Salmon Two Ways

One:  Roasted Salmon

1 salmon filet, about 2 pounds

1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon dried marjoram

½ teaspoon dried tarragon

Garlic salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 250.

Line a large baking sheet with foil.  Rub salmon with olive oil on both sides if it is skinless or on non-skin side if it has a skin.  Place on prepared pan.  Sprinkle top with marjoram, tarragon, garlic salt and pepper.

Bake until the salmon flakes easily with a fork, about 30 minutes.

Half of this salmon will serve 4.  Use the other pound to make salmon the patties below.

Two:  Salmon Patties

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for frying patties

½ medium-sized yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pound cooked salmon from recipe above

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons fat-free half-and-half

½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Lemon wedges (optional)

In a large non-stick skillet, sauté onions in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until translucent.  Add garlic and sauté for one minute more.  Put onion mixture in a medium mixing bowl.  Break up salmon with your fingers, and add to the bowl with the Panko, eggs, half-and-half and parsley.  Stir gently to mix.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Remove salmon mix from refrigerator and preheat oven to 250.

Form mixture into 7 or 8 patties.  Heat additional olive oil in the same skillet used for the onion mixture over medium-high heat.  Fry 4 patties until golden brown on each side.  Place salmon patties on a baking sheet and keep warm oven while cooking the second batch.  Serve with lemon wedges if desired.

Serves 4



A Berry Happy Valentine's Day

For Valentine's Day, I am making the following dinner for two:

Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry Sauce

Spinach Salad with Blackberries, Manchego, and Prosciutto

Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice

Heart-shaped Poppy Seed Cookies (Transcendental Kitchen recipe from January)

Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry Sauce

1 pork tenderloin

Kosher salt

Coarse ground pepper

½ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup red onion, minced

½ cup white wine

3 tablespoons blackberry fruit spread or seedless blackberry preserves

Preheat oven to 425.  Sprinkle tenderloins with salt, pepper, thyme, and allspice, and place in roasting pan.  Roast for 15-20 minutes until 150.  Cover meat with foil and prepare sauce while roast rests.

Melt butter in sauce pan over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes.  Add wine and fruit spread and reduce by half.  Serve over pork tenderloins.

Spinach Salad with Blackberries, Manchego, and Prosciutto

4 thin slices of prosciutto

4 cups packed baby spinach leaves

6 ounces fresh blackberries

Dressing in a jar (Transcendental Kitchen recipe from January)

2 ounces Manchego cheese, thinly sliced with a vegetable peeler

Cut prosciutto crosswise into strips.  In a small pan over medium/high heat, stir prosciutto until crisp and browned, about 5 minutes.  Drain on paper towels.

In a large bowl, combine spinach, blackberries, and dressing to taste. Mix gently to coat. 

Top with prosciutto and Manchego



EatingWell's Meatloaf--It's Not Boring

This picture is from EatingWell.com and is of a great meatloaf with lots of flavor.  I really like it because I thought my meatloaf was a bit boring--this is not. 

You can find the recipe at http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/cheddar_stuffed_meatloaves.html  Even though I made the mini loafs, my suggestion is to double the recipe and make one big loaf because everyone will want seconds! Oh, by the way, I found the ground chipotle pepper at Wal-mart.

Delicious and Different Pasta

Last night, I made a delicious and different pasta dish from Food Made Fast:  Pasta by William Sonoma.  My family loved it.  The only change I made to the recipe was to use veal stew meat, which I cut into small pieces.  I served it with roasted brocolli that I sprinkled with the juice from the lemon I zested for the pasta.  Here is the link for the recipe:  http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/farfalle-with-veal-and-pine-nuts.html?cm_src=RECIPESEARCH

Buon Appetito!!!

Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pie

1 cup frozen peas, or peas and carrots

2 cooked chicken breasts, cubed

2 cups milk

2 packages chicken flavor gravy mix

1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence

¼ cup chopped Italian parsley

Pastry for two-crust pie

Preheat oven to 400.  In a large pan over medium heat, sauté onion and celery in 2 tablespoons butter until onion is translucent.  Add mushrooms and sauté 1-2 minutes more.  Remove from heat and add peas.

In a medium sauce pan, combine milk, gravy mix, Herbs de Provence, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter.  Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve gravy.  Add chicken and vegetables, return to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in parsley and place in prepared pie shell.  Cover with second crust, crimp, slit top, and bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown.

4 tablespoons butter, divided

½ large onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, sliced

3 large Baby Bella mushrooms, cut in half and sliced

Quick Cheese Puffs

Preheat oven to 400.  Mix the following ingredients in a food processor until the mixture forms a ball:

                2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

                ½ cup butter, softened

                1 cup flour

                4 chopped scallions

                ½ teaspoon garlic salt

Form dough into 1” balls.  Place on cookie sheets and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Yields 2-3 dozen.

Dressing in a Jar

In a 12-ounce jar, combine the following:

1/4 cup white balsamic pear infused vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Place lid on jar and shake well to combine.

I lightly dress a mixed green salad with this, and shake on sunflower seeds to taste.