After the last month of Thanksgiving, Christmas, turkey, turkey, turkey, I was much in need of some seafood. Here is an incredibly easy, delicious entree. No need to fire up the grill (although you certainly could), but I had this dish (with Christmas leftover side dishes) on the table within half an hour. I made the sauce this afternoon, giving it time to blend the flavors.
I served it with leftover Brussels sprouts (with some of the leftover chopped fresh dill) and the three cheese potatoes (cheddar, Parmesan, bleu cheese.....oh so good!)
SALMON WITH CREAMY DILL SAUCE (serves 2)
1 salmon fillet, 1/2 to 3/4 pound (skin left on)
lemon-pepper seasoning
onion salt
1/4 small onion, thinly sliced and separated
3 thin lemon slices, cut in half
Line a baking dish with heavy-duty foil; grease lightly. Place salmon skin-side down on foil. Sprinkle with lemon-pepper and onion salt. Top with onion and lemon. Fold foil around salmon; seal tightly.
Bake at 350F for 20 minutes. Open foil carefully, allowing steam to escape. Broil 4-6" from the heat for 5-8 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Serve with dill sauce.
Dill Sauce:
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp mayo
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp prepared horseradish
1/2 tsp capers
Combine all ingredients. Prepare several hours or the day before to allow the flavors to blend.
This is a great quick and easy meal to make, especially when you're in the midst of working on a Christmas dinner. The soup only took a few minutes and just top a baked potato with ingredients you'd find on a burger!
CHEESEBURGER POTATO (Serves 4)
In a skillet, season and cook 1/4 pound of ground beef (I used ground turkey breast). Top 4 baked potatoes with beef, shredded cheddar, chopped tomato, chopped onion, and shredded lettuce.
Recipe Source: Everday Food, December 2012
FIRE-ROASTED TOMATO SOUP (6 servings)
Heat two 10 3/4 oz can of condensed tomato soup, one 12 oz can and one 5 oz can of evaporated milk (I used fat-free), and one 14 1/2 oz can undrained fire-roasted diced tomatoes until hot. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and bacon bits.
Recipe Source: Taste of Home, October 2012
Now, back to working on Christmas dinner. Merry Christmas, everyone!!!!
I love chicken and dumplings. Unfortunately, Jim doesn't share my enthusiasm. But every once and I while I'll prepare something just for me. He's a sport, though, and will always join me. So I was shocked when he commented on just how good this is. I'm thrilled....now I can confidently make chicken and dumplings and not feel like I'm cheating him out of a good meal!
A few weeks ago I decided I wanted to try a pressure cooker so I pick up a digital Cooks Essentials pressure cooker. And I love it. I cook a roast or chicken every week for The Girls and with a pressure cooker it cooks in a third of the time. And anything you cook in it comes out moister and infused with flavor. The new-generation pressure cookers are so safe and easy.
So this is a Pressure Cooker recipe. And it's a great excuse to try something new!
EASIEST EVERY CHICKEN and DUMPLINGS (6 servings)
3 Tbsp butter
1 to 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts and/or thighs
S&P
1 sweet onion, diced
6 cups chicken stock or broth
3 ribs celery, sliced
1 1/2 cups baby carrots
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 3/4 cups Bisquick baking mix
2/3 cup milk (I used 1%)
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used half-and-half)
With the cooker's lid off, heat butter on HIGH or "brown," until melted and sizzling.
Generously season chicken with S&P, place in cooker, and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Add in onion, chicken stock, celery, carrots, thyme, poultry seasoning, and pepper. Securely lock the pressure cooker's lid and set for 8 minutes on HIGH.
Perform a quick release to release the cooker's pressure.
With the cooker's lid off, set to HIGH or "brown." Add in corn kernels and let simmerr.
Meanwhile, whisk together Bisquick baking mix and milk, and drop by the spoonfuls into the pot. Let dumplings simmer for 8-10 minutes.
Turn off heat, stir in cream and add salt to taste.
NOTE:
MAKE IT BETTER: Try mixing 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese into the dumpling mixture in step 6 for ever better dumplings.
Recipe Source: Great Food Fast by Bob Warden
My friend and former neighbor, Pat, sent me the most thoughtful cookbook for Christmas. It's called "The Pioneer Lady's Country Cookbook" by Jane Watson Hopping. True foodies love these kind of cookbooks. It's not just recipes, but stories that go along with the recipes. And even better, it's divided into 12 sections focusing on the 12 months and seasonal meals.
I was making my favorite navy bean soup last night and spotted this cornbread recipe knowing it would go perfectly. Plus, with the leftovers I can make what I know will be the best-ever cornbread dressing for Christmas! Thank you, Pat!
UPSIDE DOWN SAUSAGE AND ONION CORN BREAD (6-8 servings)
2 medium-sized sweet onions, chopped
1/2 pound ground fresh pork sausage, crumbled (I used one mild and one hot Italian sausage)
1/2 cup plus 3 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup minced mushrooms
1 cup yellow cornbread
1 cup AP flour
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350F. In a 9 or 10" cast-iron skillet, saute the onions and sausage in 3 Tbsp of butter until the sausage is cooked. Remove from heat and drain off any excess fat, leaving just enough to grease the skillet, about 1 Tbsp. Add the mushrooms. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; mix well. With a pastry blender, cut the remaining 1/2 cup butter into the dry ingredients.
Beat the egg and buttermilk together and add to the dry ingredients, mixing just enough to blend; do not overbeat. Pour batter evenly over sausage mixture in the frying pan.
Bake until light golden brown on top and firm to the touch, about 25-30 minutes. Immediately turn onto a serving plate; cut into wedges and serve while hot.
I love lo mein. I love the flavor and the versatility. You can add/subtract what appeals to you. More vegetables? Great! Shrimp instead of chicken? Perfect. This is a fantastic starting recipe to begin with. Adjust this basic recipe to your liking. I served this with potstickers.
P. S. Make the entire batch.....it makes for great leftovers!
CHICKEN LO MEIN (4-6 servings)
Marinade:
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
Sauce:
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
4 Tbsp beef broth
1 Tbsp sugar
8 oz linguine or lo mein noodles, prepared to al dente
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped into 1/2" pieces
1/2 cup chopped cabbage
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1-2 cups bean sprouts
3 green onions, sliced into 1" segments, white and green parts
Combine marinade ingredients with the chicken and allow to sit for 20 minutes. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the remaining ingredients.
In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, beef broth, and sugar. Set aside.
Boil noodles as per package instructions. Drain the noodles and toss with the sesame oil.
Heat a wok or large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the 1/4 cup of oil. Add the chicken. Stir fry chicken until cooked, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add another Tbsp of oil to the pan if needed. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir fry until garlic browns, then add the carrots. Stir fry for about 1 minute, then add the shredded cabbage and mushrooms. Cook for 2 more minutes. Add the noodles, bean sprouts, and green onions and cook for about 2 more minutes.
Add the sauce to the pan. Return the chicken to the pan. Mix everything together and serve hot.
I grew up on salmon croquettes. Granted, it was Oklahoma in the 60's, so of course it was canned salmon. They were ok and met our needs, but nothing exceptional.
And then I discovered "Cook's Illustrated" salmon croquettes. Using fresh salmon and Panko breadcrumbs. Oh my! All the difference! This is a standard "comfort food" dinner in our home. And I always serve it with mac 'n' cheese (any recipe...homemade, of course) and green beans. It is a meal you can count on.....year after year after year.
SALMON CROQUETTES (makes 4 patties)
3/4 pound salmon fillet, finely chopped
1 Tbsp mayo
2 Tbsp finely grated onion
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
3/4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt to taste
Flour
Egg or Egg Beaters
Panko Breadcrumbs
Mix all of the ingredients together. Divide the mixture into four parts. Pat into equal-sized discs.
Place on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper and put into the freezer for 15-30 minutes (30 minutes works better for me......they're not quite frozen, but much firmer than just at 15 minutes. Makes them much less messier to handle).
Have three plates or bowls ready with the flour, egg, and Panko. First dip the patty into the flour, then the egg, then the Panko. Fry in a skillet with either vegetable oil or a pan sprayed with vegetable spray. Cook until brown on both sides.
Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated
Yea! Jim is back on a regular schedule meaning we'll be having dinner together everynight. And I can get back to regular recipe postings.
He wasn't sure what time he'd be in last night so asked for a light dinner. Soup or salad. I don't know why, but Crab Louis jumped to mind. This is a salad you can pretty much add what you like, but there are some basics you must include. For this the magic is the dressing. You can look it up, but there's not too much of a variation. I found this recipe in the South Beach Diet cookbook. It is heavenly....good enough on its own. We even used it to dunk our bread in.
So, for the salad, use what you like. Here are some standards if you look at a bunch of recipes. The must-haves are iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and of course crabmeat. Other additions:
Avocado
Asparagus
Cucumbers
Capers
Lemon
CRAB LOUIS DRESSING
1/2 cup mayo
2 Tbsp chili sauce
1 Tbsp grated onion
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
S&P
1 Tbsp cream or half-and-half
hot sauce
Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Let stand for at least an hour to allow flavors to blend.
