Itty-Bitty Lemon Meringues

I figured I'd start off my week with a blog post. What do I have better to do on a cloudy Monday? You're right, nothing! Well, except maybe sleep, especially after this past weekend. I did very little sleeping, but a whole lot of memory making. In any case, staying up until the wee hours of the morning quickly reminds me that I'm no longer in my 20s.

Anyway, from time to time my mom makes cookies for people for special occasions. She made over 5,000 cookies from September to December last year. When she makes them she always ends up with some that aren't pretty enough or are slightly burnt that only make it to the "plate of mishap cookies." This plate sits at her house for the taking by anyone who passes through. Let me tell you, it's true, even too much of a good thing ("the plate of mishap cookies") is a bad thing.

So, I think my mom was getting tired of making cookies, because she started making pies. Just miniature ones. Which, don't be fooled, are pretty much still cookies if you ask me. But, perhaps, cookies with a lil' flare if you will. Lemon Meringue is her favorite pie. It is actually quite a few of the house passer throughers favorites too. Hence, her inspiration for these cookies, which I am dubbing Itty-Bitty Lemon Meringues. She also loves to put meringue on anything, if she can. I will admit it does make things look just a tad fancy.

These cookies are pretty simple if you have the right tools and the time. Also, when my Mom and I make cookies we always spend one day making the dough and then another actually baking the cookies. This works well, because most cookie dough needs to chill in the frig before handling.

Having the "tassey stomper" (shown above) and the small cookie scoop makes this all go a lot quicker. This is the pudding mix we use for lemon meringue anything. 

You'll also need some tassey pans. You can find them at pretty much any store that has bakeware. Once you have these things on hand, you're set to go. 

Itty-Bitty Lemon Meringes

Crust: 

8 oz. cream cheese

2.5 sticks margarine

3 cups flour

Filling:

1 2.9 oz. package of cook and serve lemon pudding and pie filling

1/2 cup sugar

2-1/4 cup water

2 beaten egg yolks

Meringue:

3 egg whites

1/3 cup sugar

Start by making the crust the day before. To make the crust, cream together the cream cheese and margarine with a mixer. Add the flour. Refrigerate over night. If the dough is too wet the next day add a little more flour. Roll the dough into small balls. The size all depends on how dainty you really want to make these cookies. I usually roll the balls into roughly a bouncy ball size or a little bigger. Set the ball into the tassey pan. Dip the tassey stomper into flour and then "stomp" your dough ball. Slow, gentle and steady is the way to go here. Trying to get all walls of the tassie even is more difficult than it looks. You also do not want really thick walls (you don't want all dough and hardly any filling), so finding the right size dough ball for your pan may take a few tries. Practice makes perfect.

Bake the tassies at 375 degrees F for 12 minutes on the top rack (putting only 4 trays in the oven at one time seems to work best). They'll be slightly golden. Remove from oven, let cool for a few seconds and then restomp the cookies down. Return to oven and bake only 4 more minutes (do not let them get very brown). Remove from oven and remove the tassey cups from the tassey pans once cool enough.

While the cookie part is cooling make the filling. Stir the pudding mix, sugar, 1/4 cup water and the egg yolks in medium saucepan. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of water and bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes, stir twice. Scoop into the cookie crust using the cookie scoop or a small ice cream scoop, you want to fill them to the top. Let cool while making the meringue.

To make the meringue beat 3 egg whites in a large bowl (I have the best luck in a chilled clean and dry bowl) until foamy. Add the sugar and beat until the whites form stiff peaks. Once stiff, spread the meringue over the lemon filling. You want to be sure that the meringue covers the entire top, and seals against the crust. If the meringue does not touch the cookie or crust it will pull away from the edges and shrink on the top of your cookie. This goes for pies too or anything you're making with meringue. Use a spoon to pull the meringue to a point or to make a design. Bake the meringue/cookies at 375 degrees F for 5 minutes or until it starts to brown. You really want to keep an eye on the meringue.

And Voila! you're done and they're ready to enjoy.

They're just too cute.

So, I hope you had a chance to make lots of memories this past weekend too. And are enjoying your Monday, even if it is a cloudy, chilly, hard to roll out of bed kind of day.

Bar Cookies

I had such a great weekend, which makes Monday even more difficult. I'm definitely not one of those people that lives for the weekend, because generally my week days are pretty great too. However, there is just something about the weekend and having the ability to decide what to do or what NOT to do. I suppose it is that extra sense of freedom that most desire. 

So, this blog is dedicated to dessert bars. Most bars are so easy, quick and generally provide a punch of flavor. These ones do just that. The first of the two provides a punch of lemon. Yet it's not overpowering. 

I originally saw this recipe over here.

Lemon Oat Bars

1-14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

3 tsps grated lemon zest

1/4 c fresh lemon juice

1 1/4 c flour

1 c old fashioned oats

1/2 c packed brown sugar

1/2 c unsalted butter, softened

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Mix sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest and lemon juice in bowl. In a separate bowl using a fork mix flour, oats, brown sugar, butter, baking soda and salt  until it starts to form crumbles. Once it crumbles or starts to pull together press half of the mixture into the bottom of a 8x8 greased pan. Then spread the sweetened condensed milk and lemon mixture over top. Top with the remaining oat mixture.  I sort of made oat patties in my hand and then placed them atop of the milk mixture in order to get better coverage.  Bake for ~20 minutes or until edges are golden brown in a 375 degree F oven. Let cool before cutting and serving. 

Just a few tips: if you want more oat coating on the top I would double the dry ingredient part of this recipe. 1/2 of this recipe was just not enough to cover the top if you are just dropping the crumbles on. Also, I suggest refrigerating before serving and keeping the leftovers (if there are any) in the fridge as well.

The next bar recipe also packs a punch, but this time with rhubarb! As I've stated before, I have an over abundance of rhubarb. Luckily I love it, especially strawberry rhubarb jelly! Maybe some day I'll share that recipe with you. Until then enjoy this delightful treat. A version of this recipe was on Taste of Home.

Rhubarb Oat Bars

1 1/2 c chopped rhubarb (fresh or frozen)

1 c brown sugar

4 tblsp water

1 tsp lemon juice

4 tsp cornstarch

1 c old-fashioned oats

3/4 c flour

1/2 c flaked coconut

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 c butter, melted

Combine rhubarb, sugar, 3 tblsp water and lemon juice in a saucepan. If you are using frozen rhubarb, thaw beforehand and drain out excess water/liquid. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and then cook for 5 minutes or until the rhubarb is soft. Make a slurry with cornstarch and 1 tblsp water, and gradually stir into the rhubarb mixture. Bring back to a boil and let cook for roughly 3 mins while stirring. The mixture should be thick. Set aside and let cool. 

Mix together the oats, flour, coconut, salt and melted butter until it starts to come to crumbles. Press 1/2 of the mixture into a greased 8x8 pan. Evenly spread the cooled rhubarb atop the oats. Top the rhubarb layer with the remaining oat mixture. Covering entirely. Bake at 350 degree F for ~25 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool before serving

Enjoy! Let me know if you enjoy bar cookies just as much as I do!

Lemon Chicken Pasta

Spring is in the air. It most definitely is, because there are signs of life everywhere.

There are signs here.......

and here.........

and even here.....all just right outside my door.  

Which all made me in the mood for something a little on the lighter side. Something that would waken up my senses. And after some contemplating I decided on lemon. Whatever I made would just have to contain lemon. And chicken, because that's what was on hand. But something filling, because I was hunnnngry. So, pasta. Yes, pasta usually does the trick. And so I bring you lemon chicken and pasta. I also had Brussel sprouts on hand, so you'll need some of those for this dish too.

Lemon Chicken and Pasta

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken

1/2 stick of butter

1/4 c. chicken stock

1/2 c. fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tblsp chives, chopped

2 tblsp parsley, chopped

2 tblsp thyme, chopped

1 package Brussel sprouts 

lemon infused grapeseed oil

linguine or spaghetti pasta 

parmesan cheese

Prepare Brussel sprouts for roasting. (If I buy unprepared Brussel sprouts I usually pull the first couple outside layers off and sometimes cut off the bottom tough part. Also, if they are large I cut them in half.) Once prepared drizzle them with lemon infused grapeseed oil, salt and pepper and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, layer them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven for 25 mins at 400 oF. 

Meanwhile, brown the chicken in a skillet with a tablespoon of grapeseed oil. (You want the skillet hot, the grapeseed oil does not really smoke like an olive oil would, so be careful that it does not get too hot). Once chicken is browned/cooked, remove and shred it. Deglaze the bottom of the pan with chicken stock and lemon juice. Then add the butter, garlic, chives, parsley and thyme. While the sauce is coming together -basically waiting for the butter to melt prepare pasta in salt water as the pasta package suggests. Once the butter is melted and the sauce is warmed through, add chicken back to pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the Brussel sprouts once roasted and then the pasta. Mix the chicken and sprouts through the pasta. Salt and pepper if needed. Serve topped with some big chunks of grated parmesan cheese.

A few side notes: I used a whole medium sized package of pasta-I honestly have no idea how much it was and I quite frankly think determining the amount of pasta needed to feed a family is one of the most difficult things to do in the kitchen. I generally use a handful, a generous handful.

I used grapeseed oil from WildTree. Their zesty lemon to be exact. They have a lot of infused oils that are quite good, but a little goes a long way. 

And voila! You get this lemony delicious chicken and pasta dish.