012: blueberry lemon bread with glaze

here's another bread recipe that was just a fun mix of flavors. yum! prep time was about half an hour and bake time is an hour.




equipment:
medium and large mixing bowl
standing mixer (though you can probably use a hand mixer or do it by hand)
measuring cups and spoons
cheese grater


ingredients:
3/4 c. softened butter (or margarine)
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. lemon juice (i found that it is better to actually squeeze the lemon for at least half of the juice rather than something like realemon for the whole thing. i don't know why this makes a difference, but for some reason it seemed to...)
1/2 c. sour cream
1 T. lemon zest
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1/2 T. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 and 1/2 c. dried blueberries (you can probably use frozen as well, but be sure that they are frozen when you fold them into the dough--don't let them thaw!)


steps:
1.) preheat the oven to 350 degrees. in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a standing mixer until it is fluffy.

2.) add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each one.

3.) add lemon juice, sour cream, zest, and vanilla until blended.

4.) in a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. add this to the wet ingredients a bit at a time until just mixed. fold in blueberries.

5.) put in greased loaf pan(s) and bake for 60 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.


glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
1-2 T. lemon juice


mix together these two until it has the consistency of melted wax. poke holes in the top of the bread, and when loaf(ves) is/are cool, spoon the glaze over the top.


time: 30 mins prep time, 60 mins bake time
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦1/2◊ (4.5 stars out of 5)


enjoy!
-kl

011: pineapple salsa

here is another salsa recipe for you, just in time for... i dunno what. spring parties, easter gatherings, baseball season openers, or just yummy eating. a sweeter version than your typical spicy salsa, this recipe is fantastic as a dip or filling. prep time was about 30 minutes, and sit time is at least 2 hours.




equipment:
cutting board
knife
gloves
medium bowl
measuring cups and spoons


ingredients:
1 and 1/2 c. cubed pineapple
1 jalapeño, seeded and cubed
1/2 c. red pepper, cubed
1/2 c. red onion, cubed
2-3 t. cilantro
2 t. lemon juice


steps:
1.) cube pineapple, jalapeño, pepper, and onion. if you've never cut a pineapple before, here are my suggestions for doing so. if you've never worked with jalapeños before, i have some tips for that, as well.

2.) combine all ingredients into a medium bowl and mix together.

3.) for best results, let it sit for at least 2 hours. serve.


time: 30 min prep time, 2 hour sit time
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦1/2◊◊ (3.5 stars out of 5)
suggestions for serving: mess around with your pepper choices for different flavors.


enjoy!
-kl