Lime-and-Honey Glazed Salmon with Warm Black Bean and Corn Salad

The salmon makes this meal kind of pricey, but it's so yummy! Actually, we often make this salad as a side by itself.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin (1/3 palmful)
salt & pepper
Juice of 2 limes
3 tablespoons honey (3 gobs)
1 teaspoon chili powder (1/3 palmful)
4 6-ounce salmon fillets
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 10-ounce box frozen corn kernels, defrosted
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
6 cups baby spinach

Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of the EVOO (twice around the pan). Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, preheat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO. In a shallow dish, combine the juice of 1 lime, honey, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Add the salmon fillets to the lime-honey mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Add the seasoned salmon to the hot skillet and cook until just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

To the cooked onions, add the bell peppers and corn kernels and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Add the black beans and cook until the beans are just heated through. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the juice of the second lime, the cilantro, and spinach. Toss to wilt the spinach and then taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the lime-and-honey-glazed salmon on top of the warm black bean and corn salad.

From Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats

Chicken in Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Juice of 1 lemon
salt & pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
3/4 cup chicken stock or broth
3 super-heaping tablespoons good-quality Dijon mustard
3 super-heaping tablespoons sour cream

Season the chicken with the thyme, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with the EVOO. Add the seasoned chicken breasts and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover with foil. Turn up the heat on the skillet to high and add the chicken stock and mustard, whisking to combine. Bring up to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 3 minutes.

Whisk in the sour cream and continue to cook until slightly thickened, about 2 more minutes. Serve the sauce over the chicken and accompany with a simple salad and something to sop up the sauce, like cous-cous or bread.

From Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats

Potato Leek Soup

Note: I discovered this soup while visiting Ireland during my year abroad. I love potatoes and onions so this soup is right up my alley. I have to admit it's not the most beautiful meal, but it is delicious, easy, and cheap. I make it all the time in the fall and winter. It is hard to find the balance between potato and leek. It's easy to add too much potato. Really, you just need 1 1/4 pounds. Also, if you leave too much green stem on the leeks, your soup will end up green - still delicious!

3 tablespoons butter
6 medium leeks chopped
1 1/4 pounds (about 2) all-purpose potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
6 cups chicken broth, vegetable stock, or water (I usually use half stock, half water)
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a soup pot over low heat. Add and cook the leeks, stirring, until tender but not browned, about 20 minutes.

Add the potatoes and stock/water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes. Puree until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Thin, if necessary, with additional stock or water.

Serve it up with some good bread and a beer, preferably an Irish one.

From the Joy of Cooking.

Pumpkin Mousse Pie

Thanks, Mom, for this delicious, low-calorie, and super easy pie! It takes just 10 minutes to assemble and 2 hours to solidify in the fridge. A perfect treat for fall!

1 reduced fat graham cracker crust
1 small (4 1/2 cups) package sugar free fat free vanilla instant pudding
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/4 cup fat free milk
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 8-oz carton of Cool Whip Sugar Free Whipped Topping

Combine the pudding mix, pumpkin pie spice, and milk. Wire whisk for a little over a minute or until it begins to thicken.

Whisk in 1 cup canned pumpkin. Fold half the Cool Whip into the mixture. Pour into the crust. Put the other half of Cool Whip on top.

Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Enjoy!

Raspberry Chocolate Bars

Thanks to my friend Natalie for this recipe!

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
5 tbsp butter, softened
1/2-1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I use dark chocolate chips)
1 (10 ounce) jar raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 376 degrees.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Set aside.

Combine sugar and butter in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add the flour mixture to butter mixture, and stir until well blended (mixture will be crumbly). Remove 3/4 cup of dough; toss with chocolate chips. Set aside. Press the remaining dough into an 8-inch square baking pan, and spread evenly with jam. Sprinkle with chocolate chip mixture.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

This delicious recipe is from my friend, Natalie.

Topping:
2 pounds sweet potatoes or yams
1 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 lbs ground beef
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups frozen mixed veggies
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes (or diced)
2 tablespoons steak sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste

Optional spices for meat:
1/4 tsp chili pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
dash nutmeg
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp ginger

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Boil the potatoes until tender. Mash and mix with milk and cheese.

Heat oil in a skillet. Add garlic and onion and saute a few minutes. Add beef and brown. Add the veggies and remaining ingredients. Cook until warm.

Pour skillet into a sprayed baking dish. Top with mashed potatoes.

Bake for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Beef and Sweet Potato Stew

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 lb baby carrots
1 cup good red wine
1 14 ounce jar of diced tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped fine
2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped fine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped fine
2 lbs beef stew meat

Eight hours before you want to eat, put all of the ingredients into the slow cooker. Give it a stir, put the lid on, and turn it on low.

Note: I got this recipe from my friend Natalie. Chris and I omitted the fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme and just added a bunch of spices from our cabinet. It was still so delicious!

Absolutely No-Fail Pie Crust

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law. I can only hope to someday make pies as delicious as hers. Yum.....

4 cups flour
1 2/4c butter flavored shortening
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup water, very cold
1 egg
1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar (balsamic helps crust brown)

Blend flour, shortening, sugar, and salt with pastry cutter until crumbly and thoroughly mixed (about pea sized clumps). Mix water, egg, and vinegar. Beat with fork. Make a well in flour mixture, add liquid and mix well with hands, just until holds together in a ball. Dough should be sugar cookie dough consistency.

One crust takes about a tennis ball, or slightly larger portion. Roll out on well floured surface, with well floured rolling pin. Once the pie is assembled, brush it lightly with milk and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees, 45-60 minutes for double crust pie; 8-10 for single empty crust.

The secret to good pie crust is handling it as little as possible, not over mixing.

This crust can be used for all sorts of pies including apple and cherry pies!

Thanksgiving Cupcakes

Note: Chris thought I was going to actually put turkey meat in cupcake mix. No, silly! They're just cupcakes that look like turkeys! Happy Thanksgiving!

cupcake mix
chocolate frosting
cookies for the wings and head (I used Keebler 100 Calorie Right bites, but you might have to get creative depending on whether or not they're available)
candy corn
white icing
black decorators' gel
red fruit leather (i.e., strawberry Fruit by the Foot)

1. Frost the cupcake, then press in a cookie head and 2 cookie wings.
2. Press in a row or two of candy corn tail feathers.
3. To make an eye, add a small dot of white icing to the head (I skip that part), then add a dot of black decorators' gel for a pupil.
4. For a beak, cut the white tip from a piece of candy corn and press it in place.

5. To make the wattle, cut a 1-inch square of fruit leather. Roll it into a tube and stick it in place over the beak.

Recipe from Disney's Family Fun website.

Pepper and Scallion Potato Salad

2.5 lbs small potatoes, such as baby Yukon Gold or red-skinned
2 ounces jarred hot rings, drained and chopped, about 3 tablespoons (I usually omit.)
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
4 scallions, chopped
3 tablespoons cider or wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Chunk up the potatoes, cutting them into large bite-size pieces, and place them in a pot with water to cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pot to dry them out. Add the hot peppers, bell peppers, and scallions to the pot, then dress everything with a splash of the hot pepper juice and the vinegar. Toss to combine, then drizzle with 1/4 cup of the EVOO to coat the salad evenly. Season with salt and pepper.

Note: I usually let the potatoes boil until they are falling apart. I feel like they soak up the vinegar and olive oil better. Chris likes them more firm.

Recipe from Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats

Saucy BBQ Chicken Sammies

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 cup Mexican beer
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (eyeball it)
1 tablespoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco
2 tablespoons grill seasoning blend
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 large sour pickle, chopped
6 soft sammy buns, such as soft burger rolls

Bring the stock and beer to a simmer in a small or medium skillet. Slide in the chicken breasts and gently poach them for 10 minutes, turning once after 5 minutes.

While the chicken poaches, heat a second medium skillet over medium-low heat. To the hot skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO, the garlic, and the onions and gently saute until cooked through. Turn off the heat and set the pan aside.

Combine the Worcestershire, hot sauce, grill seasoning, brown sugar, and tomato paste in a medium bowl. Add 2 ladles of the poaching liquid to the bowl and mix well. Transfer the chicken breasts to the bowl, then use two forks to shred the meat, and combine it with the seasonings. Stir the shredded chicken into the pan of sauteed onions and garlic and combine well. Reheat together for 5 to 10 minutes, adding some more of the poaching liquid to make your chicken as saucy as you like.

Combine the sour and sweet pickles in a small bowl. (We usually pass on the pickles.) Split the rolls and fill with scoops of shredded chicken. Top with pickle relish and serve with this potato salad.

Lemon and Brown Butter Fish Fillets

Notes: The original Rachael Ray recipe calls for crusty bread, but Chris and I like to serve it over couscous.

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 pint red tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh parsley
4 6-ounce tilapia (skate or Dover sole fillets work too)
All-purpose flour, for dredging
4 tbsp cold unsalted butter
Juice of 1 lemon

Preheat a large skillet over high heat with 2 tablespoons of the EVOO (twice around the pan). Add the grape tomatoes in an even layer and let them sear for 2 minutes without moving them. Add half of the parsley and season with salt and pepper, then continue to cook for 1 to 2 more minutes, or until all of the tomatoes start to burst. Remove them from the pan to a plate and cover with some aluminum foil to keep warm.

Thoroughly wipe out the skillet and return to the cooktop over medium-high heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper and then dredge in the flour. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO to the skillet. Once the oil is hot, shake the excess flour from the fish and add to the skillet. Cook the fish for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until firm to the touch and cooked through. Once cooked, transfer the fish to a serving platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Wipe the skillet clean again and return to the cooktop over medium-high heat. Melt the butter; but keep your eye on it. It will go from melted to brown pretty quickly. Once the butter is brown and smells slightly nutty, add the lemon juice and the remaining parsley.

Top a serving of couscous with the fish and tomatoes and then pour the brown butter sauce over it.

Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats