How many things can you do with just 3 lemons?
Besides juggling!
There are many types of kitchen recreational activities, other than juggling fruit…such as, baking the most-requested desserts for your most-special guests and loved ones.
I seem to have the same people request the same desserts, year after year…don’t you?
Though I’m flattered, I sometimes want to try a new dish or alter a tried-and-true favorite.
Today, I’m sharing my Spring desserts; each recipe includes lemons, which adds a blend of sweet and tart freshness to each dish.
First: Krusteaz Meyer Lemon Pound Cake, a mix that I use for a sweet pound cake with a lemon glaze, for breakfast or snacking, and I use the same mix for cupcakes, adding lemon curd and raspberry preserves on top of the icing, for a pop of color and a burst of flavor.
Next: My most requested year-round dessert is Apple Cranberry Pie, which is a huge hit in the Fall months into Christmas, then, in the Spring and Summer I replace the cranberries with frozen red raspberries, just delicious.
Apple Cranberry Pie
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, F.
grease a 9″ pie plate with Pam or butter and set aside.
Ingredients:
5 C. sliced and peeled Granny Smith Apples
1 C. frozen cranberries
1/2 lemon, juiced.
2 tbs. lemon zest
1/2 C. white flour
1-1/2 C. white granulated sugar
1/2 C. packed light brown sugar.
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
2 Tbs. cinnamon (I like a lot of cinnamon, feel free to decrease this if you don’t)
1 box – 2 crust Pillsbury Pie Crust
1/4 C. white milk
1/4 C. Turbinado Cane Sugar
Directions:
In a large bowl, add sliced and peeled apples, about 1/4″ thick and frozen cranberries.
Add lemon juice and zest on top, mix well.
Add flour, sugars, salt, and cinnamon, mix well.
Roll out pie crust to fit your pie pan, add apples and cranberry mixture
Dot the fruit mixture with tablespoons of butter,( imagine 1 tbs. per 2 slices of pie) before covering with the top crust.
Roll out top crust to fit, lay over the fruit, pinch the sides to close, and cut small slits on the top to vent the steam.
Now….brush the milk over the top of the pie and sprinkle the entire top with the cane sugar. This will make a golden “crunch”, and it’s so sweet!
I add a pie rim (cover) over the top crust, for the first half of the total baking time.
Put pie on the center rack of the oven, at 350 degrees, and bake for 30 minutes.
Take the rim off for the second half, and continue baking for 30 more minutes, about 60 minutes total, or until the fruit starts to bubble through the slits.
Cool on a rack for about an hour, then I put it in the refrigerator for overnight, so the juices “jell”, and aren’t runny when you cut the pie.
Add a scoop of Vanilla Bean ice cream on top, and you’ll have to make this every year…for the rest of your life!
Finally: Lemon Ricotta Biscuits
My friends, thank you so much, as always for your sweet presence here on my little blog. The three recipes above are the Krusteaz Meyer Lemon mix, available in almost any grocery store, which made an incredible pound cake and the cutest little lemon muffins, in cupcake holders.
Next was the Apple Pie, famous in my husbands’ family, I think just because they know my Mr. loves his pie! I’d encourage you to try this, it’s easy to make and ALWAYS good. My 2nd version with the red raspberries is a killer, I think that’s my new favorite!
Last, is the Lemon Ricotta Biscuits, which I serve for breakfast when I have overnight guests. The ricotta makes it so moist, and the almond and sugar on top makes it more of a dessert, it really is light, moist and wonderful. I usually have to make a double batch, even for a small group! This is another recipe that I suggest you try, and remember, they’re not the biscuits that need butter and jam, they are way too good to be covered up with any topping!
If you try any of these recipes, please let me know.
I’d be so delighted to see how you feel about my favorite recipes, and I’d love it if you’d share yours with me!
I’m wishing you “happy baking” and comfort-making…
Enjoy!
xx,
