From the Kitchen!

On a gloomy day like this we have the perfect treat to share with you and make you think of summer! Today our yummy recipe for Key Lime Cupcakes comes from Bon Appetit!

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

1 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup self-rising flour

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs

2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel

1/4 teaspoon neon-green food coloring

3/4 cupe buttermilk

Frosting

1 8oz package cream cheese, room temperture

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperture

1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line standard muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk both flous in medium bow. Beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar; beat to blend. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then next 3 ingredients (batter may look curdled). Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions.

Spoon scant 1/3 cup batter into each liner. Bake until tester come out of center clean, about 20-25 minutes.

Frosting: Beat all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth. Spread over cupcakes!

We made these over the weekend and they were a big hit! We hope everyone at our house enjoys them too!

Until next time...

From the Kitchen!

Today I thought I'd share what we had for our Mother's Day dessert we made a really easy and yummy strawberry pie! It's almost strawberry season so take note of this yummy recipe to make with some fresh picked strawberries!

Prep Time: 30 min

Total Time: 4 hours

Ingredients:

Crust

1 box Phillsbury refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Filling

6 cups fresh strawberries

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup water

Topping

1 cup sweetened whipped cream

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450°F. Bake pie crust as directed on box for One-Crust Baked Shell, using 9-inch glass pie plate. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, crush enough strawberries to make 1 cup. In 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch; stir in crushed strawberries and water. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. If desired, stir in food color. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

3. Place remaining strawberries, whole or sliced, in cooled baked shell. Pour cooked strawberry mixture evenly over berries. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours, before serving.

4. Just before serving, top pie with sweetened whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.

Enjoy!

Until next time...

From the Kitchen!

With all this nice weather I have been craving a yummy summer salad from Panera. My favorite the Strawberry Poppyseed Salad is actually not out for the season yet...but I found a recipe online that you can make yourself at home!

Strawberry Poppyseed Salad

Ingredients

4 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped

12 oz fat free poppyseed dressing (or sugar free, whichever suits you)
12 oz canned pineapple tidbits, drained
12 oz mandarin oranges, drained
12 oz fresh blueberries
12 oz fresh strawberries, halved
6 oz chopped pecans

Sliced chicken breast (optional)

Directions

Toss fruit with lettuce, add dressing, toss again, top with pecans.

Enjoy!

We hope you enjoy this salad...its so yummy and very healthy, you almost forget you are eatting a salad!

Until next time...

From the Kitchen!

With Easter around the corner we thought it would be fun to share a cookie we have made as an Easter treat for many years! Everyone in my house always looks forward to these!

Bird's Nest Cookies!

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups flaked coconut

2 sticks butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups "M&M’s"®, Plain, Peanut, Almond or Crispy Chocolate Candies for Easter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Spread coconut on non-greased cookie sheet. Toast in oven, stirring occasionally, until it turns light golden, about 25 minutes.
Remove coconut from cookie sheet and set aside.

2. Increase oven temperature to 350°F. In large bowl, add butter and sugar & whip until light & fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla.

3. In medium bowl, combine flour and salt. Blend into creamed mixture.

4. Form dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Roll heavily into toasted coconut. Place coconut cookies 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Make indentation with thumb in center of each cookie.

5. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove cookies and cool completely. Fill indentations with "M&M’s"® Chocolate Candies for Easter.

We hope you enjoy these cookies! We are always open to trying out some new recipes so please share with us some favorites from your family!

Until next time...

From the Kitchen!

The awesome weather yesterday had us thinking about and craving some yummy summer desserts! We decided to share one of our favorites!

Triple-Berry Trifle!

Prep Time- 15 minutes

Total Time- 3 Hours

Servings- 12

Ingredients:

1 box of white cake mix (water, vegtable oil, & eggs whites called for in mix)

1 pint blueberries

1 pint raspberries

1 pint strawberries, halved

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup raspberry-flavored liqueur or use cranberry-raspberry juice

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Make cake as directed on box for 13x9 pan. Run knife around sides to loosen cake. Cool completely about 1 hour.

2. While cake cools in medium bowl gently mix berries, sugar, and raspberry liqueur.

3. In chilled large bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.

4. Cut cake into 1 inch pieces. In glass trifle arrange half the pieces, Spoon half of the berry mixture over the cake, top with half of the whipped cream. Repeat layers. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

This is a great dessert to share with a crowd and very refreshing on hot days! Enjoy!

Until next time...

From the Kitchen!

Today we have a very simple dinner and/or appetizer recipe to share! These "Easy Pizzettes" are the perfect thing to make during the week on a busy night or a great crowd pleaser you coud bring to a party.

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 16

Ingredients:

1 cup pizza sauce

8 English muffins, split, toasted

2 cups shredded provolone cheese (8 oz)

Assorted toppings, such as sliced peppers,

sliced red onion, olives & mushrooms (2/3 cup each)

1. Heat oven to 425 F. Spread 1 tablespoon pizza sauce over each English muffin half. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon shredded cheese. Arrange the toppings on pizzas and sprinkle each with remainig cheese.

2. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted!

Enjoy!!

Until next time...

From the Kitchen!

Looking for a new dinner idea tonight? Try this delicious recipe we found on BettyCrocker.com for Grilled Lemon Thyme Chicken Breasts. It is super easy and a great healthy dinner paired with a side salad!

Total Time: 35 min

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

(You can use 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried thyme leaves instead of fresh thyme)

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon peel

2 teaspoons garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lbs)

1. Heat the grill and prepare for grilling

2. In a small bowl mix all ingredients except chicken. Sprinkle mixture over chicken

3. Cover and grill chicken, medium high heat 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut. Garnish with additional fresh thyme if desired.

Enjoy!

Until next time...

Caesar Burgers!

So did anyone out there try our recipe for the Caesar burgers? Winnie and Phinn took over as grill masters last night and whipped them up at our house!

To add a little spin on the recipe Winnie and Phinn decided to serve up the burgers up on a slice of toasted baguette and a side of sauteed yellow squash. They were so yummy!! Who says you can't grill in March?? Here are some pictures of the dinner and feel free to share how the burgers worked out at your house!

Until next time...

From the Kitchen!

All the mild weather last week had us grillin' again and we have a wonderful backyard barbeque recipe to share with you from BettyCrocker.com!

Grilled Onion-Topped Caesar Burgers...yum! Winnie and Phinn's mouths water when we fire the grill up!

Bottled Caesar dressing in and all around the burgers is the flavor secret to this great grilled burger

Total Time: 30 min

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup Caesar dressing

1/2 teaspoon peppered seasoned salt

1 small sweet onion, cut into 1/4-to 1/2 inch slices

1 1/2 cups shredded romaine lettuce

2 tablespoons freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

4 burger buns, split

1. Heat gas or charcoal grill. In medium bowl, mix beef, parsley, 2 tablespoons of the dressing and the peppered seasoned salt. Shape mixture into 4 patties, about 1/2 inch thick.

2. Place patties on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 12 to 15 minutes, turning once, until meat thermometer inserted in center of patties reads 160ºF. Add onion slices to grill for last 8 to 10 minutes of cooking, brushing with 2 tablespoons of the dressing and turning once, until crisp-tender.

3. In small bowl, toss lettuce, remaining 1/4 cup dressing and the cheese. Layer lettuce mixture, burger and onion in each bun.

Enjoy!

Until next time...