Simple Yet Gourmet

Ever since getting a slice of Lemon Cake from Starbucks a few years back I have been on a quest to find a good copycat recipe.  I've tried several and they were all fine, but this cake is officially the winner.  My search is over! I seriously could not imagine a more perfect lemon cake.   Lemon flavor shines throughout the cake, but the real punch of flavor comes from the delectable glaze. The cake itself is so moist yet fluffy and tender at the same time.  It's like a ray of sunshine on a cold winter's day! 

Up until I was introduced to the delicious Red Berry Risotto Kirsti posted about a year ago, I was unfamiliar with Risotto.  I fell in love with the creamy texture of the rice so when I came across this recipe I knew I needed to try it out.  Unlike the Red Berry Risotto, this dish is a savory side dish that is wonderful with just about any kind of meat.  The lemon flavor combined with the creamy texture makes this dish nearly irresistible. One of my new favorite sides! Lemon Risotto modified from Giada's Kitchen 5 cups chicken broth 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2-3 lemons) 3 Tablespoons butter 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus 2 tablespoons 1/4 cup cream cheese salt and pepper to taste 2 Tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley In a medium saucepan, bring the broth and 1/4 cup lemon juice to a simmer.  Cover the broth and keep hot over low heat. In a medium, heavy saucepan, m...

     Here is another wonderful cupcake recipe.  Someone asked me why do I make so many different types of cupcakes.  I love to take cupcakes to different parties or school functions so I always need a great new recipe.  Plus I think cupcakes are easier to serve and so much fun to decorate.      These cupcakes took no time at all and they looked amazing.  I love the fresh lemon taste of these cupcakes as we start the summer season.  I hope you enjoy these lemony treats!

As promised in my last post , here is one of the recipes from the baby shower.  I decided not to go with the great white punch due to need for a punch bowl, which I couldn't find.  Instead I took some Country Time Lemonade and made it extra delicious by mixing in some homemade raspberry syrup.  I made the syrup a few days in advance to save time.  The morning of the shower all I had to do was pour the lemonade in a pitcher, stir in the syrup and slice few lemons to top it off.   A delicious drink with very little effort!

This coming Saturday I am hosting a baby shower for my sister Kristi.  We are going to have a light lunch including Chicken Salad Sandwiches on Buttermilk Rolls , Great White Punch, Strawberry Spinach Salad , a fruit tray with dip, mini-cheesecakes, and these adorable cupcakes.  As Aaron will tell you, I always have to try recipes out before making them for something and these cupcakes were no exception.  I had already tried out one cupcake recipe and they did not turn out well at all.  These came through for me though, and I'm so glad.  I think they will be just perfect for the baby shower!  I'll have more of these recipes for you after the shower :)

My little girl turned 10 years old this past Friday so I surprised her with Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes. I served it with fresh strawberries and raspberry syrup. They were amazing, this recipe will be one of our family favorites for sure. Like always, I combined two different recipes into one to make and the added a few things to make the "perfect recipe." It was a nice change from the boring, buttermilk pancake recipe!

My little Maddie loves poppy seed muffins, so I decided to go on the hunt for a good lemon poppy seed muffin recipe just for her. Well it paid off, this one is a winner! The recipe was almost perfect, but I thought it was a little thick so I add buttermilk to the batter which made them even more moist and much easier to handle. They were just sweet enough yet had a nice tartness to them with the lemon icing drizzled on top. Next time, I think I might even add some blueberries for color and flavor. Yummy!!

Lemon Squares have always been a favorite of mine. This is one dessert I always remember my mom making for the family. Last past week I was craving them in a bad way so I had to make a batch and share them! Friends asked me for the recipe so here it is for everyone to try. Lemon Squares McCain Family Recipe Crust : 2 cups flour 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 cup butter Kneed together, put in greased 9x13 pan. Cook on 350 for 12-15 minutes. Filling: 4 eggs 1 1/2 cup sugar 6 Tbsp lemon juice 4 Tbsp flour 1/2 tsp baking powder Beat eggs, sugar and lemon juice for 8 minutes. Stir in flour and baking powder. Pour into baked crust and cook for 25 minutes, or until knife comes out clean.