Summer is in full swing and juicy-sweet fresh peaches are available so I decided to make a delicious Fresh Peach Cobbler.   Sweet local peaches are baked in an easy pastry crust and I absolutely LOVE this Fresh Peach Cobbler recipe!  I’ve made it in my small cast iron skillets for individual servings and I’ve also made the same recipe as a Freestyle Peach Tart.  It is incredible either way!  This is the PERFECT ending to any summertime meal.

Savor the flavors of summer with sliced fresh peaches that bake in a flaky crust along with cinnamon and sugar…WOW!

Top the Fresh Peach Cobbler with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.  When you make this, it’s best to use fresh peaches.  Just peel, remove the pits and slice the peaches.  The ready-to-use piecrust makes this recipe super simple!  You can have this Fresh Peach Cobbler ready for the oven in less than 15 minutes!

Fresh Peach Cobbler

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Savor the flavors of summer with this Fresh Peach Cobbler!

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Ingredients

• 2 ready-to-use refrigerated pie crusts
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 4 ounces ( 1/2 of an 8 oz package) cream cheese, softened
• 3 large fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
• Vanilla Ice Cream for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spray the individual skillets with cooking spray.
3. Place one pie crust in each individual skillet.
4. Mix sugar and cinnamon; add 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese to this mixture. Spread on each crust.
5. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the sugar mixture.
6. Toss the peaches with the remaining sugar mixture; spoon into the individual pie crusts.
7. Fold the edge of the crust over the peaches, leaving center uncovered. (Trim excess crust and use for cinnamon-sugar treats,etc)
8. Sprinkle each cobbler with the remaining sugar mixture.
9. Bake 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the fruit juices are bubbly.
10. Cool slightly and serve topped with vanilla ice cream

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Vickie’s Glazed Strawberry Pie

Great Strawberry Shortcake

Sour Cream Banana Pie

Vickie’s Lemonade Pie

Enjoy!

The post Summer Peach Cobbler Recipe for Easy Desserts appeared first on Make Life Special.

This Alfredo sauce is insanely delicious and easy to make.  This is another great meal that you can have on the table in under 30 minutes!  It’s easy on your wallet and your schedule!  You will never go back to ready-made Alfredo Sauce again!  All of my culinary arts students ask for this Alfredo sauce recipe because they have had The Olive Garden Pasta Alfredo and they want to learn how to make it at home.  We added sauteed fresh chopped zucchini to our Pasta Alfredo pictured above and we LOVED it!

You NEED to try this Easy Alfredo Sauce recipe!

Lots of people think Alfredo Sauce is going to be hard to make but it’s actually so easy and inexpensive to make.  This is comfort food at it’s best!  This recipe will make 2 generous servings and will cover 8 ounces of cooked pasta.  Be sure to double the recipe if you want to cook a whole 16 oz. box of pasta.

Easy Alfredo Sauce

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Creamy...buttery...Easy Alfredo Sauce!

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Ingredients

• 1 pint heavy cream
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1 1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese ( I like to use a block of Parmigiano-Reggiano and shred it myself)
• 1 clove of fresh minced garlic
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, butter and ream cheese, Simmer until melted through and stir well.
2. Add in the shredded Parmesan cheese and minced garlic. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes on medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick.
3. Stir the sauce into hot cooked spaghetti, fettuccine, linguine or pasta of your choice.

Notes

This recipe will cover 8 oz of cooked pasta (1/2 box) so double it for a 16 oz box of pasta.
You can add in cooked chicken or sauteed veggies too!

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Shake Up Your Same-ol’ Supper Routine with Pasta!

Whether you make this Easy Pasta with just pasta or you add cooked chicken, cooked shrimp or sauteed veggies, your family will cheer!  And, be sure to try these other Make Life Special quick and easy pasta recipes!

One Pot Pasta

Vickie’s Quick Marinara Sauce Recipe

Easy Baked Goulash (like my Mom used to make)

Vickie’s Best Ever Lasagna (really…this is THE BEST!!!)

Crock Pot Spaghetti

Speedy Ziti 

Remember….”Let’s make life special by sharing great food with our family and friends!”  Enjoy!

The post Quick and Easy Alfredo Sauce Recipe appeared first on Make Life Special.

This versatile sauce recipe can be used with peaches, blackberries, apricots, raspberries or blueberries.  If you are making a peach or apricot sauce, just wash and peel the fruit and cut it in to chunks.  Small berries can be left whole.  You can also mix and match different fruits and add flavorings or extracts too.

This dessert sauce is great on pancakes, waffles, ice cream, cheesecake or my Fresh Strawberry Dessert Flower!

I like the sauce to be smooth so I give it some extra time in the blender.  You may want to strain the sauce to remove the seeds if your are using blackberries or raspberries.  No fresh fruit?  No worries!  You can substitute frozen fruit and just defrost it in the microwave before you make the sauce.

Easy Strawberry Sauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

This will be your "go-to" sauce recipe for all of your desserts!

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Ingredients

• 2 cups of fruit puree as described in the directions below
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon flavoring such as vanilla, rum extract or almond extract

Instructions

Puree

1. Wash and prep the fruit. For strawberries, cut off the tops; then halve or quarter. Leave small berries such as blackberries or raspberries whole. For peaches or apricots, peel ad pit the fruits, then cut into chunks. Put the fruit into a blender or food processor and process until the fruit is smooth. Note: For blackberries or raspberries, you may want to strain at this point to remove the seeds.

Directions

1. Pour the puree into a small pan and add the sugar. Stir to mix.
2. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently so the fruit does not stick to the bottom of the pan. DO NOT BOIL.
3. At the end of cooking time, turn off the heat and stir in the flavorings or extracts of your choice.

Notes

If the sauce is thicker than you like, you can thin it with either water.
This sauce freezes well in either small glass jars or plastic freezer containers.
You can use either fresh or frozen fruit in this recipe. If using frozen fruit, thaw before using. You can defrost the fruit in the microwave for a couple of minutes.
You can serve this sauce either warm or cold.

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The post Three Cheers for Strawberry Sauce! appeared first on Make Life Special.

I love to celebrate strawberry season by making strawberry desserts as often as I can!  I still like to go to Strawberry Farms every May and pick my own berries. However, even after the strawberry season has passed in Illinois, we can still find an abundance of beautiful, juicy berries in our local grocery stores and farmer’s markets.  Whether you serve my Fresh Sugared Strawberries, my Best Ever Strawberry Shortcake or create this Fresh Strawberry Dessert Flower… you will not be disappointed!  This Fresh Strawberry Dessert Flower is impressive enough for company but is super simple to make.  It starts with a creamy and sweet base made of just three ingredients and then the “flower” is assembled on top of the base.  I like to add some fresh blueberries for color and then top it off with my Easy Strawberry Sauce.

Fresh Strawberry Dessert Flower

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Ingredients

Base:

Toggle ingredient group

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 7 oz. marshmallow topping
• 1 Tbs. mayonnaise

Strawberry Flower:

Toggle ingredient group

• Fresh Strawberries, cut in half
• Fresh blueberries

Instructions

1. Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, marshmallow cream and mayonnaise.
2. Mound the cream cheese mixture onto the center of a serving plate.
3. Slice the strawberries in half as shown in the picture, from the tip of the berry to the stem.
4. Beginning on the outside edge to the cream cheese mound, place the strawberries around the outside edge of the mound.
5. Continue placing the strawberries around the circle to resemble petals. Leave a small circle in the center open and sprinkle fresh blueberries in the center.
6. Sprinkle additional fresh blueberries over the petals.
7. Drizzle the Easy Strawberry Sauce over the Strawberry Flower.
8. If desired, decorate the outside edge of the plate by making dots with the Strawberry Sauce and connecting the dots using a toothpick.
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On the fun side of things, I often have trivia questions in my Culinary Arts classes.  One of the trivia questions I ask is, “What fruit wears it’s seeds on the outside?”.  The answer is “Strawberries!”  Here are some more Strawberry Fun Facts!

If you want to check out some other great desserts, my friends at Positive Health Wellness have posted   “9 Cheap and Healthy Desserts For Your Family” that includes recipes such as Chocolate Panini, Oatmeal Cookie Bars and Cherry and Berry Smoothies!

Remember, “Let’s Make Life Special by Sharing Great Food With Our Family and Friends!”  Enjoy!

The post Fresh Strawberry Dessert Flower Is Sure to Please! appeared first on Make Life Special.

This moist , flakey, and flavorful roasted salmon is what Make Life Special dinners are all about!  I use a sheet pan to roast the salmon along with veggies and the one pan wonder is complete. Just throw the salmon and veggies on your sheet pan and then sit back and let the oven work it’s magic!  Add some hot rolls and a dessert for a weeknight meal your family will LOVE!

Note: This post contains affialiate links to products I use when making this recipe.  Please keep in mind that I may receive a commission when you click on my link and make a purchase.  This, however, has no bearing on my reviews and comparisons.

Make Life Special is all about cooking great food for your family and friends while using recipes that are quick, delicious and easy.  Sheet pan dinners are just the ticket!  This Roasted Salmon recipe is fuss free cooking at it’s best.   I don’t know what took me so long to discover this simple method of cooking but now I’m grabbing my sheet pan almost every day to roast something!  I like to roast a sheet pan full of fresh vegetables every night.  Roasting is a healthy way to cook and the vegetables develop a delicious caramelization that would satisfy even the most picky palate.   Sheet pan cooking allows you to cook your main dish and your side dish both at the same time and in the same pan.  Clean up is a breeze too because you line the sheet pan with aluminum foil before assembling the recipe.  Easy…breezy!

Roasted Salmon and Succotash Sheet Pan Dinner

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Cook your main dish and your side dish in one pan in under 30 minutes!

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Ingredients

• 1/2 pound fresh green beans
• 1 ear fresh corn, kernels cut from the cob
• 6 oz. cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound fresh salmon fillet
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, roughly chopped PLUS two sprigs of fresh dill to top the salmon fillets

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
3. Toss the green beans, corn and tomatoes with the olive oil and arrange on the pan in a single layer.
4. Place the salmon in the center, skin side down; season with salt and pepper. Place a spring of fresh dill on top of each fillet.
5. Roast until the vegetables are tender and browned in spots and the salmon is just opaque in the center, about 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the sour cream and 1 tablespoon of the dill; season with salt and pepper.
7. Sprinkle the salmon with the remaining dill and serve with the sauce.
8. Enjoy!

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Variation:

Feel free to substitute other vegetables  in this recipe.  You might try baby carrots with fingerling potatoes or broccoli florets with cherry tomatoes.  Vary the vegetables to suit your taste buds!

Here is a Sheet Pan I LOVE to use!  The half size is perfect  for roasting a full dinner or a side dish. The  rimmed edge is just what you need for roasting just about anything!

Dill Sauce for the Roasted Salmon!

This sauce only has 2 ingredients but it adds balance to this dish.

You can make the dill sauce ahead of time.  It will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator.

Health Benefits

Don’t forget that salmon is incredibly healthy; in fact it is loaded with nutrients and is considered a “SuperFood”. Salmon is high in protein and is a great source for omega-3 fatty acids.   Check out these 11 Impressive Health Benefits!

Pro Tip:

You can tell when salmon is done when it flakes apart easily with a fork.  If you want to use an Instant Read Thermometer, the salmon should be at 145 degrees when you test the thickest part of the fillet.

Remember….lets make life special by sharing great food with our family and friends!  Enjoy!

The post It’s a Flash in the Pan…Roasted Salmon and Succotash appeared first on Make Life Special.

What is a Bloomin’ Onion? It’s a giant onion that’s cut to resemble a flower. Then it is deep fried to perfection. The unique cut ensures that every bite will be crispy, crunchy and super delicious! You won’t believe how easy this is to make and of course…how easy it is to eat!

Note:  This site contains product affiliate links.  I may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links.

Bloomin’ Onion

This is easy to make and is like the Bloomin’ Onion at Outback Steakhouse.  You don’t need any special tools to cut the onion – just a sharp paring knife will work.  Here is a great tutorial: How to Slice a Bloomin’ Onion.  Now…here is the recipe.  Don’t be intimidated by the number of ingredients because most of the ingredients are seasonings.

 Bloomin’ Onion Recipe

 Bloomin’ Onion Dip

This dip can be made the day before your party and it will keep for several days in the fridge.

Bloomin' Onion Dip

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes

Total Time: 26 minutes

You can make this a day or two before your BBQ.

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (don't use a substitute)
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon drained horseradish
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Combine all of the dip ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate.

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Products I love to use when making this recipe:

For a change of pace, serve your Bloomin’ Onion with Yum Yum Sauce!

I LOVE this wire skimmer — it’s perfect for dipping the large Bloomin’ Onion out of the oil.  

Need a new Deep Fryer?  Here are a couple that I like:  Single Basket Deep Fryer    Double Basket Deep Fryer

The post Get Ready to Make a Bloomin’ Onion! appeared first on Make Life Special.

I recently returned from a week long stay at the Omni Cancun Hotel and Villas and it was fabulous!  I attended several culinary arts events and have lots of great ideas to share with my readers and my students.  Cancun is known for it’s beaches, excellent resorts and nightlife.  Cancun has two distinct areas:  the hotel zone (Zona Hotelera) which is a long, beachfront strip of hotels, restaurants and shops and the traditional downtown area known as El Centro.  We spent most of our time at the resort but we also ventured out to El Centro to get a true sense of Cancun  and interact with the local people.  My family and I have vacationed at The Omni Cancun every year for over 15 years and we enjoy it more each year!

This year I traveled with my youngest daughter, Kacy,  and two friends who are also Culinary Arts Instructors.

The resort has recently redecorated the hotel lobby and hotel bar areas and added a Vacation Club Member’s Lounge.

Dining Options at The Omni Cancun:

We purchased the all-inclusive option which included all of our meals, snacks and drinks for the entire week.  It also included entertainment each evening.  The Omni Cancun offers several dining options.  La Vista Asian Cuisine and Lounge boasts Indonesian and Asian cuisine and a Buddha Bar and is open for dinner.  We enjoyed dinner at La Vista our first night in Cancun.  Pina Colada is a casual open-air beachfront restaurant where we enjoyed breakfast each morning.   We loved the beautiful view from this restaurant and the friendly staff.  Da Vinci Restaurant offers gourmet Italian cuisine and was our favorite choice for dinner.  Da Vinci Restaurant  has an elegant atmosphere and provides an exceptional example of formal place settings, 5-star service and a 5 course meal presentation.  My favorite waiter at Da Vinci Restaurant is Enrique.  His service and attention to detail made our dinners extraordinary!

Here is the “Chocolate Piano” which is one of the dessert offerings at Da Vinci:

La Paloma Restaurant features buffets for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  This beautiful Mexican themed buffet restaurant has an abundance of appetizers, main dishes, salads and desserts.  Here are some of the beautiful food presentations:

We met with the Omni Cancun Director of Hospitality and toured two of the Omni restaurants.  The chef at Viva Mexico demonstrated Fajitas.  We also learned about cooking on a Trompo which is similar to a rotisserie. Pastor Pork is prepared on a Trompo by placing a half of pineapple onto the skewer, followed by thinly sliced seasoned pork and then topped with the remaining pineapple top.  Delicious!

Chef Demonstrating Fajitas at Viva Mexico!

Viva Mexico is a cantina-style restaurant with traditional Mexican fare – tacos, quesadillas, fajitas, etc.  Other restaurants include the Sushi Bar, Kuku’s Jacuzzi Beach Bar, The Pool Bar and Grill and La Pina Grill.

Flip Flops on the Beach!

We also made time for sun and fun on the Cancun beach!  We rented a Thai Bed several days and just soaked up the Cancun sun!

We all agreed that it was hard to say goodbye to beautiful Cancun and to the warm and friendly people we met along the way.

Until next year……

The post The Omni Cancun Hotel and Villas is a Vacation Paradise appeared first on Make Life Special.

Here is the link to my original post:  Vickie’s Pineapple Palm Tree Centerpiece Ideas

I’m always looking for creative new centerpiece ideas to “Make Life Special”!  This Monkey Pineapple Palm Tree would be a great centerpiece for a luau or even a kid’s party!  I loved this idea from http://www.glorioustreats.com/2012/08/pineapple-tree-centerpiece-with-fruit-monkeys.html. You can watch my YouTube Video and see just how easy a Pineapple Palm Tree is to make:  Pineapple Palm Tree Ideas .

Here are some tips to remember when making the Pineapple Palm Tree:

• Don’t try to do this ahead of time.  Once a pineapple is cut, it will become mushy when you refrigerate it.  This is easy to make so just plan on making it about an hour or two ahead of the party and let it sit out at room temperature.
• Build the Pineapple Palm Tree Centerpiece on a tray that can catch all of the juice that will drain out of the pineapples.
• Look for pineapples on sale – there are some great prices on pineapples this time of year and this is an inexpensive entertaining idea.
• Fresh pineapples can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 days.
• Pineapple is low in calories, has no fat and is an excellent source of Vitamin C.
• Any extra pineapple you have after making the fruit centerpiece can be cut into bite-sized pieces and used on your fruit tray.
• If you have a “green thumb” you may want to grow your own pineapple plant.  It’s easy to do and makes a great houseplant!  You just twist the leafy crown off of the pineapple, let it dry for about a week and then plant it in a pot. You will have several leafy crown left over when you make the Pineapple Palm Tree so this would be a great use for them. after they are growing, they would make great hostess gifts!

The post Fruit Centerpiece Ideas appeared first on Make Life Special.

Here is a simple, healthy salad that everyone will love!

Fresh, easy and pretty enough for company, this Balsamic Fig Salad  can be tossed together in no time.  I like to assemble the greens on individual glass plates and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving time.  This pretty salad takes advantage of fresh strawberries and can be easily varied to include other fresh fruits such as diced apples or fresh blueberries for a color explosion on your plate.

I topped the greens and strawberries with the Chocolate Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette from Dove Chocolate Discoveries.  This dressing can be ordered online and shipped right to your door.  I think the chocolate and fig combination is a delightful flavor combination.   You could also top it with bottled Poppy Seed Dressing or another bottled balsamic dressing.  If you want to expand the recipe, add a cheese such as crumbled feta, Gorgonzola, Blue Cheese or crumbled goat cheese.

Balsamic Fig Salad

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 bag spring mix salad greens
• fresh strawberries, sliced (or blueberries or diced apples)
• Chocolate Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette from Dove Chocolate Discoveries OR other bottled Balsamic Dressing OR bottled Poppy Seed Dressing

Instructions

1. Arrange the salad greens on a salad plate. Top with sliced fresh strawberries. Drizzle with salad dressing.

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Sometimes the simple things are the best….and this is a super simple recipe that will round out any meal.

The post Easy Balsamic Fig Salad appeared first on Make Life Special.

Mexican Ceviche is out of this world!  It is usually served as an appetizer with tortilla chips but I think it would also be lovely served as a main dish salad on lettuce leaves.  I just returned from a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and while I was there, I had the opportunity to take a Mexican Cooking Class.  This is a popular method of “cooking” fish and shellfish in Mexico by marinating it in either lemon or lime juice.  Mexican Ceviche is a very popular appetizer served everywhere in Mexico and it is gaining popularity here as well.  I have to admit that I did not think I would like Ceviche because I have tried Sushi many times and I just don’t like it.  However, Ceviche is totally different both in taste and texture.  It is quick to make, only has a few ingredients and makes a perfect addition to your next party!  Here is how we made it:

Mexican Ceviche

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Here is a quick and easy appetizer straight from Cabo San Lucas!

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Ingredients

• 4 fresh shrimp, cleaned, shelled and de-veined, and finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh tomato
• 1/8 cup chopped fresh cucumber (peeled)
• 1/8 cup chopped red onion
• 1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh chopped jalapeno pepper

Instructions

1. Clean, shell and de-vein 4 large shrimp. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with 4 tablespoons of lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Add 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes, 1/8 cup peeled and chopped fresh cucumber, 1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro, 1/8 cup chopped red onion and 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh chopped jalapeno pepper (to taste).
3. Marinate no longer than 30 minutes.

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Here is the chef at Villa del Arco preparing for the Mexican Cooking Class.

Vickie and Jodi Weber…..ready for the cooking class

Clean, peel and de-vein 4 fresh shrimp.

Chop the shrimp and place in a bowl.  Sprinkle with 4 tablespoons of lemon juice and salt and pepper.

Add chopped tomato, chopped peeled cucumber, chopped red onion and chopped fresh cilantro.

Add chopped jalapeno to taste…

Mexican Ceviche!

I would love to serve this as a first course for a dinner party — in martini glasses!

Here is a sampling of some of the other great appetizers we enjoyed on our trip:

Remember, let’s share great food with our family and friends!  Enjoy! 

The post Mexican Ceviche appeared first on Make Life Special.