Welcome to my Kitchen

Snow drops are blooming and we are past the vernal equinox, so it must be spring. Sunny days whet our taste buds for the fruits of summer, but the local berries, vegetables and fruits are still a few months in the future. Maybe this is why lemon flavored recipes come to the fore in springtime.

Coincidentally, the first of the gluten free recipes to come along in response to my request on behalf of gluten free diet readers is lemon based. Merleen Smith shared the recipe for Gluten Free Lemon Bars that she served at a recent women’s event. She got the recipe from her niece, Kaci (Sheller) Bleau.

Working with gluten free flours can take a little getting used to, but this recipe is pretty easy and the results are a tangy taste bud tingling treat.

Gluten Free Lemon Bars

Shortbread Crust:

1 cup rice flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened slightly

1/4 cup toasted coconut

Lemony Curd Filling:

4 eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

2 Tbsp rice flour

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make shortbread crust by combining rice flour, cornstarch and powdered sugar in a medium size bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender, until mixture gets crumbly and begins to cling together like cookie dough. Mix in toasted coconut.

Gently pat mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Place in oven and bake for 17-19 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

When crust is cool, preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs until well bended. Add sugar, rice flour, corn starch, lemon juice and lemon zest. Whisk until smooth. Pour mixture over cooled crust and bake for 20 minutes or until filling is set. Remove from oven to wire rack and cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into bars or squares.

Note: toasted coconut in the crust is an important ingredient. Don’t skip it. If you are not fond of coconut, chop or mince it fine before adding. Coconut helps create the “short” effect when combined with rice flour. To toast coconut, place a thin layer in a baking pan and place in a 325 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Stir often and watch closely until coconut is golden brown. Cool completely before adding to the recipe.

Bob’s Red Mill is a company that seems to be the leader in Gluten Free flours and baking products. Some of the products are available at surrounding area grocery and health food stores. The company website http://www.bobsredmill.com has all the products for sale on line. Additionally there is an extensive recipe selection for both glutenfree and their selection of traditional flours and grains.

Lemon Broccoli Chicken is a recipe I adapted from a recipe on a can of Campbell's Cream of Broccoli Soup, around 1992. I am printing the recipe as listed on the can with the changes I made following notes.

Lemon Broccoli Chicken

1 Tbsp cooking oil

4 skinless, boneless, chicken breast halves

1 can Cream of Broccoli Soup

1/4 cup milk

2 tsp lemon juice

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

4 thin lemon slices

In a large skillet, heat oil until hot, cook chicken 10 minutes until browned.

In a medium bowl, combine soup and milk, stir in lemon juice and pepper. Pour over chicken; top with lemon slices. Reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 5 minutes ( in my opinion, this is not long enough to ensure thorough cooking, I simmer 25 minutes) until tender. Yield: 4 servings.

Notes: I skip the soup and use 4 Tbsp flour, 1 1/2 cups additional milk and 2 cups chopped frozen broccoli, thawed.

Increase cooking oil to 3 Tbsp. After browning chicken, remove to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm in oven.

Stir flour into drippings in pan over medium heat. Stir in all of the milk and the broccoli. Cook and stir until sauce thickens and is bubbly. Stir in lemon juice and pepper. Return chicken to the skillet, turning to coat with sauce. Top with lemon slices, sprinkle with additional pepper if desired, and simmer at least 25 minutes until chicken is tender. Either way you make this recipe, it is good served over hot cooked noodles or rice.

A spring variation to this recipe is, add 2 cups cooked asparagus, cut in 1 inch pieces, to the sauce just before the chicken is finished cooking, instead of adding broccoli during the sauce preparation.

Speaking of asparagus, it should not be much more than another month or so until locally grown selections are available. Lemon Roast Asparagus is an easy side dish to prepare on the grill or in the oven.

Lemon Roast Asparagus

Heavy duty foil

6-8 asparagus spears per person ( a bundle usually makes 4 servings)

Lemon juice

Olive or canola oil

Ground black pepper

Sea salt

Cut one 12 inch square of foil for each serving desired.

Wash and drain asparagus spears, and trim ends. Place 6-8 spears on each piece of foil. Drizzle each with 1/2 tsp lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle with pepper. Seal foil loosely around asparagus, but make sure seams are tight. Grill on barbeque or in 350 degree oven for 5 minutes on a side. Let stand 2-3 minutes. Open and sprinkle lightly with salt just before serving.

Share your favorite gluten free, lemony, asparagus or springtime recipes with your fellow readers. Easter is coming April 20th, share you family’s favorites for this celebration. Ham, lamb, salads, deviled eggs, egg decorating hints, desserts, what to do with leftover jelly beans (is there such a thing), any recipe having to do with spring or Easter may be shared by sending them to: Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Odessa Record, P.O. Box 458, Odessa, WA, 99159 or email to: therecord@odessa office.com, or drop them in the Welcome to My Kitchen mail tin in The Odessa Record office. You might be safe to start tomato and pepper plants now, as long as you have a well lit, frost free place to keep them.