Lemon Butter Cake

I'm still working on recipe's for the county fair this summer.  I found this one and decided to try it.  As usual I changed it by adding lemon juice.  My husband enjoyed it and he doesn't like lemon desserts.  I really liked the texture of this cake.  It is very rick and buttery.  I hope you enjoy it if you decided to try this recipe. 

Lemon Butter Cake

Lemon Butter Cake



2 cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
zest of 1 lemon + 2 t. lemon juice
1 cup sour cream

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325°. Generously butter and flour a 10-inch bunt pan.
Into a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.In a mixing bowl with hand-held electric mixer, cream 1 cup butter and granulated sugar; beat at high speed until mixture is very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down side of bowl frequently. Blend in lemon zest.

Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, adding each in 3 additions. Scrape sides of bowl frequently. Batter will be thick.  Pour batter into prepared cake pan; bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden pick inserted near the center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes.

Carefully turn cake out onto a platter.  Would be great covered in fresh berries.  Serves 12.  

Bar-B-Q Meatloaf

My husband isn't a fan of meatloaf.  So I decided to make a bar-b-q meatloaf to see if he'd like it.  Well he did.  So here is the recipe I tried by changing some of my normal ingredients.  My mom taught me how to make a meatloaf.  I have changed her recipe over the years to adapt to my family.  I hope you enjoy.

Bar-B-Q Meatloaf

Meatloaf dinner

Bar-B-Q Meatloaf

2 lbs. hamburger

2 eggs

4 t. bar-b-q rub (recipe Aug. 2010 entry)
1 t. onion powder

1 t. garlic powder

3/4 c. plain bread crumbs

1/3 c. bar-b-q sauce

Sauce

1/3 c. ketchup

1/4 c. bar-b-q sauce

1 t. onion powder

1/2 t. chili powder

2 T. brown sugar

1 T. honey mustard dressing

1 t. worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix meatloaf ingredients together by hand until completely blended.  Mold into log shape.  Measure 1/2 cup of sauce.  Set aside the remainder sauce for later. 

Spread 1/2 cup of sauce over raw meatloaf.  Bake meatloaf in a casserole dish, roaster pan for 1 hour or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  You may use two loaf pans and bake for 45 minutes.  When baked, let set for 5 minutes before slicing. 

Shrimp Alfredo

Well here is my attempt at Alfredo sauce.  We enjoyed it and it really was easy.  I thought it would be more complicated to make.  I know years ago I wanted to make the sauce by a well known chef and she said it took parmesano reggino cheese.  I priced it and was shocked.  I decided at that time it wasn't worth it to buy the expensive cheese to make the sauce.  I recently found an simple recipe from a friend.  I tried it and added a little Romano cheese to it.  I hope you enjoy.

Shrimp Alfredo

Alfredo Sauce

1 1/4 c. chicken broth

4 t. flour

1/3 c. cream cheese

3 T. parmesan cheese

2 T. romano cheese

1/4 t. black pepper

Blend all ingredients in a small bowl.  Heat in small sauce pan until hot and almost boiling.  Add to cooked pasta.  You can add chicken or shrimp and any extras like spinach and tomatoes.  The choices are yours.

Strawberry Lemon Muffins/Trial recipe #1

I'm working on recipes for the county fair this summer.  So you can try them along with me and give me your votes for your favorite.  This is trial recipe #1.  I hope you enjoy. 

Strawberry Lemon Muffins

Unbaked batter without crumb topping

Unbaked muffins with crumb topping

Strawberry Lemon Crumb Muffins

1 1/2 c.  flour

1/2 c. sugar

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. butter (1 stick) melted

1  large egg

1 1/2 c. strawberries (chopped)

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Crumb Topping

1/4 c. brown sugar (packed)

1/4 c. walnuts (chopped)

2 T.  flour

1 T.  melted butter

Combine

Preheat oven 350 degrees.  Line muffin tin with liners. 

Make crumb topping by combining all ingredients and set aside.

For muffins:

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl.  Combine milk, butter and egg in small bowl until well blended.  Stir into flour mixture just until blended.  Fold in strawberries and lemon peel.  Spoon evenly into muffin papers.  Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over tops of muffins.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean.  Let sit in pan for 5 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool on cooling rack.  You can drizzle with glaze if wanted.

Yields 12 muffins.