Lemon Cream Cheese Pull Aparts

Calling all lemon lovers! If you love lemon, you'll love these pull aparts. They were perfect for our Easter brunch this year.

24 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed, but still cold
1 c. sugar
zest from 2 large lemons
6 T. butter, melted

Filling:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
3 T. lemon juice

Topping:
1/3 c. lemon juice
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
2 t. butter

Method:
Cut 8 of the rolls into 4 equal pieces each and set aside. Combine 1 cup sugar and lemon zest. Dip each piece of dough in melted butter and then in sugar zest mixture. Place in the bottom of a well sprayed bundt pan. Combine filling ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour half over the rolls in the pan. Repeat above process with 8 more rolls. Cut last 8 rolls and dip in butter and sugar mixture. Layer on top. Sprinkle any leftover sugar zest mixture on top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until about one inch below the top of the pan. Remove wrap and bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Cover with foil last 20 minutes of baking to prevent over browning. Remove from oven and invert immediately onto serving platter. While rolls are baking, prepare the topping. Combine lemon juice, sugar, and butter in small saucepan. Bring to a boil. In seperate bowl, whisk egg until well blended. While stirring the egg, slowly add the hot lemon mixture to the egg so the egg does not cook. Pour back into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir constantly until mixture begins to thicken. Let cool.  Turn bundt rolls out onto platter and drizzle with topping. Serve warm.

Sugar Cookies

This is my mom's go-to sugar cookie recipe. She got it from her Aunt LaJuana, who passed away several years ago. It is by far my favorite sugar cookie recipe of all time and I've tried a lot. I've mentioned before that I love sugar cookies, but I don't especially love the rolling and cutting part. These are fun to do at Easter. I think the pastel icing and coconut is festive and oh, so scrumptious! You can top with green coconut and jelly beans or chocolate eggs. Or add nuts. Lots of fun possibilities...

1 c. sugar
1 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
2 T. cream
2 t. vanilla
3 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, cream and vanilla. Then dry ingredients. Mix well.
~Form into ball and roll out on floured surface, adding more flour as needed. Cut out and bake 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
~Or, after mixing sprinkle dough with a little flour. Using a spoon, take dough and roll in your hand forming 1 inch balls...

Roll in a 1 in. ball, then flatten with a fork~                         Baked and ready to be iced~