It all began with a call for "nuts"!!!

One of the foodie boards that I post on has a "secret ingredient" each week...this week's ingredient, "nuts". I had made Pecan Pralines on Saturday...but chose to use sliced almonds that I had in the freezer. Other items on hand, a package of puff pastry, cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, my homemade vanilla extract and a jar of Raspberry Rhubarb Preserves that I received from my Secret Santa (on another foodie board).

I chose to make a Raspberry Rhubarb Strudel.

Rolling out the 2 sheets of puff pastry I placed them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
The filling:
8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 egg
Beat together until smooth and spread 1/2 on one side of eash pastry sheet.
Divide 12 oz. jar of Raspberry Rhubarb Preserves over each cream cheese layer.
Fold remaining pastry over and seal.
Cut slits about 1" apart across pastries.
Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350 degrees, sprinkle each pastry with 1/3 cup sliced almonds. Bake an additional 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
Make thin confectioner's sugar glaze and drizzle over pastries.
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 -3 tsp. milk

Cut in slices and serve.

Cooling

                                                     Glazed and ready to eat!