Lemon Graham Squares

I spend every Tuesday evening meeting with the youth group in our church.  It keeps me really busy but has turned into the highlight of my week.  I know teenagers sometimes get a bad wrap, but our kids are awesome!  So driven, so bright and energetic, and so kind to each other.  No Mean Girls in this crowd.  Their great vibes are so infectious, I always leave feeling younger and fortunate to be around such great young people.

 Regardless of what we might be doing that night, (service project, building skills, working towards goals), food is almost always involved, and I am always happy to provide it.  It gives me a chance to experiment with delicious looking treats without actually having to have them in the house.  I found these lemon graham squares on Debbie's blog at the Friday Friends and instantly fell in love.  How can you not love a tart lemon filling between two layers of cookie crumbs?  I made them once for our church group, and then a new batch the very next day to hoard at home.  Yeah, so much for getting them out of the house!

Lemon Graham Squares
Found at The Friday Friends

Ingredients

1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (exactly one plastic packed stack of graham crackers)
3/4  cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
dash salt
1/2 cup melted butter

Directions

In a bowl, combine the milk and lemon juice, mix well, set aside. In another bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in butter until crumbly.

Press half of the crumb mixture into a greased 9-inch square baking dish.  Pour lemon mixture over crust; sprinkle with remaining crumbs.   Bake at  375F for  20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. 

Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Cut into bars.

Shared with Taste and Tell Thursdays

Lemon Blossoms

 I've never considered myself much of a girly girl.  My hair and makeup rarely takes longer than twenty minutes, I say 'dude' way more than I should, and I consider having to wear skirts and high heels some kind of medieval torture.

But, that doesn't mean that I don't like to be pampered, and if I have the funds, you best believe that I'd be getting myself massaged, facialed, and manicured on a regular basis.  So, when I found out that the youth in our church wanted to throw a spa party, I was on. board.

To my absolute delight, I was assigned to bring spa treats.  Where do I even begin?  I wanted something sweet, and dainty, and bite sized.  The perfect treat for primping.  Lemon blossoms?  No brainer.

 How can you not love a bite sized morsel of sunshine?  These take no time at all to make, are cute as heck, and taste so sweet and bright that you might actually see cartoon birds tweeting at your window.  Make them and enjoy dude!

Lemon Blossoms
By Paula Deen

Ingredients

1 (18.25 oz. box) yellow cake mix

1 (3.4 oz.) instant lemon flavored pudding mix

4 large eggs

3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 1 lemon)

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons water

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray miniature muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, and 3/4 cup oil. Beat for 2 minutes. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the batter into each muffin tin, and bake for 12 minutes. Turn the cakes onto a cloth towel.

In a medium bowl, sift confectioners' sugar. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and water, stirring until smooth. Dip the cakes into the glaze while they are still warm, covering as much of the cake as possible. Place the cakes on a wire rack with wax paper underneath to catch the drips. Let the glaze set thoroughly before storing in an airtight container.

 

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

 While I am fully embracing the onset of fall, I completely understand if you're not.  In fact, to help ease you into it, I thought I'd send one more summer treat before the apple/pumpkin/winter squash frenzy is in full force.

 Am I the only one that things of summer when I think of lemon?  Is lemon even considered a seasonal summer fruit?  It's just so bright, fresh, and yellow like the sun.  These are the kind of cookies I want to pack on a picnic where there are going to be volleyball games and watermelon seed spitting contests.

I found these tender and tangy gems at Pam's fabulous blog.  If you haven't been by her site, you're seriously missing out.  I pin just about everything she posts.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies
For the Love of Cooking

Ingredients

1/2 cup of unsalted butter, softened
1 cup of white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp fresh lemon zest
1 1/2 cups of flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup of powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with a mixer until creamy. Add the vanilla, egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest and beat until smooth and well mixed. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together until well combined. Slowly add the flour mixture to the lemon mixture until mixed. The dough will be very sticky. Place into the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes or until firm enough to roll into balls.

Roll the dough into small balls then toss in the bowl of powdered sugar until evenly coated. Place the balls on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Place into the oven and bake for 9-11 minutes.
Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack for at least 7 minutes to set.

Serve the cookies immediately

Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk Cookies

As I've mentioned in the past, my husband is a dental student out here in Philly. Because of this, virtually all of our friends are students as well, all of us away from family, and most of us experiencing the east coast for the first time. It's really nice because we can all sympathize with each other when we get homesick, or when we're feeling exceptionally poor that day. We all rely on each other for babysitting, support, or even just a shoulder to cry on. For four years, they ARE your family and we become very close.



The hard part about having student friends is that every year you have to say goodbye to a fraction of them who are lucky enough to be graduating and moving on. It's always sad, but it's also so exciting for them to reach that next step. About a month ago we had a big bbq for the families leaving. It was a lot of fun and a good chance to give hugs and well wishes. Everyone contributes to the potluck and there is always lots of good food.



These were my contribution, I found these cookies on Maria's blog Two Peas and Their Pod. I love Maria's blog, her food is so beautiful and fresh and there is NO shortage of cookie recipes, this girl can bake! These were bright and delicious, and my favorite part was biting into a juicy blueberry. They're perfect for summer and the recipe can be found here. Thanks Maria!

Semi-Homemade Raspberry-Lemon Cheesecake Bites

Why do I love mini food so much? Is it because I'm mini? At 5'0, I rarely get to look others in the eye. Is it because I have mini kids? Or maybe mini food makes me feel better about eating ten? Regardless of what it is, the smaller food is, the happier it makes me.


This idea came after making those mini quiches. The little pie crusts were so easy to make that the possibilities became endless. Then I discovered that you can buy premade cheesecake filling that requires no baking.



That combined with a layer of lemon curd, and a bright raspberry, and you have one (or ten) tasty little bite!

Semi-Homemade Raspberry-Lemon Cheesecake Bite
A Blog About Food

Ingredients (Makes 48)

2 refrigerated rolled pie crusts
1 tub cheese cake filling
1 jar lemon curd
1 container of raspberries, washed (just about any berry would work)

Directions

Preheat oven to temperature on pie crust box. Unroll pie crust, flour on either size and roll out to almost twice it's size. Use a round glass or biscuit cutter to cut out circles to fit a greased mini muffin pan. Bake according to directions. (You'll do this twice). Allow to cool.

Fill each pie crust with cheesecake filling, a layer of lemon curd and top with one berry.

Scallops with Lemon-Basil Sauce

How hard to you guys work to make something that the whole family likes? I usually do my best to find things that are delicious, as well as family friendly, but then I find recipes like this. Yes, I'm the only one in my family that likes scallops. Yes, they are expensive. Yes, I am going to make them anyway and let my family fend for themselves.

Before you judge, we were going to have leftovers anyway, so c'mon, let a girl treat herself.

This was actually my first time making scallops, but after this dish, it will definitely not be my last. The trick is to not overcook them, or undercook them. I read once that if they have a nice spring to them when you press on them, they're done. I loved the freshness and simplicity of these scallops, such a bright and cheerful dish! I served this over a bed of angel hair that I tossed in butter and Parmesan cheese. Pure soft and velvety heaven.


Scallops with Lemon-Basil Sauce
By Fresh Food Fast Weeknight Meals, by Cooking Light (of course!)

Ingredients

1 large lemon
1 1/2 lbs large sea scallops
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter, divided
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Finely grate lemon rind, reserving 1/4 teaspoon. Squeeze lemon, reserving 2 tablespoons juice. Pat scallops dry with paper towels.

2. Sprinkle scallops with 1/8 tsp each salt and pepper. Melt 2 tsp butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add scallops; cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove scallops from pan; keep warm.

3. Add wine and reserved lemon juice to pan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes, stirring to loosen browned bits from bottom of pan. Combine water and cornstarch; add to pan. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken. Add reserved lemon rind, remaining 1 tsp butter, remaining 1/8 tsp each salt and pepper, and basil. Remove from heat. Serve over scallops.

Serves 4: 5 oz scallops and 1 tablespoon sauce

Per Serving: 185 cal, 4g fat, 28.9g prot, 7g carb, 0.7g fiber

Points Per Serving: 4

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Sometimes cold and rainy days are great. You put on your comfies, a sit down to a nice movie or book and enjoy the warmth of your home. Buuuuut then you have days where the weather couldn't have picked a worse day to be cold and rainy. The kids are climbing the walls, trashing the house with every second and driving me absolutely insane. That's when recipes like this are huge life savers. I found this on Recipe Shoebox, a fabulous blog that you should go check out asap. As soon as I found it, I ordered the kids into the kitchen and got to baking. Muffins are so fun to make with kids, they're not complicated, but there are enough steps involved to keep them busy for a while.

The best part is not only are these a snap to make, they are INSANELY delicious. And this is coming from a person that doesn't usually go running to the muffin table. So soft and moist with the best flavor. Lemons and blueberries really were meant for each other. Two days and these bad boys were gone. I can't wait to make them again. Thanks Lara, you saved us on a rainy day!


Lemon-Blueberry Muffins
From the Recipe Shoebox.

Ingredients

2 cups flour (I used King Arthur's white whole wheat flour)
1 cup sugar
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
6 Tbs. cold butter, cut into 6-pieces
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw)

TOPPING I never did the topping, just covered the top in raw sugar. I imagine the topping is wonderful though!

2 Tbs. flour
2 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. melted butter
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. With a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs (you want to be able to see small pea-sized clumps of butter still). In a separate smaller bowl, lightly beat together egg, milk, lemon juice, lemon rind and vanilla until blended. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture until just blended (do NOT overmix). NOTE: Batter will be somewhat thick.

Fold blueberries into batter. Spoon batter evenly into well-greased muffin pan.

For topping, in a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon until well blended. Spread mixture evenly over tops of muffin batter.

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400°. Muffins should be golden brown. Serve warm. Makes 12 standard size muffins. Enjoy!

Strawberry Bundt Cake With Lemon Glaze

I always feel a bit like a cheater whenever I make something out of a boxed mix, especially cake. I mean, c'mon, we all do it, but I always feel that little voice in the back of my head squealing "you could be making this from scratch you lazy bum!"

That's why I'm grateful for recipes like this. It's been completely dolled up as a lovely homemade strawberry cake, swimming in sweet lemon glaze, just begging to be soaked up and licked off the plate. No one needs to know that it took about two minutes to mix up and cost about five dollars. It can be our little secret.

Strawberry Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze
By Recipezaar

Ingredients

Cake
1 (18 1/4 ounce) box strawberry cake mix (Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons sour cream (heaping tablespoons)
2/3 cup strawberry (either fresh strawberries pulsed a few times with food processor or strawberry pie filling drained w)
1 dash cooking spray (Bakers Joy works best)

Lemon Glaze
1 3/4 cups powdered confectioners' sugar (or 2 cups if thicker texture desired)
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray Bundt or tube pan with Bakers Joy (or spray two 8" pans with cooking spray to make layer cake).

2.Blend together cake mix, oil, water, eggs, and sour cream in large bowl on low speed for 1 minute then medium high speed for 2 minutes.

3.Pulse strawberries a few times until chopped (be careful not to puree them) then stir those into batter by hand then pour batter into Bundt pan (or round pans).

4.Bake for 35-40 minutes for bundt pan until done (bake 30 min for round pans). Remove from oven & let cool in pans on wire rack for 15 minutes before removing from pan.

5.Cool completely then glaze by combining the powdered sugar & lemon juice - whisk together until creamy then drizzle over top and sides of cake.

Lemon White Chocolate Cakeballs

I would tell you that this will be my last cakeball post, but that would be lying, and my mama taught me to be honest. I'm obsessed, it's an illness, I'm okay with it.

I really liked this combination of lemon and white chocolate. I used an almond bark (does almond bark qualify as white chocolate? it all tastes the same to me), which made a beautifully crisp shell to encase the soft tangy lemon filling. The white chocolate was also a lot easier to dip for some reason, I think because it was thinner when melted.

However, these weren't my favorite. I liked them enough to eat them and share them, but there have been several others that I like a lot more. I think the milk and dark chocolate make for a much more flavorful shell. But, if you more into the citrus flavors rather then chocolate, you might find these a refreshing change!

Lemon White Chocolate Cakeballs

Ingredients

1 box lemon cake mix, baked according to directions
1 tub lemon frosting
1-1/2 bars almond bark
1 scoop Crisco (if desired)

Directions

After cake cools, crumble in a large bowl. Add entire tub of frosting, mix until evenly combined. Roll into small balls, freeze for 1-2 hours.

Melt white chocolate and Crisco either in the microwave or over a double boiler until thin. Place cakeball in white chocolate and use a spoon to pour chocolate over each cakeball until coated. Use spoon to scoop up cakeball and tap any excess chocolate on the side of the bowl. Lay on wax paper to cool and dry.

Store in the refrigerator.

Today is our sixth year anniversary! Check us out, all young and thin and naive!
Aw, I love my Glenn!

Also, I'm going to be MIA for a few days, my family is taking a camping trip up by Niagara Falls! I'm so excited, we haven't gone camping with the kids yet, so it should be an adventure! I look forward to catching up with you all when we get back!

Lemon Bread Pudding

Ah, another lemony recipe for you! To be honest, I never saw myself voluntarily making bread pudding, it was just never a recipe that appealed to me. However, these last few years I've been finding it to be such a hearty and delicious dessert, and a very resourceful way of using up stale bread! This recipe came to be after realizing that a bag of beautiful kaiser rolls I had in my pantry were starting to stale. And nothing is more of an abomination to me then wasted food, it makes me a very sad panda.

This recipe is delicious, very easy to make, and can very easily serve a big crowd. And if you make it with skim milk, it's really not very calorie laden at all. I also love the brightness of the lemon sauce, it makes it a very unique dessert. Next time you have bread that's getting a bit crusty, try this out, it calls for all the things you will most likely already have in your fridge and pantry!

Lemon Bread Pudding
Found in Taste of Home Baking Book

Ingredients

3 slices day old bread, cubed
3/4 cups raisins
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
LEMON SAUCE:
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Toss bread and raisins in an ungreased 1-1/2 qt. baking dish. Ina small saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, butter, and salt; cook and stir until butter is melted. Remove from the heat. Whisk eggs and vanilla in a small bowl. Stir a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Pour over bread and raisins.

2. Place dish in a larger baking pan. Fill larger pan with hot water to a depth of 1 inch. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

3. For sauce, combine the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in water until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in lemon juice, peel and butter until butter melt. Serve over warm or cold pudding. Refrigerate leftovers.

Soft Lemonade Cookies

My husband has been getting after me lately because every time I come across a dessert that I really want to make, it contains lemon..."what's with all the lemon!" I just can't help myself, it's just a bright tangy flavor that never seems to get old.

The very name of these cookies was appealing to me, and they are about at close to a refreshing glass of lemonade as you are going to get. They also really hold up to the name SOFT lemonade cookies. I don't know that I've ever eaten a cookie that was so soft, tender and delightfully chewy. Perfect for a spring picnic!

Soft Lemonade Cookies

Found in Taste of Home Baking Book

Ingredients

1 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 can (6 oz) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed and divided
Additional sugar

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with 1/3 cup of lemonade concentrate, beating well after each addition.

2. Drop by rounded teaspoonful 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks. Brush warm cookies with remaining lemonade concentrate; sprinkle with sugar, cool.