Lemon Bars

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 TBS all-purpose flour
1 1/8 cup lemon juice
yellow food coloring
a couple TBS powdered sugar for decoration

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease 9x13 pan

2. Combine the flour, 2/3 cup powdered sugar, and butter. Pat dough into prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes.

3. Whisk together eggs, white sugar, flour, and lemon juice until frothy. Add a few drops of yellow food coloring. Pour this lemon mixture over the crust.

4. Return to the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust the top with powdered sugar.

Yummy Yummy

I invented this little meal the other day and I looooove it!! You just make some brown rice, then when its done you put in cheese(fat free to be healthy),chicken(I used the frozen grilled kind), stolen but not really packets of Taco Bell sauce, and fat free sour cream with a ranch packet mixed into that prior. Seriously, it is really good, and It seems kinda healthy? Its good cause I crave Taco Bell A lot, so when you use their sauce on your own stuff, it taste like somethin they would make!! You could add black beans too, I'll do that next time!!!

Breakfast Pop-Over

Breakfast Pop-Over

In my opinion, this is the perfect Sunday Breakfast. Only dirties 2 dishes and you don't have to stand over a hot stove to make it:)

Pre-heat oven to 400°

Melt 1 cube of butter in a 9x13 pan (I do this first while the oven pre-heats and I'm mixing the other ingredients)

Combine in a blender and mix it up good.
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp salt
8 eggs

Pour the mix into the 9x13. Do not stir. It will mix into the melted butter into a glorious delight for your mouth.

Bake at 400° 12-15 minutes

Serve with syrup and enjoy!!

*This recipe came from my old roommate Aubree-we've truly enjoyed it!!

Light Meatloaf

I found this in the Food Network Magazine-Comfort Foods done Light-this particular one is from Bobby Flay

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small zucchini, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
11/2 pounds ground turkey (90 percent lean)
1 cup panko (coarse Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, bell peppers, garlic paste and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are almost soft, about 5 minutes.

Set aside to cool.

Whisk the egg and fresh herbs in a large bowl. Add the turkey, panko, grated cheese, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and the cooled vegetables; mix until just combined.
Gently press the mixture into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan (bread pan).

Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in a small bowl; brush the mixture over the entire loaf. Bake for 1 to 11/4 hours. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

I made this on Saturday and it is WELL worth the effort. If you have one of those pampered chef chopper gadgets, it makes it pretty easy-easier yet would be a food processor. It is really good and it only has like two hundred and some calories per serving...I didn't add the herbs, but it was still great! I hope you like it! The glaze is to die for:)

Chicken Curry

This is a combination of 2 recipes (one from Laura, thanks!), so not the most exact thing ever, but we really like how it turned out!

1 1/2 TBS olive oil
1 onion sliced thin
2 cloves garlic
2 TBS curry powder
1/2 c. plain yogurt, (I think I used a little more)
3/4 c. cream, half and half or coconut milk.(I used half and half one time and coconut milk once, we like it better with half and half.)
1/2 tsp. salt, maybe more to taste
1/4 tsp.pepper, maybe more to taste
a dash or two of cinnamon
a dash or two of paprika
1/2 can diced tomatoes, drained
2 or 3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced. We also added a few shrimp.
basmati rice, this rice is so good and if my Walmart sells it, yours will too!

Saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add curry and other spices and cook for 1 minute. Add yogurt and cream. Cook for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and chicken. Cook until heated through. Serve over basmati rice. It is yummy, but in my opinion, it does not make enough sauce. So, next time I am doubling everything but the chicken, so it will be saucier. And then you won't have a half can of tomatoes and half a thing of yogurt left over. I made naan bread to go with it and if I can find the recipe again, I will post that too.

Cowboy Cookies

Makes about 5 dozen

Vegetable oil cooking spray
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch chunks (1 cup)
3 ounces (3/4 cup) pecan halves
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat baking sheets with cooking spray, line with parchment, and spray parchment. Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder into a medium bowl.

Beat butter and sugars with a mixer on medium-high until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

Reduce speed to low, and slowly add flour mixture, beating until just incorporated. Beat in oats, chocolate, pecans, and coconut until combined. (Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop or a small spoon, drop dough onto baking sheets, spacing 3 inches apart.

Bake until edges of cookies begin to brown, 11 to 13 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire rack, and let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks. Let cool. (Cookies can be stored up to 3 days.)

Toasted-Pecan Butter Cookies

*These taste like Pecan Sandies - yum!*

Yield: About 2 dozen

3 1/2 oz. pecan halves, toasted (1 cup)

8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 c. confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting

1 tbs. pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. coarse salt

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour, sifted

1. Preheat oven 325 degree. Break each pecan half into 2 or 3 pieces. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until pale. With mixer running, add vanilla and salt, then reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour, beating until just incorporated. Sitr in pecans until distributed evenly. Cover dough, and refrigerate until firm, 15 minutes (or overnight; let dough come to room temperature before using).

2. Drop 2-tablespoon scoops of dough onto baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges of cookies are gold, about 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool. (Cookies will keep, covered, for up to 2 days.) Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.