2 sticks softened real butter, not margarine or spread

2 - 8 ounce packages softened cream cheese

1 cup sour cream

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

2 tablespoons lemon extract or flavoring

3 1/2 cups self rising flour

grated lemon peel from one lemon, plus the juice

For the glaze: 

1 cup of sugar

1 1/2 cups water

grated peel from one lemon, plus the juice

1 tablespoon lemon flavoring or extract

Preheat oven to 300*.

Generously grease and flour a tube pan or 3 loaf pans and set aside.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, sour cream and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add lemon peel and juice of one lemon, then gradually add flour until all is well combined. Spoon batter into prepared tube pan or loaf pans. If using a tube pan, don't fill more than 2/3 full as this cake rises a lot during baking but subsides as it cools. It may be necessary to grease and flour a small cake pan or loaf pan for any excess batter. 

Bake in preheated 300* oven until no longer gummy in the center and golden brown, 55-80 minutes depending on pans used. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out almost clean, but not gummy. Don't over bake; better to remove it a little early than to over bake it. Place on wire rack to cool.

Prepare glaze:

In a medium sauce pan, combine water and sugar. Stir and bring to a medium boil for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Add grated lemon peel, juice of 1 lemon and lemon flavoring. Stir well and pour hot glaze slowly and evenly over the still warm cake(s) and allow to cool on wire rack to room temperature.This will soak into the cake and make it moist and delectable. 

Wrap tightly in aluminum foil or place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

1 cup very cold heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon confectioners sugar, more to taste

Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or flavoring, or flavoring of your choice

For optimal fluffy whipped cream, chill your bowl and beaters in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before proceeding. 

To the chilled bowl and with chilled beaters, add the whipping cream and whip on high speed for about 2 minutes, or until cream is thickened but not stiff. Pause the mixer and add the powdered sugar and flavoring if used, then whip until cream is thickened to your liking. Be aware that if you over beat the cream, it will begin to separate into butter and buttermilk, and there is no recovering from that. Use immediately or place in an airtight container for longer storage. Keep in the refrigerator.

Recipe may be increased, just keep the proportions for cream, flavoring and confectioners sugar as you increase it. 

Whipped cream made with confectioners sugar will stay stable and firm for several days at least. The cornstarch in confectioners sugar is the secret to firm, stable whipped cream.

Another variation: Add a tablespoon or more to taste of baking cocoa to the whipping cream when you add the confectioners sugar. You will also need more confectioners sugar so add more sugar to taste and continue beating until firm. 

You may also add food coloring, a drop at a time, mixing well after each addition, until you get the color you like. This works well for shower themes, etc.

1 small can chicken breast, drained

1/4 cup diced water chestnuts

1/2 cup sweet relish or to taste

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

4 boiled eggs, diced

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup mayonnaise or to taste

Mix all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours for best flavor and texture, but it's great immediately. Serve as a sandwich, with crackers, on lettuce cups or on wraps.

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla if desired

Preheat oven to 350*F.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. 

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. On a floured surface, roll out 1/3 of the mixture evenly until about 1/4 inch or less in thickness. Cut into small rectangles, about 1 1/2 inches by 2 inch strips.This dough does not spread much, so make the cookies the thickness and size you want the finished cookies to be. Using an offset spatula or wide bladed knife, transfer to prepared baking sheets. Dock each cookie by pricking with a fork evenly 3 or 4 times down the length of the cookies.

Bake until just golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and transfer carefully onto wire racks to cool.

Repeat with the remaining dough. Dough may be refrigerated if it becomes difficult to work with. 

After cookies are completely cool, place into an airtight container for storage.

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) real butter, melted

Filling: 

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 eggs

1/4 cup real butter, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups sweetened shredded coconut, divided

Preheat oven to 350*F and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish, or line with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine all crust ingredients thoroughly until they form a dough. Transfer dough to the prepared baking dish and use a spatula or your hands to press into an even layer. 

Bake crust for 13-15 minutes or until just golden.

As crust is baking, prepare the filling. In a large mixing bowl, add all filling ingredients except for 1 cup of coconut saved for topping. Combine well and pour over baked crust, spreading into an even layer. Top with remaining 1 cup of coconut.

Bake for an additional 25-28 minutes or until set in the middle and coconut begins to brown. Remove pan from oven and place on a wire rack to cool before cutting. 

1/2 cup, (1 stick) real butter, at room temperature

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

powdered sugar for dusting if desired

Preheat oven to 375*F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. Add sugar and beat 1 minute. Add egg and vanilla and mix to combine.

Combine baking powder, flour and salt. Add to wet mixture in three portions, mixing to combine with each addition.

Cover dough and chill for 1 hour.

Once chilled, dust hands lightly with flour and roll dough into 1-2 inch balls. Place onto prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart and flatten gently with fingers. 

Bake 9-11 minutes. Tops should remain pale and bottoms should be just barely golden. 

Transfer from baking sheet to wire racks to cool, then lightly dust with powdered sugar to serve if desired. Enjoy! 

Yields 3-4 dozen cookies according to how large you make them. 

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon minced garlic (optional)

1 tablespoon minced onion flakes, OR 2 tablespoons diced fresh onion

4 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

4 teaspoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon olive oil preferred, divided, but vegetable oil can be used if needed

2 cups uncooked rice

1 teaspoon sriracha sauce, optional

Prepare rice as directed on package. I used Basmati and added butter. 

While rice is cooking, slice steak into very thin strips. Place steak strips in a large skillet with 1/2 tablespoon of oil and cook thoroughly until browned; remove from skillet and set aside.

While steak is browning, in a medium bowl combine cornstarch and chicken broth, stirring until smooth. Add soy sauce, hoisin sauce and sesame oil. Stir to combine thoroughly. 

After steak has been removed from the skillet, add garlic and onion along with remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil and cook 1 minute on high until fragrant. Slowly stir in broth mixture. Add sriracha if using and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then add reserved cooked beef strips to the sauce mixture and stir to combine. Remove from heat. 

Serve Mongolian beef over cooked rice. Serves 4-6.

2 tablespoons of cooking oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup diced onion

1 cup apricot preserves

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons ketchup

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or sriracha to taste, optional

1-2 teaspoons of sesame seeds, optional

In a skillet, brown chicken in 1 tablespoon of oil and cook until done, stirring constantly. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add remaining tablespoon of oil to skillet along with diced onion and garlic. Cook until barely golden brown. Add apricot preserves, soy sauce, ketchup, red pepper flakes or sriracha if using. Stir and bring back to a bubble over medium heat. Add chicken back to sauce mixture and stir until heated through and sauce thickens to a glaze. Serve over rice if desired, and sprinkle with sesame seeds to garnish.

1 lemon

1/2 small onion, sliced thin

2 tbsp. vegetable oil or olive oil, optional

1/4 cup white vinegar or white wine vinegar

1 tbsp. Old Bay seasoning

1/2 tsp. seasoning salt or plain salt

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. mustard seed

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper

1 tsp. dried parsley flakes

4 bay leaves

1/2 tsp. celery seed

1 tsp. black pepper corns

Using a wide mouth quart canning jar or other large container with a tight fitting lid, thinly slice half the lemon and set aside; squeeze the juice from the other half of the lemon into the jar and drop the squeezed lemon into the bottom of the jar. Add some of the onion slices and a bay leaf and a lemon slice, 1/4 of the shrimp and continue layering until all the lemon slices, onion, bay leaves and shrimp is used. 

Add the oil if using, Old Bay seasoning, seasoning salt or plain salt, minced garlic, sugar, mustard seed, crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper, parsley flakes, celery seed and black pepper corns. Pour vinegar over all and fill with cold water to cover the shrimp. Cover jar or container with lid and shake to distribute spices throughout the jar and refrigerate until chilled, up to 5 days, if they last that long. 

They're better after they marinate at least 24 hours. Recipe may be doubled, and you may use any size shrimp and tweak the recipe to suit your tastes.