Fresh Salmon Dinner for two

This was last week's date-night dish. pretty easy and fun.
The meal was composed of 3 parts and a salad:

Salmon:
1 large filet or 2 small filets
1/3 cup of Italian dressing
S+P
Marinate the Salmon in the italian dressing and s+p for as long as possible. Salmon takes about 15 minutes in a 400 degree oven or a few minutes per side on a hot stove pan.

Pesto Guacamole:
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
1 avacado
1/3 cup (or so) Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic*
1/2 fresh lemon squeezed
1/2 Cup Cashews(helps if you cook in a pan to soften)
Combine everything in a food processor and combine until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.
*note* Garlic is very strong. You could substitute garlic powder just use a couple teaspoons to taste.

Rice:
1 cup dry rice
1/2 squeezed lemon
some lemon rind
1/2 cup cashews (as many as you like)
salt and pepper

Cook the rice according to the packaged instructions with S+P and lemon rind. once rice is done, remove the pieces of rind that are leftover and add fresh lemon juice and cashews. stir and cover for another 5 minutes or so to soften the cashews. :-) Yuummmmyyy.

Portion rice on the plate, add salmon, and top everything with the pesto guacamole and you're all set!
This meal was really tasty and fairly light (as long as you don't overdo the rice.) The pesto guac is a different twist on two old classics and they add a unique quality to the salmon.

I hope you all like it!


OH and PS! for those of you who are afraid to cook in a small kitchen.. here's what I'm working with. It's only about 4 x 4 and neither the fridge or the stove are full sized. It gets cramped and sometimes you have to get creative on space, but it's actually easier to clean than a big kitchen, so GO FOR IT!

Steak and Peppers

Steak and Peppers "Rustica" Hey folks. Sorry it's been a while since I've posted. I really hate getting on the internet sometimes haha. So I made this dish about 2 weeks ago for Dylan. It has a pretty short ingredient list if you go semi-homemade. You'll need:
Steak (I have tri tip) or sausage
2 Bell peppers of different color
1 onion
couple garlic cloves
jar of spaghetti sauce
italian blend spice
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese
Pasta of your choice.
 This one's super easy.. Marinate your steak in the italian seasonings, s+p and a little balsamic vinegar(just a tbs or so) for a few hours.
 Make a pot of pasta.
 Cook the onions and peppers down in a pan and then add garlic, spices, and sauce. Let it all simmer while you cook the steak.

If you have a cast iron skillet it's easier to cook the steak in my opinion. I put the pan on super hot and seared each side of the steak for 2-3 minutes then stuck the whole pan in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes. Slice it up and put it right in your pan with sauce. Add Noodles to your bowl and top with sauce and steak. Top with LOTS of fresh parmesan and you're good to go.
 This dish goes really well with garlic bread and a nice salad, but that's all up to you. It can also be substituted with chicken or eggplant for a lighter meal (just cook accordingly.) Alright, Good luck everybody!

Lemon-Dill Chicken in Citrus White Wine

So this dish just kind of happened. I ate leftovers and Dylan was hungry so I just sort of threw it together and hoped it would turn out ok.. turns out, it was actually pretty decent. =) sometimes I suprise myself. I've been missing out on my cooking since most of my shifts are at night now. =( but when I get to cook it's so much more rewarding. So without further ado:
Lemon Dill Chicken:
Chicken Breast
Pinch of the following: Dill, garlic, ginger, and s+p
About a teaspoon or so of fresh lemon juice
Bake in a 350 degree oven and that's it. (I topped with evoo to make the spices stick a little better and keep the breasts from drying out.)

Citrus White Wine Sauce:
1/2 yellow onion
Clove of fresh garlic
Olive oil
A pinch of the spice mix from the chicken
Butter or oil
White wine of your choice
Fresh lemon and lime juice (about a Tbs each?)
Cook the onions and spices over medium until translucent but not caramelized. Once the onions begin to stick to the pan, deglaze with about 1/4 cup or so of white wine. Let the mixture simmer and add fresh lemon and lime juice. The sauce will start to thicken. (Now's a good time to throw on your noodles.) Once the liquid cooks most of the way down, melt your butter or put in your oil in the pan. Then repeat the wine process with just a little more than a splash. You can add more lemon juice and s+p here as well. Let the whole mixture simmer until you get your desired texture of sauce.
Place the sauce over fresh pasta (or rice) and top with chicken breast and voila.. c'est fin!

I hope some of you get to try this and tell me what you think. I'm really curious to get feedback that's not biased (ahen dylan) haha.
Ok well good luck to all you other aspiring cooks out there. =)
Until next time..

Fiesta Night!

So sorry it's been a while. I haven't had time to cook recently since I got a job. But last night I went all out and made the full 4 course meal. =)
For starters a sweet potato and avocado lime salad, next a fiesta chili, a chipotle marinated steak, and finally... a pineapple cake. Everything was a little spicy and very fresh. If you are vegetarian, this whole meal could be a great source of protein, just leave out the steak and voila.

Fresh Sweet Potato and Lime Salad
1 Sweet Potato (chopped and roasted in 350 deg oven with s+p)
Sliced onion
1 avocado
Spinach
Dressing-
1/4 cup of fresh squeezed lime juice with some lemon juice too
1 Tbs of Balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove finely chopped
Let dressing set for an hour or so in fridge before serving.

Fiesta Chili
1 can of Black beans
1 Can of Pinto Beans
1 small can of corn
1/2 small can of green chilies (add more or less for spice)
1 can of diced or crushed red tomato
1/2 can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (chopped)
1/2 large red onion
3/4 green bell pepper (or any color)
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp of chili powder
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
S+P
For Garnish: (note.. if you skip the cheese and sour cream this is a vegan dish)
fresh avocado
cheddar or pepper jack cheese
sour cream
Combine all ingredients in a large pot or slow cooker. (I had a pot) and let simmer for a while until the flavors meld together and the beans are starting to get soft. (note. I cooked the onions and pepper in the pot while I was opening my cans so that they were nice and soft.)

For the steak:
we used a tri tip, but any steak (or chicken) will do.
the marinade is made up of:
sauce from the adobo chipotles from the fiesta chili (about 2 Tbs) and some fresh garlic, bay leaves, and cumin. S+P the steaks before marinating. I let them sit in the fridge for about an hour while I was making the cake and the rest of the meal because the steaks cook very fast.
Cook however you like, grill, broil, 350 degree oven.. whatever works for you.

Pineapple Cake
(I made the cake, but bought the frosting sorry)
Cake:
2 cups all purpous flour
1/2 stick of butter
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 tsp of Baking Soda
1/2 tsp of salt
pinch of ground ginger
2 eggs
1 20oz can of crushed pineapple

Beat eggs, room temp butter, and juice from can of pineapple until fluffy. SLOWLY add in dry ingredients (otherwise they will fly up and hit you all over the kitchen). Once everything is nice and airy (you should see air bubbles in the batter) add the pineapple chunks and stir with a spoon or spatula.
Bake in a greased pan 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes. depending on the size of your cake. toothpick inserted in the middle with come out clean when it's done.

I bought cream cheese frosting in a can, but to make your own just fluff some cream cheese with a mixer and add in powdered sugar to desired taste and fluffiness. :-)

"Stuffed" French Toast

This is a delicious breakfast or brunch item when you have a few extra minutes.
What you'll need:
2 slices of toast (I used whole grain)
1 Egg
Cinnamon
1 Tbs cream or 2% milk
Filling of your choice.. fruit, bacon, whipped cream (don't heat this one.. cool each piece before filling).. etc
French Toast:
Whisk together egg, milk, and a couple teaspoons of cinnamon. When using a fruit filling, you can also add a little fruit juice. Mine have a Tbs of pineapple juice and some juice from a fresh orange.
Dip the toast in on only one side for just a second and transfer to a medium hot pan. Let cook for a few minutes then remove and let cool for a minute or two. Soak the other sides of your bread

for a minute each and transfer to the pan. Top one slice with fresh cut fruit, chopped bacon, or whatever you can think of. Let the pieces cook through then fold one slice over filling. Flip once then serve. Top with whipped cream, maple syrup or honey.

cilantro tuna wrap

Soo this deliciousness came from some delicious fresh ingredients in the fridge.
1 Can of Tuna
Handful of cilantro
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
Garlic powder
S + P
Spinach
Black Olives
Tomato
Avacado
Just mix chop layer and wrap. =) Quick and easy =) yummy yummy.

Protein and Carbo loaded lunch post workout

So I'm on day 2 of P90X Lean. I don't have the nutrition plan, so I'm just sort of winging it. I do know to eat lots of protein and that some carbs help with the energy levels.
This recipe could be really easy if you have some chicken leftover from a previous meal, or some caramelized onions (I always have some in the fridge from extras at dinner.)

Sooo here's how to make my chicken bagel with caramelized onions:

Caramelized onions:
1/2 a sweet yellow onion
1 Bay Leaf
A pinch of thyme
Pinch of s + p
Pinch of Garlic Powder
Olive Oil and a little butter for the pan (just a skinny slice of butter)

Put everything in the pan and cook over med heat until caramelized. Once you've got some onions sticking to the pan use just a teaspoon or so of balsamic vinegar to de glaze. Remove Bay leaf before eating.

Chicken:
1 Chicken Small Breast (however much you want to eat)
S+P
pinch of thyme
pinch of garlic powder
Caramelized Onion
2 tsp Balsamic vinegar
2 tsp lemon or orange juice

Season the chicken with the thyme, garlic, s+p. Top with onions, balsamic, and citrus juice. Cook in a 350 degree oven until cooked all the way through.
Once cooked, pull out of oven to cool then slice diagonally to get some big thin strips.

--Now if you want to keep this a light lunch, stop here and maybe put over a salad with oil and vinegar, or whatever you like.

To put the sandwich together:
Toast bagel ( i would recommend onion or everything) with a slice of swiss, provolone, or mozzarella (whatever your preference) over the center hole. Layer chicken and onions, spinach or romaine, and a little dijon mustard. Voila!

This meal is satisfying and full of good stuff post workout.

Tri Tip!

OK, I'll admit I had never heard of Tri Tip until I moved to the Central Coast in CA. Through a lot of experimentation, we finally got a good meal out of it a few weeks ago.
This recipe is a little kitchen intensive, but can be all put together in about 30-45 minutes if you don't mind looking over a few things at once.
This is also another meal that leaves you feeling super satisfied, but not totally weighed down. It has a very high fiber and protein count, and not a lot of fat so by the end of the meal, you feel full, but not bursting at the seams. It also lasts all night, so you don't find yourself snacking all night.
I do find myself craving a sweet after a big meal like this, but an orange or apple makes and excellent dessert without undoing the day.



So this meal consisted of 3 parts: The Tri Tip, A ChickPea Mash, and Steamed Veggies.

Tri-Tip:
I marinated the steaks in a mixture of:
-Tarragon (1-2 tsp)
-Garlic powder (1 tsp)
-Dried Basil (1 tsp)
-S + P
-Balsamic Vinegar (1 Tbs)

While the steaks were marinating I caramelized a sweet onion with some fresh garlic and a pinch of s+p and tarragon, using a little more balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan. (takes about 20-30 minutes)

To cook the steak I seared them on each side in a very hot cast iron skillet with a little olive oil (About 2 min per side). Then I baked them in a 350 degree oven (just use the skillet and transfer directly to oven) for about 15 minutes (I'm not positive about the time so please check your steaks after about 10 minutes).

Once everything was plated, i topped the steaks with the onions and made a quick pan sauce using a little water (1 oz or a shot glass) and cream (about 2 tsp) and a little flour (1 tsp) and just a tad more balsamic vinegar (1-2 tsp). Mix together in pan and let simmer for a minute before serving.

Chickpea Mash:
1 can Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans)
2-3 Garlic cloves (about 1 Tbs)
S + P
about 1 Tbs Olive Oil
about 1oz Water

"Boil" the chopped garlic and drained chickpeas with olive oil and water. (takes about 5-10 minutes for chickpeas to get soft) then use a fork, masher, or food processor to mash up the whole mixture.
(This dish was excellent with some of the caramelized onions mixed in, but that's optional)

Steamed Veggies:
I used 1/2 a bag of frozen california mixed veggies in a microwave safe bowl covered with a paper towel. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes then pull out and add a little fat free italian dressing(to taste, but I used about 2 Tbs) and stir together. Put back in microwave for another 2-3 minutes and keep covered until ready to serve. May need some s + p or more dressing depending on personal preference.

So that was my tri-tip experience. I don't eat a whole lot of red meat, so don't expect a whole lot out of me on that front. :-)

Bon Appetite!

Mango Salsa and Shrimp Tacos!

I made this dish a few weeks ago and it turned out really great. It is a fresh take on Shrimp tacos with a lot of cilantro, and a good kick of fruity sweetness. Everything comes together with some mellow avacado and rice and beans.


Sorry guys, I'm not good with measuring, I just kinda roll with it until it tastes how I like it...


So for the Mango Salsa:
2 Mangoes
2 Roma Tomatoes
1/2 large Red Onion
1 Pepper (I used yellow because it's all I had. Any color will do.)
handful Cilantro
2 Garlic cloves (about 2 teaspoons)
1 Avocado
1 Lime
1 Lemon
about 1 tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
about 1-2 tbs Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

I diced all my veggies. I would do a layer mango, layer tomato, layer pepper, layer onion, then garlic, cilantro, lemon juice, lime juice, salt and pepper, then repeat the process. Once it was all layered up I added the avocado, oil, vinegar, lemon and lime juice and mixed it all together.
I covered and let sit in the fridge for a couple hours while I prepped everything else.

Shrimp Tacos:

Beans and Rice:
1 C white rice
1.75 C Water
about 2TBS fresh Cilantro
1 Garlic clove (about 1tsp)
S + P
1 Can Drained Black Beans

I cooked the rice as directed on the bag with all ingredients but the beans. Added the beans after rice finished cooking and allowed to warm for just a minute. Added a little more fresh cilantro once it was all done cooking.

Shrimp:
just boiled some medium shrimp with a little S+P.. no big deal.. Then I just removed the tails and did a rough chop.

To put the tacos together:
-warm some tortillas (can use wheat, corn, or flour, or whatever you like) with a couple slivers of pepper jack cheese (or mexican mix would work fine) in a 350 degree oven for just a few minutes (maybe 4-5)
-Pile on a couple spoonfuls of rice and beans.
-A couple spoonfuls of the mango salsa.
-A few shrimps
-A few slices of fresh avocado on top and VOILA!

The best part about this meal is that it's super healthy (minus the white rice and cheese) and once you finish, you feel satisfied without feeling full and bloated. It's got lots of fiber and protein without tons of calories so it's a good dinner that won't leave you feeling like poo before bed.

Hope you like it!

HI Hello and WELCOME!

Bonjour!
My name is Sara. I have absolutely no formal training as a chef, but I love to cook. I'm out to share my experiences with the world and to learn from other aspiring cooks like myself. In this blog I will be posting mostly my own dishes, but also some really great ones that I eat on my journeys through the culinary world.

I hope you enjoy!
Bon Apetite!


P.S. Please feel free to leave me comments and feedback, but please don't knock me or others. This is meant to be a happy environment. Thanks!