Simple Salmon

My father-in-law hates salmon.  If I were an amazing daughter-in-law I would have remembered this, but no, I invited him and his wife over for dinner and chose to make (you guessed it) salmon.  Realizing it and feeling awful half way through the meal, I immediately apologized.  To my surprise, he told me how he actually really liked MY salmon!  Hopefully he wasn't just being nice, but here's the trick to great salmon every time!

 

Ingredients:

· 2 6oz. wild caught salmon filets

· 2 tbsp. olive oil

·Seasonings: Good quality sea salt & pepper, dill seasoning, garlic powder

Directions:

1.      Heat a stainless steel pan to medium high and add the olive oil.  (should be enough to coat the bottom of the pan)  Heat until the oil begins to smoke.

2.       While the pan is heating, dry your filets with paper towel.  Season your filets with salt and pepper, plus the dill and garlic powder on both sides, to taste. (Note: Don't pepper the skin side - only salt)

3.      Add the fish to the pan, skin side down if you have skin, and let cook 2-5 minutes.  If the fish is difficult to flip and sticks to the pan, it's not ready yet.  Flip and continue to cook until desired doneness is achieved.

And there you have it...perfectly crispy & delicious salmon!  Now you can serve it like this, or add a yummy topping like one of the following:

 

Florentine Topping:

Ingredients:

 

• 2 10 oz. packages frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 tbsp olive oil  
• 1/4 cup diced artichokes (I use the ones in the jar)
• 2 tsp minced garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder
• 5 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta

Directions:

Squeeze spinach of all excess liquid. Set aside. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook about 1 minute. Add spinach, tomatoes, artichokes, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring, 2 minutes more. Remove from heat; let cool about 15 minutes. Add ricotta; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Pack about 1/2 cup spinach mixture on top of each fillet.

Parmesan Whole wheat Gnocchi

Lent is upon us, and I am always looking for healthy, filling and meatless recipes.  This one not only comes together incredibly quickly, but also feels like comfort food because of the gnocchi. 

Ingredients:

•  
• 1-1/2 Tbsp garlic infused extra virgin olive oil (or sub regular EVOO)
• 16oz whole wheat gnocchi
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 bunch asparagus, chopped into 1” pieces

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1/4 small onion, chopped

1 small zucchini, chopped

1/2 cup frozen corn

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup 2% milk

4 Tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

 Directions:

1.       Boil gnocchi for 3 minutes to soften.  Meanwhile, heat EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When gnocchi has finished boiling, transfer to skillet with EVOO, spreading in a single layer.  Sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom. Toss and then continue to sauté for another 3-4 more minutes until golden brown on all sides. Remove skillet from heat then set aside.

2.       While cooking gnocchi, heat butter in another large skillet and add asparagus, zucchini, corn, and onion. Sauté about 3-4 minutes, then add minced garlic and tomatoes. Sauté until tomatoes are warmed through.  Remove skillet from heat then add milk and parmesan cheese.

3.       Pour gnocchi into skillet and toss to combine. Serve topped with additional parmesan cheese, if desired.

  

Super Bowl!

Every year we host a super bowl party.  It's no secret that I am all about catching up with friends, the commercials, halftime, and...the food!  We always do a potluck style party, so I generally only make a few things.  I think it's important to find a balance between crowd pleasing munchies with simple prep work, and great tasting dishes that still have some nutrition.  Here is my simple, mainly make-ahead menu from this year

Appetizer: Mini Wedge Salads

Main Dish: Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

Dessert: Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Footballs

Let's start with dessert first :)

These strawberries were a hit, and were super easy!

Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Footballs

Ingredients:

1 container fresh strawberries

1 bag dark chocolate chips

Optional toppings: Mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, heath toffee bits and white writing icing

Directions:

1. Create a double-boiler (place a bowl on top of a pan of simmering water - make sure the bowl does not touch the water, but creates a seal with the bottom pan to trap in the steam)

2. While the water heats, cover a cookie sheet with wax paper.

3. Fill small bowls with the toppings of your choice

4. Fill the bowl from the double-boiler with the chocolate chips.  Stir until the chocolate is completely melted.

5.  Dip the strawberries in the chocolate and twirl to coat, followed by dipping into the desired topings. 

6.  Refrigerate the strawberries until the chocolate is hardened. If making the football laces, wait for the chocolate to harden completely before piping the icing onto the strawberry.

Mini Wedge Salads

Ingredients:

2 heads iceburg lettuce

8-10 slices bacon, cooked (try to cook it in the oven for perfectly mess-free crispy bacon!)

1 package cherry tomatoes, diced

Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing

Optional: diced red onion, crumbled blue cheese

Directions:

Wash iceburg lettuce heads and cut off bottom. Place cut side down on cutting board, and then cut wedge in half.
Place cut side down again and dice into 4 wedges. (each head should make 8 small wedges)
Arrange wedges on platter, then top with a drizzle of dressing. (make extra dressing available for those guests who like a little more!) Sprinkle with tomatoes, bacon and any additional toppings. Done!
 

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

2 pound precooked shredded chicken

1 pound elbow pasta (uncooked)

1 yellow onion, finely diced

4 cups milk (2% recommended)

6 tbsp butter, melted

1 cup Frank’s red hot sauce (add or subtract depending on how hot you like it!)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

6 cups shredded cheese (we used 2 cups cheddar, 2 cups colby and 2 cups mozzarella)

Toppings: diced celery, diced carrots, crumbled blue cheese 

Directions:

Add onion, chicken, and pasta to crockpot. In a separate bowl, combine milk, butter, hot sauce, and garlic powder.  Pour over chicken and pasta, then top with cheeses.  Stir everything together and turn crockpot to low for 1 hour.  Stir, then continue to cok for another 30 minutes until pasta is cooked.
Note: Do not overcook or you'll end up with mushy pasta!

Tuxedo Cheesecake Stuffed Cupcakes

When you can’t celebrate with a bottle of bubbly on New Year’s Eve, a delicious cupcake is the next best thing in my book!  Nothing rings in the new year like these Tuxedo Cheesecake Stuffed Cupcakes!

These cupcakes look fancy and are impressive when guests bite into them and see the cheesecake filling…but they are surprisingly simple!  (in fact, each time I’ve made them I’ve been asked where I bought them from)  If you’re in a pinch, you can use boxed cake make and store-bought frosting, but beware of nasty artificial and hydrogenated ingredients. 

Top these cupcakes with mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, or cupcake toppers to make them special for any occasion.

May you have good health, much happiness and good food in the new year!

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

• 2 ¼  cups  flour
• 1 ½  cup sugar
• ¾  cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• ¾  tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
• ¾  cup milk
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup hot water

Cheesecake Stuffing:

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 8 ounces mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1.      Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . Line 2 muffin tins with paper liners.

2.      In a bowl with an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the remaining cupcake ingredients, finishing with the hot water. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and then divide the batter into the muffin tins.

3.     To make the stuffing, beat the cream cheese and sugar in a separate bowl.  Fold in the chocolate chips. Divide the stuffing into the cupcakes, dropping  a small spoonful into the center of each cupcake.  

4.     Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes,   Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  (the cheese mixture will magically move to the middle of the cupcake making an amazing filling!)

5.     While the cupcakes bake and cool, make the frosting.  In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the butter and cream cheese. Turn the mixer to low  and add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until it becomes smooth and creamy. Add in the vanilla extract, and then pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Sweet Pumpkin Dip

This dip is always requested at Thanksgiving.  The best part is how easy it is to make!

Ingredients:

16 oz. cream cheese, softened
15 oz. pure pumkin puree
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp gound cinnamon

Dipper ideas:

Animal Crackers
Gingersnap Cookies
Graham cracker bites
Slices strawberries, apples, or grapes
Pound cake pieces

Directions:

1.  Beat the cream cheese and pumpkin puree until fully combined and smooth.
2.  Add the sugar and cinnamon.  Mix until fully incorporated.  Refrigerate one hour or overnight.

Variation: Try experimenting with other spices (nutmeg, ginger, etc.)

Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.   He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled:
Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.

From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.   His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them.   And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

As we come to the end of the celebration of the 12 days of Christmas, we  have all seen a Christmas play or a nativity set with the Three Wise Men - who came riding on camels from Persia to visit baby Jesus in the stable in Bethlehem the night he was born. 

If you think about it, we’re all like those wise men, searching for the guidance.  The wise men followed the Star of Bethlehem, which served as the guiding light in their lives.  We are all searching for a “sign” from heaven, but we who have the Word of God to guide us don’t need stars from heaven.

The wise men also brought gifts - gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  While we would not bring those same gifts in today’s day and age, we can offer many other gifts – time, talent, and treasure.  After all, God gave his very best to us.

As you go through this week, reflect on how you can follow the light of Christ as your guide in life and give your very best to Him.

This is your year...

Source: http://www.mystatusisbaddest.com/