Creamy Shrimp Scampi Dip

Photo from Lemon Blossoms

Tonight was book club, and it was my turn to bring an appetizer. I genuinely enjoy finding something new and a little different for book club. Every once in a while I take the easy route and pick up a store-bought appetizer or dessert, but I actually like making appetizers. I just don't get that many chances to do it, so when one comes along, I'm taking full advantage.

The minute I spotted this recipe, I knew it belonged at book club. We eat pretty darn well at our meetings (and yes, we really do discuss the book), and I had a feeling this would be one of those appetizers everyone would happily dig into. Technically, "everyone" means three people, but still. A crowd is a crowd.

And I was right. This dip was SO good. The bright lemon flavor, the shrimp, the creamy cheese — somehow every piece of it worked together perfectly. It was rich without being too heavy, and that little hit of lemon kept everything balanced. I could have kept eating it straight from the bowl.

I cut the recipe in half because the original makes way more than we needed. Lemon Blossoms says the full recipe serves four, but I'm going to have to respectfully disagree. I made half the recipe and it comfortably fed the four of us, including a husband who joined us for dinner, with enough left over that another person could have had a serving. So, a full recipe? Yeah, that's definitely feeding more than four. I guess if it was all you were having for dinner, maybe it'd just feed 4. 

I didn't change a single thing about the recipe, and honestly, it didn't need me messing with it. Sometimes you find a recipe that works exactly as written. This was one of those recipes. 

Creamy Shrimp Scampi Dip

Recipe from Lemon Blossoms

Serves 4 people (It serves more by far)

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 8 ounces large shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut into 1/4 inch pieces*
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded plus more for topping**
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped plus more for garnish
• Lemon slices for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

In a 10 inch oven safe skillet or cast iron skillet over medium heat melt the butter. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook stirring often for about 2 minutes.

Add the shrimp and season lightly with salt, pepper and cayenne. Cook stirring occasionally for about 2 – 3 minutes or until the shrimp is starting to get pink. Add the lemon juice and simmer for about a minute.

Remove the skillet from the heat and whisk in the cream cheese. Mix well until the cream cheese is well incorporated. Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, mozzarella, Parmesan and parsley and mix well to combine.

With a spatula level the mixture to an even layer, Sprinkle the top with Mozzarella (I used about 2 tablespoons).

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the top is bubbly and golden. Remove from the oven and garnish with extra parsley and lemon slices (optional). Serve hot with bread, crackers or crostini.

Ginger Sesame Glazed Salmon

Photo from Ruled.me

I had one of those “well, I didn’t see that coming” moments at the grocery store recently. I was standing in the meat department comparing chicken prices and trying to decide if I could justify continuing to buy organic. Chicken has gotten ridiculously expensive!

While I was contemplating my life choices in front of the poultry case, I noticed some Coho salmon on sale. I wandered over to investigate. A half fillet, weighing in at about 20 ounces, was actually cheaper than the chicken I had been looking at. So guess what came home with me?

Yep. Salmon instead of chicken.

I did eventually buy the chicken because, let’s be honest, it’s a major part of my protein rotation and I can’t completely abandon it. But I may be taking a little break from the organic chicken for a while. My grocery budget will thank me.

Salmon is one of those foods I really love but don't cook nearly often enough. It's also loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, so it falls into that wonderful category of foods that are both delicious and good for you. That's a win in my book.

This recipe is a keeper. I made one change right off the bat, though: I did not fry the salmon. Frying salmon makes my house smell like a fish market, and that smell seems to hang around for days. No thanks.

Instead, I baked the salmon at 400°F for about 10 minutes, give or take depending on the thickness. While it was in the oven, I brought the marinade to a boil in a small saucepan so I could use it as a sauce. Once the salmon came out, I brushed the sauce over the top.

Simple, easy and very little fuss.

Bottom line: I'd absolutely make this again. The ingredients are straightforward and are mostly things I already have in the pantry, and the salmon cooks quickly. And since I apparently have a dozen other salmon recipes waiting in the wings, this gives me one more good excuse to buy it when it's on sale.

Especially when it's cheaper than chicken. Now that's a grocery store miracle.

Ginger Sesame Glazed Salmon

Recipe from Ruled.me

Serves 4

• 10 ounces salmon filet
• 2 T soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 T rice vinegar
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 T Fish Sauce
• 1 T sugar free ketchup
• 2 T white wine

Add all of the ingredients except for sesame oil, ketchup and white wine to a small tupperware container.

Marinade ingredients in the liquids for about 10-15 minutes.

Bring a pan to high heat and add sesame oil. Once you see the first whisp of smoke, add fish skin side down.

Let fish cook and skin crisp, then flip and cook on the other side (about 3-4 minutes per side, depending on thickness). Add all marinate liquids to the pan and let it boil with the fish when you flip it.

Remove fish from pan and set aside. Add ketchup, and white wine to marinate liquids. Let simmer for 5 minutes to reduce. Serve on the side.

Chili Lime Shrimp Rice Bowl

Shrimp is one of those proteins I’ve been trying to work into my meal rotation more often lately. The funny thing is, I’ve always liked shrimp…just usually deep fried. And while crispy fried shrimp is delicious, I really don’t love the process of deep frying at home. Plus, it’s probably not something my arteries need on a weekly basis.

I had a dish similar to this at a restaurant a while back and it really stuck with me. So when I came across this recipe from The Wooden Skillet, I knew I wanted to give it a shot. Even better, I already had a bag of shrimp sitting in the freezer waiting to be used. Yes, I’m still on my mission to cook my way through the freezer stash.

This turned out to be a really solid recipe. Of course, I made a few little changes along the way because apparently I’m incapable of following a recipe exactly as written. I think of them as guidelines.

First, I skipped the mango salsa entirely. I could not find a mango that looked good enough to justify the price tag, and I just wasn’t willing to spend that kind of money on disappointing fruit. So out it went.

Second, I ended up pan-cooking the shrimp instead of grilling them. I had already heated up the skillet and poured in the olive oil before I realized the recipe called for grilling. Honestly, that’s a shame because these would have been amazing on the new grill. I’ll definitely try that next time.

And yes, there will absolutely be a next time.

I served the shrimp with simple basmati rice and the sweet chili cucumbers from the recipe, and let me just say…the cucumbers completely stole the show. Those were unbelievably good and will absolutely be making repeat appearances at my table.

Don’t let the long ingredient list scare you away. A lot of the ingredients overlap between the different components, so it’s really not as complicated as it first looks. In the end, it came together into a fresh, flavorful dinner that felt a little special without being difficult.

Chili Lime Shrimp Rice Bowl

Recipe from The Wooden Skillet

Serves 4

Chili Lime Shrimp:

• 1 pound raw shrimp, 16-20 per bag
• ⅓ cup fresh lime juice
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• zest of 2 limes
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sub Tamari for gluten-free
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Mango Salsa:

• 1 ½ cups mango, diced
• ½ red onion, diced
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup avocado, diced
• 1 small jalapeño, minced
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Cilantro Lime Sauce:

• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• zest of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

Sweet Chili Cucumbers:

• 1 cup mini cucumbers, sliced (sub English cucumber)
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoon honey, more if desired

Other Bowl Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked rice of your choice
• red onion, thinly sliced (as desired)

Prep Chili Lime Shrimp: Ensure 1 pound raw shrimp is thawed and remove shell (leave tail on, if you prefer). Place shrimp in a large bowl or reusable silicone bag. In a small bowl, whisk together ⅓ cup fresh lime juice, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, zest of 2 limes, 1 tablespoon garlic, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Pour marinade over the shrimp. Cover and let marinate 30 minutes.

Mango Salsa: Meanwhile, combine the salsa ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and add additional lime juice, cilantro, etc. as desired.

Cilantro Lime Sauce: Combine in a small bowl. Taste and add additional lime juice as desired. Cover and place in fridge.

Sweet Chili Cucumbers: Combine in a small bowl. Taste and add additional chili powder or honey, as desired.

Grill Chili Lime Shrimp: Ensure grill grates are clean. Bring grill to medium-high heat. Shake off excess marinade from shrimp and grill directly on the grates for a total of 2-4 minutes (total cook time will depend upon how large your shrimp are) or until shrimp are no long translucent. Transfer to plate.

Build Bowls: Divide rice between bowls along with the shrimp. Add as much Mango Salsa, Cilantro Lime Sauce, and Sweet Chili Cucumbers, as desired, as well as some extra red onion slices. Enjoy!

Dynamite Shrimp

Photo from Creme
de la Crumb

I'm trying to eat more fish. I hear it's good for you. My problem is there's very few fish types I like. Shrimp is one I'll eat. I don't make enough shrimp. It's quick and easy and usually delicious.

This was an odd recipe. And I can't say it was all that great. 

My first issue was the panko. You marinate the shrimp in soy sauce and rice wine vinegar and then dunk them in panko. The thing is the panko won't stick too well. I had more panko in the baking dish than on the shrimp. It needed a binder. 

The sauce was SPICY. Which I expected. It was just a little too spicy for me tonight. Which I didn't expect. It was good though. I'd use that sauce again for something. Like maybe dipping dumplings into. 

Bottom line: I won't make this again. 

Dynamite Shrimp

Recipe from Crème De La Crumb

Serves 4

For the Shrimp:

• 1 pound large shrimp - peeled and de-veined, see note about tails
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs

For the Dynamite Sauce

• ½ cup Asian chili sauce
• ⅓ cup mayo
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sriracha

First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, then line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Next, stir together 4 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar. The, add the shrimp and give it a toss. Cover the shrimp marinade and chill for 10 minutes.

Now, toss the shrimp, one by one, in the panko breadcrumbs and coat them as thoroughly as possible. Then, arrange them in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. 

Put the crusted Asian shrimp in the oven and bake for 15 minutes till golden brown. 

Stir together chili sauce, mayo, soy sauce, and sriracha. Microwave for 45 seconds to heat it up, then add the shrimp and toss to coat.

Serve over steamed white rice.

Baked Tandoori Salmon

Photo from Little
Sunny Kitchen

I have really tried to get more salmon in my life, but salmon gets boring to me. 

I found this recipe and thought it sounded interesting. And you know what, it was amazing!! I made zero changes to this recipe and I wouldn't change a thing when I make it again. 

I marinated the fish for 2 hours. I did wipe off some of the excess marinade before baking it as they suggest. It's a thick marinade so it makes sense. 

Baked Tandoori Salmon

Recipe from Little Sunny Kitchen

Serves 4

• ¾ cup Greek yogurt or hung/strained yogurt
• 1 lemon juiced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin sweet or smoked
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 ½ pounds salmon fillets skin on or removed

To a large bowl or a ziploc bag, add yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, cilantro, salt, garam masala, coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cayenne, and black pepper. Whisk well to combine.

Add the salmon to the marinade and gently toss so that it is well coated in the marinade. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), or 180°C for a fan oven, and line a quarter sheet pan with foil or parchment paper.

Remove the salmon from the marinade shaking off any excess, and place on the prepared sheet pan.

Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, then heat the broiler and place the fish 6 inches under the broiler element and broil for 5 minutes but watch it closely. Remove when the salmon is broiled and has reached the right color.

Allow the salmon to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm with rice, onion slices, raita or a fresh salad.

Garlic Parmesan Crumbed Fish

I try to get more fish in my meal planning and most the time I fail miserably at it. I have to make a concerted effort to put fish in. Salmon I get in pretty often, but other fish not so much.

Cod is one of my favorite white fish. It's firm and doesn't have a too fishy of a flavor. And it takes on other flavors pretty easily. 

This was a good recipe. I'd make it again. It's super easy and satisfying. 

Garlic Parmesan Crumbed Fish

Recipe from Cafe Delites

Serves 4

• 4 firm white fish fillets skinless and boneless, close to room temperature (about 5 oz/150g per fillet)
• 1 T mayonnaise
• Salt and cracked black pepper to season
• Garlic powder, to season

CRUMB

• 1/2 c panko breadcrumbs
• 2 T fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 c parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T melted butter
• 2 T olive oil
• Salt and cracked black pepper, to season
• Cooking oil spray
• Squeeze of lemon juice

Mustard Soy Salmon

I have noticed since I've been buying Hello Fresh I've eaten more salmon, so I guess that's a plus. The downside is it's always Atlantic Salmon and it's not my favorite. I do wish they'd let us NOT include the protein so I can use up the salmon in my freezer, but whatever. 

This was tasty. I completely missed pickled onions part, but I don't think it really took away from the meal. I also baked my salmon instead of frying it. I'd order this again if it comes up. 

Mustard Soy Salmon
Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 8 ounce Broccoli
• 1 thumb Ginger
• 5 teaspoon White Wine Vinegar
• 2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 10 ounce Salmon
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha
• 2 Scallions
• 1 Lime
• 4 tablespoon Sweet Soy Glaze
• ¾ cup Jasmine Rice
• Sesame Seeds

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces if necessary. Peel and mince or grate ginger. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Zest and quarter lime.

Toss broccoli on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.

Melt 1 TBSP butter in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add half the ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in rice, 1 1⁄4 cups water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

While rice cooks, in a small bowl, combine scallion whites, vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Set aside to pickle.

In a separate small bowl, combine sweet soy glaze, mustard, remaining ginger, and a squeeze of lime juice.

Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add salmon, skin sides down; cook until skin is lightly browned and crispy, 5-7 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until fish is opaque and cooked through, 1-2 minutes more. Add sauce to pan; turn salmon to thoroughly coat. Remove pan from heat.

Fluff rice with a fork; stir in 1 TBSP butter and season with salt and pepper.

 Toss broccoli with lime zest to taste.

Divide rice, broccoli, and salmon between plates; drizzle salmon with any remaining sauce. Top with pickled scallion whites, scallion greens, and sesame seeds. Drizzle with as much Sriracha as you like. Serve with any remaining lime wedges on the side.

 

Warm Buttered Shrimp Rolls

In 2016 we went to the South. We hit Charleston and Savannah before heading to Atlanta. I fell in
LOVE with the fried shrimp there. My goal was to eat as much of it as I could. Fresh, spicy, crispy and delicious.

One lunch my mom suggested I get something other than fried shrimp. So, I ordered a fried shrimp po'boy. What? It was different. 

What happened though is I was then in LOVE with the po'boys. You can't get that kind of sandwich here. 

Photo from Hello Fresh

I came across this recipe on Hello Fresh and I thought it might be reminiscent of the south. And it did not disappoint. 

I didn't do the potatoes along side it tonight though. Corn, a sandwich AND potatoes seemed like too much. AND it's hotter than hades here and I didn't want to have the oven on any longer than I needed. 

Warm Buttered Shrimp Rolls

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 12 ounce Potatoes
• 2 Scallions
• 1 Lemon
• 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 2 tablespoon Mayonnaise
• 1.5 tablespoon Sour Cream
• 1 teaspoon Celery Salt
• 4 ounce Shredded Red Cabbage
• 10 ounce Shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 Demi-Baguette
• 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce
• 1 Corn on the Cob

Warm Buttered Shrimp Rolls with Corn on the Cob, Creamy Lemon Slaw & Seasoned Potato Wedges

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut potatoes into ½-inch-thick wedges. Zest and halve lemon. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Toss potatoes on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of olive oil, half the paprika, half the garlic powder (you’ll use the rest of each spice later), salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, juice from half the lemon, half the celery salt (you’ll use the rest later), and 1½ tsp sugar. Add cabbage and scallion greens; toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Place 1 TBSP butter in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave until melted, 30 seconds. • Slice baguettes lengthwise, stopping before you get all the way through. Brush melted butter onto cut sides of bread. Place, cut sides up, on  a baking sheet); toast until golden brown, 2-3 minutes.

While baguettes toast, rinse shrimp under cold water, then pat dry with paper towels. Toss in a second medium bowl with a large drizzle of olive oil, remaining paprika, remaining garlic powder, remaining celery salt, and a big pinch of salt and pepper.

Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, add shrimp and scallion whites. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are opaque and cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Turn off heat; stir in 1 TBSP butter and lemon zest to taste.

While shrimp cooks, wrap corn in damp paper towels. Microwave until kernels are softened and corn is cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Let rest for 1 minute; halve corn crosswise.

Fill toasted baguettes with shrimp, as much slaw as you like, and hot sauce if desired.

Walnut-Crusted Salmon

This one felt fancy tonight. It was so freakin' delicious though. And, the best part, I didn't overcook the salmon. 

Only thing I didn't do is I didn't add oregano to the panko mixture. I'm not a huge fan of oregano and I didn't want it to ruin the fish for me. Other than that, I followed the recipe for a change. 

Oh, actually, I take that back. I did change one small thing. I used chicken stock instead of water in the rice. I prefer that to plain water when the rice isn't going to get any other sauce on it. It added a nice flavor and the savory to it. 

Walnut-Crusted Salmon with Garlicky Asparagus, Scallion Rice & Creamy Lemon Sauce
Recipe from Hello Fresh
Serves 2

• 6 ounce Asparagus
• 2 tablespoon Yogurt
• ½ ounce Walnuts
• 2 Scallions
• 1 clove Garlic
• 1.5 tablespoon Sour Cream 
• 10 ounce Salmon 
• ¼ cup Panko Breadcrumbs 
• ¾ cup Jasmine Rice
• 1 Lemon
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in rice, 1 1⁄4 cups water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

While rice cooks, finely chop walnuts or crush in their bag with a heavy-bottomed pan or rolling pin.

Zest and quarter lemon.

Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add panko, walnuts, and 1⁄4 tsp oregano.

Toast, stirring, until golden and fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer walnut mixture to a small bowl. Season with 1⁄4 tsp salt (1⁄2 tsp for 4) and pepper. Wipe out pan.

In a second small bowl, combine yogurt, sour cream, half the lemon zest, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Pat salmon dry with paper towels; season all over with salt and pepper. Place, skin sides down, on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Top each piece of salmon with 1 tsp sauce (save remaining sauce for serving); spread to coat evenly. Mound tops with walnut mixture, pressing to adhere (no need to coat the undersides). Roast on top rack until salmon is opaque and cooked through, 8-10 minutes.

While salmon roasts, trim and discard woody bottom ends from asparagus. Peel and mince or grate garlic. Heat a large drizzle of oil in pan used for walnuts over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned and tender, 2-4 minutes. Add garlic and 1⁄4 tsp oregano. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes more. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

Fluff rice with a fork; stir in half the scallion greens, remaining lemon zest, and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide salmon, asparagus, and rice between plates. Drizzle remaining sauce over salmon and sprinkle with remaining scallion greens. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Dijon Baked Salmon

Oh salmon! How I love thee...mostly. I don't care for Atlantic Salmon and that was all I had in the freezer. Leftover from a package I bought accidentally. I gave most of them away to Janet, but one escaped. 

I thawed it but knew I wouldn't want to eat it. So this morning I had to run to Trader Joe's. I figured I'd pick up a fresh piece of salmon there. 

Boy was I surprised when the ONLY fresh salmon they had was Atlantic. Blech. So, I wandered through their frozen fish area and found these salmon patties. I had a flashback to my mom making salmon patties from canned salmon and I loved those things. 

I will say, I was pleasantly surprised at how good these were. I really had figured I'd bake them and then have to order pizza or have a peanut butter sandwich. But I was wrong. 

The Dijon sauce on them really made them delicious - er I think too. I baked mine, but I think grilling them would be delicious too. Next time. 

I wouldn't change anything about this sauce except maybe not add the parsley until the end. I feel like baked parsley gets bitter, it definitely changes the flavor to me and not in a good way. 

I only ate one of the patties and will save the second for lunch tomorrow. I served it with a buttload of fruit and Spanish Green Beans. 

Dijon Baked Salmon

Recipe from Downshiftology.com

Serves 5

• 1 ½ pounds salmon, King, Sockeye or Coho salmon
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix together the mustard, parsley, lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

Place the salmon on a parchment lined baking tray and generously coat the top of the salmon with the herbed mustard mix.

Bake the salmon for 18 to 20 minutes (depending on size and thickness), then slice it into individual portions and serve immediately.

Air Fryer Salmon Bites

Happy Father's Day! Normally, I like to grill on Father's day because Dad was the grill master in our family. But I had this salmon in the freezer that I really needed to use and so I thought, "Dad liked salmon." 

This was an interesting recipe for me. I have never had salmon with teriyaki sauce and I can't say that I ever will again. The main mistake I think I made here was the teriyaki sauce I had was 1) thick and 2) too sweet. I mean, it was fine, but it won't be my favorite. 

I may try this again using a thinner teriyaki that's a bit more savory than sweet, something like Kokkiman's maybe.

Air Fryer Salmon Bites

Recipe from To Simply Inspire

Serves 1

• 1 lb salmon filets
• 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ½ tablespoon honey
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper

Remove skin from salmon using a sharp knife

Chop salmon fillets into 1 inch cubes

In a medium bowl, add the teriyaki sauce, olive oil, soy sauce, honey, garlic powder and pepper and blend together well.

Add the salmon to the marinade for 10-15 minutes while oven is preheating.

Preheat the air fryer to 350° F. Place the salmon pieces into the basket in a single layer. (do not overcrowd. cook in batches if necessary)

Cook for 6-8 minutes or salmon is cooked through. (Shake the basket half way through cooking).

Top with sesame seeds if desired.

Crispy Sweet Chili Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Slaw

Y'all...I have found another amazingly simple and amazingly delicious meal. And it couldn't be more
simple.

I've never used frozen popcorn shrimp before and really wasn't sure I'd like it, but turns out I LOVED it. I did purchase the SeaPak brand the original recipe author suggested. 

This combination of sweet chili sauce, tangy lime and shrimp is off the charts delicious. 

This recipe is going into the favorite category and maybe, just maybe will make it to the rotation of delicious meals. 

Make this recipe. You won't regret it. 

Crispy Sweet Chili Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Slaw

Recipe from Black Berry Babe

Serves 6-8

• 18 ounces SeaPak Popcorn Shrimp
• 6 tbsp sweet chili sauce (find in asian aisle)
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• squeeze of lime
• 16 fajita sized soft tortillas
• 2 cups Cilantro Lime Coleslaw (recipe link in notes)

Cilantro Lime Coleslaw

FOR THE CILANTRO LIME DRESSING:

• 1/4 red onion or yellow onion, sliced into very fine strips
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sugar or Splenda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

FOR THE CABBAGE SLAW MIX:

• 8 ounces coleslaw mix, green cabbage with carrots
• 4 ounces shredded red cabbage
• 1/3 cup chopped green onion
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cook shrimp to package specifications. While it's baking; make the coleslaw and sauce.

In small mixing bowl, combine sweet chili sauce, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime juice. Stir until well combine.

In a large bowl, add coleslaw mix, purple cabbage, onion, cilantro and green onions. toss to combine.

In a small bowl, prepare the coleslaw dressing. Add onions, lime juice, olive oil, sugar/splenda, salt and pepper. Whisk vigorously and allow it to rest for 2-3 minutes to allow the lime juice to mellow out the onions.

Pour dressing onto slaw mix, stir and cover. allow to rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Stir again, before serving.

When the shrimp is done; remove the cooked popcorn shrimp from the oven and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the sweet chili sauce mixture. Toss to combine.

To each tortilla, add a few sweet chili shrimp and top with cilantro lime coleslaw. Top with additional fresh cilantro if desired.

Easy Teriyaki Salmon Bowls

Salmon is on the list of things to eat more of this year.  I like salmon, but often don't think to cook it. So I have a little game I'm playing to try to remind myself to eat more salmon (and fish in general). 

I know this recipe says "bowl" but I didn't want (or care for) much of what's on the list to put in said bowl. In fact, as I look at the list, I used none of what's on the list. I had this zucchini to use up so I went ahead and baked it with the salmon. The salad had some carrots in it, so that counts. AND I had cucumbers for lunch. 

Ahem. 

At any rate, this was a good teriyaki sauce. If you're not a fan of sesame oil, don't use the full teaspoon. It was a little overwhelming for my liking. 

Easy Teriyaki Salmon Bowls

Recipe from Averie Cooks 

Serves 4

TERIYAKI SAUCE

• ½ cup soy sauce, lite or reduced sodium recommended
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, plus more to taste if desired
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger, or 1/2 teaspoon dried ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or taste (I prefer more for a bit more spiciness)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water

SALMON

• 1 ½ pounds salmon, skin removed and cut into 1-inch cubes (read blog post FAQs for more salmon info)

BOWL INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cooked jasmine rice, or your favorite rice
• 1 cup shelled edamame, cooked
• 1 cup English cucumber, sliced (peeled if desired if using regular cucumber)
• 1 cup carrots, julienned (use bagged shredded carrots to save time)
• 1 medium ripe Hass avocado, sliced or cubed
• 1 to 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions, for garnishing and to taste
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, for garnishing and to taste

Teriyaki Sauce – Add all the ingredients to a medium bowl, and whisk to combine. Set aside momentarily.

Cube the salmon into 1-inch chunks, place them into a large bowl, and drizzle about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the teriyaki sauce, mix well with a spoon or clean hands, cover, and refrigerate to marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. Reserve the rest of the teriyaki sauce for simmering. 

Preheat your oven to 400F while the salmon marinates (if marinating longer than 30 minutes, you don't need to preheat your oven until you're ready to bake the salmon of course).

Bake the salmon for about 9-12 minutes, or as needed (perhaps up to 15 minutes). Baking Tips – It depends on the exact size of the pieces of salmon, your oven's heat output, and how well done you like your salmon. These are small, bite-sized pieces of fish which cook quickly. It could take longer (even up to 15-ish minutes) but cook until done, whatever that means for you, in your oven. Allow salmon to rest on the baking sheet until it's ready to be placed in the bowls.

Simmer the Reserved Teriyaki Sauce – To a small pan, add the remaining teriyaki sauce. Separately in a small bowl or cup, add the cornstarch + water and stir to dissolve and combine and now add the slurry to the pan with the teriyaki sauce, heat over medium or medium-high, whisking nearly constantly for about 3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. 

Tips – Sauce will always appear more runny and thin when it's in a hot pan than when it's cooled. So even if it doesn't look particularly thick at 3 minutes, simmer for another couple minutes, and that should be plenty. You can keep the sauce in the pan, off the heat, while the salmon bakes and you get to work on the bowl ingredients.

Bowl Ingredients – Important Tip – While the salmon is marinating and then baking, you must work on preparing these ingredients or things won't finish at the same time.

If you're cooking rice from scratch, do it now. However…Tip – I am a huge fan of precooked rice in packets that require just 90 seconds in the microwave because they save so much time and energy. (see link above). Cook your rice how you like it best, and use whatever type of rice you'd like, of course.

Boil the edamame and drain it. Tip – I put frozen shelled edamame straight from the freezer into a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup, top with water, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave it for about 5 minutes on high, or until done, then drain or just fish out with a slotted spoon. You can boil it on the stovetop but I find the microwave method much faster and easier.

Bowl Assembly – Evenly divide the cooked rice, cooked and drained edamame, cucumbers, carrots, and avocado between 4 bowls (or meal prep containers).

Evenly divide the cooked salmon to each bowl, evenly garnish with green onions and sesame seeds to taste, and evenly drizzle the simmered teriyaki sauce, and serve.

Teriyaki Salmon and Broccoli Bowls

Salmon is one of the few fish I like. I don't know why I don't make it more often. I may make that a goal next year. Or just focus on eating more salmon. 

I wasn't sure about teriyaki on salmon, but it turns out it was pretty good. I made this broccoli recipe to go along with it instead of the one in this recipe. Mostly because I needed another new recipe to have a chance of hitting my goal of 170. 

I'd make this again in a heart beat. The teriyaki sauce had a nice flavor. I didn't have honey so skipped that. It might have rounded out the flavor a bit, but I can't say I missed it. I also swapped the brown sugar for low carb brown sugar. 

Also for the rice, I used the Trader Joe's frozen rice. So easy to make and no mess to clean up. 

Teriyaki Salmon and Broccoli Bowls

Recipe from Damn Delicious

Serves 4

• 1 T cornstarch
• 1/4 c reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 c brown sugar, packed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T freshly grated ginger
• 2 T honey
• 4 (5-ounce) salmon fillets 1
• 2 ounces broccoli florets, about 2-3 cups

Get your rice started. Whether on the stove or in a rice cooker.

In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1/4 cup water; set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, add soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, honey and 1 cup water; bring to a simmer. Stir in cornstarch mixture until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes; let cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8×8 baking dish with nonstick spray.

Place salmon filets along with the soy sauce mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 14-15 minutes.

Place broccoli florets into a steamer or colander set over a pan of boiling water. Cover and steam for 5 mins, or until cooked through and vibrant green.

Serve salmon immediately with rice and broccoli.

Air Fryer Lemon Butter Salmon

I'm getting a new fridge this Tuesday so wanted to eat out of my freezer. I've spent the last couple of days doing just that. It's still not going to be nearly as empty as I'd like, but it's a start.

I found a salmon filet in the drawer and thought I'd better use it up. I love these single serve salmon filets you can get these days. Makes eating fish easier. 

This is a easy recipe and can be done in the oven as well. I salted my salmon and added some lemon pepper too. I'd make this again in a heart beat. 

Air Fryer Lemon Butter Salmon

Recipe from Butter Your Biscuits

Serves 3

• 3- (6 ounce) salmon filets, skin on
• Salt and pepper
• Non stick cooking spray
• 3 T butter, melted
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh chopped dill
• ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Lemon slices for garnish
• More dill for garnish

Place the salmon fillets on a baking sheet or plate and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl add the melted butter, lemon juice, garlic, dill, and Worcestershire sauce and mix until combined. Place 3 tablespoons in a separate bowl.

Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes. Spray inside the basket with non-stick cooking spray.

Brush 1 tablespoon on top of each salmon filet. Place salmon filets inside the basket.

Cook at 400 degrees for 10-13 minutes

Remove from air fryer and serve with extra lemon butter sauce over the top.

Spanish Garlic Shrimp (84 of 150)

Yesterday was Sunday dinner and our theme was Spanish. It was also a wroaming Sunday dinner so that meant I had to only bring an appetizer. 

When I was in Spain I loved their shrimp tapas. This one was just as good. It was easy and delicious. 

Spanish Garlic Shrimp

Recipe from Goya

Serves 4

• 1.5 lbs Whole Shrimp peeled & de-veined
• 3 tbsp Minced Garlic
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp Sherry Cooking Wine
• 1.5 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1.5 tsp Red Chili Flakes
• 1 medium Lemon juiced
• Kosher Salt to taste
• Chopped Parsley for garnish
• Toasted Bread for serving

First, add your olive oil to melt in the skillet. Next, add the minced garlic and red chili flakes and let it brown for 90 seconds. 

Once browned, add all of your shrimp to the skillet (make sure to not overcrowd the pan), season with paprika, salt & pepper then cook for about 90 seconds on the first side. 

Flip the shrimp over and then deglaze the skillet with the sherry wine and the lemon juice. 

Stir and little and continue to cook the shrimp for another 1-2 minutes until fully done. When the shrimp are done, pull the whole skillet off the fire to cool.

Garnish the skillet with chopped parsley and crusted bread. Serve and enjoy!

Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Salmon (68 of 150)

Fish is something that's really hard for me to get into my meal planning. I don't have too many fish recipes, so when one comes up, I take full advantage of it. 

Salmon is one of my favorite fish to eat. I do like it cooked well though. Tonight was the first time I put it in the air fryer. Pro tip: make sure the skin side is also oiled. If not, the skin is going to stick to the air fryer and make it harder to clean. 

Ahem. 

I tossed some broccoli in olive oil and lemon pepper and added it into the basket half way through. 

This is an easy, and delicious recipe. Lemon and salmon are a good paring. 

Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Salmon

Recipe from Sweet C Designs

Serves 4

• 4 6 oz salmon filets
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
• 1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp Italian herbs

In a large bowl, drizzle lemon juice and olive oil over salmon and rub to make sure the salmon filets are evenly coated.

Season generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian herbs.

Arrange salmon filets in air fryer basket, making sure they don't touch too much (don't over crowd the basket, so air can move around salmon easily).

Arrange lemon slices on and around salmon in air fryer basket.

Set air fryer to 400 degrees and cook for 10 minutes for salmon with a little bit of red in the middle.

Cook for 12 minutes for salmon with no red in the middle, 14 for well done salmon or thicker salmon filets.

Serve and enjoy!

Fish Sticks (64 of 150)

During my days in Jenny Craig, one of their meals was my all time favorite. Their fish and chips. I know. I know. It's not the "real" thing, but when you're trying to keep your stomach from getting larger than Texas, it's a way to curb that craving. The two VERY little fish sticks were served with 5 VERY SMALL wedge potatoes. But there was something about them. 

I do like me some fish and chips. And as I mentioned above about Texas, they just aren't in the cards these days. But, there's no reason I can't take a fish stick recipe and make it healthy, right? 

This is a very basic, very common recipe for fish sticks in the air fryer. The key to the crunch is panko - which is not on my low carbish list. So I decided to try the old stand by - pork rinds. Yes, that's a thing in low carb eating. Swapping crushed pork rinds for panko. It's oddly similar. You don't get that pork rind flavor, just the crunch. 

The secret to crunchy in the air fryer is spraying the meat with a PAM or something similar before you put it in. 

I served these with my homemade cocktails sauce. I made this up during the Jenny Craig Fish n Chip days. It's basically a couple of hefty squirts of ketchup (sugar free of course), a tsp or so of horseradish and a Tablespoon or so of mayo. I got a little heavy handed with the horseradish tonight...spicy! Cleared out my sinuses though. 

You could also bake these in a traditional oven. You'd have adjust the time a little. 

Fish Sticks

Recipe from Centennial Kitchen Air Fryer Recipes

Serves 4

• 4 (6oz) cod fillets
• 1/4 c flour
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1 c panko
• 1 T Old Bay Seasoning

Cut each cod fillet into 4 sticks. Pat dry with paper towels.

Set up a dredging station. First bowl mix flour, paprika, salt and pepper. In second, beat eggs. In third mix breadcrumbs and old bay seasoning.

Coat fix in flour, then egg, then panko. Pressing panko to adhere.

Spray sticks with cooking spray. Place sticks in air fryer basket. Cook @ 400F for 10 minutes; turning once halfway through. 

Baked Lemon Pepper Salmon (8 of 150)

Fish! Fish! Glorious fish! 

Not something I cook too often, but am trying to get more fish into my diet. It's hard because I really only like hard white fish, salmon, and shrimp. 

But honestly, lemon, pepper, garlic and butter with salmon! What a yummy combination. 

The recipe doesn't call for any salt and honestly, you don't need it. The lemon pepper has enough flavor that you don't need the salt. 

Baked Lemon Pepper Salmon

Recipe from Jo Cooks

Serves 4

Potatoes

• 1 pound fingerling potatoes (scrubbed and cut in half)
• 1 ½ tsp lemon pepper (or to taste)
• 2 T olive oil

Salmon

• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 T lemon pepper
• 2 T lemon juice
• ¼ c butter (unsalted, melted)
• 2 pound salmon fillet

Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 425 F degrees.

Slice the potatoes in half and toss them with lemon pepper and olive oil. Dump them onto your sheet pan, spread evenly, and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Mix the garlic, lemon pepper, lemon juice, and butter in a small bowl. Once the potato timer is up, use a spatula to move the potatoes to the side. You need just enough room for the salmon to fit on the pan lengthwise. Spoon the prepared sauce over both sides of the salmon.

Transfer the baking sheet back to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until fully cooked through. 

Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi (Recipe 90 of 150)

I bought a bag of shrimp for the appetizers I made for book club. And I had some left, so now I need to put shrimp into the rotation for a couple of weeks. Shrimpees are delicious. I haven't cooked them much and I really don't know why. They are so quick and easy to cook. 

This recipe has three words in the title that are among my favorites. Garlic.  Butter.  Shrimp. You throws those bad boys together with some lemon juice and you have yourself a delectable meal. That's right. I used the word delectable.

The other advantage of cooking shrimp is it drives the demons crazy. They can smell it and want to devour it. Which means I cannot leave it on the counter to thaw. 

I'd make this recipe again. Shrimp are easy to cook (just don't over cook them), quick to cook and are delicious. Oh and it's low carb! What more could you want?

Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi

Recipe from Damn Delicious

Serves 4

• 1/2 c unsalted butter, cubed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 T chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tsp lemon zest

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, shallot and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add shrimp; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.

Stir in parsley, lemon juice and lemon zest.

Serve immediately.