Tag: lemon

Lemon Herb Eggs in Ciabatta | The Pajama Chef
Breakfast, Egg Dishes, Recipes

SRC: Lemon Herb Eggs in Ciabatta

Sarah

For the month of November, my Secret Recipe Club assignment this month was Aly’s fun and fashionable blog, Cooking in Stilettos. As I say every month, I love being part of the SRC. It’s a fun way to try new blogs and recipes and be part of a great community. If you’ve missed my past SRC posts, the premise is this: you’re assigned a different member’s blog every month. You visit their blog, choose any recipe you want, then make it and share it on your blog… all while keeping your assignment a secret! Everyone else posts about their secret blog the same day. It’s fabulously fun to try out new blogs. If you have a blog, definitely check it out and consider joining! I highly recommend it.

Aly has an amazing collection of recipes on her blog. I had such a hard time just picking one! She is a self-taught cook and draws inspiration for her food from the people and places around her–most notably her grandfather, or as she lovingly called him, her Bampa. I just love Aly’s tribute to him on her blog–I feel the same way about my own grandpa. If I had planned ahead, it would have been fitting to make one of his recipes, but alas–I did not. Instead, I made pretty much the awesomest brunch dish EVER.

Lemon Herb Eggs in Ciabatta | The Pajama ChefThis impressive looking Lemon Herb Eggs in Ciabatta looks complicated, but is in fact quite simple to make. [Just don’t tell anyone!] And you know what? It’s as tasty as it looks [even if it sounds weird].

Despite any preconceived notions you might have about what should go with egg, you should definitely give this recipe a fair shot. It’s the most light and refreshing egg dish I have ever had. And eggs aren’t something I would consider to be heavy… but there’s just something about the lemon-herb combo that just squeals “refreshing!!!”

Lemon Herb Eggs in Ciabatta | The Pajama ChefSince lemon isn’t actually mixed with egg, this dish isn’t quite as bizarre as it sounds. The lemon flavor is baked into the crust, also known as the shell for a snappy herb egg bake. In order to achieve this, the ciabatta shell is brushed with a mixture of herb-infused olive oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest… then toasted, prior to adding the egg-herb-bread filling. This gives the bread maximum flavor for minimum effort… especially if you purchase the bread from a bakery, like I did.

Lemon Herb Eggs in Ciabatta | The Pajama ChefI infused my olive oil with an Italian seasoning that is actually intended for olive oil, you know, those gourmet food shop seasoning containers that you’re supposed to add to olive oil for bread dipping and whatnot? Well, that’s all I’ve used mine for actually. Then, for the herb-in-egg mixture, I used fresh parsley, since that pairs so well with lemon. We all know it’s more than that! Aly used chives, but I couldn’t find any fresh so I improvised.It’s not too often that a dish highlights parsley, and I didn’t want the parsley to feel like it was just a garnish. And here, it is so good.

Lemon Herb Eggs in Ciabatta | The Pajama ChefI just don’t have anything more to say about this dish except that it’s so beautiful and stunning and EASY that you should make it this weekend and impress everyone you know. Even those of the feline variety. I was just trying to impress Ben on a recent Saturday morning, but the kitty wanted in on the action too.

Lemon Herb Eggs in Ciabatta | The Pajama Chef

Lemon Herb Eggs in Ciabatta

  • Servings: 4-6
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from Cooking in Stilettos

Ingredients:

  • 1 loaf fresh ciabatta bread
  • 2 tablespoons herb-infused olive oil [I just mixed a bit of Italian seasoning with some good extra virgin olive oil]
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • zest of half a lemon
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a paring knife, hollow out the loaf of bread. Reserve for later. Then, mix together olive oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Brush on inside of ciabatta, then place on a baking sheet. Toast for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut reserved bread pieces into 1 inch pieces. Next, whisk the eggs, then stir in parsley, Parmesan, pepper, and milk. Add the bread cubes and stir gently to combine.

Remove toasted bread from oven, then pour in egg mixture.

Return to oven and bake for 35-45 minutes or until eggs are fully cooked. Cut into pieces and serve immediately.

 

Notes: This is best fresh, but leftovers aren’t bad. Just toast in the oven to reheat. Also, original baking time was listed as 35-40 minutes, but mine definitely took 45. If it starts to brown too much on top while baking, just cover with foil.

Be sure to check out the other fabulous recipes posted today [click below] for this week’s SRC reveal. Have a great day!



Main Dishes, Pasta, Recipes

Summery Squash and Chicken Lasagna

Sarah

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… poor, poor Ben and his experimental cook of a wife [that’s me, in case you were confused]. I can’t remember exactly when this was, but it was a couple summers ago. Ben came home from work and I proudly announced that I had made pasta. Like, from scratch. He was super impressed… and then sorely disappointed to discover that I hadn’t made fancy, familiar pasta, but rather zucchini “pasta.” It was something like this: long, thin strips of noodle-like zucchini. Though Ben was a dutiful, sweet husband that night and ate his “pasta” with as much gusto as he could reckon, after dinner was over, he promptly declared “never again.” Frankly, I was pretty glad. I like veggies more than the average person, I think, but when I want pasta, I want pasta. I want pasta like this.

Gooey. Cheesy. Herby. Veggie-licious, yet still utterly ridiculous.

So how did I get from fake-out pasta to this lasagna ridiculousness?

Well, last week I was looking around the fridge and spied some leftover grated zucchini as well as a big ‘ole yellow squash. I did a little googling and to my surprise, most of the pasta recipes involving these adaptable, versicle, hearty veggies that are so awesome in taking on the other flavors of a dish are either for the banned zucchini “pasta” or else include large chunks of squash. Large chunks of squash aren’t really my cup of tea, so I decided to get creative.

The heart of this Summery Squash and Chicken Lasagna is not the layers of luscious shredded cheese, cottage cheese [could also use ricotta], or even the homemade garlicky alfredo sauce. No, the star of the show was the lemony-herb chicken vegetable filling. This filling pairs mild squash with juicy tomatoes, bright parsley, tangy lemon, and just enough chicken to satisfy the meat lovers in your life.

Summery Squash and Chicken Lasagna is the comfort food version of light summer pasta, for sure. We loved that this lasagna wasn’t as heavy as traditional versions are, yet it still added a bit of richness to our evening meal. A richness that was tempered by the sweet, sour, and fresh tastes of summertime produce. Maybe another way to explain that richness, would be to say gold medal greatness, huh? Mhmm, you know what I mean if you were watching Aly Raisman’s gymnastics last night. Gold medal greatness right there… and ta da, right here! And it can be yours, in your very own kitchen. Yay! There will be good things in life when the Olympics are over. 🙂 And this lasagna is #1 on my list. Enjoy!

Summery Squash and Chicken Lasagna [a TPC original; alfredo sauce from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe]
click to print

Ingredients:

for alfredo sauce

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 8 ounces cream cheese [regular or low-fat], softened and cut into 12 pieces
  • 2 cups skim milk
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

for filling #1

  • 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded [mine was from a chicken I roasted, but store bought rotisserie chicken would work too]
  • 1 cup grated zucchini, packed
  • 1 cup grated yellow squash, packed
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped [I used a yellow pear variety]
  • 1/4 cup parsley, loosely packed and minced
  • zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

for filling #2

  • 1/2 cup cottage cheese
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • pinch oregano
  • pinch garlic salt
  • 8 no-boil lasagna noodles
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray an 8×8 [9×9 should work too] baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Begin by making the alfredo sauce.

Melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese piece by piece, stirring until smooth between additions. Mixture may appear curdled, but keep stirring. After about 3 minutes, you’ll be rewarded with a smooth paste. Next, slowly add milk in 1/4 cup increments. Make sure the milk is fully incorporated before adding the next 1/4 cup. Then, stir in parmesan cheese and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, mixing until cheese completely melts. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to thicken, then cover and remove from heat.

Next, combine chicken, zucchini, squash, and tomatoes in a bowl. Fold in parsley, lemon zest and juice, and red pepper. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine cottage cheese, egg, oregano, and garlic salt. Top with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, then mix to combine.

Assemble the lasagna by spreading a thin layer of alfredo sauce [about 1/5 of the total amount] on the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with two [uncooked] lasagna noodles, 1/4 of the cottage cheese mixture, 1/4 of the chicken/squash mixture, and 1/4 of the cheese. Repeat layering sauce, noodles, cottage cheese, chicken/squash, and cheese 3 more times–making 4 layers–then end with a layer of sauce.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until bubbly and brown. Remove from oven and wait 10 minutes before slicing.

Time: 90 minutes [15 minutes active].

Yield: 4-6 servings.

Main Dishes, Recipes, Soups

Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup

Sarah

I’m not sure what the deal is, but I’ve become pretty much obsessed with soup over the past two years. Before that, I couldn’t really handle it [except for tomato and potato], but now? Sign me just about anytime, anywhere. That’s why I don’t mind so much when we have spring cold spells, like we’ve had here in Indiana lately. I mean, it’s the end of April and it’s 50 degrees out and rainy. No fun… except that it just gives me one more excuse to make soup.

lemon orzo chicken soupAnd this is my new favorite spring soup! It’s tangy yet creamy, filling yet light.  It’s super simple to make, even with the long list of ingredients. Don’t let the inclusion of eggs in a soup scare you–they add a delightful rich, velvety layer of flavor. I used dried herbs and orzo–but use fresh herbs or another small pasta if you want. I can’t wait to make this in the summertime when my balcony herbs are flourishing! They’re still little baby nubs right now. 🙂

Don’t you just want a bowlful now? I sure do!

Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup [from Good Life Eats]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 5 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, divided
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 3 carrots, sliced into thin rounds
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup orzo pasta, uncooked
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 2 – 3 large handfuls of fresh babyspinach, chopped [or combination of spinach and kale]

Directions:

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with black pepper, then add to hot pan. Pour in 2 tablespoons lemon juice; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon each dried parsley and thyme. Turn to coat, then cook completely.

Meanwhile, heat remaining tablespoon olive oil in a stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Pour in white wine, chicken broth, carrots, and celery. Bring to a boil.

Whisk together egg yolks and 3 tablespoons lemon juice. In a slow, trickling stream, carefully pour in 1 cup of hot broth [from pot] to egg mixture, whisking while pouring. Transfer the mixture back to the pot. Add orzo and chicken.

Reduce heat to medium low, partially cover, and cook until pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Before serving, add 1 teaspoon each of parsley, thyme, and sage, then stir in spinach/kale.
Time: 45 minutes.
Yield: 6-8 servings.
Main Dishes, Recipes, Seafood and Fish

Salmon with Lemon, Tarragon, and Garlic Sauce

Sarah

I was inspired to try my hand at salmon after a long absence of fish at our house [try September. Seriously! Why??] when two important menu forces collided. First, fresh salmon was on sale for $3.99/pound at my local grocery store, which seems like a great deal to me. Secondly, when picking herbs at a CSA pickup, I tried a bite of fresh French Tarragon and loved it. It had a tiny kick that emerged despite the bittersweet, fresh taste that had hints of mint and licorice. It was like nothing I’ve ever had before–or actually, nothing I’ve ever prepared before, because as I’ve learned from Google, it’s a staple in many French foods I ate on study abroad in Cameroon and while traveling in Europe. But back to the collision.

Salmon with Lemon, Tarragon, and Garlic Sauce via thepajamachef.com

I couldn’t let such coincidences escape from my grasp, particularly during this mid-summer freedom. So I promptly did some internet research after doing my shopping and CSA-gathering, put on my apron, and gave it a whirl… and emerged victorious, queen of the salmon. Wait, that’s Sheba, the kitty who may or may not have weaseled her way into a delectable bite of freshly flaked salmon. But you didn’t hear it from me…

The results were  so easy, so flavorful, so fresh, and so filling that now I’m just craving it all. the. time. The salmon was crispy on the outside and flaky on the inside, the  perfect vehicle for the tangy sauce. Composed of the familiar–tart lemon and complex garlic; and the new–gourmet, hearty Dijon mustard and spicy fresh tarragon, a sauce that initially sounds complicated is really quite simple and refreshing. A little goes a long way, though, and it’s a good thing too, because that means more for next time!

What types of food do you always intend to make but rarely do?

Salmon with Lemon, Tarragon, and Garlic Sauce

  • Servings: 4
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[technique by Peanut Butter Fingers, recipe from Allrecipes.com]

Ingredients:

  • 4, 4-ounce, salmon fillets
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil + more for salmon
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • juice of half a lemon
  • zest of half a lemon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
  • freshly ground lemon pepper
  • cooking spray

Directions:

Set oven to broil. Cover a large baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray. Place salmon on foil and lightly brush with olive oil. Season with freshly ground lemon pepper. Broil for about 10 minutes, or until salmon flakes with a fork.

Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and zest, tarragon, and a hearty amount of freshly ground lemon pepper. Set aside.

When fish is ready, top each piece with prepared sauce and enjoy!

Cookies, Desserts, Recipes

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Sarah

In my mind, the epitome of summer is a tall, refreshing glass of lemonade. There’s just something about that sweet/tart taste that never lets you down. It’s so constant, so familiar, so good. If I could, I’d stay home all day long and squeeze lemon after lemon for neverending glasses of joy.

But I can’t, sadly enough.

So I make these:

When I saw this recipe on Jenna’s blog [and this is the Jenna of PB/chocolate treat fame, mind you], I knew they had to be good. And oh, they are.

They’re tangy, fresh, and sweet, reminiscent of my summertime beverage of choice, albeit with much less work [because powdered mixes just don’t cut it in my book]. These cookies are light enough for even the hottest summer day, which in this 114 degree [via the heat index] heat wave, is of utmost importance. Plus… they’re just so darn cute, with their crinkly tops that form as the cookies cool on the hot baking sheet and their crispy yet soft centers.

I just can’t get over how good these are, and how much joy they add to my life. My existence. My destiny…

Okay, maybe that’s getting a little too carried away but the point is clear:

These cookies are the center of my adulation, and I bet if you make them right now, they’ll be the center of yours too.

Just you wait. 🙂

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

  • Servings: 24 cookies
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Lemon Crinkle Cookies | thepajamachef.comfrom Jenna’s Everything Blog

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 1-3 teaspoons lemon zest [use 3 teaspoons for some punch, like I did]
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two baking sheets.

Next, in a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in vanilla, egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest and whip until completely mixed, scraping the bowl in the process.

Then, stir together all dry ingredients [minus the powdered sugar] and fold into the wet ingredients.

Shape the dough into rounded teaspoon-size balls and roll in powdered sugar to coat.

Bake for 7-9 minutes [dark baking sheets] or 9-11 minutes [lighter baking sheets] or until cookie tops are matte in color [not shiny/glossy] and bottoms are just golden. Allow to cool for about 3-4 minutes on the baking sheet before placing on cooling rack.