Category Archives: Lessons in Lemonade

Pineapple Banana Bread

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Hummingbird cake

Pineapple Banana Bread

Ingredients:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup canola oil or 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups mashed very ripe bananas
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 (8 ounce) can unsweetened crushed canned pineapple, drained

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350,& lightly grease& flour 2 8-inch loaf pans.
  2. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon& the salt.
  3. Stir in walnuts.
  4. In separate bowl, mix eggs, oil, banana, vanilla& pineapple until well combined.
  5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stir just until moistened.
  6. Pour equal amounts into pans.
  7. Bake about 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.
  8. Cool for 10 minutes on racks; remove from pans and continue cooling.
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Pickled Red Onions

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Pickled red onions

Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients:

  •  1 red onion, thinly sliced (use a mandoline if you have one)
  •  1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  •  1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves (optional)
  •  1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  •  1 cup hot or warm water

Directions:

  1. Slice the red onions as thin as you can. I use a mandoline.
  2. Stuff all the red onions in the jar of your choice. A bowl will work too.
  3. In a measuring cup, combine apple cider vinegar, salt, sugar, and warm water. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Pour this pickling mixture over your sliced onions, making sure they are immersed in the liquid, and let them set for an hour. After an hour, cover and store in the fridge for up to three weeks.

Pomegranate Champagne Punch

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Pomegranate champagne mimosa cocktail

Pomegranate Champagne Punch

Ingredients:

  • 16 ounces pomegranate juice
  • 12 ounces cranberry juice
  • 3 tablespoons cinnamon syrup
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 8 ounces citrus vodka
  • 1 (750-milliliter) bottle Champagne or sparkling wine
  • 12 ounces ginger ale
  • Garnish: pomegranate seeds, seasonal fruit, mint, rosemary, or citrus slices

Directions:

  1. Gather the ingredients.
  2. Place a frozen ice ring or large chunks of ice and some of the fresh fruit in a punch bowl.
  3. Add all of the ingredients except the wine and soda and stir well.
  4. Slowly add the ginger ale and Champagne.
  5. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and other seasonal fruit, mint, rosemary, or citrus slices.
  6. Ladle into individual serving glasses, including a few fruits in each.
  7. Serve and enjoy!

Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

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Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

Ingredients:

Bread Pudding:

  • 1 loaf French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes (16 oz.)
  • 4 cups milk
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

Bourbon Sauce:

  • 1⁄2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg, well beaten
  • 2 tablespoons Bourbon

Directions:

Bread Pudding:

  1. Preheat over to 325 degrees.
  2. Combine bread and milk in a large mixing bowl; set aside for 5 minutes.
  3. Add eggs, sugar, raisins, butter and vanilla; stir well.
  4. Spoon mixture into a greased 3 quart casserole.
  5. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour or until firm.
  6. Cool in pan at least 20 minutes before serving.
  7. Spoon into individual serving bowls; serve with Bourbon Sauce.

Bourbon Sauce:

  1. Combine butter and sugar in a small saucepan; cook over medium, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves.
  2. Add egg, stirring briskly with a wire whisk until well blended.
  3. Cook over medium heat 1 minute.
  4. Remove from heat, cool slightly; stir in bourbon.

Best Ever Turkey Brine

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Female hand squeezing orange in cooking pot with brine for cooking turkey

Turkey Brine

Ingredients:

  • 1 12- to 20-pound turkey, not kosher, saline-injected, or otherwise pre-salted
  • 3 oranges
  • 3 lemons
  • 1/2 cup fresh sage leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
  • 5 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • 4 quarts water
  • 250g kosher salt (1 cup Morton, or 1 3/4 cup Diamond Crystal, or 3/4 cup table salt), plus more if needed

Directions:

  1. Prepare the turkey for brining: Remove the turkey from its package and pat dry. Place the turkey in a large pot, brining bag, or other container large enough to keep the turkey submerged.
  2. Prepare the brine ingredients: Strip the peels from the oranges and lemons using a vegetable peeler. Try to remove just the peel, leaving behind as much of the bitter white pith as possible. Roughly chop the sage leaves. Make sure the bay leaves, peppercorns, and garlic cloves are measured out and ready to go. (Save the leftover oranges and lemons for stuffing the turkey during roasting!)
  3. Prepare the brine concentrate: Bring 1 quart (4 cups) of the water to a boil in a large saucepan or stock pot on the stovetop. Once boiling, add the salt and stir until dissolved. Add the orange and lemon peels, chopped sage, bay leaves, peppercorns, and garlic. Let the water return to a boil, then remove from heat.
  4. Cool and then dilute the concentrate to make the turkey brine: Let the brine concentrate and flavoring ingredients cool until no longer steaming, then stir in the remaining 3 quarts of water. (If your pan is too small, you can do this in a pitcher or other large container.) Check the temperature of the brine; it should be room temperature or lukewarm.
  5. Pour the brine over the turkey: Make sure the turkey is submerged, though it’s ok if the boney tips of the legs stick out the top. If needed for larger turkeys, prepare additional brine solution (1/4 cup of salt dissolved in 4 cups of warm water) in order to cover the turkey. If the turkey is floating, weight it down with a plate or other heavy object.
  6. Brine for 12 to 24 hours: Cover the turkey and keep refrigerated during brining.
  7. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse: When you’re ready to begin roasting your turkey, remove it from the brine and rinse it with cool water. It’s ok if the water is tinged pink. Pat dry.
  8. Roast the turkey as usual: There’s no need to salt the turkey before roasting, but otherwise, roast the turkey as usual following your favorite recipe. If desired, stuff the cavity of the turkey with leftover sage and the peeled lemons and oranges from preparing the brine. Roasting time may be shortened; begin checking the temperature of the turkey halfway through roasting.

**Recipe from SimplyRecipes**

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

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Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Ingredients:

Crust:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional flour as needed, up to 1/4 cup
  • 1/2 cup cake flour (recommended: Soft As Silk)
  • 3 teaspoons sifted powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening (recommended: Crisco)
  • 1/4 cup salted butter
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons vinegar
  • 1/4 cup ice cold water

Filling:

  • 2 1/2 cups chopped red rhubarb, fresh
  • 2 1/2 cups de-stemmed, washed and cut strawberries (in larger pieces)
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar (1 1/4 cups for high altitude)
  • 2 tablespoons minute tapioca
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons butter, cubed small
  • 1 egg white beaten with 1 teaspoon water
  • Large granule sugar

Directions:

Crust Preparation:

  1. Using 2 pastry blenders, blend the flours, sugar, shortening, butter and salt. Whisk the egg, vinegar and water in a 2-cup measure and pour over the dry ingredients incorporating all the liquid without overworking the dough. Toss the additional flour over the ball of dough and chill if possible. Divide the dough into 2 disks. Roll out 1 piece of dough to make a bottom crust. Place into a pie dish. Put dish in refrigerator to chill.
  2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Filling Preparation:

  1. Mix well in a large bowl the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, tapioca, flour, zest and juice of lemon, dash of cinnamon, and vanilla, and pour out into chilled crust.
  2. Dot the top of the filling with the butter.
  3. Brush edges of pie crust with egg white wash.
  4. Roll out the other piece of dough and place over filling. Crimp to seal edges.
  5. Brush with egg white wash and garnish with large granule sugar.
  6. Collar with foil and bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Decrease temperature to 375 degrees F and bake for an additional 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling starts bubbling.

Lemon Bars

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Lemon Bars

Lemon Bars

Ingredients:

For the crust:

  • 1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:

  • 6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
  • 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 cup flour
  • Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.
  3. Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
  4. For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
  5. Cut into triangles or squares and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Ham-wich

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Ham-wich

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
  • 1 small chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 1 package of Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
  • 6 slices of ham
  • 6 slices Swiss cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Remove all rolls from the package in one piece and place on a cookie sheet. Slice horizontally through all 12 rolls at once. Remove the top and set aside.
  3. Combine butter, mustard, onion, and poppy seeds. Spread 1/2 of the mixture across the lower half of the rolls.
  4. Place the slices of ham across the rolls so all 12 are covered. Repeat with the Swiss.
  5. Return the top half of the rolls to complete the sandwich.
  6. Spread the remaining sauce across the top.
  7. Heat for 15 minutes and remove.
  8. Run a knife through the lines of the rolls to make 12 mini sandwiches.

Elote Hot Dogs with Garlic Fries

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Picture1

Elote Hot Dogs

Ingredients:

For the lime mayonnaise:

  • 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
  • Pinch of chili powder

For the hot dogs:

  • 4 hot dogs
  • ¾ cup corn
  • 4 hot dog buns
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • Chili powder or smoked paprika
  • ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, chopped
  • Lime wedges, for serving

For the street corn:

  • 4 ears corn, cut off the cob
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
  • squeeze of lime
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • pinch of salt

Directions:

For the lime mayonnaise:

  1. Stir together the mayonnaise, lime juice, smoked paprika and ground cumin. Add the chili powder to taste.

For the street corn:

  1. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the corn and chili powder and cook for another two minutes, stirring frequently.
  2. Add the two tablespoons of mayo, a squeeze of lime, and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Add the cilantro and cotija and stir again to combine. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the hot dogs:

  1. Grill the hot dogs.
  2. While the hot dogs are grilling, char the corn and prepare the buns. Char the corn in a small skillet over medium high-heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s lightly browned. Remove from the heat.
  3. Brush the tops of the buns with the melted butter then lightly sprinkle with either chili powder (spicy) or smoked paprika (not spicy) depending on whether your preference. Toast the buns.
  4. Put a hot dog in each bun. Divide the lime mayo between the hot dogs. Use half the cotija cheese to sprinkle over the mayo, reserve the other half. Divide the corn between the hot dogs then top with the remaining cotija cheese. Garnish with the chopped cilantro, lime wedges and a dusting of chili powder and/or smoked paprika.

 

Garlic fries

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag frozen french fries
  • 6 cloves of garlic , very finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:

  1. Cook the fries according to the directions on the bag.
  2. When the fries come out of the oven, put them in a large bowl.
  3. A minute or so before serving the fries, put the garlic in a small fry pan with the oil.
  4. Heat on medium and cook for 15-30 seconds, not long enough to brown the garlic, just long enough to take mute the raw garlic flavor.
  5. Toss the fries with the garlic oil mixture and salt.
  6. Serve hot and garnish with parsley if desired.

Arroz Con Pollo

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Arroz Con Pollo

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • Pinch of saffron threads
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs 6 ounces each
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cups chicken broth plus more if needed
  • 1 cup short-grain rice such as Calasparra, Arborio or Calrose
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley optional
  • 3/4 cup frozen peas thawed

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Combine wine and saffron; let stand until ready to use.
  3. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, skin side down, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
  4. Flip, and cook until golden brown; transfer to a plate.
  5. Drain any excess oil, leaving 1 teaspoon of oil in the pan.
  6. Reduce heat to medium and cook onion, red bell pepper and garlic, stirring often, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in wine-saffron mixture, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the bay leaf.
  7. Cook until wine is almost completely evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes. Add chicken thighs, broth and rice; bring to a simmer.
  8. Cover the pan and place it in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.
  9. Remove the pan from the oven. Stir the peas into the rice.
  10. Top with parsley and serve.