Served Up With Love: 30+ Citrus Recipes

Citrus is one of my all time favorite flavors. A splash of citrus juices or zest can lend just the right amount of zing to so many dishes. When shopping for citrus fruits look for ones that are heavy for their size, firm, free of wrinkles, bruises, or soft spots, and show no signs of puffiness. Although good color can be appealing, it doesn't always indicate quality or ripeness. You can store them in a cool, dry, dark place which will help them stay fresh for a few days or you can store them in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to two to three weeks in the fridge.

To maximize the amount of juice when juicing, roll the fruit firmly on a work surface or squeeze it between your palms. Zest is the perfect pick-me-up for many sweet and savory dishes. You want to rinse and dry the fruit well before zesting. If you are juicing and zesting the fruit, do the zest first. Once the fruit is juiced, the zest is almost impossible to remove. (trust me, I know) Use a micro plane zester, or the smallest holes on a box grater to zest the fruit. Be careful to remove only the colored portion of the peel and not the white pith directly beneath it. It is very bitter and will ruin the flavor of your dishes.

If you find yourself throwing out way too many citrus fruits that have spoiled like I do, freeze the juice. It can be frozen for up to 6 months. Just pour the fruit juice into ice cube trays. Once they are frozen, pop them out and store in a freezer zip top bag and have fresh citrus juice whenever you need to add a little zing to your dishes.

Of course, since I love citrus fruits so much I decided to put together a collection of great citrus recipes from my blogger friends. There is a lot of deliciousness all right here in one spot. Enjoy!!

(Click picture or recipe title to view the recipe)