Ode To Mom....HAPPY BIRTHDAY! ~with A Side Of Lemon Squares

I would do anything my mother asked of me. However, Mom is the kind of woman that WOULDN'T ask, not wanting to impose on her family and friends. That's the kind of woman and special Mother she is; loving and kind, always there to lend a hand or a word of encouragement. Mom is our biggest cheerleader as we go through life, traveling our own road. She's an extraordinary woman and I am honored to call her my mother and friend!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOTHER, WE LOVE YOU 
~ALL FOUR OF THE P'S!

In honor of Mom's birthday here is one of her favorite recipes, Lemon Squares! 
She loves just about anything that's TART!!

Me Me's LEMON SQUARES

Tart, rich, perfection and ridiculously addictive, these Lemon Squares, 
are the perfect blend of sweet and sour! Mom loves this simple recipe and so do I!
MAKES 24 4-inch or 48 2-inch LEMON SQUARES

INGREDIENTS

For the Crust

• 1 1/2cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup {1 1/2 sticks} cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the Lemon Filling

• 4 large eggs
• 2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• Zest from 2 lemons
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

 WHAT TO DO

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cover a 13 X 9 inch pan with non -stick foil.
• Combine ingredients for crust in a food processor or by hand - I just use my hands....easier clean up. Mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Press into the bottom of prepared pan and bake until crust is lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the lemon filling: In a bowl, combine all filling ingredients. Mix well and pour over warm crust. Bake until set, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature or refrigerate about 1 hour. I eat one as soon as they come out of the oven! I can never wait until they cool!
• Using non-stick foil helps when lifting the lemon squares from the pan - it's a good thing.  Cut into small squares. Top with confectioners sugar if desired. 

On Mother's Day I blogged about Mom. If you care to read more about her or see lots of pictures click here. Make a batch of Lemon Squares and call up your mom for a wonderful visit....You'll be glad ya did!

ENJOY!

~THE DOMESTIC CURATOR~
RONDA

The Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water

Consuming lemon water on a daily basis can actually change your life –– for good! Not only does this citrus fruit alkalize your system (this is what I use it for, helping keep my tummy under control), it can also improve your overall health by preventing pathogen bacteria in your body. Lemons are packed like a clown car with nutrients, including vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and fiber.

EASY LEMON POPPY SEED MUFFINS

Is it me, or is there is something magical about lemon poppy seed muffins? There is something about that fresh citrus tartness, mixed with the sweet cakey muffin and the distinct poppy seed flavor. It’s a good time. When making the muffins, I like to add lots of fresh lemon zest and lemon juice to the batter, and when they are hot out of the oven I spoon over a simple syrup made from freshly squeezed lemon juice and sugar, to add that extra lemon flavor. Like making pound cake, the syrup sort of traps in the moisture and freshness, and makes them last a little longer than most other muffins. These are perfect in the morning with coffee, or in the afternoon with a glass of milk. They are simple, fresh, and delicious. Enjoy!

Chicken Piccata with Artichoke Hearts, Tomatoes & Capers in A Lemon-Garlic-Butter Sauce

This is going to be short and sweet. I came across this recipe for Chicken Picatta the other day. Decided to try it out tonight on Mr.P —he is a lover of capers and artichokes. Even though the sauce is butter based it turned out surprisingly light. The lemon juice gave it a fresh taste and I can never add enough garlic and tomatoes to anything. So grab your skillet and give it a whirl, it's yummy! Enjoy!

Provolone, Spinach and Shitake Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breast with Shaved Fennel and Arugula Greens

Plating and food presentation play a huge role in how we experience food. When a plate of food is put in front of you the first thing you do is look at it. That's just natural. At this point, the calculating has already begun, you are deciding if  it's going to be a scrumptious eating adventure or a blah eating experience. Most often, your predictions are correct. This recipe has the potential to be arguably one of the best meals you will ever put betwixt your pearly whites. It's got it all..... color, different textures, shape and proportion. I already know it's divine, now it's your turn to decide. If you can't tell from this dazzling photo, then spend an afternoon cooking this most fabulous of meals. You won't be surprised at the results, your mouth will back up what your eyes have already told you!

Provolone, Spinach and Shitake Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breast with Shaved Fennel and Arugula Greens

SERVES 4

Stuffed Chicken

INGREDIENTS

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 3 tablespoon olive oil, plus a drizzle for the grill pan, divided use
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon salt, plus a pinch, divided use
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus a pinch, divided use
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 3 ½ ounce package shitake mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 4 slices of Provolone cheese
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
• ¼ cup sundried tomatoes packed in olive oil
• 4 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped, divided use
• 8 toothpicks
• 1 lemon, sliced into 4 circles for garnish
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

WHAT TO DO

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with foil.
• On a large plate or platter, marinate the chicken breast by adding 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the lemon zest and juice, the Italian seasoning, the ¼ teaspoon of the salt, the ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper, the garlic powder and the paprika; allow to marinate for about 20 minutes while the mushrooms are sautéed, and the salad ingredients are prepped.
• In a medium sized pan set over medium-high heat, add the 2 remaining tablespoons of the olive oil, and once hot, add the sliced shitake mushrooms; once the mushrooms begin to soften, add the pinch of salt and the pinch of black pepper, plus the 2 cloves of pressed garlic to the pan, and sauté quickly for about 1-2 minutes, until slightly golden; remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside until ready to use for the filling. (*At this time, you can now prepare the Salad ingredients and the Dressing found below, and hold those in the fridge until ready to serve.)
• After marinating the chicken breasts, heat a grill pan on medium-high heat; once very hot, add the drizzle of olive oil, and add the marinated chicken breasts to the grill pan; cook the chicken breasts for only 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown on the outside; you DO NOT want to cook the chicken all the way through, only to grill the outside, as it will finish cooking in the oven.
• Remove the chicken from the grill pan, and once cool enough to handle, make a large slit into the thickest part of the breast to create a deep pocket; be careful not to slice all the way through the breast cutting it in half, but just enough to make a large pocket to stuff; next, begin to stuff each breast with a slice of the Provolone cheese, a few leaves of the baby spinach, a spoon of the sundried tomatoes, a spoon of the sautéed shitake mushrooms and a pinch of the chopped parsley; secure each breast by using 2 toothpicks to hold the breast closed, and place each stuffed breast onto the foil lined baking sheet and into the oven to bake for about 8-10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted; remove from oven, and remove the toothpicks; keep warm until ready to serve.

Shaved Fennel and Arugula Greens with Lemon-Parmesan Dressing

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (7 ounce) bag wild Arugula greens
• 1 small bulb fennel, quartered, cored and sliced very thinly
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 1 garlic clove, pressed through garlic press
• ¼ cup olive oil

WHAT TO DO

• In a medium bowl, add the Arugula and the sliced Fennel, and toss together; hold in the fridge while you make the dressing.
• In a small bow, add the lemon juice through the garlic, and lightly whisk to combine; next, slowly begin drizzling in the olive oil, whisking all the while until the dressing is well emulsified; set aside until ready to dress the greens.
• Once ready to serve the salad with the Stuffed Chicken, drizzle the dressing over the Arugula greens and Fennel, and toss well to coat; serve with the Stuffed Chicken.

TO SERVE

Place one Stuffed Chicken Breast onto each plate, along with a generous portion of the Fennel and Arugula Greens on the side; add a lemon slice, a sprinkle of the pine nuts and a sprinkle of the chopped parsley on top of each chicken breast, for garnish.

ENJOY!

~THE DOMESTIC CURATOR~

RONDA

Roasted Fillet of Sea Bass on a Bed of Spinach, Wild Mushrooms and Potatoes

Miss Elizabeth Morganne Porter

 So sorry it has been awhile since you have heard from me but in the words of Ms. Dolly Parton we have been busier than a one armed paper hanger here at Porter South! Our daughter, Elizabeth, is a Debutante this year. For the past year we have been busy with all things DEB related. We are just about DEB-bed OUT! It is finally all coming together at a huge Cotillion Ball. Next weekend. This comes after a year of parties, symphonies, etiquette lessons, self defense classes, volunteering in the community, buying many formals, having many fittings, mani-pedis, facials, hair appointments, portraits, MANY father-daughter dance lessons and lessons for the Texas "dip", our version of a curtsy which is insanely ALL the way to the floor! Bizarre as it sounds there are no other debs in the US that curtsy this low. I do believe I have lost a few brain cells along the way! You name it WE HAVE DONE IT! We are ready to get back to our normal "teenage daughter" routine...if that weren't enough!! Mr. P and I have two great kids. They do well in school, Jared is in college (last semester....YEA!) and he consistently makes the dean's list, active in church and for the most part they both have sunny dispositions. We are truly proud of our Jared and our Elizabeth. We, as a couple, have been blessed with these two little souls. We have been entrusted as care-takers for only a short while and they will be gone all too soon. So even if we are crazy busy, we don't mind, we are glad we have been allowed to go along for the ride.