Orange Lime Salmon

This is such a good recipe that I am going to use it for BSI, this week.  The secret ingredient is lime.  This is perfect for lime.  See all those entering, tomorrow at Jenn’s at My Kitchen Addiction.  If you have not participated, cand would like to, check Jenn’s site and she will tell you who is hosting, next week.  They will probably announce the new ingredient by Monday night.  We are having fun.  Come and join us.

Often, we have salmon on Friday evenings, since we can’t get gluten free gefilte fish.  Note:  I haven’t volunteered to make it. 

I was getting into a rut, making the soy sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice version.  It was yummy though and I was not motivated to make a change.  Today, since I was already cooking up a storm, I decided, it was time to go “daring” and come up with a new recipe.

Since I did not measure for this, please use your judgement as to your taste.  I will dupicate it, the best I can.

Cook a cup of mushrooms and one medium onion until onion is translucent.  Set aside.

I cover the bottom of a pan that will accommodate the pieces of salmon, with water, less than 1/8 inch high.  Choose a pan that will fit the  number of pieces of salmon you will be placing in the baking pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make a marinade of 1/8 of a cup of soy sauce and 1/2 cup orange juice and 1 tablespoon lime juice.  Mix and pour over the salmon. 

Cover with cooked mushrooms and onions.

If I have extra vegetables around, I throw them in, usually bell peppers.

Place in oven uncovered for 30 minutes.  (350 degrees)

Remove.  Allow to cool.  This may be eaten hot or cold.

 

Befor Cooking

The Finished Product

Broccoli Soup with Squash

I think that most of us relate to finding a new recipe, putting the effort into it and gaining a success.  Perhaps, this was time consuming – but time well spent; perhaps you missed your dentist appointment or forgot to pick up your three old from his nursery school; perhaps you fell asleep from exhaustion and the house is cluttered when the family returns.  So what?  You are cooking.

BUT, there are times, you do not want to cook, you don’t want to eat out, you don’t want to bring in, but what you want is to make a really quick dinner and sit in a comfy chair and relax. 

Here is a great one.  I know, I made it for lunch today.

I buy organic soups, tomato, potato, corn, butternut, veggie and broccoli.  I keep them for cooking and drinking. 

Today, I took some broccoli soup (open box, pour into bowl  and warm in microwave or on stove).

I had some lovely pieces of three kinds of squash from another recipe, and I spooned about 15 pieces into the broccoli soup and voila, hubby had a good lunch.  I felt great and went on to make a new salmon recipe, chicken and sides.

Challenge # 2 – Tri Squash Delight

I had a butternut squash, two yellow squash and some zuchinni in the house and had no idea what I wanted to do with any of them.   I realized, I did not need three recipes.  One would do it .  I looked through cookbooks and found two recipes to adapt to three different squashes but by the end of the recipe, they were only second cousins, at best.

One of the original recipes was Squash Casserole from “9 x 13, the Pan that Can”.  The other was Summer Squash Casserole from “Southern Living Comfort Food”.  The following recipe is from Chaya with thanks for a few ideas from  the above two cook books.

I have decided to share this with Culinarty for her Original Recipes Round up.

Tri Squash Delight

1 butternut squash

2 zuchinni squash

2 yellow squash (they are cute)

1 medium onion, chopped

pinch of black pepper

1/2 teaspoon Salt Sense

1 cup organic vegetable soup

3/4 cup sour cream

3 eggs

1/2 batch corn bread

1 tablespoon margarine

Can you see the four layers?

Peel all the squash and cut into cubes.  I made them small, 1/4 inch approximately.

Cube onion.

Put water up to boil.  Use large saucepan (at least 4 quart)

Carefully, (don’t burn yourself) place squash and onion  in boiling water and allow to simmer for twenty minutes, or until almost soft.

Drain squash and onion and place in large bowl.  Add seasonings and combine.

Take the half of corn bread and in hands squeeze to make rough crumbs.  These are not supposed to be fine.  If you would prefer fine, put them in a food processor until fine crumbs appear.  I like the chunky look and taste.

Melt margarine in bottom of baking dish.

Pour corn meal crumble on top.

Add vegetable soup to squash and onions and pour on top of corn meal crumble.

Combine sour cream and eggs and mix until eggs are thoroughly assimilated into sour cream.  Place on top of the vegetables.

Add another layer of crumbs on top and spray it with cooking oil.

Place in preheated oven 350 degrees for 45 -50 minutes. 

Enjoy.  It is good.  I bet you could make this using potatoes or spinach or broccoli in place of the squash.  In those cases, I would up the seasoning to make it more spicey.

Corn Bread with a Western Flavor

I saw this on Chow Hound’s blog and knew it would be a favorite at our house.  I have been noshing all morning and it has a wake me up taste that beats coffee.

SOUTHWESTERN CORNBREAD – originally from King Arthur’s flour

2 cups coarse-ground cornmeal
1 3/4 cups gluten free flour                                                                                                    1 teaspoon guar or xanthan gum

2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
1/ 4 green                                                                   pepper                                                                                                                                         1/4 red pepper
1 small onion
1/2 cup melted margarine

1. Preheat oven to 400 with an ungreased cast iron skillet in the oven as it heats.

2. Combine buttermilk, eggs, honey and bell peppers. Allow to stand at least 10 minutes so peppers can re-hydrate.

3. Mix dry ingredients in large bowl and whisk to combine.

4. Bake 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan for about five minutes.

This is a really great corn bread.  I have made many different corn breads over the years including Krissy’s.  Right now, this one is the best.  Sorry Krissy.

 

in the baking pan 9 x 9

Burst of Flavor

 Another week, another BSI – Bloggers’ Secret Ingredient.  I enjoy these because we can take the ingredient anywhere.  I am sure, we will see this, Sunday, when the list comes out and we see a variety of recipes using feta cheese.

Feta is always a secret ingredient, as far as I am concerned, with its flavor that personalizes any dish.  I know, when I was making mine, I tasted it before and after the addition of the feta and one would not know, this was the same dish.  It was good before but it came alive with the feta cheese.

I chose my recipe because I had several bell peppers on hand.  Sounded like a good combination to me, peppers and feta. I ended up with a pasta dish, featuring bell peppers and our dynamo cheese.

 Burst of Flavor  adapted from Cooking Light

 6  ounces  uncooked linguine

1  large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/8-inch strips

1 1/4  cups  quartered cherry tomatoes (I used mixture of grape and cherry tomatoes.)

3 tablespoons dried parsley

1/4  teaspoon  salt

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon rosemary

1  (4-ounce) package crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup sliced green olives, drained

 Method:

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

Place bell pepper in a colander

 

 Drain pasta over bell pepper.  Combine pasta, bell pepper, tomatoes, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently. I mixed some of the cheese in the mix and sprinkled the rest on top of the pasta – vegetable combination. Serve immediately.close-up

Cucurbita Pepo

Often, it is what we have in the house, that we make, and this dinner is another of those.   The main  ingredient, the squash sat there and patiently waited until I decided what to do with him.   Checked what was in stock and here is an enjoyable meal.

Make holes in squash.

Cucurbito Pepe or Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash (about 4 lbs. size)
2 teaspoons olive oil                                                                                                              1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1/4 cup diced green pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
salt — pepper to taste
2   tablespoons sliced green olives                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            21 – 1 1/2 cups yogurt cheese with herbs,   cut into small pieces                                                                                       

Pierce squash with fork several places. place on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.  (It looks like it has the measles)

Turn and bake 45 minutes longer or until shell gives to pressure.

When cool enough to handle, cut squash in half.

 Scoop out and discard seeds.   Discard.

Remove strands with fork. – Place in bowl until you have cleaned out the squash.

Start scooping.

Sautee Vegetables

 Melt olive oil in skillet.

 Saute onion for three minutes.

Add green and red peppers and cook until tender.

Add squash strands, oregano, basil, salt and pepper to taste, cheese and olives.

 Toss until cheese is evenly distributed.

Place in 1 1/2 quart casserole and return to oven until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. 

When the cheese is runny, you know it is done.  It does not take long so keep an eye on it, checking every five minutes.

Eat and enjoy.

Cheese melts.