Tag Archives: lemon

Raspberry Lemon Muffins with Pecan Streusel

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Muffins are a great way to start the day, or a perfect snack – go ahead and try these, you will make them your house favourite! Swap out the raspberries for blueberries, or chop any fruit in season – such a versatile recipe.

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Topping:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
Muffins:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk ** see below
1 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

** If you don’t have buttermilk (and I usually don’t!) squeeze about 1 tbsp lemon juice into a 1 cup measure, add 1 tablespoon plain yogurt, whisk well and add milk to reach 1 cup.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

To make the topping, in a medium bowl, mix together the topping ingredients until crumbly. Set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the melted butter. Add the buttermilk and lemon zest and whisk to combine, add vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just to combine. (Batter will still be somewhat lumpy; do not overmix.) Gently fold in the raspberries so the berries do not break and scoop into the prepared muffin tin. Crumble the streusel topping over the muffins and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

Let cool in the muffin tins for 10 minutes, then remove and cool on wire racks.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

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Last summer we had an overabundance of beautiful red peppers growing outside the back door, so we used them in a variety of ways – smoked, dried and then ground into powder to be used in salad vinaigrettes, dips and meat rubs. We also canned a few jars of them, to be used in another variety of methods ….. this is one of them, hope you enjoy! Remember, if you don’t happen to be crazy about the idea of doing the work for your own roasted red peppers, they are easy to buy!

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About 3/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers
One 15-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, about 1 large lemon
1/4 cup tahini
Half of a large garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for serving
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 1 1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

For serving: 2 tablespoons of minced red pepper, extra virgin olive oil and sesame seeds.

Throw everything into a food processor and let it whiz until smooth and creamy. Add a bit of water if it seems too dense.

Now – this is critical – taste!!! Every different jar of roasted peppers, or can of chickpeas will have a different level of flavour. Make sure this is the way you like it. I often end up adding a bit of water, a bit more oil, more salt and certainly some fresh ground pepper. Just to bump up the flavour a bit, I also added a teaspoon of our ground red pepper – but you could use smoked paprika.

Turn into a serving dish, drizzle with a little extra good, extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with a few sesame seeds and a few of the roasted red peppers, minced.

For the non wheat eaters in our group, I serve this with a pile of fresh vegetables, and for the rest of the crew they love pita chips, taco chips or rice crackers. This is as versatile as your own household likes!

Citrus Loaf

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The sweet/tangy glaze drizzled over this citrus loaf adds the perfect touch!

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1 medium lemon – zest and juice

1 medium orange – zest and juice

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

Grate 1 tbsp peel from lemon, and squeeze 1 tbsp juice – set aside

Grate 1 tbsp peel from orange, and squeeze 5 tbsp juice – set aside – separately from lemon juice

In large bowl combine dry ingredients, then cut butter in, stir in lemon and orange zest.

In separate bowl beat eggs, milk and 4 tbsp orange juice.

Stir liquid into flour just until mixed, do not over mix.

Turn into greased and floured 9×5 inch loaf pan.  (I like to use parchment paper so it is easy to lift out)

Bake 1 hour, at 350 degrees – cool for 10 minutes in pan, then remove to a cooling rack.

Once you take the loaf out of the oven, combine the remaining  1 tbsp lemon juice, 4 tbsp orange juice and 2 tbsp sugar in small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and allow to gently boil until reduced slightly and thickened.  Once loaf has cooled a bit, drizzle glaze over top.  

Try to resist cutting the loaf until it has cooled quite a bit ….

 

Chicken in Caper Cream Sauce

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Chicken in Caper Cream Sauce

 

4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts – lightly pounded to uniform thickness

1 tsp lemon pepper

(or finely grated lemon zest and 1 tsp freshly ground pepper)

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

3 tbsp. butter

lemon juice

olive oil

1 cup whipping cream

4 tbsp capers – drained and rinsed           

garnish:  parsley/lemon slice

Lightly rub chicken breasts with lemon juice and a wee bit of olive oil.  Combine all the spices and sprinkle over the chicken, allow to rest for a bit.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.  Increase heat to medium high and add chicken breasts – turning often until they are browned – about 5 minutes.  Turn heat down to medium again and cook for a further 7 minutes, until chicken is just barely cooked through.  Remove chicken to a warm serving platter and keep warm.

Increase skillet heat to high, add whipping cream and whisk continuously until sauce has reduced enough to be thick and glossy.  Remove from heat and add capers.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  (add any juices that have run out of the chicken)

Spoon over the chicken breasts, garnish with parsley, lemon slice and serve over a bed of herbed noodles.

Variation:  Use dill weed instead of paprika!

Zucchini Fritters with Lemon Mustard Aioli

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Zucchini Fritters with Lemon Herb Aioli

  • 2 medium zucchini
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon (1 lemon) freshly grated lemon zest
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh herbs – flat leaf parsley, basil & chives
  • 1 medium clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  1. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate zucchini into a medium bowl. If you have really juicy zucchini, make sure to drain out liquid by allowing it to rest in strainer, or wrap in a towel and squeeze liquid out. Add salt, lemon zest, chopped herbs, garlic, pepper, and eggs. Mix well to combine. Slowly add flour, stirring so no lumps form.

  2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until oil sizzles when you drop a small amount of zucchini mixture into the pan. Carefully drop about 2 tablespoons zucchini mixture into pan; repeat, spacing fritters a few inches apart.

  3. Cook fritters until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Turn fritters, and continue cooking until golden, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer fritters to a plate; set aside in a warm place. Cook remaining zucchini mixture, adding more oil to pan if necessary. Garnish with parsley sprigs and lemon wedges, if desired.

  4. Serve with lemon/herb/mustard aioli.

Aioli:  Combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp grainy dijon mustard, 1 tsp horseradish, juice of 1/2 a lemon, generous amount of freshly chopped herbs.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Sweet & Spicy Brown Sugar Pecan Brie Round

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brown sugar pecan brie round

 

This recipe is so easy – I am not going to use any particular ingredient amount so that you feel free to work with your own taste preferences.

Round of brie

brown sugar

toasted pecans (roughly chopped)

butter

chile flakes (or cayenne pepper)

salt and pepper

lemon
Sprinkle brown sugar over brie (no need to cut off the top), sprinkle with cayenne pepper or chili flakes, chopped toasted pecans, and lightly season with salt and pepper.  Squeeze just a little bit of fresh lemon juice over, and dot with butter over surface.

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.  If you keep the rind intact, it should just start to look like the rind is bulging a bit.  Once you cut into it, the cheese will be ooey gooey, butter melted and all the seasonings are just a little bit of nirvana!

Serve with either fresh baguette, toast rounds or your favorite crackers.

Shrimp Stuffed Sole

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This is a great way to have a quick, easy, scrumptious dinner ready in minutes.  In the summer do these little packets in foil on the barbecue, or grill.  If you live somewhere that grilling isn’t feasible, just do it in the oven!

4 sole fillets

FILLING

3/4 cup cooked shrimp

1/3 cup chopped fresh spinach

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped feta

2 tbsp red onion, minced and sauted lightly in olive oil – then cooled

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all filling ingredients

1 lemon

butter

Spray foil (or parchment paper) with cooking spray, then set fillet on it.

Put scoop of filling on each fillet, roll up – place slice of butter and lemon slice on top.  Seal pack and put on grill for 15-20 minutes.  You will have such a delicious sauce inside that serving it with rice to soak it up is a great idea!

Chicken Schnitzel – Panko Crusted

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3/4  cup flour

2 eggs, beaten

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves – butterflied and pounded 1/4 ” thick

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup canola oil

6 tbsp butter

1 tbsp capers

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 heaping tbsp chopped parsley

Take 3 separate shallow bowls, and in each one put the flour, egg, and panko.  Now you MIGHT think it is okay to just coat the chicken in panko, but trust me … these 3 bowls will make such a difference!  Once you have pounded out the chicken, season with a light dusting of salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.  Shake off any excess and dip in beaten egg.  Drip off, then coat really well with panko, pressing lightly.  Set aside.

In a large skillet heat the canola oil over moderately high heat.  Add chicken pieces, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.  Fry for about 3 min on each side, until golden brown and oh so crispy.  Keep a baking sheet handy, lined with paper towels, and let chicken rest while you cook the rest of your chicken.  Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Meanwhile ….. in a small pan, melt the butter and watching carefully … allow it to cook over moderate heat until the butter is brown … (that will give you a really nutty delicious flavour).  Remove from heat and stir in capers, lemon juice and parsley.

Spoon over chicken and serve.

Fresh Herb Aioli

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You will love this!  Such a fresh hit of herb flavour, fantastic used as a burger topping, vegetable/crudite dip or just plain old potato chips.

1/2 cup mayonnaise                      

1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lemon – juice only

1/3 cup finely minced chives

The herb part is where it gets really personal …. use whatever fresh herbs you have on hand, and be generous with them. (at least 1/2 a cup in total)

basil, parsley (flat and curly leaf), oregano, rosemary, tarragon

Honey Mustard Chicken

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12 chicken thighs

(honestly you could use whatever portion of chicken you like!)

Preheat oven to 375.                 

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup dijon mustard

2 tbsp grainy dijon mustard

3 garlic cloves

1 lemon – zest and juice

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Dust chicken with lemon zest, salt and pepper – set aside.

Combine all the other ingredients and heat through just until easy to blend.

Place chicken in roasting dish, pour honey lemon mixture over, turning to coat.

(I find it easiest to do this in the baking dish – just put it in the oven while the oven is heating up for a few minutes –  long enough for the butter to melt – then the rest will blend easily)

Bake chicken until juices run clear.  If you are using small pieces, i.e, chicken thighs it will be about 45 minutes, longer for larger pieces.

Serve with a plain side, like white rice, so you can drizzle the yummy juices over.  If you have used chicken pieces with skin on you will need to strain the fat off first ….