HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE!

Joe's birthday was yesterday - he got Cinnabon-cinnamon rolls in the morning with coffee and a special homemade dinner in the evening (along side a 'no diaper change' day and time for him to read by himself!) I tried something new for his birthday meal and thankfully it was a big hit! Joe gave me the idea and I ran with it.

The idea was a 'purse' with cheeseburger-ish filling in it. So, I ground up my beef; sauteed the onions - for the sauce I used a mix I heard on Racheal Ray:
1 Tbs chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 Cup yellow mustard
1/4 Cup ketchup
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
*(RR had 1 C beef stock in there but I had none so I omitted it - plus I didn't want it to be runny)
I added this sauce to the meat and onions and let it all cool.

Then I took crescent roll dough; sealed the 'seams'; and cut the dough into squares. Into the dough squares I put about a Tbs or so of meat mix with some shredded cheese on top and brought the edges in to form my 'purse'. Throw an egg wash on top and it's ready for the oven! I was a little nervous on how they'd turn our because I wasn't really following a recipe (besides for the sauce!)

16 minutes later...ta-da! Out came these beautiful little browned purses that were pefectly light and flakey! woot-woot! I was so excited that they worked:) And they smelled good to top it off. Everything for the meal was done: beef purses, cheesy mashed potatoes, and fruit salad....now all that was left was for the birthday boy to try it out......

...AND HE LOVED IT! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LOVE!

...and for dessert I made this yummy cherry-cheesecake-deal I found online! Very simple and oh-so-good!

Recipe:
1-8 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 C. Sugar
2 C. Cool Whip, thawed
1 can cherry pie filling

Crust:
16 graham crackers, crushed
1/3 C. butter, melted
1/4 C. sugar

Mix crust ingredients and press into pie pan or 8x8 pan; bake 10-15 min at 350

Beat together cream cheese and sugar. Blend in cool whip. Pour into cooled crust. Spread cherry pie filling over the top. Chill at least 3 hours. ENJOY!

I'm not the best-chef there is but I do enjoy cooking! It was fun to be creative and 'make-up' the main course and actually have it turn out;) AND it for my wonderful husband on his birthday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE!