Melt in Your Mouth Lemon Bars

I absoultely love lemon and  I saw this great recipe for lemon bars the other day and my eyes were bug-eyed.  I couldn't wait to add it to my recipe box.



CRUST

2 c all purpose flour
1 c butter softened (no substituting)
1/2 c powdered sugar


FILLING

4 eggs (slightly beaten)
2 c sugar
4 Tbsp flour
6 Tbsp lemon juice

FROSTING

1/2 c butter (softened)
1 c powdered sugar
1 tsp milk
2 Tbsp cold water


1  MIX CRUST INGRED. WITH FORK AS YOU WOULD FOR A PIE CRUST. PAT INTO A 9X13 PAN WHICH HAS BEEN GREASED AND FLOURED. BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 15 MINUTES.

2  AS CRUST IS BAKING. MIX FILLING. AFTER CRUST HAS BAKED 15 MINUTES, POUR FILLING OVER CRUST AND CONTINUE BAKING FOR 25 MINUTES. COOL BARS COMPLETELY

3  MAKE FROSTING BY BEATING BUTTER,POWDERED SUGAR AND MILK FOR 6 TO 8 MINUTES ON HIGH SPEED. THEN ADD 2 TBLSP. COLD WATER ONE AT A TIME. BEAT UNTIL SMOOTH. SPREAD OVER COOLED BARS.


http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cookies/melt-in-your-mouth-lemon-bars-3.html?source=fork_FB_lemon_bars

Grasshopper Dessert Squares

Another great mint dessert from Better Crocker, this one is Grasshopper Squares and I have fond memories of the drink "Grasshopper" because when I was young I remember my parents would make pitchers of this pretty green concoction in a blender for parties at the holidays.


1 1/2  cups chocolate cookie crumbs (from 15-oz package)
1/4  cup sugar
6  tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2  packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, cubed, softened
1/3  cup green crème de menthe liqueur
1/4  cup white crème de cacao liqueur
1 1/2   jars (7 oz each) marshmallow creme (2 1/4 cups)
1 1/2  cups whipping cream


1  Line 13x9-inch pan with foil so edges of foil extend over sides of pan; spray with cooking spray. In pan, mix cookie crumbs, sugar and butter. Press evenly in bottom of pan.


2  In large bowl, beat cream cheese, crème de menthe and crème de cacao with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add marshmallow creme; beat until smooth. Refrigerate about 45 minutes or until mixture mounds when dropped from a spoon.


3  In chilled large bowl, beat whipping cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into marshmallow mixture until blended. Pour over crust. Freeze about 4 hours or until firm.


4  Remove from pan, using foil to lift. Let dessert stand at room temperature 10 minutes before cutting. Freeze any remaining dessert tightly covered.

Double Layer Mint Fudge

When I came across this dessert I couldnt resist to copy it to my recipe box.  Who doesn't love fudge especially when you have two popular tastes like peppermint and chocolate.  Better Crocker never fails and I get most of my desserts from that site.   

Fudge Layer

1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

1  can (16 oz) creamy chocolate ready-to-spread frosting

Peppermint Layer

1  bag (12 oz) white vanilla baking chips (2 cups)

1 can (16 oz) creamy vanilla ready-to-spread frosting

2  drops red food color

1/2 cup finely crushed peppermint candy

2  milk chocolate candy bars (1.55 oz each), chopped

1 Line 13x9-inch pan with foil so foil extends over sides of pan; lightly butter foil. In 3-quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate frosting. Spread in pan. Refrigerate 20 minutes.

2  Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, melt vanilla baking chips over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla frosting and food color until well blended. Fold in crushed peppermint candy.

3  Spread carefully over chilled chocolate layer. Sprinkle chopped candy bars over top; press in lightly. Refrigerate just until set, about 1 hour.

4  As soon as fudge is set, use foil to lift fudge from pan; remove foil. Cut into 13 rows by 9 rows. Store at room temperature.

Sweet and Sour Chicken and Fried Rice

This is a great recipe and you don't fry it which is great when you are trying to cut fat and calories in your diet.  The only fried thing is the fried rice  but I live with it, really.



The chicken coating:


3-4 boneless chicken breasts
salt + pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil


The sweet and sour sauce:


3/4 cup sugar
4 tbs ketchup
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp garlic salt


       Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs.  Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes.  




Fried Rice                                                                                             


3 cups cooked white rice (day old or leftover rice works best!)
3 tbs sesame oil
1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)
1 small onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup soy sauce


      On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok.  Add the peas/carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side, then pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated!   **You could really play around with this rice too! Try adding some diced ham, or green onion :) Yum!  

Dr. Pepper Pot Roast

I was  aching for pot roast the other day especially when i saw this heavenly recipe for pot roast.  I can't wait till I go shopping and get the ingredients to make one. 


1 3-5 pound beef roast
1 can Dr Pepper
2 cups water
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic


Instructions


Place beef roast in slow cooker. Add in all other ingredients.
Cook for 7 hours on low or 3 1/2 hours on high. Drain off juice and serve warm.

My Spice Rack

1.  These were all sides of corrugated boxes, cut to size of spice rack. I measured the front flaps to hold spices and back sides as well.  I added another flap to put in between the lower and upper spices so I could have two tiers of spices. 


2.   I sponge-painted the flaps red to match my kitchen.  I  glued a strip of brown construction paper and wrote down the names of the spices on the bottom and one for the top spices.  


3.  When all the flaps are dry, start hot glueing all the sides really good.  You will need to gauge where you need to put the inside flap so you need to put the tall spices on the bottom and lay the flap down for the right fit.  Then glue the flap at the sides of the rack and take away the spices.  The top layer is for upper spices.

4.  With red construction paper I made a scalloped edge to the eaves and each of the sides of the spice rack.  For the chimney, I cut pieces of corrugated and hot glued to the chimney.

CHOCOLATE MINT CHEESECAKE BARS

Another decadent dessert for a hot  summer day that anyone I know would not turn down.  Do you love cheesecake...??   I sure do.  



1 Ingredients


2 cups finely crushed creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon peppermint extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening
14 creme de menthe thin candies, chopped




Directions


1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of 9-inch baking pan. Bake 6 minutes. Cool. 


2. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, eggs and peppermint extract until smooth. Pour over cooled cookie base and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool 20 minutes; chill. 


3. Just before serving, in heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening. Drizzle over top of chilled cheesecake bars. Sprinkle chopped chocolate mint candies over the top. Cut into bars. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.


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