lemon

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Grilled Artichokes and Bomb Ass Dipping Sauce

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Grilled Artichokes and Bomb Ass Dipping Sauce

If you’ve ever been to Hillstone/Houston’s, you’ll know about the unreal grilled artichokes. Huge Globe artichokes seasoned heavily with steak seasoning and charred to perfection. They’re served alongside a delicious remoulade, and are a memorable appetizer.

Growing up, we only ate steamed artichokes with mayonnaise. Our artichokes never graced the piping hot grill or bathed in lemon juice. After having grilled arties at Hillstone all these years, I decided to make them at home. Prepping artichokes is much easier than it looks - follow along for the tastiest artichokes.

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Crack Broccoli - The Best Broccoli You'll Ever Eat

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Crack Broccoli - The Best Broccoli You'll Ever Eat

This is the best broccoli you'll ever eat. Roasting is such a delicious way to prepare veggies, and broccoli absolutely transforms when cooked in a hot oven. They turn golden brown, the stalks turn tender, and their flavor is enhanced. When roasting any vegetables, it's super simple: don't be afraid of oil & salt! Don't skimp, and toss the vegetables so that they're properly coated in oil and seasoning. 

This roasted broccoli really wakes up the taste buds. Flaky sea salt, cracked black pepper, and thinly sliced garlic are the base for great seasoning, but what really brings this broccoli up a notch is the addition of shichimi. Shichimi Togarashi is a Japanese blend of seven spices that varies depending on the region or cook. The typical ingredients include sansho (Sichuan pepper), dried citrus peel, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic, shiso, nori, hemp seeds, and chiles. This mixture is wonderful on meat, noodles, rice, and fried foods. I love adding shichimi to my eggs or on top of my avocado toast!

After the broccoli is roasted, finish it off with a good squeeze of lemon juice and fresh lemon zest for some good brightness and acid. The cake topper is tossing in shaved Parmesan cheese for some nuttiness. This recipe works well for regular weeknight dinners, or as a side for entertaining. There's no need to measure a ton of ingredients - just toss it all together and roast it off in the oven for 15 minutes :)

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Homemade Hummus

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Homemade Hummus

Ok, so I'm never buying store-bought hummus again! I've always heard about how easy it is to make your own hummus at home, but haven't ever given it a try. I recently got a blender during a pretty epic White Elephant, and have been so excited to blend everything. This recipe for hummus is super simple - bright and lemony, and ready to enjoy with carrots, pita, whatever you like. Watch the recipe video below and get blending :) 

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Lemon Cream Stuffed French Toast

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Lemon Cream Stuffed French Toast

Mother's Day is just around the corner! For some reason, this holiday always makes me think of French Toast. Maybe it's because Mother's Day feels like one of those mornings you wake up to sneak to the kitchen and surprise Mom with breakfast in bed. Or going out to brunch with family - either way, French Toast is pretty to look at, simple to make, and delicious to eat. Check out my other French Toast recipes for Hot Chocolate French Toast, Pumpkin French Toast, and King's Hawaiian French Toast! :) 

One of the most popular items on a brunch menu is often a Lemon Ricotta Stuffed French Toast. The idea of making this at home was intriguing to me - how hard could it be? Turns out, it's super simple and only takes 20 minutes. What I love about this recipe is that you can substitute ricotta for mascarpone or cream cheese like I did :) Adding fresh lemon zest and juice to the filling gives the perfect punch to this sweet breakfast. Top it off with your Mom's favorite fresh fruit and you'll be chalkin up all kinda Brownie points :) Let's get cookin! 

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Spring Salmon, Asparagus, and Orzo Salad with Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette

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Spring Salmon, Asparagus, and Orzo Salad with Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette

Pasta salad is perfect for Springtime! This recipe is an easy and delicious way to stretch out fresh seafood. Tender orzo pasta, roasted salmon, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, and salty feta are tossed with a zesty citrus dressing for a beautifully hearty salad. There's something about the texture of orzo pasta that makes me crave it all the time! This Spring salad is great for emptying the fridge - don't have asparagus? Use peas, spinach, or beans! Sub shrimp for salmon or leftover chicken and feel free to use Parmesan instead of Feta :) If you're cutting carbs, toss all these ingredients with crispy Romaine or kale. 

One Pan, No Bake 20 Minute Lasagna

One Pan, No Bake 20 Minute Lasagna

This is of my favorite recipes since it's so easy, delicious, and straightforward. The results are great every time. A nice cheesy crust, tender lasagna noodles, creamy ricotta, savory Italian sausage, and zesty tomato sauce simmer on the stove for a mere 20 minutes and magically become the world's easiest lasagna. Once you've got all the ingredients prepped, the actual cook time is a breeze. Throw everything in one pan and impress your loved ones. I generally have a bunch of these ingredients on hand in my pantry so it's a great dish to make for last minute dinners. Find out how next...let's get cookin! 

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The Best Chicken Piccata

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The Best Chicken Piccata

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great end of the year. I’m looking forward to sharing some amazing recipes with you this year. Personally, I’ve been working hard to make better diet choices and cultivate healthier habits and it feels great :) 
One of my favorite dishes lately is classic Chicken Piccata. I’ve always thought it was a really difficult dish and have never attempted to make it for myself. Recently I gave it a try and loved how it turned out. I love being able to enjoy this at home without the restaurant price.