These are so rich, so decadent, the lemon equivalent of the fudgiest brownie you ever ate, they're just really yummy brownies, infused with lemon instead of chocolate.   Bake these in a pan no bigger than 8"or they will be too thin.  No 8" pan, no problem, just bake them in a loaf pan, and make that parchment paper saddle so you can lift them right out of the pan.  Oh my, every bite of these tart brownies is puckery deliciousness...

Ingredients

It's Monday, we always eat healthy on Monday, so I have an awesome option for you.  

Lemony, garlicky, buttery pasta.  This is lemon pasta without the guilt, okay, maybe a little guilt, but still not nearly as much guilt as if it were made with heavy cream.  It's delicious, seriously delicious and it so quick to make, this is my kind of recipe.

Ingredients

12 ounces spaghetti
3 tablespoons olive oil, or butter if you prefer
2 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley plus more for serving
Juice and zest of one large lemon
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese optional
Freshly cracked black pepper for serving
Reserved 1/2 cup pasta water

Steps

Cook the spaghetti in a pot of salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking pasta liquid.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add the cooking pasta liquid and parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a simmer.

Transfer the cooked spaghetti to the skillet with the pasta sauce and toss until well coated. Serve with extra parsley and parmesan cheese, if desired.

Lemon Pasta Bowls, Set of 5

                                        Veggie Pasta Bowls, Set of 5

Pasta Plates, Set of 4

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#lemon #lemonpasta #pasta #spaghetti #jancooksrealfood #yummy #yummyfood #fettucine #butter

This salad is so good, it's very lemony, and garlicky, it's just superb.  I found it years ago on a now defunct site, Gail's Recipe Swap.  Gail's had so many wonderful people that posted daily, chefs, gourmet cooks, everybody shared their favorite recipes.   It was sponsored by Epicurious and it was a sad day when they closed it.  It's become a family favorite over the years, it's a keeper recipe for sure.  And I do have a treat for you, it's at the bottom of this post.

Homemade croutons make this amazing salad even better. They are so easy to make, just melt a stick of butter, toss in some minced garlic, cube bread, of course Italian or Artisan is best, but a loaf of bread will work, too.  Toss everything together, put on a sheet pan and bake in 375 degree oven until toasted and brown.

DRESSING

Mix together and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving:
3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
3-5 cloves of garlic crushed
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar

SALAD

1 head of romaine
1/2-1 lb. of bacon, cooked crisp and diced
2/3 cup of toasted almonds
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup julienned Swiss cheese
2 cups of sliced plum tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes quartered
1 cup of croutons

If you are a foodie like I am, you can access all the archived recipes from Gail's Recipe Swap.  It's a really big data base, but if you have the time, it's wonderful to read the recipes and the comments.  It may take awhile for the link to open, it does for me and I have fast internet, but trust me it's worth the slow load.  Bookmark this site, it's the best of the best that will never be recreated.  Here's the link...

Gail's Recipe Swap Archives

And if you don't have a salad spinner, or yours isn't that great, this OXO one is wonderful.  I'm a big fan of America's Test Kitchen/Cooks Illustrated, and when they recommend something I listen. This has been their favorite for years, I bought one several years ago, it still performs like a champ and it's so easy to use.

It's on Amazon, everything is on Amazon... 

Here's a little background on OXO, whose products perform consistently good.

Initially OXO was invented to produce kitchenware for users who were older and who had disabilities. They chose the name because its accessibility–it could be read horizontally, vertically, or upside down. This is a spirited company whose self-named OXOnians relish in its uniqueness. And what began as a line for a neglected group, became a sensation with members of all groups who loved the fun look and easy-to-use features. 

Introducing 15 products in 1990, OXO reported an annual growth rate of 37% ten years later, with about $60 million in annual sales. Today, another ten years later, OXO continues to boast an annual growth rate in sales of more than 30%, with over 800 products in its line.With little spent on advertising, the inviting design of OXO’s products have made them the subjects of numerous print features and TV news shows.

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#lemonsalad #lemon #salad #romaine

#bacon #jancooksrealfood #saladdressing #yummy #lunch

#lunchideas #croutons

These are seriously the most delicious martinis you will ever drink.  This has been one of Oprah's Favorite Drinks for years and if you have never had them, you're in for a treat.   Even people who don't normally drink alcohol love them.  They're the perfect girl's night out drink, the perfect party drink, the perfect just because... drink, they are a spring/summery concoction of puckery goodness that packs a whallop of a punch  😜

Servings: Serves 2

Ingredients

Juice of 6 lemons
4 tablespoons sugar
6 fresh mint leaves
4 shots vodka
Ice in shaker

1 sugar-rimmed martini glass, coat rim first with lemon juice, then dip in sugar.  

You can also pulverize lemon drop candy and dip the rim in the crushed candy instead of sugar.

Directions

Mix lemon juice, sugar and vodka in a martini shaker filled with ice. Shake well and pour into sugar-rimmed martini glass. Garnish with mint.

Notes:

 I love roasted chicken, it's so basic, so comforting, the house smalls amazing when it's baking, and once you've finished the prep, it's an easy meal.

This recipe has been around for years, it's and the flavor is indescribable.  I've tweaked it a bit, adding more lemon  and I often add apples tucked in at the sides of the pan.  It's nice to offset the tart lemon with the sweetness of apples.  It's your call, if you're a purist, just omit the apples.  Don't be deterred by using a whole head of garlic, the flavor mellows when it's cooking, and it doesn't overpower the dish.

Ingredients 

2 lemons + juice of an additional lemon
2-3 carrots split in half lengthwise
1 entire head of garlic
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted
1 3½–4 lb. whole chicken
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh

Steps

Arrange a rack in the center of your oven, and preheat to 425°. Cut 2 lemons in half crosswise and remove any visible seeds.

Cut 1 head of garlic in half crosswise. (If it falls apart a bit, don't sweat it.)

Melt ½ stick butter in a small saucepan or microwave in a small bowl.  Squeeze the juice of the additional lemon into the butter.

Place 1 3–4-lb. whole chicken on a cutting board (best to use a plastic one you can sterilize). A word on bird size. A 3–4-lb. chicken is pretty much the ideal size for roasting this way. Something a little bit bigger will work, but once you get much past 4½-lbs. it becomes harder to guarantee that the breast meat won't dry out in the time it takes the dark meat to cook. Pat the whole thing dry with paper towels. It's super important to get the chicken as dry as possible, which helps with browning.

With chicken breast facing up and legs pointing toward you, use a sharp knife to slice through loose area of skin connecting the leg and breast, making about a 3"-long incision. Continue cutting downward until you hit the joint that connects the thigh to the body, then stop (once you get through the skin, there’s not much there; if you are cutting through flesh, you’re too close to the breast). This exposes the leg joint, making it easy to tell if chicken is cooked. Repeat on second side.

Season every surface of chicken, including skin along backbone, inside cavity, under wings, and inside part of the leg you just exposed, with lots of salt and pepper. If you’re using kosher salt, it should take you 4–5 generous—as in, four finger—pinches, which will be around 4 whole teaspoons.

Transfer chicken breast side up to a large oven-safe skillet. Arrange lemon and garlic cut sides down in skillet around chicken.

Drizzle chicken all over with melted butter (mmmmmmm) and transfer to oven.

Roast until chicken is nicely browned and cooked through, checking for doneness after 45 minutes. To check, carefully remove skillet from oven (the handle is hot!), poke a knife into leg joints, and pierce the meat. If juices run clear, the chicken is done. If you see a rosy pink color, it needs more time. Continue to roast, checking every 5 minutes, until juices run clear. (If you’re not sure, you can also use the knife to lightly shred some of the meat along the thigh bone—the meat should look opaque and the fibers should separate easily.)

Let chicken rest in skillet at least 15 minutes before carving—this will help the juices in the meat to settle, and will also get it down to a temperature that is cool enough to handle with your bare hands while carving. Don't worry: It's a big piece of meat, so it will still be plenty warm by the time you serve it. Transfer chicken to a platter. Pour all of those wonderful  buttery pan juices over top of the meat and serve with roasted lemon and garlic alongside.   This dish is wonderful serve with rice with the pan juices poured over the rice as well. 

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
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#chicken #roastedchicken #jancooksrealfood #yummy #yummyyummy #fowl #chickenbreast #drumstick

Oh my, what a special dessert this is.  This Lemon Creme Brulee is a totally decadently richly lemon infused custard topped off with a crackly torched sugar top and it is beyond delicious.  If you are a fan of creme brulee, this takes it to a whole new level.  I first experienced this in a little cafe in New Harmony, In years ago.  I had gone there with my friend, V, and we both were absolutely swooning over how wonderful this dessert was.

I came home, researched many recipes and adjusted them until I found this one that is just perfection.    It's one of those desserts that I don't make often, and only because of the calories.  This is absolutely sinfully delicious, but oh, it's so worth the calories for a special occasion. 

To ensure the custards cook gently and gradually, place the ramekins in a baking pan lined with a kitchen towel and partially fill the pan with hot water (known as a water bath). This helps insulate the delicate custards from the heat. 

Ingredients:

Juice of 2 lemons
2 cups heavy cream
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup plus 6 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5 egg yolks 

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 300°F. Line a shallow baking pan with a kitchen towel. Have a pot of boiling water ready.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the lemon juice to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the juice is reduced to about 1 Tbs., 3 to 5 minutes.

In another saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, lemon zest and the 1/2 cup sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until steam rises from the surface, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes.

In a bowl, whisk together the vanilla and egg yolks until smooth and combined. Slowly add the cream mixture, whisking constantly, then stir in the reduced lemon juice. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and divide among six 3.5-oz. ramekins. Place the ramekins in the prepared baking pan and add boiling water to fill the pan halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake until the custards are just set, about 40 minutes.

Remove the ramekins from the pan and transfer to a wire rack. Let the custards cool to room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

Just before serving, sprinkle 1 tsp. sugar evenly over the surface of each custard. Using a kitchen torch according to the manufacturer’s instructions, move the flame continuously in small circles over the surface until the sugar melts and lightly browns. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

Oh my, there are no words, this is indescribably delightful.  I tweaked Betty Crocker’s original recipe and it's always a huge hit and it tastes just like a lemon drop.  It’s so moist, but not a heavy cake, it’s very lemony and tart, just the perfect spring dessert.  Sometimes I refrigerate this and we eat it chilled, I'm a big fan of cold cake, especially in the warmer months.

Since this is made with a cake mix and canned frosting, it's easy to make and never fails.

Here’s my version, I add pudding to the cake mix, extra lemon juice to the poke part of the recipe and used two cans of lemon frosting, with zest on the top.  The two cans of frosting worked so well, it isn’t too much, but you have enough to spread without having to spread it thinly.

This one is a winner, winner, chicken dinner for sure!  You can all thank me later for the recipe.  ~ Jan

Oh, you sweet talker, Betty Crocker  XXo

1 box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ lemon cake mix
1 box instant Jello
4 eggs
1 cup water
1/2 cup oil

Now for the poke part:

1 cup powdered sugar, I sift this so it’s smooth
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)

2 containers Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy lemon frosting

Lemon drop candies, crushed, if desired - I don't use the lemon drop candies, I zest Lemon Rind on top of cake instead

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Line two 9" pans with foil, letting foil hang 2 inches over 2 opposite sides of pans. Grease or spray bottoms and sides of foil.  

Make cake batter as directed above, using Pudding, eggs, water and oil.  Pour into pans. Bake 25 to 32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes.

In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice. Poke top of warm cake every 1/2 inch with long-tined fork or you can use the handle of a small wooden spoon, wiping fork or spoon handle occasionally to reduce sticking. Drizzle and spread lemon mixture over top of cake. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. Remove cakes from pans by lifting with foil; peel away foil.

On serving plate, place 1 cake, rounded side down; trim if necessary so layer rests flat. Spread with half of frosting. Top with second cake, rounded side up. Frost top of cake with remaining frosting. Garnish with lemon drop candies or lemon zest. Store covered.
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#bettycrocker #jancooksrealfood #lemoncake #lemon 

Is there anything better than a soft, buttery lemony cookie with a sweet, tart puckery glaze?  Not for me, I'll take a soft, pillowy cookie any day of the week over a crisp one.  So, if you're also a fan of big, plump cookies, keep  reading for one of the best glazed lemon cookie recipes, ever... 🍋 🍋 🍋 #lemoncookies #buttercookies #lemon #ilovelemon #yummy #foodie #yummyfood #jancooksrealfood #jancancook #janspicx

Kicking off this month's worth of lemon desserts off with one of the very best.