Cedar Plank Salmon

I find the best recipes are usually the simplest.  I used to think whipping up an impressive meal meant hours of prep work, lots of crazy ingredients and dozens of pots and pans.  This recipe is the exact opposite!

Four ingredients.  Juicy Lemons.  Fresh Dill.  Tender Salmon.  Cedar Planks.  Add a little salt and pepper and you have an elegant, delightful meal perfect for a summer dinner party or a romantic meal for two.

According to Great Lakes Grilling, the pairing of salmon and cedar planks started with Native Americans who occupied and fished in the Pacific Northwest.  In those days, the salmon was tacked on big wooden slabs and roasted over an open fire.

Unfortunately our condo association wouldn't take to kindly to us having an open fire on our wooden back deck.  Thankfully nowadays you can buy grilling planks almost anywhere.  The planks impart a wonderful smokiness to the fish without drying it out. 

I cannot take credit for this delicious and simple dish!  Sometimes you just come across recipes that are too good to be changed and this is one of them!

So for further details I will refer you to creator of this recipe - Allison Eats.  You need to add this food blog to your favorites!  I would also highly recommend the mustard dill sauce she pairs with the fish, too.  Enjoy!

Veal Saltimbocca

Prepare to wow your taste-buds people because this recipe will knock your socks off!  When the name of a dish ("saltimbocca") means "jump in your mouth" you know it has got to be good!

Don't you just love it when someone introduces you to a new favorite recipe?  My dad never disappoints in this department!!  Every time I am home he is always showing me a new dish he has stumbled upon.  This time the recipe comes straight from the kitchen of Cake Boss Buddy Valastro.

The first time my dad made this recpe my mom raved about it for weeks.  Weeks, people!!  So when my god-parents came over for dinner this past weekend I knew I wanted it on the menu!

Tender veal is layered with creamy mozzarella, slightly peppery sage and salty prosciutto, sauteed until golden brown and then topped with a tangy wine sauce.  (I veered from the original recipe and added a little lemon.  Who doesn't love a little lemon??)

VEAL SALTIMBOCCA

Adapted from Buddy Valastro 

Ingredients

• 8 slices (about 1 pound) of veal cut for scallopine
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly slices
• 8 large sage leaves (or 16 smaller sage leaves)
• 8 slices of prosciutto, thinly sliced 
• 8 wooden skewers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• The juice of one lemon, plus lemon wedges for serving
• salt & pepper

Directions

1. Preheat a serving platter in an oven set to 200ºF.
2. Pound out veal slices between two pieces of plastic wrap. Salt and pepper each side.  Arrange mozzarella slices on each piece of veal, then sage leaves, and finally prosciutto.  Gently weave skewers through the meat to secure everything together.
3. In a large skillet, over medium-high, heat olive oil and butter.  Once butter is melted and foaming add the veal slices, prosciutto side down first, in batches of four.  Saute veal on high for about one minute until prosciutto is browned and then flip, cooking about one minute more until veal is cooked through.  Transfer to the heated serving platter in the oven to keep warm.  Repeat with remaining batch.
4. Once veal is cooked and warming in oven add flour to pan.  Stirring frequently, cook flour until slightly browned.  Slowly add wine and stock to the pan, making sure to scrape up any brown bits stuck to the pan.  Cook over medium-low heat until sauce has reduced by half.  Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice.   Pour sauce over veal and serve.  Enjoy!

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Sausage Veggie Lasagna Roll-ups

I have days when I have crazy carb cravings!  Lasagna always fits the bill.  However there are some things I hate about the baked pasta dish.  It's messy, the filling always spills out back into the pan and it is hard to freeze in individual portions (because who is able to polish off a whole pan of lasagna in one sitting???)

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Before we get to all of that... did you know the wide, flat and long lasagna noodle is possibly one of the oldest pasta shapes?  Wiki Researchers say there are a few theories as to how lasagna made it to our plates.  The most popular is that the classic-Italian dish has Greek roots.  Some says the name lasagna comes from the Greek word λάγανον (laganon) which means "a flat piece of pasta dough cut into strips."   However a similar type noodle showed up in a recipe for "Loselyn" in the  first-ever cook book published in England in the 14th century.  That leads some to believe the flat pasta is speaking with an English accent.

via Life In Italy

No matter the origin, the lasagna noodle is a now staple of Italian cuisine.  Traditionally, in southern parts of Italy, the dough is whipped up with just semolina flour and water.  However, in the northern areas of the country where semolina might not be available, pasta makers use eggs and flour.

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I have been spotting a lot of lasagna roll-up recipes.  The idea seemed simple and would answer all of my lingering lasagna issues.  BUT I never tried it.  UNTIL NOW!!  Just so you know... I was very pleased with the outcome!!

I packed these lasagna rolls with lots of veggies: spinach, zucchini and mushrooms.  Spicy Italian sausage brings a lot of heat while the luscious ricotta and salty mozzarella provide to perfect amount of creaminess.   Paired with your favorite jarred pasta sauce (yes jarred, because not all of us have time to make our own sauce) and you have a dish that will satisfy even the craziest of carb cravings.

SAUSAGE-VEGGIE LASAGNA ROLL-UPS

Adapted from Kitchen Belleicious
Makes 9 Roll-ups

Ingredients

• 9 sheets of lasagna style pasta noodles
• 1 pound of Italian sausage (mild or hot)
• 1/2 zucchini, thinly sliced using a knife or mandoline
• 3 to 4 medium portabella mushroom caps, stem removed and thinly sliced
• 5 ounce package of baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 shredded or grated parmesan
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella (preferably in a log shape) 
• red pepper flakes
• olive oil
• salt & pepper

Directions

1. Fill a large pot with water, season with lots of salt and heat on high until the water boils.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook the sausage until crumbled and browned.  Place sausage in a bowl and set aside to cool.  In same skillet add a few teaspoons of olive oil and heat over medium-high.  Add in a pinch or two of red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you would like it) and cook for about 1 minute.  Then add spinach and cook until wilted, about 4 minutes.  Add garlic and cook one minute more.  Place spinach and garlic into another bowl and set aside to cool.  Return same skillet to medium-high heat adding more olive oil to grease the pan and add in sliced portabella mushrooms.  Cook until all mushroom liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are slightly caramelized, about 5 to 8 minutes, then place in bowl and set aside to cool.  
3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan and lightly beaten egg.  Stir in cooled sausage and spinach.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. When water reaches a boil cook the lasagna noodles according to package instructions until "al dente."  Add a few teaspoons of olive oil to help the pasta noodles from sticking to each other.
5. Once noodles are cooked and drained, place about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture on each noodle, spreading mixture out.  Then layer with zucchini slices, mushrooms and fresh mozzarella.  Carefully roll each noodle up.  
6. In a baking dish, pour about 1 cup of your favorite pasta sauce in the bottom and spread around.  Place lasagna rolls in the baking dish and cover with remaining the sauce in the jar.  Top rolls with remaining 1 cup of parmesan. 
7. Bake in a 400ºF oven, covered, for about 30-40 minutes until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Zucchini Tart with Herbed Lemon Ricotta

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope everyone is having a happy and loving day!  For me, today is a day to embrace all things romantic!!

I am always shocked when I see so-called "romantic" Valentine's Day recipes that are chalked full of heavy creams, dense sweets and huge portions.  I don't know about you but when I am stuffed the LAST thing I feel is romantic (or sexy for that matter!)  So I decided to keep my Valentine's Day recipe simple, light and delicious.

I love zucchini.  I love how you can eat it raw or baked or grated or fried.  It is one of the ultimate versatile veggies AND it works perfectly in this tart.  Store-bought puff pastry brings a buttery airiness to this dish without all of the hard work.  AND last but not least, herbed-lemony ricotta bring a nice creaminess that sends this recipe over the top.  It looks fancy.  It tastes fabulous.  What more do you need from a romantic meal?  Pair it with some roasted chicken or a simple grilled steak and you will be set!

ZUCCHINI TART

WITH HERBED LEMON RICOTTA

Adapted from Forty Chestnuts

Ingredients

• 1 large zucchini, thinly sliced using a mandolin or knife
• 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator 
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
• juice from half a lemon
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leave, chopped
• olive oil
• salt & pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
2. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, herbs, lemon zest and juice.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.
3. On a floured surface roll out puff pastry sheet into 10 by 9 inch rectangle.  Using a fork score the pastry every 1/2 inches to avoid bubbles in the pastry while baking.  Spread ricotta mixture onto the pastry using a spatula, making sure to leave a half inch border.
4. Arrange zucchini slices on top of the ricotta.  (I arranged mine in a lattice pattern but you could also just layer the slices slightly overlapping them.)  Brush zucchini slices with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 14-15 minutes until puff pastry is golden around the edges.
5. Allow tart to cool in the pan for about five minutes and then carefully transfer to a cutting board or serving platter.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Enjoy!

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Chicken Mole Tacos

You know when you get a craving for something you just can't shake.  This past week for me it was tacos.  There is something about spicy meat, crispy vegetables, creamy cheese all wrapped up in a corn tortilla.  I think I could eat tacos every day.  I know Joe could!

Chicken Pumpkin-Ancho Mole Taco

I knew exactly what kind of tacos I wanted to make.  A few months ago... while watching the Food Network I saw one of my favorite TV Chefs, Sunny Anderson, make this chicken mole dish... but get this... there was no chocolate!  What?!?  A mole with no chocolate?  I was intrigued. 

Perfect combination of chilis, pepitas, roasted veggies and chicken

Turns out... according to Ms. Sunny and the Wiki-know-it-alls the word "mole" simply means "sauce."  Here I thought it meant chocolate sauce!!  Actually - chocolate is not a popular ingredient in Mexican moles usually.  The most common component is chili peppers (ancho, pasilla, mulato and chipotle) and then the sky is the limit when it comes to what goes in it.  Some moles can have upwards of 26 ingredients!  

Amazing dinner

What stood out about Sunny's mole was the use of toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) and ancho chilies (dried poblano chilies).  I love pumpkin seeds and have always wondered how to use those dried chilies I keep seeing at the grocery store.  Also, her recipe called for brining the chicken breasts first.  HELLO!  I had never thought about that but the idea is genius! 

Brine to ensure the chicken is nice and moist

I did make some changes to the recipe though.  I added more jalapenos because Joe and I love spice (however it was still pretty mild) and I threw in a few tablespoons of brown sugar to sweeten it up a bit.  

Served up with all of the fixins

The mole was DELICIOUS!! Serve it up with warm corn tortillas and some fresh cilantro, red onion, sliced radishes, creamy avocado and crumbles of queso fresco.  

CHICKEN (PUMPKIN-ANCHO) MOLE TACOS

Slightly adapted from Sunny Anderson/Food Network

Ingredients

• 8 cups water, divided
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 6 bone-in, skinless chicken breasts
• 5 ancho chiles (dried poblano peppers)
• 4 large jalapenos, halved
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 3 Roma tomatoes, halved and seeded
• 4 whole garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 large bunch cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
• 16 corn tortillas, kept warm
• 2 limes, cut into 8 wedges
• 2 avocados, halved, pitted and flesh sliced
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced 

Directions

• In a medium saucepan, combine 6 cups water, salt, sugar, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and cloves. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring gently. Once the sugar and salt have dissolved, remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a large bowl, add the chicken, and refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Bring the remaining 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. In a medium heatproof bowl, add the ancho chiles and cover with the boiling water. Weigh down with a plate so the peppers remain under water and let them soak for 15 minutes. Remove and discard the stems when the peppers have softened making sure the scrape off any seeds.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. On a sheet tray toss the jalapenos, onion, tomatoes, garlic and cumin with 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast until nicely caramelized with good color, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Add the pumpkin seeds to a dry, hot skillet on high heat. Stir often, until the seeds are golden and begin to pop. Transfer to a food processor along with roasted vegetables. Add the soaked chiles, about 2 tablespoons of chili soaking liquid, the cilantro leaves, 2 tablespoons if brown sugar and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the processor. Puree until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. 
• Remove the chicken from the refrigerator, blot dry with paper towels and put into a large Dutch oven. Pour in the mole sauce and bake, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 55 to 60 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and transfer the chicken to a cutting board to cool. When cool to the touch, shred the chicken and add it back to the sauce. Spoon the mole into corn tortillas and serve with lime wedges, avocado slices, red onion, and radishes. Garnish with cilantro leaves.  Enjoy!

Wendy's Chili Con Carne

Wendy's Chili Con Carne

What are you having for dinner tonight?  Me?  Left-overs!!  I put a double exclamation because left-overs are one of my all time favorite eats.  Why?  The developed flavor!  Now I know this is not true for every dish but a lot of time if you let a meal sit in the fridge for a day or two the flavor of soups, stews and chili deepens and develops even more.  Which is exactly why I LOVE my chili the next day. 

Yum!

Every family usually has a few chili con carne recipes under their sleeves and my family is no different (especially since we are from Texas!)  My mom loves lots of beans and vegetables in her chili while my dad argues beans have no place in the spicy meat stew.  There are different schools of thought on what makes the best chili but an even hotter argument is exactly where the first pot was cooked up and by whom.

Chili with all of the fixin's

According to the International Chili Society there are many rumors as to where the first bowl was served up.  Some believe Aztecs created the dish after cutting up invading Spanish conquistadors and seasoning chunks of them with chile peppers before eating them.  Yeah, that's gross.  Others believe it was created by cowboys on the open ranges of Texas in the 1800s.  I think I will go with that option.
 

My chili recipe is so engrained in my brain I think I could make it with my eyes closed.  Lean ground sirloin, onions, peppers, garlic, tomatoes, beer and LOTS of spices.  AND of course LOVE ((AWH)).  The trick is to give yourself enough time to let it cook for a good 2-3-4 hours.  Sounds like overkill but the time is well worth it.  

You can't forget the toppings!

Then there are the toppings, of course.  This is where your bowl of chili gets personal.  I love green onions, lots of cilantro, jalapeno and a big squeeze of lime on my chili con carne.  As well as a heaping helping of cheese!

Some jalapenos to kick it up a notch

While I love spicy food I usually go "a little" milder with chili (I stress little!).  Since I am probably going to be serving this up to a crowd I recognize that not every has the love for heat like Joe and I do.  Instead I will offer up some fresh jalapeno slices, red chili flakes and sometimes some chipotle chili peppers in adobo for folks to get their spicy fix.

What do you like on your chili?

WENDY'S CHILI CON CARNE

Ingredients 

• 1 1/4 pound of lean ground sirloin (96/4)
• 2 small or 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 jalapenos, minced (with or without seeds)
• can of beer
• 28 ounce can of tomatoes, with juice
• can of kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 tablespoons of chili powder
• 1 to 2 teaspoons of chipotle chili powder (depending on heat)
• 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons of ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 bay leaves 
• olive oil

Veggie Ham Crescent Wreath ReciDirections

• Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy bottom pot over medium high heat.
• Add onions and bell peppers, stirring until onions are translucent.  Add garlic and jalapenos and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Stir in ground sirloin and cook until meat is browned.  Meanwhile, in small bowl mix together chili powders, garlic powder, cumin, coriander, oregano and salt.
• Once meat is cooked through stir in spice mixture and cook for 2 minutes.  Add can of beer.  Using a wooden spoon scrape up any bits stuck on the bottom of the pot.  Simmer until liquid has reduced by half.
• Add in canned tomatoes with juice, pinto beans and bay leaves.  Bring pot to a simmer, cover and cook for 2-3 hours until flavors are developed.  Eat immediately or reheated the next day.
• Serve with chopped green onions, fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeno, lime wedges and your favorite shredded cheese.  Enjoy!