Chicken Thigh Wellington w/ Mushrooms & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Today, March 24, is the birthday of my brother, Tony. The only son in the family, it seemed quite unique that his birthday came in the middle of the same week as my parents birthdays.

The chicken thigh Wellington with mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes is a modern, Mediterranean-inspired twist on the classic Beef Wellington, evolving from a formal 19th-century British dish into a more accessible, flavorful home-cooked meal.

While early chicken Wellingtons used breast, the shift to chicken thighs (as in this specific version) is a modern culinary move aimed at maximizing flavor and moisture. Thighs are more forgiving, ensuring a juicier filling than often-dry chicken breasts, particularly when baked in pastry. 

Mushrooms are a foundational element of a Wellington, adding savory ‘meatiness’ to the chicken. The addition of sun-dried tomatoes highlights the ‘Mediterranean’ evolution of the dish. While drying tomatoes to preserve them is an ancient Greek and Italian practice, using sun-dried tomatoes in cream-based chicken dishes gained immense popularity in the late 1980s and 1990s as Italian-North American cuisine expanded.

The intense acidity and sweetness of sun-dried tomatoes cuts through the richness of the pastry and the earthy, savory, buttery mushrooms. Using Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs in a Wellington acts as a shortcut for a decadent sauce. Instead of making a separate cream sauce, the cheese provides a pre-seasoned, creamy binder that melts inside the pastry. 

Today, this specific recipe is widely popular as a full-size Wellington or as individual pastry parcels, combing the luxury of a Wellington with the bold ‘shortcut’ flavors of Boursin and sun-dried tomatoes. 

Brion & I really enjoyed this meal, it was so flavorful as well as nice and moist.

‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TONY’!   Enjoy your day as we celebrate you with love.

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Chicken Thigh Wellington w/ Mushrooms & Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Instructions
  1. In a saucepan, sauté shallots & garlic in 1 Tbsp oil over medium heat for 3 minutes or until softened. Place mixture in a bowl; add cheese & breadcrumbs. Stir until well coated; set aside.
  2. Heat remaining oil over medium-high heat in same saucepan & cook mushrooms & herbs de Provence for 5 minutes or until liquid starts to appear in saucepan. Add chicken thighs & cook, stirring for about 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Season with salt & pepper & add sun-dried tomatoes; set aside.
  3. Preheat oven to 425 F.
  4. On a floured surface, roll out pastry to a 16 x 12-inch rectangle; Place on a large piece of parchment paper. Spread mushroom mixture in center of pastry leaving about 4-inches on long sides & 2-inches on short sides. Top with chicken mixture. Brush edges with egg & fold up short sides. Top with chicken mixture. Brush edges with egg & fold up short sides over filling, then overlap 1 long side over filling & lift remaining pastry to reach pastry on top, overlapping slightly & pinch seam to seal. Brush all over with egg wash & let stand for 5 minutes to dry slightly.
  5. Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown & puffed. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

Blueberry & Brie Turkey Wellington

SEASON’S GREETINGS!

Christmas is undoubtedly one of the most special holidays, from the religious significance of the holiday to the cultural impact it has, the delicious food, the festive music, and the classic movies. Christmas provides a magical atmosphere that fills homes with warmth and joy. It’s a time to celebrate and appreciate the blessings in our lives and to spread love and kindness to those around us.

Today, December 25, is my sister Rita’s birthday and though it has been many years since we could all be together at this time as a family, her birth date brings many precious memories. Nostalgia is a very strange thing. It pops up when you least expect it. Taste, smell, music can take you right back to a moment. I have fond memories of her Christmas Eve family birthday ‘parties’. On the eve of Christmas, our family would go to church. After returning home, we were joined by some family friends to have birthday cake and homemade root beer. My parents wanted my sister to always have this special time to honor her birthday apart from the Christmas festivities.

At the heart of a memorable dinner is the main entree, so why not make it just a bit more special by serving it ‘En Croute’.  In the culinary arts, the term en croute (pronounced ‘on Kroot’) indicates a food that has been wrapped in a pastry dough and then baked in the oven. Traditionally the type of pastry used was a simple dough called pate pastry. Today, puff pastry is frequently used for most en croute recipes.

The key to preparing items en croute is that however long it takes to cook the pastry until it is golden brown is how long the item will spend in the oven. Some of the best choices are beef tenderloin, salmon or brie cheese, due to the fact they require less time to cook.

In the 1950’s and 60’s, Beef Wellington or as the French called it, ‘Boeuf en Croute’, became very popular. It was an elegant meal, using a beef tenderloin covered with liver pate and wrapped in pastry. My first introduction to this meal was a much more low-key version. It was simply achieved by making a nicely seasoned meatloaf, wrapping it in a basic pastry and baking it. My mother would serve it with tomato soup sauce. Definitely good but not quite the elegance of the true en croute entrees.

I’ve come to realize, there are two turkey ‘camps’ for most people. Those who love a roast turkey for the holiday dinner and those who like to part with tradition and have something different.

Now, I’m not actually in either turkey camp. Sometimes I love a juicy roasted turkey with all the complimentary side dishes. And other times, I crave something a little different but also mixed with a bit of tradition.

This savory blueberry & brie turkey wellington is a perfect showpiece for a holiday meal. Warm, melted cheese and crumbly bacon combined with fresh herbs, blueberries, topped with mushroom duxelle and covered in airy puff pastry. Served with blueberry chutney takes this meal to the next level!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RITA!

LOVE TO YOU & RICK .. WISHING YOU HEALTH & HAPPINESS!

SEASONINGS GREETINGS TO EVERYONE WHO ENJOYS & FOLLOWS OUR BLOG

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Blueberry & Brie Turkey Wellington
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Ingredients
Turkey & Prosciutto
Servings
Ingredients
Turkey & Prosciutto
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Instructions
Stuffing
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
  2. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add bacon, shallot & garlic; cook, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Stir in thyme, rosemary, ¼ tsp salt & ¼ tsp pepper. Remove from heat; set aside to cool.
  3. Place the turkey breast on a large cutting board. To butterfly the breast, with a sharp knife, slice into the thickest portion of the breast & cut down the length (the side) of the breast, but not all the way through, about ¾ of the way through. You should be able to unfold the turkey breast like a book.
  4. Place the turkey breast in a large zip lock bag. Using a meat mallet, pound out both sides until they are even in thickness, about ¾-1-inch. Sprinkle turkey with remaining salt & pepper.
  5. Place brie slices on one half of the inside of the turkey breast and the cover with the shallot, thyme mixture, blueberries & bacon. Fold the top over onto the bottom, closing it like a book. Gently transfer the turkey breast to a parchment lined baking sheet.
  6. Place prosciutto slices over the top of the turkey breast. If the prosciutto is thin and tears, that’s ok, just continue to layer the prosciutto over the breast, tucking the prosciutto under the breast as needed.
  7. With either 4 – 5 strands of kitchen twine or wooden toothpicks, tie or ‘pick’ the turkey breast. Don’t tie the breast too tight. Just enough to keep it secure.
  8. Place in the turkey breast in the oven & bake for about 35 minutes. The turkey will be par-cooked & needs to cool for about 10-15 minutes. Once cool enough, cut the twine off (or remove picks) the turkey.
Mushroom Duxelle
  1. While the turkey is cooling, make the mushroom duxelle. In a skillet, add olive oil & cook shallots just until they are soft. Then add the mushrooms & fresh herbs. Let the mushrooms cook until soft & wilted & have released some of their liquid. Stir in the garlic & cook a few minutes longer. Then stir in the breadcrumbs & season with salt & pepper.
Pre-Cooking Turkey
  1. When ready, set the oven temperature to 400 F.
  2. Place one sheet of puff pastry on a flat lightly floured surface. Roll it out a bit lengthwise, about 1-inch. Most puff pastry is about 10×15 inches. I roll the pastry out to about 11×16 or 17. Then do the same with the second piece of puff pastry.
  3. Place one sheet of prepared puff pastry onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Then place the cooled par-cooked turkey breast in the center of the puff pastry. With a sharp knife, cut horizontal slits (about 1 inch apart) on the edge of each side of the pastry dough.
  4. Top the turkey breast with the mushroom duxelle, patting it securely into place. Some of the mushroom mixture will tumble off but just put it back on & continue patting it gently until it sticks. Fold each piece of pastry over the turkey breast in a crisscross manner continuing until the breast is completely covered. Tuck the edges of both sides in & pinch them well. Use any extra bits of pastry to make decorations for the top if you like. I used a small holly leaf cookie cutter to make leaves. Use the egg wash to attach your pastry decorations.
  5. Then brush the remaining egg wash over the puff pastry and sprinkle with a little sea salt if you wish. Place in the oven & cook for 70 minutes. The turkey is done when the pastry is a deep golden brown or meat thermometer reads 165 F. Remove the Wellington from the oven & let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.
Blueberry Chutney
  1. While the turkey is roasting, make the blueberry chutney. In a saucepan, combine all chutney ingredients: mix well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Boil for 1 minute.
Serving
  1. To serve, slice the turkey Wellington & place it on a platter. Drizzle with a little blueberry chutney & serve. Serve the extra chutney on the side.
Recipe Notes

NOTE: This recipe has several steps, but it’s worth the effort. The stuffing as well as the mushroom duxelle can be prepared a day in advance and held in the refrigerator. Prepare chutney, cool & refrigerate until ready to use.

Cherry Puff Cake

Because sometimes, less really is more. Dessert recipes can range from multi-component, complex creations to something as low-key as fresh berries with a mound of whipped cream.

It’s been said, ‘stressed spelled backwards is just desserts’. Let’s just say that you’re having a party and need to whip up some desserts by tonight. You could either become stressed over it, or you could make an easy, minimal ingredient dessert so that you don’t show up to the party empty handed.

This recipe is proof that you don’t need a pantry full of exotic ingredients to satisfy your sweet tooth because sometimes the simplest things are the most delicious. 

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Cherry Puff Cake
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Servings
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Servings
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Rating: 5
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Instructions
Filling
  1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch & salt. Add juice/water mixture & stir to combine.
  2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes them immediately remove from heat.
  3. Gradually fold in the cherries. cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
Assembly /Baking
  1. Roll out puff pastry & slice into (4) 3-inch wide strips.
  2. Using a slotted spoon, remove cherries from sauce. Place cherries tightly next to each other in a line down the center of each pastry strip. Pinch the edges together to seal the cherries inside.
  3. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  4. Line an 8-inch pie pan with parchment paper. Wind the pieces of dough around one another, spiraling until you have a circular cake.
  5. Bake 'cake' for about 25 minutes or until cake is golden brown. Remove cake from baking pan to cool on a wire rack.
Serving
  1. Whip package of whip topping as directed on package. When cake has cooled, swirl topping over it then drizzle with cherry sauce. Slice & serve.

Nectarine, Mango & Guava Mini Galettes

When it comes to fruit, some flavor combinations just automatically work well. But, when you start to dig deeper, you can discover some less common amazing flavor combos.

There’s something about using tropical fruits that have a way of transporting us to the best parts of summer. Summer desserts don’t have to be complicated. Add a scoop of ice cream and you’ve got a sweet treat that’s even more agreeable, with little extra energy expended. Whether it’s a simple fresh fruit parfait, or a rustic galette (the word sounds so exotic and continental), this is the time of year fresh fruit can do a lot of the heavy lifting in a dessert, you don’t have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.

You know how sometimes a recipe can take a long time to make but the end result isn’t that great which makes for a low return on your investment. When it comes to galettes, it’s definitely a high return on investment because they  turn out so nice and hardly take any time at all especially if using frozen puff pastry.

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Nectarine, Mango & Guava Mini Galettes
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch. lime juice & preserves. Set aside.
  3. Slice nectarines then chop them slightly. Divide preserve mixture in half. Fold half of it into the nectarine pieces.
  4. Cut puff pastry sheet into 6 even squares. Divide the remaining preserve mixture between the puff pastry squares placing a spoonful in the middle of each. Divide nectarine filling equally between the squares.
  5. Brush edges with egg wash & fold up sides to form galettes. Brush top dough with egg wash & sprinkle with coarse sugar.
  6. Bake until golden brown & bubbling, about 20 minutes.
Recipe Notes
  • Instead of puff pastry, I had a bit of frozen homemade pastry leftover from a previous bake, so I used it instead. Worked out just fine.

Turkey Prosciutto Wellington

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

For the last 65 years, Canada has celebrated Thanksgiving Day on the second Monday in October. It’s one of those holidays that tend to bring families together, both physically and emotionally. Unfortunately, though, in this highly technological age, it seems as if we have become more connected digitally than emotionally.

The thing about fall is that it gives us a different perspective, it represents a time of change. As nature bursts with its fabulous fall foliage, it gives us a little bit of extra time to make the most of what we have left in this year before the grand finale. The word ‘thanksgiving‘ itself, makes one pause and ask, what am I thankful for this year?

Some time ago, I read an article that was posted on Facebook by Larry McDaniel. When things are verbalized it seems to make them unmistakably clear. I want to re-post this article as I thought it is certainly worth reading and giving some serious thought to.

So today I stopped and filled up my car and I was thankful.

Thankful that I have a car, thankful I have money to buy gas,

Thankful that there are no war planes flying over me,

Thankful that I will be eating soon,

Thankful that all my loved ones are safe and sound,

Thankful that I live in a country where I have freedom to do so many things,

Thankful that the air I breathe is not filled with smoke and gun powder,

Thankful that I will sleep in silence and wake up to a beautiful day.

I think its time that we all be a lot more thankful and definitely more grateful!!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving however you choose to celebrate it.

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Turkey Prosciutto Wellington
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. In a skillet, melt butter. Add leeks and mushrooms and sauté on medium high heat until leeks become tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add broth and stuffing mix. Mix well & remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature.
  3. Roll out puff pastry to a rectangle large enough to cover turkey breast. If two sheets are required, brush water or egg wash on one short edge of pastry and press edge of second sheet onto the first sheet. Press gently until seam is sealed.
  4. When stuffing is cool, cover pastry with stuffing, leaving a one-inch edge all the way around. Cover the stuffing layer with prosciutto. Brush turkey with mustard, then lay turkey just to right side of the center.
  5. Bring right side edge up & over the top of the turkey breast. Repeat with the left side. You should trim any excess dough before sealing so it won't be too thick.
  6. Mix beaten egg with a Tbsp of water & brush edges of pastry to seal. Tuck the ends of the dough around the turkey breast & over each other to seal.
  7. Place the turkey, seam side down, on a parchment covered baking sheet. Cut slits in the top of the dough to vent steam. Brush entire pastry with egg wash.
  8. Tent a piece of foil over the top & bake for about 30 minutes. Remove foil & continue baking until the crust is golden for about 20-30 minutes, depending on size of turkey breast. The internal temperature should reach 165 F.
  9. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Top with cranberry sauce and serve.

Mushroom, Caramelized Onion & Gruyere Finger Food

New Year’s Eve ……. normally this eve would bring about lots of parties and celebrations but the start of 2021 looks much more subdued. As expected, cities have cancelled or modified their plans due to the pandemic. Although tradition has been silenced this year, one thing that will never change is the ticking of time and the arrival of a New Year at midnight on December 31st.

When I was growing up, I recall one of the Christmas tree ornaments my mother had was a mushroom with a white spotted red cap. At that time, I remember thinking it seemed unusual as a Christmas tree ornament but never really questioned it. Many years later, through my interest in food history, I understand the connection.

In Germany and other parts of Central and Eastern Europe this iconic mushroom (Amanita muscaria) has long been considered a symbol of good luck and is intertwined with the Yuletide Season.

‘The Mushroom’ of Christmas and the New Year is frequently found growing underneath pine trees because the roots of this specific mushroom can only grow in the root zones of certain trees. There is some speculation that the red & white of Christmas and the use of pine trees may be linked to these humble mushrooms.

Even though the Amanita muscaria mushroom is toxic and should never be eaten it is still symbolizes the hope for good fortune in the coming year. The tradition of gifting mushroom imagery has stuck around, especially for those of German or Austrian descent who still exchange the pretty red & white mushrooms at Christmas time (often in the form of cards or other trinkets). Its not hard to understand why ‘meringue’ mushrooms are a popular decoration for the ‘Yule Log’ cakes.

After all these years, I understand the meaning of my mothers little mushroom ornament. New Year’s of 2020 seems like a good time to make a mushroom finger food in hopes of having the good fortune of Covid 19 coming to an end so we can all resume ‘normal’ life in 2021.

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Mushroom, Caramelized Onion & Gruyere Finger Food
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, heat olive oil over medium-low heat; add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to caramelize, about 20 minutes.
  3. Add the butter to the pan. Once melted, add the mushrooms & sauté, stirring occasionally, until they are completely soft & all the liquid evaporates, about 20 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic, sage & thyme; sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
  5. Add the broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to pull up all of the browned bits, & cook until all of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.
  6. Unfold the thawed sheet of puff pastry & cut out 36 circles from dough, placing them evenly spaced on the baking sheets. Using a very sharp knife, make four small scores around the perimeter of the dough, about 1/4 to 1/2-inch from the edge.
  7. Top the rounds of puff pastry with a small spoonful of the mushroom mixture, trying to keep the filling within the score marks. Top with grated Gruyere cheese. Brush the edges of the dough rounds with the egg wash.
  8. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 15-25 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Shrimp Pot Pie

There are many kinds of comfort food. The humble pot pie seems to be one that fits into that category quite well. In 1951, the first frozen pot pie was created by the C. A. Swanson Company and was made of chicken.

If you do a search for a seafood pot pie on the internet, very often what you find is basically a copy of chicken pot pie with seafood subbed in. The sauce or gravy is a ‘cream of whatever’ can of soup. Nothing wrong with that, but I find if you use a combo of clam juice, half & half cream and some seafood spices, you can come up with a more defined flavor.

The nice thing about a pot pie is that it can be made to feed a crowd or as an individual meal. Whether it has a bottom crust or not is up to you. Toppings can vary from mashed potatoes to cornbread or biscuits etc., etc. Above all else, you can make some extras to freeze for another day. As the saying goes … its all good!

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Shrimp Pot Pie
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Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword shrimp pot pie,
Servings
SERVINGS
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Instructions
  1. Thaw frozen puff pastry in refrigerator. Keep chilled until you are ready for it. The pastry will be used for a top crust ONLY. Butter the bottom & sides of your casserole dish; set aside.
  2. In a large pot, pour the clam nectar; bring to a simmer over medium heat & add the shrimp. Poach shrimp JUST until they are opaque & cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Pour the broth & shrimp into a bowl & set aside.
  3. Return the pot back to the stove; over medium heat & melt the butter. Stir in onion, celery & mushrooms; saute until vegetables are translucent, 5-6 minutes then stir in the garlic, flour & seasoning. Cook, stirring for 1 minute then add the shrimp & broth. Cook for several minutes, stirring until sauce thickens. Add 1/3 cup half & half & simmer gently for a minute or two. Remove from heat.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  5. In a small saucepan, place potatoes & peas. Add enough lightly salted water to barely cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce the heat & cook at a low boil until the potatoes are just tender, 7-8 minutes. Drain. Taste the shrimp sauce; add salt & pepper to taste. Add potatoes, peas & tomatoes (if using). Pour mixture into buttered casserole dish.
  6. Place the chilled pastry over the filling, tucking it down between the filling & the dish or drape it over the sides. Poke a steam vent in the top with a paring knife. Place the casserole on a baking sheet. Beat the egg with remaining Tbsp of half & half. Lightly brush the pastry with egg wash.
  7. Bake casserole until filling is bubbly & top is golden brown about 30-35 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack & allow to cool about 10 minutes before serving.

Fresh Fruit Pizza

The quintessential summer BBQ dessert! Fruit pizza is like a giant cookie, covered with luscious cream, layered with colorful fresh fruit, topped with glaze and a drizzle of chocolate, if you please.

If you have been following my blogs, you have probably already noticed, choice is something I’m big on. Fruit pizza is a classic dessert with so many possibilities. I have always enjoyed to start with the original idea of a recipe and see how many ways I can vary it without getting too involved or requiring a lot of extra ingredients and time.

Since CANADA DAY celebrations are right around the corner I thought it was a good time to enjoy Fruit Pizza personalized’Here are some ideas to mix and match to your liking.


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Fresh Fruit Pizza

Personalize not only with ingredient choices but the design as well

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Ingredients
Classic Shortbread or Pecan Shortbread Crust

Oatmeal Crust

Frozen Puff Pastry OR Crescent Roll Dough

Cream Cheese Topping

Cool Whip / Custard Topping

Honey - Yogurt Topping

Citrus Glaze

Pineapple Glaze

Fresh Fruit (use whatever fruit you prefer)

Chocolate Drizzle (optional)

Servings


Ingredients
Classic Shortbread or Pecan Shortbread Crust

Oatmeal Crust

Frozen Puff Pastry OR Crescent Roll Dough

Cream Cheese Topping

Cool Whip / Custard Topping

Honey - Yogurt Topping

Citrus Glaze

Pineapple Glaze

Fresh Fruit (use whatever fruit you prefer)

Chocolate Drizzle (optional)

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Instructions
For Shortbread & Oatmeal Crusts
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 12-inch pizza pan or cookie sheet. In a large bowl, cream butter & sugar until light. Add any flavorings. In another bowl, combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon or hand mixer until well blended. Press dough into pan & prick with a fork. Bake 10-15 minutes until golden. Allow to cool completely.

Frozen Puff Pastry
  1. Follow package directions. Cool completely & place on serving tray.

Crescent Roll Dough
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Pinch together crescent roll dough as you press into a 12-inch pizza pan. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp sugar. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden. Cool completely.

Cream Cheese Topping
  1. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, lime juice concentrate & sugar until smooth.

Cool Whip/Custard Topping
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together dry pudding mix & milk for 2 minutes. Fold in Cool Whip.

Honey - Yogurt Topping
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt & honey.

Citrus & Pineapple Glaze
  1. In a small saucepan, combine ingredients. Cook over medium heat until thickens. Remove from heat & cool slightly. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the fruit with glaze. FOR PRESERVE GLAZE: mix preserves with water & brush onto fruit.

TO ASSEMBLE FRUIT PIZZA
  1. Spread topping of choice onto cooled crust & arrange fruit onto. Brush with glaze of choice. Melt chocolate in a bowl over boiling water. Dip a large spoon into chocolate; drizzle, quickly letting the chocolate fall in thin ribbons from the end of the spoon. If chocolate seems to stiff, add a drop of vegetable oil. Let pizza stand until chocolate is firm.