Strawberry Coleslaw

10 oz. bag angel hair coleslaw

1/2 c. sliced almonds

1/2 c. raisins

2, 6 oz. lemon burst yogurt

1/4 c. mayo or miracle whip

2 T. lemon juice

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

2 c. diced strawberries

In a large bowl, combinecoleslaw, raisins, and almonds. In another bowl, combine the yogurt, mayo, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Pour the dressing over the slaw mix. Mix well. Cover and chill at least an hour. Right before serving, add strawberries. (Adding them right before serving keeps them from getting too soggy and bleeding into the mixture making it pink.) 

Easter Swirl Pie #2 (No Bake)

1 graham cracker crust*

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 c. heavy whipping cream** or coolwhip, thawed

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla

1/2 c. Eaglebrand milk

gel food coloring: pink, blue, yellow, purple

whipped cream, sprinkles, pastel candies, optional garnish

Beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and eaglebrand milk. Mix until well combined. Add cool whip*. Divide into 4 small bowls. Add a few drops of gel food coloring into each bowl and getly mix. Spoon each color randomly into pie crust, layering different colors. Use a toothpick or skewer gently swirl the colors together. Do NOT overmix! Place in refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight to firm up. Top with garnish before serving. Makes 1 pie.

*can also use mini graham cracker crusts

**To make whipped cream from heavy whipping cream, combine 1 c. heavy cream, 1-2 T. powdered sugar, and 1 t. vanilla, mixing on slow, gradually increasing to high speed until soft peaks form. Continue as directed for pie.

Easter Swirl Pie

Crust*:

2 c. graham cracker crumbs

1/2 c. melted butter

1/4 c. sugar 

Filling:

16 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1/2 c. sour cream

Swirl Colors:

**Gel food coloring: pink, blue, yellow, green

whipped topping, optional

pastel sprinkles, optional

Preheat oven to 325. Spray 9" pie dish. Combine crust ingredients, press firmly into dish, bake 8-10 minutes, Cool completely. Combine cream cheese and sugar until smooth, add eggs one at a time, then vanilla, and sour cream. Split filling into 4 bowls and tint each with gel food coloring. Spoon colored fillings over crust and swirl gently with a toothpick. Bake 35-40 minutes until edges are set but center is slightly jiggly. Leave pie in oven for 15 minutes with the door open. Remove from oven and cool completely on counter. Refrigerate overnight before serving. Garnish with sprinkles or whipped topping if desired. Makes 1 pie

*may use store bought crust, or mini graham crusts (6 per pack)

**Gel food coloring maintains vivid colors, even after baking, & without thinning the batter.

Marinated Bean and Corn Salad

15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained

15 oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

15 oz. can cannelini beans, rinsed and drained

15 oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

large can 3 bean salad, not drained

12 oz. frozen corn kernels

white shoepeg corn

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced, optional

1 red or green pepper, diced*

celery, chopped

sweet onion, chopped*

2 fresh tomatoes, chopped

1/2 c. fresh cilantro, optional

Dressing**:

1/2 c. sugar or splenda

2 T. lemon or lime juice

16 oz. bottle ranch dressing

Combine all salad ingredients except avocado and tomatoes in a large bowl. Combine dressing ingredients, and shake well. Pour dressing over salad and place in refrigerator overnight. Just before serving add avocado and tomatoes. Gently stir before serving.

*may substitute frozen fajita vegetables instead: they contain colorful peppers & onions

**Optional dressing:

1 c. olive oil

1/2 c. fresh lime juice

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

2 t. salt

1/4 t. cayenne pepper

Combine and pour over salad, place in refrigerator overnight, followinf same directions as above.

Lemon Cookie Cups

1 pkg 24 ct premade sugar cookie dough, other flavors may be used

20 oz. can lemon pie filling, other flavors can be used too

powdered sugar, optional

frozen blueberries, optional

lemon zest or true lemon

sprinkles, or pastel candies, optional

Preheat oven to 350. Spray mini muffin pan. Drop one cookie dough piece in each tin. Bake 12-14 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Immediately after taking out of oven, use a pestle or back of spoon to press centers down, creating a small well. Cool 10 minutes. Fill wells with pie filling. Dust with powdered sugar, lemon zest, or true lemon if desired. Top with 2-3 blueberres, sprinkles, or candies, if desired. Makes 24 cookie cups.

Chocolate ganache sets up too hard to bite into if you decide to make these with chocolate chip cookie dough. Using chocolate pudding would be much better. 

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies from Cake Mix

15.25 oz. white or yellow cake mix, chocolate or red velvet can also be used

1 c. creamy peanut butter

1/2 c. butter, softened

2 eggs

1/4 c. sugar

food coloring gel

24 Hershey's kisses, or miniature peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Dough will be thick. Divide sugar into small bowls and add small amount of food coloring gel. Stir. Add more color if needed, until the desired color is reached. Scoop mounds of dough into balls and roll in colored sugar. Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool 1-2 minutes. Place Hershey's kiss or mini peanut butter cup in middle of each cookie. Cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Kentucky Butter Cake Cookies

1 box white or yellow cake mix, (flavored cake mixes may also be used)

2 eggs, whisked

1/3 c. butter, melted

Glaze:

1/4 c. butter

1/2 c. sugar

1 T. water

1 t. vanilla or other flavors to match cake mix

food color gel, optional (gel doesn't break down and has more vibrant colors even after baking)

powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Combine cookie ingredients and mix well. Dough will be thick. Use a cookie scoop (1 T.) to make small balls. Place dough balls on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake 7-8 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool 4-5 minutes. Combine glaze ingredients in small saucepan. Cook until all of sugar is dissolved about 4 minutes on medium low heat. Be sure to whisk the entire time.  Spoon 1 t. of glaze onto each cookie and spread out. Add food coloring to glaze divided into separate  bowls before placing on cookies, for a more festive look, if desired. Let glaze set & sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Keep in airtight container.

after baking and glazing:

Daisy Shortbread Cookies with Pastel Candies

2 c. butter, softened, not melted

1 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla

4 c. plain flour

pastel m&m's or other candies

Preheat oven to 350. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla and flour. Chill for 30 minutes. Remove from fridge and form into small balls. Place 5-6 balls in the shape of a circle on parchment paper covered baking sheet. Press candy in center of cookies. Place a small square of parchment paper over flower and press down with bottom of glass before baking. Use a knife to make lines on cookies. Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly golden on edges. 

after baking: 

*for a more stable flower a center ball of dough can be placed and candy placed on top of it. (seen in picture)

Daisy Cookie Cups

1 basic sugar cookie recipe, or premade dough in tube

1/2 T. vanilla, lemon, or almond extract, your choice

Filling:

any flavor instant pudding*, prepared

or homemade if desired

powdered sugar, to garnish

Preheat oven to 350. Make basic sugar cookies, adding extract for added flavor if you desire. Use a flower shape cookie cutter to cut shapes. Place one cookie shape in sprayed mini muffin tin with petals hanging on the outside/top. One cookie in every other tin to allow space for the petals. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-15 minutes. Cool. Make pudding flavor. Fill each cookie cup with pudding and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. (Might want to sprinkle powdered sugar on before adding filling).

*making these in different colors/flavors would be a great way to be festive for spring or Easter.

Chocolate Fudge Marshmallow Cake

1 chocolate cake mix, made in 8x8 pan as directed

1 c. chocolate fudge sauce, slightly warmed

1 c. marshmallow fluff

2 c. cool whip, thawed

sprinkles, optional

Poke holes all over cake with fork. Pour fudge sauce over cake (it spreads easier if warmed). Let it soak in. Spread marshmallow fluff over top. Top with cool whip. Spread evenly. Refrigerate 2 hours. Garnish with sprinkles before serving, if desired.