Panaeng Beef in Red Curry Peanut Sauce

Que delicioso! I'd say that in Thai if I could, but I cant'.

I'm a big fan of red curry. BIG FAN. I can't say that this tastes any different than my normal red curry favorite (chicken, red curry and coconut milk), and yet this was sooo good. The recipe called for 2T of red curry paste and I thought, "Good Lord I'll never feel my tongue again." So I opted for 2 tsp. Wasn't enough. I added 2 more tsps and then added just one more. That was perfect. And almost 2T.

I did some research on this an panaeng is one of Thailand's signature dishes

Panaeng Beef in Red Curry Peanut Sauce
Serves 4-6

• 1 cup Unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 lb Boneless beef, such as flank steak, thinly sliced crosswise into 2 in strips
• 2 T Panaeng curry paste or red curry paste
• 2 T fish sauce
• 2 T brown sugar (the recipe calls for palm sugar - but I can never find that)
• 3 T finely chopped peanuts or peanut butter
• 3 wild lime leaves torn or cut (yah, never could fine wild lime leaves, so skipped this)

In a medium saucepan, stir together 1/2 cup of the coconut milk and the water and bring to a very gentle boil over medium heat. Sprinkle in the sliced beef, stirring to keep the pieces from sticking together, and simmer 5 minutes, until meat is tender. With a slotted spoon, scoop the meat out into a bowl and set aside, leaving coconut milk in a pan to return to a gentle boil.

Stir in the curry paste and cook, pressing and stirring to dissolve the paste, 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce is fragrant and smooth. Return the beef and any juices to the pan, adding the remaining 1/2 cup coconut milk, and bring back to a gentle boil.

Add fish sauce, brown sugar, peanuts and lime leaves, if using. Stir well and simmer 3-4 minutes more until the sauce is smooth.

Serve with rice.

Pasta with Chicken and Mushrooms

This is one of my all time favorite dinners. It's super flavorful and super easy. It makes for leftovers that I'll actually eat. It's great cold too. I am not a fan of reheated chicken - so I make this a pasta salad for day 2. Delicious!

Pasta with Chicken and Mushrooms
Serves: 4

• 3/4 pound Bowtie pasta
• 1 pound Chicken tenders, halved lengthwise, then again crosswise
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 1 pound Mushrooms, stemmed and halved
• 1/2 cup White wine
• 1/2 cup Heavy cream
• 1/2 cup Chopped fresh parsley

Cook pasta. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.

Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add chicken; cook turning once until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate.

Add mushrooms to pan; season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat until mushrooms release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Uncover; cook until liquid has evaporated, 3-5 minutes. Add wine, cook stirring until evaporated 2-3 minutes.

Reduce heat to low. Add cream and chicken; stir to coat. Transfer to pot with pasta; add parsley and pasta water (if desired - sometimes there's enough liquid). Toss to combine. Season as necessary.

Country Captain Chicken

As I've undoubtedly mentioned before there are a couple recipes that hit me right in the "OMG" zone. This recipe...it's 1) a keeper and 2) an instant remake (as in the next couple weeks).

I've made a version of this before, but this one was way better. It could be I'm a better cook now than I was when I tried the Rachael Ray version, or it's just that I followed the recipe. Either way, I highly recommend this recipe.

I mixed white rice in with this entire dish and served it. It doesn't really indicate if mashed potatoes or rice is better with it. I liked the rice because it makes a great left over. You know how I feel about left overs right...? I LOVED this as a left over.

Country Captain Chicken
Serves 4

• 8 bone in, skin on chicken thighs, trimmed of excess skin and fat
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 tsp Vegetable oil
• 2 large onions, chopped coarse (I only used one large and it was fine)
• 1 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped coarse
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1 1/2 T Sweet paprika
• 1 T Madras-style curry powder (I couldn't find Madras style so I used yellow curry powder)
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 3 T All purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Adjust an oven rack to the lower middle position: heat the oven to 300 degrees. Dry the chicken thighs thoroughly with paper towels, then season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large oven proof Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add 4 of the thighs, skin side down and cook without moving them until the skin is crisp and well browned, about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces and brown on the second side for 5 minutes. transfer to a large plate. Repeat with remaining chicken thighs.

Discard all but 1 T of fat from the pot; when the chicken has cooled, remove and discard the skin.

Add the onion and bell pepper to the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, paprika, curry powder and cayenne and cook until the spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the broth, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to the pot. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, raisins, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and any accumulated juices, submerging the chicken in the liquid. Return to a simmer, cover and place pot in the oven; cook until the chicken offers no resistance when poked with the top of a pairing knife, but is still clinging to the bones, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove pot from oven.

Stir in parsley and discard the bay leaf.

Fettuccine with Sausage, Garlic and Mushrooms

About 2 months ago, QFC was having some tasting stations. At one of those stations I tasted this chicken Italian sausage. It was in links and so delicious. I didn't buy any then because I had no idea what I'd do with it.

Enter this recipe. I went back and bought - thankful I could even remember what it was called - a package.

HikerGirl and Blueberry joined me for dinner and they both took home the left overs. God I love my friends...

I can't say this was a favorite. In fact, it was kinda boring. I didn't like just the wine as a sauce, so I added a tablespoon of Dijon mustard. Made a much better flavor. I did, accidentally, overcook the pasta...I hate when I do that. blech!

Fettuccini with Sausage, Garlic and Mushrooms
Serves 6

• 3/4 pound Cooked low fat smoked chicken or turkey sausage
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 pound Fresh mushrooms, brushed clean and thinly sliced
• 1 cup Dry white wine
• 1/4 cup Chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound Dried fettuccine

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Slice sausage into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. When hot, add the sausage slices and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic and mushrooms and stir until the mushrooms have softened and released their liquid, about 3 minutes.

Add the wine and boil over medium heat until mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes longer. Stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

While the sauce is cooking, add the fettuccine to the boiling water, stir well and cook until al dente.

Drain fettuccine and place in a warm shallow serving bowl. Pour the sauce over the top and toss briefly to combine.

Grilled Mexican Steak

I am in a desperate search of that perfect Mexican flavored steak. No, not flavored with Mexicans, but that flavor I remember having while in Mexico. Tried this new recipe and still don't have the right flavor I want.

First off, I'm not a big fan of oregano. I didn't put as much in as it said, but I could still taste it.

AND I found this new steak that's WAY cheaper than flank steak. Look around your grocery store for flat iron steaks. In my QFC it comes in a sealed manufacturer looking type package (not your normal meat package stuff). It's way cheaper and has the same basic structure as flank steak.

Grilled Mexican Steak
Serves 8

• 1/2 cup Lime juice
• 2 tablespoons Dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt and pepper each
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 Beef flank steaks

Mix all ingredients except beef together in a shallow glass dish. Add beef; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes - turning beef once.

Remove beef from marinade; discard marinade. Grill to desired doneness (10-15 minutes for medium). Cut beef diagonally across grain into thin slices.

Chicken Curry in a Hurry

Oh.
My.
God.

I know. I know. I say this all the time - but wow what a recipe. This one is going into the Chez Jenn rotation for great, quick food. Delish!

This was the third recipe I made this week out of one rotisserie chicken. I suppose hind sight being what it was, I could have easily purchased a whole fryer and baked it for less than a rotisserie one, but I'm not so good at baking whole chickens. I'll leave that to the Parental Units.

You've got to try this recipe. It's quick, it's simple and it is a filler. I'm a big fan of yellow curry, but let me tell you, you can get too much...I'm just sayin'. And now my entire house smells like an Indian restaurant.

Chicken Curry in a Hurry
Serves 4

• 1 1/2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 small Yello onion, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons Curry powder
• 1/2 cup Plain yogurt
• 3/4 cup Heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
• 1 can (14.5 oz) Diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 Rotisserie Chicken
• 2 cups Cooked white rice
• 1/4 cup Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes.

Sprinkle in curry powder; stirring for one minutes.

Add the yogurt and cream and simmer gently for 3 minutes.

Stir in salt and pepper and tomatoes. Heat through.

Remove from heat. Slice or shred chicken; discarding the skin and bones. Divide rice and chicken among individual bowls, spoon sauce over the top and sprinkle with cilantro.

Asian Noodle Salad with Chicken and Cilantro

This wasn't such a success for me. First I bought the wrong noodles. It calls for cellophane noodles - you know the skinny clear asian noodles? Yah well I bought skinny noodles, but the ones I bought are the ones that when they hit grease they puff up to look like styrophome...not so great in a salad. So I compromised and used wide rice noodles. Still the recipe wasn't so great for me.

I did buy one rotisserie chicken this week and used it in three different dishes. Now that's a bargin.

Asian Noodle Salad with Chicken and Cilantro
Serves 4

• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 Jalapeno chile pepper, minced; peeled; ribs removed
• 3 tablespoons Minced fresh ginger
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup Dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup Rice vinegar
• 4 cups Shredded rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded
• 1 package Cellophane noodles, prepared according to package instructions
• 1 English cucumber, cut into 3-inch sticks
• 2 cups Fresh cilantro

In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add jalapeno, ginger, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until garlic is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add sugar and vinegar and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 6 minutes. Refrigerate until cool, at least 15 minutes (or up to 1 week).

Combine chicken, noodles, cucumber, and cilantro. Drizzle with dressing just before serving.

Chicken Chilaquiles

I have some very fond memories of my time in Mexico. Most of them happen to be around the food. The exchange family I lived with was blessed with a mother who could cook like no other. At first it was hard for her to let me in the kitchen to "help" - it was just my nature. In Mexico the mom's, especially in traditional environments, did all the cooking and maybe any daughters help out. Still, I eventually convinced the mom, Adrianna, to let me help. She taught me some wonderful dishes. Many of which I wish I could recreate like she did.

Chilaquiles is one of those dishes. The "legend" is that this recipe was created to help finish off leftovers. And it's frequently served for breakfast with eggs. Even knowing that I knew I had to have it for dinner. And, I've been searching since 1991 for a recipe that even comes close to Adrianna's. This recipe was close, but not quite it. Still the flavors and the smells vaulted me back to September 1990 when I first tasted Chilaquiles.

Chicken Chilaquiles
Serves 4

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes in puree
• 2 canned chipotle chilies in adobo, finely chopped (about 1 heaping tablespoon), plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from same can)
• Coarse salt
• 1 small cooked rotisserie chicken (about 1 3/4 pounds), skinned and shredded (about 4 cups), carcass discarded
• 1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves, chopped, plus 4 sprigs for garnish
• 4 cups (about 3 ounces) tortilla chips
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1.75 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/4 cup) I'm not a fan of feta, so I used Queso fresco - which is a traditional Mexican cheese.

Combine oil and garlic in a large (3-to-4-quart) saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and sizzling, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes with their puree (breaking tomatoes up), chipotles and adobo, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; season with salt. Reduce heat and simmer rapidly until lightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add chicken and cook, stirring, until hot, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in chopped cilantro.

Divide chips among four shallow bowls; top with chicken mixture and sauce. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, sour cream, and feta. Serve.

Slow Roasted Salmon with Coconut Rice

Its odd to me that one of my all time, go to recipes, hasn't ended up on this blog. But I'll fix that right now.

I made a comment on facebook about making this meal and was surprised by how many people emailed me asking for recipe. It's a nice lo-cal option for a hearty meal too, so that's always helpful. The other benefit is the flavor combination in the sauce. The lime and curry paste to me is just an explosion of flavor. I make this recipe a couple times a month - though admittedly I don't do the coconut rice each time. I generally just make white rice and save the coconut rice for special occasions.

Slow Roasted Salmon with Coconut Rice
Recipe from Cooking Light, 2005
Serves 8

• 8 6 oz salmon fillets
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups Uncooked basmati rice
• 1 1/2 cups Light coconut milk
• 1 1/2 cups Water
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup Chopped Green onion

SAUCE

• 1/3 cup Fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup Seasoned Rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Chopped cilantro
• 3 tablespoons Brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Fish sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Red curry paste

Preheat oven to 350F.

To prepare salmon, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place salmon skin side down on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

To prepare rice: Rinse with cold water; drain. Combine rice, coconut milk, water and salt in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Let stand for 10 minutes, stir in onions.

To prepare sauce: Whisk together: Lime, rice vinegar, cilantro, brown sugar, fish sauce and red curry paste.

Pour over salmon when serving.

I generally put the rice as a bed and put the salmon on top of the rice. Then pour the sauce over that. Delicious!

Chocolate-Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cherries

I'm not, by nature, a baker. I used to try to be. Unfortunately my lack of desire to follow a recipe exactly drew me away from baking. With baking you HAVE to be exact. Where as cooking I don't have to...so I went that direction.

Every now and then though, I come across a cookie recipe that I feel compelled to make...immediately. And so yesterday, I found myself walking to QFC for ingredients.

The one adjustment I'd make to this recipe is to chop up the dried cherries. The ones I got out of the package I bought were too big to me. So I chopped them down to be about the same size as the chips. Oh and I used the whole bag of chips...who just puts in part of a package?

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cherries
Makes about 4 dozen - use a T to shape the dough.

• 1 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup Packaged light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 2 Large eggs
• 2 cups Old fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 1/4 cups dried tart cherries (6 ounces)
• 1 1/4 cup Semisweet chocolate chips

Position 1 rack in bottom third and 1 rack in top third of oven; preheat to 375F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Blend first 4 ingredients in processor 30 seconds. Add eggs, process to blend.

Add next 4 ingredients. Using on/off turns, process until oats are coarsely chopped and mixture is blended. Transfer to a large bowl. Mix in cherries and chocolate chips.

Spoon batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart (cookies will spread). Bake until tops of cookies are golden brown, rotating baking sheets after 7 minutes, about 14 minutes total. Transfer cookies rack; let cool. (Or eat one really quick like me and burn your tongue). Repeat with remaining batter.

Right, so I had some problems with my electrical equipment in the kitchen. I didn't realize I had thrown a circuit and so some of my outlets weren't working. I thought it was my food processor. So I didn't process everything in a food process. I did process my oats in my small chopper though. Everything else I did in my mixer.

Seared Steak with Roasted Mushrooms and Spinach Salad

I was in the mood for beef tonight. Last week was a chicken-fest for me, so I needed some beef. Thankfully the recipe that came out of the bowl was a steak recipe.

Now, there's a couple of things with this recipe. It's designed so that you should have left overs. The original recipe indicated all left over steak could be used in tostadas or steak tacos. Makes sense to me. Too bad I'm not a left over girl.

Also, I didn't use spinach. I had a baby red mix (which I love) and so did that with the vinegar and oil listed below.

Finally the mushrooms, I didn't put them in the oven. It was too hot today for the oven to be on, so I sauteed them on the stove. Oh and I BBQ'd the steak instead of put it in a pan. I made sure the grill was nice and hot though so I could get that seared look.

Seared Steak with Roasted Mushrooms and Spinach Salad
Serves 4

• 2 pounds White mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
• 4 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
• 5 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
• 2 Flank steaks (1.5 lbs each)
• 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
• 10 ounces Baby spinach

Preheat oven to 475 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Divide mushrooms, garlic, and 1 tablespoon oil between two large rimmed baking sheets; season with salt and pepper, and toss. Roast, tossing occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine paprika, oregano, red-pepper flakes, and 2 teaspoons salt. Rub steaks with 1 tablespoon oil, then spice mixture.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Sear steaks in two batches, 5 to 7 minutes per side for medium-rare (lower heat if skillet gets too dark). Transfer steaks to a plate. Tent steak with aluminum foil to keep warm.

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Add spinach; toss to combine. Thinly slice steak against the grain; serve with mushrooms and spinach salad.

I served this with Parmesan mashed potatoes. Simple little recipe. Just make your mashed potatoes and toss in a handful of Parmesan cheese. I tend to load up on the pepper too when I put in Parmesan, there's something about the parm and pepper flavor together. Delicious!

Roasted Broccoli with Garlic & Red Pepper

I'm forever looking for ways to spice up broccoli. Broccoli is the chicken of vegetables I think. It's an easy vegi to fix, but man after a while you gotta do something different with it.

The thing I like about this recipe is the crowns of the broccoli get all crunchy from the roasting.


Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Red Pepper
Serves 4

• 1 1/4 pounds Broccoli crowns, cut into florets
• 3 1/2 tablespoons Olive oil, divided
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• Large pinch of dried crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss broccoli and 3 tablespoons oil in large bowl to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Roast 15 minutes. Stir remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil, garlic, and red pepper in small bowl. Drizzle garlic mixture over broccoli; toss to coat. Roast until broccoli is beginning to brown, about 8 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Jamaican Chicken Curry

Mmmm...I love curry. I rarely get a chance to cook with yellow curry though, so tonight was a treat. My house smells like an Indian restaurant, but man it was good.

I can't figure out what's "Jamaican" about this, but I really didn't care it was good. I served it with rice and Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Red Pepper...delicious!

Jamaican Chicken Curry
Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
• 4 Bone-in, skinless chicken breasts halves
• Salt and pepper
• 1 medium Onion, chopped
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 3 tablespoons Curry powder
• 4 Carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 can (13.5oz) coconut milk
• 1 package Frozen peas (10oz), thawed
• Cooked white rice

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Working in two batches, brown chicken, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, garlic, cumin, curry, thyme, and 1/2 cup water and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion has softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add carrots, coconut milk, 1/2 cup water, and chicken with any accumulated juices. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover partially, and cook until chicken is cooked through and carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peas. Serve curry over rice.

Potato Gratin

I love potatoes au gratin. I don't even mind the box variety. Except the box variety makes too much. Then I found that actually making potatoes gratin from scratch is actually real easy. But it still made way too much. Then I found this recipe. One of my cookbooks is just for cooking for 2.

This recipe was way easy and tasted quite good. I made the full recipe, and had the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Potato Gratin
Serves 2

• 1 large russet potato (about 12 ounces), peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
• 1 T unsalted butter
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp minced fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp unbleached all purpose flour
• 3/4 c heavy cream
• 1/4 c grated Gruyere cheese

Note: Slicking potatoes 1/8 inch thick is crucial for the success of this dish; use a madoline, a v-slicer or a food processor fitted with a 1/8 in slicking bade. Do not slice the potatoes too early and soak them in water to keep from browning. That causes the potatoes to retain that water and it comes out in cooking causing it to be watery.

Adjust an oven rack to the upper middle position and heat the oven to 400F. Coat an 8/5 X 5.5 inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Place the potatoes in a medium bowl and set aside.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and salt and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and cook until incorporated, about 10 seconds. Whisk in the cream and bring to a simmer, and cook until beginning to thicken, about 30 seconds.

Pour the sauce over the potatoes and toss to coat thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish and gently pack the potatoes into an even layer, removing any air pockets. Cover the dish with foil and back until the potatoes are almost tender, 35-40 minutes.

Remove the foil and sprinkle with the cheese. Continue to bake uncovered until the cheese is lightly browned and the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes.

** I substituted Parmesan cheese for Gruyere and it tasted just as good.

Crusted Salmon

Last year mom and dad went to Alaska for their yearly trip. They asked if I wanted some salmon - see they fish when they're up there - I said, "Sure why not." I didn't realize I'd get 21 lbs of salmon. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. But I did have to get created on how to fix said salmon. This is one of the recipes I tried this week...it was pretty darn good.

Crusted Salmon
Serves 4
For the Vinaigrette - whisk together

• 1/4 c Fresh orange juice
• 1/4 c Olive Oil
• 2 T White wine vinegar
• 1 T Dijon
• 1 T Honey
• 1 T Orange zest, minced
• 1 T minced fresh taragon
• 1 T Shallot, minced
• salt and pepper

For the Salmon - combine; brush over

• 2 T Olive oil
• 2 T Dijon
• Salt and Pepper
• 4 Skin on salmon fillets
• 1/2 c Panko crumbs
• 1/4 c Chopped fresh parsley
• 2 T Olive oil

Preheat grill to medium. Whisk all the ingredients for the vinaigrette together in a bowl and set aside.

Combine 2 T oil, Dijon, salt and pepper in a bowl, then brush the mixture over the top of the fillets. Stir panko, parsley and 2 T oil together in a bowl. Top each fillet with some of the crumbs, then carefully place fillets on the grill, skin side down. Cover with a foil pan and cook 4-5 minutes, or until fish is firm to the touch, checking often for flare ups.

To serve; spoon vinaigrette on the bottom of each serving plate followed by spears of asparagus. Top asparagus with salmon and slightly drizzle with vinaigrette again.

Grilled Chicken Cutlet Parmesan

I love Chicken Parmesan. LOVE LOVE LOVE it! And it's one of those guilty pleasures for me. Cuz not only do you get pasta with it, but the chicken is dredged in bread crumbs, fried and then smothered in marinara and mozzarella cheese. How glorious is that?

I hate to make it. It's way too much work. Until tonight.

I came across this recipe somewhere - oh maybe it's a Rachael Ray - and thought, "huh, easier and maybe a bit more low cal." And now that I've made it, delicious.

I had a few girlfriends over tonight and they all agreed it was quite tasty.

Grilled Chicken Cutlet Parmesan
Serves:4

• 2 pounds Thin cut chicken cutlets
• 4 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 small Yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 can Fire roasted diced tomatoes (28 oz)
• 1 cup Fresh basil, shredded
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• 1/2 pound Smoked mozzarella, thinly sliced

Heat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to high. Season chicken with salt and pepper and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil to keep it from sticking to the grill. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side and transfer to a foil covered platter to hold. If you are using a grill pan, cook the chicken in 2 batches if necessary. While chicken cooks, make sauce.

Place a medium pot on the stove over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and chopped onions. Cook 10 minutes, stirring often. Add tomatoes and heat through, 2 minutes. Wilt in the basil and season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Preheat the broiler to high.

Layer the chicken with fire roasted sauce in a casserole dish. Top the casserole with Parmigiano and mozzarella. Brown the casserole under the broiler 3 minutes.

I made a bit more sauce and served it with pasta and the extra sauce. Delicious!

Dijon Green Beans

Yum. Yum. Yum.

I made this tonight with BBQ Chicken in Foil (and I might add it's the first meal I've had in a long time that didn't have a carb in it. No starch either for that matter.). Anyhow, this recipe was delicious. I like to find new and different ways to make use of something that can be as boring as green beans can be. I could see making this the night before and letting it sit in the vinaigrette - it'd be delicious.

Dijon Green Beans
Recipe from Taste of Home
Serves: 10

• 1 1/2 pounds Fresh green beans, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons Red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
• 1 cup Grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup Red onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons Grated Parmesan cheese

Place beans in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Meanwhile, for dressing, whisk the vinegar, oil, mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Drain beans; place in a large bowl. Add tomatoes and onion. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

BBQ Chicken in Foil

I'm kinda a snob when it comes to BBQ sauce. My mom's BBQ sauce is the best and really the "only" I really love. All others are just okay. This particular recipe was 1) easy and 2) quite flavorful considering it wasn't mom's BBQ sauce. It would have been even better if I hadn't over cooked the chicken. I never can cook it just right. I'm usually too afraid of it not being cooked enough that I think over cook it.

BBQ Chicken in Foil
Serves 4

• 3/4 cup Chopped onion
• 1/2 cup Ketchup
• 1/4 cup Fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons Butter
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon Yellow mustard
• 1 Chicken split in half - I used a chicken breast as I'm not a big fan of bone-in chicken
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon Cider vinegar

Combine onion, ketchup, lemon, butter, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and mustard in medium saucepan and mix well.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut 2 pieces heavy duty foil large enough to enclose the chicken halves.

Place 1 chicken half on each piece of foil. Spoon 1/4 of the BBQ sauce over each chicken half. Fold foil to close chicken and seal tightly.

Place foil packets in large baking pan. Bake for 1 hour.

Brownie Cookies

I'm not a baker anymore. I used to like to bake, but then I realized I don't like to measure exactly. I like to add dashes and pinches. Baking is way too exact for me.

For a fundraising event I decided to make these Brownie Cookies. They were quite good. If I do them again, I'd add chocolate chips to them to add some texture and sweetness. As they are, they aren't that sickly sweet that brownies can sometimes get. They were good and had just enough sweetness for me.


Brownie Cookies
 make about 3 dozen depending on the size of your scoop.

• 12 ounces Bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon Baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 6 tablespoons Unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup Light brown sugar
• 3 large Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until melted, then let cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until lightened in color. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until combined. With mixer on low, alternately beat in chocolate and flour mixture; mix just until combined (do not overmix).

Drop dough by heaping tablespoons, about 2 inches apart, onto two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cookie comes out clean, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

I'm a big fan of alfredo sauces...the more flavorful the better. Alfredo, all too often, ends up with very little flavor at some places. And alfredo as a sauce isn't very hard to make, its just one I rarely make. It's a treat really. So when I came across this recipe I thought, "Huh, an interesting combination of ingredients to make a supposed alfredo." I was shocked to find it was pretty darn good.

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo
Serves 4

• 12 ounces Linguine
• 1 cup Fresh or frozen broccoli florets
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 1 pound Skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into 1" cubes
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground black pepper

Prepare linguine according to package directions. Add broccoli during the last 4 minutes of cooking. Drain well.

Heat butter in a skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken and cook until well browned, stirring often.

Stir in soup, milk, cheese, pepper and linguine mixture. Cook until mixture is hot and bubbling. Serve with additional parmesan.