Best Lemon Bread

THE BEST LEMON LOAF (BETTER-THAN-STARBUCKS COPYCAT)

This is an easy, no-mixer, one-bowl, whisk-together batter. The loaf is soft, springy, and moist without being heavy or dry, nor is it oily. Plus, you probably have all the ingredients on hand to make it and you can pronounce every ingredient used. The cake itself is perfectly lemony, and the lemon glaze boosts the lemon flavor. I used 2 tablespoons of lemon extract because no actual lemon juice is used in the loaf and I found 2 tablespoons of lemon extract necessary for full-bodied lemon flavor, but add to taste. Don't use lemon oil and lemon extract interchangeably.

YIELD: one 9x5-inch loaf

 

PREP TIME: 10 minutes

 

COOK TIME: about 50 minutes

 

TOTAL TIME: about 90 minutes, for cooling

INGREDIENTS:

Loaf
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream or Greek yogurt (lite okay)
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon extract, to taste (not teaspoons; and not lemon oil and not lemon juice - see step 4 in directions)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Lemon Glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice, or as necessary for consistency

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
2. Loaf - To a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar, sour cream, and whisk vigorously until smooth and combined.
3. Drizzle in the oil while whisking to combine.
4. Add the lemon zest, lemon extract, and whisk to combine. Note - I used 2 tablespoons of lemon extract because no actual lemon juice is used in the loaf and I found 2 tablespoons lemon extract necessary for full-bodied lemon flavor, but add to taste. Don't use lemon oil and lemon extract interchangeably because they're not; oil is much more potent and intense. Don't use lemon juice in place of lemon extract because it's not strong enough and the acidity can alter the overall results.
5. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and stir until just combined, don't overmix. Some lumps will be present and that's okay, don't try to stir them smooth.
6. Turn the batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. Bake for about 50 to 52 minutes, or until top is domed, set, and toothpick inserted in the center crack comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no batter. In the last 10 minutes of baking, tent pan with foil (loosely drape a sheet of foil over pan) to prevent excessive browning on the top and sides of bread before center cooks through.
7. Allow loaf to cool in pan on top of a wire rack for at least 30 minutes (I cooled 4 hours) before turning out onto rack to cool completely before glazing.
8. Lemon Glaze - To a small bowl, add the confectioner's sugar and slowly drizzle in the lemon juice while whisking until smooth and combined. You may need to play with the sugar and lemon juice amounts a bit as necessary for desired consistency and flavor.
9. Evenly drizzle glaze over bread before slicing and serving. Extra glaze can be spread on the cut surface of the bread like you'd spread butter on toast and it soaks right in making the bread even moister and more lemony. Or you can halve the glaze recipe if you're not a glaze person. Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months; I don't recommend storing it in the fridge because it'll dry out.

http://www.averiecooks.com/2015/01/best-lemon-loaf-better-starbucks-copycat.html

OLIVE OIL & ROSEMARY ROLLS

OLIVE OIL & ROSEMARY ROLLS

If you begin these rolls early in the day, you'll just need tend to them every now and then and you'll have freshly baked rolls at dinner.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
3 1/4 cups bread flour
1 3/4 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
extra flour for dusting
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
nonstick spray

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, combine olive oil and rosemary; let marinate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Pour yeast into 1 cup of warm water (about 105 to 110 degrees… no warmer). Stir to dissolve the yeast and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Mixture should foam and bubble (a sign that the yeast is still good).

3. Insert paddle attachment into your stand mixer. Pour water/yeast mixture into the mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup of flour and the salt and mix on low speed until incorporated. Keep adding 1/2 cups of flour until all flour is used up and incorporated. Remove the paddle attachment and replace it with a dough hook. Knead on low and slowly pour in the olive oil/rosemary. Increase to speed 3 and let the machine knead for about 2 minutes.

4. Remove the dough and shape quickly into a ball. Dust lightly with flour and place in a zip bag, pressing out air and sealing. Place on a cutting board and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size (about 1 hour). Punch down inside the bag and let rise again for an additional hour.

5. Punch the dough to deflate and let rest 10 minutes. Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Divide dough into 12 equal-sized pieces. Shape each piece of dough into a ball and transfer to the prepared baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature for about 1 hour (until almost doubled). They’ll continue to rise as they bake, so don’t worry too much if they don’t look large enough.

6. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Remove plastic wrap and lightly brush each roll with melted butter. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until browned and hollow sounding when tapped. Remove to wire rack to cool.

http://www.recipegirl.com/2007/03/20/olive-oil-rosemary-rolls/

Thanksgiving 2014

I made a new dinner roll recipe which I liked better than my standard recipe:
http://divascancook.com/sweet-dinner-rolls-recipe-without-bread-machine-scratch/

Pumpkin Pie from the Cook's Illustrated Baking Book
http://www.thedeliciouslife.com/pumpkin-pie-recipe-cooks-illustrated/

My First Kimchi

Really Moist Lemon Cupcakes

I made these delicious cupcakes with lemons from our tree. I made the frosting super lemony and they were out of this world.

http://alchemybaking.blogspot.com/2013/03/really-moist-lemon-cupcakes-for-lemon.html

Grilled lamb, beet salad, potato pancakes

Guerrero Passover 

Doesn't this look wonderful? We had grilled lamb lollipops with yogurt sauce, pistacios and mint (replictaed from a dish I had in London at one of Jamie Olivers restaurants). Potatoe pancakes with rosemary and a touch of horseradish. The big find of the meal was haroset (the recipe calls it beet and apple salad but it is the same as traditional haroset) but this one was amazing with beets and celery root. Although the fresh mint was meant for the lamb, it tasted wonderful with the haroset. I would put it right in the salad next time. 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-symon/beet-and-apple-salad-recipe.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-symon/crispy-potato-horseradish-cakes-recipe.html   

The Shelf Battle

Day 1: Seepo enjoys her favorite spot on the shelf

Day 2: Koof joins in

Day 3: Felix the hornary gets mad

the doctor is not pleased that koof and zap are zonked out on the shelf

he is barking, trying to leap up there and bap them and of course they are fighting back

causing all kinds of rukus on Jimmy's desk

we might have to put another shelf up there to avoid world war 3

Day 4: Total Rukus

Slow Cooker Lasagna

Ingredients

	1 pound(s) uncooked 93% lean ground beef
	1 small uncooked onion(s), chopped
	1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
	28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
	15 oz canned tomato sauce
	1 tsp table salt
	1 tsp dried oregano
	1/2 tsp dried basil
	1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
	1 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
	1 1/2 cup(s) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
	6 item(s) uncooked lasagna noodles, no-cook
	1/2 cup(s) shredded parmesan cheese, strong-flavored like Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano

Instructions

• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes; simmer 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
  
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
  
• Spoon 1/3 of beef mixture into a 5-quart slow cooker. Break 3 lasagna sheets in half and arrange over beef mixture; top with half of ricotta mixture. Repeat with another layer and finish with remaining 1/3 of beef mixture.
  
• Cover slow cooker and cook on low setting for 4 to 6 hours. Remove cover; turn off heat and season to taste, if desired.
  
• In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over beef mixture. Cover and set aside until cheese melts and lasagna firms up, about 10 minutes. Yields 1/6th of dish per serving.

Notes

• To boost your vegetable intake, add sliced fresh mushrooms to the beef mixture (could affect PointsPlusvalues).

Weight Watchers recipe

Spicy Pork and Mustard Green Soup

INGREDIENTS

½ pound ground pork

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

2 teaspoons finely grated peeled ginger

1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, crushed

¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon cumin seeds, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 bunch mustard greens, torn (about 4 cups)

4 scallions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)

8 oz. wide rice noodles

ALSO TRY IT WITH:

• Beet greens, kale, or turnip greens

INSTRUCTIONS

• Mix pork, garlic, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, red pepper flakes, and cumin in a medium bowl. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add pork mixture; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring and breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, 8–10 minutes.
• Add broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until flavors meld, 8–10 minutes. Add mustard greens, scallions, soy sauce, and fish sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender, 5–8 minutes; season with salt and black pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions; drain.
• Divide noodles among bowls and ladle soup over.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

CALORIES (KCAL) 370

FAT (G) 16

SATURATED FAT (G) 5

CHOLESTEROL (MG) 45

CARBOHYDRATES (G) 36

DIETARY FIBER (G) 3

TOTAL SUGARS (G) 3

PROTEIN (G) 19

SODIUM (MG) 1370

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/spicy-pork-and-mustard-green-soup# 

homemade thin crust pizza

**I made this recipe with Lisa and it was super easy and good pizza dough.

homemade thin crust pizza

makes TWO 12″ pizzas, adapted from the kitchn

ingredients

for the dough:
3/4 cups (6 ounces) of water
1/2 teaspoon of active-dry yeast (if using instant yeast, you don’t need to dissolve it during the first step)
2 cups (10 ounces, by weight) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
optional: 1/2 tsp italian seasoning (or any dried herbs of your choice) – i like to work herbs into the dough, but it’s wonderful without the herbs, too – your choice!

for the toppings:
your choice – go wild! here’s what it takes two of the pizzas pictured above:
1/2 cup marinara sauce (1/4 cup per pizza), either homemade or store-bought
3 cups of cheese (1.5 cups per pizza) – i used a blend of mozzarella + asiago
1 thinly sliced tomato, about 6 slices on each pizza
12 basil leaves, chopped, divided between the two pizzas

directions

making the dough:
about 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. if you have a baking stone, put it on a rack in the lower-middle part of the oven before preheating.

in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, heat the water until it feels barely lukewarm when you test it with your finger (if the water is so hot that you can’t leave your finger in it, wait for it to cool down). add the yeast to the water + use a fork or whisk to stir it into the water. set this aside for a few minutes + allow the yeast to dissolve. it’s ok if the yeast doesn’t bubble, but it should be entirely dissolved.

measure out the flour into a large mixing bowl. add the salt + dried italian seasoning/herbs (if using) + use your hand or a whisk to combine.

make a well in the center of the flour + pour in the water-yeast mixture. use your fingers or a wooden spoon to combine everything together.

when it comes together into a cohesive ball, turn it out onto the counter along with any extra flour in the bowl that hasn’t yet gotten worked in.

knead the dough until all the flour is incorporated + the dough is smooth/elastic to the touch–about five minutes. the dough should still feel moist +  just slightly tacky. if it’s sticking to your hands + counter-top like bubble gum, work in more flour one tablespoon at a time until it’s smooth + silky.

divide the dough in two.

shaping the dough:
tear off two pieces of parchment paper roughly 12-inches wide. work one piece of the dough in your hands + form it into a large disk. lay the disk of dough on the parchment paper.

working from the middle of the dough outwards, use the heel of your hand to gently press the dough outward until it’s about 1/4 of an inch thick or less. you can also use a rolling pin for this part. we like to make free form pies, but if you’d like a circular pie, you can trace a large circle on the back of the parchment to use as a guide.

repeat with the second piece of dough.

note: The dough will stick to the parchment paper, making it easier for you to roll out. you’ll bake the pizza right on the parchment paper. as it cooks, the dough will release from the parchment, + you can slide the paper out before serving.

topping + baking the dough:
spoon ONLY the sauce into the center of each pizza + use the back of a spoon to spread it out to the edges.

using a bread peel or the backside of a baking sheet, slide your pizza (still on the parchment) onto the baking stone in the oven. if you don’t have a baking stone, just bake it right on the baking sheet.

bake for about 5 minutes, then rotate the pizza 180-degrees (most ovens have ‘hot spots’ + your pizza will bake unevenly if it’s not rotated). bake for another 3 minutes, then sprinkle the cheese + any other toppings over the top. bake for another 2-3 minutes until the edges are golden brown and crispy. if you like your cheese browned slightly, broil for a minute or so.

remove your pizza from oven + let it cool on a wire rack. at this point, you can slide the parchment paper out from under the pizza. repeat with second pizza.

let both pizzas cool for about five minutes + serve.

From the website of the Fearless  Home Maker

http://www.fearlesshomemaker.com/2012/08/thin-crust-pizza/

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

ingredients

Cake:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 3/4 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut plus additional for garnish

Frosting:

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste
• 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar (measured, then sifted)

preparation

For cake:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper; dust pans with flour. Sift 3 cups flour and next 7 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat both sugars and oil in large bowl until combined (mixture will look grainy). Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and orange peel; beat until well blended. Add flour mixture; beat just until incorporated. Stir in raisins and 3/4 cup coconut. Divide batter between prepared pans. Smooth tops.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cakes completely in pans on rack. Run knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto racks; remove parchment paper. Turn cakes over, rounded side up. Using serrated knife, trim rounded tops of cakes to level.

For frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in dark rum and vanilla. Add powdered sugar in 3 additions, beating just until frosting is smooth after each addition (do not overbeat or frosting may become too soft to spread). Place 1 pumpkin cake layer, flat side down, on platter. Spread half of cream cheese frosting over top of cake to edges. Top with second cake layer, trimmed side down. Spread remaining frosting over top (not sides) of cake. Sprinkle additional coconut over. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Cut cake into wedges and serve.

GOOD TO KNOW:
It's better to underbeat the frosting than overbeat it. That bit of restraint makes for a slightly firmer frosting that's easier to spread.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spiced-Pumpkin-Layer-Cake-240123#ixzz2mwz1eWii

Salad Dressing Principles

There is a guiding principle for making my own salad dressings that I follow: oil, tang and other ingredient. Oil can be traditional oils used in salad dressings or they can be something like an avocado that is oil based. By tang I mean the vinegar (balsamic, rice wine, white wine, etc) or you can also use citrus, it makes a fine ingredient in salad dressing. Other ingredients are the other flavors you want to add into the dressing (honey, ginger, garlic, herbs, mustard, jam for example a raspberry jam based dressing. (Note: for herbs you can roughly chop or for a smooth dressing blend them in a small hand blender. 

A dressing is basically an emulsion. Without getting too heavily into it (you can dive in depth at the links below) its essentially how to make the dressing thicken and bring them together so they don't separate. This involves having an emulsifier and bringing the ingredients together gradually (I use a mini hand blender/food processor and open the top put a little oil in, close, blend, open, etc) or if I am using a jar to shake the dressing I do the same process but shake it 10 - 15 times in between adding the oil. The second link below goes through a whole 101 in salad dressing, do the section on partial emulsions and then full emulsions. (Sample of a recipe that simply describes the emulsion process in a recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/veni-vedi-vinaigrette-recipe/index.html)

Finally, there are alternatives. Don't have oil on hand? You can use egg yolks (commonly used in caesar salad dressing). Want to take an oily dressing and make it creamy without adding mayonnaise? Add tofu and put it in the blender or use sour cream (fat free if that is what you are looking for) or even better plain yogurt. 

If you taste the dressing and it is missing something, often a dash of salt will help bring it all together. Another test for flavor if something seems missing is to run through the flavor sensations, for me the salad dressing is an art of finding the right balance between tangy, sweet, citrus, nutty, earthy, etc). 

Keep in mind that a standard proportion of vinegar to oil for dressing is 1 part vinegar to 3-4 parts oil
http://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/become-a-better-cook-4 

For more on the science and a much deeper dive into these principles please read the following: http://debbrunson.com/2012/02/05/sauces-dressings-101-permanent-emulsions/

Simple Traditional Dressing (from Italy)
Olive oil 
Lemon juice
Dash of salt
(Used with arugula salad with lightly roasted cherry tomatoes and parmesan)

Orange Dressing
Orange marmalade, rice wine vinegar and sesame seed oil
Use reasonable portions, mix to taste or use above guidance (1 part vinegar to 3 - 4 parts oil)

Honey Lime Dressing
I use this base for an Asian flavored salad or a Mexican salad. 
Lime Juice
Honey
Splash of balsamic (can do it with balsamic or keep it more tangy with just the lime juice)
Olive oil 
Additional seasoning: ginger for an Asian based flavor, cumin and cayanne or pepper flakes for a mexican bent
Use reasonable portions, mix to taste or use above guidance (1 part vinegar to 3 - 4 parts oil)

Arugula, Potato, and Green Bean Salad with Walnut Dressing

Get Your Feet in the Kitchen: Lemon Basil Salad Dressing

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing - Get Your Feet in the ...

Get Your Feet in the Kitchen: Tangy Avocado Dressing

Get Your Feet in the Kitchen: Balsamic Salad Dressing 

Hearts of Romaine with Blue Cheese and Caper Dressing

Summer Bean Salad with Toasted Walnuts and Pecorino Fresco

Get Your Feet in the Kitchen: Chicken, Rice, and Mango in Lettuce ...

Get Your Feet in the Kitchen: Spicy Slaw

Get Your Feet in the Kitchen: Grilled Chicken and Corn Salad

Get Your Feet in the Kitchen: Hot Niçoise Salad (Quick and Easy)

Get Your Feet in the Kitchen: Warm Chicken Sausage and Potato ...

http://feetinkitchen.blogspot.com/2013/10/cilantro-green-garlic-vinegrette.html