Saturday, January 24, 2015

10 Citrus Recipes to Brighten Cold, Dreary Days

Cold weather giving you the blues? Try brightening up your winter recipes with some fresh citrus fruits! Lemons, limes, grapefruits and oranges are at their sweetest and juiciest during the cold winter months, and they add a refreshing burst of flavor that will make you think of sunshine.

1. Citrus & Pomegranate Fruit Salad

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In this refreshing and gorgeous winter fruit salad, oranges, grapefruits and pomegranate arils are soaked in a combination of their own juices. The fruit soaks up the syrup, and the syrup is so good you'll want to drink it straight from the bowl. With only three ingredients, it's easy enough to make for for breakfast but also elegant enough to serve company.GET THE RECIPE

2. Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake

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If there were ever a cake for lemon lovers, this is it. Lemon zest and lemon juice are added to the batter, which lightly perfume the cake with lemon. Then, while the cake is still warm from the oven, it is doused with a lemon syrup to further enhance the lemon flavor. Finally, the cake is drizzled with a tart lemon glaze, which adds a pop of intense lemon flavor to every bite. What's more? The cake keeps well for days, and is actually best made a day ahead of time. GET THE RECIPE

3. Crispy Tandoori Chicken with Mango Chutney and Limes

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Tandoori chicken is simply chicken marinated in yogurt, citrus and spices, then grilled or broiled. The name comes from the cylindrical clay oven -- or tandoor -- in which the dish is traditionally prepared. This is my favorite version: the chicken is deliciously spiced with super-crispy skin, and the mango chutney served alongside adds fruity, tangy flavor. GET THE RECIPE

4. Moroccan Carrot & Chickpea Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

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Fragrant spices, bright colors, sweet and savory flavors -- this Moroccan salad is a feast for the senses. It's essentially an exotic twist on the classic carrot-raisin salad, yet you don't need any exotic ingredients to make it. The magic is made with spices you likely already have in your spice cabinet. GET THE RECIPE

5. Luscious Lemon Squares

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With a crisp and buttery shortbread crust topped and luscious, tart-yet-sweet lemon filling, these are the perfect lemon squares -- and they're as pretty as they are delicious! GET THE RECIPE

6. Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken with Green Sauce

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This is my take on Pollo a la Brasa, the delicious spit-roasted chicken made popular by so many Peruvian restaurants. The chicken is first marinated in lime juice, olive oil, garlic and spices, and then oven-roasted until tender, juicy and crisp-skinned. The accompanying green sauce, which gets it's color from cilantro and jalapeƱo peppers, is spicy, creamy and downright addictive. You can put it on virtually everything, and it even makes a fabulous dip or salad dressing. GET THE RECIPE

7. Oranges, Caramelized Red Onions and Baby Spinach in Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Here I've taken a classic Italian combination -- oranges, red onions and greens -- and given it a Moroccan twist by adding cinnamon and nutmeg to the vinaigrette. Sounds unusual but it really works, and the flavors are perfect for right now. GET THE RECIPE

8. Crispy Tilapia Fingers with Lemon-Garlic Mayonnaise

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If you're wondering how to get your children to eat -- or even love -- fish, try feeding them this. They'll think it's kid-friendly food for them, but I promise you it's anything but. Tilapia fillets are lightly coated with panko, pan fried to crispy perfection, and served with a tangy garlic and lemon mayonnaise. In my opinion, it's the best way to transform ordinary tilapia into a seafood sensation. GET THE RECIPE

9. Pear & Dried Cherry Crisp with Orange Syrup & Walnut Streusel

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This rustic fruit crisp is a stand-out thanks to the combination of sweet D'Anjou pears and tart dried cherries, which are plumped up in an orange-scented caramel syrup before baking. GET THE RECIPE

10. Baby Kale Salad with Lemon, Parmesan & Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

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Kale doesn't always taste great raw but a good kale salad, prepared properly with the right mix of ingredients, can be a revelation.This version -- made with tender baby kale, crispy roasted chickpeas (love!), nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano and a zingy lemon vinaigrette -- is just that. It makes a satisfying and healthy lunch all on its own, or a perfect side to jazz up a simple rotisserie chicken for dinner. GET THE RECIPE

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