Lemon Squares

Growing up, we often ate an early Sunday supper and evenings were often reserved for popcorn and a treat. This is one of the recipes that I remember making quite often. You can certainly use bottled lemon juice for this recipe, but fresh lemons make all the difference!

-Betty Crocker

1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. grated lemon peel, if desired
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
Powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350. Mix flour, butter and powdered sugar. Press in ungreased square pan 8"x8" or 9"x9", building up 1/2" edges. Bake 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, baking powder, salt, and eggs with electric mixer for high speed for about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Pour over hot crust.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched lightly in center. Cool; dust with powdered sugar. Cut into about 1 1/2" squares.

Magleby's Rolls

Yum! These are perfect for a Sunday dinner - easy and delicious. I used Johnny's Garlic Seasoning from Costco to sprinkle on the top - so good!

-Your Homebased Mom

Frozen dinner rolls (Rhodes)
Mayonnaise (amount depends on number of rolls you are making)
Melted Butter
Freshly shredded Parmesan Cheese
Garlic Powder (or Johnny's seasoning)
Dried Parsley (or Johnny's seasoning)

Place mayo in a bowl, melted butter in a bowl and freshly grated Parmesan cheese (not the stuff in the green Kraft can) in another.

Take the frozen ball of dough, dip the top half into each bowl starting with the mayo, then butter and finally the cheese.

Place roll into a well greased muffin tin (cheese side up). Sprinkle with garlic powder and dried parsley (or Johnny's) and let rise according to the directions (usually 5-6 hours). Bake according to directions on the package.

Muddy Buddies

A classic and simple recipe for teaching young children how to measure, stir, and shake!


-Chex/Betty Crocker


9 cups Chex (any combination)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Into a large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.

In a 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.

Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Curry in a Hurry

A couple of months ago, I bought an 8 qt pressure cooker with some birthday money. I made some pinto beans in it (super easy and fast), but I didn't know what else to do with it, so I checked out a book from the library and have been trying some of the recipes. I have to say - pressure cooking is genius! Every busy mom should know about it; mashed potatoes start to finish in about 15 minutes. Frozen chicken breasts - cooked and tender in 10! Although it's pretty simple recipe-wise, we really enjoyed it.


-Pressure Perfect

1 cup water
4 Tbsp. Patak's Mild Curry Paste (curry pwd doesn't produce good results)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 pounds chicken or 2 pounds meat (select a cut from the chart)
1 cup plain yogurt
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
salt
Cooked basmati rice (add a little turmeric for color)

Choice of Chicken or Meat                              Minutes High Pressure + Release Method
3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs                                8 + 4-minute natural release
and/or breast halves, skinned                               then quick-release                                
OR
2 lbs boneless pork shoulder,                               8 + natural release
trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks                                                                                   
OR

2 lbs boneless beef chuck,                                    8 + natural release

trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks                                                                                   

OR

2 lbs boneless lamb shoulder,                               12 + natural release

trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks                                                                                   

Pour the water into a 4 qt or larger cooker and blend in the curry paste. Set over high heat and add the onion and chicken or meat of your choice.

Lock the lid in place. Over high heat bring to high pressure. Reduce the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for the time indicated in the chart. Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to come down naturally for 4 minutes. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow steam to escape. If the chicken or meat is not tender, cover and simmer until done.

If necessary skim off the fat that rises to the surface or degrease the broth in a fat separator. Blend the yogurt into 1 cup of the broth. Stir in the peas into the curry and simmer until they are defrosted, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and stir the yogurt mixture into the curry. Stir in the cilantro and salt to taste. Serve on lipped plates or in large, shallow bowls over rice.

Graham Crackers & Frosting

Doesn't everyone put their extra frosting in between graham crackers? Guess not... What else would you do with your extra frosting? Throw it away? Gasp...

My Mom and Grandma C always made these with the extra frosting. I'm not a huge cake fan, and often I enjoy these more than the cake! :)

Spread a cracker with frosting and sandwich it with another cracker and put them in the fridge. You can eat them right away, but they're best after the frosting softens the crackers a little.  Yum!

Easter Bunny Cake

My grandma always makes super cute bunny cake for Easter, but I've never seen one 'standing' up like this. I ran out of nuts, so my cake was not as brown as it should have been, but still fun!


-Kacee Carlson


Carrot cake & Cream Cheese Frosting
Walnuts (I can't eat them, so I used pecans)
Large marshmallows
Small marshmallows
small candies/chocolate chips for eyes
small candy for nose

To make the bunny:  You will only need one of the round cakes for the bunny cake.  Cut the round cake in half and stack them up with the flat, cut side down.  It should now be two half circles, flat against each other, sticking up in the air. 

Frost between the two half-cakes to stick them together.  Next you’ll need to cut a triangle out of the two half-circles, about 2-3 inches from the base.  This is hard to explain, but basically you cut a slice parallel to the base and then straight up perpendicular to your first slice.  This makes the place for the bunny ears.  Now frost the whole cake, including the indentation you just cut.  Now finely chop some walnuts until it resembles a powder.  Pat this walnut powder all over the surface of the cake – every place there is frosting.  Now cut 1 large marshmallow in half diagonally and place in the “ledge” you created, with their cut sides out.  These are the bunny ears.  Now cut another large marshmallow in half the short way (so that the two circular edges are intact).  Place these cut sides in on the “face” of your bunny for cheeks.  Use chocolate chips or brown M&Ms for eyes, a jelly bean or red/pink M&M for the nose (which is directly above your two marshmallow cheeks), and then put two small marshmallows under the cheeks for the buck teeth.