Lemon Yogurt Cake

By Sierra French Myerson

Well, we’ve almost made it through the first month of the new year.  The holidays are over and done with.  Champagne and Auld Lang Syne are a distant memory once steeped with positivity and eager foresight. And now, for most, the resolutions are beginning to teeter.  The work-outs are getting shorter.  The carbs are in full re-entry mode.  Self-doubt is rearing its ugly head.

I say, “Screw that!”.

So many possibilities

At the end of every year, we pressure ourselves to resolve to change things about ourselves in the new year.  The misstep in that, for me, is that we’re saying that something is broken and needs to be fixed.  I mean, sure, we all have things we’d like to adjust in our bodies and lives, but the stress of “the resolution” can’t be good for the cause.  Aren’t we just setting ourselves up for the fall?

Lots of zest

I personally made an adjustment this time around.  After a year of conscious hard work within myself, I wasn’t about to trip it all up with some invisible, yet forced, vow to lose 10 pounds or regularly organize my piles of paperwork or always put my laundry away as soon as I’ve folded it.  All worthy goals to work on if the modification will make me happier.  But, rather than pledging to do something that will inevitably make me feel guilty if I’m unsuccessful at it within the set timeline, I’m working on intentions.  Ideas, notions, hopes, guidelines.  No hard and fast rules or official goal weights, just intentions.  Broad strokes in life.

Simple wet ingredients

The end-game for me has to be happiness and contentment.  Granted, this hasn't always been the easiest category for me to fulfill for myself.  It’s one of my intentions that is a constant work in progress.  Figuring out how to just be ok with it all can be tricky.  What I’ve learned for myself, is that sometimes just sitting with “it” for a while helps me be ok with “it” (whatever “it” is).

Slowly whisk in the dry ingredients

Once I've come to terms with why I’m uncomfortable or unhappy, I’ve noticed that it seems to naturally works itself out.  Take this lemon yogurt cake, for instance.  A lot of you have a wicked sweet tooth, and may have resolved to cut out treats all together in the new year.  Don’t be crazy.  If it’s something you enjoy, just figure out a way to easily manage it for yourself.  This recipe calls for yogurt and a little bit of vegetable oil, instead of the loads of butter in most cakes.  And, truly, there is no trade out in flavor.  In fact, I prefer the added tartness and light texture to this recipe over others, so far.  Obviously, don’t go nuts and eat the whole loaf.  But, have an occasional slice, and let yourself enjoy it.  “It” is ok.

Perhaps, moderation is the best resolution of all.

Pour the lemon syrup over the warm cake and let cool

Lemon Yogurt Cake

Thank you Barefoot Contessa (with slight adjustments for added lemon punch)

What you’ll need:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

• 1 1/3 cups sugar, divided

• 3 extra-large eggs

• 2 Tbs. lemon zest (2 - 3 lemons)

• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the glaze:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

• 2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8 1/2 to 9-inch loaf pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into one bowl.  In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla.  Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it’s all incorporated.  Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear.  Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Then, carefully remove it from the pan and place it on a baking rack over a sheet pan.  While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar syrup mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in.  Cool completely.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

Sit and enjoy it

Leftovers and Chicken Salad

By Steph Farrar

My husband and I started a side musical project a few years ago called Bubble and Strife. Our anecdote: Husband and Wife. Husband and Strife. Bubble and Squeak. Bubble and Strife.

In short, Leftovers.

Sam was in a band for almost 15 years called Phantom Planet and I was in a band called Agent Sparks. Unfortunately both have disbanded and life has moved on, but the music is still out there... and will be forever. So in a sense the music never dies, even if you want it to.

After a few years of neither Sam nor I grazing a stage, we decided it was time to face that long-winded fear. We, leftovers of years of touring and making music, compiled a handful of original songs and covers and somehow pulled off a thirty-five minute set, opening for Ben Ottewell from Gomez. For our first show, it was pretty damn good... especially for new parents who were operating on little to no sleep at the time. It's now been over a year since our last show... that urge is coming upon us both again.

So on to leftovers. Do you ever buy rotisserie chickens from the market? I buy at least one a week, even if I plan to roast a whole one at some point during said week. It's nice to have around, especially with a picky kid-eater. Fried rice, chicken pasta with broccoli, minced lettuce cups, and definitely chicken salad.

Add whatever you have around, nuts, dried fruit, crunchy fruit

My first favorite way to enjoy leftovers is a schmorgesborg of whatever is in the fridge: chicken, carrots, celery with hummus, jarlsberg and brie cheeses with salami and crackers, a spicy mustard or fig dip, grapes, almonds, and always tons of olives.

My second favorite? Chicken salad. If the diced chicken is accompanied by a crunchy fruit and/or vegetable, dried fruit of some kind like cranberries or raisins, a nut of some sort, some herbs, a tiny dollup of mayo or yogurt, olive oil, salt and pepper... we'll eat the whole bowl in one sitting.

Chicken Salad2

If I'm not daytime drinking wine, I'll always settle for a Pellegrino aranciata. The chicken salad doesn't even need bread, but if you have it and aren't on a starch-free fix, enjoy an italian or French loaf slice, even a cracker.

Aranciata always

When you're done with your rotisserie chicken, don't trash it! Stick it in your slow cooker, add water, onion, celery, carrots, herbs, salt and pepper. Let it slow cook overnight, strain solids and bam... you'll have an incredible homemade chicken stock. Full recipe to come.

I'm proud of my leftovers. You should be too.

Chicken Salad with Cranberries, Apple, Toasted Walnuts

Ingredients:

• 1-2 lbs. diced rotisserie chicken

• 1/4 cup chopped red onion

• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts

• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries or raisins

• 1/3 cup diced green apple

• 1/4 cup diced celery

• 2-3 tbsp mayo or greek yogurt

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• Juice of one lemon

• salt and pepper

*toast french loaf slices, top with olive oil, chicken salad, sliced avocado and arugula & season with salt and pepper

 Directions:

Literally put everything in a nice size bowl and gently mix together.

Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy as a salad, sandwich, or appetizer on a cracker