Vitamin C is also used to keep your joints, bones and skin strong. It also helps heal wounds and helps the immune system.

So, every morning, to help your body fight off disease and stress, drink a large glass of orange, lemon or grapefruit juice.  Your body will love you for it.

While it may not be practical to grow full-sized adult trees indoors, there are hundreds of varieties of dwarf citrus trees that are perfectly suited for in home growing.

The Meyer lemon tree is one popular choice. Its sweetly flavored lemons are great for desserts. Another great tree for bakers is the dwarf key lime tree. The tangy lime it produces makes a fabulous key lime pie.

Moving on to other meals, if you love grapefruit for breakfast consider the dwarf ruby red grapefruit tree. But don’t stop there. The dwarf kumquat tree produces beautiful fruit that can be used to make jams and marmalade.

Another lovely indoor citrus tree is the dwarf mandarin orange. There are several seedless varieties of mandarin trees and the fresh fruit is an excellent garnish for salads or can be eaten by itself as a vitamin-C filled snack.

In general potted trees should be kept outdoors during the warmer months and brought inside as the temperatures hit the 30s. Indoor citrus trees should be misted regularly, fertilized several times a year and re-potted about once a year.

Be careful in choosing container size, if the pot is too large for the plant it will not produce fruit right away. If you are looking to bring a little flavor of the warmer latitudes into your home, consider an investment in an indoor citrus tree garden. It will surely bring you years of enjoyment.

The dwarf type can be grown conveniently indoors in a pot or in a yard with limited space. It is said that one adult tree can provide fruit for the whole neighborhood. The Lisbon variety is a hardy tree but prefers a warmer climate.

For areas of the country with frequent frost temperatures the Eureka type is preferable. The Lisbon lemon tree will die back to the roots after a hard frost. The Lisbon has sharp spines in abundance but this is a small drawback considering it’s other useful qualities.

The dwarf Lisbon lemon tree can be traced back originally to Portugal. Today it is one of the most popular varieties of lemon trees in California. The Lisbon needs lots of sun and nutrient rich soil.

It should be fertilized frequently with nitrogen, potassium and organic matter. If potted be sure to keep it well drained. If the tree is kept out of doors part of the year and brought in doors for winter you have two options for keeping it healthy.

If you keep it in the sun while indoors than you need to fertilize it several times in order to promote continued growth. It can also be kept in a cooler room with no sunlight and it will become essentially dormant for the indoor/winter season and will not require fertilization.

With a little work and attention, you are sure to love your tree for many years to come.

With fresh lemons as close as your kitchen garden pots, you’re always ready to prepare zesty lemon desserts or savory lemon butter sauces to compliment fish or vegetable dishes. Lemon butter, when sweetened, makes a perfect sauce for cake, especially gingerbread, a tangy yet sweet filling for tarts or pies, or a mouth watering pudding all on its own. Very similar to lemon curd, but a lot easier to make, sweet lemon butter sauce has a variety of yummy uses. Here is a holiday favorite:

Gingerbread with Lemon Butter Sauce

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 egg, beaten
1 c. molasses
2 1/2 c. sifted flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. hot water

Cream together sugar and butter then add beaten eggs and molasses. Blend. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and stir. Add hot water and beat by hand until smooth. Grease a 9×13 pan and bake at 325 degrees for about 35 minutes.

Lemon Sauce

½ cup sugar
2 tbsp. Corn starch
Pinch salt
2 cups water
¼ cup margarine or butter
1 tbsp lemon zest
3 tbsp. Lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and cook, stirring constantly until thick. Serve over gingerbread.

Lemon butter is equally tasty as a savory sauce over chicken, fish or vegetables. Here is a recipe for an easy and versatile lemon sauce that you’re sure to use over and over again.

Savory Lemon Butter

Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp grated lemon rind
5 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1.5 tbsp fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter and flour together. Add juice, zest and parsley and cook over low heat until thickened. Add seasonings to taste. Garlic can be added at this point as well if desired. Serve over desired entree.

Lemon Martini with real Lemon Drops

This is a fun but sophisticated drink that’s so easy to use when entertaining. The added bits of lemon rind and lemon drops bring out the kid in anybody…even while enjoying such a grown up drink! Even Oprah is a lover of this fun and festive beverage!

1.5 ounces vodka
1 ounce triple sec
1 tsp. Superfine Sugar
2 ounces fresh lemon juice
Lemon zest or peel for garnish
Lemon drop candies

Place first four ingredients in a martini shaker filled with ice. Shake gently until sugar is dissolved. Place a couple of lemon drop candies in the bottom of a sugar rimmed martini glass. Add cocktail mix and garnish with lemon peel or zest and a fresh mint leaf if desired. Sip and enjoy!

Non Alcoholic Lemon Breeze

This drink can be served up in a special glass such as one that you might use for a lemon martini, but it is completely non alcoholic for those who choose not to have any alcohol at all. It’s simple and quick and oh so pretty. In a glass, pour 1/3 lemonade, 1/3 pineapple juice, and 1/3 soda. Add some crushed ice and top with a piece of candied lemon rind, or a fresh lemon wedge.

Lemon Mint Cocktail

Believe it or not, the combination of lemon and mint is very intriguing. If you’re looking for a holiday drink this season that’s light, refreshing and a little bit different, be sure to give this one a try! It couldn’t be any easier to prepare, and served up in a nice Collins glass, it adds a really special holiday touch!

In a tall glass such as a Collins glass, combine over crushed ice, 1 ounce peppermint schnapps and 6 ounces lemonade. Garnish with a red cherry, green mint leaf and a wedge of fresh lemon.