Lemon Pound Cake (Katelynn's Favorite)

INGREDIENTS:

Loaf

3 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

1/2 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons lemon zest

1 to 2 tablespoons lemon extract, to taste (not teaspoons; and not lemon oil and not lemon juice - see step 4 in directions)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Lemon Glaze

1 cup confectioners' sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice, or as necessary for consistency

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.

2. Loaf - To a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar, sour cream, and whisk vigorously until smooth and combined.

3. Drizzle in the oil while whisking to combine.

4. Add the lemon zest, lemon extract, and whisk to combine. Note - I used 2 tablespoons of lemon extract because no actual lemon juice is used in the loaf and I found 2 tablespoons lemon extract necessary for full-bodied lemon flavor, but add to taste. Don't use lemon oil and lemon extract interchangeably because they're not; oil is much more potent and intense. Don't use lemon juice in place of lemon extract because it's not strong enough and the acidity can alter the overall results.

5. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and stir until just combined, don't overmix. Some lumps will be present and that's okay, don't try to stir them smooth.

6. Turn the batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. Bake for about 50 to 52 minutes, or until top is domed, set, and toothpick inserted in the center crack comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no batter. In the last 10 minutes of baking, tent pan with foil (loosely drape a sheet of foil over pan) to prevent excessive browning on the top and sides of bread before center cooks through.

7. Allow loaf to cool in pan on top of a wire rack for at least 30 minutes (I cooled 4 hours) before turning out onto rack to cool completely before glazing.

8. Lemon Glaze - To a small bowl, add the confectioner's sugar and slowly drizzle in the lemon juice while whisking until smooth and combined. You may need to play with the sugar and lemon juice amounts a bit as necessary for desired consistency and flavor.

Evenly drizzle glaze over bread before slicing and serving. Extra glaze can be spread on the cut surface of the bread like you'd spread butter on toast and it soaks right in making the bread even moister and more lemony. Or you can halve the glaze recipe if you're not a glaze person. Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months; I don't recommend storing it in the fridge because it'll dry out.

Key Lime Pie Bars

A recipe for Key Lime Pie Bars - all the wonderful flavors of the pie, but in easy bar form!

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

5 ounces animal crackers

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

Pinch of salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

For the Filling:

2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 tablespoon grated lime zest

Pinch of salt

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 egg yolk

½ cup Key lime juice

For the Garnish:

¾ cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened), toasted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, allowing the extra foil to hang over the edges of the pan. Lightly coat with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.

2. Make the Crust: Process the animal crackers in a food processor until finely ground, about 10 seconds. Add the brown sugar and salt and pulse a few times to combine. Drizzle the melted butter over the crumbs and pulse until the crumbs are evenly moistened, about 10 pulses. Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack while you prepare the filling.

3. Make the Filling: Stir together the cream cheese, lime zest and salt in a medium bowl. Add the sweetened condensed milk and whisk until completely incorporated and no lumps remain. Whisk in the egg yolk, then add the lime juice and whisk gently until incorporated.

4. Pour the filling into the crust and smooth into an even layer. Bake until the filling set and the edges are beginning to pull away slightly from the sides of the pan, 15 to 20 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and cool to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours. Cover with foil and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.

5. When ready to serve, run a paring knife around the edges of the pan and lift the bars from the pan using the foil overhangs. Cut into 16 squares and sprinkle with toasted coconut, if desired. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Peanut Butter Bar Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter and line with parchment a 9X13 baking pan.

Bars

16 TBs unsalted butter

1.5 C peanut butter (I used chunky because that is what we had–use what you prefer)

1.5 C granulated sugar

1/2 C golden brown sugar, packed

1.5 tsp kosher salt

1 T vanilla

4 eggs at room temperature

2 C flour, sifted

Melt together butter and peanut butter.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.  In large bowl, sift together sugars and salt.  Whisk in one egg at a time until combined.  Add-in vanilla.  Whisk in peanut butter mixture until combined.  Sift in flour and mix until flour just disappears.  Pour into prepared pan and bake until tester comes out with moist crumbs (about 35 minutes).

Icing

1 C confectioner’s sugar

1/4 cup peanut butter, melted

Milk (amount depends on desired thickness of icing–start with a couple of tablespoons and go from there).

Once bars have cooled, flip out onto a cooling rack fitted into a cookie sheet (to catch the icing).  Mix icing ingredients together until of desired consistency.  Drizzle over bars.  Let icing set up and cut.

Paula Deen's Quiche

6 large eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups half & half

Salt and pepper

2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach, packed

1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust, fitted to a 9-inch glass pie plate

(I’ve also made this with cheddar instead of swiss, and a pound of ham instead of bacon…you can really add any “fillings” you want… steamed broccoli, sautéed asparagus, sautéed diced sweet onion, tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, etc.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Layer the spinach, bacon, and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture on top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the egg mixture is set. Cut into 8 wedges.

Note: This makes more than one pie shell worth. It rises and will spill over. I usually make one quiche and one “frittata” in a glass baking dish.