Lemon Bars

This is a recipe that  I won a blue 1st place ribbon at the Caribou County Fair when I was a senior in high school. I've made them dozens of times always with rave reviews. I hope you like them as much as I do.

Crust:

1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Cream the butter with the powdered sugar and salt. Gradually add in the flour. 
2. Press the dough into the the bottom and onto the sides slightly of a 8x8 or 9x9 inch pan.
3. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Filling:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon flour
3 tablespoons lemon juice

1. While the crust is baking, blend together the eggs, lemon juice, sugar and flour. 
2. Pour immediately into hot crust and bake at 350 for another 15-20 minutes.
3. Let cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

Tip: these turn out even better when fresh squeezed lemon juice is used.

Broccoli with Lemon Sauce

This is for all of you looking for a good way to use your fresh produce, particularly broccoli. I love to change things up and this dish does just that. Thanks taste of home

Ingredients

• 1 bunch broccoli, cut into spears
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 to 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Directions

• Place broccoli in a steamer basket; place in a large saucepan over 1 in. of water. Bring to a boil; cover and steam for 5-7 minutes or until crisp-tender.

• Meanwhile, in a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the sour cream, milk, lemon juice and peel. Microwave, uncovered, at 50% power for 1-1/2 minutes or until heated through, stirring every 30 seconds. Serve with broccoli. 
• Yield: 4 servings.

Chicken with Sherry Vinegar Sauce

Found this on my recipes. So good served with rice

Ingredients

• 4  (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1  teaspoon  butter
• 1  teaspoon  olive oil
• 1/2  cup  minced shallots
• 3/4  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 3  tablespoons  sherry vinegar
• 2  tablespoons  whipping cream
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes on each side. Remove from pan; keep warm. Add shallots to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth and vinegar, and cook 2 minutes. Add whipping cream; cook 1 minute. Serve sauce with the chicken. Sprinkle with parsley.

Mexicali Casserole

This goes really well with corn chips. Thanks taste of home

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1-1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Hunt’s® Original Diced Tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup water
• 2/3 cup uncooked long grain rice
• 1/3 cup sliced ripe olives
• 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Directions

• In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook the turkey, onions and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer; Drain. Sprinkle with chili powder and salt. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, water, rice and olives.

• Transfer to a 2-1/2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 375° for 50-55 minutes or until rice is tender. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Yield: 6 servings.

Oatmeal-Raisin Bites

This recipe comes from the Weight-Watcher Getting started booklet. I love anything good and healthy.

1 1/2 cups rolled oats.
3/4 cup wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup raisins, chopped

 Preheat oven to 350.
In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and both sugars until incorporated. Add egg and vanilla; mix throughly. Add oat mixture and mix until combined; fold in raisins.
Drop rounded teaspoons of batter onto 2 ungreased cookies sheets, about 1 inch apart each. Bake for 9-10 minutes for chewy cookies or 11-12 minutes for crispy cookies. Remove from oven and let cookies rest on cookie sheets for about 2 minutes; remove cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Yields 1 cookies per serving. Makes 40 cookies.

Hamburger Noodle Casserole

   Loved how creamy this is. Love taste of home

Ingredients
5 cups uncooked egg noodles
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
1 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
2/3 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
Directions 

1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook beef until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in the tomato sauce, sugar, salt and pepper; heat through. Drain noodles; stir into beef mixture.  
2. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, ricotta cheese and sour cream until blended. Stir in half of the onions. 
3. Spoon half of the noodle mixture into a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with cheese mixture and remaining noodle mixture.  
4. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with remaining onions. Yield: 10 servings.

Baked Apricot Chicken

This recipe sounded intriguing, so I had to try it. Yum. Found it here

Ingredients

• 12 chicken thighs
• 1 cup apricot preserves
• 1 cup French dressing
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl combine the jam, dressing and soup mix. Mix together.
3. Place chicken pieces in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour apricot mixture over chicken and bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Serve with white or brown rice. 

Classic Pecan Pie

This is a yummy pie let me tell ya. Find it here

• 1 cup Karo® Light OR Dark Corn Syrup
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) pecans
• 1 (9-inch) unbaked or frozen** deep-dish pie crust

1. Preheat oven to 350. 
2. Mix sugar, eggs, corn syrup,  melted butter, and vanilla using a spoon. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into pie crust.
3. Bake on center rake of oven for 60-70 minutes. Cool 2 hours on wire rake before serving.

Sweet and Sour Sauce and Meat Balls

Sweet and Sour Sauce


1 package of brown gravy
2 cups of water
1 cup of tomato juice
1 - 20 ounce can of pineapple chunks
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 cup of vinegar
1/2 cup of sugar
2 tablespoon of soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 diced bell peppers
3 tablespoons cornstarch




  1.  Put brown gravy mix, tomato juice, pineapple juice,both salts, vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce into a large sauce pan and bring to a boil.
  2.  Decrease heat and let the sauce simmer for fifteen minutes.
  3.  In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch with water.
  4.  Add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce to thicken.
  5.  Mix in the diced bell pepper and pineapple chunks

Meat Balls


2 pounds ground beef
2 slices bread
2 eggs
2 tablespoons beef gravy mix
salt and pepper sprinkled on the meat and eggs
1/3 cup milk

1. Mix above ingredients together in in a bowl with clean hands.
2. Shape in 1 inch balls and line in a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3. Bake meatballs for 20-25 minutes.
4. Stir into Sweet and Sour Sauce and serve over white rice.

Tip: If you want to add a little spice to the sauce replace half the seasoned salt with cayenne pepper in the sweet and sour sauce. 

Home Remedy for Cough

I found this recipe very helpful when I had a cough. Yes it really works. I found it here

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons water
  

Mix ingredients together in a cup. Take 3 teaspoons before bed or when ever needed.