Meyer Lemon Sugar Cookies

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I generally never do two dessert posts in a row, but I had four egg yolks left over from that White Snack Cake that I made, and I needed to do something with them. I asked friends for ideas, and my aunt mentioned an old family favorite sugar cookie recipe that called for three of them. As I remembered those sugar cookies quite fondly, I decided that’s what I was going to do. But I also had a fresh lemon off of my Meyer lemon tree, so decided to turn our family favorite sugar cookies into Meyer Lemon Sugar Cookies, with quite pleasing results. Lemon lovers will enjoy these, sugar cookie purest will enjoy these, kids, of course, will enjoy these. They’re easy to put together -- don’t bother with rolling them into balls (don’t you just hate that?!) -- just use a cookie scoop, and plop that dough right into a bowl of granulated sugar. Roll it around a bit, and put it on a cookie sheet. Done! Crisp, refreshing, sugar cookie deliciousness.

Meyer Lemon Sugar Cookies

2 stick (1 c.) butter
1½ c. granulated sugar
3 egg yolks
1 t. vanilla
1 t. lemon oil
1 T. Meyer Lemon zest
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Cream butter and sugar together until nice and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and lemon flavoring, and lemon zest, beat until combined. In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Slowly add the flour to the creamed mixture. Do not over beat. Using a cookie scoop, drop dough 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake for 13 - 15 minutes until edges just begin to brown. Allow to cool 10 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup

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We have had a week of gray days with intermittent sleet, snow, and freezing rain. Nothing much has come of any of it, so I really don’t mind, but the continuing grayness is starting to get me down. Because this old body tends to react adversely to changes in weather, I make sure I have plenty of chicken soup on hand, consuming it regularly, to ward off any ills that may be planning attack. After a while, however, even my favorite chicken soup becomes a bit dull, so I decided to try a new one.

Using both lemon juice and dill in chicken soup was new to me, but I absolutely loved both! The dill provided a wonderful spring-like taste; the lemon juice a brightness that made this a joy to consume. Orzo in place of the usual noodle was welcome as well, and I ate this soup three days running.

Give it a try, and be sure to use plenty of fresh dill, and squeeze the juice of an entire lemon into your bowl before eating. You won’t regret either. I was so impressed with this soup that I have decided to grow dill in my deck garden this year. I want to make certain I have plenty so that I can make this again and again.

Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup

Slightly adapted from Bon Appetite

1 T. olive oil

1 lg. Melissa’s leek, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise ½” thick

1 celery stalk, sliced crosswise ½” thick

12 oz. skinless, boneless chicken thighs

6 c. chicken broth

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

½ c. orzo

¼ c. chopped fresh dill

Lemon halves (for serving)

Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add leek and celery and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are soft, 5-8 minutes. Add chicken and broth; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. Let cool, then shred chicken into bite-size pieces. Meanwhile, return broth to a boil. Add orzo and cook until al dente, 8-10 minutes. Remove pot from heat. Stir in chicken and dill. Serve with lemon halves for squeezing over.

  

Valerie Bertinelli’s Lemon Ice Box Cake

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I am a fan of Valerie Bertinelli and her recipes, because it is good home cooking, and who doesn’t like that? However, referring to this as a cake is a bit of a misnomer. What this really is, is a light and fluffy cloud of sweet/tart lemon deliciousness that you will not want to stop eating…ever. It is super easy to put together if you use store bought lemon curd. (I didn’t, I made my own because, to me, it is well worth the 15 minutes. My recipe is below if you feel the same.) So, if you’re longing for spring, fresh fruit, tall pitchers of ice-cold lemonade, this won’t bring it any closer, but it will make the wait much easier to bear.

Valerie Bertinelli’s Lemon Ice Box Cake

Serves 10

You will need:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1⁄3 cup powdered sugar
21/2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 11-ounce package vanilla wafers
1 cup homemade lemon curd* or
1 11.5-ounce store-bought jar lemon curd

Beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until blended and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cream, lemon zest, and vanilla; beat at medium-high speed just until stiff peaks form.

Arrange half of the cookies in a single layer on the bottom of a 13-× 9-inch baking dish**, fitting in as many as possible without overlapping.

Spoon half of the cream cheese mixture on top, and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Dollop 1/2 cup of the lemon curd by spoonfuls about 2 inches apart over the cream cheese mixture.

Use a butter knife to swirl the curd into the cream cheese mixture. Top with remaining cookies and remaining cream cheese mixture. Dollop and swirl remaining lemon curd over the cream mixture.

Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until the cookies soften, about 3 hours.

*Microwave Meyer Lemon Curd

Slightly adapted from My Baking Addiction

1 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice (from 5 Melissa’s Meyer lemons)

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

In a large microwave-safe bowl (I used Duralex), whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth and thoroughly combined. Whisk in lemon juice, lemon zest, and melted butter.

Cook in the microwave on full power for one-minute intervals, stirring after each minute. This process will take about 3-5 minutes depending upon the wattage of your microwave. (Three minutes worked for me.) The lemon curd is done when it coats the back of a metal spoon.

Remove from the microwave, push through a fine, mesh sieve, and pour into sterile jars or a container.

Allow to cool to room temperature, and then cover it with a lid and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The curd will thicken as it cools.

**I used a 9” x 9” dish because I wanted mine thicker. It was perfect, as you can see.

Roast Chicken with Jalapeños, Lemon, and Garlic

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 Despite the fact that I only recently consumed copious amount of turkey, I was still craving fowl, thinking, no doubt, of the luscious and unique roasted chicken from Michael Ruhlman’s new book, FROM SCRATCH (the must-have for your cookbook library). Talk about magnificent! 

Generally, I am not a particular fan of roasted chicken. It always seems rather dry and mundane, but it is simple and, as such, I made this meal the first Sunday that number two son and his wife came for their extended visit while awaiting completion of their new home. I couldn’t imagine that a roasted chicken would be juicy, so I made sure to make gravy as well (we didn’t need it).

I wish you could have been here to experience not just the heavenly aroma of the roasting chicken, but its tasty, juicy, butter-like tenderness. The three of us were amazed at how scrumptious it was, all of us going back for seconds. I am now sold on roasted chicken, the Michael Ruhlman way; I have made it three times in the last three months. He has a number of different recipes for roasting chicken in his book, but this one is my favorite because the jalapeños give it a lot of zing (but not too much if you don’t like spicy). I have altered the recipe a little bit in order to yield more juices, I also roasted a bigger chicken (and hence had to bake it longer than the recipe states), because I love those leftovers! 

Roast Chicken with Jalapeños, Lemon, and Garlic
Adapted from FROM SCRATCH by Michael Ruhlman

Kosher salt to taste

1 3-4 pound chicken
2 jalapeño peppers, cut into 1/4-inch rounds, seeds and all*
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges, seeds removed
10 - 15 garlic cloves, peeled

1 cup chicken stock
1 to 2 tablespoons beurre manié (recipe below)

Preheat your oven to 450°F.

Salt the chicken aggressively and put it, breast-side up, in an oven-safe skillet. Scatter the jalapeño slices, lemon wedges, and garlic cloves around the chicken. Carefully pour in chicken stock. Place pan into preheated oven and roast for one hour, basting the chicken several times during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Remove the bird from the pan and let it rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes before carving. Place the skillet over a burner set to medium-low and simmer the sauce to thicken. If you wish, add the beurre manié while simmering the sauce, or simply spoon the sauce, garlic, lemon (one wedge per plate), and peppers over the cut-up chicken to serve.

*I used Melissa's Pickled Jalapeños. I always keep a jar of them on hand for anytime I need jalapeños.

To make Beurre Manié:

Beurre Manié is a great sauce thickener. It is nothing more than equal parts softened butter and flour, blended together to combine.

Microwave Meyer Lemon Curd

There is something about summertime that makes me go lemon crazy! I have been using it in almost everything I cook or bake, and after last week’s refreshing homemade lemonade, not to mention the Frozen Boozy Arnold Palmer, I decided I need to do more. 

Having come across a recipe for lemon curd made in the microwave, I knew I had to give it a try. I am wild about lemon curd, but I am not wild about standing next to the stove stirring until I’m ready to scream. This worked out beautifully! If you like lemon curd as much as I do, make this. Now! Do use Meyer lemons, they are sweeter than regular lemons, and give your lemon curd a wonderful depth of flavor.

Microwave Meyer Lemon Curd

Slightly adapted from My Baking Addiction

1 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice (from 5 Melissa’s Meyer lemons)

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

In a large microwave-safe bowl (I used Duralex), whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth and thoroughly combined. Whisk in lemon juice, lemon zest, and melted butter.

Cook in the microwave on full power for one-minute intervals, stirring after each minute. This process will take about 3-5 minutes depending upon the wattage of your microwave. (Three minutes worked for me.) The lemon curd is done when it coats the back of a metal spoon.

Remove from the microwave, push through a fine, mesh sieve, and pour into sterile jars or a container.

Allow to cool to room temperature, and then cover it with a lid and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The curd will thicken as it cools.

PRINT RECIPE

Lemon Curd would be wonderful in these Easy Lemon-Filled Ebelskibvers!

This post is linked to:

Cooking & Crafting with J&J

Amaze Me Monday

Busy Mondays

Over the Moon

Celebrate Your Story

Inspire Me Tuesday

Reader Tip Tuesday

Tuesdays with a Twist

The Scoop

Dream, Create, Inspire

Wonderful Wednesday

O My Heartsie Girls Wonderful Wednesday

Wine’d Down Wednesday

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The Remedy

This is a post from three years ago, that certainly bears repeating. I imbibed a good bit of this stuff during my battle with the plague and it really did help.
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I remember my mother telling me once, after emerging from a rather debilitating bout with the flu, that she felt so bad she thought she'd have to rally to die. Oh, boy, do I get that. Things started going south for me about a week ago. I'm talking way south. Like Antarctica south. What began as sniffles blossomed into a colossal headache, clogged sinuses, and sleepless night after sleepless night of relentless coughing. I plowed through boxes of tissues, drank gallons of tea, and watched a lot of Hallmark movies. I went from having my authoritative, sexy, big girl voice, to having the voice of a cartoon character, to no voice at all. In my late night bouts with delirium I started thinking about “The Waltons.”  Yep, momma, daddy, John-Boy, the lot. I began to think about the Baldwin Sisters and “the recipe,” which ultimately reminded me that I had a recipe of my own.

It's an old folk remedy, but since I'm an old folk, umm, person, I can probably claim it as well as anyone. It's a cough calmer consisting of three common ingredients: honey, lemon, and gin.  My recipe makes 8 doses, and unlike the chemically-laden cough suppressants sold in drug stores, you can take this as often as needed.

There is actually science behind this combination. Gin is an effective expectorant. Lemon provides vitamin C that may strengthen the immune system. Honey has been found to be an effective cough suppressant.  Both lemon and honey have antimicrobial properties (significant ability to inhibit the growth of microbes that can cause infection). Nothing can shorten the duration of a cold, but this can treat the symptoms.

Not fond of the taste of gin?  Me neither, and I'm not all that keen on honey, but when these three ingredients come together, the taste is rather extraordinary and it goes down smooth. It is NOT, I repeat, NOT intended for children or anyone who has issues with alcohol. It is soothing, cough calming, and can help you sleep. 

Cough Remedy
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice*
2 tablespoons good (local if you have it) honey
2 tablespoons gin

Stir ingredients together until the honey completely dissolves and is incorporated. Store in refrigerator until needed. Can easily be doubled, tripled, etc.

1 tablespoon = 1 dose

*I use my own home grown (a potted tree that I recommend everyone own) Meyer Lemons. If you don't have your own, please use fresh, organic lemons. I suggest Melissa's.

Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread

I am a HUGE fan of the lemon/poppy seed combination, from cookies, to muffins, to quick breads, and even my favorite, pancakes. I have a friend who feels the same way I do, and so was only too happy to share her latest lemon poppy seed recipe with me, this one for zucchini bread. Can you imagine? I mean, zucchini bread is moist and delicious on its own, but to combine it with lemon and poppy seeds? It is truly heaven on a plate.

Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/3 cup sour cream

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon oil (optional)

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 large eggs

1-1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup grated zucchini (one small zucchini)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Grease and flour an 8 ½” x 4” loaf pan; set aside.

In the work bowl of a stand mixture, cream together butter, sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon oil until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

In a separate bowl place the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and lemon zest, whisk to combine. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and stir to combine. Do not over mix.

Fold in the zucchini, vanilla extract, and poppy seeds until evenly distributed. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until loaf tests done. Let cool for at least 10 minute in pans before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

For the Glaze:

The loaf is fine as is, but if you choose to glaze it as I did, combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over the bread and garnish with lemon zest, if desired.

PRINT RECIPE

This post is linked to: Dishing It & Digging It, Merry Monday, Art of Homemaking, Busy Mondays, Inspiration Monday, Inspire Me Tuesday, Tuesdays At Our Home, Two Cup Tuesday, Tutorials and Tips Tuesday, Full Plate Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Share Your Style, and Foodie Friday & Everything Else

The Remedy

I remember my mother telling me once, after emerging from a rather debilitating bout with the flu, that she felt so bad she thought she'd have to rally to die. Oh, boy, do I get that. Things started going south for me about a week ago. I'm talking way south. Like Antarctica south. What began as sniffles blossomed into a colossal headache, clogged sinuses, and sleepless night after sleepless night of relentless coughing. I plowed through boxes of tissues, drank gallons of tea, and watched a lot of Hallmark movies. I went from having my authoritative, sexy, big girl voice, to having the voice of a cartoon character, to no voice at all. In my late night bouts with delirium I started thinking about “The Waltons.”  Yep, momma, daddy, John-Boy, the lot. I began to think about the Baldwin Sisters and “the recipe,” which ultimately reminded me that I had a recipe of my own.

It's an old folk remedy, but since I'm an old folk, umm, person, I can probably claim it as well as anyone. It's a cough calmer consisting of three common ingredients: honey, lemon, and gin.  My recipe makes 8 doses, and unlike the chemically-laden cough suppressants sold in drug stores, you can take this as often as needed.

There is actually science behind this combination. Gin is an effective expectorant. Lemon provides vitamin C that may strengthen the immune system. Honey has been found to be an effective cough suppressant.  Both lemon and honey have antimicrobial properties (significant ability to inhibit the growth of microbes that can cause infection). Nothing can shorten the duration of a cold, but this can treat the symptoms.

Not fond of the taste of gin?  Me neither, and I'm not all that keen on honey, but when these three ingredients come together, the taste is rather extraordinary and it goes down smooth. It is NOT, I repeat, NOT intended for children or anyone who has issues with alcohol. It is soothing, cough calming, and can help you sleep. 

Cough Remedy
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice*
2 tablespoons good (local if you have it) honey
2 tablespoons gin

Stir ingredients together until the honey completely dissolves and is incorporated. Store in refrigerator until needed. Can easily be doubled, tripled, etc.

1 tablespoon = 1 dose

*I use my own home grown (a potted tree that I recommend everyone own) Meyer Lemons. If you don't have your own, please use fresh, organic lemons. I suggest Melissa's.

This post is linked to:

Metamorphosis Monday 

Amaze Me Monday

Teach Me Tuesday

Inspire Me Tuesday