Lemon Orzo

This lemon orzo pasta is lightly creamy and bursting with bright lemon flavor. Easy to make in one pot in 20 minutes, it's perfect for weeknights!

This lemon orzo recipe is an easy, delicious one-pot dinner or side dish. This spring, it’s been one of my go-to weeknight meals. It calls for just 10 ingredients, cooks up in 20 minutes, and—best of all—is a hit with the whole family, kiddo included! I love this lemon orzo pasta because it’s bright, fresh, and creamy without any cream. The starches from the orzo and a little Parmesan perfect its comforting texture, while fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and herbs supply its zingy flavor. I often mix in some chickpeas and sautéed asparagus to make this lemon orzo a meal on…

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Lemon Olive Oil Cake

This lemon olive oil cake recipe is incredibly moist and filled with bright, fruity flavor. Made with simple ingredients, it's an easy, delicious treat!

This lemon olive oil cake recipe is my new favorite spring dessert…and possibly my new favorite dessert, period. It has a moist and tender texture and fruity, citrusy flavor from lemon juice, lemon zest, and plenty of olive oil. I’ve already made this cake three times this spring—it’s that delicious! This olive oil cake recipe is easy to make with simple ingredients and equipment. I love to whip it up for an everyday treat to enjoy with coffee or tea. It’s also lovely for holidays and gatherings. I dust it with powdered sugar or pile it with whipped cream and strawberries…

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Lemon Posset

This lemon posset recipe is easy to make with 4 ingredients! Similar to a pudding, it's creamy, bright, and refreshing. A delicious make-ahead dessert!

Have you tried lemon posset? It’s a bright, creamy 4-ingredient treat I’ll be making all spring. A classic British dessert, lemon posset is similar to a custard or a pudding, but it doesn’t require eggs or cornstarch to set up. It’s easy to make with heavy cream, fresh lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla. Sweet and citrusy, it’s such a refreshing way to end a meal! This easy lemon posset recipe would be a perfect dessert for spring occasions like Easter and Mother’s Day. It’s great for entertaining because you can make it ahead, and it looks so elegant in little glasses…

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Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

These lemon ricotta pancakes are bright, moist, and wonderfully fluffy. Easy to make with 10 ingredients, they're a delicious breakfast or brunch!

It’s official: these lemon ricotta pancakes are my favorite weekend breakfast. They’re gloriously light and fluffy, like bouncy pancake pillows, and they have a wonderful zesty flavor. Topped with blueberry compote or a drizzle of maple syrup, they’re lightly sweet, bright, and delicious. You know you’re going to have a good day when it starts with these lemon ricotta pancakes. 🙂 Ok, if you’re thinking, “Cheese? In pancakes?!” I hear you. But you don’t actually taste the ricotta here. It acts like Greek yogurt and sour cream do in many sweet recipes, making these pancakes exceptionally moist and tender. It also…

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Best Guacamole Recipe

The BEST guacamole recipe! It's easy to make with simple, fresh ingredients like ripe avocados, onion, and lime juice. Great with chips, tacos, and more!

If you don’t already have a go-to guacamole recipe, let me introduce you to mine. This guacamole recipe is easy to make. You can whip it up in 10 minutes or less! It calls for simple, fresh ingredients. Think ripe avocados, onion, cilantro, and lime. It’s DELICIOUS. This homemade guacamole is creamy, zesty, and bright. I developed the recipe after years of living in Austin, Texas. The city has incredible Tex Mex and Mexican food, and I’ve eaten a TON of great guac at local restaurants there. Eventually, it inspired me to learn how to make guacamole at home. With…

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Paper Plane Cocktail

This paper plane cocktail is easy to make with equal parts bourbon, Aperol, amaro, and lemon juice. A modern classic, it's boozy, bright, and delicious!

Have you ever tried a paper plane cocktail? Invented in 2008 by New York City bartender Sam Ross, it consists of equal parts of four ingredients: bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and fresh lemon juice. Bitter, sour, citrusy, and deliciously complex, this drink has become a modern classic, and I’m here for it. I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t actually get on the paper plane bandwagon until last year. Jack and I were snowed in at home for the week after Christmas, and for a fun, festive, and cozy activity, we made a new classic cocktail every night. This paper plane…

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Pomegranate Martini

This pomegranate martini recipe is sweet, tart, and delicious! Easy to make with 4 ingredients, this ruby red cocktail is perfect for winter celebrations.

Let’s make a pomegranate martini! I love pomegranate anything, so this fruity cocktail is one of my favorites. It has a delicious sweet-tart, citrusy flavor, and the pomegranate juice makes it ruby red. It’s like the (way more) fun cousin of a classic martini, perfect for celebrations like New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, or girls nights in. My pomegranate martini recipe is easy to make with 4 ingredients. It starts with pomegranate juice and vodka. Then, I add orange liqueur and a splash of orange juice for a bright, citrusy kick. Garnished with a sprig of rosemary, it’s such a refreshing winter drink.…

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Cranberry Orange Bread

This cranberry bread recipe is packed with fresh cranberries and topped with a zesty orange glaze. It's a perfect easy treat for the holiday season!

I love keeping this cranberry orange bread around the house during the holidays. Packed with tart, juicy cranberries, this loaf is perfectly moist and tender. Orange juice and zest give it a lovely bright flavor, and a simple orange glaze takes it over the top. This cranberry orange bread is sweet enough to pass as dessert, but it’s not so sweet that you can’t enjoy it with an afternoon coffee or for breakfast with holiday guests. Easy to make with 10 basic ingredients, this recipe will be on repeat in my kitchen this season. I hope it will be in yours…

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Cranberry Margarita

This cranberry margarita is the perfect festive cocktail for the holiday season! Sweet, tart, and delicious, it's easy to make with 4 ingredients.

Cranberry margarita, anyone?! This 4-ingredient cocktail is a holiday twist on my classic margarita recipe. I keep the tequila, orange liqueur, and lime, but I replace the simple syrup with cranberry juice. It’s sweet and tart, fruity and refreshing, and a gorgeous ruby red. Garnished with fresh cranberries and a rosemary sprig, it’s so darn fun and festive! I developed this recipe with Thanksgiving in mind—we’re celebrating in Austin this year, so serving margaritas just felt right. But honestly, I think this cranberry margarita would be perfect for the rest of the holiday season too. With its bold color and seasonal…

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Cranberry Sauce

This easy cranberry sauce recipe is tart, lightly sweet, and scented with orange. Ready in 15 minutes, it's a classic, delicious holiday side dish!

Meet my best cranberry sauce recipe! Easy to make with 5 ingredients in under 15 minutes, it’s delectably tart, not too sweet, and studded with whole cranberries. I’m not a turkey eater, and I still spoon this sauce all over my Thanksgiving plate—it’s just that good. This homemade cranberry sauce is an updated version of a recipe I shared a few years ago. I’ve added more orange juice and zest for bright, fruity depth of flavor and shortened the cook time, which is 1) convenient and 2) means that more cranberries stay intact. If you ask me, their bursty texture…

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Whiskey Sour

This classic whiskey sour recipe is sweet, tart, rich, and refreshing. Easy to make with 4 simple ingredients, it's one of our favorite whiskey cocktails.

A whiskey sour is one of Jack’s favorite cocktails to order when we go out to dinner. Made with bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and optional egg white, it’s brighter than most whiskey drinks, which Jack thinks makes it the perfect start to a good meal. It also means that though I’m not usually a whiskey drinker, I do enjoy a whiskey sour. I love its sweet/tart flavor, rich texture, and foamy top. Since we’re both fans of this classic cocktail, Jack and I have gotten into making whiskey sours at home. Turns out, you don’t need to be at a…

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A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Welcome to Love & Lemons!

I'm Jeanine Donofrio, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author and recipe developer. I share fresh, delicious vegetarian recipes that celebrate seasonal ingredients and flavors.

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