I was going to post a Meyer lemon bundt cake recipe a couple of weeks ago but to be honest, I hated the pictures I took. Yes, hate is a strong word but they weren't fit to share with you.

One of the original photos!

Update: It's so funny how I wanted to reshoot these before posting because I have been wanting to RESHOOT them again since I posted these in 2011. I'm including one of the original shots because I think it's cool to see where I was and where I am now, photography-wise.

I was waiting for a chance to make the cake again so I could retake photos. Then, this past weekend, I had this idea that I wanted to convert the recipe into mini Meyer lemon bundt cakes. We drove all over town this past Sunday to different stores until I finally found a mini bundt cake pan. (The whole time I was thinking, if I had thought of this before, I could have ordered a pan with my Amazon Prime account.) It's okay, I'm lucky that my husband loves to go hunting for stuff. He doesn't like shopping but he likes looking for stuff, if that makes any sense! He calls it the hunt.

This recipe is much better as mini cakes. I have to admit that I ate 6 cakes right after they came out of the oven. The Meyer lemons make these cakes so perfect. The sweet lemony flavor along with the buttery flavor, with a dust of powdered sugar these cakes are a little piece of heaven. They even remind me of Madeleine cookies too…hmm, I have a Madeleine pan that I need to break in.

If you have never cooked or baked with a Meyer lemon before, you're missing out.

It smells wonderful in the kitchen when you zest one. I get really excited when I see and smell the cake batter too.

The wonderful scent is unmistakable and unlike a regular lemon.

Seriously, love this recipe so much!

Add the yogurt and flour mixture in batches at the end and be careful not to overmix.

Place the batter into the cavity of the mini bundt cake pan.

Just having a little fun with the bundt cakes!

These are perfect as a light dessert or a quick snack. Just be careful…I know you will not be able to eat just one! I made these again tonight because I couldn't stop thinking about them.

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Mini Meyer Lemon Bundt Cakes

Meyer lemons have a wonderful taste and these light, buttery cakes are perfect with tea or as a light snack.

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 18 -20 mini cakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teapoon baking soda
• 1/2 teapoon salt
• 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons grated Meyer lemon zest plus 1/4 cup Meyer lemon juice (from about 3 Meyer lemons)
• 1/3 cup fat-free plain yogurt
• 1/2 teapoon vanilla extract
• powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup mini bundt cake pan with baking spray.
• In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment or large bowl and electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy and light, about 3-4 minutes. Add eggs and mix well. Add Meyer lemon zest and juice and mix well.
• Add 1/3 of the flour mixture along with half of the yogurt and mix, to combine. Repeat & combine (be careful not to overmix). Add the remaining flour mixture and mix, just to combine. As you're mixing, use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl. Add vanilla extract and mix.
• Using a medium or large cookie scoop, add 1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp to each bundt cake cavity. Tap pan gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles that may have accumulated.
• Bake 15-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in several cakes comes out clean and cake edges are golden brown.
• Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a cooling rack and place on top of the mini bundt pan. Flip the pan over and remove the pan, leaving the cakes to cool on the parchment paper (on top of the cooling rack). Allow cakes to cool at least 15 minutes before dusting powdered sugar on top. Store in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Notes

Inspired by and modified from Everyday Food‘s Tangerine Cake

The post Mini Meyer Lemon Bundt Cakes appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

I have a confession to make, when I first tried Greek yogurt, I didn't like it. It was too tart for me. But after trying different flavors and mixing in dried fruits and granola, I love it. It's a great snack and as I learned last year from my friend, Cassie, a great ingredient to bake with!

When the Florida Dairy Farmers asked me to create a recipe using yogurt, I got really excited and I knew I wanted to try my hand at baking with it. The first couple of tries ended in failure but when I tried a third time, this wonderful cake was born! I garnered inspiration from these Meyer lemon bundt cakes and this lemon yogurt cake. I knew I wanted a buttery cake and am so happy with how my version of a pound cake turned out!

Grease a 9-inch loaf pan with non-stick baking spray.

Bake for about 32 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes and then…

Flip over onto a cooling rack that has a piece of parchment paper on it. Poke holes with a toothpick.

While the cake is baking, you'll make a Meyer lemon syrup. Now pour this slowly on top and let the cake soak in the lemony goodness.

The topping is made by whipping melted white chocolate chips and Greek yogurt, it's so good…I think I have to use it as a topping for ice cream next time!

Be sure to check out the milkshakes I made last month and the ongoing giveaway…it's awesome!!

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Meyer Lemon-Greek Yogurt Pound Cake with White Chocolate-Greek Yogurt Topping Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6 one 9-inch cake

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 Tablespoon grated Meyer lemon zest
• 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt about 2 6-ounce containers
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice

White Chocolate-Greek Yogurt Topping

• 1/4 cup white chocolate chips melted and cooled
• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt 6-ounce container

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment or large bowl and electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy and light, about 3-4 minutes. Add eggs and mix well. Add Meyer lemon zest and juice and mix well. Add vanilla extract and oil and mix thoroughly.
• Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the lemon batter along with half of the yogurt and mix, to combine using a rubber spatula. Repeat & combine (be careful not to overmix). Add the remaining flour mixture and mix, just to combine. As you're mixing, use spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl.
• Pour into a greased (with nonstick baking spray) 9-inch loaf pan and baked for about 32 to 35 minutes or when a toothpick is inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• While baking, add 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup Meyer lemon juice to a small saucepan and mix. Cook on medium low until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside and allow to cool.
• Remove cake from the oven and place loaf pan on a cooling rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Using the cooling rack, flip the cake out of the pan and onto the cooling rack. Using a skewer stick or toothpick. Poke holes into the cake. Pour cooked lemon syrup over the cake.
• Remove Greek yogurt from the refrigerator and place on the counter. Melt white chocolate chips in the microwave in 20 to 30 second increments on 50% power (60 to 90 seconds total) and set aside, mix a little with a spoon. Add Greek yogurt to the white chocolate and mix with a spoon. Then, using an electric hand mixer, whip thoroughly. (There may be some streaks or lumps of white chocolate but most of it should be gone.) Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Dollop Greek yogurt topping over sliced cake and serve.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Florida Dairy Farmers and I only work with brands and organizations that I love. Thanks for supporting them and for supporting my blog! As always, opinions expressed are my own.

The post Meyer Lemon-Greek Yogurt Pound Cake appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

Meyer lemons, oh how I love thee. It's so sad that Meyer lemon season is coming to a close this year. If you have any or get a chance to get your hands on some, make this risotto! It's so easy and I love the combination of mushrooms and the lemons!

First roughly chop your mushrooms.

How to sauté the perfect mushrooms

I learned this from a family friend when I was a kid, she always sautéed mushrooms in butter and soy sauce! It's magical.

When cooking your mushrooms, you'll notice a lot of water accumulates into your pan. Just stir and keep cooking, the moisture will evaporate off.

And then you're left with this.

And then you can brown them. And all done. Depending on how much mushrooms you're doing, it will take 8 to 10 minutes or more to sauté them!

Remove the mushrooms and then start on the risotto.

Add 1/4 to 1/3 of chicken broth or vegetable broth to the arborio rice until it's absorbed. Continue to stir the rice constantly.

This is comfort food.

I was fortunate to participate in a Pinterest photo contest for the new color –  Le Creuset Quince carried exclusively by Williams-Sonoma. Don't you love the bright yellow collor? I was given the Le Creuset Signature Braiser — and I love the size of it. And the wide handles. I didn't win the contest but I I get to keep the braiser!

Easy recipes are my forté and it was obvious for me to combine my love of Meyer lemons and mushrooms! Hope you enjoy this dish if you make it!

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Meyer Lemon and Mushroom Risotto Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Ingredients

Sautéed Mushrooms

• 1 Tablespoon salted butter
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 10 ounces white button mushrooms sliced (about 4 1/2 cups)
• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons onion chopped finely (about 1/4 onion)
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 6 to 8 cups low sodium chicken broth about 3 to 4 cans
• 2 Tablespoons Meyer lemon zest from about 2 Meyer lemons
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
• grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

How to Sauté Mushrooms

• Add 1 Tablespoon of salted butter and 2 teaspoons of soy sauce to a Le Creuset braiser or a large non-stick skillet. Turn heat to medium and add mushrooms. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, juices will be released but cooking will not be complete until all juices are gone. Remove mushrooms from braiser and set aside.
• Add chicken broth to a medium sized pot and bring to a boil then lower heat and allow broth to simmer.
• Melt 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter and heat olive oil in braiser. Add onions and cook until translucent for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add rice stir. Allow butter and onions to coat the rice. Add 1/2 to 1/3 cup of chicken broth at a time, stir with rubber spatula or wooden spoon and allow the rice to absorb the chicken broth. Continue doing this until the rice is the right consistency, the inside will be al dente and the outside will be a little creamy. You may not need all of the chicken broth.
• Mix in mushrooms, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add salt and peper if needed. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Notes

From The Little Kitchen

Other Meyer Lemon Risotto recipes:

Meyer Lemon Risotto from Simply Recipes
Meyer Lemon Risotto from 101 Cookbooks

Disclosure: I was given a braiser by Le Creuset for the purpose of participating in a photo contest. I was not required to post about it and I only share with you my honest opinions. There are affiliate links in this post.

The post Meyer Lemon and Mushroom Risotto appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

The first time I had a madeleine, it was at a coffee shop. I fell in love immediately. It's a spongy, cake-like cookie that you can dip in coffee or just eat them with a dusting of powdered sugar. I have been dying to make these forever!

I have a huge stash of Meyer lemons—this wonderful winter citrus should be synonymous with the holiday season. They are a cross between regular lemons and mandarin oranges, and not as tart as a regular lemon…but not overly sweet, either. They’re so fragrant—I love having them around, and I love baking with them. Last year, I made mini meyer lemon bundt cakes at least five times.

Using a rubber spatula, mix up the sugar, vanilla extract and the Meyer lemon zest.

After combining all of the wet ingredients, your batter will look a little curdled because the other cold ingredients (eggs & yogurt) chill the melted butter.

Here’s a shot to show you what the cookie batter looks like after the flour is all mixed in. As always, don't overmix after adding the flour.

Fill the indentations in your madeleine pan with one-tablespoon scoops of cookie batter. No need to butter the pan if it's a non-stick one.

How about a close-up?

Hope you make these and enjoy!! And if you haven't cooked or baked with a Meyer lemon yet…definitely give it a try!

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Meyer Lemon Madeleine Cookies Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Meyer lemon zest about 2 Meyer lemons
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract with vanilla beans
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 Tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
• 1/2 cup fat free plain yogurt

Meyer Lemon glaze (optional)

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Meyer lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons milk

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease your madeleine pan with butter or baking spray if it's NOT non-stick. Mix dry ingredients in a mixing bowl (flour, baking soda and baking powder). Set aside.
• In another mixing bowl, add sugar, vanilla extract and lemon zest and mix together with a rubber spatula. Add in eggs, one at a time and combine thoroughly with a whisk. Whisk in melted butter. Then, add lemon juice. Add yogurt and mix together thoroughly with spatula. In two batches, fold in flour mixture. Don't over mix. Allow the batter to sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Using a tablespoon measuring spoon, spoon batter into Madeleine pan cavities. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes. Flip over onto a baking rack and allow to cool for just a couple of minutes.

Meyer Lemon glaze (optional)

• While cookies are baking, make glaze - combine all ingredients into a medium mixing bowl and whisk until a glaze has formed. Add more milk if needed.
• Drip glaze over cookies with a spoon and serve immediately. If storing cookies, don't add glaze until ready to serve. Cookies are best when served right after baking.

For more recipes in the 12 Days of Cookies series, follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #BlogHerCookies.

This post is part of the BlogHer 12 Days of Cookies editorial series. Our advertisers do not produce or review editorial content. This post is made possible by Bank of America and BlogHer.

The post Meyer Lemon Madeleine Cookies appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

It's National Cookie Day! I stocked up for this day and for the season! I bought 6 pounds of butter a couple of weeks ago and I'm afraid it won't last through this season of cookie making!

My instagram profile states that I love cookies – hehe, it's just that simple. That's why it's not a reach that Lindsay and I organize the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap! OXO® asked the both of us if we’d like to help make a holiday cookie video in support of Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. I got really excited, said yes and then realized what I said yes to (me on video haha). Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, it is a national non-profit organization committed to funding new therapies used in the fight against pediatric cancer, which claims the lives of more children in the US than any other disease. How heartbreaking and at the same time so inspiring, they are raising money for children's cancers one cookie at a time.

Curtis and I visited Lindsay and her husband, Taylor, in October and thought it would be perfect timing for us to film this video. We had a lot of fun and Lindsay did an amazing job of editing tons of video down to less than 4 minutes! And to mention, we have no foreheads in the video…to Taylor's credit, he did mention that to us and we kinda ignored him. Hehe If you can't see the video above, check it out here.

I'll be completely honest with you, I have never been a really big fan of biscotti – but making it at home is much better. I'm a soft and chewy cookie fan, crunchy cookies I'm not too big on so when Lindsay suggested we try biscotti, I wanted to try it. What I didn't count on was liking them so much! Since they are homemade, they aren't as hard a cookie as I recalled biscotti to be. Lindsay is sharing her version which is an orange and dark chocolate biscotti.

Mix the butter and sugar until it's fluffy and then add the eggs, one at a time. Be sure to mix thoroughly between each egg.

Bottom corner: add the vanilla, Meyer lemon zest and Meyer lemon juice. Mix thoroughly and then add the dry ingredients in batches. Then add the white chocolate!

Form the dough into two logs. But first, wet your hands or spray them with non-stick cooking spray. When they're done, let them cool a little and then cut them into 1.5 to 2 inch cookies and bake them once again for 15 minutes.

Biscotti makes great gifts for your family and friends. They are a stronger cookie than most and ship really well. I used a cute Martha Stewart ribbon and these Wilton bags to wrap them up.

You'll love this recipe. I'm obsessed with Meyer lemons and am so excited since they are in season! They aren't as tart as a regular lemon and I think that's why I love them so. They smell so good too…they make my entire kitchen smell so light and fresh when I cook and bake with them.

I added a cup of Cafe Escapes Chai latte (K-Cup) and enjoyed the biscotti and the chai when I was done…yummy! And I'm just a little obsessed with Cafe Vanilla flavor. I love that the biscotti goes with both coffee and tea!

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Meyer Lemon and White Chocolate Biscotti Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup 1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 Tablespoons finely grated Meyer lemon zest from 2 Meyer lemons
• 2 Tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl or using a stand mixer, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in Meyer lemon zest, Meyer lemon juice, and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients. In batches, add the flour mixture, and mix until incorporated. Fold in white chocolate chips.
• Divide dough in half, and shape each half into a 2-inch-by-13-inch log. Grease or wet your hands as the dough is pretty sticky. Repeat with remaining dough, leaving about 3 inches of space between logs. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
• When cookies are cool enough to handle, cut them into slices using a sharp serrated or bread knife. Arrange slices, cut sides facing up, on the cookie sheet and bake for another 15 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to an airtight container or zippered plastic bag for up to 1 week.

Notes

From The Little Kitchen

Disclosure: I have a working relationship with OXO and I'm a compensated K-Cup Ambassador. I only work with brands that I love and all opinions are always my own. There are affiliate links in this post.

The post Meyer Lemon and White Chocolate Biscotti appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

I had a lot of fun making these drinks and well, ummm drinking them. I love mojitos so I thought I would do a twist on them with Meyer lemons. Check out the Cook's Notes in the recipe on how to make simple syrup. It's the perfect way to sweeten up the drink.

Meyer lemons aren't as tart as the regular lemons we're used to and they look more like oranges. They are also a little bigger than regular lemons. In the U.S., they will be in season until February…so get on it, what are you waiting for?

This is how we served them at the Duda Farm Fresh Foods booth and they seemed to go over very well. I told everyone to imagine they had rum in them! For the convention, I made them a mocktail with club soda. Please promise me you'll make them with your favorite citrus rum (only if you're over 21)!

I had some hiccups prepping and preparing food in the little kitchen (haha, get it) in the booth, hey it was my first time doing this sort of thing. Despite that, I had a blast. I got to meet a bunch of Duda employees, who are so warm and welcoming. They all made me feel like a part of the Duda family. On the left, that's Sammy Duda, me, Gwen and Lucy. The picture on the right is Chris, a journalist, Bill and Tim (thanks for helping me clean up the ice, Tim). Huge props to Nichole & Megan who are so awesome & nice to work with and to Ralph for shopping for all of the supplies and ingredients for my recipes.

Again, I can't thank the Duda folks enough for giving me this wonderful opportunity and allowing me to share my recipes with the Fresh Summit Fresh Experience Tour.

Thanks to Broderick of Savory Exposure for taking this picture. Look at me, I know I'm a total cheeseball.

By the way, Broderick had the coolest iPhone case, it looked like a cassette tape. It was great seeing him and all of the other food bloggers who participated in the Fresh Experience Tour. I also had a lot of fun catching up with Tami too. It was great to meet with some chefs even though it was intimidating to have them try my recipes as well as journalists who were on the tour.

I learned so much. I learned the Duda has sugar cane fields, I learned this from Mark while we were talking to a chef about Vietnamese shrimp paste that's cooked and served on sugar cane sticks. I knew this already but I felt it firsthand, how passionate Duda is and how passionate their employees are about sustainability and are about getting the best product out to market. And you gotta love that Duda Farm Fresh Foods has nothing to do with GMOs.

Back in the little kitchen…look at the pretty Meyer lemons. I used a juicer to squeeze all of those juices out. In the booth at the PMA Fresh Summit, I made a note to myself, when you want to juice 30 Meyer lemons, bring an electric juicer. My arms hurt the next day.

Cut up 1/4 of the rind to include in your drink. You can cut them even smaller if you want. You will be using this cut up rind to make your drink.

It's a really simple and refreshing drink to make…and really easy to make! I swear it will take you less than 10 minutes to make, okay 15 if you include making the simple syrup.

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Meyer Lemon Mojito

A different take on the classic mojito! Make it a mocktail by using club soda instead.

Servings 1 drink

Ingredients

• 1 Meyer Lemon squeezed (reserve the rind & cut up 1/4 of it)
• 3 mint leaves
• 1/2 to 1 1/2 Tbsp simple syrup
• 1/2 cup citrus rum or club soda
• club soda if using rum
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice

Instructions

• Place 1/4 of the cut up rind, 1/2 of the Meyer lemon juice, simple syrup and mint leaves into a tall glass cup. Using a mottler or small wooden spoon, mottle (or push down on) the mint leaves and Meyer lemon rinds a few times.
• Taste and add more simple syrup to taste if needed. Transfer to drinking or mojito glass along with the rest of the Meyer lemon juice. Add club soda and/or rum along with ice. Give one quick stir with a spoon or drink stirrer and serve immediately.

Cook's Notes:

• Mojitos usually have rum and club soda. You can leave out the club soda if you wish. If using, add as much or as little as you wish.
• To make simple syrup, add equal parts granulated sugar and water (at least 3/4 cup) to a small saucepan, bring to a boil for 1 to 2 minutes and lower heat to a simmer for 4-5 minutes. Allow simple syrup to cool completely before using in your drink. If you don't have time to make simple syrup, you can always mix equal parts sugar and warm water in a cup and mix until the sugar is completely dissolved.

I hope you enjoy it! Mojitos are my favorite cocktail and this one has definitely become a top favorite…so now, tell me what your favorite cocktail or mocktail is.

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored post. You all know that my opinions expressed on The Little Kitchen are always my own!

The post Meyer Lemon Mojitos appeared first on The Little Kitchen.