Last week I spent 5 days in Arizona with my sister and brother; catching up with my family made for a great winter getaway! I especially enjoyed hanging out on my sister's patio, where a lemon, orange and 2 grapefruit trees were prolific with their fruits! Plucking warm fruit right from the trees was a far cry from the Minnesota cold. Juicy grapefruit and oranges or freshly-squeezed grapefruit (my favorite) started the day and were readily available for snacks.
The lemon tree was so laden with HUGE fruits - compared to store-bought lemons, they were twice the size! Weighing confirmed that - fresh-from-the-tree lemons weighed in at a whopping 14- to 16-oz ; while store-bought weighed 6- to 8-oz. I didn't know lemon trees had thorns (my scratches prove it). A get-together with friends and neighbors on Sunday begged for fresh lemon something, so fresh lemonade was served and I made Glazed Lemon-Coconut Bars. I left out the coconut (my sister's not a fan) and used 2 whole eggs, since I didn't want to run to the store. The bars were a real hit!
Store-bought lemon; from-the-tree lemon Glazed Lemon-Coconut Bars
Have an abundance of fresh lemons? Try these recipes:
Note: You can freeze finely shredded or grated lemon peel in small containers or ice-cube trays. Same with the juice, so it's easy to add a burst of freshness to just about any dish, anytime!
