Touch of Lemon Sugar Cookies

More lemon cookies!

Although I really liked the flavor of the first lemon cookies I tried, I prefer a less cake-y texture cookie.

These totally hit the spot!

Touch of Lemon Sugar Cookies

Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cookies

I made these (from the Tasty Kitchen website)...with COCONUT!!

Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Being at high altitude, I added 1/4 c. flour just in case.

Rather than getting globs of glaze on some and not all the cookies, I opted to dip half of the cookie in the glaze. It was the fair thing to do.

I'm sure Alex is so sick of coconuts now

So....

Happy Mother's Day to Me!! ;)

And Happy Mother's Day to all you WONDERFUL mommies out there!!!

Veggie Chips

Perfectly salted! Naturally sweet!

Sweet potatoes. Taro. Squash. Carrots. Green Beans. Oh my!

The Carrots are my personal fave with their light, light crunch!

I got these at Sunflower Market. I will be back for them. Amen.

Blue-Cheese-Stuffed Green Olives

These are my new obsession. We get them the olive bar at King Soopers. They are super salty, but the blue cheese mellows them out. I bet they have these at Whole Foods. I'm going to have to shop around and see who has the best ones!

Baked Brie en Croute

What a yummie appetizer! A crowd-pleaser any day.

1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed
1 wheel of brie
1 egg, lightly beaten
Any kind of fruit preserves (I used strawberry)

Roll out puff pastry to about 12x12 inches. Place wheel in center of puff pastry. Trim corners to make somewhat a circle, leaving about 4 inches or so around the wheel. Brush edges of puff pastry with egg. Fold puff pastry over top of wheel pulling back a little the puff pastry near the top (the excess pastry should make a little cup at the top to place filling in later). Brush exterior of pastry with the egg. Freeze for ~20 minutes (I didn't do this b/c I didn't have time...not sure if this step makes the pastry more flaky). Bake in a pre-heated 425 deg oven for about 20-25 minutes until pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven and place in center of pastry opening. Let cool a little bit before serving.

From the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.

Potato Chip Clusters

Just made these today and they're just another addition to my sweet and salty collection. It's a recipe from my Taste of Home: Fun Food Magazine.

9 squares (1 oz. each) white baking chocolate

2 c. crushed potato chips

1/2 c. chopped pecans

In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate. Sitr in potato chips and pecans. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until set. Makes about 3 dozen.

Cinnamon Stove Top Granola

We had oatmeal for breakfast this morning and thought, mmmmmm....granola. So my Google results returned this recipe:

Cinnamon Stove Top Granola

Best part for me was no baking!! Perfect because our oven has been broken for the last several months. I know...you wonder how we've gone this far through fall and winter without an oven...easy...$30 Black & Decker toaster oven from Walmart.

Popcorn and Junior Mints

Speaking of popcorn, here's another one of our FAVORITES!!


The marriage of hot buttered popcorn and junior mints fits in the same category of peanut butter and chocolate, cookies and cream, and Wendy's fries and Frosty's. My mouth waters just thinking about them.


My friend Jennifer introduced me to this when we were kids. On movie dates, her parents would share a bowl of popcorn and junior mints for a romantic snack. For you men out there, this is THE way to woooo a girl. Go for it!


All you have to do is pop a bag of popcorn, put it in a bowl, and while it's still hot sprinkle some Junior Mints on top. Give the bowl a little jiggle to unleash the mints into the salty butteriness. When you reach in, you'll find ooey-gooey morsels of mint and popcorn.


If you want to get a little more adventurous, try melting the mints in a microwave-safe container until melted. Then pour over the popped popcorn. Now you'll have ribbons of chocolate-minty bliss spread across buttery goodness. YUM!

Peanut Butter Popcorn

So what better snack to have during a Spring blizzard than Peanut Butter Popcorn?

Pop enough popcorn to make 2 quarts (about 2 3-oz. bags)

Cook to a rolling boil:
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup or honey (I've never tried the honey)

Remove from heat and add:
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 t. vanilla

Pour over popcorn, stirring to coat.


My sister-in-law, Julie, shared this recipe with me from More-With-Less cookbook. This is a favorite for movies, snacking, camping, or anytime - like a blizzard!

Don't be deceived. They look gooey and sticky, but they're not!

Creamy Onion Dip

This dip is always yummy and super easy and today I'm bringing this to my monthly group play date since the mommies like to snack lightly. This is from my Better Homes and Gardens Easy Everyday Cooking Cookbook. It's a nice alternative to the usual veggie dip.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. sour cream
2 T. dry onion soup mix (Lipton is what I usually have)
1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese (~2 oz.)
Snipped parsley (optional)

In a medium mixing bowl stir together the sour cream and dryy onion soup mix. Stir in the blue cheese. Cover and chill up to 48 hours.

If desired, sprinkle with snipped parsley. Serve with veggies and crackers.

Makes about 1 3/4 c.