Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake #CoffeeCakeDay

Posted on April 7, 2018 by Cindy Kerschner

Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake tucks luscious lemon curd between layers of lemon cake. Top with crumbs for a true coffee cake experience!
Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake
Happy National Coffee Cake Day!
Today Festive Foodies are sharing our favorite coffee cake recipes. Thank you Wendy from  A Day in the Life on the Farm for hosting our event!

What, you don’t like coffee cake? You think it’s too dry?

via GIPHY

Well, I have a treat for you! Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake will make you a convert.
Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake
I took my Mom’s coffee cake recipe and kicked it up a notch. First I added a little lemon extract to the batter. Loving the lemon even more.

Lemon curd is so rich and full flavored. I used regular lemons for this version but I know Meyer lemon makes it so…much…better!

Hmm I guess I will need to make another one as soon as Meyer Lemons are in stores here!

Start by  spreading half the batter in the bottom of a greased and floured 8×8-inch pan. Dot with lemon curd and add the rest of the batter.

Sprinkle with crumbs and bake.

Enjoy it warm or cold. If you have any extra curd, try this recipe for Meyer Lemon Curd Puffs.

Meyer Lemon Curd Puffs

Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake

Print
Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Yield: 9 to 12 pieces

Serving Size: 1 piece

Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake

Ingredients

    cake
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
    • crumbs
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cold butter
  • curd
  • 1/2 cup fresh squeezed Meyer lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon fine Meyer lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

    curd
  • Whisk together juice and sugar in a 2-quart saucepan. Whisk in zest and eggs.
  • Cook over medium-low heat about 1 minute stirring constantly with a spatula. Scrape down sides often.
  • Remove from heat. Stir in butter.
  • Reduce heat to low and continue cooking, periodically removing from heat and stirring until curd begins to thicken and slight bubbles form.
  • Pour finished curd in a bowl and cover the top with plastic wrap, pressing it against the curd so water doesn't form on top. Chill at least one hour.
    • crumbs
  • Blend together flour, brown sugar and butter into coarse crumbs. Set aside.
    • cake
  • Cream together sugar and shortening. Add egg.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together flour and baking powder.
  • In a separate container mix milk and lemon extract.
  • Alternate adding flour and milk to creamed mixture.
  • Assemble
  • Spread half the batter in a greased and floured 8x8-inch pan. Dot with curd.
  • Top with the remaining batter. Sprinkle with crumbs.
  • Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes
https://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com/meyer-lemon-coffee-cake-coffeecakeday/

Enjoy all these great takes on Coffee Cake from Festive Foodies!

Posted in #FestiveFoodies, baking, cake, dessert, What's For Dinner? | Tagged , | 16 Comments

Help Your Kids Discover the Joy of Cooking

Posted on April 4, 2018 by Cindy Kerschner

Are you looking for new and exciting ways to spend time with your children while also engaging them in learning new life skills? Consider having your kids join you in the kitchen. Taking time to cook with your kids also teaches important and valuable lessons that your children are sure to carry on well into adulthood.
cooking

gummy worm cake

Something as simple as this “Dirt Cake” is fun for little ones.

Learn more about cooking together as a family.

Cooking together as a family can relieve some of the pressure off parents who prepare each meal day in and day out. It is also a surefire way to teach your children proper methods of preparing and cooking food on their own once they become independent.

Teach your kids how to use proper tools for each task.

Familiarize yourself and your children with all of the basic tools found in traditional kitchens today.

 

Keep in mind to pair the tool to your child’s appropriate age group. Learning about each individual tool and why it’s valuable can be fun. Demonstrate the proper use of each tool every time you prepare and cook the food itself.

Ask your children questions about various tools you have in the kitchen. A bit of Show and Tell with simple hand tools is a great place to start. This helps them dive deeper into the learning process while getting your kids more excited to be near the tools and appliances altogether. You’ll be surprised how fast the time goes when you make it fun!

If you have more than one child helping you cook, assign them different tasks. Allow them to utilize an array of tools each time they are in the kitchen. The more familiar kids get with tools and methods of cooking the more likely they will stick with it for years to come.
Discover new recipes right at home.

Research recipes that appeal to you and your family or select a cuisine that your children love individually each week to learn more about with recipes. There are countless written and video-based recipes to quickly improve skills while allowing you and your family to try something new, keeping the time in the kitchen together exciting and fun (regardless of the age of your children).

Rather than sticking to specific staple meals of the household, introducing new cuisines and types of food can also keep your children from becoming too picky–increasing their likelihood of maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, even as adults.

Have your children research recipes each week that they would likely to make (whether it is a lunch, dinner, or even a dessert). Save one recipe each week and alternate to keep all of your children involved in the process. Allow your children to get as creative as possible to truly become engaged in cooking and what it has to offer.

Find a local cooking or catering class.

Whether you have a child who is extremely interested in the culinary arts or if you are seeking new ways to explore cooking as a family, consider attending local cooking or catering classes together. Cozymeal has a lot of kids cooking classes in different markets. It’s easy to check and see if they have one in your area. At times, cooking in the same kitchen day in and day out can become monotonous and extremely exhausting. Visiting a local cooking or catering class is a way to “spice things up” a bit to keep both you and your children interested in the art of cooking and how to improve skills in a wide range of areas.

Local cooking classes and catering events also give your children the opportunity to ask questions about tools, methods of preparation, and various tips they are interested in knowing when they are cooking on their own. The more involved they become with the process of cooking, the more likely they are to ask questions and develop their own unique ways of executing the methods they have in mind. When children do not understand cooking, preparation, or even the types of foods they are eating, they are much less likely to be interested in keeping a healthier lifestyle in terms of their diet as they age.
In order to keep cooking fun and enjoyable for both you and your children, getting a bit creative is a must. Even if you simply enjoy cooking at home most nights, introducing your kids to new and interesting methods of preparing foods can ultimately lead to a much more productive adult in terms of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and avoiding eating out all of the time. The more active and engaged you are with your children at any age when preparing food, the easier it is for them to ultimately become independent providers of their own in the future.

Posted in What's For Dinner? | Tagged | Comments Off on Help Your Kids Discover the Joy of Cooking

Taste Great Smoky Mountains at The Park Grill #GatlinburgTour

Posted on April 3, 2018 by Cindy Kerschner

This is the second installment in a four part series of my Gatlinburg Media Tour review. I received a complimentary dinner at The Park Grill as part of this event sponsored by Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery, Ripley’s Adventures and The Park Grill. I received no further compensation from The Park Grill. All opinions are my own.

The Park Grill restaurant

photo courtesy of The Park Grill

The Park Grill sign

Our host for the evening, Sue Bock Marketing & Executive Assistant to Geoffrey A. Wolpert, Owner of The Park Grill and sister restaurant, The Peddler Steakhouse. We can’t thank her enough for her insight into the Gatlinburg community and history of The Park Grill.

Park Grill Sue Maureen Me

If you want to experience a true Smoky Mountain lodge, The Park Grill is the real deal.

A bit about Gatlinburg and history of The Park Grill.

Gatlinburg sits in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains. The Smokies get their name from the blue smoke-like mist that rises from their peaks. The Cherokee Indians called them Sha-Kon-O-Hey which means “Land of Blue Smoke.”
Did you know the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in America?
The first settlers of Gatlinburg brought along their pioneer spirit of living off the land. They used what they found in nature to construct their homes, tools and everyday necessities of life. These clever craftsmen carved the wood, shaped the stone and worked the soil. This self-sufficient community formed the foundation of southern Appalachian culture.
The Park Grill is a testament to the Great Smoky Mountains, Great Smoky National Park and its people. Experience all the classic flavors of Southern Appalachia while dining in the comfort of a rustic mountain lodge.

Park Grill Entrance
The Park Grill has several dining rooms fit for any occasion.
Park Grill-Main-Dining-Room-
Park Grill Wildlife room
Park Grill patio

Interior photos courtesy of The Park Grill website

Constructing The Park Grill was no easy undertaking.

Every detail from precision cut log framework to the antler chandeliers was carefully calculated. Dead-standing spruce trees were harvested from the top of the Payette National Forest in Idaho and used to construct our massive log superstructure. A scale model of the building accompanied the logs through the entire process. Each log was selected and tagged for a specific spot in the building. The logs and model were shipped to Gatlinburg on seven flatbed trucks and carefully stacked using cedar filled burlap bags between them to prevent damage.

A crew of log builders trekked from Washington State, Oregon, California, Idaho, and Canada to construct the building using traditional log building methods.

Learn more about building The Park Grill here

The Park Grill menu revolves around the resources and people that make Gatlinburg, Tennessee unique.

Moonshine plays a part in the menu.

We had to start with the Lemon Moonshine Calamari, a Southern Style, deep fried treat served with a Lemonade Moonshine sauce. I love fried calamari and this dish did not disappoint. The lemon sauce brightens the dish.

Park Grill Calamari

The Shrimp and Crab Bisque is one of their most asked for menu items. I could see why. A great start to any meal.

Park Grill Bisque

We couldn’t resist a trip to the over 40 item salad bar!
Park Grill Salad Bar
Park Grill Salad Bar

I chose the Moonshine Cherry Beef Kabobs.
Eight ounces of Filet Tips, cherries and red onions marinated in genuine Moonshine and Pineapple Juice. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this combination. I’m so glad I ordered it! The steak was cooked to perfection. The cherries are soaked in moonshine and the liquid is used in the marinade. So good!

My dining companion, Maureen got a taste too. She agreed the that the taste is unique and full flavored. I highly recommend these kabobs to any beef lover!
Moonshine Cherry Beef Kabobs

Maureen got the Fresh Mountain Rainbow Trout. Boneless English Mountain trout filet is lightly seasoned, served grilled or fried. Sweet Potato Casserole with coconut is definitely a must try side.

park grill trout

No meal is complete without dessert. We had to try the Dessert Sampler!
Jack Daniel’s Crème Bruleé, Blackberry Cobbler and Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse Perfect for sharing!
park grill dessert trio
The Park Grill also recognizes that children want a good meal too! Children get a choice of steak, chicken tenders, fried shrimp, fish & Chips or trout with salad bar, fries and a beverage priced by their age! $1.00 plus their age is what you pay. Maybe age appropriate pricing might catch on!
Overall our dining experience at The Park Grill was memorable and enjoyable. Generous portions, local flavor prepared by cooks not chefs makes the meal a true Smoky Mountain experience. I highly recommend a visit to The Park Grill as a must see stop to any visit in or near Gatlinburg. Please be sure to tell Sue hello from us!

Posted in #GatlinburgTour, beef, cherry, coconut, comfort food, crab, craft, dessert, dinner, fish, fresh ingredients, kabobs, moonshine, pineapple, restaurants, review, sweet potato, What's For Dinner? | 4 Comments

Meet Ole Smoky Moonshine #GatlinburgTour

Posted on April 2, 2018 by Cindy Kerschner

I recently visited Gatlinburg, Tennessee on a media trip sponsored in part by Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery. A visit to The Holler was in store for me. All opinions are my own.
Ole Smoky Moonshine entrance

The Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery, “The Holler”, is America’s most visited distillery and produces all of their signature flavors. Actually Ole Smoky was the first commercial moonshine distillery and in my opinion, still the best!

So many flavors!

Ole Smoky Moonshine Wall

Live music and friendly service greet all their guests.

A visit to Ole Smoky Distillery is the true moonshine experience. Here, you’ll see authentic-working moonshine stills and take in the entire process – from beginning to end. Their distillers like to visit with folks.
We were fortunate to have Gary guide our tour. Gary was extremely knowledgeable on the distilling process from mash to bottled vapor.

stillstill mash
Like everyone at Ole Smoky he was glad to answer our questions and share about the history and lore of moonshining in East Tennessee.
still gary mash

After you see, smell and hear about the process, treat yourself to $5 samplings of their homegrown shine! Thanks Brandon for the tasting and explanation of each flavor and proof!

ole smoky brandon pour

ole smoky pour

Ole Smoky makes much more than just moonshine.

You can take home jars of pickles, BBQ sauces, jams and more!
Ole Smoky pickles
ole smoky bbq
moonshine jam jars
Follow Ole Smoky Moonshine on social media for news and special promotions:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
If you are in the Gatlinburg area, be sure to visit Ole Smoky Moonshine. You will be glad you did!
Stop back on Tuesday for my review of The Park Grill. I hear they have awesome recipes made with moonshine!
Cheers!

Posted in #GatlinburgTour, review, What's For Dinner? | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Meet Ole Smoky Moonshine #GatlinburgTour