Strawberry Dream Cake

Last month a friend was looking for a non-cake-mix strawberry cake on Facebook. She found this one but you had to subscribe to the newsletter if you wanted to get the recipe... so I did. Then I posted it on her Facebook post.

That cake just kept haunting my thoughts so when fresh strawberries showed up at Ream's I made this yummy cake, from scratch. It was a HUGE HIT at my house. So much so that a couple of weeks later we all wanted it again, but me? I really didn't want to go to all that scratch-cake trouble so I have created what I call-

Strawberry Dream Cake- Lazy Girl's Version
(This cake uses about 3 pints of strawberries)

Cake
1 white cake mix
3 eggs white
1/4 c oil
1 1/2 cup strawberry puree (about 1 pint of strawberries)

Put strawberries into food processor or blender and puree. I used fresh sweetened strawberries, but you could go with unsweetened or frozen and defrosted strawberries.

Mix ingredients in mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Bake at 350° for 22-28 minutes. Cool completely.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
10 tbs butter, softened
12 oz cream cheese, cold and cut into cubes
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup strawberry pulp

In a food processor or blender puree 1 cup of strawberries. Push through a fine sieve to remove juice. You should end up with about 1/3 cup of pulp. (Reserve juice for a wonderful glass of strawberry milk- yummy!)

In a mixer combine butter and powdered sugar. Cover and beat until it is light and fluffy. Add cubes of cold cream cheese one at a time until combined. Scrape sides. Don’t over mix. Add strawberry pulp.

To Assemble Cake
Slice remaining strawberries and lay on paper towel to absorb some of the juice.

When cakes are cooled, spread 3/4 cup frosting over 1 cake round. Press strawberries in even layer over frosting and cover with additional 3/4 cup frosting (I find it easier to just frost the bottom of the top layer instead of trying to spread frosting across the strawberries). Top with second cake round and spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake. Garnish with remaining strawberries. Serve. (Cake can be refrigerated for 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

Super Lazy-girl’s version

Pour cake batter into 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350° for 25- 30 minutes. Cool cake.
Prepare a half of recipe of frosting, this makes an ample amount to frost the top of a 9 x 13 cake.

Slice remaining strawberries; sweeten if desired. Serve pieces of cake with sliced strawberries or arrange on the top of the cake.

Original Country Cook's Recipe for Scratch Cake

Strawberry Dream Cake

Ingredients CAKE

• 10 ounces frozen whole strawberries (2 cups)
• 3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 6 large egg whites, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) cake flour
• 1 3/4 cups (12 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened

 

Instructions

• 1. For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment, grease parchment, and flour.
• 2. Transfer strawberries to bowl, cover, and microwave until strawberries are soft and have released their juice, about 5 minutes. Place in fine-mesh strainer set over small saucepan. Firmly press fruit dry (juice should measure at least 3/4 cup); reserve strawberry solids. Bring juice to boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until syrupy and reduced to 1/4 cup, 6 to 8 minutes. Whisk milk into juice until combined.
• 3. Whisk strawberry milk, egg whites, and vanilla in bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, and mix until only pea-size pieces remain, about 1 minute. Add half of milk mixture, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, add remaining milk mixture, and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Give batter final stir by hand.
• 4. Scrape equal amounts of batter into prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Cool cakes in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and cool completely, about 2 hours. (Cooled cakes can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.)

Blackberry Cream Scones

Friday I posted an instragram photo of my previous fail making these yummy morsels. Both Gordon and I agreed they were so bad that the remaining 6 went into the trash! I used baking soda instead of baking powder! And because I am a curious girl I went looking to see why that was a bad mistake! It turns out that too much baking SODA can give the product a bitter or soapy taste. But when you add an acid, which baking POWDER has in the form of cream of tartar, it neutralizes the bitterness. Ah, chemistry!!

So today, between sessions of conference, I was ready for a do-over on this very promising recipe.
I donned my apron (Nona's favorite pink one), assembled my ingredients, making sure to get baking POWDER, and set to work.

I made a couple of tweaks to this recipe- Friday the dough was too dry. I thought if I sifted the flour it might resolve that problem. Nope, so I just added more cream again. Is my cream to thick? (I love that problem!)

Another thing from Friday- when I folded in the blackberries they just got mooshed into a pulp. So I divided the dough and put them in between two layers.

Cut the circle into 8 pieces-

Transfer to a parchment* lined baking sheet-

Bake to a yummy golden brown-

This is a wonderful, toothsome treat- (even after you drop it on the floor!) They are very light, moist and delicious!

Right down to the last crumbs!!

Maybe next time I will add a little cinnamon to the dough, maybe top it with some sweetened whipped cream.

**
Funny story about the parchment paper.  I had a new roll in my food storage in the dungeon. When Bekah was here Camille came down to visit. The three of us were talking and cooking and the Bitties were playing in the dungeon with toys. Usually that isn't a problem. But for some reason, THIS-day it became extraordinarily quiet. When I went to check I found that they had opened the parchment paper box on the end and unrolled miles of paper looking for the chocolate chip cookies that surely MUST be inside since they were pictured on the outside of the box!

Bekah said, "Here Me-Mum. Just let me re-roll it!" She did, straightening the somewhat mangled paper, some torn off with jagged edges.  Each time I get out this roll now I chuckle about my Bitties, looking for cookies!

Blackberry Cream Scones
by Liz Berg

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
• 1 cup heavy cream (I needed to add 2-3 Tbs more)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Line baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
2. Placer flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into the food processor and pulse to mix.
3. Remove lid and sprinkled the butter over the flour mixture. Pulse about 10-15 times till mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.
4. Add vanilla paste to heavy cream, then stir in cream with a rubber spatula until the dough starts to come together. Pour out bowl contents onto a floured surface, and knead a few times, then carefully knead in the blackberries. I sprinkled a few on top, folded the dough over and repeated. You don't want to overwork the dough.
5. Form dough into an 8-inch round (alternatively, you can press into an 8-inch cake pan lined with parchment, then carefully flip out). Cut into 8 wedges
6. Place wedges on baking sheet and bake until tops are light brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This is NOT my original recipe! 

All credit goes to Liz Berg of That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Blueberry Cheesecake

I think Camille's friend, Jamie, says it best about this luscious dessert!

"Oh my stars 'n stripes... that looks amazing!"

I found this a year or so ago on Pinterest and it is a definite Pinterest WIN! I've made it for the last two 4th of July celebrations here at mine house!

I've had several requests for the recipe, so I will share it here. Mind, this isn't my recipe- I got it from a Polish blog! I've added some notations in the recipe if you don't cook metric or don't have a scale.

Blueberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust:
100g (1cup) crushed whole wheat cookies (store bought or home-made) (I used graham cracker crumbs)
1 / 2 cup oatmeal
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
pinch of salt*
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (*I just use salted butter and omit the salt)
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the filling:
40g powdered gelatin - 3 pkgs (I found this is the best amount even though it isn't 40g)
1/4 cup water
400g cream cheese, softened (the better part of 2- 8 oz pkgs. About 14 oz)
250ml heavy cream 30% (a generous cup)
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cups blueberries, washed and drained

For the topping:
250ml heavy cream 30% (a generous cup)
3 teaspoons of vanilla sugar (I used 2 tbs of super fine sugar and 1 tsp vanilla)
1 cup blueberries, washed and drained

Crust:
1. Place oatmeal and crushed cookies (or graham cracker crumbs) together in a food processor. Pulse to grind up the oatmeal. Add melted butter and vanilla. Press into the base of a 20cm
round x 9cm (8”x 3”) spring form pan and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely at room temperature. (Or be like me and stick it in the freezer!)

Filling:
2. In a small saucepan soak the gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water (for about 10 minutes), and then put on a
    heat and warm up stirring until dissolved. (Do this in saucepan, not microwave! yikes what a mess!)
3. Mix together cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl with beaters. Slowly add heavy cream, and
    mix well. Add vanilla and lemon juice.
4. Purée blueberries in a food processor and mix with cream cheese mixture.
5. With mixer on low slowly add the warm gelatin, after ingredients are combined let it stand for a
    few minutes until it start thickens.
6. Pour evenly into the chilled base, smooth the surface and refrigerate for about 4-5 hours,
    but best to leave overnight. (or do the freezer thing again)
7. Before you unlock the spring form pan, run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen.

Topping:
8. Whip the heavy cream with vanilla sugar. Cover top of the blueberry cheesecake with whipped
    cream and blueberries.

Enjoy:)


http://www.malacukierenka.pl
(this recipe comes from this Polish blog!)

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Last year I ran across this recipe on Pinterest!

OMSH are these ever delicious! 

I made them last night to take to a Relief Society activity. They were a hit! So I knew I needed to share the recipe with everyone!

I got the original recipe here but my recipe reflects a few changes that I've made. I'm just grateful for the blessing of finding such an exceptional recipe!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 24-28 cupcakes


1 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 large egg, room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup BUTTERMILK (makes all the difference in the world!)
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (omit if using regular butter)
1- 15oz can unsweetened pumpkin puree OR 2 cups


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the top of a standard 12-cup muffin pan (in case you get some “muffin top” action). Line pan with 12 baking liners. Sift the flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine pumpkin and milk; set aside also.

Using an electric mixer on medium-high, cream butter and sugar together until light in color and fluffy (I really beat mine... I think this is the key). Turn mixer down to low add eggs and vanilla. Beat well to combine (again with the beating). Next, add 1/3 the flour mixture, then 1/2 the pumpkin mixture, another 1/3 of the flour mixture, the remaining pumpkin mixture, and the last 1/3 of the flour mixture, mixing to combine after each addition. Fill baking liners about 3/4 full. Bake 20 minutes OR until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (a few tiny crumbs are OK but there should be NO wet batter). Cool 5 minutes in pan, then remove from pans to wire racks to finish cooling completely. Pipe or spread on cream cheese frosting, and enjoy!

Pipeable and Not-too-sweet Cream Cheese Frosting
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla bean paste (notice the beautiful little vanilla bean flecks in the frosting?)
a pinch of salt (omit if using regular butter)
8 oz. (1 block) cream cheese, cold and cut into 6 to 8 chunks

In a larger mixing bowl, cream the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until thoroughly blended and fluffy; about 5 minutes. Add the cream cheese, a chunk at a time, beating after each addition (just enough to work it in until it’s smooth. I just turn the mixer to low and drop them in.). Scrape the sides and mix in any unmixed bits. Be careful to avoid overbeating or the cream cheese may start to break down and become gloppy. If not using immediately, chill until needed, then beat again until smooth just before using.

Cupcake / Half recipe (no need to half frosting*)
Makes 12 to 14 cupcakes


1 cup PLUS 2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 scant cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree 1/2 of a 15 oz. can]
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup PLUS 2 Tbsp sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature

* I tried making a half recipe in my Bosch and it was too difficult to get it right.

Zuppa Toscana

I made this recipe for Zuppa Toscana a few nights ago and it was a marvelous hit!!! It is a wonderful rich, hearty soup. If you like Olive Garden's zuppa you will love this. I tweaked the original recipe to make on the stove top instead of in a crockpot.

Zuppa Toscana **

1 lb. Italian sausages (use spicy to get that signature Olive Garden flavor)
4-6 russet potatoes, diced
1 onion, chopped
1/4 c. REAL bacon pieces (optional)
2 Tbsp minced garlic (about 3-4 cloves)
32 oz. chicken broth
1 c. water
1 c. kale or Swiss chard, chopped
1 c. heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp flour

Brown sausage links and onion in a sauté pan. Cut links in half lengthwise, then cut slices.

Place diced potatoes, garlic, water, and chicken broth in large dutch oven or pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until potatoes are almost tender. Add sausage and onions and continue cooking until potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes. Whisk together flour into cream removing lumps. Add cream and chopped kale to the crock pot, stir.
Cook another 5-10 minutes until broth is thickened. Add more cream if desired.

BEST. SOUP. EVER!!!!




** Disclaimer: I got this recipe (and photo) from Facebook posted by Jessica Lee Anderson. I don't know if she *cooked-up* this recipe or was reposting. What I do know is that this is wonderfully yummy soup and you should make some.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

I LOVE soup! Even in summer I can be tempted with a luscious bowl of tasty broth. Recently the Temple cafeteria served cream of asparagus soup- always right at the top of my list! My friend, Kaye, commented that she had a wonderful recipe for cream of asparagus soup which she brought to me the next week.

Yeah, that was the week before Spencer and family arrived and I put it in a nice safe place! HA! ) and now I couldn't find it! (My Mom used to say that!

Fortunately Kaye worked this extra President's Day Temple day (the Temple was open until 2pm for the holiday) so she gave me her phone number so I could get the recipe again.

I made it tonight for Stuart and I and it did NOT disappoint! (Gordon and green soup? Ermmm, not so much!) It was wonderfully yummy and it was lots better than the soup served at the Temple... Kaye was right.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

4 T butter
1 onion, chopped
1 lb asparagus, cut into 1” pieces
2 T flour
2 c chicken broth
2 c half and half
1/2 t salt
Pepper to taste

Cook onion in butter until tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in flour. Cook 2 minutes. Gradually stir in chicken broth and asparagus. Bring to a boil then simmer until asparagus is very tender, about 25 minutes. Puree mixture in the blender. Return to pan, add half and half, salt and pepper.  Heat to serving temperature.  Makes 6 servings.

Freezer Strawberry Jam

I know this seems totally odd to be posting about strawberry jam in October. I normally think of strawberries as a spring crop. But when I can find them for $7.99 a flat at my neighborhood market, Reams, I just have to buy them. (Reams is famous for their produce).

I brought them home with the intention of making freezer strawberry jam. I knew that I'd picked up a jar of pectin to have on hand just for this sort of thing. But when I pulled out the jar there weren't any directions/recipes on it. Not to be discouraged... I just Googled up the brand. Now, I'm not a sugar Nazi, but I believe in *all things in moderation*. When a recipe calls for twice as much sugar as fruit I have to draw the line (in the sugar and DON'T step over it!) In my mind the ratio of sugar to fruit is exactly the opposite. Gordon says we want to sugar the fruit, not fruitify the sugar!

I remembered that I'd picked up some Ultra Gel up at the Bosch store in Orem earlier this summer. What I liked about it is that it will thicken HOT or COLD liquid! Now that is more like it if you ask me.

I was up to my office for more recipe ideas on the Web and came up wanting again. So I reasoned that I could probably come up with my own recipe! (Said the Little Red Hen). So I will share it with you. It really couldn't be easier or tastier. What I love about Ultra Gel is that if you DIDN'T want to use sugar at all, but Agave nectar or some other sweetener, I think that would work.

Freezer Strawberry Jam (with Ultra Gel)

8 cups mashed strawberries **
4 cups sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups Ultra Gel

Wash and stem strawberries. Crush with a potato masher a single layer at a time. In a large bowl mix strawberries and lemon juice. In a different bowl mix sugar and Ultra Gel. Add the sugar mixture to the fruit and stir until well combined. Let sit for 15-20 minutes to thicken. Ladle into freezer containers. Label and place in freezer (or keep some out and eat it up on hot buttered toast!)

I read that since this jam has less sugar it will spoil more quickly than regular jam and suggests using it within a couple of weeks of thawing it.

** The flat I bought had 4 of those big clam-shells of strawberries. I think that one of those is equal to 3 of the little green baskets.  Two big clam-shells yields 8 cups of mashed berries.

I have no affiliation with Ultra Gel and have not been paid for this information (dang).  I just found a product I like.

Green Tomato Relish

*Fritz* has been predicting COLD weather that moved in today. In anticipation of that event I knew that I needed to put my tomato garden to bed! Saturday was one of those gorgeous, glorious, warm, fall day. I knew that was my window of opportunity. I went out and picked any tomato that was big enough to do anything with regardless of ripeness.

I must have done something right this year in soil prep. Most years I am able to grab hold of the tomato cage and just *yoink* the whole plant out of the ground. There was no *YOINKING* this year! I had to trim off most of the branches and then dig up the root ball! I love this Black Krim Heirloom tomato. Since it is an heirloom tomato I can save seed from this year's crop for next year (or more likely... find the bedding plants next spring- but I will save the seeds!) Look at the root structure on this baby!

Needless to say I had TONS (read- nearly 3 BYU bucketfuls... the new international standard for produce measurements!) of tomatoes- mostly green. Several years ago when I was in the same situation I decided to see if I could substitute green tomatoes for zucchini in my relish recipe. It was wonderful! HA!

This is another one of my ancient recipes. I got this from a friend in Priest River, Idaho in 1974 and apparently didn't have any recipe cards, so being resourceful, I got the cardboard from my latest pair of Albertson's brand panty-hose and make myself a recipe card!

The first step for making relish is to grind, yes, grind- with an old-fashioned hand crank grinder, the tomatoes (or zucchini) and onions. I gives off lots of green tomato *blood* that looks acid green. (Notice the bucket under the grinder to catch the juice... don't for get this important precaution!) The onion juice goes in as well so you can imagine the smell of this juice.

I was looking at all of the poisonous (not really), acid-green juice and mused out loud that there should be a good use for it. Gordon suggested pouring it on the garden to see if it would repel the deer. So we will see if that deters them from eating my ivy this winter. It will either do that or make the ivy grow even faster!

Back to the recipe... add the salt, stir and let it sit over night. The salt draws the juice out of the pulp and makes for a firmer, thicker relish. Next morning drain, rinse with cold water and drain again.  Put this mixture it into a big pot with the remaining ingredients.

You notice this time I have dark red pepper *blood* from the red and green pepper. That just went down the drain.

Stir it all around and let it cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. This really is a mixture that takes good care of itself and doesn't need a lot of tending.

Bottle the cooked relish and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. And since it make just over 7 pints there is always a little left over to taste.

I've been making this for 38 years now and we love it... I will never use any other kind of relish. It's particularly good in tuna-goo-sam'ichs.

Fresh Apple Cake

AKA- More Apple-y Goodness

I've been a bit obsessed with apples this fall! I'm not even sure why... I just know what is! I suppose it could be that I started with apples from my tree about 5-6 weeks ago and have continued with first, gifted-apples from neighbors and then apples from Camille and Kevin's gargantuan apple tree. (OK! No kidding this tree is taller than their house.) I filled 11 BYU buckets with apples and barely scratched the surface.

Anyway, I picked last Monday, a week ago, and since then I've made:

• 10 quarts of applesauce
• 19 quarts of apple pie filling
• 1 apple crisp
• 1 HUGE apple pancake (14" skillet)
• And, dried 10+ gallon ziplock bags full of dried apples! (Roughly the equivalent of  50 pounds of apples)

But, lasterday, 3rd Sunday Family Dinner I wanted to make a special cake that  4 of the 10 (Yes, TEN!) October birthdays in our family (who were here) could eat. Since I needed to make a somewhat healthy version of cake (is there really such a thing?) I thought about my ancient recipe from when I was in 7th grade HomeEc!

(This is the actual page from my 7th grade notebook!)

I think this was my introduction to cream cheese frosting and it's been a love affair ever since. How can you NOT love anything with cream cheese frosting?

In my healthy version I substituted whole wheat flour for white flour and Sucanat for white sugar. And I didn't use nuts... but usually don't in cakes.

Now, are you wondering about all of the number written below the recipe? In 1964 Greenville Jr/Sr high school (student body 200 kids... yep, 7th-12th! 200 kids- sad, but true) had the pioneering idea to have a rotating schedule. But it was far from easy- like the odd-even schedule. Are you ready for this:

We had 7 classes but only 5 class periods a day so we had this easy-to-remember rotating schedule:

• Day 1- 1,2,3,4,5
• Day 2- 6,7,1,2,3
• Day 3- 4,5,6,7,1
• Day 4- 2,3,4,5,6
• Day 5- 7,1,2,3,4
• Day 6- 5,6,7,1,2
• Day 7- 3,4,5,6,7

I'd rather just remember the yummy fresh apple cake!

Raspberry Vanilla Jam

Raspberries have always be way at the top of my list of delicious things (sorry, Kevin and Sonny!) Anyone who wants to get in my good graces would be well served to bring me anything raspberries... and if you throw in chocolate and you've got a grand-slam!



I was browsing on Pintrest lately and ran across a recipe for Raspberry Vanilla jam! WOW! That is a close second to raspberry/chocolate. So I pinned it! Now I have to tell you that I AM NOT a Pintrest freak, but I do think this is a handy way to keep track of online ideas all in one place.

So, today, after saving two pickings of raspberries I was ready to make my version of Raspberry Vanilla jam. And I offer it to you here.


Raspberry Vanilla Jam

8 cups of fresh raspberries
8 cups of sugar
1 vanilla bean

Combine raspberries and sugar in a large pot (this jam will double in size as it cooks). Slice open the vanilla bean and scrape out the caviar. Add the caviar and the bean hull to the raspberry/sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Since the raspberry seeds have a natural pectin you won't need any additional pectin.

When finished cooking* ladle into clean, hot jars. Adjust lids and turn upside-down for about 5 minutes**. Makes about 8 cups.

Enjoy.

*The Pintrest recipe said to remove the vanilla bean hulls but I didn't... I want to maximize my vanilla yummyness!

** OK now I know that there are those out there who want to process their jam in a boiling water bath. If that makes you happy go ahead and do it, but I've never had any problems in all my years of jam making.

*When Life Gives You Lemons...*

Make Lemon Curd...

OK... here's a question???

Why do lemons get such a bad rap? I happened to love lemons. I used to eat them with salt when I was a kid. Lemons smell so fresh and clean.

Lemons are yummy additions to so many dishes...

• Fish
• Desserts
• Breads
• Pies
• Lemon Curd
• OH... I could keep going!
  

If you are going to make lemon curd the first thing you NEED! is a microplane. If you don't have one, RUN- don't walk, to the nearest store and BUY ONE! I had no idea what I was missing with my old grater.

Another thing you need is butter... cut into 1/2" cubes... don't they look so pretty!

But the very best part about making lemon curd is the EATING! YUM!

The worst part?

That would be cleaning up the kitchen.

So let me share (again) friend-Sheri's recipe for lemon curd.

LEMON CURD
7 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 Tbs granulated sugar
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh grated lemon zest (micro-plane)
4 Tbs butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (Sheri says unsalted but sometimes I don't have it.  I say I never have unsalted butter so I use the salted kind instead of adding salt to the recipe)
3 Tbs heavy cream

Whisk the yolks, whole eggs, and sugar til combined. Whisk in juice, zest and in a medium non-reactive* saucepan . Add butter and cook over med/low heat stirring constantly til curd thickens to a medium, sauce-like consistency, about 5 min...but I usually go to about 170 degrees. (I seem to be candy thermometer impaired!  If I put it into the pan with the cute little clippy thing then I end up scorching whatever I'm cooking under the end of the thermometer.)

Strain through fine mesh strainer into non-reactive bowl and stir in the cream.

This is so yummy on toasted English muffins... or just about anything. Sheri says she loves it more than chocolate!

** Inquiring minds want to know?

Non-reactive material- clay, enamel, glass, plastic, or stainless steel.  

Reactive material- Aluminum- imparting a metallic taste, and can discolor light-colored soups and sauces, especially if you stir them with a metal spoon or whisk.

Fried Zucchini

One of the difficult things about moving to a new location is that you miss what you've left behind: friends, places, the beach (sniff) and favorite eateries! A few of my SoCal favorites are- (in no particular order)

• In 'n Out
• Panera Bread
• Steer n' Stein
• Cielito Lindo (on Olvera St in LA... yummy taquitos)

The first one, In n' Out has finally appeared here in Utah and Salt Lake Valleys, but, sadly, I have to live without Panera Bread and Steer n' Stein.  (I've got taquitos covered!) My favoritest thing about Steer n' Stein is their Fried Zucchini... ON MY YUM!! There are times I just crave it! But, sadly, I am out of luck. I've begged several local restaurants to serve it, but none of them have... sniff...

OK here's where the long part of the story comes in...
SO Tuesday I stripped all of my tomatoes off the vines since it was going to freeze. I have 3 BYU ice cream buckets (3 gallon size) full of green to somewhat-ripe tomatoes. Then on Thursday I thought I'd give Fried Green Tomatoes a try (since I've never had them and love the movie by the same name.) I went to my "go-to" resource- Google (BTW- what did we do before the internet?), found a recipe for said fried green tomatoes, made them, shared them and decided that they weren't my favorite.

But that got my little brain to thinking (duh, what took me so long??). Why don't I just make my own fried zucchini? (again with the DUH). I knew that the batter at Steer n' Stein was similar to a tempura batter, one of my favorites; as opposed to bread crumbs or cornmeal. I Googled my-little-Joanie-girl-self up a tempura batter recipe that looked right (I knew it needed to have cornstarch), bought some zuc's and decided to give it a try.

Oh! My! Stinkin'! Heck! (You'd think I live in Utah or something!) I think I've nailed it! Camille and Kevin, Stuart and Anna* were here to partake and all agree that I've succeeded in bringing Steer n' Stein to Utah Valley.

NOT THE GREATEST PHOTO... BUT, OH WELL... IT TASTED YUMMY

So I will share my secret with you. I hope you enjoy them.

FRIED ZUCCHINI

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 egg, separated
• 1 cup flour, for dredging
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 1-inch diameter zucchinis
• Parmesan Cheese (the shake-a-shake kind, not shredded)
• BYU Creamery's Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (ok... I guess you don't HAVE to have it from BYU, but that is the best!)
• cooking oil

DIRECTIONS

Wash zucchini.  Cut in half lengthwise then cut each half into long spears, usually 4 per half, but you can make them smaller.  Place 1 cup flour to a plastic bag (I just used the produce bag I had the zucchini in). Add salt and pepper to taste (I like the grindy-grindy kind). Dump in the zucchini spears and shake, set aside.

Tempura batter
Sift together 3/4 c flour, cornstarch, and baking soda.  Beat together cold water and egg yolk.  Stir into flour mixture.  Beat egg white until smooth and frothy.  Stir into batter.

Heat about 3/4" of cooking oil in a heavy pan (I love to use my enamel covered cast iron  Dutch oven for frying, it has wonderful even heating and the high sides eliminate the spatter mess!) to 350 degrees.

When oil is hot give the bag of zucchini spears another shake, dip the floured zucchini in the tempura batter, carefully add to hot oil. Don't crowd your pan.  (I can fit 6 in my 6.5 quart Dutch oven). Fry 3-4 minutes until golden brown, turning once.  Remove to paper towels to drain.  Place fried zucchini on serving plate, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Enjoy them plain or dipped liberally in Ranch dressing!  It is a true taste treat.


* Bet you thought I forgot about my asterix!  Anna is Stuart's Canadian girlfriend, here for a visit.  We like her a lot.  I'll keep you posted...