Lemon Curd

352.  Lemon Season is Here!
I am in awe seeing the beautiful lemons, grapefruit, limes and oranges hanging from trees everywhere!  It is a beautiful sight to see.  And all for the picking.
Since moving to California I am excited to learn new regional favorites.  On the east coast, oranges would come into season at Christmas and you would pick them up at the grocer or be gifted with a box from a loved one.  But in California, December thru March is citrus harvesting season!
My daughter brought a huge basket of oranges, grapefruits, limes and lemons that she picked from a friend's trees.

With so many lemons I had to get to work because you can only use so many lemon slices in your water.  So I decided to make Lemon Curd.

The aroma in my kitchen was Amazing!!
The rind on the lemons was soft and not thick and fleshy as I am use to.  And the tartness of the lemon juice was so sour I had to add additional sugar.  But OHHhh the flavor!

 In the saucepan the mixture began to resemble lemon pudding.

Here is the link to the original recipe from allrecipes,   Perfect Lemon Curd

And here is a convenient Recipe card for you

"I pride myself in figuring out how to elevate a dish with a little preserved lemon, or, then, a sprinkle of Maldon Salt."  ~ Meghan Markle

Holiday Season

 351.  Christmas Eve 2018 is here and our house is filled to the brim with family and friends.

I have two trees this year, a live 9 foot in the living room and 10 foot artificial tree in the dining room.

 And of course, a charcuterie was the centerpiece on the dining room table.  We all sat and noshed and talked and laughed.  It was a beautiful night.

 And our dinner buffet was Italian themed with lasagna, my honey's sauce, meatballs and sausage, capresé salad, green salad, bruschetta and Italian bread.  Dessert too, chocolate cheesecake and cookies of course.

"I like to compare the Holiday Season with the way a child listens to a favorite story.  The pleasure is in the familiar way the story begins, the anticipation of familiar turns  it takes, the familiar moments of suspense, and the familiar climax and ending."  ~Fred Rogers

"I cannot think that when God sent us into the world, He had irreversibly decreed that we should be perpetually miserable in it.  If our taking up the Cross imply our bidding adieu to all joy and satisfaction, how is it reconcilable with what Solomon expressly affirms of religion, that 'her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace?'"  ~John Wesley

Christmas Baking

350.  It's Christmas Baking Season and I am busy baking and preparing for 20 different types of cookies.  Here are a few of my finish array of delectable treats.

 

Gingerbread

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Cardamon Orange Twists

                         Chocolate Almond Crescents                                         

Spritz Cookies

                    Chocolate Almond Crescents                                  

Russian Tea Cakes

                  Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing                                  

Nöel Wreaths & Polish Filled Pastry

 My baking week was busy and always brings so much joy to everyone who receives and enjoys these treats.  It is always a labor of love.  
Merry Christmas to you and yours and blessings for a Happy New Year!

"Christmas is the perfect time to celebrate the love of God and family and to create memories that will last forever.  Jesus is God's perfect, indescribable gift.  The amazing thing is that not only are we able to receive this gift, but we are able to share it with others on Christmas and every other day of the year."  ~Joel Osteen

Thanksgiving 2018

 349.  I'm thankful this year for my family, friends and new friends, provision, health and God's Never-Ending-Love.

 Last year was very hard with a diagnosis of cancer and surgery and the healing process.  But I am a survivor by the grace of God.
 So here are snapshots of our Thanksgiving festivities.

 We shared dinner round a thrift-find table we found for $100...sanded...stained and beautiful!

 Turkey and all the fixings as well as a flock of live turkeys that showed up in our back yard...can you imagine.

 Apple Pie, Persimmon Pie and Pecan Pie made fresh the day before and Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese filling garnished with chocolate acorns and oak leaves.

"We are in a wrong state of mind if we are not in a thankful state of mind."  ~Charles Spurgeon

"Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world."  ~John Milton

Fruit Pie Glue

348.  Fruit Pie Glue
Did you ever think you would see the words "Glue" and "Pie" in the same title?  Well, this is a great secret of professional bakers they keep under wraps.
While visiting a friend this past summer I learned of this great secret to keep your fruit pie from that runny disaster when the corn starch doesn't seem to thicken just so.  Or when you slice the pie too soon before it cools completely.  This "Glue" creates a perfect thickness so you can go ahead and slice a semi-warm pie and not worry about the filling spilling out into the pie plate.  You will be so surprised.

 Note the texture to achieve for the perfect "glue".  This may be mixed with fresh or frozen fruit.

 It will be perfect every time.

 Make sure to always vent your pies with large slits in a two crust pie or use a lattice top as pictured.
(Photo courtesy Chris R.)

"Baking may be regarded as a science, but it's the chemistry between the ingredients and the cook that gives desserts life.  Baking is done out of love, to share with family and friends, to see them smile."  -  Anna Olson

Woodyard Bar-B-Que in Kansas City

347.  Welcome to Woodyard Bar-B-Que in Kansas City.  From the moment you park and step out of your vehicle, you are surrounded with the smokey scent of grilled meat.  This great restaurant was featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.   Check it out Here

The feel is rustic and casual, very inviting and the menu is not complicated.  Just meat choices, sides, special of the day and of course their delicious cornbread muffins.  You find a seat and then they bring your order to you inside or outside seating.

 The brisket, pulled pork and ribs were so tender and authentic.  No need to add the bbq sauce.  But if you must, all the sauces are delicious!  This was a great find and we are so glad to have been in the neighborhood!

 The meat is roasted in an outdoor grill by a pit master who let us snap his picture.  If you are ever in Kansas City...just ask around...everyone knows about Woodyard Bar-B-Que.

"If summer had one defining scent, it'd definitely be the smell of barbecue." ~Katie Lee