Blueberry Cream Cheese Danish... and Spring Break

Good morning! How are y'all? It's been a while. My girls just returned to school last week after a fun-filled Spring Break. We stayed home since our summer vacation is just around the corner. My girls started off Spring Break by throwing me a Family Surprise Birthday Party.

My parents came over to play with the girls while my husband and I went out to dinner. When we got home, I walk in the garage door to a very dark house. I said out loud, "it's so dark and quiet in here...they must be upstairs watching a movie." Then everybody jumped out of the kitchen yelling, "Surprise!!! Happy Birthday!!!" It was shocking and sweet all at the same time. My favorite MIL had a special cake made for me from Elizabeth's Bakery. It was so good! Layers of moist vanilla cake filled with Bavarian cream and iced with vanilla buttercream.

I received the most precious gifts from my girls, and fun and practical gifts from my parents and brother. It was an amazing surprise party!

Daddy had to work all week, but we did take the girls to visit the animals at the Zoo on his day off during the week. Uncle Jason is back in town, so he was able to go with us. He's a lot of fun...he's a big kid at heart and the girls absolutely love spending time with him. My mom, brother, and I also took the girls to eat lunch at the best BBQ restaurant on this side of Texas. Then we rolled into the movies to see Oz the Great and Powerful in 3D. It was a great movie. My little Jodyn didn't like the scary witch very much though, but at least she didn't lose any sleep over it. We also played in the slightly heated hot tub a few times during the week. The weather was beautiful all week.

I'm very thankful my girls are best friends and can play together for hours together without fighting too much. I'm also very thankful for their very patient teachers that spend 8 hours with them every day. I have so much respect for teachers!

Are you ready for an easy breakfast recipe now? This blueberry cream cheese danish starts off with a tube of refrigerated crescent dough with a delectable cinnamon cream cheese filling and stuffed full of fresh blueberries. As if that's not enough, you generously drizzle vanilla icing over the entire baked danish. My girls went crazy over this breakfast treat. I also made a cinnamon apple version of this danish.

Did you know Pillsbury now sells the crescent dough in a seamless dough sheet? It's makes recipes like this even easier, and it's the same price. If you can't find this new gem in your local grocery store, you can use the regular crescent rolls and press the seams together.

Adapted from Lauren's Latest

Danish Ingredients:

1 tube Pillsbury crescent seamless dough sheet (or crescent rolls)
4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 block), softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 Tbsp flour
1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry

Icing Ingredients:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

Unroll the crescent dough and place onto prepared baking sheet. If using regular crescent roll dough, line the squares up along the length of baking sheet, overlapping slightly. Press seams together.  Cut 1/2 inch diagonal strips up both long sides of dough.

In a bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and flour. Spread the filling down the middle of prepared dough between the diagonal strips. Spread the blueberries evenly over filling. Carefully fold the strips to the middle of filling, alternating sides to get braided effect. You will lay a strip on the of the opposite sides strip and press slightly to seal. Continue the length of the dough. Fold the ends into filling to prevent the filling from leaking out onto baking sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until danish is golden brown on top. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk.

Transfer danish to serving platter and generously drizzle with vanilla icing. Cut into 8 pieces and serve. Enjoy!

Note: To make cinnamon apple version, here's how to make homemade cinnamon apple filling.

Cinnamon Apples:

2 Granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 T water
1 tsp cinnamon

Cook in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are fork tender, about 7 minutes.