Pecan Pie Bars

Pecan Pie Bars

Ingredients:

For crust:

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

For topping:

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup corn syrup

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 cups chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a 9x13-inch pan with foil, leaving enough for a 2-inch overhang on all sides.

First make the crust by creaming together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add in the flour and salt and mix until crumbly.

Press the crust into the foil-lined pan and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

While the crust bakes, prepare the filling by combining the butter, brown sugar, honey and heavy cream in a saucepan and stirring it over medium heat. Simmer the mixture for 1 minute, then stir in the chopped pecans.

Remove the crust from the oven and immediately pour the pecan filling over the hot crust spreading it to cover the entire surface.

Return the pan to the oven and bake an additional 20 minutes.

Remove the pan and allow the bars to fully cool in the pan.

Use the foil overhang to lift out the bars and transfer them to a cutting board. Peel off the foil, slice into bars and serve.

Spicy Saltine's

• 1 ¼ cups canola oil
• 1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
• 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
• 1 (16 ounce) box saltine crackers
•  Mix the oil, ranch dressing mix, red pepper flakes and crackers in a glass jar and shake until well mixed. Pour over the saltine crackers that are in a large bowl with a lid. Gently mix for 15 minutes. Put on lid and turn bowl over and let it rest for another 15 min.

Chewy Lemon Drop Cookies

chewy lemon drop cookies

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

zest of 3 lemons

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 t. of lemon extract

1/4 cup corn syrup

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons lemon juice

about 1 cup powdered sugar, for coating

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour and salt.  Set aside.

2. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, lemon zest,extract, sugar, and corn syrup. Mix until very smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides.

3. In a small cup, combine the lemon juice baking soda. With the mixer on low, add in flour mixture and lemon juice mixture. Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula and mix the dough by hand a few times to ensure an even distribution of the ingredients.

4. Roll the dough into balls, one inch in diameter. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheets , and then toss in powdered sugar to coat.