Lemon Raspberry Bars

I decided that I had to post this recipe right away today because of how my fiance reacted to it. Yes, fiance! Adam and I got engaged June 22...it was a complete surprise to me and the event rendered me quite speechless. For those of you who know me, you know that does not happen very often.

Yesterday at work I was quickly browsing through Pioneer Woman's website and found this recipe that originally came from Two Peas and Their Pod, another of my favorite food and recipe blogs. It sounded amazing and looked to pretty and fresh. I ended up going to Kroger to get ingredients for this and also for my Thai Chicken Pizza that I make about once a month when Adam is at work. This recipe was super fast and easy to make, and oh man the lemon smell was phenomenal. Adam walked in and said "Yum, what are you making? Smells good! Lemon?"

I finished the dessert and put it in the fridge where it stayed until this morning when Adam was getting in there to get stuff for lunch (Pesto with Three Cheese Tortellini, yum!). At that time, he proceeded to take it out and try and bite. I was so shocked at his reaction which basically consisted of "Yum", "Oh my God.", and "I could eat this whole pan". I tried it and had to agree that is was pretty amazing. He later, after grabbing the pan and running for the living room and away from me, told me that "This is my favorite thing you have ever made!". Coming from Adam the picky-eating-chef of a fiance, I took that to mean that this was a WINNER! Try it, you won't regret it. This was also the first time I ever zested anything and it was fun!

Lemon Raspberry Bars

CRUST:
1-½ cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
6 Tablespoons Salted Butter, Melted
¼ cups Sugar
1 whole Lemon Zested

FILLING:
2 whole Egg Yolks
1 can Fat Free Sweetened Condensed Milk, 14 Oz.
½ cups Fresh Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Lemon Zest
6 ounces Fresh Raspberries

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 8 by 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Stir until graham cracker crumbs are moist. Press crumbs into the prepared pan, pressing the crust mixture one inch up the side of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Once the crust is cool, combine the egg yolks and condensed milk until well mixed. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir until mixture begins to slightly thicken. Gently fold in the raspberries. Fold carefully so you don’t break the raspberries.

Pour the lemon raspberry filling evenly over the graham cracker crust. Bake for 15 minutes, or until just set.

Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least one hour before serving. Will keep up to days. Cut and serve.

Note: use fresh raspberries and make sure you gently fold the berries into the lemon filling, or you will have pink bars.

My Grandma's Strawberry-Rhubarb Cake

Don't get me wrong, there are TONS are dessert recipes that I love and adore. However, I am not kidding in the slightest when I say that this is my FAVORITE dessert EVER. Honestly, if I could only eat one dessert for the rest of my life, this would be it. Hands down, the best. Today is just a Grammy recipe day, since my late lunch/early supper is also one of her recipes.

I have been eating this Strawberry-Rhubarb cake as far back in my life as I remember. My grandmother has made it over and over again. Since I moved away to college (granted only a little over an hour away), every time I come home to visit she asks me what I want for lunch and so on. This is even more so true now that I am away at grad school in Ohio. It never fails that I either always ask for this cake or she just makes it on her own without me asking because she knows that it is my favorite. The only dessert that I usually ever ask for besides this is caramel cake with caramel frosting, but that is only for my birthday. :)

This cake is tried and true and I honestly have never ever met anyone who did not like it. My friend and fellow blogger Tessa and I made it a few years back in Omaha (when I still lived in the state). She and her hubby Derek both really enjoyed it. Then there is the boyfriend and picky chef Adam. My grandma made this for me when we went home over spring break this year. Adam tried one bite and fell in love with the cake, maybe more with the cake than with me. Kidding :)

**I will be honest and tell you that this is NOT healthy at all, but it is soooo good**

Now for your promise to me...You must promise me that you will only make this cake if you try it my way (and my grandmother's) first. Yes, you could eat it plain. Yes, you could put whipped cream on it. No, you will not do this right away because...do us both a favor and try it this way first: *Microwave a piece so it's slightly warm and put a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream with it.*

The combo of cold and warm is perfect here. I hope that you love this as much as my grandmother, Adam, and I do. :)


Ingredients:
-5 cups chopped rhubarb
-1 dry yellow cake mix
-1 cup sugar
-1 stick butter or oleo
-1 packet (3oz) dry strawberry jello mix
-1 1/2 cups water

Strawberry-Rhubarb Cake

*Spread chopped rhubarb in the bottom of 9x12 pan.
*Sprinkle on dry jello mix, followed by sugar,
*Sprinkle on dry cake mix evenly
*Melt butter in with water in microwave until mixed thoroughly
*Poor butter/water mixture over top of rhubarb/dry mixture
*Bake for 45 minutes at 350

Remember your promise to try it our way first ;)

Cornflake Chews

I absolutely love this recipe. It is a favorite in our house back home. My mother has been making it for a long time. It's so easy to make, I just made these in less than 10 minutes. I love having one with a glass of milk.

Cornflake Chews

Ingredients:
1 cup light karo syrup
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
4 cups cornflakes

Directions:

Add karo syrup and sugar to a large pot, mix, and bring to a rapid boil. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until melted and soft. Add cornflakes and stir until well mixes and flakes are covered. Spoon onto wax paper and let cool until solid. ENJOY!