Lemon Loaf

When you can get a bag of a bunch of lemons at the grocery store, this is a great treat to make. Fresh lemon juice is definitely bette than anything from a bottle, and if you can get your hands on Meyer lemons, I think they would work really well here. This loaf freezes well and is extra delicious with strawberries and a bit of whipping cream. You could also tuck a slice into a lunch box for a treat.

Adapted from Company's Coming

2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 tbsp lemon zest, grated (I use about 2 lemons)
1/2-1 tsp of lemon extract (optional.. or you could squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon, like I did)

Glaze:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup icing sugar

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the milk in two parts, stirring until just combined. Stir in the lemon zest. (you could, at this point, add some lemon extract for some more lemony flavor. The actual loaf doesn't taste all that lemon-like) Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake approximately 1 hour at 325 F or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

While the loaf is baking, whisk the lemon juice and icing sugar together until smooth. Poke holes randomly over the top of the loaf when you pull it out of the oven and gently spoon the juice mixture over top. Let the loaf cool completely before you remove it from the pan and slice.

Makes 16 slices

Read More

Cedar Planked Salmon

I've been planning to try salmon this way for a long time but just never got around to it until today. Oh Mmy, what was I waiting for? The results were so delectable, so juicy, so amazingly tender that my family fell to the ground and worshiped my genius for the entire dinner hour.

Well, at least until I made them help me do dishes.

You don't need a BBQ to make this, just a piece of untreated cedar. Here in BC, you can get planks right in the seafood section at the store. Make sure to soak them overnight. I like to fill up my kitchen sink and then set the planks in, along with a 28 oz can or two to weigh them down.

To make the salmon above you will need:

A nice sized fillet of salmon per person (no skin)
a lemon
fresh rosemary, minced
1-2 garlic cloves per salmon fillet, peeled and sliced into chips
olive oil
salt and pepper
thinly sliced red onion

1 untreated cedar plank

Soak the cedar plank in water for at least 4-5 hours. In the morning you just pop it in the sink, weigh it down with a heavy can to keep it submerged, and off you go about your day. I came home from work and it was ready to go.

Pre-heat your oven to 400 F and when it's ready, stick that plank in and let it heat up for about 10 minutes. Then you take it out and brush one side with olive oil. Oven! That's right! You don't really need a BBQ, you CAN do it in your oven too.

Place the salmon on the plank and top with garlic, onion, rosemary, salt, pepper, a squirt of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Place the whole thing in the oven and let it roast for about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish. Mine actually took more like 20 minutes.
Your plank may smoke slightly, but it was nothing that my fan didn't take care of.

And ohhhhh it was so worth it. I think the picture says it ALL.

Read More