Citrus Buttercream Frosting

• 1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons finely shredded orange peel
• 1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon peel

Beat together cream cheese and butter 'til fluffy. Add powdered sugar and orange juice. Beat 'til combined. In a small bowl beat whipping cream to soft peaks; add to cream cheese mixture. Add orange peel and lemon peel. Beat on low until combined. Enough for 12 cupcakes.

This is Melissa Rolston's swiped recipe from a magazine in a doctors office waiting room...okay..how many of you have done that?  :-)

From a Victora Trading Company e-mail http://vtcemail.s3.amazonaws.com/images/July1Wraps.html

http://www.victoriantradingco.com/index.html

Coconut Cherry Cream Squares

 

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, coconut and brown sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Press into a 9-in. square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 7-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
• In a small saucepan, combine the flour, sugar, sugar substitute and salt. Stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.
• Stir a small amount of hot filling into eggs; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.
• Gently stir in coconut and extract. Pour over crust. Refrigerate until set. Top with pie filling. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting. Yield: 16 servings.
  
  Editor's Note: This recipe was tested with Splenda No Calorie Sweetener and Land O'Lakes stick light butter. Look for Splenda in the baking aisle of your grocery store.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 piece equals 142 calories, 4 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 31 mg cholesterol, 95 mg sodium, 24 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1/2 fat.

Coconut-Cherry Cream Squares published in Light & Tasty August/September 2005, p44

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Coconut-Cherry-Cream-Squares?pmcode=ECB51VH099&_mid=2272364&_rid=2272364.893803.124982

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup flaked coconut
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cold reduced-fat butter
• 
  FILLING:
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Sugar substitute equivalent to 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2-1/2 cups fat-free milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut
• 2 teaspoons coconut extract
• 1 can (20 ounces) reduced-sugar cherry pie filling

Apple Crisp Pie

This yummy recipe comes from Cris Hamilton from Anna, TX who submitted it to Gooseberry Patch for one of their new cookbooks.  Looks easy as pie!!

<>21-oz. can apple pie filling
9-inch deep-dish pie crust
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. quick-cooking oats, uncooked
1 T. cinnamon
1/4 c. butter, sliced

Pour apple pie filling into pie crust. In a separate bowl, combine sugars, oats and cinnamon. Sprinkle over top; dot with butter. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 8.

Eclairs in a Jar

Last, but certainly not least, this comes from http://meandmypinkmixer.blogspot.com/

1-2 sleeves Graham Crackers

2 (3.4 oz) boxes Instant French Vanilla Pudding

3 1/2 cups milk

1 (8oz. ) container whipped topping, thawed

1 tub chocolate frosting

Wash and thoroughly dry jars.

 

Break graham crackers into small pieces and line the bottom of each jar.

 

In a large mixing bowl combine the pudding and milk, beating at medium speed for two minutes.

 

Fold in thawed whipped cream.  Divide pudding mixture amoung the jars filling about 2/3 full.

 

Top with another layer of graham cracker pieces, covering the entire surface as well as you can.

 

Pipe a layer of chocolate frosting on the graham crackers.  (I used a Wilton #21 tip)

 

Refrigerate for several hours before putting the lids on so the frosting can firm up.

 

 

Lemon Bars

This one comes from Krazy in the Kitchen!  (aren't we all at times?  :-)

1 1/2 cup butter
3 cups flour
3/4 cup powder sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Mix together, pat into a greased 9×13 pan and bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
6 Tbsp lemon juice

Mix together, pour over cooked crust and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Cool, dust with powder sugar and cut into bars. Enjoy!

I hope you have enjoyed this blast of goodie posts! 

I know I've been a little behind with my postings. 

How's your summer been?  What are your favorite summer treats?

Until next time,

hugs!

Key Lime Cupcakes

I am gaining pounds just by reading over these delightful recipes!  This one came from http://www.southernladymagazine.com/.  There's a little special treat to go along with the recipe...see below!!

Makes 1 dozen

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon key lime zest
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup half-and-half
2 tablespoons fresh Key lime juice
Key Lime Filling (recipe follows)
Key Lime Buttercream (recipe follows)
Garnish: graham cracker crumbs, fresh Key lime slices

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, and lime zest. Beat at high speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together half-and-half and lime juice. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternately with half-and-half mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups until each cup is 2/3 full. Bake for 16 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Using a melon baller, carefully remove a small amount of cake from center of each cupcake. Spoon or pipe about 1 teaspoon Key Lime Filling in center of each cupcake. Frost tops of cupcakes with Key Lime Buttercream. Garnish with graham cracker crumbs and fresh Key lime slices, if desired.

Key Lime Filling

Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 (10-ounce) jar lime curd

1. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add sugar, beating until smooth. Add curd, beating until combined. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Key Lime Buttercream

Makes about 4 cups

1 1/2 cups sugar
4 egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons Key lime zest

1. In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, combine sugar and egg whites. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture reaches 140° on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat, and transfer to a large bowl. Beat at high speed with an electric mixer for 10 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to medium-low; add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in Key lime zest. Use immediately.

 

Surprise!  Use this link to get a pattern to make your own cupcake wrappers:

http://www.southernladymagazine.com/download/WrapperTemplate.pdf

Sweet Potato Brownies with Whiskey Caramel Pecan Glaze

• 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2-½ cups grated raw sweet potato (peel ‘em first)
• 1-½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons molasses
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Whiskey Caramel Pecan Glaze
• 1-½ cups caramel topping (see notes)
• 1-½ cups coarsely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup whiskey, or less to taste. I used Jack Daniel’s

Instructions

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs and beat until fully incorporated.
4. Add flour, salt, molasses, vanilla, and shredded sweet potato. Mix on medium-low until batter is smooth and even.
5. Grease and lightly flour a 9×13 baking pan. Spread batter in pan and smooth top with spatula. Bake for 30 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and prepare the glaze by simply stirring together whiskey, caramel, and pecans. The mixture will be fairly watery. Pour the sauce evenly over the surface of the brownies and return the pan to the oven.
7. Sweet Potato Brownies with Whiskey Caramel Pecan GlazeBake for 5-10 minutes more to toast the pecans and make the glaze nice and bubbly. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting. These cut really nicely if you let them cool – so be patient.

 This recipe came from http://blog.bakeitpretty.com/

 

 

Lemon Drop Cookies

Ingredients:
1 box lemon cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp lemon extract
1/3 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 375

In a large bowl combine cake mix, eggs, oil, and lemon extract; mix
until well blended. Using a teaspoon form dough, and drop into a bowl
of powdered sugar. Roll them until they are lightly covered. Place on
an cookie sheet. Bake for 6 to 9 minutes.

This recipe came from Coupon Cookin by Nikki.  http://www.couponcookin.com/

Raspberry and Chocolate Nachos

6 flour tortillas
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
Raspberries
1/4 cup butter (melted)
1 cup chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate)
Whipping Cream

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a separate bowl.  Take the tortillas and baste with butter than sprinkle with sugar cinnamon mixture. Cut into pieces with a pizza cutter and place on a ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until sides of tortilla start to fold up. Let cool.  Take the chocolate chips and melt in microwave in 1 minute increments until fully melted. Take the raspberries and put into a separate bowl and sprinkle with sugar mash together. Sprinkle the raspberries on top of the chips then take the melted chocolate chips and drizzle on top then finish off with whipping cream, if desire! Enjoy!

 

*Can use Strawberries in place of Raspberries.

 

 

And I owe  somebody an apology...I saved this recipe but neglected to note from where I got it.  If it was yours, please claim it and I thank you!!