frozen pie...

*Symphony pie*

1 giant milk chocolate Symphony bar

1 pre-made graham cracker crust (or 12 individual)

1 8oz tub cool whip

1/4 cup water

Break up candy bar into small pieces and melt with 1/4 cup water in microwave about 30 seconds. Let cool a little. Fold in cool whip and put in crust(s). Freeze for a couple of hours before serving. Delicious with fresh whipped cream or a little chocolate syrup drizzled over the top.

*Cookie dough pie*

1 pkg regular Chips Ahoy cookies (or Oreos, Nutter Butter, etc.)

1 8oz tub cool whip

chocolate syrup for drizzling

Put one layer of cookies (breaking to fit if necessary) in the bottom of a 9 or 10 inch pie pan. Spread 1/3 of cool whip over cookies. Repeat this two more times. Drizzle with chocolate syrup. Freeze for 1-2 hours. Slice & serve.

Cake shmake. My boys wanted pie for their birthday! They each picked the kind they wanted and after some very easy assembly and a little freezer time the candles were on & we were good to go! The Symphony pie (recipe courtesy of Real Mom Kitchen!) is so rich and soooo good! The cookie dough pie was good, as well. The cookies soften from the cool whip...hence the name. (recipe from Big Red Kitchen)

Both of these are great for a cold Summer treat!

chicken wrap...

whole wheat tortilla

light cream cheese

sliced grilled chicken

romaine lettuce

sliced cucumber

light balsamic vinaigrette

Spread a small amount of cream cheese on tortilla. Layer lettuce, romaine & cucumber and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Whenever I grill chicken for dinner I grill up a few extra pieces and keep them in the fridge for wraps, salads, pasta, etc. This makes a very healthy, filling lunch...and it's really tasty, too!!

lemon sunshine cookies...

1 cup butter; room temp
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream (I used reduced fat)
2 eggs
1-2 Tbsp grated lemon zest
4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt
juice of one lemon

frosting:
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups powdered sugar

1 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest

1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium bowl, cream together the margarine, sugar and sour cream until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in lemon zest and lemon juice. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir into the sugar mixture, being careful not to over mix.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto lined or greased cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. In a small bowl, stir together the melted margarine, confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon zest and juice. Add milk a little at a time until smooth consistency. Spread over cooled cookies.

We have had a rainy week. A very rainy, cold week. It doesn't help that it's the first week of Summer vacation, either. These cookies were a little pick-me-up. Let's be honest...when isn't a freshly baked cookie a pick-me-up??? To keep up with the lemon theme, and to use up a few more lemons, I made these little beauties. These may very well be in the running for my new favorite cookie. They have a very cake-like consistency, and the frosting just takes them over the top. I was pretty conservative with the amount of lemon juice I used. I wanted the lemon flavor to definitely be there without overpowering it. Bake some up this Summer. You'll LOVE them!

lemon/garlic pasta...

3 Tbsp butter

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp fresh thyme; chopped

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

2 1/2 c cooked pasta (gemeli, linguine, etc)

2-3 grilled chicken breasts

Melt butter in a small pan. Add garlic and saute. Add lemon, pepper, thyme and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Add sauce to hot pasta and toss gently. Top with remaining cheese and grilled chicken and serve immediately.

When life gives you lemons...make and bake a lot of stuff with fresh lemon juice and zest...duh! This was another winner. Go easy on the garlic and lemon juice. Both come through with a very strong flavor when cooked this way. Unless you absolutely know you like a strong garlic flavor, start with one clove. For the lemon, I recommend starting with one Tbsp, taste it, and if you want a stronger lemon flavor then add more.

(1 cup pasta, 2 oz chicken=8pts)

lemon bundt cake...

1 (18.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant lemon pudding mix
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage (7 UP or Sprite)

glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 Tbsp milk (more if needed to get to drizzle consistency)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix, then stir in the oil. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the soda.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool. For glaze combine powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

I love lemon anything. Pasta, cake, bars, etc. LOVE lemons. This cake was divine. It is very moist, very lemony and very delicious. This would be a perfect addition to any bbq this Summer!
More lemon recipes to come...!!

Recipe from Allrecipes.com

penne parma rosa with grilled chicken...

1 pkg Knorr Parma Rosa sauce mix

8 oz penne

grilled chicken

grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta al dente according to pkg directions. Before pasta is completely finished, start making sauce. Toss with pasta, top with grilled chicken and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

This is one of those "need to make dinner quickly, something that is easy, etc." meals...especially if the chicken is already cooked. Throw a green salad or some fresh fruit on the side and you have a delicious meal. This really is a favorite.

(1 cup pasta with sauce , 2 oz chicken=7pts)