Lemon Squares*

This is VERY ... LEMON'y!!!!

I love the strong "KICK of lemon" in here!

But,...I suggest that IF you want 

more sweet and LESS "tang",

try using only half as much lemon 

zest as the recipe calls for 

and see how that goes.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoons sugar
.....
2  of 8-oz. cream cheese, softened
2 of 14-oz. sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 cup lemon juice
....
1 and 1/2 cups thawed whipped cream or whipped topping.
Raspberries for garnishing, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

HEAT oven to only 325-degrees F.
LINE 9x13-inch baking dish or pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides.  Lightly spray the foil liner with non-stick spray.
MIX graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar until blended and press onto bottom of prepared dish or pan.  I like to use my off-set spatula for this-- It looks like this:
 

• BAKE the layer of pressed graham crackers for 10 minutes.
• MEANWHILE, beat cream cheese with mixer until smooth/creamy.  Gradually beat in the condensed milk.  Add egg yolks (one at a time) and mix well.  Blend in lemon zest and lemon juice.  Pour over crust.
• BAKE about 30 minutes or until center is set (since ovens vary, check after 25 minutes).  
• COOL completely.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  
• USE foil handles to remove dessert from pan before cutting into bars.  By having this OUT of the pan and then using a really long knife, you can make very clean cuts (but, do wipe knife edge off between each cut).
• SERVE topped with whipped cream or whipped topping.  Add raspberry(ies), if desired.

Because I only had FROZEN raspberries 

here, this isn't as pretty as it would 

be with a FRESH one!

Mm-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m....

* This recipe came from the Spring 2014 

edition of Kraft's Food & Family-- I  made 

the crust according to the original directions, 

but,................... my ingredient list shows 

everything else ALREADY doubled.

 (I wanted the lemon'y layer 

to be thicker like this!) 

"Creamy/Dreamy" Lemon Dessert *

This comes pretty close to enjoying 

the likes of a Lemon Pie (without it being in 

a pie plate with a traditional kind of pie crust). 

I want this "cool dessert" on a summer day when it's 

in the 90's with an equal % of humidity.   BUT!,... 

I also want this on a winter day right here

when it is -30°.  In other words, I'll take this...

 ANYtime!  

......................................................

Read through the recipe before you start.  

I'll say up front that I prefer to use real whipping cream in place of the Cool Whip.   IF you choose to NOT use Cool Whip, you may need a total of 2-3 of the 8 oz. cartons of whipping cream. 

Below, for the third layer, the "lemon" layer, I list two options: This recipe can be made more quickly with INSTANT Lemon Pudding & Pie Filling, OR, you can do as I did, and use the "COOK & SERVE" Lemon Pudding & Pie Filling-- following the directions according to what is on each box.

FIRST LAYER:  CRUST INGREDIENTS and DIRECTIONS-- 

1. 1 and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2. 3/4 cup chopped pecans (plus another 2 tablespoons chopped pecans saved for garnishing top IF desired)
3. 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
4. 1 and 1/2 stick butter (or 3/4 cup) , softened to room temperature

Combine the above four ingredients, blending well.  Press into the bottom of a "non-stick sprayed" 9 x 13-inch pan (or, glass dish).  Bake at 375-degrees for between 15 and 20 minutes OR, depending on your oven, until only lightly browned.  Set aside to cool.  (Since this is the only part of this recipe that is baked, I like to make this the night before I need it, keeping it tightly covered after it cools.)
................................

SECOND LAYER INGREDIENTS and DIRECTIONS:

1. 2 of 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature.
2. 2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED or run through a screen.
3. 1/2 of a 16 oz. Cool Whip (save the other 1/2 for the fourth layer).

• Place cream cheese in mixing bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy.  
• Add the SIFTED confectioners sugar and beat until all is light and fluffy.
• Add the first 1/2 of the 16 oz. Cool Whip.  Fold in evenly and gently.
• Spread this mixture over the pre-baked and cooled crust.   

 ........................................

THIRD LAYER INGREDIENTS and DIRECTIONS:
(Including TWO options for the layer of lemon)

Option One:  2 of the 4.3 oz. (large) boxes of "COOK & SERVE" Lemon Pudding & Pie Filling prepared exactly as instructed on the package, but with using 1/4 cup less water than what is called for, making it a thicker mixture.  Again, follow the instructions perfectly, including the "medium heat", and using a "wire whisk" to eliminate lumps.    Be careful because when it reaches the boiling state, it likes to "spit hot stuff" at you!  When done, put into a container, cover with something like plastic wrap or sheet of parchment paper to keep top surface from drying out while it COOLS.    Once it cools, spread it over the "SECOND LAYER" (above).

Option Two:   4 of the 3.4 oz (small) boxes of "INSTANT" Lemon Pudding and Pie Filling, prepared in a large mixing bowl and according to directions on the box, but with using a total of 5 cups of milk.  Spread it over the "SECOND LAYER" (above).
.............................................

FOURTH LAYER INGREDIENTS and DIRECTIONS:

1. The last 1/2 of the 12 oz. Cool Whip used in the Second Layer (above)

• Spread this Cool Whip over the layer of Lemon Pudding & Pie Filling.

.............................................

FIFTH LAYER:

1. Optional:  Garnish the top with a very light sprinkling of the extra chopped pecans listed in the "crust section" (above). 

• Chill, covered, for at least one hour.  Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

With pecan topping, or,... without...

* A long time ago, I started out with a recipe similar to what's posted on http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/3649072-Luscious-Lemon-Delight but I've since changed this in a number of ways-- especially with the type of pudding options; Cool Whip vs. cream option; and, because the original recipe was to fill a "smaller dish",  I changed the ingredient amounts to fit in and fill my 9 x 13" dish.

Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Quick Loaf *

The one and only ZUCCHINI plant in Pam's garden 

is very, very productive!  This makes me want 

to find all kinds of ways to use what it's putting out!

I LIKE Lemon!

I LIKE Poppy Seed!

I LIKE Zucchini!

I LIKE Bread!

So,... I put 'em all together and have this!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 and 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant lemon pudding mix
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

....

• 4 large eggs
• 1 and 1/4 cups milk (I used whole milk)
• 1 cup canola or vegetable oil (I used "Smart Balance" oil blend)
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract

....

• 2 cups shredded zucchini  (If using larger zucchini, cut lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and fibrous "stuff", then grate.  I did not peel it.)
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350-degrees
• Set oven rack to second-lowest position
• Grease two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans (I also put a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of each.)

• In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, dry pudding mix, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

• In another bowl, first whisk the eggs; add milk, oil, lemon juice and lemon extract. Whisk together.  

• Using a wooden spoon or spatula, gently stir the "wet ingredients" into dry ingredients JUST until moistened.  (Like when making muffins, do NOT over mix this batter.)

• Fold in the grated zucchini, poppy seeds and lemon peel.

• Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick or thin wooden skewer inserted near the center comes out clean.  In my oven, I needed to bake these two loves for about 1 hour (or 60 minutes).  

• Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

* This recipe comes from the website of Kittencal's Kitchen (a while back, when I sent her an e-mail and asked if I could make some of her recipes and post them in this blog, she wrote back and said "yes".   Thanks, Kitten Cal!

Today, while making this, I thought of Wayne's late Aunt Alma-- 

I think she was 'the' expert when it came to making any

 kind of poppy seed cake and, of course, her 

poppy seed Czech-style Kolache pastries.

                                  M-M-M, goooooood!

Today, before my little helper friend got the word 

"zucchini" down, she said to me, "I've never 

had 'zoonie' bread before!"  

Actually, ...me neither! (LOL!!)

My "Make-Believe" LEMON PIE!!!

My "lemon fix"... 
without a crust--

It WORKED!!!

I put this in small, middle-sized, or larger dessert holders...

It's what's INSIDE that counts...

 This could be all prettier, IF a curl of lemon peel was added as garnish, but....

since I don't EAT the peel,....  you don't SEE a peel!   : )

While evaporated milk, in its undiluted state, is somewhat comparable in calories to cream, it 'delivers'  about half the fat stuff, etc., and stays readily available in its can on the shelf.  (In my cupboard, the evaporated milk 'lives' cheek-to-cheek with the cans of canned pumpkin-- no big wonder about why that is!)

This 'Cloud' part of this dessert is somewhere between a mousse and cheesecake. This recipe also has low-fat* and diabetic variations* that "are said to be" as good as the original.

INGREDIENTS:

• I of a 6 oz. box Jell-O gelatin ...OR two of the small 3 oz. boxes for a possible combination of flavors. (This time around, I used two small boxes-- both lemon flavored.  Some like this in orange, strawberry, etc.-- I think it's great in 'lemon/lime' combination, also!)
• 2 cups boiling water
• 15 oz. can evaporated milk (chilled to 'cold')
• 8 oz. package of cream cheese -- softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla  

-----
The dessert, as above, can be considered complete, as is.   IF you want something like my 'make-believe' pie taste, you can add a layer of the following:

• 1 large box of Jell-O pudding, made according to directions on the box.  For my 'lemon pie fix', I used a large box of lemon flavored "Cook & Serve Pudding"--the size that needed me to add 3 egg yolks.  (I skipped the meringue part of the instructions on the box.)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Place in refrigerator until it starts to thicken (I pour into 9x9" glass baking dish to speed up the 'chilling').
2. Pour the can of evaporated milk into a medium/large mixing bowl, along with the beaters, and place in freezer to chill.
3. When Jell-O begins to thicken (about the consistency of egg whites) and milk is chilled, proceed with recipe.
4. In a small/medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until the sugar loses it's 'grain'iness.  (With a food processor, you can start out with cold cream cheese and add the sugar; then the Jell-O, as stated in Step 5.  It works SO WELL for this).
5. Add the thickened Jell-O to the cheese mixture and blend until well mixed, scraping down the sides often.
6. In the chilled large mixing bowl, beat the well-chilled evaporated milk and vanilla and continue until stiff peaks form.
7. Fold the Jell-O/cream cheese/sugar mixture into the beaten milk and beat at low speed until well blended, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Since the added ingredients might be light colored (depending on flavor of Jell-O you use), it can be hard to tell if the Jell-O is well distributed, so blend thoroughly.
8. Spoon the 'Cloud' into footed (or any) dessert dishes and chill for several hours. (May also be poured into a chilled pie crust.)
9. IF you want to stop at this point, it's all good!  IF you want to add a layer of  pudding on top (as in the photo below), do it when the "fluff" layer is firmed up a bit.

If you plan to save some of this for another day, you can cover with plastic wrap or waxed paper. My smallest dish which is shown front right, above, can be perfectly covered with a wide-mouth Ball canning lid.)

*Diabetic variation: Use sugar-free Jell-O products and substitute 12 packets of Equal for the sugar.  Plus, you can use low-fat versions of cream cheese AND evaporated milk.   

Quite a few years ago, I adapted this recipe from the Natural Health Doc website where it was included in the list of Low Glycemic Recipes.

Megan's Lemon Bars (M-m-m!)

This recipe for lemon bars seems to be almost everywhere in 'recipe world', and it makes for a real goodie!  I think that of all bars, this is one of my favorites.  For our Thanksgiving Day dinner today, in addition to some delicious dinner rolls, granddaughter Megan made and brought these--------- M-m-m-m-m-m-m-m!

Ingredients For Base:

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

Ingredients For Top:

• 4 large beaten eggs 
• 2 cups white sugar 
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated lemon rind (optional)

Directions:

• For the base, mix the butter into the flour and sugar.
• Mix with pastry blender (or hands?) until it clings together
• Press into a 13x9x2-inch pan.
• Bake at 350-degrees for 20-25 minutes, OR until lightly browned. 

• For the filling, beat together eggs, sugar and lemon juice.
• Sift together flour and baking powder
• Stir into egg mixture.
• Pour over baked, cooled crust.
• Bake at 350-degrees for about 25 minutes, or until just lightly browned on top (like in the above photo).
• Cool.  When cool, sprinkle lightly with sifted powdered sugar.
• Cut into bars, and serve.