Tag-Archive for ◊ lemon ◊

13 Jun 2010 Fresh Blueberry Lemonade
Author:  |  Category: Drinks, Fruits  | Tags: , , , , , , ,  | One Comment

Thought I might like this…and I was right! Loved it. The blueberry taste is not pronounced, but the color they give to the drink is fantastic. Bbbb…b…bbut…the lemonade is pinkish RED, not blue! Surprise! Our delightful 4 year old guest, who was dressed as a doggie AND a superhero (yes, at the same time!) drank 10 cups of this (at least), and she called it Pink Lemonade.  I was going to follow her lead, but that would be even MORE confusing…so Blueberry Lemonade it remains!

I found this concoction to be more refreshing than straight up lemonade. It’s not as harsh, not as much acidity, I think. Yep, this recipe is a winner, a keeper. Be sure to make a batch for the July 4th picnic. Make several batches as once, in “concentrate” form, so you can serve it up when it is most needed and wanted without any fuss or bother.

This recipe was pulled together from two sources. My original long-relied upon lemonade recipe from “Too Busy to Cook” (a cookbook from the 80’s or 90’s) and a recipe from Family Fun Magazine attributed to Anne Coleman.

Fresh Blueberry Lemonade

1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 1/3 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
grated zest of two lemons
1 sliced lemon
extra handful of blueberries (for garnish, if desired)
Additional water, about 6 cups.

Combine blueberries, sugar and water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until blueberries soften and release their color, about 5 minutes. Strain liquid and discard solids. Let cool. Stir in lemon juice,lemon zest, and sliced lemon along with enough water to have liquids measure 2 quarts. Flavor from lemons develops over time. Let mixture sit for a few hours or overnight. Serve over ice with a slice of lemon and a float of 5 or 6 blueberries.

Make your own Blueberry Lemonade Concentrate!

Make the sugar-blueberry-water syrup. Strain. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Freeze. When needed just add 1 sliced lemon and enough water to made 2 quarts of drink, stir briskly to dissolve the concentrate. YUM. How impressive would that be to pull out on a Tuesday night?!

Thanks for visiting!

25 Feb 2010 Microwave Marmalade
Author:  |  Category: Breakfast & Brunch, Jams, Curds & Marmalades, Sauces, Dips & Spreads  | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,  | Leave a Comment

You can make marmalade for breakfast. Yes you can! It’s amazing! I have made orange, lemon and lime marmalade with this recipe. It’s so QUICK! I am so impressed. I have had better marmalades, but they weren’t made in 15 minutes from the citrus in my backyard. This recipe is a winner.

The original recipe was found at Put Up or Shut Up!, a canning blog.

Notes from original recipe:
Do not double the recipe, the microwave will not like it and you will end up with a giant mess.
Use a high-sided microwaveable container (I used an 8 cup Pyrex measuring cup) to microwave the marmalade
After you get the basic technique down, play a bit…, add a touch of booze or spice!

Microwave Marmalade

Thinly sliced zest (with no white stuff) from 1 lb of citrus
3/4 lb citrus, all peel, white rind and seeds removed (tangerines, lemons, limes, oranges or a combination)
1 1/4 cup white sugar
1-tablespoon rum (optional) (I used Cointreau)
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Peel and seed fruit, removing and discarding all the white pith and white stringy bits from the outside and down the center of the fruit. Weigh the peeled fruit and removed zest, you’ll need 3/4 lb. of pulp and zest. Place zest, pulp and sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Puree, making sure all the peel and section skins are reduced to a pulp. Pour pureed mixture into a high-sided microwaveable bowl, adding optional alcohol and nutmeg. Cover tightly with plastic wrap pierced a few times to vent. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Stir; remove platic wrap and return to microwave for 7 minutes. Remove, stir and check thickness. At this point, depending on the juiciness of your fruit (oranges mainly), return mixture to the microwave for another 2-3 minutes. Marmalade will thicken as it cools. Makes 2 cups. Keep in refrigerator for up to three weeks. Can be frozen for longer storage.

Thanks for visiting!

22 Feb 2010 Lemon Curd Cupcakes Three Ways
Author:  |  Category: Cakes & Cupcakes  | Tags: ,  | Leave a Comment

Now that I have everyone making the easy microwave Lemon Curd, it’s time to put it to good use!  I am not a huge fan of Martha, but sometimes she shows up in the right place at the right time with the right recipe, like she did this morning.  I made Martha Stewart’s Lemon Cupcakes from her book “Cupcakes” (page 121).  Abby took 18 to college with her. I took 6 to a quilt group.  And there are still 12 here.  (Hint number one, make  half the recipe!) I think the squirt of lemon in the middle of the cupcake was a lot of fun.  Loved the frosting, too.  The cupcake was a bit dense, but a nice foil for the soft lemony center and sweet creamy top.  I’ll make these again next time I have a batch of lemon curd on hand.

Lemon Curd Cupcakes

3 1/2 cups flour
2 T lemon zest (or a bit more, if you like a really lemony cupcake)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cups butter, at room temperature
3 cups sugar
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
7 eggs, at room temperature
3 T freshly squeezed lemon juice (Martha only used 2)
1 tsp. vanilla
approx. 1 cup lemon curd
powdered sugar or buttercream frosting (recipe below)
toasted coconut, optional
yellow decorating sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line 36 – 42  cupcake tins with paper liners (Martha stated she made 42 cupcakes out of this batter, I was only able to make 36).  In a medium bowl whisk together flour, lemon zest, baking powder and salt and set aside.  With an electric mixer beat softened butter for two minutes.  Add in sugar and beat for 3 minutes more. Beat in cream cheese.  Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in lemon juice an vanilla.  Add in flour mixture, beating until just combined.  Bake in preheated 325 degree oven for 28 to 30 minutes.  Cool cupcakes in tins on a rack.  When completely cool, fill and frost.

Place lemon curd in a Ziploc bag.  Squeeze curd to the corner of the bag, and cut off about 1/8th inch of the plastic corner to make a “filling bag”. With a knife, cut a small cylinder from the middle of each cupcake. Remove and discard the excess cake.  Fill the hole in the cupcake with lemon curd from the Ziploc bag.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar or frost with buttercream frosting.

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

With an electric mixer beat butter for two minutes.  Add in powdered sugar and beat for another three minutes.  Raise speed to high and beat for another two minutes or so. Beat in vanilla.

Spread frosting on desired number of cupcakes.  Sprinkle with toasted coconut or colored sugar if desired.

My favorite is the one with the buttercream frosting and toasted coconut.  What’s yours?

21 Feb 2010 Microwave Lemon Curd
Author:  |  Category: Jams, Curds & Marmalades, Sauces, Dips & Spreads  | Tags: , , , , ,  | One Comment

Lemon Curd: (n) a wonderful treat cursed with an unfortunate name.  Don’t be put off.  Lemon Curd is not curdled and there are no curds (nor whey).  So why the unfortunate name?  I just don’t know.  Never mind, though, Lemon Curd is lovely;  it’s sort of a lemon jam. There’s nothing better at the end of the day (or the beginning of the day or the middle of the day, for that matter) than a slice of hot toast with lemon curd, a cup of hot tea on the side, with feet up and something nice on the telly. Oh, yes there is, two slices of hot toast with lemon curd!  I picked 6 large lemons off of my neighbors tree this afternoon and whipped this up in the microwave. Enjoy Lemon Curd on your toast all week. Next weekend put some Lemon Curd in the middle of a layer cake, cupcakes, or cookies AND, I will post a recipe for a Pavlova with lemon curd and blueberries to finish off your batch. Leftover lemon curd will keep in the refrigerator for approximately three weeks.

I was reminded of this microwave recipe when I visited a few food blogs recently; 2 Stews and La Table de Nana.

Microwave Lemon Curd

1 cup sugar
3 whole eggs
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 6 or 7 large lemons)
zest of 3 lemons (I used a microplane)
1/2 cup butter, melted

In a microwave safe bowl whisk together sugar and eggs until smooth. Sir in lemon juice, lemon zest, and melted butter.  Microwave for one minute, stir, microwave for another minute, stir.  Do this until the lemon curd is think enough to coat the back of a spoon.  This will take 5 – 7 minutes.  At this point can pour into small sterile jars to give as gifts, or cool, then cover and refrigerate for your family to use.  Store for up to three weeks in the refrigerator.

Thanks for visiting! Enjoy your Lemon Loveliness with your feet up, a cup of tea, and a good book.

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