Tag Archives | spring

Lemon Pound Cake

.  .  .

A classic pound cake by itself is basic and simple to make, but with the addition of lemon and lemon-glaze topping will transform and elevate it to another level of deliciousness.  The cake is moist with a subtle lemon flavor and the sweet/tart glaze rounds it out well.  Pair it with coffee or tea for a late morning or an afternoon snack will be wonderful.  The following Lemon Pound Cake recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food magazine.

· print recipe ·

.

A quick tip before assembling the ingredients, grate the lemon zest first, then squeeze out the lemon juice.

.

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:

Pound Cakes
1    cup {2 sticks} unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
3    cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
¾   cup low-fat buttermilk
finely grated zest of 2 lemons
⅓   cup fresh lemon juice
1½ teaspoon salt
½   teaspoon baking powder
½   teaspoon baking soda
2     cups sugar
5     large eggs

Lemon Glaze
2    cups confectioners’ sugar
2    tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2-3 tablespoon water {depending on the desired thickness of the glaze}

.
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°

1.  Butter and flour two 4½-by-8½-inch loaf pans or similar size.

.

2.  With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

.

3.  In a liquid measuring cup, combine buttermilk with lemon zest and juice.

4.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

5.  With the mixer on low, add flour mixture in three parts and buttermilk mixture in two, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Beat just until smooth {do not overmix}.

.

6.  Divide batter evenly between pans and smooth the top.

.

7.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.  Cool 15 minutes in pan.  Turn out cakes onto a rack to cool.

.

To make the lemon glaze:

1.  Place 2 cups confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl.

.

(Caleb was my assistant in whisking the icing)

2.  Whisk in 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 or 2 tablespoons of water until smooth, thick and pourable.

.

3.  While the loaves are slightly warm, spread the icing over the top and let it drip over the sides.

.

.

Cut the Lemon Pound Cake into thick slices and serve.

.

Mother’s Day is not too far away, make the lemon pound cake a day ahead and it will be a lovely addition to serve on this special occasion.

.

.

.

.

 

.

.

· print recipe ·

.


Posted by Kay

1 comments

Roasted Zucchini and Carrots

Roasted vegetables - zucchini & carrots

.  .  .

I hope you are enjoying and embracing all that the spring season has to offer.  As the seasons change from winter to spring, I look forward to the warm weather and the newness of things to come.  Trees are blossoming and flowering bulbs are emerging from the ground here in the Pacific Northwest.   I’ve been trying to get a good head start on planting, cleaning, and organizing the yard and garden…a little progress so far. We lost a few plum trees over the winter from the heavy fallen snow.  Bill was able to remove those fruit trees and made room for a new fig tree.  I hope to have a nice harvest from it this fall.  The rain has been constant with few breaks in the sky and as a result the lush green vegetation is vibrant and new again. Change is constant and as the seasons change, so do we.

.

Roasted vegetables - zucchini & carrots

As I prepare to move forward and start blogging again after a long break from it, a simple blog post on how to prepare and roast young baby carrots and zucchini is a nice start.  The recipe is easy to prepare and requires almost no trimming and some peeling {optional}.  By roasting the vegetables, they caramelize and it brings out their natural sweetness. I have chosen to combine a variety of baby carrots of different colors along with baby green zucchini for a visually pleasing and pretty presentation as a side dish.

Roasted vegetables - zucchini & carrots

Roasted vegetables - zucchini & carrots

.

· print recipe ·

serves 4

Ingredients:

1  pound of mixed baby zucchini and carrots {optional – peeled}
2  tablespoons olive oil
5-6 garlic cloves {peeled}
salt and pepper to taste

{Here is a list of other vegetables that will be just as wonderful for roasting: potatoes, asparagus, green beens, mushrooms, beets, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower, fennel, cherry tomatoes, and peppers.}

Preheat oven to 400º F.

1.  Wash and dry the vegetables.  Trim off any long tips or stems.

2.  Place the vegetables and garlic cloves on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

3.  Drizzle vegetables and garlic cloves with olive oil and toss to coat.

4.  Spread vegetables out in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5.  Bake at 400º F for 25 to 30 minutes until tender.

Roasted vegetables - zucchini & carrots

A healthy and simple side dish to make this spring.

· print recipe ·

Other recipes you might like:
roasted butternut squash soup
roasted potatoes & haricots verts


Posted by Kay

0 comments

Spring Flowers & Blossoms for Decorating Your Home

Spring flowers& blossoms

The abundance of flowers blooming in the garden, on tree branches, and bushes make for easy cutting and gathering.  Every few days, I love to walk outside early in the morning and select one or two types of flowers to bring into the home to decorate.  Simple arrangements were often my preference.  Here are some ideas and ways to decorate with plum blossoms {top left},  lilacs {top right}, lilly of the valley {middle}, apple blossoms {bottom left}, and forget-me-nots {bottom right}.

. Continue Reading →

0 comments

Stripes… Spring / Summer 2016

Fashion-stripes

The trend many designers incorporated into their spring/summer 2016 collections was the use of stripes. They ranged from soft and subtle to bold and extra large in horizontal, vertical or diagonal patterns.  The classic black and white stripes is timeless and a staple part of fashion.  With the added variety of stripes, it will be a fun season to mix and match the different patterns, colors, and styles. Here are some to consider for spring and the up coming summer from J Crew, Ralph Lauren 1 • 2 and Dolce & Gabbana

. Continue Reading →

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
0 comments