Quinoa with Mango and Avocado

We love the Mango Avocado Salsa that I make, so I thought it would make a great quinoa salad.  I basically used by salsa recipe and added quinoa.  Easy and really, really good.

2 cups water or broth
1 cup quinoa
3 T. Olive oil
1 T. rice vinegar
1 T. (more or less according to your heat level) jalapeno, finely diced
Juice of one or two limes (about 2-3 T.)
1 large mango, diced
1 avocado, diced (ripe but firm)
1/2 red pepper, diced small
2-3 T. red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
salt to taste

Combine water and quinoa (I like to add a teaspoon of Better than Bouillon).  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until water has absorbed.  Put cooked quinoa in a large bowl and fluff with a fork.  Let cool at room temperature or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, fluffing occasionally with a fork.

Combine olive oil, vinegar, jalapeno, and lime juice and whisk to form a vinaigrette. 

Add remaining ingredients to the cooled quinoa.  Stir in vinaigrette and season with salt.

I served this with fish and it was awesome.  I think it would be good to add a can of drained, rinsed black beans.  Might do that next time.

Shrimp with Sugar Snaps, Peppers, and Orzo

This is such an easy but yummy dish.  Just peel your shrimp, make a slice down the back to remove the vein, and then put them on paper towels to dry.  Season them with salt and pepper and put them in the fridge until you're ready to cook them.

The sugar snaps need to be blanched.  Just put them into a pot of boiling water for about 2-3 minutes and then into a bowl of ice water.  Leave them in the ice bath for a few minutes and then drain and let them dry on a kitchen towel. This will cook them just enough so they stay crispy and green.  Or, buy a bag of already washed sugar snaps (I use Mann's brand), poke a hole in the bag, and then nuke for about a minute.  Works great!

½ lb. pasta (I use whole wheat orzo)

½ lb. sugar snaps

5-6 T. olive oil, divided

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. peeled, deveined shrimp (21-25 count)

Salt/pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes

½ red pepper, cut into strips

½ yellow pepper, cut into strips

½ cup chopped fresh basil, reserve a little to use as garnish
Zest of one lemon

3 T. lemon juice (usually about 1-1/2 or 2 lemons)

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

Cook pasta while preparing the rest of the dish.  You want to make sure your dish is done when the pasta is ready.

In a small bowl, combine basil, lemon juice, zest and mustard.  Slowly whisk in about 3 T. oil until mixture thickens slightly.  Season with salt.

Heat 2-3 T. olive oil and sauté shrimp seasoned with salt and pepper.  Cook until shrimp are done, about 2 minutes per side.  Remove shrimp to a plate or bowl.  Add pepper strips to skillet and cook until soft.  Add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté 1 minute.  Add sugar snaps and stir to heat them up.  Add cooked shrimp and remove from heat.

Combine shrimp mixture, pasta and vinaigrette.  Garnish with remaining basil.

Cobb Salad with Teriyaki Chicken

The other day I got organic green leaf lettuce at HEB for 97 cents!  Crazy price, so I knew I had to make Stuart's favorite salad...Cobb.  I also marinated some chicken and then coated it with Panko bread crumbs, sauteed on a pan, and then finished it in the oven.  I really don't like grilling boneless chicken cause it seems to dry out so easily.  It's much better in the skillet/oven, like my Panko Crusted Chicken recipe from May 25.  Not to mention, it's over 100 outside so I really didn't feel like firing up the grill!

Cobb Salad
Lettuce of your choice (I like green leaf, red leaf, or romaine)
Boiled eggs, cut in quarters
Tomatoes (I like to use as many different colors as I can find)
Crumbled Gorgonzola, or any other cheese you like
Avocado slices
Bacon

Teriyaki Chicken
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup white wine
1 T. pickled ginger (or fresh, whatever you have)
2 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled, and roughly chopped
1 t. Dijon mustard
1 lime, juiced

Mix all the ingredients and pour over flattened boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  Marinade for a few hours.

Take chicken out of marinade and coat with Panko bread crumbs.  Brown both sides in olive oil and then put on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 12-15 minutes, depending on thickness of chicken.  Let rest for about 10 minutes and then slice for the salad.

To arrange the salad, chop the lettuce a little and put on a plate.  Arrange the ingredients in rows over the lettuce.  Top with the cheese.  Serve with dressing, or not (it really doesn't need dressing).

Note:  If you're going to grill the chicken, be sure and add about 1/4 cup oil to the marinade.  Keeps the chicken from sticking.  And, leave off the Panko!

Balsamic Cream Chicken Family Style

We were in Gulf Breeze recently and I made my Balsamic Cream Chicken (recipe from June 8 below) for the family.  Since I usually make this for just me and Stuart, I had to increase the recipe.  Colleen took a great picture for me of the end result.  I served it family style, with a pound of whole wheat capellini on the bottom.  I also roasted the tomatoes which was really good, even though Megan thought they were wierd!  Also, since I had so many chicken breasts, I just sauteed them on both sides and then put them in a 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes.  They turned out nice and juicy.

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, flattened to even thickness and cut in half
2 large shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
Flour
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup cream
Balsamic glaze to taste
2-3 T. butter
Salt and pepper
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 lb. whole wheat capellini or angel hair pasta


Coat chicken with flour that has been seasoned with salt and pepper.  Shake off excess.  Saute breasts in olive oil until lightly browned and cooked through (or brown them and finish them in the oven). 

Remove breasts, add butter and cook shallots over medium heat for about 2 minutes.  Sprinkle with about 1/4 cup of flour and whisk to a paste, cooking for about 1 minute.  Add chicken stock and stir until it thickens.  Add enough of the balsamic glaze until it tastes great.  I'm not sure how much I used, probably about 8-10 turns in the pan, if that makes sense.  The sauce will thicken but won't be as thick as gravy.  Remember that the pasta will soak a lot of it up.

Add the cream and return the breasts to the sauce.  Serve over the pasta.  Make sure your sauce is ready before the pasta is done so you can add the sauce immediately to the pasta.

Top with the tomatoes and about 3-4 T. tarragon.  You can use parsley if you're like Colleen and don't like tarragon.  Crazy children!

If you don't roast the tomatoes, be sure and still heat them up before putting over the chicken.  To roast them, put the tomatoes in a bowl and coat with olive oil.  Add salt and pepper.  Put the tomatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet and make sure each tomato is cut side up.  Roast at 225 degrees for about 2 hours.  You can also speed the process up by roasting them at 400 for about 20 minutes.  I did this the other day and I think I might prefer the hotter method.  Not to mention I don't want the oven on for that long when it's so hot outside!

Asian Grilled Salmon

I'm not a huge fan of salmon unless it's the wild caught salmon from Alaska.  I buy it at Costco so I always have it in the fridge.  This time I made a glaze and then grilled it.  My grill is on its last leg and is definitely not giving me good grill marks.  Oh well, the salmon was great and that's what matters.  I served it with Sesame Pasta Salad.

2 fillets salmon (I used wild caught Sockeye)
1 T. Dijon mustard
2 T. soy sauce (low sodium)
1 T. honey
3 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 t. ginger, minced (or 1/2 t. dried ginger)

Whisk the mustard and remaining ingredients until thick.  Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel.  Rub a little oil on the skin side of the fillets and put on a plate, skin side down.  Spoon some of the marinade on top of the salmon fillets (just the skinless side).  Allow to marinate at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes.

Grill the salmon on fairly high heat.  Start with the skin side down and grill about 4-5 minutes.  Carefully turn over and continue cooking about 4 minutes.  Remove from grill and let sit about 10 minutes before serving. 

You can spoon a little more of the remaining marinade on top if you want.  I didn't and just refrigerated it to use later.  The recipe for the marinade would probably be perfect for four pieces of salmon.

The cooking time really depends on the thickness of your salmon and your grill.  It should still be pink on the inside when you remove it from the grill.  It will keep cooking when you let it sit.

Sesame Pasta Salad

I know that tomatoes aren't usually found in an Asian style salad but I love the taste and color of them so I used them.  I really liked this salad cause it's different and has great sesame flavor.

9 oz. pasta (I used a package of fresh angel hair)
3 T. soy sauce (reduced sodium is best)
2 T. peanut or other oil
3 T. sesame oil (the dark toasted type)
1 T. rice vinegar
1 T. honey
2 T. toasted sesame seeds*
1 T. ginger, finely minced
Sliced red or yellow peppers, green onions, etc. (whatever you have and like)

Whisk together the soy sauce and remaining 6 ingredients.  Boil the pasta according to package instructions.  Drain pasta and transfer to a bowl.  Toss with the sauce.  Add sliced red and yellow peppers, cherry tomatoes cut in half, and a handful of sliced green onion.  Season with salt, if necessary.  Serve hot or cold.

You can use any combination of vegetables you like!

*You can buy sesame seeds already toasted or just heat them in a non-stick skillet until they just start to get fragrant and turn a light brown.  Never, ever turn your back on any seed or nut you are toasting cause the minute you do, they burn.  Just a fact.

Spinach Fontina Bruschetta

Our friend, Rob, came over for snacks and I made my Artichoke Pasta.  Instead of the usual garlic bread I made this and it was awesome.  Great way to get your spinach too.  You can use any type of bread but I used ciabatta cause it's so crunchy and so perfect for bruschetta.  Click on the picture to see these up close.

1 loaf ciabatta, sliced
Olive oil for drizzling
1 peeled garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise

Topping:
12 oz. baby spinach, chopped (use the already washed spinach)
3 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
3 T. olive oil
Salt
About 1/2-3/4 cup grated fontina (or cheese of your choice)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place the bread slices on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and bake until slightly toasted, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet or pot, add the spinach, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Cook for about 3 minutes until wilted.  Season with salt.  Transfer spinach to a collander to drain excess moisture.

When the bread comes out of the oven, let cool for a minute or two.  Take the garlic you sliced in half and rub the cut side on the bread.  This really gives the bread great garlic flavor.  Divide the spinach mixture on top of each piece of bread and finish with grated fontina.

Put back in the oven and bake until the cheese melts and begins to brown, about 5-8 minutes.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Slaw

I love shrimp tacos and I usually just use frozen shrimp since fresh shrimp in Austin can be pretty pricey.  I make a nice slaw (I either use the Mango Jicama Slaw below or my Apple Slaw, or I cheat and use Chinese Chicken salad dressing with a slaw mix), heat some corn tortillas, throw shrimp on the grill, and end it all with a squeeze of lime.  It's also really good with some avocado slices.

For the shrimp, I put peeled and deveined shrimp in a bowl, add some canola oil, and then any kind of spice.  For this recipe I bought BBQ spice.  I often use cumin and coriander, or really any blend of spices you like.  It's important to have the oil though so they don't burn.  Here are the shrimp skewered and ready to go on the grill.

Once skewered, I put the shrimp on a hot grill for about one minute per side.  It doesn't take long!  You could also cook them in a skillet.  Here are the shrimp after grilling:

Then I heat the tortillas in a dry non-stick skillet on medium heat.  Keep twirling them around in the pan, about 30 seconds on one side and about 15 seconds on the other side.  Wrap in a clean towel until you're ready to use them.  Serve with slaw, avocado, and fresh lime.  Great tacos!

Mango Jicama Slaw

Yes, it's mango again!  Kurtis was making this slaw at work and dressing it with a bottled Smokey Cumin Lime Vinaigrette that we sell.  I prefer not to buy too much bottled stuff so I decided to make the vinaigrette myself.  It turned out really well, if I say so myself.  I used jicama in the salad, which is a sweet root vegetable.  It really just adds great crunch to the slaw.  If you can't find it I would just add some apple.

2 ripe mangoes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced or finely chopped
3 cups cabbage, shredded (I usually buy the prepared slaw mix)
1 cup peeled and chopped jicama
1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted*
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Cumin Lime Vinaigrette (mine wasn't smokey)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and add vinaigrette as needed to moisten.  Remember that cabbage tends to "sweat" so it will get more moist as it stands.

Cumin Lime Vinaigrette:

2 T. fresh lime juice
3 T. rice vinegar
1/2 t. cumin
Salt to taste
1/2 cup oil (canola, olive, whatever you have)

Combine all ingredients except oil.  Whisk the oil slowly into the ingredients until well combined.

*Toasting nuts, seeds, spices, etc. is really easy.  Just heat a non-stick skillet on medium heat, add the nuts and shake back and forth.  When you start to smell the nuts they are done.  Never ever walk away from them as they will burn the minute you do (experience talking!).

Pulled Chicken Sammies with Apple Slaw

Mangoes have been plentiful lately and really inexpensive so I've been using them a lot.  I made my Mango Chipotle Sauce and decided to put it on bone-in chicken breasts and bake them.  It turned out great and I decided to make pulled chicken sandwiches by adding more mango sauce instead of BBQ sauce.  Totally yummy!  I also made Apple Slaw to add crunch to the sandwiches.  Serve it on toasted buns!

After making the sauce http://henshammock.blogspot.com/2011/02/mango-chipotle-sauce.html I drizzled the breasts with olive oil, sprinkled with some salt and pepper, and then coated with some of the sauce.  I baked it for about 40-45 minutes at 400 degrees.  If you have time, you can let the breasts marinade for a few hours in the fridge.

I let the chicken cool and then shredded it.  Added a little more Mango Chipotle Sauce and ended up with this:

Time to make the Apple Slaw:

3 cups thinly sliced cabbage (I buy Fresh Express pre-packaged angel hair cole slaw)

1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced (about ½ cup)

1 granny smith apple, julienned (match stick cut), about 1-1/2 cups

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 teaspoon or more chopped pickled jalapeno

1/4 cup golden raisins, chopped

1/4 cup toasted* slivered almonds, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint + more for garnish

1 tablespoon honey

Salt and pepper

Put the cabbage in a large bowl.  Add apple and squeeze the lemon over the apple matchsticks.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.  It won’t look like enough mayo but keep mixing as the cabbage with release some moisture.  Garnish with a little more chopped mint.

Refrigerate and serve cold.

*Toast the nuts in a dry (no oil) non-stick skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan back and forth.  Do not walk away!  Nuts will turn golden brown quickly.

Crispy Baked Chicken

Marinating this chicken for 4 or 5 hours really makes it turn out moist.  You have to cook it on a rack so it gets crispy.  A cooling rack that fits over a baking sheet is perfect.  Don't forget to line your pan with foil for easy cleanup.

I only cooked two bone-in, skin-off chicken breasts so increase the amount of crumbs if you're cooking more chicken pieces.  This would be good with thighs and legs too, or just a whole cut-up chicken.

For the marinade:
2 cups buttermilk or kefir (that's what I use)
Juice of one lemon
1/2 T. hot sauce, like Tabasco
1/2 onion, sliced and cut into 1-2" pieces
5-6 sprigs fresh thyme or whatever fresh herb you have, like rosemary or tarragon
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
Salt and pepper

Pick out a baking dish where the chicken pieces will fit without any extra room.  Mix the ingredients in the dish and then add what chicken pieces you are using.  Coat the chicken completely with the marinade.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4-6 hours, turning once.

For the coating:
1 cup cornflakes, crushed
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan
1-2 t. fresh chopped thyme, or 3 t. Herbs de Provence

Mix everything together.  I used my food processor but made sure not to completely pulverize the cornflakes.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and allow any excess to drip off.  Press both sides of the breasts into the coating.  Coat the rack with cooking spray and place it on the foil-lined baking sheet.  Put the chicken on the coated rack and then spray the top of the breasts with the cooking spray as well.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 40-45 minutes, or until a thermometer registers around 160 degrees. 

I served this with fresh beans and roasted carrots.  I just put olive oil, salt and pepper on the carrots and baked them until tender, about 15 minutes.

Crab Cakes

This is my first attempt at making crab cakes and it turned out great!  I've never been a big fan of crab cakes because I've always thought that they don't taste crabby enough.  Usually it's too much mayonnaise and bread crumbs.  It makes sense since crab is pretty pricey, but if I'm going to splurge on crab, I'm going to taste crab. 

The sauce was my attempt at food art...I think I need to go back to school!  The sauce was a piquillo pepper sauce and while I liked it, I prefer remoulade or tartar with my crab cakes, or nothing.  Here's the recipe for the cakes:

1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over to remove any shell fragments
1 egg white, beaten until foamy
1 T. flour
2 T. finely chopped fresh chives
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T. unsalted butter
3 T. peanut or other cooking oil
Lemon wedges
Put the cleaned crabmeat in a medium-sized bowl.  Slowly pour the egg white over the crabmeat, stopping to gently mix it together.  Let the crab and egg white sit for a few minutes.  Then, using a fine sieve, sprinkle the flour over the crabmeat.  Sprinkle with chives, cayenne, salt and pepper (about 1 t. salt/1 t. pepper).  Gently mix together.

Line a baking pan or dish with parchment paper.  Form six balls out of the crabmeat mixture, making sure not to overmix.  Place on parchment paper and gently press down to form the cake shape.  Sprinkle with salt.  Refrigerate at least one hour.

Heat oil and butter in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat.  If you don't have a large skillet, cook the cakes in two separate batches.  Cook the cakes for about 2 minutes on each side until nicely browned.  Drain the cakes on a paper towel-lined pan.

Serve with lemon wedges and your choice of sauce.

The recipe I followed was from Pat Conroy, the author of Prince of Tides and other great books.  I figured a Carolina boy would know how to make good crab cakes.

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

I love caesar salad and I make my own dressing because all of the bottled stuff is just loaded with all kinds of junk.  I don't do the traditional caesar where you use a raw egg because I need it to keep in the fridge longer, since we only use a little each time.  And yes, I know caesar salad does not have tomatoes, but whose blog is this anyway?

1 T. mayonnaise
1 t. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, smashed
6 anchovies
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 t. coarse salt
¼ t. pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
½ cup grated Parmesan

Place all ingredients except the oil and cheese in a food processor and blend.  Slowly start adding the oil until dressing is creamy.  Add the parmesan and pulse a few times to incorporate.

For the chicken, I just use a little of the dressing as a marinade and then grill it (flatten it to even thickness first).  I use a good romaine, green leaf, or other lettuce, some cherry or grape tomatoes, and croutons.  Toss with a little dressing, top with grilled chicken, and you have a great dinner!

Chicken Marsala

I made Chicken Marsala a couple of weeks ago but I didn't think it was great...just not enough Marsala flavor.  Marsala, like port and sherry, is a fortified wine, which means it has added alcohol.  It's very flavorful but when I first made the dish I followed what most recipes recommend, which is to add chicken broth.  That ended up being a bland sauce, so the next time I made it, I only used Marsala.  It turned out great. 

Make sure you cook the mushrooms until they are nice and brown, and don't overcook your chicken since you'll be adding it back into the sauce.  Your chicken should be a nice light golden brown, like this:

2 boneless breasts, flattened to even thickness and cut in half
Flour seasoned with salt and pepper, for dredging
12-16 oz. sliced mushrooms (I use Baby Bellas)
1 medium shallot (about 2 T.), finely minced
1-1/2 cups Marsala
Juice of one small lemon
2 T. fresh tarragon or parsley, chopped
Olive oil and 2-3 T. butter

Put seasoned flour in a plastic bag.  Add the chicken pieces and shake to coat.  Heat olive oil and saute chicken for a few minutes on each side until almost done.  Remove and cover with foil to keep warm.  In the same pan, add 1-2 T. butter to the remaining olive oil and saute mushrooms until nice and brown, about 10 minutes.  Add the shallot and cook for about 1 minute.

Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the Marsala (remember that this is alcohol so you don't want to start a fire!).  Simmer for about 5-8 minutes until the wine starts to reduce.  Add the chicken and continue simmering until you have a nice sauce.  Add the lemon juice, remaining 1 T. butter, and tarragon and you're done!

I used tarragon because my parsley looks like it has been living in a 100 degree oven, which of course it has.  My tarragon (actually, Mexican Marigold) is doing great and I really loved the flavor with the Marsala.

Artichoke Pasta Salad

Update:  I made this salad again and used a little Parmesan instead of the goat cheese.  It was really good.  New picture too.

I was in the mood for some pasta salad so I marinated some artichoke hearts and then added tomatoes, peppers, spinach, and goat cheese.  I used Rao's tri-colored farfalle (bow ties) and it was awesome.  It's expensive but it was totally worth it.  When pasta is the star of the show, use the best stuff you can.  You could buy marinated artichoke hearts instead of doing it yourself, but I think doing it yourself is better since you get to choose the spices and olive oil, and it's the act of cooking!

1 lb. pasta
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 red pepper, cut into one inch slices
1/2 yellow pepper, cut into one inch slices
Large handful of baby spinach, roughly chopped
2-3 T. red onion, finely chopped (or use shallot)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
3-4 oz. goat cheese, feta, or parmesan (I had goat so that's what I used)

Artichoke Marinade:

1/2 cup olive oil
Zest of one large lemon
Juice of one lemon
2 T. sherry or red wine vinegar
2 t. oregano (I prefer Mexican oregano)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. pepper

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.  Add the artichoke hearts and heat to simmer.  Turn off heat and cover.  Let sit for 4-6 hours.

Cook pasta in plenty of salted water until just done.  This usually means a minute or two less than the instructions on the package.  Drain pasta and put in a large bowl.  Add the marinated artichoke hearts and the marinade.  Stir to coat the pasta.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.  Good warm but really good chilled.

Meyer Lemon and Dijon Pork Tenderloin

I love Meyer lemons.  They look like very large lemons but they taste like a lemon crossed with an orange.  I wanted to try this recipe even though Meyer lemons aren't in season right now.  When they are, I know my friend Carole will be bringing in bags full to the store!  I just used regular lemons but added a splash of orange juice.

I saw this marinade being made on the Food Network and it was put on chicken, which I'm sure is great.  I had some pork tenderloin in the freezer so I used that.  I marinated it for about 5-6 hours in the fridge and it was awesome.  I then grilled the meat and grilled one of the lemons.  The grilled lemon was awesome and so juicy over the finished product.  I only had one tenderloin so if you're making more, just double the recipe.  It sounds like a lot of Dijon but it really was good.

2 Meyer lemons (or 2 regular lemons + splash of fresh orange juice)
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 T. finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
Drizzle of olive oil

Zest one of the lemons and then juice it.  Cut the other lemon in half and set aside.  Combine all of the ingredients and use to marinade meat of your choice.  While grilling the meat, cut the remaining lemon in half and put cut side down on grill.  Leave it there for about 10 minutes.

Just before serving, squeeze the grilled lemon over the meat.  The lemons will be super juicy so handle them carefully.

Mango Avocado Salsa

I love mangoes and this salsa is one of my favorites.  You don't have to be exact with measurements since all mangoes and avocados are different sizes.  I used a large mango and a large Haas avocado.  You have to use the Haas and not the Florida mangoes, which are the big light green ones.  Not good.

You can eat the salsa with chips but I used it for grilled shrimp tacos.  I told my friend, Cindy,  that I made tacos and she asked if I used any cabbage.  I told her I just used the shrimp and the salsa.  But, the next time we had it I added the shredded cabbage and it gave it just the right amount of crunch.  Thanks Cindy!!

1 large mango, diced

1 Haas avocado, diced

3 T. chopped fresh cilantro

Juice of one lime (about 2 T.)

1 T. minced jalapeno (I prefer canned or jarred), or more to taste

1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced

2-3 T. red onion, finely diced

2 t. minced ginger (optional)

Combine all.  Season with salt.

Grilled Peppers with Avocado and Tomatoes

Yeah, tomatoes again...they're just so good!  I was grilling Stuart a steak the other night and decided to throw a sweet yellow pepper on the grill for me.  I had an avocado I needed to use so I threw that on the grill as well.  I came up with this as the finished dish and it was really good:

1 yellow or orange bell pepper, cut in half, seeds and membrane removed
1 Haas avocado, cut in half, seed removed (leave skin on)
Sliced tomatoes
Lime
Cilantro
Cumin
Salt
Olive oil

Rub the pepper halves with olive oil.  Drizzle olive oil on the avocado halves.  Grill both until you have good char marks.  Scoop the avocado out of its skin and put it in a pepper half.  Add a squeeze of lime, some salt, and a sprinkle of cumin.  Top with sliced tomatoes and another squeeze of lime.  Sprinkle with a little salt and fresh chopped cilantro.  Really good, and good for you!  Pretty too.  Pretty food usually tastes good! 

Caprese Salad

I love when tomatoes are in season and right now they are really good.  I bought yellow, orange, and red tomatoes and some fresh mozzarella and made a yummy caprese salad.  All you need is thick slices of ripe tomatoes which you top with fresh mozzarella slices and fresh basil.  Drizzle on the olive oil and a bit of salt and you're done!

Shrimp Scampi

This one is always a big hit and it's so super easy.  Have everything chopped, zested and squeezed before you start cooking because the shrimp cook so fast.  I start cooking the shrimp when my pasta water starts to boil. 

¾ pound whole wheat capellini or angel hair pasta

2 T. butter

3 T. olive oil

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 cloves garlic, minced

Zest of one lemon

2 lemons, juiced (about ¼ cup)

Pinch of hot pepper flakes

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Peel shrimp and use a sharp knife and cut down the center of the back.  Clean out veins and dry on a paper towel.  Season with salt and pepper.  Melt butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet.  Add the shrimp and sauté for about 2 minutes on one side.  Turn shrimp and add garlic.  Sauté another minute or two.  Remove from heat and add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes.

At the same time, cook the pasta in plenty of salted water (3-4 minutes).  Add the cooked pasta to the shrimp mixture and toss to blend.  Top with chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley.

Mac and Cheese

UPDATE:  So, the other day at work I decided I HAD to make mac and cheese for dinner.  I talked to my friend, Michael, who works in Catering but used to work in the Cheese Dept.  He told me I should use two cheeses:  one for creaminess and the other for flavor.  We decided on Beemster brand Gouda and it turned my regular mac and cheese into perfection!  Michael suggested using the Beemster Graskaas and the Beemster Classic 18 month aged gouda.  I topped it with Panko crumbs mixed with melted butter, instead of Parmesan, and I loved the extra crunch it gave the mac and cheese.  Thank you Michael for all your help!

2 cups + 2 T. heated whole* milk (I just microwave it for 2 minutes)

2 T. butter

2 T. flour         

1/2 lb. (2 cups dry) small pasta (Conchigliette-small shells-is perfect)

1/2 lb. grated cheese of your choice

½ cup grated Parmesan or Panko breadcrumbs mixed with 2 T. melted butter

Pepper
Pinch of nutmeg

Boil pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente (about 6 minutes).  Drain. 

Melt butter over medium heat.  Whisk in flour and stir for a minute or two.  Add heated milk and continue whisking until mixture comes to a boil.  Turn heat down and continue cooking (and stirring occasionally) until mixture thickens, about five minutes.  Add pepper and nutmeg. 

Combine pasta, cheese and sauce and pour into a greased casserole dish (about 8x8 is perfect).  Top with more cheese and then the Parmesan or breadcrumbs.

Bake 350 for about 25-30 minutes until top begins to brown.  Don't overcook.  Once it starts browning, it's done.

*Often I just use skim milk since that's what I have on hand. 

Roasted Potatoes

Stuart and I love roasted potatoes.  I try to buy organic potatoes because if you think about it, organic is really the way to go with something like a potato where you eat the skin.  I  love small potatoes, or fingerlings.  The trick is to make sure they are all about the same size so they cook evenly.

The picture shows Ana's Herbs, which is something I love to use on roasted potatoes.  But, you can use any seasoning you like.  Salt, pepper, and rosemary or herbs de provence is wonderful.  Just cut the potatoes into equal portions, drizzle generously with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and whatever herb you like. Bake 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until fork tender.

Remember, foil is your friend!

Chutney Salmon

I'm actually not a huge fan of salmon, although I love smoked salmon and I eat it for breakfast all the time with pumpernickle bagels and cream cheese.  I just don't seem to love salmon for dinner.  But, it's really good for you and readily available at Costco, especially the sockeye salmon.  Lately, my favorite way of cooking it is to bake it with chutney.  This is the chutney I use:

The recipe couldn't be easier.  All I do is slater on the chutney and then bake the salmon in a 375 degree oven for about 12 minutes.  Totally yummy.

Guacamole

One of our favorite snacks is good old guacamole.  We especially love it with Central Market Quinoa Flax Seed Chips.  I usually add tomato to my guac which is definitely not the norm, but I like it and that's what matters.

2 large Haas avacados
1 Roma tomato, finely chopped
1 small clove garlic, minced
Juice of one lime
1 T. minced pickled jalapeno*
2 T. red onion, finely diced
1 T. cilantro, chopped
Salt to taste

Mash avocado and add the remaining ingredients.  Mix well.  Cover with plastic wrap and press wrap onto the dip.  This will keep it from turning brown.

*Use as much or little jalapeno as you like.  Personally, I like using canned or jarred jalapeno as opposed to fresh.  Using the jarred/canned jalapeno keeps me from biting into the crunch of fresh jalapeno.

Bean Dip with Artichokes and Piquillo Peppers

We recently had an event at work called Passport to Spain.  The store was full of all kinds of products imported from Spain.  I bought some judion beans and some piquillo peppers and ended up making this great dip.  I think you can easily substitute any white bean (cannellini, garbanzo, butter) cause it's not easy to find the judions.  They were like very large white lima beans, sort of.  Hard to explain.  Google is your friend.  Mine were dried so I had to soak and cook them but I think a can of beans (or use frozen) would be the equivalent of the amount of beans I used.  Piquillo peppers also come from Spain and they are really good.  You can substitute roasted red peppers but if you do, I would probably add a little hot smoked paprika since the piquillos have a more smokey flavor than red peppers.

1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 can artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 cup piquillo peppers (seed removed) or roasted red peppers
2-3 cloves garlic
Juice of one lemon
8-10 basil leaves
1 T. red wine vinegar
Salt
Olive oil

Put ingredients, except oil, into food processor and pulse.  Add oil until you have a good consistency. 

I served it with baked whole wheat Naan.  I'm eating some right now and it's good!  Click on the picture and you'll see a close up of the dip.

Balsamic Cream Chicken

I'm not one to use a bunch of cream and butter, but once in a while it's just necessary to a recipe.  A little butter and a little cream go a long way to create a good dish.  There is nothing wrong with a little fat; it's way better than using a fat free ingredient that is full of sugar.   I initially had this dish at a local bistro.  I asked what the main ingredients were and then went home and created my own version.  I really like it and it's definitely a keeper in the recipe repertoire.  I use a good quality stock and balsamic glaze, both of which make for a really rich recipe. 

I serve this dish with whole wheat capellini or angel hair pasta that has been tossed with warm diced tomatoes and chopped tarragon or Mexican marigold.  Sauteed spinach on the side is really good too.  Honestly, you must serve it with the tomatoes and tarragon.  It just adds an element that is too good to pass up. 

Recipe:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness and cut in half
Flour
Olive oil
1 shallot (about 2 T.) finely chopped
1 T. butter
1-1/4 cup chicken stock*
Balsamic glaze
2 T. cream

Whole wheat angel hair or cappelini pasta
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
2-3 T. chopped fresh tarragon or Mexican marigold

Pound breasts to even thickness.  Coat breasts in flour and saute in olive oil for about five minutes.  Flip and cook another 4-5 minutes.  Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.

In the same pan, melt a tablespoon of butter and saute 2 T. finely chopped shallot.  Sprinkle with about 1-2 T. flour.  Whisk to a paste and then add the chicken stock.  Cook for a few minutes and then add the balsamic glaze.  Just add as much as it takes to make the sauce taste great, about 1/2-1 tablespoon.  Add 2-3 T. cream and  then add the breasts to the sauce. 

Meanwhile, cook the pasta.  Chop a big tomato and heat over medium high heat for about a minute.  Add chopped tarragon or Mexican Marigold and mix well.  Serve chicken topped with cream sauce with pasta topped with tomatoes on the side.

*I use the concentrated stock to make the broth.  One fourth of the concentrated stock mixed with one cup boiling water makes an awesome stock....definitely better than ordinary broth. 

Feta Potato Salad

I went to a cooking class at Central Market and Nancy Marr made a great potato salad that didn't have any mayonnaise.  Instead, she used goat cheese.  I decided to change it up a bit and use feta.  I also saved the little bit of bacon fat and poured that on the hot potatoes.  Yeah, not exactly Helen-ish but it sure tasted good!  I loved when I was telling Cindy at work about how I poured the bacon grease on the hot, cooked potatoes.  She said, "Helen, that is so unlike you!"  Yeah, but sometimes you have to sacrifice for the greater good!

2+ pounds small potatoes, boiled*

1 large shallot, finely diced (or 1 bunch chives)

1-2 stalks celery, finely diced

2-3 T. fresh herbs (parsley, tarragon, dill, etc.), minced

1 T. Dijon mustard

2 T. white wine or Champagne vinegar

2 T. olive oil

3 slices bacon, small diced and cooked (reserve fat)

½ lemon, juiced

4 oz. feta, packed in water, crumbled

Boil potatoes as directed below.  Reserve 2 T. of the starchy potato water.  Mix the water with the mustard and vinegar.  Add 1-2 T. olive oil and whisk to emulsify.  Cut potatoes into quarters, put in a bowl and add bacon and grease (drain the grease if this freaks you out, but you lose a lot of flavor).  Add the celery, shallot or chives, and herbs.  Add the oil mixture and squeeze of lemon juice.  Mix in feta and serve.

*I boil the potatoes in salted water just until they are knife tender (in other words, not quite cooked).  Then I drain them in a colander and I put the colander on top of the pot.  I cover that with a dish towel and let them steam for about 10 minutes.  Perfect boiled potatoes every time!

Great Cornbread!

I love cornbread and I have a really basic, simple recipe for good cornbread.  One thing that is a must is a cast iron skillet.  I only have a small one so I actually half this recipe.  My skillet makes about six slices so that's perfect for me and Stuart.  I like this recipe because it uses only corn meal and no flour.  That makes it a whole grain bread, which is a good thing.  I also substitute Kefir for buttermilk since I drink Kefir everyday, and I think it's better for you than buttermilk.

2 eggs

2 cups buttermilk or Kefir

2 cups cornmeal

1 t. salt                      

1 t. soda

2 t. baking powder

2 T. melted butter

Preheat oven to 475°.  Grease a 9-10 inch cast iron skillet with butter and heat in oven for 6-7 minutes.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, beat eggs.  Add buttermilk or kefir.  Add dry ingredients and combine well.  Stir in melted butter.

Pour batter into the hot skillet.  Bake 20-25 minutes.

Since I make half this recipe for my small cast iron skillet, I only bake my cornbread for 15 minutes.  

Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri sauce is an excellent marinade and sauce for any meat.  It's very popular in Argentina and other South American countries.  Typically it's made with just parsley, garlic, oregano and a few other ingredients.  I spiced it up by making it a little Asian.  I usually use about a 1/3 of it for marinating and the rest to serve as a sauce on the side.  It's especially good with pork tenderloin and chicken....basically, any lean meat.

The recipe is super simple, especially if you have a food processor:

1 bunch cilantro, tough stems removed

1 bunch Italian parsley, tough stems removed

4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, peeled and coarsely chopped

4 green onions (root tips and tough green ends removed) 

4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/2 to 3/4 cup canola oil

3 tablespoons pineapple juice 

2 teaspoons Asian hot chili sauce, or more to taste

Salt to taste

Put ingredients in food processor and blend.