I didn't love this at first...until I glanced through the tutorial and realized that those are Hershey Kisses with numbers glued on the bottom! How cute is that? I would love to have one of these now! If only I had some woodworking skills...
I am in love with this. I desperately want to make it for our bedroom now, which is in serious need of a make-over...or a make-up since it has never really been "made" into anything since we moved in. :)
I have been wanting to get some nice throw pillows to go on our old ugly couch...since we won't be buying a new couch anytime soon, at least we could have cute pillows, right? I LOVE both of these ideas!! But I think I would want them to stay all year round...not just for February!
1. Mini Lemon Tarts
Yields 6 Mini Tarts
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
6 mini pie tarts (frozen aisle)
Directions:
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and cornstarch. Gradually pour in milk until smooth, stirring regularly. Cook until thick and reduce heat. Continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat, add in egg yolks slowly. Return to heat until boiling and cook 2 minutes longer (until thick). Remove from heat and stir in butter and lemon peel. Stir in lemon juice. Cover and cool completely. Fold in sour cream and add dollops into each pie tart. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Garnish with whipped cream and additional lemon slices and zest.
3. Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes
Recipe via Two Peas & Their Pod, originally on Baking Bites
Ingredients
3/4 cup superfine sugar, divided
1/2 cup sifted cake flour
5 large egg whites, room temperature
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest of one lemon
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, sift together cake flour and 1/4 cup superfine sugar.
3. In a large bowl, beat room-temperature egg whites until foamy, then add in cream of tartar and salt. Gradually add in the remaining 1/2 cup of superfine sugar while the mixer is on high speed, beating the egg whites to soft peaks.With a rubber spatula add in the vanilla and lemon zest, do this very gently!
4. Fold in flour mixture, adding it in two or three additions.
5. Divide evenly into prepared muffin tins. Fill them pretty full.
6. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until golden brown. The tops will spring back when lightly touched.
7. Cool on a wire rack.
I think this recipe would be divine with a light glaze or a whipped topping. For a simple idea, top with fresh fruit!
5. Luscious Lemon Bars
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 lemons, juiced
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9×13 inch pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust.
Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool. For a festive tray, make another pan using limes instead of lemons and adding a drop of green food coloring to give a very pale green. After both pans have cooled, cut into uniform 2 inch squares and arrange in a checker board fashion.
