Salmon Salad

this is a dish we had often for lunch on the cruise and it was so delish! we make this at home too, and as you can see, it is simple and easy to prepare. this is a sample recipe:
Salmon Salad
Ingredients:

2 center-cut salmon fillets (6 oz. each)
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:
3 cups baby arugula leaves
2/3 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup thinly slivered red onion
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp red-wine vinegar

Chicken Piccata with Capers

Chicken Piccata with Capers
yield: Serves 2

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Ingredientsa 3/4-pound whole skinless boneless chicken breast, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegatable oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon drained bottled capers, chopped
3 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
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Preparation: Halve the chicken pieces horizontally with a sharp knife and flatten them slightly between sheets of plastic wrap. In a large heavy skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and the oil over moderately high heat until the foam subsides and in the fat sauté the chicken pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper, for 1 minute on each side, or until they are cooked through. Transfer the chicken with tongs to a platter and keep it warm, covered loosely. Pour off the fat in the skillet, to the skillet add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the wine, and the lemon juice, and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the capers, the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste and spoon the sauce over the chicken.

Freeze Ahead Chicken Taquitos

These Taquitos are just as delicious reheated as they are fresh off the skillet! The key words here are EASY and YUM.  This recipe will feed four. Freeze the remainder, then feed four again.

Ingredients:

-1 package small corn tortillas

-2-3 lbs. cooked, shredded chicken

-1 package taco seasoning

-1/2 onion, diced

-2 red bell peppers, diced

-vegetable or canola oil

Preparation:  

The filling: Saute the onion and red pepper until very soft. Add the package of taco seasoning to the shredded chicken, mix well. Add the chicken to the onions and peppers. Stir over heat for two minutes. Remove the filling from heat.

For the last step, I recommend making three or four at a time. Here are the instructions for one:

Fill a heavy bottom skillet or pan with an inch of oil. Bring to medium high heat.  Drop a tortilla in the oil for five seconds, just to soften it. Remove from pan, and set on a paper towel. Add filling to the center of the tortilla. Roll into a flute shape, and hold it together with a tooth pick. Drop the Taquito in the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. Keep an eye on it. Remove from pan with tongs. Set on a plate covered with a paper towel. Remove tooth pick.

Continue making Taquitos until your ingredients are gone.

Serve with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!

Store the left overs in a freezer bag. Reheat for 1-2 minutes in the microwave. 

Borscht!

I had never even tasted borscht until a couple nights ago, but I am living with two beet lovers, so I gave this a try. This is more of a fall dish because of all the root vegetables, so save this recipe for fall if you only eat seasonally. It turned out good! But you have to like beets...

I got the recipe from a book called "One Pot":
-1 onion
-4 tbsp butter
-12 oz raw beets, cut into thin sticks, and one raw beet grated
-1 carrot, cut into thin sticks

-3 celery stalks, sliced
-2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
-6 1/2 cups chicken stock (see? I am always finding ways to use that chicken stock!)
-1 tbsp white wine vinegar
-1 tbsp sugar
-2 tbsp snipped fresh dill (I didn't have dill, so I used thyme)
-1 cup Shredded white cabbage
-salt and pepper
-2/3 cup sour cream, to garnish
-crusty bread, to serve


1) Slice the onion into rings. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom pan. Add the onion and cook over low heat. Stir occasionally for 3-5 minutes. Add the sticks of beets and carrots, celery, and tomatoes. Cook, stirring frequently for 4-5 minutes.
2) Add the chicken stock, vinegar, sugar, and 1 tbsp dill to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 35-40 minutes.
3) Stir in the cabbage, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, then stir in the grated beet. Cook for an additional 10 minutes. 
4) Ladle the borscht into warmed bowls. Garnish with sour cream, dill ( or in my case thyme ) and serve with crusty bread. 

Crockpot Potato and Salmon Chowder

Super easy! This recipe came from my slow cooker cook book. I used fresh salmon instead of the canned salmon this recipe calls for. But if you don't like salmon, this dish would be just a yummy without it-you could just call it potato chowder.

-2 14 oz. cans chicken broth

-1 1/2 cups frozen corn

-3 carrots, diced

-1 1/2 cups water

-1 onion, chopped

-1 package dry scalloped potato mix

-2 teaspoons dried dill

-2 cups half and half

-1/2 cup flour

-2 6 oz. cans skinless, boneless salmon, drained

Combine broth, corn, carrots, water, onion, potato mix (including seasoning packet), and dill directly into the slow cooker/crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. If using low setting, turn on high after the 6-8 hours. Whisk together the half and half and flour. Stir into the slow cooker. Gently stir in the salmon. Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes more.

Mini Meat Pies

I got this recipe from the Food Network Magazine, and they are super easy to make. They are a great hearty snack, or might be good to make for a party. I doubled this recipe, and stuck them in the freezer after they cooled. Microwave the frozen pies for a minute, and they are a healthy alternative to hot pockets.

-1/2 pound of sausage

-1/4 chopped onion

-1 diced celery stalk

-1 diced carrot

-1/2 cup mashed potatoes

-salt

-pepper

-1 can refrigerated biscuit dough

-1 egg

Brown the sausage in a skillet with the onion, celery, and carrot. Add the mashed potatoes, salt, and pepper. The biscuit dough will probably be precut into twelve 3- inch rounds. It not, roll out the dough, and cut the rounds. Top each with a spoonful of meat filling and fold in half. Pinch to seal and brush with a beaten egg. I forgot to make slits in the top, but you should. Bake at 350 degrees until golden, about 15 minutes.

Thai-Style Chicken Soup

Mmmmmm mmmm mmmmmm!

We eat a lot of Thai food, so I know the difference, and I gotta say-this is gooood. You will need some time for this one if you roast your own chicken for that ingredient. Otherwise, you can just buy a small roasted chicken, shred it in there, and the soup will be ready within an hour.

-Vegetable Oil

-6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

-5 ounces rice stick noodles

-7 cups chicken broth

-1/4 cup fish sauce

-3 green onions, thinly sliced at an angle

-1 small carrot, peeled and sliced

-1 inch piece ginger, unpeeled, thinly sliced

-1 teaspoon sugar

-2 - 2 1/2 cups shredded roasted chicken

-1/3 cup chopped fresh dill fronds

-1/3 cup torn fresh basil

-1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

-1/3 cup chopped fresh mint

-lime wedges

-Heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and fry until golden. About 15 minutes. Scoop the garlic from the oil, drain, and cool.

-While the garlic is cooking, soak the noodles in a large bowl of warm water for 10 minutes. Drain.

-Put the chicken broth, fish sauce, green oinions, carrot, ginger, and sugar in a soup pot and bring to a simmer, uncovered over medium-high heat. Add the noodles and chicken, and simmer until the noodles are at your desired doneness.

-Stir in the dill, cilantro, basil, and mint. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and sprinkle with the reserved crispy garlic. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over soup. Don't be shy with the lime-it really adds a lot of flavor!!