Baked Pesto Salmon

This is one of my favorite recipes using basil pesto.  Easy, fast, and delicious.  Roasting the cherry tomatoes made them quite sweet which created a really nice bite with the saltier pesto on the salmon.  We had a side of cilantro rice as well as a cucumber salad from my garden.

Baked Pesto Salmon

Ingredients:

Salmon fillets, about 6oz each

salt and pepper

homemade basil pesto (see below)

cherry tomatoes, halved  

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425º F.   Place salmon filets, skin side down, in a baking dish.  Arrange tomatoes around the salmon.   Season the salmon with salt and pepper.  Spread a couple tablespoons of pesto over each salmon filet.  You can be as generous as you like.  Bake uncovered for 12-15 minutes until the fish is moist and flaky (to about 140º).

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Basil Pesto (makes 1 cup):

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed 

1/3 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Add basil and nuts to a food processor and pulse a few times.  Add cheese and garlic and pulse several times more, scraping the sides of the bowl.  While the food processor runs, slowly add oil in a thin, steady stream, occasionally stopping to scrape the sides to get a uniform paste.  Season with salt and pepper.

Brown Butter Sage Skillet Chicken

 

I have a lot of sage growing in my herb garden so I decided to make this easy dinner.  The picture doesn't look the best because I overbrowned the sage a bit, but it still tasted good.  I really liked the buttery crispy sage.  I crumbled it into my couscous too.  

Brown Butter Sage Skillet Chicken

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

salt and pepper

1/3 cup flour

6 tablespoons butter, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup fresh sage leaves

juice of 1/2 lemon, use other half for serving wedges

1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth

Directions:

Season each side of chicken with salt and pepper and dredge each piece in flour in a shallow dish to lightly coat.

Add 2 tablespoons butter plus 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When butter melts, add chicken and sauté for 3-5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.  Remove to a plate and cover with foil.  Set aside.

Add remaining 4 tablespoons butter to skillet.  Once butter melts, add sage leaves and let brown and bubble for a minute or two.  Remove sage to a paper towel-lined plate.   

Add lemon juice and wine or broth to the butter in the skillet and stir well.   Let the sauce reduce and thicken a little and return chicken to the skillet to re-warm for a couple minutes, spooning sauce over chicken.  Serve chicken with sauce and top with sage.  Garnish with a lemon wedge.  

Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies

This recipe was a great healthy way to use the zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers in my garden.  You can add or substitute various other veggies too.  

Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 small onion, sliced or chopped

1 small zucchini, sliced

1 bell pepper, cut into strips

1-2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Toss the chicken and veggies with olive oil and add all the seasonings.  Toss to mix.   Place the chicken and veggies on a rimmed baking sheet coated with cooking spray or lined with nonstick foil.  Bake at 400º for 20-30 minutes until chicken is done.

Veggie Appetizer Pizza

 

I've made this recipe many times as a potluck item.  It's a winner.  I switch up the veggies I use depending on my whim.  It's versatile.

Veggie Appetizer Pizza

Ingredients:

2 (8-oz) packages refrigerated crescent roll dough 

1/2 cup Miracle Whip  (or 1 cup sour cream works too)  

1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 (1-oz) package ranch seasoning mix (optional)

1 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/2 teaspoon onion salt  

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Chopped fresh veggies (choose your own adventure):

fresh broccoli florets

cauliflower florets

red bell pepper

tomato

shredded carrot

zucchini/cucumber

onion

radishes

olives

green onions

etc. etc. etc.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Spray a jelly roll pan with cooking spray.   Press the crescent roll dough evenly into the pan to form the crust.  Let stand a few minutes.  Pierce all over with a fork.  Bake at 350º for about 10 minutes until crust is golden brown.  Let crust cool completely.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the Miracle Whip, cream cheese ranch, dill, onion salt, and garlic powder.   Spread mixture all over cooled crust.  Arrange chopped veggies over the pizza.  Cover and chill a couple hours.  Cut pizza into squares to serve.

Pickled Radishes

We had a lot of radishes in our garden, so I decided to try Pickled Radishes.  We added them to our BBQ Pork Sandwiches.  They were just okay--not sure if I would try again.

Pickled Radishes

Ingredients:

1 bunch radishes, cut into thin slices (~1/2 lb)

1/2 cup white or apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

Directions:

Place radishes in a hot, sterilized 1-pint mason jar.   In an enameled saucepan, bring everything else to a boil.  Pour or ladel hot contents of saucepan over the radishes in the jar.  Center lid on jar.  Apply band and close tight.  Let cool on wire rack for an hour, then in fridge for at least 6 hours before serving.  Store in fridge for up to 4 months.

Blackened Cod with Avocado-Cucumber-Tomato Salad

Really good.  I made up my own little recipe, throwing spices together to make a rub and tossing some veggies together for the salad.  The fish was perfectly flaky and flavorful and the salad was a nice cooling bite.  

Blackened Cod with Avocado-Cucumber-Tomato Salad

Serves 1

Ingredients:

Cod Fillet

Olive oil

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon oregano

Salad:

Cucumber, chopped

Tomato, chopped

Avocado, chopped

Jalapeno pepper, chopped

Green onion, chopped

cilantro, chopped

olive oil

lime juice

salt and pepper

Directions:

Combine all the dry ingredients.  Generously rub all over the fish.   Heat oil in a hot skillet and cook fish a few minutes on each side until done.

Put chopped veggies in a bowl and toss with oil and lime juice.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Place in fridge until ready to serve with fish.

Grilled Chicken with Avocado-Cucumber Salsa

 

I found this photo on my camera and realized I forgot to post the recipe which I no longer remember.  Looks good though.   

If I remember correctly, for the salsa, I used cucumber, avocado, tomato, radish, jalapeno pepper, and cilantro (and maybe fresh dill?), and I tossed that mixture with olive oil and lime juice.

Instant Pot Short Ribs

 

It's been a little chilly, so I decided on a warm-your-bones type of meal.   This recipe was delicious!  I liked that I could pressure cook both the ribs and the potatoes in the pot to make things really easy.  The meat fell off the bone and the sauce was super tasty.

Instant Pot Short Ribs

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

6-10 pieces bone-in short ribs (~2-inch thick)

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

6 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced/chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 cup red wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1-2 tablespoons brown sugar

2.5 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons cold water

Mashed Potatoes:

3-4 russet potatoes, quartered

100 ml milk

2-4 tablespoons butter, to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Set Instant Pot to Sauté mode, and when hot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil.   Generously salt and pepper the ribs.  Working in batches, brown the ribs for 3-4 minutes on each side to get a nice sear.  Set aside the ribs on a plate.

Add onions to the Instant Pot and and sauté about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and stir about 30 seconds.  Add in the carrots, celery, thyme, and bay leaves; sauté for about 2 minutes.  Add the wine to the pot and stir with a wooden spoon to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits.  Let it simmer for a minute. 

Stir in the broth, vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar.  Add the short ribs back to the pot.

If making potatoes, place them in a stainless steel bowl and set on top of ribs in the pot.

Pressure cook on high for 42 minutes.  When done, let naturally release for 15 minutes.

Remove the bowl of potatoes; drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl.  Mash the potatoes and mix in milk and butter.  Season with salt and pepper.

Carefully remove the short ribs to a plate.  Mix the cornstarch and cold water together in a small bowl.  Slowly add the mixture to the pot juices while stirring.  Bring the juices to a simmer and stir until thickened a bit.  Return the ribs to the pot to keep hot.

Serve ribs and sauce over the mashed potatoes.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Another Easter recipe:  Carrot Cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.   I really liked how they turned out.  I chose to leave out the nuts and raisins since some people don't like them, and I think it made the cupcakes lighter to eat.  I made a cream cheese carrot decoration for fun.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Makes 18 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1&1/3 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1&1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup applesauce

1&1/2 cups finely grated and peeled carrots (about 2-3 medium carrots)

Optional:  up to 1 cup chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans

Optional: up to 1/2 cup raisins

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1&1/2 cups butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º F.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.  Whisk in the oil, eggs, and applesauce, stirring until well combined.  Using a spatula, fold in the carrots (and nuts and raisins if desired).  

Divide the batter between 18 cupcake liners in a cupcake tin, filling about 2/3 full.  Bake at 350º F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pan for a few minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature before frosting.

Frosting Directions:

Beat butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until smooth and creamy.  Beat in vanilla and salt.  Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing on low speed until combined.  Increase to high speed and beat for a couple minutes until smooth and spreadable.
  

Lemon Cheesecake

For Easter, I made Lemon Cheesecake with a Lemon Curd topping.  Mmmm.  A little time-consuming, but worth it!   

Lemon Cheesecake

Crust Ingredients:

1&1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup Almond flour

3 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

Cheesecake:

1 cup sugar

zest of 2 lemons

4 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, cold

Lemon Curd Topping:  (Makes ~3 cups; only need 1 cup for this recipe)

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)

zest of 3 lemons

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Stabilized Whipped cream (optional):

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1&1/2 tablespoons milk powder

1 tablespoon sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º F.  Line the bottom of a 9" springform pan with foil and fasten the side piece.  Lightly spray inside with cooking spray. Tightly wrap outside of pan with 2 layers of heavy foil to prevent leaks in the water bath.

Combine crust ingredients in a medium bowl and press into the bottom and a little up sides of the springform pan.  Bake crust for 10 minutes and let cool on a rack.

Bring a kettle of water to boil for the water bath.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar and lemon zest and use fingers to press lemon into sugar until fragrant.  Add the cream cheese to bowl and beat for 2-3 minutes, scraping down sides periodically.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl, until smooth and creamy.  Add in the vanilla, lemon juice, and cream; mix for an additional 30 seconds.

Pour the cheesecake filling over the crust.  Place the cheesecake pan in a roasting pan and pour boiling water into the roasting pan until halfway up cheesake pan.  Gently tent a piece of foil over top of cheesecake with room for air flow.  

Bake at 350º for 55-65 minutes until edges are set but the middle still appears slightly jiggly.  Turn off oven, but keep cheesecake in oven with oven door cracked open for another 60 minutes.  When done, remove from water bath and place on cooling rack to cool completely.  Place in refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.   Before serving, top the cheesecake with lemon curd and some whipped cream if desired.

Lemon Curd Directions:

In a large microwave-safe bowl, whisk together sugar and eggs until smooth.  Whisk in the lemon juice, zest, and melted butter.  Microwave for 4-5 minutes, stirring after 1-minute intervals, until curd is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  Push curd through a fine mesh sieve into a sterile jar or container.  Once cooled to room temperature, cover with lid and store in fridge overnight to let thicken.  It will keep for up to 2 weeks in fridge.

Whipped Cream Directions:

Place bowl and whisk attachment in fridge or freezer for 10-15 minutes to get cold.   When ready, start whipping the cream for 30 seconds.  Add in the milk powder and sugar and continue to beat for a couple minutes until you have thick and fluffy whipped cream with firm peaks.  Don't overbeat or you'll get butter.