Lemony Lemon Meringues

I love lemon, and I love meringues, so a combination of the two would have to be a home run.  We had a little lemon party with the ladies from church, and I always try to bring something gluten free (because I want to eat too!).

I decided to try out a new lemon curd recipe, and sandwich it between two small meringues.

I used the for merry meringue  recipe, omitted the jello powder, and folded in about 1 tsp of lemon zest right at the end.

The lemon curd was delicious, and it made for a perfectly satisfying treat on a hot summer day.

Simply prepare the meringues, cool, and then right before serving, spread a thin layer of lemon curd on the underside of one meringue.  Top with another meringue.

I recommend assembling the meringues right before serving.  The curd will soften the meringues quite a bit, and if you don't want a big sticky mess, I'd wait. They were delicious.


Lemon Curd
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1/3 Cup strained lemon juice
5 Tbsp sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine the juice, zest, and sugar in a small saucepan, and bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, beat egg until light. Beat part of the hot lemon mixture into the egg. Add the egg mixture back into the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture starts to simmer around the edges of the pan. Continue to cool, and stir an additional 15 seconds. Strain if desired. Add vanilla. Cool.

 Once again, here's the link for the meringues.

For more information on the Lemon themed meeting we had, you can find my source here.  The lemon curd recipe is adapted from the information provided in the meeting.

Vanilla Cake Mix Cookies: Recipe

I have a sweet tooth, it is no secret.  I love pretty much anything with sugar and fat (which might explain the 30 lbs I've already gained this pregnancy). Sometimes though, I just don't have the ingredients on hand to make something sweet.  So, I love recipes that can be made with just a few ingredients.  Cake mix cookies are one of those things.

Today I mixed up a batch of these cookies so that my husband would have something to throw in his lunch tomorrow.  They mix up so quickly, and don't require any extras.  Cake mix, oil, and eggs.  Pretty basic.

Vanilla Cake Mix Cookie Recipe:

Betty Crocker Super Moist Vanilla Cake Mix
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla or vanilla bean paste
Powdered sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix cake mix, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a mixing bowl.  Using an electric mixer, mix on medium speed until combined.  The dough will be soft and a bit sticky.  If overly sticky, and flour 1 tbs at a time.  Form 1" balls and roll in powdered sugar.  Place on  parchment lined cookie sheets.  Bake for 10-12 minutes. 

Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

These cookies are nice and soft on the inside.  They really are delightful, even though they aren't filled with all of the extras.

I've even had success with Betty Crocker's Gluten Free cake mix.  You can find their recipe for gluten free cake mix cookies on their website.

Also, you can use any flavor of cake mix: red velvet, devils food cake, etc.

Do you have a favorite simple recipe?  Do share.

Coconut Almond Candied Popcorn

It's no secret that I love candied popcorn.  It is simple, delicious, and inexpensive to make.

Recently I changed up my Cinnamon Vanilla Popcorn Recipe a bit, and added some sliced almonds and shredded coconut.  It was delicious.  I also replaced a bit of the white sugar with brown sugar.  

My almonds and coconut were straight from the package, but you could toast them in the oven to heighten the flavor even more.  I recommend adding the almonds and coconut to the popped popcorn prior to covering with the candy.  

Two Ingredient Nutella Cake

I pin far more recipes on Pinterest than I ever get around to making.  On occasion, I'll remember to add the ingredients to my grocery list, and make a recipe that I've found online.  This recipe was especially tempting because it only requires two ingredients, and it's gluten free-woot woot!

You can find the recipe here, at kirbiecravings.com  Eggs and Nutella make up this flourless cake.  I've had flourless cakes before, and they are usually quite dense and rich.  If you get overwhelmed by intense chocolate and dense texture, then this cake is probably a better choice.  The nutella has a pretty light flavor, and the eggs make it quite fluffy, but eggy (imagine that).

Source: kirbiecravings.com via Tricia on Pinterest

I added a homemade raspberry syrup, and it added a nice flavor to it.  The best part of this recipe was how quick it was to make.  The flavor isn't going to blow your mind, but it is really easy to mix up, and perfect when your pantry is a bit bare.

Philidelphia 3-Step Lemon Cheesecake Bars with Lemon Syrup

Photo courtesy of Kraft Recipes.com

Okay so the top of my cheesecake is a bit golden, but still delicious.

I'll come right out and admit that this is not my recipe, but I couldn't help but share it with you.  I found it recently on AllRecipes.com.  I made it for my family on Sunday, and they were delicious.  You can find the recipe for the cheesecake bars here.  The cheesecake bars have a very light and subtle lemon flavor.  The crust is delicious as well, they are made from Coconut Macaroons that are crushed and mixed with a bit of butter.

You can often find prepared macaroons that are gluten free, but to be safe I made my own. I used the recipe from the back of the Great Value (Wal-mart brand) shredded coconut package.  Apparently I threw out the empty container.  I can't find the recipe online or else I would link to it.   It is a flourless recipe, but I chose to add a tablespoon of rice flour for a bit of substance.  The macaroons were delicious and they made a perfect crust for the cheesecake.  

My husband loved the bars.  You might notice that I added a lemon syrup to the top of the cheesecake bar.  I thought that they just a bit more flavor.  You can make a simple syrup by incorporating fresh lemon juice, fresh lemon zest, and sugar and cooking until syrup consistency is reached. For more information on making simple syrups you can look here.

Cinnamon Vanilla Popcorn

Cinnamon Vanilla Popcorn has to be one of my favorite fast treats.  It requires basic ingredients and requires minimal effort.  I love to take it to picnics and family outings.  The vanilla and cinnamon are a heavenly combination-both in flavor and aroma.  This is also an easy treat to make if you are catering to someone with a gluten intolerance (just make sure to use Gluten Free Vanilla).


I hope that you will give this quick and easy recipe a try. This is a recipe that you are sure to share with most anyone you serve it to-so make copies of the recipe-people will be asking for it.  

Cinnamon Vanilla Popcorn

3 Quarts of popped popcorn

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I love Mexican Vanilla in this recipe)

Ground cinnamon to taste (between 3/4 tsp to 1 tsp)

1-Place popcorn in a large bowl and set aside.  In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, and corn syrup.  Bring ingredients to a boil over medium heat.  Boil and stir for about 2 minutes, or until mixture is golden brown and is to soft ball stage.

2-Remove from the heat; stir in baking soda, vanilla, and ground cinnamon.  Pour over popcorn and toss to coat.  Cool slightly; break apart while warm.

Yield: 3 Quarts

Tips and tricks:  After popping popcorn shake the bowl so that the kernels fall to the bottom.  Transfer the popcorn to a separate bowl and discard any kernels that you have sifted.  No you have removed all of those tooth breaking kernels.

If you are anything like me you have at one time or another sat down to eat your treat before washing all of your pots and pans.  A candied pan can be a pain to get clean if it has sat for too long.  Fill up your pan with water (so that it covers any residue), place on the burner, and heat until the residue is softened and will come clean.

Be sure to check back soon. I've got pictures of my attempt at the Warhol dress coming soon.

Chocolate Meringue Clouds with Sweet Cherry Syrup-Gluten Free

It is officially summer, wether or not it feels like it.  Summer means oh so many things to me: Barbecues, family reunions, flip-flops, cracked heels (more on cracked heels later), cool drinks, and tasty treats.  I don't know about everyone else, but the summer heat can really kill your appetite.  I love to have some light desserts when it comes to entertaining (and indulging).

Meringues are light and won't sit heavy in your stomach on a hot summer days. They are very versatile and can be dressed up (with syrup, berries, chocolate, or whipped cream) or be served as a tasty cookie as is. Most meringues are also naturally gluten free-making them a great choice for those of us who live with Celiac Disease or who are on a gluten-free diet. Don't be scared off by the fact that they are gluten free-my husband enjoys these as well. You can find the recipe here.

This particular variation was inspired by some slightly over ripened cherries that I had sitting in my refrigerator.  I hope that you enjoy.  The syrup is made by pitting and pureeing ripe cherries.  Cooking over medium heat with some sugar, corn syrup, and a drop of food coloring.  Cook until mixture begins to thicken.

I really love Hershey's new special dark baking cocoa.  It makes everything oh so delicious.

If you try it out let me know what you think.