Gluten Free Lemon Poppyseed Bread

 Moist tender gluten free bread with lots of lemony flavor.

Ingredients

1 3/4 (245 grams) all-purpose gluten free flour

3/8 cup (54 grams) cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tablespoons poppy seeds

3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Zest from one lemon

3/4 cup (150 grams) sugar

6 Tablespoons soft unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup sour cream at room temperature

2 eggs at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

For glaze - combine lemon juice and confectioner's sugar to desired consistency

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds, lemon zest and sugar.

Add eggs, sour cream, butter, vanilla and lemon juice. Mix to combine.

Add batter to loaf pan. Spread to an even layer.

For a more even loaf, with a very wet knife, slash the loaf down the center about 1/4".

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Lower heat to 325 degrees and continue to bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean - about another 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to wire rack and allow to cool completely. Glaze with icing.

Blueberry Spinach Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

My garden is full of fresh spinach, ready to pick, and the blueberries are on sale at the market - looks like this is the perfect salad to make.

Recipe Source: Peas and Crayons

Ingredients

For the Salad

4 ounces fresh spinach
1/3 cup (or more) crumbled feta cheese
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
1/3 cup candied walnuts (recipe below)

For the Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon finely minced shallot
2 Tablespoons honey
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup avocado oil
1/2 Tablespoon poppy seeds

For the candied walnuts

1 cup unsalted chopped walnuts
1 Tablespoon butter
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
Pinch of salt

Instructions

For the dressing:  Blend lemon juice, shallot, honey, mustard, salt and pepper until smooth in food processor or with emulsion blender. Add avocado oil slowly into mixture while blending. Blend until fully incorporated. Stir in poppy seeds. Store in refrigerator.

For the candied walnuts: Melt butter in skillet. Add walnuts, honey, brown sugar and salt. Saute 5 minutes, stirring. Pour onto parchment paper and separate walnuts to cool.

For the salad: Combine washed spinach, feta cheese, blueberries and candied walnuts in large bowl. Add 1/2 of the salad dressing and toss to coat evenly.  Serve right away with extra dressing on the side.

Lemon Easter Chick Cookies

Semi-homemade Easter chick cookies start with a box of lemon cake mix and end up cute as can be.

Ingredients

9 orange candy slices
1 box lemon cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup shortening
Yellow food coloring (optional)
1 -2 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Small amount of orange-colored frosting

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut the orange candy slices into triangles to create the beaks for the chicks. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, beat together cake mix, eggs, and shortening until well blended.
If desired, add several drops of yellow food coloring if you want the chicks to be a brighter yellow color.

For each chick, roll two balls of dough. One ball should be 1 1//2 inches and the other should be 3/4 inches. Place on prepared cookie sheet with the smaller ball touching the bigger ball.  Repeat with all the dough.

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until edges of cookies are golden brown.
Remove from oven. While cookies are warm. press two chocolate chips into the smaller ball as eyes.
Remove cookies to wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Place orange frosting into a sandwich bag. Cut off a very small piece at the corner of the bag.  Use this to pipe the feet onto each chick. Place an orange dot of frosting where the beak should be and press the candy beak on top.s

Recipe Source:  The Gold Lining Girl - But First, Dessert!

These cookies are easy and fun for kids to make!

Frosted Lemonaide

This recipe from "Mildly Meandering" says summer. It is tart and sweet and frosty all at once.

Ingredients

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

Combine lemon juice and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Pour into pitcher along with water. Chill in refrigerator for at least one hour. This step keeps the ice cream from melting during blending.
Add the lemon mixture and ice cream to a blender. Blend until smooth.
Pour into glasses and garnish with lemon slices.

Salmon Piccata

Salmon, capers, artichokes, wine, butter, lemon..... when you read the list of ingredients in this recipe, what's not to love? 

Ingredients

1 pound salmon, cut into 4 fillets, skin removed
1 Tablespoons canola or olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup diced red pepper (saute in butter to soften or slightly brown)
1 cup artichokes, sliced into ribbons (canned not marinated)
3 Tablespoons capers
2 Tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in skillet over medium heat. Sear the salmon fillets about 3 minutes on each side, or just until flaky and cooked through. Remove to plate and cover to keep warm.

Add wine and lemon juice to skillet, scraping up any bits of salmon. Reduce to half the volume. Add red pepper, artichokes, capers and butter. Stir until butter is melted and sauce is warmed.

To serve, place salmon fillets on a bed or rice, pasta or vegetable noodles. Spoon sauce over the top and divide artichoke/caper mixture on top.
Serve immediately.

Pink Lemonade Pie

You can make this pie in 5 minutes. Perfect ending to a summer dinner.

Ingredients

1 ready-made graham cracker pie crust
1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed milk
1/2 can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 small container Cool Whip

Instructions

Add lemonade to sweetened condensed milk.
Stir thoroughly.
Fold in Cool Whip.
You can add 1 or 2 drops of red food coloring if you want the filling to look more pink.
Pour into crust.
Refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Lemon Souffle Pudding

Ingredients

4 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
4 Tablespoon unsalted butter, very soft
1 Tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk
Powdered sugar for garnish

Instructions

Generously butter a 1.5 quart souffle dish or 6 individual 1-cup ramkins.
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Separate eggs, reserving three of the whites in a medium mixing bowl.
Place all four yolks in a separate medium-sized mixing bowl. Add 1 cup sugar, butter and lemon zest to the yolks. Beat on medium speed until well blended, about two minutes. Then, blend in flour, followed by lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Set mixer to low speed and add milk.
Clean and dry the beaters on the mixer. Beat egg whites on low speed, gradually increasing to medium-high speed until they form soft peaks. Add the remaining two Tablespoons sugar and continue to beat until semi-stiff peaks form. Gently fold half of beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture. Repeat for second half. Pour the batter into prepared souffle dishes. Place the dishes, evenly spaced into a shallow 9x13 inch pan. Carefully pour hot water into the pan to a depth of about 3/4 inch. Bake in the center of the oven until puffed and golden, about 35-40 minutes for large dish or 25-30 minutes for individual dishes.
Remove from water and allow to cool on wire rack. When cool, dust with powdered sugar.