Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

We absolutely love these cookies.  If your a lemon fan like I am you will love them too!  They are light, lemony and kind of in between a cookie and cake. I got this recipe from the show Everyday Italian with Giada De Laurentis about 4 years ago and it has become one of my families favorites.

Here's what you'll need.

Cookies
(printable version)

2 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 stick of unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese (I used light)
3 tbsp. lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon

Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp. lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

For the cookies.

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In mixing bowl combine butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

About 3 minutes.

Add eggs one at a time.

Beat until well incorporated.

Add ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest beating to combine.

 Slowly mix in dry ingredients.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper and spoon tablespoons of the dough onto the sheets.

Bake for 15 minutes or until slightly brown around the edges. let cool on cookie sheets for 20 minutes. Then glaze.
For the glaze mix icing sugar, lemon juice and zest until smooth.  Spoon about 1/2 tsp. onto each cookie and spread with the back of spoon.

Let glaze harden before putting in containers. I got 56 cookies. Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Mom's Spaghetti Sauce

We love a big plate of spaghetti in our house.  It's one of my all time favorites with my Mom's homemade spaghetti sauce.  Since there were six kids in my family growing up and money was tight, for our birthday our Mom used to let us pick what we wanted for dinner.  It would always be her homemade spaghetti.  It was one of the first things I learned to make and still make a big pot once every couple weeks to this day. Just the smell of this sauce simmering makes my mouth water. The leftover sauce freezes well and is great to use for lasagna too!  You won't be disappointed in this spaghetti sauce.  I have the original recipe cards my Mother wrote this recipe on from her recipe box.  The only change I make today is to use 1 lb. of ground beef instead of two, it just depends on how meaty you like it. I know it looks like a lot of ingredients, but it is really easy to make and is well worth the time.

Here is my Mother's recipe for Spaghetti Sauce
(printable recipe)

2 lbs. ground beef (I use 1 lb.)
2  28oz. cans whole tomatoes
2  5 1/2 oz. cans tomato paste
1 large spanish onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
5 cloves of garlic chopped, or 2 tsp. garlic powder
1 medium can of tomato juice
1 can mushroom pieces, drained
2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
6 whole cloves or 1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Brown ground beef.  Add onion, garlic, celery, green pepper and cook until softened.  About 5 minutes.  Drain off fat.  Add canned tomatoes (breaking up with spoon or hand), tomato juice, tomato paste and canned mushrooms.  Bring to boil.  Add poultry seasoning, onion powder, marjoram, salt, pepper, sugar, chili powder, cayenne pepper and cloves.  Reduce to simmer.  Let simmer for up to 3 hours.  The longer the better!  This sauce is always better the next day!

Salmon in Parchment

Salmon in parchment has got to be one of the fastest, healthy, elegant meals there is.  My husband loves salmon and I often make this for him when he comes home for lunch.  Serve it with some couscous or rice and vegetables and it's a very light healthy meal.  It's impressive enough for company served with a nice glass of chardonnay.

Here's what you'll need for each salmon filet

Salmon in Parchment
(printable recipe)

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees

1 salmon filet
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 - 1 tsp. dried dill
3 lemon slices
1 tsp. capers
olive oil for drizzling
square piece of parchment paper

Fold your parchment paper in half then open and lay your salmon filet in the middle close to the crease.

Spread Dijon mustard over salmon.

Sprinkle with dill.

Lay lemon slices on salmon, top with capers and a sprinkle of dill.. Drizzle with a little olive oil.

Fold parchment over salmon and starting at one corner, fold and crease on an angle going around the salmon until you get to the end.

Twist the end and fold under.

Place on a baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your salmon. Place on serving plate and cut open being careful of the steam.  Serve right in parchment.  Beautiful!

Colored Deviled Eggs

I just think these are so cool for Easter Dinner! Thanks to Theresa over at Theresa's Mixed Nuts for posting them in her Eater Party Ideas post!

Colored Deviled Eggs
(printable recipe)

You can use your own Deviled Egg recipe if you want. Everyone likes theirs different.
If you don't have a one, here is mine.

6 Eggs
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tsp. green relish
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp dry mustard

Put eggs in pan and cover with cold water.  Bring to the boil.  Boil 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and place under running cold water.  Once cool. Peel and slice lengthwise.  Remove yolks and place in separate bowl.
Using a separate bowl for each color you want (I did three, pink, yellow and purple) add 1 cup of water, 1 tsp.  Apple Cider Vinegar and your food coloring to each bowl.  Stir to mix color throughout water. Add your egg white halves to each color and let sit about 10 minutes or until the color you want is achieved stirring around every now and then.  Remove and let dry on paper towels.

Meanwhile mash yolks with a fork and add relish, onion powder, mustard powder and mayonnaise.  Mix well and use teaspoons to fill egg halves.  Sprinkle with paprika if desired.
Refrigerate until ready to enjoy!