Ode To Mom....HAPPY BIRTHDAY! ~with A Side Of Lemon Squares

I would do anything my mother asked of me. However, Mom is the kind of woman that WOULDN'T ask, not wanting to impose on her family and friends. That's the kind of woman and special Mother she is; loving and kind, always there to lend a hand or a word of encouragement. Mom is our biggest cheerleader as we go through life, traveling our own road. She's an extraordinary woman and I am honored to call her my mother and friend!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOTHER, WE LOVE YOU 
~ALL FOUR OF THE P'S!

In honor of Mom's birthday here is one of her favorite recipes, Lemon Squares! 
She loves just about anything that's TART!!

Me Me's LEMON SQUARES

Tart, rich, perfection and ridiculously addictive, these Lemon Squares, 
are the perfect blend of sweet and sour! Mom loves this simple recipe and so do I!
MAKES 24 4-inch or 48 2-inch LEMON SQUARES

INGREDIENTS

For the Crust

• 1 1/2cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup {1 1/2 sticks} cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the Lemon Filling

• 4 large eggs
• 2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• Zest from 2 lemons
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

 WHAT TO DO

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cover a 13 X 9 inch pan with non -stick foil.
• Combine ingredients for crust in a food processor or by hand - I just use my hands....easier clean up. Mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Press into the bottom of prepared pan and bake until crust is lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the lemon filling: In a bowl, combine all filling ingredients. Mix well and pour over warm crust. Bake until set, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature or refrigerate about 1 hour. I eat one as soon as they come out of the oven! I can never wait until they cool!
• Using non-stick foil helps when lifting the lemon squares from the pan - it's a good thing.  Cut into small squares. Top with confectioners sugar if desired. 

On Mother's Day I blogged about Mom. If you care to read more about her or see lots of pictures click here. Make a batch of Lemon Squares and call up your mom for a wonderful visit....You'll be glad ya did!

ENJOY!

~THE DOMESTIC CURATOR~
RONDA

Our Favorite Cinnamon-y & Sugar-y Treats Round-Up

I've still got the cinnamon-sugar coated sopapillas on my mind after dinner last night. Are you in the baking mood? Do you love the cinnamon-sugar combo as much as me? Here is a list of some of our favorite cinnamon-y and sugar-y treats that would be perfect to bake for the holidays or any day! Follow the links and enjoy.

EVERYTHING Christmas Cookies

I do believe cookies must have been invented JUST for Christmas - they are the perfect bite-size gift for friends, neighbors and teachers! They can put a smile on the face of  the 'Scrooge-iest' of Christmas comers & goers and brighten up the day of many a harried holiday shopper. 

This recipe comes to you via Southern Living, but somewhere it took a few turns in my own personal kitchen. I like to add dried cherries and Dove dark chocolate chunks to my cookies - which make the most decadent Christmas cookie of all time. Another of my favorite combos is white chocolate chunks, chopped apricots, macadamia nuts with an added teaspoon or two of grated orange peel - it's wondrous too! 

These jewels package well and hold up beautifully in the mail, making shipping to friends from afar an added plus. With all this in mind, add what ya like, leave out the rest and come up with your own made-to-order Christmas cookie! ENJOY!

EVERYTHING Christmas Cookies

This recipe yields a huge batch of cookies giving you the opportunity to make a variety of flavors - so get inventive! These are the best cookies you'll make OR eat this holiday season! 

Makes 8 Dozen

INGREDIENTS 

• 3 cups flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 2 cups dried fruit of your choice, optional; cherries, cranberries, golden raisins, currant

WHAT TO DO

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
• In a second bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar and brown sugar and beat for another 2 minutes. 
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. 
• Stir in the flour mixture, blending until just combined. 
• Add the chips, oats, coconut, and pecans and stir until fully incorporated.
• Drop by rounded tablespoon onto an baking sheet covered with Silpat or parchment paper, making sure to allow plenty of room between cookies. 
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set and golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 1-2 minutes before placing on a cooling rack.

Once, as I was in the frenzied days of holiday baking, I cooked my toffee a tad bit too long - it wasn't bad, but it wasn't the best either. Ever the saver, I broke it up into small pieces and threw a couple of cupfuls into this cookie batter along with my dark chocolate, cherries and other yummy ingredients. They were SO good! Mr. P asks yearly when will I be making such a repeat 'mistake'! Happy Holiday Baking My Friends - make a few of your own mistakes, they just may turn out to be the best thing to come from your kitchen!

ENJOY!

 ~THE DOMESTIC CURATOR~

RONDA

PONDERING PIES FOR THE HOLIDAYS

I don't know about your family traditions but in the Porter house Thanksgiving just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without pie! If our dessert table isn't full of pies we would in fact have to check the calendar. Maybe it's NOT Thanksgiving! No need to look for cakes or cookies because you won't find any, however there WILL be pie. I'm not exactly clear on how it happens but our pies somehow seem to miraculously multiply on Thanksgiving Day. Every year I always end up with as much or more pie than I originally baked myself. Which in fact is fine by me since I am a lover of pie. I can bake cakes upon cakes, or cookies and candy by the dozen without taking a nibble, although pie.... well pie is a different story. Let's just say that I am lucky, Mr.P and Jared will have all of our pie eaten by the Saturday night following Thanksgiving, yes it's true. As a result, I don't have to exert too much self-control. I'm grateful, truly I am.