The BEST Lemon Bars I have ever tasted!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups flour + 2 Tablespoons flour (save for use in crust)
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar + 2 Tablespoons confectioners' sugar (save for dusting)
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest

Directions

step 1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

step 2) With an electric mixer beat together the butter, 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of confectioners' sugar until completely blended.

step 3) To form your crust, press the mixture into the bottom of your 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan, evenly covering the bottom. Bake for 20 minutes until light golden brown.

step 4) In a bowl combine eggs, 2 Tablespoons of flour, granulated sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest and whisk together.

step 5) Pour the mixture over crust and bake at 325 degrees F for 30 minutes, until set. (You will know it's ready to remove from the oven when the filling no longer jiggles.)

step 6) Place lemon bars on a wire rack and let them cool to room temperature.

step 7) Using a wire strainer, sprinkle the tops of the cooled lemon bars with the remaining 2 Tablespoons of confectioners' sugar.

step 8) Cut the bars into 24 pieces and enjoy.

Recipe Bio: I came across this recipe on the internet. Had a hankering for Lemon Bars and that was the end of it. I have never had better Lemon bars in my life. The crust is divine and the lemony filling was just right. I didn't use lemon zest in it since the lemons I had on hand were quite ripe and sweeter than I would have wanted it. Also, I don't really like zest in stuff, so there ya go! You have to try these!!!

Click HERE in case you want to find the other delightful recipes they had listed there.

Homemade Dulce de leche

Serve with Dulce de Leche Cheesecake

Ingredients:
4 cups whole milk
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. butter (optional)

Instructions:
In a heavy bottomed 5 to 6-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, stir the whole milk, the sugar and the butter (if using) until sugar is dissolved and mixture is boiling. Stir in the baking soda. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally with a flexible spatula, until mixture is golden brown and reduced to about 2 cups, about 1 1/2 hours. Pour through a fine strainer into a bowl; discard residue. Let cool. Use immediately or refrigerate for later. Before serving, reheat in a saucepan on medium-low heat, or heat slightly in the microwave to make it pourable.

Makes about 2 cups.

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs or crushed vanilla wafers
3 tbsp. butter, melted

Filling:
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese (24 oz. total)
1 cup superfine granulated sugar
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
1/2 cup ready-made or homemade Dulce de leche sauce* (see recipe below for Homemade Dulce de leche)

For Serving:
Extra Dulce de leche sauce Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. Mix crust ingredients together, and press into the bottom of a lightly buttered 9-inch springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

3. Reset oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).

4. With an electric mixer beat cream cheese, sugar and flour together until well mixed and smooth. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until smooth. Add milk and mix until well blended.

5. Measure 1/2 cup of the cheesecake batter and pour into a small bowl. Add Dulce de Leche sauce and stir until well combined.

6. Pour plain batter over crust. Top with Dulce de leche batter by placing rounded spoonfuls over the cheesecake batter and gently swirl into plain batter with the tip of knife or spatula.

7. Bake in preheated 325°F (160°C) oven for 45-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from oven and gently run metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cheesecake (this helps prevent cracking). Let cool 20-25 minutes before covering and placing in the refrigerator. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours or overnight before serving. If desired, serve each slice drizzled with a little bit of dulce de leche sauce, or pass around a bowl of dulce de leche sauce for guest's to help themselves.

Makes 16 servings.

Best served with Homemade Dulce de Leche
Recipe Bio: Thanksgiving 2009. We NEEDED cheesecake! Jacob found this recipe online and it was da bomb! See Dianas Desserts for more great recipes.

Neiman Marcus cOoKiEs

2 cups butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups packed brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
5 cups oatmeal(You can use instant oatmeal or you can put the oatmeal in a blender and grind to a fine powder for a less Oatmeal cookie-like cookie)
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
24 oz. chocolate chips
1 8oz. Hershey Bar - grated
3 cups chopped nuts your choice

-Cream together butter and sugars.
-Beat eggs and vanilla into creamed sugars.
-Combine oatmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
-Slowly beat dry mixture into wet mixture.
-Stir in chocolate chips, grated chocolate, and nuts.
-Roll dough into 1" balls and place 2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
-Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Makes 112 cookies(may be halved)

Bio: Over the summer I did a 6 week program with our ward where we earned points by "Being our best self" I accumulated points and used them to win a batch of these cookies and a few other wonderful things at the Service Auction at the end of the 6 weeks. Darnell gave me the recipe so I wanted to share it with all of you. They are delicious! oh, and it makes a ton so you might want to half the recipe.

Dirt Pudding

2 Small boxes Vanilla Instant Pudding
8 oz tub Cool Whip
1/2 Stick Butter
Oreo Cookies
8 oz Cream Cheese
1 Cup Powdered Sugar

1) Crush cookies. Reserve 1 Cup. Add Melted Butter. Press into 9x13 pan and refigerate.

2) In a very large bowl, mix softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and cool whip.

3) In another bowl, mix pudding mix according to recipe (minus 1 Cup milk), we think.

4) Mix pudding with cream cheese mixture and pour over crust.
5) Sprinkle remaining cookies over top.

Recipe Bio: Made for us by Cathy Cook, THANKS CATHY!

Original Caramel Corn

1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Karo
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
½ cup Butter

Stir in saucepan until softball stage and pour over popcorn.

Recipe Bio: Ruth made this for New Years Eve one year and it is GOOD!

Maridyn's Caramel Popcorn

1 Cube Butter (1/2 Cup)
1 Cup Karo
1 Can Sw. Condensed Milk
2 2/3 C Brown Sugar

Mix together in pot, Boil for 1 minute pour
over 4 bags of popped microwave popcorn

Recipe Bio: This is our FAVORITE Caramel Popcorn recipe. Maridyn made it for us when Katie joined our family in 2007. We still like the original recipe too. It depends what you are in the mood for.

Andes Mint Cookies

1 Box Devils Food Cake mix
2 eggs
1 Cup Chocolate Chips
½ Cup oil

Mix together. Bake @ 350 Degrees for7-8 Mintues.
While warm, place Andes Mint on top and let melt.
Spread with back of spoon when melted.
Let harden and ENJOY!

Recipe Bio: Made for us by Cathy Cook in 2005

Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

Ingredients:
1 16oz package of Powdered Sugar
1 C Creamy Peanut Butter
1/4 Cup Butter
2 Tbsp Milk
8 oz melting Chocolate ( can use Milk Chocolate to dip)
4 oz melting chocolate for decorating (white or other colored Chocolates for decorating optional)
Sprinkles (Optional)
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter and milk (if needed for moisture....mmm so moist) until blended. Shape mixture into two 1/2lb eggs or make a bunch of smaller eggs. Freeze eggs for about 1 hour.

Take eggs out of freezer. Melt about 1-2 cups at a time of the melting chocolates in microwave on high stirring every thirty seconds until smooth. Stick a long tined fork in top of each peanut butter egg, dip it in melted chocolate to cover then drain on waxed paper. Decorate the egg to suit your fancy (ohh, I'm fancy now!) I used white chocolates and other colors by melting in microwave and then placing in a ziploc bag. Then cut the corner of the bag and drizzle over the eggs. This was a very fun recipe to do as a family, even the little ones had fun decorating their eggs.

Serving size about 16 small eggs.
Recipe Bio: From the RS Recipe exchange at Cindy Cambell's house. Delish!

Chocolate Chocolate Malt Ice Cream

1 Can Lowfat Sweetened Condensed milk
1 ½ C Fat Free Half and Half
¼ C Heavy Whipping Cream
¼ C water
2 Tbls Sugar
3 Tbls Malt
5 Tbls Cocoa Powder
Dark Chocolate Chunks
Marshmallows

Recipe Bio: in 2008 WE MADE THIS ONE UP AND IT"S GOOD!!!

Jen's Ice Cream

Jen’s Ice Cream

Base:
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk(Can use low fat or fat free also)
2 cups Half and Half (Can use low fat or fat free also)
¼ cup water

Mix together and pour into Ice Cream maker for 30 minutes.

For Mint Chocolate Chip:
Add ½ tsp Mint Extract
Chopped up dark chocolate bits, add 5 minutes before it's finished mixing (Our Favorite!)

For Fruit Flavor:
Add ½ tsp Vanilla
1-2 Cups of fruit of your choice

For Chocolate Ice Cream:
Add 5-7 Tbls Cocoa

Tres Leche Cake

For the cake:
Vegetable oil
6 3/4 ounces cake flour, plus extra for pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces sugar
5 whole eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the glaze:
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup half-and-half

For the topping:
2 cups heavy cream
8 ounces sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour a 13 by 9-inch metal pan and set aside.
Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

Place the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until fluffy, approximately 1 minute. Decrease the speed to low and with the mixer still running, gradually add the sugar over 1 minute. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl, if necessary. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix to thoroughly combine. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine. Add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 batches and mix just until combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly. This will appear to be a very small amount of batter. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake is lightly golden and reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees F.
Remove the cake pan to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Poke the top of the cake all over with a skewer or fork. Allow the cake to cool completely and then prepare the glaze.

For the glaze:
Whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and the half-and-half in a 1-quart measuring cup. Once combined, pour the glaze over the cake. Refrigerate the cake overnight.

Topping:
Place the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk together on low until stiff peaks are formed. Change to medium speed and whisk until thick. Spread the topping over the cake and allow to chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Recipe Bio: Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2007 We liked to watch Good Eats on the Food Network when we had Dish for 2 years and we saw Alton make this one night. Oh, it is soooo good!

Walnut Squares

Layers of Deliciousness!

Layer One:
2 cubes butter (1 Cup)
1 C Sugar
2 C Flour
½ C Cornstarch
Cream Butter and sugar. Mix in flour and cornstarch. Press into large, lightly sprayed cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 300 degrees

Layer Two:
4 Large eggs
2 Cups finely chopped walnuts
¼ C flour
1 C Coconut
2 C Brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
Mix ingredients together well. Evenly spread over first layer while still hot. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes, then at 350 degrees for additional 5 minutes. LET COOL.
Layer Three:
1 cube Butter
4 oz Cream Cheese
2 C Powdered Sugar
Blend until very smooth. When previous layers are very cool, spread evenly over the top. Refrigerate 1 hour. Enjoy!

Recipe Bio: Recipe from Cookie Exchange on 2007 at Erica Picks home.

Peanut Butter Cups

1/2 C. butter
1/2 C. peanut butter
1/2 C. sugar
1 egg 1
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1.2 C. brown sugar
1 tsp soda

Cream together butter, peanut butter, and sugars; add egg and vanilla. Beat. Gradually add dry ing. mixing well. Shape dough into small balls. In a 24 count mini muffin tin, place a dough ball in each. Bake for 9 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove and immediately press a miniture PB cup into each cookie. Cool in fridge or freezer for 5-10 minutes before removing from pan. Makes apprx.48 cookies.

Recipe Bio: Cookie Exchange in 2008 from Natalie Hafen ( SNOBS: Southern Nevada Outragiously Beautiful Scrapbookers)

Magic Cookie Bars

1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)
1 1/3 c. flaked coconut
1 c. pecans
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter in 9x13 baking dish to melt in
oven while oven is preheating. When butter is melted, pull out and press
crumbs in baking dish. Layer evenly with remaining ingredients in ORDER!
Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Be careful not
to over bake. Cool. Cut into bars and serve at room temperature.
Enjoy!

Recipe Bio: Magic cookie bars have always been a favorite of our family. This recipe is a new and improved one that Becky got from a cookie exchange in 2008. We liked it so much that this is the recipe we use to make these delightful bars.

Oatmeal Cake

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.
Mix together:
1 C shortening
1 C brown sugar
1 C white sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp vanilla
In separate bowl; combine 1 C Oatmeal and 1/3 C boiling water. Let stand 20 minutes.
Add Oatmeal mixture to first bowl mixture. Beat well.

Sift Together:
1-1/2 C Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
Add to creamed mixture and beat well.
Pour into greased and floured 9x13 cake pan.
BAKE 35 minutes until done.

Caramel Frosting

1/2 Cup Butter or margarine
1 C brown sugar
1/4 C Milk
2 and 1/2 C powdered sugar

Melt butter in saucepan. Add brown sugar; boil over LOW heat for 2 minutes, stirring
constantly. Add milk and keep stirring until it boils. Add powdered sugar gradually.
Stir after each addition until thick enough to spread. This makes enough frosting for a
layer cake and also enough to fill the middle of a cake.

Recipe Bio: Cathy Cook made this cake for us during the summer of 2008 several times. This cake reminds me of fun summer times with Cathy.

Monster Cookies

Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees

Cream the following:
3 eggs
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Peanut Butter(we used chunky)
1 Cup Butter
1/2 tsp Vanilla

After Creaming add:
4 1/2 Cups Quick Oats
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 Cups Chocolate chips (we used butterscotch chips, white chocolate swirl, m&m's... Add whatever you want in whatever quantity you want, it's all good!)

Scoop onto ungreased cookie sheets with ice cream scoop and bake 12-14 minutes (unless you have dark nonstick pans in which you will want to check them after 10 minutes to make sure they aren't getting over done)
Depending on the size of your scoop you this recipe will yield around 2-3 dozen cookies.

Recipe bio: This recipe was given to Becky by Louise Brandley at her bridal shower in 1998. It has been a family favorite. Thanks Louise!