Chicken Scaloppine

Ingredients:

6-8 oz. Cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon, zested and halved
2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, 1 inch thick or pounded out that way
5 oz. angel hair pasta, cooked al dente, reserve 1/2 c. pasta water
2 oz. white cooking wine
4 oz. light cream
1 c. shaved Parmesan cheese

Place a medium size pan over medium heat and add 2 tsp. olive oil. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper and place in the heated oil. Cook for 6 minutes undisturbed (do not touch them!), flip, and cook for another 5 minutes. Set the chicken aside and place the pan back on the heat. Add 2 tsp. olive oil and mushrooms, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the shallot and garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add in the wine, and juice from half of the lemon. Cook for 2 minutes. Add in the cream and pasta water and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn back down to medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the cooked pasta and half of the Parmesan back into the sauce and stir together. Season the mixture again with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the pasta and sauce among two plates. Slice the chicken and place a chicken breast on top of each pasta mound. Sprinkle the top of the chicken with lemon zest and the remaining shaved Parmesan cheese.

Blueberry Lemon Doughnuts

It is finally Spring! (Well, still only 40-50 degrees here in the U.P. but it is sunny, and I have a sunburn, so it still counts.) Time to bust out one of my favorite "flavors" with pretty much any combination, as long as lemon is involved somewhere. These baked doughnuts pack a lemon punch that of course goes perfectly with blueberries. Every time I think lemon and blueberry, it just screams Springtime to me. And they are baked cake-like doughnuts, so you SORT of feel better eating them....

Ingredients:

1/2 stick butter, melted
1/4 c. veggie oil
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 c. buttermilk
2 3/4 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. blueberries

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and grease your doughnut pan(s) with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, oil and sugar together. Add in the eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, buttermilk and whisk again until smooth. Add in the dry ingredients and stir until a thick batter forms. Stir in the blueberries. Spoon the batter into the prepared doughnut pan and bake for 7-8 minutes, until the bottom of the doughnuts are a nice golden brown and the top springs back when you lightly press on it. Repeat until you have no more dough left.

Lemon Glaze:

2 c. powdered sugar
2 tsp. lemon zest
7-8 Tbs. fresh lemon juice (2 large lemons)

In a small bowl, combine the lemon glaze ingredients together. Line parchment or wax paper underneath cooling racks and dip each side of the doughnut in the glaze mixture. Place on the rack to cool fully and let the icing dry.

Lemon Asparagus Orzo

If you want a refreshing take on a pasta dish right in time for spring, then look no further! This lemon asparagus dish mixed with the pasta is amazing! It makes a large portion and feeds a hungry crowd.

Ingredients:

1 lb. asparagus, blanched
4 c. chicken stalk
4 c. water
1 Tbs salt
1/4 tsp. turmeric
3 c. orzo pasta
1/2 c. green onions, whites and stalks, thinly sliced

Dressing:

2 lemons, zested
1/2 c. lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh cracked pepper
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

Place the lemon zest, juice, garlic, salt and pepper into a bowl. Add in the oil and whisk. Set aside. Slice the cooked asparagus into two inch pieces and set aside. Place the chicken stock and water into a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the salt and turmeric. Add the orzo and cook on medium-high for 10-12 minutes. Place the orzo in a large bowl and add the asparagus and green onions. Whisk the dressing quickly again and pour into the salad. Mix well. Let sit to room temperature before serving.

Rhubarb Lemon Bars

 

Stop every dessert recipe you are doing involving rhubarb and pay close attention. This, is the ONLY rhubarb bar recipe you will ever need! It is tart, sweet and has an amazing cream cheese crust. It makes a ton of bars, and is perfect for any summer gathering!

Puree Ingredients:

3 c. rhubarb, chopped
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. water

Cream Cheese Shortbread:

4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 butter (salted or unsalted)
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 c. flour

Rhubarb Curd:

4 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
Rhubarb puree recipe
2 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbs. lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. flour
1-2 dots pink food dye

In a small saucepan, combine the rhubarb, sugar and water on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Let cool slightly and then transfer to a blender. Puree until smooth and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line  a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper or tinfoil and spray with non stick cooking spray. In an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the butter, cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Add in the flour on low speed, and gradually increase the speed and mix until everything comes together.

Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread evenly to the edges and bake for 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk the rhubarb curd ingredients together, minus the flour. Add in the food coloring (or omit if you want, it's only to add color), and whisk until everything is combined. Add in the flour slowly and whisk until incorporated.

Pour the curd on top of the shortbread and bake for 20 more minutes. Let cool for a half hour on a wire rack, and then transfer to the refrigerator to finish cooling. Cut into squares, and make sure to keep refrigerated when not serving!

Lemon and Herb Baked Salmon

Spring is FINALLY here. The snow has all melted, it is still only in the high 40's to mid 50's but hey, the sun is out so I will take it! In honor of this sunny weather, here is a salmon recipe that uses fresh herbs, garlic and fresh lemon juice.

Ingredients:

3 oz. butter
1 tsp. salt
Zest from 1 lemon
1 Tbs. fresh parsley
2 tsp. fresh dill
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. cracked pepper
3-4 salmon fillets (4-5 oz. each)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine all of the above ingredients together, minus the salmon, cover, and microwave for 30-45 seconds. Stir the mixture. Place the salmon fillets skin side down on the parchment paper and top with the melted butter and herb sauce. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the salmon is fully cooked through.

Lemon Pepper Lettuce Cups

This fresh and easy recipe is one that most of the hard work is again done by the slow cooker, and why not? The only thing you have to do is assemble and chop a few things, and other than the meat cooking, this can be put together in minutes! 

 Ingredients:

1 Hormel lemon pepper pork tenderloin

1 head butter lettuce, leaves pulled apart 

1 avocado, cored and cubed

Cilantro

Lemon Aioli:

1/2 c. mayonnaise 

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

1-2 Tbs. lemon juice

1 tsp. Dijon 

1 garlic clove, minced

Cook a Hormel lemon pepper tenderloin in the slow-cooker for 8 hours on low (6-8). Remove from the liquid and shred. Place back into the liquid until ready to serve.

Mix all of the aioli ingredients together in a small dish and set aside. To assemble the dish, lay out the butter head lettuce on your serving platter. Place 1-2 teaspoons of pork on top of each lettuce cup. Top with a small amount of the aioli, diced avocado, and fresh cilantro. If you want people to assemble their own, make a large plate with all of the toppings and add the pork to a small serving dish.

Lemon Blueberry Naked Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Spring is almost here (hopefully, the snow is melting at a rapid pace now as long as it stays that way), and what better flavors to welcome in Spring than lemon and blueberry? This cake is soft, packed with flavor and perfect for people who don't like a massive amount of frosting, hence the "Naked" part of the title.

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter, softened
1 3/4 c. sugar
1 Tbs. lemon zest
4 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. buttermilk
Juice from 2 lemons (about 1/2 cup)
2 c. fresh blueberries
1 Tbs. flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 9 inch round cake pans with Pam (with flour) and set aside. In an electric mixer, combine the butter, sugar and lemon zest until everything is well mixed. Add in the eggs and vanilla, beating for around two minutes and then scrape down the bowl. With the mixer off, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix on low speed until just combined. Add the buttermilk and lemon juice, stirring by hand until the batter is a smooth and silky consistency.

In a small bowl, toss the blueberries and the flour together. Add the blueberries to the cake batter and gently fold them in (try not to break them because then the batter will change color!). Pour the batter evenly into the three prepared pans and smooth out. I like to tap the pans gently on the counter to get all of the air bubbles out. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans until ready to assemble.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:

12 oz. cream cheese (1 1/2 blocks), softened
1 stick butter, softened
4 1/2 c. powdered sugar
Zest of one large lemon
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. heavy cream

Beat the cream cheese and butter together for about 2-3 minutes until fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar on low speed until everything starts mixing together, and then add the lemon zest and lemon juice. Increase the spread to medium and slowly add in the heavy cream. Whip for another 2-3 minutes.

To assemble the cake, place the bottom layer on your work surface (I like to put a paper liner underneath so that the cake is easily transported). Fill a piping bag with a large tip and pipe a thin layer of frosting on top, starting with the outsides and then making a zigzag pattern towards the middle. Smooth out with an icing spatula. Place the second layer on and repeat those steps. Finally, place the top layer on and pipe a layer of frosting like before. Using the icing spatula, smooth out the top. Then frost the sides of the cake making sure to push the frosting between the layers so that there are no cracks. Turn the cake, pressing down with the icing spatula, to remove excess frosting. Smooth the top of the cake out once more so that the icing is in an even layer.

To decorate the cake, I added a tan bow using wrapping paper ribbon. I also made a mound in the center of the top of the cake out of raspberries and extra blueberries, and then place a few crystallized sugared roses (edible) on top.

Lemon Cookie Blondies

I, love, lemon. Lemon flavored candy, lemon chicken, lemon cookies, lemon scented everything. I grabbed a bag of mini lemon sandwich cookies from the dollar section at Shopko a few weeks ago and have been dreading opening them in fear of eating them all in one sitting. I decided to add them into a blondie recipe adding a small amount of lemon extract. The turned out delicious!

Ingredients:

1 box vanilla cake mix
1/4 c. oil
1 egg
1/3 c. milk, 1 %
6 oz. bag of lemon cream cookies, chopped
1/4 tsp. lemon extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9 pan with non stick cooking spray. Combine the cake mix, oil, egg and milk together with a spatula. Stir in the lemon extract and chopped cookies. Spread into the prepared pan in an even layer. I like to spray cooking spray in my hands to spread out. Using a spatula sometimes makes it difficult to spread because it sticks. Sprinkle with yellow edible glitter and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack, then cut into small squares. Store in an airtight container.

Lemon Overload Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 Box white cake mix (including, oil, egg whites and water called for)
1 1/2 - 2 tsp. lemon extract
1 Jar lemon curd
1 Recipe Simple Syrup Meringue Frosting

Combine box cake ingredients and the lemon extract together by whisking in a medium size bowl. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Divide the batter evenly into 12 jumbo baking cups or liners. Bake for 20 minutes in the oven and check with a toothpick, or touch the top to make sure it bounces back and they are fully cooked. Let cool. Cut the very center of the tops out using a spoon. Place 1-2 teaspoons of lemon curd into each cavity. Pipe each cupcake with the lemon meringue frosting. Refrigerate until serving.