The Best Cherry Bars

 

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup shortening
• 1¾ cups sugar
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 21 ounce cans cherry pie filling (see NOTES)
• ½ cup sliced almonds, optional

Icing:

• 1½ cups confectioner’s sugar
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
• 3 – 4 teaspoons milk

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.
Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla until combined.
Mix in the flour.
Reserve 1½ cups of the dough.
Spread remaining dough in the bottom of an ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan.
Bake for 12 minutes.
Spread pie filling over crust in pan. Spoon reserved dough into small mounds on top of pie filling. Sprinkle with nuts, if using.
Bake about 30 minutes more or until top is light brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Drizzle top with icing. Cool completely.
To make icing, mix the confectioner’s sugar and extract in a small bowl. Add just enough of the milk to make a smooth icing that will drizzle.

Easter Chick Deviled Eggs

 

Ingredients:

• 12 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 1 dill pickle, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon pickle juice
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 carrot, cut into rounds
• 12 slices canned black olives, or as needed

Directions:
Slice through the top 1/3 of each egg, ensuring some of the yolk is included in the slice. Carefully remove the egg yolk from the bottom portion of the egg using a spoon and transfer to a bowl.
Mix egg yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, pickle, horseradish, pickle juice, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Fill a piping bag or a plastic bag with a corner snipped with the egg yolk mixture. Pipe egg yolk mixture into the hollowed egg whites creating the ‘chick’, ensuring there is enough filling to add ‘eyes’ and a ‘beak.’
Slice small wedges out of the carrot rounds creating 12 ‘beaks’. Add a ‘beak’ to each ‘chick’.
Slice olive pieces into small squares to be used as ‘eyes.’ Add 2 ‘eyes’ to each ‘chick.’ Place the egg tops onto each ‘chick’ to look like a chick peaking out of the egg.

HAM AND POTATO SOUP

 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
• 1/3 cup diced celery
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 3/4 cup diced cooked ham
• 3 1/4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk

Directions
Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.
PREP: 20 mins
COOK: 25 mins
READY IN: 45 mins

Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie

 

Ingredients

• 5 granny smith apples
• 2 cans cinnamon rolls
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C and spray a pie dish with nonstick oil.

2. Peel and cut the apples into thin slices and place in a bowl.

3. Add sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch to apples and stir.

4. Cut each cinnamon roll in half and roll out with flour until thin.

5. Layer the bottom of the pie dish with the flattened cinnamon rolls to create a bottom crust.

6. Add the apples and layer the rest of the rolls on top to create a closed crust, pinch any holes together with your fingers.

7. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.

8. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes uncovered.

9. Allow the pie to cool and drizzle with icing.

How to Make a Classic Bechamel (White) Sauce

 

Ingredients

• 5 TABLESPOONS BUTTER
• 4 TABLESPOONS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
• 4 CUPS MILK
• 2 TEASPOONS SALT
• 1/2 TEASPOON FRESHLY GRATED NUTMEG

Directions
In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a light, golden sandy color, about 6 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Season with salt and nutmeg, and set aside until ready to use.

MINI MEATLOAVES

 

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of ground beef
• 1 cup of breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons of milk
• 3 large eggs (lightly beaten)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 package lipton beefy onion soup mix
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 1/2 tablespoon dill
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the cups of a 12-cup muffin pan. (or other pan)
In a large bowl combine the meat, breadcrumbs, milk, soup mix, egg, Worcestershire sauce, onion, chili powder, dill, parsley and garlic.
Add salt and pepper and mix with your hands until combined.
Divide the meat mixture among the 12 muffin cups, pressing the meat firmly into the pan.
Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the meat is almost cooked through—the “loaves” will be firm when pressed lightly in the center but not set.
While the meat loaves are baking, whisk together the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar.
After baking for 20 to 25 minutes, remove the pan from the oven.
Generously brush the tops of the loaves with the glaze, and return the pan to the oven.
Bake for 10 – 15 additional minutes, or until the glaze has thickened and the meat is completely cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes total.
Run a butter knife around the edges of the muffin cups and pop out the meat loaves, place on paper towel or draining rack to get rid of any excess grease.
Serve hot.Share with your friends if you liked this!

Cherry Pretzel Squares

 

Ingredients:

• 3cups pretzels, chopped
• ¾cup brown sugar
• ½cup butter, melted
• 18-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1cup powdered sugar
• 18-ounce container frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed
• 221-ounce cans LUCKY LEAF® Regular or Premium Cherry Pie Filling

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a medium bowl, combine crushed pretzels, brown sugar and butter. Spread half of this pretzel mixture in bottom of 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool.
While the pretzel mixture is baking, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in large mixing bowl. Fold in whipped topping.
Spread half of this cream cheese mixture on top of the cooled baked pretzel crust.
Spread 2 cans of Lucky Leaf Cherry Pie Filling over the cream cheese layer, then spread the remaining half of the cream cheese mixture over the pie filling.
Sprinkle with the remaining pretzel mixture. Refrigerate at least 4 hours