Friday Recipes: Lemons

I just made a lemon tart the other day. I've recently seen several different blogs featuring lemon bars, lemon cookies and other lemony recipes. 

Must be some sort of sign, so I figured I would listen and follow that lead and share with you some tasty lemon recipes that we have on Old Fashioned Living. 

Hope you enjoy them, pucker up! :) 

Lemon Cheesecake Pie

12 ounce can evaporated milk, undiluted

1 (3 1/2 ounce) package instant lemon pudding mix

2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese

1 (6 ounce can) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

1 premade graham cracker crust

1 cup whipped topping

In a small mixing bowl, combine evaporated milk and pudding mix, beat 2 minutes. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, until light. Gradually add lemonade concentrate; continue beating until smooth, light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Fold pudding mixture into cream cheese, blending. Pour filling into crust. Chill 3-4 hours or overnight. Top with whipped cream. NOTE: This may also be placed in pretty glasses, without a crust, alternating with the whipped topping. Top with a thin lemon slice, cut into the middle and placed on the edge of the glass, when serving.

Lemon Crisps

1 stick butter or margarine (not spread) softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon peel

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3/4 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Garnish: 1/2 cup crushed or sliced almonds

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients except flour until well blended. On low speed, beat in flour just until blended. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 1 1/2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute before removing to wire rack to cool completely. Store airtight at room temperature up to one week. Makes about 44 cookies.

Zesty Lemon Spread

3 eggs, beaten

2 cups sugar

1/2 pound butter, cut into tablespoon size pieces

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Grated peel of one lemon

In the top of a double boiler, combine all ingredients. Cook and stir over boiling water until thickened like pudding. Remove from heat and cool. Chill until ready to serve. Spread on muffins (almond poppy seed mini muffins are wonderful), rolls, or serve over ice cream. Keeps in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Sparkling Lemonade

1 cup sugar

1 cup lemon juice from concentrate

6 1/2 cups club soda

Ice

Fresh lemons

In a large pitcher, dissolve sugar in concentrate. add club soda. Mix well, and serve over ice with a fresh lemon wedge.

Lemon Balm Cookies

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg, beaten

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup finely chopped lemon balm

Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg, flour and lemon balm. Mix until the dough is firm. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour. Heat oven to 350 F. Have greased cookie sheet ready. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut cookies with cookies a pastry cutter. Place on cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.

They are done when they are just turning brown at the edges. Cool on a rack. Makes about 16 small cookies

Basic Lemon Vinaigrette

I love this vinaigrette for a change from the usual, and I especially like to make it in the summertime. The lemon makes the salad greens taste so fresh! Guests enjoy it, too, because it tastes lighter and a little more refreshing than when using vinegar. 

Makes about 3/4 cup

1 small shallot, minced

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

1. Whisk together the shallot, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl. 

2. Whisking constantly, slowly add the olive oil in a thin stream, and continue to whisk until the vinaigrette is smooth and emulsified. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, and shake or whisk well before using.

Lavender and Lemon Sugar Cookies

1/4 tsp. dried lavender buds

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup soft butter

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 large egg

2 1/8 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp.lemon extract

In a food processor or blender, grind lavender with sugar. Cream sugar with butter and powdered sugar, and add egg. Stir in lemon extract, then flour, soda, tartar and salt; blending well. Place a tablespoon of dough on a greased cookie sheet. Flatten dough with the bottom of a glass that has been dipped in sugar, and sprinkle with additional sugar. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden.

Lemon Basil Cookies

1/4 cup butter

3 ounces cream cheese

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons dried basil, crushed

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tsp. grated lemon peel

1 package lemon cake mix

1/2 cup crushed walnuts or pecans

Mix together the butter, cheese, yolk and juice. Add the cake mix, and blend well. Stir in the nuts, peel and basil. Chill for 1/2 hour or more. Roll into small 1/2 inch balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Parchment paper works well. Flatten with a fork dipped in sugar. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.

See the archives for some tasty Iced Tea recipes

More you might like:

Lemon Bar Flags

Lemon Drop Cookies

Lemon Chicken Bake

Lemon Mousse