Meyer lemons are abundant year-round on my trees in Sausalito.  I try not to waste a single lemon.  I give a lot of them away as gifts to friends and neighbors, and I look for new ways in which to preserve these treasures.

I started making Meyer lemon marmalade several years back, and it has now become very popular with my friends.  In order to keep the rinds from becoming too chewy, it is important to add an equal amount of water to the mix.  In fact, I use a 1:1:1 ratio – chopped Meyer lemons:water:sugar.

This marmalade is especially good with freshly-made scones.

It also goes well with goat cheese.  I simply spread some crusty bread with fresh goat cheese and then spread Meyer lemon marmalade over the top.  It is always a hit!

Ingredients
8 cups Meyer lemons, thinly chopped (approx. 16 lemons)
8 cups water
8 cups sugar

You will also need:
Chef’s knife
Large pot, such as a Dutch oven
Large spoon
Skimmer
Candy thermometer
Large open pan for sterilizing jars
6-7clean jars with new lids and rings
Canner
Jar tongs
Kitchen towel
Canning funnel, clean and sterilized
Paper towels
Regular tongs

Instructions

Place the chopped Meyer lemons, water and sugar into a large pot.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat and cook at a medium boil, stirring frequently to keep from sticking.  Skim any foam from the top. Continue to cook until the marmalade reaches 220^oF or until thickened.

Meanwhile, put about an inch of water in the bottom of a large open pan.  Add the clean jars, open top down.  Bring to a slow simmer and let the jars cook for at least 10 minutes.  Keep hot.

Put enough water into the canner to completely cover your jars by about an inch.  Put it on a back burner and bring to a boil.

When the marmalade is ready, remove a jar from the hot skillet using the jar tongs and place the jar upright onto a kitchen towel.  Place a funnel into the jar.  Ladle the hot marmalade into the jar until it is almost full.  Leave about ¼” of space at the top.  Wipe the rim of the jar with a paper towel (a damp paper towel works best).

Drop one of the lids into the skillet with the hot jars and leave it there for about 30 seconds.

Remove the lid from the water with tongs and place it on top of the jar filled with marmalade.  Place a ring on the jar and tighten it.

Repeat until all of the marmalade has been ladled into the jars.  Gently place each jar into the canner (the water should be hot by now).

Cover the canner and bring the water to a boil.  Reduce the heat slightly and boil the jars for at least 5 minutes.  I typically do it for 7 minutes.

Turn off the heat underneath the canner.  Remove the jars from the water, dry them off and place them on the countertop to cool.  You should hear the lids pop within a few minutes.  If the jar is sealed, the lid dips slightly in the middle.  If the lid sticks up in the middle, then the jar has not sealed and the marmalade should be refrigerated and consumed within a week.

Be careful with the marmalade until it completely cools – don’t shake it around much.

Makes about 6 (8 oz.) jars of sunny marmalade.

Note: Several photos courtesy of McArdle Images.

This coffee cake is so simple to make and is moist, crunchy and delicious.  I used olive oil and yogurt in this recipe instead of butter and milk.  You can use any fruit that is in season.  In this instance, I used fresh pears and blueberries.  Note that you don’t even need a mixer – you can mix it all by hand. 

Ingredients
2 cups plain flour (You can substitute 1/4 cup plain flour for 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, if desired.)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + extra for the baking pan (I use the “everyday” olive oil from California Olive Ranch)
1 cup Greek-style yogurt (I use 2% from Fage)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fruit, peeled and coarsely-chopped (or whole, if using berries)

Topping:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I use the “everyday” olive oil from California Olive Ranch).
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup plain flour
1/3 cup oats
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

You will also need:
3 mixing bowls
Whisk
Large spoon
Medium baking dish

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/175 degrees Celcius.   Grease the baking pan with olive oil and set aside. 

Place the flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl.  Stir to combine.

Put the eggs and sugar into a second mixing bowl and beat with a whisk until creamy. 

Add the olive oil and yogurt.  Mix well.  

Add the flour mixture and the vanilla.  Stir well to incorporate. 

Add the fruit.  Stir to combine. 

Pour the mixture into the greased baking pan. 

Combine all of the topping ingredients until moist and crumbly. 

Sprinkle them over the top of the batter in the baking pan. 

Place the pan into the preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until the cake bounces back when pressed in the center.   

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes before slicing.  Serve with vanilla-laced whipped cream, if desired. 

Serves 8. 

Note: Top photo courtesy of Sean McArdle.

These cornmeal waffles are high on our breakfast-favorites list – especially this time of year when there is so much amazing fruit in season.  They are made with yogurt, low-fat milk, honey and olive oil.  Of course, we top them with honey butter and fresh fruit for a real decadent treat!

Ingredients
3/4 cups plain cornmeal (I use the finely-ground, old-fashioned cornmeal from Watkins Mill in Wrens, Georgia.)
1/2 cup plain all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon honey
3/4 cup plain yogurt (I use Fage Greek-style yogurt.  Both the whole yogurt and the 2% work fine in this recipe.)
1/2 cup low-fat (2%) organic milk
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (I use the “everyday” olive oil from California Olive Ranch.)
Honey butter (see below)
Fresh fruit for topping

Honey butter:
1 Tablespoon honey
3 Tablespoons butter, softened

You will also need:
Electric waffle maker
One medium-sized mixing bowl
Large spoon
Small bowl for making honey butter

Instructions
Plug in the waffle maker so that it will be ready to go when the batter is mixed.  If needed, spray lightly with olive oil to keep the waffles from sticking.

Place the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, honey, yogurt, milk and olive oil into a medium mixing bowl.  Stir until just combined.

Place about a half cup of batter onto the each plate of the waffle maker.  (Note:  This recipe makes 4 waffles so divide the batter evenly.)  Close the lid and let cook until done.

Meanwhile, mix together the honey and butter in a small container.

When the waffles are done, slather each one with the honey butter and top with fresh fruit.  Serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings (4 waffles).

These muffins are delicious and easy to make.  They contain no butter or milk but use low-fat yogurt and olive oil instead.  I have made these muffins with a number of different citrus fruits – Meyer lemons, limes, grapefruits, Satsuma mandarin oranges – and they always turn out great! 

Ingredients
For the muffin:
1 1/2 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Large pinch of salt
2 teaspoons citrus zest
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup mild-flavored olive oil
1/2 cup low-fat (2%) plain yogurt (I typically use Fage Greek-style yogurt.)

For the syrup:
1/4 cup citrus juice
1/4 cup powdered sugar

You will also need:
2 medium-sized mixing bowls
Whisk
Large Spoon
Muffin pan for 12 muffins
Paper liners for muffin pan

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and zest.

In a second mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, olive oil and yogurt.  When they are mixed well, add the dry ingredients and stir just until they are incorporated. 

Pour batter into each of the muffin liners until they are about 2/3 full.  There should be enough batter for 12 muffins. 

Bake for approximately 18 minutes, until the top springs back when pressed.  Remove from the oven.  Let cool for about 5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, make the syrup by mixing together the citrus juice and the powdered sugar.  Poke holes into each muffin with a fork.  Drizzle some citrus syrup over each muffin.  

Makes one dozen muffins.

Potato pancakes seem especially good on a cold, rainy day.  These are made with yellow Finn potatoes, but Yukon Gold or russets will work fine.  The key is to ring out the excess water that is in the potatoes before you cook them.  Fresh stewed apples, along with a dollop of Greek-style yogurt or sour cream, complete the dish.

Ingredients
For the stewed apples:
3 large tart apples
1/3 cup sugar (raw sugar works great here)

For the pancakes:
6 medium yellow Finn potatoes, washed and dried
1 medium onion
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon chili aleppo flakes (optional)
Cracked pepper, to taste

Olive oil, duck fat, vegetable oil, goose fat, chicken fat or pork fat for frying

You will also need:
Paring knife
Small saucepan with lid
Grater (box-style works well for this)
Clean kitchen towel
Medium-sized mixing bowl
Large spoon
Large skillet
Metal spatula
Paper towels

Instructions
Peel the apples, core them and cut them into chunks. 

Place the apples into a small saucepan and add the sugar.  Bring the apples to a boil over high heat, then cover them and reduce the heat to medium.  Let the apples cook until tender – about 15 minutes.  Remove from the heat and keep warm. 

Meanwhile, grate the apples and the onion on the largest hole of the box grater. 

Place them into a clean towel and sqeeze the towel well to remove excess moisture.  

Put the squeezed potatoes and onions into a medium-sized mixing bowl.  Add the egg, salt, baking powder, chili flakes and pepper.  Mix well. 

Heat the oil or fat in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the potato mixture one large tablespoon at a time. (You may need to cook these in two batches.)  Mash the batter a little to make the pancakes flat. 

Cook until crispy-brown.  Flip the pancakes over and cook on the other side until crisp, as well. 

Remove from the oil and put them onto paper towels to drain. 

Serve immediately with the stewed apples and Greek-style yogurt or sour cream.

Serves 3-4 people.

Blackberries are in season now and are available locally in our Northern California farmers markets. Making jam is a great way to preserve blackberries so that you can enjoy them all year long.   I don’t use pectin in my jam so I can really cut down on the amount of sugar needed.  I simply use a 3:1 ratio of fruit to natural raw sugar.  (Pectin is extremely tart and you need about a 1:1 or even 1:2 ratio of fruit to sugar when using it!)

Ingredients
9 cups very ripe blackberries
3 cups natural, raw sugar (white sugar can be substituted, if desired)

You will also need:
Large pot
Large spoon
Skimmer
Large saute pan
Six very clean 8 oz. jars with new, clean lids and rings
Super large canning pot
Jar tongs
Kitchen towel
Damp paper towel

Instructions
Place the blackberries and sugar in a large Dutch-oven-sized pot.

Stir to combine.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium and let cook, stirring occasionally and skimming as needed, for about an hour or until the juices are reduced and the mixture has thickened.   You can test this by taking some out of the pot and letting it cool.

Meanwhile, prepare your jars.  Make sure they are very clean.  I like to take them directly from the hot dishwasher.  Place about 2 cups of water into a large saute pan and bring to a boil.  Place the jars, bottom side up, into the skillet. Reduce the heat and simmer with the jars in there for about 10 minutes.   Keep hot.

When the  jam has finished cooking, ladle it while still hot into the hot jars (careful – these jars are HOT), leaving only about 1/4″ of space at the top of the jar.  Wipe the rim of the jar with a damp paper towel.

Note that it is important to seal each jar before starting on the next one.  Before putting the lid onto each jar, drop the lid into the boiling water in the saute pan for 30 seconds.

Remove the lid from the water and place it on top of the hot jar with the jam.  Put the ring on and twist tightly to seal.  Repeat with each jar until all of the jam is in the jars.  If you have a little bit of jam left over, then put it into a dish, cover it with plastic wrap and have it for breakfast the next morning.

Meanwhile, prepare your water bath by heating enough water in the super large pot to cover your jars.  (Don’t put the jars in yet.)  Bring the water to a boil. Carefully drop the sealed jars into the boiling water, reduce the heat to a medium-low boil, and cook the jars of jam for 10 minutes.  Turn off the heat and leave the jars in the water to cool for half an hour.

Remove the jars from the water, dry them off and store them on the countertop.  Check them a little later to make sure that the lids have sealed.  If so, store them in a cool, dry place.  If not, then put them into the refrigerator and use within two weeks.  You can also freeze them for later use.

Yield:  approx. six 8-oz. jars.

Blueberries are in season right now in our local Bay Area farmers markets.  In addition to tasting great, I’ve read that blueberries may actually reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as alzheimers and dementia. Also, according to blueberrycouncil.org, blueberries contain high levels of antioxidants that help fight cancer and heart disease.

Some of the best blueberries that I’ve found in the local markets are grown in the San Joaquin Valley at Sorensen’s Triple Delight Blueberry Farm. You can find Triple Delight Blueberries in a number of Bay Area farmers markets, including San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market and Marin Farmers market. 

Blueberries have a very short season – about six weeks here – so I go a little overboard with them. Luckily, blueberries can be stored for a few days in a covered container in the refrigerator. But don’t wash them before storing them, as this can cause them to mold more quickly. Blueberries freeze pretty well, too.  The frozen ones are a real treat when the fresh ones are gone for the season. 

Oh, and I forgot to mention that one cup of blueberries has only 80 calories. So eat them without any guilt.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy blueberries is to mix them with Greek-style yogurt and homemade granola, then drizzle them with a little local honey.  This treat is great for breakfast, a mid-afternoon snack, or for dessert. 

As I mentioned, the season for blueberries is short, though – get plenty of them while you can!

These chocolate-banana-cinnamon paninis are favorites of ours.  We have them a couple of times a month for breakfast, usually on the weekend.  We like to use rustic bread from the farmers market, along with Askinosie chocolate. 

Ingredients
4 slices of rustic whole-grain bread
2 ounces coarsely-chopped chocolate (I use 70% San Jose del Tambo chocolate from Askinosie but milk chocolate will work fine, too.)
1 large, ripe banana, sliced into 1/4″ thick rings
2 T butter, melted
Cinnamon

You will also need:
Pastry brush
Panini maker

Instructions
Slice the bread into 1/2″ thick slices.  Sprinkle the chopped chocolate on top of two slices.  Place pieces of banana over the top of the chocolate.  Top with the remaining slices of bread.  Brush the top slice of the bread with butter.  Sprinkle generously with cinnamon.  Carefully invert the sandwiches and place them on top of the panini-maker, cinnamon side down, being careful not to disrupt the chocolate and banana inside.  Brush the top slice of bread with butter and sprinkle generously with cinnamon.  Grill on the panini-maker until the chocolate is melted and the sandwiches are golden brown.  Remove and slice in half.  Serve immediately. 

Serves 2.

I have an abundance of Meyer lemons year-round on my trees in Northern California.  One of my favorite ways in which to use them is in tangy and sweet Meyer Lemon Curd.  This curd is so versatile.  I like to serve it with biscuits and scones.  And my neighbors love it when I make Meyer lemon tartlettes. 

Ingredients
6 farm-fresh egg yolks
1/2 cup freshly-squeezed Meyer lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1 stick cold butter, cut into eight pieces
1 Tablespoon Meyer lemon zest

You will also need:
Medium saucepan
Whisk
Large spoon

Instructions
Beat the eggs yolks slightly and pass them through a sieve.

Combined the sieved egg yolks, lemon juice and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan and mix well. 

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon – about 10 minutes.  Note:  Don’t let the mixture reach a boil, as the eggs will scramble. 

Remove the egg mixture from the heat and add the cold butter, one piece at a time, whisking well to incorporate before adding the next piece.  When the butter has all been incorporated, add the lemon zest and stir to combine. 

Chill for at least two hours, tightly covered, before using.  Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to a week.

This morning I decided that I wanted something a tad sweet but also savory for breakfast.  I had bought a tiny smoked ham from Taylor Boetticher at Fatted Calf, and I wanted to include some of that for sure.  I thought that apples would pair well with it so I decided to make these smoked ham and apple panckes.  We topped them with artisanally-made cane syrup from South Georgia.  I’m sure these pancakes would taste great topped with stewed apples or maple syrup, as well.

Ingredients
8 ounces fully-cooked smoked ham
2 small apples, unpeeled, quartered and core removed
1 1/2 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
2 Tablespoons sugar (unrefined works well, too)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt, fine
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 stick (4 Tablespoons butter), melted, plus more for serving
Syrup (optional)

You will also need:
Chef’s knife
Grater
Mixing bowls
Griddle pan
Heat-proof spatula

Instructions
Dice the ham and set it aside.

Rinse and dry the apples.  Grate the apples and add them to the diced ham.

In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.  

Beat the eggs slightly and add the milk.  Combine well.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix well.  Add the apples and ham.  Stir to combine. 

Heat the griddle pan over medium high heat until it is hot.  Brush it with butter.  Drop the batter onto the griddle pan 1/4 cup at a time.  Cook until you see bubbles on the surface, 2-3 minutes.  Flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown, about another 1-2 minutes.  Place onto a serving dish.  Drizzle with warm, melted butter and top with syrup.

Serves 4.