Another week in Paradise Strawberry Pretzel Salad

We did not get much done this week. Mom Lee and I went to a class Tue. and Wed. I think I'm going to make a Christmas wall hanging. Lee bought the pattern and I love it and she is making it too.
We have had a few bad rain and lightning storms this week too.I lightning hit a tree on the other side of
t he creek today. It was REAL close......
 

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups crushed salted pretzels
4 tablespoons white sugar
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip), thawed
1 (6 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 (16 ounce) package frozen sliced strawberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the pretzel crumbs, 4 tablespoons sugar and melted butter. Stir with a fork until the butter is fully incorporated into the pretzel crumbs.
3. Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of pretzel crust into the bottom of each of your jars. Press the crumbs gently into the bottom of the jars. Be sure not to pack them in too tightly or the crust will be difficult to eat.
4. Place the jars onto a baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for about 6 minutes. Allow the jars and crust to cool completely before layering in the filling.
5. In a medium bowl, beat the sugar, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon filling into a piping bag with a round tip or simply snip the tip of the bag. Evening divide the filling between each jar. Place the jars into the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
6. In a medium bowl, stir together the gelatin mix and boiling water. Stir in frozen strawberries. Place the bowl into the refrigerator for about five minutes. This will allow the gelatin to firm up a bit. Evenly spoon the gelatin between each the jars. Place jars back into the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Serve chilled.

My other sister Debbies Birthday diner :)

 Mom is making Jumblia for Debbie for diner tonight and we all are going to eat at the chickie.

This is the ultimate apple pie! No too sweet... but packed with delicious apple-y goodness! This easy no bake pie is guaranteed to be a huge hit!

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream, divided

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup apple juice, divided
• 1 packet gelatin (I used Knox Brand)
• 1 can apple pie filling (20 oz)
• 1 prepared graham pie crust or baked pie crust
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 
  

Instructions

1. Place 1/3 cup cold apple juice in a bowl. Sprinkle with gelatin powder and let sit 3 minutes.
2. Bring remaining 2/3 cup apple juice to a boil. Add to gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved. Place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes or just until cooled and slightly thickened.
3. Meanwhile, with mixer on medium-high, beat 1 1/2 cups heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Add sugar and cinnamon and beat just until combined.
4. Pour cooled & slightly thickened apple juice mixture into the cream and whisk until combined.
5. Chop the can of apple pie filling. Set aside 1/2 cup & fold the remaining chopped filling into the cream mixture. Place the cream mixture in the fridge for about 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.
6. Pour/spoon into pie crust and let set 2 hours or overnight.
7. Whip remaining cream on medium high until stiff peaks form. Add sugar & vanilla. Garnish pie with whipped cream and remaining apple pie filling.
8. Serve chilled.

We have Crickets

Mom and I got 1000 YES 1000 crickets to use as fish bait and now the trick is to figure out how to get them in the cages lol

Trip up the creek and Cucumber Herb Dip Recipe

Debbie and I went up the creek in her new kayaks. It was fun and not to hard lol.

 
Cucumber Herb Dip
2 cups finely chopped or grated seeded peeled cucumber
1/2 cup finely chopped seeded tomato
1/4 cup chopped red onion
Greens of 2 green onion chopped fine
¼-1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped fine
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
¼ -1/2 cup sour cream (I used 1/4 cup plain kefir)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp sea salt
Tortilla chips

Remove seeds from cucumber, chop fine, put in colander and add ¼ teaspoon salt. Let rest for 10 minutes to drain juice. Use paper towel to get excess moisture out.
In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In another bowl, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, lime juice, cumin and remaining salt. Pour over cucumber mixture and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately or chill. Serve with chips or can be used to top a pita pocket, fish or chicken. Tastes similar to Tzatziki sauce, the Greek sauce used with gyros.

Happy Fathers Day and Key lime pie cookie cups

We went to  Venice to have lunch with mom dad and Debbie today.

 Stopprd at the Moose  and had a drink or two ;)

Lime Sugar Cookies

These Lime Sugar Cookies really hit the spot!!  My youngest wasn’t too sure.  He’d had lemon cookies before and they were too much for him, but he couldn’t resist the temptation of trying a cookie.  What kid could?  So I gave him a small one, he tasted it, thought about it and then his eyes grew HUGE!  Then every time I saw him that day he would ask for another.  Then he started calling them my most amazing cookies!  That’s a pretty good compliment.  This kid isn’t shy about telling me when he doesn’t like something, or when it’s just OK, so for him to call these my most amazing cookies ever I knew I had a hit!

Lime Sugar Cookies

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

20 mins

It's so hard to stop eating these Lime Sugar Cookies! The lime flavor is so refreshing with the sweetness of the sugar cookie, you'll have a hard time stopping after just one!

Serves: 4 dozen

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 2 tsp lime zest
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 cups four

 

Instructions

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. in a medium bowl whisk together baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour
3. in a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
4. add egg, vanilla, lime juice and lime zest
5. add the flour mixture, a cup at a time, and stop once combined
6. roll 2 tbsp into a ball and place onto the baking sheet, keeping them 2 inches apart
7. bake for 13-15 minutes or until just barely browned on the bottom
8. allow to cool (if you can)
9. Enjoy!

 

Cookie Cups

• ½ the dough for Lime Sugar Cookies*

Key Lime Pie Filling

• 3 egg yolks
• ½ cup key lime juice**
• 1-14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• whipped cream for garnish
• lime slices, halved for garnish

Start Your Day with Starbucks K-Cups

 

Instructions

Cookie Cups

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray
3. place a teaspoon ball of cookie dough into each muffin cup
4. place in oven and bake for 10-13 minutes until just starting to brown
5. remove from the oven and use the handle of a wooden spoon to gently press down the center of the cookies to form a cup
6. allow to cool in the muffin cups for 5 to 10 minutes then remove to a cooling rack

Key Lime Pie Filling

1. whisk the egg yolks, lime juice, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla over medium to low heat for 10-15 minutes until completely warmed
2. remove from heat and allow to completely cool
3. pour into a pastry bag and fill each cookie cup to the top
4. place in the refrigerator until completely cooled and ready to serve
5. top each off with a dollop of whipped cream and a half a lime slice
6. enjoy!
7. cook for 10-15 minutes

Notes

* I made 24 cookie cups then I just baked off the rest of the dough as regular cookies following the original recipe. They always go fast!

** In a pinch I've used lime juice and it was fine.

Here are some photos of Sam and his new Helicopter