EASY LEMON RECIPES

The simple rule for choosing lemons is that they should feel firm and heavy for their size. Good color and a fresh appearance are also important. Avoid fruit that are obviously damaged.

HOMEMADE LEMONADE RECIPE

Lemons will keep at room temperature for three or four days and up to two weeks if refrigerated.

To maximize the amount of juice when squeezing, first roll the fruit under the palm of your hand on a flat surface to break down the inner fruit and release the juice. Keeping lemons at room temperature or warming the them for a few seconds in the microwave can also maximize the juice output.

When zesting to make one of my easy lemon recipes, take care not to scrape off the pith (which is bitter). It is the white lining found beneath the rind.




This is a delicious Lemon Meringue Pie recipe; one of my favorite easy lemon recipes. So refreshing...

LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Filling:
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 TBS cornstarch
3 TBS flour
1 dash salt
1-1/2 cups HOT water
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
2 TBS homemade unsalted butter
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
1/3 cup lemon juice

In saucepan, mix 1 1/2 cups sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt. Gradually add hot water, stirring constantly. Cook and stir over moderately high neat until mixture comes to boiling. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

Stir a moderate amount of the mixture into egg yolks, then return to hot mixture. Bring to boiling and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add butter and lemon peel. Slowly add lemon juice, mixing well. Pour into pastry shell.

NOTE: For creamier filling, cook and stir first five ingredients 8 minutes over low heat after mixture comes to boiling. Blend in egg yolks as above; cook for 4 minutes after the mixture boils.

The following pie pastry crust is out of the world. It is buttery and flaky, and easy to work with. This IS the pie crust you will use from now on. You don't have to use it just for my easy lemon recipes, use it all the time - without the graham crackers...

NO FAIL PIE CRUST (Rolled in Graham Crackers)

1-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 cups cake flour
1 TBS white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup homemade unsalted butter, cold
1/4 cup lard, cold
1 egg yolk
7 TBS ice cold water
1 tsp vinegar

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

NOTE: I cannot stress enough that the butter, lard and water must be very cold. You may pop them in the freezer for a few minutes to be certain. Chill the dough down once more before it is rolled out. To prevent soggy pie crust, brush the bottom crust thinly with egg white. This recipe make two 9 inch crusts.

PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk, vinegar and water. Set aside.

Mix both flours, sugar and salt together in a bowl. With a pastry cutter, cut in the very cold butter and lard until it looks like small peas. Add the yolk mixture in with this flour mixture, and stir until moistened and dough hold together. Gather into a ball and divide in two. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes before rolling out.

Generously coat your work surface or pastry sheet with a little flour and about 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs. Place dough on floured surface, coat with some flour and graham cracker crumbs, and roll into a 9-inch disk.

Lift, coat surface with more graham and flour, turn dough, add more graham and flour on top, and roll out to a 13 inch disk. Place in pie dish and trim edges. Prick the crust with a fork so it doesn't bubble up. Place crust in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

MERINGUE

3 or 4 large egg whites
1/4 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Beat egg whites at medium speed until foamy. Beat cornstarch and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar and vanilla at a high speed, until stiff, by not dry peak forms. Spoon meringue into large zip-loc bag and squeeze decoratively over lemon pie filling to edge of crust – or you may just spoon it on.

Bake until golden brown at 350 degrees – 12 to 15 minutes.

NOTE: Make sure meringue is right to the edge of crust to prevent filling from seeping out. It is important not to over-beat the mixture. Do not get the egg yolk in the egg whites or they won’t beat right. More easy lemon recipes coming right up.




This is such a tasty easy lemon recipe. I love it.

LEMON POKE CAKE

2-1/3 cups cake flour
1 TBS baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup Crisco oil
4 eggs
3/4 cup water
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 (3.4oz) pkg instant lemon pudding

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tsp homemade unsalted butter, melted

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.

In a large bowl, stir together the first four ingredients with the instant lemon pudding. Add the water, oil and eggs, mix until smooth and well blended. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. While the cake is still hot, poke holes in the top with a fork.

In a small bowl, mix together the lemon juice, butter, and powdered sugar; beat until smooth. Pour over hot cake. I love this easy lemon recipe.




Another one of my easy lemon recipes is for this wonderful sauce. Goes great over crab cakes, salmon, asparagus and fish.

SAVORY LEMON SAUCE

2 TBS homemade unsalted butter
4 TBS flour
3/4 cup milk
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add the flour and mix to form a paste. Next pour in the milk slowly and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Cook for two minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper. This easy lemon recipe is excellent over chicken, asparagus and much more.




A lovely, refreshing easy lemon recipe that is delicious.

SWEET LEMON FRUIT SAUCE

1-3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 (6oz) can of frozen lemonade, thawed
1 (4oz) container of whipped cream, thawed
1 tsp grated lemon zest

fruit for dipping: apples, bananas, strawberries, grape and pineapple.

Combine all ingredients except the whipped topping and fruit. Stir until well combined. Fold in the whipped cream. Dip the fruit into this sauce and refrigerate leftovers.

You may add the fruit right into the sauce and serve over angel food cake or ice cream. It's downright yummy and a keeper easy lemon recipe.




HOMEMADE LIMONCELLO (A GREAT EASY LEMON RECIPE)

10 lemons
1 liter of vodka
3 cups white sugar
4 cups water

Peel the lemons (make sure to leave the pith or bitter white part on the lemons, or you will have a bitter drink), and place the peel in a tall jar. Add the vodka (I recommend Grey Goose or Belvedere vodka) and cover loosely for one week to infuse.

After 7 days, combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and boil for 15 minutes. DO NOT STIR. Take off heat and cool. Stir the vodka in with the sugar water, and strain into glass bottles that you want to serve this in - and cork it. Let sit for two weeks at room temperature.

NOTE: Before serving, cut a half gallon milk carton in half and place the limoncello bottle in the center and fill half way with water. Add flowers or lemon slices and fill to the top.

Freeze everything overnight, and when ready to serve, just peel off the carton and place in a bowl or plate. Serve in glasses or shot glasses. This keeps it chilled for quite a while, and looks lovely. What a wonderful easy lemon recipe.

My MILE HIGH LEMON MERINGUE PIE RECIPE

LEMON DROP MARTINI

1-1/2 oz citron vodka
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz sweet and sour mix
1 long strip of lemon zest
white sugar

Moisten the rim of the martini glasses with a lime and dip top of the glass in sugar. Place the lemon zest strip in the martini glass.

Combine vodka, lime juice, sweet and sour mix, and ice into a shaker. Shake mixture until the outside of the shaker becomes frosty. Strain into the martini glass. A easy lemon recipe that is a wonderful treat after a long day at work.

Sweet and Sour Mix
juice from 3 lemons
juice from 3 limes
2 cups of sugar
3 cups of water

Bring the water to a boil and add the sugar. Continue boiling until the sugar is dissolved completely. Remove from heat and stir in the juice from the lemons and limes. Cool and it's ready to go. Store in a airtight container in the refrigerator. This makes 3 cups. You can use this when making margaritas also. This easy lemon recipe is a keeper - so impress your friends and make it.




Instead of desserts, this easy lemon recipe incorporates chicken; a family favorite.

EASY LEMON RECIPE FOR CHICKEN

4 chicken breasts
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup homemade unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. In a resealable bag, add the flour, salt and pepper and shake to mix completely. Add the chicken one piece at a time and shake to coat. Brown the chicken in the melted butter over medium high heat.

When the chicken is brown, lower the heat to fry and cover the chicken until it is almost done. Add the mushroom slices and pour the lemon juice over all of the chicken and continue to cook until the chicken is done or the juices run clear. Serve with thin lemon slices on top of the chicken breasts.




Talk about wonderful. This easy lemon recipe is heaven on a hot day.

HOMEMADE LEMON ICE CREAM

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (no bottled stuff!)
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 cup white sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/8 tsp salt

Combine the lemon juice and zest in a mixing bowl. Gradually stir in the milk, heavy cream and salt. Pour into an 8" baking dish, and freeze until firm.

Remove ice cream one half at a time and run through a blender or food processor and beat until smooth. Pour into a plastic container with a lid.

Cover first with saran wrap and then put the lid on securing tightly. Will keep in the freezer for one week. You gotta love this easy lemon recipe.




This easy lemon recipe is from Marion Linden (a relative of mine), who is no longer with us. I dedicate this easy lemon recipe to her. I miss you, Deet.

DEET’S LEMON WHIP

1-3/4 cups evaporated milk
1 package of lemon Jell-O
1-1/2 cups of hot water
Juice of 1 fresh lemon
1 cup of sugar

CRUST

2-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup homemade unsalted butter, melted

Dissolve Jell-O in hot water and chill until partly set.Then whip until light and fluffy. Add lemon Juice and sugar and put in refrigerator.

Whip very cold milk and fold into gelatin mixture. Put back in refrigerator.

Line 9x13 pan with 3/4 of the graham cracker crumbs with melted butter to form the crust. Pour in mixture and cover with the balance of crumbs. Chill very well.

This is AWESOME.




More easy lemon recipes... Here's another favorite of mine from Deet with some of my tweaking:

DEET'S LEMON BARS

CRUST/BASE:
2 cups flour, sifted
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
3/4 cup homemade unsalted butter, softened
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBS lemon zest

TOPPING:
6 large eggs, beaten
1-3/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 TBS flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
lemon zest from one lemon

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees.

For the base, mix together the butter into the flour, lemon zest and powdered sugar. Mix with your fingers until it clings together. Press into a 9x13 pan, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until just lightly browned.

For the filling, beat together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Sift the flour and baking powder together, and slowly add to the egg mixture.

Pour over the baked, cooled crust. Bake for 25 minutes, cool completely and then sprinkle with powdered sugar; cut into bars. Make this easy lemon recipe for a bake sale and watch them disappear fast.




This is easy lemon recipe produces a cheesecake that is pure heaven in a pan.

LEMON CHEESECAKE

CRUST:
1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 TBS sugar
1 egg white

FILLING:
1-3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, at room temperature
2 (8oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened at room temperature
2 eggs
1/2 cup egg beaters
2 TBS cornstarch
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
zest of 2 lemons
juice of 2 lemons

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees, and prepare a 8 or 9" springform pan for 9" deep dish pie plate.

Process graham crackers and sugar until well blended. Add the egg white and mix until moistened. Press the crust in the bottom and half way up the sides of your pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes of until the crust is golden brown.
Reduce heat to 325 degrees.

As the pie crust is cooling, combine the room temperature sweetened milk and cream cheese. Beat until smooth. Carefully sprinkle in the cornstarch and be certain it is evenly distributed. Add eggs, egg beaters, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice and beat on low until smooth and creamy. Do not over mix.

Pour into the cooled pie crust and do not go over the edge, as this will puff up when baking, but will deflate as it cools. If any bubbles appear on the surface, run a knife through the cheesecake to pop them.

Bake for 40-45 minutes are until the edges are brown or when there are tiny cracks forming and the center does not jiggle when you shake the pan. Turn off the oven, and prop the door open and let the cheese cake sit in the oven for another 30-45 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack and let it cool completely. Chill in the refrigerator overnight.

LEMON CHIFFON SALAD

2 (3oz) pkg lemon Jell-O
2 cups boiling water
1 cup cold water

Mix the above ingredients together and refrigerate until it begins to cool. Do not let this set.

1 (15oz) can lemon pie filling
1 (12oz) tub whipped topping

Fold in the lemon filling and whipped topping in with the cooled lemon jell-O mixture. Chill several hours before serving. This is a very large fluffy and smooth salad. It is a wonderful easy lemon recipe to boot.




LEMON SHRIMP with ANGEL HAIR PASTA

1/2 cup homemade unsalted butter (no substitutes)
2 green onions, chopped
4-6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or adjust to heat level)
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 pounds raw uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
cooked angel hair pasta (use as much as you like, I use about 12 ounces cooked)
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (or use more)

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add in green onions, chopped garlic, lemon zest and crushed chili flakes; cook stirring for 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium and add in shrimp; cook tossing for about 2-3 minutes or until all the shrimp turns pink (this will not take long).

Season with salt and lots of black pepper. Toss in the cooked angel hair pasta. Mix in the Parmesan cheese then pass more at the table. Awesome easy lemon recipe...




Of all my easy lemon recipes, this one has does have quite a few steps - but so worth the extra effort.

LEMON MERINGUE ICE CREAM PIE

3 cups homemade vanilla ice cream

Lemon Curd:
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
6 TBS homemade unsalted butter
1 cup white sugar
6 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest
1 pinch of salt

Crust:
1-1/2 cups pecans, finely chopped in blender
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup homemade unsalted butter, melted

Meringue:
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 pinch of cream of tartar
6 TBS white sugar

For the lemon curd
Whisk eggs and egg yolks together and set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium sized metal bowl over a large pot of simmering water. Whisk in sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt. Gradually mix in the egg yolk mixture (slowly pouring a thin stream while whisking constantly, be careful not to cook the eggs. That's why they are added at room temperature).

Continue to cook mixture while whisking until it thickens and reaches a temperature of 178-180 degrees; checked with a thermometer. This takes approximately 8 minutes or so.

Transfer curd to a small bowl, and cover with plastic wrap - chill for a minimum of four hours. Curd may be made up to two days in advance.

For the crust
PREHEAT the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the pecans, sugar and butter together and press into a 9" or 10" glass pie plate. The mixture will be crumbly. Bake crust until lightly toasted or about 12 minutes. The crust will slip down on the sides; just use the back of a spoon and press the crust back into place.

Cool the crust on a rack and then place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Dollop 1-1/2 cups of softened homemade vanilla ice cream in the bottom of the crust, and spread evenly. Spread the lemon curd over the ice cream, and freeze until firm or about 2 hours.

Spread the additional 1-1/2 cups of ice cream over the lemon curd and again freeze until firm or about 2 hours.

For the meringue
Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a bowl until frothy. Beat in the cream of tartar, and gradually add the sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form, and spread meringue over the pie -- swirling decoratively.

To brown the meringue, you may use a kitchen torch OR place pie in a preheated 500 degree oven until the meringue is golden in spots - approximately three minutes.

Cut the pie into wedges and serve immediately. Refreshing and easy lemon recipe.

NOTE: You may use sweetened whipped cream instead of the meringue.