Recipe: Sea Scallops With Lime & White Wine Sauce

This quick, easy, delicious dish makes a great "date night" or special occasion meal on a warm summer evening. Lime juice, garlic, and white wine make a delicate and tasty sauce for the mild sweetness of sea scallops, which go great with summer. You and your honey will be enjoying your special dinner in no time!

Scallops With Lime & Savory White Wine Sauce
(Serves 2.)

Ingredients:

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1 Tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups chicken broth
2 limes; one juiced, one halved and cut into thin slices
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 lb. sea scallops
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
cooked linguine or rice

Directions:

• Put butter in a saucepan along with garlic and cook over low heat until garlic is just fragrant and softened.
• Add white wine and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, then add the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer, allow to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the juice of 1 lime to the saucepan, then add the cilantro, stir, remove from heat, cover and set aside.
• Prepare the scallops by putting them in a large bowl with 1 Tbsp of olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper. 
• Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add scallops, cooking very quickly, stirring until golden brown on the outside and cooked through, about 3 or 4 minutes at the most.
• Add the lime slices and continue cooking, stirring, for 30 seconds longer, then turn this mixture into a large serving bowl and pour the sauce from the saucepan over the scallops, cover and let sit for a couple minutes.
• Serve over linguine or rice with the sauce poured over.

Recipe: Citrusy Spinach & Sirloin Salad

Cool, fresh salads make great summer meals, and this one pairs juicy sirloin steak with citrus, ginger, and spinach for a fresh, zesty, and satisfying lunch or light supper.

Citrus Embellished Spinach And Sirloin Salad
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

1 lb. top sirloin steak
salt and pepper to season
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 grapefruit
1 orange
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp freshly grated ginger root
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
dash salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup good light olive oil
10 oz. baby spinach

Directions:

• Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of steak.
• Put 2 Tbsp cooking oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When oil sizzles, add steak and sear on both sides quickly, then flip again and cook each side for 4 to 5 more minutes or until steak is done to your liking.
• Remove steak from pan to cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
• While the steak is resting, peel and segment the grapefruit and orange over a large bowl to save the juices, putting the fruit aside in another bowl. 
• Into the bowl with the juice collected from the fruit, add vinegar, garlic, ginger, mustard, honey, and a dash of salt and pepper to taste, and whisk until combined. Continue whisking while slowly drizzling oil into the mixture.
• Slice the rested steak very thin against the grain and at a diagonal.
• Make salad by tossing together the spinach, fruit, together with dressing, then top with steak and toss gently.
• Serve immediately.

Recipe: Crock Pot Oregano Rubbed Lemon Chicken

Crock pots are great for summer cooking, as you can set your dinner to cook and go off and enjoy the beautiful summer weather, without slaving over a hot stove, or heating up the kitchen by running the oven for several hours.

This tasty and simple recipe combines the classic flavors of lemon and chicken. You'll have a tasty dinner the whole family will love all ready when you get back from the pool!

Crock Pot Oregano Rubbed Lemon Chicken
(Serves 6.)

Ingredients:

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 lbs. chicken breast halves, boneless skinless
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup water
4 fresh lemons, squeezed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

• Mix together the oregano, salt, and pepper in a little bowl and then rub this mixture into the chicken.
• Put butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, and when butter melts and skillet is hot, set chicken in and brown it on both sides, about 3 to 5 minutes each side. Remove the chicken and arrange evenly in the crock pot. 
• In the same skillet, add the water, lemon juice, garlic, and bouillon, and bring this mixture to a boil, stirring to get up the browned bits from skillet, then immediately pour over the chicken in the crock pot.
• Cover and set crock pot to LOW and allow to cook for 6 to 7 hours. 
• 15 minutes before the end of cooking time, sprinkle parsley on top of the chicken, cover the crock pot and continue cooking the remaining 15 minutes.
• Serve with a side of rice or potatoes if desired.

Recipe: Pomelo Lime Shrimp Salad

Pomelos are great on their own, but with their tangy, juicy citrus flavor, they are also great for fresh summer recipes like this one. This simple recipe has a touch of Asian flair, with fresh lime, cilantro, and fish sauce, and the toasted toppings add a unique crunch. This is great for a light and tasty supper or lunch.

Pomelo Lime Shrimp Salad
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

Pomelos. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2 pomelos, peeled and segments cut out
3 limes, juiced
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp chopped green onion
2 lbs. small fresh shrimp, cleaned, tails removed
1 Tbsp light olive oil
dash of red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp toasted chopped peanuts
1 Tbsp toasted shredded coconut
salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Put pomelo segments, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, cilantro, and green onion in a large bowl and stir well. Cover and refrigerate.
• Put shrimp on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with red pepper flakes, and mix with your hands to coat well.
• Bake in preheated oven for 3 to 5 minutes, just until pink.  Remove and allow to cool on sheet.
• When cool, add shrimp to the bowl with pomelo mixture and stir to combine.
• Spoon this shrimp-pomelo mixture out into small shallow bowls, then top with the peanuts and coconut. Salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe: Beyond Borders Tangerine Lime Salsa

Why settle for an ordinary salsa when you can have something this good? Tangy limes and sweet tangerines mingle in this amazing, fresh Asian-inspired twist on a fresh summer salsa. Ginger, cilantro, and hot peppers accent the bright fresh citrus flavors, and will have your taste buds singing a sweet summer song!

Beyond Borders Tangerine Lime Salsa

Ingredients:

Image via Flickr

4 tangerines, peeled, seeds removed, segmented
2 limes, 1 zested and both juiced
1 Tbsp Hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp grated ginger root
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp chopped green onion
1 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 Tbsp habanero or jalepeno pepper, seeded and chopped fine

Directions:

1. Hold the tangerine segments over a glass bowl and, using sharp kitchen shears, cut up into small pieces, dropping into the bowl. You can cut the segments up with a knife but make sure you can capture the juice.
2. Zest 1 lime into bowl, then juice both limes into the bowl.
3. Add to the bowl all the remaining ingredients, mixing to combine.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.
5. Makes about 2 cups of salsa.
6. Use as a side with grilled fish or in seafood tacos or wraps.

Love citrus? Find more great recipes like this in this unique cookbook: 

The Lemon & Lime Cookbook
~ Rick Donker ~ 

This is a great resource for incorporating delicious, tangy flavor to everything from beverages to breakfast foods, soups, salads, main courses, and of course, delicious desserts. Add zest to recipes like Halibut with Lime Avocado Sauce, Eggs Benedict, German Pancakes, Roast Salmon with Lime Sauce, and even Homemade Lemon Ice Cream. With 179 pages, you'll have ample opportunity to go beyond lemonade and garnishes to a world of citrus goodness.

Freshen Up Your Summer Cooking With Citrus

Citrus brightens up good food and good conversation. Rather than cook the same old recipes, why not add some citrus twists to your dishes and give your guests something to fall in love with?  Let's take a look at a few classics that are getting a real boost with a little citrus.

Citrus Infused Tea

Image via Flickr

What an incredible way to wake up!  Start a big pot of water boiling, then shut the burner off and add four green tea bags.  Of course, that's good, but why stop there.  Add a thinly sliced lemon to the water and allow the tea to steep for four or five minutes, then serve hot by pouring into large mugs.  Sweeten if desired, then enjoy. The lemon adds even more nutritional value to your green tea, along with a real zing! You may even want to nibble on a few hot lemon slices.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Instead of your typical pancake mix, why not try a melt-in-your-mouth combo that is sure to start your morning off right? By substituting ricotta, lemon juice, and lemon zest in place of some of the liquid in the pancake recipe, you get a slightly sweet and fluffy pancake with a tangy hit of citrus. Serve the pancakes with either raspberry or boysenberry syrup, and you have an irresistible combination that your family will love.

Grilled Summer Vegetables with Citrus Splash Dressing

The grill? Yes, even the grill. Not only can you grill citrus, you can coat your summer veggies with dressing using the same marinade you soaked them in. Orange juice, orange zest, lime juice, lime zest, and a bit of honey make a great glaze for grilled vegetables.  Add a little chopped fresh basil or other herbs on top of your vegetables on the grill and you just became the new executive chef of your own backyard. Try serving these tangy, tasty veggies on top of a bed of crispy mixed lettuce for a filling lunch or light dinner.

Image via Flickr

Lemon Basil Chicken Stir-fry

Want to take your stir-fry dinners to another level? Try adding some finely chopped basil, lemon juice, and lemon zest to your pan before you begin to add your vegetables. The basil and zest will infuse the oils with flavor and coat the chicken as you begin cooking it. Once the chicken is cooked, the vegetables will soak up the remaining flavor bits in the pan when it is deglazed with added broth or wine. Whenever you stir fry, think beyond the ingredients and consider all the flavors, including citrus flavors, to brighten your dish.

Citrus Honey Ginger Pops

This cool treat is definitely tasty and something to help cool off after a long day of play, making it a perfect dessert, too! These pops are easy to make and are a billion times healthier than the ones you buy from the store. Use different types of citrus to give the pops a variety of flavors. Of course you'll want to try orange, but also give grapefruit and lime a try. Just mix your favorite citrus juice and zest with honey and a small amount of grated ginger. The great thing is, this recipe is made to be tweaked. Mix and match your citrus to find new and exciting flavors!

From breakfast to lunch to dinner to dessert, citrus adds 'zing!' to your meals. There are so many places you can add fresh, flavorful, and healthy citrus to each meal of the day. The next time you're shopping, don't let the citrus scare you … bring it home!  Then put it to work in your kitchen to brighten up your meals, and your life!