Devine Lemon Bars

Lemon is a great flavor, it is fresh, crisp, cool and cleanses the palate in an excellent manner. Lime is great too, but lemon is far more versatile, and seems to go with just about most meals in a complimentary dessert form. I love a good punch of lemon, sweetened into a seductive melody for the mouth, and what I'm about to share with you is The Perfect Lemon Bar recipe. You can also use it to make tartlets or in ramekins, but that involves more work than I was willing to put forth on this past work night. If you prefer a milder version, use the juice and zest of one lemon instead of two. But for someone like me, I wouldn't make it any other way since I'm really looking for that delightful lemon flavor!

This recipe will produce a variable amount of squares or bars...depending on how you want to cut them. You'll need a 9 X 9 sized pan (I use a glass one).

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In the 9 X 9 pan itself, mix together:

1 C flour

1/2 C butter, margarine (I use light margarine), softened

1/4 C powdered sugar

Use a larger fork to mix evenly

When the lumps are small and fine, press this mixture evenly onto the bottom of the pan, and one inch up the sides.

Bake the crust for 20 minutes.

Remove and cool for a half an hour, longer is fine.

In a large mixing bowl, combine:

2 eggs, beaten

1 C sugar

2 T flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

The juice of 2 lemons

The grated rind of 2 lemons*

Use a hand mixer and really give these ingredients a good beating for about 2 minutes.

Next, pour this mixture into the baked crust, and place into the oven at 350 for 25 minutes.

The top should look ever so slightly golden brown, and the filling should not still be fluid and rolling around in the pan.

Set aside to cool, and sprinkle powdered sugar on the top (not in a layer) while it is still very warm (you can do this later, but it will move around on you more when you slice it).

(Mmmm. Aren't you sold by this picture?!?)

*Use a fine grater for the lemon skins, and grate only the yellow part of the rind part off.


Keep in mind, please, that I made this recipe using small-to-medium sized lemons, I know that in certain (lucky) parts of the country, you can acquire nice big ones, but using two of them might throw off the recipe.





This is such a fine summer dessert too, however, I have a word of amusing caution...this has happened to both my husband and I...though you may be tempted to take bite after bite of this sumptuous treat, please remember not to inhale while you are biting into your lemon bar. If you do, the powdered sugar may (without any warning!) fly to the back of your throat making you cough embarrassingly while everyone else just looks at you as if you were orange or something.



With that note of caution out there, I'm sticking by my claim that these are the very best lemon bars ever created, and I whole-heartedly invite you to make them yourself and tell me about it.


Enjoy!

Light as Air Peanut Butter Macaroons

Mmmm. It's heating up down here in Louisiana. And a quick and light dessert is just what I wanted for tonight, so I chose a recipe I found on the Jif Recipes website for Peanut Butter Macaroons:

http://www.jif.com/Recipes/Details.aspx?recipeID=155

These are easy and quick to make with few dishes to do afterwords, and, quite frankly, irresistible. I've eaten at least a half dozen of them since I made them this morning. And no, I don't feel guilty about it. I serve them proudly to my husband because by using only egg whites, they are cholesterol friendly. Peanut butter too, I found, is cholesterol free. That came as a shocker! Well, we try and learn something new every day, right? OK, so, since these were a cinch to whip up, I felt compelled to add my own thing...a dark chocolate drizzle made from melted Polish chocolate that I happened upon in a dollar store (yes, this amazing bar I've been enjoying thus far with red wine was only a dollar) and the label stated that 100% of the proceeds went to helping with literacy. That's all fine and well, a very suitable cause, but how was the chocolate, you ask? It was gooood. I never used to, but now sometimes even crave, dark chocolate. So rich, powerful, and if they want to say good for you, I like that too!

If there are any left...they will be alright for dessert. Tonight the menu consists of simple comfort foods:

A corned beef brisket that has been slow cooking since 7am, instant garlic and Parmesan mashed potatoes, and brussel sprouts. Paired with an embarrassingly cheap, yet peppy and crisp, smooth and satisfying Pinot Grigio by Barefoot. Yes, Barefoot. I absolutely loath their other attempts at conveying different varietals, but this, yes, this they can do. There is a hint of sweetness to it along the way that works just fine for me. It's OK, try it.

Try the macaroons too, you'll like them!

Blackened Kielbasa and Black Eyed Peas Comfort

Thursday night is an excellent night for comfort food in this house. Other nights are excellent too, but this week, Thursday was the night. And what a recipe I have for you today...

A highly satisfying, tasty, well-balanced, warm and delightful bowl of comfort and good food awaits you at the end of this post-if you make it yourself!

Here is my recipe for Blackened Kielbasa and Black Eyed Peas:

(It makes 2 healthy portions for two hungry people)

-First, slice one half of a kielbasa sausage, 1/4 inch thick

(mine was frozen, this will effect the following cooking times)

-Arrange these in a skillet and season with 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

-Heat kielbasa over medium heat on a skillet for ~ 6 minutes

(until just starting to blacken around the edges of the side facing down)

-Flip each slice, and add 1/4-1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Keep a watchful eye, and remove from skillet when the bottom is mostly blackened, ~ 1 min.

-Place on a paper plate to drain

-Scrape the worst of the debris in the skillet out

-Then, chop the following

1 carrot

1 celery rib

3 cloves garlic

1 cup onion

-Heat skillet on low

-Add 1 1/2 Tbs. vegetable oil to the skillet and the chopped vegetables

-Saute for about 8 minutes to lock in flavor

-Next, add the following

2 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

-Stir, then add

1 15.5 oz. can of black eyed peas, seasoned with bacon, drained

1 cup chicken broth

2 bay leaves

-Bring to a boil over medium heat for a few minutes

-Add kielbasa

-Boil for 10 minutes, uncovered

You can reduce now to a simmer, let rest and reheat before dinner, this will let the flavors relax, mingle, soak about. I also like to add about 8-10 precooked shrimp when I reheat this dish before dinner, I like the additional complexity and texture they add to the flavor, but it is purely optional. I wonder, and I'd be willing to bet, if this dish would be good the next day as well. Some things are even better when they get to sit for overnight. Anyway, I hope you try and enjoy this dish, we had it last night with cornbread muffins on the side (with a touch of cayenne added for kick) to soak up the juice and it was wonderful.

Try it! And let me know what you think...

Little Catfish (Not even nugget-worthy)!

Last weekend...
After a desperate attempt to catch a catfish for dinner, two ideally, and an afternoon of fishing in the river, we were rewarded with this little fellow, who was not badly hooked and even got to keep the minnow he was caught on. He was released to grow bigger, and seemed happy with his fish dinner.

We, on the other hand, did not have a fish dinner, but relied on Jerk Chicken on the grill with calallo and garlic-ginger rice with carrots and peas. I was in charge of the sides, and may post the recipes on a later date because we were too hungry and fished out to take pictures before dinner.

Easter Egg Cake

I remember a wonderful older Italian couple living next door to us for a few years while I was growing up. There were many things I missed about them when they moved away and in later years, passed on, but every Easter I think about the lady's (her name was Elsie) beautiful Easter egg cakes she would make and bring over to us. In her honor, this year, I decided to give it a whirl myself...or at least make something similar.

I found inspiration on this webpage:

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/sweets/how-to-make-individual-easter-egg-cakes-081514#comments

And decided to make one large egg, out of a 9 x 5 pound cake I baked (from a mix in a box).

I shaved it, shaped it, and cut it horizontally to make 4 filling layers.

The bottom and third layer I made of strawberry preserves, the second and fourth layer I made of a almond-flavored sugar frosting, tinted yellow. I apologize that I can't show you a picture of the layers, I took two, but they both came out too fuzzy. I guess I had it on the wrong setting.

For the outside of the egg cake, I made a chocolate ganache frosting, consisting of:

1/2 C milk, heated with 1 1/2 T margarine

and poured over

6 oz. dark chocolate chips (Nestle)

This made plenty for the egg cake, so I used the leftovers, drizzling it over the scraps of pound cake, sliced some strawberries and added french vanilla pudding on top. Excellent use, I must admit!!!

I used a basting brush to apply a crumb coat of the ganache, filled in any airpocket holes, and then I poured the rest of the ganache over sections (side, side and then top) and quickly spread it evenly over the cake.

When this was all set in the fridge, I piped colored frosting designs over the chocolate, and there you go!! Here is my Easter Egg Cake, as reminiscent as I muster of Elsie's great treats.

This cake needs to be refrigerated, and for presentation purposes, I recommend cleaning the knife after each slice.

Personally, this was only something that I would make around Easter, it's a bold combination of flavors, and very rich.

Greek Inspired Cold Salad

Now here is a salad that I believe I stumbled into purely buy chance and luck, but my family and former co-workers sure gave it a healthy thumbs-up. It's so simple, and incorporates many of my favorite foods, so of course I'm biased. Guess you'll just have to give it a chance and try it yourself! Actually, this combination of flavors is wonderful as a side dish, an alternative to traditional salads, or a light lunch on it's own. It compliments grilled lamb very well. We even tried the left-overs served over spinach leaves and it was fantastic that way too. I think it might be somewhat healthy too...oops!

Here is my recipe for my so-called

Greek Inspired Cold Salad

Combine the following ingredients in a large bowl:

1 can chick peas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and picked of skins (14-15 oz.)

1 can large whole black olives, drained and torn in half (14-15 oz.)

1/2 a large red onion, diced

1 large slice white onion, diced

1 large cucumber, skin on, diced

3 larger roma tomatoes, diced

Stir and add

1/2 C of your favorite balsamic vinaigrette dressing

1/2 pound of feta, crumbled*

Combine all in the large bowl, and eat now or let it sit overnight for the best taste.

*Note: use feta cheese that is as fresh and wet as possible, if you can buy it in water at a market, you are very lucky, we used to have that luxury in Memphis, now we have to get the chunk feta by Athenos (which is also more affordable by the oz than the precrumbled and tastes better too), which unfortunately does not compare to the Bulgarian feta at that little Mediterranean Grocery store on Park Ave. That was incredible feta!!! You carved off your own sized piece and fished it out of the milky water, and I've never tasted anything like it. It was beautiful, and it was cheaper. Sigh.

Well, try this recipe for the summer! Enjoy!

Very Best Baguettes

Bread is the staple of life, it comes in so many forms, all of which (I believe) are wonderful. While I have never had the luck nor the opportunity to visit Paris, France, my beloved husband has, and when he compares this, my baguette recipe, to the famous baguettes made in France, I feel quite honored. Believe me, we've been together too long for false compliments.

I've made this baguette recipe for years, and have tweaked and polished it into yielding a perfect baguette, that I can now share with you.

It's a bit of work, I won't deny that, but in the end, with the satisfaction of biting into that crispy firm crust with the dense, warm, perfectly balanced inside, the effort is well rewarded. There is nothing that can compare. I should give you heads-up though, that a fine-mist water sprayer is necessary for this recipe to come out successfully. I use a 99-cent sprayer bottle bought at Wal-Mart years ago, and spring water. We use it to spritz orchids on most other days.

Baguette Recipe:

Make a starter the night before, by combining

3/4 C flour

3.45 oz of warm water

A pinch of yeast

Mix, cover and let this sit under a towel on the counter overnight.

The next morning, mix the following into the starter until absorbed

1 C warm water, with 1 package of yeast dissolved

3 C flour

Knead this together for 12 minutes (yes, a morning workout!)

Add 1 1/2 T salt

Knead this into the dough for another 2 minutes

Form into a ball, mist with water (I use a plant mister), and cover in a clean bowl

Let this double

Once doubled, knead 4 times, ball up the dough again, mist and cover.

Let rise another hour.

Divide the dough into 3 or 4 parts.

Gently stretch each into loaves 10-12 inches long.

Place them on a cookie sheet, mist with water and cover with plastic wrap.

Let poof for one hour.

When you preheat the oven to 425 degrees, place a vessel half-filled with water on the bottom rack for a steam bath.

Remove the plastic wrap from the loaves, and score each loaf 3 times.

Total baking time = 25 minutes.

On a timer that counts down, liberally spray the loaves with water on minute 15 (10 minutes into baking time) and on minute 7 (18 minutes into baking time).

Cool for a few minutes on the sheet, and then remove.

Loaves may be kept for a couple of days wrapped tightly in foil.

This recipe is tried and true for me. It has never failed, and pairs so nicely with many cuisines. Make these yourself, try it! And Enjoy!