Citrus Ricotta Pound Cake

I found a recipe recently online for Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake. I have a Meyer Lemon bush that is just loaded with them and needs to be used up. So when I stumbled onto that page I decided to grab the recipe and play with it. I used lemons from my yard but also added the zest and juice of one navel orange. I love both lemons and oranges so I thought it would be a great taste. I also added some Vanilla extract. The lemon/orange/vanilla combo is just so very Italian and a taste that I love. The only thing I would do is line the pans with parchment paper the next time I make it. I think the extra juice makes it extra sticky. The recipe called for one loaf pan but I found I had extra and could almost make two. So I used a couple silicone pans that I had to use up the extra. Thats what you see up there.

We loved this so much that I'm going to serve it for our Easter dessert. Instead of my typical Strawberry shortcake, I'm going to use slices of this for the base. Then Ill top with my sliced strawberries macerated in a bit of brown sugar and Grand Marnier. Top it with fresh whipped cream.


CITRUS RICOTTA POUND CAKE makes 1-2 loaves.

3/4 c. butter softened
1 1/2 c. whole milk ricotta cheese (one 15oz. container)
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 large eggs
2 t. vanilla extract
1 t. salt
3 t. baking powder
1 1/2 c. flour
juice and zest of 2 lemons
juice and zest of one large orange
powdered sugar for tops

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place oven rack in the center position. Grease and flour a 9 inch loaf pan. Sift flour, baking powder, together and set aside. In a stand mixer bowl, cream butter, ricotta, and sugar till light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next. Add vanilla, zest and juice of lemons and orange. Set mixer on low and gradually add the dry ingredients. Once added, allow the batter to mix for 30 seconds or so. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the batter. Bake the cake on the center rack for 15 minutes, then lower heat to 325 degrees, and bake 50 to 60 minutes more, or until cake springs back from touch and has slightly pulled away from pan sides, and a toothpick comes out clean. (Baking time is approximate, the amount of water in the ricotta determines the baking time.) Cool the cake inside the pan for 15 minutes before removing. Remove and let cake cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar slice and serve.

Smaller pans will be done before the loaf pan. The loaf pan may need to go a bit longer so test. When a skewer inserted comes out clean, its done. The cake will be very moist and almost pudding like tho when cooled and sliced.

Easter Cheese

Easter is on its way and I'm thinking about what I want to make for the holiday this year. As I wandered online looking for some new ideas I ran across a recipe for this cheese. I was stunned! My gramma made this cheese and I used to long ago too. In fact I taught my mom how to make it. I used to watch gramma make it and mom never did. So one day when she asked about it, I said I know how to make it!

Its not really a cheese per se, its more like a solid custard. But we serve it with the Easter meal of ham and kielbasa and such. Its a very Hungarian thing. But I never knew anyone who ever made it besides gramma. This recipe makes a lot. You don't have to make all this. In fact you can eyeball it cuz Ive done that when I wanted to make just a bit. I just used the amount of eggs I wanted, added some milk, the flavorings and tasted it while it cooked to see how much sugar to use. So here's the basic recipe. Feel free to make as much or as little as you want. Its really easy. Plus we used to fight over the liquid that was left. We loved to drink it. It almost tastes like eggnog only lighter. Don't waste it, its yummy.

Easter Cheese

* 12 eggs
* 4 cups milk
* 1 cup sugar (I would do this to taste, you can get away with less)
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 1 pinch ground nutmeg (my gramma used cinnamon, no nutmeg)

1. In an electric mixer, beat the eggs until mixed well.
2. Transfer the eggs to a double boiler and stir in milk, sugar, vanilla and nutmeg. Cook over a medium heat for 30 minutes. Use a metal slotted spoon and constantly stir the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching.
3. When the mixture looks just like cooked scrambled eggs, pour it carefully into a cheesecloth-lined colander. Carefully gather the ends of the cheesecloth in your hands and pull them together until the cheese forms into a ball. Tie the cheesecloth tightly at the top of the ball. Tie the cheesecloth ends over a faucet or to the handle of a kitchen cabinet (place a bowl under to catch the whey dripping down) and let hang for about 3 hours.
4. Untie the cheesecloth and wrap the cheesecloth ball in plastic wrap before refrigerating. The cheese will keep for about a week. Slice and serve.

Save the liquid to drink. Its safe its been cooked and its delicious!

Easter Egg Potatoes

This time of year you can find mixed colored potatoes sold together in small bags. They are perfect for making this next dish. Before these became popular I used to stand in the grocery stores picking out the tiniest potatoes of whatever color they used to sell to make this dish. Now that purple potatoes are common and this mix too .........its a snap to make.


Easter Egg Potatoes

1 bag of sm. mixed colored potatoes
1 red onion, cut up in lg. pieces
1 stick of butter
Lots of chopped parsley

The trick that makes these potatoes so yummy is .......you simmer the potatoes covered in water. Add some salt and the chopped red onion and cook till tender. Drain well. The potatoes pick up a subtle onion flavor so the whole dish is pemeated with it not just in bites. Toss with butter and some parsley. Add more S & P to taste and serve. My kids just love these!

The leftovers are excellent for hashbrowns for breakfast the next day with some leftover ham and eggs. Ive even frozen what I had left and used it in a frittata another time.

No peeling just make sure potatoes are clean!

If you like things a bit more herbal , add a bit of chopped fresh dill to the dish too but it really doesnt need it.