Dinner Salad with Lemon-Yogurt Dressing

This is a tasty recipe I got from Bon Appetit magazine and then adapted to our personal preferences. It will also make a yummy lunch at work tomorrow - mmm, mmm!

Dinner Salad with Lemon-Yogurt Dressing

Dressing:

1 C fat-free plain Greek yogurt

1/3 C chopped fresh Italian parsley (or a couple good shakes of dried parsley)

1/4 C avocado oil or canola oil

1/4 C fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

8 C coarsely chopped romaine lettuce

2 C baby spinach

2 small carrots, diced

1 celery rib, sliced

3/4 C garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed

3/4 C halved olives (black or Kalamata according to your taste)

1/2 C thinly sliced radishes

1 avocado, diced

1/2 C roasted sunflower seeds

Dressing: Whisk first 5 ingredients together in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Salad:  Toss lettuce and spinach together in a large bowl. Divide among dinner plates and top with remaining ingredients. Serve with dressing.

 

Herbed Artichoke Cheese Tortellini

This is another yummy tortellini dish.  It's pretty quick too. :)

Herbed Artichoke Cheese Tortellini

2 cans (14.5 oz each) Italian diced tomatoes, drained then pureed (not completely, but to a lightly chunky consistency)
1 (14.5 oz) can artichoke hearts, chopped to small pieces
1 (16 oz) pkg cheese tortellini
1/2 small onion, diced
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
4 Tbsp olive oil
1(2 1/4 oz) can sliced olives, drained
1/2 tsp salt
shredded Parmesan cheese, to taste

Cook tortellini according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the onions, basil, garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes in olive oil for 4-5 minutes until onions are tender.  Add tomatoes and salt; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, stir in olives and artichokes.  Heat through.  Toss with tortellini and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

chewy lemon snowdrop cookies

I found these a while back on a random food blog and didn't write down which one, but I finally made them tonight and they are super yummy. Jeremy even really likes them and they're lemon!  

chewy lemon snowdrop cookies

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
8 tablespoons butter
zest of 2 lemons (finely zested)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup agave nectar or honey
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons lemon juice
about 1 cup powdered sugar, for coating

 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
 2. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, lemon zest, sugar, and agave nectar. Mix until very smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and mix in salt.
 3. In a small cup, combine the lemon juice baking soda. With the mixer on low, add in flour and lemon juice mixture. Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula and mix the dough by hand a few times to ensure an even distribution of the ingredients.
4. Roll the dough into balls, one inch in diameter. Bake for 10 minutes - remove when golden around edges. Let cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheets , and then dip in powdered sugar to coat.

Roasted Asparagus with Lemony Breadcrumbs

Another deeeeelish asparagus recipe.  We had this for Easter and it's now one of our favorites, even though Jeff is getting a little tired of asparagus.  : )  The crunch of the breadcrumbs, and the fresh flavor of the lemons really compliment the asparagus.  It's so good!
Oh, we sauteed the asparagus in a frying pan on high heat because the oven was being used for something else, and it worked just fine.

Roasted Asparagus with Lemony Breadcrumbs

2 pounds asparagus, trimmed
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 C. panko breadcrumbs
1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
Garnish: 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 425°.  Arrange asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet, and drizzle with oil.  Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Roast until tender, 18 to 20 minutes, then transfer to a platter.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add panko, and cook, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice and zest.  Season with salt.
Top asparagus with breadcrumbs, and garnish with lemon.

Recipe from Martha Stewart Living magazine.

Blueberry-Sour Cream Pound Cake with Lemon Cream

The creaming step is apparently very important in this recipe....some reviewers on the website said they didn't cream the butter/sour cream/sugar for the entire 8 minutes and they said that the butter separated a little during baking, making a pool of butter at the top of the loaf.....so make sure you cream those ingredients for the whole 8 minutes.  : )  This cake is really nice and moist.  If you happen to prefer sweeter cream, simply add more sugar.   

Blueberry-Sour Cream Pound Cake with Lemon Cream

1 pound (3 1/4 cups), plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3 sticks softened unsalted butter, plus more for pans
1/2 C. sour cream
2 C. sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
9 large, room-temperature eggs
2 C. blueberries
2 Tbsp sanding sugar, optional

For the Topping:
1 C. heavy cream
1 Tbsp confectioners' sugar
2 tsp lemon zest

Preheat oven to 325°.  Butter two 9x5-inch loaf pans.  Combine 3 1/4 cups flour and salt in a bowl.
Cream butter, sour cream, and sugar with a mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy, for 8 minutes.  Scrape down sides of bowl.  Reduce speed to medium, and add vanilla extract.
Lightly beat eggs, and add to mixer bowl in 4 additions, mixing thoroughly after each and scraping down sides.  Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture in 4 additions, mixing until just incorporated.  Toss blueberries in remaining 2 tablespoons flour; fold into finished batter.
Divide batter between pans.  Tap on counter to distribute; smooth tops.
Before baking, sprinkle sanding sugar over each cake.  Bake until a tester inserted into center of each cake comes out clean, about 65 minutes.  Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes.  Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire rack.
Make the lemon cream: Combine heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, and lemon zest in a bowl.  Beat until soft peaks form.
Serve slices of cake with a dollop of cream.

Recipe from MarthaStewart.com

Thai Stir-Fried Asparagus with Lemongrass

This reicpe originally called for "Thai bird's eye chili peppers".  I've only tried asian chilis once and it was the "so hot that I can't taste the rest of my food now" kind of pepper so even if I knew where to buy these peppers, I was kinda afraid to try them.  : )  So I just sprinkled on some crushed red pepper to taste.  I found the lemongrass at Sprouts.  This smells so good while it's cooking and tastes just as delightful.  Yum yum!!

Thai Stir-Fried Asparagus with Lemongrass

1 bunch asparagus, ends snapped off, stalks but into 2-inch pieces
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 stalks lemongrass, outer leaves removed, ends trimmed off and then remaining stak finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 C. coconut milk
2 Tbsp water
1/2 red bell pepper
crushed red pepper, to taste (optional)
2 tsp fish sauce
salt and pepper to taste

In a frying pan or wok, heat the oil and saute the lemongrass and garlic until aromatic.  Add in the asparagus and stir fry for about one minute.  Add in the bell pepper and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, the reduce heat and simmer for two minutes or until asparagus is crisp tender. 
Serve hot with steamed rice, and enjoy!

Recipe altered slightly from seasonwithspice.com

Carrot, Dill and White Bean Salad

You can either use canned beans or ones that you've soaked and boiled for this - you know, if you happen to think that far ahead! Be careful with the canned ones when you're heating them because they can get mushy if stirred and heated too long. I've never made it with the shallots, but tried it with green onions and I think it's way better without them.

photo from 101cookbooks.com

Carrot, Dill and White Bean Salad
Dressing:
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
3 T. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. thinly sliced shallots, optional

more olive oil for cooking
2 c. sliced carrots
3 c. cooked white beans (great northern, etc.), drained and rinsed
scant 1/4 c. chopped fresh dill, or a good sprinkle of dried
2 T. brown sugar
1/3 c. sliced almonds, toasted

Combine the dressing ingredients and set aside. Toast almonds and set aside.

In your largest skillet over medium high heat, toss the carrots with a splash of olive oil. Let them cook in a single layer (as much as possible), tossing gently every 3-4 minutes until the carrots are lightly browned, about 12 minutes total.

Add the beans and dill to the skillet and cook for another few minutes until the beans are heated through, adding more oil if needed.

Place the contents of the skillet in a bowl, sprinkle with the brown sugar and pour the dressing over the top. Toss gently. Let sit for 10 minutes. Toss again, taste and adjust with more salt or sugar or lemon juice if needed to balance the flavors. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkling with almonds just before serving.

Serves 6-8

Recipe adapted from 101cookbooks.com

Fruit and Oat Granola Bars

These are quick, easy and really yummy.

Fruit and Oat Granola Bars

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (I filled a little less than 1/4 of the 1/2 cup with ground flax seed, then filled the rest up with sunflower seeds)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup maple syrup
pinch of salt
1/3 cup dried fruit (I used Craisins)
a few good shakes of cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 and line a 9x9 baking pan with aluminum foil, letting a few inches hang over side of pan. Spray with cooking spray.

In small saucepan, combine brown sugar, oil, honey, syrup and salt over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until smooth and starting to bubble. Meanwhile, in a medium sized bowl, mix the oats, seeds, cinnamon and fruit. Pour hot mixture over oats and mix well. Pour into baking pan and bake for 20-30 minutes or until medium golden brown. Cool completely and lift foil out of pan. Cut into bars.

Banana Sauce

I actually made this a long time ago, like in the pre-blog days, but Dad asked on Sunday if I've ever made anything out of the Boston Cooking School Cookbook that was on the counter and I remembered this delicious sauce. It's the only thing I've made from cookbook - so far. Anyway, I served this over vanilla bean ice cream and brownies. Deeeelish!

Banana Sauce

1 ripe banana
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 C. sugar
1/2 C. heavy cream, whipped

Peel the banana and mash it through a sieve or a fine-mesh strainer. In a medium sauce pan combine banana, lemon juice and sugar Bring to a boil, remove from heat and chill. Fold into whipped cream.

Recipe from 1941 Boston Cooking School Cookbook

Pineapple Angel Food Cake - the easiest cake EVER

This is the easiest. cake. ever. I made it last week just to try it out and it was yummy, moist and a little bit addicting. I would suggest letting it cool before eating it and then I think that adding a dollop of whipped cream or cool whip, or ice cream would be yumalicious!

Pineapple Angel Food Cake

1 (20 oz.) can Crushed Pineapple

1 box Angel Food Cake Mix

DIRECTIONS
Set oven to 350º. Grease 9x13 baking pan and set aside. Stir together pineapple (including juice) and cake mix in a large bowl. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until top is lightly golden. Let cool for at 15 to 20 minutes before cutting.

Recipe from Shefshanan.com

Asparagus Sourdough Strata

We made this four our annual Conference weekend breakfast with Mom, Dad and Carrie. I used a pound of bacon (minus the 2...or 6 pieces that we snitched after cooking the bacon) instead of the ham, and I used onion powder instead of onions for both Jeff and Carrie's sake. : ) The amount of half & half that you use will depend on the pan that you bake it in. I used a 9x13 pan and I used the entire 1 1/2 cups of half & half.

Asparagus Sourdough Strata

10 to 11 cups sourdough bread cubes (3/4" cubes)

¼ cup (4 tablespoons) butter, melted

9 ounces frozen or 1 bunch fresh (15 to 20 medium stalks) asparagus, ends snapped off, cut into 1" pieces

1 small onion, peeled and chopped; a scant 1 cup

½ pound ham, diced

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

8 large eggs

½ cup to 1 1/2 cups half & half (fat-free is fine)

½ teaspoon salt

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment, and grease a 2-quart casserole dish or 9" x 13" pan.

2) Toss the bread in a bowl with the melted butter, and spread evenly on the baking sheet. Heat the bread in the oven for 10 minutes; it won't color, but will dry out a bit.

3) If the asparagus are frozen, use them as is. If they're fresh, cook them very briefly; a couple of minutes in the microwave should be sufficient. You want them to be crisp, but not hard.

4) Toss the asparagus, onion, ham, and 1 ½ cups of the cheese with the toasted bread cubes. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

5) Mix together the eggs, 1/2 cup of the half & half, and salt, and pour over the bread mixture, pressing the bread gently into the liquid. Add up to an additional 1 cup half & half if it doesn't come to within 3/4" of the top of the bread cubes.

6) Cover the pan, and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 6 hours.

7) Sprinkle the top of the strata with the remaining cheese. Bake the strata uncovered, in a preheated 375°F oven, for about 45 minutes, or until it's puffed and golden. A knife blade inserted into the center will come out clean. Remove the strata from the oven, and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: about 12 servings.

Altered slightly from KingArthurFlour.com