It may seem like “slim pickens”, when you look at what fruit is available in the winter in your market. With a second look, however, there are plenty of choices and they great choices for cooking or baking. Look for citrus fruit, apples, bananas, pears and dates. These are all good choices for salads, pancakes and muffins or to garnish main dish meats and fish.

Meyer Lemon Bread

1 loaf

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 lightly beaten egg
1 cup milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons finely shredded Meyer lemon peel
1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice

Lemon Glaze

2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon lemon zest

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8 x 4 x 2-inch loaf pan; set aside.

In a medium bowl stir together flour, 3/4 cup sugar, the baking powder and salt. Make a well in center of the flour mixture; set aside.

In another medium bowl or measuring cup combine the egg, milk, oil, lemon peel and the 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture.

Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the loaf from the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

To make a glaze: Combine the glaze ingredients until smooth and spread over the cooled cake. Let harden before wrapping the ;oaf.

Citrus Salad

Turn this salad into a main course by adding cooked shrimp or chicken. I especially like shrimp in this salad.

Orange Vinaigrette

1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 shallots, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
Grated zest of 1 orange,

Salad

1 bulb fennel, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
1⁄2 small red onion, thinly sliced
! grapefruit
1 orange
1 tablespoon olive oil

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Directions

To make the vinaigrette:

Whisk the shallots, raspberry vinegar, honey and salt and pepper together in a mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil in while whisking. Add the orange zest. Set aside

Peel the fruit and cut into segments.

In a large bowl, cover the fennel and onion with ice water and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to paper towels to dry thoroughly.

Transfer the fennel and onion to the bowl with the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Lift the fennel and onion from the dressing and transfer to a serving platter.

Arrange the citrus segments evenly over the fennel and onion. (If adding shrimp, arrange it on top of the salad.) Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the top, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Baked Apple Sauce

Applesauce can be flavored with maple syrup or cinnamon. You can also add cranberries to the cooking apples to make a cran-applesauce. It makes wonderful tasting pancakes and muffins and is a great side to roasted pork.

Makes 12 servings.

Ingredients

4 lbs. (about 10 medium) assorted apples, such as Macoun, McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Jonathan, Jonagold and Honey Crisp, peeled, cored, and quartered
1/3 cup fresh apple cider or apple juice
4 lemon slices, cut paper-thin
2 tablespoons honey, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place apples, cider or juice and lemon slices in a large heavy, ovenproof casserole with a cover and mix well.. If using honey add it in and toss again.

Bake apples, covered, for 60 to 75 minutes, until very soft and moist. Stir to combine. If it is too wet, bake applesauce, uncovered, for 15 minutes longer.

Cool to room temperature before serving; applesauce thickens as it cools. The applesauce keeps, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days or 6 months in the freezer.

Coconut Banana Pudding

Ingredients

1 ripe banana, mashed
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 dash salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Honey Bananas

1 tablespoon butter
1 banana, sliced into ¼ inch slices
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon hot water

Directions

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter and stir in the mashed banana.

In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, mix the sugar and cornstarch together. Add the salt, eggs and coconut milk. Stir well and add to the banana in the saucepan.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; cook until thickened.

Remove from the heat; add vanilla and mix well. Pour into a storage bowl or 4 individual dessert dishes.

To make the honey bananas:

Melt the butter in a small skillet.

Arrange the banana slices in the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, until lightly brown.

Whisk together the honey and 1 tablespoon of water.

Remove the skillet from the heat and pour the honey mixture over the bananas. Shake the pan to distribute.

Divide the bananas and syrup over the top of the pudding. Chill for several hours before serving.

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in apples, banana, cake, citrus, Fruit, grapefruit, Healthy Italian Cooking, lemon, orange, Salad, Salad Dressing Tags: cooking with winter fruit