When spring comes I crave bright citrus flavours. With a tangy lemon glaze, these buttery shortbread cookies melt in the mouth and satisfy the desire for a fresh taste. I use the same basic recipe as my Cranberry Orange Shortbread, but substitute lemon for the orange, and add a lemon glaze.
Lemon Shortbread
1 cup butter
3/4 cup icing sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Cream together butter and icing sugar.
3. Add lemon rind.
4. Stir together the flour and cornstarch, then add to the butter mixture. Cover and chill for about 30 minutes.
5. Roll to desired thickness. I like a crisper, thinner cookie, so mine are about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick.
6. Cut as desired. These are cut in rectangles, about 3 inches by 1 1/2 inches.
7. Bake on parchment lined baking sheets for 15-18 minutes or until pale golden brown.
8. Cool on a rack, then glaze with Lemon Glaze.
Lemon Glaze
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
2-3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Stir together. You should have a smooth mixture that is spreadable, but not too runny.
During these days of staying at home I find myself thinking about food a lot more than usual. I want bold flavours and food that's hearty and satisfying. This recipe is a twist on an idea I read about in Fine Cooking magazine, but bears little resemblance to the original.
Smokey bacon, sweet onions and peppers, and a hint of chipotle heat made these chicken drumsticks something we really enjoyed.
Chicken with a Hint of Mexican
8-10 chicken drumsticks
3 slices thick bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon chipotle in adobe sauce (found in the Mexican food section - I keep leftovers in a small glass jar in the freezer)
2 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place drumsticks in a 9 x 13 glass baking pan. Arrange bacon pieces on top of and around chicken. Bake for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium high heat, then add the peppers and onion and saute until tender.
3. Stir in the chili powder, ground cumin, and chipotle pepper. Add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then pour over the chicken in the baking dish.
4. Return to oven and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
5. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired, or cilantro. Serve with rice.
