Recipes from "Lemon Tart!"

Sorry if the book wasn't as good as hoped! Maybe the recipes will be better?!?!?!

Mom's Lemon Tart

Crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup powdered sugar

Pinch of Salt

1/2 cup [1 Stick] cold unsalted butter [cut into small pieces]

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor or mixer, combine ingredients for crust. Pulse together until a dough starts to form in clumps. Press into tart pan, making sure to cover bottom and sides evenly. Pierce the bottom of the crust with a fork and place in freezer for 10-15 minutes. Place tart pan on a cookie sheet and bake until crust is a golden-brown color, approximately 12 mins. Remove from oven and let cool.

Filling:

5 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup granulated sugar [Option to use an extra 1/4 cup sugar]

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice [about 2 large lemons - DO NOT use concentrated lemon juice].

2 large eggs

Zest from one lemon [Get zest from lemon before juicing].

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Mix cream cheese with electric beaters until smooth. Add sugar. Mix until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each egg. Stop and scrape bowl, halfway through. Add the lemon juice and zest and mix until smooth.

Pour filling into tart crust and bake on cookie sheet for 20-30 mins or until filling is set. Let tart cool on wire cooling rack. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.

Use whipped cream as an optional topping. It can be piped on in stars or served on top with each piece. For extra flavor in the whipped cream, add a teaspoon of lemon zest.

Cinnamon-Ginger Cookies

Cookies:

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups white sugar

3 T light corn syrup

2 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup quick oats

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

Cream butter and sugar. Add corn syrup and eggs. Mix well. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix well. Roll into teaspoon-sized balls [refrigerate if dough is too soft] and bake at 350 degrees for about 6 minutes or until bottom edges are barely browned.

Remove cookies from oven and press flat with a glass dipped in sugar. [Spray bottom of glass with cooking spray for first 'press' and then dip back into sugar between each cookie thereafter.] Let cookies cool 1 minute on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack.

To make sandwich cookies, spread a layer of cream cheese frosting between cookies.

Cream-Cheese Frosting:

1/4 cup butter or margarine

8 oz. cream cheese [Neufchatel or fat free works fine].

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla and mix until smooth. Add powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached; you want a thick frosting to hold the cookies together. If frosting is too thick, thin with evaporated milk. If frosting is too thin, thicken by adding more powdered sugar. Spread between cookies when cookies are cool. Makes about 2 dozen sandwich cookies [or 4 dozen single cookies].

Sadies Better Brownies

24 oz. [1 1/2 bags] semi-sweet chocolate chips [using 1/2 mint chocolate chips is delicious!]

1 cup [2 sticks] unsalted butter

6 large eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

1 T vanilla

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup walnuts [pecans are better than walnuts].

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and melt chocolate chips and butter in a double broiler [or melt in microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between each heating until smooth]. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs and sugar. Mix in the melted chocolate and the vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the chocolate mixture and mix well. Pour into a 9x13 greased pan and bake for about 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Remove from oven and let cool before cutting into 2-inch squares.

Makes 24 brownies.

Carrot Cookies

1 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 tsp orange extract

1 cup cooked and mashed carrots [steam carrots in microwave until soft- don't use baby food- bleck!]

1 tsp grated orange zest

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup chopped walnuts [optional]

Icing

2-3 tsps. orange zest

3 T orange juice

Powdered Sugar to consistency.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, extract, carrots and orange zest. Mix well. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until combined. Roll into walnut-sized balls and press flat with fingers or a fork on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 mins.

For icing, mix zest and juice, then stir in powdered sugar until icing is slightly thicker than a glaze. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto warm cookies so icing melts into cookies. Makes 2-3 dozen.

Granny's Gingerbread

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 egg

1 cup molasses [mild]

1/4 cup applesauce

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsps ground ginger

1 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup hot water

Whipped cream [optional]

Powdered Sugar [optional]

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream sugar and butter, add egg and mix well. Add molasses and applesauce- mix well. Add dry ingredients and spices- mix well. Add hot water- mix well. Pour into greased and floured bundt pan [don't cheat with cooking spray!]. Bake 45 minutes, cool in pan before turning out onto a plate. Serve with whipped cream , applesauce, or sprinkled with powdered sugar. Tastes better on the second or third day as flavors mingle.

[Smells just like Christmas!]

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

1 cup heavy cream*

1 cup butter

1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in small saucepan [not Teflon-coated] and simmer on low until melted and mixed, stirring continually [about 20 mins]. Whisk until smooth before serving over pasta. Can be refrigerated and used again if reheated on low heat. [Remember to whisk again!]

Makes 4 servings.

*Half and Half or evaporated milk can be used for some or all of cream to reduce fat but the consistency won't be as rich or as thick.