Loving That Lemon: Fashion and Cuisine — mommyteacherfashionista

Today the sun is shining bright where I live, which is the little town of Johnston, Rhode Island. I think it's the perfect day for a bright little dress and fun accessories. As soon as I put it on, my son said "Let's make lemonade!" and that's what inspired this post.

I found this Dolce Vita dress at www.thredUP.com last summer. I wanted it for September , for the first week of school. As a kindergarten teacher, I try to wear bright , fun clothes to liven up the days and keep my five year olds cheerful.

Today I decided to pair it with a scarf from www.claires.com and Italian Shoemaker sandals , which I found at www.marshalls.com.

I've been loving this Kate Spade bag and keychain all season.

And as a lot of you already know , I do love hats and always have one handy, especially this time of year . This one is from Steve Madden, found at www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com. The sunglasses are from www.lanecrawford.com.

I love the scented body sprays from www.victoriassecret.com and especially this one, with its refreshing clean scent. Too-faced is my absolute favorite brand for face products and this is a great lip balm from dermstore.com.

Ok , we all know -

and you CAN , if you want to.

How about trying this ?

Sparkling Ginger Lemonade

You need:

2 cups water

1 cup honey

2 tablespoons minced fresh gingerroot

2 cups club soda, chilled

1 cup lemon juice

In a small saucepan , bring the water, honey, and ginger to a boil. Remove from heat; cover and steep for 10 minutes. Strain, discarding ginger. Cool.

Transfer to a pitcher; stir in soda and lemon juice. Serve immediately over ice.

Yield: 5 servings.

You don't have to make lemonade just because you have lemons. Here are a few other easy ideas.

Chicken Fingers with Lemon Sauce

You will need:

1 jar lemon curd

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

1 cup flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1-1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts , cut into strips

In a small saucepan, combine the lemon curd, broth, soy sauce and ginger. Cook and stir until combined and heat through; keep warm. In a shallow bowl, combine buttermilk mixture, then coat with flour mixture.

In an electric skillet, heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry chicken, a few strips at a time, for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with lemon sauce.

Yield: 4 servings.

Tossed Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

In a large bowl, combine 1 bunch of romaine, 1 medium head iceberg, 10 bacon strips , 2 cups cherry tomatoes, 1 cup almonds, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, and 1 cup salad croutons. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, 2 garlic cloves , 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and gradually whisk in 2/3 cup of olive oil. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Yield: 21 servings

Lemonade Meringue Pie

You will need:

3 eggs , separated

1 package (4-6 ounces) cook and serve vanilla pudding mix

1 1/4 cup milk

1 cup sour cream

1/3 cup lemon concentrate

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

6 tablespoons sugar

1 pastry shell

Place egg whites in a small mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile , in a large saucepan, combine the pudding mix, milk and sour cream until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat,cook and stir 2 minutes longer.

Remove from heat. Gradually whisk 1 cup hot filling into egg yolks; return all to the pan. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in lemonade concentrate; keep warm.

Add lemon juice and cream of tartar to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar , 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved.

Pour warm filling into pastry shell. Spread meringue over filling, sealing edges to pastry.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

Yield 6-8 servings.

Other options: