Two Cobblers That are Lip-Smacking Good and Lightened Up!

 

Tis' the essence of summer...

 

Cobbler!

 

RASPBERRY WALNUT LINZER BARS

Classic linzer cookies are a real delight, but this easier rendition has all the basic elements in a pan that you can bake, cut into bars and serve! 

A cookie winner for sure, so tasty delicious!

This is an adaptation of Claudia’s Linzer Bars over at What’s Cookin’ Italian Style Cuisine.  She used pistachios, I had a plethora of walnuts on hand and incorporated them.  

Fresh Peach Cobbler

Ripe juicy peaches with spicy cinnamon and a 

buttery cobbler crust,
baked until golden brown and delicious ~
who doesn’t like a sweet treat now and then...

Here, we all like fresh peaches and I was happy to see ripe white peaches at the farmers’ market the other day.  

I'm Back with this Perfect Pineapple Butter Cake

 

Ok, so I know I said I was done with my blog, but evidently it was something I truly looked forward to doing, and apparently just needed a little break from it to recharge ~   after doing it for almost 9 years ~ I missed the whole process.  In other words, I missed being a part of the community. 

I thought about you all more than once, and wondered what great travel adventure or tip I missed.  And, what if I missed your fabulous recipe…

Baked Salmon with Robust Creamy Blue Cheese Sauce

Salmon fishing in Oregon

Kind of funny, Bubba (the seafood lover) reminds me now and then of how, when he and Matt were growing up, I used to never like fish or any seafood except for tuna and salmon, the 2 he didn't like at all back then and still doesn't.  And of course those were the only ones I served back then, pleasing Matt.

These days, I like fish and some seafood, serving it most weeks here, with Bill tolerating salmon.
 
That's when I pep up salmon for Bill and I at dinner time, turning to this piquant sauce uniting blue cheese, cucumber and dill for the salmon.  It's a perfect combo!

There's nothing bland about this little sauce which you can whip up in no time.  In my book, piquant blue cheese always puts pizzazz in a dish!

As salmon is readily available, versatile and simply delicious, the quick prep time of this recipe and its short list of ingredients, makes it an even better dish ~ perfect for a weeknight meal or company too!

Cook this for your dinner tonight:  salmon, with a zesty sauce; a little green salad, and broccoli, maybe a glass of bubbly, and Voila!  You have yourself a great tasty dinner!

By the way, the sauce makes a great salad dressing for a wedge of iceberg lettuce.  

It will make you wonder why you ever ate kale salad, for sure!

Yield: 2-3 servingsAuthor: Pam

Baked Salmon with Creamy Blue Cheese, Cucumber and Dill Sauce

This piquant sauce will jazz up your salmon deliciously!

INGREDIENTS:

For the salmon:

• 1-1/2 pounds slab of salmon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the blue cheese, cucumber and dill sauce:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (light, if desired)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (light, if desired)
• 1/2 cup English cucumber, diced
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
• Dash of salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Place salmon on baking sheet, skin side down and brush with oil, season with salt and pepper.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, depending on thickness, and until fish flakes easily with a fork.
4. Meanwhile:
5. Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
   Makes 1-1/2 cups

Enjoy!

Zesty Grilled Salmon w/Citrus-Dill Butter

Grilling salmon is as easy as pie.

By following this recipe, and implementing the no-flip technique with your skin-on salmon, you’ll have a delicious fillet, perfectly cooked every time...

Begin with placing the salmon on a grill pan, like we do, or directly on the grill grates, after being coated with cooking spray. 

Proceed by generously slathering the salmon with the flavored butter, and cooking the fish, without flipping it, until desired degree of doneness. 

Lastly, quarter a large lemon, and grill the wedges alongside the salmon, for the perfect garnish for this fish.

Here’s a little salmon trivia:

• Salmon are popular in mythology.
• There are approximately 21,500 people in the U.S listed on white pages.com with the name Salmon.
• Grizzly bears love to feast on these fish when they are migrating upstream.

• Fish for salmon in the morning or late at night.    
• Salmon comes for the Latin word “salmo,” which means “to leap.”  They’re exceptional jumpers, an ability that serves them well when they have to swim upstream or go up rapids in order to reach rivers and streams.
• The biggest species of salmon is the Chinook, which can weigh as much as a hundred pounds.
• Salmon is nutritious and considered a health food.
• And, finally ~ I know that my father-in-law smoked the most delicious Coho salmon on earth, fresh from Lake Michigan! 

If you’re searching for an easy tasty salmon meal, with minimal clean-up, this grilled salmon recipe is for you. 

It’s simple and great for an everyday family meal, but elegant enough to wow your dinner guests at your cookout this summer!

Yield: 3-4 ServingsAuthor: Pam

Grilled Salmon with Citrus-Dill Butter

If you’re searching for an easy tasty salmon meal, with minimal clean-up, this grilled salmon recipe is for you.

prep time: 5 MINScook time: 20 MINStotal time: 25 mins

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
• 1 small lemon = ½ teaspoon zested, 1 teaspoon juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper, or to taste
• 1 pound salmon fillet, skin on
• 3 sprigs fresh dill, for garnish
• 1 large lemon, quartered, optional

METHOD:

1. Heat grill.
2. In small bowl, combine all ingredients, except last 3, mix well.
3. When ready to grill, spread butter mixture over salmon fillet.
4. Place on a rack, coated with cooking spray, on grill or on hot grill grate, skin side facing down, turning once.
5. Cook, undisturbed, for about 20 minutes, or until desired doneness.
6. Meanwhile, place lemons on grill,  cut sides down, and grill until golden, for about 5 to 7 minutes, turning once to other side.
7. Garnish with dill sprigs and grilled lemon quarters.
8. Serve with lemons on the side for squeezing.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Enjoy!

Herb-rubbed Pork Tenderloin w Dijon-Apricot Mop Sauce

Pork tenderloin is a quick-cooking cut of meat that has less fat than beef and more protein than chicken breasts.  I’m always on the look-out for pork tenderloin recipes and this is a really good one from the New American Heart Association Cookbook. 

As stated in the cookbook, “A dry herb rub flavors the pork and makes a nice crust.  You may want to stop right there, or you can go one step further and add the tangy mop.”  I’m telling you; do not stop at the rub!  It is a great blend of herbs and does make the tenderloin crusty but, the apricot and mustard duo in the mop is magnificent.  And, adding the vinegar, honey and remaining ingredients makes it only better.

The cookbook proclaims that chicken and beef roasts are delicious with both the rub and the mop sauce. Try the mop sauce alone on its own over vegetable kebobs, beef, poultry, firm fish fillets or shrimp.  I second that with the mop sauce ~ it’s great on chicken and vegetables also, and I will be trying it on seafood soon!

Here’s the good recipe:

Herb-rubbed Pork Tenderloin w Dijon-Apricot Mop Sauce

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon dried rosemary, crushed

1 tablespoon dried thyme, crumbled

2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons celery seeds

2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, all visible fat removed

Vegetable oil spray

Dijon-Apricot Mop Sauce

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

½ cup cider vinegar

¼ cup honey

¼ cup apricot preserves

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Method:

In a small bowl, stir together the rub ingredients.

Using your hands or a spoon, rub the mixture evenly over the pork and set aside.

For the mop sauce, heat a small pan over medium-high heat.

Pour oil into the pan and swirl to coat the bottom.

Cook onion for 2-3 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

(You may wish to reserve ½ cup of the sauce to use as a dipping sauce for the pork.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly coat a baking sheet with vegetable oil spray.

Place tenderloins on the pan and into hot oven.

Using a brush, baste pork several times during baking time with the sauce.

Bake until 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, or to your liking.

Serves 6-8

ENJOY!

The Best Lemon Pound Cake ~ I’m Telling You the Truth!

On my September 27^th post, I told you I would be baking the Lemon Pound Cake recipe from the Tate’s Bake Shop Cookbook that Bill had been yearning for.  I finally got around to baking it and now I’m trying to figure out what took me so long…

You know how foodies say, “I swear, it’s the best I’ve ever eaten?”  Sometimes I try the recipe, sometimes I don’t.  Everyone’s taste is different and you just never know; however, I can honestly say, “this Lemon Pound Cake is the best pound cake I have ever eaten in my life.”  And Bill echoes the same.  NO LIE!!!  It is outstanding!!!

Here’s what Kathleen King, the owner and founder of Tate’s Bake Shop, says about her cake, “The lemon flavor really comes through in my lemon pound cake.  It keeps well and freezes well, and is exceptional on its own or with fresh berries and cream.”

Here’s what I say about it:  Enjoy it on its own!   If you love lemon and love pound cake, you will fall hard for this one!  It’s so good that after having a slice of it, I gave samples to family and neighbors, and had to lock the rest away to keep it out of my hands.  

It has a tantalizing tart/sweet thing going on ~ an amazing tangy lemon favor with just a little bit of sweetness!  It is the absolute perfect combo of ingredients and 4 days later, it was still as fresh as the first day and then it was gone…  

Lemon Pound Cake                             

Printable recipe

Ingredients:

2¾ cups flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

2½ cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

5 large eggs at room temperature

1 cup sour cream

½ cup fresh lemon juice, from about 4 lemons

                        ~ ~ ~               ~ ~ ~               ~ ~ ~

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare a 10-inch Bundt pan with lots of pan spray and sprinkle it with granulated sugar.  (Flour will leave an unattractive residue on the cake.)

To make the cake:

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy.

Add vanilla and lemon zest, mix them together.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Mix sour cream and lemon juice together.

Add flour and sour cream mixture alternately, finishing with the flour.

Spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 1 hour or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.

Lemon Glaze:

½ cup fresh lemon juice, from about 4 lemons

½ cup sugar

¼ cup water

To make the glaze:

Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan and stir.

Cook over low heat without stirring till the sugar dissolves.

Turn heat up to medium and cook mixture until it becomes syrupy.

Don’t overcook it or the syrup will start to turn brown.

When the cake is baked, cool it for 10 minutes in the baking pan and invert it onto a plate.  (Place the plate against the bottom of the pan and turn it over.)

Slowly pour the glaze over the cake and let it cool.

It is the best pound cake EVER and will be on my holiday dinner table!!!

Enjoy!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and recipes. 

Note:  I received no compensation for posting this.  It’s just my opinion; it’s a wonderful cookbook with the best pound cake recipe ever.

Cherry Clafouti ~ Bon Appétit!

I’ve never even tasted it, much less baked it but I have seen recipes for cherry clafouti countless times.

As you can see, my blog header has cherries on it so I obviously really like cherries and “red” also.  I had 15 pounds remaining in the freezer and made some more jam with most of it.  Then along came the magazine…

By being on the cover of the June issue of "Bon Appétit," Gwyneth Paltrow has done something few people have done. The Editor-in-Chief says they do it a few times a year with the right person and of course, he/she has to love food to bag the honor.  It’s an interesting article about Gwyneth and her passion for cooking; except, that isn’t really what attracted me to this issue. 

What naturally drew me in was the article with all the recipes for cherries, especially the clafouti.  Since I’ve never made cherry clafouti I wanted to attempt it though, I’m not sure I would make the dessert again ~ there are a plethora of cherry recipes out there!

I used red-tart cherries from a Wisconsin orchard but you can use Bing, Brooks, Early Burlat, Garnet or Rainier cherries.  As it’s close to the season, here’s the recipe that would be good for using fresh cherries, if you favor clafoutis:

Cherry Clafouti

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh cherries, stemmed and pitted or frozen pitted cherries, thawed, drained

1 cup whole milk

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

4 large eggs

½ cup flour

½ cup sugar

¾ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon kosher salt (I used ¼ teaspoon table salt)

Powdered sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Butter 10” springform cake pan or eight 2/3 or ¾ cup ramekins or custard cups.

Arrange cherries in a single layer in pan.

Combine milk and cream in a small saucepan.

Bring just to a simmer over medium heat.  Set aside.

Combine eggs, flour, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl.

Whisk to blend.

Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture; whisk until custard is smooth.

Pour custard evenly over cherries in pan. 

Bake clafouti until custard is set and top is golden brown, about 45-55 minutes for cake pan or 30 minutes for ramekins.

Let cool 3 minutes, then run a knife around pan sides to loosen clafouti (if using a cake pan).

Dust top with powdered sugar, cut into wedges and serve.

Note:  Clafouti is traditionally made with unpitted cherries for added flavor.  Leave the pits in if you like; just remind your guests!

Bon Appétit!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips, recipes and cookbook giveaway!

Blackberry Lemon Thumbprint Cookies

Of all the Christmas cookies I’ve baked in the last week, this is the one that got Bill’s attention.  I have baked them every year since his mother introduced me to them many years ago.  He adores them and so do I! 

Thumbprint cookies are an old standard that are filled with great ingredients that people like.  Make them with your favorite jam or jelly, with just frosting and no jam, with nuts or without, or drizzled with chocolate! However you like them!  They’re all great! 

I added a little blackberry brandy to the blackberry jam and lemon zest to the dough for extra flavoring.  It’s a great mix of flavors that turns out a delicious cookie with the well being filled with jam and frosting.   Blackberry thumbprint cookies are really a huge hit in our house and love at first bite!

Blackberry Lemon Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:

½ cup blackberry jam

1 tablespoon Blackberry Brandy

2¼ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

2 sticks butter, at room temperature

2/3 cups sugar

2 eggs, separating yolks from whites

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup pecans, chopped fine

1 can your favorite frosting

Few drops of red food coloring

Few drops of green food coloring

Method:

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Lightly butter baking sheets or line with Silpat mats or parchment paper.

In small bowl, combine jam and brandy well. Set aside.

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt, whisking to blend.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla.

Add the flour in 2 additions and beat until the dough forms a clump.

Gather dough into a ball.

Pinch off the dough and make a 1-inch ball.

In a small bowl, with a fork, gently beat egg whites until foamy.

Dip a dough ball into the egg whites, shaking off the excess.

Place pecans in a small bowl and gently roll cookie in the nuts, coating it completely.

Do the same with the remaining dough. 

Place on baking sheet one inch apart.

Using your thumb, make a well in the center of each ball.

Fill each well with approximately ½ teaspoon of the jam mixture.

Bake until golden and firm to the touch, about 15-18 minutes.

Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.

Mix half of the frosting with 2-3 drops of red food coloring in a small bowl and the remaining frosting with 2-3 drops of green food coloring in another small bowl.

When cookies are completely cool, apply a dab of frosting to each.

Let frosting dry some before storing (I do over-night).

Store between layers of waxed or parchment paper.

Makes 4 dozen

Do these have you drooling yet?

They would be a great colorful addition to your Christmas cookie tray!

Be sure to enter my CSN Giveaway for a $35 gift certificate that I posted on December 17^th!

Also, check out my friend, Linda’s blog, at My Kind of Cooking for her great recipes and cookbook giveaway!

Luscious Lemon Squares

I am not a big fan of chocolate so I hardly ever zero in on chocolate desserts.  When at a restaurant or a function, I go for the other desserts ~ pies, tarts, fresh fruit, ice cream, cheesecake and particularly lemon squares.  Oh, I love them!

These lemon squares have a great tender, rich crust that doesn’t crumble easily and a lemon filling that is really ‘super lemony.’   The recipe includes lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon extract.  It’s like sweet/tart lemon curd on a buttery shortbread crust.  The texture of the lemon filling is creamy and just a little gooey.  Wow!  Tangy and decadent!

Lemon squares are a great mix between sweet and tart and a perfect dessert or treat any time!

Baked!

Luscious Lemon Squares

Ingredients:

1½ sticks, plus 2 teaspoons butter, room temperature

1¾ cups plus 3 tablespoons flour

2/3 cup confectioners sugar, plus more for garnish

¼ cup cornstarch

¾ teaspoon salt, plus a pinch

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1-1/3 cups granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons lemon zest

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice, strained

½ teaspoon lemon extract

¼ cup milk

Directions:

Lightly butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon of butter.

Line with 1 sheet of parchment or waxed paper.

Butter the top of this sheet of paper with 1 teaspoon of the remaining butter.

Lay a second sheet of parchment or waxed paper crosswise over the first sheet. 

The parchment should be cut large enough so that the sides are even with the top of the baking dish.  This extra paper will be used as handles to help lift the lemon squares from the pan later.  Set pan aside.

In a large bowl, combine 1¾ cups of the flour, 2/3 cup of confectioners sugar, cornstarch, and ¾ teaspoon salt and mix thoroughly.

Cut the remaining 1½ sticks of butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or your hands, work the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 

Transfer butter-flour mixture to the prepared baking dish and press into a 1/4-inch layer along the bottom and partly up the sides of the pan.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

While the crust is in the refrigerator, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake the crust until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

While the crust is baking, assemble the filling by combining eggs, granulated sugar, flour and lemon zest in a medium bowl.  Whisk until smooth.

Stir in lemon juice, milk, lemon extract and remaining pinch of salt; mix well.

When crust is done, remove from oven.

Stir the lemon mixture again; pour onto the warm crust.

Bake until filling is set, about 20 minutes. 

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Lift the paper that lines the 2 longest sides of the baking dish and remove the bars from the pan by pulling up.

The entire dessert will come away from the pan easily.

Transfer to a cutting board and cut into squares, cleaning knife after each cut.

Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

A Perfect lemony dessert!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, at My Kind of Cooking for her great recipes and cookbook giveaway.