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

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!  

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.


http://s2.justapinchassets.com/images/recipe/6/9/2/1/5/medium.1.jpg

PRETZEL-CRUSTED CHICKEN NUGGETS

Chicken anyone...???  I can eat chicken any night practically, any  method will do and I love to experiment with different recipes.   This recipe looks like a winner to me with the crunchy of the pretzel coating.  I couldn't wait to make it.



Ingredients


2 cups salted pretzel twists (about 3 oz.)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan /2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 large eggs
1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces


Preparation


1. Preheat oven to 400°F and coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Place pretzels and Parmesan in a food processor and process until coarsely ground and well mixed, 20 to 30 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl.


2. Combine flour and pepper in a separate bowl. Beat eggs with 1 tsp. water in a third bowl.


3. Roll a chicken piece in flour mixture until thoroughly coated. Dip in eggs, allowing excess to drip off. Transfer to pretzel mixture and turn until thoroughly coated. Place chicken on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken. Bake until lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.


http://img4-3.myrecipes.timeinc.net/i/recipes/ay/11/01/pretzel-chicken-nuggets-ay-x.jpg