Lemons are a popular fruit that most people use in small quantities to add flavor to their foods. Every time I go to the grocery store I always get a huge bag of lemons and I think to myself that maybe getting that many lemons is a mistake. However, every single time I’m proven wrong. I use lemons in 85% of the dishes I make and honestly without it my dish would be missing that zingy flavor.

The three recipes I have for you today all use lemons in different ways. The first is a spin one a true classic… Matcha lemonade. Its super refreshing and energizing. In the summer I always have homemade lemonade on hand thanks to my dad. When making your matcha lemonade, listen to your taste buds. Add more sugar or lemon as you see fit. The next recipe is my favorite… lemon poppy pound cake! Its got this amazing lemon icing that just put it over the top. It’s a recipe I promise you won’t regret making. Lastly, is a caramelized lemon pasta. Most times you add lemon at the end of the dish but I wanted to do a recipe where you use lemons in the begining. I hope try out and like these recipes as much as I do!

Lemon Poppy Pound Cake

Pound cakes are naturally very buttery, which I totally love, but for the peak of summer I thought it would be nice to use up the tons of lemon I have lying around on my kitchen counter. One of my favorite parts that I love about this pound cake is the shatteringly thin icing that hardens on top of the cake. It is super lemony so it packs a nice acidic flavor and it also adds a nice little crunch to the soft and tender cake.

Ingredients:

• 13 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3 large eggs
• 1-1/3 cups cake flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar
• 1 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 8″x 4″ loaf pan with parchment paper. Give it a quick spray of nonstick cooking spray to ensure that it won’t stick.
2. In a small bowl crack in your egg and lightly whisk.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add in the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds just so that everything is mixed well. Add all the softened butter and half of your eggs.
4. Mix on medium speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining egg mixture in 2 separate additions. Be sure that the egg is fully incorporated before pouring in more. Finally, add in 3 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds. Mix on low until the poppy seeds are evenly dispersed but do not over mix. This should take about 30 seconds on low speed.
5. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown. Let the cake cool completely and in the meantime make your icing.
6. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Whisk until everything is combined and there are no lumps. If you’re icing is too liquidy, add in 2 tablespoons to thicken it up to your liking.

Matcha Lemonade

Last summer, I stumbled upon a store selling matcha lemonade and I thought it was such a brilliant idea. So now when it’s too hot for a cold and creamy matcha latte with oat milk I have a cool and refreshing matcha lemonade instead!

For this recipe, it’s super important to know how you like your lemonade. I like my lemonade on the sweeter side so adjust the sugar quantities to your liking. Also, if you don’t have a matcha whisk, you can always use a blender. The main thing you want to do is to aerate the matcha. Since matcha is just roasted and ground green tea leaves it has a harder time being incorporated into liquids so aerating it with a whisk or blender will help it along.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon matcha
• ¼ cup of hot water
• 1 ½ cup of your favorite lemonade

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl add 1 teaspoon matcha and ¼ cup of hot water. Whisk vigorously until the matcha is nice and foamy on top.
2. Pour 1 ½ cup of your favorite lemonade into a tall glass filled with ice. Then pour your matcha on top. Stick a straw in it and enjoy while ice cold!

Creamy Lemon Pepper Pasta

Caramelized lemons, cracked black pepper, and cheese tossed in some pasta is probably one of my new favorite pasta dishes. It’s light but still super satisfying. If you don’t want to use butter, olive oil is also a great alternative! Serve this with some chicken breast or a side salad and it’s the perfect meal.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup of dried pasta
• 3 – 4 lemon slices
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• Lots of cracked black pepper
• Reserved pasta water
• Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to the package. Drain your pasta and reserve some of the pasta water.
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter on medium to high heat. Add in your lemon slices and caramelize. This will take about 2 – 3 minutes total.
3. Once the lemons are caramelized, take them out and lower the heat to medium low. Add in your chopped garlic and cracked black pepper. Let everything warm up together for about 1 – 2 minutes.
4. Lastly, add in your cooked pasta and parmesan cheese. Add some pasta water if you want it to be a bit more saucy. Toss together and eat while warm!

All you need is a lemon

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Ingredients:

Lemon Poppy Pound Cake

• 13 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3 large eggs
• 1-1/3 cups cake flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar
• 1 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest

Matcha Lemonade

• 1 teaspoon matcha
• ¼ cup of hot water
• 1 ½ cup of your favorite lemonade

Creamy Lemon Pepper Pasta

• ½ cup of dried pasta
• 3 – 4 lemon slices
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• Lots of cracked black pepper
• Reserved pasta water
• Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Lemon Poppy Pound Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 8″x 4″ loaf pan with parchment paper. Give it a quick spray of nonstick cooking spray to ensure that it won’t stick.
2. In a small bowl crack in your egg and lightly whisk.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add in the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds just so that everything is mixed well. Add all the softened butter and half of your eggs.
4. Mix on medium speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining egg mixture in 2 separate additions. Be sure that the egg is fully incorporated before pouring in more. Finally, add in 3 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds. Mix on low until the poppy seeds are evenly dispersed but do not over mix. This should take about 30 seconds on low speed.
5. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown. Let the cake cool completely and in the meantime make your icing.
6. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Whisk until everything is combined and there are no lumps. If you’re icing is too liquidy, add in 2 tablespoons to thicken it up to your liking.

Matcha Lemonade

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl add 1 teaspoon matcha and ¼ cup of hot water. Whisk vigorously until the matcha is nice and foamy on top.
2. Pour 1 ½ cup of your favorite lemonade into a tall glass filled with ice. Then pour your matcha on top. Stick a straw in it and enjoy while ice cold!

Creamy Lemon Pepper Pasta

 Instructions:

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to the package. Drain your pasta and reserve some of the pasta water.
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter on medium to high heat. Add in your lemon slices and caramelize. This will take about 2 – 3 minutes total.
3. Once the lemons are caramelized, take them out and lower the heat to medium low. Add in your chopped garlic and cracked black pepper. Let everything warm up together for about 1 – 2 minutes.
4. Lastly, add in your cooked pasta and parmesan cheese. Add some pasta water if you want it to be a bit more saucy. Toss together and eat while warm!