Lemon Bars

This recipe is from my sister Jennifer, who is one of the best bakers I've ever known! She's perfected this recipe and it is amazing. It makes a huge batch, which makes it easy to share.

Lemon Bars

Crust:
1 1/4 c. butter, cold
1/2 c. + 2 T. powdered sugar
2 1/4 c. flour
1/8 + a pinch of salt

Mix sugar, flour and salt together and then cut the cold butter into the mixture until you have very fine crumbs. Spread crumbs evenly onto a jelly roll pan (17.5" X 12" cookie sheet with sides) and press the crust down, working your way all around the pan so that it is evenly distributed. Bake the crust in a 350 degree oven for 10-14 minutes, watching very closely so it doesn't burn or get brown. Cool.

Filling:
4 c. sugar
2/3 c. flour
8 eggs
3/4 c. lemon juice (fresh or bottled)

Mix sugar and flour together. Mix eggs and lemon juice just until combined; don't beat or there will be a foamy surface. Stir dry and liquid ingredients together until combined and very smooth.

Pour filling over cooled crust and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, without browning the top. Sides will get brown, but the entire center should stay yellow.

Remove from oven and immediately take a metal spatula, dip it in powdered sugar and pry the edges away from the sides of the pan. Continue dipping the spatula in the powdered sugar as it gets sticky. Dust a very generous amount of powdered sugar over the top of the lemon bars. Let the pan cool completely in the fridge, overnight works well. When it's cool, carefully cut all four sides off and then cut the lemon bars into equal pieces.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

I don't have much time at all for Pinterest, but I sometimes have the urge to browse the various boards of my friends' and see what I might want to try. I've tried quite a few things that I've found, but not many have worked out well enough to want to try again. However, when I saw a picture of Cinnamon Roll Pancakes posted, I thought it would be a fun recipe to try for Sunday morning breakfast. And, wow, were they AMAZING!

Although my finished product didn't look as pretty as the posted pictures, they tasted way better than I had expected. They were so sweet that I think they should be considered more of a dessert than breakfast. As a matter of fact, we had enough batter and toppings left over, that we made them for the missionaries for a dessert after our Sunday dinner and they loved them!

The original recipe that I pinned was this one from www.recipegirl.com. 

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Cinnamon Filling:

4 T. butter, melted but not boiling

1/4 + 2 T.  brown sugar

1/2 T. cinnamon

Cream Cheese Icing:

4 T. butter, softened

2-oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. powdered sugar

1/2 t. vanilla

Pancakes:

1 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 c. milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 T. oil

Prepare the cinnamon filling: In a quart sized zip-lock bag, put all three ingredients and mix until smooth. Set aside.

Prepare the icing: In a quart sized zip-lock bag, put all the ingredients and mix (by squeezing ingredients) until smooth. Set aside.

Prepare the pancake batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in the milk, egg and oil, just until batter is moistened.

Heat a large, nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and spray with nonstick spray. Use a 1/3 c. measuring cup to put batter on the hot pan. Use the bottom of the cup to spread the batter into a circle about 4-inches in diameter. Reduce the heat to medium low. Once you see bubbles start to form, snip the corner of your zip-lock bag of cinnamon filling and squeeze the filling on top of the pancake batter in a swirl, like shown in the top picture (making sure not to get close to the edge). Cook the pancake a couple of minutes longer, or until the bubbles start to pop and then use a metal spatula to flip the pancake (gently). Cook an additional couple of minutes, until the bottom is light brown and then take off the heat and flip onto a plate, with the swirl showing. Snip the tip of the icing bag and pipe some icing onto the pancake.

*You will want to wipe off your griddle/pan and spatula before starting another batch, as they get sticky and start to burn.

Asian Noodle Salad

I have made this for a couple of years and it is hands-down my all-time favorite salad. I got the recipe from the Pioneer Woman. I really love all of the recipes I've tried of hers, but this is one is my favorite. I believe she was inspired by a recipe from the Naked Chef.

I always forgot how much time it takes to cut all the vegetables up and what an incredible mess it makes. It also makes enough salad to feed an huge army, so if you are not feeding an army, be careful! I usually make it and only dress what I need, putting the leftover veggies and noodles in ziplock bags with a little dressing in a side bag, and then toss a small version for lunches the next few days.

I've used Asian rice noodles instead of linguini before, but I didn't like it nearly as much.

Asian Noodle Salad

1 pkg. linguine noodles, cooked, rinsed & cooled

1/2 head sliced napa cabbage

1/2 head sliced purple cabbage

1/2 bag baby spinach

1 of each red, yellow & orange bell peppers, thinly sliced

1 bag mung bean sprouts

1 bunch chopped cilantro

3 whole scallions, sliced

3 whole cucumbers, peeled & sliced

1 10-oz. can cashews

Mix the noodles and vegetables in a very large bowl, toss with the dressing and top with cashews. 

For the dressing:

1 whole lime, juiced

8 T. olive oil

8 T. soy sauce

2 T. sesame oil

1/2 c. brown sugar

3 T. fresh ginger, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeño, seeded & chopped

I like to put the dressing in my Blendtec blender to insure that everything is chopped super fine, but you can also do it all by hand. 

Key Lime Pie Pops

My dessert club has been a really fun excuse to try new recipes that I would normally never try. I tend to stick with my favorite recipes for desserts and don't usually branch out at all. June's theme was "FROZEN" and I knew I wanted to do some kind of popsicle. I thought it would be fun to do a key lime pie pop and as luck would have it, there was a lot of information on the internet. I found a couple of recipes, played with them, and this is what I came up with.

When cutting the key limes, I was dying at how cute they were. The picture below really doesn't do them justice, as you can't tell how tiny and miniature they are. I wanted to incorporate the lime slice somehow, so I cut a thin slice to put at the top. Not only was it cute, but it also gave the straw something to hold it up. However, when eating the popsicle, once you got to the lime at the bottom, it was really sour. I don't think I would add it when I make them again. 

I used small, clear "shot glasses" from a party store, and cut party straws. For our dessert club, we have to taste so many desserts, that we serve such small portions. These would be fabulous in a normal size popsicle mold.

Key Lime Pie Pops

1 14-oz. can of sweetened condensed milk

1 c. half and half

3/4 c. fresh key lime juice (about 2 lbs. of limes)

2 t. key lime zest

1/8 t. salt

2 c. graham cracker crumbs

Combine all ingredients, except for graham cracker crumbs. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for about 5 hours. If you are not using conventional popsicle molds, you can add your sticks after about 2 hours. Right before serving the popsicles, take them out of the molds (run hot water over the mold, if needed) and roll the popsicle in cookie crumbs. 

My Favorite GREEN Smoothie

My friend, Bonnie McMillan visited last summer. She had taught me how to make her favorite green smoothie and I fell in love with it. She had a bag of this peanut butter/cocoa powder mix and I used it for a few months until it was suddenly gone. I looked everywhere for it and just kept forgetting to ask her where she buys hers. Finally, I contacted her and she told me it was at Whole Foods. I looked there, even asking all the staff about it, but we couldn't find it anywhere. A few weeks ago, I was in my local Giant grocery store and in the peanut butter isle, I saw a container of PB2 powder and realized that it was the same thing. It was different packaging that Bonnie had used, but it was the same powder. So, if you are looking for it at your local grocery store, check in the peanut butter section.

You really have to try this smoothie before judging it. My boys won't touch it because of the color, but it really tastes like a yummy milkshake. It's cool and refreshing and perfect for a hot summer morning.

Green Smoothie

1 c. coconut milk (any milk can be used)
1 c. ice
2 T. PB2 powder
1 T. agave syrup (more or less to taste)
2 c. loosely packed spinach leaves

Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Egg McMuffins TO GO!

Last night we got to have 6 boys from our stake stay at the night as part of their weekend youth conference. They were so much fun and very well behaved! When they got to our house last night, I had Rolo cookies waiting for them which they all loved and they ate a ton.

Earlier this week, a few of us friends went to lunch and were talking about our youth conference groups staying at our homes. My darling friend (and neighbor!) told us she was making egg mcmuffins for breakfast, since the kids had to be at the church at 6:30 a.m. I had been thinking about how to do breakfast since they were going to have to run so quickly, so I was excited for the idea. Rochelle said that she used to make them to take to her early morning seminary class. I loved the idea and whipped them up last night and this morning the boys loved them and were so happy that they could just grab a sandwich and jump in the car and go!

Egg McMuffins TO GO

12 English muffins
12 round pieces of ham or Canadian bacon
12 slices American cheese
20 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet (with sides) with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. In a bowl, beat the eggs, milk, salt & pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and bake for about 20-30 minutes until it is done. Remove from the oven and cut into 12 squares. 

Assemble the egg mcmuffins with the ham on one side of the muffin and the cheese on the other side, with the egg square in the middle. If making the night before, put them all on a cookie sheet, cover with saran wrap and refrigerate. When you are ready to heat them, cook uncovered for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Individually wrap in tin foil and they are ready to be transported anywhere!

Salted Caramel Sauce

This is the most amazing caramel sauce and takes minutes to make. The trick is you have to make it well in advance so it will cool and thicken a bit in your fridge before serving. My new favorite thing is to do is make yummy brownies, then set out ice cream, homemade hot fudge sauce and this caramel sauce, along with some great toppings for guests to make whatever they like. It's always a hit!

Salted Caramel Sauce

1 1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. water
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. salt

Heat the water and sugar in a larger heavy bottomed saucepan. Cook over  low heat for 5 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Do not stir! Increase heat to medium-high and boil, uncovered, until the sugar starts to turn a light brown/warm chestnut color (about 350 degrees on a candy thermometer). This will take about 5 minutes, but once it turns the light brown, it will burn very quickly, so don't let it get too dark. Do not stir at all, but you can swirl the pan a few times to get it mixed together. As soon as you feel it is a warm chestnut color, pull off heat immediately and add cream, vanilla and salt. Stand back and be very careful, as it will bubble violently. Quickly add back to the burner and stir, while on medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes until it is all combined and solidified. Take off heat and pour caramel into a glass jar. Refrigerate (freeze if you are in a hurry) and wait until it is a bit thicker. Usually about an hour or two is sufficient. To heat up, microwave for 30 seconds at a time until hot.