By ELAINE TODD
Clever Uses For Leftover Lemons In Your Kitchen
Lemon dressing brings a refreshing zing to salads and also works as a topping for grilled vegetables or pasta dishes. It lasts in the fridge for up to five days.
Salad Dressing
Juice the lemon and grate some zest, then whisk with extra-virgin olive oil until the mix is thick and velvety. Season with salt and pepper, herbs, garlic, and mustard to taste.
Adding lemon infuses roast chicken with a citrusy flavor, keeping the meat tender and juicy. The lemon sauce also enhances the taste of the potatoes and vegetables.
Stuff Chicken
To stuff a chicken, place half of the lemon inside the cavity, and squeeze the other half over the skin. Boiling the lemon before placing it inside the cavity is also an option.
Apple butter is an indulgent spread made from apples, sugar, and spices. Adding lemon gives the butter a mix of sweet and sour flavors and marmalade-like qualities.
Apple Butter
Place chopped apples (leave the skins on), lemon juice, cinnamon, and sugar in a pot and simmer for around two hours. Once it has cooled, blend until smooth and keep in the fridge.
A lemon-based flower food contains citric acid which lowers the pH of the flower water. The mix also has an antibacterial effect, and provides nourishment with sugar.
Flower Food
To make your flower food, mix 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon sugar, and ¼ teaspoon bleach with 1 quart of water. Use the mixture immediately rather than storing it.
While fresh lemons are typically better for juice, dried peels make a convenient garnish for cocktails like martinis, old fashioneds, and gin and tonics.
Cocktails
Peel the lemons, then dry the peel using an oven or warm space, or use a grater or lemon zester for faster drying. The dried peel can also be used in dishes like oatmeal or pasta.