I haven't done a Rockin' Recipe in a while, and since it's still raining puppies and kittens (cloudy with a slight drizzle) here in my neck of the woods, I had a baking urge and scanned the fridge for ingredients.

I referred to my Pinterest page and came up with easy cream cheese chocolate danish.  I tweaked the recipe to make it waist line friendly since there's not much outdoor exercise happening in this soggy weather---no walk around the block, equals cutting calories in order to fit properly into swim suit in a month.

Technically danish are a Denmark specialty, but since they're Scandinavian, I decided to cheat a bit and listen to Swedish pop group, ABBA while I baked.  "Take a Chance on Me" whisked me right out of my rainy weather rut~

Recipe below for "Dancin' Queen Danish"---(tip:  If you dance while baking, you burn calories and feel less guilty while eating the flaky, creamy, chocolatey goodies.)

DANCIN' QUEEN DANISH---

One container reduced fat croissant dough (I used Pillsbury)

One 8 oz block of reduced fat or Greek yogurt cream cheese

1/2 cup of Truvia granulated sweetener (or Stevia for baking in the equivalent of 1 cup of regular sugar)

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (less calories, more anti-oxidants)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll out croissant dough into one big rectangle and pinch perforated areas together.  Mix softened block of cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until creamy.  Spread cream cheese mixture over dough, and sprinkle on chocolate chips.  Roll up dough and cut into pinwheel circles.  Place on cookie sheet that's been lightly coated with non-stick spray.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. 

*The more these set up after baking (like the next morning with coffee) the better they are.  You could cool in the fridge to speed up the process. 

These are totally guilt free if you dance to "Waterloo" like no one's watchin' while baking~ Enjoy!

          My musical inspiration for today's rainy day baking---ABBA!

I love the new Greek yogurt cream cheese!  It's amazing on Pretzel Thins too---

Dancing break while they cool!

Coffee time---bring on the rain!

We have had an unusual amount of rain here in the Tulsa area this spring, and lots of cloudy days.  I love to get out in work in my garden, but it's been soggy for weeks.

Thought I'd at least make it out to the back porch (drain the potted flowers before they drown) and brighten up the garden with some painted projects.  Here's to future sunny days!

My daughter moved this weekend and the old saying, "one man's trash is another man's treasure" was tested on a mirror she no longer wanted.  I painted it Caribbean blue and glazed it with a pecan stain.  Flowers are so pretty---why not see all angles? 

I re-painted our favorite pool sidekick from last summer.  Our seagull friend had totally washed out in the elements, so I gave him his colors (and eyes) back~

Quaint Storage Jars~

I painted the lid to an old jar and screwed in a cabinet knob that didn't match my bathroom any longer.  I have to wait until someone finishes off the pickles, mayonnaise

and olives before I can complete the set.  Hmmm...sandwiches for dinner?

Fun, back porch, painting day~

Here's to aging homes!

You know why?  Because you can wake up one morning and decide to paint kois fish on your back porch, without worrying whether or not you'll mess up the fresh cement. 

I've definitely found that I have gotten more creative with my projects now that my house is nearing the  big 3-oh.  Fun stuff.

Here's my how-to:

I drew a template of my fish on plain white paper (the fish closest to the paint can is my pattern. )  I used chalk to outline them onto cement.

I painted the fish with Kilz, (white paint could be used) in a swimming pattern.

I used left over, latex paint(remember the orange bathroom?) to paint the details onto my kois in little dots, lines and patches.

And voila'!  Three happy, good luck charms swimming from my back porch door toward the pool deck.

So, here's to aging, cracked back porches with a little character to boot~

     My husband and I took our little Eddie Jett to The Warren Theater today for the showing of "Avengers" for children with special needs and their families. It was amazing!

    

     The kiddos there could be themselves.  They could laugh, have a little stroll down the isle, and make a little noise, which we are totally used to---it was music to our ears. They adjusted the lights and sound so it was conducive to children with autism, genetic syndromes, and other special needs.

  

     Eddie Jett turned around in his chair  in the middle of the movie, waved and told the other kids "Hi" and yelled out, "Uh-oh," and his classic "You OK??" during the movie, as characters got way-laid--- and it didn't bother a soul there!

     THANK YOU WARREN THEATER in Broken Arrow for your thoughts turned into actions, and for making the movies a fun, exciting and special time for lots of area families and their precious kids.

     I highly recommend, if you have a child with special needs, you get them tickets for next months special movie!!! PS The Hulk was Eddie Jett's favorite---lots of "Uh-Oh...you OK's??"

Mr. Spoiled Rotten Pants!

Eddie Jett's quote when the Hulk appeared in the action sequences, "Uh-oh...you ok?"  

Warren Theater in Broken Arrow, OK  Thank you again for making our special needs little guy feel right at home in your gorgeous theater!