Lemon Sour Cream Cupcake

I think these cupcakes are almost as easy to make as a box mix, but so much better. They are fragrant with the addition of both lemon zest and lemon juice and moist from the addition of the sour cream. In the winter when citrus prices are better I often cook more often with them. I also save some for later by zesting lemons and oranges and freezing the zest. I also juice extra lemons and limes and freeze the juice, too.

 Lemon and Sour Cream Cupcakes

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon each baking powder and salt

2 cups sour cream

Frosting:

9 tablespoons butter, softened

6 ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar

6 tablespoons lemon juice

1T. vanilla extract

¾ teaspoon grated lemon peel

3 tablespoon milk

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add lemon peel and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream (batter will be thick). Fill 30 greased or paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. For frosting, cream butter and sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add lemon juice, vanilla, lemon peel and milk; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Makes 30.

Baked Potato Soup

I loved going out to dinner when I was a kid. We ate at home mostly, so it was only for a special occasion. If we went to a steak house I looked forward to getting a baked potato with my dinner. My Mom made baked potatoes but it was different when we ate out. It would come to the table wrapped in foil and all puffed up in the middle. They also had so many toppings you could get. Choices included sour cream, butter, chives, bacon, cheese.  At home, normally Mom would only have butter and sour cream. This soup starts off as a cream of potato soup and then combines many of the toppings you might have on a baked potato. It feels just like those baked potatoes at the steakhouse.

Baked Potato Soup

4 slices bacon, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

4- 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

4-5 cups chicken stock

1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley

2 c. half and half

3 T. flour

salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:

Sour cream

chopped green onions or chives

 shredded cheese

extra bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

In soup pot combine bacon and onion and cook over medium heat until bacon is cooked and onion is tender. Add potatoes and stock and simmer, covered , until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add parsley and most of the half and half. Reserve a couple of tablespoons of the half and half and combine with the flour and stir until smooth. Ladle a little of the warm soup into the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.  Add the flour mixture to the rest of the soup and stir until smooth. Cook until soup is thickened and bubbly. Adjust seasonings and serve. Add toppings of your choice at the table. Makes 4 servings.