Lisa's Lime Brownies

A few years ago, my mom discovered these wonderful orange brownies from Paula Deen.  We love lime in my family, so recently, my mother adapted this recipe into a lime brownie.  These brownies do not taste like traditional brownies, but they are dense and chewy like the delicious chocolate brownies you are used to.  Try these for your next summer get together, or make some to enjoy while lounging around the pool.

Ingredients

Zest the limes with a fine grater or micro-plane.  Juice the limes by squeezing around a fork.

Brownies

• 1.5 cups (plus 2 Tablespoons) flour
• 2 cups (minus 2 Tablespoons) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick butter (softened)
• 4 eggs
• Zest and juice of 3 limes

Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
• 4 tablespoons butter (softened)
• 1/2 bag (about a pound) powdered sugar
• Zest of 2 limes
• Juice of 1 lime

Directions

Brownies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray 9x13 pan with Pam.
3. Cream together the butter, sugar, lime zest, and lime juice.
4. Beat in the eggs.
5. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
6. Pour into the greased pan, and bake for 30 minutes.
7. Set aside to cool.

Frosting

1. Cream the cream cheese and butter together.
2. Mix in zest and juice.
3. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar.
4. Spread onto the cooled brownies.

These are so delicious!  I love to add a strawberry on the top, but I also think raspberry would be divine.  How would you dress up these brownies?

Apple-Blueberry Crisp

Yum...Yum, Yum, Yum.  That just about sums up this delectable dish.  Growing up, one of my favorite deserts was cherry crisp.  My mother would serve it hot with vanilla ice cream; the next morning, we would eat it cold for breakfast (which is what I plan to do with this batch).

I was at the grocery store today and they had a 32 oz. package of blueberries on sale for $5.99.  I don't know about everywhere, but here, that's a steal.  I brought them home and snacked on them all afternoon.  When Adam got home he said, "what are you going to do with all those blueberries?"  Even though I assured him they would all be eaten, he thought I should make a blueberry crisp--shocking from the man who doesn't like sweets.

Ingredients

• 2 large tart apples
• 2 (ish) cups of blueberries (I just added handfuls until they looked right)
• 11 T softened butter
• 1 C flour
• 1 C oats
• 1.5 C brown sugar
• 2 t cinnamon
• 2 t nutmeg

Supplies

• large bowl
• 9x13 pan
• mixing spoon
• knife & cutting board
• vegetable peeler

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Peel, core, and thinly slice apples.  Spread into pan.

3. Spread blueberries on top of apples.
4. Combine all other ingredients and mix until it forms a crumbly mixture.

5. Spread mixture over blueberries and apples.

6. Bake for 40 minutes.

7. Let cool somewhat before eating--you don't want to burn your tongue!

Dark Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

Are you ready for more "healthy" cookies?  The whole-grain oats, omega-3-packed peanut butter, and anti-oxidant cocoa make these worth the calories--not to mention they are delicious!

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 3 cups oats

Supplies

• medium pot
• large bowl
• cookie scoop (or two spoons)
• parchment paper
• wooden spoon

Directions

1. Measure oats into large bowl.
2. Rip off a piece of parchment paper about 2 feet long.  Place out on counter.
3. Combine butter, sugar, cocoa, milk, and salt in pot.
4. Stirring constantly, heat over medium until mixture begins to boil.
5. Boil for 4 minutes.
6. Turn off stove, and add peanut butter.  Stir until completely combined.
7. Add vanilla, and stir again.
8. Pour over oats, and stir until oats and chocolate mixture combined.
9. Spoon out onto parchment paper.  Let cool completely (if you can wait that long).

I will be linking to these link parties.