5 Citrusy Recipes to Freshen Up Your Outdoor Table

Including crowd-pleasing pasta and grilled oysters.

ByJennifer Littlejohn

Published On

table of sour cherry lime jam and scones

Photo by James Ransom

Welcome to Forkcast—our weekly meal plan with five recipes, a grocery list, and tips to keep dinner easy. This week’s lineup comes from home cook, mother, and citrus enthusiast Jennifer Littlejohn.

Citrus rarely goes unnoticed, but it’s often unappreciated. It’s an unsung kitchen hero with a knack for enhancing and balancing the flavors of other ingredients. So this week, we’re shining a spotlight on some of our quickest and easiest lemon-and lime-laden recipes.

The Meal Plan

Breakfast: Sour Cherry & Lime Jam

Lunch 1: Turkey Meatballs & Orzo With Whole-Lemon Vinaigrette
Dinner 1: Grilled (or Broiled) Oysters With Sriracha Lime Butter

Featured Video

Dinner 2: Pasta With Lemon-Parmigiano Sauce
Dessert: Strawberry, Rhubarb & Lime Ice Pops

The List

Produce

  • 4 pounds sour cherries
  • 2 rhubarb stalks
  • 1 ½ cups strawberries
  • 4 limes
  • 3 lemons
  • 1 small shallot
  • 4 cups greens (spinach, arugula, kale, or mixed)
  • 2 teaspoons fresh cilantro
  • 1 handful fresh basil

Dairy & Eggs

  • 1 ½ cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Meat & Fish

  • 2 pounds turkey meatballs (fresh or frozen)
  • 2 dozen oysters

Pantry

  • 1 pound orzo
  • 1 pound spaghetti or angel hair pasta
  • 1 cup green olives

The Pointers

Slather the Sour Cherry & Lime Jam on everything in sight—biscuits, pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, yogurt. One of my husband’s favorite ways to eat it is on toast layered with butter and bacon.

Because I’m always crunched for time, I opt for store-bought meatballs instead of homemade for the Turkey Meatballs & Orzo recipe. I’ve used fresh and frozen, and my family loves both.

If oysters are new territory for you, don’t sweat it. Here’s a list of tools you’ll want on hand and a guide to help you shuck your first oyster. They’re fun to serve at dinner parties as a way to impress your guests.

Fold grilled shrimp or chicken into the Pasta With Lemon-Parmigiano Sauce to up the heartiness factor.

No popsicle mold? No problem. Try using an ice cube tray and mini popsicle sticks. These also freeze faster (about 3-4 hours), which can come in handy if you have eager kiddos at home.


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