1 cup (2 sticks) butter, very soft
6-8 C powdered sugar
1/2 C fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of sugar, then the juice and the zest. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, until icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency (I added 6 cups total). Use and store at room temperature. (Don’t refrigerate and it will last in a covered container for about three days.)
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Perfect Lemon Cupcakes
1 package lemon cake mix
1 C sour cream
3/4 C water
3/4 C oil
4 eggs
1 small package lemon instant pudding
Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Mix with electric mixer on medium speed for about two minutes. Use a strong mixer, this batter is thick. For cupcakes, bake them at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (I was able to get 24 very full cupcakes from the recipe). For regular cake, pour into a greased 9×11 pan or two round pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Don’t over bake or the cake will be too dry!)
Top with Lemon Buttercream Frosting and Sliced Berries
Basic Buttercream Frosting
3 sticks butter, softened
2 lbs. powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
whipping cream or 1/2 and 1/2 – enough to thin frosting to desired consistency
Beat butter in mixer on medium high for 2-3 minutes or until pale and creamy. Reduce speed to medium and add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Beat well after each addition increasing speed to high after all sugar is added.
Add vanilla and food coloring if desired. Beat until buttercream is smooth. Can be refrigerated for several days if covered. If refrigerating, bring to room temperature before using and beat on low until smooth.
2 lbs. powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
whipping cream or 1/2 and 1/2 – enough to thin frosting to desired consistency
Beat butter in mixer on medium high for 2-3 minutes or until pale and creamy. Reduce speed to medium and add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Beat well after each addition increasing speed to high after all sugar is added.
Add vanilla and food coloring if desired. Beat until buttercream is smooth. Can be refrigerated for several days if covered. If refrigerating, bring to room temperature before using and beat on low until smooth.
Really Good Chicken and Noodles
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 T. fresh rosemary, minced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
3 T. honey
8 ounces thin spaghetti (I prefer Barilla Plus)
2 T. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup real bacon bits
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
3 roma tomatoes, seeds and core removed, diced
2 T. capers (optional)
Start a pot of water boiling to cook the pasta. Spray your BBQ grill rack with nonstick spray and fire it up. Sprinkle salt, pepper and rosemary on each chicken breast and grill for 7-8 minutes on the first side. In a small bowl, mix 2 T. of freshly squeezed lemon juice and the honey together, then brush it on the tops of the chicken breasts before flipping them over. Brush the underside as well, and grill for a few more minutes until they are cooked through (actual cooking time will depend on how thick the breast is, and you could certainly pound them thinner to start with to make it go faster). Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Toss your noodles into the boiling salted water if you haven’t already. Once they are nearly done cooking, begin making the sauce. It comes together quickly. In a large skillet, melt 2 T. butter then add the garlic. Saute and stir for 2-3 minutes, then add the bacon bits and cook for another minute. Stir in the remaining lemon juice and all of the zest, then the cream. Stir in the cooked and drained noodles, adding a tablespoon or two of the pasta water if needed to thin the sauce. Slice the chicken breasts thinly. Stir in the roma tomatoes and parmesan cheese (and capers if you so desire – I’m the only one that likes them around here, so I tossed a few on my own plate), and serve immediately with a portion of chicken breast strips on top of the pile of pasta.
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 T. fresh rosemary, minced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
3 T. honey
8 ounces thin spaghetti (I prefer Barilla Plus)
2 T. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup real bacon bits
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
3 roma tomatoes, seeds and core removed, diced
2 T. capers (optional)
Start a pot of water boiling to cook the pasta. Spray your BBQ grill rack with nonstick spray and fire it up. Sprinkle salt, pepper and rosemary on each chicken breast and grill for 7-8 minutes on the first side. In a small bowl, mix 2 T. of freshly squeezed lemon juice and the honey together, then brush it on the tops of the chicken breasts before flipping them over. Brush the underside as well, and grill for a few more minutes until they are cooked through (actual cooking time will depend on how thick the breast is, and you could certainly pound them thinner to start with to make it go faster). Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Toss your noodles into the boiling salted water if you haven’t already. Once they are nearly done cooking, begin making the sauce. It comes together quickly. In a large skillet, melt 2 T. butter then add the garlic. Saute and stir for 2-3 minutes, then add the bacon bits and cook for another minute. Stir in the remaining lemon juice and all of the zest, then the cream. Stir in the cooked and drained noodles, adding a tablespoon or two of the pasta water if needed to thin the sauce. Slice the chicken breasts thinly. Stir in the roma tomatoes and parmesan cheese (and capers if you so desire – I’m the only one that likes them around here, so I tossed a few on my own plate), and serve immediately with a portion of chicken breast strips on top of the pile of pasta.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Cinnamon Swirl Bread
1/3 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a small bowl, mix together 1/3 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon; set aside.
In large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and remaining 1 cup sugar. Combine egg, milk, and oil; add to flour mixture. Stir until just moistened.
Pour half of the batter into pan. Sprinkle with half the reserved cinnamon/sugar mixture. Repeat with remaining batter and cinnamon/sugar mixture. Draw a knife through batter to marble.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap in foil and let sit overnight before slicing.
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a small bowl, mix together 1/3 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon; set aside.
In large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and remaining 1 cup sugar. Combine egg, milk, and oil; add to flour mixture. Stir until just moistened.
Pour half of the batter into pan. Sprinkle with half the reserved cinnamon/sugar mixture. Repeat with remaining batter and cinnamon/sugar mixture. Draw a knife through batter to marble.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap in foil and let sit overnight before slicing.
Swedish Meatballs With Sour Cream Sauce
Meatballs:
1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 c. dry bread crumbs
1/4 c. egg substitute
2/3 c. skim milk
1 tsp. minced onion
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 tbsp. sugar
Sour Cream Sauce:
1 can low fat cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms with liquid
1/2 pt. nonfat sour cream
Combine all ingredients for meatballs and mix. Let it set for 3 to 4 minutes. Make into small balls. Brown meatballs in electric frying pan at 300 degrees. Reduce heat to 220 degrees and simmer for 20 minutes. Combine ingredients for sour cream sauce in a pan and heat through. Pour sauce over meatballs and serve.
1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 c. dry bread crumbs
1/4 c. egg substitute
2/3 c. skim milk
1 tsp. minced onion
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 tbsp. sugar
Sour Cream Sauce:
1 can low fat cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms with liquid
1/2 pt. nonfat sour cream
Combine all ingredients for meatballs and mix. Let it set for 3 to 4 minutes. Make into small balls. Brown meatballs in electric frying pan at 300 degrees. Reduce heat to 220 degrees and simmer for 20 minutes. Combine ingredients for sour cream sauce in a pan and heat through. Pour sauce over meatballs and serve.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Easy (and yummy) Honey Curry Chicken
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup prepared mustard
1 tsp curry powder
2 Tbsp soy sauce (optional)
Split Chicken breasts and place in a 9" by 13" baking pan. Combine remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Pour over the chicken and bake at 375 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until tests done.
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