Salmon Piccata with Roasted Broccoli

 

I wanted to post this recipe earlier, but a trip to beautiful Banff, Alberta (see pictures below), and an unexpected surgery prevented me from doing that.  This recipe is one of my favorite, and although I usually use it with chicken, which is what the original recipe calls for, I made it with salmon this time, and it is equally, if not more delicious.  

This is a basic recipe for Salmon Picatta in which salmon fillets are dredged in flour, then sauteed in butter and olive oil on the stove top until crisp and golden brown.  A sauce is then made in the same pan with broth, lemon juice, capers and parsley.  I love capers, anytime I see a recipe with them in it, I always take notice.  I recommend this recipe with salmon or chicken, whichever you prefer.  I then served the salmon with lemon chive fettuccine and roasted broccoli.  I also included the recipe for the roasted broccoli with the recipe for the Salmon Picatta.

Salmon Piccata

• 4 Salmon (about 4-5 oz each) fillets, skin on
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (or chicken broth)
• 1/4 cup brined capers, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions:

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge salmon in flour and shake off excess.

In a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the salmon, skin side down, to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes. When salmon is browned, flip and cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily for a fork. Remove and transfer to plate. 

Into the pan add the lemon juice, chicken stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the salmon to the pan (skin side up) and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove salmon to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously, add the parsley and whisk into sauce. Pour sauce over salmon and serve with lemon wedges and roasted broccoli (see recipe below)

Roasted Broccoli

• 4-6 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees,  spread broccoli florets onto a non-stick baking pan.  Drizzle the olive oil over the broccoli and toss the florets in the olive oil.  Spread the broccoli back into an even layer on the baking sheet.  Season with salt and crushed red pepper (depending on your spice tolerance you may want to only use a pinch or so, it is up to you).

Roast the broccoli in the oven for about 20-25 minutes until the broccoli is tender with crispy brown edges.  About halfway through, toss the broccoli with a spatula and again spread back out onto an even layer on the baking sheet.  This is to prevent over or uneven browning as well as to prevent the broccoli from sticking to the pan. Serve along side the salmon.

This is a great technique that works with so many different vegetables such as cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, brussels sprouts, the list is endless.

CEiMB: Sesame Shrimp Fried Rice with Cabbage

It's actually my week to pick a recipe for the group over at Craving Ellie in My Belly to make.  I chose for us to make the Sesame Shrimp Fried Rice with Cabbage from from So Easy: Luscious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week by Ellie Krieger.  I wanted to pick something that would be fast and flavorful and a great weeknight meal.  This recipe literally takes minutes to throw together.  Shrimp is a great choice for a quick meal because it cooks in just a few minutes.  This recipe begins by sauteing ginger, scallions, and shrimp in a very hot skillet, you then add in some cabbage and cook for a few minutes more, which leaves the cabbage a bit crisp without making it soggy.  You then stir-fry cold cooked brown rice and the dish is dressed with soy sauce and sesame oil.  I added a bit of chili-garlic sauce to give it a bit of kick because I thought it would go well together with the other Asian flavors.

The thing I liked the most about this dish was the different textures and how well they worked together.  You have chewy brown rice mixed with crisp cabbage and nutty sesame seeds.  I think it has a prominent ginger flavor and I like the soy and sesame flavors as well.  Next time I might at a bit of honey to balance the saltiness with a bit of sweet, I often do that when I am making teriyaki sauce.  If you like heat, I would definitely recommend adding chili-garlic sauce like I did.  This wasn't a wow dish, but it was a fast flavorful, satisfying dish that is great for a busy weeknight.  Which is what I needed because I worked over 12 hours today.  I am just glad I didn't pick a more complicated recipe.  This is what is so great about Ellie's recipe, always easy, always tasty!  Be sure to check out the CEiMB blogroll to see what other bloggers did with their dish.


Sesame Shrimp Fried Rice with Cabbage

1 tablespoon canola oil

4 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon peeled, grated fresh ginger

1 pound peeled, cleaned small shrimp

5 cups thinly sliced green cabbage, cut crosswise into 3-inch pieces

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

4 cups very cold cooked brown rice

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions

Heat the oil in a very large nonstick skillet or wok over a high heat. Add the scallions, ginger, and shrimp and cook stirring frequently until the shrimp turn pink, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the cabbage and continue cooking until it begins to soften, but is still somewhat crisp, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the shrimp-cabbage mixture to a bowl.

Heat the sesame oil in the same skillet or wok over a medium-high heat. Add the rice and cook stirring frequently, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Add the shrimp-cabbage mixture back to the skillet, stir in the soy sauce and sesame seeds and serve.

Cherry Cheesecake Cookies

I wanted to make something a bit different for my Dad's Superbowl party this year.  I always make my Pecan Tassies, and when I came across this recipe for Cherry Cheesecake Cookies on Tasty Kitchen, I knew I had to try these.  The recipe sounded so unique.  How could you make a cookie taste like cheesecake?  Well, this recipe accomplishes just that.  It basically combines a cheesecake batter with some butter and flour in order to make cookie dough.  The dough is then shaped into balls and rolled in graham cracker crumbs.  An indentation is made in the cookie, then 3 cherries from cherry pie filling are placed in the center and the cookies are baked.  These have a really great flavor, not quite cookie, not quite cheesecake, but very delicious!  The recipe on Tasty Kitchen says it makes 36 (but at the bottom it says 48), and the original recipe is found in America's Test Kitchen Holiday Cookie Magazine.  The original recipe says it makes about 4 dozen.  I used a 1 1/2 Tablespoon scoop, and I ended up with 52 cookies.  So if you don't want a ton of cookies you might want to cut the recipe in half.  I posted the recipe below, with my changes in red. These are not easy on the waistline, but for a special treat, they really hit the spot!


Cherry Cheesecake Cookies

• 3-½ cups All-purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 2-½ sticks Butter, Softened to room temperature
• 2 packages Cream Cheese (8 Oz Packages Softened to room temperature)
• 1-½ cup Sugar
• 2 whole Large Eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs (I used ½ cups of store bought graham cracker crumbs)
• 3 cans (21 Oz. Can) Cherry Pie Filling, Drained (I only needed 2 cans, I used Comstock Brand Cherry Pie Filling which claims to have more fruit in it)

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, and mix until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place graham cracker crumbs in a shallow dish.

Roll dough into 1 ½ inch balls (or use the above mentioned cookie scoop), then roll in crumbs. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using a tablespoon measure, make indentation in the center of each ball. Place 3 cherries in each dimple. 

Bake until golden around the edges, about 12 to 14 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.  (My cookies took about 16 minutes)

Cool for 5 minutes on the sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for 2 days.)
 
Note: to make graham cracker crumbs, process 8 whole graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground.

CEiMB: Fettuccine with Creamy Red Pepper Sauce and Shrimp

This week's pick for Craving Ellie in My Belly is from Jessica from Learning to love vegetables.  She chose for us to make the Fettuccine with Creamy Red Pepper Sauce from The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life by Ellie Krieger.   I knew as soon as I saw this recipe that I wanted to make it.  I love roasted red peppers in pasta sauces, and the addition of feta cheese sounded delicious. 

I made a few additions to the dish that I thought would work well the red pepper sauce.  I added some chopped spinach and crushed pepper to the sauce.  Once it was pureed, I tasted it, and it tasted too much like just a jarred red pepper, so I added a few tablespoons of tomato paste to the sauce to add some sweetness and remove some of that "jarred" flavor.  It worked perfectly. While the pasta was cooking I sauteed some shrimp seasoned with salt and pepper in some olive oil.  Once they were cooked, I added them to the pasta and sauce. 

This was another great recipe for me.  I think the additions I made really enhanced the sauce, especially the crushed red pepper and the tomato paste.  I would definitely make this again, the shrimp were wonderful with the pasta, but I think shredded chicken or Italian sausage would also work well.  Thanks Jessica for a great pick, and be sure to check out the blogroll to see what others did with their recipe!

CEiMB: Vanilla Spice Oatmeal

This week's Craving Ellie in My Belly recipe was picked by Mary of Popsicles and Sandy Feet.  She chose for us to make the Vanilla Spice Oatmeal from So Easy: Luscious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week by Ellie Krieger.  This is a simple recipe, but a hearty and healthy one.  It makes a wonderful breakfast that will keep for days in the fridge, so you can make it on Sunday and enjoy a great breakfast throughout the week.


I made quite a few changes to the original recipe to accommodate what I already had on hand in my kitchen.  First, I used steel-cut oats instead of old-fashioned oats.  I really love the nutty, chewy flavor of them, and if you stir them often while they are cooking, they become really creamy, similar to risotto.  Granted, they take quite a bit longer to cook than the old-fashioned oats (about 25 minutes), but I think it is worth it.

I added dried cranberries instead of raisins.  This recipe has a unique technique in which you add the dried fruit at the same time you add the oats, so the dried fruit plumps up and releases some of its flavor into the oatmeal.  I used some honey cinnamon almonds instead of pecans, and used cinnamon to complement the almonds.  


This isn't a dish that you typically find in a cookbook, and it is one that you might easily pass over because it is so simple, but I am glad I participated this week.  I learned a new trick for oatmeal that I will use again and again.  Thanks to Mary for this week's pick, and be sure to check out the blogroll to see what other bloggers did with their recipe!

Roasted Salmon with Honey Mustard and Dill

I can't start this post without thanking my Uncle Gary.  He went to Alaska last year and sent back some beautiful salmon that was frozen just after it was caught.  It is some of the best salmon I have ever tasted, so fresh and flavorful.  I literally made this dish in anticipation of making salads and pastas with it later in the week, but I just stood in the kitchen eating it after it came out of the oven, so I may only get one more dish out of it. 

This is a very simple, but delicious way to serve salmon.  You roast the salmon in the oven, and the salmon is covered in a honey mustard and dill sauce that keeps the salmon from drying out. I roasted a whole fillet of salmon, but you can easily use the sauce for individual portions, you may just have to cut back on the cook time.  I know it's not the most beautiful picture, but this recipe is so good and easy, I couldn't help but post it on this blog. 


Roasted Salmon with Honey Mustard and Dill

• 1 1/4 lb salmon fillet (skin on, pin bones removed)
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard (I used Grey Poupon)
• 2 T. honey
• 1 T. mayonnaise
• 1 t. dried dill (or 1 T. fresh dill, finely chopped)
• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Cover a baking sheet with foil and coat liberally with non-stick cooking spray.  This will help with clean up and will keep the salmon from sticking to the foil.  Place the salmon fillet, skin side down, on the prepared baking sheet and season well with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, honey, mayonnaise, dill, and garlic.  Spoon the sauce over the whole fillet and let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes to let the flavors permeate into the salmon.

Roast in the oven until the mustard sauce has formed a nice crust and the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 25 minutes.  If you are using individual portions of salmon, the time may be less.  Transfer to a platter and serve (if it makes it that far, like I said, I stood in my kitchen and ate some of it right off the baking pan :) ).

Penne with Braised Short Ribs

I love short ribs.  They are delicious when cooked low and slow until the meat just falls off the bone, so when I saw this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis, I knew I wanted to try it.  The ribs and onions and garlic are sauteed on the stove top, then they are braised in a unique tomato sauce for a few hours in the oven.  This braising results in a rich sauce that goes great with the hearty meat.  Once you pull the short ribs out of the oven, the sauce is pureed, so even picky eaters (like my boyfriend), who don't like big chunks of tomatoes, like this sauce.  It's a great weekend meal, and perfect for those cold winter nights.

Ingredients

4 pounds beef short ribs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

5 Roma tomatoes, cut into eighths

1 cup red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 cups low-sodium beef broth

1 pound penne pasta

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 

Directions

Place an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Season the ribs with salt and pepper. In a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or ovenproof stock pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. In batches, add the ribs and brown on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the ribs and set aside. 

Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine and mustard. Bring the mixture to a boil and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Return the ribs to the pan. Add the beef broth, cover the pan and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours until the meat is fork-tender and falls easily from the bone. 

Remove the ribs from the cooking liquid. Using a large spoon, remove any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid.  Using a ladle, transfer the cooking liquid in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth. Pour the sauce into a saucepan and keep warm over low heat. Remove the meat from the bones. Discard the bones. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into small pieces. Stir the shredded meat into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and place in a large serving bowl. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the sauce and add to the pasta. Pour 1 cup of the sauce over the pasta. Toss well and thin out the pasta with more sauce, if needed. Sprinkle the pasta with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley before serving.

CEiMB: White Turkey Chili

 

This week's Craving Ellie in My Belly recipe was picked by Leslie of Lethally Delicious.  She chose for us to make the White Turkey Chili from from So Easy: Luscious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week by Ellie Krieger.   This is an easy weeknight recipe that is light and fresh, which is good the week after lots and lots of Christmas indulgences.  

After looking at the recipe, I decided that I wanted my chili to be a bit heartier, so I halved all of the ingredients except for the turkey and the spices.  This made for a meatier chili with less beans, which is how I make chili normally, so I quite liked it.  I am also glad I kept the spices at that level as well, because without, the chili might have been less flavorful.  I added a jalapeno for a bit more spice, and instead of salt and pepper I used Goya Adobo with cumin, which is what I use for seasoning whenever I am cooking Mexican or Southwestern food.  I absolutely love it.  I used corn instead of hominy because that is what I had on hand.  I also would say it is imperative to add a splash of lime juice and fresh cilantro to your chili because it really brightens up the flavor.  Thanks Leslie for a great pick, I thought it was light, but comforting at the same time.  Be sure to check out the blogroll to see what the other CEiMB bloggers made.  

Chocolate Mint Cookies

 

When I was shopping at my local grocery store the other day, I came across these Andes Creme de Menthe baking chips.  They are basically small pieces of those Andes chocolate mints you get after dinner at restaurants.  I wanted to find a chocolate cookie recipe where I could incorporate these chips, and I found this one, which sounded really good.

These cookies have a great mint flavor, and they taste a bit like Thin Mints, but thicker, so Thick Mints I guess.  Next time I make these I will probably dip them in chocolate, that would really make them great.  The batter was quite thick and the cookies seemed a bit dry, so dipping them in chocolate would be a great addition.   They were crisp, rich, yet refreshing cookies. Great for the holidays!

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa, sifted
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2  cup shortening
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cup (1 - 10 oz. package) Andes Crème de Menthe Baking Chips
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together into a bowl and set aside.  With a hand held or standing mixer, beat together the shortening and butter until creamy. Add the sugars and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until thoroughly incorporated. Add the flour mixture and blend until smooth. Fold in Andes Crème de Menthe Baking Chips.

Roll the dough, by hand, into a 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll the balls in the powdered sugar to fully cover ball. Flatten the balls gently into 1/2 inch thick disks and place about 2 inches apart, spacing them evenly on ungreased baking sheets. Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies set 1 minute on baking sheet. Remove from sheet and move to wire rack to cool completely.

CEiMB: Beef Stroganoff with Green Beans and Grainy Mustard

This week's Craving Ellie in My Belly is from Liz of The Not So Skinny Kitchen.  She chose for us to make the Beef Stroganoff recipe from from So Easy: Luscious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week by Ellie Krieger.  It's a pretty straightforward beef stroganoff recipe in which beef is simmered in red wine and beef broth with mushrooms and onions.  At the last minute, I added some light sour cream to the gravy.  The original recipe called for some nonfat Greek yogurt, but I like the flavor and tang that the sour cream adds to the dish. The beef stroganoff is served over some egg noodles with a side of steamed green beans that have been tossed in some grainy mustard and seasoned with salt and pepper.  


I liked this dish, it was a nice hearty, weeknight dinner.  Perfect for this time of year when the low tonight is supposed to be in the single digits. I did think that it was a bit underseasoned the way that recipe called for, but with a bit extra salt and pepper, it perked right up.   The green beans were a simple easy side that packed a lot of flavor, and it was a good accompaniment to the beef, so thanks Liz for a good pick, and be sure to check out the blogroll to see what everyone else did with their dishes!