Cream Cheese Almond Cookies

I have been on a fatty craze lately so this is my latest creation which definitely fulfilled my love for butter.  That being said, this is definitely not a
recipe for the faint of arteries.  Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Almond Cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter, soften

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 tb vanilla extract

1 egg 

2 & 2 tb cups flour

1 ts baking powder

3/4 cup almond slices

 

Makes about 30 cookies. 

- Beat butter & cream cheese together until smooth & fluffy.

- Add sugar, vanilla extract & egg.  Mix until smooth.

- Carefully fold in flour & baking powder until just incorporated.

- Place dough in the refrigerator for about half an hour to allow the dough to set & firm up.

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

- Take dough out & roll dough into 1 tb balls.

- Lightly flatten each ball & place the flattened dough into the almond slices so that it is completely covered on one side.

- Place the dough down onto the cookie sheet with the almond side up.

- Bake for 14-18 minutes.

 

Raspberry Brie Pastries

I know, I know.  I have a lot of posts that involve berries but I cannot help it.  Berries are my favorite fruits.  One of my coworkers opened up his awesome boat to us for a team-building trip.  It just happened to be the perfect weather day as well.  This is how perfect it was...isn't the sky just absolutely gorgeous? 

The summer sky's blush reminds me of raspberries so I took inspiration from that & made raspberry brie pastries for our boat trip.  Yuuuuum!

Raspberry Brie Pastries

8 slices of brie

1 tube of croissant dough (mine came from Trader Joe's)

2 tb sugar

40 fresh raspberries

- Preheat oven according to the dough's instructions.

- Divide the dough into 8 triangles.

- Place a slice of brie on the widest section of each piece of dough.

- Place 5 raspberries on top of the brie.

- Sprinkle 1/4 tb of sugar on top of raspberries.

- Roll dough like a croissant & bake according to the dough's instructions.

Blueberry Cheesecake Tart

One of my most popular requests is my blueberry cheesecake tart so I decided to share the goodness with everyone here.  The blueberries can easily be replaced with any other fruit.  I made red, white & blue versions this time around in honor of Independence Day. 

Here's an individual strawberry cheesecake tart.

Blueberry Cheesecake Tart

1 cup flour

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold & cubed

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 & 1/2 ts vanilla extract

4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

1/3 cup sliced almonds

- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

- Lightly coat a 9" tart pan with butter or oil.

- Combine the flour, powdered sugar & butter in a bowl.  Mash butter into the flour & sugar with your fingers until pea-sized chunks of butter, sugar & flour form.  Press the mixture onto the bottom & sides of the pan.

- Beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, egg & vanilla extract until smooth.  Pour cheese mixture over the crust & spread evenly.

- Toss blueberries & remaining sugar (1/4 cup) in a bowl until blueberries are coated with the sugar.  Pour the blueberries over the cheese mixture.

- Sprinkle sliced almonds over blueberries.

- Bake for 30 minutes or until the filling is almost set.

Here's an individual raspberry cheesecake tart.