Raspberry Bars

I made these for a family home evening we were invited to tonight and everyone loved them. It was the first time I made them. I got the recipe from an issue of Better Homes and Gardens.

1 c. butter

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 t. salt

2 c. flour

3/4 c. raspberry jam

2 c. raspberries*

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1 T. flour

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 T. lemon zest

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1/2 t. vanilla

Powdered Sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 13x9 pan with foil. Spray foil with Pam.

In a large bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium to high speed until it just begins to blend and soften slightly, about 30 seconds.

Add brown sugar and salt, beat on low speed until incorporated, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Don't cream it, just mix it. With mixer off, add the 2 cups flour. Beat on low speed until flour is incorporated. Increase speed to medium. Mix until ingredients form an even, cohesive dough.

Break dough into small chunks and distribute in prepared pan. With your fingers press dough into an even layer. Bake 20-25 minutes or until dough has begun to puff and is just set. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes.

Spread jam evenly over crust. Sprinkle evenly with raspberries.

In a large bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Mix in sugar and 1 T. flour until blended. With mixer running, add egg, egg yolk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Pour custard batter evenly over berries. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until barley set. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Cover and place in refrigerator. Chill for 2 hours. Top will crack slightly as it cools.

Use foil to lift bars from pan. Cut into bars and remove foil. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Store covered in refrigerator.

*You can also use strawberries or blackberries instead of raspberries.*

Lemon Rice

I made this rice for dinner last night to go with some chicken and corn cobs that Ben grilled. It was really good. I am not a fan of eating just plain rice. Ben doesn't mind it. Probably because he had it a lot on his mission and he was grateful it was rice and not something weird. Anyway, I love it when I find a good, flavored rice recipe. This is definitely a keeper in our family. The rice texture was perfect. I found the recipe on The Sisters Cafe site.

4 T. butter

1/3 C. chopped green or white onion

1 1/2 C. white rice, uncooked

3/4 C. diced celery

2 1/4 C. chicken broth

1 1/2 T. fresh lemon juice

1 T. lemon zest

1/2 t. pepper

1 bay leaf

In a large saucepan over med. heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook until softened. Add rice and stir to coat. Add celery, chicken broth, lemon juice, zest, pepper and bay leaf. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. Toss rice and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Bundt Cake

1 chocolate cake mix

1 (3.9 oz) pkg. instant chocolate pudding

2 c. plain yogurt

1 c. melted butter

5 eggs

1 t. almond extract

2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease bundt pan.

In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and pour in yogurt, melted butter, eggs and almond extract. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Blend in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan, keeping 1 and 1/2 inch space at the top of pan for the cake to rise. Pour any remaining batter into smaller pan to bake, if desired.

Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire rack and cool completely. Top with any chocolate glaze when cool.

Egg Rolls

Sydney had these a couple of years ago in Activity Days and loves them. They are really good, but we only have them every once in a while because we don't eat a lot of fried food. We have also tried them with shredded chicken, but like the beef ones the best.

1 lb. ground pork or beef

1/4 C. carrots, chopped finely

1/4 C. chopped celery

2 T. garlic, minced

1 egg, slightly beaten

3 T. chopped onion

1 T. soy sauce

1 t. sugar

1/2 t. salt

pinch of pepper

oil for frying

egg roll wrappers

Combine all ingredients in saucepan. Cook for a few minutes on medium, just until egg is cooked. Wrap in egg roll wrappers. Fry in hot oil until golden brown. Serve with Sweet and Sour Sauce (recipe below).

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1/2 t. salt

2/3 C. water

2 t. soy sauce

1/4 C. sugar

1/4 C. vinegar

2 T. cornstarch dispersed in 1/3 C. water

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and let cook over medium heat until thick. Serve with egg rolls.

Cornbread

• I got this recipe on Allrecipes, but I have modified it quite a bit. So this is my version of the recipe.
• 
  
• 2 cups cornmeal
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine cornmeal and milk; let stand for 10 minutes, whisking every couple of minutes. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and brown sugar. Mix in the cornmeal mixture, eggs and oil until smooth. Beat for 5-7 minutes with electric mixer. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.
• 
  

Tabouleh salad

Sorry, this recipe was sitting in the draft box for awhile.  I feel like I never have time to sit.  It's funny that Darci just posted a Quinoa recipe also.  And then I went to Our Best Bites and they have a post about quinoa.  It's my favorite grain-ever! We have been replacing the meat in enchilada's and using quinoa instead.  It is sooo good!  I don't have to put in a lot of cheese either.  It gives the enchilada's a nice texture.
This recipe comes from two of my very best friends. Both are very healthy eaters, and have helped me to cook more delicious and healthy meals. I have had tabouleh salad in the past, and was never that fond of it. True tabouleh salad calls for a whole entire bunch of fresh parsley. You really can't taste much of anything else in the salad. When I was pregnant with Isaac, my friend Tora came over to teach me how to cook with quinoa. So she showed how to make tabouleh salad. I told her she had to take it easy on the parsley. Her salad was so good, that I pretty much ate the whole thing myself.  Just a little FYI, quinoa is a super duper food! It so good for you! Google it. It's healthy, tasty stuff. Isaac and Lynden love this stuff. Okay, on to the recipe. Also, boxed quinoa is really expensive, at least by me.  But, if you go into a health food store, you should be able to buy it in bulk, which makes it a little cheaper.

Tabouleh salad
1 cup cooked quinoa (important note: quinoa needs to soak in water for at least an hour, because there is a bitter taste to it if you don't).
1/3 cup of lemon juice ( I have used both bottled and real lemons)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove minced
1 T dried parsley
1/4 cup green onions
1 large tomato (chopped)
1/2 15 oz. can olives  (chopped)

To cook Quinoa:  After quinoa has soaked, rinse with fine strainer.  Bring 1 3/4 cup of water to a boil, add the rinsed quinoa. Turn burner on low and simmer for 15 minutes with lid on.
While quinoa is cooking, add lemon juice, oilive oil, garlic and parsley.  Let marinate until quinoa is done.  When quinoa is cooked, throw quinoa into a medium size bowl.  Add the lemon juice mixture and onions, tomato and olives.  Mix it real good, and try not to eat the whole thing.  It really is supposed to be chilled, but we eat both ways.  But it is awesome chilled! 

Quinoa Salad

This is the first and only recipe that I have ever made with quinoa, but really like this a lot.  It is a very hearty dish, and we actually eat it warm, but the recipe says to serve it cold.  I am sure that it is good both ways.  This is so filling by itself but if you feel like you need to have some meat with it I am sure you could add some flavored cubed chicken and it would be good.  This recipe is from one of my favorite cooking blogs, Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 diced onion (I never add this due to the picky husband, but I bet it is really good in there!)
2 cloves garlic
3/4 C uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 C chicken broth
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt (I never add this, I think it is a waste of sodium)
1 C frozen sweet corn
2 cans black beans
1/2 C. cilantro (or more if you are like me and pretty much love this stuff!)
lime juice to taste

Saute onion and garlic in oil.  Add quinoa and cover with broth. Add seasonings and stir.  Cover and simmer for 20 min on reduced heat. Once water is absorbed stir in corn and black beans and heat through. Stir in cilantro and lime juice.  Top with tomatoes and avocadoes if desired.  (as in I LOVE it with that stuff and Brad won't get near me when I eat it)