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Grandma’s Lemon Bars

October 4, 2012 ·

For the next 11 weeks, I am excited to join a group, hosted by Meal Planning Magic, called 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats.   I missed last week due to somebody’s pesky 2 year old molars, hence 11 weeks 🙂   So every Thursday, I will be sharing a delicious Holiday-inspired treat.  I know what you’re thinking…Christmas? It’s only October!  It’s never too early to plan.  Time to dust off those holiday cookie platters!

For my first Christmas treat post, it is only fitting that I share a favorite recipe that my Grandma used to make for the Holidays ~ Lemon Bars.  There was always something extra special about her lemon bars.  They had a perfect balance of tangy and sweet, they had the lovely dusting of powdered sugar on top, and they literally melted in your mouth.  Of our favorites she made, my grandma’s lemon bars topped the list of many (and there definitely were many).  To me, no Holiday cookie platter is complete without lemon bars.  I never realized how easy they were to make, which is an added bonus!

Grandma’s Lemon Bars
 
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Yields: 16 bars
Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • powdered sugar, for topping
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8" square baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together butter, 1 cup flour and ¼ cup powdered sugar. Press into prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden.
  3. In a large bowl, mix sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and baking powder. Add eggs, juice and zest, folding gently until combined.
  4. Pour lemon mixture over baked crust.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool completely and then dust with powdered sugar.

 

 

Be sure to check out all the other bloggers who are participating this week in the 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats blog hop. And if you’re a blogger and want to join in on the fun, check out this post for the form to fill out to start baking along with us!

Filed Under: dessert, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , ,

Grilled Lemon Chicken with Parsley Sauce

August 15, 2012 ·

Grilled Lemon Chicken with Parsley Sauce is a light and healthy dish that tastes like summer.  Plus it’s a great way to use some of the parsley that may be taking over your herb garden!  The lemon in the chicken is subtle and fresh tasting, which serves as a nice contrast to the tangy parsley sauce.  The marinade is quick and easy to make, using simple ingredients, and then pop the chicken in the refrigerator until you’re ready to grill.  As with any citrus marinade, it acts quickly so can be grilled within 15 minutes.  I’ve also let the chicken marinate overnight, and that works fine too.  For the parsley sauce, I just toss everything in my Magic Bullet (which I love any excuse to use!), and it’s done in a minute.  Easy! 

Grilled Lemon Chicken with Parsley Sauce
 
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Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • Chicken:
  • zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken tenders or breasts (4 4-ounce breasts)
  • Sauce:
  • ⅔ cup parsley
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped shallot
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
  1. Prepare marinade: In a bowl, whisk together zest, juice, oil, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar until combined.
  2. Put chicken in a Ziploc bag and pour marinade over chicken. Shake to coat and put in the refrigerator to marinate until ready to use (at least 15 minutes to overnight).
  3. Prepare sauce: In a blender, add parsley, oil, shallot, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and juice. Blend until smooth (about 1 minute).
  4. Preheat grill. Place chicken on grill (discard marinade) and cook chicken on 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until thoroughly cooked.
  5. Serve chicken with a drizzle of sauce and garnish as desired. (Store any leftover marinade in the refrigerator).

Adapted from Health, July, 2006

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Lemon Poppy Seed Ricotta Pancakes with Blackberry Sauce

February 28, 2012 ·

Since blueberries are not quite in season, I decided to put a twist on my Blueberry-Lemon Ricotta Pancakes and make Lemon Poppy Seed Ricotta Pancakes.  I thought they deserved a suitable accompaniment.  As luck would have it, Trader Joe’s had in stock their mega containers of blackberries.  Score!

Since I was planning to top the pancakes with lightly-sweetened berries, I decided to reduce the sugar.   Otherwise I stayed pretty true to the recipe. The sauce is very simple and can be made ahead, which is very nice.

Lemon Poppy Seed Ricotta Pancakes are a nice burst of lemony goodness.  They are higher in protein, made with whole wheat flour, and delicious on their own.  When topped with a lightly-sweetened blackberry sauce, they are extraordinary.

Lemon Poppy Seed Ricotta Pancakes with Blackberry Sauce
 
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Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • Sauce:
  • 16 ounces blackberries (fresh or frozen)
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Pancakes:
  • 15 ounces low fat ricotta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • zest of 2 lemons
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
  • 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
  • cooking spray
  • confectioners' sugar, for serving (optional)
Instructions
  1. Sauce: In a medium sauce pan, bring blackberries, water and sugar to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
  2. Pour into a strainer (or colander with smaller holes) to drain excess water. Put drained blackberry mixture into a bowl and stir in lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
  3. Pancakes: In a medium bowl. whisk together ricotta cheese, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, juice and vanilla extract.
  4. Fold in flour until just combined; add poppy seeds, gently mixing until combined.
  5. Spray large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium-low heat. Add batter, using a scant ¼ cup for each pancake. Cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer pancakes to a paper towel-lined plate.
  6. Serve hot, with confectioners' sugar or maple syrup, if desired.

Pancakes adapted from my Whole Wheat Blueberry Lemon Pancakes;
Sauce adapted from Eating Well

Filed Under: breakfast, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Lemon Ricotta Muffins

January 10, 2012 ·
Bring on citrus season!  When life gives me a bowl of lemons, you better believe I’m going to make some muffins!  And perhaps some lemonade to wash them down, but that’s another post all together.  For now it’s all about muffins, as these Lemon Ricotta Muffins definitely deserve the spotlight.  They are bright, perfectly sweet and bonus – they’re low in fat, though you would never know it.  The ricotta cheese gives the muffins a moist, soft texture, and the flavor goes perfectly with the lemon.  The taste is reminiscent of delicious lemon ricotta pancakes, only a bit more portable.

With the wonderful citrus bounty upon us, over the next few weeks I will be sharing several recipes using citrus fruits.  In the meantime, grab those lemons and give these muffins a try!

Lemon Ricotta Muffins
 
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Yields: 12 muffins
Ingredients
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoons salt (optional)
  • ¾ cup low fat ricotta cheese
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare 12 muffin cups with paper liners or cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the ricotta, water, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, egg, and vanilla until blended.
  4. Fold the ricotta mixture into the flour mixture until just blended.
  5. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over the tops of the muffins.
  6. Bake for 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let muffins sit in pan for 5 minutes and then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

July 15, 2011 ·

Have I told you lately that I love summer produce? Because I do!  This weekend we are planning a visit to our local farm to pick up several pounds of blueberries.  I am so excited! While we love to eat plain blueberries by the handful, I have a long list of great recipes using blueberries that I can’t wait to share with you!

So in honor, and anticipation, of our future blueberry windfall, I would like to share with you my favorite blueberry muffin recipe.

Years ago, I was flipping through a Bon Apetit magazine, and this recipe for blueberry muffins caught my eye. It just so happened to be an advertisement for Pam Cooking Spray – go figure!

Now I know that I promised you a break from yogurt recipes, and well…I stuck to that for over a week. It would simply not be fair to keep this recipe from you any longer. These muffins rock!

The beauty of using yogurt in baked goods means that you can use less oil/butter, which makes them a healthier option.  These muffins also contain oats, which provide a little texture that goes well with the juicy blueberries. And what more can I say about the blueberry-lemon combination – it just works.

Over the years, I have made these muffins using different types of flours and yogurts.  This time, I made them using whole wheat pastry flour and Greek yogurt.  These muffins are just as delicious using all-purpose flour and/or regular yogurt, so use what you have or go crazy and try something different!

Blueberry Lemon Muffins
 
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Author:
Yields: 12 muffins
Ingredients
  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
  • 1 cup quick-cooking oats, uncooked
  • ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt (or regular plain nonfat yogurt)
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare 12-cup regular muffin pan with cooking spray or liners.
  2. Whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together yogurt, oil, egg and vanilla.
  3. Pour yogurt mixture into center of dry ingredients; stir until just blended. Do not over mix. Fold in blueberries and lemon zest. (Note: batter is thick)
  4. Divide batter evenly between prepared muffin cups. Bake 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan, then remove from muffin pan and cool completely on wire rack.
Notes
Adapted from a Pam Cooking Spray Advertisement found in Bon Apetit magazine

 

 

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, Recipes Tagged With: , , , ,
Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes | alidaskitchen.com

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

July 6, 2011 ·
Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes are made with whole wheat flour, studded with blueberries and a bright flavor from the lemon. These are a wonderful breakfast treat!
Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes | alidaskitchen.com

Recently, my favorite (well,…only) pancake turner met an early and unfortunate demise.  Let’s just say the combination of a very hot pan, quesadillas sticking to said pan and a non-silicone turner resulted in a slightly melted pancake turner (and a slightly not pleased Alida).  Now I am armed and dangerous with a fancy silicone pancake turner, ready to take on the world…of pancakes!

What better way to christen this handy new tool than by making ricotta pancakes.  Ricotta pancakes are delicate to flip, so they’re sure to put this new device to the test.

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes | alidaskitchen.com

Not just any ricotta pancake recipe would do, however.  It was time to liven up my go-to ricotta pancake recipe from Everyday Food.  First I swapped lemon zest for the orange zest, and whole wheat pastry flour for the all-purpose flour.  I then decided to add vanilla and blueberries to the recipe.

The result was fabulous!  We thought they were perfect without any topping, though you could add a little confectioners’ sugar or maple syrup, if desired.  While these pancakes are easy to make, the batter is quite thick, thus requiring a few extra minutes to cook and extra care when flipping. In the end, it is all worth it – trust me!
Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes | alidaskitchen.com
Whole Wheat Blueberry Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes
 
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Author:
Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 15 ounces low fat ricotta cheese
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • cooking spray
  • confectioners' sugar or maple syrup, for serving (optional)
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl. whisk together ricotta cheese, sugar, eggs, grated lemon zest and vanilla extract.
  2. Fold in flour until just combined; add blueberries, gently mixing until combined.
  3. Spray large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium-low heat. Add batter, using a scant ¼ cup for each pancake. Cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer pancakes to a paper towel-lined plate.
  4. Serve hot, with confectioners' sugar or maple syrup, if desired.
  Adapted from Everyday Food
Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes | alidaskitchen.com
Filed Under: breakfast, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , ,