Lemon squares

A request for these were from a friend from work- lemon squares.  They were super easy to make and are topped with a lemon frosting.  

I used fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.  You can use bottled lemon juice if you prefer.  Honestly, zesting a lemon seems like unnecessary work!

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also preheat the oven before baking.. and, take these out after 16 or 17 minutes, even if they don’t look completely done.

  • Bars ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled for 10 minutes
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp lemon zest (opt)
  • 1 tbs lemon juice
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line and 8×8 pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.   In a bowl, combine butter, sugar and powdered sugar.  Add eggs, juice and zest.  Blend in flour and salt.  Spread evenly into tapered pants.  Bake 16 to 17 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbs lemon juice

Directions – combine and evenly spread over bars.  

Let frosting set before cutting.  Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today!

XL chocolate cake

I have a litany of baking items I rarely use – like a twinkie pan, whoopie pie pan, churr bake, cake pop maker and this 18×13 cake pan that I bought I long time ago for some reason.  So I put that 18×13 cake pan to use today and make a very large chocolate cake with chocolate frosting (hersheys recipe).  I am bringing in to work tomorrow for my espn radio friends working on Memorial Day.

You can also use a standard 9×13 pan, but obviously,  your cake will be thicker and take longer to bake (maybe check after 25 to 30 minutes, with the toothpick test)

  • Ingredients
  • 2 cups flour (scooped from flour bag into your measuring cups so you get the right amount)
  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups hot water or coffee (coffee can bring out extra chocolate flavor)

Directions – line  a 18×13 pan with parchment paper.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl, blend dry ingredients together.  Mix in milk, oil, eggs and vanilla.  Blend in coffee or water.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake 20 minutes for 18×13 pan.  Check after 25 minutes for 9×13 pan (toothpick will come out with moist crumbs).  Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vania

Directions – in a bowl, combine butter and cocoa.  Blend in powdered sugar and milk.  With a hand mixer, beat to desired consistency.  Blend in vanilla.  Frost cake.  Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today.   Wishing you a day filled with peace,  love and joy!

Snowball cookies with mini chocolate chips

The only thing mini about these cookies is the chips!

These are a variation of a recipe I saw in one of my Nestle cookbooks that one of my grandmothers gave to me when I was in college. It is also the treat that Rob requested. I used a mix of Crisco and butter, but you can use all butter if you want. It is a very easy dough to make and the cookies will be a big hit! I made mine on the larger side,with 2 tbs of dough. You can use 2 tsp and you will bake more of them, obviously. They also take less time to cook.

Remember to scoop your powdered sugar and flour from your respective containers into measuring cups so you get the correct amount. Also, preheat your oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so it cycles to the right temp.

  • Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup Crisco
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1-2 tbs water
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
That cookie monster, at it again!

Directions – preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners. In a bowl, cream butter, Crisco and powdered sugar. Add vanilla. Blend in flour and salt. Mix in water. You may have to use your mixer for a while. It takes the dough some time to come together. Add chips. Scoop out 2 tbs dough, roll into a ball and slightly flatten. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Bake 10 to 12 minutes (bottoms will be lightly golden). Sprinkle warm cookies with powdered sugar. Cool completely. Store in covered container.

Happiness is a warm cookie

Thanks so much for stopping by today! If you try these cookies, let me know how you like them. I wish you a wonderful day, filled with peace, love and joy. #bekind

Frosted Cake mix cookies with mini m&ms

Easy cake mix cookies!

I panicked at the thought of bringing 6 cupcakes into work tomorrow (although they are very large), so I decided,to add some cake mix cookies to bring in. I used a white cake mix for the cookies, topped them with white chocolate frosting, and I topped them with mini m&ms. They cookies are puffy and soft and I think you will really like them. You can try and different cake mix flavor if you want. You can also use semisweet or milk chocolate chips in the frosting if you prefer. Remember to scoop your flour from your flour container into your measuring cup so you get the correct amount, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before you start baking, so the oven is the perfect temp. Also, I really piled on the frosting thick and still had a little left over. If you don’t want a ton of frosting on the cookies, you can halve the frosting recipe or save it to use on something else.☺

  • Cookies ingredients
  • 1 white cake mix
  • 1/2 cup egg whites
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp water
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. In a bowl,combine cake mix, flour and cornstarch. Add egg whites, vanilla water and oil. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners. Stagger 1/4 cups of dough on the prepared sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. They will be lightly golden on the bottom. Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
  • 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Directions – in a microwave safe bowl, heat milk and white chips in 30 second increments until you cam stir it smooth. Add butter and vanilla. Blend in enough powdered sugar to get the consistency you want. Frost cookies and top with mini m&ms. Store in covered container.

Have a wonderful week! And remember to be kind!