Lemon Pie Bars

 
Have you ever heard of mix and match when buying and wearing clothes?  Well, the same works for recipes, too.  I had some egg yolks that I needed to use up.  I already used the whites for another recipe for cake.  I just needed to use the yolks, so I remembered that the lemon meringue pie recipe uses egg yolks in the filling, so I used that recipe for the filling, and since I didn't want to make a pie crust and get my whole kitchen floury, I decided to make the crust as a lemon bar crust.  I've used this crust for other recipes as well, and figured it would work for this concoction.  It did!  These were great!  Both of these recipes are from my Pillsbury cookbook.

Lemon Bar Crust

2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup margarine or butter

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  In large bowl, combine ingredients; beat at low speed until crumbly.  Press mixture evenly in bottom of ungreased pan.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes or until light golden brown.

Lemon Meringue Pie Filling

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cold water
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

In medium saucepan, combine 1 1/4 cups sugar, cornstarch, and salt; mix well.  Gradually stir in cold water until smooth.  Cook over medium heat until mixture boils, stirring constantly.  Boil 1 minute or longer, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

Pour filling over heated crust.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes.  Sprinkle powdered sugar over top if desired.  Cool and store in refrigerator.

Salad Switch-Ups

Hi everyone!  Lance and I have made it a goal to eat healthier.  Don't worry, we still love our treats.  Our eating healthier just means more fruits and veggies.  Something we have been eating a lot of lately is green salad.  I love green salad!  It is a perfect compliment for any meal, or it can be a meal in and of itself.  I like to switch up what I put in my salads.  I'm a girl that likes a little variety in her life.  I get really bored with the same old thing.  So, here is a list of some ingredients you could put in your salad to spice it up a little.  These are just simply ideas.  You can go wild with it yourself.  Just remember that the base is lettuce or spinach.  That is the most important part of a green salad.

Fruits
mandarin oranges
navel orange pieces
diced apples
pomegranate seeds
strawberries
blueberries
raspberries
blackberries
pineapple
tomatoes
olives

Vegetables
corn
diced or shredded carrots
sliced or diced cucumbers
diced  zucchini
beans
sugar peas
peas
water chestnuts
onions
red onions
raddishes
red cabbage
red or green peppers

Nuts/Seeds
walnuts
almonds
cashews
sunflower seeds

Meats
chicken, diced or in strips, grilled or fried
bacon
hard boiled eggs, sliced
ham, diced

Other
shredded or diced cheese
cottage cheese
crunchy chow mein noodles
goldfish crackers
oyster saltine crackers
croutons

As a side note, there are many different salad dressings available.  Most people think it's safe with ranch.  Yes, ranch is delicious, but it's a super safe and boring choice!  Next time try a vinaigrette or an exotic dressing like cilantro lime or poppyseed.  Seriously, if you try it, you just might like it!  If you're apprehensive to buy or make an entire bottle of different dressings like this, the next time you're at a buffet like Chuck a Rama, look at the dressings they have there.  You might just find out that the salad bar is your new favorite area . . . other than the desserts, of course.

Toasted Cucumber Sandwich

I didn't have much hope for this one, I'll be honest.  I got an idea online for this, but I didn't write down the recipe.  I just did it how I wanted to.  I wasn't expecting much, because it's pretty healthy.  Healthy food and my taste buds aren't the best of friends.  But this was REALLY good!  I was surprised at how good it tasted.  So, healthy, tasty, and it's surprisingly easy to make!  Score!

Toasted Cucumber Sandwich

-bread (whatever kind of bread you want: sandwich, baguette, French bread, hoagie, hot dog bun, etc.)
-cucumber, cut up in round slices
-sliced cheese
-mayonnaise
-salt

Spread mayonnaise on bread.  Place slices of cucumber on.  Lightly salt (if desired).  Top with cheese.  Broil approximately 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Beans, Rice, and Tomatoes

I know, it's such a creative title.  But I didn't know what else to name it, and really, the picture speaks for itself.  Doesn't it look delicious?  Lance and I have this for dinner very often.  It's extremely easy, and healthy, too.  The only thing that would make it healthier would be if the tomatoes and black beans weren't canned . . . and if I didn't add so much salt for flavor (I'm a salt-o-holic).  It's also a great dinner for a tight budget.


Beans, Rice, and Tomatoes

2 1/2 cups uncooked rice
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans
grated cheese
lemon juice (optional)
salt (optional)

Cook the rice.  Drain beans.  Microwave tomatoes in microwave safe container for two minutes.  Pour beans in microwave safe container and add lemon juice and salt to taste.  Microwave beans for two minutes.  Layer ingredients as desired.  Top with cheese.

You could add more ingredients if desired.  Avocados, onions, sour cream, etc are a few ideas.

It couldn't be easier!

Lemon Cream Cheese Bars

These little bars are seriously a little piece of heaven.  They actually taste a lot like cheesecake.  It doesn't have the classic graham cracker crust.  It's made out of a cake mix, but I like this crust even better.  That could be the new excitement talking. Cheesecake is my favorite dessert, and this made it even better!  I sampled some when it was fresh out of the oven, which you're not really supposed to do, but I was too excited about them!  I liked it better hot.  It's amazing after it's chilled too, but there's something about warm cheesecake that melts your insides. Mmmm!  I promise you'll love every luscious bite.  And it's pretty easy, too!  I got the recipe online.


Lemon Cream Cheese Bars

1 box lemon cake mix (I used white, and it was wonderful)
1/2 cup oil
8 oz (1 package) cream cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs

Mix cake mix, oil, and one egg.  Hold out 3/4 cup of mix.  Put the rest in an ungreased 9x13 pan.  Pat all over the bottom.  Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.

While this cooks mix cream cheese, sugar, egg, and lemon juice with mixer.  Spread over cooked portion in pan.  Sprinkle reserved 3/4 cup of cake mix over the top.  Bake 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees F.  Cut into pieces and serve.

Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

I love these brownies!!! They're fun to make, but I had to wait until cream cheese went on sale to make them. I got the recipe online.
Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

Filling:
4 oz cream cheese (1/2 package)
1 egg
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Brownies:
Brownie mix and all that goes with it

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom only of 9-inch square pan. beat filling ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
Make brownie batter as directed on box. Spread 3/4 of batter in pan. Spoon filling onto batter. Add remaining batter. Cut through mixture with a knife for marbled design. Sprinkle with chocolate chips if desired.
Bake 40-44 minutes. Cool. Store in fridge.

Candied Popcorn

Popcorn may just be the best thing ever invented. If I had to choose one food to eat for the rest of my life, I'd probably choose popcorn. But I'm glad I don't have to do that, because I love lots of different foods. Anyway, with this popcorn, I made it patriotic by adding food coloring. I used two different colors, so I made two batches. You don't have to make it patriotic if you don't want to. You can make it for different holidays, birthdays, or for fun. I made it for Activity Days. The girls loved it. They went back for seconds. Then, I was babysitting my niece and nephews, my niece tried the leftovers and said that it was the best popcorn she had ever tasted. Now, realize that she's five, and every experience is the best ever. It also was sugary, and she loves sugary stuff, but it is really good. I got this recipe from another blog that I'm following. Here you go!

Candied Popcorn

1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups popcorn (popped)
Few drops of food coloring (optional)

Boil sugar, salt, and water to 235 degrees F (soft ball stage). Remove from heat. Add vanilla and food coloring. Pour over popped popcorn and stir until glaze sugars.

Cherry Cobbler

I made dinner for a family in our ward the other day (they had a baby), and for dessert I made this. I wanted to get rid of my frozen cherries from last year, and this was how I did it. I looked up cherry cobbler online, and found this one by Emeril. It was the first one on the list! It was pretty easy, and I had the perfect amount of cherries to use. I'm not sure how it turned out. Hopefully it was good! It sure smelled and looked delicious!

Cherry Cobbler

Filling:
6 cups cherries, pitted
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
4 teaspoons cornstarch

Topping:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a saucepan combine filling ingredients and cook, stirring until bubbling and thickened. Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish. Meanwhile, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, and cinnamon. Cut in butter until it is crumbly. Mix together egg and milk. Add to flour mixture and stir with a fork just until combined. Drop topping by tablespoonfuls onto filling. Bake 25 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Chocolate Pudding Dessert

I know the picture isn't "chocolate," but you can use any flavor of instant pudding you want, and it works out nicely. I personally, used vanilla this time. This is one of my favorite desserts. Growing up, we only had it for special occasions. I thought that was because it was hard to make. I was wrong. It's actually pretty easy to make. It takes a little time because the crust has to cool, but it's definitely worth it. This dessert is nice and cool, so it makes a great summer treat, especially if you're having a little garden party or something. I got this recipe from my mom, but it originally came from the Lion House cook book.

Chocolate Pudding Dessert

Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine flour, butter, and nuts. Cut together like with a pie crust, until they resemble coarse meal. Press into 9X13 pan. Bake 30 minutes. Cool.
*There are many people I cook for that don't like nuts or are allergic to them, so I used my lemon bar crust recipe. I'm sure you can find your favorite crust to use as well.

Cream Cheese Filling:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 8 oz package cream cheese
1 9 oz carton frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip or a generic form)
Beat together sugar and cream cheese until fluffy. Add 1/2 of whipped topping. Spread over crust.

Pudding:
2 3 oz packages instant pudding
3 cups milk
Make pudding as directed, using 3 cups of milk. Spread on cream cheese layer. Spread remaining whipped topping on pudding layer. Sprinkle with chopped nuts or shaved chocolate if desired. Chill several hours or overnight. Makes 15 servings.

Smoothie Idea

During summer time, I'm all about ice cream and smoothies! Yum!!! So, last night, I whipped up a little something that turned out quite delicious, actually. You can use any kind of variation you like. So many different fruits can go together, and even if you haven't heard of combining those fruits together, try it out if you're feeling adventurous! So here is what I combined and blended up.

Frozen cherries (I froze cherries from our trees last year. I haven't really had many recipes for them, so that's why they're still around. This also substitutes for the ice that goes into a smoothie, since they're frozen.)
1 peeled kiwi
2 individual containers of yogurt (I chose vanilla, and one container would probably have worked well, too)
a splash of milk

That's it! Enjoy! Get creative and blend away! It's super healthy, too! Real fruit, nonfat yogurt and milk! It's a perfect treat for those of you who want something tasty but don't want to regret it later.

Allie's Zucchini Fritters

Well, zucchini season is almost here! I'm still trying to get rid of the zucchini I shredded and froze. I looked up shredded zucchini recipes online, and the easiest recipe I found (which could easily be topped because I only looked at two sites) was this one. The hardest part is cooking them all the way through without burning them. It's an art. I still haven't mastered it yet, but maybe next time. If you're a good pancake cooker, then you'll be good at this. I'm not really the best at cooking pancakes (although I love them anyway), so there's my problem. They're really a lot easier than I'm making it sound. Well, here you go!

Allie's Zucchini Fritters

3 cups shredded zucchini
1 egg
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine ingredients in a bowl. Heat pan, lightly sprayed with nonstick spray. Spoon a heaping spoonful in a pan. Heat until lightly brown, turning once.

How much easier could it get? I topped mine with cheese. You can decide what you like to top it with. If you find something delicious, let me know! I'm always up for suggestions.

Green Jello Salad

I know there are about a million green jello salad recipes out there. I just had to jump on that train. But this one really is good, I promise. I got this recipe from my mother-in-law.

Green Jello Salad

4 3 oz packages of green jello
4 cups boiling water
2 cups cold water
2 16 oz containers of cottage cheese
2 29 oz cans of pears

Dissolve Jello in boiling water. Stir in cold water. Blend pears in the blender. Add cottage cheese and blended up pears.

*Tip: My pan was extremely full! If you put the pan in the fridge before putting the ingredients in there, you won't have to worry about spilling while putting it in the fridge.

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

This recipe is probably one of the easiest main dish recipes I've ever made. It's one of those fix it and forget it recipes. However, it is sort of hard to forget about it when it smells so good! I know it says Orange Chicken, but I didn't taste much orange in there. I think if I were to make it again (which I definitely will), I would put in less soy sauce. However, it tasted good with the amount of soy sauce it calls for, it just didn't really taste very orangey. I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com. The reviews on it were mixed. Half loved it and half hated it. So, I was a little nervous trying it, but since it was so easy, and I already had all of the ingredients, I tried it out. I thought it was very tasty, and the chicken was cooked to perfection (slow cookers are great that way). You didn't even have to use a knife. It just fell apart. Yum! Well, here you go:

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
12 oz can of orange soda
1/2 cup soy sauce (maybe less if you want)

Place chicken in a slow cooker, and pour in orange soda and soy sauce.
Cover slow cooker, and cook chicken on low for 5-6 hours.
Serve over rice or noodles.

See! It can't get much easier than that!

Baked Custard and Cream Puffs

This dessert has two recipes to it. It has a few more steps than most desserts I've posted. Sometimes I get into one of those moods and get a little fancy. I like that sometimes. Both of these recipes came from my Pillsbury cookbook. Seriously, where would I be without my beloved Pillsbury? It's the best!

Baked Custard



3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups milk
dash nutmeg

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla; blend well. Gradually stir in milk. Pour into ungreased custard cups. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Place custard cups in pan; place in oven. Pour boiling water into pan around custard cups to a depth of 1 inch.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Serve warm or cold. Store in refrigerator.

I didn't follow directions very well and just put all of the custard into a pie dish, and didn't put it in a pan with water. Oops! But I think it still turned out fine. However, I spilled some in the oven, and it was very stinky for a while.

Cream Puffs



1/2 cup water
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease cookie sheet. In medium saucepan, combine water and margarine. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in flour and salt; cook, stirring vigorously until mixture leaves sides of pan in smooth ball. Remove from heat.
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating vigorously after each addition until mixture is smooth and glossy. Spoon 6 mounds of dough 3 inches apart onto greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 425 degrees F for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven; prick puffs with sharp knife to allow steam to escape. Remove from cookie sheet; cool 1 hour or until completely cooled.
Split cream puffs; if desired, remove any filaments of soft dough. Fill with ice cream, whipped cream or pudding. If desired, top with chocolate sauce.

So, to put these two together, I filled the cream puffs with the custard. It turned out quite nice. I cut the puffs in half horizontally and spooned in the custard.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut butter cookies aren't my absolute favorite, but the other day, I really wanted some, and I had VERY little time to make them. So, I looked through my Four Ingredient Cookbook, and found a few recipes. This one was the one I picked. It was the second one I found. Since it's from my Four Ingredient Cookbook, it only has four ingredients. I know you may be thinking, "How is that possible?" Well, it is, and they turned out perfectly soft and gooey! Here is the recipe:

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup peanut butter (It says to use crunchy, but I used creamy, and it worked great!)
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients and form into 1-inch balls. Press flat on greased cookie sheet with a fork. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

I can't believe how incredibly quick and easy these were! I'll definitely be making these again!

Cornbread Chicken Pot Pie

It's been a while since I've posted a non-dessert item. When you only have to cook for two people, you don't make very special items. We usually have grilled cheese, pasta, or anything else that cooks little and quick. However, sometimes I get sick of that junk, and make something else. I've used this recipe a lot since we've been married, and it's easy and yummy. I've made it for people when they eat dinner with us, and I also make it for ladies in our ward when they have babies. This recipe came from my Campbell's Casseroles and One-Dish Meals cook book.

Cornbread Chicken Pot Pie

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey
*1 package corn muffin mix
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix soup, corn and chicken in 9-inch pie plate.
Mix muffin mix, milk and egg. Pour over chicken mixture.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle with cheese.

*I like to make my cornbread from scratch, so you can use your favorite cornbread recipe if you like to cook from scratch. If you do this, follow the recipe, and omit the milk and egg listed above.

Cereal Clusters

This recipe is actually called "Sweet Cereal Puffs" but I modified it a bit, and call it "Cereal Clusters." The base recipe is from my 4 Ingredients or Less cookbook. Since I modified it, it has one more ingredient, so there are five ingredients.

Cereal Clusters

3 egg whites
2/3 cups sugar
4 cups cereal (corn flakes, cheerios, honey nut cheerios, etc.)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla (0ptional)
3/4 cup peanut butter

Beat egg whites to a foam. Add sugar gradually, beating until stiff. Add vanilla if desired and peanut butter. Fold in cereal. Drop 2-inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake 14 minutes or until brown at 325 degrees. Cool. Shortly after baking, you might want to shape them into balls. Otherwise, if you use cheerios, they will be flat and fall apart.

Hot Milk Sponge Cake

This cake is really good. You can frost it if you want, or it's even good without frosting or glaze or any other topping. The choice is up to you. Here is the recipe. It's from my Better Homes and Gardens 75th Anniversary Edition cookbook.
Hot Milk Sponge Cake

2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter

-Allow eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease a 9x9x2-inch square baking pan; set pan aside. Stir together flour and baking powder; set aside.
-In a medium mixing bowl beat eggs with an electric mixer on high speed about 4 minutes or until thick. Gradually add sugar, beating on medium speed for 4-5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture; beat on low to medium speed just until combined.
-In a small saucepan heat and stir milk and butter melts; add to batter, beating until combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
-Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack.

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles aren't just fun to say. They're fun to eat, too! They are my all time favorite cookie. So, here is the recipe I use for making them. It's from my Pillsbury cookbook.

Snickerdoodles

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

-Heat oven to 400 degrees F. In large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar and margarine; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; blend well. Add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; mix well.
-In small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
-Bake at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheets.

Happy Baking!!!

Suit Yourself Tuna Salad

I started making this salad a few years ago, and ever since, I've been getting requests from Lance's family to make it for big parties. The thing with this salad, though, is that when I make it, it's never exactly the same. There are so many different things you can put in, and the ingredients at my house constantly vary, so I always decided to put different things in it. I'll give you the base recipe, and a list of different ideas of what to add to it. Also, I don't always want tuna in it, so you can substitute chicken, or just take it out all together. This recipe came from my Pillsbury cookbook.

Suit Yourself Tuna Salad

Salad

6 oz (2 1/4 cups) uncooked medium shell pasta
2 (16 oz) cans water-packed tuna or 1 (14 3/4 oz) can salmon, drained
1/2 cup diagonally sliced celery
1/2 cup shredded carrot

Dressing

1/2 - 3/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing (Miracle Whip)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (I usually use regular mustard)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Cook pasta to desired doneness as directed on package. Drain; rinse with cold water to cool.
In large bowl, combine cooked pasta and all remaining salad ingredients; toss gently.
In small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients; blend well. Add to salad; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until serving time.

Extra Ingredients (you choose)

Diced apple
Diced avocado
Cooked, crumbled bacon
Chopped bell pepper
Shredded or diced cheese
Chopped chives
Chopped cucumber
Chopped dill pickle
Dried dill weed
Grapes
Chopped, Hard-cooked eggs
Mandarin orange segments
Sliced olives
Chopped or sliced green or red onions
Chopped parsley
Pickle relish
Shelled sunflower seeds
Shoestring potatoes
Diced tomatoes
Chopped walnuts or pecans
Pomegranate seeds

I'm sure you can think of some other ingredients that aren't on this list. Don't be afraid to experiment.

Cake Mix Cookies

I love these cookies because they are so easy to make, and they can be pretty much any flavor you want, depending on the cake mix you choose. When I use a white cake mix, I like to stir in some sprinkles to make them more festive. I got this recipe online somewhere in one of my searches for yummy treats! Enjoy!

Cake Mix Cookies

1 cake mix
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup oil
1 egg

Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees F.

See! I told you it was easy!

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

I've only made these twice, but I LOVE them! They're a little bit more difficult to make, because you have to roll the dough like a jelly roll, but they are well worth it, believe me. I got the recipe from my Old-Fashioned Bake Sale cookbook.

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Cinnamon Mixture
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Cookie Dough
1 cup/stick butter flavored shortening (I used margarine accidentally, and it works great)
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For cinnamon mixture, combine sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.
For cookie dough, combine shortening and brown sugar in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well blended. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Add to creamed mixture; mix well.
Turn dough onto sheet of waxed paper. Spread into 3x6-inch rectangle using rubber spatula. Sprinkle with 4 tablespoons cinnamon mixture to within 1 inch of edge. Slowly roll up jelly-roll style into log. (If dough cracks, smooth with fingers while rolling.) Dust log with remaining cinnamon mixture. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap; refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray.
Slice dough 1/4 inch thick. Place on prepared cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Cool on cookie sheets 4 minutes; transfer to cooling racks.
*makes about 5 dozen cookies

Cheesy Garlic Biscuits

These biscuits are to absolutely die for! I LOVE them!!! They are just like the biscuits they serve at Red Lobster, which is my favorite restaurant EVER!!! But even if you don't like seafood, you'll like these. And they're super easy to make, especially on a tight budget! The recipe is a little modification of basic baking powder biscuits.

Cheesy Garlic Biscuits

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt (usually it's just regular salt, but for this recipe, use garlic salt)
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup milk (or less)
1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheese (you decide how cheesy you want them)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Mix dry ingredients in bowl. Cut in shortening. Stir in enough milk until the dough peaks. Stir in cheese. Drop by spoon fulls onto baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes.

Cheesy Baked Chicken Breasts

Okay, so last week I made the BEST chicken!!! I didn't take a picture of it, but I just had to share.

So, here's what I did:

thaw chicken during the day
preheat oven to 350 degrees F
sprinkle both sides of each chicken breast with onion powder, paprika, and garlic salt
set on baking pan
put a slice of cheese on top of each chicken breast
bake 1 hour

I served it with baked potatoes and green beans. It was delicious! I can't wait to have it again soon!

Lemon Bread

The other day, I needed to make a treat. I wanted to do something different. I like variety in many things, and food is no exception. So, I looked through my cookbooks. All of the desserts looked good, but they weren't quite what I was looking for. So, I looked at my different bread recipes, and this one popped out at me. I'm glad, too, because I loved it! I got the recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens 75th Anniversary Edition cookbook.

Lemon Bread

1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil or melted butter or margarine
2 teaspoons shredded lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped almonds or walnuts (optional)
2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

Grease the bottom and sides of an 8x4x2 inch loaf pan; set aside. In a medium bowl stir together the lour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture; set aside. In another medium bowl combine the egg, milk, oil, lemon peel, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add the egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in nuts. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 50-55 minutes. If desired, stir together the 2 tablespoons lemon juice and the 1 tablespoon sugar. While bread is still in the pan, brush lemon-sugar mixture over the top of the loaf. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before serving.

Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Pie

I know what you're thinking. Pumpkin pie in February? Yes, that's right. Lance's favorite dessert is pumpkin pie, and his birthday is in February. So, I made a pumpkin pie for him. I make my pumpkin pies from scratch. I cook up a pumpkin and puree it in the blender. I store it in 2 cup bags (standard amount for pumpkin pie) and freeze it until I'm ready to use it. The pumpkin pie recipe I use is from my Pillsbury cookbook, and the crust recipe I use is from my Where's Mom Now That I Need Her book.

Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (2 cups) pumpkin
1 12 oz can (1 1/2 cups) evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten

Prepare pie crust one pie using a 9-inch pie pan. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. In large bowl, combine all filling ingredients; blend well. Pour into crust-lined pan. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F; bake an additional 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Just before serving, top with whipped cream. Store in refrigerator.



Easiest Ever Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cups cooking oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cold water or milk

Dump flour in an ungreased pie plate. Add oil, salt, sugar and stir well. Pour in water or milk. Mix with fork into stiff dough. Press into shape in pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for ten to twelve minutes or until pie crust is lightly browned.

Sugar-Crusted Lime Cake

So, Lance had a birthday last week, and we celebrated with a birthday dinner. For his dessert, he chose pumpkin pie, but I only had enough pumpkin for one pie, so in order for everyone at the celebration to get a dessert, I looked through my recipes and found this fun little recipe. It sounds super fancy, but it's really easy to make. The recipe came from my Pillsbury cookbook.

Sugar-Crusted Lime Cake

2 egg whites, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated lime peel
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup shortening
2 tablespoons lime juice

Topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray; sprinkle lightly with flour. In a small bowl, combine egg whites and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine all remaining cake ingredients; beat at low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Gently fold stiffly beaten egg whites into batter. Pour into sprayed and floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 27-35 minutes. In small bowl, combine topping ingredients; mix well. Spread over hot cake. Cool.


*If you run out of lime juice, lemon juice is a great substitute. I also didn't have a real lime, so there was no grated lime peel, and the cake still turned out delicious.

Ann's Browniess

This brownie is a basic, delicious brownie recipe. If you don't want anything too extravagant, or you don't have special ingredients, this is a good recipe for you. Sometimes it's nice to get back to the basics. This recipe is from the cookbook that my sister made for me when I got married.

Ann's Brownies

Beat together:
2 cups margarine
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
Add 2 teaspoons vanilla
Add 4 eggs, one at a time
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups nuts (optional)

Spread in pan and cook for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F.



See! Super easy and yummy!

Lemon Drifts

The other day, I looked through my cookbooks for a new recipe, and I found this one. It is a lemon bar recipe. I have another recipe for lemon bars, but I like this one much better. They turned out a lot tastier. This recipe is from my "Where's Mom Now That I Need Her" book. This book is great, because not only does it have recipes, but it has tips on cleaning, first aid, and hygiene.

Lemon Drifts

1 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups flour
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cups lemon juice
5 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat butter, powdered sugar and two cups flour together until smooth. Spread into greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Beat together eggs, granulated sugar, lemon juice, five tablespoons flour and baking powder until well blended. The mixture will be thin. Pour over top of baked crust. Continue baking for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cool and cut into bars.

Homemade Pizza

So, the other day, I made homemade pizza. I had a little mishap, because the recipe I usually use for crust calls for cornmeal. Well, surprise for me, I'm out of cornmeal! So, since I had already started soaking the yeast, I decided to improvise. I used a different recipe for Italian Breadsticks instead, for the crust. It turned out really good, except for one thing. I forgot to add in the sugar before I mixed everything up, so some parts were a little sweet, but it still tasted pretty good. Anyway, here is the recipe. I also modified it a bit, so that it would be better for crust. If I had done the last half of it, it would have been a bit overpowering, I think. This recipe is from my Pillsbury cookbook.

Italian Breadsticks

1 package active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water
2 to 2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup shortening
1 tablespoon water
1 egg white
Sesame or poppy seed

In large bowl, dissolve yeast in 2/3 cup warm water. Add 1 cup flour, sugar, garlic salt, and shortening; blend at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in an additional 1 to 1 1/4 cups flour to form a soft dough. Place dough in greased bowl, cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, 30-40 minutes. Grease 15x10x1 inch baking pan. On lightly floured surface, knead dough about 10 times or until no longer sticky. 15x10 inch rectangle; place in greased pan.

If you want pizza crust, skip the rest of this paragraph, but if you want breadsticks, cut dough into 12 strips starting with 10 inch side. Then cut strips in half crosswise, forming 24 sticks. In small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon water and egg white; beat slightly. Brush over sticks. Sprinkle with sesame seed. Cover; let rise in warm place, 15-20 minutes.

To make pizza, for sauce, I spoon canned tomato sauce mixed with pizza or Italian seasoning to taste onto dough. Then I sprinkle desired amount of cheese (I usually use cheddar, but mozzarella is standard for pizza), then put on desired toppings. Add toppings before cooking.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Uncover dough. Bake 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan; cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Busy-Day Cake with Broiled Coconut Topping

I came across this recipe when Lance told me to do something with the leftover coconut flakes from his coconut marshmallows. I looked through my recipe books, and I found this. It is from my Better Homes and Gardens 75th Anniversary edition cookbook.

Busy-Day Cake with Broiled Coconut Topping

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 recipe Broiled Coconut Topping

Grease an 8x1 1/2 inch round cake pan, set aside. In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, and baking powder. Add milk, butter, egg, and vanilla. Beat on low speed until combined. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Spread Broiled Coconut Topping over warm cake. Broil about 4 inches from heat for 3-4 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly in pan on a wire rack. Serve warm.

Broiled Coconut Topping:

Beat 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 2 tablespoons softened butter or margarine until combined. Stir in 1 tablespoon milk. Stir in 1/2 cup flaked coconut and, if desired, 1/4 cup chopped nuts.

Lemon Cookies

These cookies are super easy, and really yummy. They are a favorite in the Welling household. They're delightfully different than the usual cookie. I got this recipe from my "Old Fashioned Bake Sale" cook book.



Lemon Cookies

1 lemon flavored cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup chopped nuts or flaked coconut (optional)
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease baking sheets. Combine cake mix, eggs, oil, and lemon juice in large bowl. Beat at low speed with electric mixer until well blended. Add nuts. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F for 6-7 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute on baking sheets. Remove to cooling racks. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Brownies

Okay, seriously, is there any combination more heavenly than peanut butter and chocolate? I think not. I LOVE this recipe!!! It is so moist and soft, you'll feel like you're on a heavenly peanut butter and chocolate cloud! Okay, I'm getting a little carried away. Well, if you love peanut butter and chocolate even half as much as I do, you'll love this recipe, too. It came from a cookbook that my sister made for me when I got married. Thanks Sis!

Peanut Butter Brownies

2 eggs
3/4 cup peanut butter
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 teaspoon red food coloring
1 cup butter

Mix until smooth, then add:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
*2 cups water

Beat until smooth and pour into cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
*I usually put a little less water in, because it makes them very runny, so you have to bake them longer.



They are so delightful, but very rich, so be careful, and share them with friends!

Mexican Wedding Cakes

Okay, these aren't cakes like you may be thinking. They are cookies. But they're not your usual cookie. They don't spread out when they bake, because there is no baking powder or baking soda in them. They should look like little snowballs when you're finished with them. Don't make the same mistake I did the first time I made them, and overcook them because they weren't spread out. (I was a little naive then.) They should look very similar to when you put them in the oven. I usually squeeze one with my fingers to make sure it's hard. Also, if you look on the bottom, it should just barely be starting to brown, but not quite. So, there are my tips for the day, here is the recipe. It is from my trusty Pillsbury cookbook.

Mexican Wedding Cakes

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup finely chopped or ground almonds or pecans *optional (I have never used nuts, but if you're a nut about nuts, go for it!)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. In large bowl, combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy. Add flour, almonds and salt; mix until dough forms. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake at 325 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets. Cool slightly; roll in 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Cool 15 minutes or until completely cooled. Re-roll in powdered sugar.



Enjoy!

Popcorn Candy

I got this recipe from a cook book that my sister made for me when I got married. This was the first time I made this, and it was actually super easy, and tasty. I made it for New Year's Eve. It would be great for any get together, family night, or just for fun. It makes a lot, so make sure you have room on your counter to store it, or have lots of people over.

Popcorn Candy

4 quarts popped corn
1/2 cup light Karo syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine

Bring all ingredients except popped corn to a boil in microwave. Boil 4 minutes stirring 4 times. Pour over the popped corn and toss until it is completely coated.





See! Super easy!!! Now, when you can't think of a yummy treat, you'll have this recipe that takes hardly any time at all!