Showing posts with label Meyer lemon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Meyer lemon. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Meyer Lemon and Cinnamon Scented Flan

I have this friend, even better folks - she is family, she is sweet like sugar, yep - she is mother - in - law, Mama B.

See Mama B. is a very passionate person. I love it. She is about as passionate as she is energetic, I enjoy spending time with her, she will run circles around me all day long then give me a massage after which she will sing you a song while playing her new ukulele. That really happens.


She is as talented as the day is long.

Mama B lives on a big ranch in the big 'ole state of Texas, I imagine she chases dogs, probably gets tussled by a few mutts and I hope she watches the sun set on the big open country sky.


She is fueled by her many passions which include....... none other but a deep and wide soft spot for caramel. She probably tastes like caramel if you lick her. Don't go lickin' her now!

Someday I will feature her secret technique for making caramel, I promise next time I am in the Lone Star State I will feature Mama B.'s special sauce.


The lady is gaga for the timeless sweet treat. GAGA. I can't look at anything that has caramel in it and not think of her. This makes it hard passing up caramel when it is around, just thinking about her getting excited about it makes me want to share in the enjoyment.


I made this flan for J and I. I wish I could have shared it with Mama B. the caramel would make her dance.


Besides caramel there is the subtle scent of cinnamon and lemon. J loves cinnamon, I love Meyer lemons. It works out.


The J and I both don't care for sugary treats late ate night, I will take a good night sleep instead.  Usually, we save desserts for the morning hours.

Flan happened this morning. Just sayin' - what did you have for breakfast?  Betcha not flan....


Since this flan is neither sweet nor heavy - I am going to go out on a limb and say flan is a perfectly acceptable breakfast. Healthy eggs, whole milk, a little bit of sugar. Brain fuel. Just trust me on this one. It is a serious treat paired with coffee. Breakfast flan - I can see/smell the wheels turning! It is the next big breakfast rave because, honestly if I read about poached eggs on toast or toast with spinach and poached egg.... well there are plenty of good uses for eggs....



Meyer Lemon and Cinnamon Scented Flan
 
 
Adapted from Food and Wine
Makes 4 medium sized ramekins. Can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for 2 days.
 
2 1/2 cups whole milk
 
Peel of  a Meyer Lemon
 
3 medium cinnamon sticks, broken
 
1 cup sugar 
 
1/4 cup water
 
5 large eggs 


  1. Preheat the oven to 300°. Set 4 ramekins or custard cups in a medium baking pan. 
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, lemon peel and cinnamon sticks and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes; discard the lemon peel and cinnamon stick pieces.
  3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, cook 1/2 cup of the sugar with the water over moderately high heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Lower the heat to moderate and let the sugar syrup simmer, without stirring, until a deep amber caramel forms, about 15 minutes. Immediately pour the caramel into the ramekins, tilting them as necessary to evenly coat the bottoms.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. Slowly whisk in the warm milk, then strain through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup or a bowl. Pour the custard into the ramekins. Pour enough hot water into the baking pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for about 40 minutes, until a knife inserted into a flan comes out clean. Transfer the ramekins to a rack and let the flans cool to room temperature. Refrigerate the flans for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  5. To serve, run a thin knife around each flan. Top each flan with an inverted dessert plate and unmold, letting the caramel run over the flans. Serve at once.

 There you have it folks, breakfast eggs. Just brilliant eggs in sugar and milk! FLAN. Check out Kitchen Play for other great breakfasts featuring eggs and thank you American Egg Board for the idea!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

The Heart Breaker

So I woke up this morning - yep believe it or not. I did it.

That was a high point during the day.


Right up until I sliced through a handful of those sweet Meyer lemons that are almost disappearing from the season.

Then added tequila - of course. who would consume lemons without booze or sugar?
 Com'mon now.

I think the sole reason I got out of bed, besides the fact that our bed is all worn out and is impossible to just to be lazy, is that there was (was) a jar of peanut butter that was just calling my name. I really need to clean the cupboards. Ya'know, be productive. What better way to clean out the wounded soldiers (J pronounces them: souljas) by polishing off numerous jars of peanut better. Before 7am. It is weird. That is just me, having on of those peanut butter days.

Instead of doing the sensible thing, like getting some exercise or at least vicariously through the wonder dog running through the desert, I went shopping.

I need new dishes. NEEEEEDDDDDDD........must have new dishes............want new dishes.....

The week after Christmas deals seem to be floating around. So I pulled up my trousers and went to THE MALL. As it turns out, kids are on winter break and parents are freaking out.  Seriously. Look around you. Craziness.

The desert, people go crazy here.

I left with a clearance Godiva chocolate bar clutched in my hand. I needed comfort as soon as I reached the serenity of my car. Nibble, nibble. That is me, eating in the car that is sitting in the mall parking lot.

No plates. Chocolate will do. Because the peanut butter got me started. It was all the peanut butter's fault or the cupboards for being too small.

Back to the dishes (important things), want to trade? I am looking for eclectic pieces, mismatched but pretty. I am easy to please. White, old china that someone has tucked away in their cupboard. I am not afraid to use it. I have some pretty brown swirly plates by TAG. You can have them.

Peanut butter, shopping, chocolate.... this girl is going to make a fancy cocktail to celebrate a day of indulgence. 

I have to start what I finish. I learned that in the new True Grit movie. I am just that way. I loved the movie.

My J loves westerns and I love him.


My husband loves me. He buys nice tequila.


  I buy Meyer lemons.



Who has hot red nails...

 All sorts of nice tequila.


We make cocktails and get all chatty.


I love it.  



The Heart Breaker

I name this sweet puckery boozy drink the heart breaker because when you take a sip, you wish it was summer on a beach but really you are trying to keep warm in a small apartment in the desert during cold winter months.
That my friend is a heart breaker.

1 part tequila
1 part Meyer lemon juice
1 part orange liqueur

mix - go to your happy place.

Repeat?