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Last week’s column was easy five ingredient or less recipes. This week’s recipes will have a few more than five, but they are still easy, light and refreshing!

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KEY LIME BARS

12 Tbsp. (1½ sticks) salted butter, melted, plus more for the pan

24 graham cracker sheets

1/4 cup granulated sugar

FOR THE FILLING:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature

5 large egg yolks

2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk

1 cup bottled Key lime juice

2 Tbsp. grated lime zest (from about 4 limes), plus more for garnish

3/4 cup heavy cream

3 Tbsp. powdered sugar

Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350˚. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang; butter the parchment. Combine the graham crackers and granulated sugar in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. Pour in the melted butter and pulse until the crumbs are well coated and stick together when pinched. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until just set, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Make the filling: Whisk 7 ounces of the cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth, about 1 minute. Whisk in the egg yolks until well combined, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the condensed milk, lime juice and lime zest and whisk until well combined. Pour the filling into the crust.

Bake the bars until the center is just set but still slightly jiggly, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

Use the parchment paper to carefully remove the bars to a cutting board. Cut into squares.

Before serving, whisk together the powdered sugar and the remaining 1 ounce cream cheese in a medium bowl until well combined. Gradually add the heavy cream and whisk until medium peaks form. Dollop or pipe onto the bars and garnish with more grated lime zest.

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STRAWBERRIES & CREAM SHEET CAKE

1 lb. strawberries, hulled and sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla extract 

8 drops red food coloring (optional)

Frosting

4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups cold heavy cream

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Spray a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine 1¾ cups strawberries and ¼ cup sugar in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth (you’ll have about 1½ cups puree).

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Combine the butter and remaining 1½ cups sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Beat in the heavy cream, vanilla, strawberry puree, and food coloring. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the flour mixture until combined.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack, at least 1 hour.

For the frosting: Combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the heavy cream and beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.

Spread the frosting evenly over the cake. Top with the remaining strawberries.

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GLAZED LEMON 

POPPYSEED SCONES

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 cup heavy cream, plus more if needed

1 large egg

Grated zest of 1 lemon

For the glaze:

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted, plus more if needed

1/4 cup whole milk, plus more if needed

Grated zest and juice of ½ lemon

Dash of kosher salt

Poppy seeds, for topping

For the scones: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Sift together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the poppy seeds. Add the butter and use a pastry blender or two knives to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and there are no large chunks of butter.

Mix the heavy cream, egg, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Add the cream mixture to the flour mixture; stir gently with a fork until combined. The dough should be crumbly, but if it’s too crumbly to work with, splash in a small amount of heavy cream.

Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and lightly press it together into a rough rectangle. Use a rolling pin to roll it into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle (use your hands to help shape it if necessary). Trim the edges with a knife. Cut the dough in half crosswise, then cut lengthwise into quarters to make 8 rectangles. Cut each rectangle in half diagonally to make 16 triangles.

Transfer the scones to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until just golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer the scones to a rack to cool completely.

For the glaze: Combine the powdered sugar, milk, lemon zest and juice, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir until smooth, adjusting the thickness with more powdered sugar or milk if necessary.

Place the rack of scones over a baking sheet to catch drips, then spread the glaze on the scones. Before the glaze sets, sprinkle the tops lightly with poppy seeds. Let the glaze set completely, about 1 hour.

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IRISH GRILLED CHEESE

2 Tbsp. salted butter

2 slices rye bread

1 Tbsp. Irish or dijon mustard

2 oz. aged Irish cheddar cheese (such as Kerrygold)

Small pickles, for serving (such as gherkins or cornichons)

In a skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat.

Add the bread slices to the skillet, allowing them to soak up all the butter. Spread the mustard on both slices, then cut the cheese into thin slices and lay some on each slice of bread. Allow the cheese to melt, then bring the two slices together, cheese-sides facing in. Continue to cook until both sides of the bread are crisp and golden brown and the cheese is melted.

TFD: "Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still."

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