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Grandma Rose’s lemon bar recipe – yum!
In a recent post, I mentioned that baking during the holidays reminds me of my family traditions, and my Grandma’s wonderful recipes – many of which I compiled into a cookbook. I make these around Christmas time but they would be good at Easter or for a potluck – really anytime! Below is her recipe for Rich Lemon Bars. Her recipe is the perfect blend of sweet with a surprising burst of fresh lemon. Enjoy! Crust: 1 1/2 cups 1/2 cup powdered sugar 3/4 cup butter Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and powdered sugar. Cut in margarine until crumbly. Press into bottom of lightly greased 8 x 8-inch baking pan (I…
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“J”icama
Photo of jicama. By Eric in SF (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Have you ever eaten at a ritzy ditzy restaurant that served jicama, aka Pachyrhizus erosus? At first glance, it’s nothing special. It’s usually cut into thin strips or small pieces and is white. It’s actually a large, tuberous root from South America and Mexico and is a relative of the potato. (The rest of the plant is actually poisonous.) It can be eaten raw or cooked and has a sweet, crunch, nutty flavor that’s a cross between an apple and a water chestnut. I’ve also experienced it at up-scale salad bars. It adds a nice sweet…
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Beauty, in the eye of the beholder
We’ve had plenty of rain this spring and with the moisture comes gorgeous green grass and foliage … and dandelions. My friend and I talked about these hearty weeds recently, and how prevalent they are. No one plants dandelions and yet they grow, spread, blow beyond the borders of the yard and fluorish. I haven’t found Dandelion Food at my local greenhouse. And, I won’t be asking the master gardeners what pesticides are recommended to ward off buggy predators, for dandelions. Photo © Diane Weidenbenner There are plants that I want to grow in our yard and flower beds. My husband and I have worked for years to get a…
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Blogging from A to Z: Quinoa
Quinoa – what exactly is it? First, it’s pronounced KEEN-wa. Okay, it was news to me so I figured you’d like to know too! Quinoa is actually made from the seeds of a goosewort (Chenopodium Quinoa), used in Chili and Peru for making porridge or cakes. The term “goosewort” didn’t do a lot to foster confidence in me, either. Keep reading. I’ve been hearing a lot about Quinoa lately – it’s been in almost every recipe or health e-newsletter that I’ve received and it’s been in several magazine articles. I even read an article when I was at my doctor’s office. Here’s the quick down-low on Quinoa: It’s an amino-acid…
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Blogging from A to Z: Jell-O®
As soon as I found out about the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, I knew I wanted to write about Jell-O®. My grandma Rose was the first person I knew to use this amazing product wholeheartedly. She’d return from her weekly bridge parties with new recipes from the hostesses. And, she’d create a few of her own tasty wonders. She would make fluffy desserts, beautiful gelatin molds, fruity and aspic-y salads and amazing pies, all with Jell-O®. Jell-O® is one of those amazing brandnomer (genicized trademark) success stories like Xerox® and Kleenex®. You don’t ever say, “I’d like some flavored gelatin.” You say, “Gimme some raspberry Jell-O®!” It was…
