Lemon Cream Dessert

This would be a fabulous Easter dessert!! Not only does it look nice with pastel sprinkle or candied lemon peel on top, it is full of lemony taste for Spring. I would recommend making this the night before so it sets up well, but if you make it the day of a dinner, allow 6 hours for it to be set. this came from "Taste of Home" originally, but I made some changes, as I usually do. Happy Easter, Happy Spring!!

• 3 Egg Yolks Beaten
• 1 1/2 cups sugar


• 1/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons cornstarch


• 1 1/2 cups cold water
• 3 Egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 3 Tablespoons butter, cubed
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• Crust:

• 1 cup unbleached flour( I use King Arthur or Pillsbury)


• 1 cup finel chopped walnuts and pecans mixed(I changed this to a mix and the flavor is great)!


• 1/2 cup or 1 stick cold butter

Topping

• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened


• 1 cup powdered sugar


• 2 cups cold milk


• 2 packages(3.4 ozs. each) instant vanilla pudding


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 2 8 oz. cartons frozen whipped topping, thawed(or 1- 16 oz. carton)

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch: gradually stir in water until smooth. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil, cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter and lemon peel. Gently stir in the lemon juice. Refrigerate until cool.

In a bowl, combine the flour and nuts. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. I use a food processor for this and it does a great job and mixes it so well. Press into the bottom of a greased 13x9x2 inch pan.Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth; Carefully spread over crust. Spread with cooled lemon mixture. In another mixing bowl, beat milk and pudding mixes on low for 2 minutes: beat in vanilla. Fold in one 8 oz. carton of topping, spread over lemon layer. Spread with remaining carton of whipped topping. Chill for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, before serving. 12-16 servings

Chocolate Cream Pie

Who can resist a piece of chocolate cream pie, mounded with real whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles?? Not and kid I knew!! Children adore this pie and it is a staple, even at Thanksgiving in my family. This pie can be made with a traditional crust(see my pie crust recipe or with a graham cracker crust, which is what my family prefers. So take a forkful of creamy heaven and savor every bite!

• 4 Egg yolks


• 3 scant cups milk


• 1 1/2 cups sugar


• 1/3 cup cornstarch


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate


• 1 Tablespoon vanilla


• 1/2 pint whipping cream


• 9 inch graham cracker crust(Keeble makes a great Lite crust) or you can make from scratch- Combine 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs with 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup melted butter, in a bowl. Press and pat the mixture into a 9 inch pie plate, in the bottom and up the sides. Bake 8-10 minutes in a 350 degree oven and cool.

In a saucepan combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Blend egg yolks and milk and add to sugar/cornstarch mixture. Cook over medium heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, add vanilla and melted chocolate, stirring thoroughly with a wire whisk. Pour into baked pie shell and cover with wax paper. Refrigerate for an hour or more. Whip the cream until slightly stiff. Remove wax paper and mound whipped cream on pie. Sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles. Enjoy!

Good for you cookies with everything

These healthy cookies are also delicious!! My husband loves them and they use brown sugar instead of white sugar, too. I got this recipe form my favorite magazine "Taste of Home", but have a couple of revisions. First it does not make 6 dozen like it says, but rather 4 1/2 dozen also, if you are chocolate people, you can add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, they are good too. So bake up a batch and watch the kids dig in for seconds!

• 1 cup butter- flavor shortening


• 1 cup creamy peanut butter


• 2 cups packed brown sugar(I use light)


• 4 Egg whites(save yolks for something else)


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 2 cups unbleached flour(I use King Arthur or Pillsbury)


• 1 teaspoon baking soda


• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder


• 2 cups crisp rice cereal


• 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts(I like pecans)


• 1 cup flaked coconut


• 1 cup quick-cooking oats

In a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening, peanut butter, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg whites and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and baking powder: gradually add to the creamed mixture and cream well. Stir in the cereal, nuts, coconut and oats.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheete. Flatten with a fork, forming a crisscross pattern. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield 4 1/2 dozen-

My favorite chocolate chip cookies

These are just the best cookies and they work well at high altitudes!! The secret is I don't put in as many chocolate chips! So many people like to eat chocolate chip cookie dough and I think that 12 ozs. or 2 cups of chips drowns out the cookie. If you want you can add the whole bag, of course, but try it once with less chips. This recipe came from a series of cookbooks in Colorado called "Kitchen Keepsakes"and I made a couple of changes. They are wonderful for high altitude(I live at almost 7000 feet) and work well at all altitudes. I don't know if the cookbooks are available any more.

• 1/2 cup butter



• 1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco, you can use 1 cup butter flavored Crisco and eliminate the butter



• 3/4 cup white sugar



• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed



• 1 tsp. vanilla



• 2 Eggs



• 2 1/4 cup unbleached flour( I use King Arthur or Pillsbury, or unbleached Wheat Montana when I can get it )



• 1 tsp. baking soda



• 1 tsp. salt



• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips or 3/4 of a 12 oz. bag



• 1 cup chopped nuts(optional)

Bream butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and thoroughly mix. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, if desired. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or golden brown. Remove from oven, and let set for 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet onto cooling racks. Makes 3 dozen-