Peach-Custard Kuchen

An old-fashioned, comforting dessert

1 cup flour
2 T. sugar
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. baking powder
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sliced peaches, about 2 medium. (I used a 16oz. can of sliced peaches, drained well)
1/4 cup plus 2 T. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
2 egg yolks
1 cup whipping cream (I used 1/2 and 1/2)


Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder together with a fork. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Pat mixture firmly in bottom and halfway up sides of ungreased square pan. (8x8x2)

Lay drained peaches in a single layer on top of prepared crust. Mix remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 T. sugar with cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over peaches. Bake 15 minutes.

Mix egg yolks and cream; pour over peaches. Bake until custard is set and edges are light brown, 25-30 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream.
9 servings.

Cranberry Nut Bread

Frozen cranberries, orange zest and juice:


Into a greased bread pan:


The recipe:


From one of my favorite (well-loved, very used) cookbooks:

Lemon Pudding Cake

Looking for a dessert to serve the family, I came across this recipe. I had made it many years ago, but had forgotten all about it! (That is another reason to keep your cook books handy: to go through them occasionally to get new ideas and remember old successes!)

Lemon Pudding Cake

2 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
2/3 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

~Heat oven to 350 degrees.
~Beat egg whites until stiff peaks from.
~In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks slightly. Add lemon peel, lemon juice and milk. Beat in remaining ingredients until smooth.
~Carefully fold into egg whites.
~Pour into an ungreased 1 quart casserole. Place casserole into a square pan, 9x9x2 inches, on oven rack; pour very hot water (1 inch deep)into square pan.
~Bake until golden brown, 45-50 minutes. Remove casserole from water. Serve warm or cool, and, if desired, with whipped cream.

6 servings
Beaten egg whites:


Folding egg yolk batter into egg whites:


Finished pudding cake:


Delightful served warm:

New Look

I have been trying to make this blog more convenient to use. I had to change my template in order to offer the new tabs on the top of the page. You can now go to my cookbook and find all the recipes I have posted. The list is more itemized than the labels at the right. As I add new recipes, I will be updating my cookbook. Keep checking back for something new!

Happy Cooking!

Lamb Gyro Pizza with "Tzatziki Sauce"

Minced onions in tea towel:


Squeezing out excess water from onions:


Grinding lamb cubes in food processer with onions and herbs:


Into a loaf pan, bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until inner temp reaches 170:


Let rest on rack for 20 minutes:


Slice in 1/4 inch slices and lay out on pizza crust that has been brushed with extra virgin olive oil and top with chopped tomatoes and feta cheese, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder:






Lamb Gyro loaf

1 medium onion, finely chopped or shredded
2 pounds ground lamb
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon dried ground rosemary
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Process the onion in a food processor for 10 to 15 seconds and turn out into the center of a tea towel. Gather up the ends of the towel and squeeze until almost all of the juice is removed. Discard juice.

Return the onion to the food processor and add the lamb, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt, and pepper and process until it is a fine paste, approximately 1 minute. Stop the processor as needed to scrape down sides of bowl.

To cook in the oven as a meatloaf, proceed as follows:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the mixture into a loaf pan, making sure to press into the sides of the pan. Place the loaf pan into a water bath and bake for 45 minutes or until the mixture reaches 165 to 170 degrees F. Remove from the oven and drain off any fat.
Let sit to rest for about 20 minutes. Slice loaf into 1/4 inch slices.

Make pizza crust while the loaf cooks. Or serve on pita bread for a classic gyro sandwich.

I made my own version of Greek Tzatziki sauce:


1/2 cup sour cream
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
pinch of sea salt
1 quarter of a peeled and seeded cucumber that has been minced

Mix all together. Let sit for an hour to meld flavors.


My dinner plate: