Though I look forward to it, Thanksgiving scares me a bit in terms of nutritional value. I mean… potatoes are fine, but when combined with butter and cream, they are no longer saints. Somewhere amongst the buttery delicacies, the veggies get lost. I mean, seriously, who wants green beans when you can stuff your face with stuffing? 

But maybe, if the greens were more interesting than steamed and salted, you would be more apt to put them on your plate? Give greens the chance to add some health to your meal with this complex and flavorful side dish that takes no time at all to prepare.

For the Recipe, click here:

Lemon Ginger Collard Greens with Golden Raisins

And we are back! After a long hiatus and many festivities, Busy as a Brie is returning to the blogosphere. I can’t tell you what a wonderful month it has been… Ivan and I had our long overdue Wedding Renewal/Party on Massachusetts’ spectacular Cape Ann and it was a million times better than I could have imagined!

So now, I have about 45 new kitchen trinkets from our generous guests that I have to start experimenting with! Some of my favorites include a sparkling water maker in the shape of a Penguin(!), a spanking new Cuisinart which is just itching to chop up some onions, a speedy popsicle maker and some wonderful tart, cake, and loaf pans. I’ve got new bowls and pots and whisks, and gorgeous serving bowls, oh my!

Enough bragging… let’s eat some cake.

For the Recipe, click here:

Lemon Chiffon Cake with Strawberry Lemon Curd Filling

I have just returned from a wonderful wine-filled weekend in Temecula Valley. Although I did some wine tasting in Stellenbosch, South Africa and vaguely remember visiting a vineyard with my parents when I was a kid, I can’t say I ever went wine tasting during a part of my life where I actually cared about wine. So this was a new experience. One that I would love to repeat, but have quickly learned must be paced slightly differently.

You see, I went with my parents and while my mom is more a sipper, my dad and I sort of treated it like a competitive sport to see how much we could possibly stomach in one day. Not the best way to do it, we found out. But enjoyable nonetheless…I think in about three months, I’ll be able to handle Napa!

Here’s a fresh, surprisingly light breakfast that made our drive to California tummy grumble free!

For the Recipe, click here:

Fluffy Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Fresh Berries

I don’t think there are many things as wonderful as this cake. My mom made this in the summer growing up and my family went wild when she pulled out her blue flowered sauce boat filled with luscious lemon creme fraiche. Every time I make this cake, I think of sitting out on the screened porch, flowers in bloom, someone swinging in the hanging glider and salty hair from the beach. It’s got summer written all over it.

I actually hesitated a bit to share this recipe because it feels like a family heirloom… our little secret. But then I thought, that’s silly because this is just too good not to become a family staple in your house!

For the Recipe, click here:

Mamika’s Blueberry Cake with Lemon Creme Fraiche

This is a labor of love and if I might say, a little hazardous. If you can zest five lemons and avoid zesting a knuckle, you deserve a gold star. Usually I nick at least one of mine and then have to search my cabinets for band-aids. Lovely, I know.

After zesting and juicing, you must continuously whisk for fifteen minutes, which, take it from me, is a taxing arm workout. But it’s so rewarding to watch it thicken and develop a sunshine burst of color that I always find it worth the effort.

Fresh fruit with homemade lemon curd is a dream. You could also layer it with fruit and fresh whipped cream for a zesty trifle. You can make this a day of two ahead so get moving now and enjoy tomorrow!

For the Recipe, click here:

Fresh Fruit Salad with Homemade Lemon Curd

If you aren’t familiar with the Cunningham Muffins video, you may not quite understand why whenever someone says Lemon Poppy-seed, I can’t help but snicker a little. Ever since I saw it, I can’t get the idea of a tart, pucker-up muffin out of my head.

I finally crafted this recipe to get my fix. It’s not a muffin, but I think it might be even better because you can have the equivalent of 3 muffins in one hearty slice and still just call it one serving. Also, if you haven’t clicked on the above link yet, you must. It will make any “Lemon Poppy-seed” concoction so much more entertaining.

For the Recipe, click here:

Lemon Poppy-seed Cake with Raspberry Glaze