Best Lemon Bars Ever

 

Servings: 32

Ingredients:

2 cups Flour

1/2 cup powder sugar

1 cup melted butter 

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup Lemon Juice + a bit of Lemon Zest

Preheat oven to 325-350 degrees.

Crust:

Mix 2 cups flour, 1/2 sup powder Sugar, and 2 sticks of butter. Press into a large Baking dish. Bake 25mn.

Filling:

Beat 4 eggs, 2cups sugar, 1/2 cup flour, baking powder and salt. Add lemon juice & Zest.

Add to crust and bake for 25mn, Sift powder sugar on top. Cool and cut in squares or bars.

Galette des Roix - A French Tradition

So I used to dream about this traditional French Galette for the first 5 years I was in the States.

Trying to find it in bakeries without success.

I would wake up from these dreams very frustrated and missing France.

And then, I found one in a french bakery in Salt lake city where we lived.

The dreams stopped.

It was so rare and expensive that I finally decided to make my own!

I make it every January.

And boy, it is so easy and fast to make!

Every time it turns out a little different.

But after trying different recipes, this is the one I have adopted.

The tradition explained

Here.

1 Pkg of Puffed Pastry
Both sheets rolled into a circle the size of the pie pan.

For filling mix together

1/2 cup + 1TBs of sugar
2 egg yolks
4 Tbs Butter soften
2 cups of Almond meal
1 Tbs Milk
1/2 tsp Almond extract
1/2 tsp Vanilla or Rum extract
2 egg whites beaten and fluffy

The How

Mix ingredients in order listed above.
Incorporate the beaten egg whites at the end gently in an up and down motion.

Lay first sheet in pan. pour filling. Cut extra edges leaving the dough folded over the rim of the pan.
Wet that rim. Position the top sheet over it and press down sealing the 2 sheets.

Make patterns with a sharp pairing knife to make it pretty. brush with milk.

Cook at 375 for 50mn or until it looks golden brown and yummy.

Frangipane Peach Tarte

I made this Yummy Tarte for our Church Pie Contest

It has a pate brisee for crust, a custard/almond filling and some deliciously ripe peaches on top.

It does call for some work but it's worth it!

It won 2d place!

(Next time I make this I will add more step by step pictures)

About 1 hour prep time and 1 hour cooking time

Crust
.        2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

·        3 tablespoons sugar

.         A pinch of Salt

·        3/4 cup (1  ½  sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

·        ½ cup + 1TBL Butter Flavored Crisco in small pieces

·        1/4 cup ice water

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, add butter and Crisco and mix with knife (that is how I do it) or if you prefere with a kitchenaid Mixer, until the dough resembles wet sand it should be yellow and granulated. Gradually add the water until dough forms a ball. Do NOT overwork - you should still see little pieces of butter. 

Refrigerate while you prep next steps.

Creme Frangipane

- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup flour
- 2 Tbs butter
- 1/4 cup Almond flour
- 1 2/3 cup Milk
- 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp almond extract

Mix sugar, 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk with flour and butter.
Heat milk in non stick saucepan, turn it of as soon as it starts to boil.
Add the hot milk to mixture.
Transfer back to saucepan and cook on medium heat stirring constantly until it thickens.
Add the almond flour. Stir. Take of the stove.

Topping:
4 ripe peaches - Sliced thinly

2 big Tbs of apricot jam or jelly
2 to 3 Tbs water
Mix and stir jam and water in a little sauce pan over medium low heat, or in microwave.
You just want to make it a nice brushable consistency- like syrup.


Putting it all together:
Preheat oven at 350

Roll out the Crust 
Half the dough, flower the work area.
Roll dough until it fits into your pie pan (10 to 12 inch or 2 smaller ones).
Make sure to keep putting flower on work surface, we don't want it to stick!
You don't want it too thick. Like 1/8 inch.
Poke all over the bottom of dough with fork.
I usually make another pie like apple with the other half of the dough.

Bake crust only for 12mn. Take it out

Add Creme Frangipane. Bake another 12 mn. Take it out

Add Sliced peaches in pretty pattern.
Peaches are easy to bend for the middle flower-like center.
Brush apricot syrup over the peaches.
Bake another 25 to 30 mn. Until it looks like so...

Enjoy

Lentil Soup Madras Style

Last week I felt adventurous and decided to try changing my lentil soup 

to taste more like Madras Lentils

It work pretty well...

Amelie had 2 bowls full!

And that, my dear, means success!

Ingredients

2 slices of bacon

1  small to medium onion 

4 cloves of garlic

1 large shallot

2 bouillon cubes

6 cups water (or a little more)

2 cups lentils

3 ham shanks pieces (I take some of the skin/fat off)

1 Tbs cumin

1small can tomato past.

Fresh Herbs from garden. Sage/oregano/thyme

10 baby carrots sliced or 5 carrots

Pepper/salt to taste

Optional

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes for a little added heat.
Chopped up Cilantro or Parsley for garnish

The How

* Cut up bacon and cook it in a heavy soup pot

* If too much fat drain a little but not all, keep some to saute the cut up onions, shallots & garlic cloves.

* Add remaining ingredients after the onions are translucent.

   Omit meat if you are using it as a side for Indian Chicken meal

* Simmer for 1 hour, covered.

* Check on it occasionally stirring and making sure there is enough water, add more if needed.

Eat on a bed of Basmati rice, or not. 

We love it with Nan bread toasted.

Yogourt

4 cups of Milk
1 generous Tb active yogurt (greek or plain)

Pour milk in a pan and heat until scalded. allow to cool for 30 mn (110 degrees)
Add active Yogurt & mix.
Pour into jars & cool slowly, in thermos, crock pot or hot water.
This will take 4 to 6 hours.
To complete the process, cool in the fridge over-night.

Or use a yogurt mashine.

Creme Fraiche

A french type of sour cream that does not separate when heated.

Very expensive here in the US 

One might wonder why? It's so easy to make...

1 cup of heavy cream

1 tbs of buttermilk or yogurt.

Mix and let sit on counter for 12 to 24 hours. Stir or not.

Refrigerate for 2 weeks. As it ages it will get tangier.

Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies

2 sticks unsalted Butter

1 cup brown Sugar

1/2 cup white Sugar.

2 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

1 1/2 cup Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Cinamon

1/2 tsp Salt

3 cups Oatmeal

1 cup Raisins

Cook 8 to 10 mn @350 

Robin's Peanut Butter Cookie

I'm usually not a big fan of Peanut Butter cookies or Peanut Butter anything...

But these are so good! 

I especially love the dough! 

When cooked to perfection, like a little underdone, they are heavenly!

Cream Together:
1/2 cup of Butter Flavored Crisco

1/2 cup of unsalted softened Butter

2/3 cup Peanut Butter

1 cup Sugar

1 cup of Brown Sugar

Add: 

2 Eggs mixed with 1 or 2 tsp Vanilla

Add together dry ingredients:

3 cups of Flour ( I have substituted one cup of flour for Almond flour)

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Salt

Before baking add: 

Butterscotch Chips

Chocolate Chips

Heath english Toffee Bits

Right out the oven while cookies are still hot 

Hershey Kisses

Form Balls on Un-greased Cookie sheet. 

Press down slightly

Cook 10-12mn 

Smoothies

This past weekend, I got one of these, the blue one. I love it. 

Smoothies are so easy to make with this cute handy tool!

I made this recipe for Amelie, it was so good!

11/2 cup of ice
6 big strawberries
Juices of 2 cara oranges
6 white grapes
1Tbs of sugar (next time I will put honey)

I like this one too

1 apple
5 strawberries
1 orange
4 blackberries
10 spinach leaves (approximate)
8 ice cubes
1 scoop of peach fiber powder

The possibilities are endless! 

Slow cooked Chicken

Ingredients
* Olive oil
* Chicken breast, thighs and drumsticks. Enough for 5.
* 3 Garlic cloves pressed
* 1 shallot cut up
* 1 can of tomato paste + 2 cans of water
* Fresh cracked pepper to taste
* 2 tsp herb de Provence or Italien herbs
* A bundle of fresh herbs from my garden  (thyme, rosemary, oregano)
* Salt to taste
* 2 bouillon cubes

Instructions
Brown chicken in oil on stove in heavy oven proof skillet
Sautee garlic and shallot in oil
Add remaining ingredients with a little water about 2 tomato paste cans worth.
Put lid on and transfer to oven at 250 for 4 to 5 hours

Eat over rice or mashed potatoes. Good with Caramelized onions and peppers

Brocoli Bacon Salad

Ingredients

3 heads of broccoli, trimmed and divided into bite-size pieces
1 small red onion, small dice
4-6 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
1/2 cup cashews, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup mayonnaise (I prefer to use 1/2 cup mayo and 1/2 cup non-fat plain yogurt)
2 tbsps sugar
4 tbsps vinegar

Directions

Combine the broccoli, onion, bacon, cashews, and cranberries in a large mixing bowl. Mix the mayonnaise (and yogurt, if using), sugar, and vinegar together and pour over the vegetables. Toss together and refrigerate for a day for best flavor.

Great Substitute for the Mayo/vinegar dressing:

Half a bottle of Poppy Seed Salad dressing 

Caramelized Onions & Red Bell Peppers

Ingrediants
* 2 Tbs of olive oil
* 1/2 Onion cut up
* 1 Red Pepper cut up
* 1 Yellow Pepper cut up
* 1 tbs Italian herb blend (or fresh herbs)
* 2 tomatoes pealed and cut up

Directions
Heat oil in a pan
Let cook onions and peppers until tender
Add Herbs, tomatoes pealed and cut up
Let simmer 3 to 4 minutes
Salt and Pepper to taste


Variations - I add any of these if I have them
* 1/4 cabbage chopped up
* Cut up mushrooms
* Yellow Zucchini


This side is great with Sausage or Pan fried fish with mashed potatoes, quinoa or rice.