Easy Lemon Bars

I looooooove lemons!

Notice the title says easy, not quick.  LOL.  There is a lot of squeezing and zesting to be done but believe me, it is easy and definitely worth your time.  There is a yummy shortbread crust with a hint of nutmeg and a really lemony, zingy, not too sweet lemon topping.  Perfect for the spring and summer and when you are not looking for an overly heavy dessert.  This is a family favorite!

Easy Lemon Bars
adapted from Smitten Kitchen's Lemon Bar recipe

Yes, yes, I use a lime squeezer to squeeze my lemons...

Ingredients:

Shortbread crust:
2 sticks of unsalted butter (or salted, just don't add the kosher salt) at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Lemon layer:

When I can, I buy organic lemons.  No waxy exterior
which makes them perfect for zesting.

5 eggs, room temperature
1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
4 lemons, zested
Juice from the 4 lemons and water to equal 6 oz on your liquid measuring device.  (a bit over the 2/3 cup line)
2/3 cup flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 9x13 pan.

I'm sure I didn't discover this but I have never heard of anyone else doing this.
 I use the butter wrapper to grease my pan a lot of the
time.  There is usually just enough left over on the wrapper.  Why waste???

In mixer, combine the butter and sugar and nutmeg.  Cream until light and fluffy.

Add in the flour and salt and mix until combined.  Do not overmix.

Add to greased pan and push together and up sides to form your crust.  

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until LIGHTLY browned.

While the shortbread crust is cooking, make filling.  Zest the lemons over a medium mixing bowl.

Add eggs and sugar and whisk together.  Add the juice from lemons and water mixture to the bowl.  Whisk to combine.  Add the flour and continue to mix until incorporated.

Once the crust is ready, take out of oven, top with lemon mixture and throw back in the oven for about 25 minutes.  The lemon layer should be a slightly jiggly in the middle.  

Ready for the oven

All done!!!

Let cool completely and cut with a sharp serrated knife.

Enjoy!

American-Irish Soda Bread

So.  Simple.  So. Good.

So not your typical dry and crumbly soda bread.  Although I do enjoy that kind, this recipe makes a more moist yet still dense bread. Great for standing up to that yummy salty butter.  Good Lord, I could eat this entire thing.

American Irish Soda Bread
Recipe from King Arthur Flour (slighty adapted)

Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
heaping 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup raisins (if they are huge raisins, I chop mine up a bit)
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons melted butter

1 tablespoon milk to top loaf prior to baking

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan, or as I used, a 9 inch springform or cake pan. (I have a thing for round soda bread. lol)

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Whisk in the sugar and raisins.







Whisk the egg into the buttermilk.

Buttermilk and egg mixture

Fold buttermilk mixture into flour mixture and then add melted butter and stir until just combined.

All mixed and ready to go

Butter on its way to melty goodness

Spoon into your pan of choice and lightly drizzle the milk on top (you could also brush it on for more control)

Drizzle of milk adds a shine when baked.

I baked mine for 45 minutes, which was perfect for my pan.  If you decide on the loaf pan, it will take longer.  Probably 50 to 55 minutes.  It is ready when it is nicely browned and you can tap the middle and it doesn't give too much.

Smells like home.  =)

Mandarin Orange Olive Oil Pound Cake

Freshly made whipped cream would make this perfect....
Too bad I only had the canned stuff.  Next time I will be prepared.  =) 

I bought one of those boxes of what I thought was clementines from Whole Foods last night.  I didn't read.  They ended up being mandarin oranges.  I do love eating a mandarin just as much as a clementine but remembered that I had baked with them before and loved the flavor they added to the citrus cupcakes with mandarin frosting that I had made (I MUST post that recipe when I make them again).  This time I decided on a pound cake.

Mandarin Orange Olive Oil Pound Cake
Loosely adapted from a lemon cake recipe found on the blog Cookies on Friday

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
5 eggs
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups olive oil
Zest of 4 mandarin oranges
Juice from same (add water until equal to 1 cup liquid)

Directions:

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two 9x5 loaf pans.
Sift together flour, baking powder, nutmeg and cloves.  Stir in kosher salt afterwards (it won't fit through the sifter).  Set aside. 

Add eggs to mixer and mix for one minute on medium speed.  Add sugar with mixer on medium speed and allow to mix until frothy and light yellow (about 1 to 2 minutes).

Alternate adding in flour and olive oil, beginning and ending with the flour.  Add in zest, juice and water and mix until combined.

Pour into two 9x5 loaf pans.  Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. KEEP AN EYE on it.  I think I let mine cook about 5 minutes too long.  Still tasted awesome but made for a crunchy crust (of which my husband and son love).  Serve with strawberries and whipped cream.  Or toast in a pan with lots of butter.  Or cover with a citrus simple syrup.  There are many possibilities for this one.  Keep it simple or make it fancy.    

Farfalle with Broccoli Rabe Pesto and Sausage

EAT ME!  

I could eat this for days...
I'm not sure how much my husband would appreciate the garlic smell for more than one night but this is so addicting.  Really easy and pretty quick to make.

Ingredients:

I large bunch broccoli rabe
3-5 cloves of garlic (feel free to add one or two if you don't absolutely looooove garlic)
1/4 cup walnuts or pine nuts  (if there is a nut allergy, you can cut out then nuts but will have to add some
more olive oil to make up for the missing fat)
1/4 to 1/2 cup parmesan (taste as you go, as I always say)
1-3 teaspoons kosher salt
fresh cracked black pepper to taste
olive oil, enough to drizzle in food processor until your preferred texture is reached.  Mine took about 2 tablespoons
1 box farfalle (any pasta will do)
8 sausage, mix of hot and sweet is my favorite
Extra parmesan for the top

Directions:

Take a large pasta pot and boil water, add a healthy pinch of kosher salt.  While the water is getting hot, cut up your sausage and begin to brown in another pan.  Once browned add to a 325 degree oven to cook through.

On its way to browning

After rinsing broccoli rabe, chop off about 2 inches of the stem.  Add to boiling water and allow to cook for about two minutes.  Remove and rinse with cold water.  Drain.  Set aside.

In your food processor, add walnuts, cheese and garlic.  Pulse until sandy.

Add broccoli rabe to food processor and pulse until everything is combines and uniform.  I would taste it now to see how much salt you would like to add.  Add salt and pepper.  Drizzle in olive oil while machine is running until preferred texture is reached.  I like mine a little thick so I can use it as a spread as well as for my pasta.  (This makes a lot so you can refrigerate or freeze for another day).

This was so quick and easy I forgot to take a picture once it was all combined...
silly me!

In the same pot you made your broccoli rabe, add the pasta.  Cook until al dente.  Once ready, add to another bowl and mix with however much pesto you desire.  I like a lot, my hubby a little less.  Top with your sausage that has been waiting patiently in the oven and shred some fresh parm on the top.  Ready to be devoured.