Lemon Bars

Hope everyone had a great Easter! We did, it was so nice to spend time with family. Now, I just have to keep my hands out of the boys' Easter candy!

We had a big family lunch on Easter, my Mother In Law and I split up the menu which makes it alot less stressful if you ask me. Anyway, I made dessert. I made this Strawberry Pie and the Lemon Bars.

I got this recipe years ago from my Aunt. She used to always make these at Christmas and I loved them, then we I got older I asked for the recipe and I have been making them every year since. But, this year I didn't make them at Christmas just because I tend to over do it then so I limited the desserts. So, I figured now was a good time since I passed on these at Christmas. Plus, they are supper easy to make and yummy!

As you can see from the photo, I left out the nuts this time. I think they are good both ways so feel free to do as you like. I also tend to keep mine in the frig, they are good both ways, in or out of the frig and even better warmed in the microwave for a few seconds.

Lemon Bars

1st Layer:
1 box of lemon flavor cake mix with pudding in the mix
1 stick of butter, melted
1 egg
Mix and spread into the bottom of 9 x 13 pan

2nd Layer:
2 cups chopped nuts ( I have used pecans)

3rd Layer:
1 box of confectionery sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
2 eggs
1/2 stick of butter, melted
Mix and pour on top of nuts

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let cool then cut into squares.

Enjoy!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

This is one yummy, moist and can't stop eating kinda recipes. I have made this so many ways and it comes out perfect every time. Don't you just love recipes like that? I found the recipe on Food Network a few years ago and have made it many, many times since, the changes I made was I omitted the pecans and added chocolate chips. But this recipe is so yummy that I just had to share it with you!

I have baked this recipe in loaf pans, casserole dishes and of course as muffins. Just make sure you adjust your baking time. Also, I will give you a heads up....once they come out of the oven, top one with Nutella and OH. MY. GOSH!! Amazingly Yummy!!! I have made these also without chocolate chips and it is still so good!

 

 

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

 

2 cups All-Purpose flour

1&1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

4 overripe bananas

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup of unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1cup chocolate chips

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line your muffin tins.

 



In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt and set aside. Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork, set aside. With a mixer, mix the  remaining 2 bananas and sugar together really well. Add the butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat well. Mix in the flour  mixture  just until incorporated. Fold in the mashed bananas and chocolate chips. Spoon mixture into muffin tins. Bake approx. 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

The original recipe can be found at Food Network, Banana Nut Muffins by Tyler Florence. The only difference I made was I omitted the nuts and added chocolate chips.

Linking up with Let's Get Bananas,  Jessica and Kristin.

Roasted Asparagus

On several occasions while in the check out line at the grocery store, the check out lady will ask me "How do you fix your asparagus?"

Me: "It is so easy!"

Here is how I do it.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

First I rinse off the asparagus then snap off the ends. Then put the asparagus into a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. (I use a generous amount of salt and pepper). Mix with your hands until all spears are coated equally with oil, salt and pepper. Then spread the asparagus evenly on a sheet pan. (notice the photo above)  Bake in oven approx. 10 minutes.

Sometimes I prefer it to be more crispy so I leave it in a little longer or if I prefer it to be more raw I leave it in less time. Each time I do it , it depends on my mood how I roast it, so just play around with this until you figure out your preference.  Either way it is so simple and easy!

Enjoy!

Linking up with Let's Get Bananas and Blissfully Miller.

Almond Shortbread

I am a HUGE fan of sweets, chocolate, cookies, cake, anything with sugar actually. However I was doing well keeping my sugar intake in moderation till I made these! 

I first made this recipe for dessert at Easter and it was great then so I decided to make it again but this time I added a little chocolate on top. Everything is better with chocolate on top right?

Well anyway, I saw an episode of Trisha Yearwoods' new show on the Food Network. You can find the original recipe here.

Her recipe is cooked in a skillet, however I do not own a cast iron skillet, so I just line my casserole dish with foil or parchment paper and still cook as directed.

But here is the recipe anyway and you can revert back to  Trisha's Recipe  if you need to:

Almond Shortbread

1 & 1/2 cups plus 2Tbsp of sugar
3/4 cup of melted butter
2 large eggs
1 & 1/2 cups of all purpose flour.
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp of almond extract
1/2 cup of sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line your dish with foil or parchment.

Mix in a large bowl, 1 & 1/2 cups of sugar, butter, adding eggs and beat well, mix in flour and salt and almond extract. Pour the batter into dish and sprinkle sliced almonds on top & 2 Tbsp of remaining sugar. Bake for 35 minutes until slightly brown on the top. Let cool then remove from dish by lifting the paper, then cut into wedges or bars. But if you add chocolate wait before cutting!

I added chocolate this time!!!

In a medium mixing bowl:

1/2 stick of butter, melted
1/3 heaping cup of cocoa
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 tsp. almond extract

Mix and drizzle over almond shortbread. (you may need to add more milk to make it thinner, but if you do only add a small amount at a time till desired consistency)

YUMMY!!

Linking up to Taste of Tuesday! at Let's Get Bananas and Blissfully Miller!

Strawberry Pie

Strawberry season is upon us, the urge to find a strawberry patch is tempting and while I would love to go an pick my own I decided that Saturday I was going to venture out to our local farmer's market to purchase some for myself  my family.

First stop, the farmer's market. NO STRAWBERRIES! I walked through that  market like a woman on a mission with no success. Discouraged that I may not be making the strawberry pie I had been craving, I decided to try across town where I had seen a local farmer set up his own personal strawberry stand. But first I had to stop at a store for a quick run in to pick up an item that I had forgotten earlier in the week and as I pulled into store, I took a quick glance and did not see that man at his strawberry stand. Disappointed and aggravated that it is strawberry season and I wanted fresh strawberries not the ones in the plastic containers at the supermarket. Not there is anything wrong with them but I just wanted fresh, picked today strawberries, full of flavor and yummy goodness!

I got what I needed in the store then as I was leaving the parking lot, there he was, putting is buckets full of strawberries out to sell. YES!!!!! I whipped my car in and purchased one bucket full of strawberries!

Home I went, smelling those sweet strawberries, sunroof open, windows and rocking out to LMFAO in the new minivan. Oh yeah, moms are cool even in minivans. You know, within the last week, I have been passed by more people since driving this minivan than I EVER have. And I will be honest, I am a speeder   good driver and obey all limits within a range if you will. Just because I drive a minivan does not mean that I drive slow! Anyway, where was I?

So I got home and washed all the berries and waited for them to dry a little then I made 2 pies, one for us and one to share. The second one went to my mother-in-law for Mother's Day.

This recipe is from an old country church cookbook and it makes 1 pie, I doubled the recipe and made 2 pies.

I purchased a packaged pie crust to save time but I am sure that this pie would be absolutely yummy with a homemade crust. The recipe calls for a deep dish pie shell, but the only ones I had on hand were the regular pie crust and it worked just fine. Just be careful not to overfill the pie with the jello mixture. Oh and I added as many strawberries as I wanted which I am sure was more than 1 qt. like the recipe called for.

Ready for the recipe?

Strawberry Pie:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 qt. fresh strawberries
1 T. cornstarch
1 (3 oz.) package of strawberry jello
1 deep dish pie shell, cooked
Container of Cool Whip

Boil sugar, cornstarch and water till thick and clear. Add jello and stir well. Set aside. Place strawberries in cooked pie shell then pour the jello mixture over the strawberries. Place in the refrigerator to cool and set up. When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator and top with Cool Whip. Serve.

Yummy!

Linking up with Taste of Tuesday.

Homemade Cheeseburger Pizza

OK, so if you know me well, you know that my FAVORITE pizza place has a Cheeseburger Pizza. So one afternoon, I really wanted this pizza but was not in the mood nor did we feel like driving to get it. So what is a girl to do? Well, you make one yourself!

Here is my version of a Cheeseburger Pizza.

I cook hamburger and bacon (in the oven) and while that is cooking I get started on the crust.

I have made the crust from scratch and it is very good but at this particular time, I had a little help from Martha White :)

Just make the crust, whether you make it from scratch or from a package. (the crust bakes half the time now and will finish baking after you add your ingredients).

When the crust is cooking, diced a tomato and set aside. 

When the hamburger is finished cooking, drain and set aside. After the bacon has cooked and cooled, crumble it and set it aside.

Then make your "sauce" for the pizza. This is the secret.....  ;)  Mix ketchup and mustard together, you can use equal parts or if you are like us, add a little extra mustard.

It will look like this.

Then you are ready to build your pie.

Spread sauce over the crust, then spread the hamburger, bacon, diced tomato, and shredded cheese than bake at the same temperature you baked your crust for around 10 to 15 minutes (depending how you like your pie).  I leave mine in a little extra time, just to make sure the crust is done and it is crispy on top.





 On this particular day, as you can see, I added mushrooms. I have altered this basic method many ways, different veggies, sauces, cheeses. You really cannot mess this up.

Enjoy!

Cupcakes Made With Beets!

Gorgeous Beets from our garden. Last year they did not do so well, I am talking one beet. So this year to say that I was impressed was an understatement!

Wondering what to do with these? Well, why not make cupcakes! Yep, you heard, ok read it right, CUPCAKES!

 First a little bit of the roasted beets in the food processor with a little olive oil and this is what you get. Then follow the recipe!

I saw this recipe on TV a while back and thought to myself if I ever get beets out of my garden, this will be one recipe that I must try, just to see what it would taste like!

Here is the recipe (Red Velvet Cupcakes)

The idea is to use the beets instead of artificial food coloring to make the cupcakes red.

I followed the recipe but I added unsweetened dark cocoa instead of  regular unsweetened cocoa. So it made my cupcakes look like chocolate cupcakes instead of red velvet cupcakes. And when I was ready to pour the batter into the muffin cups, it actually made 24 instead of 12 cupcakes. And no, we did not eat them all, all because I put over half of them in the extra refrigerator and forgot about them!

I know, not a good photo but at least you can see that the cupcake is in fact chocolate!  I did follow the icing recipe exactly and the combination was good. The cake was good and I could tell that there was a little something added in, but my boys.....LOVED IT!!  They were a hit in our house! But my boys love beets (they knew that beets were used to make the cupcakes). Anyway, give it a shot, at least it is one way to get kids to eat their veggies!