Lemon Cream Tart with Macadamia Nut Crust

I think lemon is one of those quintessential flavors of spring.  Maybe it's one of those flavors that you either love or hate.  But we just love it here! Especially when it comes in the form of dessert.  I decided to make this Lemon Cream Tart for Easter this year and it was delicious. The tart shell is salty and buttery, crispy and slightly sweet and made with roasted macadamia nuts (which I also love). The filling is a simple lemon curd mixed with fresh whipped cream.  What could be better? The combination is heavenly and it would make a lovely addition to any spring or summer menu.


Lemon Cream Tart with Macadamia Nut Crust
for the crust
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, roasted and salted
1 cup flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 Tbsp. cold water

for the lemon curd
zest of 3 lemons
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
5 large eggs
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons)
1/8 tsp. salt

1 cup whipping cream, cold
1 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

fresh blueberries for garnish, if desired


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Put all the ingredients for the crust into a food processor fitted with a blade attachment.  Blitz until it resembles a coarse meal.  Press into a 9-inch tart pan and bake  for 11-13 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

For the lemon curd, add all ingredients into a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium heat until butter is melted, stirring frequently.  Increase heat to medium-high and cook until thickened, whisking constantly; about 8-10 minutes.  Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it down on top of the curd to prevent film from forming.  Chill in refrigerator.

When the curd and tart shell are cooled.  Make the whipped cream.  Pour cold cream into a mixing bowl.  Whisk on high until stiff peaks form.  Mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla.

To assemble the tart, mix 1 cup of the whipped cream with the chilled lemon curd. Pour into tart shell and freeze 2 hours before serving. Remove from freezer 5-10 minutes before serving and add fresh blueberries for garnish.  Keep leftovers covered in the freezer.

Lemon Cream

So, I was shopping at Costco the other day and this bag of Meyer lemons caught my eye.  I've never tried them before although I've been hearing about them for years.  Since they were pretty cheap I grabbed a bag and figured I decide later what to do with them.  I got a lot of great suggestions from friends, some of which I'll be trying soon,  but I also searched the interwebs high and low for something to make that was worthy of my time. Let me tell you friends this lemon cream is it!

WOWWY!!  No I know that not every loves lemon perhaps as much as I do, but wow, this is just the best.  It's not too sweet and has a lovely lemon flavor and luscious creamy texture.  You'll seriously want to put it on everything.  Try it on pancakes, waffles, crepes, on fruit, over ice cream, the sky is the limit!  It only takes about 10 minutes to whip up, so definitely worthy of my time.


Lemon Cream
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (I used Meyer lemons)
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a heat proof mixing bowl whisk together sugar, eggs, lemon juice and zest.  Make a double boiler by setting the bowl on top of a medium saucepan with a few inches of water in the bottom.  Heat over medium high heat.  Cook mixture, whisking often, until it starts to thicken and become pudding-like; about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until melted.  Set in an ice bath until cooled then stir in the heavy cream.

Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.



SOURCE: The Grant Life

Fresh Lemon Cake

There are a few things that I remember eating growing up that will I will always remember my mom making for our family.  One is homemade pizza on a cookie sheet, another is a plain old pot of ham beans.  So simple but some of my all time favorites.  My mom's lemonade cake probably made an appearance as dessert more times than I can remember.  My dad and I LOVE all things lemon so that's probably a huge factor in why we had her cake so much.  Another is that it's so quick and easy.

Fast forward many years.  I still like to make some old favorites; sometimes a little more healthy, sometimes with my own twist or sometimes just more home-made. That's where this cake comes in. I don't use mixes much anymore so I wanted to update my old recipe to use fresh ingredients, ones that I had on hand.  I loved the result.  The cake was so moist and tender and the lemon flavor was perfect. 

If you're looking for a spring dessert this is it! Perfect for any Easter gathering.  

Fresh Lemonade Cake
for the cake:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cake flour (or 3/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, sifted) 
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. butter, softened
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. sugar
zest of one lemon
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
juice of half a lemon (about 2 Tbsp.)
1/2 cup  + 2 Tbsp. milk at room temperature

for the glaze:
juice of 1 1/2 lemons (about 1/3 cup)
3/4 cup powdered sugar


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour an 8 or 9-inch round baking pan and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flours, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, cream together butter, sugar and lemon zest.  Cream until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.  Add vanilla lemon juice and milk and mix until combined.

Add in sifted ingredients and gently mix until just incorporated.  Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake for 25-27 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and top is slightly browned.  Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.

In the meantime, combine the juice of the 1 1/2 lemons with the powdered sugar and whisk until mixed well (some lumps are ok).

While cake is still warm, but not hot, take a fork and poke holes all over the cake.  Slowly spoon on glaze, one spoonful at a time, letting it soak in before the next spoonful, until all the glaze is gone.  Cool cake completely and serve.

SOURCE: Cake from Annie's Eats

Lemon Poppyseed and Blueberry Crepes

Although we have a lot of pancakes for breakfast and I pretty much make breakfast every morning,  crepes are still a delicious treat we very rarely enjoy around here.  I don't know what got me in the mood the other day, but I was craving some crepes in a bad way. I was going to do our most frequent flavor, sweet crepes with nutella, strawberries & bananas and whipped cream, but we didn't have any nutella, or strawberries for that matter.  So I went with the next best thing; fruity and citrus-y (if that's even a real word).  I figured they would be good and everyone would eat them but I couldn't believe just HOW good they were.  Blueberries and lemons were just meant to be.  My mouth was Mmmmmm-ing and Ahhhhh-ing and wanted MORE!

If you've never made crepes before they can be a little daunting at first.  While the batter takes just a few minutes to prepare, getting the hang of swirling it around the pan quick enough and thin enough takes a little practice.  Don't let that stop you, I still mess up the first couple of each batch I make anyway.


Lemon Poppyseed and Blueberry Crepes
makes about 12-14 crepes

for the crepe batter:
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. oil
3 Tbsp. sugar
pinch of salt
1 cup flour
1 1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
zest and juice of a lemon
2 tsp. poppy seeds

butter

for the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
zest and juice of a lemon
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup blueberries, frozen or fresh

For the crepe batter, put all the ingredients except the poppy seeds into a blender and blend until there are no lumps.  Add in poppy seeds and just barely blend to incorporate.

Heat crepe pan or frying pan over medium heat.  Have a stick of butter handy, leaving the wrapper on half of it.  This will make it easy to butter your pan between each crepe.

Whip the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add in lemon juice and zest and vanilla and mix well.  Gently fold in blueberries.  Set aside.

When pan is sufficiently hot, quickly butter it with the stick of butter (just run it across the pan a few times real quick).  Hold the pan with one hand while you pour the batter with the other hand.  I use about 1/3 cup batter for each crepe.  Quickly rotate the pan in a circular motion until the batter has covered the bottom of the pan.  Set on the stove and cook about 30 seconds or until edges are set and you can run a spatula under them.  Flip and cook another 20-30 seconds or so.

Remove crepe from pan and place on a large plate.  Cover to keep warm, if desired, and continue cooking until all the batter is used up, buttering pan in between each.

To serve, spread filling over half of the crepe, then fold in half and fold in half again.  Alternately you can place the filling just off the center and roll it up burrito style.  Garnish with extra powdered sugar and blueberries, if desired.



SOURCE: Crepes from Our Best Bites, Filling from Say Yes

Lemon Chicken and Orzo Soup

Wow,  last week was such a doozie!! Everyone was sick at my house, except my hubby.  My first-grader did not go a day of school and my preschooler missed 2 out of 3 days of her school.  I think I was in my pajamas most of that time, maybe only venturing out three whole times, only once doing my hair and makeup (sorry neighbors who had to see that, just keeping it real for ya!).

After so many days of nursing my sick ones (and my sick self) back to health all I wanted was a big ol' bowl of chicken soup.  Duh, I don't know why I didn't make it in the beginning of the week, then I could have eaten on it that whole time and not had to make a single other thing, haha!

As I stared at my big bag of lemons on the counter I remembered this soup that I had been wanting to make for years.  I mean, like it's been bookmarked in my Cooking Light Cook Book for I don't know how long; I don't know what the heck the hold up was.  

This soup is just as delicious and comforting as it looks and really is a cinch to throw together; even when you're sick!!


Lemon Chicken and Orzo Soup
olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 rib celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 chicken thighs, skins removed
1/2 cup white cooking wine
6 cups chicken stock
zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 cup orzo pasta
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

In a large stockpot, heat a small drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken thighs and cook about 3-4 minutes per side; remove to a plate.  Reduce heat to medium and heat another tablespoon or so of olive oil.  Add onion, carrot and celery.  Cook 5-7 minutes or until onion is tender and translucent.  Add garlic and cook 30-60 seconds.  Add cooking wine and deglaze the pan, letting it cook about a minute or two.

Return chicken back to pot, along with the stock, lemon juice and zest, oregano and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook about 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.  Remove chicken from pot and bring stock back up to a boil.  Add orzo pasta and cook about 6-8 minutes.

Allow chicken to cool just long enough that it can be handled, then shred it.  Once orzo is finished cooking, add the shredded chicken back in, keeping the soup on the burner until heated through.  Remove soup from burner, take out bay leaf and stir in chopped parsley.  Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired.

Serve warm.  Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days.  Soup will thicken upon cooling and the orzo will start soaking up the liquid.  When reheating soup, just add a little extra water.

Crispy Lemon-Basil and Parmesan Crusted Chicken

My kids have been such picky eaters lately, it's killing me!  Thankfully they do eat chicken because this is the BEST CHICKEN EVER!! This right here in front of you.  It comes together quickly, cooks quickly and tastes fabulous!  

I decided to use whole wheat bread crumbs here and used my own homemade bread.  I was a little leery that using my own bread to make the bread crumbs wouldn't get it crunchy enough, but I was wrong, thankfully, and it delivered. 

The chicken is simply flavored with lemon and fresh basil, the perfect flavors for summer.  I served it along side some herbed roasted potatoes and salad and everyone gobbled it down; you're sure to as well.

Crispy Lemon-Basil and Parmesan Crusted Chicken
2 chicken breasts, butterflied
2 cups whole wheat bread crumbs*
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, sliced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
flour, about 1/2 cup
1 egg, whisked

To make bread crumb mixture, combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, basil, salt and pepper.  Set up breading station first with a shallow dish of flour, next the egg and third the bread crumb mixture. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Dredge chicken, one piece at a time, in the flour shaking off any excess.  Next dip each piece in the egg and then lastly the bread crumb mixture.  Place the crusted chicken breasts on the wire rack.

Bake about 12-15 minutes depending on thickness of chicken.  Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.


*To make your own whole wheat bread crumbs, take 2-3 thick slices of bread (enough for 2 cups)  and toast in toaster until well-toasted. Place in a small food processor and process until bread resembles breadcrumbs. 

Pizza Sorrentina

I almost feel silly calling this a recipe (rather than a list of ingredients) for the pizza above unless you count the pizza dough, because it's so easy!  At first glance, the basil and lemon combination caught my eye, but then I saw the recipe called for smoked mozzarella rather than just fresh and I was completely SOLD!  I searched high and low for the smoked mozzarella but finally found it at Trader Joe's in Salt Lake City.  I'm sure there might have been somewhere slightly closer that had the motz, but hey, any excuse to go to Trader Joe's and I'm there!

The story behind this pizza is pretty cool.  The story/recipe was run in the Wall Street Journal and is served at Keste Pizza & Vino in New York City's West Village. The pizza was invented by the daughter of a great pizza maestro in Naples, Italy.  She created it for her mother, who loved lemons. It gets it's name, Sorrentina, from the town Sorrento, which is known for it's lemons.  

This pie is deceptively delicious and you will love every bite.  The bites of smoky mozzarella are cut by the bright and tart flavors of the basil and lemon. A perfect balance.

Pizza Sorrentina
Notes: I did not use the recipe for the pizza dough from the article in the WSJ because it called for a specialty flour (00 Caputo) and I didn't have 8 hours for it to rise.  I did use a slightly adapted version of my favorite pizza dough, which still turned out wonderfully.

For the dough:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used bread flour)
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. active-dry yeast
2 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 - 1 2/3 cups warm water

For the toppings:
1 lemon, very thinly sliced
3 ounces smoked mozzarella
10-12 fresh basil leaves
olive oil, for drizzling

To make the dough, place the dry ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.  Make a quick pulse to combine, then add the oil and water.  Mix until dough is firm and smooth, 5 minutes or so, but still slightly tacky to the touch.

Divide the dough into 3-4 balls and place on an oiled cookie sheet (you may need more than one). Rub the dough balls with oil and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled in bulk. During the last half hour preheat pizza stone in a 450 degree F oven. You can also use an inverted baking sheet, which doesn't need to preheat.

Soak lemon slices in water for 15 minutes, then pat dry.

To roll out the dough: Dab your fingers in flour and then place one ball on a generously floured work surface (either parchment or a pizza peel). Press down in the center with the tips of your fingers, spreading the dough with your hand. When the dough has doubled in width, use a floured rolling pin and roll out until it is very thin, like flat bread. The outer portion should be a little thicker than the inner portion.

Layer cheese over the top of the dough, leaving  about a 1-inch border.  Arrange lemon slices and tuck in basil leaves. Drizzle olive oil over the top, brushing around the edges.

Slide pizza into oven onto baking stone. If using parchment, no need to slide pizza off parchment onto stone, just slide it on there with it.  Bake 8-10 minutes, until puffy and golden. Remove pizza and repeat with remaining dough.


SOURCE: WSJ: Pizza With a Twist via Alexandra's Kitchen, dough adapted from Todd English's The Fig's Table.

Chocolate Dipped Orange Shortbread Cookies

It's Saturday and you know what weekends are good for?  Saturdays are good for sleeping in.  They're good for eating a stack of nice fluffy warm pancakes with chocolate chips, of course, and a healthy drizzle of syrup (cause if it's during the week, we eat the whole wheat variety with very little syrup, haha). Saturdays are also good for long walks, cartoons, playing at the park and taking on a new baking project!

I love to spend my weekends in the kitchen trying new things; things I wouldn't normally attempt during the week with schedules and early mornings and such.  It just so happens that these cookies were one of those baking projects I got to play with a few weeks ago. And it was so fun!

Did you know you could make your own candied citrus?  It is actually pretty easy and most of the effort that is involved is waiting. Orange is probably my second favorite citrus, with lemon being first.  But orange and dark chocolate is a combination I cannot resist!!

These little shortbread cookies are simply to die for and worth every bit of effort that go into them!  Although not difficult to make, mostly what you need in making these is TIME!  So clear out your Saturday and make some room for this delicious treat.


Chocolate Dipped Orange Shortbread Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup powdered  sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp.  salt
1 cup candied orange peel (chopped), recipe below
zest of 1 orange
1 Tbsp.  orange juice
1/2 Tbsp.  vanilla extract
8 ounces dark chocolate (chopped)

 

In a mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, cream the butter and the sugar.  Add vanilla, orange zest and juice and mix to combine.  Remove whisk attachment and replace with paddle attachment.  Add flour and salt and mix until it starts forming larger clumps. Fold in candied orange peel.

 

Form the dough into a log, wrap it in plastic and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

 

Cut the log into 1/4 inch thick slices and place on a parchment lines baking pan with one inch of space between them. Bake in a preheated 325F oven until they just start to turn lightly golden brown on top, about 15-20 minutes. Cool completely (or they will be too fragile to dip!!).

 

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a microwave-safe bowl in 30 second increments on half power.  Stirring after each increment.  

 

Dip the cookies into the chocolate and place on a sheet of parchment paper and let cool until the chocolate sets.

Candied Orange Peel

3 oranges

2 cup water
2 cups sugar, divided

Cut the top and bottom from the orange, then cut the peel each orange into 4 vertical pieces and remove from orange in one piece. Cut the peel into thin strips.

Bring a pot of water to boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook the peels in boiling water for 15 minutes, drain and rinse.

Bring 2 cups water and 1 cup of the sugar to a boil over medium heat in a sauce pan. Add the peel, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the peels are tender, about 45 minutes.

Drain and toss the peels in the remaining 1 cup of sugar. Note: You want to drain the orange peels well. If you just throw them straight from the syrup into the sugar, the sugar will clump up.

Place the peels on a cooling rack and let them sit until the coating is dry, anywhere from 24-48 hours.


SOURCE: Closet Cooking

Lentil Veggieballs with Lemon Pesto Dipping Sauce

A couple weekends ago my girls and I stayed with my high school aged sister for an extended weekend while my parents were out of town.  While discussing what to make while I was there I happened to come across these lentil "veggieballs" and decided to ask my sister if she even liked lentils.  When she replied whole-heartedly that she loved them I knew I would be in good company if I made these, so on the menu they went!

 I'm so glad we decided to try them, they were delicious.  And the lemon pesto...wow!  Lick the plate good.  Such a great condiment for the lentils.  These veggieballs are great served warm, along side a nice dinner salad.


Lentil Veggieballs in Lemon Pesto
For the veggieballs:
2 cups cooked lentils, cooled
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 large carrot, diced
1/2 onion, diced
3/4 cup Ricotta cheese
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. fennel seed, crushed
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2/3 cup breadcrumbs

for the lemon pesto sauce:
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup pinenuts
zest and juice of one lemon
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
1 cup packed basil leaves
1/4 - 1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. grated parmesan
2 Tbsp. water to thin

Wash 1 cup dried lentils then place them in a saucepan with 2 cups water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for about 20-30 minutes, until tender.

In the meantime, prepare the pesto by combining pesto ingredients in a food processor with a chopper blade.  Process untiil smooth, adding oil or water as necessary to desired consistency.  Scoop out into a containter with a tight fitting lid and set aside.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan.  Add onions and carrots and saute over medium heat until tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool. 

Once lentils, onions and carrots have cooled, place them in a food processor with a chopper blade and process until smooth and well combined.  Remove to a mixing bowl and add the rest of the ingredients.  Stir until well combined.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Make balls by using a small scoop to scoop out lentil mixture.  Place closely together on a baking sheet.  Brush with a little olive oil then place them in the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until slightly golden.  You can turn them half way so both sides are a littl golden, but I didn't.

Serve warm with lemon pesto.


SOURCE: Slightly adapted from Sprouted Kitchen

Fresh Orange Cranberry Sauce

I know Thanksgiving is already over, but it's still the season to eat all things fall and Thanksgiving-ish if you ask me.  Cranberry sauce is such a great accompaniment to many dishes and it's so incredibly simple to make.  It practically makes itself!

I actually made this sauce to go with some turkey enchiladas we were having.  Let me tell you, this is much better than the stuff in the can. I love the hint of orange you get with the zest and freshly squeezed juice.  If you're not a fan of cran-orange things though, you can just use all water and leave out the zest.

If you're making something sweet the sauce, it would be delicious dolled up with some warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.  On the other hand, if you're using it for a savor dish, try adding some jalapeno or chipotle to it!

Fresh Orange Cranberry Sauce
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
juice and zest of 1 orange
4 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen

Put everything in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Sauce will thicken upon cooling.  Serve warm or chilled.


SOURCE: Two Peas and their Pod

Coconut Lime Ice Cream

I came up with this recipe out of necessity, 'cause ice cream is a necessity, didn't you know? I LOVE anything coconut but coconut and lime are so delicious and refreshing. I had an abundance of each and they were just begging me to throw them together to make ice cream. You just can't have enough during the summer.

I came across a few recipes using a custard base and no coconut milk and I just thought that was ridiculous. Coconut ice cream NEEDS coconut milk and NO eggy aftertaste. Now, don't get me wrong, I appreciate a good custard base but they are not fit for every kind of ice cream.

This is a no-cook base, gotta love that, and it comes together super fast so you can get it freezing in no time at all. I hope you enjoy this cool and refreshing treat.


Coconut Lime Ice Cream
1 14-oz can coconut milk (full fat)
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup whole milk
1 lime, zested
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (about 4 limes)
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Whisk everything together in a bowl and refrigerate it until chilled.

Pour ice cream base into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Scrape out into a freezer safe container with a tight-fitting lid. Freeze 4 hours or until firm before serving.

Orange Cranberry Scones with White Chips

Anyone still eating leftover Thanksgiving pie for breakfast? I think one of the best parts of a huge Thanksgiving meal is eating the leftovers for days in a row. I usually eat some of the leftovers straight up, but I like to save a little bit of turkey to make some good old comfort food; Chicken Pot Pie and Chicken Noodle Soup. IF there are any sweet potato leftovers (which their usually isn't), I like to make these Ginger Sweet Potato Muffins, practically my favorite muffin ever!

Leftover cranberry sauce probably gets overlooked most of the time. I know I haven't paid much attention to it in the past. I don't like to let things go to waste though, so I decided to incorporate what I had left into a scone. I think it worked out perfect. I had been dying to make scones anyway and the combination of the cranberries, orange and white chocolate chips couldn't have been better.

These scones are more moist than your typical scone, due to the cranberry sauce, but they still turn out wonderfully light and flaky. You may need to sprinkle your hands with flour when patting them out, and remember not to work them too much.

Orange Cranberry Scones with White Chips
For the dough:
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. orange zest
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
6 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into pieces
1 egg
1/2 cup cranberry sauce
3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice (about half a small orange)
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. heavy cream, chilled

For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
3-4 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice (about half a small orange)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon and orange zest. With either a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in white chips and set aside.

In a separate small mixing bowl, combine egg, cranberry sauce, orange juice and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry and form the dough into a disk.

Gently and quickly pat the dough out, on a floured surface, into an 8-10 inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges and place onto baking pan. Brush tops with remaining 2 Tbsp. of heavy cream.

Bake for 13-15 minutes or until scones are slightly brown on top.

For the glaze, mix powdered sugar and orange juice and drizzle over top of the warm scones. Serve warm or allow to cool completely.


Linked to...
It's A Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper

Creamy Lemon-Herb Pasta

Let me just tell you, this is the perfect summer dish! It is easy, quick and uses what most people have in abundance this time of year: zucchini and fresh herbs from the garden. Really, it takes no longer to throw together than the time it takes you to boil your pasta, especially if your chicken is already cooked. I used the leftover chicken from the Lemon and Oregano Chicken I roasted earlier in the week so all I had to do was take it out of the fridge when it was time to throw it all together.

Feel free to use whatever chicken you have on hand, chopped or shredded. If you want a simple marinade, just throw a couple drizzles of olive oil, juice of a lemon and some salt and pepper in a zip-top bag with your uncooked chicken and let it sit for 30 minutes or so then throw it on the grill when you're ready to prepare the rest of the meal.

If I were Rachel Ray, this would be one of my 30-minute meals. And on a good day, I bet you could whip this dish up in 15 minutes; I'd say pretty perfect for a weeknight dinner.


Creamy Lemon-Herb Pasta
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, grilled and sliced or shredded
1/2 lb pasta
2 medium zucchini (I used one zucchini and one yellow squash)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
olive oil
5-6 cloves garlic
Juice of 2 lemons
2 oz. cream cheese
1 C shredded parmesan cheese
about 8-10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 tsp. oregano, dried (or a small handful of fresh, chopped)
salt and pepper

Season and cook/grill/roast your chicken as desired, or use leftovers from a rotisserie chicken. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Preheat grill or or indoor grill pan. Slice zucchini and/or squash, on the diagonal, about 1/8th-inch thick. Grill zucchini/squash and onion, just until lightly browned; about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from grill and set aside. Drop pasta into boiling water and cook according to package directions.

In a large skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil to heat up, over medium high heat. Add garlic and dried oregano and saute 1 minute. Add lemon juice and cream cheese. Once cream cheese starts melting, start whisking it together so the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat and add the parmesan. Continue whisking until cheese is melted and sauce is once again smooth. Check for seasonings and add salt and pepper to taste. Add reserved chicken and grilled veggies. Toss to coat.

Drain pasta and pour into a large ceramic dish. Pour sauce mixture over pasta, gently folding in the chicken and veggies. Add fresh basil (if using fresh oregano, add it here as well) and toss one more time.

Serve warm.


SOURCE: Adapted from Our Best Bites

Chicken Tacos with Mango Salsa

One thing I love about dinner time during the summer is all the fresh ingredients that are available. Everything seems to POP with flavor and a lot of times will require little to no cooking. That's the case with this meal. We absolutely loved it. My favorite part was actually the mango salsa, I thought it really made the dish. This was the first time I had added mangoes to a fresh salsa and thought it worked beautifully. You still get that tomato-garlicky-cilantro taste with a bite of sweetness from the mango here and there. It went perfectly with the seasoned chicken and the creamy avocados on top.

I like to use corn tortillas when I make tacos, but they can be a bit finicky sometimes and break apart, which can be frustrating. Usually, I pour a shallow amount of oil in a small fry pan and fry them up for about 30 seconds a side, then drain on a paper towel. If you don't want to use corn tortillas, feel free to substitute flour tortillas.

Chicken Tacos with Mango Salsa
For the marinade:
juice of 2 limes
2-4 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. cumin
dash chili powder
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
dash of salt and pepper
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips

For the tacos:
8 corn tortillas
oil, for frying (optional)
avocado, thinly sliced
shredded romaine lettuce

For the Mango Salsa:
1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
1-2 medium tomatoes, diced
3/4 cup jicama, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced (use a whole jalapeno if you like more spice)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 small red onion,very thinly sliced or finely diced
2 tablespoons honey
juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste


Prepare marinade by adding all the ingredients, except the chicken, into a zip-top bag. Shake until well-combined. Add chicken and seal bag, then shake until chicken is well-coated. Place bag on a plate and let marinade on the counter for 30-60 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare salsa by chopping the mangoes, tomatoes, jicama and jalapeno. Whisk together the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the salsa. Gently fold until evenly mixed. Let sit at room temperature.

Prepare corn tortillas by frying them, if desired. Fry tortillas, one at a time, in a small frying pan with a little oil, about 30 seconds a side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Alternately you can use them un-fried or use flour tortillas.

To cook chicken, either preheat an outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan. Cook chicken until no longer pink inside; about 5 minutes.

To assemble tacos, layer the shredded lettuce on the bottom of a tortilla, then add the chicken, mango salsa and top with thinly sliced avocado.


SOURCE:Adapted from myrecipes.com

Blueberry Lime Muffins with Coconut Streusel

Breakfast is anything but boring at our house; well, most of the time anyway. I don't like to get in a rut, eating the same thing over and over and I try not to feed my kids too much cold cereal either. The morning is when I have the most energy and desire to do things so it's a great time for me to throw together a batch of pancakes, muffins, or whatever.

My mom and brother have been using the original recipe for for these muffins for years and always rave about how it's just the best muffin recipe they've used. The muffins are quite delectable, I've partaken of them many times. In making theses muffins, I only made slight changes, using lime instead of lemon in the batter and throwing in some coconut with the streusel. I don't think it compromised the recipe at all, they are still wonderful! This recipe makes about a dozen muffins, so you can make them one day and enjoy them for several!

Blueberry Lime Muffins with Coconut Streusel
For the batter:
1 3/4 cups flour
2 3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. sugar

For the streusel:
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
3-4 Tbsp. flaked, sweetened coconut

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, lime zest and juice in a large bowl; stir to combine. In a separate bowl, combine egg, milk and oil. Stir well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, stirring just until moistened.

Combine blueberries, 1 tablespoon flour and sugar, tossing gently to coat. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw, just put them in frozen. Fold blueberry mixture into batter. Spoon into greased muffin pans, filling about two-thirds full.

Combine streusel ingredients, except butter. Cut in butter with either a pastry blender or 2 knifes, until mixture is crumble. Sprinkle over batter.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-18 minutes, or until golden. Remove from pans immediately and let cool.

Yield: 1 dozen muffins

SOURCE: Adapted from Southern Living

Orange Chicken with Broccoli and Peppers

Stir-fry dinners are great. They are so versatile and fairly quick to throw together. My husband loves any kind of stir fry so he's always pleased when I make it. I really like stir-fry because it is a great dairy-free option for our family and my kids are pretty good about eating it. I usually like to go heavier on the veggies and lighter on the meat, with a little extra sauce that I can pour over my rice.

This orange chicken was quite a hit in our house! Both my girls ate up everything on their plate and my oldest daughter even asked for more. We all loved how tender the chicken turned out and the sauce went with it perfectly.

Using freshly squeezed orange juice was just delicious, and for me is a must in this dish, although you could use store-bought in a pinch. You'll love the little bit of heat from the cayenne, even if you don't like your food spicy. I'm not huge on spice and this was perfect and not overpowering, which balanced out the light sweetness of the rest of dish. For the veggies in this stir-fry, I used broccoli and red pepper because they add great color and complimented the flavors well, but they are also easily substituted to your own tastes.

You're going to want to make this soon, your family will thank you for it!

Orange Chicken
For the marinade and sauce:
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 3-4 oranges)
1 1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
6 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 lbs. chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. cold water

1-2 red peppers, julienned
1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
hot cooked rice
Sesame seeds, for garnish (if desired)


To make the marinade and sauce, combine the chicken broth, orange juice, orange zest, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper in a bowl; whisk to blend well. Measure out 3/4 cup of the mixture and transfer it either to a zip lock plastic bag or a small, shallow baking dish. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat evenly. Leave on the counter to marinate 30-60 minutes, prepping the veggies in the meantime.

Heat a large fry pan over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and add the broccoli and peppers and cook until crisp-tender. Remove veggies to a plate and set aside. Increase the heat to medium-high heat and add another drizzle of oil to the pan. Drain the chicken from the marinade and add it to the hot pan. Let it sit for a minute or two, then flip it as it turns a golden brown color. When chicken is just about done cooking, add the reserved sauce (not what you used for marinating) and bring to a boil. Combine water and cornstarch and add to the sauce to thicken. Boil about a minute or so. Turn off heat and add reserved veggies.

Serve over hot cooked rice and garnish with sesame seeds.


SOURCE: Sauce from Annie's Eats

Linked to...
Seasonal Sunday @ Real Sustenance

Key Lime Pie Smoothie

I'm a big smoothie fan, the green kind too, and I'm always up for a good recipe to put in my "keeper" file. If you're a frequent smoothie drinker you know that there can be a lot of trial-and-error when it comes to finding just the right combination to suit your palate. And on the other end, there's always that chance of getting stuck in a rut with the same old smoothie day after day, week after week.

This smoothie was a nice refreshing change from the green drinks I usually make, and chock full of goodness. I like the bright flavor of the lime and I LOVE coconut milk. Not only does coconut have great flavor, but it has some AMAZING qualities as well. Coconut milk, the typical kind you see in small cans at the supermarket, is extracted from the meat of the coconut and is different from coconut water, which is the naturally-occurring liquid in the hollow of the coconut. Read here, and here for more information on coconut.

Key Lime Pie Smoothie
2 Tbsp. key lime juice (about 8 limes) OR you can use the juice of 1 regular lime
1 Tsp. key lime zest
1 Tbsp. coconut oil*
1 cup light coconut milk
1 ripe frozen banana
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. agave syrup (or other sweetener)
2 Tbsp. graham cracker crumbs
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Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. Top with additional graham crackers, if desired.

*If you do not have coconut oil, do not replace it with another oil, just leave it out.

SOURCE: Munchin with Munchkin

Linked to...
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's A Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
These Chicks Cooked Link Party @ This Chick Cooks
Party Mindi Style Link Up @ Bacon Time with The Hungry Hungry Hypo
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Seasonal Sunday @ Real Sustenance
A Themed Bakers Sunday @ Cupcake Apothecary

Lemon Poppy Seed Cakes with Raspberry Filling and Lemon Buttercream

Happy Sunday everyone! I've been without a computer for about three days and it feels like it's been forever! Crazy how we've become so attached to technology these days.

I have a special treat for you today. These cakes are absolutely delicious. I first had it as a layer cake that my mom made for a family dinner. As soon as I tasted it, I knew I wanted to make it as well and I had the perfect occasion for it. I was hosting a Mother's Day brunch for our little preschool co-op group so I decided to make them into little cakes to easily serve to everyone. Using a mini bundt pan was great because, first of all, it made just the right portion sizes, and secondly, it created the perfect crevice to hide the surprise filling in.

I loved every part of this dessert. Lemon anything is wonderful and raspberries are just about my favorite fruit ever! However, if I had to pick one component that was my favorite, I would have to say the frosting. I know that may sound strange, and I don't usually like frosting above the actual dessert, but it was truly amazing. When my mom made the cake, she added a little more lemon to intensify the flavor and to lighten it up added some cool whip. I think those two things made it just perfect, absolutely finger-licking good! Frost just the tops or frost the whole thing, you'll love it either way.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cakes with Raspberry Filling and Lemon Buttercream

For the cakes:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
zest and juice of a lemon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil

For the raspberry filling:
1/2 recipe Berry Coulis, using only raspberries
(Raspberry preserves may be substituted.)

For the lemon buttercream frosting: 
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
zest of one lemon
juice of 2 lemons
1/4-1/2 cup cool whip

Prepare raspberry filling as directed and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 12 cavity mini-bundt pan.

In a small mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir in poppy seeds. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the dry ingredients. Add the vegetable oil to the bowl and fold in to the batter with a rubber spatula until completely incorporated. Spoon batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for about 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cakes cool about 10 minutes in the pan then gently slide them out. Wipe out pan and grease about half of the molds again. Spoon remaining batter into prepared molds and bake and cool as directed above.

To prepare lemon buttercream, add butter to a mixer bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth; about 1 minute. Add powdered sugar, lemon zest and juice and mix until incorporated. Then turn the mixer on medium speed and beat for another 1-2 minutes, until frosting is light and fluffy. Add cool whip and mix until just incorporated.

Assembling the cakes: Fill each cavity in the cakes with the raspberry filling. Either dollop lemon buttercream frosting on top of each cake or, using a spatula, frost as desired.

Makes 16-18 mini bundt cakes

My notes:
1)When making the raspberry sauce, I do not strain my seeds as they are small and do not bother me.
2)If you do not have a mini-bundt pan, have no fear. Simply bake them up in a cupcake pan. You can then either hollow them out to create a cavity for the filling (there are tools for this these days, or you could just use a knife) or cut them in half and spread the filling in between.




SOURCE:Adapted from Annie's Eats

Linked to...
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen
Whisking Wednesdays @ Pinch of This, That & the Other
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's a Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies
These Chicks Cooked Link Party @ This Chick Cooks
Sweet Tooth Friday @ Alli n' Son

Lemon Garlic Shrimp with Orzo

When I made my (half) menu this month, I was looking for lots of quick and easy meals. Although I've been cooking a little more lately, I have still had many nights I've just fed everyone cold cereal. So, when I came across this recipe from Pioneer Woman I knew it would be a keeper. For one, there is minimal prep, I'm talking under 10 minutes and all you have to do is throw this stuff in the oven and put the pasta on. Secondly, everyone here just adores shrimp!

I have actually made this twice recently. The first night I made it I only had a mere 1/2 lb. of shrimp from my freezer to work with and none of us got our fill. So, of course, I had to make it again! It's amazing what a few simple ingredients can to. It may not look much, but this dish has so much flavor. That along with the simplicity of it, it'll be calling your name too!!

Lemon Garlic Shrimp with Orzo
1 pound raw, frozen shrimp, deveined, shells on
1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 cups orzo pasta

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse frozen shrimp to separate and partially thaw them, then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Fill a pot of water and put it on the stove to bring to a boil.

In the bowl of a food processor, add cold butter, garlic, lemon juice, salt and parsley. Pulse until combined. Sprinkle cold butter crumbles over the shrimp.

Bake until shrimp is opaque and butter is hot and bubbly. Mine was done in under 10 minutes, but times will vary depending on oven and how frozen shrimp is.

While shrimp is cooking, drop orzo into boiling water and cook according to package directions. Drain pasta and pour into serving dish. Pour cooked shrimp and lemon garlic sauce over the pasta and toss gently to coat.

*If you want to add a little extra heat, add a few sprinkles of red pepper flakes to the butter sauce.

SOURCE:Pioneer Woman

Linked to...
Seasonal Sunday @ Real Sustenance
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen
Whisking Wednesdays @ Pinch of This, That & The Other

Orange Dark Chocolate Pancakes

Ok, it's been a few weeks since I posted my last pancake recipe so I figured I was due for another one. I can't believe I waited so long to make these pancakes. I mean, who can resist orange and dark chocolate together? They are an amazing duo and taste absolutely wonderful in these pancakes. I don't usually put chocolate chips in my pancakes so these were a special treat. And I didn't even eat them with syrup because they were sweet enough and a little gooey from the chocolate, I didn't think they needed it. However, if you just can't eat pancakes without something on top, a light syrup or even a dusting of powdered sugar should do you just fine. Try these soon though, they are delicious!

Orange Dark Chocolate Pancakes
1 1/2 cups flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
zest of 1 orange
juice of 1 orange
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt together and set aside. In another small bowl, mix orange zest and juice, egg and milk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and GENTLY mix until just incorporated. (Usually I don't have a problem with this when I make pancakes but the first time I made these I think I stirred too much because the pancakes were not light and fluffy. So, just make sure you don't stir too much.) Fold in the chocolate chips.

Let batter sit while griddle preheats. Ladle batter by the 1/4 cup onto griddle. Cook until bubbles start to pop, flip and cook about another 1-2 minutes.

SOURCE: Adapted from Baking Serendipity

Linked to...
Sweet Tooth Friday @ Ali-n-Son
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story