Strawberry Margarita

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  I have a delicious margarita recipe to share with you, so I'll just get right to it!

Strawberry Margarita
Serves: 2

1/2 cup lime juice (about three limes)
1/2 cup strawberry puree (recipe below)
1/2 cup margarita mix (I used homemade, recipe below)
6 oz. tequila
Ice

Combine all ingredients in a jar or cocktail shaker and combine.  Best served on the rocks.

Strawberry Puree
2 cups sliced strawberries
2 tsp agave

Combine berries and agave in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.  You can remove the seeds by placing the puree in a fine mesh sieve, but I don't mind the seeds and just left them in the puree.

Margarita Mix
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
Juice and zest of one orange, lime, and lemon

Combine ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat until the mixture comes to a slow boil and the sugar is dissolved.  Strain to remove the zest and chill.

Lemon Curd

I love lemon.  It's tart yet refreshing and it reminds me of warm spring and summer days...  It may be the fact that they go so well into a homemade margaritas!  I picked up a large bag of lemons the other day at the grocery store.  It was a total impulse buy and I wanted to find ways to use them up before they spoiled.  I happened to check out one of my favorite food blogs and found a recipe for lime curd.  It was a quick and simple recipe and I made a batch right away (of course using lemons in place of limes).

The flavor of this curd is right on.  It reminds me of the lemon filling my mom used to make for her cakes.  I've made this twice and the second time, I added some zest to amp up the flavor.  I just love the flavor of lemon and this recipe is the perfect balance of sweet and tart.  The curd is very versatile - I bet it would be great put into small tart cups and topped with fruit and whipped cream.  I find it is perfect just scooped from the jar and directly into my mouth!  :)  Check back later to see how I end up using the curd.

Lemon Curd
Yield: 1 1/4 cups
Adapted from Annie's Eats

3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
Zest from one lemon
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 1/2-2 lemons)*
4 T unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces

In a non-reactive saucepan, combine the eggs and sugar.  Whisk together until well blended.  Whisk in the key lime juice.  Place the pan over medium-low heat.  Cook, stirring or whisking constantly, until the mixture is warmed through.  Be careful not to heat the mixture too quickly to avoid curdling the eggs.  Whisk in the butter a little bit at a time, stirring in each addition until completely incorporated before adding more.  Continue to cook, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the mixture thickens and a spoon or spatula leaves a path when drawn through it (no higher than 175˚ F on an instant-read thermometer.)  Immediately remove the pan from the heat and pass the mixture through a fine mesh strainer.  Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.  (This keeps up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.)


*This can be made with lemons, limes, oranges...  Any citrus!

Cate's Lemon Dijon Chicken

I resolved to post healthier recipes this year instead of the high fat and sugar (but oh so delicious!) recipes I've been posting.  So, here's another - Cate's Lemon Dijon Chicken.  I can't take full credit for the recipe.  I just pulled together parts from some of my favorite recipes and rolled them into one.

This dish comes together quickly which makes it perfect for a weeknight meal.  It's tangy and light, which is just yummy to me!  It would be great served over egg noodles or polenta.  I served mine with a medley of roasted veggies - Carrots, parsnips, potatoes and Brussels sprouts.

Here's the recipe:

1t oil (I used canola but any light-tasting oil will work)

4 - 4 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Juice of one lemon (about 2 T.  I like my chicken a bit lemony.  If you like less, start with 1/2 a lemon and increase the juice to taste)

1T Dijon mustard

1 t garlic, diced (fresh if you have it.  I only had it in a jar)

1t fresh, chopped thyme (dry will work too, but use about 1/2 t)

1t unsalted butter

Salt & pepper, to taste

Prep:  Sometimes chicken breasts are not even and need to be pounded out to even thickness.  If necessary, place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat tenderizer, rolling pin or a small frying pan until the chicken is even in thickness.

Preheat a nonstick skillet with oil on medium-high heat. While the pan is heating up, salt and pepper the chicken on both sides.  Once the skillet is hot enough add the chicken.  Cook until browned, about 5 minutes.  Turn the chicken and cook another 4 - 5 minutes until browned and just undercooked (the chicken will finish cooking later when you return it to the pan after the sauce is made).  Remove chicken, put on a plate and cover loosely in foil.

Turn the heat up high and add the chicken broth to the pan.  Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits left from the chicken.  After the broth simmers for about a minute, add the lemon juice.  Keeping the flame on high, simmer the juice and broth until reduced by half, about 4 minutes.  Whisk in the Dijon and simmer for one minute. Turn down the heat to medium and add in the garlic, thyme and butter.  Once the butter is melted add in the chicken and the juices that gathered on the plate.  Finish cooking for about five minutes or until the chicken is done.

Nutrition info (1 chicken breast and 2 T of sauce): 246 calories, 11g fat, 1.6g carbs, 34g protein