Made Roasted Salmon with Green Herbs

I saw this in a Barefoot Contessa cookbook this summer and am just now getting around to trying it.  Finding that my salmon meals are better the sooner I cook the meals from when I buy the fresh ingredients.  So all of this is fresh from Whole Foods and our garden, which always excites me!!

The below recipe serves 6 but tonight I was only cooking for 2…

1 (2-2.5 lb.) skinless salmon fillet

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 c. good olive oil

2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 c. minced scallions, white and green parts (4 scallions)

1/2 c. minced fresh dill

1/2 c. minced fresh parsley

1/4 c. dry white wine

Lemon wedges, for serving (if you want to be fancy)

I so loved chopping the parsley, dill, green onions and squeezing the lemons.  The scallions are out of our garden and originally came from my Grandparents garden in East Texas.  We transported one of the bulbs on our last trip and they are growing so nicely.  If anyone reading this wants to try this recipe in the next few days we have herbs to spare….give me a shout.
 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Place salmon fillet(s) in a glass, ceramic, or stainless-steel roasting dish and season it generously with salt and pepper.  Whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice and drizzle the mixture evenly over the salmon.  Let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

 In a small bowl, stir together the scallions, dill and parsley.  I love the beautiful green color!

Scatter the herb mixture over the salmon fillet(s), turning it so that both sides are generously coated with the green herbs.  Pour the wine around the fish fillet.  Roast the salmon for 10-12 minutes, until almost cooked in the center at the thickest part.  The center will be firm with just a line of uncooked salmon in the very center.  Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes.  If using one fillet, cut the salmon crosswise into serving pieces and serve hot with lemon wedges.

Perfect for your next dinner party or an easy weeknight dinner for you and your spouse or a deserving roommate!!

Made Bridal Luncheon Recipes

As promised the recipes from Rebecca's Bridal Luncheon.

Autumn Salad

Better to have too much than not to have enough!  I doubled the vinaigrette and pecans and bought extra at least two of the produce listed.  We fed 22 at the shower and had leftovers if that tells you anything.    

Mixed greens

Red onion rings, thinly sliced

Avocados, chopped

Granny Smith Apples, thinly sliced

1, 16oz. container, crumbled goat or blue cheese (I used feta b/c it is the Bride's favorite)

Glazed Pecans

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. olive oil

1/4 c. lime juice

1/4 c. rice vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 shallots, minced

2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

Put all the ingredients, except olive oil in blender.  Mix then pour oil in a thin stream through the top of the blender.  

Glazed Pecans

1 egg white

1 tbsp. water

1/2 tsp. salt

1 lb. pecan halves

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

I prepared the pecans the night before as to save time the morning of the shower.  In a large mixing bowl, beat egg white, water, and salt until frothy.  Once frothy, add pecans.  Stir in sugar and cinnamon and smell the goodness!!  Pour onto greased, foil-lined pan and bade at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.  Don't forget the Pam and foil for your baking sheet or you will be sorry…

Just before ready to serve mix all of the veggies, fruit, pecans and toss in the vinaigrette.  This is a beautiful and bold salad that everyone will love!

Hawaiian Sandwiches

This recipe was also doubled and we ended up with 36 sandwiches.  Sam's carries the 24-pack so you would be set with two packs of 24 if you are making for a larger group.  

1/2 lb. swiss cheese slices

1/2 lb. ham slices

1/2 lb. turkey slices

2 pkg. hawaiian rolls (12 pack)

Butter topping

Grease 9x13 pans for baking and preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Slice through each roll, which will make it easy for assembly.  Alternate 1 slice of swiss, ham and turkey and fold over to fit into the roll.  Stick a toothpick in the middle to keep together.  Continue this process until all meat and cheese is used.  Place all rolls in greased pans.   

Poppy Seed Topping

1 stick butter

1 tbsp. poppy seeds

4 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. dry onion flakes

1 tbsp. honey mustard   

After rolls are assembled and in the baking dishes, brush the poppyseed topping over the top of each roll and along the sides of the pan, completely covering each roll.  

Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes until golden.  Serve warm.

Tomato Caprese Kabobs

Cherry tomatoes

Marinated mozzarella balls

Fresh basil leaves

Mini skewers

On each skewer, alternate cherry tomato, mozzarella ball and fresh basil.  It is that simple!!  

Roasted Red Pepper Cheese Dip

2 large red bell peppers
2 large, unpeeled garlic cloves
1, 8oz. block fat-free cream cheese
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

Preheat broiler.  Cut bell peppers in half, lengthwise.  Place peppers, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten peppers with hand.  Add garlic to baking sheet and broil 4 minutes.  Turn garlic over and broil 4 more minutes or until blackened.  Remove garlic from baking sheet; set aside.  Broil peppers an additional 2 minutes or until blackened.  Place peppers in a zip-lock plastic bag and seal; let stand 15 minutes.  Peel peppers and garlic; discard skins.
Place roasted peppers and garlic in food processor; process until smooth, scraping sides of bowl for the excess.  Add cream cheese; process until smooth.  Spoon mixture into a bowl and stir in vinegar, slat and crusted red pepper.  Serve immediately with raw vegetables or chill. 

Puppy Chow

9 c. rice chex

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/4 c. butter or margarine

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

In a large bowl, measure cereal and set aside.  In a 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on high for 1 minutes.  Microwave 30-45 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.  Pour into re-sealable, easily accessible container.   

Stash Chai Tea

We served hot, Stash chai spice tea and it was wonderful!  

Can't wait for the next party to host and recipes to make!!

Made A Bridal Luncheon for Rebecca

This past weekend a group of my friends from college gathered to shower, with love and "lunching",  our sweet, Rebecca, who will be getting married just after the New Year.  It was a special day to love on Rebecca, her family and other friends who gathered.  Before we get to the food, take a peak at our setting on this beautiful fall day in Dallas.  These girls know how to pitch in and throw a shower!

Chocolate brown, burlap tablecloths covered three, 60-inch round tables outside on the patio.  Each of the three tables was uniquely set with three different place-settings, a fall-colored floral centerpiece and cookie favor.

The stunning arrangements were created by our Elizabeth who always puts so much time into flowers for our showers.  A few of us have taken on specific jobs throughout the years and I am happy to participate in the food.  So here we go…

Rebecca's Bridal Shower Luncheon Menu

Autumn Salad

Hawaiian Sandwiches

Tomato Caprese Kabobs

Sliced Vegetables with Roasted Red Pepper Cheese Dip

Fresh Strawberries

Stein's Petit Fours

Puppy Chow

Cucumber Water & Hot Chai Tea

After a little prep work on Sunday we all pitched in to put the final touches on our menu items.  B snapped a few shots of us in the kitchen.

 Carroll and I basting the sandwiches with the poppyseed topping

 Alicia and Elizabeth assembling the kabobs.

Pastries were not to be risked by cooking on our own…love the classy monogram!

What was left of the Hawaiian Sandwiches….just enough to give the family-in-law a taste test!!

Hostesses with The Bride, Rebecca: Me, Alicia, Rebecca, Emily, Elizabeth, Carroll

What I would have done different…

Made the day longer to spend with our sweet friend!!

Luncheon recipes to come in the next post...

Made Bacon Quiche

I am making this meal again one night this week…requested after the first bite at last week's dinner.  I love quiche!  It's breakfast for dinner and we grew up having BFast for dinner quite often.  I sliced up some fruit to serve on the side.

Will be trying Spinach Quiche in the next few weeks but it calls for a few more ingredients that I don't have on hand.  

1 pie crust
1 c. swiss cheese, grated
8 slices bacon, crumbled
3 eggs, beaten
1 c. milk
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 tbsp. onion, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
(I had mushrooms and 1/2 red bell pepper on hand so tossed those in as well)

Pre-bake pie crust at 250 degrees for 10 minutes.  You can do this while your oven is preheating to cook the bacon.  Cook bacon until crisp and then crumble.  I cook my bacon in the oven, on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 until crisp.

Combine eggs, milk, nutmeg, onion, salt & pepper and any other ingredients you want to include and beat well.  Sprinkle crust with cheese and bacon, pour in egg mixture on top of cheese and bacon.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.  I had to bake for an extra 10-15 minutes.

Let cool and slice into pie-like servings.  Enjoy and make again the next week like I will be doing!!

Made 3-Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine

First word of advice on this one - prepare ingredients before hand.  Cook your chicken, pasta and cut up all your veggies and you will be in a much better place as you follow the directions.  Cooking Light said this was "quick & easy"…I disagree on the "quick".  Tastes great though!!

1 tsp. olive oil
Cooking spray
3 c. thinly sliced mushrooms
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped red bell pepper
3 c. chopped fresh spinach
1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano (I used ground as fresh can be too strong)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 (16 oz.) carton 2% low-fat cottage cheese
4 c. hot cooked penne (about 8 oz. uncooked)
2 c. shredded roasted skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 c. (4 oz.) shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 c. (2 oz.) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 c. 2% reduced-fat milk
1 can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add mushrooms, onion and bell pepper, saute 4 minutes or until tender.  Add spinach, oregano and black pepper; saute 3 minutes or just until spinach wilts.

Place cottage cheese in afood processor, process until very smooth.  Combine spinach mixture, cottage cheese, cooked pasta, chicken, 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, milk and soup in a large bowl.

Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.  Makes 8 servings.

What I would do next time:

Prepare chicken and pasta prior to sautéing the vegetables

For the 2 cups of shredded chicken, I would purchase a Rotisserie Chicken and make another meal that same week with the rest of the bird.

Try fresh oregano

Cut the cream of chicken soup in 1/2 

Making Taco Soup

This one is dedicated to my roomies of #7204…love you and miss those Village days and meals together when we just happened to be at home at the same time!!

My take on Taco Soup...Easy, quick and guaranteed to provide leftovers.

2 lb. ground beef, browned
2 cans ranch style beans
2 cans pinto beans (I substituted one can with black beans this time)
1 can corn
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 envelope Taco Seasoning Mix
1 envelop Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix

Mix and simmer all the ingredients, including the juice from each can.  Simmer for as long as you like - the longer the better.  Serve with your favorite cornbread or with corn chips and shredded cheese.  And if I didn't have to be somewhere at 6:30 and it wasn't a "school night" I would be enjoying a sweet margarita on the side!!

Made in Tahoe…not by me...

We are just settling back in from our first newlywed vacation, outside of honeymoon, spent in Lake Tahoe.  There are so many wonderful things about Tahoe and the food was at the top of the list.  Here are a few shots of some of our favorites.  

Plumpjack Cafe at Squaw Valley was a planned lunch stop after our hike that began early in the morning, the first day of our trip.  We were up with the sun, on the mountain before 9 and then finally sitting and dining at this wonderful restaurant.  I enjoyed Jack's Chicken Enchiladas and B, here holding his oh SO TASTY Seared Tuna Club.

After another day of hiking we had planned on a nice dinner out but this greasy spoon that we had passed throughout the week was calling our name.  B made a spontaneous decision and we whipped a "U" and pulled in for what tured out to be my favorite meal at Burger Lounge. 

The above cannot be accurately represented in words but I have officially changed my Best Burger vote to South Lake Tahoe's Burger Lounge.  And all that food was just for us - the Sno-Bro, cup of tomato soup, Pesto Fries and the Hangover - amazing!!  B topped the meal off with a coffee shake…we went back for shakes later in the week.  

Wild Goose was recommended to us by our good friend, Ben.  What a recommendation it was!  We made early reservations the evening before our big, last hike at the end of the week.  The weather was perfect and our table was a wonderfully romantic spot.  Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee was our pick for dessert and left such a sweet taste in our mouth, very representative of the trip, adventures we took, conversations had and time spent together.  Cheers to my love on a great vacation together!!