Ham, Turkey and Bacon Croissant Melts

It has been such a nice weekend.  I visited my swimming pool for the first time this season and it was so nice and relaxing.  Then, I cleaned my house really well and pretty much ate popsicles the rest of the day.  I would have made myself some Frothy Sunrise Punch, but I didn't have any orange juice on hand.  

But . . . now I am HUNGRY.  This sandwich is exactly what I want right now.  Croissants have got to be one of the best things ever created and when you bake them, they get EVEN BETTER.  It's true, check out these Baked Ham and Cheese Croissants to see why :)

This Croissant Melt really is so DANG GOOD.  Hello . . . it has ham, turkey crunchy bacon, Pepper Jack cheese and honey mustard, all served on a buttery, flaky, croissant.  Add an egg and make it a breakfast sandwich.  To-die-for!  

You might just find yourself making these on a weekly basis.  

Ham, Turkey and Bacon Croissant Melts

From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

4 large croissants
1/2 lb. deli ham, sliced thin
1/2 lb. deli turkey, sliced thin
8 slices bacon, cooked
4 big slices Pepper Jack cheese

Honey Mustard
1/3 c. Mayonnaise (I use light)
1 Tbl. mustard
1 Tbl. Dijon mustard
1 Tbl. honey
1/2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
a few dashes of Worcestershire, opt.
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Slice croissants in half.  Spread honey mustard on each half.  Top the bottom half of each croissant with a few slices of deli ham, deli turkey, two slices of bacon and a slice of cheese.  Cover with tops and place on a baking sheet.  Bake for 4-5 minutes or until cheese is melted and croissant is slightly toasted.  Serves: 4

For the Honey Mustard: Stir together all ingredients.  Taste and adjust ingredients, if needed.  

Jenn's Notes: I used Black Forest ham and Cajun turkey.  

Linked up at Saturday Night Fever!

Weekly Menu Planning Saturday #13

SUNDAY

Bobby Deen's Baked Spaghetti with Garlic Bread (A Family Favorite Recipe)

If you have any leftover, this tastes just as good reheated

MONDAY
Smoked Turkey and Veggie Wraps

TUESDAY

Cajun Chicken Alfredo with Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

WEDNESDAY

Hash Brown Beef Pie

THURSDAY

Fiesta Ranch Chicken

FRIDAY
Oven-Baked Tacos

SATURDAY
Menu-Plan Day and Take-Out Night


FOR DESSERT
Lemon Dream Yogurt Cake with Lemon Marshmallow Buttercream

Kneaders Key Lime Pie with a Pretzel Crust

Even though it isn't officially Summer yet, it sure feels like it. . . cuz it is HOT.  My swimming pool opened last week and I can't wait to spend my weekends there soaking up the sun!  Key Lime Pie just screams Summer to me.  I have to make at least one each year and each time I like to try a new recipe.  Last year I tried these Key Lime Bars with an Animal Cracker Crust and they were AMAZING.  

Who said a pie crust has to be graham cracker.  No way - there are so many options.

This pretzel crust was awesome and I have got to make more of them.  That salty sweet combo is so so good.     

This pie is from Kneaders Bakery and Cafe, which has some of the best treats around.  It is tart and tangy, yet creamy and delicious.

You might also like:
Kneaders Sugar Cookies
Key Lime Bars with an Animal Cracker Crust

Kneaders Key Lime Pie with a Pretzel Crust
adapted from: Kneaders Bakery & Cafe
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

Pretzel Crust
1 c. + 2 Tbl. pretzel crumbs
3 Tbl. sugar
5 Tbl. unsalted butter, melted

Key Lime Filling
4 tsp. grated lime zest (I only used the zest of 1 large lime)
1/2 c. fresh lime juice (3-4 limes)
4 egg yolks
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk


For the Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9-inch pie dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Crush pretzels until very fine (make sure you have 1 cup + 2 Tbl. crumbs).  Add the sugar and melted butter and mix together until combined.  Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared dish.  Bake for 8-10 minutes; the crust won't change color much, but will firm up. Remove from the oven and make the filling.

For the Filling:  First, remove the zest from the whole limes and add to a medium bowl.  Cut the limes in half and squeeze out the juice, being careful to not get any seeds in the bowl.  Add the egg yolks and whisk together until combined and they are tinted green, about 2 minutes.  Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix until combined.  Allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Pour into baked crust and smooth top evenly.  Bake for 28-32 minutes or until filling is set, with a small spot in the center still looking soft.  Cool for several hours before serving.  Top with whipped cream and garnish with crushed pretzels.

Jenn's Notes: I used bottled Nellie & Joe's Key Lime Juice (found at most grocery stores) instead of fresh lime juice.

Linked up at Weekend Potluck! and Saturday Night Fever!

Chicken Parmesan Crescents

I am about to tell you some very important information.  The day after I made these pockets, "The Mr." already requested them again.  WHAT?  That doesn't happen too often around here.  There are a lot of dishes I make that he really really likes, but he almost never requests it again the NEXT day.

These were extremely good.  AND did I mention there are only six ingredients?  All you do is bake some breaded chicken tenders, dip them in sauce and roll up in a crescent roll with some cheese.  It might seem like there is too much sauce and you might worry that the bottom will get soggy, but mine do not.  The bottoms bake up exactly as they should.  

If you are still worried about it, you could always roll up the chicken and cheese in the crescent and serve the sauce on the side for dipping, which I have also tried.

I have now made these several times and we love them.

My favorite chicken tenders are Tyson Panko Breaded Chicken Tenders from Costco.   They are large enough that you can cut them in half and fill two crescent rolls.   

Chicken Parmesan Crescents

(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

1 pkg. crescent rolls (8 per package)

4 breaded chicken tenders, baked (I like Tyson Panko Breaded Tenders)

8 small slices Cheddar or Mozzarella Cheese

1 jar spaghetti sauce, warmed

1/2 tsp. Johnny's Garlic seasoning (or garlic powder)
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Cook chicken tenders according to package directions.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Unroll crescent rolls and separate into 8 triangles.  Place a small slice of cheese on the wide end of each crescent.  Cut each chicken tender in half and dip in spaghetti sauce; let excess sauce drip off.  Place each chicken tender half on top of the cheese and roll up each crescent.  It will be messy and might seem like it's not going to work, but it will.  Place each rolled up crescent onto a lightly greased baking sheet.  Sprinkle Johnny's Garlic seasoning and Italian seasoning over the top of each crescent.  Bake for 13-15 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.  Serve extra spaghetti sauce on the side, for dipping.  Serves: 3-4.      

Jenn's Notes: I have used both regular crescents and jumbo crescents and both work fine.  I used jumbo crescents in the pictures above.  

adapted from: Six Sisters' Stuff

Linked up at Weekend Potluck! and Saturday Night Fever!

Weekly Menu Planning Saturday #12

SUNDAY

Spaghetti with Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Bread Machine Breadsticks and Cinnastix
I like to make a big batch of this sauce on the weekend and freeze it in big yogurt or sour cream containers.  When ready to eat, all you do is thaw and serve with some pasta.  Super Easy. 

Bread Machine Breadsticks

Cinnastix with Cream Cheese Icing
I use half of the breadstick dough and make cinnastix

MONDAY

My go-to Sloppy Joes

Chop up extra onion and bell pepper from the spaghetti sauce and this will be ready in no-time

TUESDAY
Shelley's Chicken Enchiladas (No Canned Soup)

WEDNESDAY
Bourbon Chicken Over Rice (without the Bourbon)

THURSDAY
The Best French Toast
Sliced Bananas are a must with this French Toast

FRIDAY
Linguine Carbonara
Use leftover sausage links from the Spaghetti Sauce

SATURDAY
Menu-Plan Day and Take-Out Night


FOR DESSERT
Camper Crunchies

Blueberry Swirled Quick Bread with Strawberry Glaze

Did I tell you I bought 5 lbs. of frozen blueberries at Costco a few weeks ago?  

I follow America's Test Kitchen on Twitter and they tweeted a recipe for an amazing looking blueberry bundt cake.  Mouthwatering pictures get me every time.  I immediately knew I had to make it over the weekend.

I headed to Costo to get some fresh blueberries, but they were EXPENSIVE.  No way was I going to spend that much.  So, the next best thing . . . frozen berries came to mind.  They had a giant 5 Lb. bag for $8 or $9 bucks.  Way better deal at the time.  

I got home and bad news . . . it was going to be a stormy weekend.  There was no point in making a beautiful cake and not being able to photograph it, because it is gloomy outside.  

By the time the weather was nice, I had already moved onto a different treat.

This delicious Blueberry Swirled Bread.

I used the same recipe from my Strawberry Swirled Lemon Poppy Seed Bread and used blueberry jam instead of strawberry and topped it with a delicious strawberry jam glaze instead of a lemon glaze.

Of course, it turned out delicious!

If you want your icing to get nice and crisp like on a donut, add meringue powder.  My favorite little trick to the perfect icing.      

Blueberry Swirled Quick Bread with Strawberry Glaze

From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner

(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

1/4 c. unsalted butter, softened

3/4 c. sugar

1 egg

1 egg white

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. imitation lemon extract (or zest of 1 lemon), opt.

3/4 c. non-fat plain Greek yogurt

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda 

1/8 tsp. salt

1/3 c. blueberry jam (store-bought or homemade)

Strawberry Glaze

1 c. powdered sugar

2 Tbl. strawberry jam

up to 1 Tbl. milk, as needed to reach desired consistency

1 tsp. meringue powder, opt.  (this helps the icing harden)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the egg, egg white, vanilla and lemon extract and mix until well blended.   In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add dry ingredients and Greek yogurt alternately to the batter, starting and ending with dry and mix until just combined.

Spread half of the batter into a 9x5-inch loaf pan.  Top with blueberry jam, leaving a small border around the edge.  Do no swirl the jam.  Top with remaining batter and carefully spread out evenly.  Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert to a wire rack and cool completely.  Meanwhile, make the glaze.

For the Strawberry Glaze:  Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth and creamy, adding milk only if needed to reach a glaze consistency.  Pour over cooled bread and allow to harden.  If you are in a hurry, you can pour this over the warm bread.  

Linked up at Weekend Potluck!