Catch- Up

In my previous entry I was lamenting about rushing through the past 6 weeks, without taking the time to feel any joy in what I was doing. You know the feeling? when you are running as fast as you can and never reaching the finish line?
But to be honest there were some really great moments and times. March ended with Rosanna's birthday, but she rang in 3 more birthdays in April, Lynne, Mary and my sister Heidi's... she looks pretty good for 72 years young!

 Baking as mentioned was a huge bust with me lately. Recipes were read wrongly or even when they were executed properly just feel short as in this lemon- lime tart that just didn't set correctly and even though it tasted great was just always a little runny to the very last bite.

 Easter and Mother's day brought joy in the form of beautiful flowers that will always

warm my heart and put a smile on my face. So even when life has you dancing as fast as you can, please take the time to smell the roses.
I hope to get in one more blog before I have a little surgery and then come back after a little rest and recuperation.

LEMON CHIFFON CAKE II

I've been absent from  this blog mainly because when things get hectic meals become quick, plain, and unexciting. It shouldn't be this way, because when I look at the title of my blog it puts me to shame. Food should be a celebration, a meal with a loved one should not be rushed. We have become a society of everything being "Now" and "Instant" and sometimes I too need a little reality check, take a breath and just calm down and relax and enjoy the simple things that are meaningful , like preparing a meal with a little more thought and not  something that has become another chore on my never ending list of things to do.

This lemon chiffon cake was just another example of the "OOPPS", in my life lately.
I was in a hurry, seems to be my mantra lately, and wanted just a simple light no fuss cake. I have posted a fancier lemon chiffon cake in the past, but this time just wanted something that would go good with a cup of tea or coffee and could last all week as I  was under time restrictions.
Looking at this cake you can probably already see all the BooBoo's.
1. I used 1 tsp. of baking powder instead of 1 Tablespoon.
2. Then I wanted a light drizzle on the cake and well I don't quite know what happened but it turned into a big blob mess.
Let's just say it was one of those days when you just want to sit down and cry for no reason at all! Yes, I have those days also.
All in all, the cake really was delicious, even with all the mistakes I had made, so you can imagine how really good it can be had I not screwed up.Please give it a try.

LEMON CHIFFON CAKE
3-4 lemons
21/4C. cake flour
11/2C.sugar
1TABLESPOON baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 c. water
6 large eggs separated at room temperature
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

GLAZE
2c. icing sugar sifted, more if needed
2T. lemon juice , extra if needed
1T. heavy cream

DIRECTIONS
In a clean bowl combine the egg whites and cream of tartar.
With a whip attachment beat until soft peaks are formed.
Sift together flour, sugar , baking powder and salt on a sheet of parchment.
In another bowl combine oil, water, egg yolks, lemon juice and some lemon zest whisk until well mixed.
Switch to a spatula and combine dry ingredients into the wet and mix until combined.
Gently fold 1/2 of the white eggs into the batter until almost fully incorporated then add remaining whites until just combined.
Batter should be smooth but foamy, pour into tube pan.
Bake until toothpick comes out clean. 45-50 minutes at 325 degree oven.
Invert on a rack let cool completely for 45 minutes . To loosen pan, tap against counter top until cake disengages.
 For the glaze whisk ingredients adding more lemon juice as needed if too thick. Pour and let it drizzle along the sides.