Lemon Bars

1/2 c soft butter
1/4 c powdered sugar
1 c flour

Cream butter and sugar; add four.
Spread into 8x8 pan
Bake at 325 for 15-20 min

While crust is baking, prepare next layer:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 T flour
2 T lemon juice
grated lemon rind ( 1/2 lemon)
Beat eggs slightly & add sugar, flour & lemon rind.
Mix well. Pour over the hot crust

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 325
Remove and sprinkle with powdered sugar
Cool before cutting into finger cookies
 

pumpkin spice cookies

Katie first made these for us one year in Rockville, couldn't believe how Delicious and EASY!!

1 sm can of pumpkin
1 box of Spice Cake mix
1/3 Cup water
1/2 bag of chocolate chips

Add all ingredients and mix!
Cook at 350* about 8-11 minutes.

***You can drop them onto a cookie sheet for cookies or into muffin papers for muffins.

Make them into whoopie pies:

for the cookies:
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 package spice cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk

for the marshmallow spice filling:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
half of a 7-oz. jar marshmallow cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or foil (grease foil, if using).

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat pumpkin and butter on medium until smooth. Add cake mix, eggs, and milk; beat on low speed until combined, and then on medium speed for one minute.

3. By the heaping tablespoon, drop mounds of batter on cookie sheet; keep remaining batter chilled. Bake 15 minutes or until set and lightly browned around edges. Carefully remove from parchment or foil; cool on wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, using new parchment paper for each batch.

If desired, place cookies in a covered storage container with waxed paper between layers to prevent sticking. Store cookies at room temperature for 24 hours. Prepare marshmallow spice filling up to 2 hours before serving.

4. To make marshmallow spice filling, beat 1/2 cup softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, marshmallow cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Beat until well combined.

5. Spread about 2 1/2 tablespoons filling on flat side of one cookie; top with a second cookie. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 2 hours.

Makes 15 whoopies.

peanut butter cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies Preheat Oven to 350 degree

Megan's class did a geneology cook book and this was in it. I quess it is now old fashion to cook with a cake mix...

1 pkg Yellow cake Mix

1 cup Peanut Butter

½ c oil

2 T Water

2 eggs

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Drop from teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Press crisscross on with fork dipped in water or sugar.

Bake 350  10-12 minutes

Peanut Butter Cups: make dough and place a ball in a mini muffin tin. Cook for 8 minutes Remove and press an unwrapped Reeses PB cup into each cookie and bake another 2-4 minutes

Triple  peanut butter cookies:
Add 1 cup reese's pieces and 1 cup peanut butter chips , Roll into balls and bake

Or make them from scratch- from Six Sister's recipes

These cookies are a peanut butter lovers dream come true! Soft, chewy and delicious!

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine (room temperature)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1½ cups peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup Reese's Pieces
• 1 cup peanut butter chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix butter, sugar and peanut butter together. Add eggs, flour, baking soda and vanilla extract. Fold in Reese's Pieces and peanut butter chips. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Banana Cake

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• optional  add 1/2 c nuts

Directions

1. Prepare yellow cake mix according to package directions.
2. Mash the bananas with the baking soda and stir into the cake mix batter. Pour batter into one greased and floured 9x13 inch baking pan.
3. Do not preheat oven. Place uncooked cake in oven and turn oven on to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for 1 hour (watch time). Let cake cool thoroughly and then refrigerate.  Bake less time if making cupcakes          Only 100 calories per serving!

Broccoli Rice Soup

This is super fast and easy to make for a last minute meal...


Ingredients:
1 package Rice-a-Roni Wild Rice (can be chicken flavored)
5 cups water with 5t chicken broth
10 oz pkg frozen broccoli-I use 1-2 bunches of fresh, chopped up
1 shredded carrot
1 can cream chicken soup, I use fat free
1 8oz  cream cheese, low fat work best
2 tsp dried minced onion
slivered almonds to garnish

Directions:
Cook Rice-a-Roni in water for 10 minutes using rice and seasoning packet.  Add broccoli, carrot and onion and simmer for 5 more minutes.  ( hint: prepare your vegtables while rice is cooking).  Stir in cream of chicken soup and cream cheese.  Heat on low until cheese is melted.  
Serve with slivered almonds.

Elise's Homemade Vanilla Granola

I am  heading to Rockville this week with my girls and the only request I had was to take granola.   love  granola and  found this recipe on my Kathy G's blog and it is our favorite.

8 c. oats
2 c. sliced almonds
1 c. wheat germ
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp cinnamon
craisins or raisins, to taste (optional)
3/4 c. canola oil
1 c. honey
3 Tbsp. vanilla (use the real stuff if you have it-- it tastes much better)

Preheat oven to 300-degrees. Combine first 8 ingredients (dry ingredients) in a large bowl. In a saucepan combine oil, honey, and vanilla and bring to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute then pour over oat mixture. Mix until all ingredients are moistened. Divide and spread mixture over 2 large cookie sheets and bake at 300-degrees for 20-30 minutes. Remove from oven and leave on pans until the granola hardens (it may be a little chewy and that's ok.. if you prefer it not to be chewy at all, allow to dry completely). Break up granola and store in large Ziploc bags or containers. Serve plain, with yogurt, or with milk.

Rhodes Lemon or Orange Pull-aparts

Being Relief Society president, I am always looking for ways to make quick and easy yet not too sweet things to take people.  These are great...I  have tried both flavors, both my favorite!


20 Rhodes dinner rolls, thawed

2 lemons or 1 orange peel, grated

¼ c. butter, melted

½ c. sugar

Citrus Glaze:

1 c. powdered sugar

1 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon or orange juice

Thaw rolls until soft (about 2 hours at room temperature). Grate lemon or orange peel and
mix with sugar. Cut thawed rolls in half and place in 9 X 13 inch pan that has been sprayed
with nonstick cooking spray. Melt ¼ cup butter and pour over rolls. Sprinkle with rind/sugar
mixture, reserving ½ of the mixture to sprinkle just before baking. Cover with plastic wrap that
has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Let rise until double in size. Remove wrap and
sprinkle on remaining rind/sugar mixture. Bake at 350 F. for 20 to 25 minutes.
I used two round pans and they cooked more even....then you can give away one and keep one!

To make citrus glaze, combine powdered sugar, citrus juice, and melted butter and mix until
thin. Glaze rolls while still warm.

Tortilla Soup

This was on my friend, Halli's blog...now it is our favorite too!!
I made home made broth and boiled a 1/2 cup of brown rice in 4-5 cups till cooked then added 1 can diced tomatos and 4oz fresh green chilis, beans and chicken it was great!

Jackie James's Tortilla Soup

1 family-sized (or 3 small) can of chicken and rice soup
1 can diced tomatoes and green chile's (11.5 ounce)
1 can Ranch Style beans (15 ounce) - black label
1-2 chicken breasts cooked and shredded
3 cups chicken broth

Cook over medium heat. Spoon into bowls and add tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream (we use plain Greek yogurt instead), avocados, and cilantro. Serves 4-6.

No Knead Bread

Lisa Billings in our ward taught us how to make this bread, it is super easy and always turns out great. You have to have a dutch oven or a pan or pot with a lid that can go in the oven.

in a large bowl add:
1 1/2 c water, warm
sprinkle with 1/4 t yeast
Dump on top:
3 cups flour, any kind, can use 1/2 ww
1 1/2 t salt
Then mix together with a wooden spoon just till a dough is formed, should be sticky
Leave in bowl and cover with saran wrap and let sit on counter for 12-24 hours
(dough will triple in size)

When ready to bake, preheat oven with dutch oven in it to 425( light color) 450 (darker)
remove dough from the bowl onto well floured surface and fold over a few times and form into ball. Remove pot from oven, plop dough in hot pot cover with lid.
Bake for 30 minutes, remove lid and continue to Bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from pan and cool on counter.

Baked Ziti

super easy-my kids loved it....

1 jar (26 oz) pasta sauce
2 cups water
1 cup ricotta cheese or cottage cheese( reg or low fat) I liked cottage cheese better
2T Parmesan cheese
1/2 c grated mozzarella cheese
12 ounce uncooked ziti

Preheat oven to 400. Combine pasta sauce and water in a large bowl. Stir in Ricotta and Parmesan cheese , then the uncooked ziti.
Evenly spoon in to a 13x9 pan cover tightly iwth foil and bake 50-55 minutes
Remove foil and sprinkle with mozzerella cheese
Bake uncovered an additional 5 minutes

Cafe Rio Recipes

Sweet barbacoa pork
We smoke  a pork butt, at end if needs to cook more, wrap in foil and add 1/2 can coke and bake at 300 till reaches 180 degrees and shred then we add sauce and heat through before serving.
actual recipe is:
Marinade Pork butt in 1 can coke, not diet and 1/2 c brown sugar in ziploc overnight then
Cook in crock pot, drain marinade add 1/2 can coke and 1/2 t garlic salt and cook on high for 34 hours and shred then add sauce and return to crock pot and heat through on low .
Add sauce:
14 oz enchilada sauce
1 cup brown sugar
1 can green chilis
1/2 t garlic salt
1/2 can coke, optional

Lime Cilantro Rice
2 cup rice, long grain
4 cup water
2T butter or oil
2t minced garlic
4 t chicken bullion or cubes
1T lime juice

Add to rice cooker and cook
Mix together and fluff into cooked rice while hot
1/2 c cilantro chopped finely
1 T lime juice
1T sugar

Creamy tomatillo Dressing
1 pck hidden valley ranch dressing mix
1 cup mayonaise
1 cup  milk, i use butter milk
2-3 tomatillos, remove husks  cut in 1/2
1 bunch cliantro, cut off stems
1 generous tsp garlic, minced
juice of 1 lime, can use 2
1 jalapeno, seeded
throw it all into blender and blend, refridgerate.

Chuy's jalepeno dip
1 1/3 c mayonnaise
1/3 c buttermilk
1/3 c jalapeno
1/3 c chilis, green diced
1/3 c cilantro leaves
1 1 oz ranch dressing mix
 mix in blender or processor till smooth and serve.




Cafe Rio Flour tortillas

• 3 c. flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 c. shortening
• 3/4 c. very hot water

• 1
  In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together. Cut in the shortening with your fingers or pastry cutter until the flour is crumbly. Add the water and mix until the dough comes together. Place on a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in bowl, cover with a slightly damp dishtowel and let sit for an hour. Divide the dough into 5-6 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball (if you are making soft taco sized tortillas, divide it into 10-12 pieces).
• 2
  Preheat a large skillet or pan to medium-high heat. Use a well-floured rolling pin to roll a dough ball into a thin, round tortilla (if you want it perfectly round, get a large round plate or serving platter, flip it upside down over the dough and cut out the circle). Place into the hot skillet, and cook until bubbly, golden, and no appearance of doughy-ness, about 1 minute (DON’T OVERCOOK.. remember these are supposed to be soft flour tortillas, you don’t want them to be crispy); flip and continue cooking until golden on the other side. Place the cooked tortilla in a tortilla warmer or on a large plate, covering with a slightly damp towel. Repeat with remaining dough.

Sweet Texan Cornbread

Making this today for A Pep Band Chili Dinner....I finally found the recipe from Lyndsee Bates, Cedar Park Ward

½ c. butter, melted
1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
1 can cream style corn
1 egg
1 heaping Tblspn. sugar

Melt butter in 8 X 8 pan (or I’ve used a pie dish, or round cake pan).
Mix together egg, creamed corn, and cornbread mix.
Mix well and add sugar.
Pour into pan and stir into butter, until just blended.
Cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Serves 12

1 1/4 cups graham-cracker crumbs (from 10 whole crackers
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted


4 packages (8 ounces each) bar cream cheese, very soft
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons pumpkin-pie spice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in center. Assemble a 9-inch nonstick springform pan, with the raised side of the bottom part facing up

Make the crust: In a medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter until moistened; press firmly into bottom of pan. Bake until golden around edges, 10 to 12 minutes.

Make the filling: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth; mix in flour (do not overmix). Add pumpkin puree, pie spice, vanilla, and salt; mix just until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated before adding the next.Place springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour filling into springform, and gently smooth top. Transfer to oven; reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Bake 45 minutes. Turn off oven; let cheesecake stay in oven 2 hours more (without opening).Remove from oven; cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. Unmold before serving.

Christmas Cheesecake

It has kind of been a tradition to make Cheesecake for a crowd on Christmas but this year, I decided to make lots of different cheesecakes. We had several families and the missionaries over and since cream cheese was on sale, it was cheaper then buying them.
This recipe is out of the Lion House Recipe Book and I always use it for plain cheesecake I made a raspberry sauce with danish desert and served on the side. I also made a chocolate one which was everyone's favorite and a pumpkin cheesecake. I thought the pumpkin was to die for but it slid out of the fridge and fell on the floor while it was setting up so we saved what we could but had to throw most away. I will make it again.

Cheesecake
Crust:
6 tablespoons butter, melted
26 graham crackers, crushed (1 graham cracker = half a sheet)
6 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix together and press into 9" springform pan. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes. Let cool.

Center layer:
4 eggs, well beaten
1 cup sugar
3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat until smooth and pour over crust. Bake 30-40 minutes at 350, then let cool for 30 minutes.

Top layer:
3 cups sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Blend together and pour over cooled cake. Bake at 475 for 5 minutes. Cool for 1/2 hour then place in fridge until ready to serve. Best if made the day before serving. Top with fresh fruit or pie fillings.

To prevent the top from cracking, be careful not to overmix the batter, and do not open the oven door while the cake is baking or cooling inside the oven.

Note: To make the crumbs for the crust, pulse graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground. Or, if you prefer, substitute the same amount of packaged graham-cracker crumbs.