Meyer Lemon-Vanilla Sourdough French Toast

Good Morning Readers!

As you know, lately I've been quite interested in egg recipes, since my weekly eggs from Happy Tortoise Farm began gracing my kitchen. These fresh little light green and brown eggs have endeared themselves into my heart and my belly. Sometimes I get them so fresh from the farm that the dirt and straw still cling to their delicate colorful shells. I eagerly anticipate cracking open each egg and never cease to be surprised and amazed at how solid and orange the yolks are.

Today I choose to make a delicious french toast with some of my eggs. I indulged in some sourdough bread, which is a gluten-free no-no for me. Life is too short for shame people, so I say honor your indulgences and jump in with both feet! Oh taboo-full-of-gluten sourdough bread, how I've missed you. Typically, I favor a fresh local Challah bread for french toast. I had sourdough loaf in my pantry because yesterday I was really craving toasted sourdough with my curry egg salad recipe.

Today's french toast recipe is sans maple syrup for good reason. I once had a lover who cooked me breakfast in bed and arrived with delicious smelling french toast. I asked her where was the maple syrup and she handed me a halved lemon and a spoonful of powdered sugar. I thought she was crazy. I followed her lead and squeezed the lemon on the steaming hot french toast and then the powdered sugar. Maybe it was the morning-after-glow, but that combination of sugar sweet and tangy sour lemon was heavenly. It's the only way I've eaten french toast ever since.

In this recipe I call for meyer lemons, which in my book are the absolute royalty of lemons. The flavor is unequaled in the world of lemons. They are literally bursting with flavor onto your french toast. The tang of the sourdough bread and lemon, is a perfect compliment for the sweetness of the vanilla and powdered sugar. They meld together in lovely harmony for your taste buds.

The smell of this recipe cooking is delightful and intoxicating. I recommend you make it as breakfast in bed for someone you love and create your own french toast memory. Enjoy!

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Meyer Lemon-Vanilla Sourdough French Toast
Makes 4 pieces of french toast

butter
3 eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened plain soymilk or cow milk
1 tbsp pure alcohol-free vanilla extract
4 meyer lemons
1 tsp lemon zest
4 slices sourdough bread
nutmeg
powdered sugar

1. Warm about 1tbsp butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.
2. While the pan is warming up, in a wide shallow bowl combine the eggs, soymilk, vanilla, lemon zest and juice of one lemon. Beat with a whisk until just combined.
3. Dip each slice of bread in the egg mixture, one at a time. Let each slice absorb egg mixture, but not linger in the bowl too long. Add slices to the awaiting warm butter skillet.
4. Cook bread slices over medium-low heat. Cook each side a few minutes until they are browned and egg is cooked. Flip after cooking first side. Sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg. Not a lot. Just a sprinkle per slice on one side.
5. When bread is browned on both sides remove from the pan. Halve the 3 meyer lemons. Squeeze one half lemon on each slice of french toast. Sprinkle with as much powdered sugar as you desire. I use about 1 tbsp per slice. Garnish french toast with lemon slices. Serve hot.

Pasta with Fresh Lemon, Tomato & Basil

Original Recipe by Miss Jolie Ann
Inspired by my friend Sherrie

My co-worker and friend Sherrie is a ray of sunshine in my life. She is full of smiles, affection, warmth and humor for all who cross her path. She even calmly puts up with me when I can't sit still because I'm so hyper from my otc hayfever medication. Ever since she has found out about my kitchen-garden blog and my desire to complete a cookbook, she's been unconditionally supportive and encouraging.

Sherrie and I share a love of fresh home-grown seasonal produce and homecooking. While sharing telephone switchboard duty at our workplace we often swap stories of garden and recipe favorites. If you doubt Sherrie's influence on me let me share the infamous Giant Red Mustard Greens story. I have never grown mustard greens or had any desire to grow them. I don't think I've ever cooked with them either. In early spring when Sherrie and I were getting to know each other she shared how much she loved eating home-grown Giant Red Mustard Greens. Well, I trusted her completely, no questions asked. How could i have missed out on Giant Red Mustard Greens all this time? I set out to find starter tray packs of this mystery vegetable. Every week I looked for it at work (oh yeah, just a reminder-we work in a plant nursery), has it come in yet? I kept bugging and bugging the veggie chicks Jenn & Lana, until finally it arrived. I planted it, it thrived in my garden and upon harvest and cooking it was delicious.

But, I digress....Last week Sherrie was enthusiastically sharing her current favorite dinner recipe "Boxcar." Which is essentially cooked spaghetti with a raw sauce of fresh tomatoes & basil. She and her husband ate it several days in a row without tiring of it. So, Sherrie's boxcar inspired me to invent this pasta with fresh sauce of lemon, tomato, basil & garbanzo beans. I threw in the optional garbanzo beans to add some protein. This recipe is quick and easy to prepare-throw together the sauce while the pasta boils. Serve at room temperature. Yum!

Love ya Sherrie!

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Pasta with Fresh Lemon, Tomato & Basil

1 lb organic spaghetti or linguine --No linguine for Harry! :)

4 ripe fresh organic tomatoes-chopped

2 cloves organic garlic-pressed

Handful of organic basil leaves-cut into thin ribbons

Freshly squeezed juice of 3 organic lemons

1 tsp fresh organic lemon zest
1/4 cup organic extra virgin olive oil

Optional: 14 oz can organic garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed

Sea Salt & Black Pepper to taste

Freshly shredded organic Parmesan cheese to taste

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. (Usually boil 10 minutes...)

2. While pasta is cooking, combine tomatoes, garlic, basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, and optional garbanzo beans in a large bowl.

3. Drain pasta, rinse with cold water, drain again. Place pasta in bowl with lemon tomato mixture. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let cool and come to room temperature. About 10 minutes. This also allows the pasta to absorb some of the tasty liquids.

4. Top individual servings with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Lemon Yogurt Muffins with Poppy Seeds

This morning I tried a new muffin recipe from The Moosewood Cookbook: Lemon Yogurt Muffins. I made several adjustments. First, the temperature of 375 was too high and 25 minutes cooking time was too long. The first batch of muffins were overcooked and really browned. I also added poppy seeds, because I love them in lemon baking. I was seeking a stronger lemon flavor so I increased the lemon juice and rind. And I switched the butter to canola oil and reduced the honey. The recipe was unspecific calling for "1 cup yogurt." I used Annie's brand organic nonfat vanilla yogurt. I use Annie's because it's local-produced at Springfield Dairy in Eugene Oregon. Also, this yogurt is sweetened with natural agave sweetener as opposed to most conventional and even natural yogurts that are loaded with refined sugars. With some adjusting I came up with a muffin that is fluffy lemony not too sweet and satisfying. Check it out...

Lemon Yogurt Muffins with Poppy Seeds

Yield 1 dozen muffins

4 tbsp pure honey

4 tbsp organic canola oil

1 cup organic nonfat plain or vanilla yogurt

1 organic brown egg

1/2 cup fresh squeezed organic lemon juice

1 tsp freshly grated organic lemon rind

1 cup organic unbleached white flour

1 cup organic whole wheat flour

a few dashes of organic nutmeg

1.5 tsp organic baking soda

1/4 tsp organic sea salt

1 tbsp organic poppy seeds

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat melt the butter and honey together. Set aside.

3. Beat together the yogurt, egg, lemon juice, and lemon rind. Add melted butter and honey. Beat well until thoroughly mixed.

4. Sift together the dry ingredients (excluding the poppy seeds). Make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients. Stir briefly, using the least amount of strokes to just combine the batter. Add the poppy seeds and stir minimally.

5. Grease a muffin tin-I use Trader Joe's Canola Oil Baking Spray. Fill the cups 2/3 full with batter. (These muffins rise a lot!) Bake approximately 20 minutes.