Happy Saturday Before Easter!!! (Layered Coconut Cream Cheesecake Bars, Lemon Meringue Pie)

Working today reminded me a little of Black Friday!!!  People are crazy!!!  The craziest thing I saw.. people doing their "Easter bunny" shopping with the kids..  I don't get it..  if they know,  why go through the pain of buying everything..  what's the point..  I am still trying to figure out what bunnies, chicks, eggs and candy have to do with Easter...   I did make my kids baskets..  but again the emphasis was put on the holiday,  not the baskets..  when they got to a certain age I did one basket with candy and a movie..  that was our tradition..  we went to church for a while,  but that stopped eventually too..  Now I seem to work all the time..  I mean it feels like all the time..  I think it's because of the hours and the rotation of every other weekend..  I am thankful for my job.. and I love what I do in Cosmetics, Jewelry and Accessories..  I even love making other parts of the store look like they are a new set..  but after you do it and then a week later it looks like it did before it can be a little bit discouraging..  but I digress..   Today was CRAZY!!!!
I had an old man wandering around in infants asking where the beer was..  I mean,  we don't keep beer with the infant formula..  never have and probably never will..  lol   then I always love the last minute shoppers looking for white shoes..  yeah,  what you see strewn all over the floor is all we have at the moment..  :)  Thank you!!!
I haven't been sleeping much lately..   I have suffered from insomnia for over 11 years,  it started right after my mother passed away and got worse after the fire and making myself read the autopsy reports,  but it is getting worse.. I seem to hurt all the time..  I was thinking this sucks..  getting old shouldn't mean being in constant pain..  I wake up with my whole body screaming in pain..  usually after an hour to an hour and a half of being asleep..   and then I can't go back to sleep..  I am constantly having to move because of the pain.. I thought.. I will get some Excedrin PM and take it and then I will sleep..  maybe 3 hours a night,  but still not all night..  I have been doing some research and my findings aren't making me happy,  so I told Saundra I would just ignore it all and that maybe it would just go away..  Yeah I know.. so not going to happen..  but what else am I supposed to do.. 
So tomorrow is Easter..  I always get nostalgic around Easter..  It makes me realize what a huge sacrifice was made so that I may have eternal life,  because I am a sinner..  could you as a parent knowingly have a child so that they may suffer such a horrible death so that we all could live..  He refused to take our Free Will,  but He gave His Only Son for us..  I don't know that I could make that sacrifice with one of my children..  I am just in AWE of it all..   :)
 I wasn't going to cook Easter dinner..  I was just going to be lazy and do nothing,  but then Thursday as I was driving to work it hit me.. it won't seem like Easter if I don't cook..  so cook I am going to do.. the usual list of suspects.. Ham, Mac and Cheese, Baked Beans, Green Bean Casserole, Broccoli Rice Casserole, Au Gratin Potatoes, Asparagus and Dinner Rolls..  except I was going to cheat and buy rolls,  but I forgot so I guess I will be trying a refrigerator roll.. you do everything and then let it rise in the refrigerator..  might be interesting.. something that I have personally never done before..  there is a first time for everything..  :) (Still looking for recipes..  if I do it I will write another blog)  Tonight I am making the desserts..  Layered Coconut Cream Cheesecake Bars and Lemon Squares..  yummy..

Layered Coconut Cream Cheesecake Bars

1 sleeve graham crackers, crushed
1/3 c butter, melted

mix together and press into a 9x13 pan..  put in refrigerator

Vanilla Pudding

1 1/2 c sugar
3/4 c flour
3 eggs
4 c milk
2 tsp vanilla

Mix the flour and sugar together.. add the eggs and whisk until blended.. add the milk and cook over a medium heat whisking constantly until it comes to a boil,  turn off heat and add the vanilla..  pour into a glass bowl and refrigerate until cool

While that is cooling whip 2 c. whipping cream in a mixer until peaks form..

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
2 tbsp sugar
2 c whipped cream

Mix together and spread over the graham cracker crust.. put back in fridge

3 c. vanilla pudding, cooled
2 c whipped cream
1 c sweetened coconut

Mix the pudding, whipped cream and coconut together.. pour over the cream cheese layer,  sprinkle with extra coconut..
refrigerate overnight.. cut into squares..

Lemon Meringue Pie

1 9 inch pie crust.  I am using a graham cracker crust

Filling

1 c sugar
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
zest and juice of 2 large lemons
1 1/2 c water
2 tbsp butter
4 egg yolks

Meringue

4 egg whites
6 tbsp sugar

In a large saucepan combine sugar, flour and cornstarch,  whisk together and add the zest and juice of the lemons,  then stir in the water.. put over medium heat and bring to a boil..  reduce heat and put the 4 egg yolks in a bowl and then add a ladle of the hot mixture to the bowl to temper the eggs,  mix well and then add to the saucepan..  add the butter and stir well... bring back to a boil and cook,  stirring constantly until thick.. pour into crust..
In a  CLEAN mixing bowl add the egg whites,  beat until soft peaks form and then add sugar 1 tbsp at a time and beat until stiff peaks form..  then put over the filling sealing the edges.. bake in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes until meringue is golden brown..