Strawberry Lemon Bars

Strawberry Lemon Bars--Adapted from a recipe on norecipes.com

makes about 12 lemon bars

for crust:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup of powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 tablespoons of softened salted butter, cut into 1/4″ cubes (1 1/2 sticks)



for filling:

1 cup halved then sliced strawberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs lightly beaten
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2/3 cup lemon juice

powdered sugar for dusting

Line a 9″ x 13″ pan with enough parchment paper to go about 1″ up on all sides. In a bowl mix the flour, rolled oats, powdered sugar, and salt. Then add the vanilla.  Next, cut in butter with a fork until the dough looks like pea sized gravel. Sprinkle the dough evenly over the parchment lined sheet and use your fingers to press the dough into a uniform sheet of dough that goes about 1/2″ up all the sides. Put it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the strawberries and 1/4 cup of sugar and toss to coat. This will release excess moisture and sweeten the strawberries. To prepare the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and flour. Add the lemon juice and whisk to combine.

Remove the crust from the freezer and put in oven and bake for around 25 minutes, or until it is golden brown and fragrant. When the crust is done, take it out of the oven, then immediately scatter the strawberries around the crust, pour any juice from the strawberries into the lemon mixture and whisk to combine. Pour the lemon mixture over the strawberries.

Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F, then put the pan in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the center of the lemon bars doesn’t jiggle anymore. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely.

Refrigerate overnight (or for several hours).

Slice, then dust with powdered sugar and serve.

The powdered sugar will disappear into the bars after a few minutes (see picture above...I swear I dusted them). So only do it right before (or not at all--it really doesn't need it).

Fourth of July Cake

I made an Italian Cream Cake and decorated it for the Fourth of July cake decorating contest in Luna tonight. I just used M & Ms and pecan pieces. I had fun. Erin, if I don't win the contest you need to draw me a trophy for first place anyway!!

MILLIONAIRE PIE

1 8oz. pkg cream cheese
1 8oz. carton Cool Whip
1 small can crushed pineapple (I used 15 oz.)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. Fold in Cool Whip. Add pineapple and pecans. Pour into a graham cracker crust. Refrigerate to set.

I doubled the recipe and it made 3 large pies. I'm sure you are surprised that I am actually sending a recipe but this was so good and so easy. I got the recipe from my neighbor.

Apple French Toast

APPLE FRENCH TOAST

(My SIL shared this recipe with us at a family reunion - so good!)

(forgot to take a picture - this is all that was left!) 
This is so yummy and easy - plus you make it the night before so you just pop it in the oven the next morning!

1 c. brown sugar
1 cube butter/margarine
2 TBS. light corn syrup
4 c. peeled and sliced granny smith apples
2 TBS. Tapioca
4 eggs
1 c. milk
cinnamon
French Bread slices (slice thick)
Mix together sugar, butter and corn syrup.  Heat in microwave for 2 minutes.  Put in a 9x13 pan sprayed with Pam.  Cover with peeled, sliced apples.  Sprinkle with Tapioca.  Beat eggs and milk together.  Dip bread into mixture and put on top of apples.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes.  Serve with syrup and whipped cream.  (It doesn't really need any syrup - it makes it's own!)

Wheat-Black Bean Chili

Here is a very healthy recipe that is also very tasty! I know it sounds crazy, but the wheat is actually very tasty in this recipe. You can change this recipe any way you want - I looked at several different recipes on the internet and used what sounded good from different ones.

WHEAT - BLACK BEAN CHILI

2 c. wheat berries (wheat berry - meaning the whole wheat kernel)
1 onion, diced
4 or 5 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
4 tsp. beef bouillon granules
3 c. water
3 cans black beans
2 tsp. garlic salt (or more)
28 oz. crushed tomatoes
2 tsp. cumin
handful of cilantro, chopped into small pieces
(and maybe more cilantro for garnish if you want)

Soak wheat berries in water overnight in fridge. The next morning, drain water off of wheat berries and put in crockpot. Saute onion, garlic, and bell pepper in a little bit of oil until tender, and add to crockpot. Stir beef bouillon granules into water and add to crockpot. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Cook on high 1 hour, and on low until dinnertime.

Strawberry Banana Streusel Muffins

My husband likes to wake up with just enough (and I mean barely enough) time to get ready for work before heading out the door.  Because of this, he loves it when I have muffins in the freezer for him to just pop in the microwave before leaving.  He also LOVES strawberries, and it seems we often have bananas that are too ripe for eating.  Thus, these muffins were born.  I have also added pecans to the streusel topping which is DELIGHTFUL! You could also use blueberries or raspberries or blackberries or whatever, and I'm sure they would be good! 

Banana Streusel Muffins

4 C. flour

2 C. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

4 eggs
12 oz. vanilla or strawberry yogurt (I used half and half for the muffins above)
1/2 C. butter (or coconut oil...YUM!)
4 ripe bananas, mashed (2 C.)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 C. chopped strawberries (can be fresh, but strawberries that have been frozen and then thawed also work great)


Streusel:

3/4 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 C. flour
2 Tbsp. butter

In a large bowl combine dry ingredients.  In a small bowl, beat eggs, yogurt, butter, bananas, and vanilla.  Mix wet ingredients in with dry ingredients until moistened.  Add strawberries last and gently stir to evenly distribute strawberry chunks.  Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full.

Combine streusel ingredients (cut in butter).  Sprinkle over muffins (pressing it gently into the muffins helps it stay on when baking).

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.  (Makes about 30 muffins)

Coconut Chicken Salad w/ Warm Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette

I tried a recipe from Skinny Taste!  It was SO GOOD! The problem with DELICIOUS low-fat food is that you are sooo tempted to eat more than a serving (even though you're full). 

I didn't get a picture of mine, but here is a picture from the website:

And you can find the recipe HERE!