When life hands you lemons...pucker up!

Before I go off on my whole recipe/ramblings thing...I have to tell you about the most awesome website.  Is there anyone (who knows me) laboring under the misconception that I redesigned my blog myself?  Yeah...we all know how much patience I have for html right?  Its a miracle my computer wasn't sitting at the bottom of my pool after my attempts (all 95 of them) at building my own website.  My husband told me to find a smart kid and let them do it...so I did.  Or rather she found me.  She's the daughter of a high school friend (found on facebook of course).  I'm really excited to see what she comes up with.  I'm veering off the road though.  This website is called http://www.thecutestblogontheblock.com/ and it is the bomb!  The graphics are free and they have a lot to choose from.  Best of all it was EASY even for the technologically challenged like myself!

Now about these lemons...

I had a whole drawer full of lemons because A...I live in Florida, B...I know someone who has a very prolific lemon tree in their yard and C...I like them.    We had lemon chicken one night, blueberry lemon muffins for breakfast, lemon soup (avegolemeno), lemon in tea, lemon on pasta, lemonade...you get the picture.  I was even floating lemon slices in my bathwater and pretending like I was at a spa but that's another story. 

Not to be outdone by a piece of fruit, I finally decided that I'd get them all licked (figuratively speaking) so I hauled out the electric citrus juicer and went to town!  Fait accompli...4 cups of fresh squeezed lemon juice.  More than enough for what I had in mind!

I'd been on a jelly roll obsession for about a week but I'm not crazy about jelly.  It definately had to be filled with lemon curd...thick and sweet but with some real pucker factor.  I decided this would be a triple lemon sponge cake roll...lemon cake, lemon filling and lemon frosting.  It turned out to be a fine piece of work and quite delicious too!

There is a bit of a process to making this type of cake but it isn't difficult just time consuming.  I suggest making the lemon curd in advance and having it thoroughly chilled.  That way you aren't waiting on the filling to cool down when you're ready to assemble. 

Triple Lemon Sponge Cake Roll

-4 extra large cage free organic eggs, separated and at room temperature

-3 extra large cage free organic egg whites, at room temperature

-1/2 cup unbleached cane sugar (Florida crystals)

-3 tablespoons lemon zest*

-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

-1 teaspoon pure lemon extract

-1/8 teaspoon salt

-1 cup sifted cake flour (spoon sifted flour into measuring cup and level..do not scoop)

-1 recipe for Easy Lemon Curd (recipe follows)

-1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (divided) organic confectioner's sugar

-1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1-Preheat oven to 350F.  Prepare 15 1/2 x 10 1/2x 1" jelly roll pan by lining with parchement or waxed paper.  If using parchment, brush with a little oil.  Set aside.  Lay a clean dish towel out onto a flat surface and use about 1 tablespoon of the powdered sugar to dust the towel.

2-Place all 7 room temperature egg whites in a large bowl and beat with electric mixer on medium speed until semi-firm peaks form. 

3-Place egg yolks into another large bowl and beat until thick.  Gradually beat in granulated sugar until mixture is thick and lighter in color. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon extract and salt; beat until well combined.  Gradually stir in sifted cake flour by hand until blended.  Make sure egg whites have not "fallen" (there will be liquid at the bottom of the bowl...if there is beat again with clean beaters until stiff peaks form).  Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture.  Gently fold in the remaining egg whites.  Spread batter into prepared pan and bake until golden.  The top will spring back when lightly touched, about 15-20 minutes. 

4-When cake is removed from oven, immediately run a small knife around the edges to loosen from the pan.  Invert cake onto dusted kitchen towel.  Peel the paper off the bottom of the cake and roll up (starting at the narrow end) with the towel.  Place on cooling rack seam side down and cool completely.

5-Unroll cooled cake and trim crusty edges.  Spread chilled lemon curd on cake and roll back up (without the towel...duh!).  Place seam side down on platter.  Garnish with powdered sugar drizzle and extra powdered sugar for dusting.

Easy Lemon Curd

-3 extra large cage free organic eggs, room temperature

-1 extra large cage free organic egg white, room temperature

-1/2 cup unbleaced organic cane sugar (Florida crystals)

-1 tablespoon grated lemon zest*

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons organic potato starch

pinch of salt

1- Combine whole eggs and the extra egg white in bowl, stir well with a wire whisk.  Set aside.

2-In a small saucepan, heat lemon juice, potato starch and salt over medium high heat until just beginning to form bubbles around the sides (about 180 degrees).  Add the hot juice a little at a time to the egg mixture, stirring constantly.  Once all juice has been added, pour this mixture back into sauce pan and return to stove.  Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until thickend.  You MUST stir constantly.  Do not overcook or you'll end up with little white pieces of cooked egg in your curd...not pretty! 

3- Pour lemon curd out into a heatproof bowl.  Cover the top of the curd with plastic wrap (right on the surface) so that you don't get a "pudding skin".  Cool to room temperature before refrigerating.  Curd should be cold before using to fill cake.

4.  Combine remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar and enough lemon juice to make a "syrup" consistency.  Drizzle this frosting over finished cake. 

This cake is actually BETTER if it's made and then chilled overnight.  The cake absorbs moisture from the curd and the curd solidifies making the slices stay together when cut.

This cake is like eating sunshine!

Sorry about the lighting!

*Ordinarily buing organic lemons falls under that "hard skin" rule but when using the zest you should spring for organic.  Conventionally raised lemon peel tests postive for several different pesticides and fungicides.

(c)copyright Jill Anderson

The Homegrown Gourmet

Nacho bid'ness

I've been a little lazy about posting over the weekend.  There's always so much to do that I never seem to get around to parking in front of the computer to blog.  Food is definately still being cooked in the Anderson house and I even manage squeeze off a few pics before Roger gets hold of it.  I just don't get the recipes posted in a timely manner.  What a slug right?

This weather is killing us Floridians.  Normal (for this time of year) temps one day and overnight it drops 35 degrees!  We're like the MULLET of weather this year...you know...bid'ness in the front...party in the back.  It's bid'ness as usual in the daytime and colder than a witch's uhm...well..you know... at night!  So I was sitting here freezing the other night and decided to whip up a batch of chili.  Have you ever tried to cook wearing your SNUGGIE??  Not pretty....had to get out my SHAM WOW to get the tomato paste off it!

Anywho...the only beans I had in the pantry were black beans and since I was making Turkey Chili...they just didn't inspire me.  It was about that time I espied the 4lb bag (trip to BJ's wholesale club last week) of RW Garcia tortilla chips.  Why RW Garcia?  It's not like he's a personal friend or anything...like Juan Valdez.  Naw...it's because his chips are thin and crispy and have a great "authentic" flavor (as opposed to tasting like WHAT?), made from certified non gmo corn and have no trans fat.  Plus...a 30g or about 15 chip serving only has 40mg of sodium.  Boooyaaaaaah!!

Typically nachos are nasty bid'ness calorie wise especially if eaten in a restraunt.   They taste great but most are served up with great golden GLOBS of cheese, guac and a pint of sourcream.  Heaven only knows what grade of ground beef they use.  Is there a 50/50 grade?   Sometimes I wonder when you see that river of grease coagulating at the bottom of the mountain of stale corn chips.  If I ask the waiter to find out what the lean percentage of the meat is, he rolls his eyes, gathers his less than remarkable wits about him and flounces off to the kitchen.  When the laughter dies down back there, a very tall, uptight, 50-ish balding man with a pinched face walks over to my table and says "Sorry Ma'am, we can't give out that information.  It's just NACHO BID'NESS!"

Now that you are starving after that lovely description, I'm posting a recipe right?  Sorry, I have raised children and dogs...you can't gross me out so I just assume everyone has the same cast iron constitution. 

I think the calorie conscious readers will enjoy this recipe though.  Of course if you really want to cut back, skip the chips and have the chili over shredded lettuce like a nacho salad.  Maybe you could just crumble one or two evil, carbohydrate-ridden corn chips over the top.  The chili by itself only has 166 calories and 2 grams of fat for 3/4 cup serving.

Sweet n' Spicy Turkey Chili Nachos

For Chili:

-1 lb ground turkey breast

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-1/2 cup diced onion

-2 cloves minced garlic

-1/2 cup diced bell pepper, any color

-1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

-3 Tablespoons chili powder

-2 teaspoons ground cumin

-1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

-pinch of ground cinnamon

-1 Tablespoon honey

-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

-1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 15oz. can no salt added petit diced tomato

1 8oz can no salt added tomato sauce

1 6oz can no salt added tomato paste

1-Heat oil in a large heavy bottom sauce pan. Break up ground turkey and cook until it begins to turn white. Stir in onion, garlic and bell pepper. If pan becomes dry add a little chicken broth. Saute 5 minutes or until veggies become tender.

2-Add all spices and seasonings; mix well. Allow spices to toast before adding liquids.

3-Pour in all tomato products and stir to combine. Bring to a slow boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer 25-30 minutes.

Serve over tortilla chips with garnish.

To assemble nachos:

Line dinner plate with torn lettuce or lettuce cups. Check the portion size on the brand of tortilla chips you are using.

Arrange chips on plate. Top with 3/4 cup of chili, 1/4 cup organic reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese, 1 tablespoon reduced fat sour cream, diced tomatoes and onions or a couple of spoonfuls of fresh (not jarred) salsa. Fresh salsa from the deli counter or refrigerated section has a fraction of the sodium of jarred salsas. You can always make your own too.

The chili serves 6

per serving: 166 calories, 2g fat, 15g carb, 20g protein, 110mg sodium, 4g fiber

With chips, reduced fat cheese and sour cream: 430 calories, 10g fat, 39g carbs, 31g protein, 400mg sodium, 8 g fiber (if using a high fiber corn chip)

Chili may be served in lettuce cups to cut down on the calorie and fat content. You can still top with the cheese and sour cream.

(c)copyright Jill Anderson

The Homegrown Gourmet

Pineapple Chicken and Very Veggie "Fried" Brown Rice

I don't concider myself a great cook of  Chinese (American Style) food by any stretch of the imagination.  Frankly, it's just not my cup of green tea.  That is mainly because of the salt, fat and calorie content AND the dubious "other" ingredients found in your standard slop trough buffet joints.  However, I do think there are some wonderful flavor combinations to be explored and one of my favorites is the marriage of pineapple, chicken and bell peppers.  That being said, I set out to determine if a healthier, lighter version could be made.  It turns out that it CAN!
It just so happens we had it for dinner last night. 

If you are looking for the thickly breaded, deep fried nuggets of chicken in a cloyingly sweet pineapple sauce, you won't find it here.  The chicken is flash sauted and then simmered in sauce.  A small amount of potato starch mixed with chicken broth at the end thickens the sauce just enough to glaze the chicken and vegetables.

The brown rice is more veggies than it is rice.  That was deliberate.  We eat late and I try to keep my evening carbs from starches low but I still wanted a side of "fried rice".  With this recipe, I could have a generous scoop (3/4 cup) and still not exceed the mere 1/3 cup of rice I would normally eat.  The other side is one of my all time faves in the produce aisle...crisp, sweet Sugar Snap Peas.  Flash sauted and sprinkled with a few drops of Sesame Oil and some toasted black sesame seeds... they are addicting!  I have to make 1 1/2 pounds for two people.  One pound for me and the rest for my husband. 

Pineapple Chicken

1 pound organic boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1" cubes

2 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 cup organic diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup organic diced green bell pepper

1/2 cup diced onion*

2 cloves pressed garlic

2 cups chopped organic Roma Tomatoes

1 1/2 cups cubed fresh pineapple

1 cup unsweetened pinapple juice**

2 tablespoons organic brown sugar or succanat

2 tablespoons organic apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon reduced sodium tamari

1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated

1//4 cup water or reduced sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon organic potato, corn or tapioca starch

1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil

slivered scallions

toasted black sesame seeds

Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan.  Add the chicken and brown lightly.  Chicken does not have to be cooked through at this point.  Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Saute the bell peppers and onion for 2-3 minutes; stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more.  Add diced tomato, pineapple juice, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, tamari and fresh ginger.  Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and add chicken back to pot.  Simmer covered for 10 minutes.  Carefully stir in pineapple chunks; return lid and simmer additonal 5 minutes until pineapple is tender.  In a small bowl, dissolve starch in chicken broth or water.  Increase heat to pineapple chicken until it just starts to boil.  Stir in starch slurry until sauce thickens and looses it's cloudy appearance.  Stir in sesame oil for flavor.  Garnish with sliced scallions and toasted black sesame seeds. 

*It is not necessary to purchase organic garlic or onions unless you just want to.  Their pungent oils are natural deterants to pests and the vegetables are therefore not sprayed. 

**You may substitute organic canned pineapple chunks in natural juice.  Just drain the chunks and set aside while the dish simmers.  Adding the pineapple along with chicken and simmering for the full 15 minutes will just disentigrate it.  You may add the canned pineapple after the dish is finsihed and stir to heat through.

Very Veggie "Fried" Brown Rice

1/2 cup (dry) organic brown rice

1 1/2 cups water or unsalted chicken broth

2 teaspoons olive oil

about 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup diced onion

1/4 cup organic diced red bell pepper

1/4 cup organic diced green bell pepper

1/4 cup organic celery, diced

1/2 cup organic carrots, diced

1/4 cup thawed organic green peas

1/4 thawed organic corn kernels

1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1 tablespoon reduced sodium tamari

scallions to garnish

Cook brown rice in unsalted water or chicken broth until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.  Uncover rice and fluff with a fork; set aside.  Heat olive oil in large saute pan.  Add both bell peppers and onion; saute 2-3 minutes.  Stir in celery and carrots.  You will need to have extra chicken broth on the side to add to the pan since there isn't very much oil.  Cook veggies until crisp tender.  Stir in the cooked rice, thawed peas and corn, sesame oil and tamari.  Stir "fry" 2-3 minutes adding additonal broth as needed to keep rice from sticking.  Serve with pineapple chicken, garnised with scallions and black sesame seeds.

Sesame Sugar Snap Peas

This really isn't a recipe at all...too easy!  Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet.  Add desired amount of pea pods.  Saute until crisp tender.  Sprinkle with a few drops of sesame oil and sesame seeds; toss to coat.

This meal serves 6 people

 Per serving:  328 calories, 7g fat, 44g carbohydrates, 22g protein, 7g fiber, 481mg sodium

*Amounts are as close as I can figure out without professional nutritional analysis so don't hold my feet to the fire.  They are close enough for government work!

Zen Dinner

Enjoy!

(c) copyright Jill Anderson

The Homegrown Gourmet