Table for Two - Cherry Trembleque

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a light and simple dessert that is low in calories and perfect for just two people. This is not a sponsored post, and I am including the brand name of the yogurt I used because it produced the best flavor when I was testing different versions of the recipe. The trembleque is a bit like a panna cotta. It has a lovely texture and the yogurt cream, which actually shimmies on the plate, begins to melt when placed on the tongue. The dessert can be molded if you wish, but it is easier, and often more attractive, to pour the trembleque into cocktail glasses for serving. If you do mold it, remember to run the tip of the a knife around the edges of the cup and to dip its bottom in hot water for 30 seconds or so, before inverting onto a serving plate. It is hard to find desserts for just two people and I thought those of you who are no longer cooking for a crowd, might want to consider this very simple recipe for your collection. Here is how the trembleque is made.

Child's Play - A Greek Yogurt, Lime and Honey Pie the Kids Can Make for Father's Day

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite... The most treasured of my gifts are those that have been made especially for me. I hope that mine are not singular treasures and that you, too, appreciate gifts that speak of thoughtful time and care. I know that many of you will be hosting gatherings next Sunday and I thought it would be nice to share a recipe that the kids can make for Father's Day. This simple dish is truly child's play, and as long as it is allowed to chill for several hours it can't go wrong - unless, of course, it's dropped on the floor. If the kids are going to make the pie, you'll want to provide some type of pre-baked pie shell, and if your assistants are very young, you'll want to oversee the transfer of boiling water from pot to pan. They really can make this pie themselves, so, while you'll want to keep the eyes in the back of your head focused, let them have at it. It won't look as pretty as yours, but I guarantee that Dad will think it's beautiful. Here is how this light and airy dessert is made.

Glazed Lemon Yogurt Muffins

                              The winner of the $50 Novica gift certificate is Thomas Murphy.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a perfect recipe for the ill-equipped kitchens generally found in summer cottages or cabins. All that's required to get tonight's feature on the table is a couple of bowls, a wooden spoon and a knife. Despite the ease with which these muffins come together, you'll find they are quite tasty and can serve extended duty as a tea cakes or base for strawberry shortcake. They are light and tart and altogether lovely, save for the fact that the glaze makes them a bit tacky to the touch. I do hope you'll overlook that and give them a try. They are a great way to start or end the day and they are easy enough for young cooks to tackle. They are not great keepers, but I don't think you'll have to worry about that. The recipe is straightforward and there are no potential hazards you should be aware of. This recipe first appeared in Taste of Home magazine and I've made no substantive changes to the original version. While these muffins are not overly sweet, they are tart enough to set lemon lovers swooning. Here is how they are made.

Glazed Lemon Yogurt Muffins...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home

Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup (8 ounces) lemon or plain yogurt
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Glaze
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease or, if you prefer, line 12 standard muffin cups with cupcake liners.
1) Combine flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
2) Combine egg, yogurt, butter and lemon juice in another bowl and whisk to combine.
3) Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients, just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.
4) Bake for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes. Leave muffins in pan.
5) Meanwhile, combine glaze ingredients in a saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Using a toothpick, poke 6 to 8 holes in each muffin. Spoon or brush syrup over warm muffins. Yield: 12 muffins.

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Raspberry And Yogurt Pops

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a simple treat that is nice to have in the roster when you are trying to provide healthier alternatives for family snacks and desserts. While I've provided a recipe, it is meant only as a guide and I hope you will come up with fruit and yogurt combinations of your own. I made these bars for Bob when he was first released from the hospital. He liked the icy flavor of the frozen berries and I liked the bit of protein I could sneak into his diet with the yogurt. The pops have since become a favorite of his, so I'm currently trying to recreate Dreamsicles, a childhood favorite we both loved. They cost all of a nickel when we were kids, and I remember sitting on the curb on hot Chicago nights waiting for the ice cream truck to roll by. Back then, the Good Humor Man was the most popular guy in town and I am, to this day, amazed that families were raised on the income earned from those trucks. If I have any luck with my Dreamsicle experiments, I'll let you know. In the meantime, here the recipe for today's fruit and yogurt pops.

Raspberry and Yogurt Pops...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 cups raspberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons superfine sugar
1/3 cup superfine sugar
1 1/2 cups full-fat yogurt

Directions:
1) Add raspberries, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons sugar to a blender and puree. Strain through a fine sieve and pour an equal quantity into  bottom of each of 10  popsicle molds. Freeze for 1 hour before proceeding.
2) Add sugar and yogurt to a blender jar and pulse to combine. Spoon or pour on top of raspberries already in popsicle molds. Freeze for about an hour before inserting insert sticks. Return to freezer for at least 3 hours before serving. Run warm water over sides of molds to release popsicles. Yield: 10 servings.


This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

One Year Ago Today: Frozen Vacherin Torte with Strawberry and Rhubarb Cream

Two Years Ago Today: Grilled Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

Three Years Ago Today: Orange Couscous with Cinnamon Vinaigrette

Lemon Yogurt Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite..."Oh, what a tangled web we weave...." I had not intended to post an Ina Garten recipe today. Don't get me wrong. I love Ina and the only reason I don't feature more of her recipes is that we all have her books and actively cook from them. You don't need me to tell you how good she is. Chances are you have already made this lovely loaf cake and aren't interested in seeing yet another take on it. Mea culpa, but after a quick walk through my day you'll see how the unintended came to be and why you are looking at this lemon yogurt cake for the gazillionth time since the recipe for it was first published. Ready? I had yogurt in the refrigerator and needed the space it was holding for a batch of mascarpone that needed to be chilled. I was also looking for several breads or simple cakes that could be used as fillers on our Easter brunch table, making it look more abundant that it actually would be. I thought it would be great if I could find at least one recipe that used the yogurt I needed to get rid of. Genius moves in great broad strokes like that. I spent some time searching and found three candidates, all were simple to make and all would free the space I needed. I zeroed in on one and set to work, but as I was mixing wet and dry ingredients I had an eerie sense that I had done this all before. I'd past the point of no return, so I carried on and put the cake into the oven, more sure than ever that I had made this cake before. I reread the blog from which the recipe came but could find no reference to another source. I checked my blog to see if I had posted this before. A final key word search finally got me to Ina's recipe on the Food Network. I made this recipe back in 2006 and even though I feel a little foolish, at least I can credit Ina with its development. It is a nice cake and if you are a lemon-head you will enjoy this moist cake. I hope that any of you who have not yet tried it will give this recipe shot. Here's Ina's recipe.

Ina Garten's Lemon Yogurt Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Ina Garten

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1-1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 extra-large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Glaze
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-1/2 by 4-1/4 by 2-1/2-inch loaf pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour pan.
2) Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into one bowl. In another bowl, whisk together yogurt, 1 cup sugar, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and lemon extract. Slowly whisk dry ingredients into wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold vegetable oil into batter, making sure it’s all incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in center of the loaf comes out clean.
3) Meanwhile, cook 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.
4) When cake is done, allow it to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While cake is still warm, pour lemon-sugar mixture over cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.
5) For glaze, combine confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice and pour over cake. Let sit till set. Yield: 1 loaf (8 to 10 slices).









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Dimpled Apple Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The upside to being housebound is the time that's gained to explore new blogs and test recipes that have been waiting in the wings. I know I could iron or straighten closets, but when I have stolen time I prefer read or bake. Most of you know that I have a real weakness for apple cake. Actually, I have a serious problem and have been known to grow weak-kneed when the aroma of baking apples and cinnamon hits my nose. I know I need help. My hope is that a program will be formed before I've plucked the last apple from the last tree in America. This time, though, the Silver Fox had a hand in my undoing. Having just found the, new to me, blog The Kitchn, I called him over to take a peek at Faith Durand's apple cake. He must have liked what he saw because he volunteered to peel and core apples if I'd make the cake. What's a girl to say? I had a volunteer to do the heavy lifting, so I let him have a go at the apples while I assembled the other ingredients. The cake came together quickly, and within the hour the two of us had a piece of still warm cake to enjoy with our afternoon coffee. The cake, which is made with yogurt and olive oil, has a Mediterranean aspect and a unique, slightly tart flavor that sets it apart from other apple cakes I've tried. It is delicious, though much less sweet than you would expect. I found that refreshing and can recommend this cake to anyone who likes their treats warm and barely sweet. The cake wants to stick to the pan, so I'd advise you to use a really healthy coating of non-stick spray when you prepare your pan. This cake is very moist and when allowed to sit for a day or two it becomes more like a bread pudding than a cake. I prefer it fresh and warm from the oven. While this is not my all-time favorite apple cake, it is very nice and I will make it again. I hope you'll give it a try. Here's the recipe.

Dimpled Apple Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Faith Durand via The Kitchn

Ingredients:
Cake
1-1/2 cups Greek- yogurt, well-stirred
2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 small tart apples, such as Granny Smith, about 1-1/2 pounds
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground nutmeg
Cinnamon Streusel
2-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided use
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with baking spray or olive oil.
2) Whisk together yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl. Peel and core apples, and chop into chunks about 1/2-inch across. (My apple chunks were 1-inch across). You should end up with 3-1/2 to 4 cups of apples. Stir chopped apple into the liquid ingredients.
3) Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon right into the liquids and stir just until no lumps remain.
4) In a small separate bowl, mix remaining 2 teaspoons cinnamon with the brown sugar and butter.
5) Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Cover with half of cinnamon-brown sugar mixture, dropping it on batter in small lumps. Cover with remaining cake batter, then top with last half of cinnamon-brown sugar mixture.
6) Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, covering with foil if top gets too brown. When a tester comes out clean, transfer pan to a cooling rack and let it sit for at least 15 minutes before cutting. Yield: 12 servings.









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Greek Lemon Yogurt Mousse

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I know it's anathema to speak of light desserts at this time of year, but I sometimes feel the need for something that will refresh, rather than weigh down the palate. This lovely mousse was developed by Chef Nick Malgieri and it's included in his book Perfect Light Desserts. The recipe is as simple as it is light, and it will end even heavy winter meals on a bright note. The mousse is easy to make, but I wanted to alert you to some anomalies in the recipe. While they are beaten forever, the eggs whites don't form a true meringue and will look more like marshmallow creme than an Italian meringue. It is also important to beat them only until the sides of the pan in which they simmered are cool to the touch. The gelatin can coagulate if the mixture is beaten for too long a time. I, by the way, think there is too much gelatin in the original recipe. While I've cut back to 2 teaspoons when I prepare this for my family, the recipe below is the one originally developed by Nick Malgieri. The mousse is delicious as is, but berries of any type are a lovely accompaniment. I serve it with candied cranberries during the holiday season. So, if you've had one too many cookies or can't look another piece of fruitcake in the eye, I hope you'll try this dessert. Here's the recipe.

Greek Lemon Yogurt Mousse...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Nick Malgieri

Ingredients:
1 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup water
1 envelope (about 2 1/2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
2/3 cup eggs whites (from 4 or 5 large eggs)
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup sugar
6 to 8 serving vessels (glasses, ramekins, etc.)

Directions:
1) Combine yogurt, zest, juice, and extract in a small bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
2) To a separate small bowl, add water. Sprinkle gelatin on top and set aside.
3) Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water. Boil over medium heat. Meanwhile, to the bowl of a stand mixer, add egg whites, salt, and sugar, stirring gently to combine. Once water is boiling, carefully lower stand mixer bowl into saucepan. Whisk gently until sugar is dissolved and eggs are near-scalding to the touch. Remove bowl from pan.
4) Scrape gelatin into egg mixture and whisk quickly and thoroughly to combine.
5) Secure bowl to your stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip egg mixture at medium-high speed until the outside of the bowl is totally cool to the touch. (This took me about 8 minutes.) Once this occurs, add yogurt mixture. Continue whipping a few more seconds, until it's all combined.
6) Divide mixture among serving vessels and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes. Serve cold, with berries if they are available. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.








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Yiaourtopita - Greek Lemon and Yogurt Pound Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We've been sharing Turkish meze (appetizers) with friends who also enjoy large meals made from a variety of small plate dishes. I'm by nature a grazer and love the variety that's possible when meals are built this way, but I always have a problem deciding how to end them. The classic dessert choices would be fresh fruit or pudding, but local fruit is in short supply at this time of year and not all our guests would appreciate pudding at the end of a meal. While trying to puzzle what I'd serve, I came across a recipe for a Greek pound cake that was developed by Lynn Livanos Athan. It sounded delicious and I thought it would be a perfect finale to our meze plate supper. The cake is kissed with lemon and made with yogurt, so I thought it would be moist and tender as well as tasty. Fortunately, it did not disappoint. The cake comes together quickly and the only caution I have to share with you involves the yogurt used to prepare it. Use full fat Greek yogurt and drain it for at least 30 minutes before adding it to the batter. That precaution will help prevent the cake from becoming gummy. While the cake can be served with fresh fruit, it also works well as a stand-alone. If you are looking for a new recipe for pound cake you might want to give this version a try. It's very nice and I think you will enjoy it. Here's the recipe.

Yiaourtopita - Greek Lemon and Yogurt Pound Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Lynn Livanos Athan

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, plus 2 whites
2 cups plain yogurt (preferably Greek-style strained yogurt)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 large lemon
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Directions:
1) Measure 2 cups yogurt into a fine mesh strainer. Allow to drain for 30 minutes to remove excess moisture.
2) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously butter a 12 cup bundt or tube pan.
3) Sift flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a medium bowl and set aside.
4) Using a mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add sugar and continue to mix for about 5 minutes longer. Add whole eggs and egg whites and continue beating at medium speed until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
5) With mixer on low speed , add flour and yogurt to batter, alternating between each. As soon as the flour and yogurt are completely mixed in, turn off the mixer. Over mixing will cause cake to be tough. Stir in vanilla and lemon zest. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
6) Lower oven heat to 350 degrees F. Bake cake for about 45 to 50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting on to a plate. When cool, dust with confectioners' sugar. Yield: 12 to 16 servings.







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Blueberry Cream Squares

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love the celebrations of summer and the simple foods we've come to associate with them. Show me a marching band, throw in some fireworks and I'll pull out a virtual parade of recipes to help celebrate the occasion. Most come from memories garnered under the hot and hazy skies of my Midwestern childhood. These dishes are not for the health or diet conscious, but because they are served just once a year, I feel no need to apologize for the wretched excesses that will appear here over the next few days. I wanted to start with an old-fashioned dessert that is trying to make a comeback. These use to be called icebox cakes, the most famous of which is the still popular chocolate wafer cake. An icebox cake can loosely be defined as a cake that does not require baking. Cake slices, cookies, or crumbs of some type, are used as a base to hold the layers of the cake together. Almost all of them use copious amounts of heavy cream, though it is possible to make them with lower calorie whipped topping. I've always insisted that fresh fruit cancels the calories in whipped cream, so my icebox cakes always contain some type of fruit. Ergo, this cake is good for you. Kinda. Good or bad, this was part of our 4th of July celebration when I was a child. If you'd like to take a stroll down memory lane, the recipe follows.

Blueberry Cream Squares...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from Farm Journal

Ingredients:
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
3/4 cup (6 ounces) blueberry yogurt
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup cold water
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

Directions:
1) Combine sour cream and yogurt in a small bowl. Set aside.
2) Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small saucepan and let stand for 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup sugar. Cook and stir over low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved.
3) Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and sour cream mixture until blended. Transfer to a large bowl. Chill until partially set.
4) Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and reserved 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Set aside 1/4 cup for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture into an ungreased 8-inch square dish. Set aside.
5) Stir blueberries into partially set gelatin mixture. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon into crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Chill until set. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 9 servings







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Sumarterta - Icelandic Summer Skyr Tart

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Its name lured me as surely as the siren's song lured mariners of myth to death on rocky shoals. How can you resist something called a Summer Skyr Tart? I had visions of blond nymphs dancing in the pale glow of midnight sun, sipping champagne as they nibbled on elegant and Lucullean tarts. The romance of it all caused me to commit to its creation before I did my research and learned that skyr does not reference the midnight sun. It's a popular dairy product that is similar to strained yogurt, or soft cheese, and it's used extensively in Icelandic cooking. So much for romance. I also learned that skyr is thicker than yogurt and a bit sweeter. The product is not available here, so I decided to go with a Greek yogurt cheese that I've used for other purposes. As I browsed through the recipe it became clear that this dessert was not going to fall into the "sweet thing" category. It consists of cookie base that is covered with a barely sweet mixture of egg whites, cream cheese and yogurt. It is finished with a sprinkling of toasted almonds and strawberries. The recipe was developed by Beatrice Ojakangas, but I found it on a great blog called The Bohemian Kitchen. This is a large, thin tart. It will not set if you use a smaller pan and go for height rather than diameter. I used a 12-inch spring form pan to make my tart. I also made some adjustments to the recipe which I've highlighted in red. I added a small amount of almond extract and a pinch of salt to the cookie base. I also covered it with a 1/2 cup of warm strawberry jam before adding the yogurt layer. Please note that the recipe uses raw egg whites. Some of you might be more comfortable using pasteurized eggs or powdered egg whites. I like to use reconstituted egg whites because it alleviates the problem of having to store unused yolks. The tart will not set in the hour suggested in the recipe, so plan on at least 6 to 8 hours chill before serving. Now comes the hard part. I won't be making this again. It is a nice dessert, but it is very understated and almost boring. I suspect the results might be different if the tart were made with skyr, but until I can find a source for it, I'll stick with strawberry short cake. I hope some of you will try the Sumarterta and let me know what you think. Here's the recipe.

Sumarterta - Icelandic Summer Skyr Tart...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Beatrice Ojakangas and the Bohemian Kitchen

Ingredients:
Tart Base
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup softened butter
1 whole egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup warmed strawberry jam
Filling
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup yogurt cheese
1 (3-oz.) package cream cheese
Garnish
12 strawberries, cleaned & halved
3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 11 or 12-inch spring form pan and dust it with flour.
2) Combine flour, sugar, salt and butter. Mix with finger tips until coarse crumbs form. Add almond extract to egg and stir into crumb mixture, mixing well. Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden. Set aside to cool. When cool brush surface with strawberry jam.
3) With a mixer, combine yogurt cheese or skyr with cream cheese and beat until combined and smooth.
4) In a clean bowl, whip egg whites with a small dash of salt until frothy. Add sugar and continue beating until the whites become stiff.
5) Fold cheese mixture into egg whites. Spread over cooled crust.
6) Sprinkle with toasted almonds and decorate with strawberry halves.
7) Chill tart for at least 6 hours. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.






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Strawberry-Sour Cream Ice Cream - Confections of a Foodie Bride
Strawberry Buttermilk Cake - Fork Spoon Knife
Strawberry Jam - Sea Salt with Food
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Turkey Meatballs with Lemon-Garlic Yogurt Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I am prone to wanderlust. When the siren calls, I seek one of two things. It's occasionally the lure of brighter lights or a bigger city, but more often than not, especially these days, solitude better meets my need to cast away. Silence paves the way for reflection. Insight and serenity follow and they are my fresh air, my cosmic oxygen. My Valentine, bless him, has brought me to Loon Lake for the weekend. At this time of year, our only neighbors are the loons and save for their keening wails, silence and solitude reign supreme. The weather today was glorious and though a front has just moved in, we are warm and dry and very well-fed as we sit in this tiny cabin that teeters on the edge of the world. Bob has the fire blazing and the wind and rain are beating a steady tattoo that will have me sleepy well before my bedtime. I'm mesmerized by the artillery-like barrage that pine cones, loosed by the wind and pelting rain, are making as they bounce off the metal roof. There will be a mess for someone to clean up tomorrow, but for tonight all's right with my world. I have a lemon pie, and a special one at that, waiting to set, but it won't be ready in time for tonight's post. Fortunately, I can share tonight's dinner with you. I suspect many of you have read, or are at least familiar with, Molly Wizenberg's cookbook "A Homemade Life". While her recipes are wonderful, I'm always struck by her facility with language and the restrained power of her words. I have come to love her writing and her blog, Orangette. Hers, is one of the few books that has made from the library stacks to my personal collection. The meatballs we had for supper came from her book. While they are delicious, they are hard to categorize. They are vaguely Greek and definitely have their roots in Mediterranean kitchens. The ingredient list will be surprising to many. While the meatballs are made with pine nuts and raisins, they serve to make the recipe unique and add a texture and sweetness that makes an otherwise ordinary dish special. I mixed and formed the meatballs yesterday and brought them with us to be cooked. That gave all the flavors time to develop and made for a very tasty supper. While I served the meatballs on pita bread, it is not necessary and they do quite well on their own. The meatballs can be baked if you are watching your diet. I prefer them fried, but to each his own. These are very easy to make and can be assembled in less than 30 minutes. I promise you the flavor is unique and the meatballs are delicious. Here's the recipe.

Turkey Meatballs with Lemon-Garlic Yogurt Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Molly Wizenberg

Ingredients:
Meatballs
1-1/4 pound ground turkey thigh meat
1/2 cup finely minced onion
1 large egg
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup cup golden raisins (chopped if large)
1/3 cup fine bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
Lemon-Garlic Sauce
1 cup plain yogurt (Greek-style if possible)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1) To make meatballs: Combine turkey, onion, egg, cilantro, nuts, raisins, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and cumin in a large bowl. Mix just until ingredients are combined and evenly mixed. With wet hands form the mixture into 1 to 1-1/2-inch balls. Set on a tray. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and chill until ready to sauté.
2) To make sauce: Combine yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and salt in a small bowl. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate.
3) To cook: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy skillet over moderate heat, and sauté meatballs in batches, so as not to crowd them. As they begin to color, turn them regularly so that they are golden on all sides. They should be done when they are evenly browned and feel medium firm, but not hard when touched. Place on a paper towel to catch excess oil. Serve hot, warm, or cold with yogurt sauce. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

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Spicy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Blue Cheese Dip - My Kitchen Adventures
Swedish Meatballs - The Galley Gourmet
Porcupine Meatballs - The Daily Dish

Raspberry Kuchen

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a lovely old fashioned cake that's completely without pretense. Chances are your mother or grandmother made a cake quite similar to this one. It was codified by Better Homes and Gardens and it's been around for a while, fading in and out of fashion as eating habits change. The original recipe can be found in the no longer new, Better Homes and Gardens: New Baking Book. We used to call it "Poor Man's Cheese Cake," but it's officially called a Raspberry Kuchen. A kuchen is a cake-like dessert that has a soft dough crust and a topping of custard or cheese that contains berries or other fruits. I love this recipe for many reasons. There are no stray egg whites or yolks left to deal with when the cake is finished. What's not used in the crust is used in the custard and that appeals to my "green" instincts. The cake, which can be made without a mixer, is very easy to do and has the added advantage of being low in fat and only moderately sweet. Best of all, it can be made with fresh or frozen berries of any type. Frozen berries will produce a creamier cake because of the liquid they exude as the cake bakes. Cane berries of all sorts have come to market here in Oregon, but to tell the truth, they're not up to speed this year. Hopefully, they'll improve this week and we'll have something worth putting by. Until then, I'm relying on the stash in my freezer. I used frozen berries to make the cake today, so it's wonderfully creamy in taste and appearance. I hope those of you who are not familiar with this cake will give it a try. Here's the recipe.

Raspberry Kuchen...from the kitchen of One Perfect bite inspired by Better Homes and Gardens: New Baking Book

Ingredients:
Base
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups fresh or frozen cane berries

Filling
1-1/2 cups plain low-fat or nonfat yogurt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 slightly beaten egg yolks
1 slightly beaten whole egg
1-1/2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. If using frozen raspberries, thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes; drain.
2) In food processor bowl or medium mixing bowl, stir together 1 cup flour, the first 1/2 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Add melted butter, 2 egg whites and first teaspoon vanilla. Cover; process or stir by hand until mixed.
3) Spread onto the bottom of springform pan; sprinkle with berries. Set aside.
4) For filling, place yogurt in a large mixing bowl; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons flour. Add remaining sugar, yolks, whole egg, zest and remaining vanilla. Mix until smooth; pour over berries.
5) Bake for about 55 minutes or until center appears set when shaken gently. Cool for 15 minutes; remove sides of pan. Cover; chill until serving time, up to 24 hours. If you are feeling brave, you can remove pan bottom. Transfer to a serving plate. Yield: 10 - 12 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Orange Yogurt Cake - One Perfect Bite
Yogurt Cheese Cake - One Perfect Bite
Greek-Style Yogurt Pie with Fruit Preserves - One Perfect Bite
German Rahm Kuchen - A Feast for the Eyes
Cheese Kuchen - Madame Chow's Kitchen
Grandma's Pear Kuchen - Jules Food

Greek-Style Yogurt Pie with Fruit Preserves

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Tonight, out of an abundance of yogurt, I have yet another custard dessert to share with you. Not all stores in this area carry Greek yogurt, so, when it's available, I've been known to buy more than I really need and then end up scrambling to use it before it goes bad. This pie is an example of where my over exuberance in the dairy aisle leads. It's a Greek-style yogurt pie that, despite similar ingredients, is creamier and slightly sweeter than the yogurt pie we made and posted here a few days ago. It also has an interesting crust that is made from a mixture of white and whole wheat flour that is fortified with wheat germ. There are no berries in the pie but it is topped with a copious quantity of fruit preserves. You may prefer to use macerated fruit as a topping. You will find the pie needs the sweetness the fruit provides. While it is easy to make, there is significant wait time before the pie can be served. It's best to make the pie the night before you plan to serve it. It's worth the wait. Here's the recipe.

Greek-Style Yogurt Pie with Fruit Preserves...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Kyra at TasteBook

Ingredients:
Crust
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
3 tablespoons wheat germ
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
Filling
2 cups whole-milk Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups fruit preserves, such as plum or strawberry

Directions:
1) To make crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place flours, wheat germ, salt, and cinnamon in food processor bowl. Process to combine. Add butter and sugar; process until dough holds together. Press crust mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Freeze 15 minutes. Cover edge with foil. Bake until beginning to dry out, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. (Leave oven on.)
2) To make custard: Stir yogurt, vanilla and zest in a bowl. Stir in butter and yolks. Stir sugar, flour, and salt in a bowl; stir into yogurt mixture until smooth. Pour into crust.
3) Bake, with foil covering edge of crust, until just set in center, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool 1 hour. Spread jam over center of pie. Refrigerate at least 3 hours (up to overnight). Yield: 10 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Frozen Lemon Yogurt - One Perfect Bite
Yogurt Cheese Cake - One Perfect Bite>
Raspberry Yogurt Parfait - One Perfect Bite
Peach and Cream Fraiche (or Greek Yogurt Pie) - Smitten Kitchen
Yogurt Panna Cotta - Taste with the Eyes

Strawberry Yogurt Pie (Mansikkapiiras) - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's been a while since we've had a real "peasant" style dessert. While local berries won't be in markets for another six to eight weeks, the strawberries that are available to us are passably good. Years ago, I regularly made a dessert from Finland that used thick yogurt and blueberries to make a light custard pie called Mustikkapiiras. The custard filling covered a layer of berries that was baked in a cookie crust. It was light and not too sweet. The recipe I used came from the Moosewood Restaurant. I must admit I've played with this one. The recipe, as written, produced a scant amount of custard, so I've doubled the ingredients to produce a thicker layer of filling that gives this homely dessert more eye appeal. While any type of berry can be used, it's especially nice with seedless blackberries or strawberries. When strawberries replace blueberries, the Mustikkapiiras becomes a Mansikkapiiras. Here's the recipe I've adapted from the Moosewood original.

Strawberry Yogurt Pie...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by a recipe from Sunday at the Moosewood

Ingredients:
Crust
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Custard (this portion of the recipe has been doubled)
4 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups thick Greek-style plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Berries
2 cups sliced strawberries or other fresh berries

Directions:
1) To make crust: Butter and flour a 9-inch quiche pan with 1-1/2-inch sides. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add egg, and blend well. Combine flour and baking powder and sift into wet ingredients to form a soft dough. With flour dusted fingers, pat dough into bottom of prepared pan. Push dough up to cover sides of the pan. Refrigerate while making custard.
2) To make custard: Mix eggs, sugar, yogurt, lemon juice, vanilla extract, almond extract and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Beat until smooth. Place berries in bottom of pie shell. Pour in filling and smooth to coat berries. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes, until crust is browned and custard has set. Chill well before serving. Yield: 8 - 10 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Frozen Lemon Yogurt - One Perfect Bite
Yogurt Cheese Cake - One Perfect Bite
Raspberry Yogurt Parfait - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Frozen Lemon Yogurt - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Frozen yogurt enjoyed a brief period of popularity in the 1970's. It was touted as being a healthier alternative to ice cream, but many thought it was too tangy and its popularity faded. It was reintroduced in the 1980's and captured about 10% of the frozen dairy market. Today it still accounts for about 10% of all ice cream sales. I wish I could tell you that frozen yogurt is better for you than ice cream. That's not quite true. While it contains less fat than ice cream, it is still high in calories and can't be considered a "diet" food. Regular readers know that I love citrus desserts. What they don't know is that sweetened lemon yogurt is one of my favorites. If you freeze it, I'm in paradise. The sugar in this recipe helps balance a combination that would otherwise be too tart. This is almost effortless to make if you have an ice cream maker. It can, however, be made without one if you have time and follow the directions you'll find here. This is a perfect dessert for Easter Sunday or a spring fling. I hope you'll give it a try. Here's the recipe.

Frozen Lemon Yogurt...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
4 cups (32 ounces) plain yogurt
1-2/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
4 drops yellow food coloring, optional

Directions:
Combine yogurt, sugar, lemon juice and peel in a bowl and mix well. Stir in food coloring if using. Freeze, following directions that come with your ice cream maker. Transfer to freezer compartment of refrigerator and let sit for several hours before serving. Yield: 5 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Ice Cream Crunch Cake - One Perfect Bite
Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream - One Perfect Bite
Key Lime Sherbet - One Perfect Bitee

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Orange Yogurt Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Regular visitors to One Perfect Bite know that I love European, barely sweet desserts. This cake fits that mold. It's extremely easy to make and remarkable in that it has a buttery taste despite the fact it contains no butter. It's high and moist, a bit lighter that most yogurt cakes and is a perfect base for berries and a dollop of cream. I've used orange zest to flavor the cake but lemon or cocoa could also have been used. I baked mine in an 8-inch cheese cake pan with fixed sides because I like the height it gives the cake. A 9-inch cake pan with high sides or a chiffon cake pan can also be used. Make sure the center of the cake is done before you remove it from the oven. The first time I made the cake I didn't follow my own directions and the undercooked center forced me to create an unintended tube cake. Here's the recipe.

Orange Yogurt Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
2 tablespoons strained orange juice
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup vanilla flavored Greek yogurt (see cook's note below)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Confectioners' sugar (optional)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch cheesecake pan with fixed sides. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; grease. Dust pan with flour. Set aside.
2) In bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat eggs and sugar until thick and creamy, about 4 minutes. Add orange zest and juice and beat until well combined, about 1 minute longer.
3) Sift flour, salt and baking powder together into another bowl. Fold into batter.
4) Add yogurt to batter and stir to mix. Add oil and stir to combine.
5) Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Bake in lower third of oven until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan and continue to cool on a rack. Transfer to a cake plate and dust with Confectioners' sugar if using. Yield: 8 servings.

Cook's note: Plain yogurt, strained to remove excess liquid, flavored with a teaspoon of vanilla extract can be used as a substitute for Greek yogurt. If you use a 9-inch pan reduce cooking time by about 10 minutes.

Yogurt Cheese Cake

Cheesecake is a sometimes treat in our home. We love it but can't justify the calories that it packs. It's my youngest daughters favorite dessert, so I did a test run of a new lower-fat version last evening. The recipe was developed by Gina De Palma and it comes from her book "Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen." Her cake caught my eye because it uses Greek yogurt and mascarpone instead of cream cheese. Both products are available in low-fat versions, so I thought I'd give her recipe a try. I was able to get low-fat Greek yogurt at Trader Joe's and a local grocery store had reduced-fat mascarpone. I decided to use a square springform pan. It's shape makes it possible to cut the cake into smaller pieces and I wanted to get 12 slices from the finished cake. Before I go any further, I must tell you that this is a delicious confection, but there are buts . The cake is less firm than a standard cheesecake. It actually jiggles. I had to cook it longer than the recipe suggested to assure the center of the cake was actually done. Plan to make the cake the day before you want to serve it. Because it was soft and I wanted reasonably clean slices, I froze the cake before slicing. That added more time to my game plan. Would I make it again? Absolutely. I love the texture and flavor of the cake. I plan to do another test run. I want to make the cake in individual custard cups. I know there are petite cheesecake pans, but the portion size is larger than I want to serve. The cake has a gorgeous yellow glow and it looks spectacular with fresh berries strewn around it. I hope you'll try this.


Yogurt Cheesecake

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
3/4 cup sugar + more to dust the pan
3 cups low-fat Greek yogurt
1-1/2 cups reduced-fat mascarpone or reduced-fat cream cheese
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
3 large eggs
6 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:
1) One day before serving, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bring a kettle of water to a boil. Grease a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle pan with sugar, tapping out excess. Wrap outside of pan with foil to prevent water from seeping into the cake. Place springform in a large roasting pan. Set aside.
2) Place yogurt, mascarpone, sugar, and confectioners' sugar in bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Add salt and vanilla. Beat in whole eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, scraping bowl as necessary. Pour batter into springform. Carefully fill roasting pan with enough hot water to rise halfway up sides of the springform. Tent pan with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Rotate pan and bake for 20 minutes more. Remove foil and continue baking until cake is puffed but not cracked, jiggly but not liquid in center, about 25 to 35 minutes more.
3) Turn off oven. Open door and cool cake in roasting pan until water is lukewarm, then remove and cool an a rack. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove sides from springform just before serving. Yield: 12 servings.

Raspberry Yogurt Parfait

If you're watching calories this dessert is a lovely way to end a meal. It's easy to do and can make an ordinary meal special. It has five ingredients and requires no special equipment to prepare. While it must be chilled for 2 hours before serving, it can be assembled in less than 30 minutes. What's the trick? It is difficult to find fromage frais in most supermarkets. If you live in a large metropolitan area, it can be purchased from a cheese store, but the rest of us will have to scramble to find adequate substitutes. The best would be quark or Greek yogurt. The easiest would be a reduced fat cream cheese that's thinned with a little milk. You can also make your own cheese if you feel inspired. I use a minimal amount of sugar in this recipe, so be sure to taste for sweetness as you go along. Frozen berries are fine but make sure they are thawed before you add them to the cheese mixture. A last reminder - the egg whites in this recipe are not cooked, so be sure to use pasteurized eggs or reconstituted powdered egg whites to avoid any chance of salmonella.

Raspberry Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 (8-oz.) cup low-fat vanilla yogurt - room temperature
12-oz. fromage frais, quark or Greek yogurt - room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar (optional)
4 large pasteurized egg whites or an equivalent amount of reconstituted powdered egg whites
6-oz. fresh raspberries, mashed or an equivalent amount of frozen, thawed berries
Optional garnish: berries and mint leaves

Directions:
1) Place 1/4 cup water in a small heatproof bowl. Sprinkle with gelatin. Let sit until gelatin softens. Add water to a small skillet and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Place bowl containing gelatin in pan and stir until gelatin dissolves. Remove from pan and cool slightly.
2) Combine yogurt, fromage frais and sugar in a medium bowl. Mix well. Add yogurt and stir with a spoon until combined.
3) Beat egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold into yogurt mixture until just combined.
4) Transfer half the mixture to another large bowl. Fold in mashed berries.
5) Spoon a portion of raspberry mixture into four (8-oz.) dessert glasses. Top each with a portion of the yogurt mixture. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Garnish with raspberries and mint if desired. Yield: 4 servings.