Lemon Pasta Salad

adapted from NoTakeOut

2 lemons
¼ cup canola oil
1 heaping Tablespoon dried basil
8 ounces fresh Parmesan
1 pound favorite pasta

Bring a salted pot of water to boil on the stove; add pasta and stir.  While pasta is cooking, zest the lemons into a large bowl.  Add the oil, basil and juice of one lemon.  Grate the Parmesan into the bowl.  When the pasta is al dente, drain, reserving a bit of pasta water if desired.  Add the pasta to the bowl and toss thoroughly to coat.  Enjoy with French bread and some sliced bell peppers if desired.

Lemon Pie Poke Cake

Created from recipes on Betty Crocker, Our Best Bites and my imagination. It needs a better name, though, because the cake is MUCH better than the name implies!

Tip: Bake cake/s and assemble with filling the night before, then mix the frosting and decorate the cake a few hours or so before serving.

Cake:
1 box white cake mix
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 tsp salt
4 egg whites
1 1/3 cups water
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract (use clear vanilla if you want a pure white cake)

Mix all dry ingredients with a whisk, then add wet ingredients. Beat for two minutes until fluffy. Bake as directed on box.** Cool 5 minutes, while mixing up filling, then poke holes (¼-inch to ½-inch in diameter) almost to bottom of cake every ½-inch or so, wiping handle of poking spoon occasionally to reduce sticking.

Lemon Filling:
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
¾ cup whipping cream
½ cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
5 drops yellow food color

In medium bowl, stir together all ingredients. Pour over warm cake; spread evenly over surface, working back and forth to fill holes. Some filling should remain on top of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour. (Double amounts if doing a layer cake - will have some left over. Great to make filled cupcakes with, as seen on Our Best Bites.)

Frosting:
6 Tablespoons flour
1 cup whole milk (can use lower-fat if desired)
1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon extract

Whisk together flour and milk. Heat in small sauce pan on medium heat. Whisk continuously until it starts to thicken. Let it cook, while stirring until it looks like pudding before it's set (you should be able to see the bottom of the pan when you stir it). Even though it’s thick, push it through a mesh strainer (use the whisk to push it through) and then let it cool completely to room temp. Be sure it is completely cool or it will melt the butter and you’ll have runny frosting. In an electric stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar for a minute or two until well combined and fluffy. Use the whisk attachment on your stand mixer. While beating, add in the thickened milk mixture, lemon and the vanilla. Beat on the highest speed you can (without it spitting all over the kitchen) for 7-9 minutes. If needed (if it’s not velvety smooth and fluffy), beat for another few minutes. Store at room temperature until ready to frost cake. (View tutorial on Our Best Bites for great pics.)

Garnish, if desired:
Fresh strawberries
Blueberries

Garnish with fruit as desired. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

**Can make as a thick 9x13-inch cake, or can make as a double-layer round/square with batter left over for 10 cupcakes! If doing two layers, will have to poke first layer and pour filling over, then spread extra filling on top (may want to double the filling amount depending on your preference) of that layer before placing second layer on top. Poke that layer and then pour filling over top, then refrigerate until ready to make and spread frosting as desired.

Lemon Cheesecake

adapted from Betty Crocker. served for Easter. we LOVED this dessert. it was pretty dang good, let me tell you! I added in some lemon zest to some whipping cream and decorated the top, and it was delicious! we had just a piece leftover, and it was gone the next day.

Crust
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 Tablespoon lemon zest

Filling
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 sugar
1 small box lemon pudding, prepared as directed on box
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs
2 cups whipped topping

Heat oven to 350F. Spray bottom and side of 10-inch springform pan with Pam. Wrap foil around outside of pan to catch drips. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cake mix; set aside. In large bowl, beat remaining cake mix, butter and lemon zest with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly. Press in bottom and 1-1/2 inches up side of pan.

In same large bowl, beat reserved cake mix, the cream cheese, sugar, pudding and sour cream on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until mixed. Pour over crust.

Bake 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes or until edges are set but center of cheesecake jiggles slightly when moved. Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes longer.

Remove cheesecake from oven; place on cooling rack. Without releasing side of pan, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Cover loosely; refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Remove side of pan before serving. Pipe or spoon whipped topping around edge of cheesecake. Store in refrigerator.

Bakerella's Lemon Bars

adapted slightly from Bakerella's site

FOR THE CRUST:
1 cup Butter
1¾ cup Flour
⅔ cups Confectionary Sugar (plus More For Dusting)
zest of half a lemon

FOR THE TOPPING:
1½ cup Sugar
¼ cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
juice and zest of 2 large lemons (or a bit more than ½ cup Lemon Juice)
4 whole Eggs, Slightly Beaten


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 X 13 pan.

To make crust:
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, zest and confectioner’s sugar.
Cut in butter until combined and crumbly.
Press crust mixture into bottom of pan.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

To make topping:
While crust is baking, prepare topping.
In a larger bowl, add sugar, flour, and baking powder.
Then add slightly beaten eggs and lemon zest & juice.
Mix well and pour on top of warm baked crust.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.

When cool, dust with confectioner’s sugar and refrigerate.
Cut into bars and enjoy them cold!

(Or eat them warm - they're too yummy to wait!)

Blueberry Lemon Buttermilk Muffins

adapted from a recipe found on Tasty Kitchen

1 cup butter, softened
2½ cups sugar
3 Tablespoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, at room temperature
3½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 cup milk, mixed with 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
3 cups blueberries, tossed with ½ cup flour
½-1 cup white decorator sugar, mixed with 2 Tablespoons lemon zest


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray the top of a muffin pan with non-stick coating, and line with paper liners. If you make large muffins the batter will come up over the sides and stick if you don’t grease the top, if your muffins are smaller feel free to skip this step.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, lemon zest and salt until light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix together the flour and baking powder.

Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated. Mix blueberries in the remaining flour and fold into the batter.
Divide batter into muffin tins and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle tops with the lemon sugar. Return to oven and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 3 dozen regular-sized muffins.

Grilled Salmon

1 large salmon fillet.
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup sliced almonds
2 Tablespoons butter
1 small clove garlic
lemon pepper
seasoning salt

Place salmon fillet in foil. Pour lemon juice over top. Lightly toast almonds in butter and pour over salmon. Thinly slice the garlic clove and tuck each slice into the salmon spaced out evenly (make a little cut with the tip of a knife to make it easier to tuck in the slices). Sprinkle with lemon pepper and seasoning salt. Wrap tightly in foil, sealing all edges, and place directly on grill for about 20 minutes. Serve with rice.

Chinese Takeout Lemon Chicken

altered from Kraft

½ Tablespoon oil
1 pound chicken breasts, cooked and cut into strips
2 cups snow peas, trimmed
1 large red pepper, cut into strips
1 large green pepper, cut into strips
4-serving size package lemon jell-o
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup cup chicken broth
1 Tablespoon Italian dressing
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon grated ginger

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken, snow peas and peppers. Cook and stir two minutes.

Mix dry jell-o and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add broth, dressing, garlic and ginger; stir until jell-o is dissolved. Add to skillet; reduce heat to medium and cook three minutes or until sauce is thickened, stirring frequently.

Serve over hot cooked rice, if desired.

Serves 4.

Pasta Salad with Lemon & Asparagus

This is delicious! Got it from Darcy. Thanks!

16 ounces penne pasta
2 pounds asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese pieces
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
Salt & Pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions and add asparagus during the last 3-1/2 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta and asparagus and rinse under cold water. Transfer to a large bowl.

Add the Parmesan, oil, lemon juice and zest, plus salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine.

Serves 8.

Lemon Dessert

Jerod calls this giraffe vomit. But he likes it!

1 angel food cake - pre-made
1 large box of COOK & SERVE lemon pudding
1 large tub of Cool Whip, thawed

Tear apart angel food cake in a large bowl

Cook pudding according to pie directions on box

Let cool 5 minutes, then pour over cake bits in bowl (yes, while it's hot)

Let cool (I kept it out on the counter for a while)

Spread thawed Cool Whip over top

Refrigerate until ready to serve

Key Lime Cake

adapted from Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen

Cake:
3 sticks butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese
3 cups sugar
6 whole eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour

Sugar Bath:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup lime juice

Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
1 stick butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
zest of one lemon
zest of one lime

Preheat oven to 325F.

Beat 3 sticks of butter with 8 ounces cream cheese until creamy. Add 3 cups sugar. Add eggs one at a time and mix until combined. Add 1 Tablespoon vanilla, then 3 cups of flour and mix until combined. Bake in a greased and floured Bundt pan for 75 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

During last 12 minutes of cake's baking time, prepare the sugar bath. Bring 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup lemon and 1/2 cup lime juices to a boil, then let simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside.

When cake is finished baking, carefully pour half of the sugar/juice mixture into the pan with the hot cake. Wait 5 minutes, then flip the cake and paint the remaining mix onto the top of the cake with a pastry brush. Once cool, mix up the frosting.

Beat the last 8 ounces cream cheese with last stick of butter. Slowly add in 4 cups of powdered sugar, mixing until creamy. Add the lemon juices, lime juice and vanilla, then mix until incorporated. Add a little milk if needed to reach desired consistency.

When cake is (mostly) cool, drizzle the cream cheese frosting over top. Sprinkle with zests.

Perfect Lemon Cupcakes

Cake:
1 package lemon cake mix
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs
1 small package lemon instant pudding

Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Mix wtih electric mixer on medium for about two minutes. Use a strong mixer, as the batter is thick! For cupcakes, bake them at 350ºF for 20 minutes. (Makes about 24 very full cupcakes.) (Can also make a regular cake - 9x11 or 2 rounds. Bake at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes.)

Lemon Buttercream Frosting:
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, very soft
6-8 cups powdered sugar
½ 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 the icing is thick enough to spread. Use and store at room temperature. (Don't refrigerate and it will last covered for about 3 days.)

creamy lemon squares

20 Nilla Wafers, finely crushed
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ cup flour
2 eggs
2 teaspoons powdered sugar
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons flour
¼ cup cold butter
3 Tablespoons lemon zest
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup fresh lemon juice

HEAT oven to 350ºF. Line 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends extending over sides. MIX wafer crumbs, flour and brown sugar in bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Bake 5-7 minutes. BEAT cream cheese and sugar with mixer until blended. Add eggs and 2 Tbsp flour; mix well. Blend in 1 Tbsp lemon zest, lemon juice and baking powder; pour over crust. BAKE 25-28 minutes or ‘til center is set. Cool. Refrigerate 2 hours. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and remaining lemon zest. Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting.

Greek-Style Lemon Roast Chicken

3-4 lbs. frozen chicken breasts
salt and black pepper
1 medium lemon, washed, zested, halved and squeezed
1 medium lemon, sliced
½ cup Greek vinaigrette dressing
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ cup Feta cheese, crumbled

Mix lemon zest, juice, dressing and garlic; toss with frozen chicken breasts in a large sealable plastic bag. Marinate overnight, or 4-6 hours, in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place contents of plastic bag in a 13x9-inch baking dish.
Place lemon slices over chicken breasts. Bake 1½ hours or until chicken is cooked through (reaches an internal temperature of 180°F), basting occasionally. Sprinkle with crumbled Feta cheese before serving.

Greek Lemon Potatoes

6 large potatoes cut into wedges (peeled is optional)
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
Zest of 2 lemons
1 Tablespoons chicken bouillon dissolved in
¼ cup water
2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 garlic cloves pressed (or garlic powder to taste)

Cut (and peel if desired) potatoes.

Place in a large Ziploc bag, then combine remaining ingredients together and pour over potatoes, stirring well to coat every piece. Shake to combine. Let marinate for at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 425ºF and bake for 1 hour. You may cover them for the first half hour. Stir every 20 minutes or so. When finished, squeeze a little more fresh lemon juice over them all, and salt to taste.

Baked Lemon Pasta

1 pound thin spaghetti
4 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups sour cream
½ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste if desired
grated Parmesan cheese
Flat leaf parsley, chopped
Extra lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Cook spaghetti until al dente. In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat. Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish. Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t bake too long or the pasta will dry out.) When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

Serve with crusty French bread and a simple green salad.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

1 pkg lemon cake mix
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease or line 18 muffin tins.

In a bowl, combine the came mix, flour and baking powder. Stir to blend. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk and oil. Add dry ingredients, stirring just until blended. Fold in the blueberries. Spoon batter into prepared cups. Bake for 17 to 23 minutes, or until set and golden.

Makes 18 muffins

Lemon Bread

from Julia Lawrence

Bread:
½ cup vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
1 Tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

Syrup:
¼ cup sugar
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour loaf pan. Combine the shortening and sugar in a large bowl and beat until well-blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add all of the rest of the ingredients and beat until blended and smooth. Spread into the loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. While the bread bakes, make the syrup in a saucepan. Remove the bread from the oven and poke the top in several places with a fork. Drizzle the syrup over the hot loaf. Cool for 15 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Lemon Cream Pasta with Chicken

3 cups shredded or cubed Lemon Garlic Chicken
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1 (16 ounce) package tube pasta (I used rigatoni)
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded


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.

Lemon and Garlic Grilled Chicken

Juice of 1 lemon, approximately 3 tablespoons
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 2 medium cloves
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound chicken breasts (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.

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.

Try doubling the marinade and chicken and grill it all up and freeze the extras to use later.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins With A Sweet Lemon Drizzle

adapted from Picky Palate

*also delicious (quite possibly even better!) with orange instead of lemon.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoon poppy seeds
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/4 stick), softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1½ cup vanilla yogurt
1 Tablespoon lemon zest

Glaze
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)

1. Adjust the oven rack to the middle-lower part of the oven. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, and salt and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together, beating until fluffy (about 2 minutes with an electric mixer). Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one. Beat in the lemon zest.
4. Beat in one half of the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Beat in one third of the yogurt. Beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients. Beat in a second third of the yogurt. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients and then the remaining yogurt. Again be careful to beat until just incorporated. Do not over beat.
5. Use a standard 12-muffin muffin pan, or Texas size muffin tin. Coat each muffin cup lightly with olive oil, grapeseed oil, or a little melted butter using a pastry brush. Distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups. Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Test with a long skewer to make sure the center of the muffins are done. Set muffin pan on wire rack to cool. After 5 minutes, remove muffins from pan.
6. While the muffins are cooling, in a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice for the glaze. Add more lemon juice if necessary. While the muffins are still a bit warm, use a pastry brush to brush the glaze over each muffin. The muffins will absorb some of the glaze, so you add more glaze to each muffin if you like.

Makes 12 muffins. Best eaten fresh and warm.