Treasure Cookies

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 25-30 squares)
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups coconut
2 cups (1 package) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts, chopped (I usually leave these out due to my husband’s preference – the cookies are delicious with or without nuts)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, flour and baking powder. In a large bowl, beat sweetened condensed milk and butter until smooth. Add graham cracker crumb mixture; mix well. Stir in coconut, chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

I am cleaning out my email and keep finding recipes that Rachel has sent me - makes me miss her.

Almond Cake

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup sugar

1 c. flour

2 eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

Melt butter first then add the sugar

Then add two eggs and beat just slightly

Add almond extract

Add a cup of flour

Stirring just as little as possible

Get at least a 9 inch round pan

Butter bottom pan

Pour batter in

Chop up almonds and put them on top

Bake 350 – 25-30 minutes

This recipe is from Rachel's friend Peter Carroll.

Lemon Fluff Dessert

1 pint chilled whipping cream

2 cups homemade lemon curd

2 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (or a little more depending on your taste)

2 T. grated lemon peel

Beat cream in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Mix lemon curd, lemon juice and peel in another large bowl to blend. Fold in whipped cream. Can be made 2 hours ahead. Serve by dolloping on a slice of pound cake or angel food cake. You may want to mix in some raspberries or just top with berries.

Lemon Curd

3 lemons (about 1/2 c. fresh lemon juice)

2 large eggs

3 egg yolks

2 Tbsp. milk

1/2 c. sugar

6 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Wash and dry lemons. Before juicing, grate the zest of one of the lemons. Beat eggs, yolks, milk and sugar together. Stir in the lemon juice and zest. Set the mixture over medium-low heat and whisk until the eggs are thickened and warm. Add the butter a few pieces at a time, stirring until each addition is blended into the eggs. Continue stirring until mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon. When thick, pour into a bowl or glass jar to cool. Cover with plastice wrap touching the surface so a skin doesn't form and refrigerate. Makes 2 cups.

Always Moist Pound Cake

1 Duncan Hines brand all butter cake mix

4 large eggs

3/4 c. vegetable oil

1/2 c. granulated sugar

8 oz. sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

All ingredients should be at room temperature. Preheat oven to 350*F. Combine cake mix, oil, sour cream and sugar. Add eggs one at a time until thoroughly mixed. Stir in vanilla. Spray (or grease) bundt pan and sugar coat the inside of pan (this creates the crisp crust found on the old fashioned pound cakes). Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until cake test is done.

This is a dessert that April Steimle made for our pre-ward conference meetings. It was so yummy!!!

Toffee Squares

Ingredients

• 2 sticks Butter
• 1 cup Packed Brown Sugar
• 1 whole Egg
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla
• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 2 cups Chocolate Chips (milk Or Semi-sweet)
• ¾ cups Finely Chopped Pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and flour and mix until combined. Spread on cookie sheet with an offset spatula until thin. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle on chocolate chips. Return to oven for 1 minute. Remove from oven and spread chocolate thinly over the cookie layer.

Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Cut into squares.

Made these for Jeffrey's artists reception in Utah. They were fantastic. Got the recipe from Pioneer Woman Cooks.

Black Bean Soup

1 large onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 larch green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 can diced tomatoes with juices
1 can diced green chilies
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 can chicken broth
4 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

Saute onion, peppers, and garlic with the oil until tender. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes. Garnish with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and cilantro.

Pecan Tassies

1/2 c. butter
3 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 c. flour
Pinch of salt

Mix well butter and cheese. Add flour and salt. Makes 24 balls. Then press in Tassie pans with fingertips.

FILLING:

1 egg
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c. coarse pecans
Pinch of salt

Beat egg, sugar, butter, vanilla until smooth. Stir in pecans. Put 1 teaspoon filling in each cup. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until filling sets. Remove from pan and place on rack to cool.

Chicken Yakisoba Noodles

1/2 C soy sauce

1/2 C water

1/2 C sugar

6 Tbsp sesame oil, divided

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp minced ginger

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

4 (7 oz.9 pkg. yakisoba noodles, uncooked

1 carrot, peeled and finely julienned or chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

sesame seeds, chopped nuts or sliced green onions for garnish

In a medium bowl, mix together soy sauce, water, sugar, 2 Tbsp sesame oil, garlic and ginger.

Place the chicken in a pastic bag and add 6 Tbsp of the soy sauce mixture; close bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Reserve remaining soy sauce mixture for cooking noodles.

Remove the noodles from the package and gently separate. Reserve seasoning packets for another use.

In large skillet or wok over high heat, heat 2 Tbsp sesame oil. Add carrot and onion; saute until almost brown. Reduce heat to medium and add noodles. Stir fry 5-6 minutes or until they begin to stick to the pan. Add the reserved soy sauce mixture and stir fry for 3-5 minutes longer. Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, heat remaining 2 Tbsp sesame oil. Saute the chicken until cooked through.

Dad and I had this on Monday night. It is straight from yourhomebasedmom. Great!!