Lemon Ricotta Mousse & Raspberry Parfaits

And... just like that it's May.

Soon enough it will be summer, although the weather we've been having lately certainly doesn't seem like it!  Apparently April's showers decided to come late this year. At the time when I'm usually deciding whether or not to bust out my sandals, I'm instead deciding if I'm ready to give up my boots! It's been cold and rainy for what seems like weeks, and now I'm just waiting for it to go from cool to blazing hot.

I hate when Mother Nature skips over Spring.  Not that Spring is my favorite season, I'm much more of a Fall kinda girl.  But I just like a little transition between the seasons!

On Mother's Day last weekend, we had a fabulous break in the nasty weather that seemed almost summer-like.  We sat outside for a while at my brother-in-law's house, and it was darn near HOT in the sun!

I can't believe I celebrated my third Mother's Day with my Mini Smalls, and now my first with the Minion.  They are getting way too big and time is going by entirely too fast.

This year, the Mini picked out my gifts from her and her brother (cupcake socks, and a stuffed rendition of the 'Kung Fu Panda', respectively).  I am looking forward to many more years of 'interesting' gifts from them!

I always get a little sappy around Mother's Day because it makes me think of my own mom and how much I miss her.

This recipe would have been right up her alley, although Mini Smalls was utterly confused.  When I was cleaning up the food processor, she asked if she could taste the "batter."  I explained that we weren't baking this, it was done- and she was not exactly impressed.  Mini's become my little baker, and she couldn't wrap her mind around a 'treat' that was just some ingredients whipped together with no oven required!

But thankfully our Mother's Day guests (my stepmom and dad) were a little more into the dessert than she was.

Unlike my husband who loves cavity-inducing sugar levels in his desserts, my stepmom is not super into sweets. But she said she really liked this dessert because it was refreshing and not sickeningly sweet. I would have to agree!

Lemon Ricotta Mousse & Raspberry Parfaits

1 C. heavy cream
1 T. powdered sugar
1 15-oz. container whole-milk ricotta
1/4 C. sugar
1 t. lemon zest
1 C. raspberries, washed & dried

In a small bowl, toss sugar & lemon zest.  Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar until well-combined, and set aside.

In a food processor, process cream & powdered sugar for approximately 2 minutes until consistency of whipped cream. (You can also do this with a mixer if you'd prefer).  Be careful not to overmix and turn the cream to butter.  Place whipped cream in a medium bowl, and set aside.

Add ricotta to the now-empty food processor with sugar/zest mixture. Process until very smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping sides if necessary.  In batches, adddd ricotta mixture to bowl with whipped cream, and fold together gently until well-combined.

Set out 4 (or 6) parfait cups, small mason jars, or other dessert dishes/bowls.  Place a heaping spoonful of ricotta mousse into each.  Top with raspberries, then another large scoop of mousse. Top with remaining raspberries. Sprinkle with additional lemon zest, if desired.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.  Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Recipe Adapted from Giada di Laurentiis' Raspberry Ricotta Mousse

Soft Lemon Cookies

I hope you guys enjoyed your Fourth of July holiday!

Mr. Vittles and I had a great day off, and we were busy bees with the Mini.  She actually had a few "firsts," such as...

...first time in her baby pool;

...first time seeing fireworks;

...and first time not having a complete melt down at a social outing.

(Mommy was probably most excited about the last one, not sure about her though.)

We stopped by my grandmother's house, where my aunt, uncle and cousins were visiting in addition to my grandmother's friends from Florida.  We then went to a barbecue at our friends' house nearby.  The Mini barely napped in the afternoon, but she was so well-behaved I could hardly believe it.

Our friend's mother was holding her for almost half the party, and Mr. Vittles and I kept looking at each other like, "Has our child been abducted by aliens?"

Then, the fireworks were more than 2 hours past her bedtime, but we decided to wake her up and give it a go.  We weren't sure how she'd react to the loud noise, so we watched from a marina one town over - she really liked looking at them, however did not enjoy the boat horns of an over-zealous yachter nearby.  For that reason, we left before the finale but I would still consider it a success!

I would also consider these lemon cookies to be a success.

If anyone has ever had my ricotta cookies, these have a similar consistency (very soft and cake-like).  But the lemon adds a freshness that is perfect for summer.

Soft Lemon Cookies

• 1/3 C. milk
• 2 t. lemon juice
• 1 3/4 C. flour
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 1 t. lemon zest
• 3/4 C. granulated sugar
• 1/2 C. (1 stick) butter
• 1 egg
• 1 t. vanilla

Glaze

• 3/4 C. powdered sugar
• 1 T. + 2 t. water or milk

Combine milk with lemon juice, and set aside.  Let sit 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda to combine.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine lemon zest with sugar.  Using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar until very fragrant and evenly-distributed.  Add butter, and beat on medium speed with a mixer until butter is pale and fluffy (about 2 minutes).

Add milk mixture, egg, and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed until combined.

Add half flour mixture, and mix on low until incorporated.  Add remaining flour mixture, and mix on low.  Increase speed to medium, and mix until well-combined, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.  Let dough chill for a few hours in refrigerator or overnight.

When ready to bake cookies, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a cookie pan, or line with non-stick foil or parchment.

Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop dough by rounded spoonful onto prepared sheet about 2 inches apart (I put 8 cookies on my sheet, staggered - these will expand).  Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are starting to brown.

Remove from oven, and let cool on sheet 1-2 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool.  When cooled completely, make glaze by mixing powdered sugar with water or milk until runny.  Dip cookies in glaze, and return to wire rack to dry.  Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Recipe Adapted from Taste of Home's Community Forum 

Citrus Sherbert

So I've been wanting to share with you all some very special news...

Mr. & Mrs. Vittles have a proverbial bun in the oven!

I'm about to be 23 weeks, and we just found out this past week that it's a baby GIRL!

She was a little shy at my 20-week ultrasound, so we had to go back two weeks later.

(Being difficult already!)

But we are super excited to be having a baby, and are so lucky that everything has been normal and right on track thus far.

Aside from some tiredness (and insane hunger) in my first trimester, I've honestly felt really good this whole time.

And even though I'd of course be thrilled either way, as my pregnancy has gone on I found myself hoping it was a girl.

Mr. Vittles' nickname for me is "Smalls" (like, "You're killin' me, Smalls!" from The Sandlot?)  So early on, he nicknamed our munchkin Mini Smalls.

Now it seems especially appropriate :)

On a more serious note though, I know what kind of special bond I had with my own mom (who passed away almost 3 years ago) and I feel so blessed that I'll have my own daughter to share that with.

My due date is November 14 - which just happens to be two days before her birthday.  Somehow I feel like she has been with me every step of the way!

Like me, my grandmother was also an only child, and I know she had a very special connection to her mother (who passed away just a few weeks after my mom was born, in 1954).

my grandmother, as a little girl, with her parents

I told you last year how I was so honored when Grammy gave me her mother's recipe box, and I found some really neat recipes- like the Easy Chocolate Pudding.

And as I mentioned in that post, I also discovered that my great-grandmother loved the flavor orange... a very high proportion of the total recipes involved oranges in some way!

But the one that intrigued me most was for Orange Sherbert.  

I've made a lot of ice cream, but never sherbert!  However, I thought this recipe perhaps needed a little more... er, instructions.

And since I love grapefruit, I also decided to do a mixture of juices.

What can I say?  I guess I just can't leave well-enough alone!

(A trait Mr. V has no doubt been enjoying for the past 5 years.  Can't wait to bug our child with it too.  Hehe!)

Citrus Sherbert

•  2/3 C. sugar

•  1/2 C. water

•  1/2 C. orange juice, at room temperature

•  1/2 C. grapefruit juice, at room temperature

•  1 T. lemon juice

•  1/2 C. heavy cream

•  3/4 C. lowfat milk 

•  1 t. vanilla

•  2 T. good quality vodka (optional, but it helps a lot with the consistency if you are planning on freezing the mixture)

In medium saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil over medium-high heat.  Stir to dissolve sugar, then continue to boil 7-8 minutes longer until mixture thickens.

Add room-temperature orange, grapefruit, and lemon juices and stir well to combine.  (It’s important that the juice is room temperature and not cold, otherwise the sugar syrup will instantly harden.)  

Cool to room temperature, and pour into a large coverable container or bowl.  Add cream, milk, and vanilla, and stir to combine.  Cover and chill at least 30 minutes in refrigerator, then transfer to bowl of an ice cream maker.

Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.*  If using vodka, add it a few minutes before the mixture is done churning.   Serve from container for soft consistency, or transfer sherbert to a coverable, freezer safe container and freeze.  Makes a little less than a quart. 

*Note: There is also a method if you don’t have an ice cream maker (or you're like me and forgot to freeze the canister) – complete all steps prior to freezing mixture in ice-cream maker.  Instead pour into an 8” square glass pan and freeze about 25 minutes.  Remove from freezer and stir well, scraping up the ice that’s forming and incorporating it into the still-liquid parts.  Continue stirring every 20-30 minutes for the next couple of hours.  Then transfer to coverable, freezer-safe container and freeze until ready to serve.

Recipe Adapted from Family Recipe (Origin Unknown)

Raspberry Lemonade

Ok guys, I'm finally back, to make my (somewhat sheepish) return to the world of blogging.

Which is also a return to the world of internet, sadly.

Our internet provider, who shall remain nameless... but begins with a V and ends in an N... has royally screwed this loyal customer of 6 years and seems not to care.

We moved into our new house in early May, and despite numerous promises, breakings of self-imposed deadlines, and half-hearted apologies, we are still awaiting our phone and internet to be in complete working order.

Trust me, that is the very short and very diplomatic version of my sad tale.  However, since this is the most the internet has worked in over 3 weeks, I will take advantage!

It's all probably for the best that I took a little break, anyway, as Mr. Vittles and I have been busy little beavers.  The first weekend of May was spent moving, then the next unpacking & also celebrating mother's day.  The next was spent in upstate New York and Canada congratulating my brother-in-law Nick on his graduation from St. Lawrence University.  And the last was spent in the Virginia/DC area celebrating our friends T.J. and Adrienne's wedding.

Thankfully our two long weekends out of town were spent doing fun things.  But that much time away from the homefront didn't help our unpacking/settling momentum.... and certainly not my cooking/baking motivation, which in turn impacts the blogging.

You get the idea.

But... here we are.  And hopefully I'm back in action.

I have to ask one thing, though- how could it possibly be the first weekend of June already?

Despite what the calendar tells me, here at the Jersey Shore we know that the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is the actual season of 'summer.'  So I thought it was time to make a nice summer refreshment - raspberry lemonade!

Mr V. took a sip of the finished product after warily eyeing the leftover raspberry & lemon pulp in the sink,  and looked genuinely surprised.

"Wow," he said.  "That's really good."

He took a second sip.  "Now I know what lemonade tastes like with real raspberries in it."

And it's true - this is soooo much better than the artificial raspberry taste you get with most lemonades on the market.  Nothing beats the fresh stuff!

Anyway - hope y'all are doing well, and I'm looking forward to getting into some more seasonal recipes with you soon!

I MISSED YOU!!

:-)

Raspberry Lemonade

• 7-8 whole lemons
• 3 1/2 C. cold water
• One 6-oz. package fresh raspberries
• 3/4 C. sugar
• Ice (for serving)

Slice one of the lemons thinly, discarding the ends.  Set slices aside.

Juice the remaining whole lemons until you reach 1 C. of lemon juice. (By the way, hopefully you have a tool like this to help you get all the juice out of each lemon - trust me, simply squeezing a lemon half does not get that much juice out, and your hand will hurt to boot!)

Combine lemon juice with cold water in a pitcher or large bowl with a spout, and set aside.

In a smaller bowl, combine half of the lemon slices with the raspberries and sugar.  Using a potato masher (or a heavy, flat-bottomed item such as a wine bottle) muddle the fruits with the sugar until juices are released and sugar starts to dissolve.  Add muddled mixture to lemon/water mixture, and stir until sugar is completely dissolved.

Pour entire mixture through a sieve into a separate bowl or pitcher - discard the seeds, pulp, and lemon rinds.  (Keep in mind that the finer-mesh sieve you use for straining, the less chance there is of small seed and pup bits getting into your lemonade).

Serve lemonade chilled or over ice*, and garnish with remaining lemon slices.  Serves 3-4 people.

*Tip:  If you have additional raspberries, you can freeze them to use as ice so the lemonade doesn't get watered down.  Or you can use the already-frozen kind.

Recipe Adapted from Cook's Country

Bacon, Lettuce & Granny Smith Apple Sandwiches with Goat Cheese

Besides having a break from cooking, I love going out to eat because I usually end up getting so many new ideas.

Recently I was inspired by an appetizer we had, to make the recipe for Cheesy Bacon Oven Chips.

And now this idea came from another local pub we like, called the Brickwall Tavern.  A while ago, I tried their bacon, avocado, and granny smith apple sandwich, with a lemon aioli.

And fell in love.

Honestly, I would never have thought of adding granny smith apples to a bacon sandwich, but it was soooo good.

However, as much as I love avocados, in this instance I felt like that was a little much.  (Though you might disagree).  The aioli was good too, but I thought the only thing better would be some lemon & garlic-spiked goat cheese!

People, let me tell you.  The result was heaven between two slices of bread.

(I am pretty much obsessed with goat cheese.  If you don't like the addition of lemon and/or garlic, just use plain- it will still be amazing.)

Mr. Vittles prefers a plain ol' "BL" so he did not partake in this concoction.  But I savored every single bite.

And that night I tried a new nitrate-free bacon, which did not have as many slices in the package.  So we only got three sandwiches out of it - two for Mr. V, and one for me.

I was quite sad that there was no bacon left.

:(

I would've liked to have leftovers for another sandwich the next day.

:( :(

Oh well.  Guess I'll just be forced to eat the remainder of my goat cheese on salads and crackers!

By the way - since this is so simple, this is not really a recipe but more of an idea.  The amounts are up to you & your tastes!

Bacon, Lettuce & Granny Smith Apple Sandwiches with Goat Cheese

• whole wheat bread (or whatever kind you prefer)
• bacon slices, cooked
• baby lettuce (or spring mix)
• granny smith apple, sliced into thin rounds
• softened log of goat cheese
• lemon juice and/or zest, if desired
• garlic powder, if desired

Toast bread slices.  (If making flavored goat cheese, mix it with lemon juice/zest and garlic powder in the meantime.)  Spread goat cheese on the toast, and top with bacon, granny smith apple slices, lettuce, and another slice of toast.  Enjoy the fiesta on your taste buds!

Limoncello & Sour Cream Strawberry Shortcakes

The past few days have been rain free and sunny here at the Jersey Shore and I couldn't be happier!  It's been cloudy or raining so much lately, it was starting to get depressing.

But yesterday I was actually able to take a nice long walk after work, up to the beach and on the boardwalk.

Yep, you read that right.  The new house that we moved to is like 6 blocks from the beach!

Man, I can't wait for summer to get here.  Seriously.

That is, until it gets really hot and really crowded everywhere, and I get really cranky and say "Man, I can't wait for fall to get here."

See the little baby games my mind likes to play with me?

(P.S. One thing you will never hear me say is, "Man, I can't wait for winter to get here.")

But for now, I'm giddy for summer.  Besides the beach, one of the top things I look forward to when the weather gets warm is strawberries.

What could be better than fresh strawberries and whipped cream?

Well, actually.... strawberries and limoncello whipped cream with lemon sour cream shortcakes is pretty freakin' scrumptious.

What do you love about summer?

Limoncello & Sour Cream Strawberry Shortcakes

Biscuits:

• 1 T. + 1 t. sugar
• 1 t. lemon zest
• 1 C. all purpose or cake flour
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 2 T. cold butter, cut in 4 pieces
• 1/4 C. sour cream
• 2 T. milk
• 1 T. limoncello
• coarse granulated sugar (optional)

Filling:

• 2 C. sliced strawberries
• 1 C. heavy cream
• 1 1/2 t. limoncello
• 1 T. + 1 t. sugar, divided
• 1 t. lemon zest

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Place sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl and mix with your fingers, rubbing the zest into the sugar, until blended.

Add sugar mixture to remaining dry ingredients (flour thru baking soda) in the bowl of a food processor and place butter on top - pulse until evenly distributed.  (This is the easiest way, but if you do not have a food processor, you can cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or two knives, then pick up fingerfuls of the mixture and rub it between your fingers to thoroughly blend the butter into the flour).

Add the milk, sour cream, and limoncello.  Pulse a couple of times to stir (or use a wooden spoon) until mixture forms a ball.  Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and knead only ten times - do not overwork dough.

Flatten dough into a 3/4 inch rectangle and use a biscuit cutter or glass to cut out 2 1/2 inch rounds.  Sprinkle with coarse granulated sugar if desired.  Place biscuits on ungreased baking sheet, and bake 6-8 minutes, or until biscuits are golden. 

Meanwhile, slice strawberries and toss with 1 t. sugar.  Refrigerate until ready for use.

When biscuits have cooled, make the limoncello whipped cream.  In a large bowl, combine heavy cream, 1 1/2 t. limoncello, 1 T. sugar (use more or less to taste) and 1 t. lemon zest.  Using a hand or stand-mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip until peaks form.

Cut each biscuit in half.  Fill with whipped cream and strawberries as desired and serve.  Makes 4-5 shortcakes.

Biscuit Recipe Adapted from  How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

Sweet Lemon Waffles

I love sunny, weekend mornings. 

To wake up on Saturday and see the sun streaming through the blinds always puts me in a good mood.

Unfortunately, Mr. Vittles only shares this feeling with me one day a week.  He works Sundays March through September.  So on Saturdays, he usually gets up super early to make the most of his day.  Which means that even when I wake up in a good mood (like yesterday) big weekend breakfasts are usually not in the cards.

But yesterday I was really feeling like some waffles, so I decided... why not have breakfast for dinner?

I happen to like my waffles sweet & crispy, so I adapted Mark Bittman's basic waffles to include more sugar and also lemon & coconut milk - Mr. V said they tasted like fortune cookies!  He put real maple syrup on his, but I opted for fresh whipped cream & strawberrries.

Sugar, lemon, whipped cream, strawberries.... whooo-eee!

Ok, so maybe it was more like having dessert for dinner?

Sweet Lemon Waffles
 

• 1 1/2 C. flour
• 2 1/4 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 C. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 C. milk
• 1/2 C. coconut milk
• 1 t. lemon zest
• 1 t. lemon juice
• 4 T. butter, melted & cooled

 
Preheat waffle iron.  In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour through sugar).  In small bowl, whisk eggs with milks, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add butter and whisk to combine. 

Make a well in dry ingredients, then pour in wet.  Mix just until dry ingredients become wet - do not overmix.  Grease waffle iron and cook according to manufacturer's instructions.  Makes 3-6" waffles.

Recipe Adapted from Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything"

Lemon-Spiked Basmati Rice

A long, long time ago I shared with you a recipe for Chili Lime Basmati Rice.  Since then, it has become my go-to rice recipe and to put it mildly - I'm obsessed with it.

Mr. Vittles calls it "Your Rice" (meaning mine) because every time I make it I can't shut up about how delicious it is.

I pile giant scoopfuls on my plate and sometimes go back for seconds.

I eat the leftovers without anything else as the 'main' dish (because it's really the main dish of MY meal anyway.)

Let me tell you why I love this rice.  First of all- it's made in the oven.  Which is perfect for someone like me, who always manages to completely ruin a pan of rice on the stoveptop.

Second of all, the citrus in the rice makes it smell and taste absolutely heavenly.  Nevermind the cream and the butter, which certainly don't hurt either!

The Chili Lime recipe was the result of minor changes to a recipe by Kathy Casey for Lemon-Spiked Basmati Rice but I recently decided that since I loved the lime so much, I should at least give the lemon one a try.

And while the lime version is still my favorite, the lemon is awesome. 

I beg of you - try one of these versions of this rice.  It will seriously change your life.

Lemon-Spiked Basmati Rice

• 1 C. basmati rice, rinsed and drained well
• 3 T. butter
• 3/4 C. 1/4-inch-diced onions
• 1 1/2 t. minced garlic
• small pinch cayenne
• 1 1/2 C. water
• 1 T. fresh lemon juice
• 2 t. minced lemon zest
• 1 1/4 t. salt
• 2 T. thinly sliced chives or fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the very well-drained rice in a 1 1/2-quart baking dish.

Heat the oil in a nonstick or heavy saucepan. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients, except the rice and chives, and bring to a boil.

Stir the mixture into the rice, being sure to scrape up and include all the goodies. Seal tightly with foil and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork before serving, then fold in the chives.

Recipe from Kathy Casey

Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes

On this night before Thanksgiving, I am taking a break from making some dishes for tomorrow's feast at my in-laws to wish you all a lovely holiday!

At times, this past year has been trying ... in general, it seems the things that I want to stay the same won't, and things that I want to change stay the same.  As I'm sure you all know - sometimes it's just difficult to deal with loss and life's disappointments.

But that being said - I have sooo many things to be thankful for that it's almost unbelievable!

I have a wonderful, loving husband who makes me smile single every day. 

I have amazing friends and family members that I couldn't live without.

I have a good job and a roof over my head and enough money to pay the bills - plus some extra for fun things as well.

I have found a special hobby in blogging that has allowed me to share one of my passions with incredible people, some of whom I probably wouldn't have 'met' otherwise.

(That's right - I'm thankful for YOU!)

And ... I have discovered this side dish that makes a vegetable insanely delicious!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes

• 2 lbs. red-skinned sweet potatoes
• 2 T. olive oil
• 2 T. honey
• 1 t. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 t. salt
• (optional: 1/4 t. cinnamon + 1/2 t. chili powder OR 1/4 t. garlic powder + 1/8 t. cayenne pepper)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel & cut potatoes into 1" cubes and put in a 9x13 baking dish.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey, lemon juice, salt (and optional seasoning, if desired).  Pour mixture over potatoes and toss to coat.

Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.

Recipe slightly adapted from Food Network's Ellie Krieger

Moroccan Chicken Kebabs

I know I posted a recipe about kebabs a couple weeks ago... but I just tried a new one, and since Kebab Season is quickly coming to a close, I had to share it with you!

It's no secret that I love Greek yogurt (some past recipes that have featured this amazing ingredient are Whole Wheat Yogurt Waffles and Cucumber & Yogurt Salad.)  It has such a thick, creamy texture and is very high in protein - especially considering it comes not only in whole milk and 2% but also nonfat!

Not everyone is down with yogurt though.  When I was preparing this chicken tonight, Mr. Vittles asked what I was making.

"Yogurt chicken" I said, to keep things short because I knew I'd totally lose him if I said the word "Moroccan."  But even without the ethnic spin, his radar was up.

"What's in it?" he said, hovering around the bowl.  I started listing the ingredients, and he said "No - I mean, what kind of yogurt?  Strawberry?  Banana?"

I'm pretty sure he was kidding, but sometimes it's hard to tell. 

However, I know he was not kidding when he commented twice that the chicken came out "really good." 

And I didn't even have to ask.

"Who knew that yogurt could make chicken taste so good?" he wondered aloud.

Umm... I did. 

That's why I made it.  :)

Moroccan Chicken Kebabs

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 C. nonfat plain yogurt
• 1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 T. chopped fresh basil (recipe called for 2 T. cilantro but I didn't have any)
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 1/2 t.)
• 1 1/2 t. paprika
• 1/2 t. ground cumin
• 1/4 t. onion powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. freshly ground pepper
• 1/8 t. cayenne pepper

Stir together yogurt, parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, oil, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne in a medium bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, preheat grill or broiler.

Place chicken pieces on metal or bamboo skewers*.  Grill or broil the kebabs until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

*If using bamboo skewers, I would recommend soaking them in water while chicken is marinating so they don't catch on fire.  Eating Well also recommends wrapping the exposed ends in foil.

Recipe slightly adapted from Eatingwell.com

Lemon Sablés

In case you couldn't tell by my last post, I needed a few days to recover from the excitement of the brunch.

After all the planning and baking and hosting of party guests and house guests alike, I needed a little time to unwind and get my thoughts (and my tiny house) back in order.

Not to mention, things are unusually chaotic at work because we are moving to a new office on Monday.  So we've been cleaning and packing and sorting through old paperwork, and we all ventured to the new office to scope out our new workspaces.

Which, for me only, will be not 15 feet from the men's toilet.

Yes, that's right - the actual porcelain fixture is only that far from my desk. I have not the protection of even a stall nor a cubicle wall to shield me from the smells and sounds I can only imagine will be emerging from that dreadful room.

Naturally, I asked if something could be done, but it seems my fate is sealed. 

So I will look on the bright side. 

My desk is not in the men's bathroom.

And ... I have another brunch dessert recipe to share with you that turned out fabulously.

I actually first heard of sablés (pronounced "sah-BLEHs") in Home Ec back in high school - in case you're not familiar, they are just French butter cookies. 

But in Home Ec, I seem to remember making both a chocolate and vanilla dough and forming them into checkerboards that looked something like this:

Copyright 2008 BakingObsession.com

I also remember them being very boring and waaaay more trouble than they were worth, thus vowing never to make a sablé again for the rest of my days. 

However, this recipe intrigued me and I decided to give them another shot.  I'm happy to report that, with the addition of lemon and coarse sugar, these are not boring at all.  And in comparison to crafting checkboards out of dough, this recipe was a breeze.  (Chilling the dough logs and rolling them in sugar is well worth the extra effort when you see how beautiful and buttery and delicious these will turn out.)

Which says a lot coming from me, because I'm usually not a fruity-dessert kinda gal.  Mr. V liked them too!

So... let's all just be happy that our desks are not in the men's bathroom, and indulge on some lemon sah-BLEHs.

Lemon Sablés

• 
  
  1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• Zest of two lemons
• 1 t. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• Sanding sugar or other coarse decorative sugar

Mix the sugars in a small bowl and add the lemon zest. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant with lemon with the bits of zest evenly distributed throughout the sugar. Set aside.

In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until it is soft and creamy-looking. Beat in the lemon sugar just until the mixture looks smooth again, being careful not to let it get fluffy.

Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat in just two of the egg yolks, mixing until well-blended.  Turn the mixer to low and stir in the flour until it is fully incorporated. The dough will be very soft and not quite clear the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide it in half.

Shape each dough half into a even log about nine inches long and wrap each log in a sheet of plastic wrap (the plastic wrap can also help the dough-shaping process along if your dough is especially soft and sticky). Refrigerate for at least three hours or up to a few days if making ahead.

When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Using a pastry brush, coat each log of dough with the remaining egg yolk, and coat liberally in decorative sugar.
 
Slice each log into 24 discs (most easily achieved by slicing the log in half, then each half in half, etc.) and place on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown and the cookies are mostly firm to the touch.  (Keep an eye on these from about 12 minutes on, as they can go from raw-looking to very crispy in a short period of time!)  Cool on the baking sheets for one minute then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
 
 

Recipe Adapted from Piece of Cake blog