March Madness & Spring Cleaning

March was a very intense month with a few Amtgard events and Ben starting his new job (go Honey!). We're adjusting to me being home more often well and I've made it a point to get up with him so I can make sure that he has breakfast and lunch.

Being home a lot can have drawbacks if you do not have a plan. I lay out my schedule everyday, make a to do list, review my long term to do list for future projects, and tackle what I can. I leave myself about 30 mins before Ben gets home to clean up any projects that have exploded and review the dinner plan in case I need to pop out to the store.

Yesterday my big to do was spring clean the living room. We've been discussing getting a cat, but to fit a cat tree in the living room we needed to move things around a bit. I managed to move everything, including the couch, by myself, but our oversize chair just doesn't fit well in our little apartment. I'd like to get rid of it and take one of my chairs out of storage, but we literally can't get it out of the house easily.

See when Ben moved in they had to remove the door, and then door frame to get the chair and couch into this place. They're handy downs from Ben's folks and much better suited for their large airy family room then our postage stamp apartment. To cope I am looking at Ikea for a new couch, because when we move there is no way we're taking those with us. Also, his folk's next tenants likely will not want them as they are a little rundown. Does anyone else dream about red, sturdy, couches? I certainly do.

Today I need to make something for lunches for Ben this week. Last week I made pasta with tons of vegetables and that lasted him all week. My original plan was to make fried rice for dinner and have that be his lunch all week, but there wasn't enough leftover from dinner, and I can't make rice. I know, I know, it's really simple, but I can't do it. We own a rice cooker, I make rice per the directions, but I never get nice fluffy rice. It's either pudding, or it's too dry. I blame the Harry Dresden Effect.

Today I'm making quiche, which has the added bonus of being a breakfast food, so I don't have to worry about cooking breakfast all week.

Quiche
Crust:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
5 tablespoons butter, cold and cut into small slices
3 to 4 tablespoons ice cold water

In a food processor mix together the flour and salt. Slowly add butter while processor is running and once the mixture resembles sand begin to sprinkle tablespoons of water slowly. Stop when dough begins to clump. Trying not to handle the dough too long. Wrap it into a sheet of plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes while you prep the other ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and immediately roll it on a lightly floured surface, applying pressure from the center to the edges until it is about 12 inches in diameter. Place in your tart or pie pan and bake in the center of the oven for 8-9 minutes. Set aside in it's pan. Turn oven down to 375F.

Filling:
1/4 pound precooked and cubed or shredded chicken
1 cup sliced squash or whatever vegetable you have on hand
6 eggs
3 tbsp cream
1 tsp salt
1 tsp marjoram

Begin by layering the chicken and squash into your partially baked shell. Thoroughly mix eggs, salt, cream, and marjoram together. Pour egg mixture into your shell. Bake for 25-30 or until top is golden brown, and the filling has set.

To tell if your filling has set tap the side and if the center is jiggling it hasn't set yet.

Very Lemony Lemon Bread recipe

I know I'm evil. I mentioned the lemon bread recipe on Friday and didn't give you the recipe. Well I had to really search for it. I mean really search.

Years ago my best girls and I went to The Gingerbread Mansion  for Stina's birthday and my best friend Anna saw on their website a lemon cake recipe and she suggested that I bake it for a birthday cake for Stina. Well the day of the trip I printed the recipe and baked it without nuts (Stina is deathly allergic) and off we went.

It's been nearly 4 years and the website with the recipe has been redone and I found out that they had removed the recipe. Gasp! I have a hand written recipe book that has all my personally tweaked recipes in it, including this one, but that is still packed away. So what was I to do?

I thought about how I had cooked it, printed it, and where I was living at the time and about my computer. Well at the time Anna and I lived together and she was the one with the printer, so I checked my email to see if I had emailed it to her and it turns out I had, back in 2012.

Does anyone else do this? Do you ever search for a recipe and think back and try to relize the day you last made it or how you found it? I can't be the only one!



 Very Lemony Lemon Bread recipe

Ingredients
1/4 c milk
1/2 c Finely chopped nuts
1/4 c Butter
1 ts Baking Powder
2 Eggs; slightly beaten
1/2 c Flour; sifted before
1/2 c Sugar

TOPPING
1/4 ts Salt
1 c Sugar
Grated peel of 1 lemon
Lemon; (juice of)

Recipe makes 1 Loaf

Cream butter and sugar. Mix in eggs. Sift flour again with baking powder and salt. Alternately add flour mixture and the milk to butter mixture, stirring constantly. Mix in the nuts and the lemon peel. Bake in greased 5 x 9-inch loaf pan for 40 to 50 minutes at 350F. Make topping while bread bakes. As soon as the bread comes out of the oven, poke holes in the top with a fork and spoon over the topping.

Lemon Cake

You didn't think I just made cookies with those lemons now did you?

I was honestly on a baking spree last weekend and while searching for a long forgotten lemon bread recipe I ran across a lovely upside down lemon cake recipe, which I then proceeded to screw around with while baking.

I think it would be perfect done as single servings in cupcake tins for Easter, but Ben protested and I'm leaving it up to his mother (the hostess) to decide if I'm bringing this or my famous carrot cake that he loves.

Isn't that an amazing yellow?

Couple things to know. After you turn it onto a plate the brown sugar syrup will drip down the sides. Be prepared by using a plate that is larger then the cake

Don't worry if it looks more brown then golden when it's done as you really want the center to be fully cooked and no one will see the bottom. I had to bake it a full 15 extra minutes then the original recipe suggested to get it fully cooked.

Also, always use a very clean stainless steel bowl and whisk when beating the eggs to get them to peak. Any grease (butter, oil, ect) will cause them not to peak, and you're cake will be as dense as a pound cake.

Lastly, use lemons that you have candied, otherwise you will have to warn guests that they are really tart, or you can watch in anticipation for who will find out how tart they are first (though this plan risks your reputation as a baker).

Upside-Down Lemon Cake

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 thin-skinned lemons, candied
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350°. Add 4 tablespoons of the butter to your pie pan (I use a glass one) and pop into the oven till it is melted, stir in the brown sugar until dissolved. If it's still grainy, return to oven and check and stir every 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and arrange the lemon slices in the melted brown sugar.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter with the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and the egg yolks, one at a time. At low speed, beat in the dry ingredients in 3 batches, alternating with the milk.

In a stainless steel bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar beginning at a low speed and increasing to a high speed until firm peaks form. Fold one-third of the beaten whites into the batter, then fold in the rest. Scrape the batter into the prepared pie pan and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a plate. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.