Saltine Toffee...and a disclaimer

I've taken on a Christmas project at work that perhaps will have me admitted... lol not quite but I'm excited to see how it all comes together!  More details will follow in the coming weeks :)

As I've been doing my "research" for this project, I've tried out a few new recipes...some have been "meh" and I won't likely use them, but I've stumbled across a couple via Pinterest that I think are just deadly and will be permanent additions to my recipe book.  I love how easy this one was to whip up, it didn't take much time at all, and it was all ingredients I already had in my kitchen.  I should say that, at least for me, this Saltine Toffee recipe should have come with a disclaimer lol!  For those of us who have diminishing self control when something sweet is close by, these goodies are rather addictive...

                                                              Saltine Toffee

Source Photo

Ingredients:
40 saltine crackers (or however many you need to make a single layer on your cookie sheet, I think my pan fit 35 crackers)
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans/walnuts, if desired (I like it without)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line cookie sheet with foil (I used parchment paper) and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Line cookie sheet with saltine crackers in single layer.

In a saucepan combine the sugar and the butter. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Immediately pour over saltines and spread t cover crackers completely.

Bake at 400 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes, or until toffee is bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Let sit for 5 minutes. (I actually spread the chocolate chips and put it back in the over for two minutes or so, just to speed things up a bit) Spread melted chocolate and top with chopped nuts, if desired. Cool completely and break into pieces (I cut it with a pizza roller, worked fabulous!)

A New Find...

I love finding a great recipe online.  While I definitely have my "old faithfuls" in a few select cookbooks that are almost never fail, I love the nights when I feel adventurous enough to try something new!  And last night was one of those nights...

Not my picture lol!  I borrowed it from the recipe website!

I had the recipe for Crafty Crescent Lasagna delivered to my inbox yesterday afternoon and thought it looked like it might be worth trying!  I love lasagna but last night I was looking for something that required a little less work... and voila!

When it comes to cooking I tend to follow the recipe pretty closely, but this one was so easy to adapt to what I already had in the fridge.  My adaptations:
-I only used one can of crescent rolls and it was a little tight to wrap around the filling... maybe I should have gone a bit easier on the filling! :)

-Rather than make a whole new batch of meat sauce for the filling, I just used the left over meat sauce I already had in the fridge from our spaghetti dinner the night before.  It tasted awesome!  And it was a great way to use the left overs!

-I used ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese only because that is what was already in my fridge :)  and didn't use quite as much as was called for here.  Unfortunately I discovered that while I love ricotta or cottage cheese in my lasagna,  my wonderful hubby doesn't so much... might make it half and half next time and make us both happy!

We both had a good sized piece and there is still enough for at least two more meals!  Would be great for a family!

(I'm including the recipe here for you, but if you'd like to jump over to the LifeMadeDelicious site, just click on the title and it will take you over there!)

Crafty Crescent Lasagna
Ingredients:

• 1 lb (500 g) lean ground beef
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) chopped onions
• 1 can (5.5 fl oz/156 mL) tomato paste
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each dried basil and oregano leaves
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• dash pepper
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup (250 mL) cottage cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 cans (each 235 g) Pillsbury* Crescents
• 1 cup (250 mL) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) milk
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) sesame seeds

Method:

• Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). In large  skillet, cook beef and onions until thoroughly cooked; drain.
• Stir in tomato paste, parsley, basil, oregano, garlic, and pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until heated through.
• Combine Parmesan cheese, cottage cheese and egg.
• Separate both cans of dough into 4 long rectangles. Place dough rectangles side by side on ungreased large baking sheet; seal perforations. Press to form 15x13-inch (38x33 cm) rectangle.
• Spoon half the meat filling in a 6-inch (15 cm) wide strip lengthwise down centre of dough to within 1-inch (2.5 cm) of short sides.
• Spoon cheese filling over meat filling; spoon remaining meat filling evenly over cheese filling.
• Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over top of meat filling. Fold short sides of dough 1-inch (2.5 cm) over filling
• Fold long sides of dough tightly over filling, overlapping edges in centre 1/4-inch (6 mm); firmly pinch centre seam and ends to seal. Brush with milk; sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake 23 to 27 minutes or until deep golden brown.