Strawberry Lemonade Bars

Strawberries are in season down in our neighboring state and they have been absolutely perfect and delicious the past couple weeks. We had some friends over for dinner and I decided a dessert with some sort of strawberry twist would be appropriate. I had 6 lemons that looked like they wouldn't last much longer, so I decided on these bars. They are a combination of a classic lemon bar with the added flavor of pureed strawberries.

My kids and our guests really liked these bars. I tried a small slice and thought they were very good. Not too sweet, lemony and the perfect way to end fun dinner.

Here is the recipe for Strawberry Lemonade Bars

Spinach (Swiss Chard), Pasta, and Pea Soup

Besides eggplant, I've still got swiss chard growing in my garden out back. It just keeps growing back and I am happy about that. I love being able to go out and cut my swiss chard when I need some for a recipe.

I found this soup in a recent issue of Cooking Light and since it was a "superfast" meal, I knew it would be perfect to make on a night when my son has Cub Scouts. I added some green pepper (also from the garden) and used swiss chard instead of spinach. Quick and Easy!


Here is the recipe for Spinach, Pasta, and Pea Soup

Lemon Chicken Soup & Pea Pesto Crostini

Every once in a while I will watch a cooking show and one of my children with beg me to make the dishes that are being showcased. Or, one of them will say, "I bet you can't make that!"

I don't remember if this meal fell into either of those categories, but I do remember seeing this meal being made and really wanting to try the cake that went along with it. I didn't end up making the cake (mostly because we don't eat dessert every day, so I don't let myself bake everyday), but the rest of the meal came together quickly. I used some chicken that I had poached myself a few days earlier and also used celery and peas, since I was out of carrots. I used whole wheat thin spaghetti for the noodles and my kids really liked this dinner. Nothing too spectacular, but an easy, quick meal that was simple enough to prepare using things that I had on hand.

Here is the recipe for Lemon Chicken Soup with Spaghetti
* I kinda did my own thing with this recipe just because it was so basic I didn't really feel like I needed directions
* I used celery and peas instead of carrots (simply because I ran out of carrots)
* I used poached chicken that I had cooked myself

Here is the recipe for Pea Pesto Crostini
* I used a little less olive oil than called for

Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake

My husband said that this should not have "cheesecake" in the recipe title, simply because it is not a typical dessert cheesecake. He also thinks that bread pudding needs to be renamed. I can't really change the name since I didn't create this recipe, but please note that this is indeed, a savory dish.

My sister and brother came to visit almost 2 weeks ago and so, I realized that their visit was a good chance to make a few things that might be better appreciated by adults. I still had tons of zucchini coming out of the garden and I thought this looked like a great way to use some of it (I used yellow squash too).

This is an interesting dish. It is hard to explain. The texture is not exactly smooth, but it isn't weird. The flavor is mostly ricotta, but the lemon zest really shines through. The dill is also really present and noticeable. A couple of us really liked this one and I am finding more and more recipes that I really want to try from this blog.

Here is the recipe for Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake from 101 Cookbooks
* I used skim ricotta
* I didn't drizzle mine with olive oil
* I used feta cheese to top mine

Spicy Chard Soup

Do you dye eggs for Easter?
We do and this year, we might have gone a little overboard. Lots of lots of hard-boiled eggs.

The good thing is that we love to eat hard-boiled eggs around here. Well, at least the white part of the hard-boiled egg. My kids don't like the yolk and I only like a little bit of the yolk with my white and it has to be cooked perfectly. No green ring around the yolk and no dark yellow, crusty, not cooked all the way yolk. They must be perfectly creamy and dreamy light yellow.
I don't always get them just perfect, the way I want them, but this time I did have some success.

We always make these Egg Salad Sandwich faces with some of the eggs and eat them for snacks, but I wanted to do something else this year. Something new.

When I saw this recipe for Spicy Chard Soup in a recent issue of Food Network Magazine, I thought it would be the perfect way to use some of those extra hard-boiled eggs. I have never seen a hard-boiled egg in soup before, so I was intrigued. Plus, it contains swiss chard- my favorite food.
The soup was easy to make. Not too many ingredients, but yet the results were really fabulous.

What is your favorite way to use hard-boiled eggs?

Here is the recipe for Spicy Chard Soup from Food Network Magazine
* I used less olive oil than called for and didn't drizzle the soup with olive oil at the end
* I didn't have caraway seeds, so I just skipped them
*I didn't have cumin seeds, so I just used ground cumin
* I didn't add the hot sauce to the entire pot of soup. I put the hot sauce on the table and the adults added it to their own bowls. My son even got brave and added a couple drops to his soup.

TWD-Lemon Poppyseed Mini Muffins

I'm halfway through my month without butter and we are doing great. I haven't used it yet, although there have been a few times that I really wanted to!
I knew these Lemon Poppyseed Muffins Betsy picked for Tuesday's with Dorie today would be an easy recipe to modify and they turned out really yummy. You can go get the original recipe at A Cup of Sweetness where Betsy has it posted.

I used white wheat flour, nonfat Greek yogurt, low-fat buttermilk, and a little canola oil to keep these muffins nice and moist. I only made 1/2 of the recipe since I was making mini muffins and I got 24 of them.

These muffins were really good. Nice and lemon-y. Definitely a success. I love mini muffins because they are just the right size for a 2-bite snack.

Go see the other muffins and variations at TWD!

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan
makes 24 mini muffins

1/3 cup sugar
grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup white wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup +1 Tablespoon nonfat greek yogurt
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 1/2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 Tablespoon poppy seeds

Icing
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1-2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat to 400 F. Spray your muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray or line the cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of lemon strong. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the nonfat greek yogurt, buttermilk, canola oil, lemon juice and vanilla extract together until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to combine. Do not overmix the batter - a few lumps are ok. Stir in the poppy seeds. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for 9 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes before removing the muffins and let them cool completely on the rack before icing.

To Make the Icing: Put the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl and add about 1 Tablespoon of the lemon juice. Stir with a spoon to moisten the sugar, then add enough additional lemon juice, a dribble at a time, to get an icing that is thin enough to drizzle from the tip of the spoon. Drizzle lines of icing over the tops of the muffins.

Lemon-Raspberry Muffins

Muffins are one of my favorite breakfast treats. I like that they aren't overly sweet.
They are quick and can be healthy. Fruit is easy to include in them and they are just simple.

I had some extra raspberries in the fridge leftover from some other adventure that looked like they wanted to be included in a muffin. I searched online for a recipe and found one that looked good over at Eating Well.
I liked that it used buttermilk and not too much sugar.

The lemon flavor really played well with the raspberries in these muffins and the texture was perfect.


Recipe for Lemon-Raspberry Muffins
* My muffins were done in about 17 minutes- tops were golden and a toothpick came out clean
* I used olive oil

TWD-Lemon-Drenched Mini Cakes

This Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was chosen by Wendy of Pink Stripes. You can find the recipe on her blog, along with lots of other delicious recipes. I have made multiple recipes from Wendy's blog and love it.

I made these when I was taking dinner to someone who had just had a baby.

I completely omitted the rum from the cake and the syrup. I added 1/2 tsp of lemon extract to the syrup and the cakes.
I made 1/2 of the recipe, which made 6 mini bundts, and they were done baking in about 19 minutes.

I got to taste a crumb of this cake because my kids got to the mini bundt I left for us to try before I could get a real bite.
They loved it.

I loved how easy it was to make. Definitely one that you could throw together at the last minute.

Check out who else loved this recipe by visiting the TWD Bakers!

Gingery Lavender Shortbread

A couple of weeks ago when we went door to door, up and down our street to collect food for the food bank, we met our across the street neighbor for the first time.
She happens to be an older woman who lives all alone. Her husband passed away quite a few years ago and she has no children. We stayed and talked to her for a while.
The next day my 5 year old was begging to go across the street to talk to her again.
The next day- same story. and the next day and the next day.

So, we decided to make her a treat and go drop in to say hi and see how she was getting along.

I am growing lavender and had successfully dried some, so I was anxious to use it in a recipe.
I found this shortbread recipe in a book I have on the shelf and made a few tweaks to it. I added lemon zest and a little bit of salt and topped the shortbread off with some purple sugar.

We had to taste test it before we took it over (of course), and then we tied some ribbon around it and headed off across the street.

The kids were happy because we made someone else smile and because we were able to have a sweet treat. We had some shortbread leftover so I shared with some other friends. I thought the lavender flavor was faint, but one taster said it was definitely noticeable.

Gingery Lavender Shortbread- adapted from BH&G the ultimate cookie book

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon dried lavender blossoms
• 1 cup butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• zest of 1 lemon
  

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. In bowl, combine flour, sugar, crystallized ginger, lavender, and ground ginger.
4. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling.
5. Form mixture into a ball; knead until smooth (dough may be crumbly at first but will come together as you work it with your hands).
6. Roll or pat dough onto prepared cookie sheet in 11” x 6” rectangle.
7. With large knife, carefully halve rectangle lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 16 slices.
8. Do not separate slices.
9. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until edges are light brown and center is set.
10. Re-cut the rectangle and separate the slices while warm.
11. If desired, sprinkle with additional sugar.
12. Cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes.
13. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
14. To Store: Place cookies in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container.
15. Store at room temperature for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Salmon, Asparagus, and Orzo Salad with Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette

This was a dinner that I saw on myrecipes a couple of weeks ago and when I saw the source, Cooking Light- Fresh Food Fast, I realized it was a cookbook that I had on the shelf.
I don't remember this recipe sticking out to me when I was flipping through the book, but that day when I saw the recipe on the computer screen, it looked really good.

My family loves asparagus and salmon and my husband also recently confessed that he really likes orzo, so I knew this was going to be a successful dinner experience for all of us.

Everyone loved it, especially my husband- he asked for seconds and even had the leftovers in his lunch, so it will be put on the "make again" list.

I left out the red onion, since I don't love raw red onion in these types of dishes and added a 6 oz bag of baby spinach that I wilted.

This was exactly what the cookbook claimed- fresh and fast, not to mention very delicious.

Recipe for Salmon, Asparagus, and Orzo Salad with Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette
* I added 6 oz of wilted baby spinach

Recipe for Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette

Lemony Lentil Soup with Greens

When my parents and siblings were here visiting from Utah, we all went to the Georgia Aquarium one day. My sister and her family were also down here, visiting from Washington, D.C., so it was quite a bunch of us checking out all the aquatic life.
It was really fun, but after a long day in Atlanta, we came home and were all a little tired.
I had planned on making this soup when my family was visiting anyway, so this night seemed like the perfect night to make a easy soup that would be ready fairly quickly.

I found green lentils at Earthfare,
(which is where I get all my bulk items like quinoa, lentils, steel-cut oats, bulgur, millet, couscous, specialty flours, dried fruits, nuts, nut butters and also some of my dairy and produce) so, I decided to use them in this soup since that is what Ellie calls for.

We all thought that green lentils tasted about the same as brown lentils, but they held their shape better, which gave them a little bit better texture.
I didn't have enough chicken broth in my pantry, so we also used about 6 cups of water, but it worked out fine. I also added the zest of an entire lemon since I believe that more zest is always a good thing. We probably used more kale than called for too. We just kept on tearing it up and dumping it in the pot without measuring it.

The fresh lemon juice and lemon zest really brightened up this soup and added a little extra something to it.

This soup was the perfect way to finish a long day. We had Kale Chips and Cheese Toast on the side.

Lemony Lentil Soup with Greens from So Easy by Ellie Krieger
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
16 ounces green lentils
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups kale leaves, chopped
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the carrot, celery and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are softened, about 5 minutes. Add 12 cups of broth, lentils, basil, thyme and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add the kale (spinach) and cook until lentils are tender, 30 to 35 minutes, adding more broth if necessary. Stir in the lemon juice and zest, and serve.

TWD-Lemon-Ginger and Lime versions of Coconut Tea Cake

This week's TWD recipe, Coconut Tea Cake, was chosen by Carmen who blogs over at Carmen Cooks. You can find the recipe on her blog. Or you can go to one of the links I have from when I made this recipe previously.
I have made this recipe twice before; I made mini lime bundt cakes and a regular sized Lemon-Ginger Bundt, both times because I had leftover coconut milk that I needed to use.
Basically, Dorie's book is the first thing I turn to if I need to bake something or if I have leftover ingredients that could be used for baking.

Both times I made this cake it was delicious. Both times I made a simple glaze.
It was a hit both times.

Check out the TWD Blogroll to see what other variations people made of this cake!

Today is my younger brother's 18th birthday and I am so thrilled that he is here with me to celebrate! I am going to bake him an awesome cake and we are going to have a fun day~ Happy Birthday Andrew!!!!

Tropical Fruit Salad with Mint and Spices

Who is excited for Spring? Raise your hand and shout!
I can't wait for spring to officially be here. If you know me at all, you know that I am not a fan of cold weather or snow. I love sunshine. I would rather be hot than cold. Sweat doesn't bother me at all. Chills and brrrrr- I am not a fan.
This recipe made me feel tropical. And since spring is soo close (2 days away), I decided it wouldn't be too horrible if I posted this recipe with all these delicious fruits.

The picture for this recipe in the New Mayo Clinic Cookbook just really made me want to make this fruit salad immediately. The little flecks of vanilla bean and all the bright colors of the fruits- It looked absolutely heavenly.
I noticed mangoes, papaya, raspberries, and kiwis at the grocery store and they were not too expensive, so I bought them. Throw in some canteloupe and banana and you are good to go.

My girls helped me cut up the fruit, make the divine syrup, and stir everything together. They are such good helpers.

The syrup that goes over the fruit calls for honey, lemon juice, orange juice, cinnamon, ginger, a vanilla bean and coriander. What? coriander? That was my original thought when I saw coriander on the ingredient list, but I was brave and I added it and it really added a little extra something to the syrup. The syrup reminded me of mulling cider when it was bubbling away on the stove. I loved that it wasn't overly sweet, but very full of flavor. It was warm(not temperature, but ya know?) and soothing, yet cool and refreshing all at once.

It was unbelievable with the fruit and mint. I never would have thought to combine all these fruits, flavors and spices. It was amazing.

The recipe said that the syrup was really great over pancakes. I was really hoping we could try it that way. But it just disappeared too fast.

Recipe for Tropical Fruit Salad with Mint and Spices

Greek Meatballs and Greek Roasted Vegetables

I first made this meal last summer. I had clipped the recipe for the roasted vegetables out of Family Circle Magazine and decided to make meatballs to round out the meal.
I had some ground turkey and I just added ingredients that I thought would make a tasty meatball and hoped for the best.

They turned out great and everyone was very excited about this dinner. I quickly wrote down the estimates of what I used for the meatballs, so I could make them again because I didn't take a picture of them that first time we ate them.

I don't like repeating recipes over and over again, because I like to try new things all the time, but I knew that I wanted to make this particular meal again sometime.
I recently made the meatballs and roasted vegetables again, this time using ground turkey breast for the meatballs and the results were great.

The key to keeping the meatballs moist is browning them first in a little bit of oil, then adding liquid- I prefer chicken broth- and then covering them, to let them cook completely.

I really love the combination of eggplant, green pepper, and red potatoes, that the recipe uses in the roasted vegetables. Chickpeas are added to these veggies, near the end of the roasting time and really enhance the whole dish. Top it off with fresh lemon juice, fresh herbs and a little feta, and you have got a real winner.

Both times that I have made this meal, I have prepared the veggies first, and started roasting them, then made the meatballs while the veggies are in the oven. That way everything is ready at about the same time.


Greek Meatballs by Mary Ann
20 oz ground turkey, 93% lean or ground turkey breast
1 egg
2-3 oz feta cheese crumbles, flavored with basil and tomato
1 1/2 Tbls chopped fresh oregano
3 Tbls chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
garlic powder
salt
black pepper
2 Tbls skim milk

Mix all meatball ingredients with a fork.
Form meat mixture into balls about the size of golf balls.
Heat 1 Tbls olive oil in a saute pan over med-high heat. Add 1/2 of the meatballs and brown on all sides. Add 1/3 cup chicken broth or water. cover with a lid and cook until meat is no longer pink in the middle, about 6-8 minutes.
Repeat with remaining meatballs.

Greek-style Roasted Vegetables adapted from Family Circle magazine

• 1 pound small red potatoes, quartered
• 2 small eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch half-moons
• 1 medium-size sweet onion, sliced
• 1 medium-size green bell pepper, sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lemon
• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
• 1 tablespoon chopped mint
• 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425 degree F. In a large roasting pan, toss together the potatoes, eggplants, onion, green pepper, 1-2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the garlic salt and pepper. Peel off the lemon zest with a peeler and add to mixture. Reserve lemon. Roast vegetables at 425 degree F for 30 minutes, stirring twice.

2. Add chickpeas and roast an additional 15 minutes.

3. Stir in juice from lemon, oregano and mint. Top with feta crumbles.

Lemon-Garlic Shrimp

What a busy morning! Do you ever just feel like you are running around and before you know it, it is lunchtime?

Anyway- on to today's food- Shrimp.

I have mentioned before how much my kids and husband love shrimp and fish. We finally got around to trying crawfish (that is a for another day) and when we were at the seafood counter, my kids were pointing out the things they want to try next- scallops, clams, mussels and the tiny salad shrimp.
I am glad that they are so adventurous.
I had some shrimp left in the freezer and we were going to have a busy night, so I marinated the shrimp for a little bit and cooked it up right before we got in the car to go somewhere.
I gave everyone a plastic container filled with these shrimp and some steamed asparagus. Everyone also got a fork and we were off.

This recipe originally calls for the shrimp to be soaked in a salt/sugar mixture and then rinsed, skewered and grilled.
I skipped the salt soak and marinated my shrimp in the lemon-mixture for about an hour. Then I just cooked my shrimp in a little bit of olive oil, in a saute pan. They were ready in a matter of minutes. Nothing complicated or strange here.
Easy flavors and easy preparation.
My family loved it.



Recipe for Lemon-Garlic Shrimp

One Year Ago-Slider Caesar Salad and Veggie Manicotti

White Bean and Arugula Pasta Salad

Do you ever get tired of the same old pasta salad type dish? I know I do.

I made this in the heat of the summer. I didn't want to turn on the oven, I wanted something that would be ready in a matter of minutes, and I wanted it to taste good.

I saw this recipe in the August issue of Southern Living Magazine. I was at the library with my kids and was thumbing through it- the picture just looked really good, and besides, sometimes you just want a dinner or dish that is easy-peasy.

This is a variation of the recipe, that was provided- which added a couple of cans of tuna, in my mind turning it into an acceptable main dish.
I had most of the items on hand, which was another plus.

The original recipe called for sun-dried tomatoes, but I didn't have any, and my husband thinks tomatoes are poisonous, so I decided I preferred that he live, so I just chopped a red bell pepper and called it good.

I usually only use whole wheat pasta, but when we were unpacking our food boxes that we brought from Utah, I found a box of the cute mini bowties, so I used those.

I love the arugula in this, which adds a nice little peppery bite, but you could also use spinach. The feta could also easily be swapped out and you could use chickpeas instead of white beans.

I couldn't remember the exact name of the recipe when I did my picture, but when I found the recipe later at myrecipes.com, I realized that I messed up the name a little bit. Oh well, you can call it whatever you want. All I know is that it was easy, tasty, and left us feeling quite satisfied.

Recipe for Pasta with White Beans and Arugula

One Year Ago- Tilapia Fish Sticks, Millet Pilaf, and Kale Chips

The Cake Slice-Marbled Lemon Blueberry Butter Cake

Wow- it feels like it has been forever since I actually baked something and posted about it! We are finally in our house and have internet service. Who knew it would take so long?

I am a day late posting for The Cake Slice. This month's cake was Marbled Lemon Blueberry Butter Cake. I made this in DC, when we were up visiting my sister for the 4th. My little nephew was so entraced with the cake layers and swirls, he couldn't stop praising my work.
My sister thought she had 3 cake pans that were the same size, but after searching for awhile, I decided to make this cake in 2 8-inch pans and a springform pan. Then I just cut the layers down to the same size.
The blueberry preserves in the middle and swirled in the layers were delicious. The recipe says to strain out the peels of the berries, but I didn't, because I like that part and preserves to me are supposed to be a bit chunky and full of pieces of fruit.

I also used Dorie's cream cheese frosting to frost this cake instead of the frosting called for. Dorie's frosting has a great lemon flavor. We had big plans on the 4th and I didn't want to be in the kitchen all day.

This cake was a big hit. Everybody loved the flavors and it felt very summery. We made trifles with the cake scraps that we trimmed off. Check out what everyone else thought about this cake by looking at The Cake Slice Bakers!


Marbled Lemon Blueberry Butter Cake from Sky High by Alisa Huntsman and Peter Wynne
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1½ tsp lemon extract
7 egg whites
3 cups cake flour
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1¼ cups milk
Fresh blueberries, for decoration

Lemon blueberry preserves (below)
Lemon buttercream frosting (below)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of three 8 inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.
In a mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, lemon zest and lemon extract until light and fluffy. Gradually add the egg whites 2 or 3 at a time, beating well between additions and stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, whisk gently to blend. In 2 or 3 alternating additions, beat the dry ingredients and milk into the butter mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl several times. Beat on medium-high speed for about 1 minute to smooth out any lumps and aerate the batter.
Scoop 1 cup of the batter into a small bowl. Divide the remaining equally among the 3 prepared pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula. This gives you a smooth surface to work with. Add 2½ tbsp of the lemon blueberry preserves to the reserved batter and blend well. Drizzle heaping teaspoons of this blueberry mixture over the batter in the pans. Use a skewer to swirl the blueberry mixture in short strokes to drag it down through the lemon batter without mixing it in.
Bake for about 25 minutes or until a cake tester or skewer stuck in the centre comes out clean and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Lat the layers cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack, peeling off the paper and leaving to cool completely.

Lemon Blueberry Preserves
3 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
¾ cup sugar
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ tsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Puree the blueberries with any juices that have exuded in a blender. Pass the puree through a coarse strainer to remove the skins.
In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the blueberry puree with the sugar, lemon juice, zest and ginger. Bring to a gentle boil over a medium heat, stirring often for 20 minutes, or until the preserves have thickened and are reduced to 1 cup. To check the proper thickness place a small amount of a saucer and put in the freezer until cold. Drag your finger through it. If a clear path is made through the preserve then it is ready. Let the preserves cool before using. (Can be made up to 5 days in advance).

Lemon Buttercream Frosting
1 cup sugar
¼ cup water
2 eggs
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue to boil without stirring, occasionally washing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush until the syrup reaches the soft-ball stage, 238 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Immediately remove from the heat.
In a large mixer bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beast the eggs briefly. Slowly add the hot syrup in a thin stream, pouring it down the sides of the bowl; be careful to avoid hitting the beaters or the syrup may splatter. When all the syrup has been added, raise the speed to medium,-high and beat until the mixture is very fluffy and cooled to body temperature. This can take 15-20 minutes.
Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and gradually add the softened butter 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time, beating well between additions. As you’re adding the last few tablespoons of butter, the frosting will appear to break, then suddenly come together like whipped butter. Beat in the lemon juice, and the frosting is ready to use.

To Assemble
To assemble the cake, place a layer, flat side up, on a cake stand. Spread half of the lemon blueberry preserves over the top. Place a second layer on top of the first and spread the remaining preserves over it. Finally place the third layer on top and frost the top and sides with the lemon buttercream.
Decorate with fresh blueberries and serve.
Makes one 8 inch triple layered cake.

Coming on Thursday- My pick for Craving Ellie in My Belly!

Chicken Giardino

The Olive Garden used to be one of my favorite places to eat.
I always ordered the same exact dish( which I never do at any restaurant because I like trying new things)- Chicken Giardino. I liked this pasta dish because it was overflowing with vegetables, had a light, lemony sauce, and it was considered a "light" dish on their menu.
Then we went to visit my sister and brother-in-law in Boston. They took us to eat at Maggiano's.
I am sorry to say that there was no comparison. The Olive Garden just didn't do anything for me anymore.
And to make matters worse, they took my favorite dish off the menu!!!
I have tried a couple of other things there and they have all been sub-par.
But that isn't the point.
The point is that I saw the official recipe for Chicken Giardino on The Hungry Housewife.
I had never thought to check The Olive Garden's website for the recipe, but she did. And she made Chicken Giardino and loved it.
I was curious to see if I could recreate this yummy dish at home, so I did.
And it was delicious.
If they brought my beloved Chicken Giardino back to the menu, The Olive Garden might just see me again. But maybe not, because now I know that I can make it myself.

CHICKEN GIARDINO

(Olive Garden)
Ingredients
Sauce: ****I made double batch of this sauce****
1 Tbsp butter
¼ tsp dry thyme
½ tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic pepper
1 Tbsp cornstarch
¼ cup chicken broth
¼ cup water
¼ cup white wine
1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Chicken:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced width-wise into ½” strips
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small rosemary sprigs
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Juice of ½ lemon
Vegetables:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ bunch fresh asparagus (remove bottom inch of stem; cut remainder into 1” pieces)
1 zucchini, julienne cut
1 yellow summer squash, julienne cut
2 roma tomatoes, cut into ½” pieces
½ red bell pepper, julienne cut
1 cup broccoli florets, blanched
½ cup frozen peas
1 cup spinach, cut into ½” pieces
½ cup carrots, julienne cut
1 lb farfalle pasta (bow ties), cooked according to package directions

Sauce Preparation:
MELT butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in thyme, garlic pepper and rosemary. Whisk to thoroughly blend and cook for 1 minute.
COMBINE chicken broth, water, wine, milk, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Add cornstarch and whisk until cornstarch has dissolved and there are no lumps.
ADD liquid mixture to sauce pan. Whisk all ingredients together and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then remove from heat.
Chicken & Vegetables Preparation:
COMBINE all chicken ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend well.
MARINATE for 30 minutes.
HEAT a saute pan over medium high heat. Add ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil.
SAUTE chicken strips until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
ADD all vegetables and sauté until cooked through.
ADD cooked, drained pasta and sauce to sauté pan. Stir until pasta is thoroughly coated with sauce.
TRANSFER to a serving platter and garnish with chopped parsley

Coming for the weekend- S'mores!

Herbed Turkey Strips with Roasted Peppers and Beans

This is a dinner that I made a couple of months ago.
I am nearing the end of the recipes I have left in my drafts and this is one meal that was simple and delicious, but somehow just kept getting pushed out of the way.
I mean, why post dinner when you can talk about dessert, right? I am kidding of course, but sometimes cakes and cookies are more fun to look at.

I don't remember exactly where I found this recipe, it was either Southern Living or Cooking Light. It was fast and easy.
I liked the fact that this used turkey, which is lean and healthy, instead of chicken. A little variety in the protein area of our meal. I like variety.
I served this meal over sauteed kale and we really liked it.
That I do remember.

Herbed Turkey Strips With Roasted Peppers and Beans

Prep: 20 min., Chill: 30 min., Cook: 15 min.
Be sure to grate the lemon rind before squeezing the juice needed for the recipe. Use the entire 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in the marinade if you like a tangier flavor.
1 (3-pound) boneless, skinless turkey breast, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 (19-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (7-ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped
2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Pierce turkey slices evenly with a fork.
Stir together Italian seasoning, 1/2 tablespoon oil, lemon juice, and next 3 ingredients. Coat turkey slices with oil mixture. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
Cook turkey slices, in batches, in remaining 1 tablespoon hot oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove turkey from skillet, cover, and keep warm. Add beans and peppers to skillet; cook over medium heat until thoroughly heated, stirring gently.
Cut turkey slices crosswise into 1/2-inch strips. Arrange on a serving platter. Top with bean mixture. Combine pine nuts, grated lemon rind, and parsley. Sprinkle over beans. Serve immediately.

Coming Next-Napa Noodles