Dinner Party Worthy: Herb Mustard Glazed Salmon

For me, I need my fish to have a little "pizazz" in order for me to really enjoy it.  Salmon is great with lemon, salt, and pepper.  But let's be honest, switching it up every now and then never hurt anyone.  This recipe does just that.  Half-way through broiling, you simply add an "herby" mustard glaze and it takes the salmon to a whole other level.  Definitely dinner party worthy.  This same glaze would be great on a variety of fish and seafood.  The options are endless!  I apologize for the lack of picture here.  We were hungry tonight!


Ingredients (serves 4):
4 salmon filets (I have the fish guy at the market take the skin off and make sure there are no bones!)
1/2 teaspoon of rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of thyme, finely chopped
1 tbs. of dijon mustard or whole grain if you have it
1 tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove
1 tbs. of olive oil


Directions:
In a food processor combine, rosemary, thyme, mustard, lemon juice, and oil.  Combine for 30 seconds.  This is your glaze.  Set aside.
Pre-heat Broiler.  Line a cookie sheet with foil.  Place salmon on foil and season with salt and pepper.  Broil for 2 minutes.  Remove from broiler and spread mustard and herb mixture liberally on each piece of salmon (don't skimp here, this is where the flavor is!)  Return to broiler and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until golden brown.  Keep a close eye on the fish near the last few minutes of cooking.  Before serving, squeeze lemon juice over the salmon.  If you are serving at a dinner party, garnish the serving dish with rosemary and thyme sprigs. 

30 Minute Meal: Easy Asian Noodles

It is Tuesday and after a field trip with thirty-four five year olds, I am tired, hungry, and most importantly I needed dinner to be ready.  And fast!  This is one of those meals that comes together so quickly and is quite satisfying.  The key to this recipe are the Yaki-Soba noodles that you can find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store near the tofu and other refrigerated asian noodles. The coconut milk creates a creamy, light sauce.  Like most "Cooking Girl" recipes, this one can be easily adjusted according to what you and your family like to eat.  Add more veggies, use a different protein, or simply make the noodles.  

Ingredients (serves 2 with leftovers):

Fresh Yaki-Soba Noodles with Seasoning Sauce (these come with 3 packages of noodles inside each bag.  I use all three packages and all three sauce packages for this recipe.)

4 carrots, finely chopped

4 scallions, finely chopped

1 cup of fresh spinach

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 can of light coconut milk

1 tbs. of soy sauce

2 tbs. of toasted sesame seeds (You can find these in the asian food aisle at your grocery store.  They come already toasted and are very affordable.  I add them to almost all of my asian dishes and they add a great nutty flavor.)

10 raw shrimp (peeled and deveined) 

salt and pepper

olive oil or sesame oil

optional: You can use chicken or beef instead of the shrimp if you like.  You can also add other vegetables to this dish such as bean sprouts, bok choy, and mushrooms.  I cook for a very picky husband, so I kept the recipe very simple.  

Directions:

Saute carrots and scallions until tender in a bit of olive oil or sesame oil if you have it.  Add garlic and continue cooking for 30 seconds (do not burn garlic!)  Add the shrimp, lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper, and saute for 2 minutes (it is okay if the shrimp aren't fully cooked at this point.)  Add the coconut milk, soy sauce, and the seasoning packets.  Combine and let come to a simmer.  Add the noodles, breaking them up with your fingers as you add them to the pan.  Reduce heat, combine, and simmer for about 5 minutes.  The sauce will thicken and reduce.  Add the spinach during the last minute of cooking.  Once spinach has wilted, sprinkle with 1 tbs. of sesame seeds.  Taste and add more soy sauce if you feel it needs a bit more salt.  Divide amongst your dishes and sprinkle remaining sesame seeds.  Done!  

Now go eat.

Perfect Picnic Side-Dish: Orzo Salad with Roasted Asparagus, Sundried Tomatoes, Feta, and Basil

So I used to work in the Entertainment "biz" before I ventured into the world of Kindergarten.  One cold Winter on location in White Rock, Canada where we were filming JUNO, I made this great Orzo Salad.  We wanted something that would keep for a few days in the fridge and would be ready when we needed it.  After 15 or more hour work days, there was no time to cook at the end of the day!  So this was a quick fix, and a delicious at that.  


This recipe was inspired by Giada's Orzo Salad and the Orzo Salad at Whole Foods.  I added flavors and veggies that I think work well together and that I love.  But this recipe is easily adjustable.  If you don't like asparagus, add roasted zucchini. If you don't like sundried tomatoes, add fresh tomatoes or red peppers.  This is a wonderful go-to recipe for a picnic, BBQ, or make ahead side dish that can sit in your fridge all week. I am taking it today for a family football Sunday get together!


Ingredients:
3 cups of orzo or 1 package
6 cups of chicken broth (I like to add a few tbs. of Better Than Bouillon to water and you have instant broth!)
1 bunch of asparagus
1/2 cup of chopped sundried tomatoes
1/2 cup of chopped basil
3 scallions, finely chopped
1 4 oz. package of crumbled feta 


Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup of red wine vinegar
1 cup of olive oil (seems like a lot, but there is A LOT of orzo)
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice


Directions:
For Asparagus:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Snap the ends off of the asparagus, toss in olive oil, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.  Roast on a baking sheet for 20-25 minutes.  Take out of oven and let cool. Cut into small pieces and set aside.
For Orzo:

Add the broth to a sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Add the orzo, partially cover, and cook for approx. 7 minutes (al dente.)  Drain orzo and set aside.
For Vinaigrette:
Mix all ingredients with a whisk in the serving bowl of your choice.


Now here's the fun part!  Add the orzo, roasted asparagus, sundried tomatoes, basil, scallions, and feta to the vinaigrette. Toss gently to combine.  The orzo will still be warm at this point.  It will soak up all the yummy vinaigrette.  Taste and add a touch of salt and pepper if you feel it needs it.  I like to cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.  This dish is great served at room temperature as well.  Yum!

Brown Sugar Bacon: A New Twist on An Old Favorite

Prepped Brown Sugar Bacon Ready For The Oven!

Bacon. Bacon. Bacon.  It is no secret that bacon is a timeless food that has captured the hearts of most Americans.  I feel that bacon has really taken center stage in the last few years and people are using it in crazy ways.  Bacon is so versatile and is not just a savory element anymore.  Bacon is everywhere now: on chocolate, in donuts, on cupcakes, just to name a few.  For me the jury is still out if I buy into those flavorings.  But here is a recipe that adds a little sweetness to bacon (without going crazy like dipping the bacon in chocolate!) and is a fun twist to a traditional ingredient.  The bacon turns out crispy and savory with just the right amount of sweetness!

Ingredients:
(serves 8, so adjust according to who you are cooking for)
16 slices of bacon
1/3 cup of firmly packed brown sugar


Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper for easy clean-up.  Spray a wire rack with cooking spray and place on the baking sheet.  This little step with save your oven and your precious time cleaning the kitchen!  Lay the slices of bacon in one single layer on each rack.  Evenly sprinkle with brown sugar and press down so the sugar sticks to the bacon.  Bake for 30-35 minutes - rotating baking sheets half way through cooking.  If needed, finish off in the broiler for a few minutes, but be careful not to burn!

My Brunch Staple: Mom's Breakfast Casserole

This is my mom's recipe (so you know it has to be good) and a dish I grew up on.  This recipe never disappoints.  It is a great make ahead brunch meal.  And now that we are steadily approaching the holidays, this is a perfect dish to try if you are hosting family and friends.  My in-laws are coming into town this morning after driving across country from FL to CA.  I wanted to make a comforting brunch meal that didn't leave me in the kitchen for hours on a Saturday morning.  I prepped this yesterday evening (took about 10 minutes) and this morning I will pop it in the oven.  I love how easy this dish is and how people simply rave about it.  It really is one of the easiest recipes I have ever made and is great for a new cook.  Enjoy!


Ingredients:
10 slices of white "wonder" bread
1 8oz. package of shredded cheddar cheese
6 eggs
2-4 tbs. of unsalted butter, according to how liberally you want to spread each piece of bread.  I stick to around 2 tbs. (bring to room temp. before preparing)
2 1/2 cups of whole milk


Directions:
Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Spread butter on each slice of bread (I like to just spread butter on one side only.)  Cut the crusts off and then cut into cubes.  Scatter the bread in the baking dish.  Next, whisk the 6 eggs and milk.  Then stir in the the cheese.  Leave about 1/2 cup for sprinkling on top.  Pour liquid mixture over the buttered bread and top with remaining cheese.  Let sit overnight.  This allows the bread to soak up the egg and milk mixture.  


The day you plan to bake this yummy dish off, pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees and let stand on the counter at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Then bake for one hour, uncovered.  I like to serve this immediately because out of the oven the dish is puffed, golden, and quite a crowd pleaser.  You can add other items to this dish like sausage or bacon, but I love the homey flavors of simply the eggs and the cheese.   

My Comfort Food: Roast Chicken and Brown Sugar Acorn Squash

Sunday Dinner: Roast Chicken and Brown Sugar Acorn Squash 

(picture above is before roasting because I ate it too fast to remember to take a picture 

AFTER roasting!)

September 23rd marked the beginning of Fall.  I know this because I do the weather report with my little Kindergarten students every morning.  We have been waiting for September 23rd for some time now.  Fall means many things to me, but one of the things that I love most about Fall is Roast Chicken.  Now you can make Roast Chicken every month of the year, but it just seems to taste better in the Fall.  Maybe it is because of the comfort factor that a Roast Chicken brings or perhaps it is the way it fills the house with the smells of yummy goodness.  


The fun thing about Roast Chicken is that you can make it a million different ways if you follow a few basic steps.  Below is my recipe for a great Roast Chicken and also some variations you can apply according to your tastes and the season.  I followed Thomas Keller's oven temperature and timing suggestions this Sunday and the results were wonderful.  I feel that a Roast Chicken recipe does not and should not have to be precise.  That is the fun of roasting a chicken.  As long as you season generously and add a few flavoring agents, it will taste like home.  This meal can bring the sunshine out no matter how cold it is outside.


My Go-To Roast Chicken
Ingredients:
One 4 - 4 1/2 pound chicken
Salt and Pepper
1 Head of Garlic
A few Sprigs of Rosemary
A few Sprigs of Thyme
1 Lemon quartered
Sprinkling of Paprika
Olive Oil


Some optional variations if you are feeling a little crazy:

• Add vegetables (whatever is in season and that can hold up to the roasting process) to the bottom of your cooking vessel (i.e. onion, carrots, turnips, leeks, new potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, etc.)
• Sometimes I like to rub garlic and herbs under the skin of the breasts to really help get the flavor into the bird.
• If you are out of fresh ingredients, season with what you have on hand (i.e. Lemon Pepper, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Salt and Pepper.)  
• I have even marinated a whole roast chicken for a few hours before cooking, which is not traditional, but adds great flavor.  The marinade I pulled together included chopped garlic, rosemary, thyme, olive oil, dijon mustard, salt and pepper.
• Fresh Sauce:  After eating at Tyler Florence's restaurant in Napa (Rotisserie and Wine), I was inspired to re-create his "Salsa Verde" as a great sauce to pour over the roast chicken when serving.  In a food processor add 2 tablespoons of capers, a handful of parsley, a few cloves of garlic, the juice of half of a lemon, 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar, 1 tsp. of lemon zest, salt and pepper (to taste.)  It is almost like a herby, lemony vinaigrette.  Taste the sauce and adjust the ingredients according to your liking.  If you don't like capers, leave them out.  Be your own chef!

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees.
Clean the chicken and remove any innards that are still in the cavity of the chicken.  Pat dry.  Season the cavity and the outside of the chicken generously with salt and pepper.  Don't skimp here!  Now stuff the bird with a head of garlic cut in half, the lemon (squirt some of the juice on the outside before adding it inside), and the herbs.  I drizzle with olive oil, but you can spread with butter if you are feeling especially frisky.  


You can cook a roast chicken in many different vessels.  I have used a roasting pan on or off the rack.  I have used a dutch oven (shown above) or simply a large  oven-proof pan.  If you have kitchen twine, this is a good time to tie up the legs.  There are techniques if you want to be super fancy, but I like to easily wrap the string around the legs, so the legs are pushed together and simply make a knot or a bow if you are girly (insert wink.)  If you don't have twine, skip that step.  Place the chicken your cooking vessel and tuck the wings under the body.


Roast at 475 degrees for 25 minutes.  Reduce the heat to 400 degrees and roast for an additional 45 minutes or until the temperature registers 160 degrees in the meatiest portion of the bird.  I like to use a thermometer to help with the guessing game of whether or not it is done.  If necessary, return the bird to the oven for more roasting - check every 5 minutes or so.  Depending on the size of the bird, the cooking temperature varies.  And the more you make Roast Chicken, the easier it will be for you to determine when it is done.  You can cut a meaty portion of the bird (i.e. breast) and if the juices run clear it is ready, but I usually like to take the help of the thermometer.  If you find that your bird is browning quickly during the second portion of cooking, simply add a loose layer of foil.  


Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for at least 10-15 minutes.  You want all those juices to be able to 
re-distribute into the bird.   If you cut too soon, the juices that you worked so hard to create, will run out and leave the bird dry.  Now if you are inclined to cut the bird into pieces and know how - more power to you!  I usually like to take the easier route and do so by pulling the meat off the bones and arrange on a platter.  I usually can get the breast off easily by sliding my knife under the breast and cutting into uniform pieces.  The rest of the meat looks a bit rustic on the platter, but that was my goal all along!


Don't be intimidated!  Roast Chicken is the most wonderful, comforting meal that stretches a buck and can provide the best left-overs.  It does take a little extra effort, so I like to save this kind of a meal for a weekend or Sunday Supper. 


Brown Sugar Acorn Squash
Ingredients:
1 medium acorn squash, halved and seeded (although this recipe works well with butternut squash and spaghetti squash as well but cook according to the sticker on the squash.  Times may vary depending on the size of the squash)
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar


Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place seeded and halved acorn squash side by side in a casserole dish, cut side up.  Score the acorn squash by simply cutting down the insides of the yellow flesh a few times.  This allows the butter/brown sugar mixture to get inside of the squash.  Fill the dish half way up the squash with hot water.  Divide butter and brown sugar evenly among the acorn squash and spread evenly among the yellow flesh.  Bake for approximately 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes until you can easily pierce with a fork.  I like to serve these as is.  The acorn squash almost looks like a little bowl.  You can easily scoop out the filling with a spoon and make sure to drizzle any additional butter or brown sugar that accumulates in the bottom of the squash to each and every bite!