Fruit Pizza

Wow, it's been awhile since I've blogged....

The other day my sister in law called and asked for my fruit pizza recipe.  She made individual ones for my nephew's preschool class using a single sugar cookie.  Needless to say, she said it went over well with the kiddos had several moms request the recipe.  So here I am to share with all of you!!!

The joke is that the secret is in the sauce.  It's not really a joke because the sauce adds some extra deliciousness to it.  Most of the time I double this recipe because I take it to family dinners and pot lucks....Who doesn't love a pot luck!!!!!

The Recipe (can be doubled)

1 Tube Sugar Cookie Dough
1 Brick of Cream Cheese
3 Cups powdered sugar
4 Ounces of Cool Whip
1 tsp Vanilla

1 15.25 Ounce Can of Pineapple Chunks, drained reserving the pineapple juice for sauce
1 tsp Sugar
1-2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Cold Water
1 Tbsp Corn Starch

Lemon Juice
Fresh Fruit of choice, diced
(I use, 1 diced banana, 1 diced apple, 1 cup of grapes, 1/2 cup of blueberries, 1 cup sliced strawberries,  2-3 diced kiwis, 1 15.25 ounce can of pineapple chunks)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Press sugar cookie dough out on a 9x13 cookie sheet.  Bake according to package directions (usually 8-10 minutes), or until dough is done.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Dice fruit and place in a bowl.  Add canned pineapple chunks.  Drizzle Lemon Juice over the top and mix fruit together.  Set aside.

Mix cream cheese, vanilla, powdered sugar, and cool whip in a mixing bowl until well combined.  Spread cream cheese mixture on cooled cookie dough crust. Placed diced fruit on top of the cream cheese mixture.

For the "secret sauce"... Whisk corn starch and cold water together in a glass, set aside.  In a pan, heat the pineapple juice, sugar, and cinnamon until it starts to boil.  Remove from heat and stir in the water and corn starch mixture until the sauce is thickened.  Allow sauce to cool and pour over the fruit.  Serve it up and ENJOY!  

Fresh Salsa

This is the time of year when gardens are in full swing and producing fresh tomatoes...right??  Yes!!!  Unless it is my garden, then you have yet to harvest anything but a cucumber.  Thankfully, my MIL has a garden so I can "steal" some produce to make delicious fresh salsa!  I do however, have a lot of tomatoes set on and I'm patiently waiting for them to grow and ripen {tick tock tick tock}.

I was asked on TFW's Facebook page to share the recipe for my fresh salsa and I am finally getting around to sharing!  It's been a crazy busy summer and the blog has been "neglected" just a bit.  So if you are here, thanks for hanging with me!  There will be more to come, I promise!

I must admit, I am one of those who just throws stuff together and I don't measure.  I'm going to give you the gist of what I throw in my fresh salsa the best I can.  Of course, I might tweak it a little after I finish by adding a little of this or that.

Basic Fresh Salsa

6 garden tomatoes, seeded and chopped  

1 purple onion, chopped 

3-4 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp lime juice

1/2 cup fresh cilantro or 1 Tbsp dried cilantro

salt & pepper to taste

Sometimes I add a little sugar if I want it sweet...about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.  Taste and then TWEAK to your liking.  I like to make it ahead of time and let it sit in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to marry.

ENJOY!!!

Farmers Save Lives

While I sit here on my porch and watch the heat dry up the Earth, which in turn dries up the various crops we have planted I can't help but feel sad.  As I have stated before, we live in a very rural area in Nebraska.  Most people in our area have some sort of agriculture background if they are not currently living the glorious lifestyle of being a farmer.  If they don't have a background in agriculture, you can about guarantee they have a family member or friend close by that farming is their livelihood, they are employed by an ag driven business, or the like.  It is the lifestyle in this area.  

As I sit here and reflect on what kind of production we will have....or sadly, not have... I can't help but feel a bit nervous.  But, being a farmer, it is a risk we take.  We can't control input costs, the markets, and what seems to be our big deal currently...the weather.  Mother Nature has not be kind to us.  In many parts of the United States, other farmers are having to deal with quite the opposite....they are getting too much rain.  Therefore, they can't get their crops in the ground.  Or, if they have been lucky enough to snag some dry days to plant, they have been hit with torrential rain again that has washed away their seeds....leaving them no choice, but to double their input cost and replant.  I don't know why Mother Nature can't drop a nice even inch of rain once a week across the fields....would that be too much to ask!  Ha!!!!

As I think about our lack of moisture, and other farmers plethora of rain I can't help but realize this could be a problem.  This would not be a problem most would be thinking about, but for us individuals in the agricultural world....we do!  What if there were no crops here in the U.S?!?!  Yes, we import.  Since the entire country is not going to lose its crops, it won't be a problem.  There could be a shortage, but there will be another year, hopefully some rain, and with any luck.... a bountiful harvest.  

My hubs has always said, and I 100% agree, "that farming is the backbone of this country!"  Think about it, I can live without my obsession of beautiful designer purses, but I CANNOT live without food!!!  Therefore, as I sit here on my porch watching the heat beam down, and listening to my sprinkler run on my struggling grass I have come to the conclusion that FARMERS SAVE LIVES......3 SQUARES A DAY!  

{{{HUGS}}}

Generic Post...Brain Fried...{a vacation would help}

I have had a little too much going on lately... at least it feels that way.  Summer is in full swing and I seem to pick one kid up at camp to drop another one off the next day.  Then, while I am off on a camp adventure I still have a kid or two with something like swimming lessons going on at home.  Throw in a couple other stops for parts and dinner too.  Needless to say, if I'm not coming....then I am going.  From all directions {kiddos and hubs} I hear... could you... would you... I need you to.... and even....gulp....you WILL.  Who can relate?   I used to think I would figure out a way to balance it all, but I have long give up on that.  I don't have the energy so I just try... and I do mean TRY  to go with the flow.  My brain is on overload.... so much that I couldn't decide what to title this post! Ha!

I think what I need is a little vacation.  I mentioned this trip to my hubs, but he didn't seem as interested in going as I am!  Plus, it's a year away and I think I need a vacation sooner rather than later.  Then again, maybe I just need a maid to keep up with my house that is lacking attention...which drives me crazy.  Heck, I need BOTH!!!  

I guess between now and my vacation {which is non-existent at this moment} I will just.....

PS:  If anyone is interested in booking me a spot on the above for mentioned vacation, I am NOT OPPOSED...just let me know and I will pack my bags!!  Haha!

{{{HUGS}}}

3-2-1 Cucumber Salad

3 Cucumbers, 2 tomatoes, 1 onion, and a couple other ingredients and you have yourself a delicious summertime salad.  I can't wait to make this with my fresh produce...once my garden starts producing!!!

This is one of my Hubs favorites.  It is also a salad that I deliver to the field often.  It has a nice creamy sauce topping the refreshing veggies and accompanies most meals.  

3 cucumbers, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
1 Cup Mayo
2 Tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Dill Weed
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients.  Chill before serving.

{{{HUGS}}}