As I've mentioned, I seem to be happiest on cold, overcast days. I love rain and keeping warm as I cook in the kitchen or huddle under a quilt I stitching. Today, I think I would like a warm day or two. I found a recipe for a favorite flavor of mine - lemon - and an easy way to dispose of said fruit - ice cream. Although we have an ice cream maker, it doesn't get used often as we have to have enough ice on hand and it it noisy. This recipe is right on mark with me and my lazy views on hauling out the ice cream maker - it doesn't NEED an ice cream maker!
Lemon Ice Cream
1 large lemon, juiced and zested
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
Combine the lemon zest and sugar in the food processor. Blend until the zest is very fine. If you don't have access to a food processor, finely grate the zest and mix into the sugar. In a bowl, stir together the sugar and milt with the sugar until it has dissolved, then stir in the lemon juice. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff. Gently fold the whipped cream into the lemon mixture until evenly blended.
Pour the mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for 2-3 hours or until firm.
According to an on-line source, you can freeze whole lemons for later use. You just zap them in the microwave for a few seconds and the juice is usually more prevalent as the freezing has broken down the cells. The juice, however, is still fresh tasting. I have two such bags of lemons in my freezer right now. I'm blessed with a bountiful lemon tree.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
A nice perspective . . .
Our parish would like to build a new church. We have a new pastor and he is good at building the attitude groundwork, first, before a brick is purchased or set into place! In talking to him, today, he said that building a church does not mean the building. Building a church is the body of people involved and once you have 'built' that foundation, then you build a 'vessel' in which they will reside to worship our Lord. I thought it really put the whole concept of 'building community' into focus.
Sort of homemade but fast and easy . . .
I seldom purchase store-type cookies. I like to know exactly what goes into the food I feed my family and there are less additives in food that comes from my kitchen. Cookies are always in demand for snacks or a fast breakfast with a glass of milk on a busy day. I strain my homemade rule a bit when I make these but they turn out pretty good. It saves time when you need a batch of cookies on short notice.
1 package any flavor cake mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
Combine all the ingredients until thorouoghly moistened. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto a cookie sheet lightly sprayed with vegetable oil. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately ten minutes. Cool a few minutes before removing them from the baking sheet to the cooling rack.
If you use a chocolate cake mix, you might need a bit more water. Naturally, you can stir in some chocolate chips or nuts. If you use a spice mix, extra vanilla extract and cinnamon won't hurt.
Whether you use your own frosting or canned, you can either top the cookies with it or put it between two cookies for a sandwich cookie. Don't forget the colored sprinkles, coconut, etc. to make them artistically your own.
It must be the cold weather and it is turning my mind to anything that involves turning on the oven!
1 package any flavor cake mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
Combine all the ingredients until thorouoghly moistened. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto a cookie sheet lightly sprayed with vegetable oil. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately ten minutes. Cool a few minutes before removing them from the baking sheet to the cooling rack.
If you use a chocolate cake mix, you might need a bit more water. Naturally, you can stir in some chocolate chips or nuts. If you use a spice mix, extra vanilla extract and cinnamon won't hurt.
Whether you use your own frosting or canned, you can either top the cookies with it or put it between two cookies for a sandwich cookie. Don't forget the colored sprinkles, coconut, etc. to make them artistically your own.
It must be the cold weather and it is turning my mind to anything that involves turning on the oven!
Cutting corners or not, it's fun!
A lot of times, a canning or preserving project will actually cost more than just to buy a quality brand, BUT there is something to the satisfaction of making a family favorite in your own kitchen. Just like the tortilla recipe I posted earlier, it's either the ingredients or love that makes it taste better . . . probably a combination of both. Speaking of which, my husband found this recipe which is on my soon to-do list. Sweet relish gets a lot of use at our house from sandwiches to stuffed eggs. Now, I HAVE to find out if homemade IS better . . . or just more fun.
Homemade Sweet Relish
It makes two quarts so you can share with a friend!
6 cucumbers, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick
2 red onions, roughly chopped
1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
First step: Combine the cucumbers, onions, and pepper with the salt. Put the mixture in a colander (not a metal one!) over a bowl and store in the refrigerator over night. This will draw out the excess liquids.
Second step: The next day, rinse the vegetables under cold water and place them in a pot. Add the vinegar, sugar, celery seed, and mustard seeds. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes.
Third step: Transfer the mixture to a food processor, in batches if necessary, and pulse to desired consistency. Store in glass jars in the refrigerator.
I'm anxious to try a taste test on this recipe.
Only one daughter likes Thousand Island dressing on her salad. Since she is now at college, the bottle tends to go stale as she isn't home to use it. I've found that just mixing a cup of mayo with sweet relish (homemade?!), and some catsup provides enough for a few salad meals. You can dress it up with extra salt and pepper or a touch of mustard if you like.
Homemade Sweet Relish
It makes two quarts so you can share with a friend!
6 cucumbers, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick
2 red onions, roughly chopped
1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
First step: Combine the cucumbers, onions, and pepper with the salt. Put the mixture in a colander (not a metal one!) over a bowl and store in the refrigerator over night. This will draw out the excess liquids.
Second step: The next day, rinse the vegetables under cold water and place them in a pot. Add the vinegar, sugar, celery seed, and mustard seeds. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes.
Third step: Transfer the mixture to a food processor, in batches if necessary, and pulse to desired consistency. Store in glass jars in the refrigerator.
I'm anxious to try a taste test on this recipe.
Only one daughter likes Thousand Island dressing on her salad. Since she is now at college, the bottle tends to go stale as she isn't home to use it. I've found that just mixing a cup of mayo with sweet relish (homemade?!), and some catsup provides enough for a few salad meals. You can dress it up with extra salt and pepper or a touch of mustard if you like.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Not enough time in the world . . . sigh!
I've been sorting through stacks of recipes I've collected and deciding if I really need to keep all of them. Not enough time in the world for me to try each and every one so I had to be harsh and keep only the ones I KNEW I would eventually make . . . someday!
Cold weather makes me think of Fall and Fall makes me think of pumpkins so finding this recipe fit into my mood. If only it wasn't Lent, this would be in the oven right now!
Pumpkin Bundt Cake
You need a 12 cup bundt pan or equivilent pans to hold batter. Spray well with vegetable oil spray. Lightly flour.
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Dash of cloves
2 teaspoons butter
Combine these ingredients in a small bowl. Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened
4 large eggs
1 cup cooked pumpkin (canned variety is great!)
8 ounces sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Creat the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition. Add the rest of the ingredient, mixing well. Stir in the flour mixture.
Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the crumbly mixture over the batter. Top with the remaining batter.
Bake for 55-60 minutes in a 350 degree, preheated oven. Cool for at least 30 minutes in the pan before inverting it onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Glaze with a combined mixture of 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and enough fresh orange juice to make a thick but pourable icing.
Cold weather makes me think of Fall and Fall makes me think of pumpkins so finding this recipe fit into my mood. If only it wasn't Lent, this would be in the oven right now!
Pumpkin Bundt Cake
You need a 12 cup bundt pan or equivilent pans to hold batter. Spray well with vegetable oil spray. Lightly flour.
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Dash of cloves
2 teaspoons butter
Combine these ingredients in a small bowl. Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened
4 large eggs
1 cup cooked pumpkin (canned variety is great!)
8 ounces sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Creat the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition. Add the rest of the ingredient, mixing well. Stir in the flour mixture.
Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the crumbly mixture over the batter. Top with the remaining batter.
Bake for 55-60 minutes in a 350 degree, preheated oven. Cool for at least 30 minutes in the pan before inverting it onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Glaze with a combined mixture of 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and enough fresh orange juice to make a thick but pourable icing.
Anticipated summer harvests . . .
When we plant our garden, we can always rely on the fact that nothing but nothing seems to kill a zucchini squash plant. Zucchini plants are amazing in that you can check on them one day and find nothing and seemingly overnight, giant squash grace your garden.
A favorite way to eat zucchini is cut in large chunks and sauteed until hot but still with a bit of crisp to it with lots of garlic, salt, pepper, and diced tomato. As the summer zucchini harvent goes on, however, savory uses of zucchini can get wearing. I found this recipe in my wanderings today and it sounds like a good alternative to either savory versions of zucchini bread.
Citrus Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
1 box lemon cake mix
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups zucchini, peeled and grated (I leave the peel on but that's just a preference)
4 ounce package instant lemon pudding mix
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon orange zest
Mix all the cake ingredients together until well combined but not over beatened. Spread into a 9 x 12" baking pan. Bake at 325 for approximately 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
Frosting
3 tablespoons butter, softened NOT melted
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon (approximately) fresh lemon juice
Cream together butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar and beat in well. Add lemon juice, vanilla and zest and combine. Frost cooled cake.
A favorite way to eat zucchini is cut in large chunks and sauteed until hot but still with a bit of crisp to it with lots of garlic, salt, pepper, and diced tomato. As the summer zucchini harvent goes on, however, savory uses of zucchini can get wearing. I found this recipe in my wanderings today and it sounds like a good alternative to either savory versions of zucchini bread.
Citrus Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
1 box lemon cake mix
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups zucchini, peeled and grated (I leave the peel on but that's just a preference)
4 ounce package instant lemon pudding mix
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon orange zest
Mix all the cake ingredients together until well combined but not over beatened. Spread into a 9 x 12" baking pan. Bake at 325 for approximately 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
Frosting
3 tablespoons butter, softened NOT melted
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon (approximately) fresh lemon juice
Cream together butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar and beat in well. Add lemon juice, vanilla and zest and combine. Frost cooled cake.
Cold weather, warm food . . .
I always look towards hearty, hot meals when it is raining outside . . . as it is today! Although biscuits are always welcome with stew or soup, I have this recipe for tortillas that go well with most anything for sopping up the gravy. I'm sorting recipes today and came across it and thought I'd share. Okay, I may have done so earlier in the year but not everyone reads the archives so here it is, perhaps, again!
Tortillas
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
3 tablespoons olive oil
In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. STir in water and oil. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until the dough comes together and is workable. You might have to add a few more drips of water/oil if your weather is dry.
Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion into an approximately 7-inch circle. Your circle doesn't have to be perfect!
In a nonstick skillet coated with vegetable oil spray, cook tortillas over medium heat for one minute on each side or until lightly browned. Keep them under a clean dish towel until they are all done to keep them warm.
Sure, you can purchase tortillas in the store but it is nice to know that you can whip up a batch and avoid an extra trip. Besides, there is no comparison with homemade tortillas!
Lots of cold rain this morning but the skies here in 'sunny' California seem indecisive for the moment. Naturally, our home rain forecaster, our dog, dragged her blankets out in time to get damp. She does this a day or two before WE even know it's going to rain. Ironing done and dog's blanket has been sanitized, washed, and dried.
Tortillas
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
3 tablespoons olive oil
In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. STir in water and oil. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until the dough comes together and is workable. You might have to add a few more drips of water/oil if your weather is dry.
Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion into an approximately 7-inch circle. Your circle doesn't have to be perfect!
In a nonstick skillet coated with vegetable oil spray, cook tortillas over medium heat for one minute on each side or until lightly browned. Keep them under a clean dish towel until they are all done to keep them warm.
Sure, you can purchase tortillas in the store but it is nice to know that you can whip up a batch and avoid an extra trip. Besides, there is no comparison with homemade tortillas!
Lots of cold rain this morning but the skies here in 'sunny' California seem indecisive for the moment. Naturally, our home rain forecaster, our dog, dragged her blankets out in time to get damp. She does this a day or two before WE even know it's going to rain. Ironing done and dog's blanket has been sanitized, washed, and dried.
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