INDIVIDUAL FRUIT PIZZA

 This is the second time I've made these and it's been a hit both times.    It starts with a homemade sugar cookie.  Rather than using a store bought variety of cream cheese dip, I chose to make my own version as well.  Here's what you need to know if you'd like to make these.

I used a sugar cookie recipe that I found in my Mom's cookbook.  It's the Sugar Drop Cookies from the "Joy of Cooking" cookbook.  

INGREDIENTS:

2 ½ cups flour

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup cooking oil

2 eggs 

1 tsp. vanilla *

*I like almond flavoring, so I went with ½ tsp. vanilla and ½ tsp. almond extract

DIRECTIONS:

Sift all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup sugar and 3/4 cup cooking oil.  Beat the sugar and oil together until well combined using a mixer.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate after each is added.  Add extract(s). 

Add the dry ingredients all at once and beat well.  Shape the dough into ½ inch balls.  Dip the balls in granulated sugar.  You can also choose to flatten them with your finger to the desired size as I did.   I tried a couple from the "ball" stage to see how much they flattened, and they do stay pretty plump, but they were nice and soft.  

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  I will tell you, this timeframe was way too long.  I like softer cookies, and in the case of this dessert, they should be soft (maybe a little golden on the edges).  Next time I'm going to check them at about 8 minutes and make my decision from there.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

8 oz. package of cream cheese

7 oz. marshmallow fluff or Jet Puff marshmallow creme (this is what I found in my grocery)

Soften the cream cheese and mix the two ingredients together with a mixer.  That's it!!  It's so perfect for this....a little sweet, but it does not overpower the fruit which is the real star of the show.

As for the fruit, that's totally up to you.  Strawberries, blackberries, mandarin oranges and kiwi are definitely my "go to".   This time I also added some mango.  Then just have fun "creating" your very own design. 

Refrigerate before serving.  My husband actually loves these even the day after, since the cookie softens up even further.  Just cover them with plastic wrap if storing overnight.  I keep them on the cookie sheet so the plastic wrap is suspended above the cookies.  

Enjoy!

BRUGGE (PARIS and LONDON)

This year's Mother/Daughter trip was another one for the books and came together in a very unusual way.  I actually had another trip completely planned, when my daughter approached me about going to Paris.  Reason being, the Louvre in Paris was hosting its first ever fashion exhibit from January-July, and she wanted me to be able to see it.    Since we had both been to Paris, I decided we could head there to see the exhibit and then add some additional cities to round out our trip.  I had always wanted to visit Brugge, Belgium and thought finishing our trip in London, more specifically to Windsor castle would make a great trip!   So with eight weeks notice, I was able to cancel the other trip and confirm this itinerary instead. 

 

Our first city was Paris.  I knew that I wanted to see Notre Dame since it had just reopened (on December 7, 2024) after the 2019 fire.  The last time we were in Paris, it was closed for repairs.  And my first time I was there was so long ago (I was in either high school or college) it was a blur.  I had forgotten how huge it is and the interior was gleaming due to the renovation!                                                                                                                                                                          

I also knew that I wanted to take a Seine river cruise since I'd not done that on my previous visits.  I thought a sunset cruise would be pretty.  It was beyond pretty!  We booked an 8pm cruise and experienced the most beautiful sunset and just as the trip was coming to an end, the Eiffel tower lit up and started twinkling.                             

The haute couture exhibit at the Louvre was amazing.  It was staged on the first floor of the Richelieu wing of the Louvre.  Nearly 9,000-square-meters of the Decorative Arts wing was transformed into a walkable fashion mood board.  Over 70 garments; rare loans and archival contributions, from 45 houses set against the Louvre's immense catalogue of paintings, furniture, and decorative objects from the Middle Ages through the 19th century were included.                                                                            

 The following day we were on a Eurotrain to Brussels, followed by a regional train to Brugge.  We checked into our hotel mid-afternoon, and headed out to find a bite to eat.  It felt like we stepped into a fairytale city!  I absolutely fell in love with Brugge.  It's such a lovely city, with more than 30 churches.. Of those 30 churches, 14 still hold weekly masses, and 13 are open for public visits. There were a total of 25 windmills in Brugge....4 remain today.  Most notably and deliciously....there are over 90 dedicated chocolate shops!  It was so quaint, easily walkable and every corner you turned was a picture postcard.  

                    

From Brugge, we left for London by regional train to Brussels and then the Eurostar (35 minutes of the trip is underwater through the Chunnel) to London.  We ran around the afternoon we arrived to take in some sights (with intermittent rain).    Our big adventure was the following day when we went to see Windsor castle. 

I thoroughly enjoyed our Windsor visit.  Can't say I wasn't disappointed that no pictures allowed in the castle or St. George's chapel.  I had booked afternoon tea after our Windsor visit and then finished that whirlwind part of the trip with an evening out at the theatre.  

It was an amazing trip.   Memories galore and "bucket list" items that I'm thrilled that I got to take advantage of.

Until next year.........