Saucy Salmon - Isn't Everything Better on a Bed of Swiss Chard?

I admit it, I love salmon! If it were human, I would marry it. So with my sister, and her polar opposite taste buds, gone for the night, I jumped at the chance and ran down stairs to retrieve the frozen solid salmon fillets. I found this recipe a while ago while surfing Ellie Krieger's recipes on the food network website, but like always, I changed it a little to fully satisfy my palate. My parents absolutely loved it and I couldn't have been happier to have a full Tupperware container of leftovers!

Saucy Salmon

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14-ounce) can low-sodium diced tomatoes, juice included

1 (12-ounce) can low-sodium tomato sauce

1 (7-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, juice included

2 dried whole red chili peppers or 1/4 tsp. red chili pepper flakes

3/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 large bunch Swiss chard, washed well and dried, tough center stems removed

4 skinless salmon fillets

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium-low heat.

• Add garlic and cook until soft and golden, about 1 minute.

• Add diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, red peppers with juice, chili peppers, cumin, coriander, wine, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.

• Remove from heat, and remove chile peppers.

• Layer Swiss chard on the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish.

• Season fish fillets with remaining salt and pepper and place in on top of chard.

• Cover with sauce and bake, covered, until fish is just cooked and chard is wilted (should resemble cooked spinach), about 30 minutes.

• Remove cover, sprinkle on Parmesan cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes.

• Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Oui Oui ...Sounds More Like Cave Man Speak Than Food

For the past few weeks I've been craving this strange dish that I originally learned about from my friend Sam, who she learned from her grandfather, (which I tweaked a bit). When people think Italian food, thick red sauces and deep flavors usually come to mind, however this Italian dish is actually quite different. The ungodly [wonderful] amount of garlic along with the anchovies which are basically used as a noodle marinade give the pasta a light, yet flavorful taste.

"Why would I want to eat something that I can't even pronounce correctly?" you may be asking yourself. Well I have your answer to that question. It's because it's delicious and it never hurt anyone to be a little adventurous.

"Well, I don't like anchovies." may be something else you're thinking. My advice would be to forget everything you know or have previously heard about anchovies entirely and give this try anyways because to be perfectly honest, you can hardly taste them at all.

So start running some water, and tell me what you think!

Oui Oui

(Makes enough for 4)

(I'll try to get a picture soon)

Ingredients

Noodles

1/2 large sauce pan of water

2 boxes of whole wheat linguini noodles

1/3 cup minced garlic

1 can oil packed anchovies

1 Tbsp. olive oil

A Healthier Creamy Garlic Sauce

1 Tbsp. finely minced onion
1 Tbsp. anchovy garlic paste
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 cups skim milk
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. shredded Parmesan or cheddar cheese (optional)

Preparation of Noodles

• Salt water and bring to a boil.

• While waiting for the water to boil, heat the Tbsp. of oil in a pan and add the entire contents of the anchovy can to the hot pan and stir occasionally for 5 minutes.

• Add the minced garlic to the pan and stir for another 5 minutes.

• Once the anchovies are broken down into a paste and the garlic is browned, remove the pan from the heat and reserve a tablespoon of the mixture in a small dish.

• When the water begins to boil, gently place the noodles into the pot and when the water begins to boil again, add the anchovy garlic paste to the water

• Cover the pot, stirring occasionally until the noodles are al dente.

• Remove from heat but keep pot covered while the sauce is being made.

Preparation of Sauce

• Cook onion and garlic anchovy paste in a medium saucepan until liquid is almost all cooked away.

• In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the skim milk. Add to the saucepan and continue to whisk until the sauce begins to thicken.

• Add the wine and salt and pepper.

• If desired, add cheese, and cook over low heat for a few more minutes until well blended.

Finally...

• Strain the noodles, spoon some on to each plate, top with sauce, and enjoy your Oui Oui.

• Now go brush your teeth, garlic breath.

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL! With Cakes of All Shapes and Sizes

Finally, tomorrow is my last day! I can't even explain how much I've enjoyed my junior year of high school. My teachers were all fantastic and I simply have the best friends in the world. But knowing me and my love of baking, I couldn't help but sign up for nearly every opportunity to bring in treats for class parties. As I looked down the lists, I repeatedly saw the same old things: Chips Ahoy cookies and bagels. Personally, seeing these options made me angry. I grew up with most of these kids, watching their endless creativity shine first hand, and these same people volunteer to bring in bland, dull, store bought cookies, bagels, and other things of the like. Well I knew I couldn't just stand by and let the rest of my classmates be bored into submission by our party food selection, so I decided to go ahead and put on my diy thinking cap. I knew I couldn't go too above and beyond with my creations, but I was determined to make some pretty pleasing treats. So this is what I came up with:

Confetti Cake Cupcakes

(Yeah, yeah, I know, these aren't that creative, but I just wanted to make a little something for the friends at my lunch table.)

Ingredients

Confetti Cake Box Mix

1/4 cup shredded coconut

1/4 tsp. almond extract

Prepration

• Follow the drections on the box.

• Add the coconut and almond extract at the end.

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cupcakes

(They don't actually taste like mayonnaise!)

Ingredients

3 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cups cocoa

2 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preparation

• Mix flour with sugar, cocoa, baking powder and soda into bowl.

• Gradually stir in mayonnaise.

• Stir in water and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla.

• Fill 2 dozen greased or paper-lined muffin pans 1/2 full with batter.

• Bake at 350F 25 to 30 minutes.

• Cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on rack.

Moist Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

(These make delicious normal-sized cookies as well.)

Ingredients

2 cups minus 2 Tbsp. cake flour

1 2/3 cups bread flour

1 ¼ tsp. baking soda

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

1 ½ tsp. coarse salt (I used kosher)

2 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 ¼ cups light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 2/3 cups bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks

A pinch of sea salt

Preparation

• Combine flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk well; then set aside.

• Cream butter and sugars until very light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.

• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

• Mix in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

• Reduce the mixer speed to low; then add dry ingredients, and mix until just combined.

• Add the chocolate chips, and mix briefly to incorporate.

• Press plastic wrap against the dough, and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours.

• When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the bowl of dough from the refrigerator, and allow it to soften slightly. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

• Take chunks of the dough and press down, spreading it along the bottom of the pan until it’s about half an inch thick.

• (If making regular sized cookies, using a standard-size ice cream scoop, scoop mounds of dough onto the baking sheet, making sure to space them evenly.)

• Sprinkle lightly with sea salt, and bake until golden brown but still soft, 15 to 20 minutes.

• NOTE: If you intend on frosting the cake, wait until it has cooled completely before doing so.

I was planning on just frosting the cookie cake, but I had so much frosting left over that I just went ahead and frosted everything! I must be a frosting fanatic! Oh, and as a last note, I would suggest keeping any one of these items in the fridge after you're done preparing them, so they keep fresh and the frosting stays hard.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting/Icing

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar

1/3 cup half-and-half cream or milk

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

• Cream the butter in a small bowl.

• Blend in the cocoa powder, vanilla, confectioners’ sugar, and cream.

• Beat with an electric mixer, until the desired texture is achieved.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting/Icing

Directions

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup

half-and-half cream or milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation

• Cream the butter.

• Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.

• Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency.

Rainy Day? Break Out The Lentils!

I loooove lentil soup, especially on chilly days. We usually only have it once a year, superstitiously (I use that term loosely) on New Year's Eve. Apparently it's an old Italian myth that eating lentil soup just before the new year will bring happiness and prosperity. Either way, I love the stuff, so I welcome it every year. Even though it's not exactly New Years Eve now, I just couldn't restrain my craving! I definitely wanted to make some sort of lentil soup, but also a soup with a bit more texture and color. So, I decided to put a twist on the traditional Italian lentil soup.

Pressure Cooker Italian Lentil Soup

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 C)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 t olive oil
2 C brown lentils
6 C water
2 large carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 t thyme
1 t oregano
3 T tomato paste (1/2 6 oz can)
1 T balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
1 t salt
1 t fresh ground black pepper
minced fresh italian parsley (optional)

Preparation

• In pressure cooker saute onion and garlic in olive oil.

• When fragrant and translucent, and remaining ingredients except tomato paste, balsamic vinegar (or lemon juice), salt and pepper.

• Cover and seal pressure cooker.

• Bring to high pressure and cook for 8 minutes.

• Bring pressure down using your cooker's rapid release method.

• Stir in tomato paste, vinegar and salt and pepper.

• Adjust spices to taste (you may need more thyme and oregano - pressure cooking seems to minimize their flavor) and simmer a couple minutes more.

• Remove bay leaves and serve, sprinkled with fresh parsley if desired.

Slightly Spicy Sautéed Vegtables

Tired and hungry, I decided to whip up something quick and easy, but also tasty last night. Leaving the entrée to my dad and the salad to my mom, I was determined to make something we would all be happy with. I actually didn't mean to make this dish spicy, it just sort of happened with the amount of pepper I added! Either way, my parents absolutely loved it, so I thought I would share it with you all! This recipe is a great with chicken or sausage.

Sautéed Vegetables

Ingredients

1 small red onion

4 medium sized leeks

1 bunch broccoli

3 carrots

2 small cloves of garlic

3 stalks of celery

1 tsp. ginger

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbs. teriyaki sauce

2 ½ Tbs. olive oil

Preparation

• Allow 2 Tbs. of olive oil to heat in a skillet.

• When ready, add the onions and leeks and cook for 2-3 minutes.

• Next, sauté the broccoli, carrots, and garlic for 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the ginger, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper during this process.

• Add the celery and cook for 2-3 more minutes with the last 1/2 Tbs. of olive oil.

• Turn off the stove and allow the vegetables to slightly cool in the skillet, and then stir in the teriyaki sauce. Keep covered until time to serve.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is special to anyone who knows a veteran. Soldiers not only kept us safe years ago, but are the reason for our freedom today. My Grandpa served in the Navy in World War two, my sister's fiancé is currently training to be a Marine, and I have several friends who are looking into military work after high school. I look up to them and everyone else for contributing in such an effort. Thank you, all of our past, present and future soldiers, you are all truly guardian angels!

I've been told that all branches of the military are vastly different, but there is one thing I'm positive they have in common (or at least something my friends, sister's fiancé, and my grandpa have in common); the love of cookies! I made cookies for our Memorial Day picnic today and they came out great, so I thought I'd share my recipes. Here's two all-American cookies with a twist that I know you'll enjoy:

Chai Snickerdoodles

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cardamom (I used ½ teaspoon nutmeg)

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup butter, soft

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

• In a large bowl, combine sugar and spices; remove 1/2 cup of this mixture and place in a medium-sized, shallow dish or bowl (like a soup plate). Add butter to bowl and cream with sugar mixture until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla extract.

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda. Add to sugar mixture and stir until fully incorporated.

• Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in reserved sugar-spice mixture. Place on baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between balls to allow for spreading.

• Bake for about 12 minutes, until edges are firm to the touch, but not quite browned. Cool for 3-5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 sticks butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups chocolate chips, 2 Hershey's chocolate bars, chopped or M&M'S

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl stir together flour, salt, and baking soda. In another large bowl stir together butter, both sugars, eggs, vanilla and cocoa. Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mixture and mix until combined. Stir chocolate chips and walnuts, if using, and stir to distribute evenly.

• For cookies: Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets and bake about 10 minutes. Cool on a baking rack.

• For bars: Pat dough into a greased 9 inch square baking pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into squares when cooled

Market Day Two: Oyster Mushrooms

So today at the market I saw these strange fungi labeled "oyster mushrooms," and they peaked my interest enough to get my dad to buy them! (Once again, thank you for your financial aid dad!) I was in the mood for alfredo but not in the mood for all the extra calories so I decided to make my own body-friendly version of the stuff. With less than 100 calories for 1/2 a cup of sauce versus the regular count of 500 calories, you can eat this with a good feeling. The nuttyness of the mushrooms is really brought out in the sauce which flavors the pasta wonderfully! I would suggest a whole wheat pasta to go along with this dish as it compliments the mushroom taste very well. Hope you enjoy this one; my parents really did!

White Wine Mushroom Alfredo

Ingredients:

2 cups fat-free milk
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon chopped chives
Ground black pepper and salt, to taste
1 tablespoon white wine

Preparation:

• In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the milk.

• Prepare whole wheat pasta.

• Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

• Add the onions and saute for about 3 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and saute another 4 minutes.

• Stir in the flour and continue to cook another 2 to 3 minutes.

• Whisk in the warmed milk. Continue to cook. Stir consistently until thickened, about 3 minutes.

• Add chives, pepper, salt, and wine, if desired. Keep the mushroom sauce warmed over low heat until served over pasta.

Market Day: Octopus

They say curiosity kills the cat, but today I just couldn't help myself! As we walked past the fish section of the Farmer's Market, I happened to glance over and see a big bag of... octopus! The wheels in my brain started turning and I got my dad to buy the 3 lb. bag for $6.oo. Having no former experience on octopus cookery, and craving something Mediterranean, I skimmed through some recipes until I found something simple, yet garlicky and delicious sounding. What I came up with was white wine infused, octopus stew.

Italian Octopus Stewed in Wine and Tomatoes

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lb octopus
4 Tbs. olive oil
9 cloves finely chopped garlic
2 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
2 cups white wine
4 Tbs. honey

3/4 tsp. chopped fresh dill (4 finger pinch)
1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley (4 finger pinch)
1 tsp. crushed red pepper

½ jalapeño pepper
2 tsp. capers (optional)
2 tsp. salt

Preparation:

• Bring a large pot of salty water to a boil. Allow the octopus to thaw if necessary, toss it into the boiling water, and cook for 1-2 minutes, then remove. Discard water.
• Cut the octopus into large pieces and sauté in olive oil over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. (Juices from the octopus will accumulate to the point where you will have to drain it out and add more olive oil- only do this once.) Add the chopped garlic and sauté for another minute or two.
• Add the wine and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir well and let it cook down for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, crushed red pepper flakes and the jalapeño pepper and bring to a simmer.
• Add the salt and the honey. Mix well, and let the uncovered pan simmer for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, cover the pan and let simmer for 30 minutes.
• At 30 minutes, add the capers if you are using them(I didn’t), plus the dill and parsley and let simmer for a few more minutes.
• Check the octopus -- sometimes small ones will be tender in just 30 minutes. If they are still super-chewy, cover the pot again and simmer for up to another 5 minutes.
• Eat this with pasta and/or bread. I know octopus sounds funky, but trust me, you’ll love this!!

Food: A True Passion

Ok, so I admit it… I love food!! Sweet food, salty food, savory food, I love it all! I find it fascinating how food has evolved from a hunk of raw meat seared over an open flame, to all sorts of spices, meats, and cooking styles combined to create our modern equivalent to a delicious meal. For me personally, I seek a balance between the two, choosing simple home grown foods, and using contemporary styles and fixtures for the preparation. While it seems that my relationship with food is nearly an infatuation, I’m also aware of the importance of exercise and a balanced diet, which is why I try to cook with the freshest ingredients and in the healthiest way I can. Sure, everyone likes to eat the occasional cookie or buttery bowl of white rice once in a while, but 99% of the time I believe should be reserved for healthy food only.

But who said healthy food can’t taste good? Like most people, I grew up hating vegetables and milk (of course, being lactose intolerant doesn’t help). However until just recently, in the past year or so when I’ve really gotten into cooking, I’ve stumbled upon a ton of new vegetables and other foods that have changed my view entirely! That, along with a few other alterations in my eating habits have changed my life for what I know is the better. Here are some basic things I always have in the house in place of their less healthy counterparts:

1. Fresh Fruit and Vegetables. The sugars in fruit are similar to those in candy; however it’s natural and doesn’t contribute to weight gain. (At least I’ve never heard of anyone getting fat from eating too much fruit!!) If an extra boost of sweetness is desperately needed, a couple packets of Splenda in a bowl of fruit should suffice. Fresh vegetables are always a nice thing to snack on and can really bring out the flavors in a dish. My personal favorite vegetable substitution is sweet potatoes for regular white potatoes. I haven’t had regular potatoes for almost a year and I don’t miss them a bit!

2. Sparkling Water or Water. Sparkling Water is getting more popular every day for those who crave soda and other carbonated drinks. Just squeeze in some lemon juice or other low sugar juice for flavor. For those of us who don’t like the sugariness of soda, the kitchen sink is just seconds away.

3. Natural nut butters. I’ll first read off the ingredients list from a common jar of Jif Peanut Butter: Roasted Peanuts and Sugar, molasses, fully hydrogenated vegetable oils, mono- and diglycerides, and salt. Now I’ll read from the jar of natural peanut butter I got from Wegmans last week: Dry-roasted organic unblanched peanuts, and salt. Natural nut butters can be found today at nearly any grocery store. (Try a little natural peanut butter on a few chocolate rice cakes or a banana, you’ll thank me for it, I promise.)

4. Frozen shrimp. Shrimp are so easy to cook and toss on top of salad, rice, or pasta as well as in tacos and burritos or on top of pizza. For less than 1 gram of fat per 4 ounce serving, these tiny crustaceans are a very good source of vitamin D and vitamin B12, and supply 50% of the average daily value for protein.

5. Ricotta Cheese and Low Fat Plain Yogurt. The health benefits of both of these are tremendous, and they’re both quite flexible in their uses! A bit of ricotta cheese in a bowl with a couple drops of almond (or really any) flavor extract makes a delicious dessert. Low fat plain yogurt can be substituted in for mayonnaise or sour cream and still come out having the same creamy taste.

6. Skim Milk. Skim milk is a great source of calcium with less fat than 1%, 2% or whole milk. Those types of milks are what BABY mammals drink to help with development and are not meant for bodies that are done developing. For those who are lactose intolerant or allergic to dairy, soy or almond milk is always an option, along with the taking of a daily calcium supplement.

7. Olive Oil. You don’t need to use anything other than olive oil. It has a great range of flavor intensities and benefits over polyunsaturated oils such as safflower, peanut and corn oils. It can be used in place of butter for searing, sautéing or frying.

8. Whole grains. After eating refined grain products for years, switching to whole grains might be difficult at first. Whole wheat bread is a good place to start because it’s fairly easy to get used to and tastes great toasted. Whole wheat pasta comes in all the same types as regular pasta and is equally as satisfying. Another nice alternative is brown rice or wild rice. While they take longer to boil, I find that they compliment many meat dishes better than other types of rice!

9. Low Fat Meats and Salmon. Fatty processed meats such as salami and bologna are not good for any persons’ health. Chicken is one of the lowest fat meats out there and instead of buying ground beef for taco night, go for the ground turkey instead. It cooks and very similar to beef and is also very similar in taste. Salmon is another great thing to always have in the house. Because of its rich consistency and multiple preparation options, salmon is getting more and more popular. (I like it because it doesn’t have the same fishy smell or taste like trout.) It can be found in many stores for a reasonable price; we get it from Aldi’s for $3.99!

10. *Remember to always check the ingredients before buying something packaged. That’s where you’ll really find the low-down on what you’re consuming. Like any major lifestyle change, restocking your kitchen should be a gradual process. Throw out the unhealthy foods in your kitchen and replace them with healthier choices slowly. Over time you will find that healthy foods are fresher and more intensely flavored then their unhealthy cousins.

But I think you get my point, I try to make the best foods possible with the best ingredients possible. I like to cook and bake just as much as I like to watch the looks on the people’s faces when they take the first bite of a dish I’ve created. Hope you’ll browse around and check out some of the great recipes I post, and maybe you’ll even be adventurous enough to try a few! Anyways, have fun eating, and even more fun cooking and baking!

“Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity.” ~Voltaire