Asian Salmon ~ page 176

 

This lovely salmon is marinated for 2 hours before serving--I love that part, because it takes away all the last minute hassle, especially when this cooks in just 20 minutes.

There are a couple ingredients for the marinade that you may have to go hunting for: rice vinegar and sesame oil. You will find these in the Asian food isle of the grocery store.

Here is a tip that is not in the cookbook: Put the salomon skin side up in your dish, then pour the marinade over. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 2 hours. Just before baking, turn the salmon over in the dish.

Now bake with skin side down. This keeps the flesh in the marinade sauce for best flavor absorbtion.

Tonight I served Asian Salmon with Baked Ricotta and Spinach Rigotoni ~ page 79

Cranberry Orange Scones ~ page 315

My mom was coming in town and I wanted to to a little baking ahead for breakfast. So I made scones which freeze beautifully. To keep them from drying out in the cooking and freezing stages, I baked them stuck together. Check out the photo below. I patted out the circle of dough on a parchment lined baking sheet, then scored or cut the scones but didn't pull them apart. I left them together, and baked them a few minutes less than what the recipe states. Then once cooled, I wrapped the whole scone "disk" in foil and stuck that in a large freezer bag till my parents came in town.

Below is to show you how much they puff up after baking...

Then after thawing at room temperature overnight, I cut the scones apart and separated them on a baking sheet and baked at 350 for about 7-8 minutes. This allowed the tops and sides to crisp up a bit, but still left the middle soft. I made the recipe sweet enough that you don't really need jelly, but we did pass a little homemade jelly around the table that my sister in law made me and it was a very nice addition. If I was making these fresh and not freezing them, I would go ahead and separate the triangles for baking instead of keeping them in a disk shape. I just like a little crust on them or they get too much like coffee cake. But who am I to tell you how to do it. It tastes good either way! --Carissa

Honey-Mustard Dressing ~ page 30

One of the things I like about making my own salad dressing is not having ALL those bottles of "choices" cluttering up my fridge. This is probably better tasting than any store bought honey-mustard salad dressing.

Here are the brands I like to use for the best flavor: Colavita olive oil, my local honey (meaning local wherever you live because your local honey is good for your local allergies!), and organic apple cider vinegar, (because I think this particular vinegar has amazing flavor).

Just blend all the ingredients together with a whisk, then finely chop up your onion and add to the mix.

Now your fresh honey-mustard dressing is ready for your fresh salad. My husband, David, absolutely loves this salad dressing.

Don't worry!

Don't worry if you see posts from Carissa--true, she is supposed to be on light bedrest for a week or two, since Baby #3 has been trying to be an early bird--but some of Carissa's posts are things she cooked a few weeks ago and didn't get on the blog. Just didn't want you to think she is up cooking--mom (Janice) is at her house in Houston doing that now!

Carissa's Choclate Chip Cookies page ~ 206

YUM! These were perfect. The shortening makes them a little thicker, so they don't spread out so much, and the chilled dough in the fridge helps with that too. For those that weigh your flour, I used 390 grams of flour. Below is how I store my dough in the fridge, just wrap in plastic wrap. If you aren't gonna bake within a couple days, I would stick the plastic wrapped hunk of dough in a large freezer zip lock bag and toss it in the freezer for a rainy day.

Evelyn loved arranging the dough balls on the sheet!

Now I have a nice stash in the freezer for when I need an emergency dessert for guests that come over. Give them a try! --Carissa

Cranberry Muffins ~ page 314

I made the cranberry muffins last night with cranberries from the freezer... they were easy and yummy! I used fresh squeezed orange juice from a couple oranges I had in the fridge, and the batter smelled so good, but it did lose the orange flavor after baking. I'm sure they would be good with some orange extract or zest, cranberry goes so well with orange.

The only other change I made was to use 1 c white flour, 1 c whole wheat flour and 1/4 c flax meal, since these were to be nutritiously kid-friendly. I upped the baking powder to 2 full tsp and they rose quite nicely, plenty fluffy and moist! They weren't very sweet, but they were perfect for us. You might consider adding a 1/4 c of sugar if you like a more dessert-like muffin.

I think there is something a little wrong with me... I have gotten to where a muffin looks naked if I don't top it with something! So these got a sprinkle of oats just to look nice :)

Basil & Tomato Feta Bruschetta ~ page 14

Every year I forget how much I love this, until summer rolls around again and I am looking for a way to use up the tomatoes I grow! Typically, bruschetta is an appetizer, but I often use it as a side dish along with a simple meat.

Bruschetta can seem different depending on what kind of bread you use. Here I am using a chipati bread from a bakery, split, toasted, and brushed with olive oil. But many other types bakery loaves are good also. I made this recipe 2 days in row, and on the second day I used a sliced whole grain loaf. I also had a strip of crisp bacon left over from breakfast, so I crumbed it and topped my bruschetta with bacon, and it was wonderful!

Tuxedo Brownie Squares ~ page 263

The raspberry and white chocolate topping is what makes these brownies special. The presentation is elegant, the taste rich, but refreshing, and the preparation is easy as pie...no, much easier than pie!

I used the Best Brownies ~ page 247, for the brownie base. You can use a brownie mix in this recipe, if you desire, but the Best Brownies are so easy to mix up, you might as well make them from scratch I think. I skipped the optional chocolate chips when mixing up the Best Brownies, as the white chocolate topping and raspberries is so rich and delicious on the Tuxedo Brownies, you really want that to be your focus.

The topping recipe calls for 2 packages of cream cheese, and I only had one, so I substituted 1 cup of plain yogurt, (and skipped the 1/4 cup milk) and found it worked just as well (and less calories!). A layer of raspberry jam is spread on the cooled brownies, then a layer of frozen or fresh raspberries; then the cream cheese, melted white chocolate, and whipped topping is added. I used Cool Whip for the whipped topping, although I am not a fan of Cool Whip because it is made of strange ingredients....and if I am making Tuxedo Brownies to be eaten the day I make them, I sometimes use fresh whipped cream. However, if you plan to make these a day ahead, or eat on them for several days, you need to use the Cool Whip or the topping will become runny. And actually, I think these taste even better the second day, as the raspberry mixture really soaks into the brownie layer and flavors it so nicely. Let me tell you, these are delightfully delicious!

Mediterranean Chicken Pasta ~ page 133

We had this for dinner last night, and it was delicious! Even Ben, who for some strange reason doesn't tend to like creamy pasta dishes, went back for seconds. I didn't take a picture though, because I altered a lot of the vegetables and didn't think it was very representative of the written recipe... but it is an easy recipe to play around with. I didn't have artichokes or kalamata olives (so it wasn't really all that Mediterranean) but I did use capers and regular canned black olives, and added some onion and mushrooms to give it an extra veggie, so I didn't have to fix anything on the side. I also used half and half instead of cream and I didn't think it was lacking at all! Yum!

Best Brownies ~ page 247

I like to make Best Brownies with this Double Dutch Dark Cocoa for really rich chocolate flavor. This is the picture just before the brownies went in the oven.

And let me share my "secret ingredient" with you--this is not necessary, and is not listed in the recipe, but dry espresso powder added to any chocolate recipe will bring out the chocolate taste even more. It doesn't make it taste like coffee--you only use 1 teaspoon of this--it just makes the chocolate flavor more pronounced. I get both the dark cocoa and the espresso powder from King Arthur Flour.

The wet ingredients and the sugars and cocoa are stirred together...

Then the dry mixture is whisked together in a separate bowl and you just stir both together, and that is all there is to it! It is very, very important to not overcook the brownies. Check them 5 to 10 minutes before the lowest time listed just to make sure. I don't have the finished picture of the brownies, because as soon as they cooled, I made them into the Tuxedo Brownie Squares ~ page 263. So be sure to take a look at that recipe too. Here is a sneak peak...

Chicken Piccata & Polenta comment from Sharea...

I made your chicken piccata and polenta tonight for dinner. Huge hit! I wasn't sure about the polenta.... I liked it, but should it be creamy or thick. Mine was pretty thick, I wondered if I should have added more water??? Stone said he loved the grits!

Spicy Tilapia

For dinner tonight we had Spicy Tilapia. It is a new recipe that I have made a couple times now, and I really like the flavors. So, I thought I'd share the recipe with everyone. Click on the "New Recipe" tab at the top of the blog to find the recipe. Try it out and let me know what you think. --Carissa

Carissa's Blueberry Muffins ~ page 291

I bought a HUGE thing of blueberries at Costco a couple days ago, thinking I'd treat my kiddos to fresh blueberries this week. Wouldn't you know they turned their noses up to the berries, and asked for raisins for a snack!! Toddlers can be so odd sometimes! So...I have lots of blueberries to use up now. I have always made these muffins with frozen berries, and was happy to find out that it doesn't make any difference in the recipe at all. So use whatever you have on hand. They were so fluffy and coffee-cake like I had to freeze the muffins as fast as I could so I didn't stand there eating 3 or 4 right out of the oven!

Ok, I have to tell a quick funny story about my Crisco...I always grease my muffin pans with shortening, probably cuz that is what my mom always did. Anyway, my 2 1/2 year old kept pointing at the can asking to taste it, I told her no probably 6 or 7 times. She kept saying she wanted just a little tiny bite cuz she was hungry. Finally she resorted to asking if she could just smell it. After much frustration on my part since I was trying to concentrate and measure my muffin ingredients I gave in and said..."Fine, if you really have to smell the shortening here you go", and I took the lid off and stuck it under her nose. (yes there was some sarcasm in my voice at this point) The look on her face was priceless! She looked inside, then back at me and said..."But Mommy, where is the chicken?" Apparently the picture on the front was making her hungry! It gave me quite a chuckle once I put it all together that she thought it was a tub of fried chicken on the counter!!

So, back to the recipe, here are the blueberries tossed in a little flour, it keeps them from clumping together...especially important when using frozen berries!

Above is my little trick to get the muffins out without them sticking to the pan...spread a teaspoon or two of the batter (before you add berries) on the bottom of the pan, then no berries melt and glue themselves down there! Works like a charm.

These have great texture...the only problem with the recipe is that the minutes are for mini muffins, not regular muffins. The recipe says 10-12 minutes. So you need to up the time for regular sized muffins to 15-18. Now I have a bunch in the freezer to send with Adam to work for breakfast, a nice change from his cinnamon raisin bagels I'm sure! --Carissa

Black Bean Salsa ~ page 15

Years ago, Carissa ate this at a party she was at, and later told me it was so good she wanted to just skip the chips and eat it with a spoon! She tracked down the recipe from the friend that made it. We both love making this for large groups now.

Be sure to rinse your black beans, and drain both the beans and the shoepeg corn. I was missing the avocado that the recipe calls for, and that was a shame, as avocado is really nice in this recipe, but this salsa is still wonderful even without it.

Tostito "scoops" is the best chip to use with this chunky salsa.

Chili's Lettuce Wraps Recipe ~ page 143

You can buy this dish at Chili's restaurant--or make it yourself at home! It is healthy, easy, and delicious. Carissa and I fixed this meal together last week--it is a good meal for group cooking and fun eating!

Make up the two dipping sauces first--this can be done well before the meal. Round up enough little cups for each person to have their own set of the sesame ginger, and the peanut dipping sauce.

Cut the cooked chicken breast into small dices--you don't want hunky pieces that will fall out of the lettuce. All the seasoning for the chicken is in the stir fry sauce that you add in. (It is very tasty!)

We added small diced carrots to the finished chicken and sauce. We wanted a little crunch in the carrot, so we did not cook it, just let it warm in the sauce. Here is a wrap ready to roll up...

Just roll some chicken mixture in a lettuce leaf, dip in sauce and eat. These wraps make a filling, yet light meal for four. There was a bit of both of the sauces left over, but I will think of something to use them in I am sure. All the flavors going on here with the sauce and dips are bright, lively, and oh so good.

Note: The stir fry sauce calls for 1/4 cup water mixed with the cornstarch, but we find it is better to reduce the water to 2 tablespoons mixed with the 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, to thicken the sauce.

Biscotti: Lemon - Anise ~ page 202

These have some great crunch and flavor! Like the recipe states, these biscotti cookies are on the harder side because they don't have any butter in them. I used that low fat excuse to allow myself to eat 5 of them right out of the oven! So if you don't want them so crunchy, just under cook them slightly. You can always put them back in the oven, but it is hard to uncook them! :)
They harden as they cool, so don't over-cook them.
As I was mixing these up, I had the TV on Food Network, and a chef on the show I was watching was making Orange Anise biscotti very similar to mine, but she added almonds. I decided to copy her and toss some in my recipe. Below is how I roast whole almonds in the oven. Just toss them in a pan at 350 degrees as the oven is preheating for cooking the biscotti. By the time the oven is heated the almonds are done.

Above are my logs going in the oven, and below are my logs coming out.

The dough was a little crumbly, and I almost decided there was a typo in the amount of flour, but once I gave it a few more seconds to knead it, it all came together...so be patient with it. Some biscotti dough is sticky, this one is not. If you have never cooked with Anise Seed, give it a try, it has an almost licorice flavor. Very addictive! -Carissa

Roasted Tomato Soup ~ page 54

I used to think that hot soup in the summer time was just not done. But after going to the country of Colombia with my daughter-in-law, Julia, twice now, I have decided soup in hot weather can still be nice. Julia's grandparents have a bowl of various hot soups before lunch every single day--and it is always very hot there!

My garden is overloaded with ripe tomatoes right now, so I was happy to use up 5 pounds of tomatoes in this recipe!

I love that you don't have to peel the tomatoes for this. Toss quartered tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, and onion. I added a yellow bell pepper that I just happened to have on hand. Then put it in the oven to roast. I used two dishes, just so I would not have to struggle with one being very full of hot juice.

These roasted to perfection in 30 minutes. I stirred them once.

You can use either a food processor or a blender to puree the roasted vegetables. If you have plenty of juices, and you probably will, then don't bother adding the chicken broth to be pureed. I did this in 3 batches.

Here is what you will come out with. If you like, you can strain out some of the seeds. This tomato puree is just a bit chewy with the seeds. I like that, but it is easy to strain out half or all the seeds if they bother you. Now stir in the pepper flakes and the sugar. At this point, you can refrigerate the mixture for a couple days till you are ready for soup, or you can freeze it right at this stage.

When you are ready for soup, heat the tomato puree along with the chicken broth. After a short simmer, stir in the cream and garnish with fresh basil leaves. The freshness of this soup will make you smile.