From Denny: Blue food. It's pretty to look at and cooling in this summer heat. Blueberries are the very essence of summer. Did you know the silvery bloom on blueberries is a naturally protective waxy coating? Most people don't wash them until just when ready to eat. Well, that doesn't work in our house so I pour a large bowl of water, add about 2 Tablespoons of white vinegar and let the entire plastic box and blueberries soak for about 5 minutes to kill bacteria. Drain the entire box well, dry off a bit with a towel and throw back into the fridge. Usually, a reputable grocery store - and even from the farm - they give the berries a quick vinegar wash to brush off leaves and bugs.
We all like to dine on blueberries by the handfuls as snacks, toss them on to the breakfast cereal or yogurt and make breakfast muffins. Here's a new twist: how about blueberries in your homemade lemonade?
This interesting recipe (from our local newspaper food writer) combines two fruit syrups: a blueberry syrup and a lemon syrup. You only use the blueberry syrup to color the lemonade to your preference. The remaining blueberry syrup can be used on pancakes, waffles, toast or even in salad dressings. OK, you got me, this lemonade is so doggone pretty! Great idea for summer entertaining...
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From Denny: Want to learn how to make a simple Southern summer favorite that is a comfort food classic? This simple pie is a breeze and is always best with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Summer is the time when lemons are plentiful and affordable so buy a whole bag and make several pies!
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From Denny: Looks like I will be exploring and downright plundering this wonderful recipe database over at PastryWiz.com! Wonderful array of recipes over here at this extensive database.
Repeat after me:Louisiana LOVES lemon! Louisiana people LOVE lemon recipes! We even planted a lemon tree in our back yard a couple of years ago. Of course, we named "him": Lemoncello (how original)
This lower fat version of a Lemon Bundt Cake sounded really good. OK, I'll probably not go for the margarine which I find a revolting taste but at least those with special diets who adjusted their tastebuds could enjoy this recipe. I'll just use clarified butter (or ghee when I can find it on the grocery shelves).
Cooking spray: substitute your own like placing canola oil in a spray bottle to get the same "less is more" effect. Canola oil is a thinner oil than most and can be sprayed.
By using egg whites they eliminate the extra fat and calories, same with using skim milk over low fat or whole milk.
And icing, well, I'd probably use half to none at all as I've never been a huge fan of sugar icing (now chocolate ganache is another matter...).
Better yet I would prefer to serve the icing as a puddle on the side of the sliced cake so you could dip a piece of cake in it or take your fork and lightly drizzle the icing over your slice of cake.
Louisiana people LOVE their sugar icings and call them "Cream Cakes" when used like the one below.
Lemon Cream Cheese Streusel Bundt Cake Image by pirate johnny via Flickr - why couldn't they put a recipe with this yummy photo? :)Of course, this is the fattening version. That's why it looks so appealing, right?! All right, everyone, get your eyes peeled back on to the prize goal: low calorie for today! ;)
Directions: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine yogurt, corn syrup, sugar, vanilla, egg whites, lemon juice, and lemon rind and mix well. In a medium bowl, combine flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
Add a the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix well. Pour batter into pan. Bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Let cake cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pan. Remove cake from pan and cool in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before icing.
Combine icing ingredients and mix well. Pour or spread icing over cake until it's completely covered. Cool completely before serving.
Nutritional Info: Cal: 386 Fat: less than 1 gram
Following are some more lemon cake recipes to enjoy!
How many times when you had just a few leftover graham crackers languishing in the back of your pantry? What to do with them? Along comes this easy fun recipe to solve the dilemma of frugality that even has some protein in it! The torte combined with the tart ice cream will remind you of lemon meringue pie.
While for February it's too cold in most climates to eat ice cream, just keep this recipe on hand for when the weather does heat up to intolerable and cooling lemon is just wonderful to beat the heat! Right now try out the torte to see how easy it is and enjoy.
Crazy weather this year in Louisiana! Cold below freezing for days then up to pleasant in the 70's for several days and you never know what to expect. You never know when you might want to make some ice cream in February! :)
Yield: 6 – 8 servings
From: Betty Berry
Ingredients:
3 egg whites at room temperature
1 cup sugar, divided
¾ cup fine graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sweetened whipped cream, optional
Directions: Preheat oven to 300° F. Beat egg whites until stiff; gradually add ½ cup sugar.
Combine remaining sugar, graham cracker crumbs and baking powder. Add to egg whites along with pecans and vanilla. Blend lightly but well.
Pour into a buttered 8-inch pie plate. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.
Cool, slice into wedges and top with whipped cream or Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream.
Note: Torte will fall and crack in center when cool, so don’t panic!)
***
Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream
Yield: 8 (1/2 cup) servings
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
6 large lemons
1 quart low-fat organic buttermilk
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon peel zest
Directions: Place sugar in a medium-size bowl. Grate the zest of 2 – 3 lemons to produce 2 teaspoons of zest. Juice as many lemons as needed to get ½ cup lemon juice. Add zest and juice to sugar. Mix well.
Add buttermilk and salt. Stir until sugar dissolves Chill 4 hours or overnight.
Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Here in Louisiana we are big fans of the taste of lemon! We love lemon desserts, especially cakes, tarts and cookies. From a home cook in Paris, France comes this lovely easy tart. Enjoy!
Lemon Tart with Almond Crust From: Alexandra de Waresquiel, Paris, France
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients for the Crust:
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup whole almonds, toasted
1/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon (scant amount) salt
½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 Tablespoons (about) ice water
½ teaspoon almond extract
Ingredients for the Filling:
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
4 large eggs
Optional garnishes: Toasted sliced almonds
Lemon slices
Whipped cream
Directions for Crust: Blend flour, whole toasted almonds, sugar and salt in processor until almonds are finely ground. Add chilled butter and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix 3 Tablespoons ice water and ½ teaspoon almond extract in small bowl; add to processor and blend until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball and flatten into disk. Wrap disk in plastic; refrigerate 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Soften dough slightly at room temperature before continuing.) Preheat oven to 375° F. Roll out dough on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough into pan. Fold in dough overhang, pressing to adhere and forming double-thick sides. Pierce dough all over with fork. Freeze 20 minutes. Bake crust until golden brown, piercing with fork if crust bubbles, about 30 minutes. Cool crust on rack 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
Directions for Filling: Whisk lemon juice, sugar and lemon peel in medium bowl to blend. Add eggs and whisk until well blended. Pour mixture into crust. Bake tart until filling is set, about 25 minutes. Cool completely. Garnish tart with toasted almonds and lemon slices and pipe whipped cream rosettes around edges, if desired. Cut into wedges and serve.
Dennys Louisiana Lyon Oven Pancake - Vegetarian! Great for a quick supper or brunch with a minimum of fuss mixed in one bowl and baked in one pan - and this pancake is long on presentation! This is a version of the Dutch baby oven pancake. The only sugar in the recipe is if you serve it with powdered sugar. High in protein and very filling, it is about 400 calories if served to only two people - so no need to add sausage or bacon.
Summary: heat your pan in the oven before you begin mixing, melt the butter in the pan until bubbling, pour in the batter and let the beauty rise to the occasion in the oven, bake about 20 - 25 minutes. serve with lemon wedges and powdered sugar.
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