Lemon Cream Pops

With popsicle season arriving quickly, I am having fun digging out some of our favorite frozen treat recipes again.  I credit these creamy pops as the recipe that won my family officially over to the joy of homemade popsicles.  They were sweet, but not too sweet and the silky texture was downright addicting!  Next time I will try them with limes instead! 

Recipe Source:  Taste of Home

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara. 

The ingredients:
1 can (14-ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (it took me 2-1/2 lemons to get the right amount)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon peel

Directions: 
In a bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together until sugar is dissolved. 

Pour into 6-7 ice pop molds or 3-ounce paper cups and insert sticks. 

Freeze for 6-8 hours or until solid. 

Enjoy! 

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Couscous Citrus Salad

The other day I told my kids I was making Couscous Citrus Salad and they thought it made a great tongue twister.  Especially if you say "Summer Couscous Citrus Salad"  five times fast.  Go ahead.  Try it.  And then  get the ingredients for this light and refreshing salad.  It is super quick and you can adjust the ingredients to your liking.  I personally think it's really good to eat the left overs the next morning with yogurt for breakfast. I served it with some whipped cream to make it a dessert that's actually good for you.

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by: Jen

Ingredients:

1 c orange juice + water
2 c couscous
1 20 oz can pineapple, drained into cup
2 11 oz cans mandarin oranges, drained in to cup with pineapple juice
(yes, I know there is only one in the picture, but trust me, you want two)
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1 lemon
pint strawberries, washed and sliced
1-2 c shredded coconut (forgot to put it in the picture)


Optional:
zest of lime
kiwi, grapes
finely chopped fresh mint
cream, yogurt

Directions:
Combine orange juice, juices from fruits plus enough water to make 2 cups.  Bring liquids to a boil.  Once you have gotten a boil, remove from heat and add the couscous.  You should be able to find couscous in the same aisle as the rice in your grocery store.  They'll probably be right next to each other.  Just make sure you get plain couscous and not the flavored stuff.

Stir the couscous with a fork and add the zests.

 Mix in the zests and cover with a lid for 5 minutes.  During those 5 minutes all the liquid will be absorbed.  Also, during that time wash and slice any fruit that you are using.  After 5 minutes, fluff the couscous with a fork in order to get it all separated and not have chunks (yes, a technical cooking term, lol) of couscous.

 Add your fruits.  (I actually saved the strawberries for last so I could more gently fold them in.)

 Stir in your coconut.  The more coconut, the more sweeter, so you can be the judge of how much you want.

 It will still be warm at this point, but it will cool down quickly.  Serve as is or serve with cream, or with yogurt and almond slices.  It's completely versatile.  I think this would work with rice as well, but you would have to use twice as much liquid as rice.  (ie 4 cups to 2 cups rice).  Maybe I'll have to try that out.

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Lion House Lemon Meringue Pie

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I am more well known among my friends for my apple pie making skills, but truth be told, my favorite pie is lemon meringue.  In fact, I credit the humble lemon meringue pie as the catalyst for me starting to make pies in the first place.  It was way back in high school and for some forgotten reason I decided that I really wanted to make a lemon meringue pie from scratch.  Of course I didn't really know what scratch meant back then and with my babysitting money I bought refrigerated pie crust and some Jello lemon pudding mix.  Although that first pie turned out quite ugly, it marked the beginning of my love affair with pie making.  Since that day 20+ years ago I've made hundreds of pies and still lemon meringue is my favorite and this classic recipe from Lion House makes a great one!

Recipe Source: Lion House Cookbook (an out-of-print cookbook that is among my oldest and most well-loved cookbooks of all time)

Click here for printable recipe. 

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:




LEMON FILLING:
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbs. cornstarch
1-1/2 cups cold water
3 eggs yolks (reserve egg whites for meringue)
6 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice (or 1/2 cup for a slightly tarter flavor)
1 tsp. finely grated lemon rind
2 Tbs. butter
Baked 9-inch pie shell (see this recipe for the best crust ever)

MERINGUE: (if you like meringue piled higher on the pie, then I recommend making a one-and-a-half batch of the meringue)
3 egg whites (use from the separated eggs in the filling)
6 Tbs. sugar

Directions (these directions are modified somewhat from the cookbook):

In a medium size saucepan combine sugar, salt, and cornstarch.  Slowly add cold water, while whisking rapidly.  Stir in egg yolks and place pan over medium heat.  Heat mixture until smooth and thick (30-60 seconds of boiling).   Remove from heat and add lemon juice, rind, and butter. Stir until combined.

Pour filling into baked pie shell and spread meringue over top while filling is hot.

For meringue: Beat the egg whites on high speed adding the sugar gradually while beating. Continue beating until mixture stands in stiff peaks. (You'll want to watch it carefully, because it is possible to beat egg whites for too long and lose the creamy texture).

Pile on hot lemon filling;

seal well to edge of crust and touch meringue lightly with the back of the spoon to form peaks. 

Bake at 375° for about 15 minutes or until delicately browned.

Cool thoroughly before serving, preferably at least 4 hours.

Enjoy!

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Lime Glazed-Coconut Snowball Cookies

Day 13's holiday treat recipe features these beautiful melt-in-your mouth snowball cookies.  Be sure to come back every day in December for a new holiday recipe! 

My husband does not believe the holiday season is complete unless we've had some of Grandma Sandy's snowball cookies, so I shouldn't have been too surprised when I was drawn to these cookies at a cookie exchange last year.  They still have that same melt-in-your mouth texture as Grandma's, but with a little zip of lime and coconut.  My daughter and I have become mildly obsessed and have made them several times since last year.  While I could never replace that old classic recipe (the best kind of recipe if you ask me), I think we simply will have both versions on the cookie tray now! 

Recipe Source:  my friend, Kylee W.

Here's what they look like if you don't put the coconut in the blender first. 
 

Click here for printable recipe. 

Posted by Lara.


The ingredients:


SNOWBALL COOKIES:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. grated lime zest
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbs. cream cheese, room temperature

GLAZE:
1 Tbs. cream cheese, room temperature
3 Tbs. lime juice
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1-1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, finely chopped in food processor or blender

Directions: 

FOR COOKIES:  In large bowl, mix flour, lime zest, sugar, and salt on low speed until combined. With mixer running on low, add butter 1 piece at a time; continue to mix until mixture looks crumbly and slightly wet, about 1 minute longer. 

Add vanilla and cream cheese and mix  on low until dough just begins to form large clumps, about 30 seconds. 

Use hands to roll dough into 1-inch balls.  Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 1-1/2 inches apart.  Bake one batch at a time in 375-degree oven until lightly browned, about 12 minutes.  Cool to room temperature.

FOR THE GLAZE:  Whisk cream cheese and 2 tablespoons lime juice in medium bowl until combined and no lumps remain.  Whisk in powdered sugar until smooth, adding remaining lime juice as needed until glaze is thin enough to spread easily. 

Dip tops of cookies into glaze and scrape away excess,

then dip into coconut.  Set cookies on parchment-lined baking sheet; let stand until glaze dries and sets, about 20 minutes.  Cookies are best the next day.    Store tightly covered. 

Enjoy!

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Lemon Filled Cookies

Day 7 at Recipe Shoebox's Holiday Baking Series features these stand-out-in-a-crowd lemon filled cookies!  Come back every day in December for a new holiday goodie recipe!

I first discovered these cookies when I recently participated in a cookie exchange.  There were about 2 dozen different cookies on the platter and these lovely yellow cookies were the first ones I noticed!   In addition to being one of the prettiest cookies of the bunch, they also ended up being one of my favorite tasting cookies as well.   I loved the slightly crisp effect that the sugar added to the cookie and the lemon filling gave them an unforgettable burst of flavor that kept me going back for more and more and more....   :)

Luckily they're a cinch to make as well.  Just whip up the cookie dough as per usual, refrigerate, roll them in egg whites/sugar, then put them on the pan, press in your thumbprint, then fill with lemon filling, stick in the oven....voila!  Cookies that won't get lost on a cookie platter!

Recipe Source:  My friend, Kim N.

Don't you just hear them crying out to be eaten?!

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara. 

The ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 egg
3 Tbs. lemon juice
2 tsp. lemon zest, finely grated
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
2-1/4 cups flour
2 egg whites
coarse or regular sugar
1 jar lemon curd (found near the jellies or the pie fillings, depending on the store) or 1 box prepared cook and serve lemon pudding

 

Directions:  Cream butter and sugar together, then add cream cheese.  lemon juice, lemon zest. vanilla, and salt.  Beat until well blended.  Beat in flour.  Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour (do not skip the chilling time).

 

Shape into 1-inch balls and dip into egg whites until lightly coated.  Then roll in the  sugar.


Place cookies 2-inches apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Press thumb deep into the center of each cookie, flattening the cookie slightly.  Fill with lemon curd.


Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes or until cookies are done.  Store cookies tightly covered in the refrigerator.  (Oops!  I stored mine at room temperature for a few days and didn't have any problems with them). 

Enjoy!

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