••••SALMON & DILL SAUCE WITH LEMON RISOTTO••••

(Source: Taste of Home magazine & Amanda Reed & photo also)

••••PREP: 20 MIN••COOK: 30 MIN.

••••MAKES: 4 SERVINGS 

SAUCE 

•1/2 cup mayonnaise 

•1/4 cup sour cream

•1 TB chopped green onion

•1 TB lemon juice

•1-1/2 tsp. snipped fresh dill or 1/2 tsp. dill weed

RISOTTO 

•3 to 3-1/2 cups chicken broth 

•2 TB olive oil

•1 shallot, finely chopped 

•1 cup uncooked arborio rice

•1 garlic clove, minced

•2 tsp. grated lemon peel

•1/4 tsp pepper

SALMON 

•4 salmon fillets (6 oz each)

•1/2 tsp. salt

•1/4 tsp. pepper

•2 TB olive oil

1. In a small bowl, mix sauce ingredients. Refrigerate, covered, until serving.

2. In a small saucepan, bring broth to a simmer; keep hot.

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallot; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until tender. Add rice and garlic; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until rice is coated.

3. Stir in 1/2 cup hot broth. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; cook and stir until broth is absorbed. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until broth has been absorbed after each addition, until rice is tender but firm to the bite, and risotto is creamy. Remove from heat; stir in lemon peel and pepper.

4. Meanwhile, sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add fillets; cook 6-8 minutes on each side or until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork. Serve salmon with sauce and risotto.

••••LEMON TIP•••

(photo-clipartpanda.com & Melissa Newberry tip)

••••FOR MORE JUICE, MICROWAVE THE LEMON FOR TEN SECONDS, THEN ROLL IT ON THE COUNTER AND JUICE AS USUAL••••

••••BROCCOLI SLAW WITH LEMON DRESSING••••

(Source: Taste of Home magazine, Donna Marie Ryan & photo also)

••••START TO FINISH: 15 MIN. 

••••MAKES: 10 SERVINGS 

•1/2 cup sour cream

•3 TB lemon juice

•2 TB mayonnaise 

•1 TB white wine vinegar 

•2 tsp. grated lemon peel

•1tsp Dijon mustard

•1/2 tsp. salt

•1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper 

•1 pkg. (12 oz.) broccoli coleslaw mix

•2 large red apples, julienned 

1. In a large bowl, mix the first eight ingredients. Add coleslaw mix and apples; toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, until serving.

TIP

It is best to let the slaw sit for 20 minutes or so to let the flavors blend together well.

••••MIXED GREENS WITH LEMON CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE••••

(Source: Taste of Home Magazine, Ray Uyeda & photo also)

••••START TO FINISH: 15 MIN.

••••MAKES: 10 SERVINGS 

•2 TB champagne vinegar 

•2 tsp. lemon juice

•1 tsp. Dijon mustard

•1 shallot, finely chopped

•1/2 cup olive oil

•4 cups torn leaf lettuce

•4 cups fresh spinach

•2 cups fresh arugula 

•3/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

•1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

1. In a small bowl, whisk champagne, vinegars, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and shallot. Gradually whisk in olive oil.

2. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, spinach and arugula. Pour vinaigrette over salad; toss to coat.

3. Sprinkle salad with toasted walnuts and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately.

TO TOAST NUTS

Spread walnuts in a 15 by 10 by 1 in baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Or, spread on a dry nonstick skillet and heat over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

••••MEDITERRANEAN BAKED CHICKEN WITH LEMON••••

(Source: Taste of Home magazine & Shirley Glab & photo also)

••••PREP: 20 MIN. + MARINATING

••••BAKE: 35 MIN.

••••MAKES: 8 SERVINGS 

•1 cup olive oil

•1/2 cup lemon juice

•6 garlic cloves, minced

•1 tsp. salt

•1 tsp. dried thyme

•1/2 tsp pepper

•1/4 tsp. ground allspice

•1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

•8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 oz. each)

•3 medium lemons, thinly sliced

SPICE BLEND

•2 tsp. paprika

•1/2 tsp. garlic salt

•1/2 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning

•1/4 tsp. ground allspice

•1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the first eight ingredients until blended. Pour 1 cup marinade into a large resealable bag. Add chicken; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange lemon slices in two greased 11 by 7 in. baking dishes. Drain chicken, discarding marinade in bag. Place chicken over lemon slices. Mix spice blend ingredients, sprinkle over chicken. Drizzle with reserved marinade. Bake chicken, covered, 35-40 minutes or until a thermometer reads 165 degrees.

••••LEMON CHICKEN AND RICE SOUP••••

(Source: Taste of Home magazine & Kristin Cherry & photos also)

••••PREP: 35 MIN ••COOK: 4-1/4 HOURS••MAKES: 12 SERVINGS (4.QT)

•2 TB olive oil

•2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-in. pieces

•5 cans (14-1/2 oz. each) reduced-sodium chicken broth

•8 cups coarsely chopped Swiss chard, kale or spinach

•2 large carrots, finely chopped

•1 small onion, chopped

•1 medium lemon, halved and thinly sliced

•1/4 cup lemon juice

•4 tsp. grated lemon peel

•1/2 tsp. pepper

•4 cups cooked brown rice

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 TB oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken; cook and stir until browned. Transfer to a 6-qt. slow cooker. Repeat with remaining oil and chicken.

2. Stir broth, vegetables, lemon slices, lemon juice, peel and pepper into chicken. Cook, covered, on low 4-5 hours or until chicken is tender. Stir in rice; cook, covered, until heated through.

••••MACADAMIA LEMON BARS••••

(Source: Taste of Home magazine & Edie Despain & photo also)

••••PREP: 25 MIN ••BAKE: 10 MIN +COOLING••••MAKES: 1 DOZEN 

•1 cup all-purpose flour

•1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

•1/2 cup butter, melted

•1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts

FILLING 

•1 cup sugar

•2 TB all-purpose flour

•1/2 tsp baking powder

•1/4 tsp salt

•2 eggs

•2 TB lemon juice

•2 tsp grated lemon peel

•2 TB chopped macadamia nuts

•+Confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix flour, confectioners' sugar and melted butter until crumbly; stir in nuts. Press onto bottom and 1/2 in. up sides of a greased 8-in.-square baking dish. Bake 15-20 minutes or until light brown.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Beat in eggs, lemon juice and lemon peel until blended.

3. Pour over hot crust. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate leftovers.