Tasty Tuesday - 2 Ingredient Lemon Bars

This morning, I decided to make Toasted BLCTs for breakfast.  That's Toasted Bacon, Lettuce, Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches.

Mr B. LOVED them.  He loves bacon and always enjoys bacon sandwiches of any kind, but this morning he was apparently blown away by this ordinary sandwich.  "That's the BEST BLT I've ever had."  He exclaimed.  "Never mind all that Tasty Tuesday stuff you were going to post today, you have to post the recipe for these."

LOL  Well, I didn't DO anything different than usual, but I did cook up different bacon.  Steakhouse seasoned bacon.  Thick sliced.. always thick sliced.  So, apparently, that's the secret to a superb bacon sandwich.  I thought I'd pass on the secret to all of you, if you have a bacon lover in your house.

It turns out, that I'm two for two today, because Mr B. also really likes the 2 Ingredient Lemon Bars that I'm sharing with you.

I saw these on Pinterest and pinned them onto my DELICIOUS board of recipes that I want to try.  I have so many recipes pinned, that I thought it was about time to start trying some of them.  The recipe originally came from Practically Living .

2 Ingredient Lemon Bars

These bars are not like cake despite being made from a cake mix, so do not expect them to raise up like cupcakes.  They will be thinner, dense and moist, like a cross between a brownie and a cookie bar.

The 2 ingredients in 2 Ingredient Lemon Bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix gently, just until cake mix is moistened:

1 Angel Food Cake Mix - Just add water kind (any brand)

1 15 oz can of Lemon Pie Filling (any brand)

Don't over mix.

Spread into an ungreased 9 X 13 inch cake pan.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Dust with powdered sugar when you take them out of the oven if desired.  I chose to skip this and they were quite sweet enough without the extra sugar.  It would look pretty though.

Let cool completely in the pan before cutting.

2 Ingredient Lemon Bars

Delicious alone with a cup of tea or coffee.  Try serving with blueberries or with a twist of candied lemon peel on top.

Enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday - Italian Casserole

When I don't want spaghetti, I make this casserole.  It's a spin off of lasagna, which Mr. B isn't so fond of.  He does, however, like this and he especially likes that there are always lots of leftovers, which he thinks taste better than the first night.

Italian Casserole - Hot and bubbly from the oven.

Italian Casserole

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly oil your casserole dish with olive oil.

Bring a pot of water to boil for your pasta.  I used shells, use rotini, macaroni, whatever you have.   One box of pasta will be more than enough.

While the water is boiling and the pasta is cooking, make your sauce:

In a pan combine:

1 lb ground beef
1 onion chopped
1/2 green pepper chopped
4 cloves of garlic chopped

Drain the fat off

Add and simmer:

1 - 24 ounce jar of spaghetti/tomato sauce or 3 cups of your homemade spaghetti sauce
1 tspn oregano
1 tspn basil
1/2 tspn thyme
1/2 tspn lightly crushed fennel seeds ( just lightly broken so they'll release their flavor)

Sauce and Pasta Simmering

Drain your pasta and put it in the casserole.

Pour the sauce over the top, along with:

1 cup small curd cottage cheese

Stir together lightly until pasta is coated and cottage cheese is well distributed.

Top with:

2 cups (approx) grated mozarella cheese
1 tbspn finely chopped parsley

Bake for 30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

Serve and enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday - Tori's Toasty Tuna Sandwiches

Everyone has their own favorite tuna sandwich recipe.  This one is mine.  The sandwiches are toasty on the outside and warm and delicious on the inside and very messy to eat, especially if you pile them high with the tuna filling like I do.  Lots of napkins are suggested and a fork, or lots of carrot sticks and potato chips to scoop up what oozes out of the sandwich and on to your plate.

Tori's Toasty Tuna Sandwiches

Serves 2 to 4 depending on how high you mound the filling.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix together:

1/4 cup finely chopped sweet pepper (green, red, yellow, orange, whatever you like)

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1 hard boiled egg, chopped

1/2 cup grated cheese

1 can of tuna, drained

1/3 cup mayonnaise

a sprinkle of salt and pepper

Mound your filling onto your rolls.  (kaiser, chiabatta, subway..what's your pleasure?)

Wrap and seal each roll in a square of aluminum foil, shiny side facing the sandwiches, and place on baking sheet.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Unwrap and enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday - Walnut Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Walnut Sour Cream Coffee Cake, fresh from the oven.  I wish you could smell it.

Today's recipe is another family favorite.  My Mom calls this coffee cake "divine", so I thought it would be perfect to share with you before Mother's Day.  It would be perfect for brunch with strawberries and eggs benedict.

Walnut Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9" x 13" x 2" pan.  You'll need 3 bowls.

Topping - Mix and set aside:

1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
4 tbsn white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts

Cake:

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar together.  Add eggs and vanilla.

Combine the dry ingredients and add them to the butter mixture alternately with the sour cream. ( always start with the dry ingredients, then add some sour cream, then dry.. etc)

Spread half your batter in the pan.  Sprinkle with half the topping.  Repeat.

Spread half of your cake batter into the pan and sprinkle with half of the topping.  Spread the rest of the batter on top and cover with the remaining topping.

Bake for 40 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool.  Cut into squares or rectangles.

Walnut Sour Cream Coffee Cake.  Enjoy!

Enjoy!!

Tasty Tuesday - Scottish Oat Scones

Scottish Oat Scones served with jam and tea.

I got this recipe from my Mom, who said she got it originally from The Quaker Oats Wholegrain Cookbook.  It's become a long standing favorite.  These scones are delicious served with scrambled eggs, frittatas or omelettes in the morning, with tea in the afternoon, and are super simple and quick to make.

Scottish Oat Scones

Grease a cookie sheet and preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2/3 cup                    butter or margarine, melted

1/3 cup                    milk

1                             egg

1 3/4 cups               oats (uncooked of course)

1 1/2 cups               all purpose flour

1/4 cup                    sugar

1 tblspn                   baking powder

1/2 tsp                    salt

1/2 cup                   raisins (optional)

Add melted butter, milk and egg to combined oats, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Mix well.  If you are adding the raisins, stir them in.

Pat the mixture out on a lightly floured surface to form a 12x9 inch rectangle.  Cut dough in quarters, then each quarter in half.  Cut each rectangle in half to form two triangles.  (Sheesh! This sounds like math class!  Trust me it's not that hard.)

Transfer triangles with spatula to your greased baking sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes.  Serve. 

Scottish Oat Scone dough cut into triangles.

Tips:

• If using margarine, make sure your margarine does not have water in it.  Your results will NOT be the same if you use margarine or spreads with water in them.
• If you're in a hurry and don't want to cut the dough, simply pat the dough into a greased 12x9 inch cake pan and bake.  You will most likely have to increase the baking time to 15 to 25 minutes, depending on your oven and pan.  Watch them.  Then cut as if you were making bars, to whatever size you wish.

 Enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday - Lemon Bread

Springtime and lemons.

There's something about spring that makes me crave lemony treats.  I'm not sure if it's the memories of the Lemon Meringue Pie at Easter, but I'm sure they play a part.

When I'm craving something lemony I reach for this family favorite. The recipe has been passed down through my family.  I make it regularly, all year round.  It's moist with just the right amount of tartness.  I know you're going to love it.

LEMON BREAD

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
Generously grease a loaf pan.

In a bowl stir together:

1-1/2 cups      flour

1 tsp.              baking powder

1/2 tsp.           salt

                       Grated rind of one lemon

Grate your lemon rind.  Only the yellow, the white can be bitter.

Add the lemon rind to the other dry ingredients.  Stir it up.

In a large bowl, cream together and mix well:

1/2 cup           shortening
1 cup              white sugar
2                     eggs

Cream the sugar and shortening together.

Add the eggs.  I like to beat my eggs first.

The creamed mixture should look like this.

Add your dry ingredients (the flour mixture) to the creamed sugar mixture alternately with:

 1/2 cup milk

Always start and end with the dry ingredients.  

Add some of the dry ingredients (flour mixture) to the creamed sugar mixture. Mix it.

Add some of the milk to the creamed mixture. Mix it.  Keep repeating these two steps until everything is combined.

Pour your batter into your well greased loaf pan.

Bake for one hour.

While you're waiting for the bread to bake, stir together:

1/4 cup       white sugar

                  juice of one lemon

Let it sit while the bread bakes to make a lemony syrup.

When your bread is finished baking, take it from the oven.

Immediately take a skewer and make some holes in the top of the bread.

You can also use toothpicks or a double campfire cooking skewer like I did.  

  

Stir your lemon syrup and pour it all over the top of the bread.

Mmmmm The lemon syrup soaks down into the holes you just made.

Let the bread cool completely before removing it from the pan.

Time for tea!  I'm having a slice of Lemon Bread with mine.

Enjoy!