And Now, Back to Our {Ir}Regularly Scheduled Program...

Goodness. Gracious. Please lie to me and tell me that your life has been as hectic as mine has been for the past few months. Really? Oh, good. So then you don't think I'm a complete slacker for almost completely abandoning The Kitchen Prep {multiple times}. Oh. You do? Well, in that case, no cake for you.

Actually, no cake for anyone because I don't actually have a cake recipe to share. It's more like a cheesecake. Except not at all, really. And if I'm completely honest, it would probably fall under the category of Semi-Homemade which, as I've mentioned, doesn't go over so well in the food world. I hang my head in shame.

But, if you were still wondering where half your kitchen gadgets were hiding, still sorting box after box of childhood memories that your mom dumped on you handed off to you, had the majority of your wall art propped against random walls throughout the house because you haven't been home long enough to actually hang them, and discovered your husband turned his new man-cave {the garage} into a bootleg T-shirt factory {Please, don't ask. I will go into detail one day... long from now... when I have the energy.} you'd probably be taking a little help from the Pillsbury Dough Boy, too. {Hell, I was thisclose to taking help from the Marlborough man... Kidding. I'm a non-smoker.}

So, now that that's off my chest... let's talk Sopapilla Cheesecake. {Click the link if you're wondering what the heck a sopapilla is. I didn't know until I moved to Texas.}

Hubby & I made the effort to stop being recluses get out of the house this weekend {despite the overwhelming amount of attention it still needs} and join some new friends for some food, cocktails, and laughs at a neighborhood Progressive Dinner Party. Have you ever heard of one of these before? Originally made popular in the 1950's, progressive dinner parties are basically a potluck dinner where the guests move from house to house {progressing... duh.} for each meal course. It is a great way to host a dinner party without taking on the full burden of being the sole entertainer {and, quite frankly, a very fun/sneaky way to see how your neighbors decorate their place. Voyeuristic much?}.

Like a tribe of nomadic yuppies, we wandered from home to home {in a neighborhood that looks eerily like the set of Pleasantville} sipping stiff drinks and gabbing as we progressed through the courses. The food was scrumptious {but isn't everything after a few Pomegranate Margaritas??}, and everyone was so much fun. {just like us, obviously.} ;)

We don't actually live in the same neighborhood as all these fine folks, but were invited to participate and team up with another couple to serve the "dessert leg" of the dinner. Since my week had been completely frenzied, I chose to make a quick and easy recipe that I acquired during my Texas teacher days. Give a Texan a tube of crescent rolls, and they will give you a masterpiece. {I love you, Texas friends!}

Normally, I am not a big proponent of recipes containing ingredients that come semi-prepared in a can, box, or tube, but desperate times call for desperate measures, and in the end, I'm glad I had this one in my recipe arsenal. It comes together super fast and is quite the crowd pleaser. Plus, as an added bonus, it makes your house smell like a churro stand. Yes, that is a good thing.

Now, spill the beans... what's your favorite "go to" recipe for the times when you don't have the time {or energy} to get elbow deep in flour and sugar? Now that I've given away my Pillsbury secret, I may just be in search of a new one...

Sopapilla "Cheesecake"
adapted from Pillsbury.com

You'll Need:

• 16 (2 blocks) ounces cream cheese
• 2 cans Pillsbury® Crescent Rolls
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 6 tablespoons butter (3/4 stick), melted
• Approx. 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar (combine approx. 1/2 c. sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon)

1. Lightly mist a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray, unroll one package of Pillsbury® Crescent Rolls refrigerated and line the bottom of the pan.

2. Mix together the cream cheese, sugar and extract.

3. Carefully spread over the crescent roll dough.

4. Unroll the other can of crescent rolls and place on top of cream cheese mixture.

5. Pour melted butter over the top and sprinkle with about 1/2 cup of the cinnamon sugar mixture.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Can be served hot or cold.