Lemon Zucchini Cupcakes

I have been on a lemon kick lately and last weekend I decided to make these FABULOUS cupcakes!  I found the recipe on Grouprecipes.com and absolutely love it.  These are super SIMPLE and QUICK to make.  Don't let the zucchini scare you at all!  It actually takes the place of the oil and water you would typically add to any cake mix recipe and provides ALL of the moisture and even a bit of color.  

Now this is actually a cake recipe, but since I have a smaller family, I prefer to make cupcakes so I can freeze any leftovers.  First, I place the leftover frosted cupcakes on a cookie sheet. Then I put them in the freezer for the next couple of hours.  Once frozen, I place them all in a container or Ziploc bag.  That way when we feel like something sweet, we just pull out a cupcake and allow it to sit out for about 15 minutes.  It tastes just as FRESH and MOIST as it did the day you made it!  

Lemon Zucchini Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 box lemon cake mix

1 (4oz) pkg instant lemon pudding

4 eggs, slightly beaten

2 C zucchini, peeled and grated

1-2 t grated lemon zest (depending on your taste)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix all cake ingredients for about 3 minutes.

Pour into muffin cups.

Bake for 25-30 minutes (depending on oven), or until tops are light brown.

Remove cupcakes and allow to completely cool.

Once cooled, frost with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

4 T butter, room temperature

4 oz cream cheese, softened

2 C powdered sugar (more or less)

1-2 t grated lemon zest (depending on taste)

1-2 t fresh lemon juice (depending on taste)

*A little milk

Directions:

Cream together butter and cream cheese.

Add powdered sugar, lemon zest and juice and mix well.

*Depending on your preference when it comes to the consistency of the frosting, you may want to add about 1-2 T of milk to the frosting.  

Root Beer Cookies

I love making a fun dessert for FHE's and when I saw these on my friend's blog, I knew I had to give them a try yesterday! I am a HUGE (and I mean H-U-G-E) fan of both root beer AND cookies and thought this would make a great combo! The cookies turned out SUPER SOFT AND MOIST! This recipe does make a ton of small cookies so be prepared to share some with neighbors or half the recipe. My husband claims that these are a cross between gingerbread and sugar cookies...you be the judge!

Ingredients:

2 cups brown sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs

1/2 cup water

2 tsp. root beer concentrate

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together brown sugar and butter. Add the eggs, water, and root beer concentrate and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir dry ingredients into the large bowl with the sugar and eggs and mix well. The dough will be sticky though. Drop teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes making sure to not over bake. Frost with Root Beer Frosting, below. (My oven gets hotter than normal so I only baked mine for 9 minutes and they turned out perfectly cooked)

Root Beer Frosting

Ingredients:

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened

1/2 Tbls. root beer concentrate

1 Tbls hot water

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except water. Slowly add half the water and mix well. If needed, add the remaining half of the water. Frost on cooled cookies.

Grandmother Taylor's Peanut Butter Cornflake Bars

Whenever our Grandmother Taylor would come to visit us she would ALWAYS bring these super YUMMY treats!  They didn't last long, and since our family was so BIG, I remember there only being enough for each of us to only have one.  Now, her original recipe does not include the chocolate butterscotch topping, but I am the type of girl who ALWAYS likes a little chocolate with her peanut butter treats.  Whichever way you decide to make these, you won't be disappointed!

Ingredients:

1/2 C corn syrup

1/2 C sugar

1 C peanut butter

2 C cornflakes

Directions:

Dissolve sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan and bring to BARELY a boil.

Remove from heat.

Stir in peanut butter and cornflakes.

Press into buttered 8x8 square pan.

Pour over Chocolate Butterscotch Topping.

Let cool completely and cut into bars.

Chocolate Butterscotch Topping

Ingredients:

1/2 C chocolate chips

1/2 C butterscotch chips

Directions:

Place in microwave safe bowl and melt together in microwave.

Pour over Peanut Butter Cornflake Bars.

    

Strawberry Cream Pie

If you happen to be a STRAWBERRY FANATIC (like me), this recipe is for you! It truly is an AMAZING and EASY spring/summer pie recipe! My sister Christie, a fellow Cooking Chick, shared this recipe with me when I first got married and I look forward to making it every year! Whenever this is served at a bbq with friends, I always get RAVING reviews! You have got to try it!

*I am posting this recipe in behalf of Christie

Ingredients:

1 Graham Cracker Crust

Cool Whip (1 regular tub)

1/2 pint of strawberries, cleaned and sliced

1 small (3 oz) pacakage of vanilla INSTANT pudding

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup milk

Directions:

Mix 2 1/2 cups cool whip, pudding, sour cream, and milk in a bowl.

Spread a thin layer of the mixture on the crust and set the rest aside.

Fill up with the sliced strawberries.

Spread the remaining cream mixture (that was set aside) on the strawberries.

Top with desired amount of Cool Whip.

Chill for at least 3 hours (or let chill overnight).

Raspberry Cream Pie

This pie is one of my FAVORITES to make during the warmer months!  It is super YUMMY, REFRESHING and SWEET.  If you are not a huge fan of raspberries, substitute strawberry gelatin and use fresh or frozen strawberries instead.  

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 C crushed graham crackers (I like using the cinnamon sugar ones)

1/2 C butter, melted

1/4 C powdered sugar

Cream Filling:

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

1/2 C powdered sugar

1 t vanilla

1/2 pint whipping cream

1/4 C sugar

Topping:

1 1/4 C water

1 (6 oz) pkg raspberry gelatin

1/4 C sugar

1 T lemon juice

1 (10 oz) pkg frozen raspberries, undrained

Directions:

Mix together crust ingredients and press into a greased pie plate or an 8x11 pan.  

Refrigerate until firm.

Next, beat cream cheese, 1/2 C powdered sugar and vanilla in a large bowl.

Whip whipping cream and 1/4 C sugar together in a separate bowl.

Fold whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and spread over firm crust.

Place back in refrigerator.

Then bring 1 1/4 C water to a boil.

Combine the next 3 ingredients in a bowl.

Add the boiled water, mix, then the allow the mixture to cool in refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

Stir raspberries into gelatin mixture then pour on top of cream cheese mixture.

Best if refrigerated overnight so it has time to set. 

Can't Leave Alone Bars

I first discovered this recipe when my husband and I were first married and made them pretty much every weekend during our first year of marriage.  I am so grateful for Diana who introduced me to these through our work cookie exchange because they have become a family FAVORITE.  These are super EASY, GOOEY and ADDICTIVE!  They are great take alongs for any occasion, especially for potlucks and barbeques. 

Ingredients:

1 pkg white cake mix (yellow works just as well if that is what you have)

2 eggs 

1/3 C vegetable oil

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 C semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 C butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs and oil.

Press 2/3 of mixture into a lightly greased (cooking spray) 9x13 pan; set aside.

In a microwave safe bowl, combine condensed milk, chocolate chips and butter.

Microwave, uncovered, for 45 seconds.  

Stir and microwave for 45-60 seconds longer, or until chocolate chips and butter are melted.

Stir until smooth.

Pour over cake mixture in pan.  

Sprinkle with remaining cake mixture over top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Cool before serving.

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

I made these for dessert last night (after eating some yummy Pasta e fagioli Soup) and it was definitely considered a true DELIGHT! It is the perfect end to a Spring or Summer meal! The lemony aroma justs fills your home while it bakes and it tastes completely REFRESHING!

Ingredients:

1 lemon cake mix

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

2 eggs

1/3 cup oil

Directions:

Mix cake mix, 1 egg, and 1/3 cup oil until crumbly. Reserve one cup of that mixture on the side.

Put the rest into an ungreased 9 by 13 inch glass pan and pat it down with a fork or spoon.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat together cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, and the other 1 egg until light and smooth.

When baked layer is finished, spread the cream mixture over. Then take the crumbly mixture you reserved at the beginning and sprinkle it over the cream layer.

Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. (Use a glass pan so you can check the bottom to make sure it doesn't get too brown)

Cool and cut into squares. It tastes the best when it is chilled. I usually place the entire pan in the fridge for at least a couple hours or sometimes overnight. Enjoy! :)

Camping Munch

(Also known as "MonkeeMunch" or "PuppyChow")

I was first introduced to this yummy delight back in High School. I worked as a lifeguard and on a break, my co-worker, Nicki, shared this snack with me! Luckily, she knew the recipe off hand and willingly gave it to me! I always make this when we travel or go camping (hence our family's new nickname ). There are many variations of this recipe out there, so if you dont already have one, this is a keeper! It is delightful on its own, but you can easily omit the cereal and powdered sugar and pour the chocolate/peanut butter mixture over ice-cream as a topping...or better yet, make the complete recipe and then place it on ice-cream! No matter what you call it, or how you make it...it is GOOD!!!

Munch:

2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet)

1 cup peanut Butter

1/2 cup butter

1 large box Toasted Rice Ceral (like Chex or Crispix)

3 cups powdered sugar

Heat chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter on HIGH in a glass bowl in microwave until melted. (Or heat on the stove top). Mix well. Combine cereal and chocolate mix in a large bowl. Stir until cereal is completely coated. Place powdered sugar in a large ziplock bag (at least the gallon size...preferably larger). Add cereal mix, and shake to coat. Spread on wax paper and let stand until set!