Lemon Pie Post 5

     When most people think of lemon desserts, I think lemon pie has to be what comes to mind. Is there anything better than a great lemon pie? I don't think so. And the best part of it is that lemon pies are the easiest to make of all pies.

  Lemon Meringue Pie topped the list for years and years as the most popular lemon pie, but in recent years it has moved down the list and has been replaced by Sour Cream Lemon Pie.

     Sour Cream Lemon Pie is tart but creamy, and can be made in minutes. I love the sour cream, but have used Greek yogurt with great success. In fact I like the slightly tartness of the yogurt, not to mention it is better for you than sour cream. The crust can be a simple cracker crust, or a baked crust,  the choice is yours. If I am really in a hurry, I have even used the ready made crusts from the store. You don't even need a crust for this pie, it can be used as a pudding  with great success. I love making pies and I think this one is at the top of my list of great pies.

      If you have the lemon juice frozen in the freezer, this pie is a great one for the summer BBQ.  Summer time and lemons seem to be the perfect combination.

The Recipe
Sour Cream Lemon Pie

     1 cup sugar or Xagave
     1/2 cup Lemon Juice
     1 cup milk or other liquid, I use Silk Coconut
     A dash of Flori di sicilia  (citrus extract) or Vanilla
     pinch salt
     3.5 tablespoons corn starch
     3 egg yolks lightly beaten
     1/4 cup butter or coconut oil can be used
     1 cup sour cream or Greek Yogurt
     Whipped Cream for topping

In medium sauce pan place sugar, lemon juice, milk, extract, salt, and cornstarch. Turn in heat to medium high and whisk well while cooking until mixture is thick. Remove from heat and in separate small bowl add egg yolks lightly beaten. Add 
to yolks a small amount of hot mixture whisking well, continue to do this until you have added about half of the hot mixture.  The reason you do this is so you don't fry the eggs all at once with the hot mixture.  After you  have added about half and it is well mixed add it back to the hot mixture in the sauce pan. Return it to the heat and continue stirring until mixture is thick and bubbly.  Remove from heat and add butter.  Mix well.  

Now you have 2 options.  

Option Number 1 is add all the sour cream for yogurt to the entire mixture and mix well and place in prepared pie shell and let cool.  Top with whipped cream and enjoy. 

Option Number 2 is remove about 1/3 of the mixture to a separate bowl and add the yogurt or sour cream to this mixture.  Pour the remaining mixture in the bottom of the prepared pie shell.  Smooth out and place the yogurt mixture on top and spread it out over the bottom mixture.  This option gives you a layered look.  Let cool and top with whipped cream to serve.



     As in all baking, it should be fun and relaxing. If you are stressed, you are doing something wrong. Before baking sit down and relax, enjoy a nice glass of lemonade, and take a few deep breaths, and then get up enjoy the experience.

    I love baking, especially when I think about the joy my food will bring others. Is that not the reason we bake, to serve others and bring joy into the life of those we love? Just like homemade bread, a lemon pie says the same thing. I love you.  And when they taste it they know it is true.
      

 


     I found this product when I was attending a week long baking class at King Arthur's Flour back east. It was a wonderful week, and in the bakery they use this amazing extract. You can probably mail order it from them or find it on sale at a speciality kitchen store. I love the unique citrus flavor it lends to the foods I use it in

It's Lemonade Time. Post 4

       Nothing freshens a glass of anything, like a slice of fresh lemon. Lemons have a long and wonderful history. They date back in recorded history, as early as 700 BC. The most recorded events in history come from Egypt, where lemons were used in many ways. Ancient Greece used the fragrant lemon trees to keep their estates smelling fresh and clean all the time. 

       

       Lemons have the ability to add beauty from their green foliage to the bright yellow, and the trees grow well in many parts of the world. Perhaps the most use lemons get the world over is for flavoring beverages. Lemons add freshness to anything from a warm tea, to a plain glass of water. In fact it is most used to disguise the bad flavor of tap water the world over. A side benefit to adding lemons to water is that not only does it help the flavor, it also has antibacterial properties as well. Lemonade is probably should be the national drink in America, it certainly is a staple in the south where thousands of gallons are consumed each day.

     This is my method for making lemonade. I had a cafe once, and will again some day. At my cafe I used a formula to keep the beverages consistent. It was the gallon formula.  Everything I made to drink was by the gallon. I still do it at home. I keep several gallon plastic containers with lids handy for making beverages. For the lemons, I have found at a local store 1 cup containers with lids that stack in the freezer.   When I make lemonade I fill them up, and fill up the freezer.   One cup of lemon juice will make one gallon of lemonade or one cup will make a gallon of whatever beverage I am making. Here are some of my favorite recipes.

                                                                          

     Fresh Ginger Lemonade

           This is a family favorite.  You will need one cup of lemonade and one cup of fresh ginger juice.  To make ginger juice take about 2 cups of fresh ginger root, do not peel.  Place in heavy duty blender and cover with 4 cups of water.  Blend until smooth. Strain through a mess strainer and place in one cups freezer containers and freeze until ready.

      

            1  cup lemon concentrate

            1 cup ginger juice

            2 cups sugar or desired sweetener.  Stevia or Xagave work well.  Some like honey also.

             Water to fill gallon.  

Place lemon, ginger, and sweetener in gallon container and fill with water.  Mix well and serve over ice.  

 Fresh Watermelon Lemonade

        6 cups fresh chunks of watermelon

        1 cup lemon juice

        2 cups sugar or desired sweetener.  Stevia or Xagave work well.  Some like honey also.

        Water to fill a gallon.

Place water melon in blender and blend until smooth.  Place in pitcher with lemon and sweetener and mix well. 

Fresh Strawberry Lemonade

     3 cups fresh blended strawberries, blended well.

     1 cup lemon juice

     2 cups sugar or desired sweetener.  Stevia or Xagave work well.  Some like honey also.

Place all ingredients in gallon container and fill with water and mix well.  

Fresh Lemonade

      1 cup lemon juice

      2 cups sugar or desired sweetener.  Stevia or Xagave work well.  Some like honey also.

Sweeten to taste,  I like it sweet. It is a personal thing.  Start out with less and add more is a good rule.  

There really is no end to what you can do with lemonade. From fresh mint, to cranberries, lemonade can be a refreshing beverage all year long with an never ending variety of  taste. The gallon formula works well and when I am creating, that is how I go about it. I get out the gallon and start adding. It has worked for me for years and I hope it is helpful to you.   

              

Pickled Lemon Spelt Bread Post 3

Pickled Lemon Spelt Bread

Topped with a Pickled Lemon Glaze

      Now that you know about Pickled lemons,  I thought I would treat you to a few recipes about what to do with them.  This is a wonderful recipe that is delightfully lemony. The pickled lemons give it a stronger lemon taste than zest or lemon juice would do. Pickled lemons can be added to muffins, cakes, pancakes, etc. With this recipe and others, I would recommend blending the lemons. It does amazing things when it is blended with the other ingredients.

     In this recipe I used spelt flour. You could use gluten free flours, and have great success also. WonderFlour would work great. Traditionally lemon bread is yellow and lighter in color. Using whole grains makes it darker, but does not change the delightful texture, and it gives it a richer flavor.  The way I always judge if I succeed with a new recipe, is how fast it is eaten up. If it goes fast I know I did the right thing. If it sets on the counter for hours and hours, I know I have done something wrong. This bread disappeared very quickly. It is easy to make, and other than the sugar glaze, it is a healthy choice for a dessert or snack.

Looks good enough to eat.  It is~ believe me.

The Recipe

Spelt Pickled Lemon Bread

     3.5 cups fresh ground spelt flour
     2 cups organic sugar or 1.5 cups Xagave
     1 tablespoon baking powder
     1 teaspoon salt
     4 large eggs
     1 can evaporated canned milk  Hold back 1/4 cup for glaze
     2/3 cups vegetable oil or coconut oil
     4 sections Pickled Lemons

     2 teaspoons vanilla 

In large bowl place dry ingredients and mix well. In a blender add eggs, milk, oil, vanilla, and lemons.
Blend well. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. Place in 2 large sprayed loaf pans and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and place on rack and let cool before glazing.  

Glaze
   
     1/4 cup evaporated canned milk
      2 teaspoons vanilla
      1 pickled lemon
      3 generous cups of powdered sugar
      2 tablespoons coconut oil

Place lemon, milk, vanilla, and coconut oil in a Blender. Mix until lemon is smooth. Add sugar and blend until glaze is smooth. Place breads on a rack and glaze. Enjoy!

Pickled Lemons, Sour in a Jar Post 2

     You are probably wondering what a pickled lemon is. Great thing to wonder about. Pickled Lemons and preserving lemons date back hundreds of years. In fact where ever citrus is grown, man has managed to preserve them. And of course this is done for cooking. I am amazed at the endless possibilities of food. Just when you think you are getting a grasp on it, new windows open up and new taste adventures await.

     I discovered Pickled Lemons years ago and have found that it is one of the easiest things do preserve.  And since I have an over abundance of lemons,  I enjoy preserving them. I just love to bottle things.  It is an amazing feeling of achievement to me.  I love to look loving at the finished bottles of anything I put in them.  That is one of the reasons I garden is to bottle.  And bottling lemons is the best.

     The first thing you need to do is clean the bottles. I like smaller ones for lemons, because I can go through it faster.
And of course you need lemons.

     Wash the lemons and cut them in wedges.  There are several different ways to cut them, but I like wedges.  Next you will need salt. I love the Redmond's Kosher found at Whole Food Style stores. Place the lemons in the jar, filling the jar half way and add a tablespoon of salt.  Place more lemons packing them in and top them of with another tablespoon of salt.  Place the clean lids on top. Then do a water bath for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and let cool. Make sure the jar seals before storing them.  They will store well for months and months.







      I love how pretty they look. You can also add herbs to the jars before you place the lid on for added flavor. Some suggestions would be chiles, garlic, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cloves, mace, etc. I love the look of herbs in my jars.  These don't have herb, but my next batch will. The herbs will add more flavor to the foods you cook. I like having both.  The plain can go with anything, while using herbs limits you a small bit, but not much.  Some even add vinegar to the lemons,  a good white vinegar is what I would recommend. Don't just use distilled, it would be to harsh. A good white wine vinegar or white balsamic would be perfect. Just pour the vinegar over the lemons, not adding as many, just before sealing the jars.

       Ok, now you know how to pickle a lemon. What do you do with a pickled lemon is the next big question. Here are some suggestions.
     Add chopped to salsa.
     Great with seafood.
     Slice and serve with Ice cream.
     Great addition to savory dishes, chopped.
     Use in Ceviches.
     Use in any dish where lemons are required.
     Great is savory sauces and gravies.
     Add to salad dressings.
     Great in marinades.
     Great for rubs on meats and poultry.
     Google search recipes, Moroccan food is famous for pickle        lemons. Let your imagination be your guide,  Pickled Lemons are wonderful and if you have a lemon tree,  I suggest you start pickling. Did I mention,  what a great gift idea? Who would not enjoy a jar of Pickled Lemons.

Pickled lemons used to marinate shrimp before grilling is amazing.  

When Life Give You Lemons, Make Everything~Two Week Series on Lemons Post 1

My Lemon Tree is Loaded

     It's lemon Season in Arizona. I love fresh lemons ,and my two trees are loaded. I keep picking them, and don't even make a dent in the fruit I have. Lemons come at just the right time of the year, when we need the vitamins they provide, and the feeling of freshness. Since I have two lemon trees, I am becoming creative in how to use the lemons.

      This post is the beginning of a 2 week series on Lemons. In each post I will cover what do do with lemons, from cooking to pickling, facials to body cleanses. I am excited to share with you just how wonderful lemons are. I would recommend if you live near someone with a lemon tree, knock on the door and ask for some. Most people that have a lemon tree, have more then enough and are willing to share. Remember to ask, don't just pick. That drives me crazy when cars pull up in front of my house and someone starts picking lemons. I gladly share with anyone who asks, but to just pick is stealing.  That really gets me.

     So join this series on lemons. I think you are going to enjoy all you learn about lemons.  If you have different ideas, please post them so others can enjoy.

    Tomorrow I will be posting on the use of lemons with herbs and spices.
    Today, take a brief look at just how amazing lemons are.

Vitamin C

A whole lemon contains 30.7 mg of vitamin C, or about 25 to 30 percent of your recommended intake. Males and females who smoke need 125 and 110 mg per day, respectively, while nonsmoking males and females need 90 and 75 mg, respectively. Vitamin C is an important, water-soluble vitamin that assists in forming collagen in your cartilage, bone and blood vessels. Additionally, vitamin C, because it is an antioxidant, gives your body protection from free radicals, which damage your body and contribute to diseases. Vitamin C also helps strengthen your immune system.

Minerals

Lemons contain 15 mg of calcium, 80 mg of potassium and 5 mg of magnesium. Your body needs between 1000 and 1200 mg of calcium daily, and a lemon gives you a little over 1 percent of your daily requirement. When you eat a low-sodium diet and have an adequate intake of potassium, you may see a reduction in your blood pressure. You need 4700 mg of potassium per day. Magnesium helps your body with energy transportation, protein production and muscle function. A lemon gives you about 1 percent of your magnesium requirement.

Considerations

An entire lemon has just 17 calories, and the juice of a single lemon has 11 calories, making it a low-calorie way to flavor drinks and water. Adding lemon juice to vegetables gives you flavor with few calories, and grated lemon peel enhances the flavors of banana or bran muffins. You may add some juice from a fresh lemon to a glass of water as a mild diuretic. This diuretic effect may help relieve feelings of bloating or fluid retention. 

A Few More Health benefits of lemon

• Lemons are packed with numerous health benefiting nutrients. The fruit is low in calories, 29 calories per 100 g, one of the lowest among the citrus groups. 
• It contains no saturated fats or cholesterol, but is rich in dietary fiber (7.36% of RDA). Lemon is one of the very low glycemic fruits.
• Its acidic taste is due to citric acid. Citric acid is present up to 8% in its juice. Citric acid is a natural preservative, aids digestion. Studies found that citric acid helps dissolve kidney stones.
• Lemons, like other fellow citrus fruits, are an excellent source of ascorbic acid (provides about 88% of DRI). Ascorbic acid or vitamin-C is a powerful water soluble natural anti-oxidant. This vitamin is helpful in preventing scurvy. Besides, consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the human body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the blood.
• Lemons, like oranges, contain a variety of phytochemicals. Hesperetin, naringin, and naringenin are flavonoid glycosides commonly found in citrus fruits. Naringenin is found to have a bio-active effect on human health as antioxidant, free radical scavenger, anti-inflammatory, and immune system modulator. This substance has also been shown to reduce oxidant injury to DNA in the cells in-vitro studies.
• They also contain a small level of vitamin A, and other flavonoid anti-oxidants such as α, and ß-carotenes, beta-cryptoxanthin, zea-xanthin and lutein. These compounds are known to have antioxidant properties. Vitamin A also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is also essential for vision. Consumption of natural fruits rich in flavonoids helps the body to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
• Total ORAC value, which measures the anti-oxidant strength of 100 g of fresh lemon juice is 1225 µmol TE (Trolex equivalents).
• The fruit is also a good source of B-complex vitamins such as pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, and folates. These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish.
• Further, they contain a healthy amount of minerals like iron, copper, potassium, and calcium. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids helps control heart rate and blood pressure.

Citrus fruits, as such, have long been valued for their wholesome nutritious and antioxidant properties. It is scientifically established that citrus fruits, especially lemons and oranges, by virtue of their richness in vitamins and minerals, have many proven health benefits. Moreover, it is now beginning to be appreciated that the other biologically active, non-nutrient compounds found in citrus fruits such as phyto-chemical antioxidants, and soluble as well as insoluble dietary fiber is helpful in reduction in the risk for cancers, many chronic diseases like arthritis, and from obesity and coronary heart diseases.

   

January Third Sunday Dinner

10 lbs. of Pinto Beans

     Third Sunday Dinner was wonderful this month. The Indian Fry bread was a huge success.  It is my favorite meal ever  to prepare for a Third Sunday Dinner or any large eating event. It is easy, and great on a budget. Flour is cheap and beans cost next to nothing. To be able to feed that many people with small cost, is amazing and to have everyone stuffed and happy is the best. As promised, I will fill you in on all the details of this months dinner.  

A couple lbs. of bacon.

      On Saturday I purchased the beans and flour. I also bought some fresh greens for the salsa and 10 pounds of ground beef.  

I had some bacon in the freezer that needed to be used up so I chopped it up and fried it until crispy.  

      On Sunday Morning I place 10 pounds of beans in the large roasting pan and added water, bacon, and salt. I also used a little Mesquite seasoning. I cook the beans on high for about an hour and made sure there was enough water.  I turned down the heat and let them simmer until dinner time. They were perfect and cooked just enough.  

      I browned the ground beef with taco seasoning ,and cooked up 8 cups of oat groats in beef stock. After the oat groats were cooked, just like white rice, I added them to the cooked beef and place it in the roaster pan. That I placed that in the oven to stay warm until dinner time.  

       I made two pans of brownies and fresh salsa, and I had ready to go to church.  After church I pulled out the tables with some help from my son-in-law and 2 young men that come every Third Sunday Dinner to help out.  They chopped the lettuce, mixed the beverages, and got everything organized while I set up the propane tank and dutch ovens for frying the fry bread. We were ready to go.                                                                       

Our Fearless Leader

The Happy Crew making the dough,

10 of the 15 lbs. of Flour used.

      At about 4:00 Bernadine arrived. She is the neighborhood authority on making Indian Fry Bread.  She has been making Fry Bread since she was 10 years old, and what I love is she has passed down the skill to her daughters. They are always willing to share their knowledge and skills with others.
















     The rest of the crew arrives and the fun begins. Making Fry Bread is really a community event. The more hands involved, the better it is.













     Bernadine is really particular about the flour used. We used Blue Bird Flour for most of the Fry Bread. Ten pounds was not enough so we used up another five pounds of the white flour I use. All of it turned out great. It was a new experience for Bernadine to use the Bosch Mixer, but to make all the batches we needed, we had to use the Bosch Mixer. I think Bernadine wants one now. Once we got the hang of it, the dough was perfection.

The recipe is simple. 10 cups of flour, 1 tablespoon Salt, 4 tablespoons Rumfords Baking Powder. And enough water to make it soft. Place all the dry ingredients in the mixer and warm water until a nice dough forms and mix for about 4 minutes. Remove and form balls. Let the balls rest before patting them out into disks.

Our Amazing Leader takes a break

Messy Kitchen and amazing dough.

Let the Frying Begin.

  She deserved a big break. Teaching all of us how to mix, divide the dough, pat and fry it, is hard work.  But oh so enjoyable when you get to eat the results of our labor.




















The balls of dough ready to take outside to fry up.  There was flour everywhere.  I loved it. It really looked like we were hard at it, and having a great time.
















We put the men to work frying and patting. I think they fried about 150 in about one and a half hours. It was great so see everyone gathered around watching and enjoying. The smell was wonderful. Frying outside is great, no mess in the kitchen, and lots of room.

The Spread.

 


 The Spread in the House. Cheese, sour cream, salsa, beans, and seasoned meat with the oat groats. The desserts are on top of the washer and dryer. Perfect place.

Before

This is my back yard filled with tables and chairs. We had to add more tables and chairs after we started. The table cloths my wife made out of some material she bought.  It is the kind that you just throw in the washer, no ironing, no fuss.  I have a shed were we keep them the tables and chairs.  The tables fold up and roll right into the shed, and the chairs stack.

During.  Sorry it's a little blurred.  

    I love the back yard filled with people.  So much fun.  I think we had about 80 to 90 people. So much fun. Third Sunday Dinners are work, but I just keep the big picture in mind remembering it's the little things that bring about miracles. And every time you get a group of people together to fellowship and eat great food, miracles do happen. I see them every Third Sunday and every other time I am surrounded by family, friends, and great food. Don't worry about the mess, don't worry about how much room you have, don't worry about anything, just open your door, open your heart, and let the adventure begin.

It's time again. Third Sunday Dinner Time.

Typical Third Sunday Dinner in my back yard when the weather is great.

The Roaster is the perfect for big groups

     How quickly the month goes by.  I am amazed at how fast time flies.  It just seems like last weekend it was Third Sunday Dinner.

     Part of the purpose of the Third Sunday Dinner Blog is teach and inspire others how easy it is to open your home to others, to celebrate life through food and friendship. I will be posting each month what I do to prepare for Third Sunday Dinner.

     I usually start thinking seriously about Third Sunday Dinner a couple of days before. No reason to stress all month about it. I will during the month think about the food, but preparation does not start until Friday or Saturday, and yes sometimes early Sunday morning.  Those are the hard ones, because I don't shop on Sundays, it requires me to raid the cupboards and freezer.  Those are the days when I will fix some type of pasta dish, and turn the rest over to the Lord.

     This Sunday I have already planned what I am

Is the food good?

 going to fix.  The weather is warm so we will be cooking partly out side.  January is traditionally Indian Fry Bread Month.  I love it.  Easy, fits in the budget (don't have one but it sounds good to say it). And everyone loves it.

     To prepare I will buy the Flour, it is a certain one that the neighbor who teaches us, insists is the best one.  I will post the recipe on Monday.  The neighbor that helps is a Native American that is a single mom raising 4 kids be herself.  She spends most of her time being a single working mom, with little time to socialize.  This is a great event for her.  She gets out of the house and shares her talent with others, leaving all fed emotionally and physically.

A really large pot is also perfect for groups.

      Other things I will pick up include, Mexican Cool aid from the Mexican market. It is great stuff. The mango is the bomb.  I will also get some cheese, beans for the topping, and make some homemade salsa. Dessert always magically appears, from friends that come. I will also check my supply of paper goods.  I have a lot of leftover Christmas cups to use up. No problem that Christmas is over, I don't want to store them for the rest of the year. And who cares anyway if the cups are all holly berries style. Sometimes we sweat the little things that really don't matter. That is the one thing I have learned above all else,.  don't worry about details. When you bring people together, it's not about how much room you have, where you live, or what you serve on. No one really cares and if they do, to bad. Most are there to enjoy good food and friends. And with that, I never stress over the food. Simple is always excepted as you will see this year, when you follow the Third Sunday Dinner Blog.

     So there you have it.  I will get up early on Sunday

The house does get crowded .

 and put on the beans, the salsa I will make on
 Saturday. The rest will come together after Church
on Sunday. A couple of young men will come over and help get things together at about 3:30 and by 5:00 we will be ready for the fun to begin.
I look forward every month for Third Sunday Dinner. In fact, it is probably the most fun I ever have. It is easy, no not always, but I have learned the benefit that comes when family, friends, and often strangers meet, out weigh any effort on my part.

     I encourage you to join the fun and create traditional food event in your home. Let the fun begin.

I love big happy groups of people eating.