Easy Lemon Bars

I've never been a fan of lemon bars, but I had some extra lemon juice and decided to whip up a batch. Pretty simple. Pretty delicious. Empty pan. Bummer!

Easy Lemon Bars For the crust:

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour Mix it up and smoosh it in a 9x13 pan. (Can use 9x9, but bars will need to bake longer!) Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes until it's starting to brown. To make the filling:

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups white sugar 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 2/3 cup lemon juice Mix this up and pour it over the partially baked crust. Bake an additional 20 minutes or so. Let cool completely before trying to dig in or it gets messy (but still delicious!)

Zucchini Brownies

Zucchini Brownies

I know it sounds weird, but I've made these several times and no one guesses that there is zucchini in these... If you're skeptical, it's worth a shot for all the extra zucchini at this time of year!

2 cups shredded zucchini (frozen from last year works too!)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 egg (eggs make these more cake-ish, so if you want fudge brownies, leave out the eggs - they still turn out fine)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups flour (wheat flour works great)

1/2 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips - optional

Combine all ingredients. Grease a 9x13 pan.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 mins.

Frosting

6 TBS cocoa powder

1/4 cup melted margarine

2 cups powdered sugar

1 TBS milk (use more or less for desired consistency)

1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine and spread over cooled brownies. SUPER YUM!

Oat & Jam Bars

I found this recipe on AllRecipes.com and thought it was so easy and yummy. I just had to share!

Oat & Jam Bars

1 cake mix, yellow or white

2 1/2 cups oats

3/4 cup margarine

Mix that in a bowl until clumpy and sticky.

Take about 1/2 of the mix and press it into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.

1 1/2 cups of jam - strawberry, raspberry, whatever

1 TBS lemon juice or water

Mix that together until smooth. Spread evenly ontop of the pressed in layer.

Use the rest of the cake mix to sprinkle/crumble the top.

Oven at 375 - 15-20 minutes...............How quick is that??

And it uses food storage oats and can be adapted for anyone's taste!! YAY!

(Chloe even "helped" stir - aka eat the crumbles - while I spread the jam.)

Hot Cocoa Mix

If you're a hot cocoa princess like me, and only like the expensive stuff, you can try this mix.


4 cups powdered milk
4 cups powdered sugar (less if desired)
3 cups Nesquik powder
2 cups powdered creamer
2/3 cup Nestle Cocoa Powder
1 tsp salt


Mix dry ingredients in HUGE bowl.
Add 1/3 cup mix to 1 cup hot water.

Peanut Butter Cookies

I got this recipe from my mom's 1970's Betty Crocker book. I've used it so often because it's easy and YUMMY!

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup butter flavored shortening
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt


1. Mix sugars, peanut butter, shortening, butter and egg in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.

2. Heat oven to 375ºF.

3. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with fork dipped into sugar.

4. Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

Kierston's Cookie Dough Smash Balls

Our favorite "Special K" made these and brought them into Dispatch. After telling her they were not cooked, I decided they were still good, and worth putting on here. Enjoy!

2 cups Bisquick

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips

Mix it up. Roll into balls. Roll around in sugar to cover.

Press with fork.

Bake 3 minutes. (I'd bake them longer though...)

Left Over Rice.. Rice Pudding!!

This is so easy and so yummy! I made it the other day because I had tons of left over rice from a dinner I had made. Here is the recipe, I hope you like it! We just added Cinnamon and my family loved it. No raisins or nuts were added. Add what you would like.. Good Luck!

2 cups cooked rice (brown or white)

about 3 cups milk

1/2 cup splenda or sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup raisins or fruit of choice..I used Regular and golden raisins

Spices to taste ...like cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice..etc

Walnuts for a crunch if you like

All add ingredients to the cooked rice except the spices and bring to a boil. Boil for a few minutes and then cook until most of the milk is absorbed. Once you get to your desired consistency, add your spices. Add the nuts if you want. Serve hot or cold! 

Homemade Brownies

2 sticks margarine

2 cups white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Whisk together dry ingredients. Add in wet ingredients, mix well.

Oven to 350. Spray the pan. 9x13 is minimum size.

35-40 minutes.

I've been looking for a good recipe and these turned out great. You could even omit the brown sugar and just use 3 cups regular white sugar.

Kentucky Butter Cake

Simple recipe for a yummy cake I've made twice in two weeks. It's a great substitute for a yellow cake mix!! Very much like a pound cake. I used a 9x13 pan the first time I made this. It turned out well. The 2nd time, I did 2 - 9inch cake round pans. Next time, I think I'll do 3 - 8inch cake rounds or just the 9x13 / 11x15 pan. It makes quite alot of batter. Bake time is long, but so worth it!

Ingredients

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk (1 cup milk + 1 tbs cream of tartar, microwave 30 seconds)
  
• 1 cup butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, 2 cups sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Blend in buttermilk, 1 cup of butter, 2 teaspoons of vanilla and 4 eggs. Beat for 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

Zucchini Brownies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 2 cups chocolate chips
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and chocolate chips. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched.

Moose Balls

We've been calling these lovely things "Moose Balls" but they are really called Buckeyes. Who cares, cuz they are DE-LISH! It's no use making this recipe with the following measurements though: you at least have to double it - then you can share in dispatch!

• 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
  
• 6 squares Almond Bark (or 1 cup chocolate chips)
  
• 1tablespoon shortening
  

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and confectioners sugar with hands to form a smooth stiff dough.

Shape into balls using 2 teaspoons of dough for each ball.

Place on prepared pan, and freeze for 20 minutes.

Melt shortening and chocolate together in a metal bowl over a pan of lightly simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth, and remove from heat.

Remove balls from freezer. Insert a wooden toothpick into a ball, and dip into melted chocolate. Return to wax paper, chocolate side down, and remove toothpick. Repeat with remaining balls.

Freeze for 30 minutes to set.

Blueberry or Strawberry Torte

This is a favorite at 911 dispatch:
Ingredients:
1 8oz Cream Cheese
2/3 cup butter
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 large can Fruit Pie Filling (Blueberry, Raspberry, Cherry, or Danish Dessert and fresh strawberries)
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup Sugar
1/3 cup Lemon Juice
2 1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs (approx. 30 crackers)

First:
melt 2/3 cup butter
Stir in
2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar.

Pat tightly into 9x13 pan. (Don't press too hard-or it makes the crust hard to cut)
Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes
Cool crust.

Mix together until smooth:
8 oz cream cheese(softened)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice

Spread over cooled crust.
Spread large can of fruit filling on top.(I wanted Strawberry and they don't make it in a can, so I used Danish Dessert and fresh strawberries. Mix Danish Dessert as to package for pie.

Chill for 4 hours or over night.

Enjoy.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake

So freaking good - My Grandma made this one year for my birthday and we ate it all, so she made another one a few days later. YUM!

1 package devils food cake mix
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure almond extract (optional)



Mix all ingredients in large mixing bowl until thick and well blended. Pour the batter in greased 9x13 pan.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Frost with chocolate frosting when cool.

PS- I usually reserve a little of the cherry pie filling to mix in with the chocolate frosting just for an extra cherry kick!

Holiday Chex Mix

Since I will not be making it this year..... I though I would pass on the recipe

2 Cups Coconut
2 Cups Slivered Almonds
1/2 Large Box Rice Chex
1/2 Large Box Corn Chex
1/2 Large Box Golden Grahams
3 Cubes Butter
2 Cups Sugar
2 Cups White Karo Syrup

Boil butter, sugar & Karo, 6-8 min. Pour over dry mixture.

Creamy Caramels

Holly mentioned it, so here it is: the caramels recipe. Get ready to STIR!

1 Cup butter
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 dash salt
1 Cup light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter in large heavy saucepan.
Add sugar and salt. Add in corn syrup and milk, stirring constantly.
Cook and stir over medium heat to 245 on candy thermometer.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Pour onto greased 9x13 pan.
Cool thoroughly.
Turn out onto buttered cutting board and cut into 1" pieces.
Wrap with wax paper.

Pecan Pie Bars

Crust:
1 1/2 Cups butter or margarine
1 Cup powdered sugar
3 Cups all purpose flour

Mix together, press in ungreased 9x13 pan. Form lip for filling.
Bake 20-25 minutes @ 350. Bring out of oven.


Filling:
3 eggs
2 Cups pecans, chopped
1 Cup granulated sugar
1 Cup corn syrup
2 TBS butter
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients, pour over the partially baked crust.
Return to oven, 35-40 minutes until set.