Lemon Blossoms

This is a Paula Dean recipe that was passed on by Bonnie Benjamin. They are so good! I could drink the glaze.

18.5 oz. pkg. yellow cake mix

3.5 oz. pkg. instant lemon pudding mix

4 large eggs

3/4 c. vegetable oil

Glaze

4 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. fresh lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon

3 Tab. vegetable oil

3 Tab. water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two mini muffin tins with vegetable oil cooking spray.

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, egg, and oil; mix well. Drop small amounts of batter, filling each muffin tin only half way (important). Bake for 12 minutes (less if using dark non-stick pans). Turn out onto a tea towel.

Glaze: Sift sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, zest, oil and water.Mix with spoon until smooth.

Use your fingers to immerse the cupcakes into the glaze while they are still warm, covering as much of the cupcakes as possible.

Place on a wire rack with waxed paper underneath (to reduce clean up time) to cool and set. Store in an airtight container.

If you think they are good the first day, wait for tomorrow. . . if you can.

Meatloaf

We love meatloaf. Strange?... maybe, but it is a comfort food, and this is the best recipe I have come up with for it so far.

2 lbs. lean ground turkey

2 eggs

2 Tab. worchestershire sauce

2 Tab. dried minced onion

1 tsp. seasoned salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 pieces whole wheat bread, crumbled ( I use the heels)

Ritz crackers (opt.)

I usually get the bread out in the morning and leave it on the counter to dry.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl by squishing together with your fingers. (:

Form into a loaf and place in a loaf pan. Crumble Ritz crackers over the top and cover with foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes (or until meat thermometer reads 165).

Sweet Potato Streusel

This is a recipe that we got from Jaxon's aunt Sherri. I love it! I have tweaked it to my liking of course. I usually request it for my birthday dinner which always consists of Thanksgiving food, my favorite!

3 lbs. yams peeled and diced

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. butter

1/3 c. milk

2 eggs

Cover the sweet potatoes with water in a large pot. Boil until fork tender. Drain and return to pot. Add remaining ingredients, in order, and whip with a hand held beater. Spread evenly in a 9x13 in pan. Top with streusel topping.

Streusel Topping

1 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. flour

1/3 c. butter, softened

1 c. chopped pecans

Cut butter, flour and brown sugar together with a pastry blender. Stir in pecans. Crumble over the sweet potatoes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

Stir Fry

We love to eat stir fry with either fresh or frozen veggies. It is one of Jaxon's favorite meals. I like to get a big vegetable platter from Costco, and after we have snacked on them with hummus or veggie dip for a few days, I chop what's left and toss them in my wok. The best things about stir fry are that it's packed with healthy vegetables and fiber, it's low in fat, and you can make it just the way you like it. The following is an example of what I get from my veggie platter.

1-2 Tab. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

broccoli crowns

sugar snap peas

carrots, matchstick size or ribbons

bell peppers

cauliflower

your favorite stir fry sauce, to taste

(I like to use Yoshida's, or any of the House of Tsang sauces. Sometimes we just fry up the veggies and set the bottles on the table with dinner so everyone can choose their favorite)

Serve with brown rice or quinoa.

First, heat the oil in your wok, then saute onion until tender. Add vegetables according to cook time. For example, I always put sliced carrots in first (ribbons cook faster) and broccoli toward the end (I don't like it to be mushy). If you are using frozen, toss them all in at once. Sometimes I will add a few tablespoons of water to steam the veggies. Cook until tender, stirring frequently. Then add your sauce and simmer for a few minutes. Spoon over rice or quinoa and enjoy!