Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf

I think sweet breads like this lemon loaf or a banana bread is a great snack, don’t you? They’re easy to throw together, you don’t have to mess with a bunch of waiting around like you do for cookies. One pan in the oven...done. Around here this kind of thing doesn’t last too long. Lunches, snacks, okay...even breakfast. This lemon loaf is really good. Refreshing and light and it doesn’t feel like you’ve eaten something super heavy. It’s yummy!

Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf

1 2/3 cups flour

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons lemon zest

1/2 cup butter ~ room temperature

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup sour cream

1/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8x4 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, lemon zest and butter and mix until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time then add vanilla and lemon juice.

In a large measuring cup, stir to combine the milk and sour cream.

Beginning and ending with flour mixture, alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients to the lemon sugar mixture until just combined.

Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 45 - 50 minutes until done or toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool in pan 5 minutes then brush top with lemon glaze. (Recipe follows)

Remove from pan. Slice and enjoy.

For the glaze:

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

Combine ingredients in a microwave safe measuring cup and heat until sugar has dissolved and mixture is hot.

Let's get to cookin'!

Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

Next combine the sugar and lemon zest. Run that around with a whisk a little bit.

Add the butter and combine until light and fluffy. Then add the eggs, one at a time, then the lemon juice and vanilla.

Combine the milk and sour cream.

Starting and ending with the flour, 

add the flour mixture and the milk mixture to the mixing bowl a little 

at a time until everything is mixed.

Add batter to prepared pan and bake.

All baked and so pretty!

Next combine the 1/4 cup sugar 

and 3 tablespoons of the lemon 

juice in a microwave safe bowl 

and heat until sugar is dissolved...

about a minute.

Pour the glaze over the warm bread. 

You can poke a few holes in the loaf 

to help get the glaze evenly distributed.

Allow to cool then slice and eat!

Lemon Tart with Shortbread Cookie Crust

So I made this tart. This lemon tart. Now I’m not big on lemon. I’ll eat it but it’s not my first choice. But when I took a bite of this lemon-y goodness, I knew right away I’d be having a second piece. I won’t tell you that IT Guy had THREE pieces. In a row. Three in a row. I was surprised but not. Really guys...this is so good. Tart and sweet and all the things it should be.

Lemon Tart with Shortbread 

Cookie Crust

 

For the crust:

1 10-ounce package shortbread cookies (I used Lorna Doone)

1/2 cup (1 stick butter) ~ melted

2 tablespoons sugar

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a tart pan or pie pan.

 

In a food processor, crush all the cookies to crumbs. Add the sugar and butter and pulse until combined.

 

Press cookie mixture into the prepared pan.

 

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Cool.

For the tart:

3 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/2 cup lemon juice (about 3 - 4 lemons)

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter ~ cut into small cubes

 

In a medium heat proof bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and heavy cream.

 

Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk constantly until thickened. (Double boiler) About 10 - 20 minutes. A good way to tell if it’s thick enough is to dip a metal or wooden spoon into the mixture. Then run your finger over the back of the spoon. If it leaves a clear path, then you’re good to go!

 

Remove the lemon mixture from the heat and press through a fine mesh sieve.

 

Add the butter, a few chunks at a time and whisk until combined and all butter has melted.

 

Poor into the cooled shortbread crust. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for several hours before slicing.

 

Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

Let's make a tart!

Crush the cookies. Add the 

2 tablespoons of sugar and 

the 1/2 cup of melted butter and combine.

Press cookie mixture into your 

prepared pan then bake for a 

few minutes.

In a heatproof bowl, (or the top of 

a double boiler) combine the eggs, 

3/4 cup sugar, heavy cream lemon 

juice and lemon zest.

Whisk to combine.

Whisk and stir lemon mixture over 

the simmering water for 10-20 

minutes or until thickened.

This is good way to tell if it's done. 

Run your finger over the back of a 

spoon that's been dipped into the 

cooked mixture. If your finger leaves 

a path like this, you're good to go!

Then strain the mixture through a sieve.

Whisk in the butter.

Pour lemon mixture into the baked 

tart shell. Chill for several hours.

Slice and serve with whipped cream!

Frosted Lemon Butter Cookies

IT Guy is a big lemon fan. He used to eat lemons with salt for a snack. Ew. He doesn’t do that anymore but he still likes lemon desserts. And I like butter. HA! So these cookies are a great combo for us. They are simple to make, don’t make a ton and are super yummy. So there you go...three reasons you should make these cookies.

Frosted Lemon Butter Cookies

1 cup butter ~ softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 cups flour

Pinch salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Zest of 1 lemon

1 cup white chocolate chips

Frosting ~ recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and powdered sugar until smooth.

Add the flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and salt. Mix until combined.

Stir in the lemon zest and the chocolate chips.

Scoop dough onto prepared cookie sheet. Lightly press cookie dough down to flatten a little bit.

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until edges just turn golden.

Allow to cool for a few minutes then remove to a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Frost each cookie with frosting then sprinkle with dried cranberries.

Frosting

1/4 cup butter ~ softened

1 cup powdered sugar

Juice from 1/2 lemon

Dried cranberries ~ about 1/4 cup

Mix butter, powdered sugar and lemon juice together until smooth. Frost cookies then sprinkle with a few dried cranberries.

Let's make some cookies!

 

Cream together the butter and powdered sugar. 

Add the flour, baking powder, salt, 

vanilla, and salt. Mix until combined.

Add the lemon zest.

And the chocolate chips.

Scoop the dough onto the cookie sheet 

then press it down a little bit.

Bake!

Mix up the frosting.

Frost the COOLED cookies then 

sprinkle with dried cranberries.

Eat cookies!!!

Asparagus & Shrimp in Lemon Ginger Sauce

This was my lunch the other day. No one was home and I treated myself to this yumminess. IT Guy won't touch seafood of any kind so I got to eat it ALL! Well, I didn't eat it all at once, but at some point I will eat it all. It's SO delicious! You could even cook up some pasta to go with this and it would be great! Seriously...if you are a lover of shrimp and asparagus...make this TODAY!!!

Asparagus & Shrimp 
in Lemon Ginger Sauce 



1 pound large shrimp ~ cleaned and peeled
1 bunch asparagus ~ ends chopped off and cut into 3 inch pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil ~ divided use
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic ~ minced
2/3 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/4 teaspoon dried ginger
Salt to taste

In a small bowl, combine the chicken stock, soy sauce, sugar, corn starch and ginger. Whisk until smooth and set aside.

In a large skillet, pour half the olive oil.

Add the shrimp and cook about 3 minutes, turning once. Remove shrimp to a plate.

Add the remaining olive oil and the butter to the skillet. Add the asparagus and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes.

Pour in the sauce mixture and add the shrimp.

Stir to combine and cook another couple of minutes until sauce is thicken and shrimp are heated through.

 
Here's what you need.

 
Whisk together the chicken stock, 
soy sauce, sugar, corn starch and 
ginger. Set aside.

 
Cut your asparagus then set aside.

 
Cook the shrimp until almost 
done then remove from the skillet.

 
Add the remaining olive oil 
and the butter to the skillet.

 
Cook the asparagus and 
garlic for about 3 minutes.

 
Add the chicken stock mixture 
and the cooked shrimp to the 
skillet and cook until the sauce 
is thick and the shrimp are done.

 
Serve by itself or with pasta!

Lemon Poke Cake

When IT Guy and I were newly married we lived about 2 hours away from his folks...who lived in a teeny town in south eastern Arizona. They didn't have much in the way of grocery stores, so every time his folks came to visit us, his mom would hit the grocery store in Tucson, where we lived. And if she knew we were coming, she'd ask me to go to the store to get her something she knew she couldn't find in their small town. Well, one day, when she knew we were coming to visit, she asked me to pick up her favorite lemon cake mix. Which I was fine with. Until she asked me to buy 10 boxes. Well...I was shy back then and easily embarrassed so I was pretty sure that if I went into a grocery store and bought 10 of the same cake mix, I'd be laughed out of the store. I just couldn't make myself do it and apparently my hesitation was enough for my mother in law to ask me if I was uncomfortable doing that. I don't remember exactly what I said but stammered out enough words for her to catch on that it was out of my comfort zone. That little story has been a source of great amusement in our family over the years and I've grown quite a bit since then and have told her that if she ever wants 10 of ANYTHING, I'm her girl! This cake is super good and super easy but the memory it brings of a shy newlywed makes me happy. 

Lemon Poke Cake



1 yellow cake mix (plus the ingredients to make it)
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons lemon juice ~ divided use 
2 teaspoons lemon zest ~ divided use
1 8-ounce package cream cheese ~ softened
3 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.

Prepare cake mix according to package directions, adding in 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Bake according to the directions on the box. 

Immediately after cake is done, poke holes all over with a wooden spoon handle. 

In a small bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk and remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice.

Immediately pour the sweetened condensed milk mixture over the holes and allow the cake to cool. You may need to press the mixture down into the holes but it's okay if some of it is on top.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and remaining teaspoon of lemon zest.

Slowly beat in powdered sugar.

Frost cake with cream cheese frosting and place in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

 
Here's the stuff for the cake and frosting.

 
Make up the cake according to 
the box directions except add 
some lemon juice and lemon zest.

 
Bake it up then poke holes all over it.

 
Mix up the sweetened condensed 
milk and the remaining lemon juice.

 
Immediately pour over the cake 
and press into the holes. It's okay 
if some of it sits on top of the cake. 
Allow to cool.

 
Mix up the frosting ingredients.

 
Frost the cooled cake then chill.

 
Eat every bite!