Lemon Basil Dressing

Ellen Greenblatt, a friend who lives in Berkeley, Calif., shared this recipe with me. Toss a green salad with this dressing, and no additional herbs will be necessary. It is perfect for chicken salad or drizzled over a cooked chicken breast; use it over shrimp, salmon or sliced tomatoes.

Ms. Greenblatt uses a mini food processor, but the dressing also can be made in a mortar and pestle. Try it on some of the salads in the Recipes for Health index.

About 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 teaspoons mild honey (to taste)
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1. Place the basil in the bowl of a mini food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the lemon juice, salt, pepper and honey, and pulse several times until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the olive oil and process until emulsified. Taste and adjust honey and salt. Serve right away to preserve the color.

Note: To make this dressing in a mortar and pestle, grind the basil leaves, then add the remaining ingredients and work together until smooth.

Yield: 1/2 cup.

Advance preparation: This is best if you serve it soon after you make it, as the color of the basil will not remain bright in the presence of lemon juice.

Nutritional information per tablespoon: 96 calories; 10 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 2 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 milligrams sodium (does not include salt added during preparation); 0 grams protein

From NYTimes

Lemon Chicken Bulgar Soup

Bulgur is just one grain you can add to this lemony soup; quinoa or rice, which is traditional, work equally well. If you use all of the shredded chicken called for in this recipe (you don’t have to), the soup becomes much like a stew. Make the broth the day before; after it chills overnight in the refrigerator, skim the fat from the surface

3 pounds chicken, cut up
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, quartered
6 large garlic cloves, 4 peeled and crushed, 2 minced or sliced
A bouquet garni made with 1 bay leaf, a couple of sprigs of thyme and a couple of sprigs of parsley
2 1/2 quarts water
10 peppercorns
Salt to taste
1 pound leeks (3 medium or 2 large), white and light green parts only, cleaned and sliced thin
2/3 cup bulgur
Juice of 2 large lemons
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, tarragon, chives or cilantro

1. If possible, do this step a day ahead. Combine the chicken, carrots, onion, crushed garlic cloves, bouquet garni, water and peppercorns in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer. Skim off any foam, add salt to taste, cover partially and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Using tongs, remove the chicken breasts and wings and place in a bowl. Simmer the legs and thighs for another 10 minutes and remove. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin and return the bones to the pot. Continue to simmer the bones for another 30 minutes. Shred the chicken, and refrigerate it in a covered bowl.

2. Pour the broth through a cheesecloth-lined strainer into a large bowl. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, skim off the fat that has congealed on the surface of the broth and discard.

3. Return the broth to the soup pot. Add the remaining garlic and leeks, bulgur and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes until the grains are tender. Taste and adjust salt. Shortly before serving, stir as much of the chicken as you’d like into the soup (use the remaining chicken for salads). Stir in the lemon juice and herbs, and serve.

Yield: Serves six generously.

Advance preparation: It’s a good idea to make this through Step 2 a day or two ahead.

Nutritional information per serving: 234 calories; 4 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 75 milligrams cholesterol; 24 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 106 milligrams sodium (does not include salt added during preparation); 27 grams protein

From NYTimes

Clearly, an easier version can be made here... :)

Chicken Picatta

You will need: adapted from a Cuisine-At-Home magazine
4 chicken cutlets
2 TBS oil
1/4 cup dry white wine(or chicken stock)
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 TBS capers, drained
2 TBS butter
fresh lemon slices
chopped parsley for garnish
salt and pepper to taste
flour for dusting chicken


Directions:
Season chicken with salt and pepper. If your chicken breast is thick, you might want to pound it a bit to make it thinner. It will cook much faster. Dredge the chicken in flour and shake off excess flour.
Add oil in a saute pan and heat on med-high. Saute chicken 2-3 minutes on one side.
Turn chicken on second side, cover pan, and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a warm plate. Pour off fat...if you have any.
Deglaze pan with wine. Add garlic. Cook until the garlic is just brown (don't overcook as it will become bitter) another minute or so.
Add 1/2 cup broth (if you want a bit more sauce in the final stage you can add a bit more stock) and lemon juice. Add the capers as well.
Return the browned chicken and cook on each side for 1 minute.
Transfer the chicken (again) unto a warm plate. Add butter and lemon slices to the sauce in the skillet. Cook until the butter melts.
Once the butter melts, add the sauce and lemon slices over the chicken cutlets.
Sprinkle some chopped parsley.
from  home cooking in montana

Lemony Couscous with Peas and Chicken

1/2 rotisserie chicken
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup white or yellow onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
2 wide strips of lemon peel, plus additional zest for garnish
1 1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup whole wheat couscous
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

Skin and debone 1/2 a rotisserie chicken. Shred meat and set aside. Reserve any drippings from the carton.

Heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Add broth and drippings to pan and bring to boil. Stir in lemon peel and peas and return to a boil. Stir in couscous and stir and add chicken. Cover and turn off heat. Let sit for 7 minutes.

Add lemon juice and salt & pepper to taste. Fluff with a fork. Divide into bowls and serve garnished with parsley and additional lemon zest.

Serves 4
Adapted from Everyday Food, May 2010
from Confections of a Foodie Bride

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

1 package (18 ounces) white cake mix
3 egg whites
1 cup of water
1/3 cup, plus 1/4 cup of frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
pink food coloring
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
lemon candies, for decoration

Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 muffin cups with paper baking cups.

Beat cake mix, egg whites, water, 1/3 cup concentrate, oil, and a few drops of food coloring in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes. Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin cups.

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

To make frosting, beat sugar, butter, and remaining 1/4 cup concentrate in medium bowl with mixer at medium speed. Beat in a few drops food coloring. Frost cupcakes and decorate with lemon candy.

Flourless Lemon Cake

3 large lemons
250 g ground almonds
6 eggs
A pinch of salt
250 g sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder

Cover the lemons with water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 2 hours. I recommend putting a lid on the pan, because if you’re anything like me you’ll forget the lemons are on the stove, water evaporating away, and 2 hours later you’ll come back to find their dried and possibly charred remains.
Once the lemons have cooked, drain the water off and leave them to cool. When they are at room temperature, cut them open and look for any seeds that might be lurking within, and get rid of those.
Then take all of your ingredients in a food processor and whiz together to form the batter. The lemons go in skin, pith, flesh, and all.
Dump the mix into a lined springform cake pan, and bake at 190C for about 45 minutes, or until cooked in the middle. If it is getting dark on top you can cover it with foil while it finishes baking.
from Nigella via ButtermilkPartyCake

Perfect Lemon Cupcakes

Made May 1, 2010
I thought the cupcakes were very good.  I was afraid they might be too much like a moist pound cake, but they weren't... nice and fluffy.  The frosting was also good, very lemony.  For me, though, it was a bit too sweet for this cake.  I've never been a big fan of buttercream, might try with cream cheese frosting or just whipped cream.  But everyone else seemed to be happy with the combo.  -jt

Cake:
1 package lemon cake mix
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup oil (I only used 1/2cup)
4 eggs
1 small package lemon instant pudding

Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Mix with electric mixer on medium speed for about two minutes. For 24 cupcakes, bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  For regular cake, pour into a greased 9×11 pan or two round pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Don’t over bake!
The cupcakes will fall slightly as they cool -- it just makes more space for frosting!

Lemon Buttercream Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, very soft
6-8 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of sugar, then the juice and the zest. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, until icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency (I added 6 cups total). Use and store at room temperature. (Don’t refrigerate and it will last in a covered container for about three days.)

from Real Mom Kitchen

Triple Lemon Loaf

Lemon Lemon (Lemon) Loaf
Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking
Printable Recipe
Makes 2 9x5x3 loaves

For the Lemon Cake:
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups sugar
8 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup grated lemon zest (from about 4 lemons)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Lemon Syrup:
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar

For the Lemon Glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted, or more if needed
4 to 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Make the Lemon Cakes:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the sides and bottom of two 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and spray the paper.

2. Sift both flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.

3. Put the sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a food processor and pulse until combined. With the motor running, drizzle the butter in through the feed tube. Add the sour cream and vanilla and pulse until combined. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

4. Sprinkle the flour mixture, one third at a time, folding gently after each addition until just combined. Do not overmix.

5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes, rotate the pans, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F., and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

6. Let cool in the pans for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the Lemon Syrup:
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the lemon juice and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

2. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper or Silpat and invert the loaves onto the pan. Use a toothpick to poke holes in the tops and sides of the loaves.

3. Brush the tops and sides of the loaves with the lemon syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. Let the cakes cool completely, at least 30 minutes.

The soaked but unglazed loaves will keep, wrapped in two layers of plastic wrap and frozen, for up to 6 weeks.

Make the Lemon Glaze:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and 4 tablespoons of the lemon juice. The mixture should be thick but pourable. If the mixture is too stiff, add up to another 2 tablespoons lemon juice and whisk again, adding small amounts of lemon juice and/or confectioners' sugar until you get the right consistency. Pour the lemon glaze over the top of each loaf and let it drip down the sides. Let the lemon glaze harden, about 15 minutes, before serving.

The glazed loaves will keep for up to 3 days, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

From Amy @ playinghouseblog.com

Frozen Lemonade Pie

Frozen Lemonade Pie
from The Neelys via FoodNetwork.com
Kristen's 4th of July dessert!
 
Ingredients:
1 large-size store bought graham cracker pie crust
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 (12 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
1 (6 fluid ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, keep frozen
1 teaspoon candied lemon peel for garnish (optional)
Directions:

In a medium bowl, add chilled sweetened condensed milk and Cool Whip and fold gently. Add frozen lemonade and continue to gently fold. Do not let the mixture become soupy.

Pour mixture into the pie crust and freeze for several hours or overnight.
Garnish with candied lemon peel, if desired.
Makes 8 servings.
Enjoy!

Source...