 Rotissiere Chicken, meat shredded

2 Yellow Onions, chopped

1 Jalepeno, seeded and diced

2 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and chopped

2 Large Stalks Celery, sliced lengthwise, then diced

1 Tbsp Garlic, minced

2 Tbsp Fresh Thyme leaves {removed from stem}

35 oz Peeled Tomatoes, squeezed of seeds, and diced

3 Tbsp Tomato Paste

2 Tablespoons Paprika

1 Tablespoons Chili Powder

1/4 Teaspoon {or more} Cayenne Pepper

1/4 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika

3 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock, divided {2 1/2 cup, 1 cup}

2 Cups Long-Grain Rice

1/2 Lb Peeled & Deveined Uncooked Shrimp

1/4 Cup Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley, roughly chopped

1 Bunch Green Onions, chopped

1 Lemon, halved

Directions

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.  Cook bacon in very large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until brown but not yet crisp, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes.  Add Andouille sausage and saute until meats start to brown in spots. Add onions, garlic, celery, jalapeno, bell peppers and thyme. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, stirring occasionally 10-12 minutes.

Mix in paprika, chili powder, smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne. Cook 1 minute. Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes,  shredded chicken and 2 1/2 cups chicken stock; stir to blend well. Add more cayenne, if desired.  Mix in rice.

Bring Jambalaya to boil.  Cover pot or Dutch oven.  Place in oven and bake until rice is tender and liquids are all absorbed, 45 to 48 minutes.  Uncover pot and pour the remaining 1 cup chicken stock over jambalaya.  Add shrimp in a layer on top of jambalaya and return lid.  Cook in oven an additional 3 to 4 minutes, just until shrimp is pink and cooked through. 

Remove lid.  Squeeze lemon halves on jambalaya and then sprinkle with chopped parsley and green onions.  Serve.

Refrigerate leftovers for following day--the flavors will be enhanced on the next day.

Serves 6-8

Blueberry-Oatmeal Muffins with Mascarpone & Orange Glaze

A perfect early summer morning consists of dragging children out of bed for a short drive up the mountain to pick blueberries.  And to make it even more so dreamy, how about stuffing handfuls of the freshest blueberries on the West Coast into their happy little mouths?


Eat your heart out Maine!

I am certain that we ate more than ended up in our bucket, but seriously, who is counting?

 

What a beautiful mess!

Which I would gladly endure again in spite of the muffin pan that I will spend two hours scouring.....maybe we will save this for a long, hot, soapy bath in the sink. It really does look as though I walked in on my daughter with a tube of finger paint and a brilliantly white wall :) 

Blueberry explosion = Success.

These muffins have somewhat of a quick break consistency rather than a spongy-box muffin type.  I used bread flour since it was all I had in the pantry.  I'm sure you could try all-purpose flour instead and see what happens.  I am a huge advocate for "seeing what sticks on the wall" rather than always following the rules. 

That's where the best recipes come from, right? 

Enjoy!

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Ingredients for Blueberry-Oatmeal Muffins with Mascarpone & Orange Glaze

by Splendor in the Kitchen

1 1/2 Cups Buttermilk
3 Tbsp Honey
1 Cup Rolled Oats {instant or quick-cook}
2 Cups Bread Flour
1/2 Tsp. Salt
2 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
4 Tbsp Canola Oil
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Egg, slightly beaten
2 Egg Whites
2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Blueberries

1/4 Cup Mascarpone Cream Cheese {softened at room temperature}
1/2 Cup Powdered Confectioner's Sugar
2-4 Tbsp Orange Juice {freshly squeezed if possible}

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin pan with paper liners, or grease pan with softened butter. Set aside.

Heat buttermilk and honey in microwave until hot but not scalding, about 1 minute.  Pour in rolled oats, stir and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients {flour, salt and baking powder}.  Stir in vanilla, oil, sugar and whole egg. Add in the buttermilk/honey & oatmeal mix that has been soaking.

In another bowl, beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold egg whites into batter, careful not to break up the peaks.

Gently stir in blueberries and combine just until berries are evenly distributed in the batter.

Divide batter evenly amongst prepared muffin pan, filling until about 3/4 way full.  Bake in preheated oven, 20-24 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of muffin. Let muffins cool in pan for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack for 5 minutes.

While muffins are baking in the oven, prepare glaze by whisking together softened mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar and enough orange juice to thin out glaze for drizzling.  Glaze should be smooth with no lumps from the cheese.

When muffins are still warm, drizzle mascarpone & orange glaze over all muffins with a small spoon. Serve immediatley.

Makes 12-16 muffins.

Arugula & Bacon Frittata

"Whatever this is called, I love this stuff" says my 11 year old.

Words that you don't hear often from a child, unless of course you recognize the sophisticated palate beaming from this particular child. 

Could a mom really be so lucky, or is this arugula and bacon frittata just that magical?

Maybe I did wave my magic wand and sprinkle a little fairy dust if you go by my husband's review {with a mouth still full, I might add!},

"This is like a cloud....an egg flavored cloud stuffed with bacon."

A perfectly unpretenious meal with a starring role from freshly picked arugula first thing in the morning out of my garden, with a cameo of course from some succulent, maple infused bacon.


"The Art of Breakfast for Dinner"
...coming soon to a theater near you ;)

Enjoy!

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Ingredients for Arugula & Bacon Frittata

by Splendor in the Kitchen

2-3 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup

4 Large Slices Uncooked Bacon

1 Cup Arugula {packed well in measuring cup}

1/4 Cup Mascarpone Cheese

1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/4 Cup Grated Jarslberg Cheese

1 Tbsp Chives, chopped

1/4 Cup Flat Leaf Italian Parsley, chopped

1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper

1/4 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Nutmeg

6 Whole Organic Eggs

4 Organic Egg Whites

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Brush maple syrup over both sides of bacon and place on a microwave-safe plate. Cook in microwave until bacon is crisp, about 3-4 minutes. Let cool and then use a knife to chop bacon into 1/4" pieces.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, heavy cream and mascarpone cheese until smooth. Stir in all remaining ingredients, including cooked bacon pieces.

Spray a 9" deep-dish pie pan, or an 8"x8" square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour frittata mixture into prepared dish.  Bake until top of frittata is golden-brown, and center comes out solid yet moist {not liquidy} when poked with a toothpick; about 35-40 minutes.

Serve immediately while warm, or let cool completely and refrigerator up to 3 days.

Serves 4-6

Cinnamon Biscuit Kisses

"School's Out for Summer....no more teachers, no more school books, no more teacher's dirt-y looks." -Alice Cooper

School is offically out for the summer and it never fails that this song will ring in my head.  I am looking forward to fishing, gardening, sun-bathing, playing with my munchkins and most importantly.....not driving to various schools 3-4 times a day! 

I took it upon myself over this lazy Memorial Day weekend to surprise the kids with a special little treat from my childhood, rather than our standard Pancake Saturday...

...you should have seen the look on their faces when they bit into this chocolately, gooey, cinnamony delight! It was a cross between Christmas morning and a well-earned video game {which rarely happens!}.

Priceless.

I vaguely remember coming across this recipe, or at least some version of what I think I know, in a "kids can cook"cookbook, and my sister and I would make this as frequently as my mom would stock the house with Hershey kisses.

Not often enough to a child :)

Here's all you need.

I imagine the origin is derived from a Monkey bread, which I'm really not a fan of--too sweet and sticky.  I am sure some of you are cursing me at this exact moment.

Trust me. Please.

Especially since canned refrigerator biscuits are NOT a staple in my household.  This must be worth a try!

Have the kids do the dirty work.  They can unwrap kisses {sneak one or two is an absolute must}. And they can pat down the biscuits and place a kiss in the center of each one. 

Use some melted butter to seal up the pouch and on the outside of the dough as well.

I couldn't find my bundt pan so i just used a springform pan with an upside down bowl. Just stack the biscuits on top of each other-- I got three layers out of it.

Bake until Golden-Brown.

And then find a fork as quick as you can!

Enjoy!

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Ingredients for Cinnamon Biscuit Kisses

4 pack of 7.5oz Pilsbury Refrigerator Biscuits {10 biscuits each}

40 Hershey Kisses, unwrapped

4 Tbsp Butter, Melted

1/3 Cup Sugar

2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Mix sugar and cinnamon well together in a low-sided dish. Set aside.

Remove biscuits from package and lay out individually, a few at a time.  Gently pat each biscuit down to a 1/4" thickness. Place 1 Hershey Kiss in the center of each biscuit. 

Use a pastry brush to lightly spread a small amount of butter around the edges of the biscuit.  Fold all sides together to fully enclose each chocolate kiss.  Lightly brush more butter across the outside of biscuit. Roll biscuits through the cinnamon-sugar mixture, covering all sides of biscuits. Shake off excess cinnamon & sugar. 

Place biscuits sealed side down in bundt pan, filling one row around the bottom.  Biscuits should be touching. Once there is no more room on the bottom layer, begin a second layer and then a third.  With each layer, you should have less biscuits in each row.

Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and biscuits are no longer gooey. Eat immediately while still warm.  Once cool, can be stored in an airtight container for a day or two.

Serves 6