Got Lemons this time of year? Make Lemon Loaf!

The citrus trees are loaded with lemons this time of year in Arizona. The air is sweet and most of us are sneezing with allergies.  But we have LEMONS. Lots and Lots of Lemons. What to do?

Luscious Lemon Loaf from page 198 Tastes & Treasures Volume I
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 tsp lemon extract

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line a 5 X 8 " loaf pan with baking parchment paper. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Combine the sugar, butter and eggs in a mixing bowl. Beat using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, walnuts and flavoring.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or until the loaf tests done. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Note: you may drizzle with a mixture of 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, 1 tsp half and half and 1 tsp lemon juice. Pierce the loaf with a fork to let the delicious drizzle sink deep inside. Top with sliced lemons and blueberries.
Makes 1 loaf.

Luscious Lemon Bread in Starbucks

Lemon trees are abundant in Phoenix and this recipe is delicious. No wonder Starbucks makes a Lemon Loaf. Tastes and Treasures also has a recipe and the recipes are VERY similar. Make both and have a taste test!

Starbucks Lemon Loaf
Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup(s) FLOUR

1/2 teaspoon(s) BAKING SODA

1/2 teaspoon(s) BAKING POWDER

1/2 teaspoon(s) SALT

3 EGGS
1 cup(s) SUGAR

2 tablespoon(s) BUTTER; Softened.

1 teaspoon(s) VANILLA

1 teaspoon(s) LEMON EXTRACT
1/3 cup(s) LEMON JUICE

1/2 cup(s) OIL (recommend coconut oil)


LEMON ICING

1 cup(s) POWDERED SUGAR; Plus 1 Tablespoon.

2 tablespoon(s) WHOLE MILK
1/2 teaspoon(s) LEMON EXTRACT

Directions:
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Use a mixer to blend together the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon extract and lemon juice in a medium bowl.

Pour wet ingredient into the dry ingredients and blend until smooth.

Add oil and mix well.
Pour batter into a well greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into center of the cake comes out clean.

Make the lemon icing by combining all the icing ingredients in a small bowl with an electric mixer on low speed.

When the loaf is cool, remove it from pan and frost the top with the icing.

Let the icing set up before slicing.




Luscious Lemon Loaf pg 198 of Tastes & Treasures cookbook
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 tsp lemon extract
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line a 5 X 8 " loaf pan with baking parchment paper. Sift the flour (who does this anymore??), baking powder, and salt together. Combine the sugar, butter and eggs in a mixing bowl. Beat using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, walnuts and flavoring.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or until the loaf tests done. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Note: you may drizzle with a mixture of 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, 1 tsp half and half and 1 tsp lemon juice. Makes 1 loaf.

Blueberry Lemon Loaf

Nothing like reunions for FUN, FOOD and FRIENDS and lots of photos. One of the girls brought Lemon Loaf with Fresh Blueberries. Perfect for breakfast, lunch and dessert. And when you need to travel, it freezes well.

Luscious Lemon Loaf is on page 198 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 tsp lemon extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line a 5 X 8 " loaf pan with baking parchment paper. Sift the flour (who does this anymore??), baking powder, and salt together. Combine the sugar, butter and eggs in a mixing bowl. Beat using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, walnuts and flavoring.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or until the loaf tests done. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note: you may drizzle with a mixture of 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, 1 tsp half and half and 1 tsp lemon juice.

Note: Add 1 cup of fresh blueberries and eliminate the walnuts for a summer version.

Makes 1 loaf.

Pesto and White Bean dip

Easy delicious dips are wonderful for last minute guests. Tastes & Treasures cookbook has several recipes for dips and appetizers.  Here's a good one too.

Pesto and White Bean dip

Ingredients:
2 cans white beans
1/2 cup pesto
squeeze of fresh lemon
salt
pepper to taste

Directions:
Blend ingredients in a blender or food processor. Top with chopped fresh basil.
Serve with pita chips, crackers, and sliced vegetables.

Salmon Pate

Fresh parsley, dill weed, and cilantro are growing in the garden right now. Lemons are ripe for picking. We have left over salmon from grilling last night. Perfect time to make Salmon Pate from Tastes & Treasures cookbook page 166.

This recipe calls for cans of Smoked Salmon but I find that fresh grilled salmon is equally as good. The cilantro is an extra ingredient but my family loves the fresh taste.

Smoked Salmon Pate
Ingredients:
2 (7 ounce) cans smoked salmon, or 1 pound hot smoked salmon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoon dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine the salmon, butter, sour cream, lemon juice, dill weed, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and beat until combined. Chill, covered, for 8 to 10 hours. Bring to room temperature and garnish with lemon slices. Serve with seasoned crackers. You may store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Makes 3 cups

Lemon Bread takes the Cake

 Lemons are ready to pick in Arizona so Zona made this fabulous recipe from pg 198 of Tastes & Treasures cookbook. I think she added extra lemon zest because it really packed a punch.
It was a delicious bonus to the Annual Christmas League Meeting.


Luscious Lemon Loaf
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 tsp lemon extract
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line a 5 X 8 " loaf pan with baking parchment paper. Sift the flour (who does this anymore??), baking powder, and salt together. Combine the sugar, butter and eggs in a mixing bowl. Beat using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, walnuts and flavoring.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or until the loaf tests done. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Note: you may drizzle with a mixture of 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, 1 tsp half and half and 1 tsp lemon juice. Makes 1 loaf.

Zona and Mary Parker discuss the Children's Holiday Party Saturday, Dec 15. 

Mary Parker is an Elf promoting the 30th Annual Children's Holiday Party at Arizona Biltmore Hotel on December 15. Ticket information www.HistoricalLeague.org

Green Beans with Lemon and Nuts

Vegetables are so tasty alone but embellished with lemon and nuts makes them more like a special treat. Tastes & Treasures cookbook has a wonderful recipe for Herb-Roasted Vegetables thanks to The Cottage Place in Flagstaff. El Tovar at the Grand Canyon also gave us their recipe for Melange of Sauteed Vegetables. Try them all.

Green Beans with Lemon and Nuts
Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or pecans

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook beans and garlic cloves in a 4-quart saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.

Finely mince garlic cloves, transfer minced garlic and drained beans to a bowl and toss with nuts, parsley, zest, oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 8 servings.

Approximate values per serving: 70 calories, 5 g fat, 0 cholesterol, 3 g protein, 7 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiver, 6 mg sodium, 64 percent calories from fat.

Got Lemons? Make Lemon Loaf

The citrus trees are blooming in Arizona, the air is sweet, and most of us are sneezing with allergies. Oh but we have LEMONS. Lots and Lots of Lemons.

Very Lemon Loaf is from Tastes & Treasures cookbook, page 119. It is a delicious loaf from historic Rancho de La Osa in Sasabe, AZ.

Bread Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Lemon Glaze Ingredients

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

For the bread, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl. Mix the sugar, butter and lemon extract in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs. Add the flour mixture and milk alternately, beating until just blended after each addition. Fold in the lemon zest and pecans. Pour into greased and floured 5 X 8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

For the glaze, blend the lemon juice and confectioners' sugar in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle over the cracks int he warm bread that form while baking.

Makes 1 loaf. Decorate with slices of fresh lemons and blueberries. Yummm.

Note: Before adding glaze, it really helps to take a fork and make deep punctures from the top of the loaf pan. Then the glaze flows down through the entire loaf.

When using fresh lemons instead of lemon extract, you need to cut back slightly on the liquid (milk) used since fresh lemons are not as concentrated. We used 1/3 cup milk.

Luscious Lemon Loaf pg198

Ruth Ann Hogan did a great job with this bread and it did not last long on the buffet table. 'Tis the season for lemons and the cookbook has some great ways to use them. This would be a lovely Easter treat.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 tsp lemon extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line a 5 X 8 " loaf pan with baking parchment paper. Sift the flour (who does this anymore??), baking powder, and salt together. Combine the sugar, butter and eggs in a mixing bowl. Beat using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, walnuts and flavoring.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or until the loaf tests done. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Note: you may drizzle with a mixture of 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, 1 tsp half and half and 1 tsp lemon juice. Makes 1 loaf.