Key Lime Bars

1 white cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 egg yolk
4 eggs
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon lime zest

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Reserve 1 tablespoon cake mix.

Pour remaining cake mix, melted butter and egg yolk into a large bowl. Blend for 1-2 minutes with an electric mixer until well mixed and crumbly. Press mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

While crust bakes, whisk together 4 eggs, condensed milk, lime juice and reserved tablespoon of cake mix until smooth.

Stir in lime zest. Spread the lime mixture over the warm crust. Return to oven and bake an additional 20 minutes or until topping is set.

Cool completely and refrigerate until cold before serving. Top with whipped cream and zest, if desired.

Comments from the cook: I found this recipe on this cool site (along with dozens of other recipes I'd like to try!) and knew I needed to give it a whirl. My mom and I made them while we were in Utah, and they were very tasty.

I used the juice from 5 limes, and it still wasn't enough to fill 2/3 cup, so I used lemon juice for the remainder. Also, the zester we had made pretty large pieces...and the bars needed whipped cream on top so they wouldn't look like quiche bars! :)

These were excellent. Try them out!

Originally found here on this site.

Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

Cupcakes:
1 dark chocolate cake mix (+ cake mix ingredients)

White gooey filling:
4 TBSP butter, room temperature
1 c powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 TBSP heavy cream
1 cup marshmallow creme

Chocolate ganache:
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c heavy cream
1 TBSP butter
2 tsp vanilla

White frosting (for squigglies/words):

1 stick butter
2 TBSP milk
2 c powdered sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

Prepare cupcakes as directed on back of dark chocolate cake mix (using cupcake papers). Allow to cool.

For the filling: Using a mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition. Beat in the marshmallow creme; set aside or refrigerate.

For the ganache: Place the chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl. Heat the cream and 1 tablespoon butter until just boiling, then pour over the chocolate; let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla; let stand until cool but still glossy and liquid.

Now that your ganache is cooling, spoon white gooey filling into an icing bag with a star tip attached (or a freezer bag with a star tip, if you're like me!). Poke star tip through the top center of the cupcake, then squeeze until the cupcake gets heavier. If extra white stuff pools at the top, scrape it off with a knife. (You want the tops to be smooth.)

Once ganache is cooled but still glossy, dip tops of cupcakes into ganache. If desired, dip more than once for thicker chocolate layer. Cool in fridge.

For the icing: Using a mixer, beat the remaining 1 stick butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, the milk and confectioners sugar until smooth, adding more milk if needed. Spoon into a pastry bag with a small tip. Pipe onto the cupcakes to decorate. (This recipe makes LOTS of icing. You can always freeze the rest and use it on the next batch!)

Makes about 24 cupcakes.

Refrigerate any leftovers (if you have any!).

Comments from the cook: I'd seen these beauties before, and knew that they would be a wonderful treat when our families were both in town right before Valentine's day. So I set out to make them...

And, I don't know WHAT happened, but the cupcake recipe on the site listed below did NOT work for me. In fact, the result was a horrific mess in my oven, a waste of 24 suuuuper cute cupcake papers (biggest tragedy), and a somewhat traumatic memory. :)

But that's what cake mixes are for! And, for the record, the dark chocolate cake mix made for amazing finished cupcakes. Easy peasy...and no mess!

After completing the cupcakes (icing and all), I removed the cupcake papers. The ganache I made was somewhat runny, and ran down the sides of many of the cupcakes. They looked a LOT better sans papers. But, just so you know... removing the papers will make the cupcakes more prone to drying out if you plan to store them for a while.

These were fun to make, and the taste? OUT OF THIS WORLD.

Originally found here. Most text taken from the same site.

Raspberry Swirl Blondies

2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c butter
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c raspberry jam

Heat oven to 350°. Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in bowl and set aside.

Melt butter in microwave. Stir sugar into melted butter until dissolved. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture and stir until combined.

Pour batter into pan. Drop spoonfuls of jam into pan and swirl with knife or toothpick.

Bake 25-30 min or until toothpick comes out clean.

Comments from the cook: I tried this recipe after finding it on a cooking website. My dad loves all things raspberry, so I made them for him...and he LOVED them. They are wonderful!

Originally found here. Text taken from the same site, and changed slightly.

Ooey Gooey Cheesecake Bars

1 yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 stick of butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar (1/2 of regular bag)
1 pkg (8 0z) cream cheese, softened

Combine yellow cake mix, one egg, and stick of butter to form a crust. Smush into bottom of 13x9 pan.

Combine two remaining eggs, powdered sugar, and cream cheese and pour mixture over crust.
Bake for 35-40 min in 350° oven. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and allow to cool.

Comments from the cook: I got this recipe from an old roommate when I was at BYU. It's also commonly known as Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, or Ooey Gooey Lemon Cake (when made with a lemon cake mix instead of yellow). It's a tasty one, and the crust gets me every time... Mmmmm!

Originally shared by Tierra Phillips, Clover Haus roommate circa 2005

PW's Mozzarella Sticks

8 sticks mozzarella string cheese
1/4 cup flour
1 egg
1 1/2 TBSP milk
1 cup Panko Japanese bread crumbs
1/2 TBSP parsley
salt
canola oil
marinara sauce

Prep:

Unwrap string cheese. Cut in half.

Put flour in small bowl/plate.

Mix egg and milk in a small bowl, stirring with fork.

Add a few shakes of salt (from the salt shaker) to a small bowl or plate holding the Panko crumbs.

How to:
Roll cheese through flour to coat.

Dip flour-coated cheese in egg/milk mixture so that egg/milk is absorbed into flour coating.

Roll through Panko crumbs to coat.

When finished coating, place prepped cheese sticks in freezer for 20-30 min (to flash freeze).

Fry in 1-2" canola oil until golden brown. Allow to dry on paper-towel.

Serve with marinara sauce.

Makes 16 mozzarella sticks.

Comments from the cook: I found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman's website, and INSTANTLY knew that these would become a favorite at our house. Brian loves cheese sticks more than most appetizers, so we gave them a try! They turned out AMAZINGLY, and we've made them multiple times since and have not been disappointed!

How-to found here, printable version here. (Special thanks to PW for a never-ending supply of amazing recipes!)

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!)

PB Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine butter and sugars and blend until smooth. Add peanut butter, vanilla, and egg.

Add flour, baking soda and salt (sifted together).

Mix in oats and chocolate chips.

Form tablespoon-sized balls and cook for 10-12 minutes.

Comments from the cook: This recipe came highly recommended from my mother in law, Debby. She was given the recipe by one of Brian's cousins, and I'm glad they eventually made their way into my kitchen!

These cookies reaffirm my belief that the marriage between peanut butter and chocolate is as steady and unbreakable as ever! :)

I didn't have creamy peanut butter on hand (which I usually use in recipes), but the chunky stuff worked quite well, and adds even more texture to these little darlings.

Originally shared by Debby Mathias, found online here

Pumpkin Muffins

Dry ingredients:

3 1/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Wet ingredients:

1 cup oil
4 eggs
2/3 c water
2 cups solid pack pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray muffin tins with cooking spray or line with cupcake papers.

Combine dry ingredients. Then add wet ingredients. Stir until no longer lumpy.

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until they pass the toothpick doneness test!

Brown Sugar Glaze:

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
few shakes of salt from the salt-shaker
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk

Melt butter in medium bowl. Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved.

Sprinkle salt in. Add powdered sugar. Mixture will be chunky (and resemble oatmeal!).

Add milk and stir until dissolved.

Dip mostly-cooled muffins upside-down in glaze, or wait a few moments and spread on with a knife.

Makes 36-40 muffins.

Comments from the cook: Pumpkin muffins = Fall. And, I fought everything in me to hoard the solid-pack pumpkin I found the other day...but these muffins? I'm no match for them, I tell you.

This is a huge recipe, and makes a LOT of muffins. My mom usually makes loaves, and just bakes them for longer. From what I remember, she usually made some loaves with walnuts. Just smother your bread/muffins with butter before eating, and you can't go wrong. Mmmmm-hmmmm.

This glaze was my first attempt at a non-cream-cheese frosting, and it is quite sweet. A brown sugar flavor without the thickness of frosting...

Originally a recipe from my mom. I managed to misplace it (or never wrote it down in a safe place), and then found a close facsimile online, here. (Mom, if yours is different, please email me IMMEDIATELY!)

Banana Streusel Muffins

Muffins:

1 cup flour
1/2 c granulated sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 TBSP (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup plain yogurt)
1 lg egg, lightly beaten
1 lg banana, mashed
1 tsp vanilla
Topping:

1 TBSP cold butter, cut into pieces
1 TBSP brown sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 TBSP flour
salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a loaf pan or muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Stir in the melted butter and plain yogurt. Add the egg and beat for 1 minute. Add the banana and vanilla. Stir until well combined. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan or into muffin tin (makes about 12 muffins).

Make topping by mashing together the tablespoon of cold butter with the tablespoon of flour, the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Distribute the topping evening over the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes for loaf or 20-25 minutes for muffins, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from loaf pan or muffin tin.

Comments from the cook: A.Maz.Ing. These muffins represent one of my few cooking ventures since I've been so sick and pregnant. They are fantastic, and the streusel topping is to DIE FOR.

I doubled this recipe, and it made about 20 muffins. I've always been a fan of streusel, so I actually did a little more than the recipe called for. That can't hurt anything, right??

Best served with Mylanta...or your juice of choice! :)

Originally found on this website, taken from this book. (Most text taken from website).

Jell-O Cake

1 white cake mix, made as directed
1 small pkg sugar free strawberry Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup very cold water
1 small pkg vanilla pudding
1 small tub whipped cream
milk

Cake:
Prepare cake as directed. Allow to cool 2+ hours. Using fork, poke holes in cooled cake. (I do them about 3/4" apart...)

Boil 1 cup water and stir into strawberry Jell-O until dissolved. Stir in 1/2 cup very cold water until all powder is dissolved.

Pour Jell-O mixture over holes in cake, and allow to cool in fridge for a couple of hours.

Frosting:
Prepare small package of vanilla pudding according to pie filling directions. Place in fridge and allow to thicken for 5 minutes.

Fold a small container of whipped cream into pudding mixture.

Cover cake with frosting and serve chilled.

Comments from the cook: Hardly an original! A favorite that my mom always made when we were growing up, Jell-O cake is the perfect dessert for a BBQ or picnic (as long as it can stay chilled until you serve it).

Betty Crocker calls this "Poke Cake" and her recipe calls for raspberry gelatin. We've tried lots of different red flavors, and have never found one we didn't like.

A Sleight family favorite, shared by my mom since the 80s!

California Burritos

2 lbs Carne Asada (recipe below)
4-6 small potatoes
Homemade Pico de Gallo
sour cream
shredded cheese
6-8 uncooked tortillas
canola or olive oil

Carne Asada:

2 lbs steak, cut into small pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
2 limes, juiced
2 TBSP white vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup olive oil

Cut steak into small pieces. Combine all other ingredients in large bowl, and add steak. Allow to marinate overnight.

Fry in skillet over medium-high heat until browned.

Potatoes:

Cut potatoes into 1/2" cubes. Add 2 TBSP canola or olive oil to pan and cook in skillet over medium-high heat until some edges are slightly browned. Add 1/2 cup warm water and cover until potatoes are cooked thoroughly. Flavor with salt to taste.

Pico de Gallo:

Prepare Pico the night before and allow to sit overnight.

Assemble:
Cook tortillas. Add sour cream to bottom of tortilla. Add Carne Asada and potatoes. Sprinkle with cheese and cover with Pico de Gallo.

Serve with Mexican rice or tortilla chips.

Comments from the cook: This recipe is our Cinco de Mayo tradition! When Brian served his mission in San Diego, he discovered the miracle that is the California burrito. Nothing fancy...just lots of steak, cheese, and potatoes. After we were married, he found a local place (called Beto's then) and managed to eat one almost every time I went out of town.

They quickly became one of his favorite indulgences, and it only seemed appropriate that we try to make them ourselves. We've enjoyed them with friends for the last 3 Cinco de Mayos and plan to eat them for many years to come!

Moment of Silence...

April was a whirlwind.

Easter.
My mom coming to town.
My birthday.
My in-laws here for a visit.
My husband's first doctoral recital.
A head-cold to end all head colds.

So, here we have May.

I'm dying to make a batch of Pink Lemonade Cookies (you'll LOVE these) and have a few things up my sleeve...

More recipes to come. Promise.