Key Lime Squares (with Pistachio Graham Cracker Crust)

I'm baaaaaack!  It's been a long time since I've posted.  My 6-month-old and almost-3-year-old seem to have a handle on the majority of my time lately. :)

This is a recipe I made for a luncheon with girlfriends in September.  The results were mouth-watering, and Martha Stewart can take every ounce of credit.  You may not love her or be into her style of doing things...but, man alive, the recipes that she publishes (whether they're her own or are the handiwork of her team)?  They're DELICIOUS.  And this one sealed the deal for me.

Crust:
4 TBSP butter (melted and cooled), plus more for the pan
2/3 c shelled pistachios
1 c graham cracker crumbs (8-10 full crackers, roughly)
1/4 c sugar
1 TBSP grated lime zest

Filling:
2 large egg yolks
1 can (14oz) sweetened, condensed milk
1/2 c fresh lime juice (I used bottled key lime juice, and you're gonna want to do the same!)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cut a piece of parchment paper to about 8"x12".  Place into the bottom of a buttered 8x8 pan. (Martha says the butter holds it in place, and the parchment helps you lift them out.  And Martha?  She's right.) There will be a 2" overhang on 2 sides.

Grind pistachios, graham crackers, sugar, and zest in a food processor until finely ground.  Add (melted and cooled) butter.  Press mixture into pan and 1" up the sides.

Bake 8-12 minutes, or until slightly browned.  Cool 30 minutes.

For the filling, combine egg yolks and sweetened, condensed milk in a bowl.  Whisk until smooth.  Add lime juice (key lime, remember?) and whisk again until smooth.

Pour into cooled crust, carefully spreading to edges.

Bake until set, or about 15 minutes.  Cool in pan on rack.  Chill at least 1 hour before serving.

To cut, lift parchment paper (by the overhanging pieces) and transfer to a cutting board.  Cut into 4 columns and 4 rows with a serrated knife (I used a chef's knife, so don't tell.), wiping knife clean with a damp towel between cuts.

Makes 16.

Comments from the cook:  TRUST MARTHA.  These are mouth-watering.  Tangy and a little sour, with just enough sweetness to make you reeeeally want to be Martha's next-door neighbor. (Imagine the Christmas neighbor gifts!) :) 

I was tempted to forego the pistachios in the crust at the last minute because I didn't have any, but a friend had some on hand, and they were the perfect addition.

Originally found here.  Most text (including ingredient list) taken from her website.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

I made a batch of these muffins for a Christmas party, and they were snatched up in no time!  While we usually associate pumpkin with the holidays, I love it all winter long...  These babies are fantastic, and are a crowd-pleaser to boot.

Filling:
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 c powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla

Muffins:
3 c flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
1 TBSP plus 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 eggs
2 c sugar
2 c pumpkin puree
1 1/4 c canola oil
1 tsp vanilla

Topping:
1/2 c sugar
5 TBSP flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 TBSP cold butter, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 350° and fill 2 muffin tins with paper liners.

Whip together ingredients for filling until smooth.  Cover and refrigerate while you work on muffin batter.

For muffins, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda.  Set aside.  In another bowl, combine eggs, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla and oil.  Mix with electric mixer on low until blended.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix slowly until combined.

For topping, combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl.  Add in butter pieces and cut into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or fork until coarse and crumbly.  Keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

To assemble muffins, fill each muffin liner with about 2 TBSP of batter.  Spoon 1 TBSP of cream cheese filling into the center of each liner (on top of the batter).  Cover the filling with additional batter, covering cream cheese completely.  Sprinkle with 1 TBSP of streusel mixture.

Bake 20-25 minutes.  Cool completely before eating (filling will be VERY hot) and store in an airtight container.

Comments from the cook:  I didn't need to change anything from the original recipe...and they turned out perfectly!  I did have to make a make-shift version of pumpkin pie spice at the last minute (thank you, all-knowing internet for helping me make a quick substitution!).  I'm looking forward to needing a reason to make these again...

Original recipe found here (helpful step-by-step pictures available there!).  Ingredient list and most of directions taken from her site.

Pumpkin Pie Bars

This recipe comes from one of my old roommates from BYU.  She and I lived together our junior year, and I recall that she was studying dietetics.  We always teased that because she studied dietetics, anything she made was "healthy", and thus safe for consumption!

1 pkg yellow cake mix (save out 1c mix)
1 lb. 13oz. can pumpkin
2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
2/3 c milk
1/4 c white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 TBSP softened butter
1 egg
1/2 c melted and cooled butter

Combine cake mix, 1 egg, and 1/2 c melted butter or margarine and press in bottom of 9x13 pan.

Mix pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, eggs, milk, and pour over cake mix.

On top of this crumble the following mixture: 1 c reserved cake mix, 1/4 c white sugar, cinnamon, and 2 TBSP of butter.

Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes.  Top with whipped cream or ice cream.  Serve chilled or warm.

Comments from the cook:  Pumpkin pie always seems to be a obligatory part of Thanksgiving for us, but we've decided that this dessert is taking it's place. :)  The cakey crust on the bottom makes these a fantastic alternative to pumpkin pie.  We like to make these for holiday parties with large groups, where lots of people can help eat it!  


We prefer this chilled, with whipped cream on top.  Delish! 

Originally shared by Brenda Malone, roommate from The Park Place, 2002-2003.  Text taken from Brenda's original recipe.

Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are a holiday favorite, and Halloween ushers in the need for a good cut-out cookie recipe. These are Martha Stewart's, and we like them too! :)

1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature

1 c sugar

1 egg

1 TBSP vanilla

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 c flour

Whip butter and sugar together on high speed for 5 minutes with electric mixer. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt until combined.

Add flour 1 cup at a time, and mix only well enough to combine.

Divide dough into 2 portions and refrigerate in flattened discs (between plastic wrap).

Dough will be slightly crumbly when cold. Quickly form into a ball with hands (try not to warm it up completely), then roll out on a floured surface. Roll out to 1/8" thick, and cut with cookie cutters.

Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes. Cool on a cooling rack, and frost with your favorite frosting.

Comments from the cook: My mom made these last Valentine's Day, and they were delicious. Mine were a TAD overdone (I prefer soft cookies), but the frosting always softens them a bit...especially on the 2nd day.

Love the flavor of these cookies! My husband always looks forward to decorating these with a MAN's touch...hence the cookie covered in only M&Ms!

Originally found here.

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

3/4 cup butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg yolk
1 c sugar
2 c flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup crushed Oreos
3/4 c chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350°.
Cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar together. Mix in egg yolk and vanilla.
Add flour and salt, a little at a time, until thoroughly mixed. Fold in Oreos and chocolate chips.
Bake 11-14 minutes, until bottoms are slightly browned.

Comments from the cook: Holy Oreo cheesecake goodness! I found this recipe on a website that I love, and knew I had to try them. The original recipe called for 4 oz of cream cheese, and I accidentally threw in the entire brick (80z!). I didn't realize my mistake until the next day, when I didn't have any cream cheese for my bagel. :)

These cookies have that tart/tangy taste that cream cheese is best at creating... and would be perfect for holiday neighbor gifts. Mmmm!
I'd recommend baking these up after a night of chilling the dough in the fridge. The Oreos soften overnight and are easier to work with that way...but if you can't wait, they're still excellent immediately!
Originally found (and most text taken from) here - slightly modified (not necessarily on purpose!)

Easter Bunny Cakes

1 white cake mix (prepared as directed)
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
1 tub store-bought frosting, flavor of your choice (vanilla for us)
food coloring
assorted candies

Prepare cake mix as directed for (2) 9-inch pans. Allow to cool.

Cover the back of a large cookie sheet or a large piece of cardboard with aluminum foil. Place one of the cooled cakes in center of sheet. This will be the bunny's head.

The other cake will be used as the bunny's ears and bowtie. Use the following diagram as a cutting guide for your cakes. Then assemble.


Frost with vanilla frosting. Edges of cake will be more difficult to frost, so use frosting generously in these areas. Warning...this step can be messy! (If you're looking for an easier solution, use a fluffier frosting. A whipped one would be perfect for the job...)

After fully frosted, press coconut flakes into frosting. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and a couple of drops of water to bowl of coconut and stir until evenly colored.

Embellish with jelly beans, licorice, and other candies. Cake shown above is coated in Oreo crumbs.

Comments from the cook: This is one of my favorite Easter traditions - something my mom started many years ago. I usually make a coconut bunny (my fave!) and a plain version (for Brian). I try to have a (BIG) group of people over to help eat them...though I'd rather do all of the work myself. :)

If you wanted to get all fancy-shmancy, you could make the cake from scratch, try different flavors, or even use that fluffy white frosting recipe. That would REALLY take this up a notch...and you would probably want to avoid having anyone over to help you eat it. :)

Check out a few other bunnies here. And if the whole project seems a bit too daunting, do what we did in 2007...and just make cupcakes!

Tradition started by Mom Sleight.

Lit'l Smokies

1 pkg Lil' Smokies
1 lb bacon
1/4 c (or less) brown sugar
toothpicks

Cut bacon strips in half.

Wrap bacon around smokies and pierce with toothpick (to hold them together).

Sprinkle with brown sugar.

Bake at 375° until brown sugar starts to brown. Broil for extra firmness.

Comments from the cook: These are HARDLY a January food! They're great for parties and are super easy. We used pre-cooked bacon for ours and the cook time was much shorter.

A Mathias-family favorite...

Homemade Reese's

1 pkg graham crackers (approx. 12 full crackers)
1 c creamy peanut butter
1 c butter, melted
3 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 pkg milk chocolate chips
1 tsp canola oil

Crush crackers into a very fine powder. (Using a food chopper or blender is all but required to get the right consistency.)

Stir in melted butter and peanut butter.

Add in powdered sugar.

Still until mixed well. Press into bottom of an 9"x13" pan.

Melt chocolate chips in double boiler or microwave. Add a tsp of oil to the chocolate, so that it will be a bit softer when it hardens.

Refrigerate until cool. Remove from fridge about half an hour before cutting, to allow chocolate on top to soften a bit. If cut too soon, chocolate will crack!

Comments from the cook: I added a bit of oil to the chocolate this year (in hopes of avoiding the cracking), and it helped a lot! However, it does make the finished product a little bit melty when you pick it up. But, these are to-die-for. Little kids love them, and a whole pan is a LOT.

My mom and I used to roll these into balls and dip them in chocolate, but eventually started putting them in a pan. Much easier, and a lot less mess. Yum!

A Sleight family Christmas tradition, adapted over time

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c peanut butter (creamy)
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
white sugar (for rolling cookies in)

Cream butter, PB, sugars, egg, and vanilla.

Add dry ingredients.

Form into 1" balls, roll in white sugar, and place in greased miniature muffin tins.

Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes.

Remove from oven and quickly press a Hershey Kiss into the center of each cookie.

Cool and carefully remove from pans.

Makes about 3 dozen.

Comments from the cook: These cookies are a tradition for Brian's family, and he can't say no to them! Most of the text above is taken from the Cooks.com recipe, and the original recipe calls for a mini Reese's PB cup in the center of each. They are excellent that way...and super rich!

These cookies are a holiday favorite of ours, and we hope you like them too...

A Mathias family Christmas tradition, with a little help from the internet