Dinner And Some Baby Snugglin'

With my fave sis in town I managed to pull off getting my hair done, making dinner & dessert for a friend, and delivering dinner in time to snuggle love the most adorable baby girl ever!  Check out this baby's hair!  She is beautiful and perfect for some snuggling!  On the dinner menu celebrating a this perfect princess was:

Ring of Taco Deliciousness 

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 package (1-1.25 ounces) taco seasoning mix

1 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons water

2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls

Optional toppings: salsa, shredded lettuce, chopped onion and tomato, slice black olives, and sour cream

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cook ground beef over medium heat 10-12 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking beef into crumbles; drain.  Stir in taco seasoning mix, cheese and water.  

2. Unroll refrigerated crescent rolls; separate into 16 triangles.  Arrange triangles, slightly overlapping in a circle on round baking sheet with wide ends 4 inches from edge of baking sheet.

3.  Scoop beef filling evenly over crescent roll ring.  Bring points of triangles up over filling and tuck under dough at center to form a ring.  (filling will show)

4.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.  

5.  Enjoy with toppings!  

Yield: 8 servings

Turtle Fudge Skillet Cake

Ingredients:

1 package (18.25 ounces) devil's food cake mix (plus ingredients to make cake)

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

4 squares (1 ounce each) semi-sweet chocolate for baking, coarsely chopped

1 jar (12 ounces) caramel ice cream topping, divided

1/2 cup pecan halves, coarsely chopped

Optional: Vanilla ice cream

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare cake mix according to package directions, mixing batter by hand until smooth.  Melt butter in 12 inch skillet over medium heat, tilting skillet to coat bottom.  Gently pour batter over bottom of skillet, spreading evenly.

2.  Bake, uncovered 30-35 minutes in oven safe skillet or until tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Carefully remove from oven.  Loosen edges of cake; carefully invert cake onto large, heat-safe serving plate.

3.  Coarsely chop chocolate squares into small pieces.  Place chocolate and half of ice cream topping in microwave safe bowl.  Microwave, uncovered on HIGH 30-60 seconds or until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.  Carefully spread caramel and chocolate mixture over cake.

4.  Coarsely chop pecans; sprinkle evenly over cake.  Drizzle with remaining ice cream topping, if desired.  Let stand until topping is set.  Cut into wedges.  Serve with vanilla ice cream.  

5.  Enjoy!  

Yield: 12 servings