Amish Lemon Bars -- Amanda

1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup crushed pecans (optional)
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 3/4 cup whipped cream
2 small boxes instant lemon pudding mix
3 cups milk

Melt butter; mix with flour and pecans. Press into a 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350* for 15 minutes. Cool.

Mean while, mix together powdered sugar, cream cheese and 1 cup of whipped cream; spread over cooled crust. Blend lemon pudding mix and milk until thick; spread over the cream cheese layer.

Spread remaining whipped cream over mixture (may need more.) Cover and refrigerate. Cut into bars when chilled for at least 4 hours.

These bars taste better the second day.

This recipe comes from Amanda, a blogger over at A Heart For Home. Sounds delicious!

Amish 5-Gallon Cookies

Here's the recipe for the 5 gallon cookies...I am guessing at the time and baking temp. They are from the Amish and no temps and such are usually given. Play it by eye, I guess.

5 gallon Cookies:

2 c lard or shortening, melted

4 c sugar

4 c buttermilk

8 tsp baking powder

4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla

16 c flour

4 c brown sugar

8 beaten eggs

4 tsp baking soda

1 Tbs lemon juice

Blend sugars, eggs, buttermilk, spices and lemon. Then blend in dry ingredients.

We sometimes add mini chocolate chips, or other flavor chips....sometimes it's mini M&M's.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. This is an estimate -- my Amish friend doesn't ever add in her baking temp or baking time so I sort of wing it.