lemon, lemon, lemon

I like lemon just about everything, well with the exception of lemon Jello not so much!!

The following recipe was delivered to my facebook page. We have a birthday celebration function in a couple a days and the celebrant loves lemon, so these will be perfect I'm hoping. And this is easy cause you use prepared mixes. I know for all you bakers you are just shuddering, but sometimes ya just have to cut corners to save time.
Lemon filled sugar cookies
1 pouch of Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup whole almonds, peeled
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 jar of lemon curd (surprise I have a jar I made )
2/3 cup canned whipped fluffy white frosting (yes canned)
1/2 cup cool whip type stuff
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon sliced almonds

• Heat oven to 375* Spray 36 mini muffin cups with a light cooking spray
• In a large bowl stir cookie mix, ground almonds, butter and cream cheese until a soft dough forms.
• Shape dough into 36 ( 1 1/4 inch) balls. Press each ball in the bottom and up the side of the muffin up. Careful because the dough does puff up some.
  
• Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Keep an eye on these cause they do brown easily. Cool completely in pan, about 30 minutes.
• Remove cookies cups from pan, fill each cup with about 1 1/2 teaspoon of the lemon curd.
• In a small bowl mix frosting and whipped topping until blended well. Spoon a teaspoon of the frosting mixture on top of the cookie cup. Top each with lemon peel and sliced almond. Store covered in refrigerator.

No change for high altitude cooking.

Who needs a recipe?

For Lemonade, well, honestly–I do. If I just throw in sugar, water and lemon juice I'm futzing around adding more juice or sugar, oops, now it's too strong and I need more water so I adhere to a recipe.

Since I have a beautiful lemon tree right outside my door I don't have to buy lemons and usually by this time of the summer we are begging visitors to take bags home. Unfortunately the drought has hit close to home in more ways than one and my lemon tree seems to be suffering a bit. The lemons are smaller and not as plentiful but I did have a few dozen to make up a batches of concentrate to freeze for a later use.

This recipe is so simple I never change it.

1 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
4 cups water
1 lemon sliced

I make a simple syrup from 1 cup of water and the sugar then add the water, lemon slices and juice. I have no idea how long it last because it's usually gone that day.

For the concentrate: combine sugar and lemon juice is a small container; mix until sugar is dissolved. Freeze. Defrost slightly and add the water and sliced lemon.

A tall glass with lots of ice is the fav here and on occasion, a shot of Raspberry Rum. Yum.

If you are not drooling …

When Doodle's won the recipe contest in the September issue of Cook's Country I, of course, picked up the magazine. I do enjoy this magazine because they have no ads only good recipes and a few hints and product reviews. I was not disappointed with this issue and tried a number of recipes for a dinner this weekend.

Often, when going to a potluck or planning an informal dinner get-together, I want a simple dessert that's portable. There is nothing more difficult than trying to get a fancy dessert on the road. I'd rather be a roadie for a rock band than have to transport something with whipped cream. This unbelievably light lemon sheet cake answered both those requests, and did I mention, it was easy and delicious.

I did not change this recipe one bit but my cake texture was not as dense as the picture in the magazine. Mine turned out very fluffy with lots of crumbs. I might have beat mine longer but it didn't seem to affect the flavor. The sugar and zest combo on the top was great. The topping gave a bit of crunch to the, other wise, tender cake.

Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake
serves 16

Cake:
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk, room temp
3 tablespoons grated zest and 1/4 cup juice from 3 large lemons
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 sticks of softened unsalted butter
3 large eggs plus 1 yolk, room temp

Glaze:
3 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons buttermilk

For the cake: heat oven 325 degrees. Grease and flour 13x9 baking pan. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Combine buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla.

With electric mixer on medium speed, beat granulated sugar and lemon zest until moist and fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer 1/4 cup sugar mixture to small bowl, cover, and reserve. Add butter to remaining sugar mixture and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs and yolk, one at a time, until incorporated. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of buttermilk mixture, and mix until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Scrape batter into pan and smooth top. Bake until cake is golden brown and tooth pick inserted into center comes out clean, 25-35 minutes. Transfer cake pan to wire rack and let cool 10 minutes.

For the glaze: Whisk confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, and buttermilk until smooth. Gently spread glaze over warm cake and sprinkle evenly with reserved sugar mixture. Cool completely, two hours. Serve.

You know it's Spring

Aren't they beauties … no the lime is mine for my Corona!

My sweet sister Moon's lemon tree is bearing fruit and this spring I was able to take advantage of the beautiful lemons. This is not a young tree ... I think it's been decided that this lone tree is about 40 years old. For awhile sister and dear brother-in-law thought it was a gonner; like all things living it was showing it's age. It might have missed them when they took their hiatus to Bakersfield.

Luckily, they happened to have a landscape gardener that knew what to do; low and behold he whacked that tree way back to almost nothing. I believe that was about three years ago and now look what is coming around.

Nothing like fresh lemonade all summer long. Think of all the foods to prepare with a squeeze of lemon. My mouth is watering just to think about these gems.

Just in case you find yourself with some fresh lemons, here are some friend blogs lemony recipes.

Lemon Bars from Just Baking
Simply Recipes Meyer Lemon Sorbet
and from us, Lemon Pound Cake

Brought to you by Doodles and Moon