Grandma Maxine's Deluxe Lemon Bars

Maxine is my husbands grandmother and she claims to hate to cook or bake yet everything I have ever had of hers is delicious. She's never been your typical Grandmother, or woman for that matter. Maxine once told me that her future husband, Ed, would come into the diner where she worked, everyday, order his meal, and sit and talk to her. After a year or so he proposed to her, she said no a few times, but he persisted. Eventually she would give in but with one condition; she would NOT cook for him. This was in the 1950's, where all women stayed home to cook and clean for their husbands, right?! Apparently not Maxine.

These lemon bars are a Logan family favorite. When I say family favorite, I mean that the grandkids request this dessert at every family function, and by request I mean expect. These bars are from an old cookbook published by the Ventura County Newspaper back in the 1960's, where housewives sent in their favorite recipes to the newspaper and they made this lovely cookbook. A miss Judy Davies sent this Lemon Bar recipe in, and Maxine tszujed it up over the years and Voila'! Maxine's world famous Lemon Bars.

These bars are also posted on Maxine's granddaughter's blog. Oh, did I tell you Maxine is an artist too? Her granddaughter is just as talented and vivacious as she is so go check out her blog too:  illi style

 Maxine's Deluxe Lemon Bars

Crust:

3 cups flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups butter

Filling:

6 eggs, beaten
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 ripe lemons)
3/8 cup of flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Crust: Sift flour and powdered sugar, cut in butter with a pastry cutter until it resembles a fine meal. Sprinkle into a 13x9x2 inch, glass pan. Place a piece of parchment paper over the top and press crust firmly into pan letting the crust come up the sides as well. Bake for about 15-20 min. Remove and cool slightly.

Filling: Lightly whisk eggs, add all remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Stir slowly and with a wooden spoon or spatula to avoid bubbles. No big deal if you have bubbles, they're just not as aesthetic. Pour mixture over crust and bake for about 25-30 min. Mixture should still jiggle, but not slosh.

Let bars cool in pan. Cut into desired sized squares, and sift powdered sugar, generously ,over the top.

*Note: Substitute pineapple juice, orange juice, or lime juice in place of lemon juice.

Have you seen one of these citrus juicers? They rock. I got mine at the thrift store, but you can buy them new.

Not just any sifter but a Gourmet sifter! 

Work that dough!

Press firmly, it's a good workout. 

Make sure the crust comes up the sides too, that's the best part!

Mix filling ingredients. 

Pour filling into baked crust

Cut these puppies into whatever size bar you like! 

Enjoy!

Orange Cranberry Coffee Cake

Coffee. This fine beverage is one of the only drinks that I hold with as much esteem as my beloved Bourbon, if not more. I've been accused of being a coffee snob, which I'm more proud of than offended by. I appreciate well made, artisan coffee. I can't even sniff, let alone drink the stuff that comes in a can. To me, even Starbucks has sold out. I will drink Starbucks, mind you, but only if there isn't a better option. Btw, I remember when Starbucks was artisan. I miss those days. I say we demand they go back to their old ways! They used to only keep the beans for a week, keep brewed coffee for only a half hour, hand make each drink....sad that all of that is gone. I digress....on to cake!

There are many things that can accompany coffee but nothing pairs better than the cake that was created to be consumed with a big ol' mug of the rich, dark, lovely java....the Coffee Cake.

What I love about coffee cake is that it is so versatile, usually not too sweet, and low maintanice. No frosting (sometimes glazing is in order), no layering, or heavy decoration; just good old fashion simplicity. Perfect for any occasion, this cake is always a winner! Coffee Cake is great with my third favorite drink too...TEA. =D

In this recipe, I chose Cranberry Orange as the flavors but you could easily change this up. Try Lemon Poppyseed, Apple or Pear Buttermilk, Lemon Ginger, etc. The possibilities are endless with this easy, versatile recipe.

Orange Cranberry Coffee Cake

3 1/2 cups AP flour

2 cups white sugar

6 1/2 oz unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes

Zest of one large orange

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 2, depending on how juicy they are)

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups fresh cranberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a tube pan (angel food cake pan).
Place flour, sugar, zest, and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle atachement. Paddle until mixture looks mealy. It's ok if there's some chunks of butter.
Pull out a scant 1/2 cup of mixture set aside, in the refrigerator, for topping later.
Add baking soda, baking powder, and salt; continue to paddle until mixed well.
Add the eggs, paddle until mixed.
Add buttermilk, vanilla, and orange juice; paddle on medium high, until very well blended, about a minute.
Fold in cranberries.
Pour into prepared cake pan.
Top with reserved flour, sugar, butter, zest mixture.
Bake for about 45 - 50 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, remove tube insert, cool with tube attached completely before removing it.
Brew your favorite coffee, cut, and serve.

Kicked Up Amaretto Sour

Sours are some of my favorite style of mixed drinks. I've had Gin Sours, Whisky Sours, but the Amaretto Sour is relatively new to me. I was introduced to it at a work function and thought it was good, but a little sweet. The alcohol was masked by a ton of super sweet, pre-made Sweet and Sour, and I felt it had a super thick mouth feel. Trust me, I drank the thing and ordered another one, so it wasn't all bad.

So, why post this drink seeing as I gave it an average review? Well, I had this drink at a chain restaurant and figured I would try to recreate the drink with fresh sweet and sour, and add a secret ingredient.....Bourbon, of course! Traditionally, the drink has egg white, which I omit, although, I'd like to work up the nerve to try that sometime.

Amaretto Sour

Adapted by Jeffrey Morgenthaler

1 1/2 oz amaretto (I used Disaronno)

1 oz bourbon (I used Makers Mark)

2 oz Bourbon Bee's Homemade Sweet and Sour Mix

Maraschino cherry or Brandied Cherry

Lemon wedge

Place amaretto, bourbon, sweet and sour, shake well then add ice and shake again.  Pour into an old fashion glass with fresh ice. Garnish with cherry and lemon wedge.

Bourbon Cherry Crush

This drink is guest posted on my lovely sister-in-law's blog illi style, she is AMAZINGLY creative and has a ton of fantastic stuff on her blog. Please check her out, you won't be sorry!

Anyone who knows me well, knows I love bourbon. I mean, I named my blog after the sweet nectar for crying out loud! Now, I try to remain a purist and drink it with minimal, if any, alterations or additions but special occasions sometimes call for going against the grain.

Valentine's Day is coming up and you have to impress your honey by serving them something as sweet and as lovely as they are. I can see it now; All Out of Love by Air Supply playing in the background, rose pedals on the table, and two Bourbon Cherry Crush's mixed with love. Cheesy? Maybe, but you will probably score points with the ol' ball and chain (don't call them that, btw).

Bourbon Cherry Crush

Adapted from how sweet it is

1 1/2 oz. bourbon (I used Four Roses)
1 oz. cherry juice (just use the juice in the maraschino cherry jar)
1/2 oz. amaretto (I used Disaronno)
Squeeze of fresh lemon
2 oz. Cherry Coke Zero or Cherry Coke
4 Brandied or Maraschino cherries

Muddle the cherries in the bottom of your glass, add ice.
Mix the bourbon, cherry juice, amaretto, and lemon in a shaker, shake, add ice, shake again.
Pour over fresh ice, top off with Coke and stir. Add a couple more cherries and a lemon wedge as a garnish, if you like.

Yields one drinkAs always, PLEASE drink responsibly, always have a designated driver. 

Homemade Sweet & Sour Mix

Never, ever, ever, buy pre-made Sweet and Sour Mix. It's full of preservatives, and unidentifiable ingredients plus, when compared with homemade, it tastes terrible. I mean, you spend your hard earned cash on good quality liquor to mix it with sub-par mixers, not cool man.

This mix is perfect for any of your typical Sours. This mix is easy to make, with only 4 ingredients, and stores for about a week in the fridge. I made a small amount but you could make a bunch and store it if you are having a party.

Homemade Sweet and Sour Mix

Adapted from Bon Appetit

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

Juice lemons and limes, mix. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar is desolved. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for a few seconds, about 10-15. Don't boil too long or you'll have carmel (not a bad thing, just not simple syrup). Add simple syrup to lemon and lime juice. Place mixture in a glass storage container. Stores for about a week. 

Taste test this with any store bought Sweet and Sour and you will be shocked at what you were missing! Have fun mixing!

Honey Pecan Bars

Honey Pecan Bars

Being that I'm in the south, pecans are the nut of choice. There is no argument as to the fact that pecans are a preference, it's the pronunciation that is debated heatedly.
In the south you don't talk about politics, religion, or how pecans are pronounced.

 So how do you say it? "Pee-can", Pee-con", "Puh-con"? I'm a "Puh-con" girl myself.

These little jewels are a great alternative to a Pecan Pie. I like that you can cut them into little bit size pieces, or big ol' squares. I, also, like the fact that you use honey instead of corn syrup. I don't know why, but I have an aversion to corn syrup. I'm not a health food nut, although I do try to eat healthy, it's just that corn syrup annoys me. Period.

Honey Pecan Bars

Adapted from eats well with others

Crust:

2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter

Filling:

2 cups pecans
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup of honey
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour and powdered sugar; cut butter into flour powdered sugar mix with a pastry cutter until it resembles a coarse meal. It will seem kind of dry, that's normal. Sprinkle into a 9x13x2-inch pan and place parchment paper over the top. Press crust into pan firmly with hands. Place shortbread in the center of the oven and bake until light golden brown, about 20 min. While shortbread is baking, prepare filling.

Coarsely chop pecans. In a heavy saucepan, melt butter and stir in brown sugar, honey, and vanilla. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute.

Stir in pecans. Pour pecan mixture over hot shortbread and spread evenly. Bake in the center of the oven until it bubbles, about 20 minutes.

Cool completely in pan and cut while still in pan.

Yields about 12 bars, depending on how big you cut them. Will keep, covered, for about 5 days at room temperature.

Healthy Jambalaya

Did you make a New Years resolution to loose weight, or get healthy? When I finally decided to eat healthy, I knew that the only way I was going to be successful was I had to try to take recipes I already use and make them healthier. Now, that's not to say that I don't partake in some goodies, just in moderation. What I loath is diet food, pre-packaged, tasteless, textureless, colorless, masses of sodium. An abomination! Not only do they taste awful, but I never feel full or satisfied after I eat them. Honestly, the trick to loosing weight and getting healthy is fresh, homemade, healthy food and treats in moderation. Oh...and exercise!

I'm not really a New Years resolution maker, I tend to break them within minutes, it seems. I think it has something to do with my rebellious streak. Rules are made to be broken, right?
Lots of people make New Years resolutions though, and they can be a healthy thing! This Jambalaya is hearty, warm and full of flavor. You won't miss the fatty pork kielbasa, I promise!

I did the math for you: If you weigh out 11 ounces (which is a very hearty portion), it's only 350 calories per serving!

Healthy Jambalaya

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter
14 oz turkey polska kielbasa
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup long grain white rice
2 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2 in. cubes
2 1/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 - 4oz jar sliced pimientos
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound large uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions: 

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add kielbasa saute until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove kielbasa, set aside. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; saute until transparent, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in rice, toast for about 1 minute. Mix in kielbasa, potatoes, chicken broth, white wine, pimientos. Season with; turmeric, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, turn heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until rice and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in shrimp and cilantro. Cover and cook until shrimp are just cooked, about 4 minutes.