Mother memories, lemon cake and a bookmark

  

I am overpowered by the sharp sweet fragrance of white lilies stacked in a pyramid for the celebration of Mother’s Day.  This tempting display invokes memories of my annual Mother’s Day gift. I want to rush to the checkout stand, flowerpot in hand, but stop and remember that the woman who loved them planted along the borders of her yard,  isn’t with me now. I forget what I intended to buy, and return to the car empty handed.   I give thanks for all the lilies I had purchased and given to my mother Mary Grace over the years and wonder if they are still growing among the flower borders of my childhood home.

Every woman needs a special day, but thank God since 1914 here in the United State we have an official Mother’s Day.   Anna Jarvis didn’t intend for Hallmark and the rest of the gift products industry to reap financial benefits, but what the heck this special day still means we can take it a little easier, or spend some effort to acknowledge those special women, mothers and grandmothers we love and day in day out give to us.

I have included some recipes for brunch or dinner, plus my pansy bookmark you can download and print on card stock.  Hope you and yours have a Happy Mother’s Day.

 

Mother's May Tea

 Fresh Strawberry Mint Spread

Serves 8-10

2-8oz cream cheese

½ pint fresh strawberries, sliced

1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons rose or white wine

Garnish with fresh mint leaves

Allow the cream cheese to soften at room temperature.  Place all the ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth.  Chill before serving.  Add the mint garnish before serving.  The mint flavor blends with the cheese.

Asparagus with Soft Polenta

Polenta

4 cups whole milk

1 cup coarsely ground cornmeal

½ cup grated Parmigiano cheese

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

 

To make the polenta bring the milk to boil in a large saucepan.  A non-stick pan is a good choice for this dish. Add the salt, then add the cornmeal very slowly, stir constantly with a spoon until mixture is starting to thicken.  Cook the mixture for approximately 30 minutes or until bubbling and thick.  If the mixture starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, lower the heat and continue to stir.  When the mixture begins to pull away from the bottom of the pan, it is done.   Add parmigiano cheese, stir.  The polenta should be the consistency of a thick pudding. Spoon the polenta unto serving dishes. 

Asparagus

1 bunch fresh asparagus trimmed and washed (see page 31)

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

½ cup grated parmigiano cheese

Heat the oil in a sauté pan until hot.  Lower the heat and add the asparagus, salt and lemon zest.  Stir until the oil has covered the asparagus.  Cook on low heat until tender when pierced with a fork, approximately 5-7 minutes. To Serve:  Top the polenta in serving dishes with spears of asparagus, top with grated cheese.

Real Lemon Cake

Cake:

1 cup butter, room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

4  large eggs, room temperature

3 cups all purpose flour

½ teaspoons baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

2 ½ tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest (3 large lemons)

2 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 large lemons)

 

Glaze:

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 Tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 10 inch tube pan, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper and grease again, then lightly dust with flour.

Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time, allowing the eggs to be incorporated into the mix each time.  Sift together the flour and baking soda. Add these to the butter/sugar mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Stir in the lemon juice and zest. Pour the batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

 

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean and the cake has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool for 10 minutes.

While cake is cooling, prepare glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the juice, sugar, and lemon zest.

Invert the cake onto a serving plate or cake stand, prick the surface numerous times with a toothpick or cake tester. Brush the glaze over the surface of the cake. Repeat several times, letting the glaze sink into the cake each time. Cool to room temperature. This cake will keep, if it lasts that long, several days.