Something out of Nothing

Sometimes I have one of those nights where there isn't much food in the house...but I'm positive that I don't have the energy to go out to eat. Instead of dialing the local pizza place, I've been trying to be more creative with what I can find in the fridge and pantry.

Recently, I had this kind of night and decided to go on a hunt for some dinner. I looked in the fridge and saw three crowns of broccoli. I discovered a couple Yukon gold potatoes in the bottom cupboard. This was not looking promising...so I opened my freezer. Ah ha! There was that bag of frozen tilapia fillets that I had gotten on sale at Wegman's last month "just in case" I ever needed them. Surely, I could make something out of these ingredients.

I did a quick search online for simple tilapia recipes to get some inspiration. I could have just baked them in the oven with some butter or lemon juice on top...but I wanted something a little more flavorful. I happened upon this little gem on allrecipes.com.

With a can of tomato paste (which I always have in the pantry) and some spices, I could make something new! I didn't have the peppers, so I decided to roast the potatoes and broccoli instead.

The tilapia fillets are individually wrapped (which is so convenient), so I dunked 4 fillets (still in the wrapping) into cold water. By the time I made the sauce and got the potatoes and broccoli in the oven, they were thawed.

Baked Tilapia with Roasted Broccoli and Potatoes
~Simple and Satisfying~

• 3/4 cup olive oil (plus more for roasting)
• 3 crowns of broccoli, cut into florets
• 2 or 3 Yukon gold potatoes (Russet would be fine, too), chopped into bite-size chunks
• a drizzle of balsamic vinegar
  
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 4 (4 oz.) tilapia fillets
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 4 tbsp butter

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
   
2. Combine the potatoes with a generous drizzle of olive oil and several pinches of salt in a bowl, tossing to coat the potatoes. Spread into an even layer on half of a large sheet pan. Roast for about 10 minutes.
   
3. Meanwhile, combine the broccoli with a generous drizzle of olive oil and several pinches of salt in a bowl, tossing to coat the broccoli. Take the potatoes out and put the broccoli in an even layer on the other side of the sheet pan. Drizzle the potatoes and broccoli with some balsamic vinegar. Roast for another 10 minutes (but check to see how they're coming along). Then lower the temperature to 350 degrees and move the pan to the bottom rack.
   
4. While the potatoes and vegetables are still roasting, coat bottom of a medium baking dish with about 1/4 cup olive oil.
5. In a small bowl, blend remaining olive oil, tomato paste, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper.
6. Arrange tilapia fillets in the prepared baking dish. With a spatula, spread the olive oil and tomato paste mixture over the tilapia, heaping the majority in the centers of the fillets. Arrange onion slices on and around the fillets.
7. Bake in the preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, until fish is easily flaked with a fork. If the potatoes and broccoli are getting overcooked on the bottom rack, take them out and cover with foil to keep them warm.
8. When the tilapia is done, remove them from the oven and top each fillet with 1 tablespoon butter, and set oven to broil. Broil 5 to 7 minutes, until butter is melted and lightly brown. Serve the tilapia fillets with the roasted onions on top and the broccoli and potatoes on the side.

Even though I prefer cooking with a plan...sometimes I don't have a plan. Improvising with what you have on hand is a must sometimes and I find it to be kind of fun and quite rewarding!

Easy Meals for a Busy Week

This past week, I felt a little bit like this:

As I said in a previous post, this week was my first week of school. Teaching 2nd grade can be pretty tiring, so I needed easy and delicious meals to whip up each night.

I turned to Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2008 and found some fabulous recipes. All three recipes in this post are from that cookbook. Cooking Light continues to impress me with their easy and healthy recipes.

I made the following menu:

Monday - Spiced Salmon with Mustard Sauce and Sauteed Spinach in Butter

Tuesday - Apricot Turkey Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce, Oven Fries, and Salad
Wednesday - Left Over Burgers and Salad
Thursday - Turkey Tacos
Friday - Date Night Out

Saturday - Stir-Fried Shrimp with Spicy Orange Sauce over Brown Rice

My plan was pretty simple. The salmon came together in a snap on Monday night and didn't need any prepping ahead. The turkey burger meal was also fast and easy, so I threw it together when I got home from work.

While the burgers were cooking, I cooked up the turkey meat for the tacos on Thursday and popped it in the fridge. This was also cost-effective because I bought the family pack (3 lbs) of ground turkey, which is less expensive per lb. I used 1 1/2 lbs for the burgers and 1 1/2 lbs for the tacos.

I had a girls night to go to on Wednesday, so my husband enjoyed left over burgers since the recipe yielded 7 burgers. We even had enough to each bring a burger for lunch! On Thursday night, the tacos were ready to assemble.

On Friday night we went out to a favorite local diner that is inside a small airport. As you eat, you can watch planes land and take off. It's not a very glamorous place, but I find it so romantic. We were there over sunset and got to watch the plans take off into a pink and yellow sky.

My desire is to get all sorts of things done today, so tonight I plan to quickly thaw some frozen shrimp and put the meal together fast! I think that some instant brown rice will round the meal out well. I'll have to update you to tell you what I think of the recipe. We'll head to the movies after dinner for Date #2. My husband likes to take me on dates when I have long and tiring weeks...I'm a pretty lucky girl!

**Update: The Spicy Orange Shrimp was SO delicious. It took minutes to make and my husband and I enjoyed it very much!**

Spiced Salmon with Mustard Sauce*
~This was so easy, it didn't even feel like I was cooking!~
(We were so hungry that I forgot to take a picture of this one!)

• 2 tsp whole-grain mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 (6 oz.) Salmon fillets
• Cooking spray

1. Preheat the broiler
2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a fork.
3. Rub mustard mixture evenly over fillets. Place fillets, skin sides down**, on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
4. Broil 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

*I served this with one bag of baby spinach that I sauteed in 2 tbsp of butter until it was wilted. I sprinkled a little Parmesan cheese on it and it went well with the salmon.

**I actually removed the skin beforehand. You can remove it afterward or eat it with the skin. I always take it off, though. I think it's a mental thing...the skin just creeps me out.

Apricot Turkey Burgers*
~These are a fresh take on the typical turkey burger~

• 3/4 cup drained canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/3 cup minced shallots
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground red pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
• cooking spray
• 6 multi-grain hamburger buns
• Tzatziki sauce (I got mine from Trader Joe's...although, you can make it yourself)

1. Prepare the grill or grill pan.
2. Place chickpeas in a food processor, pulse 3 times or until chopped. Combine chickpeas, apricots, and next 7 ingredients.
3. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions (I actually had enough to make 7), shaping each into a 1/2 inch thick patty.
4. Place patties on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer registers 165 degrees. Remove from grill and let stand for 5 minutes.
5. Serve burgers on hamburger buns topped with Tzatziki sauce and tomatoes (if desired).

*I serve these with oven fries. To make them, I sliced up 1 large potato into thing even pieces. I tossed them with olive oil and placed in a single layer on a sheet pan. I sprinkled them with kosher salt and some Moroccan seasoning (since I thought it would go well with this particular meal...you can season them however you wish). They take about 20-25 minutes to crisp up in a 425 degree oven.

I made a little salad for the side by combining mixed greens, sliced English cucumber, dried cranberries, chickpeas, and Tzatziki sauce.

Stir-Fried Shrimp with Spicy Orange Sauce*
~This was easy and delicious!~

• 1 1/2 lbs peeled and deveined large shrimp
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (I will use Simply Orange juice because I don't have fresh)
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp chile paste with garlic
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions (scallions)

1. Place shrimp in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch, toss well to coat and then set aside.
2. Combine juice and the next 4 ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic to pan; stir-fry 15 seconds or until fragrant.
4. Add shrimp mixture and stir-fry 3 minutes. Add juice mixture and onions; cook 2 minutes or until sauce is thick and shrimp are done, stirring frequently. Serve immediately.

*I plan to serve this up over brown rice.

If I didn't come up with an easy and attainable plan to get meals on the table, I would've been tempted to grab pizza or fast food this week. The first week of school is always grueling, so cooking with a plan was a must!

Friday Night Feast - Birthday Edition

I had the honor of preparing my sister's special birthday meal...and it happened to fall on Friday. Friday Night Feast Time!

I kept bugging her all week about what she wanted me to make. Finally I gave her a huge stack of random recipes and told her to pick out what sounded best to her. I loved all the things she picked! Two of the recipes were ones I've never done before, but I'm hardly ever afraid to try new recipes. In fact, I absolutely love to try new recipes and do so often.

I was able to make almost everything the night before so I could enjoy the day with the birthday girl. Here's the birthday girl, by the way:

I love her.

Birthday Feast Menu

Grilled Shrimp with Strawberry-Mango Salsa
Pepper-Crusted Maple Glazed Salmon
Creamy Parmesan Swiss Chard Gratin
Fresh Blueberry Pie
Pear Cardamon Bread with Vanilla Ice Cream

Grilled Shrimp with Strawberry-Mango Salsa
~This was a wonderfully refreshing first course~

Shrimp Marinade:

• 1 1/2 lbs raw large shrimp (or you could use scallops...I used some thawed out frozen shrimp)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar

Salsa:

• 1 mango, peeled and diced
• 1 package strawberries, sliced thinly
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (I used about 1/2 a pepper to make it less hot)
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 2 or 3 tbsp olive oil
• juice of 1 lime
• salt to taste

1. Make sure the shrimp is shelled and deveined. Prepare the grill.
2. Combine oil, vinegar, and garlic in a small bowl. Add shrimp (or scallops) and toss lightly to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours. (I prepared the marinade in a large ziploc bag and then threw the shrimp in there to marinate).
3. Meanwhile, combine all of the salsa ingredients. The salsa should stand at least 15 minutes before serving so that the flavors mesh together. (I made it the night before and stuck it in the fridge..it was perfect!)
4. Grill shrimp on medium heat until pink and opaque (or until firm for scallops). Don't over cook...it only takes two or 3 minutes on each side at the most! (I skewer the shrimp to make them easier to turn).
5. Serve the shrimp on top of the salsa. The shrimp tastes great warm or at room temperature. This salsa is great for lots of things...grilled fish, meat, or tortilla chips.

Pepper-Crusted Maple Glazed Salmon
~So simple, yet so delicious~

(I doubled the quantities below in order to serve 6)

• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 4 salmon fillets, about 6 oz each
• 1/4 cup cracked black pepper
• Vegetable oil spray

1. Prepare the marinade by whisking the maple syrup and soy sauce together. Pour the marinade into a large ziploc bag and add the fillets. Press the air out of the bag, seal it, and turn the bag several times to distribute the marinade.
2. Set the bag in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
3. Place pepper on a small plate and remove salmon fillets from the marinade. Generously spray both sides of each fillet with oil (cooking spray). Pat the top side of each fillet into the cracked pepper to coat.
4. Grill fillets pepper side up for a 3 or 4 minutes and then turn to grill an additional 3 or 4 minutes (you may prefer to cook it longer or shorter depending on your preference).

Creamy Parmesan Swiss Chard Gratin
~This is a very decadent side dish~

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter; more for coating the gratin dish
• 1/2 cup toasted, coarse fresh bread crumbs (or plain store bought)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• 3 strips bacon
• 1 lb Swiss chard(1 or 2 bunches) washed and drained, stems removed and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices, leaves cut into 1/2 inch ribbons
• 1/3 cup parmesan
• freshly ground pepper

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a shallow 5 or 6 cup ceramic gratin dish (or any shallow medium sized baking dish). Melt 1 tbsp of the butter and toss it with the breadcrumbs; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring the cream and the garlic to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer vigorously for 5 minutes. The cream should reduce to 3/4 cup. Take the pan off the heat and remove the garlic cloves with a slotted spoon. Let the cream cool slightly and then season it with the salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp and browned. Transfer to paper towels to drain and leave the bacon fat in the pan. Add the remaining tbsp butter to the skillet.
4. Add the chard stems and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until softened. Add the chard leaves and season with salt. Saute until all the leaves are wilted, about 2 minutes.
5. Using tongs, transfer the chard to the gratin dish and spread them evenly.
6. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon and cheese over the chard. Pour the seasoned cream over all and top with the buttered bread crumbs. Bake for 25 minutes; the gratin will be brown and bubbly. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

All three recipes were learned at The Kitchen Workshop

~This was a beautiful meal to celebrate a beautiful person!~

More Produce Please?

I already posted some wonderful recipes that can be made with some fresh produce. Here's a couple more to add to the list.

Fresh Peach Chutney
~This is a very versatile recipe~

• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 large sweet red pepper, seeded, diced 1/4 inch, about 1/2 cup
• 1 small white onion, peeled and diced, about 1/2 cup
• 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced, 2 tablespoons
• 1/3 cup white raisins
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 pounds firm, fresh peaches, blanched to remove the skin, pit removed, sliced into wedges

1. Put the vinegar and both sugars into a non-reactive pot, place over medium heat and bring to a boil.
   
2. Add the red pepper, onion, jalapeño, raisins, garlic, ginger, salt and simmer 10 minutes.
3. Add the peach segments and simmer an additional 5-10 minutes. If the peaches are still firm allow to cook several minutes more. If you would like the syrup thicker you may also allow to cook for a minute or two to reduce liquid.
4. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes in the pot. Serve at room temperature.
   
5. Transfer all excess to a clean container and refrigerate, covered, for several weeks.

Recipe taken from epicurious.com

The reason I love chutney recipes is because they are so versatile. You can use chutney to top chicken or fish. You could add it to a sandwich as a condiment. You can spread it on crackers as a snack or appetizer. It's just plain good. It keeps very well in the fridge for at least two weeks. You can also freeze it, I would presume. I topped some salmon with this chutney and it was superb.

Fresh Blueberry Pie
~Yum, Yum, Yum~

• 1 prepared 8 inch pastry shell (I used the Pillsbury pie crust from the refrigerated section of the grocery store)
  
• 3 pints fresh blueberries
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup white sugar

1. Place a 9 inch pre-made Pillsbury pie crust in a glass pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
2. Pul it out of the oven and pour a pint of blueberries in the semi-baked shell.
   
3. Combine the flour, butter, lemon juice, and sugar in a sauce pan, stirring to combine. Add the remaining 2 pints of blueberries.
4. Cook the mixture on low heat until it begins to form juice. This may take several minutes, so just keep stirring and keep an eye on it. It might seem as though it won't get juicy, but it will. You can add cinnamon or vanilla if you want.
   
5. Pour the cooked mixture on top of the uncooked blueberries in the pie, add a top criss-cross pie layer (or just a solid crust layer) and baked it at 450 for about 11-13 minutes.
6. I found that letting it cool to room temperature and then putting it in the fridge really helps it to firm up, so that the juices don't run everywhere when you try to cut it. I even enjoyed serving it cold with some ice cream...I know pie is often served warm, but it tasted great cold!

Recipe taken and adapted from allrecipes.com

Having fresh produce is completely wonderful...it just inspires me to get into the kitchen and get creative!

Catch Up

Sorry...I took a brief hiatus from blogging this week.

I was on Spring Break (I'm a teacher) and had all sorts of plans for blogging and reading and cleaning and projects. And I would have done all those things if I hadn't been watching lots of TV, hanging out with friends and family, eating Easter cookies, and playing Scrabble with Sonny. And you know what? I have chosen to embrace the laziness and not have guilt over all the things I didn't get done this week.

I did do some cooking and tried a few new recipes. Here's a sampling of what I've been cookin' up in my kitchen these days...

Pineapple Teriyaki Salmon
~This can be filed under "Quick and Easy"~

• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 (6 oz.) can pineapple juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp canola oil
• 4 salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
• pepper
• Additional orange zest for optional garnish

1. Combine first 4 ingredients and 1/4 tsp of the salt in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 15 minutes). Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
4. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt and pepper. Add fish to the pan and cook 3 minutes. Turn fish over and place in the oven.
5. Cook in oven for a minute or two until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Sprinkle with orange zest if you desire.

Recipe taken from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2007

Garlicky Roasted Potatoes with Herbs
~These went very nicely with the Salmon~

• 2 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/4 pounds quartered Yukon gold or red potatoes (about 4 cups)
• Cooking spray
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (Italian parsley)
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees (because I made these with the salmon, I lowered the temperature so that the salmon wouldn't get overcooked...it worked just fine at 400).
2. Combine garlic and oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently.
3. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. Drizzle remaining olive oil evenly over potatoes in a large bowl and toss to coat (I actually just toss them in oil directly on the baking sheet).
5. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet (coated with cooking spray) and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
   
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until potatoes are golden. Combine reserved garlic, parsley, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Sprinkle garlic mixture over potatoes.

Recipe taken from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2007

Apricot, Prosciutto, and Goat Cheese Panini*
~This is delicious and beautiful..I wish I had taken a picture~

• Loaf of Italian Bread
• Butter for spreading on bread
  
• Thinly sliced Prosciutto
• Apricot Preserves
• Goat cheese

1. Heat up a panini press or a skillet over medium high heat
2. Spread butter onto two slices of bread. On the other side of one slice, spread apricot preserves. On the other side of the second slice, spread goat cheese.
3. Put a few slices of prosciutto onto one slice and put together to make a sandwich (buttered sides on the outside, obviously).
4. Place sandwich on panini press or skillet and let cook until golden brown and crispy. Then flip to cook the other side.
5. Let cool for a minute so that the preserves don't burn your tongue! (I learned this the hard way)

*My friend, Jill, made this sandwich for me when I went over to her house for lunch. I liked it so much I made it for my sister when she came over a few days later. Prosciutto and goat cheese can be a little pricey, but a little goes a long way and they both keep in the fridge for a while.

Chicken with Lime Sauce
~I served this with Cumin Roasted Potatoes and Steamed Green Beans~

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth*
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp lime juice, divided**
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp butter

1. Pound chicken breasts so that they are 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 4 minutes on each side until browned. Remove from pan and keep warm.
3. Add broth, sugar, 2 tbsp lime juice, and mustard to pan. Cook over medium heat, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
4. Combine 2 tbsp water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to pan and stir well with a whisk.
5. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute or until slightly thick. Whisk in 1 tbsp lime juice and butter, stirring until butter melts.
6. Return chicken to the pan and simmer until chicken is cooked through (about 5 minutes).

*I buy little jars of chicken broth paste called Better than Bouillon. You just scoop out 1 tsp for every cup of broth you need. The paste will dissolve in the water and tastes great! This product keeps you from wasting leftover broth from cans or boxes. It's sold near the broths and comes in lots of varieties
**I got limes at Produce Junction for very cheap

Recipe taken from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2007

Cumin Roasted Potatoes
~A great way to "turn up the volume" on roasted potatoes~

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
• Cut 2 large unpeeled baking potatoes (I used Yukon gold) into chunks or 1/2 inch slices.
• Combine 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp ground cumin, 2 minced garlic cloves, and a bit of salt and crushed red pepper into a bowl.
• Spoon mixture over potatoes and toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes or until golden.

Recipe taken from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2007

My very good friend, Mary Beth, came to visit on Friday. She and I were roomies in college and she was a bridesmaid in my wedding. I served up some Island Chicken with fresh pineapple, Roasted Vegetables, and Couscous. When dessert rolled around, I enjoyed making her uncomfortable by forcing her to pose for a picture.

Butter Cake with Seasonal Berries
~Doesn't Mary Beth look happy?~

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• Scant 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 whole large egg and 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 tsp orange zest
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 whole milk
• Mixed berries mixed with a bit of sugar to serve alongside (I did strawberries and blackberries)
  

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Butter a 9 inch round cake pan, then line the bottom with a round of parchment paper and butter parchment. Lightly dust with flour. (You don't have to do the parchment paper, but it ensures that it will not stick).
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add whole egg, yolk, zest, and vanilla and beat for 1 minute.
5. At low speed, mix in flour mixture and milk alternately in batches (by thirds)
6. Spread batter in cake pan and bake until golden brown and a wooden toothpick comes out clean (35-40 minutes). Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a rack.
7. Serve with mixed berries.
   

I also did some serious research (i.e. checking out books from the library and reading them while watching episodes of Friends on DVD) on freezer friendly foods and will devise some sort of post on that topic in the future.

Happy Easter!

How could I forget?

I was scanning through some of the recipes I've posted and was shocked to see that I haven't posted my favorite salmon recipe yet. I make this recipe regularly because it is very simple and I usually have the ingredients on hand once I pick up some fresh salmon (you could also freeze salmon and pull it out when you want it).

Salmon is not the cheapest thing you can buy, but it's cheaper than some other kinds of fish. It's also extremely good for you and worth the extra dollar or two. I try to make it at least every two weeks. During this time of year you can usually find it on sale because of Lent. A great thing to do is buy a nice big fillet, which is usually priced lower than buying little pieces, and make what you want and then freeze the rest.

If you are like me, I prefer salmon without the skin on the bottom. Why do they leave that on there? Is there some sort of specialness about it that I'm missing? Anyway, I learned how to remove it easily while I took classes at The Kitchen Workshop. Using a knife can be tricky and if you aren't careful you could waste some of the fish. Try it this way:

• Using a knife, separate the fish from the skin at one end (for just an inch or so).
  
• Then grab a clean kitchen towel and use it to secure the little bit of skin to the counter/cutting board.
  
• Take your other hand and, palm facing downward, place it between the skin and the fish.
• Hold the skin steady with the towel and push your hand toward the fish with a good deal of pressure. Your hand will separate the fish from the skin without wasting any of the fish.

Toss the skin in the trash and the towel in the wash and you're good to go. It's an easier technique to show rather than explain in words...but I did my best. Onto the good stuff...the recipe:

Sweet Mustard-Glazed Salmon Fillets
~This recipe can be used with any type of fish fillet~

• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Four 6 oz. salmon fillets (just double it if you are making more)
• Salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a shallow baking dish, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, brown sugar, and cumin.
3. Season both sides of the fillets with salt and pepper, place in the dish, and turn to coat the salmon with the mixture.
4. Bake until the fish is fork-tender, 10-13 minutes.

Recipe taken directly from Robin Miller's Quick Fix Meals