Lemon Walnut Bread

This lemon bread recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book It can have subtle lemon flavour, or you can boost it by adding more lemon zest & juice. It makes 1 large loaf or 2 small loaves (16 servings.) I love to serve it with lemon zest sprinkled all over the plate, so I can get as much lemon as possible.

TIP: If you're using the juice of a lemon but not the zest in a recipe, zest it first anyhow. If you zest onto a piece of plastic wrap you can freeze it for later. Also, rolling a lemon on the counter will make sure it gives up all of its juice. :0)

Ingredients:

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  

• 1 beaten egg
• 1 cup 2% milk
  
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel (I like 3 or 4)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans/almonds) , toasted

Glaze:

• 1 tablespoon sugar (either granulated or powdered icing (confectioners) sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons lemon
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Grease 8x4x2-inch loaf pan or two 7-1/2x3-1/2x2-inch loaf pans. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together dry ingredients :

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• & 1/4 teaspoon salt

3. Make a well in dry ingredients
4. In another bowl, mix wet ingredients

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 cup 2% milk
  
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

5. Add to dry ingredients (in the well you made.) Stir until just mixed. Batter should be lumpy, otherwise it'll be tough.

6. Fold in nuts and lemon zest:

• 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel (I like more: 3 or 4)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans/almonds) , toasted

7. Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and spread evenly. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven about 50-55 minutes for 8x4x2-inch loaf and about 45 minutes for 7-1/2x3-1/2x2-inch loaves or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center(s) comes out clean. (If necessary, cover loosely with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning.)

8. The sauce: While baking the bread, in a small bowl stir together 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon sugar until sugar is dissolved. Right after the bread comes out of the oven--while still hot--spoon glaze over top(s). Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on the wire rack. Wrap in plastic wrap and store overnight before serving.

Make-Ahead Tip: Bake loaf or loaves. Glaze, then cool completely. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Or, place cooled loaves in freezer containers or bags and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Happy Baking,
:0)
Mel

Peanutbutter Oatmeal Cookies with roasted almonds

These freeze well as rolls in plastic wrap, then you can slice off rounds and bake them super quickly.

Oatmeal Peanut butter cookies
(like girl guide ones) 5star rating by 215 people online

• · 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• · 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• · 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• · 1/2 teaspoon salt
• · 1/2 cup butter, softened
• · 1/2 cup peanut butter
• · 1/2 cup white sugar
• · 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• · 1 egg
• · 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• · 1 cup quick cooking oats
• · 3 tablespoons butter, softened

FILLING: 1 cup icing sugar & 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter & 2 1/2 tbsp heavy whipping cream

BOWL 1---In a large bowl, cream together:

• · 1/2 cup butter
• · 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• · ½ cup white sugar
• · ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• · And 1 tsp vanilla.

---Add egg and beat well. BOWL 2---In another bowl, Sift & combine:

• · ¾ c flour
• · 1/2 tsp baking soda
• · 1/4 tsp baking powder
• · 1/2 teaspoon salt

Add these sifted dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir. Add 1 cup oatmeal & Stir in ½ cup almonds (chopped and toasted)

Drop by teaspoons onto greased baking sheet, and press each mound down with a fork to form 1/4 inch thick cookies. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes, or until cookies are a light brown.

(I made the ones above without filling, so I can't say how this is:)

BOWL 3--To Make Filling: Cream 3 tablespoons butter with 1 cup icing sugar, add 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, and 2 ½ tbsp heavy cream. Spread filling onto half of the cooled cookies, then top with the other half to form sandwiches.

Recipe from here

Kim's 5-minute "One Bite Brownies" with Tiramisu (easy as it gets)

Okay, for once I'm not going to complicate a recipe, but that's because I didn't invent it. LOL...my awesome friend Kim did.

Buy the "one Bite Brownies"
(of course, you could always make your own or use another type of dessert. This is also amazing between/on cookies. (Shortbread are lovely!)

This recipe makes enough for a few dozen brownies or to have the topping on brownies & plenty left for dipping fruit. It will keep for at least a week in the fridge. It has a mild cheese cake-y flavour and is even good with pretzels. (Just ask Kim's 4 year old twins!) :0)

Mix the following:

1/4 cup sour cream (lite if you prefer)
1 cup plain yogurt
2 cups lite or ultra lie Cool Whip
2 tablespoons V.E. Tiramisu Fruit Dip Mix
V.E. Mocha Beans (5/6 beans are the equivalent to one cup of coffee, so no need to worry too much about the caffeine) ;0)

The only real trick to this is to defrost your cool whip, mix well, & let it sit for 20 minutes or so in fridge (to marry the flavours.)

Enjoy!

Mel

Banana Bread (Berry Nutty optional)

This banana bread (topped with brown sugar and walnuts) is another ultra-easy baked goody that I've loved for as long as I can remember (though this is admittedly a version of it that I got from a friend who was in weight-watchers--but this is so rich that you'd never know that it was good for you!) I've also added the berries and the nuts (omit them, of course, if you dislike 'em.) It's a great way to get some fruit into kids. This also makes great muffins. (Just cook for less time--watching them and testing to see when toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.)

Enough talking, let's bake!

Dry Bowl:
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda (get out any lumps)
2 tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt

Wet Bowl:
3 RIPE bananas mashed (I put over-ripe bananas in the freezer, mash 'em & let 'em sit 'til they are room-temperature.)
1 cup mayonnaise (light)
1 tsp real vanilla (V.E.)
1 cup sugar
1 splash of milk

Optional:
1/2 cup V.E. Cherries and Berries (there are blueberries & cranberries in there too!) :0P
1/2 a cup walnuts/pecans/your fave


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a loaf pan.

2. In a good-sized bowl, mash ripe bananas; add sugar and mayo.

3. In another good-sized bowl, mix with a fork (or sift) dry ingredients (flour baking soda & baking powder, and pinch o' salt.

4. Add dry to wet in parts, add splash of milk, and mix well. Mix in the berries and cherries & the nuts if you're adding these. Save a few nuts for the top if you like.

5. Pour into prepared loaf pan & bake (in your 35o degree preheated oven) until a tooth pick stuck in the center comes out clean.

If you'd like your banana bread extra-moist, cover after it cools slightly (on a cake plate or with a tea-towel.) If it's been over-baked and is a wee bit dry--who me? overcook sumthin???--just put it in a plastic baggy.

Enjoy! :0)
Mel

My Mom's Recipe for Zucchini Bread (from "Good Housekeeping" p.429) :0)

I've been making this since I was a kid and LOVE it madly; hence the doubling of the recipe that I've written in. (I used to grow a lot of zucchini, what can I say?) This also makes snookum muffins. (Just cook for less time--watching them and testing to see when toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.)

(3) or 6 cups flour
(1 & 1/2) or 3 cups sugar
(1) or 2 cups wallnuts (optional) I like to make one with one without so people have a choice...
(4& 1/2 tsp) or 9 teaspoons baking powder
(1 tsp) or 2 tsp salt
(4) or 8 eggs
(2/3) or 1 cup & 1/3 vegetable oil
(2) or 4 cups grated zucchini
(2 tsp) or 4 tsp lemon rind (When zesting try to avoid the white part; it's bitter sans flavour.)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter (or oil) and flour (one or) two loaf pans.

2. In a medium bowl-with a fork-mix dry ingredients: flour, sugar, nuts, baking powder & salt.

3. In a medium bowl-with a fork-beat eggs slightly; stir in vegetable oil, zucchini & lemon zest.

4. Stir liquid mixture onto flour mixture just until flour is moistened; spread evenly in pans (oiled and floured or non-stick.)

5. Bake one hour (at 350 degrees.) Cool pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

Amazing Carrot Cake & Cream Cheese Icing

This is amazing, I promise. I've made it so many times and never get sick of it (just ask my butt, LOL.) My Great Grandma used to make a variation & always called it "Care-OaTs cake" in her Hungarian accent. Hers had canned pineapple which I love but am allergic to (try it if you like.)

I love using the whole spices which, if you have an old coffee maker/micro grinder, grind easily and make all the difference with this cake (real Vanilla is awesome too.) This recipe also makes delicious cupcakes (just cook for less time--watching them and testing to see when toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.)

"Care-OaTs Cake"

1/3 cup boiled water
2 cups finely shredded carrots (about 4 medium carrots)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground nutmeg (a tiny bit less of the spices if freshly ground)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup walnuts ( I LOVE em, but these are optional, of course)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter (or oil) and flour a 13x9 oblong pan

2. Pour boiling water over grated carrots. ETA: Ok, this is kinda crazy, but I was just in the middle of making this cake and found a solution to the only part that bugs me in making it: grating the carrots. If you don't have a food processor, you can use a container style grater. (Ikea has great ones.) The trick is to go in circles with the carrot. You can even do two at a time! SO much easier & super fast :0) GRIN!

3. Beat carrots and remaining ingredients (dry ingredients sifted) on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, for one minute. Beat on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally for 2 minutes. Pour into pan.

4. Bake until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean (approximately 45 minutes.)

5. Let cool and frost with cream cheese icing. (For an extra moist cake cool under a tea-towel--it traps the moisture)

Cream Cheese Icing:

8 ounce package of cream cheese
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 pound icing sugar sifted (=16 oz/2 cups)

Beat all ingredients until well-blended and velvety. Spread on cooled cake and enjoy! (It's great for breakfast, LOL.)

:0) Mel

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries, an Incredibly Simple (and tremendously popular) Dessert

I first made these for my grade eight graduation; I took a book out of the
school library and followed the simple directions. I still remember the
teachers having the kids spread all of the food out on different mixed plates.
When it was time to eat, kids were running up and down the hallway
looking for the chocolate strawberries. Let me tell ya,people still do that.
Try serving it to company; I personally guarantee success. These are SO simple,
(I just make it sound hard :0) because I'm obsessed with the details)

Here are a few little tricks...

Warm chocolate for dipping:

You can just melt the chocolate in the microwave and dip strawberries if you like
them warm. (or any other fruit. The chocolate stays liquid for a surprisingly long time)

Microwave melting:

Try a mix of dark chocolate and milk chocolate; it'sdivine. I don't usually like
dark chocolate, but I actually prefer V.E.'s dark to the milk.

Use a relatively deep small bowl for ease of dipping (stone-wear or ceramic keeps
nice and warm if you have it): 1 cup of the V.E. chocolate 'chips' takes just under
a minute. Stir every 20-30 seconds to prevent burning. (Time depends on how
powerful your microwave is.)

To make chilled strawberries:

1. Lightly butter (or margarine) a plate--(or use a tray covered in wax=paper.)
2. Chill plate in freezer for a couple of minutes.
3. Wipe strawberries thoroughly with a paper towel (don't wash in water or the chocolate will not stick well.) Leave tops on.
4. Melt chocolate (as above) and dip strawberries into it. Twirling them in the chocolate gets an even line.
5. Let excess drizzle back into bowl and set strawberries on chilled plate or wax paper tray.
6. Chill in fridge for 10-15 minutes or until desired hardness.

Decorating & other Options:

• You can drizzle more of the left-over chocolate on the hardened strawberries to make a little raised design (and/or on the plate for prettiness.) Garnish with mint if you have it...
  

• Before serving, loosen the berries from the plate by giving them a little poke with a knife (so all of the chocolate comes off the plate and into your mouth!) :-) Or just loosen off of wax paper and put on a serving plate.
  

• Alternative fruits that work great dipped (if dry enough) nectarine, raspberries on a toothpick (small but delctable)banana dipped all the way (to prevent them browning.) :-)
  

• This same process works great for dipping cookies too (or mixing into cookie recipes like chocolate chip peanutbutter...)and the chocolate makes incredible nut or V.E. berries & cherries clusters: just throw nuts/fruit in the melted chocolate and spoon out clusters onto the chilled sheet. (Perfect for holiday gifts.)
  

• It's definitely the great chocolate that makes the difference; use the finest quality you can afford. Yummmm!

• Here's the sweetest decorating option: little tuxedos

Enjoy!
:0)
Mel