Woodie - Funny, I just made these this weekend for the first time, too! YUM. Agree? I'll be making them regularly. So yes, I obviously did find the lemon curd. Wilkins or something, an English brand. Also found the Jules Destrooper cookies. I didn't notice what I paid for creme fraiche, but I did notice, as I have in the past, that I've only seen 8 oz containers but so many recipes call for 7 oz. What's up with that? Not that it mattered in any way... What did you think about the pistachios? Mine barely stuck once the sandwiches were frozen, so after the first round I didn't bother and didn't feel like I was missing anything more than perhaps presentation. (I'm not big on nuts in my food anyway...)

Yup, I tossed some toasted almonds in the blender. Skins and all, no blanching. Yes, lazy! I had some doubts about the almond extract but it's a good balance. The recipe as I made it: Lemon Ricotta Bundt Cake adapted from Giada de Laurentiis Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 40-45 minutes Yield: 1 bundt cake 2-1/4 cups plain flour 3/4 cup ground almonds (I used toasted with skins on) 1 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 cup 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 1-1/2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (from 3 lemons) 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese 2 large eggs 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 3/4 teaspoon almond extract 1/3 cup chopped toasted almonds 1 cup powdered sugar with enough lemon juice to make a glaze, about 2 tablespoons (I wing this part, really) Spray bundt pan with Baker's Joy or similar product. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/ 175 degrees C. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and lemon zest in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the ricotta. Beat in the egg, lemon juice, and almond extract. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended (the batter will be thick and fluffy). Pour batter into prepared bundt and level with spatula. Bake until toothpick inserted in middle comes clean, about 40-45 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes and then invert onto serving dish. Cool slightly. While still warm, pour glaze over cake and top with chopped almonds.

This recipe is from "The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook" by Elana Amsterdam and is quite a bit thinner than traditional Lemon Bar recipes, and not so delicate because you use almond flour instead of all-purpose wheat flour for the base. LEMON BARS Crust: [Grainlady Note: I use almond flour from Honeyville Grain and purchase it in a 5# bag, OR I make soaked almonds (overnight in lightly-salted water), dehydrate them until crispy and mill them in my Wonder Mill Jr. Deluxe or Magic Bullet. You could also use Bob's Red Mill almond flour, but it's not as fine for baking as Honeyville Grain's almond flour.] 1-1/2 c. blanched almond flour 1/2 t. sea salt 2 T. grapeseed oil (I use coconut oil.) 1 T. agave nectar (honey would also work) 1 T. vanilla extract Topping: 1/4 c. grapeseed oil (coconut oil) 1/4 c. agave nectar (or honey) 3 large eggs 1/2 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with grapeseed oil and dust with almond flour. To make the crust, combine the almond flour and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the grapeseed oil, agave nectar, and vanilla extract. Stir the wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Press the dough into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15-17 minutes, until lightly golden. While the crust bakes, prepare the topping. In a blender, combine the grapeseed oil, agave nectar, eggs, and lemon juice. Process on high until smooth. Remove the crust from the oven. Pour the topping evenly over the hot crust. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the topping is golden. Let cool in the baking dish for 30-minutes, then refrigerate for 2 hours to set. Cut into bars and serve. -Grainlady

FRIED CATFISH Simple and delicious! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- INGREDIENTS: 2 pounds catfish fillets -- 1/2 inch thick 1 teaspoon garlic powder 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 cups cracker meal or coarsely crushed unsalted crackers 1 cup vegetable oil 1. Trim the catfish of any skin or membrane. Stir the garlic powder, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over both sides of the fillets. Dredge the fillets in the cracker meal, pressing gently so the meal sticks to both sides of the fillets. Shake off the excess and set the fillets aside. 2. Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over a medium heat until a little cracker meal sprinkle in the oil gives off a lively sizzle. Slip the fillets into the skillet and fry, turning once, until the fillets are cooked through and golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels before serving.