Creamy Lemon Crumb Squares

This is a light tasting, yummy treat that I found on the pioneerwoman.com. She has a lot of awesome recipes~I don't think I have tried many that I don't like!

I had some leftover lemons and thought this would make a good treat! I am always accused of only cooking/baking things that have chocolate in them! Well here is proof that I do make other things (although chocolate is good with everything right??!)!

This was simple and delicious. Make sure you give yourself time though, it says these are best cold out of the refrigerator!

Creamy Lemon Crumb Squares

(http://www.pioneerwoman.com/)

• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar (packed lightly)
• 1 cup oats
• 1 can (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cups lemon juice (it took about 2 1/2 lemons for me)
• zest of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix butter and brown sugar until well combined. Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Combine this with the sugar mixture. Add oats and combine well.

Press half of the crumb mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 11 inch pan. (It didn't say to grease the pan, but I did) Mix together condensed milk, lemon juice and lemon zest. Spread onto the bottom layer of the crumb mixture. Top with the other half of the crumb mixture, but don't press down.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Allow pan to sit on counter for 30 minutes after baking. Cut into squares and refrigerate for a couple of hours or until cool. Serve cool!

Slow-Cooked Shredded Beef Tacos

I found this recipe in a coupon insert in the Sunday paper. It is funny what you find when you are looking for good coupons to help save a little money!!

It looked good and used the crock pot so I was sold to try it (well I have had this recipe for about a month and finally got around to trying it!)!

It is super easy and turned out really moist and good. I used a frozen roast, so maybe that added more liquid.

I changed the recipe a little and we had great tacos tonight!

Slow-Cooked Shredded Beef Tacos

(from Sunday paper coupon insert)

• 1 taco seasoning packet


• 1 1/2 lb beef chuck roast (or whatever beef roast you have will probably work)


• 1 medium onion, sliced


• 1 cup water


• 1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies (I ended up not adding these)


• taco sauce

Place beef roast and onion in your crock pot. Combine water and taco seasoning mix in a small bowl. Pour over beef and onions. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until fork tender or can shred easily.

Transfer beef to cutting board and shred with 2 forks. Place in large bowl and stir in taco sauce and chilies (I didn't add any sauce or chilies. I just wanted a hint of taco flavor.)

Fill warm tortillas with beef and other yummy additions--lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, sourcream, refried beans, salsa, etc. I also made the yummy black bean and corn salad and ate that with tortilla chips and put it in our tacos. You can find that recipe in the salad section! ENJOY!!!

Jello cups

Hope everyone had a happy St. Patricks Day!!

I posted this recipe from Kraft foods at Valentines day, but I couldn't resist making them again for St. Patricks Day. These can be made for any holiday or any reason, just change the jello color to what you want! Check out the Cupids Cups in the Jello section for the recipe!

They are a super easy treat, and who doesn't love JELLO!!!

Jello Cups

(modified colors from the Cupids Cups post for Valentines Day!)

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

This recipe is one I have had before, but haven't had the recipe until now! I made it this weekend and it was great as usual! Serve it on croissants or your favorite bread!

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• 4 cups cubed chicken
• 2 cups celery
• 2 cups water chestnuts (we substituted and did chopped almonds in one batch and pecans in the other!)
• 4 tbsp chopped green onions
• 2 cups halved grapes or chopped apples
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• optional, add craisins

Dressing

• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1/2 miracle whip
• 4 tsp lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Mix together salad ingredients and set aside. Mix dressing ingredients and toss together with chicken mixture. Place on croissants or favorite bread and enjoy! Serves approximately 20 people!

That's the Best Frosting I've Ever Had

It is funny how you try a new thing, and then you see variations of the recipe everywhere! I was checking out the pioneer woman cooks and she posted a very similar frosting recipe and said it was the best too! This one looks like it makes more than the first one I posted! I am definitely hooked with this new recipe and I am going to take her word for it that this is just as wonderful as the one I tried!

So try both, I will definitely try this one!

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That’s the Best Frosting I’ve Ever Had
Added by missydew on August 12, 2009 in Desserts, Frosting/Icing
www.thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/
Prep Time 5 Minutes

Cook Time 10 Minutes Servings 12 Difficulty Easy

Ingredients
•1 cup Milk
•5 Tablespoons Flour
•1 teaspoon Vanilla
•1 cup Butter
•1 cup Granulated Sugar (not Powdered Sugar!)
Preparation Instructions
Bake your favorite chocolate cake and let it cool.

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. (If I’m in a hurry, I place the saucepan over ice in the sink for about 10 minutes or so until the mixture cools.) Stir in vanilla.

While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then add the cooled milk/flour/vanilla mixture and beat until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.

Grab a spoon and taste this wonderful goodness. If there is any left after your taste test, spread it on a cooled chocolate cake. Cut yourself a piece and put it on a pretty plate. Grab a fork and prepare to experience the most divine pairing you can imagine. This frosting on chocolate cake is to die for. Sure, the recipe sounds strange — it has flour in it — but it’s sublime. Try it, you’ll see. You’ll love it so much you won’t go back.

Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling

This frosting is one of the very best I have ever tasted! It definitely deserves the title of "Perfect"!! I tried it this weekend when we had a very special event at our house and I made cupcakes. I was a little nervous about experimenting, but it was a complete success!!

I didn't get any pictures of the finished cupcake, but I will say they were the best and there wasn't one leftover!! You wont be disappointed! Next time I am going to pipe some inside the cupcake, I can imagine that being really really good!!

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Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling

(recipe by www.ourbestbites.com)

• 3 tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup milk (whole milk works best, but she used non-fat and I used 1% and both were fine!)
• 1/2 cup real butter (make sure it is butter, not margarine!)
• 1/2 cup sugar (granulated, not powdered)
• 1 tsp vanilla, or other flavor if you wish!

Whisk together the flour and milk. Heat in a small saucepan on medium heat. Whisk continuously until it starts to thicken. I think this is the critical point for any of you who have had problems with this recipe. I have a feeling people are under-cooking this part. Let it cook, while stirring, until it looks like pudding (you should be able to see the bottom of the pan when you stir it). Put mixture in a mesh strainer and start pushing it through the strainer into another bowl, I used a spatula. Even though it's thick, you can still push it through a mesh strainer. (she used whisked the mixture in the strainer to push it through) Then let the mixture cool completely to room temp. or chill it in the fridge. It needs to be cooled completely. If you don't let it cool completely, it will melt the butter and you'll have runny frosting.

In an electric mixer, beat the butter and the sugar for a minute of two until well combined and fluffy. You'll want to use the whisk attachment on a stand mixer. Then while beating, add in the thickened milk mixture and the vanilla. Beat on the highest speed you can get to without it spraying all over the place for 7-9 minutes. Make sure to set your timer and do this amount of time, she says this is where the magic happens!!

When it is mixing for this long time, it will change from a goopy mess to a fluffy white wonderful frosting!! Use it now to fill cupcakes or as a frosting on top!

One batch makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes with big tops (where you swirl with a pastry bag) or about 24 if spreading a little on top! If you have leftovers, store at room temp. in a well sealed container!

Sourcream Poppyseed Streusel Muffins

I am always looking for a good muffin recipe! It is and easy breakfast add on and my kids love them as a snack!

These turned out really good and were easy to make! I didn't add the grated orange rind, too nervous the kids would reject the "chunks" or "foreign objects" in the muffin. I thought they were still quite good! So try with our without!

Sourcream Poppyseed Streusel Muffins

(http://www.ourbestbites.com/)

Muffins

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 tbsp grated orange rind (which I didn't add)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 8 oz container sour cream (light works great)

Streusel

• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 tbsp butter, melter
• 2 tsp poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare streusel by combining streusel ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. To prepare muffins, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine buttermilk and remaining muffin ingredients in a small bowl and add to flour mixture, stirring until just moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups (I got 16) or 24-36 mini muffin cups, either lined or sprayed. Sprinkle evenly with streusel mixture.

Bake at 375 for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove muffins from pan immediately and place on a wire rack to cool.

Shamrock Cookies

I found this idea on the Box Tops for Education site and thought it was a fun idea! We made them for FHE last night and the best part was that I didn't have to make frosting (which I hate to do for some reason!!)! They are simple but a little time consuming, since you have to roll lots of little balls! I ended up doing some balls and then cut some of the dough with a shamrock cookie cutter. Nothing better than a sugar cookie and holidays seem to always be the reason to make a batch!

Shamrock Cookies

• 1 roll of sugar cookie dough (I made my favorite recipe, which you can find in the cookie section)
• green sprinkles

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Chill your sugar cookie dough if you are making your favorite recipe, or if you are using refrigerated store bought dough, break up the dough in a bowl. Stir or knead in flour until well blended. Work with half of the dough at a time; refrigerate remaining dough until needed.

Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls, you will need 3 per shamrock and then 1 ball to shape into a triangle for the stem. Roll each ball in green sugar. To form each shamrock, place 2 balls with sides touching and 1 ball on top on greased cookie sheets. For stems, form a piece into a triangle and dip into the sugar. Place 1 triangle pointed side up at bottom of each cookie between 2 balls for stem.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack, cool completely.

Pioneer Woman Crash Potatoes

This is another great recipe from The Pioneer Woman. I like potatoes and this is another way to cook them. They required no peeling, and hardly any work, just a little time! Next time I will cook them in the oven longer, I loved the crunchy parts!

Pioneer Woman Crash Potatoes

(http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/)

• 12 whole new potatoes (or other small round potatoes)
• 3 tbsp oil
• Kosher salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Rosemary or other herbs to taste

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork tender. On a sheet pan, generously drizzle with olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato. With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.

Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, pepper and any other herbs you may want.

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.