Tag Archives: lemon

Lemon Custard Cakes

Posted by Brenda K. Agresta in Let Them Eat Cake and tagged with , , , ,

lemon-custard-cakes

Lovely, light and lemony, these custard cakes will make you feel like spring has sprung; even on a dark and gloomy winter’s day.

Lemon Custard Cakes

a recipe from Martha Stewart

Serves 6

You will need:

Unsalted butter, room temperature, for custard cups

Six 6 ounce custard cups

3 large eggs, separated

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 to 3 teaspoons grated lemon zest, (1 lemon)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

To make:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a tea kettle of water to boil. Butter the custard cups and place them in a baking dish lined with a dish towel.

Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy; gradually whisk in flour, then lemon juice, then milk and zest.

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Gently fold into lemon batter with a whisk (batter will be very thin).

Divide batter among prepared custard cups; place baking dish in oven and carefully fill with boiling water to about halfway up the sides of cups. Bake until puffed and lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. While still warm, dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve.

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Posted by Brenda K. Agresta in Salads and tagged with , , , ,

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

It’s a damp, wet day here in Chicago,  but the calendar says May 1st and I’m more than ready for something grilled up and served with a sumptuous, summer salad.  Today I’m paring this lovely, lemony orzo dish with a succulent grilled salmon, marinated with the same lemon dressing used in the salad.

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

(adapted from recipe by Iowa Girl Eats)

Ingredients

6 oz dry orzo pasta

1-1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 Tablespoons capers

For the Lemon Dressing:

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

1 teaspoon honey

1 clove garlic

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Pasta Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain in a colander then set aside to cool a bit. You want the pasta to be slightly warm when you add the dressing so it will absorb well.

Prepare the Lemon Dressing:

In a mini food processor add lemon juice, salt, freshly ground pepper, honey and garlic.  Do a taste test and add more salt and pepper to your liking but be careful with the salt –  the salad contains capers and olives, which will be salty as well.

In a medium sized bowl, add cooked pasta with remaining ingredients. Toss with half of the dressing then taste. Add more as desired.   This salad can be served immediately at room temperature or refrigerated and served cold. Makes about 6 servings.

 

Blueberry-Lemon Pie Bars

Posted by Brenda K. Agresta in Pie Bars and tagged with , , , , , ,

Lemon Blueberry Pie Bars

A refreshing summer treat, these bars are fresh and fruity, without being overly sweet.

Blueberry-Lemon Pie Bars

from freshaprilflours.com

Shortbread Crust Ingredients

2 sticks (1 cup) melted unsalted butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

zest of one lemon

2 cups all purpose flour

Filling Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1- 5.3 ounce container lemon flavor greek yogurt

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 eggs

pinch of salt

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen, do not thaw)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare your pan. Choose an 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan, line with parchment or foil, leaving an overhang on the sides of the pan.

Prepare the crust.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine sugar and melted butter with half of the lemon zest. Mix in flour until well combined. Set aside 3/4 cup of the crust mixture in the refrigerator.

Add remaining dough to prepared pan and press in evenly. Bake for 18 minutes.

Prepare the filling. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat softened cream cheese on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add eggs and continue to beat until well combined.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add sugar, lemon yogurt, remaining zest, lemon juice and salt. Mix well. Add flour and mix just until combined. Using a spoon or a spatula, gently fold in blueberries.

Remove crust from oven when done and pour filling over crust. Spread evenly. Crumble reserved crust over top and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 55-65 minutes until lightly browned, test with toothpick for doneness.  Move to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cover with foil and move to refrigerator for at least one hour.

Once completely chilled, lift out of pan and cut into bars. Top with additional blueberries and zest, if desired, and serve. Store covered in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Creamy Lemon Squares

Posted by Brenda K. Agresta in Pie Bars and tagged with , ,

Creamy Lemon squares

The cold, snowy Chicago winter has given way to a wet, rainy summer. On those rainy days, I turn to the lemon to get my needed sunshine. Yellow and bright like the sun, the fresh and fruity lemon lifts my spirits and brightens my day. Simple and sweet, this classic, creamy lemon bar recipe is easy as pie…..squared. So bake a little sunshine and brighten your day. Your tummy will be happy too.

Creamy Lemon Squares – from Everyday Food

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 level cup all-purpose flour
4 large egg yolks
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 3 lemons)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Generously butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Also butter the paper.

To make the crust, beat butter, sugar, and salt with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour, and mix on low just until blended. Press dough into the bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of pan. Prick dough with a fork and bake until lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

For the filling, whisk together egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, and lemon juice in a large bowl until smooth. Pour over the warm, baked crust and return to oven. Bake until filling is set, 25 to 30 minutes. When completely cooled, move to refrigerator and chill until filling is firm, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Remove from pan using the paper overhang. Cut into desired number of squares and dust with confectioners sugar.

Lemon Rosemary Garlic Chicken and Potatoes

Posted by Brenda K. Agresta in Dinner Ideas and tagged with , , , ,

Rosemary Lemon Chicken1

This dish is easy enough to put together for any weeknight meal and presents beautifully for a get together with company. The lemony, garlic, rosemary sauce is a welcome accompaniment to the tender, succulent chicken and vegetables. I chose to add carrots to the original recipe as they go well with red potatoes and adds nice color to the presentation.

Lemon,Rosemary,Garlic,Chicken and Potatoes
Southern Living JANUARY 2014

Makes 6 servings

You will need:
6 chicken legs
4 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin on
2 pounds small red potatoes
1/2 pound peeled carrots

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cut potatoes in half or quarters if too large.
Place a large roasting pan on the stovetop over 2 burners. Over medium high heat, add 3 tablespoons olive oil to pan. Place chicken skin side down in pan, add potatoes and carrots and cook until chicken starts to brown, 10-15 minutes.

While the chicken cooks, make the sauce. In a medium bowl, mix the following ingredients. The original recipe calls for 10 cloves of garlic, you can cut that amount in half for a milder garlic flavor.

1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 (3.5-oz.) jar capers, drained
2 lemons, sliced
10 garlic cloves minced
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

Turn chicken over and cover in lemon sauce.
Bake for 50 minutes until chicken is done (165 degrees) and potatoes and carrots are tender. Spoon sauce over chicken and vegetables and serve.

Lemon Rosemary chicken 2

Pesto, Pasta, Shrimp and Asparagus

Posted by Brenda K. Agresta in Dinner Ideas and tagged with , , , , ,

Pesto Pasta 3

Pesto and pasta is a great combination and during the summer months I love to make fresh pesto with basil from my garden. But summer is still months away and with asparagus in season and so reasonably priced at the grocery store, this recipe wouldn’t wait. A store bought jar of pesto works just fine for this lemony fresh pasta creation and saves time in the kitchen too.

Pesto, Pasta, Shrimp and Asparagus

Inspired by recipe for Pasta, Shrimp, Asparagus and Basil
Good-Housekeeping, May 1994 issue

You will need:
8 oz. spaghetti
1/3 cup store bought pesto
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 lemon sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb. asparagus, cut on the diagonal, into two inch pieces
1 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper or more if you like the heat
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Add olive oil to a large non skillet over medium heat. Season the shrimp with salt, black and red pepper and sauté until pink, just for about 3 minutes per side. Do not overcook. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.

Add asparagus to pan and cook until crisp tender. Add lemon juice.
Drain spaghetti and add to asparagus. Toss with pesto. Add shrimp back in with lemon slices and toss again.

Makes 4 servings.

Pesto Pasta Shrimp and Asparagus2

To make fresh Pesto add the ingredients listed below to a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt