Salmon over Quinoa with Balsamic Drizzle and Brussel Sprouts

Salmon over Quinoa with Balsamic Drizzle and Brussel Sprouts

Serves 2 – 4 (2 if you like 8 oz. filets)

Wine Suggestion:  Chardonnay

Note:  You can ALWAYS substitute!  Use any quinoa you like; use any stock or water; I use less expensive extra virgin olive oil when I heat it to cook with; replace lemon with orange or lime juice if you wish; parsley instead of scallions.  That is the beauty of cooking, you can replace AND change the measurements to your heart's and taste's content.  Relax, take your time, and sip a glass of wine while you cook!  Last advice of the night, read the recipe (any recipe) in full before you start - this always helps me!  

Preheat oven to 415 degrees and start quinoa, brussel sprouts, and salmon in that order, as listed below.

Quinoa

1 cup red organic quinoa

2 cups chicken stock

1 tsp. white truffle oil or extra virgin olive oil

lemon juice from 1 lemon

¼ tsp. kosher salt

fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

4 scallions, chopped (green and white parts)

Place quinoa and stock in a pot, cover and bring to a boil.  Turn heat down and simmer until done 15-20 minutes (or according to package directions)

Fluff and mix in oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper   

Right before serving stir in scallions

Brussel Sprouts

1 lb. brussel (remove tough stems and tough outer leaves, cut large sprouts in half)

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp. kosher salt

fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Toss brussel sprouts with oil, salt, and pepper

Roast for 15-20 minutes, turning half way until golden brown

Salmon

1 lb. wild caught salmon – cut into halves or quarters

½ tsp. kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ cup balsamic vinegar

Heat pan over medium/high heat

Salt and pepper salmon

Add oil to pan and heat

Add salmon to pan skin side down and cook for 6 minutes until skin is golden brown and salmon is easily flipped

Turn and cook 2 minutes (This is for well done salmon with crispy skin – cook less if you prefer rare)

Remove salmon from pan and add vinegar; boil until reduced by half

Serve salmon over quinoa with balsamic drizzled over top, surrounded by brussel sprouts

Roasted Long Hots (with Extras!)

I love hot... hot, hot, hot! In both my man and my food. ;) And if I was a vegatable, my babies would be long hot peppers. Sometimes I want even more though... a little sweetness in an onion... savory roasted garlic... you know. :) Sometimes I am feeling lazy too, which is why I adore roasting! So, here you go - this is what I ate for dinner tonight! SO EASY and SO DELICIOUS!!!

6 long hot peppers, whole

1-2 cubanelle peppers, sliced into ½ inch rings (stem/seeds removed)

2 cups of onions, peeled, halved, and sliced ½ inch

5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp. kosher salt

fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 415 degrees

Mix all ingredients together

Spread over baking sheet in an even layer - I like to lay my long hots over all my ingredients to start

Roast 35-45 minutes, turning occasionally (at least 3 times)

Serve immediately with warm toasty bread to scoop it up with!

Shrimp and Lemon Linguine with Arugula

I was in the mood for shrimp - well heck, I am ALWAYS in the mood for shrimp! Isn't everyone? Jeff said "I love shrimp AND pasta". OK, dare me to come up with another shrimp pasta with only ingredients we had? Dare accepted!

Shrimp and Lemon Linguine

1 lb. linguine, cooked according to package directions in salted water (reserve cooking water)

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ cup shallots, chopped

3 garlic cloves, pressed

1 lb. 16/20 count shrimp, shelled

1 lemon, rind and juice

½ tsp kosher salt

2 cups fresh arugula

½ cup parmesan reggiano, grated

¼ tsp fresh cracked black pepper

White truffle oil

While pasta is cooking…

Heat 2 EVOO in large, deep pan over medium heat

Add shallots and cook until soft, about 2 minutes

Add garlic and cook until golden, about 2 minutes

Add shrimp, lemon rind, and salt, cook until shrimp is just pink, 2-3 minutes

Add lemon juice

Add pasta and toss

Add arugula and toss

Add pasta water and toss until desired consistency

Add parmesan and black pepper toss

Drizzle with white truffle oil, optional

Seared Ribeye Steak with Balsamic Onions and Mushrooms

Seared Ribeye Steak with Balsamic Onions and Mushrooms

I love a "meat and potatoes" man. I am not a "meat and potatoes" lady, but hell, I love him a lot! If you are going to eat a steak, it should be a ribeye. So, when it came to my attention that Jeffrey was deprived of meat, I did what any woman in love should do - I seared a ribeye.

Balsamic Onions and Mushrooms:

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 cups of thin sliced onions

8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced (Go ahead and buy them sliced! Whatever.)

3 garlic cloves, pressed

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

fresh cracked black pepper

Heat oil over medium heat in a large pan

Add onions and mushrooms, stir occasionally until golden, about 10 minutes

Add garlic and salt, stir frequently until garlic is golden, about 2-3 minutes

Add balsamic vingear and simmer until reduced to syrup 2-3 minutes

Add fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Serve over seared ribeye

Seared Ribeye:

2 ribeye steaks, bone-in, about 1 lb./1 inch each

1 Tbsp. and 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. kosher salt

fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in large pan until VERY hot (I like stainless steel pans, but make sure whatever you use is ovenproof)

Rub steaks with remaining 1 tsp. oil, salt and pepper

Place steaks in pan and do not touch or move for 2 minutes

Flip steaks for another 2 minutes (still do not touch or move)

Place entire pan with steaks in oven for 3 minutes

Remove from oven, remove steaks from pan, and allow to rest for 5-7 minutes before serving

OPTIONAL:

Add 1/2 cup dry red wine (Cabernet works great!) to steak juices and oil remaining in pan, cook over medium heat until reduced by at least healf. Stir occasionally to scrape up bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour over steak. Hey, this is not for your health - it's for your love. :)

It's rumored I deprive him of meat, so I made him a ribeye! :)

Cilantro Chicken with Pineapple Avocado Salsa on Black Beans

Cilantro Chicken with Pineapple Avocado Salsa on Black Beans

Chicken:

3-4 boneless, skinless breasts (2-3 lbs)

1 ½ tsp oregano, dried

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. sea salt

½ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. fresh black pepper

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1 orange (juice and rind)

1/3 cup +2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 cup loosely packed cilantro, fresh chopped

Mix dry spices and orange rind. Whisk in juice from orange. Slowly whisk in 1/3 cup oil.

Cover chicken breasts with cilantro, place in large plastic bag. Pour in liquid and seal, squeezing air out.

Marinate at room temperature for at least one hour or in the refrigerator overnight. (Allow to sit at room temperature for an hour).

Add remaining 2 tsp. oil to pan. Sear chicken breasts 4-6 minutes, turn and sear another 4-6 minutes until dark brown on outside.

Place in baking dish and bake in oven at 350 for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Black Beans:

1 cup onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, pressed

½ lime (juice only)

1 orange (juice only)

½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

15.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp. oregano, dried

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. cumin

1 tsp. fresh cilantro, minced

juices, reserved from chicken baking pan

Turn heat down to medium in chicken pan

Do not worry about all the brown bits and spices in the pan!

Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown on edges (5-7 minutes)

Add garlic and stir until golden (1-2 minute)

Add lime and orange juices, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan with wooden spoon. Stir and reduce for 1 minute.

Add tomatoes and black beans, stir into onion mixture.

Add oregano, salt, and cumin, stir and cook 5-7 minutes until soft and slightly mushy.

Stir in chicken juices and cilantro.

Pineapple Avocado Salsa:

1 cup pineapple, diced

1 cup cucumber, diced

1 avocado, diced

¼ cup onion, minced

2 tsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

½ tsp. kosher salt

juice from ½ a lime

fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Place chicken on the black beans and top with salsa. MMMmmmmm!

Steph's Tuna Sandwiches for Two!

Steph’s Tuna Sandwiches for Two

I usually eat my ahi tuna raw or rare. It was a cooking error that made me realize tuna had merit when cooked through! Especially in a “grown-up” sandwich! Tonight was busy (heck, it’s a holiday week!), but delicious is always a priority. I also know we will be gorging on two family Thanksgiving dinner in a few days, so healthy was important! I had exactly four pieces of prosciutto di parma left over, some “Dakota” bread from Price Chopper, and one pretty tomato. It’s not summer, but if you can find a hydroponically grown tomato, you are in luck! This was easy, fast, and we both loved it!

4 slices of your favorite bread to eat, toasted

4 slices Prosciutto di Parma

2 tsp. + ½ tsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 Yellowfin Ahi Tuna steaks, about 6 oz. each

1 avocado

2 Tbsp. red onion, diced

tomato slices

romaine lettuce leaves

kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and place prosciutto in pan. Cook until lightly browned on both sides, turning halfway, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan.

Add 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil into pan. While heating, make sure your tuna steaks are dry (use paper towels) and sprinkle generously with kosher salt and pepper on both sides. If you are unsure how much, start with 1 tsp. of salt and ¼ tsp. of pepper. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out!

Sear tuna steaks, both sides until just beyond golden, about 4 minutes.

While tuna is cooking, mash together your avocado, red onion, ½ tsp. extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper. Slice your tomatoes and tear your lettuce into manageable size leaves.

Spread avocado on both sides of bread and layer prosciutto, tuna, onion, lettuce, and tomato in between. Depending on the shape and size of your bread, cut the tuna, tomatoes, and lettuce to fit nicely.

This is delicious and full of goodies for a healthy body and brain!

Steph's Tuna Sandwich

Sweet Potato Gorgonzola Puffs

Sweet Potato Gorgonzola Puffs

I have been dreaming of puff pastry, I always do this time of year! I am a cheese addict and in the fall, I give the oven the proper attention it deserves with plenty of sweet potatoes and squashes. I have been thinking of sweet potatoes and blue cheese in puff pastry for days. I felt inspired today, because I wanted strong flavors. I was also feeling lazy dazy (it's Sunday!). This is how I ended up with sweet potato gorgonzola puffs - very easy and plenty of downtime between steps. I think they are a great appetizer, lunch, or light dinner.

2 medium sweet potatoes

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 medium sweet onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. fresh thyme, minced

1/8 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg

1 sheet of puff pastry dough, thawed

1 egg, beaten

¼ cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

1 tsp. kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Pierce potatoes with a fork, place on oven rack.

Bake 60 – 80 minutes, until soft. Set aside to cool until you can handle and remove pulp from the skin. I like to cut the potato in half and squeeze the pulp out of the skin.

Meanwhile, heat oil in non-stick skillet and cook onions 10 – 12 minutes, until soft and slightly gold, stirring occasionally.

Add garlic, ½ tsp. salt, a sprinkle of pepper, and cook 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden.

Remove from heat and stir in thyme. Set aside to cool until room temperature.

Mash the potato pulp (no skins) and onion mixture together. Mix in remaining ½ tsp salt and nutmeg.

When ready to prepare, unroll puff pastry sheet and sprinkle with flour. Roll dough into a 16 x 12 sheet. Cut into 16 rectangles.

Brush edges of puff pastry with egg and spoon sweet potato filling into the middle. Top with gorgonzola, fold and pinch edges together. Place on a stone pan or baking sheet.

Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with black pepper.

Turn oven down to 385 and bake 22 minutes.