Lemon Chicken And Spaghetti Squash

When looking on my Facebook feed, it mainly consists of food and children's blogs that I follow for ideas to inspire me in the two main aspects of my life these days. We are always trying to find new recipes and ways to encourage our toddlers to eat vegetables. This was a win for everyone in the family. The lemon sauce brightens and ties everything together and is a flavor that my husband and one daughter love.

Lemon Chicken And Spaghetti Squash
Adapted from Goodful
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash
Olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 chicken breast, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
For the sauce:
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ lemon, juiced
1 cup chicken broth
8 ounces baby spinach

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375˚F
2. Poke several holes vertically into the spaghetti squash. Microwave on high for 5 minutes to soften and make it easier to cut the squash in half.
3. Cut squash in half along the holes. Remove seeds with a spoon. Drizzle squash with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Place squash upside down on baking tray and bake for 40 minutes until soft. Let cool.
5. Using a skillet, cook the chicken breast on medium-high heat with a little olive oil for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
6. Sauté onion for a few minutes. Add garlic and cook for a minute. Add tomatoes and cook for a couple minutes. Cook until onions are translucent.
7. Add lemon juice and chicken broth, and cook until the liquid partially reduces, about 20 minutes. Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes. Add spinach and cook for 2 minutes.
8. Using a fork, shred the inside of the squash.
9. Pour sauce over the squash. Serve immediately.

Spaghetti with Kale and Lemon

Everywhere I look there seems to be another book, magazine, etc. raving about kale. It is packed full of fiber and  vitamin C, and are also great for your skin, heart and brain. I figured I should finally try it out. There are a few types of kale, I could only find the curly kind at the store, which has a stronger flavor, but might try the flatter or baby kale with a milder flavor next time. The kale is a good alternative to spinach, or can be combined together. The lemon flavor in this recipe give the dish a bright citrus flavor. Pasta is a great way to try out a new ingredient and is quick and easy for a weeknight meal.

Spaghetti with Kale and Lemon
Serves 4
Source: Bev Cooks

Ingredients:
1 pound thin spaghetti
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 (4 oz) tub of baby kale leaves (or 1 bunch, roughly chopped)
2 Tbs. sunflower seeds
2 Tbs. lemon zest
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus a ton more for garnish
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water and drain the rest.

In the meantime, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper; bloom for 30 seconds. Add the kale and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to wilt the greens. Stir in the sunflower seeds, lemon zest and juice. Toss to combine.

Add the spaghetti to the skillet and toss to combine. Add enough pasta water to create a thin sauce. Finally, add that cheese and toss. Serve with more cheese on top

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Green Beans

Happy Friday! We made it through the week! I am a big fan of what some call "one pot" meals. They are just so easy and hassle free you can't resist. I especially like this one because you don't have to brown the meat or do anything, you just simply put it in the pan and have your chicken, veggie and potato ready to go. We normally don't eat chicken with the skin on but this was too good to resist, it had the perfect crunch. I cut the recipe in half, but ended up using a whole lemon for the slices on the bottom of the pan. For me it was too much lemon but Jason thought it was just right, it really depends on your love for lemon flavor. According to Jason this was REALLY good and cooked perfectly, therefore meaning I have to up my game next time now that the bar is set higher...no pressure. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Green Beans
Serves: 4
Source: Real Simple Magazine


Ingredients:
6  Tablespoons  olive oil
2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1  teaspoon  kosher salt
1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
3/4  pound  trimmed green beans
8 small red potatoes, quartered
4 chicken breasts (bones left in, with skin, about 3 1/4 pounds)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large baking dish or cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices. Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish or skillet on top of the green beans. Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive-oil mixture and coat thoroughly. Place the chicken, skin-side up, in the dish or skillet. Pour any of the remaining olive-oil mixture over the chicken.

Roast for 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the dish or skillet. Place the beans and potatoes back in oven for 10 minutes more or until the potatoes are tender. Place a chicken breast on each of 4 serving plates; divide the green beans and potatoes equally. Serve warm.

Herb-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin With Potatoes and Lemony Asparagus

After yet another long weekend away from home I am finally back home and in the kitchen again. While I love to travel and visit with family and friends, I do miss home cooked meals. Jason had tried to make some pork when I came home but unfortunately forgot to turn the slow-cooker on so by the time we got home it had been out too long and had to be trashed. I decided to make it up to him by surprising him with another pork tenderloin recipe, but one that incorporated his favorite flavor, lemon. The fresh herbs and citrus give this dish a light and refreshing flavor. It was a nice lean and bright meal to get us in the summer spirit.

Herb-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin With Potatoes and Lemony Asparagus
Serves 4
Source: Real Simple Magazine

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds new potatoes (~15)  halved or quartered if large
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 Pork Tenderloin (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 bunch asparagus (~1 pound), trimmed
1 lemon, sliced

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes with 1 Tablespoon of the oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until tender and browned, 20-25 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, rub the pork with the parsley, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tablespoon of remaining oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning occasionally until browned on all sides, 8-10 minutes.

3. Add the asparagus and lemon to the skillet and drizzle with the remaining Tablespoon of oil. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until the pork is cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let the pork rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with the potatoes, asparagus and lemon.

Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes

Happy Spring! I can't believe that it is already the first day of spring, when did that happen? These are not only cute but scream spring! I recently tested them out for a small party we had. I wanted something that wasn't your typical chocolate, vanilla or peanut butter combination and this was perfect. The lemon cupcakes are refreshingly light and spongy and the raspberry puree in the icing makes it not as sugary as a regular butter cream. I made them as mini cupcakes so people could sample all of our desserts with just a few bites of each. Beware, if you make them as a mini cupcake that they make a ton! Like I said, I made these for a party and without fail, forgot to take photos ahead of time so while these aren't works of art they portray how bright and cute these cupcakes are.

Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes or 55 minis

Source: My Baking Addiction

For the Cake
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
lemon zest from two lemons
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract

To Make The Cake:
1. Center a rack in the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cupcake tins by using liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray

2.  Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.

4. Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and, working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extracts, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Place the batter into the cupcake tins.

4. Bake for 18-22 minutes for regular size or 10-12 minutes for minis, until the cupcakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean. Cool on wire rack.

For the Raspberry Buttercream
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raspberries (blended into a puree and pushed through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds)
1 stick salted butter – room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter – room temperature
1/2 cup shortening*
1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of raspberry extract*
1 1/2 pounds confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar, 10x)
2-4 Tablespoons very cold milk (add until you reach desired consistency)

Directions:
1. Cream the butter and shortening in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer. Add extracts and raspberry puree and combine well.

2. Begin adding in the sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition. After all of the sugar has been added and mixed thoroughly, begin adding the very cold milk… one Tablespoon at a time, combining very well after each addition (mixer on medium-high to high speed) until you reach the desired consistency.

Notes:
*If you don’t have raspberry extract, simply add a little bit more raspberry puree until you reach your preferred level of raspberry flavor. If you add more puree, cut back on the milk.

*If you do not like to use shortening, simply sub in butter. The frosting will not be as structurally sound, but will taste just as delicious.

Lemon Chicken

I recently started receiving emails from a site called ziplist. They have various websites with recipes that are posted and you can save them to a recipe box and generate shopping lists based on what you plan to cook. There are plenty of sites out there similar to that one but I got an email the other day with a picture for lemon chicken that called my name. It also allowed me to use some fresh rosemary from the ever growing rosemary bush in our backyard. Somehow the huge sprig didn't make a dent. I have never made anything with the bone or skin but it turned out nice and crispy despite omitting the additional butter the recipe called for. I used only chicken thighs and they turned out crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Jason ate his down to the bone and claimed this was the best chicken dish I have ever made! Overall this was a big success.

Lemon Chicken
Serves 4-6
Slightly adapted from: Simply Recipes

Ingredients:

3-4 pounds chicken parts (thighs and legs recommended), skin-on, bone-in, trimmed of excess fat2 Tbsp lemon zest

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried)1 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Lemon slices for garnish

Directions:
Place lemon juice, lemon peel, garlic, thyme, rosemary, olive oil salt, and pepper in a small bowl, whisk to combine. With the tip of a sharp knife, cut into each chicken piece one or two times by about 1/2 an inch. (This will help the marinade penetrate.) Place the chicken pieces and the marinade in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Rotate the bag so that all chicken pieces are coated with the marinade. Seal the bag and place in a bowl in the refrigerator (in case of leakage). Let marinate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Remove chicken from marinade and place in a single layer in a large baking dish, skin side up. Reserve the marinade.

Bake for a total of 50 to 55 minutes, until the skins are crispy brown, and the chicken is cooked through, juices running clear (breasts have an internal temperature of 165°F and thighs 175°F). Half-way through the baking, at about the 25 minute mark, baste the chicken pieces generously with reserved marinade.

Depending on the size of the breasts, they may be ready before the thighs, so if you are cooking a mix of chicken parts, keep that in mind, you may have to take them out of the oven before the thighs.
Let rest, covered in foil, for 10 minutes before serving.

Pour the juices from the pan into a serving bowl. Use a tablespoon to skim the fat off the top (save the fat for cooking with later, or discard, but do not discard down the drain or it will solidify and clog your drain). Serve the chicken with the juices on the side or a little poured over the top of the chicken.

1 month!

Today we have been married 1 month! I know that seems like a silly anniversary but as a newlywed it is exciting. Time has flown and to be quite honest being married doesn't seem any different than beforehand. Except of course all of the paperwork to change my name! Jason was sweet enough to bring home some flowers for me and luckily we hadn't packed all of the vases. This is one busy week for us. today is 1 month of marriage, tomorrow we close on our house and Wednesday is Jason's birthday!

So before we packed all of the pots and pans and dishes I wanted to make a home made dinner I knew he would love. There are 2 things I know Jason loves, the first being chicken (that was all he ate when we first met) and the second is lemon anything. This dinner covers both bases.

I must say while delicious it did take a bit of juggling and a few pans. After cutting the potatoes and putting them in a saucepan you can make the mixture for the chicken and get it in the pan while you wait for the potatoes to boil. I used a small saucepan causing them to take longer because they were on top of each other. But they all cooked like they should. The lemon and rosemary are such a great bright flavor combination that you can't go wrong with.

Lemon and Rosemary Chicken

4 servings

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

3/4 pound small red-skinned potatoes, halved

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus 1 Tbsp leaves

1 clove garlic, smashed

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Juice of 2 lemons (squeezed halves reserved)

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp. salt

 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Cover the potatoes with cold water in a saucepan and salt the water.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

Pile the rosemary leaves, garlic, 2 tsp. salt and the red pepper flakes on a cutting board, then mince and mash into a paste using a large knife.  Transfer the paste to a bowl and stir in the juice of 1 lemon and the olive oil.  Add the chicken and turn to coat.

 

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken, cover and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.  Turn the chicken; add potatoes to the skillet and drizzle with the juice of the remaining lemon.  Add the rosemary sprigs and the squeezed lemon halves to the skillet; transfer to the oven and roast, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.

 

Be extremely careful when removing the pan from the oven as the handle will be hot! I had to learn this the hard way and grabbed the handle once on the counter to serve..ouch! 

You can serve this with a green vegetable or just enjoy it as is.

 

Source: Eat Yourself Skinny

Lemon Bars

I am not a huge fan of lemon bars but I know Jason loves all things lemon so these were made especially for him. I had never made them before and every recipe is a bit different. It certainly took a ton of lemons but gave a nice flavor and the sugar kept it from being too tart yet still nice and gooey in the center with a tiny crunch from the short bread crust.

 

Lemon BarsServes: 20 squares

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into squares or triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar. 

Source: Barefoot Contessa

Lemon Pound Cake

This weekend Jason's sister was in town to visit his Dad. It is always nice to have visitors from back home. We had them over to use our NEW patio furniture and of course grill. We made the Ultimate Grilled Honey-Teriyaki Chicken from a previous post. For dessert Jason put in a request for pound cake and since I know he loves lemon I made a lemon pound cake. this recipe is one that my father uses and I knew was delicious. Of course, knowing how it should taste always puts the pressure on me to get it right. It turned out great and was moist on the inside with a great balance of lemon flavor. Jason event went so far as to say it was the best pound cake he has ever had so I consider this a success!

Lemon Pound Cake

Ingredients:

 2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 Tblsp. grated lemon zest plus 2 tsp. lemon juice
4 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Glaze Ingredients:

1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 by 5 loaf pan with 1 Tbsp. softened butter, dust with 1 Tbsp. flour and tap out excess.

In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside.

Melt the butter and stir it up to make sure it's mixed. In a food processor, process sugar and zest until combined. Add lemon juice, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Keep machine running and add melted butter, remove mixture to large bowl. Sift flour mixture over eggs in three batches, mixing just to combine after each step. 

Pour into loaf pan and bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 and bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes more. When toothpick comes out clean, it's ready. Check after 35 minutes, but mine took another 5 minutes longer. Cool for 10 minutes.

Then take it out of the loaf pan and put it onto a wire rack, brush Lemon Glaze onto top and sides with a pastry brush. I added some strawberries for color and fruit when serving.

Lemon glaze: bring sugar and lemon juice to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low, simmer 2 minutes until thick. 

Source: Cooks Illustrated

Strawberries Galore!

Yesterday the local farm was having a free pick your own strawberries and tomatoes weekend! Needless to say we went and took advantage of that. While everyone knows I don't like tomatoes we couldn't resist them and J brought them into work for the team. We definitely underestimated the picking and quickly filled up our 3 Tupperware containers with strawberries. This meant J brought in 1 container to work but I had to find a recipe to use some of them up.

Lemon Ricotta Strawberry Muffins (adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles)

Makes 15 muffins

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup whole wheat pastry flou
1½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1½ cups strawberries, chopped

1. Heat the oven to 350ºF. Spray the bottoms only of a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with paper liners. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

2. In a medium bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar. Whisk in the eggs, ricotta, buttermilk, vanilla, lemon juice, and butter. Pour the ricotta mixture into the flour mixture and fold in until the flour is evenly dispersed. Add the strawberries and fold until the flour is moistened (some lumps are okay) and the strawberries are evenly distributed.

3. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean, 20-22 minutes. Let them cool for about 5 minutes and enjoy!