Lemon-Cream Cheese Cupcakes

These little beauties are absolutely delicious. They are light and moist with a sweet lemony taste that just melts in your mouth. They are made with a white cake mix and a few more additions that make these little cakes just luscious! I got this recipe from Kraft Food & Family magazine. It was on the cover of their spring magazine last year, and we have made them several times since then. They really are divine! The cream cheese frosting is so tasty, and I love to lick out the bowl. I have even put extra frosting between graham crackers and it was amazing! These are always a hit. For this particular occasion we took some to a neighbor who was kind enough to give us eggs so that we could make them. We assured them that they would be rewarded for their kindness. I also gave a few to my friend who was about to have her baby for a little pregnant sweet treat, and she loved them. They are so soft and fluffy. The frosting just tops it off, and the more frosting the merrier! We load it on. These cupcakes are perfect for spring but are fabulous served anytime, and anywhere!

Lemon-Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Kraft Food & Family

1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix

1 pkg. (4-serving size) Jell-O Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling

1 cup water

4 egg whites

2 Tbsp. oil

1 pkg. powdered sugar (16 oz.)

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cake mix, dry pudding mix, water, egg whites and oil in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed until moistened. (Batter will be thick.) Beat on medium speed 2 min. Spoon batter evenly into 24 paper-lined muffin cups.

Bake 21-24 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, beat sugar, cream cheese, butter and juice with electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Frost cupcakes.

Jazz it up: Stir 1 tsp. grated lemon peel into frosting mixture. Garnish with additional grated lemon peel. ( I always jazz them up with the lemon peel. I use a real lemon for the juice, and use the peel for the frosting. It gives it a much more zippy taste from the real lemon.)

*** I like to make my cupcakes in the aluminum foil cupcake liners. That way I can cook them all at the same time on a cookie sheet and I don't have to use my cupcake pans. If you haven't used these before they are fabulous, as long as you don't put too much batter in them... then they become a little distorted.

Enjoy!!!

Chipotle-Honey Pork & Strawberry Delight

Alright, I haven't posted in a LONG time. Thanks to my great sister for keeping up on this blog. She's truly a lifesaver. This recipe came from another one of those books I found while standing in line at the grocery store. It was absolutely amazing! I'm making it again this weekend. I cooked it for the exact time called for and it turned out perfect. The sauce added just the right spice to it.

Chipotle-Honey Pork
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (from 7 oz can), drained, finely chopped
1 tsp adobo sauce (from can of chiles, these are the cheapest at Walmart)
2 pork tenderloins (3/4 lb each, I got mine at Costco)
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Cooking spray

Heat grill. In saucepan, mix honey, lime juice, chiles & adobo sauce. Sprinkle pork tenderloins with salt & pepper; lightly spray with cooking spray. Place pork on grill over medium heat; cover grill. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally & brushing with honey mixture during last 10 minutes of cooking time, until pork has slight blush of pink in center. Heat any remaining honey mixture to rolling boil; boil 1 minute. Cup pork into slices; serve with honey mixture.

I don't know what else to call this except for Strawberry Delight. Years ago we were at my grandparents house and this is what they served us for dessert. I couldn't imagine dipping strawberries in sour cream. It was so good and I can remember that we just couldn't stop eating them. I had forgotten about this until my sister brought it to Arches last month. Again, we couldn't stop eating it. It's so yummy and I hope that you'll all give it a try.

Strawberry Delight

Strawberries

Sour Cream

Brown Sugar

Dip strawberries in sour cream and then in brown sugar. Enjoy!

Carmelized Salmon with Mango Salsa & Cilantro Rice

My husband and I have a favorite restaurant called the Copper Mill. Years ago we went out to eat on a saturday night and they featured a special called Caramelized Salmon with Mango Salsa. I ordered it, loved it, and we have never been able to order it there since. Shortly after I searched for a recipe, but over the years I had forgotten about that yummy meal...except for when we ate at the Coppermill restaurant and I would search for that dish on their menu. My wonderful husband surprised me for Mother's day with this for lunch. He made it all by himself. It was amazing!!! He really is a good cook, and he could easily take over the cooking at our house. He found the recipe on BellaOnline's Quick cooking Site from Karen Hancock. It can be done in 30 minutes... however, for our first time making it, it took us a little bit longer.This caramelized salmon is so tasty! The caramelizing around the salmon is sweet, a little crunchy around the edges, and so tender. The mango salsa gives the salmon a perfect zing! It's a little spicy, but sweet from the mango. The cilantro rice tops it off. I love eating rice on the side of salmon. This meal was absolutely delicious! We served it with a yummy smoothie. If you love salmon you have got to try this recipe. You will love it!!!

Go here for the recipe for 30 Minute Caramelized Salmon Dinner:
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art60794.asp

Enjoy!!!

Sopapilla Cheesecake

This cheesecake is amazing!!! It is so delicious, and different. It has a crispy, sweet and chewy crust on the top and bottom, and an amazing creamy, cream cheese filling. My husband and I absolutely loved this, and gobbled it up. I did share it with my friend, and she fell in love with it too. I think it is restaurant worthy! The fresh cut strawberries added a perfect spring taste. I found this recipe on Real Mom Kitchen. I love Laura's blog, and check it daily. I can always find a great recipe on her blog. Check out her blog at www.realmomkitchen.blogspot.com .

Sopapilla Cheesecake

2 cans Pillsbury Crescent rolls
2-8oz Cream Cheese (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 stick butter (1/2 cup real butter not margarine)

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Unroll and press 1 can crescent rolls into the bottom of your baking dish press the seams together. In a separate bowl blend the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Spread over top of dough. Unroll the second can of crescent rolls and place on top of the cream cheese mixture pressing seams together again. Melt butter and pour over top layer of crescents. Mix the reaming 1/2 cup of sugar & cinnamon together. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture generously over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until bubbly and bottom crust is slightly brown. Cool, slice and enjoy!

Oven Ranch Chicken

Wow! It's been awhile since I've posted. Thanks to my sister for covering for me. Life just seems to be getting busier all the time. Our family went camping in Arches National Park this last weekend. We had a wonderful time. We had some good meals too! Next time we go camping we'll remember to take pictures of our food. My boys were great explorers. Our big hike was to Delicate Arch. It was tough, but they all made it. It was a beautiful sight that I don't think I'll ever get tired of. It amazes me more each time that I see it. Now, on to the food! This is one of our favorites! I haven't made if for a while but will be making it much more now that I know my boys will gobble it right up (including my pickiest eater). It came from one of those recipe books you see while you're waiting at the checkstand. It's super easy and has so much flavor. Enjoy!

Oven Ranch Chicken
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix (buttermilk)
1/3 cup sour cream
4 chicken breasts (I used chicken tenders)

Mix bread crumbs & dressing mix. Coat chicken with sour cream & dip in bread crumb mixture. Place on baking sheet & bake uncovered at 350 for 30-35 minutes

Serve with: corn on the cob, red potatoes, broccoli & cheese.

EGGS GOLDEN ROD

I hope everyone had a fun Easter! I'm sure you are all sick of eggs and candy by now. We are definitely sugar-ed out at our house. Here is a great way to use up all of those hard-boiled easter eggs that you dyed for easter. I have grown up eating this yummy dish, but introducing it to my husband has not been accepted... yet! He just can't put it all together. This recipe comes from my Grandma & Grandpa. Growing up whenever I would sleep over at their house, they would often serve Eggs Golden Rod for breakfast. Grandpa would always tell us that the grated yolk part would make us grow hair on our chest. I remember really believing him for some time. Because we don't make this dish very often, it is a real treat when we do. I will be making it this afternoon with some very colorful dyed Easter Eggs. I will try it out on my kids this time. I've got to start breaking them into it now! My husband...it will take a while! It is a very filling meal, and could definitely be served for dinner. I usually make it for lunch when I'm just cooking for myself and my kids. It's delicious for breakfast with a glass of Orange Juice! Give it a try!

Eggs Golden Rod

5 hard boiled eggs, peeled

4 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

Bread

Salt & Pepper to season

White Sauce: Melt butter in medium saucepan at medium heat. Add flour and whisk until combined. Add milk and whisk until thick & bubbling.

Cut egg white in half and pop out the yoke. Dice egg white into small bite-sized pieces and add to white sauce. Grate egg yokes and combine in bowl.

Toast your bread and break up into bite-size pieces. (For a large serving I would do 2 pieces of toast.) Spoon white sauce with egg whites over broken pieces of toast. Sprinkle with grated egg yolk. Season with salt & pepper to your liking. Enjoy!!!

Thanks Grandma & Grandpa for a great tradition!

Easter Candy Shopping!

I don't know about any of you, but I will be going Easter Candy shopping this week. We will have 3 family Easter Egg hunts this weekend. For our first hunt we decorate and dye hard boiled eggs. We all just love this tradition. (I will be back next week with a family favorite dish to use up some of those hard boiled easter eggs!) Our second hunt we all bring enough candy/bubbles/playdoh...whatever for the kids who are hunting, then hide them in bunches so that each person gets the same amount of loot. Our third hunt we stuff candy in the plastic eggs with one special Money Egg for the lucky hunter. By the end of our Easter Weekend we are fully stocked with candy for the next few months!

I wanted to share what is on my list for candy this year! These Jelly Beans are amazing!!! Whoever started changing up the old fashioned jelly beans are awesome. I have never been a fan of the old jelly bean taste, but when starburst and lifesaver came out with jelly beans, I was immediately changed. Now I am in love this year! Sweet Tarts has come out with Jelly Beans and they are Mmmm....good!!! They are so sweet and chewy, and full of the yummy flavor of the sweet tarts candy. They are a great new twist to the Jelly Bean. Give them a try!

These Reese's White Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs were introduced to me by my husband when we got married. These are his favorite. We love the Reese's Eggs, and Trees. They have more peanut butter than chocolate, and that is what we love. The White Chocolate eggs are delicious. Give them a try!

My last one is nothing new...I'm sure all of you love the classic Milk Chocolate Eggs! We just love peanut butter at our house, so the Easter bunny usually leaves us a great assortment of Reese's Eggs! We always have Reese's Eggs lying around for at least the next week! They go really fast!

Happy Easter Candy Shopping!!!