Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

You know the song, We Need A Little Christmas? That's how I feel about spring. Although this winter has been fairly lackluster when it comes to snow, these slightly longer and warmer days have been a welcome visitor. Enter Lemon Meringue Cupcakes. So light, fresh and just the right amount of tart...perfect for spring.

I found these in Martha Stewart's cupcake book but then I came up with my own concoction because one does not need to make lemon curd from scratch if they don't have to and my recipe using a cake mix is simply scrumptious and much easier to assemble. I also found this no-cook version of seven minute frosting. It's a breeze to make compared to the traditional version and just as tasty. For added texture, use a blow torch to brown your meringue or seven minute frosting once it is on your finished cupcake. However, if you don't have a blow torch or kitchen torch, it is not necessary.

For best results, make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.

Cupcakes:

1 box lemon cake mix

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp grated lemon peel

3 eggs

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake papers. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together and stir until well combined. Do not overstir; some lumps will remain.

Fill cupcake papers 2/3 full and bake 14-16 minutes.

Remove cupcakes after cooling 10 minutes in pan. Allow to cool completely.

Lemon Filling:

1 10 oz bottle lemon curd

Stir lemon curd in bottle making it easier to spread. Top each cupcake with 1 heaping teaspoon of lemon curd. Smooth out on surface of individual cakes.

Meringue Topping:

No-Cook Seven Minute Frosting

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

3 egg whites

1/4 cup boiling water

Combine sugar, vanilla, cream of tartar and egg whites in a bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer). Stir ingredients until just combined. While mixer is going, slowly add boiling water and beat 5-7 minutes until stiff peaks form and meringue is glossy. Place a generous dollop on top of each cupcake. Brown lightly with a kitchen torch or blow torch. Serve immediately. Makes 24 cupcakes.

Oatmeal Sugar Cookies

Would it be Valentine's without a heart-shaped sugar cookie? For a spin on the traditional, try these cookies. They're packed with oatmeal and make just a little bit more of a hearty cookie...hearty, just like how I like my sweetheart!

The bonus is they come together quickly, especially for sugar cookies. They do not require chilling before rolling out. If you do use margarine however, you will want to chill the dough at least 1 hour before rolling and cutting out.

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups butter at room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 Tbsp milk

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups rolled oats

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Cream butter and sugar together until well blended. Stir in milk, eggs and vanilla; beat until well combined. Stir in flour mixture and oats.

On a floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8"-1/4" thickness. Cut into heart shapes and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire racks. Decorate as desired.

Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.

Sweetheart Buttons

Ah, February is here. The month of love. Not just for lovers but a perfect time to show everyone you care about just how much you love them. And what better way than with cookies? These little buttery, melt-in-your-mouth sweets will make you weak in the knees. They are called buttons because they're no bigger than a cute, large button and are filled with a sweet buttercream icing.

For best results, chill the dough about 1 hour before baking. A single batch will make approximately 36-42 small sandwich cookies.

Cookie:

1 cup butter (no substitutes) at room temperature

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch salt

Buttercream Icing:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup shortening

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 Tbsp milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Dash salt

1/8 cup light corn syrup (such as Karo syrup)

1. For cookies, blend butter and powdered sugar together until fluffy. Add flour, vanilla and salt and mix until ingredients just come together. The dough should not be crumbly, but not overmixed. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

2. Roll dough into 1/2 tsp balls and place on ungreased baking sheet 2-inches apart. With the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in granulated sugar, flatten each ball slightly. Prick each flattened cookie with a fork 3-4 times. The prick marks will resemble a "button".

3. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes or until edges are just barely browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 4 minutes before placing them on a wire rack to cool completely.

4. For icing, whisk together butter and shortening. In two parts, mix in powdered sugar and milk, whisk until light and fluffy. Blend in vanilla and salt. Add corn syrup and whisk for several minutes until icing is very fluffy. Tint with pink food coloring if desired.

5. To assemble sandwich cookies, take two baked cookies and press together with a small dollop of icing.

You will likely have excess icing, but don't worry, this icing is very versatile and can be used on cupcakes and all kinds of cookies...or just put some between graham crackers for a pink, sweet treat!

Goat Cheese, Apple and Walnut Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

After my mom and I had this at a restaurant I went on a quest to recreate it. The unique flavors all combined together made my tastebuds tingle. The only problem - the perfect dressing. Store-bought dressings were out - too sweet or simply did not match the flavors of the salad. Then I came across this one from Cooking Light. I had to alter slightly because the original recipe was way too tart, nay, it was downright harsh to the tastebuds. The key is to whisk in the olive oil. This allows the oil to emulsify with the other liquid ingredients. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator but note that extra virgin olive oil does solidify when chilled.

Some of you may turn up your nose to goat cheese. But these days there are lots of brands out there that cater to "tender tongues" as in the flavor is mild. The cheese is pricier than other kinds of cheese but a little does go a long way. Use either oven-toasted walnuts or candied ones. For a time saver, one of my favorite brands to have on hand are glazed walnuts from Emerald Nuts (see picture of product below). I keep a pouch in the pantry and just a few of these walnuts in each serving add a ton of flavor.

Salad:

Spring mix baby greens

Goat cheese, crumbled or roughly sliced

Braeburn apples, chopped

Walnuts
Red onions, chopped

Mustard Vinaigrette:

3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

3 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp honey

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

Combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard and honey in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil until well combined. Whisk in remaining ingredients.

Spicy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Nothing is better in January than some piping hot, homemade soup. This is a favorite of mine, but maybe that's just because I like spicy. You may reduce the amount of jalapenos in it to meet personal or family preference. It comes together quickly and is perfectly healthy.

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 large carrots, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

1 Tbsp finely chopped jalapeno (canned or fresh)

1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles

1 tsp Bon Appetit seasoning

3 (14 oz) cans chicken broth

3 cups cooked long grain and wild rice mix

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or large sauce pan over medium high heat. Stir in onion, carrot and celery. Saute for 5 minutes. Add jalapeno and green chilies and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Sprinkle with Bon Appetit seasoning and slowly stir in chicken broth. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and continue simmering until heated through.

Chocolate-Marshmallow Pillows

These are cookies, not pillows but I probably could rest my head on a few of them if my regular pillows went missing. I made these for the first time the other day. The 2009 prize-winning recipe for Betty Crocker. Go here for the recipe. It's easy, fast and and oh my chocolately goodness!

*Note: The only change I made to this recipe is to replace the semi sweet chocolate chips for milk chocolate chips in the frosting. Personal preference.

Cream Cheese Meltaway Cookies

These are similar to Mexican wedding cookies or Danish wedding cookies, but have the mild tang of cream cheese. Easy to make; they are small so you can pop one in your mouth right after the other. Little sweet snowy confections that melt in your mouth!

1/2 cup butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups flour
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
Dash salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans
Confectioners' sugar

In a small bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, sugar and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in pecans (dough will be crumbly).

Shape tablespoonfuls into balls. Place 2" apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten each cookie ball slightly. Bake at 375° for 9-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Carefully roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks. Makes 2 dozen.