Heart Shaped Strawberry Hand Pies

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I thought I would make Vivian and I a special treat.  I've had a major sweet tooth lately...maybe because I have my glucose test coming up on the 25th and my high risk Dr says I'll be diagnosed with gestational diabetes again...so I'm getting in all the sweets I can.  Not great for the growing waistline, but I want to enjoy yummy treats while I can.

I did make B some Valentine cookies so he wouldn't feel left out.  I did an easy recipe of 1 cup butter, room temp, 1 cup sugar, 1-1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 egg, 1 tsp water, 3 cup self rising flour.    

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla

Add egg and water

Add flour and blend

Divide dough in half and wrap in saran wrap.  Chill in the refrigerator for an hour.

Roll dough on a lightly floured surface and cut them using your cookie cutter.  I used a heart shape since I wanted Valentine cookies.

Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes, take them out just before the edges are brown.  I like to like my cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy removal and clean-up.   

Use your favorite icing or make your own. 

Now, back to the hand pies.  These were so good and so incredibly easy to make.

The recipe makes 4 hand pies, but you can make 8 if you use 2 frozen puff pastry sheets.

Heart Shaped Strawberry Hand Pies

Ingredients 

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (I used Pepperidge Farms)
4 - 8 Tbs of strawberry preserves.  The original recipe called for cherry jam if you prefer cherry over strawberry. 
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup powered sugar
1-2 tsp water

Directions

Thaw your pastry sheet either overnight in the fridge or at room.
temperature for 40 minutes.

Preheat oven at 425

Lay your thawed pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface.  Roll out your pastry sheet to at least 12 inches long.  If there are any cracks in your pastry, add a little water to smooth it out.

Cut out 8 hearts.

Place 4 hearts on a rimmmed cookie sheet with parchment paper. My heart cookie cutter was small so I was able to cut out an extra one.

Add a tablespoon of your preserve or jam to your heart cut out.

After filling your heart, go all around the edges brushing your lightly beaten egg.

Top with your remaining heart cutouts.  Seal your hearts by pressing a fork all around the edges.

Pop in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly brown.

You may have some hungry beavers trying to wait patiently :)

While your pies are baking, mix your powdered sugar and water.  Mix until smooth.  Drizzle on top of warm pies.

You can double the recipe by using both pastry sheets if you want.  This also makes for a nice after school treat for your kiddos or indulge them for yourself.

Cadbury Mini-Egg Cookies

Happy Good Friday!!  

I can't believe Easter is already upon us and we will soon see it go.  Easter has always been one of my favorite holidays.  Not only do we celebrate Jesus dying on the cross for our sins and raising from the dead which is the most important reason that we celebrate, but oh to the pastel candy.  For some reason candy taste better because the wrapping or candy coating is pastel or shaped in a egg form. Especially Cadbury Eggs.  Cadbury Eggs have always been one of my favorite Easter candies. I always loved sucking out the creamy deliciousness then eating the chocolate.  Its so good!!!  While looking at Pinterest, I came across a recipe called Cadbury Mini-Egg Cookies.  As the pregnant lady that I am, I was in the mood to bake.  I know BK won't any of these and I will be the only one eating them. Ugh.  Hopefully, little Vivy won't become diabetic!  Actually on Monday I will find out the results from my gestational diabetes test that I took yesterday.  Crossing fingers!  On to the recipe.

recipe adapted here

Cadbury Mini-Egg Cookies:

1/2 cup softened butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup crushed Cadbury Mini-Eggs (I put them in a plastic bag and bashed them with a rolling pin being careful to leave big chunks)

1.  Preheat the oven to 375.  In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and the sugars.  Beat in the egg until well combined.  Add the vanilla, baking powder and salt and mix well.  Slowly stir in the flour and the Cadbury Mini-Eggs.

2.  Form the dough into balls about the size of a ping pong ball and place on baking sheet that has been covered with parchment paper.  You can place them directly on the sheet if you prefer.  Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes being very careful not to overbake.

3.  Slide the parchment paper of the baking sheet directly onto a wire rack.  Or if you didn't use the parchment paper, allow the cookies to cool for an additional minute or two on the baking sheet to prevent the soft cookies from slipping through the bars of the wire rack.  Cool completely.  Makes about 2 dozen.

 

Go ahead...you know you want to make some.  P.S.  it was literally an egg hunt to find these.  I guess that's what I get for making these the last weekend for Easter candy :)

 

Sour Lemon Pie

Spring has finally sprung!  Well, its officially spring even though it doesn't feel like it here in Wilmington.  I think Phil the groundhog lied,ha!!  Today has been chilly and dreary which means being lazy.  I did however go to Wal-Mart...my hell on earth.  I ABSOLUTELY HATE Wal-Mart. I swear, my blood pressure rises as soon as I enter the parking lot.  I go once every 2 months...I rather pay a little extra at an actual grocery store vs going into that cluster of a place.  I had to pick up a few things that is less expensive there than going to Harris Teeter. 

Before going, I went through my recipes on Pinterest to find a lemon dessert.  I absolutely love lemon and since this weather has been up and down, I decided I wanted something light and refreshing to eat as a sweet treat.  I will probably have to take this pie to work so I don't eat the whole thing.  Plus, I have my gestastional diabetes check on Thursday. I surely don't want to spike up my levels!

This pie is really simple.  If I can make it, anyone can.  I'm not the best person to be in the kitchen.  I figured I need to improve my skills so when Vivy becomes older we can make fun things together.  I always enjoyed making desserts with my mom...especially eating the raw cookie dough or batter :)  I hope to have the same memories with her.  Anyway, on to the dessert.

First, get all your ingrediants together.

Combine your flour, sugar and salt in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.

Slowly add your milk and stir until sauce thickens and becomes bubbly. 

Remove from the heat.  Add 1 cup of the milk mixture to your egg yolk and combine before adding it back to your mixture.

Add your butter, lemon juice and zest.

Fold your sour cream into your mixture.

Combine everything together then pour into your 9 inch pie crust.  I got the already made Graham Cracker Crust.  I'm not about to make my own pie crust :)

Let cool and then dive in!  Add whip topping if desired. 

Sour Lemon Pie: recipe adapted from here

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

1/2 cup sour cream

3 egg yolks

1/4 cup butter

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest (I would use 2-3 lemons to add a little more lemon flavor.  I only got 1 lemon and wish I bought a couple more)

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked if you are making your own.  You can go the easy route and buy a graham cracker crust.

Directions

1. In a saucepan, combine sugar, flour, and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir on medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat, and cook and stir 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Beat yolks slightly. Gradually stir 1 cup of mix into yolks. Return yolk mixture to saucepan, and bring to gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 more minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in butter, peel, and juice. Fold in sour cream.
3. Pour filling into baked pie shell, and cool. Top with whipped cream if desired.