Food Revolution: Salmon with Chickpea Ragu

A couple weeks ago my husband and I tuned in for the premiere of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. A show about food and nutrition? Of course I was interested! The images of five and six-year-old’s being served pizza for breakfast hasn’t left my mind. I’ll admit to enjoying a slice of leftover pizza occasionally on a Saturday morning, however I never follow it up with a lunch comprised of mystery meat, French fries, and flavored milk. I admire Mr. Oliver’s passion to change this community and am hopeful that we’ll see some results.

If you haven’t seen an episode yet, I’d encourage you to check it out. The show may raise your eyebrows about what children are being served to eat in the public school system, and what kind of food is being consumed at dinner tables across America.

On that note, I’d like to share with you a new salmon recipe I tried a few weeks ago. This is a healthy recipe that combines your protein and veggies in a one-plate presentation. We really enjoyed it, and it is definitely a dinner you can feel good about eating!

I'd like to send a huge congratulations to my friend, Sunny, who, at 38.5 weeks, delivered two healthy, beautiful baby boys on Wednesday!

Salmon with Chickpea Ragu
(From Ellie Krieger’s So Easy)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 large zucchini, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 (15.5 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup basil leaves, sliced into ribbons, plus more for garnish
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
(Kate added a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes)
4 (6 oz.) skinless salmon fillets

Directions
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion, and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the carrot, zucchini, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the carrots are firm-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stirring to incorporate completely. Add the chicken broth and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until the liquid thickens slightly, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat, and add 1 cup of the basil and ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper (and crushed red pepper flakes, if using), and stir to incorporate. Cover to keep warm while you cook the salmon.

Preheat the broiler. Season the salmon with the remaining ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Broil the salmon for 8 to 10 minutes per inch thickness, turning once.

To serve, spoon 1 ½ cups of the chickpea ragu into a shallow bowl or rimmed plate. Top with a fillet of salmon and garnish with the ribbons of basil.

No Foolin’ Here: Mushroom Risotto with Peas

While it’s April Fools Day, today was anything but foolish. We have temps in the high 70’s, bright sunny skies, and a sunset that just filled the sky with majestic pinks and purples. I love food, and I also love to be outside. Not the get down in the dirt kind of outside, but the sipping a glass of white wine while eating a Salmon Caesar Salad kind of outside. My husband and I dined alfresco this evening and even stopped at his favorite ice cream shop for a cone on their opening day. Today is also my dear friend “J”’s birthday, and I would like to wish her a fabulous day and a happy year ahead!

Yesterday was just as exciting when my new Giada cookbook came in the mail! My husband ordered Giada at Home off Amazon for me on Sunday evening. After paying the price for regular shipping, the cookbook made it to our house by the time I returned home from work yesterday! I flipped through it late last night and am already overwhelmed with which recipe to try first! In honor of her new book’s release this week, I’d like to provide you with one of my favorite recipes of hers. (Yes, I know, all of her recipes are my favorites!)

This risotto is from her first book, Everyday Italian. It is a deliciously hearty vegetarian risotto. The recipe makes a lot and can work as an accompaniment or an entrée. Risotto needs some TLC, so make sure you take your time when adding broth and stirring. You’ll be very satisfied with the end result! Your risotto will likely turn out darker than the one in the pictures. The porcini mushrooms I used were lighter than I’ve seen before, but my risotto usually turns out a medium-brown color. Enjoy!

Mushroom Risotto with Peas
(From Everyday Italian)
Ingredients
8 cups canned low-salt chicken broth (Kate uses vegetable broth)
½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
¼ cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onions
10 ounces white mushrooms, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ cups Arborio rice or short-grain white rice
2/3 cup white wine
¾ cup frozen peas, thawed
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, optional

Directions
Bring the broth to a simmer in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the porcini mushrooms. Set aside until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Keep the broth warm over very low heat.

Melt the butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the white mushrooms and garlic. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the porcini mushrooms to a cutting board. Finely chop the mushrooms and add to the saucepan. Saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and let it toast for a few minutes. Add the wine; cook until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of hot broth; simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook until the rice is just tender and the mixture is creamy, adding more broth by cupfuls and stirring often, about 28 minutes (the rice will absorb 6 to 8 cups of broth). Stir in the peas. Mix in the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Supper Salad: Roasted Sweet Potato and Orange Salad

This salad combines so many flavors that I love, and includes ingredients that provide a lot of nutrients. The recipe makes a lot, too! My husband and I have been eating this one all week. (I have all of the pieces refrigerated separately and toss together individual servings for us each night.)

If you're looking for a filling, yet light, entrée salad, this one will do the trick (perfect for a warm summer night!). I roasted the onions along with the sweet potatoes, and recommend doing the same if you can't handle a lot of raw onions. Roasting brings out the sweetness of the onions and also flavors them with rosemary and garlic.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Orange Salad
(From Cooking Light, December, 2005)
Ingredients
Salad:
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled and crushed
1 1/2 pounds peeled sweet potato, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
3 cups orange sections (about 6 oranges)
1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1 (6-ounce) bag prewashed baby spinach

Dressing:
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F.

To prepare salad, combine first 4 ingredients (Kate also roasted the onions), tossing well. Place potato mixture on a jelly-roll pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400°F for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven; cool. Discard garlic. Combine potato mixture, orange sections, onion, pine nuts, and spinach in a large bowl.

To prepare dressing, combine orange juice and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to coat.

Seafood Season: Spaghetti with Clams

It is the time of the year when fast food chains start advertising their “fresh fish sandwich” on television commercials, and most restaurants will serve clam chowder as their soup du jour on Fridays. We also know this time as Lent. Dietarily speaking, Fridays during Lent are no different than any other day of the year for me, however we make special consideration for my husband to avoid meat. This means lots of seafood in our house, which makes us both happy.

I began making a clam and pasta recipe when I was a teenager. It was one of the recipes in my repertoire that I would cook on my own. A few years ago, I found a similar recipe by Giada de Laurentiis. We tried it, and with her alterations, we quickly let her Spaghetti with Clams take the place of our old Clam Sauce with Linguine.

The old version that I made used dried herbs and a regular onion. Giada’s use fresh parsley, lemon zest, and shallots, making it taste so bright and fresh. Her recipe calls for Manila clams, but to keep this recipe easier and more affordable, I use canned clams. If you decide to use canned clams, this recipe is pantry-friendly (most of the ingredients you can keep on-hand), and easy to make any night of the week!

Spaghetti with Clams
(Adapted from Everyday Italian)
Ingredients
1 pound dried spaghetti
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
5 to 7 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 ½ pounds Manila clams, scrubbed clean (Kate uses 2 or 3 cans (6.5 oz.) minced clams, drained)
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced into small cubes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, zested, for garnish

Directions
In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Add pasta, stirring constantly in the beginning to prevent it from sticking together. Cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. When almost smoking, add shallots and garlic and sauté until soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the clams and wine. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until most clams have opened. (If using canned clams, cook until thoroughly heated.)

Add 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Whisk in butter to thicken sauce slightly.

Drain pasta in a colander. Do not rinse pasta with water - this will remove the pasta's natural starches. Place pasta into the clam sauté pan and mix thoroughly. Check seasoning.

Pour pasta into large serving bowl. Zest lemon over the dish, being careful not to zest the white part of the lemon, which is bitter. Garnish with remaining parsley. Serve immediately.

Superbowl Sunday: Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

It is Superbowl Sunday, and the first one in several years that we are not watching the commercials game at my sister’s house. After a weekend packed full of obligations and chores, we needed a few hours at home this evening to get our wits about us before beginning another long week. (Okay, I needed a few hours at home and my husband was kind enough to find contentment in watching the game from our own couch.)

My sister usually makes a chili and a fish stew to serve for her party guests during the Superbowl, followed by fondue or another fun dessert. My husband and I just finished off my second batch of Cioppino, so I opted to make some chili for us to eat tonight. A few weeks ago I found a recipe online for a vegetarian chili that calls for black beans and sweet potatoes – two of my favorite foods (that fortunately pair so well together, like in Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burritos).

I made this yesterday, and completed it today by stirring in the cilantro and garnishing with some cheese, sour cream, and diced avocado. The recipe is quite simple, and you can feel free to adjust the seasonings to your own taste buds (the chipotle powder will make it smoky and spicy!). The recipe states that it serves two, so I doubled it. I wound up with a good amount that will last us into the week. I hope that your Superbowl Sunday was filled with some good eats, regardless of where you happened to be!

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili
(From Eating Well)
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground chipotle chile (Chipotle peppers are dried, smoked jalapeno peppers. Ground chipotle can be found in the specialty spice section of most supermarkets.)
1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 1/3 cups water
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and potato and cook, stirring often, until the onion is slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle and salt and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add water, bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes and lime juice; increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in cilantro.

His Birthday: Pollo Parmigiana (Breaded Chicken Breast with Parmesan)

I would like to wish my amazing husband a very happy birthday! We both have long work days ahead of us, and he has class in the evening, but we’re going to steal a quick hour in between for an elegant dinner together.

Chicken Parmesan is one of his favorite foods. He’ll order it out, and I’ll make it occasionally. I’ve tried a few different recipes over the years, and while I don't make Chicken Parmesan frequently, I try to make it each year around his birthday. Last week I tried one from my new Main Street Ventures cookbook. My husband loved it, and it may have been one of his favorites.

I have the recipe listed below as it is in the book, however I’d like to point out that the recipe for the tomato basil sauce makes much more than you need. If you’re not looking for leftover sauce, I’d cut what is listed below into a third. (Or, you can always freeze the remaining sauce in two-cup portions.)

Happy Birthday, Old Man Sweetheart!

Pollo Parmigiana (Breaded Chicken Breast with Parmesan)
(From Mainstreet Ventures Distinctive Recipes)
Ingredients
1 egg
¼ cup milk
¼ cup flour
3 cups Panko bread crumbs
1 Tbs. garlic, minced
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbs. fresh basil, chopped
1 Tbs. fresh oregano, chopped
¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
4 (5 oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast
Coarse salt and ground black pepper

Cooking and assembling the chicken
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cups Tomato Basil Sauce (see recipe below)
½ lb. Spaghetti, cooked al dente
4 slices mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
2 Tbs. Parmesan cheese, grated
4 fresh basil leaves, as garnish

Directions
Heat oven to 400°F.

In a large mixing bowl combine the bread crumbs, garlic, Parmesan, basil, oregano, and parsley, and mix well. Set aside. In a separate bowl beat the egg with the milk. Set aside. In another bowl add the flour and set aside. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Dust the chicken breast lightly in flour, then dip in egg wash. Coat the chicken breast on both sides with breading and press lightly with hand to adhere. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sauté on each side for approximately 3 minutes, or until nicely browned. Remove the chicken from the heat and place on a baking sheet. Top with mozzarella slices and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in oven for 2 minutes or until cheese melts and chicken is cooked.

In a large sauce pan, heat the Tomato Basil Sauce along with spaghetti. Transfer the spaghetti with tongs to individual plates and top each with a chicken breast.

Sugo di Pomodore (Tomato Basil Sauce)
(Makes 2 Quarts)
Ingredients
3 (24 oz.) cans chopped tomatoes (recipe recommends Hunts)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
6 medium size garlic cloves
1/3 cup tomato puree
2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, coarsely chopped
1 ½ Tbs. coarse salt
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs. honey or pinch of sugar (optional)

Directions
In a food processor or blender, puree the olive oil and garlic. Pour mixture into a medium size sauce pan and heat over medium heat. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Stir in chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in honey and fresh basil. Makes about 10 cups.

Vegetarian Umami: Mushroom Lasagna with Creamy Béchamel

There are many different kinds of vegetarian lasagna. Some have a white sauce; some have marinara. Some have spinach and ricotta; some have roasted vegetables. I think it’s rare to find mushroom lasagna, which is unfortunate because it is so delicious!

I have been making this recipe for many years. It is a perfect entrée for vegetarians to enjoy, and one that is so hearty the meat-eaters won’t miss the meat. This lasagna is perfect to serve for a dinner party. You can even make it a day ahead, and then heat it up before your guests arrive (like a good soup, lasagna is better the next day!). I’ll make this for me and my husband and it will last us the week. Or we’ll freeze individual serving sizes to warm up and enjoy another day. It pairs perfectly with a light salad.

The mushrooms create an earthy and savory flavor (Umami, anyone?), and the Béchamel is light and creamy. If you can purchase your mushrooms pre-sliced, you will save a lot of time. If you can’t, it’s still worth the time to slice all of the mushrooms! I’m normally the type of cook who will multitask in the kitchen and have several pots going at once. If you haven’t made a Béchamel sauce before, I recommend giving it your full attention. If you’re not constantly stirring, your flour may clump, and if you turn your back for one minute, your milk might burn.

Mushroom Lasagna with Creamy Béchamel
(From Cooking Light, April, 2004)
Ingredients
Mushroom filling:
2 cups boiling water
1 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 ounce)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 1 ½ pounds)
3 cups sliced cremini mushrooms (about ½ pound)
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup Côtes du Rhône or other fruity red wine
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh or ¾ teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Béchamel:
3 cups 1% low-fat milk
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Remaining ingredients:
Cooking spray
1 (8-ounce) package precooked lasagna noodles
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Directions
To prepare filling, combine water and porcini in a small bowl; let stand 30 minutes. Drain porcini through a sieve over a bowl, squeezing porcini to extract liquid. Reserve 1 ½ cups liquid; discard remaining liquid. Rinse porcini, and drain. Chop coarsely; set aside.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add shiitake mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, and ½ teaspoon salt. Sauté 5 minutes or until mushrooms release moisture and begin to brown. Stir in porcini, wine, and soy sauce. Cook 4 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently. Stir in parsley and rosemary. Add the reserved porcini liquid; bring to a simmer. Cook until liquid is reduced to ¾ cup (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in ¼ teaspoon pepper.

To prepare béchamel, place milk in a 4-cup glass measure. Microwave at HIGH 3 minutes or until hot, stirring after 2 minutes. Melt butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, stirring with a whisk, and cook 1 minute or until bubbly, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring to a simmer; cook over low heat 8 minutes or until sauce slightly thickens, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and stir in ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spread ½ cup béchamel in bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over béchamel; top with ½ cup béchamel. Top with 1 cup mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with ¼ cup cheese. Repeat layers three times (dish will be very full). Cover with foil; place baking dish on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Uncover lasagna; bake an additional 15 minutes or until cheese melts.

Busy Weekend, Easy Dinner: Angel Hair with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

It’s been a busy weekend. I feel as though I’ve been having a lot of those lately, but it is the honest truth. Long weeks; busy weekends. We enjoyed Friday night with some friends playing board games by candlelight. The tradition started last spring when we had these friends over to our place for dinner, the same night as Earth Hour. As recommended, we powered down in our house, and lit an array of candles while we played board games. After the prescribed time was up, we didn't want to turn the lights back on. It was so much fun that we’ll never be able to turn back now!

On Saturday I ran errands and tried to start a mushroom lasagna before attending an awards ceremony, as I was being recognized as the nominator of an award recipient. Today we labored away working on cleaning out my mother-in-law’s old home. The task was enormous, and I am so grateful to my wonderful family for stepping up to help without hesitation. My mother prepared a delicious spread for when we were ready to break for lunch. The men ate ham sandwiches, while I enjoyed her egg salad. For dessert we had homemade chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin rice pudding (which she appropriately added chocolate too – we do love that combination). We made a good dent (with the food and the house), but our work is yet to be done.

At the end of the day, my husband and I returned home entirely exhausted, and much in need of a homemade meal. My lasagna was waiting to be finished, but we couldn’t curb our hunger long enough for that to be completed. I went to my go-to recipe for when I want a quickly made meal from scratch, using pantry ingredients. I’ve made this many times and it never disappoints. I keep all of these ingredients in my pantry, and always have some goat cheese on hand (it has a very long refrigerator life for a cheese!). If I don’t have any Italian parsley, I’ll just omit it, even thought it adds some nice contrasting color to the pasta.

You may have noticed that tomato paste is one of my favorite ingredients, and I’ll jump at any opportunity to cook with it. The intensity of the tomato paste, the sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes, and the tanginess of the goat cheese make this a delicious pasta. The goat cheese also adds a creamy texture. You can use any kind of pasta, but I like using angel hair with this recipe because it cooks so quickly. On different occasions, I’ve added chicken, shrimp, scallops, or lump crab to this pasta to add some protein. I also think a fillet of grilled swordfish would be delicious served with it!

Angel Hair with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese
(Adapted from Everyday Pasta)
Ingredients
1 (8.5 oz.) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped (oil reserved)
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste (preferably with Italian seasoning)
1 cup dry white wine
1 pound angel hair pasta
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
5 oz. soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled
3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Directions

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine and sun-dried tomatoes and simmer until the liquid reduces by half, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the tomato mixture and toss to coat, adding some reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Sprinkle with the goat cheese and parsley and stir. Mound the pasta into bowls and serve.

Everything But The Kitchen Sink: Honey Barbecued Salmon

I’m in the middle of another busy week and am still recovering from my baking mishap last week. While my newest batch of chocolate crunch granola bakes in the oven, I’m going to take a few minutes to type up a lengthy recipe that I tried a few weeks ago.

The Main Street Ventures restaurants have their own cookbook on display in a number of restaurants we’ve been frequenting for many years. It is a collection of gourmet recipes from their prized restaurants across the country. I’ve been eyeing the cookbook for quite sometime, but for some reason I never purchased it.

In December my husband and I joined our very good friends (and their darling baby girl) for a fabulous birthday dinner where they generously gave me this cookbook (along and a lovely bottle of wine). Some of our favorite dishes from the restaurants are in this cookbook, and the photographs of the food are beautiful. I’ve already attempted a couple recipes from the book, and the first one that I tried was their Honey Barbecued Salmon.

The ingredient list is lengthy and the recipe has you throwing everything but the kitchen sink into the barbecue sauce. At first it seems like overkill, but all of these ingredients meld into a deliciously sweet and spicy glaze. Mine was particularly spicy, as I used the entire jalapeño. (I recommend only using the jalapeño flesh and discarding the membrane and seeds if you don’t want it too spicy. If you are sensitive to hot peppers, you should also use rubber gloves when handling them). Since it is the middle of winter and our ground outside is still white, I followed their instructions to bake then broil the salmon. As soon as it warms up we’re going to try this on the grill! If you don’t like salmon, try the sauce with with chicken!

Honey Barbecued Salmon
(From Mainstreet Ventures Distinctive Recipes)
For Salmon:
Ingredients
1 ½ lb. Salmon filet, boneless and skinless
1 ½ cup Honey Barbeque Sauce (recipe follows)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F.

Cut salmon filet into 4 equal pieces. Place parchment paper on a 9x12 inch baking sheet pan. Brush both sides of each salmon piece with barbecue sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 6 minutes, then switch oven dial to broil and cook salmon for 3 more minutes until salmon just flakes.

Brush lightly with sauce prior to serving. Transfer the salmon onto plates and serve with more sauce, if desire.

For Honey Barbecue Sauce:
Ingredients
1 cup ketchup
1 cup honey
¼ cup coarse-grained mustard
¼ cup Jalapeño pepper, minced
2/ Tbs. rice vinegar
½ tsp. Tabasco
3 Tbs. light brown sugar
1 Tbs. curry powder
1 tsp. sweet paprika
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. ground black pepper

Directions
In a heavy saucepan, stir together sauce and dry ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve. Sauce will keep for one week covered and chilled.

Straying from Standard Sides: Sautéed Green Beans & Mushrooms, and Glazed Carrots with Pecans

I took my Christmas tree down while it was still December, but I have yet to finish posting recipes from my Christmas dinner! I’ll finish it off tonight with two sides that I tried. I strayed a bit from traditional sides dishes (think green bean casserole and candied yams), and tried healthier replicas.

For the green beans, I sautéed them in olive oil (versus the traditional casserole recipe that calls for a can of creamy soup). I topped mine with almonds, although you could swap out the almonds and garnish with some French-fried onions, which would be more like the standard version. Instead of baking yams with spices and topping them with pecans and marshmallows, I cooked some carrots with similar spices, and they had the flavor of a pumpkin pie!

Both side dishes were enjoyed by all of us, and also didn’t require any time in the oven. (Oven time is something I’ve learned you have to carefully plan for when you’re turning out multiple dishes and you only have one oven!)

Sautéed Green Beans & Mushrooms
Ingredients
24 oz. frozen green beans, preferably thin French style beans (Kate used Trader Joe's Haricot Verts)
10 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons water
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and a mushrooms and stir until mushrooms begin to slightly brown. Add green beans, 2 tablespoons of water, and cover. Steam until tender. Season with salt and pepper, top with sliced almonds and serve.



Glazed Carrots with Pecans
(Adapted from Sunset, November, 2009)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups diagonally sliced (1/4 in.) peeled carrots
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon ground clove
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 ½ cups toasted pecan halves

Directions
Heat oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add carrots and cook, stirring frequently, 6 minutes. Stir in spices and sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar melts, about 2 minutes. Add pecans and cook until carrots are tender when pierced and mixture is glazed in sugar, 5-10 minutes.

San Fran Stew: Cioppino

A couple of years ago my husband and I were watching a Food Network special that spoke about the history of Cioppino (pronounced “chuh-pee-noh”). This fish stew has an interesting origin, as it was developed by Italian fishermen in San Francisco in the late 1800's. The fishermen would all “chip in” their catch of the day to a collective soup pot to create seafood stew, similar to a French bouillabaisse (less the saffron).

My husband orders Cioppino occasionally when we dine at seafood restaurants. Most recently, we shared some with our friend Sarah while dining at Beretta in San Francisco.


I had been intending to make Cioppino at home, but had not taken the time to sort through different recipes. I was delighted to find a Cioppino recipe while I was flipping through my new copy of Ellie Krieger’s So Easy. I flagged the page, bought my seafood (and for such a steal at Trader Joe’s! ), and made this over the weekend to get us through a few dinners this week.

It smelled delicious while it was cooking, it was ridiculously easy to make, and my husband loved it. It wasn’t even mealtime when I finished it (we were somewhere between lunch and dinner), and I had to stop him from eating a whole bowl. He actually said to me, “Kate, I love everything that you cook. But I haven’t been this surprised by something you’ve made since you made Chicken Scallopine with Saffron Cream Sauce for the first time.” (And that was two years ago!) Needless to say, this Cioppino is making it into the regular rotation! I actually can’t wait until we’ve eaten it all up so that I can make it again!

Cioppino
(Adapted from Ellie Krieger’s So Easy)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (6 oz.) jar tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
2 (14.5 oz.) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 cup fish stock or water
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
¾ teaspoon salt
½ - 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (you may want to remove the tails, too)
½ - 1 pound scallops
½ - 1 pound skinless halibut fillet, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 teaspoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Fresh bread for serving

Directions
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large soup pot. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, an additional 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the wine, bring to a boil, and cook over medium-high heat for 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and their juices and the fish stock (or water) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, for 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, salt, and pepper. (This base may be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)

Heat the soup base to a boil. Add the shrimp, scallops, and halibut. Reduce the heat and simmer, until everything is just cooked, about 5 minutes. Divide among 4 bowls and garnish with the parsley. Serve with bread.

Check Out Quinoa: Quinoa with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

We had a great weekend hosting our cousins who were in town for a post-holiday visit. These newlyweds were unable to make it for Christmas, as the snowy roads weren’t safe for them to drive here. But they had a whirlwind weekend trying to stop by and visit with every family member who was available. We were lucky enough to have them overnight, which meant we went out for a great Creole dinner on Saturday (followed by some live Irish music at a nearby pub), and had a homemade brunch on Sunday morning.

My sister and her family joined us for brunch and I made one of our cousins’ favorites, and my mom provided some pumpkin bread for us to serve them. While the men tinkered outside with an unfortunate flat tire, the women sipped mimosas inside and looked after the kids. (My nephew is always entertained at his “Auntie” and “Unc”’s house with our one and only "toy", the “Big Red Ball”.)

Prior to our guests arriving on Saturday, I spent the day stocking up on the necessary groceries. While in the checkout line at Trader Joe’s (home of ever-friendly employees), my cashier commented on the quinoa I was buying like it was being discontinued in bulk. She mentioned that she liked quinoa but didn’t know what to do with it. I started rattling off several recipe ideas, and as her eyes widened, I tore off some paper from my grocery list, and scribbled down the URL for my blog. This is one of the recipes I mentioned to her, and while I made it a week ago, in the event that she is joining us here online looking for ways to use her quinoa, I must deliver!

I love tomatoes (in any form) and quinoa. I recently did a search for some ideas of how to incorporate sun-dried tomatoes, and found a recipe which I then slightly adapted. This is delicious, and also has a spicy kick! (You could avoid the spice by substituting the Jalapeño with a green bell pepper, and omitting the cayenne.)

Quinoa with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
(Adapted from Lisa's Kitchen)
Ingredients
1 cup of quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 cups low sodium vegetable stock
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 large Jalapeño pepper, chopped
1 cup of corn
½ teaspoon of ground cumin
½ teaspoon of ground coriander
½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Directions
Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. When hot, add the shallots and garlic and sauté for a few minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and Jalapeño to the pot, and stir cook for 4-5 minutes.

Add spices, corn, quinoa, and vegetable sock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.

Add parsley and Parmigiano Reggiano, stir, and serve.

Love Me Tenderloin: Pork Tenderloin with Seasoned Rub

Last weekend my husband accompanied me on a grocery run. While I perused the fresh vegetables he found himself a pork tenderloin and told me that he really wanted me to make one. During the 15 years of my life that I ate meat, I don’t recall ever eating pork tenderloin, and subsequently have nothing to reference it too. My husband, however, gets to enjoy it frequently at my sister’s house. She has a killer pork tenderloin recipe that my husband just loves. While I was prepared to use her recipe for this experiment, my husband told me he was craving a pork tenderloin with a crust. My sister’s recipe uses a glaze, so I did a quick search and made an adaptation of Ellie Krieger’s pork tenderloin with a seasoned rub.

Making this recipe was a joint effort. My husband took care of the pork, while I did all of the ingredient prep work and made the pan sauce. He loved this pork recipe. It cooked perfectly, and while the pork was moist and pan sauce wasn’t needed, it was a nice touch. I served this for him with some broccoli and fingerling potatoes. (After removing the pan sauce from the skillet, I added some olive oil and butter to the pan, sautéed the fingerling potatoes, and then finished them off with a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.) I think we will have to try my sister’s glaze recipe sometime, but this one is definitely a keeper!

Pork Tenderloin with Seasoned Rub
(Adapted from Ellie Krieger)
Ingredients
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt
1 ½ pounds pork tenderloin
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, smashed
For Pan Sauce:
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450°F.

In separate bowl mix dry ingredients such as garlic powder, oregano, cumin, coriander, thyme and salt. Stir mixture with a fork until all the ingredients are well combined and they form a seasoning. This will be used as a rub to ensure the pork is well seasoned throughout. Sprinkle the rub over the tenderloin with a dry hand, then rub the pork with the seasoning over both sides of the meat, pressing gently so the seasoning adheres well to the tenderloin.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and heat. Add the garlic cloves and sauté, stirring, for 1 minute. Put tenderloin in the pan and cook for about 10 minutes, searing each side using tongs to turn the meat. (When garlic cloves begin to burn, remove immediately from pan.) Transfer meat to a roasting pan and bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, keep the skillet over medium-high heat and deglaze the pan with the white wine and chicken stock. Using a wooden spoon, scrape all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in Dijon mustard, and allow sauce to simmer for 5 minutes. When pork is done cooking, add any remaining juices from roasting pad to sauce.

Slice pork and serve. Drizzle with pan sauce, if desired.