Sweet Treats for Sweet People

I made treats for my kids' teachers, and some other sweet friends I know this year. I don't have a set menu that I do every year, it differs each year so far. This year I made mini lemon pound cakes, 7 layer bars, and peppermint bark. Each thing was pretty easy, and they keep well. The lemon pound cakes are fragile, but other than that, these are all great food items to give.7 Layer Bars
5 Tbsp. butter
1 ½ c graham cracker crumbs
1 c coconut
1 c chocolate chips
1 c butterscotch chips
1 c chopped pecans
1 15-oz. can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

Put butter in a 9-inch square pan, and put in a 325 degree oven. When butter has melted, pour graham cracker crumbs over it evenly.
Spread coconut, then chocolate chips, then butterscotch chips, then nuts. Pour Eagle Brand milk (I don’t quite use the whole can) over the layers and bake for 30 minutes. Let sit and cool (so the milk can set up and keep all the ingredients together) before cutting into squares.*You can double this recipe and use a 13x9 dish.

Peppermint Bark
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
6 oz. white chocolate
1/2 cup crushed candy canes

Melt semi-sweet chocolate and spread on a buttered pan. (Not sure why I didn't think to use my silpat liner, but it never occured to me. It wasn't super hard to get out of the pan, but it took a minute. Use your silicone liner, if you have one.) Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Melt white chocolate and spread over semi-sweet. Sprinkle crushed candy canes over white chocolate and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Break apart and store in refrigerator.
*Thanks to my sister-in-law, the candy queen, for the awesome bark recipe!!
Lemon Pound Cake
Another family recipe. My mom has made these for as long as I can remember, and when I moved into my own house, I took her idea of making these for the neighbors at Christmas time. In fact, we are going to deliver ours today! This recipe makes 2 loaves, or you can put all the batter in a bundt pan. These freeze great!!!
*I doubled the recipe, and made 3 loaves and 12 minis in my holiday muffin

1 box white cake mix
¾ c vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 pkg lemon jello (NOT pudding and pie filling) dissolved into 1 c HOT water
1 tsp. lemon extract
juice of one lemon

Preheat oven to 350. Line one bundt pan or two loaf pans with parchment paper. Spray sides of pan with Pam.
Heat 1 c water in measuring cup until boiling. Add jello and stir until dissolved. Set aside.
In mixing bowl, pour white cake mix, and add vegetable oil. Mix on low speed, and add eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition. Pour in lemon jello mixture. When blended, add lemon extract and juice of one lemon. Pour into pans and bake for 25-30 minutes.
When cake is done, stick the cake with a fork and pour as much or as little glaze as you like on the cake. Let cool completely before trying to remove from the pan.

Glaze
Juice of 2 lemons
1 c powdered sugar
1 tsp. lemon extract
Mix well (don’t worry about lumps). Pour over cake.* This cake freezes great! Wrap well in plastic wrap and put in a freezer bag.