Making a House a Home

I took this appetizer to the April Ladies Fellowship at church last night. It was easy, delicious and we had NO leftovers!!!



Cheesy Pinwheels with Italian Dip

1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 cup tomato pasta sauce

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll dough and separate into 2 long rectangles; press each into a 12x4 inch rectangle. Firmly press perforations to seal. Sprinkle garlic powder and cheese over rectangles; gently press into dough.

Starting with one short side, roll up each rectangle, press edges to seal. With serrated knife, cut each roll into 8 slices, place cut side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush tops with beaten egg; sprinkle with Italian seasoning.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. In small saucepan, heat pasta sauce over medium heat until hot, stirring occasionally. Serve warm pinwheels with pasta sauce.

(Oh, I tripled the recipe for church.)

For decades, I have heard of people talk about Grace Livingston Hill. And for years here in blogland, I have read many wonderful quotes from her. I would really love to read some of her books, but where in the world do I start? She's written SO many books!!!

If any of y'all have read her books, please, PLEASE share with me which books of hers you have read and loved!!!

Elizabeth doing what she loves best- cooking!!!! And when you add to that the fact that M&Ms are involved, well, that's an entirely different level of fun!!! Oh, and I must add, she ate WAY more M&Ms than actually made it to the cookies!!!


Look how CUTE the M&Ms are!!! These are the special Easter/springtime colors, but do you see the chickadee, the bunny and the sheep? Too cute!! (And that "stuff" in the bottom of the bowl was the cookie dough that was on Elizabeth's hands! HA!!!)


We made little individual packages for her to give out to her friends. She LOVED handing them out!!!


Here's the back of the card. A special picture from Elizabeth and her famous "E" that is signed on all cards these days.


YUM! The finished product!!! And BOY they were GOOD!!!

My mom used to make these every Easter time (if it wasn't every year, it seemed like it!!). She made them to take to the Easter egg hunt that was at our church. BOY did I LOVE when Mom made these cookies!! We got to help and yes, just like Elizabeth, we all ate WAY MORE M&Ms than we actually put on top of the cookies!!!!



M&M Cookies

2 sticks room temperature butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
12 oz package M&M's (plus more for placing on the top of the cookies)

Mix together butter and sugars. Stir in egg and vanilla. Carefully mix in flour, baking soda and salt. Once all is incorporated, stir in M&Ms. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared cookie sheet and place a few extra M&Ms on top of each cookie. Bake in a 350 oven from 9-13 minutes*.


*PLEASE be sure and watch your cookies carefully so that you do not burn them. Every oven is different. Each pan you bake on is different. One of my pans is light colored and the other one is dark colored. The darker colored pans always cook faster than the lighter colored pans. Just pay attention! No one wants to serve burnt cookies to their family! Oh my!!!!

So what are YOU doing for your Spring Cleaning?

Martha Stewart has a wonderful printable checklist to share. This list is in her book "Homekeeping Handbook", as well.

Out of sheer curiosity, do any of y'all reseal grout lines, wash window screens or dust refrigerator coils each Spring??

Boy, I've got some work to do!!!