Soooooo.
I came to the realization yesterday that I inherited an extra-buying problem.
I don’t mean ‘extra-buying’ as in I have a major buying problem. I mean ‘extra-buying’ as in I like buying extra of everything.
For some reason when I go shopping, I neglect to remember that I have a closet full of dresses. So as I continue to buy more and more, they continue to stock-pile more and more.
Granted, I’m not buying the same dress over and over, and not even the same type of dress over and over, but for someone who loves dresses A LOT but wears them less so, it’s kind of stupid to buy so many dresses “just because I love them!”
However, the realization that this trait is inherited came from cleaning our hall closet.
For months it’s been teeter-tottering full of products spilling out of each basket and every crevice. For awhile we managed to stuff it to the gills, shoving things in random places and hoping for the best. But it got to the point that my closet became ill and started upchucking random shampoos and travel sized soaps and started swallowing full packages of razors.
It was time for an intervention.
So, I cleaned it out and to my shock and dismay, found that our family enjoys stock-piling miniature toothpastes. We had more than ten and no less than fifteen, from tartar protection to minty fresh to everything in between.
Likewise, we also enjoy having as many bottles of DEET spray, sunscreen and, no thanks to me, an excess of Bath & Body Works shower-gels, many brand new and some half-full.
Also, you can now find your favorite Bath & Body Works anti-bac gels in our home. I guarantee we have your favorite flavor and ones you didn’t know they’d sold.
Now before I make us sound like hoarders, hold up. We’re not. We just happen to love smelling good so much that we buy in excess. Also, cleaning your teeth is important and having enough toothpaste to survive a zombie apocalypse is good inspiration to continue our oral heath care.
No comment on the excessive dress part, except that looking cute helps build self-esteem and I enjoy the twirliness of dresses enough to warrant having over twenty in my closet.
We know what we like, okay?
And our family likes cannolis. Actually, now we like cannolis since prior to this post, no one had ever had one except my dad during his Boston trip. Can you believe we’d never had a cannoli? It seems almost as blasphemous as hoarding bug spray, but a worse offense.
Cannolis have a rich yet light cream in the middle and a crunchy, texture-licious shell. These Mini Cannoli Cups also have those qualities, in addition to a sweet spiciness from cinnamon and sugar, a sprinkling of toasted slivered almonds, and some mini chocolate chips because chocolate is vital to cannoli goodness.
My family loved them, and I know yours will too!
Now if only we could get away with hoarding these full-time…
Mini Cannoli Cups *slightly adapted from Cooking with Sugar
For the cups:
1 pkg refrigerated pie crusts
1 Tablespoon butter, melted
1/4 cup cinnamon sugar
For Ricotta Cream filling:
1 container (15 oz) part-skim ricotta
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons white sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For topping:
3/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Cinnamon sugar, for dusting
Powdered sugar, optional
1. First, prepare your filling. In a medium bowl, blend together the ricotta, powdered sugar, white sugar and vanilla until blended and relatively smooth. Refrigerate loosely covered until ready to pipe into the cups.
2. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Liberally spray about 16-18 cavities in a mini muffin tin and set aside.
3. On a flat work-space, roll out the pie crusts and brush liberally with the melted butter; sprinkle the pie dough with the cinnamon sugar and rub it into the dough with your hands. Using a small biscuit cutter or a small-mouthed cup (no more than 2″ diameter), cut out circles in the pie shell. Press the circle of dough down and up the sides of the cavities in the muffin tin.
4. Bake the shells for approx. 10 minutes or until golden and cooked thoroughly. Allow them to sit in the pan for about 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Once cooled, pipe the mixture into the pie cups. Sprinkle the filled cups with the toasted almonds, mini chips & cinnamon sugar. Serve immediately, as the cups get soggy after awhile. You can also prepare the filling and cups in advance and fill right before service.
The cream isn’t too sweet but is paired perfectly with the tender, flaky texture of the pie cups. Also, the cinnamon sugar and toasted almonds on top really make this awesome!
Have a wonderful day!!
xo, Hayley
These are adorable!!! I also made little cannoli cups this summer, but with wonton wrappers. Love yours and love the almonds!!
Ooh, wonton wrappers sound awesome! Really light and crispy–yummy!! Thanks for your comment, Ali 🙂
Oooh, I love this recipe. SO good! And don’t worry, you’re not alone. Do you know how many pairs of shorts I have? I don’t want to tell you. Know how many I wear? 3. Sad really. All those shorts, left alone to die in the drawer when they could have gone to good, appreciative homes.
Yeah but they went to your home and you’re loving an appreciative… you’re just a shorts-collector and THAT’S OKAY! Plus, you look rocking in a purple dress methinks. Them shorts should be jelly of your dress-wearing abilities!
Cannolis are one of my favorites Hayley! I recently came across a cannoli DIP to dip in your fave fruits and graham crackers. I have a bakery close by that serves up cannolis the size of my forearm. No lie, they are as long as my fore arm. They are GIANT! But I love the itty bitty mini cannoli cups here! They look so easy! And adorable too of course! Ahh i want one for lunch. 🙂
I’d never had a cannoli until I made these! They’re SO good. I can’t imagine eating one the size of a forearm, but I’d definitely give it a try 🙂
Are we the same person? In college I had over 100 dresses.. Mostly on accident. Everyone came to my place when they needed something to wear. And I LOVE cannolis. I haven’t had a good one in soo long!
Elle, it is highly probable… but to be completely sure, can we take inventory of each other’s closets?!
Youza, Hayley, you amaze me again! I would luv these…I’ve been intimidate with making cannolis. No more!
Also, I’m passing on the Versatile Blogger award to you, my blogger friend! For being the creative phenom that you are to us all! And, for making me not feel bad for always stocking up on things because I have this innate fear of “running out” of something critical, like chocolate chips. Here’s the post that explains it to everyone, http://www.bakeitwithbooze.com/2012/07/versatile-blogger-award.html
Stay cool this week!
For me, it’s bath towels………I don’t know why but we have closets full and when I find pretty ones, I buy more! The mini-cannoli look fabulous. I have never made or even eaten one, mostly because I have a hard time thinking that cheese (with the exception of cream cheese) could be sweet. I should buy some ricotta and make it!
I had the same thoughts, Kelli! When I realized it was ricotta, I was like… really? I use ricotta in my lasagna. Why would I put it with chocolate? But really, it’s like a tangy cottage cheese, and when it’s dressed with powdered sugar, table sugar and chocolate, you can’t even tell it’d be something that sometimes goes in lasagna. I’m telling you–so good!
Okay, You’ve convinced me – I’ll try it. and those cute little cups! Adorable!
I love dresses to and am addicted to buying them. But I figure it’s ok cuz that’s really all I wear. And no joke, I just bought 11 BBW shower gels yesterday. They were on SALE though, so it’s ok, right? There are worse things we could hoard. I won’t judge you if you don’t judge me, deal?
I love that you made these! I heart cannolis BIG time! I want to bathe in that cream. I hope your bags are packed – you’re moving in with me.
Yay!! Move in party! Can we go shopping for this?!
Obviously. You know about “packing/moving dresses”, no?
These are so cute! I love mini desserts like this 🙂
Thank you! Mini things are practically calorie-free, right?! 🙂
Okay, your hall closet sounds like ours. Seriously, if you need lotion, body wash, toothpaste and/or shampoo, I’m your gal. And I keep buying more. What’s up with that?!?! I love, love, LOVE cannolis. My very fave Italian restuarant in town (locally owned) makes the most awesome cannoli–but I LOVE these little bite-sized ones! Perfection!!!
I go a little nuts when there’s a BOGO deal! I just bought like 8 containers of handsoap this weekend… nobody needs that! These mini cannolis look just amazing!
How have I not heard of these, which also means I’ve never tried them. I’ll let you beat me with a stick now! They do look amazing though and I’m intrigued to try them. Now onto sourcing some of thee ingredients.
haha! I have closets that look just like yours sound. Piles of cute shorts and tank tops…yet I still where the same one over and over. And don’t get me started on my baking cupboard:-) I buy that stuff like its going out of style. Now if only I could only have some of these to keep in the drawer by my bed. Cannolis are so yummy!!!