Sweet Lemon Bread

This delicious sweet bread is guaranteed to be 

LOVE at first bite.

It's an old fashioned recipe from my old recipe box. 
No electric appliances needed... just a WHISK and a rubber SPATULA.

It is amazingly good.

Give it a try... then let us know what you think!

Sweet Lemon Bread

1 1/2 cups  flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup butter melted
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Lemon Glaze:
      Juice of 1 large lemon
      1/3 cup sugar


Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan; dust with flour.

WHISK the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and lemon peel together in a large bowl; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until light and creamy.
Add the milk, lemon juice, vanilla and finally the melted butter, whisking well after each ingredient is added. This will take on an almost pudding texture.

Add this egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until well blended.
Pour batter into the greased and floured loaf pan.

Bake until golden brown or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. (Leave the bread in the pan.)

Lemon Glaze: While the bread is baking, combine lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan, stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Do not bring to a boil.

After removing the bread from the oven, while still in the pan, use a wooden skewer to poke holes in the hot bread, piercing all the way to the bottom. Slowly drizzle the hot glaze over the bread a little bit at a time, gently basting the top, allowing the glaze to soak in. Repeat several times until the bread is completely covered with glaze. 

Let the bread cool in a pan on a wire rack until glaze is set, about 20 minutes, then carefully remove from the pan and allow to cool completely on a rack. IF YOU SKIP THIS STEP and don't allow the bread to completely cool before cutting, THE BREAD WILL BECOME A CRUMBLY MESS. I know, it will be hard to wait, but don't the best things in life require patience?

 After the bread has completely cooled, give it a light dusting of powdered sugar to give it a bit of flair.

       Up next at Our Sweet Lemons... a Lemon Lover's favorite tool.

Langostino and Pasta in Lemon Caper Cream Sauce

 This dish is to die for.  

Honestly. 

It is that good. 

It's similar to a dish served at the Olive Garden.

At our house, it's a favorite!

 Langostino and Pasta 

in Lemon Caper Cream Sauce

Serving Size: 8

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 lbs cooked Langostino, peeled and deveined (you may also use cooked shrimp)
2 tsp garlic, chopped
4 Tbsp capers, drained
4 lemons, juiced
4 cups heavy cream (We used 2 cups heavy cream and 2 cups half and half)
Salt and pepper to taste
16 oz angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions (We used whole grain thin spaghetti)
2 tsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Lemon, sliced thin to garnish

HEAT oil in saute pan. Add garlic and capers and cook for 30 seconds. Add lemon juice; cook until reduced by half. 

Add cream; cook for 2 minutes or until sauce slightly thickens. 

ADD langostino and cook for just about a minute.  (Enough to warm the langostino.)

Season sauce with salt, pepper and parsley.

ADD hot, drained pasta to sauce, stirring to thoroughly coat pasta.

TRANSFER to large serving platter, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Garnish with parsley and Lemon slices... oops! I forgot to garnish our pic with lemon.  Too many hungry tummies waiting for me to shoot the photo so we could eat.  Oh the life of a food blogger!

I've also made this recipe with chicken that I've precooked as well. The sauce is divine and so perfect for anyone who loves the taste of lemon.

Glazed Lemon Cookies

I have a favorite cookie for every season. Rolo Cookies for the Fall, Carolyn's Chocolate Chip Cookies in the Winter, and these Glazed Lemon Cookies take both Spring and Summer. They are that good.

Everyday Food, May 2009

Adapted By: Camille

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon zest (I use about 3)

1 stick butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons lemon juice (I use 3-4)

Oven 350. Whisk together flour, soda, salt, and zest. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and lemon juice. Beat until combined. Slowly beat in flour mixture until combined.

Drop dough by tablespoons onto two baking sheets. Bake 15-20 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Cool 2 minutes on sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Spread cookies with Lemon Glaze and let set, about 1 hour.

Lemon Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons lemon zest

Whisk all ingredients until smooth.

Tips: I use about 4-5 lemons for this recipe. I keep adding zest and juice (to the cookie dough) until I'm sure I have enough lemony flavor. My friends have used just one lemon and liked it, others go by the recipe and it's still great - but for my family the more lemon the better. For the glaze, I never use 2 whole cups of sugar. I start with 1 1/2 cups and add a little until it seems thick enough. I use a dough scoop and that makes 20 cookies and leaves enough dough left for me to have a taste! In my oven, 13 minutes is the perfect time.

Another variation: Substitute the lemons for oranges or limes.


Up next at Our Sweet Lemons... Breanne's Candied Almond Salad

LEMON Lovers Ricotta Pancakes

Here's a Mother's Day Breakfast that will surely become a family favorite. It has been ours ever since I first discovered the recipe in our local newspaper several years ago. Now it's all across the web. 

These delicious pancakes may look similar to traditional pancakes but they are quite different when you take a bite. The ricotta cheese in the batter lends a subtle cheesecake like flavor and makes them a bit crisper on the outside and oh so light and fluffy on the inside. The half cup of LEMON juice gives more than a hint of lemon, in fact, the taste is quite sublime and is rich in flavor, not fat. An excellent choice for this LEMON LOVER indeed.

Credits go to Becca and Emilee for making this delicious Mother's Day Breakfast for me.
I enjoyed every heavenly bite.  :)
 Love you!

 Lemon Lovers Ricotta Pancakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese (not non fat)
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon canola oil (divided)

Start to finish: 35 minutes (15 minutes active)

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the ricotta, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon oil. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold this mixture into the dry ingredients to make a thick batter.

Brush a nonstick skillet with 1/2-teaspoon oil, then heat over medium-low. With a 1/4-cup measure, drop the batter onto the skillet, spreading it slightly. Multiple pancakes can be cooked at once.

Cook the pancakes until browned on the underside and beginning to set, about two minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the second side and cooked at the center, about two minutes longer.

Transfer the cooked pancakes to a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. Brush the skillet with the remaining oil and repeat with remaining batter.

Makes 5 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 260 calories; 80 calories from fat; 9 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 67 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrate; 16 g protein; 1 g fiber; 642 mg sodium.

Quick Blueberry Sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (We used a mixture of frozen blueberries and raspberries today, but any berry will do)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt

Start to finish: 10 minutes

In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and cornstarch, then set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar, water and salt. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and stir in lemon juice-cornstarch mixture. Simmer, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly, about two minutes more.

Makes 5 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 45 calories; 1 calories from fat; 0 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrate; 0 g protein; 1 g fiber; 59 mg sodium.

Up next at Our Sweet Lemons...  finally, but so worth the wait... Runzas!

Lemon-Herb Zucchini Fettuccine

This had to be my family’s favorite dinner so far this year. It's light and flavorful and perfect for Summer. I loved the combination of lemon, basil and garlic. Mmm - I wish I had leftovers!

Ingredients:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 lemons
2 T Red Wine Vinegar
Olive Oil
1/2 lb Fettuccine (I used this)
2 medium zucchini
1 C shredded parmesan cheese
5-6 cloves garlic (I got a little nervous using this much garlic - but DO it!)
Fresh Basil (about 1/2 C)
Fresh Oregano (about 1/4 C) (I used a couple dashes of dried oregano)

Directions:

Place uncooked chicken in a zip-lock bag with the juice of one lemon, a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and a couple tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Let sit while you start on the pasta and zucchini. (I bet it would be even better if you let it sit a few hours or overnight.)

Put the pot on the stove to boil water for the pasta. While you're waiting for the water to boil, slice the zucchini in half length-wise. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Press, or finely mince garlic cloves. In a small sauce pan on the stove, place 1/4 C olive oil and add garlic. Turn burner onto low-med heat. It shouldn't be popping and frying, it should just slowly warm, infusing the oil with the garlic and removing that zing fresh garlic has. (This gives the whole dish an amazing flavor and texture- no dressing or other sauce needed.)

Remove chicken from bag. Cut up, cook and brown chicken (I used this method). After chicken is cooked (or in another pan) start cooking the zucchini. Make sure you don’t overcook them - it doesn’t take too long!

While chicken and zucchini are grilling and pasta is boiling, chop herbs and get out cheese. Zest both lemons and juice the one that hasn't been juiced.

When pasta is finished, drain and immediately place in a big bowl. Place chopped zuch and chicken on top. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, cheese, herbs, and garlic-olive oil mixture. (I also added a few pine nuts on top which were delicious!)

Now take some tongs and give everything a big toss. If you feel it needs more moisture, add a little of the pasta water, or a little more olive oil. This will make 4 generous servings.

Garnish with a little more Parmesan on top and another squeeze of lemon if you have any left.

Original recipe found here.

Up next at Our Sweet Lemons...  Zuppa Toscana Soup!

Oven-Roasted Greek Potatoes

During a feast of awesome Greek food, I came upon this recipe (I wanted some potatoes just like you get in a good Greek restaurant, you know?). I got lucky with the first recipe I tried! Love it and will definitely be making these babies again! Tender and flavorful, with that lemon-y goodness that I can’t resist. If you love good potatoes like I do, this recipe is for you!

Oven-Roasted Greek Potatoes
Recipe adapted from Food.com

8 large potatoes (I used golden), peeled, cut in half and into wedges
4 garlic cloves, minced (LOTS of garlic, yay!)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup water
1 tablespoon dried oregano
juice of a large lemon (or 2 small)
1 tsp chicken boullion (or dissolve 1 cube into the water)
sea salt
fresh coarse ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 420°. Spray your baking pan (I used a 9x13 glass casserole dish) with cooking spray.
Put all the ingredients into your baking pan-- minced garlic, oil, water, oregano, lemon, boullion.
Season generously with sea salt and black pepper.
Give everything a toss to distribute evenly.
The garlic will drop into the water/oil solution but its flavor will permeate the potatoes, and this way, it won't burn.
Bake for 40 minutes.
When a nice golden-brown crust has formed on the potatoes, give them a stir to bring the white underside up, season lightly with a bit more sea salt and pepper and just a light sprinkling of oregano. Add 1/2 cup more water if pan appears to be getting dry (I did this), and pop back into oven to brown other side of potatoes.
This will take about another 40 minutes.
Don't be afraid of overcooking the potatoes- they will be delicious. Just don't let them dry out (can add more water if you need to).

I would definitely serve this with some other amazing Greek food,  like a delicious Greek salad, and these Beef Kebabs, and some hummus and pita bread of course! Oh and don’t forget about the corn on the cob with feta butter (recipe coming next!)!

                                      Up next... Corn on the Cob with Feta Butter

Crystallized Lemon, Lime... and Orange!

This is going to sound like a commercial, but someone has to sing praises of this amazing product!

   100% natural          0 Calories          No Preservatives

"True Lemon, True Lime and True Orange starts in the grove with fresh lemons, limes and oranges selected for their superior flavor. Cold pressing and crystallizing the fruit locks in their flavor at the peak of freshness.  This makes *True Lemon, True Lime, and True Orange taste better than any lemon, lime or orange you can find in the store fresh, frozen or juice.  *Preferred in blind taste tests."

That's what it says on the side of the box. And being a true lemon freak, I had to give it a try. That's all it took, now we're hooked. It does taste like fresh lemon and lime! That doesn't mean I'll give up buying fresh lemons... seriously our family goes through a Costco bag of lemons every two weeks. But for convenience and taste, this is a great choice. We haven't bonded with True Orange yet but it's worth giving it a try.

I discovered on the True Lemon website that True Lemon and True Lime now come in shaker bottles. I'm going to ask my grocer to carry these... much more convenient than packets.

It's actually a very well done site with recipes and great health tips regarding lemons and limes. I know I will NEVER ask for a lemon wedge in my water at a restaurant again.  Instead, I'll carry True Lemon with me. Here are some great ideas to use these products taken from their website.

• Drink more water (without changing your water into something sweetened)! Add a packet to a full glass or bottle (10 to 20 ounces) of cold water. (Like a stronger taste? Add two packets.)  

• Use True Lemon or True Lime as a salt-substitute to add flavor to food without adding salt.

• Sprinkle True Lime or Lemon on popcorn. (We always take several packets with us to the movie theater.)

• Use in place of lemon, lime or orange juice in recipes. (1 packet = 1 tablespoon of juice or, for a stronger taste, 2 packets = 1 tablespoon of juice)

• Make True Lemon-ade, True Lime-ade and True Orange-ade by combining with your favorite sweetener in a glass or pitcher.

• Use as a rub or seasoning on seafood, meat or chicken.

• Make lemon or lime butter by adding to butter or a butter substitute.

• Sprinkle True Lemon on fresh fruits , strawberries, watermelon, raspberries, etc.

• Make flavored ice-cubes. Add True Lemon, True Lime or True Orange to water and then pour into ice cube trays for flavorful ice!

• Add some extra packets of True Lemon to a pre-made lemon cake or lemon bar mix to give it an extra lemon punch!

• Sprinkle True Lemon on apples, avocados or any fruit to stop browning.

• Sprinkle True Orange on vanilla ice cream. 

And I'll add one more idea that our family uses...
We love fresh salsa made with tomatoes from the garden. We use True Lime in place of lime juice to keep the salsa from having too much liquid.


Give this product a try... we'd love to hear your opinion. Have you tried it? Do you have other ways your family uses it? Leave us a comment!

         Up next... Oven Baked Chimichanga's with Mexican Lime Rice

Provence Lemon Baked Cod

I'm always on the lookout for new seafood recipes. 

After living in the Pacific Northwest for several years, 

our love of tasty delights from the sea grew exponentially. 

But before you say, "I don't like fish," read on for just a minute. 

I'm a firm believer that more people would like fish if they were more careful about buying FRESH. There is a HUGE difference. There's nothing quite like fresh from the ocean seafood, but us landlocked diners have to exercise a little savvy before making our seafood purchase.

I ALWAYS ask the meat guy how long the fish has been in the meat department display case. If it's more than today, ask if they have any in the back that is fresher. Then I ask to smell the fish.  Yes, I actually do, and they are quite happy to oblige.  

Fish shouldn't smell fishy, it should smell... fresh! 

I prefer fish that hasn't been frozen, freezing changes the texture of the fish. (You really owe it to yourself to taste fresh halibut someday... it simply melts in your mouth.) Again, since we're landlocked, I cave in on occasion and buy pre-frozen if I don't have the choice.  I've actually found that I can't go wrong by purchasing seafood from Costco. Check the date and select the freshest. Then plan on serving your choice within a day or two. I've never been disapointed.

Here's my favorite recipe for cod:

 Provence Lemon Baked Cod

2  lbs cod fillets
6 Tbs butter  melted
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Dash or two of  pepper
2 Tbs Herbes de Provence (adds a bit of heaven)
2 Tbs chopped Parsley (fresh if you have it or dried)
Paprika

1. Cut cod into serving size pieces.
2. Mix butter and lemon juice.
3. In another bowl, mix flour, salt, Herbs de Provence, parsley and pepper.
4. Dip cod into butter mixture; then coat with flour mixture.
5. Place cod in ungreased baking dish, 9x13x2 inches.
6. Pour remaining butter mixture over fish; sprinkle with paprika.
7. Cook uncovered in 350 degree oven until fish flakes easily with fork, 25-30 minutes.

Garnish with parsley sprigs and lemon slices if desired.

  
Up next...  MARGHERITA STYLE Homemade Pizza... delicioso!

Light Lemon Cheesecake

Mmmm. Growing up, I remember my Dad always requesting cheesecake for dessert. I've grown to love it almost as much as he does. After trying multiple cheesecakes I've decided this recipe is in my top five. Now stop there. If you like your cheesecake stiff and a little more sturdy (think density) this is probably not the recipe for you. The texture of this one is really light and airy. There's a hint of lemon (of course!) which is divine.

Recipe: Mrs. Evans, Wellsville UT

Adapted: Camille

Cream together and set aside 1½ - 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese and 1 c. sugar.

Dissolve and refrigerate 1 small pkg. of lemon jello in 1 c. boiling water.

Crush 2 pkgs. of graham crackers. Add ¼ c. sugar and one cube melted butter or margarine. Mix and reserve ½ c. of crumbs. Press remaining in a 9 x 13 pan.

Whip until thick 1 – 12 oz. can chilled evaporated milk.

Add 2 Tbs. lemon juice.

Fold in cream cheese mixture and jello (slightly thickened).

Pour over cracker crumbs. Sprinkle top with reserved ½ c. cracker crumbs.

Chill at least 4 hours (overnight is better).

Can be served alone, but is delicious with fresh fruit and/or caramel sauce.

Up next... Herbs de Provence, no Pantry should be without it.

We ♥ Lemons

Doesn't it just feel right that our first post should have something to do with Lemons? I thought so, too!

Simply Soft Sugar Cookies 

with Lemon Buttercream Frosting
   

Your going to absolutely love these sugar cookies... they are soft and moist and almost cake-like in texture. It has been my "go to" sugar cookie recipe for well over twenty years. And yes, KellyAnne, I finally found my recipe. It was hiding in the recipe binder I bought for myself a couple of years ago to get all my recipes organized.  (Actually it was the only recipe in the binder. Oops! Guess I didn't do so good that year with my resolutions.) Has it been that long since I've made Sugar Cookies?  Of course there is a secret ingredient that makes these cookies so moist and delicious.  Sour cream. But don't tell anyone, it's suppose to be a secret. 

Simply Soft Sugar Cookies 

Recipe by Our Sweet Lemons

3 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick of real butter (you'll be disappointed if it's not real)

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1  1/2 tsp real vanilla

1 cup sour cream

* Add several Tbsp of grated lemon peel to the creamed butter and sugar if you really want to boost the lemony taste.

Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together until really creamy. Add the egg, vanilla and sour cream to the creamed mixture.

Add about half the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and beat until well combined. Use a wooden spoon to combine the remaining dry ingredients unless you have a great mixer that can handle the heavy dough.

Divide into two portions and form each into a ball.  You may want to refrigerate for about 15 minutes to make the dough easier to handle. Roll the dough 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface and cut into your desired shapes. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet and bake at 400° for 8 to 10 minutes. Time will vary depending on the size of your shapes. Cookies are done when the top springs back when lightly touched and the bottoms are slightly browned. Cool them well before frosting.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting

2 1/2 sticks of real butter 

3 tsp grated lemon peel.
3 Tbsp juice from a fresh lemon
dash of salt
3 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter, lemon peel, lemon juice and dash of salt until creamy. Add powdered sugar gradually until well blended. The natural color of this frosting is a creamy white. You may wish to color your frosting by adding  a few drops of food coloring. Frost your cookies generously and then decorate as you please.


These are great cookies to give away as they not only taste delicious but they look so pretty. Be sure to hide some away for yourself!