Lemon Whoopie Pie's

When it's cold outside I find I want to 

BAKE like a mad woman...hee, hee :)

I mean nothing warms a home like

Home baked goodies!

These light lemon cookies

sandwiched between a creamy

tart cream cheese filling is a

sure fire way to make your family

warm up on a chilly day.

Lemon Whoopie Pies

3/4 C. Butter

2 C. Sugar

2 tsp. Lemon Zest

2 Egg's

2 TBSP. Lemon Juice

2 tsp. Lemon Extract

1 C. Buttermilk

3 C. Flour 

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp.Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

Filling:

8 oz. Cream Cheese~ softened

2-3 C. Powdered Sugar

1 TBSP. Lemon Juice

Preheat oven to 350

Cream together the butter, sugar and zest

until light and fluffy about 4 minutes on high speed.

Add in eggs, lemon juice, extract and buttermilk.

Mix until smooth. Add in the remaining dry

ingredients and blend well.

Scoop dough by the tablespoon into

a greased whoopie pie pan. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Let cookies cool in pan for a minute before 

removing to a cooling rack.

For the filling beat the cream cheese

until smooth. Add in powdered sugar and juice.

Beat until smooth. If filling is to thin add in the extra 

cup of powdered sugar.

Chill the filling for 30 minutes.

Pipe filling onto one cookie then

sandwich with the other.

Keep in a sealed container.

*they also freeze very well, just make

sure you wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

HAPPY BAKING!

Lark

Homemade Oreo Cream Cheese Tarts

These are so easy to make and yet

they look as if they took hours to make.

With the use of a Devil's Food Cake Mix

these will be ready to serve in an hour.

Homemade Oreo Cream Cheese Tarts

1 Devil's Food Cake Mix

1/2 C. Oil

2 Eggs

Cream Cheese Filling

8 oz. Cream Cheese~ softened

1(3.5 oz) Cheese Cake Instant Pudding

1 tsp.Vanilla

2 C. Powdered Sugar

Milk

Preheat oven to 350

Start by mixing the cake mix, oil and eggs

together in a mixing bowl until well blended.

Roll dough into 2 inch balls, press into

a Whoopie Pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

Let cookies cool in pan for a minute

before removing.

While cookies are baking, you can make

your filling. In a mixing bowl beat together the

cream cheese, and powdered sugar until

smooth. Add in the pudding mix, and vanilla.

Beat until smooth. This will be thick,

you then add in enough milk to make it

smooth enough to pipe into each tart shell.

For the chocolate drizzle, I just take some

chocolate chips and melt them down .

Drizzle over top and you're all set!

A Chocolate lovers dream,

Lark

Secret Ingredient Brownies

If you dont tell 'em, they will never know!
At least as far as these brownies go.
Give them a try I promise you that everyone
will love the fudgy chewiness of them,
and go back for more! ;)

*adapted from Basilmomma.com recipe*

Black Bean Brownies

• 3/4 C.  Black Beans
• 1/2 C. Oil or Applesauce
• 2 Eggs
• 1/4 C.  Cocoa powder
• 3/4 C. Sugar
• 1 tsp. Chocolate Extract
• 1 tsp. Vanilla 
• 1/2 C. Mini Chocolate Chips~divided
• 1/3 C. Flour
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Salt (unless you are using canned)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 9-inch square baking pan.

In a blender, puree the beans with the oil. Add the eggs, cocoa, sugar, extract, and vanilla. Melt half the chocolate chips and add to the blender. Blend on medium-high until smooth. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the blender and pulse until just incorporated. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake until the surface looks somewhat matte around the edges and still a bit shiny in the middle, about 20 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting and removing from the pan. 

Dust with powdered sugar and serve

Enjoy!
Lark

Cheeseburger Soup

Ingredients:
1/2 pound ground beef (use 1 pound)
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups of Velveeta processed cheese cubed (I used 16 ounce)
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

1.  Brown the ground beef in 3 quart saucepan.  Drain and set aside.
2. In the same saucepan add 1 T butter and add onion, shredded carrots, parsley flakes, basil and celery.  Saute until tender.
3.  Add the broth, potatoes and beef and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
4.  In small skillet melt remaining butter (3 T) and add the flour.  Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly.  Add to the soup and bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to low.
5. Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper.  Cook and stir until cheese melts.  Remove from heat and blend in sour cream.  

Homemade Four Cheese Ravioli

Homemade Ravioli

Ravioli Dough:

2 C. All Purpose Flour

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 TBSP. Olive Oil

2 Eggs

1 1/2 TBSP. Water

4-Cheese Filling:

1 (8 oz.) Ricotta

1 (4 oz.) Cream Cheese~ softened

1/2 C. Mozzarella Cheese~ shredded

1/2 C. Provolone Cheese~ shredded

1 Egg

1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

Start the dough by mixing the flour and

salt together and placing in a "mound' on 

your counter. Make a well into the flour

with your finger. Beat together the egg,

oil and water. Pour half of the egg mixture

into the whole of your flour. Mixing with your 

hands fold flour into itself along with the egg mixture.

Knead for a few minutes then add in the remaining

egg mixture. Form into a tight ball.

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, chill for

at least 1 hour or over night.

(This will take some time for the dough to come

together. If dough is to dry you can add in 

another TBSP of Water)

For the cheese filing is is super easy.

Just add all the ingredients together

and blend well. Cover and chill until you are

ready to fill the dough.

Once your dough has chilled, you will

divide the dough into 2 disk's. 

Roll them out as thin as you possibly can. 

(again, this will take some time)

Now you need to take 1 egg and 1 tsp. of water

to make an egg wash. You will brush this on only 

1 side of the dough that has been rolled out.

With a ravioli press or a 1 inch round cookie cutter

you will lightly press (not cutting through the dough)

the dough. You are basically just marking

the dough so you know where to place the filling.

Next you will place about 2 tsp. of filling into

the marked area. Once all the spaces are filled

you will take the second piece of dough, and lay

it over top. Lightly press around each mound 

of filling to help seal the two pieces of dough

together. Now you will take your cutter

and cut out each ravioli. 

 At this stage you can either freeze the ravioli's

or you can boil them for your dinner! :)

Boil them for about 4 minutes and the

ravioli's have floated to the top.

Serve with your favorite sauce.

Bon' Appetit !

Lark

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Many of you know by now that I 

volunteer teach the Cooking Class at our

 local Middle and High School.

Many of these students know

NOTHING of what goes on in a kitchen.

While other's have grown up in homes

where they have helped in the kitchen

occasionally.  It makes for trying to come up

with a recipe to teach them ALL

a little difficult.  It makes me try to think

of ways to "simplify" a recipe.

Making chicken pot pie is not hard.

However for teaching purposes I 

decided to fore go making the 

pie crust portion of this recipe and 

save it for another class.

*if you are interested in making the

pie crust you can go HERE for my recipe.

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

(makes a 9" pie)

3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts~cubed

1 (12oz.) Pkg. Frozen Peas and Carrots

1/2 C. Celery ~finely diced

2 Potato's~ peeled/cubed

1/3 C. Butter

1/4 C. White Onion~ diced

1/3 C. Flour

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Pepper

1/4 tsp. Celery Seed

1 (12oz.) Chicken Broth

2/3 C. Milk

2 (9" inch) Unbaked Pie Crusts*

*I used the rolled style

1 Egg

Preheat oven to 425

In a saucepan combine chicken,

veggies, celery along with enough water

to cover the top. Bring to a boil until 

chicken is cooked and veggies are fork

tender. Drain and set aside.

In a medium skillet saute the butter 

with the onion until tender. Whisk in all

the dry ingredients, mix well then slowly

pour in the broth and milk. Continue

to whisk until the mixture has thickened.

Roll out the pre-made crusts make

sure to roll it out so you have a little

extra hanging over the edge of your

pie pan. Mix together your cooked veggies

and chicken, with the sauce.

Pour all into crust lined pan.

Top it with the second crust.

Pinch edges making sure you seal it well.

Make an egg was by beating your egg 

along with 1 tsp. water. Brush over top crust.

Make 3-4 slits in the crust.

Bake for 40 Minutes.

DE-LISH!

Lark 

Lark's Homemade Orange Curd

If you have never made or tasted 

Homemade Orange Curd...you are 

in NEED of making a change!

You can add Orange or Lemon Curd,

to just about anything.

I mostly use it as a spread or filling.

Use it as a filling in a cake or sweet rolls.

Spread it on top of a bagel or toast.

You can even use it to add some citrus

flavoring to a Main dish. Sky is the limit!

I have made both Orange and Lemon Curd.

You can find my Lemon Curd Recipe HERE

Lark's Homemade Orange Curd

1/2 C. Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice~(3-4 oranges)

4 tsp. Fresh Orange zest

1 C. Sugar

8 Egg Yolk's

6 TBSP. Unsalted Butter

1 TBSP. Orange Extract

Using a double broiler, bring water to a boil.

Then reduce heat to med./low add in all ingredients

and whisk until thickens. About 3-4 minutes.

Remove from heat,let cool  before storing in

a glass jar. This needs to be kept in the refrigerator.

This will keep for up to 4 weeks.

ENJOY this full flavored citrus delight!

Happy Baking,

Lark

Green Chili Chicken Nacho's

Now at first glance these Nachos don't

look like they need an "actual" recipe

to make. I mean how hard is it to 

put some chips down, cook some chicken

and add some toppings?

Well it really isn't hard at all, however 

the "secret" to these nachos is the

AMAZING Green Chili Sauce.

Oh My Flipping Heck it is so good!

My Amazing Green Chile Sauce

2 (12oz.) Chicken Broth

1 White Onion~ Chopped

1 Lg. Green Pepper~ Sliced thinly

1 (8oz.) Whole Green Chili~ reserve 3 chile's

2 Anaheim Peppers~ chopped

6-8 Tamatillo's ~ husked removed, chopped

1 Clove Garlic~ minced

2 TBSP. Fresh Cilantro~chopped

1/2 tsp. Garlic Salt

1/2 tsp. Onion Powder

1/2 tsp. Cumin

4 TBSP. Lemon Juice

3 Lg. Boneless/skinless Chicken Breast

Place all ingredients, except 1 can of broth and the 

chicken in a sauce pan.

Simmer for 30 minutes on medium heat.

Or until the ingredients are tender.

Remove and place contents into a 

blender. Be careful to blend slowly,

until mixture is smooth.

Now you will need to take the cooked chicken breasts.

Place in a sauce pan along with 1 C. of the blended

Green Chili Sauce and the reserved 3 whole

green chili's, that have been chopped.

Mix together and heat over medium heat

for another 5 minutes.

While this is cooking go ahead and get

your choice of corn chips and toppings

together on a sheet pan you can place in the oven.

Once the chicken has heated up, just start layering.

We love to add spicy refried beans, cheese,

sour cream, tomato's and taco sauce.

Broil under your broiler for a few minutes

to your desire of crispness.

OLE'!

Lark

Homemade Pizza Sauce

At the Harrington house we

 LOVE Homemade Pizza!

And you can't call it "homemade" if you

buy the sauce! 

So I am sharing with you all

our favorite sauce recipe.

Homemade Pizza Sauce

1 (15oz.) Tomato Sauce* 

*(I use Hunt's Brand with Basil,Oregano,Garlic)

1 (6oz.) Tomato Paste

1 TBSP. Italian Seasoning

1 tsp. Garlic~minced

1/2 tsp. Onion Powder

1/2 tsp. Dried Basil

1 Bay Leaf

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan,

simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes.

You can store this for 2 weeks in 

your fridge.

Feeling Saucy,

Lark

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

These are just one of the cookies I 

came up with while I worked

as a Baker for a few years.

Super easy and very popular!

You can bake them so they are either

soft or crisp, whatever your in the

mood for.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

1 C. Butter~ softened

3/4 C. Brown Sugar~packed

1 C. Sugar

2 Egg's

1 TBSP. Vanilla

3 1/2 C. Flour

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 C. Macadamia Nuts~ chopped

1 (12oz.) White Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350

Cream together the butter and sugars.

Add in eggs, vanilla, salt and baking soda.

Mix until smooth. 

Add in flour, chips and nuts.

Blend well, roll into 2 inch balls

place on a parchment lined sheet

pan. Slightly flatten each ball with 

your palm. Bake for 9-12 minutes.

Happy Baking,

Lark

Skookie's (Cookies baked in a Skillet)

For Christmas I bought 3 Mini

cast iron skillet's. I have wanted them for 

awhile now....so I counted them as a gift! (lol)

I am so happy with my buy!

I have made individual sized 

stratta's, brownies,and snookies.

(Really you can make anything in them.)

Chocolate Chip Snookie Dough

1 C. Butter~softened

1 C. Brown Sugar

1 C. Sugar

2 Egg's

1 TBSP. Vanilla Extract

3 1/2 C. Flour

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1(12oz.) Mini Chocolate Chip's

Preheat oven to 350

Start by creaming the butter and sugars

together for 2 minutes. Add in the eggs one 

at a time, while beating slowly.

Next add in the vanilla, soda and salt.

Mix again until smooth.

Pour in flour and choc.-chips.

Blend well.

*depending on the size of your skillet,

(you can use any size) roll dough into a

ball and then press flat out to the edge.

Baking time will also depend on the

size of skillet. My 5" size took 14 minutes to bake.

This  recipe made (15) 5 inch Snookies.

It's Snookie time!

Lark

Easy Lemon Cranberry Bread

This is a quick and easy way to turn

a Boxed Cake Mix into a 

flavorful sweet bread.

Easy Lemon Cranberry Bread

1 1/4 C. Fresh Cranberries~ chopped

1/4 C. Sugar

2/3 C. Milk

1/2 C. Sour Cream

4 Egg's

1 (15.25 oz) Lemon Cake Mix

Preheat oven to 350

Start by tossing the cranberries in 1/4 C.

of the dry cake mix. set aside for now.

Mix all other ingredients together. 

Fold in the berries.

Divide batter into (2) 8x4 loaf pans

that have been lightly greased.

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until

cooked through.

I like to then pour some lemon glaze

over the warm loaves.

Lemon Glaze

2 C. Powdered Sugar

1/4 C. Lemon Juice

Tangy and Tart,

Lark