The “Brownie” Batter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt {Sea Salt}
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Tart Lemon Glaze
1 rounded cup powdered sugar
4 tablespoon lemon juice
8 teaspoons lemon zest
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease/Spray an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with butter/cooking spray and set aside.
Zest and juice two small/large lemons; set aside. {whatever you have}
In the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the flour, sugar, salt, and softened butter until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice until combined. Pour into the flour mixture and beat at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Pour into baking dish and bake for 23-25 minutes, or until just starting to turn golden around the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before glazing. Do not overbake, or the bars will be dry. {even with the yummy glaze}
When brownies are cooled completely, make the glaze…sift the powdered sugar, add lemon zest and juice, and whisk together all three ingredients. Spread 1/2 the glaze over the brownies with a rubber spatula. Let glaze set. Spread the remaining glaze over the bars, and let it set. This glaze does not harden like most. Cut into bars, and serve!
Ingredients
2 Sauté Express® Garlic and Herb squares
1 large chicken breast, cut into strips
1 cup red bell pepper, diced
3 cups broccoli florets
2 cups uncooked pasta (I used rotini)
2 tablespoons chicken stock or chicken broth
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
1. Heat a large nonstick pan over medium low heat. Add 1 square of Sauté Express® and wait until it begins to bubble and sizzle in the pan. Add the chicken breast slices and saute for 5-6 minutes until cooked through.
2. Meanwhile, fill a stock pot with water for the pasta and heat over high on the stove until boiling. Add a pinch of salt and the 2 cups of uncooked pasta. Cook according to package directions, then strain the noodles and set aside.
3. As the chicken and pasta are cooking, add the broccoli and red pepper to a microwave safe container (preferably a vegetable steaming container) with 1-2 tablespoons of water. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, then drain the container of excess water. Set aside.
4. When the chicken strips are cooked through, add the chicken stock/chicken broth to the pan. If any of the Sauté Express® has stuck to the pan, the chicken stock will release it. Then, add the second cube of Sauté Express® to the pan and allow it to melt.
5. Toss the steamed vegetables to the pan and stir a few times to combine. Then, add the drained pasta noodles to the pan and stir to combine. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and continue tossing the pasta for a minute or two to allow the flavors to incorporate. Serve while hot – enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour (or 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour)
- 1 2/3 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 package Jell-O instant pudding in Chocolate Fuge (3.4 oz)
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 24 Cadbury Eggs
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 5-6 cups powdered sugar (more to thicken)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- 1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- 2. Combine together cake ingredients and beat for 60 seconds on medium-high with electric mixer until fully mixed.
- 3. Fill cupcake liners 1/4-1/3 full and place in a Cadbury Egg (thick side first) down inside batter.
- 4. Top eggs with another 1-2 teaspoons batter.
- 5. Bake for 18-20 minutes (test for doneness by inserting a toothpick on the side of the cupcake, since the Cadbury Eggs are in the center).
- 1. Beat room temperature butter until creamy. Add in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.
- 2. Beat in extracts, salt, and milk.
- 3. Add more powdered sugar or milk until desired consistency (thick enough to pipe on cupcakes).
- Top cupcakes with frosting and enjoy!
- 3 pounds corned beef brisket with spice packet
- 10 small red potatoes
- 5 carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
- 1 large head cabbage, cut into small wedge
Directions
- Place corned beef in large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water. Add the spice packet that came with the corned beef. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer approximately 50 minutes per pound or until tender.
- Add whole potatoes and carrots, and cook until the vegetables are almost tender. Add cabbage and cook for 15 more minutes. Remove meat and let rest 15 minutes.
- Place vegetables in a bowl and cover. Add as much broth (cooking liquid reserved in the Dutch oven or large pot) as you want. Slice meat across the grain.
3 cups good quality vanilla ice cream
1 3/4 cups 1% milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Green food coloring, if desired
1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until completely thick and smooth. Pour into glasses and serve!
Cheesecake:
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
pinch of salt
2 large eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a few drops of green food coloring, if desired
Green Velvet Cake:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups canola or vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons (1-ounce bottle) green food coloring
Frosting:
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
One 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme
1 cup powdered sugar
a few drops of green food coloring, if desired
Directions:
1. Prepare the cheesecake layer: Preheat the oven to 325dgF. Place a large roasting pan on the lower third rack of the oven. Place a kettle of water on the stove to boil. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Wrap a double layer of heavy duty foil around the bottom and up the sides of the pan (you want to seal it so the water from the water bath doesn’t seep into the pan).
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to blend the cream cheese until it is smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in the sugar and salt and blend for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure all is mixed in. Add the eggs, one at a time, blending after each addition. Finally, mix in the sour cream, whipping cream and vanilla (and food color, if using). Mix until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Set the pan into the roasting pan in the pre-heated oven. Carefully pour the hot water from your kettle into the roasting pan. Pour enough water so that there is about an inch of water coming up the foil along the sides of the cheesecake pan.
Bake the cheesecake for 45 minutes. It should be set to the touch and not jiggly. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan and let it cool on a wire rack for at least an hour. When it has cooled, place the pan into the freezer and let the cheesecake freeze completely (4 to 5 hours or overnight).
2. Prepare the cake layers: Preheat the oven to 350dgF. Spray two 9-inch round pans with nonstick spray and line each pan with a round of parchment paper (see *Tips). In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt. In a large bowl, combine the oil and sugar together and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla, and beat for an additional 2 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda and stir to dissolve. Add the vinegar to the bowl, along with the buttermilk and food coloring. Beat on medium-low speed for 1 minute, until blended. Add the dry ingredients and increase speed to medium-high, scraping down the sides of the bowl while mixing, for 2 additional minutes. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let the cakes cool for 20 minutes. Run a knife along the edge of the pans, then invert the cakes onto a rack to cool completely.
3. Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, combine the cream cheese and butter and beat until creamy and smooth. Add the marshmallow creme and mix until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar (and food color, if using) and continue to beat, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until all of the ingredients are mixed in and the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
4. Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer into the center of a cake plate or platter. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer, take off the sides of the pan, and slide a knife under the parchment to remove the cheesecake from the pan. Peel off the parchment. Trim the cheesecake, as needed to match the size of your cake layers (see *Tips). Place the cheesecake layer on top of the first cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top of the cheesecake.
5. Frost the cake: Apply a crumb coat layer of frosting to the cake (see *Tips), and refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes, or until the frosting is set. Apply the second layer of frosting. Add a large scoop of frosting onto the top of the cake. Use a long, thin spatula or knife to spread the frosting evenly across the top and then spread it down the sides of the cake too. Decorate, as desired.
Tips:
*You can certainly bake this cheesecake in the oven without a water bath, but you run the risk of cracking the top of the cheesecake. The water bath is a safeguard against cracking.
*Measure your cheesecake layer against the cake layers. If the cheesecake layer turns out to be slightly larger size round than your cake layers, move it to a cutting board and use a knife to gently shave off some of the exterior of the cheesecake.
*How to apply a crumb coat layer of frosting: use a long, thin spatula or knife to cover the cake completely with a thin and even layer of frosting. Wipe off the spatula each time you’re about to dip it back into the bowl to get more frosting (this way you won’t be transferring any green crumbs into the bowl of frosting). Don’t worry at this point about the crumbs being visible in the frosting on the cake. When your cake has a thin layer of frosting all over it, place it into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to “set” the frosting. Once the first layer of frosting is set, apply the second layer.
*If you are serving this cake at a party, it’s perfectly okay to leave the cake at room temperature for a couple of hours (the cheesecake thaws very quickly). Otherwise, keep it stored in the refrigerator. It also freezes perfectly. Freeze it as is, then wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the freezer until it is needed. Leftover slices may also be wrapped and frozen.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 (21 ounce) cherry pie filling 2 if you like cherries (highly recommend)
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 Tbs milk
1. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Beat in extracts.
2. In a separate bowl combine flour and salt. Add to the creamed mixture. Mix until combined.
3. Spread 3 cups batter in a 15x10x1 (Also works with 9x13- baking time will at least be 35 minutes) Spread with pie filling. Drop remaining batter on top of pie filling.
4. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes clean. Cool on wire rack. Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over the bars.
Then, with a wooden spoon handle or some other similarly-sized object, begin poking holes in the warm cake.
You want the holes to be fairly big so that the pudding has plenty of room to get down in there.
Pour pudding over cake. Taking care to get right into the holes as much as possible.
Spread it all out and using the back of the spoon, gently push pudding down into the holes.
Once your cake has completely cooled, spread on whipped topping
Spread it out evenly over the pudding layer.
This cake needs to be kept refrigerated.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 cups plain granola
- 1 cup rice cereal (Rice Krispies, etc.)
- 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup peanut butter chips
Process
- Line two 9×5 loaf pans or one 11×7 inch baking pan (see tip #4 above if you want to use 9×13) with foil or parchment. Lightly butter or spray the foil. Set aside.
- Combine butter, honey and brown sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter is melted.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Add the granola and rice cereal into the saucepan and fold them into the sauce until evenly coated.
- Spread the mixture into the prepared pans and press firmly with a spatula to evenly fill. Sprinkle the chocolate and peanut butter chips onto the top of the granola and gently press them down with the spatula.
- Let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes or until mostly cooled and set; lift out of the pan and cut into bars.
Lower sugar version: Use low-sugar granola (see nutrition info below for recipe). Reduce both brown sugar and honey to 2 tbsp. each. Omit 2 tbsp. granola. Omit peanut butter chips, use 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips instead of regular size.
S’mores Chewy Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 cups plain granola
- 1 cup rice cereal (Rice Krispies, etc.)
- 2 tbsp. graham cracker crumbs (optional)
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Process
- Line two 9×5 loaf pans or one 11×7 inch baking pan (see tip #4 above if you want to use 9×13) with foil or parchment. Lightly butter or spray the foil. Set aside.
- Combine butter, honey and brown sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter is melted.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Add the granola, rice cereal and graham cracker crumbs into the saucepan and fold them into the sauce until evenly coated. Very gently fold in the marshmallows.
- Spread the mixture into the prepared pans and press firmly with a spatula to evenly fill. Sprinkle the chocolate chips onto the top of the granola and gently press them down.
- Let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes or until mostly cooled and set; lift out of the pan and cut into bars.
Oatmeal Raisin Chewy Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 cups plain granola
- 1 cup rice cereal (Rice Krispies, etc.)
- 1/2 cup raisins
Process
- Line two 9×5 loaf pans or one 11×7 inch baking pan (see tip #4 above if you want to use 9×13) with foil or parchment. Lightly butter or spray the foil. Set aside.
- Combine butter, honey and brown sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter is melted.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Add the granola, rice cereal and raisins into the saucepan and fold them into the sauce until evenly coated.
- Spread the mixture into the prepared pans and press firmly with a spatula to evenly fill.
- Let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes or until mostly cooled and set; lift out of the pan and cut into bars.
Red Velvet Pancakes
- 1 1/2 C. Buttermilk
- 4 Eggs
- 4 Tbsp. Butter, melted
- 1 tsp. Vanilla
- 2 Tbsp. Red Food Coloring
- 2 C. Flour
- 2 Tbsp. Cocoa
- 1/3 cup Sugar
- 2 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
- 1 tsp. Salt
Mix together dry ingredients and set aside. Melt butter in separate bowl, then add buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and food coloring. Blend well. Pour in dry mixture and beat until smooth.
Pour ½ cup of the whipped batter on a greased skillet. Pan fry on medium heat until browned. Flip over and brown again. Top with desired toppings and serve warm.
{To make a heart shaped pancake (optional), place a heart shaped cookie cutter on the skillet, and pour batter into the cookie cutter. Remove form before flipping.}
*Optional toppings include syrup, butter, whipping cream, and shaved chocolate.
Buttermilk Syrup
- 1 C Butter
- 1 C Buttermilk
- 2 C Sugar
- 2 T Vanilla
- 1 t Baking Soda
Bring the first three ingredients to a boil and boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda. Stir and Serve.
Ingredients
- 1 8-ounce package of brownie mix or 1-2/3 cup brownie mix
- 4 eggs, divided
- 1 Tablespoon canola oil
- 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
- 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 21-ounce can Cherry Pie Filling
- COOL WHIP whipped topping, thawed
- chocolate syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together brownie mix, one egg and oil until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until brownie is just set. (will not be completely done at this point)
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until well combined and smooth. Add in the remaining 3 eggs on low speed and set the mixture aside.
- Carefully spoon 1/2 can (1 cup) of pie filling into the center of brownie, leave a 2-inch brownie border along sides of pan.
- Dollop cream cheese mixture over surface; carefully spread to edges of pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until center is set, but jiggles when the pan is lightly tapped.
- Cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 hour.
- Cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving.
- Top cheesecake with remaining cherry pie filling. Garnish with COOL WHIP and chocolate syrup. if desired.
Mix strawberry cake mix, 2 eggs, 1/3 c. oil, spread in 9x13 pan (dough will be thick) and bake at 350 for 14 minutes. For glaze, mix 1 c. Powdered sugar with 1 1/2 tablespoons milk or water. Pour over warm brownies.
Ingredients
- One 9-inch pie crust, store-bought or homemade, unbaked (fitted in a pie plate)
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated whole milk
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
-
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place pie crust in plate on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until crust is golden, about 20 minutes. Cool completely; set aside.
-
Put a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together 2/3 cup sugar, the cocoa powder, flour, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Gradually whisk in evaporated milk. Whisk in egg yolks.
-
Place pan over medium heat; whisking constantly, cook until the first large bubble forms, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; whisking constantly, cook 1 minute.
-
Immediately pour mixture through prepared sieve into bowl. Stir in butter and vanilla. Pour warm filling into baked crust; cover surface directly with plastic wrap. Chill at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
-
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites, remaining 1/3 cup sugar, and remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue on top of filling, right up to edge of crust; bake until meringue is lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately.
Ingredients:
Cookies:
1 package of strawberry cake mix
2 eggs
3/4 cup of shortening
Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 stick of butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together strawberry cake mix, eggs and shortening until well combined. The dough will be pretty thick. Roll dough into balls, making sure they are all similar in size. Place dough onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Immediately transfer cookies to a cooking rack.
Mix together cream cheese, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth. Spread onto cooled cookies and sandwich together.
*Makes 12-15 cookies after they are sandwiched together
- 8 ounces of chocolate {This can be bar form or chocolate chips. Arti says to never use chocolate chips, but I tried it and it works just fine.}
- 2 tablespoons of Coconut Oil
Place coconut oil in double boiler and melt completely. Break-up chocolate {if using bar form} and place in double boiler with the oil. Gently melt chocolate until nice and smooth. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes and then drizzle on your favorite ice cream.
