Clementine Clafoutis

Living here in the Sacramento Valley, we are so very fortunate to have an abundance of juicy clementines this time of year. We eat them daily in their natural form, but I have been wanting to try them in a dessert. I saved a recipe last year that I found in the Sacramento Bee, but actually, the recipe originated in the New York Times. It is a classic French dessert, clafoutis (pronounced cla-FOO-tee). 

You begin by peeling the clementines, taking the webbing off each section, before layering them in the baking pan.

Next, you pour in the batter until it covers the clementines.

You put the clafoutis in the oven for about 40 minutes.

The final result is an egg custard delight. The clafoutis doesn't keep for long, so it is best to eat warm. Enjoy!

Southern Comfort

We spent the New Year in Florida visiting my parents and while we were there I got to enjoy some of my favorite southern things: sweet tea, spanish moss, sweet tea, cardinals, sweet tea. Did I say sweet tea?! I just can't get enough of it when I am there and order it everywhere we go. The closest I can get to sweet tea in California is an Arnold Palmer which is half iced tea and half lemonade. Good, but not the same.

While in Florida, I also got to do one of my favorite things and that is have lunch out with my mom. This is something I have sorely missed since my parents moved to Florida. On the Friday before we left, Mom took me to The Plantation Inn which is a golf resort and spa in Crystal River. Even though my parents are members, you don't have to be a member to eat at the Plantation Room.

Of course, I had to stop and rock in one of the porch rockers for awhile. I would love to have some of these southern rockers for my front porch.

                                            

Inside, Mom and I settled at a table in front of a large window overlooking the golf course and pool area. Even though they were getting ready for a baby shower at the other end of the restaurant, we could hardly hear a sound other than the soothing classical music that was playing. Mom ordered a chicken breast with wild rice and I ordered some She Crab soup that was flavored with sherry. It was so creamy and delicious and I could taste the crab and the mild flavor of the sherry. It was one of the best soups I have ever tasted! 

                                                                        

And a Traditional Crab Cake Caesar Salad

                                                                                       

And the salad did not disappoint - the salad greens were fresh and had just the right amount of dressing - the crab cake was superb! My mouth is watering as I am writing this and remembering what it tasted like. When we go to Florida again I will definitely ask to go back and have lunch here - maybe we will even invite the guys!

A New Day

An Unexpected Pleasure

Every once in awhile you happen upon a book that makes you smile with pleasure at every turn of the page and keeps you wanting more. A friend of mine gave me such a book for Christmas. It is called, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, a novel by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. It is such a delightful read that I simply CANNOT put it down and have even found myself sneaking a few moments at work to read a few pages. One of my favorite passages:

"Have you ever noticed that when your mind is awakened and drawn to someone new, that person's name suddenly pops up everywhere you go? My friend Sophie calls it coincidence, and Mr. Simpless, my parson friend, calls it Grace. He thinks that if one cares deeply about someone or something new one throws a kind of energy out into the world, and "fruitfulness" is drawn in."

Pick up a copy and read it for yourself - you won't be sorry!

Baking with Love

Before I left home to make my journey into the world, more years ago than I care to admit, I carefully typed up my favorite family recipes and placed them in a yellow folder so that I could easily spot them and refer to them. Some of the recipes are my mom's and some of them are my grandmother's, on my father's side. When I feel the need for comfort food, I pull out the folder and choose a recipe. The folder is tattered now and some of the recipes are stained with splatters from my creative endeavors in the kitchen, but it never fails me.

Since we had a birthday in the family this past weekend, I decided to make my mom's cheesecake recipe rather than take the easy way out like I often do and stop by Ettore's Bakery or The Cheesecake Factory and get one already prepared. So, I pulled out the yellow folder, made my grocery list, and this past week I shopped for the best ingredients and chose the freshest California lemon to make the cheesecake. I got up early Sunday morning before everyone was awake because I knew that the whole process would take a few hours. Later that evening, it warmed my heart to hear the "oohs" and "ahs" and "Mmms" around the dinner table while my family tasted the dessert. I am happy to report that momma's recipe has withstood the test of time. When you make a recipe that has been lovingly handed down to you and you make it with love and proudly present it to your family - nothing could be better than that - no cake from the finest restaurant or bakery in the world can top it. 

Momma's Cheesecake

Crust: 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 stick of butter

Place spring form pan on a 12" square of aluminum foil. Using the wrapper of the stick of butter, grease the sides and bottom of the pan. Note: If using a nonstick spring form pan you can omit this step. Melt the 1/2 stick of butter and mix with the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon. Press mixture into bottom and sides of pan. Chill while making the filling.

Filling:

3 packages (8 oz.) cream cheese (room temperature)

1-1/4 cups sugar

6 eggs, separated

1/3 cup of all purpose flour

2 teaspoon vanilla

grated rind of one lemon

juice from the lemon

Use electric mixer at low speed, beat cream cheese until soft. Beat in sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks until well blended. Stir in flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until peak stage. Fold into cream cheese mixture until no streaks of yellow or white remain. Pour batter into spring form pan and place pan and foil in a 325 degree oven. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn oven off and let cake stand in closed oven for 1 hour longer. Remove and cool in pan on wire rack at least 2 hours.