Oatmeal Lemon Cream Bars

             So I was in the mood for baking and citrus (one of my favorite combinations!) so I went to my trusty Pinterest boards, and clicked away until I came across something I have been meaning to make for awhile that fit the bill. As it turns out, it's also an easy recipe with no more than five ingredients. The original recipe's website also lists an option to make this from scratch instead of using a Betty Crocker packet of cookie mix, but in my case I decided I just needed sweets stat and had no time for this.

           The recipe is pretty yummy, and I didn't change a thing. The only part I would suggest slightly altering isn't part of the recipe but part of the actual cooking; even after a hefty cooking spray spray-down, the bars still were difficult to take out of the pan and all of them ripped in some way. Next time I will put parchment paper down and then grease that.

Oatmeal Lemon Cream Bars 

  

1/2 cup cold butter

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® oatmeal cookie mix

1 egg

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)

2 teaspoons lemon zest (I used basically all from the two lemons)

1/4 cup lemon juice (2 lemons)

from-scratch recipe available by clicking on the link below*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay parchment paper in the bottom of an 8x8 pan that is long enough that the paper hangs over the side on both sides. Spray the bottom and sides of the paper with non stick spray.

In a large bowl cut the cold butter into the cookie mix with a fork or pastry blender.

Stir in the egg until the mixture is crumbly.

Press half of the dough into the bottom of the greased pan and bake it in the oven for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl mix the sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice until thick and combined.

Spread lemon mixture over baked crust and evenly crumble remaining dough on the top.

Bake another 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Let cool and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. Pull entire baked product out by lifting both sides of the parchment paper. Cut into bars and store in the refrigerator.

-Sweet Sarah 

Found at Just Call Me Maria *

Crockpot Cheddar Beer Chicken Tacos

I am not the biggest beer fan. If fact, up until recently I didn't drink it at all.

However, I have always been a fan of food. 

This chicken is really, truly delicious. The subtle taste of beer, the slight hint of cheddar, and very distinct spices that blend together perfectly; a blend so harmonious it almost sings right off the plate. The recipe calls for any beer, but I chose to use Leinenkugel's Honey Weiss. Since I don't know what other beers taste like in the recipe, I can't make an exact call but my educated guess is that it was a FANTABULOUS choice. 

The Beer

The Chicken

The Taco

 [taco seasoning adapted from allrecipes]

serves 4+

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3/4 cup beer (an amber ale)* I had a heavy hand...can add more

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoons pepper

1 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese + more for topping

taco shells

your favorite toppings: sour cream, avocado, cilantro, salsa, chopped onion, black beans, shredded lettuce, cheese, guacamole, etc.

In a bowl, mix together chili powder, cumin, garlic, onion, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper. Measure out 3/4 cup* of your favorite beer, and whisk seasoning into the beer.

Place chicken in the crockpot and dump in beer with seasoning. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4 hours.

When you first remove the lid, it will seem as though there is a lot of liquid and the chicken is just sitting in it, but take two forks or kitchen tongs and shred, shred, shred until it all comes together. Taste and season with additional taco seasoning if desired, then let sit in the crockpot for another 15 minutes or so. Turn the crockpot completely off, and right before serving toss in cheddar cheese. Once combined, immediately transfer the chicken to a large bowl so the cheese does not stick to the crockpot. Make your tacos!

-Sweet Sarah 

Recipe from How Sweet it is

Zesty Lime-Fish Tacos

Ok, I'm gonna come out and say it: You have not LIVED until you have eaten this recipe.

LIVED. 

You think I'm kidding or exaggerating; I'm not. 

        Until yesterday I had never made fish tacos, and my memory is a little fishy in remembering if I've ever even had one before (ok, ok, I'll stop). I was a little nervous, especially because I had some guys friends on their way and I would need to feed them something-- and you know how much guys can eat too. pressure pressure! Therefore, it was imperative it worked not that they deserve it . However, because I am insane I also made Cheesy Beer Chicken Tacos. as well as cowboy caviar and guacamole. There was more than enough food but even more so because these tacos more than worked. They changed my life. The fish is not nestled into a tortilla, but is actually a flattened Pillsbury biscuit from the can. I was really worried about this part, but I can not stress enough how amazing and imperative it is you try it this way at least once. So here are the tacos....

Zesty Lime-Fish Tacos 

I was so focused on taking the picture as quickly as possible that I didn't even notice this picture is focused on the "tortilla" instead of the insides. 

See those fish pieces right there? yes. yes yes yes.

Seriously Ya'll, these are so good That after I typed the first paragraph and added the picture, I went and made myself one and am eating it AS I TYPE THIS. Here is the recipe

1 lb tilapia fillets (about 4)

½ cup or 7 TBSP fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

¼ cup Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour

¼ cup yellow cornmeal

¼ cup flour

1can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (8 biscuits)

6 tablespoons Crisco® Pure Canola Oil

1 ½ tablespoons chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (from 7-oz can), finely chopped* more or less depending on personal level of spiciness

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper

Your favorite taco toppings:

 shredded lettuce, cabbage, chopped red onions, chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, black beans, sour cream, salsa (or how the original recipe called for, a mixture of ½ c salsa with ½ c sour cream and one TBSP of lime juice for topping). I personally used all of these topping except the cabbage, which creates a VERY full taco….full of amazingness.

Heat oven to 200°F. Cut each fish fillet into little chunks. In shallow glass dish, mix 7 tablespoons of the lime juice and garlic. Add fish; turn to coat. Let stand while preparing biscuits.* The longer you let this sit in the fridge, the better. I left mine in there for a long time since I was preparing two dips and two entrees at the same time.

On work surface, mix flour and cornmeal. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Press both sides of each biscuit into flour mixture, then press or roll into 6- to 7-inch round.

In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add 2 biscuit rounds; cook about 1 minute on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Place on cookie sheet; keep warm in oven. Cook remaining rounds, adding 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to skillet for each batch. Wipe skillet clean.

Heat same skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and lime juice mixture, chiles, salt and pepper; cook about 5 minutes, turning fish once, until fish flakes easily with fork.

remove fish and divide evenly among biscuit rounds. Top each with your favorite toppings. Fold biscuit rounds in half over filling. 

-Sweet Sarah 

Slightly Adapted from Pillsbury