About these ads

All posts tagged lemon

Admiration and emails — and lemon cream cheese cookies

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies-open2

This cookie is based on a recipe that’s been saved on my computer for more than a year. It’s from Merrill Stubbs at Food52, and I remember saving it simply because I think Merrill is the cat’s pajamas. If she says it’s a hit, I believe her. Allow me to explain.

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies4

For the first 16 or so years of my life, I thought Katie Couric was the coolest. I wanted to be a broadcast reporter, and the years Couric spent on the Today Show mixed with her noticeable morning perkiness — which I still very much relate to and appreciate, by the way — pretty much solidified her awesomeness to me. Once I hit college, however, my ambitions to be on camera fell behind my ambitions to be a writer. That, and I learned quickly that it was totally uncool to say you wanted to be like Katie Couric at journalism school. Oh, college.

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies-foodgawker

Truth be told, my unabashed love of Katie Couric has subsided a little, but I’d still probably spout off all those embarrassing “You were my favorite growing up, you’re so awesome, please sign my trusty reporter’s notebook” lines if I saw her on the street today. But my interests have changed, and my aspirations have evolved, which gives opportunity to celebritize a whole new slew of cool cats. In the past few years, I’ve become engrossed in the food blog culture, not just because I write a food blog of my own but also because I love reading those stories, trying the recipes and being part of that community. When I came across Food52 a few years ago (concurrent with my attainment of Amanda Hesser’s The Essential New York Times Cookbook), I felt as if I’d found my ultimate Web-based happy place.

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies3

So I started reading all the stories and dabbling with some of the recommended picks. Perhaps no surprise, my favorites were — and still are — almost always those from the site’s founders, Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs. I started seeking out more of their writing, other cookbooks, columns and the like. I’d click with admiration through photos of the Food52 test kitchen and imagine how great it must be to go to work there every day. And I’d say unrealistic and irresponsible things to Jared like, “Let’s move to New York! We can be waiters, and I’ll moonlight at Food52. Huzzah!”

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies both

So there’s some backstory. Jared knows all of this. And he knew this when he emailed Merrill Stubbs (yes, emailed her!) last December to ask about a watch of hers with a turquoise strap that I had admired in a video on the Food52 site. He said he figured it was a long shot, but he was in search of the perfect Christmas present for his wife and wondered if Merrill (I’ll say Merrill here because my sweet husband was totally on a first-name basis with her via email) would be willing to share a bit about her lovely timepiece. Although he found out that the watch was no longer available (not to mention a bit out of his graduate student budget), he was happy that he asked. And when Christmas morning rolled around, though Jared did give me a new watch that I love, even better was when he showed me the secret correspondence that had transpired between him and Merrill. They had a nice little chat back and forth about the watch, their respective baby daughters and wishes for a happy holiday season. I was amazed. And it was awesome.

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies

So now we’ve come full circle, back to the cookies. When I saved this recipe, I mentally noted that I’d pull it out on a rainy day, when I was out of impressive berry-filled breads and mile-high cakes to share. It seemed so simple that I was in no hurry to try it, but I should have known that it was worth an immediate trip to the kitchen. After all, if you can trust a person’s taste in watches, then you can certainly trust her taste in cookies. And if ever there was a perfect cookie, this might be it. They’re crisp around the edges, impossibly chewy in the center, perfectly sweet and wonderfully simple. Try them with the lemon or without. My guess is you’ll love them either way.

••••••••••••••••••••

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies5

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies
Adapted slightly from Merrill Stubbs, Food52.com

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 ounces plain cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• zest from 1 lemon
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, cream cheese and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon zest and vanilla, and mix to combine. Slowly add the flour and salt until just incorporated, then give the bowl a good scrape and the mixture a quick stir to make sure everything is mixed in.

Drop the dough into rounded tablespoons (I used a 1-inch cookie scoop) about 1 ½ inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the edges turn a nice golden brown (Be careful not to over-bake!). Cool the cookies for a minute or so on the cookie sheet, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

••••••••••••••••••••

So that’s the story of my shameless admiration of a news anchor and a food writer. But really, I’m happy to tell the tale. I think everyone needs a Katie Couric in his or her life. Or a Merrill Stubbs or Amanda Hesser. We all need someone we look up to and whose work we admire. And we most certainly need someone who can recommend the best cookies.

XO,
Katrina

About these ads
11 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on April 11, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Fresh from the oven
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Katrina Tauchen on April 11, 2013

http://splashofsomething.com/2013/04/11/admiration-and-emails-and-lemon-cream-cheese-cookies/

Minding our Ps and Qs: Ricotta Lemon Bars

LemonBars1

Nothing makes you reevaluate your words, actions and unintentional mannerisms quite like spending your days with a 2-foot-tall mimic. Toddlers come with an innate talent for reflecting the good, not-so-good and do-I-really-do-that kinds of qualities in the people around them, and our Beany girl has taken to this age-required aptitude with zeal.

Our regular conversations are often interrupted with questions like, “Where did she learn to nod like a bobble-head while babbling on the phone?” “Who taught her to squeal like a wild woman every time ‘Jingle Bells’ starts playing?” “Where did she learn to make monster faces and sniff like a puppy dog when she thinks something’s really funny?”

Well, here’s looking at you, Katrina and Jared — the Christmas-loving, phone-babbling, monster-face-making both of you.

LemonBars13

Of course, it’s always a happy surprise when those cute little quirks are accompanied by something downright mannerly, and it seems that, at least for Beany, dessert can be quite the catalyst for some pint-sized Emily Post-approved moments. Although she’d never before seen these ricotta lemon bars, with their buttery crust, zingy filling and powered snow-covered tops, she knew they were something special. So with big eyes, hands moving together in her signature “more” action and lips puckered like she’d already been tasting the leftover lemons, Beany began whispering, “Ppp, ppp, ppp.” Never mind that it’s only the first syllable of “please,” really just the first letter. In a sea Christmas music, silly expressions and early attempts at the ABCs, that sweet bean is learning to mind her Ps and Qs.

••••••••••••••••••••

LemonBars9

Ricotta Lemon Bars
Adapted slightly from Kukla, Food52

For the crust:
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes pieces

For the filling:
• ¾ cup fresh whole-milk ricotta, drained
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• ½ cup fresh lemon, strained
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper, and then layer another piece crosswise over that.

To make the crust: Place the flour, confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and salt in a food processer, and pulse to combine. Add butter, and pulse about 10-15 times, until it resembles course meal.

Pour the crust in the lined pan, and press it firmly into the bottom until it forms an even layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, and then bake for 20-25 minutes, until crust is a light golden brown.

To make the filling: Whisk together the ricotta, eggs, sugar and flour until well blended. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla and salt, and stir to combine.

Once the crust is done baking, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Give the filling another stir, and then pour it into the warm crust. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the filling is set and firm to a light touch.

Allow the lemon bars to cool completely on a wire rack, and then transfer them to a cutting board to cut into 18 2-inch squares (for clean lines, wipe the knife between cuts).

Dust with confectioners’ sugar, and serve.

LemonBars2

LemonBars8

••••••••••••••••••••

XO,
Katrina

4 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on February 5, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Fresh from the oven
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Katrina Tauchen on February 5, 2013

http://splashofsomething.com/2013/02/05/minding-our-ps-and-qs-ricotta-lemon-bars/

Recipes for naptime: Lemon vanilla bean muffins

Nearly any parent will tell you this: Naptime is the golden hour. Actually, if you’re lucky, it’s the golden couple of hours.

Before becoming a mom myself, I thought the parents who pointed this out were a little too snarky for their own good. That’s probably because before becoming a parent, I felt much more kid than adult. What’s so glorious about naptime anyway? Surely my mom and dad loved spending every waking moment with me so much that they dreaded those miserable hours when I was napping and they were left to go about their day amidst that dull and lonely silence. That’s definitely how they felt, right?

Life sure changes perspectives. Since becoming mom to a sweet baby Bean who holds the whole of my heart in that round little body, I’ve learned the value of naptime. It has nothing to do with how much you enjoy each other’s company (which is lots, by the way) and everything to do with our mutual need to recharge our batteries and rediscover ourselves. For Beany, that means snuggles with Bunny and sweet, sleepy dreams. For me, that means catching up on work, finding time for a shower (hooray!) or puttering around in the kitchen. For a few short hours, the world is my oyster — so long as that oyster is quiet.

Lately, naptime has become my experimental kitchen time. The catch is that my usual go-tos (i.e. the standing mixer, hand mixer and food processor) are far too noisy to be worth the risk of an early wakeup. As a result, I’ve been working on recipes that are rather old-fashioned in their approach: Think Carolyn Ingalls in that itty bitty kitchen at the back of their family homestead. Carolyn did receive that glorious wood-burning cooker for Christmas one year, so the oven is in the clear zone. But other than that, it’s nothing but prairie-approved simplicity.

So ‘tis the story of how these lemon vanilla bean muffins were born — in a quiet kitchen, by way of whisks and spoons. I know, I know. It’s another lemon recipe. But the vanilla bean really deepens the overall flavor by warming up the citrus in an unexpected way. Throw in the brown sugar crumble, and it’s the perfect blend of moist cake, crisp topping and sweet-to-tart ratio. The fresh berries on top are optional, but they do make everything oh so pretty. And pretty is worth opting in.

••••••••••••••••••••

Lemon Vanilla Bean Muffins

Muffins:
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup salted butter, melted
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 vanilla bean
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• zest from 3-4 lemons (about 1 tablespoon)

Topping:
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons salted cold butter, cut into cubes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl or a large measuring cup, mix together the melted butter (cooled so you don’t scramble the eggs), sour cream, eggs, lemon juice and lemon zest. Carefully slice open your vanilla bean, and scrape all the vanilla beany goodness from the inside with the backside of a knife (Get every last bit! Those puppies are pricy, and the flavor is goooood!). Add the vanilla bean insides to the other wet ingredients, and whisk together until the wet mixture is lovely and speckled throughout.

Add the wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and stir together with a spatula until just combined. The batter will be pretty thick.

In a small bowl, mix together the crumble topping: ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup light brown sugar and 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the texture resembles coarse breadcrumbs (you can use a pastry cutter here or just your hands. Sometimes the fingers are faster).

Spoon the batter into prepared muffin tins until they’re filled nearly to the brim. Top the batter with the crumble topping, then bake the muffins for 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick just comes out clean and the tops are lightly golden. Let them cool in the pan for a minute or two (basically just until you’re able to get them out without burning yourself), then remove them from the pan, and let them cool on a wire rack. Now relax, eat and be merry. Eating lemon is like eating sunshine, you know.

••••••••••••••••••••

How do you make use of the quiet hours of the day? Any naptime-approved recipes you’d like to share? Do tell!

XO,
Katrina

6 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on August 20, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Fresh from the oven
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Katrina Tauchen on August 20, 2012

http://splashofsomething.com/2012/08/20/recipes-for-naptime-lemon-vanilla-bean-muffins/

Lemon, for you, I’ll bake

It’s summer. It’s hot. My poor little oven groans every time I feel the culinary call. “Again?” it says. “Can’t we just pop in a Christmas movie and snack on a pack of Oreos?”

“Oh, little oven,” I reply. “These are the days life lessons are made of. We must put in the effort, even when we feel zapped by the sun. No day should be wasted when lemons are near.” And so, with that, we bake.

Clearly the heat is causing hallucinations, as my frequency of communicating with kitchen appliances is decidedly less in the winter. But I suppose even in a heat-induced state, there is truth to be found in ye olde “When life gives you lemons” adage. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that summertime is lousy with lemons (and I mean lousy in the loveliest sense of the word). It must be nature’s way of reminding us that if we are patient, the seasons to follow are sure to feel as refreshing as the taste of summer’s citrus.

Lemon is undoubtedly my go-to ingredient in the summer, largely because it packs that natural cool-down effect. These lemon shortbread cookies (discovered through a cookie search on Pinterest) are like tiny bursts of cool, sweet goodness, chased by a blast of lemony love. After they’ve baked and cooled completely, stick them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve them. The added chill from the fridge makes them extra irresistible and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. So good, even my oven forgives me.

••••••••••••••••••••

Lemon Shortbread
From Technicolor Kitchen (as taken from Donna Hay magazine)

• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup, plus 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• finely grated zest of 2 lemons
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups, plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Cream butter and 1/3 cup, plus 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar with an electric mixture until super light and creamy, about 8 minutes. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest, and mix until combined. Add the vanilla, and beat until combined.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and cornstarch. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet, and mix until just combined (overmixing can lead to tough cookies — and not the street-smarts kind).

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and divide it in half on two separate sheets of parchment paper. Form each half into a log about 8 inches long (I like to square off the edges so my cookies have a fun shape). Wrap the logs in the parchment paper, and chill for about 1 ½ hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats. Unwrap one of the dough logs, and slice into 1-centimeter-thick cookies. Place the cookies on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart, and bake for 15-18 minutes, until the edges barely begin turning golden (the bottoms should be golden as well).

Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then roll the still-warm cookies in the remaining 2/3 cup of confectioners’ sugar until they’re completely coated. Cool them the rest of the way on a wire rack. Serve room temperature or chilled (chilled is the best!). Makes about 40 cookies.

••••••••••••••••••••

Are baking through the heat wave or managing to survive on store-bought or no-bake goodies? What’s your favorite recipe for the steamy summer months? Do tell!

XO,
Katrina

69 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on July 26, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Fresh from the oven
Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Katrina Tauchen on July 26, 2012

http://splashofsomething.com/2012/07/26/lemon-for-you-ill-bake/

Delicious muffins and other weighty matters

Oh, how I love a new kitchen gadget.

Oh, how I love a beautiful baked good.

And oh, how I love whenever the two shall meet.

A few Christmases ago, my brother and sister-in-law gifted me with a collection of Avoca cookbooks, filled with recipes for all sorts of delicious things that the two of them can nosh while cruising the namesake shop in Ireland. The books are lovely, with gorgeous photos and wonderful recipes I keep meaning to try, but to be perfectly honest, they’ve spent far too much time hanging around in my cabinet. The reason for the lack of use, I’m embarrassed to say, is because the recipe measurements come in terms of grams and milliliters rather than my familiar cups. Until very recently, I had no kitchen scale, and, frankly, I was too lazy to keep figuring out the conversions. There are only so many times you want to Google “225 grams to cups,” you know?

Never again! I’m happy to report that I’m now the proud owner of a sleek little food scale, thanks to the same folks responsible for those Avoca cookbooks. Hoorah! I put it to work right away, and what could be more appropriate for the first time out of the gate than something from those poor neglected cookbooks? Boy oh boy, I can already tell that this is one of those once-you-try-it-you-can-never-go-back sorts of gadgets. Not only does tossing a bit of this and a little of that in a bowl until ingredients reach the desired weight feel super bakerly (really, how often do you get to bake in such a throw-it-in manner?), but using the scale is also a guaranteed way to ensure that all the measurements are exactly right. So it’s easier and produces even better results. Woot!

I chose a treat from Avoca: Tea Time. It’s their basic muffin recipe, with a healthy dose of raspberries and lemon added to make them extra special. I love adding raspberries to baked goods. With a trip through the oven, they mash and melt to the perfect consistency and leave behind beautiful pink dots, like splashes of paint on a sweet canvas.

••••••••••••••••••••

Raspberry Lemon Muffins
Adapted from Avoca: Tea Time (page 10)

• 450g self-rising flour
• 225g extra-fine sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 225 ml milk
• 225g unsalted butter
• 2 medium eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 200g raspberries
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line 15 muffin tins with paper liners.

Sift together the flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. Make a well in the center.

Heat the milk and butter together until the butter melts, then allow that mixture to cool before adding it to the dry mixture with the eggs and lemon juice. Gently stir in the raspberries and lemon zest, just until blended.

Spoon batter into the muffins cups, and bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Note: My muffins were having trouble browning at the end, even after they had finished baking, so I hit them with the broiler for about one to two minutes to achieve their pretty golden tops. It’s a handy trick, but keep an eye out; they can burn quickly.

••••••••••••••••••••

Does anyone else use a food scale in the kitchen? How do you like it? Was it hard to make the switch? And is anyone baking with berries these days? What’s your favorite berry-filled recipe? I’d love to hear it!

XO,
Katrina

12 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on June 11, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Fresh from the oven
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Katrina Tauchen on June 11, 2012

http://splashofsomething.com/2012/06/11/delicious-muffins-and-other-weighty-matters/

Project NYT: Lemon sablés — everyone needs some sparkle

It’s hot. It’s humid. I’m on another lemon kick.

You know that feeling when you walk into the bathroom not long after someone else in the house took a super hot shower? That’s how Missouri feels in the summertime. Hot. Steamy. Ooph. If you’re a hot-and-sticky summertime fan, then you’re probably gearing up for three to four long months of swimsuit-filled contentment. Although I’ve always loved summer for the sunshine, ice cream and vacations, I’d prefer to spend June through August surrounded by snow, or at the very least in the middle of a crisp 60-degree breeze. Hence my need to find solace where I can. I find my solace in lemons.

These lemon sablés are particularly perfect for a hot summer day for a few reasons. First, they’re the perfect blend of tart and sweet: just enough sugar to feel like a treat and just enough lemon to make you feel refreshed and satisfied. And second, by brushing the dough’s edges with egg yolk and course sugar, each and every cookie proudly sports a whole lotta sparkle. And everyone could use some extra sparkle now and then, don’t you think? Come to think of it, these sablés would look mighty magical at Christmastime, with all their glittery goodness. Perhaps I’ll think of the shimmer as snow. Woot!

••••••••••••••••••••

Dorie Greenspan’s Lemon Sablés
From The Essential New York Times Cookbook (Amanda Hesser, p. 703)

• ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
• grated zest of 1 to 1 ½ lemons
• ½ teaspoon salt, preferably sea salt
• 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

For decoration:
• 1 egg yolk
• coarse crystal or dazzle sugar

Pour the granulated and confectioners’ sugars in a bowl, and add the grated lemon zest. Using your fingertips or a spoon, work the zest and sugar together until the mixture is moist and aromatic.

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until it is smooth and very creamy. Add the sugar-lemon zest mixture and salt, and beat until smooth and velvety, not fluffy and airy, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer to low speed, and beat in the egg yolks until well blended.

Turn off the mixer, and pour in the flour. Cover the mixer with a kitchen towel, and pulse the mixer about 5 times at low speed (for 1 to 2 seconds each time). Peek at the mixture; if there’s still a bit of flour on the surface of the dough, pulse it a few more times; if not, remove the towel and continue mixing at a low speed for about 30 seconds, just until the flour disappears and dough appears uniformly moist. You’re aiming for a soft, moist, clumpy dough. Work the dough as little as possible.

Scrape the dough onto a work surface, gather it into a ball, and divide it in half. Shape each piece into a smooth log about 9 inches long. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap, and chill them for at least 2 hours (dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months).

Heat oven to 350 degrees, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. To decorate the edges of the cookies, whisk the egg yolk until smooth. Place 1 log of chilled dough on a piece of wax paper, and brush it with the yolk, then sprinkle the entire surface of the log with coarse sugar. Trim the ends of the roll if they are ragged, and slice the log into 1/3-inch-thick cookies.

Place the rounds on a baking sheet, and leave an inch of space between them. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet at the halfway point. When finished, the cookies should be light brown on the bottom, lightly golden around the edges and pale on the top. Let the cookies rest for 1 to 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then lift them onto a rack with a wide metal spatula. Repeat with the remaining dough.

••••••••••••••••••••

You’ve got to love a cookie that gives you the old razzle dazzle. Lemon sablés are officially my new favorite.

Has the summer weather put you in the mood for certain ingredients? What are your favorite warm-weather treats? Is anyone else up their ears in lemons?

XO,
Katrina

2 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on June 1, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Fresh from the oven
Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Katrina Tauchen on June 1, 2011

http://splashofsomething.com/2011/06/01/project-nyt-lemon-sables-%e2%80%94-everyone-needs-some-sparkle/

Project NYT: Lemon bars

lemon bars

I’ve spent a good many years making lemon bars from the basic box mix that you find at the grocery store, the ones with the light, cookie-like crust and the sort of spongy lemony middles. I know they’re nothing to write home about; they’ve never been the kind of dessert that makes my taste buds dance or leaves other people asking for the recipe. But sometimes (particularly in the hot and steamy summer months) you just want something as sweet and lemony as it is fast and easy, and the trusty boxed lemon bars always seem to fit that bill.

For our Memorial Day cookout, the weather called for a not-so-easy-breezy 86 degrees, and the summer-approved lemon bars were just what we needed. It’s no secret I’m on a made-from-scratch kick, and luckily the New York Times cookbook had a great recipe for homemade lemon bars. Woo hoo! As it turns out, there is such a thing as a lemon bar to write home about (unless, of course, you’re already home, in which case a formal letter isn’t necessary), and the secret is in the ingredients. Rather than rely on the expected combination of uncomplicated crust and basic lemon filling, this recipe throws a culinary curveball with a brown sugar, egg, vanilla and coconut mixture smack between a simple crust and tart lemon glaze. In fact, the lemon glaze is the only lemon-filled layer of the entire dessert — but it packs more than enough zing to satisfy your citrus spot.

••••••••••••••••••••

Lemon Bars
From The Essential New York Times Cookbook (Amanda Hesser, p. 690)

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups lightly packed dark brown sugar
* ¾ cup chopped pecans (optional: I opted out.)
• ¾ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar
• grated zest of 2 lemons
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl, then mix in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal (a simple fork works well for this). Press into a 12-by-18-inch baking pan. Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Mix the eggs, brown sugar, coconut and vanilla (and pecans, if using) until combined. Pour over the partially baked pastry crust, and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the topping is firm.

Mix confectioners’ sugar with lemon zest and lemon juice until smooth. Spread over the bars. Let cool, then cut into 1-by-1 ½-inch squares. (Bars can be frozen.)

••••••••••••••••••••

How did you celebrate Memorial Day this year? Did you barbecue with friends? Head out for a picnic with the family? Whip up a fun new dessert? Let’s hear it!

XO,
Katrina

4 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on May 31, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Fresh from the oven
Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Katrina Tauchen on May 31, 2011

http://splashofsomething.com/2011/05/31/project-nyt-lemon-bars/

Project NYT: Lemon cake

Lemon Cake

I’m attracted to recipes for a lot of different reasons. Sometimes it’s a certain ingredient that I’ve been itching to use. Sometimes it’s a slew of ingredients (a.k.a. whatever foods in my refrigerator need to be eaten ASAP) that convinces me to try something new. And sometimes it’s a new method of preparation that lures me in. Yesterday, however, it was the story of a lemon that wooed my kitchen time. Nine lemons actually.

While flipping through my NYT cookbook last week, I came across this recipe for lemon cake. The word lemon was enough to catch my eye (Jared and I are fans of pretty much lemon anything), but after reading through the ingredients, I was swooning with citrus goodness. Among the recipe’s three components — the cake, the syrup and the glaze — at least eight lemons were needed. Eight lemons!?! In one cake!?! One lemon equals happy. Eight lemons equals bliss.

As it turned out, after zesting and juicing eight large lemons, I was still a little short on juice to finish the lemon glaze. So that’s where lemon No. 9 came in. When we were trying out the cake last night, Jared asked me how many pieces the cake made. “I don’t know,” I said. “Maybe 16 or 18?”

“That’s at least a half a lemon per piece,” he replied. Wowza.

••••••••••••••••••••

Lemon Cake
From The Essential New York Times Cookbook (Amanda Hesser, p. 781-782)

For the cake:
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 1/3 cup grated lemon zest (from 6 to 8 large lemons)
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• ¾ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the lemon syrup:
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice

For the lemon glaze:
• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
• 3 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two standard loaf pans (or two 8-inch cake rounds), and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Beat the butter and sugar in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mixing at medium speed, add one egg at a time, then the lemon zest.

Combine the lemon juice, buttermilk and vanilla in a bowl. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the butter and sugar, starting and ending with the flour.

Divide the batter evenly between the pans, and smooth the tops. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a cake tester comes out clean. (Note: If you’re using the 8-inch cake rounds, baking should take about 35 minutes).

In the meantime, to make the lemon syrup, combine the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.

When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes, then remove the parchment and invert them onto a rack set over a tray. Spoon the lemon syrup over the cakes, then let them cool completely. (Note: Again, if you’re using the round pans instead of the loaf pans and you plan on stacking them, pour the syrup on the tops of each layer, keeping in mind how you’ll stack them).

To make the glaze, combine the confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a whisk until smooth. Pour over the top of the cakes, and allow the glaze to dribble down the size (because I was stacking my cakes, I poured half the glaze on the bottom layer and let it dribble down the side, then stacked the second layer on top and poured the rest of the glaze over that).

••••••••••••••••••••

This is seriously the moistest, lemoniest cake on the planet. Think of it as sunshine in cake form. Yep, it’s sunshine cake.

What recipes have you been cooking up lately? Any recipes that call for an insane amount of a particular ingredient? And what attracts you to a recipe in the first place?

XO,
Katrina

14 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on April 12, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Fresh from the oven
Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Katrina Tauchen on April 12, 2011

http://splashofsomething.com/2011/04/12/project-nyt-lemon-cake/

Hi ho, asparagus! ‘Tis the season

Asparagus is one of those vegetables that (prior to this pasta salad escapade) I only knew how to make one way: roasted in the oven with a dot of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. It’s a simple method, but it’s always delicious and nearly foolproof. And it’s no secret that I have a thing for roasted veggies.

But the dawning of asparagus season is upon us, and it seemed a shame to spend the next two months (an arguably short in-season for a veggie, by the way) in an asparagus-preparation rut. So I’m actively seeking out new asparagus-laden recipes to expand my green and stalky repertoire.

Last week turned out to be crazy warm here in Missouri, which set my mind on summertime, picnics and barbecues. And when I happened across this recipe for pasta salad with asparagus and lemon from Real Simple, it seemed to fit the must-use-asparagus and must-not-be-served-so-piping-hot-that-we-feel-miserably-warm-while-eating-it criteria. And it’s pasta salad; what’s more picnic-y feeling than that?

••••••••••••••••••••

Pasta Salad with Asparagus and Lemon
From Real Simple, June 2009

• 8 ounces penne pasta (I probably used about 10 ounces; there’s definitely a little wiggle room.)
• 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• ¼ cup Parmesan pieces (or grated, if you prefer), about 1 ounce
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Cook the penne according to package directions, adding the asparagus during the last 3 ½ minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool, then transfer pasta and asparagus to a large bowl.

Add the Parmesan, oil, lemon juice and zest, about ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Toss to combine.

••••••••••••••••••••

Jared and I plowed through this pasta salad pretty quickly. It’s easy, light, fresh and just what you need on a hot, hot day when you don’t feel like spending hours and hours next to a warm oven. I’d call it a win for sure — and the perfect way to ring in the season. Woo hoo!

What’s your go-to way for cooking asparagus? Do you have any favorite recipes that call for asparagus in a fun or unusual way? Let’s hear it!

XO,
Katrina

8 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on April 11, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Fresh from the oven
Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Katrina Tauchen on April 11, 2011

http://splashofsomething.com/2011/04/11/hi-ho-asparagus-%e2%80%98tis-the-season/

Happy day food: Lemon spaghetti, a la Giada

Ah, lemon. Is there anything more fresh, more beautiful or more satisfying than a citrus-infused dish or dessert? I think not. A while back, Jared grabbed a gigantic sack of organic lemons from the grocery store; he figured we could put them to use before their time ran out. And use them we have (think lemon olive oil cake, lemon sponge cups, mmm…) But as the timeline on the lemons’ lives kept ticking away (it just zips by, doesn’t it?), we found ourselves with a half dozen lemons still left in the sack and logical selves that told us we better lay off the desserty business and aim for something a little more substantial and, dare I say, healthier.

This recipe for lemon spaghetti is an oldie but goodie from my favorite Food Network chef, Giada de Laurentiis. I tried it for the first time more than five years ago, and even back then, with my kitchen skills sorely lacking, it was none too shabby of a meal. This time around, however, with a  little more attention to detail and confidence with a zester, I’d call it a rousing success. Light, fresh, warm and zingy: everything a happy day food should be.

••••••••••••••••••••

Lemon Spaghetti
From Giada de Laurentiis, Everyday Italian

• 1 pound spaghetti (thin spaghetti works well, too)
• ½ cup olive oil (the original recipe calls for 2/3, but I like it a bit less oily)
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. In the mean time, whisk the oil, Parmesan and lemon juice in a large bowl.

Drain the pasta, and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce and the reserved cooking liquid (add ¼ cup at a time as needed to moisten). Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with the lemon zest and chopped basil.

••••••••••••••••••••

I think this is one of those dishes that’s great to have in the old arsenal because it’s a snap to put together in a moment’s notice but still feels like something out of the ordinary. It’s especially perfect for a summertime dinner — or in early March, while you’re wishing for sunshine.

What’s cooking in your place these days? Any non-desserty uses for lemons? A main course or side dish perhaps? And in other news, do any other 30 Rock-watchers find that the word lemon and Alec Baldwin’s voice are now inextricably linked? He’s been hanging out in our kitchen a lot these days, that Mr. Baldwin.

XO,
Katrina

4 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on March 3, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Fresh from the oven
Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Katrina Tauchen on March 3, 2011

http://splashofsomething.com/2011/03/03/happy-day-food-lemon-spaghetti-a-la-giada/

« Older Posts
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 620 other followers

%d bloggers like this: