White Chocolate Gingerbread Crescent Rolls

I can’t believe Christmas is only a week away. It never ceases to amaze me how fast a year goes by the older I get. And while I may have perfected my Masters in Procrastination over the years, gift buying is always an exception. I’m usually done with everything, except stocking stuffers, before the school year starts. And while I may *have* all the gifts hidden in sneaky little spots, that I can only hope I remember all of, it’s still the week before Christmas and I haven’t wrapped a single thing. Ya know what? It’s all going to work itself out, and every darn thing will get wrapped and placed perfectly under the tree, even if it’s not until 3am Christmas morning.

 

One thing I do enjoy wrapping up? Surprises, in the middle of snacks for the kids. And whether I’m serving them for brunch, for snack, or even dessert, there’s nothing quite as perfect for this as the crescent roll. Just picture it: the flaky outer pastry of a perfectly cooked crescent roll, with crumbled spicy ginger snaps, a dash of Christmas colored sprinkles, and a white chocolate drizzle are a perfect outer shell, hiding the perfect complimentary flavors inside, rich cream cheese and sweet white chocolate.

Think of it as a present for your mouth, one that’s just waiting to tickle those tastebuds.

White Chocolate Gingerbread Crescent Rolls

1 8 oz, 8 count, tube of crescent roll dough
4 oz cream cheese, softened and cut into 8 equal cubes
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
8 gingersnap cookies, crushed
red, green, and/or white candy sprinkles

Directions

1. Roll out the crescent dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
2. Fill each crescent roll with 1 cube of the cream cheese, 1 tbsp of the white chocolate chips, and a pinch of the crushed gingersnaps.

3. Start at the fat end and gently roll up the triangle to form crescent shape, repeating for the remaining crescents.

4. Bake the prepared rolls at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
5. In a double boiler, or in the microwave, melt the rest of the white chocolate chips. Drizzle the chocolate over the crescent rolls and then sprinkle the rest of the crushed ginger snaps over top. Finish off with a handful of candy sprinkles. Serve warm.

recipe adapted from Lemon Tree Dwelling

Like what you see? There’s more …

Nutella Crescents

Snickerdoodle Crescent Rolls

Sugar Crumb Crispies

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Chicken Cordon Bleu Pinwheels

Chicken Cordon Bleu is one of our favorite “looks and sounds fancy, but it’s really totally easy” standby recipes. A classic cordon bleu features chicken, ham, and Swiss cheese. One night I decided to change it up by rolling everything up in a sheet of crescent roll dough. Turning it into crescent roll pinwheels? Knocked it right out of the park. These are even easier than our traditional version, and taste superb. They’re perfect party food and make a really pretty presentation. A drizzle of honey mustard gives these chicken pinwheels that perfect bit of extra mmph.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pinwheels

 

recipe adapted from Mom On Timeout

1 can crescent rolls
6 slices Swiss cheese
6 slices deli ham
2 chicken breasts, cooked and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 tbsp honey, optional
2 tbsp Dijon mustard, optional

 

Directions

1. Remove crescent rolls from can and lay out in a long rectangle. Pinch the seams together making sure they’re all ‘closed’.
2. Sprinkle the dough with the Italian seasoning.
3. First layer the cheese onto the dough, then the ham, and finally topping it with the chicken. Set the prepared dough in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to allow it to get chilled again.
4. Remove from the fridge, and pick an end to start at. Roll the dough and it’s contents up like a cinnamon roll and, using a sharp knife, cut into 8-10 rolls.
5. Place on a prepared baking sheet or in a baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. If using, mix together the honey and mustard until evenly combined and serve with or drizzle over the rolls before serving.

Sous Chef Sunday: Snickerdoodle Crescent Rolls

While I could go on and on about these perfect little pastries, I’ll get straight to the point for you guys. Today the sons and I are bringing you peanut butter, cinnamon, and sugar wrapped up in crescent rolls for an easy breakfast, snack, or even dessert. Be sure to sit down with a glass of milk, then pile up a gorgeous Snickerdoodle mountain of them. Eat your way to the top one crescent at a time!

Snickerdoodle Crescent Rolls

 

1 tube Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
4 teaspoons peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl combine the cinnamon and sugar.
3. Unroll the crescent dough and carefully seperate into individual triangles along the perforated lines. Spread 1/2 teaspoon of peanut butter onto the top side of the crescents, starting at the wide end and leaving a little space along the edges. Sprinkle each with a pinch of cinnamon sugar. Roll into crescents.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, until golden brown. While still hot carefully roll them in the cinnamon and sugar.  Roll again after they’ve cooled.
5. These can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Can also be frozen for up to one month. Then you’ve got a quick, on-the-go breakfast or snack for busy days!

Nutella Crescents

Nutella, a dangerous friend indeed. Sometimes, though, sometimes … you just gotta give in to temptation. For better or for worse.

 These are so simple, they’re simply amazing! Prepare for them to disappear right before your eyes. Serve them immediately or (if you have will power) store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. While they’re to die for all by themselves, they go great with milk or coffee.

Nutella Crescents

Nutella
1 tube of crescent rolls
chocolate syrup, for drizzling (optional)
powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Unroll the crescents and spread each triangle with a huge healthy amount of Nutella.
3. Starting withe the wide ends, roll each triangle into crescent rolls. Place filled, rolled crescents on your parchment line baking sheet. Make sure to leave room for expansion as they bake.
4. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let crescents cool completely after baking.
5. If desired, before devouring serving, lightly dust crescents with powdered sugar and then drizzle with chocolate syrup.
6. Serve with milk or coffee and enjoy!

Nom Nom Nom

Mummy Dogs

I love seeing the look on the littlest son’s face when I make him ‘fun’ food. Holidays provide the ultimate opportunity to surprise him. Still, sometimes I just don’t have the time, or the energy, but these Mummy dogs are so simple and quick. From start to finish it took less than 20 minutes. Add some fun to your Halloween lunch or dinner with this adorable idea.

recipe adapted from Pillsbury

• 1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls, or homemade crescent roll dough
• 2 1/2 slices American cheese, quartered (optional)
• 10 large hot dogs
• cooking spray
• mustard or ketchup

Directions

1. If using Pillsbury crescent roll dough, unroll the dough sheet. Press together at the perforations to seal it into one large rectangle.
2. Cut the rectangle into ten ‘bandages’. Stretch the bandages a bit to elongate them.
3. Wrap one bandage around one hot dog and 1 quarter of cheese. Repeat for each hot dog.
4. About 1/2 inch from one end of each hot dog, separate the ‘bandages’ so that the hot dog shows through for it’s ‘face.’ On an ungreased baking sheet, place wrapped hot dogs (cheese side down).
5. Spray the dough lightly with cooking spray. Bake at 375 for 13 to 17 minutes or until the dough is light golden brown and the hot dogs are hot.
6. With mustard, draw features on the ‘face.’

Sugar Crumb Crispies

Do you know those nights when you feel like dinner should definitely be followed by a dessert? I have nights like that at least twice a week. One of those nights, I’ve usually planned something, everything is all ready, and I actually look (and feel) like I have it completely together in the kitchen. The other nights, I’m usually grasping a sugary ‘straws’, scrambling to come up with something in the last 30 minutes before dinner is done and ready to be plated. Enter: Sugar Crumb Crispies. From start to finish these little dessert ‘chips’ are ready to serve in 20 minutes. Perfect for the last minute ‘I have plenty of time until dinner’s ready and want to make something else’ nights. Also, perfect for the busy mom who totally flaked and told the kids there would be dessert, and then forgot because she didn’t write it on the menu board. A-hem. We won’t name names. Or point fingers.

Sugar Crumb Crispies

recipe adapted from Chef-In-Training

• 1/4 cup cold butter (1/2 a stick)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• dash of salt
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 can, or 1 batch of homemade, crescent rolls

GLAZE

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut in the butter into the sugars, cinnamon, salt, and flour to form crumbs.
3. On an ungreased cookie sheet, spread the crescent dough into 8 triangles.
4. Sprinkle the ‘crumbs’ on top.
5. Bake for 8-12 minutes.
6. After the cooked triangles have completely cooled, cut into smaller triangles.
7. Blend together all the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the Sugar Crumb Crispies.

Cheeseburger and Taters Casserole

I don’t know why, but I’ve been on a ‘cheeseburger’ kick lately. Soup, macaroni, now a casserole. I just crave that meaty, cheesy combo, and for whatever reason recently I’ve been going to new, experimental lengths to get my fix. This is what evolved from a lunch for the boys on a day they were home from school that was incredibly cold, when I had pulled hamburger meat out for, you guessed it, hamburgers for lunch and then realized I had no buns or sandwich bread. It was the perfect comfort food to warm us all up and put a smile on everyone’s face. There were no leftovers.

Cheeseburger and Taters Casserole

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 can of refrigerated crescent rolls, or 1 batch of homemade crescent rolls
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 2 cups shredded mexican blend cheese, divided
• 1 2 lb pkg tater tots, frozen
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 3-4 tbsp mustard
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Brown ground beef until cooked through. Drain.
2. Return to skillet, add in onions and saute 2-3 minutes.
3. Add in ketchup, mustard, and 1 cup of cheese. Stirring until heated through. Remove from heat. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Grease a 9×13 baking dish, or coat with non stick spray.
5. Lay crescent rolls out flat to cover the bottom of the dish like a crust. Press seams together so there aren’t any gaps.
6. Spread hamburger mixture evenly over the crescent rolls.
7. Top evenly with tater tots.
8. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until tater tots are done.
9. Remove from oven and sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese over the top of the casserole.
10. Return to oven cooking 5 more minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
11. Let the casserole cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!