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Lemon Pound Cake

A very nice cake.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or white whole-wheat flour (see Tips) (I used regular flour)
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large lemons, divided (used orange)
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
  • 3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), at room temperature (used regular Philadelphia cream cheese)
  • 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature (1 Tbs butter + 1Tbs margarin)
  • 3 large egg whites, at room temperature (see Tips)
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature (used 2 eggs total)
  • 1/2 cup reduced-fat milk (1/4 cup whole milk +1/4 cup water)

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-5-inch (or similar-size) loaf pan with cooking spray; dust with flour and tap out any excess.
  2. Sift whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt together into a medium bowl.
  3. Finely grate 2 tablespoons zest from 2 of the lemons (see Tips); set the lemons aside. Beat 3/4 cup sugar, cream cheese, butter and the zest in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the egg and beat well. Reduce speed to medium and beat in milk; the mixture will look curdled.
  4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in 2 batches, beating just until combined and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
  5. Bake the cake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the sides and turn the cake out onto the rack.
  6. While the cake is cooling, squeeze 5 tablespoons juice from the zested lemons. Trim the ends off the remaining whole lemon and very thinly slice; discard any seeds. Heat the lemon juice and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the lemon slices and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Use a fork to transfer the lemon slices to a bowl. Continue simmering the syrup until slightly thickened and beginning to turn golden yellow, 2 to 4 minutes.
  7. Set the rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Poke holes all over the top of the warm cake with a wooden skewer, 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep. Spoon the glaze over the cake, poking more holes if the glaze does not sink in. Arrange the lemon slices on top. Let the cake cool completely before slicing.

Tips & Notes

  • Make Ahead Tip: Using toothpicks to hold the plastic wrap away from the glaze, loosely wrap the cake and store at room temperature for up to 1 day. Equipment: Loaf pan
  • Tips: Whole-wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat. It contains less gluten than regular whole-wheat flour and helps ensure a tender result in delicate baked goods while providing the nutritional benefits of whole grains. Find it at large supermarkets and natural-foods stores. Store in an airtight container in the freezer.
  • White whole-wheat flour, made from a special variety of white wheat, is light in color and flavor but has the same nutritional properties as regular whole-wheat flour. It is available at large ­supermarkets and natural-foods stores and online at bobsredmill.com or kingarthurflour.com. Store it in the freezer.
  • To bring an egg to room temperature, either set it out on the counter for 15 minutes or submerge it (in the shell) in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot) water for 5 minutes.
  • When we call for citrus zest (i.e., 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest) we are referring to the finely grated outer rind (not including the white pith) of the citrus fruit. Use a microplane grater or the smallest holes of a box grater to grate the zest. In some cases we call for long strips or threads of zest. To get long strips, peel the citrus with a vegetable peeler. To remove long threads, use a 5-hole citrus zester or remove long strips of zest with a vegetable peeler, then use a knife to cut into very thin strips.

Nutrition

Per serving: 197 calories; 4 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 25 mg cholesterol; 36 g carbohydrates; 21 g added sugars; 4 g protein; 1 g fiber; 199 mg sodium; 68 mg potassium.

Carbohydrate Servings: 2 1/2

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 1/2 carbohydrate (other), 1 fat

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Суп-пюре из кабачков

Диетический супчик – to add to the collection of cream soups

Ингредиенты для “Суп-пюре из кабачков”:

Приготовление

Кабачки, картофель, морковь, лук почистили. В кастрюле разогрели растительное масло, обжарили раздавленный чеснок с луком.
Нарезали кабачки, картофель, морковь и отправили в кастрюлю. Помешивая, тушим минут 7. Добавляем куриный бульон и доводим до готовности овощей. Разогреваем сливки, у меня 20%. В кастрюлю с овощами добавляем горячие сливки и бульон до нужной консистенции, прогреваем, помешивая. Вот и всё.
Кастрюлю накрыть полотенцем, дать потомиться, настояться.
Тем временем поджарили гренки на сухой сковороде.
Осталось разлить по тарелкам и восхищаться вкусным супчиком.

 

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Блинчики

0,5 литра молока

2 яйца

2-3 ст ложки сахара

1 чайна ложка соли

2-2,5 ст ложки  растительного масла

~2 стакана муки (тесто как жидкая сметана)

Взбивать миксекром, чтобы не было комков

Спечь один блин и можно разбавить кипятком.

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Greek pasta salad

Greek pasta salad

Take your taste buds to the Greek Isles without leaving home by tossing together the flavorful ingredients to make our Greek Pasta Salad. This easy taste of the Mediterranean can be on your table as a change-of-pace go-along or light main dish.

What You’ll Need:
  • 1 (12- to 16-ounce) box radiatore or ruffles pasta
  • 1 (10-ounce) bag fresh spinach, rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 pound (8 ounces) feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, drained
  • 1 cup bottled Greek dressing
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
What To Do:
  1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain, rinse, then drain again.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients; add pasta and toss gently until evenly coated. Serve, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

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EPLEPAI, A NORWEGIAN APPLE CAKE

A nice new apple cake

Ingredients:
1 Egg (63g)

2 Tbs Milk
3/4 Cup (158g) Castor sugar
1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract
1 Tsp Baking powder
1/3 Tsp Fine sea salt
1 Tsp Ground cinnamon
1/3 Tsp Ground cardamom
1 Cup + 2 Tbs (158g) All-purpose flour
1/2 Chopped almonds/or almond sticks (50g), toasted
3 Medium-sized tart apples
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F), line a 18cm (7-inch) springform cake pan with baking paper and then butter it.
2. Peal, core, and dice the apples.
3. Stir all the ingredients together (the mixture will be similar to that of muffins).

4. Spread into the pan.
5. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. After 1 minutes, run delicately a knife along the side of cake to loosen, then remove from the side of springform pan.
7. Place a cooling rack upside down over the cake. Turn rack and cake over. Remove the bottom as well as the baking paper of the springform pan. Place back on the rack.
8. Cool completely before serving.

Comments:
I used Belle de Boskoop apples (my favorite eating and baking apple) for this cake, but Bramley, Reine Des Reinettes, Braeburn, Granny Smith, Gravenstein apples, etc… are also ok.
Serving suggestions:
Cut into wedges and serve with either sweetened whipped cream, sweetened thick yogurt or ice cream.
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Moist and Easy Cornbread

Nice and easy recipe. The best when fresh or toasted.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus butter for baking dish
1 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, buttermilk, and butter. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the cornmeal mixture and fold together until there are no dry spots (the batter will still be lumpy). Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.

Bake until the top is golden brown and tester inserted into the middle of the corn bread comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the cornbread from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.

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Tomato Bisque

The very first soup we made together.
Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced bacon (about 1/2 ounce)
1 Spanish onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes (with liquid), roughly chopped
3 parsley sprigs
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 cup heavy cream
1 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until crisp and most of the fat has rendered, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Pour in the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Tie the parsley sprigs, thyme, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the pot. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

When the soup base is cool, remove and discard the herb bundle. Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Using a sieve over a large bowl, strain the tomato puree. Return the puree to the pot and reheat over medium heat.

Whisk the heavy cream and salt into the soup and season with pepper to taste. Divide among warm soup bowls, garnish with the crispy bacon, and serve immediately.

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Rye Dinner Rolls

Another rye bread recipe
Ingredients

1 envelope (1/4-ounce) dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 egg
1 cup warm milk (about 110 degrees F)
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup rye flour
2 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 large egg, beaten

Directions

Combine the yeast, sugar, melted butter, egg and milk in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Add the salt, rye flour, and all-purpose flour. Beat at low speed until all of the flour is incorporated, about 1 minute. Then beat at medium speed until the mixture forms a ball, leaves the sides of the bowl, and climbs up the dough hook. Remove the dough from the bowl. Using your hands, form the dough into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the dough from the bowl and invert it onto a lightly floured surface. Pat the dough into a rectangle about 3/4-inch thick. Roll up the dough, beginning with the short side and stopping after each full turn to press the edge of the roll firmly into the flat sheet of dough to seal. Press with your fingertips. Tuck and roll so that any seams disappear into the dough. Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a smooth round ball. Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Place the rolls on the baking sheet, 1/2-inch apart. With a pastry brush, brush the beaten egg evenly over the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour. Bake until lightly brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack. Serve warm with butter.

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Pear Cranberry Scones

A good use of the leftover Silk

Ingredients

Scones

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup Silk soy, almond or coconutmilk, any flavor except chocolate
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 tsp grated orange zest
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped peeled pears

Glaze

  • 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 3-4 Tbsp fresh orange juice
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp grated orange zest
  • 1.Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • 2.Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray.
  • 3.In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
  • 4.In a separate bowl, whisk together Silk, orange juice, cranberries, orange zest and canola oil.
  • 5.Pour the wet mixture into the dry and mix together with a wooden spoon, stirring with as few strokes as possible. Fold in the chopped pears.
  • 6.Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to drop the batter onto prepared baking sheets, forming 12 scones.
  • 7.Bake for 12-15 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.
  • Make the glaze
  • 8.Whisk all ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
  • 9.Drizzle on warm scones.

 

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Apple Dumplings

Tasty and quick dessert casserole.
Ingredients

2 Granny Smith apples
1 lemon
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 canned buttermilk biscuits
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Peel, core and slice the apples vertically into 8 slices each. Squeeze the lemon into a bowl of water and add the apple slices to keep from turning brown.

In a medium saucepan, mix 1 cup water, 3/4 cup of the sugar, the butter and vanilla. Bring the sugar mixture to a boil over medium heat.

Separate each biscuit into 2 layers. Wrap a biscuit layer around a slice of apple, stretching the biscuit slightly to overlap, and seal on the bottom. Place the wrapped slices, sealed-side down, in a 9- by 12- by 2-inch casserole dish. Pour the hot sugar mixture over the apple slices. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle the mixture over the tops of the wrapped apples. Bake until golden brown, 35 minutes.