Summertime Lemon Recipes | Strawberry Lemon Bars & Lemon Chicken Penne Alfredo

We are known for having amazing citrus fruits here in Southern California. Our neighbors have a huge lemon tree that hangs over into our yard and I have a standing invitation to pick as many as I want. For some reason, nothing says summer to me like lemons!  Here are a few of my favorite lemon recipes.

Strawberry Lemon Bars

Crust:

• 2 cups flour
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup butter

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture into the bottom of a greased 13x9x2 inch baking pan.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until edges are golden.

Filling:

• 4 slightly beaten eggs
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• ¾ cup lemon juice
• ¼ half and half, light cream or milk
• ¼ cup strawberry jam

Stir together eggs, sugar, flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, and half and half. Pour filling over hot crust. Bake for 15-20 minutes more or until center is set.  Melt strawberry jam in microwave and drizzle on top. Cool on a wire rack. Sift powdered sugar on top and cut into bars. Store covered in a refrigerator.

Lemon Chicken and Lemon Penne Alfredo

• ½ cup half and half or whipping cream
• 1 tbsp of butter
• ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
• Black pepper to taste
• ½ tsp lemon zest (finely shredded peel)
• Noodles of choice, I used penne
• Chicken breasts

Zest your lemon by grating the peel with a fine grater then juice your lemon. Put your thawed chicken breasts in a pan along with the lemon juice and some salt and pepper, cover and cook on medium. Cook noodles according to package directions. In the mean time combine half and half, butter, parmesan cheese, black pepper and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Cook until it reaches a boil, remove from heat. Poor over noodles.