Lemon Greek Yogurt Pound Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar, plus ¼ cup for glaze
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla paste
• 1/4 cup lemon juice for cake, plus1/4 cup for syrup and 2 tablespoon for glaze
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• zest of two lemons
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.


Directions:

In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.  Butter and flour a 9-inch loaf pan and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar until smooth and light in color.  Add the eggs one and a time followed by the vanilla.

Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until almost combined. Fold in the lemon juice, the zest of one lemon, and the yogurt.  Finish mixing on low until combined.  The batter won't be perfectly smooth.

Pour the batter into the pan, leveling the top.  Bake for 75-90 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  The top will be dark brown and split open.

For the syrup:
Warm 1/4 cup of lemon juice.  Mix together with 1/4 cup sugar until sugar has dissolved.  Set aside whilst the pound cake is done.

For the glaze:
Measure out two tablespoons of lemon juice.  Gradually add it to the powdered sugar until your desired drizzling consistency is reached.  Add the zest of one lemon and stir thoroughly.

To finish:
Turn the warm cake onto a wire rack and brush all over with the syrup, including the bottom!  Make several passes on all sides to have a good soaking, but do not feel pressed to use all the glaze.  Do this when the cake is still warm! 

Drizzle with the glaze. Serve warm or room temperature.

Myrtle's Note:  This recipe is so good that even when you do not cook it quite long enough, it is still tasty!  Lemon.  Lemon.  LEMON!  The only change I made was to add lemon zest to the glaze, since I had to use four lemons to get all the juice needed.  Why waste lemon zest?  I cooked it for 75 minutes and made the mistake of putting my toothpick in the top of the loaf instead of in the middle.  So, that clean toothpick and the browned top made me think my first loaf was ready.  But cutting into it, I found a close texture and a bit of undercooked at the bottom of the loaf.  Even so, oh my! was this ever tasty.  It is not super sweet, just like a traditional pound cake.  But it is very, very lemony.


Yield: 1 loaf

Source:  http://www.thebakerchick.com/2015/01/lemon-greek-yogurt-pound-cake/

Lemon Thins

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup lard (or shortening)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350.


Directions:

In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract and vanilla paste.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well.   Once the dough comes together, turn it out onto the counter and shape into a 12 inch roll.  Wrap the roll in plastic and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Unwrap dough.  Cut into 1/4th inch slices, cutting only enough for your pans and then put the roll back into the refrigerator.  Place two inches apart on stoneware or an un-greased baking sheet.

Bake until the edges are just starting to lightly brown (approximately 11-13 minutes).  Half way through, rotate the pan.  Cool 1-2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Myrtle's Note: The two substitutions I did was to use lard and vanilla paste.  The one thing I found, again, with my oven these cookies took 12-13 minutes, when the original recipe says 8-9 minutes.  I was surprised the cooking time was so off.  Because they are such a thin cookie, I also learned that it is important to rotate the pan half way through.  Otherwise, the back ones become too browned.  I am not a browned cookie kind of person.  In short: these are really, really, really tasty ... thin, crispy, and lemony.  Mmmm!

Yield: 4 dozen

Source:  http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/lemon-thins

Mustard Crusted Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup whole-grain/stone ground mustard
• zest and juice of either one large lemon or two small lemons
• 4 garlic cloves
• 6 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered (about 6 cups)
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 fresh lemon, cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.


Directions:

Zest the lemon(s), mincing the peel if you have a string zester, and set aside.  Mince the garlic and set aside.  Cut the potatoes into small cubes and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, mustards, lemon zest, lemon juice, and garlic.  Add the potatoes and toss to coat with the mixture.

Spread the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle generously with salt.

Bake for 30 minutes. Toss the potatoes, return to the oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are a deep golden brown and fork-tender.

Transfer the potatoes to a serving platter, squeeze the fresh lemon juice over them, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot.

Myrtle's Note:   I loved the taste of this, but I thought that the flavoring was a bit much for the recipe, especially since I had uncooked mixture still on the pan after cooking the potatoes for 1 hour and 20 minutes. So, I reduced the ingredients down for when I make it the next time.  Follow the link to the original recipe if you want to have more flavoring.  I also increased the cooking temperature for next time, especially because 1) I frankly believe that roasting vegetables needs to be done at at least 415 degrees and 2) I had to cook this double the time of the original recipe.  Still, this will definitely be a repeat recipe for me.  Also, I think it would be a great side dish for when you are having guests.  Finally, I used baby Yukon golds and cubed 18 of them, a ratio of 3 to represent 1 regular yukon potato.


Yield: 4-6 servings

Source:    http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/mustard-crusted-potatoes/

Creamy Lemon Crumb Squares

Ingredients:

• 1-1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar (lightly Packed)
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• zest of 1 Lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Directions:

Mix butter and brown sugar until well combined.  Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.  Add oats and flour to butter/sugar mixture and mix to combine.

Press half of crumb mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 11 inch pan.

Mix together condensed milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Spread onto the bottom layer of the crumb mixture. Top with the other half of the crumb mixture, but don't press.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Allow pan to sit on counter for 30 minutes after baking. Cut into squares and refrigerate for a couple of hours or until cool.  Serve cool.

Myrtle's Note:  The perfect lemon square, in my opinion.  PERFECT!  I just love, love, love the idea of a lemon square with an oatmeal crisp instead of that shortbread type crust.  Having the crisp on top or bottom works just as well.  

Yield:  12-16

Source:  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/03/creamy-lemon-crumb-squares/

Lemon Basil Orzotto

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion
• 1 1/2 cup orzo
• 3 cups homemade vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons fresh minced basil
• juice of a large lemon
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2/3 cup fresh Romano cheese
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Zest (and mince if long curls) rind of lemon and set aside.  Juice lemon and set aside.  Mince (or purée) onion and set aside.  Mince garlic and set aside.  Grate Romano and set aside.

In a sauteuse pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until fragrant and translucent. After the onion is partially cooked, add in garlic.  Then, when the onion is finished, add the orzo and toast for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and cook until absorbed.

Gradually add the stock, stirring frequently. Bring to a vigorous simmer, lower the heat, and cover. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the liquid is almost absorbed and orzo is tender. [You may need to remove the lid for the final few minutes to reduce the stock.]  Remove from the heat.

Stir in Romano, fresh basil, lemon zest, heavy cream, and lemon juice. Season the orzo with sea salt and pepper, to taste.  Top with shaved Parmesan and serve immediately.

Myrtle's Note:  Lemon and basil needs garlic, right? That's the first change I made.  I also changed from chicken stock to vegetable stock and from Parmesan to Romano.  But I did work in some Parmesan.  Since I only like and have one kind of white wine, I did not use a dry wine; I used my beloved Barefoot Moscato.  And, of course, I ditched the peas.  I am not a fan of rice, having grown up eating far too much of it, so I was delighted to discover that you can make a risotto with orzo ... orzotto!


Yield: 4 main servings; 6-8 side servings

Adapted from:  http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/kelsey-nixon/lemon-basil-orzotto.html

Sage Butter Summer Squash with Dill Garnish

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds summer squash
• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• 3-4 large garlic cloves
• 4-5 sage leaves
• sea salt, to taste
• lemon, to taste
• dill, to taste

Directions:

Slice the summer squash into half lengthwise, then slice horizontally into small pieces (~1/4 inch) and set aside.  Finely mince garlic and set aside.  Finely mince sage leaves and set aside.

Melt butter into a large pan on medium heat.  Add summer squash and garlic and begin cooking, turning periodically.  After about 5 minutes, sprinkle in the sage.  Cook until golden brown, approximately 10 minutes.

Once done, add a bit of salt (perhaps 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon) and squeeze lemon juice over the top (perhaps the juice of 1/2 to a whole lemon).  Toss.  Then sprinkle dill across the squash—a light even coating on the top—and toss once more before serving.

Myrtle's Note:  To start, I am a bit vague on the final ingredients, because I made this recipe with a single summer squash, essentially quartering the ingredients.  I will make more next time, even if I don't have guests.  I decided to mince the sage, because I wanted more flavor than I thought would come through by just putting the leaves whole in the pan.  By cooking slowly, the minced garlic browned and became a bit nutty, but did not burn.  I was concerned about the fresh sage, so I waited a while before adding it.  As I squeezed the lemon, some of the pulp fell in, which I thought was serendipitous.  The combination of flavors was rather tasty.  Certainly, this will be a new staple in my larder.


Yield:  4 servings

Source:  http://food52.com/recipes/18035-sage-butter-summer-squash-with-dill-garnish

Lemony Lemon Brownies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons lemon zest
• 4-6 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Directions:

Butter an 8x8 pan and set aside.  Zest approximately three large lemons, mince the zest, and set aside.  Juice all the lemons and set aside.

Beat the flour, sugar, salt, and softened butter until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, 2 tablespoons of lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice until combined.  Pour it into the flour mixture and beat for 2 minutes at medium speed until smooth and creamy.

Pour into baking dish and bake for 23-25 minutes.  The top will look very un-cooked, but the edges will be golden brown and pulled away from the pan.  Do not over bake or the bars will be dry.  Allow to cool completely before glazing. 

Filter the powdered sugar and whisk with up to 4 table spoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon lemon zest.  Spread the glaze over the brownies with a rubber spatula and let glaze set.

Cut into bars and serve.

Myrtle's Note:  Once I tackle the glaze, I am going to revise this, but I wanted to capture the recipe now, before I forget that I made them.  Below, the photo has a glaze in which I added about 1.5 extra cups of powdered sugar.  I made it with a mixer, but I forgot to sift the powdered sugar.  A friend suggested that perhaps it would be better to start adding the lemon juice one tablespoon at a time.  As you can see, mine turned out opaque and tasted a bit like powdered sugar.  The photo on the original recipe shows a clear glaze.  SIGH.  Even with a less than tasty glaze, the brownies were rather tasty.  They give the impression of a lemon bar without the shortbread factor.

Yield: 12 bars


Source:  http://www.bestyummyrecipes.com/lemony-lemon-brownies/

Piro Lemon Squares

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 5 eggs 
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon lemon rind
• 7-8 tablespoons lemon juice 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Directions:

Cream butter with powdered sugar.  Add in 1 1/2 cups flour and mix well, perhaps with either with a pastry cutter.  Mixture may be very firm or crumbly. Pat it into a 9x13 baking dish. If the mixture sticks to your fingers whilst patting, dust them with flour.  Bake 15-20 minutes until lightly brown.

While the crust is baking, beat the eggs all and then add in the sugar, the rest of the flour, lemon rind, and lemon juice.

When crust is done, pour lemon mixture over it and return to oven.  Bake 20-40 minutes, until the top is lightly brown and a knife inserted in middle comes out clean. Dust generously with powdered sugar.

Let cool completely before cutting.

Myrtle's Note:  For some reason, I had to cook them twice as long as the members of the Piro family. Strange.  So, the key is to take them out with the top is nicely browned.

Yield: 15


Source:  Anna's mother!