Lemon/Lime Bars

These are my favorites! I have to hide them on top my fridge or else my #2 son will eat them all. You can make them with fresh lemon juice and lemon peel or lime juice and lime peel. Enjoy!

Lemon/Lime Bars
Crust layer:
1 c. butter
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 t. salt
2 c. flour
Cream butter and sugar. Add remaining ingredients. Press into 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Layer 1:
8 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 egg
Mix together and spread over warm crust.

Layer 2:
4 eggs -slightly beaten
2 c. sugar
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. lemon or lime juice
rind of one lemon (or lime)
Pour on top of layer one. Return to oven and bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 (until set). Remove and let cool sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Vanilla Oatmeal Pancakes with Buttermilk Syrup

These pancakes are hearty and tasty. You make up a mix and then work off that, so easy and fast.
Oatmeal Pancakes
3 1/2 c. oats
5 c. flour
3 T. sugar
3 T. bking powder
1 T salt
1 T. baking soda
1 c. vegetable oil
Grind oats in blender, until fine. Mix with other dry ingredients. Drizzle with oil, mix to fine crumble with pastry whisk. Store in fridge or freezer. For pancakes add 1 c. mix to 1 egg and 1/2 c. milk, 1/2 c. vanilla yogurt (or 1 cup buttermilk). Add fresh berries or (shredded apples and cinnamon).
eggs
milk and vanilla yogurt or buttermilk
fresh blueberries or shredded apples
The syrup sounds really wierd, but trust me this is a must make. My sister in law first made it for us and I was a bit skeptical, but after a bite I was a true believer. I love it with buttermilk waffles and oatmeal pancakes. It is really fast a simple and perfect. It tastes like sweet rich butter!
Buttermilk Syrup
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 c. butter
1/2 t. vanilla
Mix first 4 ingredients together. Heat, boil for one minute. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Serve.

Black Bean Soup

In the winter, I love to have a freezer stocked with good soups I can pull out and enjoy. This is one of my fast healthy favorites~

Black bean soup

1. T. olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
2 t. chopped garlic
2 cans of black beans (can drain or not drain)
1 - 14 oz can of chicken broth
1 can of corn (drained)
1 14.5 oz can of Mexican diced tomatoes with jalapenos (do not drain)
3 bay leaves
1 t. thyme
1 t. balsamic vinegar
1/2 cumin
1 c. cooked diced or shredded chicken

(for thicker soup increase to 3 cans of beans, to make thinner add more broth)
Saute onion and garlic in oil. Than add beans, (mash with potato masher) broth,corn, tomatoes, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add chicken. Serve with cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips.