MEYER LEMON BARS WITH CANDIED MEYER LEMON SLICES

Eureka Lemon and Meyer lemon

Meyer lemon (a cross between Mandarin Orange and Eureka Lemon)

CANDIED MEYER LEMON SLICES:


1 C sugar

2 large lemon thinly sliced *

1 Cup water

In a heavy sauce pan, combine the sugar with 1 cup water.

Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar.

Add the lemon slices.

Cover and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let the lemon slices cool in the syrup.

Let dry for hours or bake at 200 degrees F just to dry up the syrup.

Syrup can be used for lemonade or for your tea.

* 3 lemon if you’re using meyer lemons.

Lemon slices in syrup

Dry candied slices

Or bake at 200 degrees F for few minutes just until it starts to dry out.

Garnish lemon bars w/ the candied lemon slices

Place bars on cupcake liners for easy pick up and not make a mess.

Meyer Lemon Bars

Crust:

½ C unsalted butter (1 stick)
¼ C confectioners sugar
1 C all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

Lemon Filling:

2 large eggs
¾ C sugar *
1/3 cup lemon juice *
1 T grated lemon zest
2 T all purpose flour
Confectioners sugar

To make the crust:
Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.
Mix in the flour and salt until the mixture looks like pebbles.
Press it down into a greased 8 inch square baking pan.
Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven until golden brown, about 18 minutes.


To make the filling:


Beat the eggs and sugar until smooth.
Mix in the lemon zest and juice.
Mix in the flour.Pour the mixture onto the crust.
Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven until set, about 20 minutes.
Cool completely before serving.
Dust with confectioners sugar.
Garnish w/ the candied meyer lemon slices.

* Adjust the measurements depending on what kind of lemon you’ll be using. For this recipe I used meyer lemon. If you use eureka lemons (the kind of lemon we see at the store) make the sugar 1 cup and lessen the juice because these are tart and sour compared to meyer lemon w/c are sweet and less tart.


THANKS TO KEVIN FOR THE INSPIRATION. http://closetcooking.blogspot.com/2009/03/meyer-lemon-bars.html

GREEN TEA AND BLUEBERRY CUPCAKES

I DOUBLED THE RECIPE TO MAKE BOTH THE GREEN TEA AND BLUEBERRY CUPCAKES. FOR THE BLUEBERRY, SUBSTITUTE GREEN TEA TO FRESH OR FROZEN BLUEBERRIES, IN MY CASE I USED FRESH BLUEBERRIES.

GREEN TEA CUPCAKE

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 pkg. (4 oz)Philadelphia cream cheese, softened

3 eggs

1 cup flour

1/2 T baking powder

1 t green tea powder (Matcha)

1/2 t. salt

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed. Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition. Beat an additional 5 min. or until very light and fluffy. Add cream cheese; beat 1 min. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, green tea powder and salt. Add to butter mixture. Beat until well blended. Pour batter into cupcake molds with cupcake linings and bake for 30 minutes or when a clean toothpick is clean when inserted into the cake.

FROSTING:

2 C confectioners’ sugar

4 t green tea powder (matcha)

8 oz cream cheese, softened

5 T unsalted butter, softened

1 t vanilla extract

Sift together confectioners' sugar and green tea powder. Set aside. Mix and beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla on medium speed for at least 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add sugar/green tea mixture gradually. Increase speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes or until all are incorporated. Frost with a piping bag.

NO KNEAD BREAD

Ok, so I’m a little late to jump on the bandwagon but as the saying goes “it’s better late than never”. I actually had this recipe for sometime now but because baking isn’t my cup of tea I totally ignored it. The snow storm made me do it!! ha-ha! . No where to go, I surfed the internet and came across this website showcasing her 4 yr. old son making/baking Jim Lahey’s no knead bread recipe. I then decided... that’s it, if a 4 yr. old kid can do it why can’t I?

Thanks to Jim Lahey for this brilliant idea. http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3Lm55dGltZXMuY29tLzIwMDYvMTEvMDgvZGluaW5nLzA4bWluaS5odG1s. This no knead method has changed my mind, I never would have thought it possible for somebody like me to bake such beautiful bread. If I were to compare this bread…it almost taste like the bread from Macaroni and Grill restaurant sans the rosemary or the bread I buy from an Italian bakery.

I will do some tweaking on my next try, adding some rosemary, just wondering at w/c stage will I add the rosemary. I’m thinking on the second rise? Any advice/suggestions will be appreciated. I believe this recipe is so forgiving that tweaking can be done. I’ll let you know otherwise. Oh, I forgot, just so you’ll know it’s a 2 days process. Your patience will be tested as it did mine. I had to peek at the dough every 30 minutes as it was rising, crazy huh? The long wait was rewarded ‘tho, the smell of the bread baking, so exciting. The site of the bread rising as it’s baking is interesting oh and it sings too! Love the crackling sound of the bread the moment you pull it out off the oven. Again, the impatient me didn’t wait for the bread to rest and cool down. I of course had to slice it right away..hhmmm..the crust is perfect, crispy, soft and spongy inside, and the holes OMGosh.

If you haven’t tried baking this yet, you should give this a try and you’ll know what I mean. I’m hooked! Enough of my blah, blah, blah…I’m getting ready for my next try. This time i'd love this just dip w/ balsamic, extra vigin olive oil and fresh cracked black pepper yum!
My daughter whipped up her delicious Broccoli soup ala Panera to go w/ the bread. What a perfect combination. Thanks, anak!


THE INGREDIENTS:
3 cups bread flour or AP flour
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cup of lukewarm water

IN A BIG BOWL, MIX ALL THE INGREDIENTS USING A WOODEN SPOON. YES, IT'S SUPPOSE TO LOOK LIKE THIS.

WRAP UP THE DOUGH AND LET IT REST/RISE FOR AT LEAST 18 -20 HOURS AT A WARM PLACE.DON'T BE LIKE ME, I CHECKED IT EVERY 30 MINUTES. NOT GOOD!

THIS IS HOW IT LOOKS AFTER 19 HOURS. I LOVE THE YEAST SMELL.

CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE WET DOUGH 20 HOURS.

DUMP THE DOUGH ON A FLOURED SURFACE. THIS IS A MESSY STAGE. TO PREVENT THE DOUGH FROM STICKING, DIP THE SPATULA IN WATER AS YOU GATHER THE DOUGH. THEN USE YOUR HANDS TO FORM A BALL. NORMALLY WE PUT FLOUR TO OUR HANDS BUT AS SUGGESTED, WATER IS BETTER SINCE THERE ARE ENOUGH FLOUR ON THE BOARD. IT'S ALL ABOUT BALANCE. AFTERALL, IT IS THE HIGH WATER CONTENT THAT MAKES THIS BREAD SO DELICIOUSLY LIGHT AND THE CRUST VERY CRISP.

GINGERLY MOVE THE DOUGH ONTO A FLOURED TOWEL. LET IT RISE FOR ANOTHER 2 HOURS.
I WARNED YOU GUYS THIS IS A 2 DAY PROCESS. INVEST A LOT OF TIME BUT NOT AS LABORIOUS AS THE CONVENTIONAL WAY
FLOUR THE TOWEL LIBERALLY (I DIDN'T FLOUR ENOUGH SO IT WAS A BIT MESSY WHEN I TRANSFERED THE DOUGH INTO THE POT.
IT'S SUPPOSE TO DOUBLE IN SIZE.

HALF HOUR BEFORE THE SECOND RISING ENDS, SLIP COVERED POT (I USED MY LE CREUSET) INTO YOUR OVEN. CRANK UP THE HEAT TO 450F. LET IT PRE HEAT FOR 30 MINUTES.

AFTER PRE HEATING, REMOVE THE HOT POT FROM OVEN. SPRINKLE SOME CORNMEAL OR FLOUR IN THE POT THEN PLOP THE WET/WOBBLY DOUGH INTO THE POT. DON'T WORRY IF THE SHAPE IS MESSED UP..IT'S "RUSTIC".
COVER AND PUT BACK INTO THE OVEN. BAKED COVERED FOR 30 MINUTES.

THEN UNCOVER AND BAKE FOR 20 MINUTES MORE.
TO CHECK, YOU CAN EITHER TAP THE BREAD..SHOULD SOUND HOLLOW OR TEMPERATURE SHOULD BE 210 F IN THE MIDDLE. VIOLA!!! DONT FORGET TO LISTEN TO THE CRACKLINGS THE MOMENT YOU PULL IT OUT OFF THE OVEN.

AFTER PATIENTLY WAITING, I SAY IT WAS WORTH IT!!
THIN CRUNCHY BROWN CRUST, LARGE, OPEN HOLES, SPONGY, FLAVORFUL HHHMMMM! NEED I SAY MORE.

PAM'S BROCCOLI SOUP WAS THE PERFECT PAIR FOR THE BREAD. SORRY, THE FLASH DIDN'T DO JUSTICE TO THE SOUP. BUT AS ALWAYS MY DAUGHTER MAKES THE BEST BROCCOLI SOUP....AND I MEAN THAT.FOR THE BROCCOLI SOUP RECIPE PLS.

CHECK MY ARCHIVES.http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vYmxvZ3MubXlzcGFjZS5jb20vaW5kZXguY2ZtP2Z1c2VhY3Rpb249YmxvZy52aWV3JmZyaWVuZElEPTE3NzE3NzkwMyZibG9nSUQ9Mzk1MTQxMDk0

HERE'S THE ORIGINAL RECIPE.

Published: November 8, 2006....
Adapted from Jim Lahey, ....Sullivan Street.... Bakery

Time: About 1½ hours plus 14 to 20 hours’ rising

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting

¼ teaspoon instant yeast

1¼ teaspoons saltCornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.
Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.

PASTA FAGIOLI SOUP

I got inspired to whip up my version of Pasta Fagioli soup. There are a lot of versions to this soup, some are tomato based, some are thick by pureeing half of the beans and mixed back to the soup. I like mine simple.


I don't have the exact measurements for the ingredients but you be the judge as to how much you'll have to use. I used some leftover ham from the holiday and used different kinds of beans w/c i already have in stock.






I forgot to soak the beans overnight, i opted to do the quick soak method w/c is simply boiling the beans until al dente.

Ingredients:

Ham or ground meat (i had some diced ham in the freezer)

1 stalk of celery diced

1 small carrots diced

1 medium onions chopped

2 cloves garlic chopped

Broth of your preference (i like beef broth for this soup)

oregano

salt and pepper to taste

elbow macaroni

parmegiano or romano cheese (i used the rind)

Saute garlic, onions, carrots and celery until veggies are soft, then the ham.

Add the beans to the veggies, pour in the broth.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered until the beans are tender.

Add more broth or water if needed.

Also add the cheese rind w/c will give more taste and flavor to the soup.

Add the pasta and another cup of boiling water to the pot.

Cook, stirring constantly, until the pasta is tender.

Taste and adjust the flavor.

Remove from heat.

Take out cheese rind that didn't melt.

Serve very hot garnish w/ parsley, celery leaves and parmigiano cheese.

Lamb Shank with Cayenne and Mushrooms

I researched for any Uzbek lamb shanks recipe but couldn't find one but noticed that majority of their meat recipe calls for cayenne. So this dish is sort of a combination of all the recipes that i've seen and put my own twist.

2 Lamb shanks
Oil to saute and for browning the meat
2 medium onions, chopped
Mushrooms sliced ( your discretion as to how much you want to use)
2 t cayenne, or more to taste
3 c beef broth or more if needed
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 potatoes diced ( i used yukon gold)
1 c wine (i used white wine)
salt and pepper to taste
parsley leaves for garnish

Heat oil and brown the lamb shanks.
Add the onions, cook until caramelized
Add cayenne and broth, cover pot and cook on med. heat for an hour.
Add tomatoes, potatoes, mushrooms and wine and let simmer, covered for another hour or until meat is tender, stirring occasionally.
Add salt and pepper to taste and adjust cayenne if you want it more spicy.
Garnish with parsley.

Plov (Uzbek Rice Pilaf)

This is the second Uzbek dish i made for our New Year. As i mentioned, my sister made this. I did some research and found a lot of variations, some calls for dried fruit, turmeric and a lot more. I was tempted to try the others but opted to use my sisters recipe instead, with a little adjustments.

I made some tweaking to this recipe, i adjusted the cumin and pepper flakes coz i wanted more heat and added 1 more cup of the beef stock. I used jasmine rice since it's impossible for me to find Uzbek rice. It calls for julienned carrots, but i shredded mine instead, carrot isn't so popular in my family. But i think shredding it just added more color to the pilaf and ofcourse to the flavor too!


2 C rice
1 t cumin ( i added 1 more teaspoon)
5 c beef stock/broth ( i added 1 more cup)
1 t red pepper flakes ( add more if you want more heat)
Lamb or beef meat cubed (i used 1/2 pound)
2 onions finely chopped
3 carrots julienned ( i shredded mine)
1 garlic head

Saute onions and carrots over medium heat.
Add meat and stir until brown.
Add 2 c broth and cook over med. high heat about 6-7 minutes, until meat is tender.
Add rice and heads of garlic into stew.
Add the rest of the stock, do not disturb layering of rice and stew.
Let boil uncovered until rice absorbs stocks, about 45 minutes.
When rice is soft reduce heat to low.
Cover and let rice steam for 25 minutes or more or until rice is cooked.

Saute onions, carrots and meat.

Let this cook w/o disturbing (mixing is a no! no!)

The Plov! Garnish with some of those garlic.

POMEGRANATE AND ONIONS SALAD (ANOR VA PIYOZLI GAZAK)

It has been our tradition to add a new dish or two to our "usual" New Years' spread w/c are Ham, Chicken Macaroni Salad and Queso de Bola (Filipino Staple to every Christmas and New Year Celebration), it's actually an edam cheese shaped and package like a ball.

This year I decided to make Uzbekistan Dishes. My sister made Uzbek Rice Pilaf during our Thanksgiving vacation and we loved it, that's one of the reasons why we decided on the Uzbek dishes. Actually another reason is all because of my nephew who's in Urumqi, China, he is the who introduced Uzbek food.

I will be posting three Uzbekistan dishes: Plov( Uzbekistan Rice Pilaf), Anor Va Piyozli Gazak (Pomegranate and Onion Salad), Lamb Shank with Cayenne (My take on their Lamb Shank Stew)

My first posting- Uzbek Salad

Anor Va Piyozli Gazak

The Ingredients:

Pomegranate

Sweet Onions



1 pomegranate
1 large sweet onion

salt to taste

Directions:

Place thinly sliced onions in a bowl and wash it 2-3 times in hot water and add salt. Mix in the half of the seeds from the pomegranate with sliced onons. Crush and strain the other half of the seeds to make juice and add to onion mixture. Serve the salad in an onion cup filled with pomegranate seeds.

This salad was new to us and certainly will not be the last. I'd for surely make this again esp. during summer time. This is easy and quick to prepare and so refreshing. I can see this as a great side dish to any grilled meats or fish.

Pritong Liempo (Adobo Cebuano Style)

This is always a winner everytime my mom cooks this for a sunday dinner. She usually serve this along with tinulang isda (Fish soup) and maiz(in lieu of rice). Maiz is ground corn, it's similar to polenta and grits, cooked like regular rice.

I cook this only if i get to buy liempo from the Asian store. For this dinner i served the adobo with curried coleslaw and of course steamed white rice.

Cut liempo into cubes

Season with S&P, cayenne and paprika. Lawrys' sesoning will do, i've tried it before.
Fry them in batches to achieve the crisp. Make sure to cover the pan w/ those splatter protector to protect yourself and avoid the mess.

Serve with steamed white rice, and any salad (i made curry coleslaw) and ofcourse vinegar w/ kalamansi or lemon juice for the dip.

BUCHE DE NOEL COOKIES

Another recipe from the Best loved Hershey's Sweet and Sensational Cookbook. I had fun making these and we loved them as well. I personally love it because it's chewy cookie.

The recipe didn't require garnish but i wanted it too look festive, so i added mini marshmallows as the mushrooms and mini M&Ms just to add colors.

Assembly line for the cookies

BUCHE DE NOEL COOKIES

2/3 C butter or margarine, softened
1 C granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ½ C all purpose flour
½ C Hershey’s cocoa
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Mocha Frosting (recipe follows)
Powdered sugar (optional)

1. Beat butter and sugar on medium speed in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Cover; refrigerate dough 1/ to 2 hours.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Shape heaping teaspoons of dough into logs about 21/2 inches long and ¾ inches in diameter; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until set. Cool slightly. Remove to wire rack and cool completely. Prepare Mocha Frosting.

3. Frost cookies with frosting. Using tines of fork, draw lines through frosting to imitate tree bark. Lightly dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Y: about 2 ½ dozen cookies.

MOCHA FROSTING:

6 Tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 2/3 C powdered sugar
1/3 C Hershey’s Cocoa
3 to 4 Tablespoons milk
2 Teaspoons powdered instant espresso dissolved in 1 teaspoon hot water
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed in medium bowl until creamy. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk, dissolved espresso and vanilla, beating to spreadable consistency.

Y: about 1 2/3 C frosting