Lemon Zucchini Bread

Zucchini bread is awesome, there’s no denying that…but lemon zucchini bread?? It’s unbelievably good.  This fruitier, sweeter, denser loaf makes a pretty perfect addition to any brunch or dessert buffet.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

1 (6 oz.) container lemon Greek yogurt

3 eggs

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups zucchini, grated, drained and squeezed dry

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest, optional

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350º F and lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a large bowl or mixer, beat together sugar and canola oil, then mix in eggs and Greek yogurt.
4. Once eggs are fully incorporated, mix in lemon juice and vanilla extract.
5. Gradually fold in dry ingredients until incorporated, then gently fold in grated zucchini and lemon zest.
6. Pour batter into greased loaf pan, then place in oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs.
7. Remove from oven and let cool.
8. For the glaze: whisk lemon juice into powdered sugar until smooth, stirring in lemon zest, if desired.
9. Once cake has fully cooled, pour glaze over cake and let set until hardened.
10. Slice, serve and enjoy.

Chicken Francese

 

Chicken Francese, sometimes called chicken French, is one of those rare restaurant dishes that's truly easy to cook at home. If you can make chicken cutlets, you can make this lemony, buttery recipe; the only difference is an easy pan sauce that brightens the whole plate. This version includes lemon slices browned in butter, which are pretty and tasty but entirely optional. Although the name suggests that it's a French or Italian dish ("Francese" means French in Italian), it's actually neither: Like spaghetti and meatballs, it's a mostly Italian-American invention. Serve with something starchy to soak up every drop of the sauce; pasta is traditional.

Featured in: The Single Best Thing To Cook With Chicken Breasts. 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 4 to 6 large boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (buy the cutlets thinly sliced, or buy regular boneless breasts and slice them in half horizontally to make thin pieces)
• 3 to 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed (optional)
• ½ cup dry white wine
• Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon, more to taste
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 3 to 4 tablespoons freshly minced parsley 

Preparation

1. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper until blended. Place the flour in a separate bowl. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
2. In a wide skillet, heat olive and vegetable oils over medium heat until shimmering.
3. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, lightly dredge the chicken in flour and shake off any excess. Dip into egg batter, let excess batter drip back into the bowl and place in the skillet. Fry, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Adjust the heat as the cutlets cook so they brown slowly and evenly, with a steady bubbling. Transfer to the paper-towel-lined pan and repeat with remaining cutlets.
4. When all cutlets are browned, remove the pan from the heat and pour off the oil. Wipe out the pan with paper towels. Return the pan to low heat. 
5. If making the lemon slices (if not, skip to Step 6 below): Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter and then scatter the lemon slices over the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring gently occasionally, until the lemon slices are golden and browning around the edges, about 3 minutes. Scoop out the lemon slices and set them aside. 
6. Add 3 tablespoons of butter, the wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Boil until the liquid is syrupy, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil and cook until thickened into a sauce, about 5 minutes. (It will thicken more when you add the cutlets.) Taste and adjust the seasonings with lemon, salt and pepper; it should be quite lemony and not too salty.
7. Reduce the heat, tuck the cutlets into the pan and simmer very gently until the sauce is velvety and the chicken pieces are heated through, about 4 minutes. Turn the cutlets over occasionally in the sauce. Place the browned lemon slices on top. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve, spooning some of the sauce over each serving.                  

Lemon Pepper Chicken

INGREDIENTS

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. lemon pepper seasoning

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 lemons, divided

1 lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth

2 tbsp. butter

2 cloves garlic

Chopped parsley, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, lemon pepper, salt, and zest of one lemon.

Toss halved chicken breasts in the flour mixture until fully coated.

Slice 1 lemon into thin rounds.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat olive oil.

 Add the chicken in a single layer and cook until golden on the bottom, about 5 minutes.

Flip chicken breasts.

To the same skillet, add the chicken broth, butter,

garlic and lemon slices and transfer skillet to the oven.

Bake until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 170° F

and the sauce has reduced slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.

Spoon sauce on top of chicken. Garnish with parsley.

Photos by Ethan Calabrese