LEMON BUTTER CHICKEN

LEMON BUTTER CHICKEN
The lemon cream sauce mixed with fresh vegetables, garlic and Parmesan cheese team up perfectly with the tender and juicy chicken for a delectable savory meal that will have you coming back for second helpings!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tablespoon sweet paprika
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 2+1
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small bunch green onions, sliced
10-12 button mushrooms, sliced thin
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
Splash of dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
Fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Season the chicken with salt, pepper and paprika. Set aside.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add the chicken and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside to rest.
    While the chicken is resting melt remaining butter in the skillet.
  • Add onions and mushrooms, sautéing until soft and mushrooms are beginning to caramelize.
  • Add garlic and cook stirring frequently about 2 more minutes until fragrant.
  • Stir in chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, splash of wine and thyme. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Add in the spinach and parsley and simmer until the spinach and parsley have wilted and the sauce has slightly thickened.
  • Continue to cook the sauce about 5 minutes or so until the sauce thickens.
  • Once your sauce is to the desired thickness, return the chicken to the skillet.
  • Place in the oven and cook for about 20-25 minutes.
  • Remove the dish, cover and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
  • Serve with buttered noodles or over mashed potatoes.

NEW CLASSIC CAESAR SALAD with or without Chicken

NEW CLASSIC CAESAR SALAD

2 cloves garlic, minced
4 anchovy fillets, minced
1/2 Meyer lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup olive oil (I like to use a lemon olive oil)
large egg yolk, beaten
Fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste
Torn Romaine lettuce
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
grated Parmesan cheese
Croutons

  • In a small food processor combine 7 ingredients until well blended. Garlic and anchovies should become one with the liquid ingredients.
  • Fold olive oil mixture into beaten egg until well blended.
  • Season to taste with fresh ground salt and pepper.
  • Pour over torn lettuce and sliced green onions.
  • Top with croutons and Parmesan cheese.
  • Toss well and serve immediately.

NOTE: When I use chicken I use chicken tenders with salt and pepper browned in a little butter and then shredded into the salad.

Linking to SOUPER SUNDAY at Kahakai Kitchen and FULL PLATE THURSDAY at Miz Helen’s Cottage.

PAN SEARED SEA BASS with LEMON GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE

PAN SEARED SEA BASS with LEMON GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE
2-6 ounce sea bass fillets
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 + 1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1 LARGE lemon
1 lemon, sliced
Fresh ground sea salt and pepper, to taste

  • Over a medium high heat heat 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet.
  • Coat each fillet with avocado oil and generously season with the fresh ground salt and pepper.
  • When sizzling, add each fillet to hot oil and cook for 5 minutes before flipping and cooking on the other side for 4 more minutes.

 

  • While fillets are cooking melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small sauce pan.
  • Add garlic, sautéing about 2 minutes.
  • Whisk in lemon juice.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add lemon slices, cooking until slightly thick.

 

  • Plate fillets and top with sauce.
  • Serve immediately.

LEMON CHEESECAKE BARS ~ LEMON LIME CHEESECAKE BARS ~ BLOOD ORANGE CHEESECAKE BARS

I found this recipe in an issue of Fine Cooking, just can’t remember which one LOL. I tweaked it very little and it is one of our new favorites!
I’ve also made it using Limes, Lemons & Limes and Bloody Oranges.  We liked them all, but by far, the Lemon Lime combo was our favorite.
You’ll notice in the picture with the pan that there is a very strange looking apparatus in the curd.  That is an AS SEEN ON TV automatic stirrer that I picked up at Big Lots.  I really thought it was going to be like so many other gadgets and go by the wayside, but I was wrong!  This is the best gadget I ever indulged in.  It’s battery operated and is like a second pair of hands in the kitchen.  All those recipes that call for “stirring constantly”are now handled by this gadget and turn out beautifully!

LEMON CHEESECAKE SQUARES

8×8 straight edge pan

2 pieces of parchment paper 8 inches wide x 16 inches long

  • Alternately overlap the parchment pieces so that they cross each other and fold over all 4 sides.
  • Push the parchment into the edges and the corners making a straight crease.

CRUST

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Graham cracker crumbs

  • Using a fork add graham cracker crumbs until mixture resembles wet sand.
  • Press into the bottom of prepared pan.

CHEESECAKE

1 pound cream cheese, softened at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 LARGE eggs

  • Combine the cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice until well blended.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition until completely smooth.
  • Pour into prepared pan.

CURD

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, strained twice

1/2 cup sugar

2 LARGE eggs

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

  • Whisk together the sugar, eggs and lemon juice until sugar is completely dissolved.
  • In a small non-reactive sauce pan cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until steaming, but not boiling. The mixture will have thickened.
  • Remove from heat and add butter, stirring until butter is melted.
  • Pour through a sieve to remove any lumps.

ASSEMBLY

  • Preheat oven to 325˚
  • Prepare crust.
  • Prepare cheesecake portion.
  • Bake 40 minutes or until sides are slightly puffed, cake is not too jiggly and center is dry to the touch.
  • While baking, prepare the curd.
  • Remove cheesecake from oven.
  • Pour hot curd on top of cheesecake and lightly spread to even out.
  • Cool 20 minutes on rack.
  • Move to the refrigerator and chill 5-6 hours or overnight before serving.