Lemon Madeleines

Lemon Madeleines - Julie S.

Ingredients

Makes 2 dozen.

* 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted, plus more for pans
* 1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted (not self-rising)
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
* 3 large eggs
* 2 large egg yolks
* 3/4 cup granulated sugar
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (2 to 3 lemons total)
* Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two madeleine pans; set aside.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl; set aside.
2. Put eggs, egg yolks, granulated sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and thickened, about 5 minutes. Mix in butter. Using a spatula, fold flour mixture into egg mixture. Let rest 30 minutes.
3. Pour batter into buttered pans, filling the molds 3/4 full. Bake cookies, rotating pans halfway through, until edges are crisp and golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Let cookies cool slightly in pans on wire racks. Invert, and unmold. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to one day.

From Martha Stewart

Miniature Lemon Tarts

Miniature Lemon Tarts - Lori S.

This recipe uses a mini muffin pan to create these bite-sized treats.
Makes 24.

Lemon Curd
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon oil or 3 tsp. lemon zest
2 large eggs plus 2 yolks
1 cup superfine sugar
3/4 stick unsalted butter (6 tablespoons)

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer, about 2 min. Slowly add the eggs and yolks. Beat for 1 min. Mix in the lemon juice. The mixture will look curdled, but it will smooth out as it cooks.

In a medium, heavy-based saucepan, cook the mixture over low heat until it looks smooth. (The curdled appearance disappears as the butter in the mixture melts.) Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 15 min. It should leave a path on the back of a spoon and will read 170°F on a thermometer. Don't let the mixture boil. (I had to keep the heat pretty low so it wouldn't boil.)

Remove the curd from the heat; stir in the lemon zest. Transfer the curd to a bowl. Press plastic wrap on the surface of the lemon curd to keep a skin from forming and chill the curd in the refrigerator. The curd will thicken further as it cools. Covered tightly, it will keep in the refrigerator for a week and in the freezer for 2 months.

Crust
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
1 3-ounce package cream cheese
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine flour, confectioners' sugar and baking powder in a bowl and whisk to combine. Cut butter and cream cheese into pieces then sprinkle over flour mixture. Cut butter and cream cheese into flour mixture until it resembles coarse "sand". Set aside. In another bowl, whisk egg yolk and vanilla until well blended. Add to flour mixture, and mix until dough just starts to come together. Roll dough into a ball, flatten slightly, then wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375º F.

Divide dough into 24 equal pieces and roll into balls. Place each ball of dough into a mini muffin cup and press down in the center to form a cup. Press dough all the way up the sides of the muffin cup until the dough extends to the rim. (You can use a tamper if you have one.) Prick the bottom of the dough with the tines of a fork. Place the muffin pan on the center rack of an oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Remove muffin pans from the oven and lower the temperature to 325º F. (I used the tamper to press the tarts once more, then returned the muffin pan to the oven. Allow the crusts to bake until the edges start to turn a golden brown. Transfer muffin pan to a wire rack allowing the crusts to cool completely in the pans.
To assemble the tarts, use a spoon to add the desired amount of curd into each crust. Carefully remove each tart from the muffin pan with a knife. Serve immediately.

I added a little bit of glaze to each tart by making a simple glaze of powdered sugar mixed with lemon juice. I put it in a ziploc bag, cut the tip off of one corner, and drizzled glaze over the top of each tart.

Tarts may be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two days.

Glazed Lemon Zucchini Bread

Glazed Lemon Zucchini Bread - Holley T.

For the Bread
Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
Grated peel of 1 large lemon
2/3 cup shredded zucchini
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans


For Lemon Glaze
1/3 cup sugar
Juice of 1 large lemon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 3x9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

For the bread, sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Beat the margarine, sugar and lemon peel in another medium bowl until well blended. Mix in the zucchini. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the flour mixture, alternating with the milk and ending with the flour. Fold in the pecans.

Spoon into the loaf pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the bread pulls away from the sides of the pan and the top springs back when lightly touched. Place the loaf pan on a wire rack. Pierce the top of the warm bread, using a wooden pick.

For the glaze, combine the sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Pour evenly over the warm loaf. Let cool to room temperature. Loosen around the edges with a spatula. Turn out.

Lemonade Cake

Lemonade Cake - Arlene H.

1. Make a Lemon Cake Mix, according to directions on box. Bake it in a Bundt pan. Let it cool. Remove from pan and place it on a good size plate.

2. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 can (regular size) concentrated lemonade (not pink) in a small bowl until mixed up good.

3. Poke holes with a fork all over the cake about 1 inch apart.

4. Cut some strawberries in thin slices and put them on top of the cake and around the base of the cake.

5. Drizzle the lemonade mixture over the cake.

6. Put in refrigerator to cool.

7. Cover loosely with wax paper.

Tequila Rice

Tequila Rice - Tahne L.

4 cups white rice
7 cups water
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cups tequila or citrus juice (The alcohol cooks out. Tahne used lime juice)
2 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted
2 Tblsp. lard or olive oil
2 tsp. salt
Limes, for garnish

Saute onion and garlic in lard or olive oil. Add toasted cumin seeds, tequila or citrus juice, rice, water and salt. Pressure cook on high for 6 minutes, natural release. Or cook as you would normally cook rice. Serve with black beans and limes, as garnish

Recipe from Chef Brad

Lemon-Pepper Cappellini

Lemon-Pepper Cappellini - Charlotte H. and Christina T.


Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
* 2 lemons, zested and juiced
* Salt
* 1/2 pound capellini
* 1/2 cup shredded or torn basil leaves
* Grated cheese, to pass at table

Directions

Place water on to boil for pasta.

In a large skillet combine olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add garlic, pepper and the lemon zest.

Salt water when it boils then cook cappellini to al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Add a ladle of cooking water to lemon pepper butter and stir in the lemon juice. Drain pasta and toss with lemon-pepper butter and salt, to taste. Add the basil to the pasta and serve a small bundle alongside your entree or serve as a delicate first course.

Note - Charlotte thought you could leave the lemon zest out, so it wasn't so overpowering.

(Serve with Lemon Chicken)

Recipe from Rachael Ray

Lemon Chicken

Lemon Chicken - Charlotte H. and Christina T.

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast or chicken tenders, cut into chunks
* 1/4 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
* Coarse salt
* 2 tablespoons wok or vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan (preferred brand: House of Tsang)
* 1 tablespoon (a splash) white or rice wine vinegar
* 1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
* 8 ounces (1 cup) prepared lemon curd
* 1/4 cup hot water
* 1 lemon, zested
* 2 scallions, thinly sliced or 20 blades fresh chives, finely chopped

Directions

Coat the chunked chicken lightly in flour, seasoned with a little salt. Heat a large skillet or a wok-shaped nonstick pan over high heat. Stir fry chicken until golden, 3 or 4 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and return pan to heat. Reduce heat to medium.

Add a splash of vinegar to the pan and let it evaporate. Add stock or broth to the pan and scrape up any drippings with a whisk. Thin curd by stirring in a little hot water. Add curd to broth and whisk to combine. Add chicken back to the pan and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken sauce and finish cooking chicken pieces through. Remove the pan from heat, add the scallions or chives and zest, and toss chicken pieces well to combine zest and scallions or chives evenly throughout the sauce. Charlotte served this with the Lemon-Pepper Cappellini.

Cook's Notes: Wok oil infused with ginger and garlic is usually available on the International Foods aisle in many markets.

Chicken broths and stocks are available in resealable paper containers, making storage of remaining product easy and on hand in the refrigerator; they are found in the soup aisle.

Lemon curd is a sweet lemon spread available in most markets. It is on the jam/jelly aisle.

Recipe from Rachael Ray

Lemon and Garlic Grilled Chicken

Lemon and Garlic Grilled Chicken - Cynthia R.

Juice of 1 lemon, approximately 3 tablespoons
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 2 medium cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound chicken breasts (I usually cut really thick chicken breasts down to thin them out and make the pieces a little smaller so they absorb the marinade better)

Combine all marinade ingredients. Place chicken in a Ziploc bag and pour marinade over chicken. Seal bag and place in fridge overnight. Grill (or cook in frying pan). Serve with sides of your choice or cut into bite sized pieces and add to desired recipe (I'll be sharing a few with you soon). Note: If you cut your chicken into smaller, bite-sized pieces and then marinate it, you can get away with only letting it marinate for 5 or 6 hours instead of overnight.

Often, I will double the marinade and chicken and grill it all up and freeze the extras to use later.

Recipe from www.mykitchencafe.blogspot.com

Lemon Cream Pasta with Chicken

Lemon Cream Pasta with Chicken - Cynthia R.

3 cups shredded or cubed Lemon Garlic Chicken (see separate recipe) or use regular grilled chicken
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 (16 ounce) package tube pasta
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, season the chicken broth with the garlic powder and pepper. Bring to a boil and add lemon juice and pasta. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes.

Stir chicken into cooked pasta, along with the cream, parmesan cheese and lemon zest. Cook, stirring, over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Stir thoroughly before serving.

Recipe from www.mykitchencafe.blogspot.com

Lemon Tarts

Lemon Tarts - by Laura L.

Sour Cream Pastry Dough

2 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter chilled and cut into ¼ inch slices

½ cup sour cream

Put the flour and salt in a 3 quart bowl and stir to blend. Scatter the butter slices over the flour, and cut in with a pastry blender until the mixture consists of particles that vary in size from small peas to bread crumbs. Stir in the sour cream with a fork. The pastry will appear dry because the sour cream is thick and does not disperse easily. With your hands, manipulate dough into a ball. Divide dough in 3 balls. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until cold and firm, about 4 hours and up to 3 days. The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month.

Roll dough on a lightly floured wax paper. Use lightly floured rolling pin. Make the dough quite thin. Not as thin as a tortilla, but thin. Cut dough using a circle cookie cutter slightly bigger than the size of the tart pans (like a muffin pan only much smaller). Cook on 400 for about 12 minutes until lightly brown.

Lemon Curd

Grated rind of 2 lemons

½ cup lemon juice

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter or margarine

6 eggs well beaten (with electric beaters)

Combine lemon rind, lemon juice and sugar in top of double boiler. ( I just boiled water in one sauce pan and placed another saucepan on top of it.) Add butter. Heat over boiling water until butter is melted. Stir in eggs slowly. Continue cooking, stirring constantly until mixture is thick enough to pile slightly, about 15 minutes. Spoon filling into cooled tart shells.

Oreo Truffles

Oreo Truffles - Tracy W.

1 bag Oreos (mint are good)
1 8oz package cream cheese
1 pound white chocolate (dipping chocolate)
8 oz milk chocolate to drizzle

Mix Oreos and cream cheese in the food processor. Roll mixture into small balls. Dip in melted white chocolate. Cool. Drizzle with melted milk chocolate. Store in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

I had these at a Valentines party and they were awesome!
(photo from http://meemoskitchen.blogspot.com/)

Coming Soon! Recipes with Lemon!

We have a Recipe Club scheduled for the end of the month. Bring any recipe that uses lemon. Should be fun!