Fruit-Filled Puff Pastry Donuts with Lemon Glaze

Are you looking for a simple, delicious way to elevate a donut? This recipe is it! It's called a donut but could also be called a popover. It also really reminded me of a toaster pastry only more fresh and flaky.

Using store-bought puff pastry, this breakfast treat comes together quickly and is definitely kid and adult friendly!



Fruit-Filled Puff Pastry Donuts with Lemon Glaze
Makes about 9 donuts

1 egg
1 Tablespoon water
1 package (17.3 ounces) Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets, thawed
Cut-up fruit, such as strawberries, bananas, raspberries, blueberries, etc. (I used strawberries and blackberries)
Sugar

Lemon glaze:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup confectioners' sugar

To make the lemon glaze, combine ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. The consistency should be slightly thick but runny. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork; Set aside. Unfold 1 pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Using a round cutter, cut the pastry sheet into 9 (3-inch) circles. Repeat with the remaining pastry sheet. (Don’t waste the scraps – re-roll them and cut into as many circles as possible)

Place half of the pastry circles onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Top each with a small amount of cut-up fruit and top fruit with a pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon) sugar. Brush the edges of the pastry circles with the egg wash. Place the remaining pastry circles over the filling. Press the edges firmly to seal and crimp edges with a fork. Using a sharp knife or a pair of kitchen shears, cut two small slits in the top of each filled pastry.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown on the top and the bottoms. Let the pastries cool slightly and drizzle the lemon glaze, or simply shake confectioners sugar, over the tops.

Adapted slightly from The Comforts of Cooking

Homemade Applesauce

As much as I love fall, I tried to make it come a little early this year! In the beginning of September, the fam and I went to an apple orchard with great friends and their daughter. We had a blast despite the cold, rainy weather and terrible apple selection. The orchard lady wasn't joking when she said that the apples were really picked over already and that we'd have to hunt for the good ones.

Despite a few bruises (the apples, not me) I found some great apples of all different varieties. We couldn't possibly eat them all, so I got a great recipe from my friend Kathy (the great friend we went picking with!) She's been making this applesauce for a while now and she swears by it. Although she does say that she and her family are ruined because store bought applesauce just doesn't measure up.

After trying this recipe I couldn't agree more! I kept it chunky for my husband and I and pureed it for our 5 month old. We all devoured it! The fresh apples make the applesauce bright and chunky and AMAZING! I can't wait to make an even bigger batch of this next time! The great thing about this recipe is it's SO easy and all of the ingredients are "to taste" so if you like it sweeter or with more cinnamon you can go ahead and add them with wild abandon! But just know, you were warned...you will probably never like store bought applesauce again!



Homemade Applesauce

6 apples, peeled and diced
1/2 C. water
1 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 T. lemon juice

Put the apples into a saucepan with the water. Cover and cook until the apples are very soft, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the apples to a bowl and
mash. Add sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Mix well and enjoy! (This is truly great both warmed and cool!)

Lemon Herb Pork Chops

During the summer, I just can't seem to get enough lemon! There's just something about it's bright, tartness that it adds to food (especially pork) that make me think of summer grilling. This recipe is a really flavorful and light summer meal. With all of the party recipes I've had coming your way, I thought I should help you (and myself!)out and lighten things up a bit!

The pork is incredibly juicy and the lemon-herb combination makes light, yet flavor-packed meal. I served this with marinated grilled veggies and it was perfect for a hot summer night. Grilling outside helps to not heat up your house, but you could always saute the chops in a pan with a little bit of nonstick spray.

With just a few ingredients, these pork chops are also really fast for a quick weeknight meal!



Lemon Herb Pork Chops

4 pork chops
4 T. lemon juice
2 T. Canola oil (or other light oil, like vegetable oil)
1 T. garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp pepper

In a ziplock bag, combine the lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper. Seal and shake to combine well. Add the pork chops and marinate at least one hour or overnight.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Oil the grates to prevent sticking. Grill the pork chops 5-7 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.

Lemon Chess Pie

My dad came across a recipe for Lemon Chess Pie. I had never heard of it, but loving lemon like I do, I really wanted to try it. With simple ingredients and using only 1 bowl to make, it seemed too good to be true. What's really unique and interesting is the addition of the cornmeal. You can't taste it in the pie, but it gives a great texture and when it floats to the top as it bakes, it creates a slight crust which is delicious!

This pie comes together quickly and is really amazing. It is lemony and sweet, but still slightly tart. It reminds me of a mix between a lemon merangue pie (but MUCH easier and faster to make) and lemon squares. This pie is slightly loose and will sink just a bit as it cools, so don't be alarmed!

A fun fact about this pie is why it's called "Chess Pie." Many people think that because it's an old Southern favorite, "Chess Pie" is the result of a Southern accent. When the man of the house would come home and ask what's for dessert, the woman of the house would say "Jus' pie" ("just pie") which then became "Chess Pie." In reality, pies used to be stored in pie chests and so "Chest Pie" eventually because "Chess Pie." (But I think "Jus' Pie" is so cute!)

Lemon Chess Pie

2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon fine yellow cornmeal
4 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice with pulp
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

In a large bowl combine the sugar, flour and cornmeal. Blend well, then add the eggs and combine well. Add the milk and mix then stir in the melted butter, lemon zest, and juice. Pour this filling into the crust and cover then edge of the crust with foil to prevent it from burning, taking care not to touch the filling. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes, removing the foil after 30 minutes, or until the top is medium brown and the center is set. Cool and serve or refrigerate overnight. Top with powdered sugar or whipped cream and enjoy!

Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Loaf Cake

I was looking for a recipe to use up some blueberries that I had. When I came across a lemon-blueberry yogurt loaf, I knew I had to try it. I LOVE lemon. Because of my lemon obsession, I decided in this recipe to use lemon flavored yogurt (instead of plain) to add to the lemon flavor and, also, because it's what I had in my fridge! The result is a very moist, lemony loaf cake that perfectly compliments the blueberries. It's a rich loaf cake that's not overly sweet and it works equally well as a muffin paired with your morning coffee.

When it comes to blueberries, I highly recommend using fresh, so wait until they go on sale at your grocery store! You can certainly substitute frozen, but they tend to be mushy and stain the batter purple when you fold in the berries.

Next time, I plan to experiment with other yogurts and fruits, just to see if they turn out as fabulous as this! If you try it, or another combination, I'd love to hear about it!!

Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Loaf Cake

1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup lemon yogurt (you can also substitute vanilla or plain yogurt if that's what you have)

1 cup plus 1 1/2tablespoons sugar, divided

3 eggs

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (approximately 2 lemons)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 cups blueberries, fresh (if you only have frozen, make sure that they are thawed and patted dry)

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

powdered sugar, optional for garnishing

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and oil. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Mix the blueberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour, and fold them very gently into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 60 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before flipping out onto a cooling rack. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, use a toothpick to poke holes all on the top of the loaf. Then, using a pastry brush, brush the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Allow the loaf to cool and top with powdered sugar just before serving.

Adapted slightly from Smitten Kitchen

Lemon Garlic Chicken

I love cooking with lemon when the weather turns warmer. Plus, the beautiful weather is a great reason to start cooking on the grill. This delicious and easy chicken comes together with a really simple marinade. Let the marinade really get into the chicken and the flavors will melt together beautifully. Also, the fresh herbs give the chicken a light, earthy taste that compliments the lemon and garlic. Serve this with a side of broccoli or rice and you have a healthy, light meal that's just in time for summer!

Lemon Garlic Chicken

2 lemons, zested and juiced

2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tsp. fresh thyme

1 tsp. fresh rosemary

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

4 chicken breasts (you can use either bone-in, or boneless skinless chicken)
lemon slices for garnish, optional

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper in a large Ziplock bag. Shake well to blend. Place the chicken in the bag with the marinade and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Heat grill to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from the marinade and grill until crispy, well browned, and cooked through - about 5 minutes per side. Let the chicken rest about 5 minutes before serving. Transfer to a serving platter with lemon slices and serve.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

I saw these cookies on the Food Network and thought they'd be great to use up the extra ricotta I had in the fridge. They are so easy to make and remain soft and tender for days after making them. The best part of this recipe is the tart, tangy glaze that tops these tender, lemony cookies. If you know someone who loves lemon, these cookies will be a hit!




Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze
(adapted from Everyday Italian)

Cookies:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 Tbs. lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbs. lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

For the glaze: Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.