Lemon Bars

Makes a 9" Square Pan

Crust
1 1/3 c cake flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 T powdered sugar
2 T granulated sugar
1/2 c unsalted butter
2 T half and half

Top
1 c lemon juice
1/4 c unsalted butter
2 T cream
1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar, for decoration

Whisk dry crust ingredients.  Cut in 1/2 cup butter to pea size.  Stir in half and half.  Press in a 9" square pan.  Bake for 25 minutes at 350F.

While crust bakes, whisk juice, butter, cream, and salt in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk sugar and eggs in a separate bowl.  Whisk hot juice mix into eggs.  Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat until it starts to thicken, 8 minutes.  Pour over crust and bake another 15 minutes.  Cool completely.  Dust with powdered sugar.

Sugar Cookies

Charlie and Jack helped make these, today.  
They serenaded me with Jack singing, "Hosanna!"
and Charlie singing, "When I take my bath, I think of you, Lord."
They were rehearsing for their upcoming church performance.

These are soft in the centers and crisp on the outside.

Makes 24 Cookies

1 c unsalted butter
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 c flour
additional sugar for rolling

Cream butter, sugars, tartar, powder, and salt until fluffy.  Beat in vanilla, almond extract, and egg.  Stir in flour.  Shape into balls using a 1 1/2" cookie scoop.  Roll in sugar.  Bake for 11 minutes at 350F.

Cafe Latte Cake

Mike said this was even better, chilled.

Makes a 9"x13" Cake

First Batter
3 eggs
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla
2 c flour

Second Batter
3 eggs
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c espresso, or strong coffee
2 c flour

Glaze & Topping
1/2 c espresso
1 T instant coffee
1 c powdered sugar
2 T corn syrup

Make first batter.  Using a whisk attachment, beat eggs, sugar, and salt on medium high until mousselike.  Beat in 3/4 c melted butter, and 2 teaspoons vanilla.  Stir in 2 cups flour.  Spread in a 9"x13" pan.

Make second batter.  Do the same thing as with the first batter, only adding 1/2 c espresso with the vanilla.  Stir in the 2 cups flour.  Pour over the first batter.

Run a knife through to marbleize. Bake 35 minutes at 325.  While cake bakes, stir together the 1/2 cup espresso and 1 tablespoon instant coffee.  Stir together the 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons corn syrup.  Add enough of the espresso/coffee teaspoon by teaspoon to form a smooth glaze.  While the cake is still warm, pour the remaining espresso/coffee over the cake.  Drizzle powdered sugar glaze over the top.  Smooth with a spatula (or your finger as I did.)

Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwiches

We had these for Grandma Gentle's birthday party, last night.

Makes 16 Sandwiches

16 Rustic Rolls, halfed

Side 1
1 c mayo & 1/4 c Dijon, combined
48 thin slices ham
8 sandwich slices swiss cheese, halved

For Side 2

Mushroom Topping
In a large skillet, saute 20 oz. of thinly sliced baby bella mushrooms and 4 diced shallots with 1 tablespoon thyme.  Cool.

Morney Sauce
Melt 1 T butter in a small saucepan.  Whisk 2 T flour with 1 cup milk.  Add milk mix with 1 tablespoon thyme and a dash of nutmeg to saucepan.  Cook until thick.  Stir in 1/2 c Parmesan cheese and hot sauce, salt, and pepper as desired.

Split Rustic Rolls in half.  Place on a baking sheet with cut sides up.  Top one side of each roll with mayo/mustard mix.  Place three slices of cheese on top, followed by one slice of Swiss cheese.  On the other side, spread Morney Sauce.  Top Morney  with drained mushroom mix.  Sprinkle additional Paremsan on top of mushrooms.

Place in a 400F oven for 8 minutes.  Broil an additional 2 minutes to melt cheese. Reassemble sandwich halves and eat.

Jumbo Breakfast Cookies

I adapted this from a "Skinny Jean Cookie" recipe.
My intention is to fill in Jack and Mike's jeans with this version.

I have used Bob's Red Mill old country style and IKEA papaya muesli.  Both work well.

Makes 12

18 oz or 5 cups muesli
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 c whole wheat flour
2 T corn starch
1 1/3 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c canola oil
1/2 c orange juice
1 T vanilla

Mix all dry ingredients.  Mix all wet ingredients.  Mix wet with dry.  Form into 12 flattened balls on cookie sheets, jumbo muffin tins, or muffin top tins.  Bake 17 to 20 minutes at 350F.  Cool on pans.

S'mores Bars II

I will now always have a box of graham crackers,
a bag of marshmallows, a bag of chips, and a can
of sweetened condensed milk in the pantry.

Makes 18 squares.

Place enough graham crackers to cover the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan.  Toast crackers in the oven at 400F for 8 minutes.

While the crackers are in the oven, mix 1 can sweetened condensed milk with 12 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips in a microwave safe dish.  Microwave 2 minutes at 50% power.  Stir to combine.

Top graham crackers with half of a 16 oz. bag mini marshmallows.  Bake another 4 minutes or until the marshmallows start to get puffy.

Spread melted chocolate mixture over the top of marshmallows.  Sprinkle another quarter of the bag of marshmallows on top of the chocolate.  Broil until the marshmallows start to brown.  Smear them slightly using a spatula.

These are actually I think better the second day after sitting in the fridge.

White Chocolate Butterscotchers

I made these for Rob who loves all things
 white chocolate and butterscotch.

These are slightly crisp on the outside and soft in the centers.

Makes 30 Cookies

3/4 c butter
1 1/4 c packed dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 T vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
12 oz white chocolate chips

With mixer on medium-high and paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, soda and salt until fluffy.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Beat in vanilla scraping bowl as needed.  Stir in flour and chips.  Using a 1 1/2" cookie scoop, place level spoonfuls flat side down on cookie sheet.  Bake 12 minutes at 350F, rotating pans half way through.  Tap pan on counter with a few minutes left and once again when you remove them from the oven.