When life offers you lemons
There’s no point sitting around. If you have lemons on hand, you can always make lemonade. No point letting life get you down. So today, lemons are on the menu. Pull out that cookie sheet and baking dish and make some citruskissed foods that are truly satisfying. To zest a lemon, I use a microplane; if you don’t have a microplane or citrus zester, you can use the side of a cheese grater that has the very small holes. So, pucker up and smile and leave your worries behind—these lemon inspired recipes will make you happy.
Cheesy Lemon Zucchini
A great accompaniment to broiled steaks or roasted chicken.
3 ½ TBSP. butter
2 tsp. minced garlic
4 zucchinis, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
Zest of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 TBSP. fresh lemon juice
In a bowl, toss the zucchini with the thyme and lemon zest. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the garlic; stirring for about 1-2 minutes. Add the zucchini slices to the pan (in batches), and cook on mediumhigh heat flipping once, until golden, about
3-4 minutes on each side; season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh lemon juice.
Lemon Chicken Salad
This is a very versatile salad—spread it on crackers or a croissant or wrap some salad in a lettuce leaf.
2 TBSP. fresh lemon juice
½ cup mayonnaise
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. fresh lemon zest
3 ½ cups cooked chicken breast, diced
1/3 cup slivered almonds, chopped
Combine the lemon juice, mayonnaise, salt, and lemon peel. Stir in the chicken and almonds. Add more lemon zest or juice if desired. Refrigerate for at least an hour or two. I usually prepare some chicken breasts in the crock pot for this recipe, but you could slow roast some chicken breasts for this salad. I often add a bit more lemon juice to any leftover salad.
Simply Lemon Cookies
These cookies are so light and fresh, and the taste is similar to a homemade teacake.
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into very small pieces
1 ¼ cups sugar
Grated peel of two lemons
1 TBSP. fresh lemon juice
1 large egg
1 ½ cups flour
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, use a mixer to combine the butter, 1 cup sugar, lemon peel, and juice until fluffy and light. Mix in the egg. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and stir to combine. Roll the dough into balls (makes 3 dozen) and roll in the remaining ¼ cup sugar. Place on the prepared cookie sheets a few inches apart. Bake until golden around edges, about 14-15 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
Chicken with Lemons Soup
Pure comfort! A light and refreshing seasonal soup.
6-7 bone-in chicken breasts
2 onions, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped (optional)
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 ½ tsp. light olive oil
5 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 -3 large lemons, thinly sliced
4 tsp. fresh lemon zest
¼ tsp. dried basil
1/8 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. salt
1 TBSP. chopped parsley
Boil the chicken with a enough water to cover in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil, then simmer for one hour. Remove chicken; when cool enough to handle, shred the chicken with a fork. Strain the water from the pot through a mesh strainer into a large bowl; add more water to equal 9 ½ cups. In the same pot, sauté the onion, celery, garlic, in the olive oil until tender. Add the chicken, liquid broth, carrots, lemon zest, basil, thyme, and salt. Cover and cook on medium for 20-25 minutes, until carrots are tender. Sprinkle with parsley and top with lemon slices.