9th Blogiversary and Even More Potatoes!

I’m an impulsive sort of person at times.  Knowing me, Bill, thought this blog would be a passing whim that wouldn’t make it a couple of months…

And here I am ~ still at it, 9 years later!

Zesty Grilled Salmon w/Citrus-Dill Butter

Grilling salmon is as easy as pie.

By following this recipe, and implementing the no-flip technique with your skin-on salmon, you’ll have a delicious fillet, perfectly cooked every time...

Begin with placing the salmon on a grill pan, like we do, or directly on the grill grates, after being coated with cooking spray. 

Proceed by generously slathering the salmon with the flavored butter, and cooking the fish, without flipping it, until desired degree of doneness. 

Lastly, quarter a large lemon, and grill the wedges alongside the salmon, for the perfect garnish for this fish.

Here’s a little salmon trivia:

• Salmon are popular in mythology.
• There are approximately 21,500 people in the U.S listed on white pages.com with the name Salmon.
• Grizzly bears love to feast on these fish when they are migrating upstream.

• Fish for salmon in the morning or late at night.    
• Salmon comes for the Latin word “salmo,” which means “to leap.”  They’re exceptional jumpers, an ability that serves them well when they have to swim upstream or go up rapids in order to reach rivers and streams.
• The biggest species of salmon is the Chinook, which can weigh as much as a hundred pounds.
• Salmon is nutritious and considered a health food.
• And, finally ~ I know that my father-in-law smoked the most delicious Coho salmon on earth, fresh from Lake Michigan! 

If you’re searching for an easy tasty salmon meal, with minimal clean-up, this grilled salmon recipe is for you. 

It’s simple and great for an everyday family meal, but elegant enough to wow your dinner guests at your cookout this summer!

Yield: 3-4 ServingsAuthor: Pam

Grilled Salmon with Citrus-Dill Butter

If you’re searching for an easy tasty salmon meal, with minimal clean-up, this grilled salmon recipe is for you.

prep time: 5 MINScook time: 20 MINStotal time: 25 mins

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
• 1 small lemon = ½ teaspoon zested, 1 teaspoon juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper, or to taste
• 1 pound salmon fillet, skin on
• 3 sprigs fresh dill, for garnish
• 1 large lemon, quartered, optional

METHOD:

1. Heat grill.
2. In small bowl, combine all ingredients, except last 3, mix well.
3. When ready to grill, spread butter mixture over salmon fillet.
4. Place on a rack, coated with cooking spray, on grill or on hot grill grate, skin side facing down, turning once.
5. Cook, undisturbed, for about 20 minutes, or until desired doneness.
6. Meanwhile, place lemons on grill,  cut sides down, and grill until golden, for about 5 to 7 minutes, turning once to other side.
7. Garnish with dill sprigs and grilled lemon quarters.
8. Serve with lemons on the side for squeezing.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Enjoy!

Pan-roasted Red Pepper and Bow-tie Pasta Salad for Your Happy Labor Day Cookout

Check out this colorful pasta salad that’s simple and easy, but tastes gourmet!

This slightly adapted recipe from the Deen Brothers, combines bow-tie pasta with charred peppers, peas, shredded cheddar cheese and black olives ~ all tossed together with a dressing of chives, mayonnaise, balsamic vinegar and seasonings.

Bow-tie Pasta Salad with Pan-roasted Red Peppers 
Adapted 

Ingredients:

1 red bell pepper, cut into ¼” strips
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 cups cooked bow-tie pasta (4-ounces dry pasta)
¾ cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
½ cup black olives, sliced

Method:

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
When oil is very hot and begins to smoke, add the peppers and cook until lightly charred, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, chives, vinegar, and salt to pepper to taste.
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, peas, Cheddar cheese, bell peppers and olives.
Add the mayonnaise dressing and toss well to coat.
Taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary, before serving.

Serves 6

ENJOY!  and...

HAVE A HAPPY SAFE LABOR DAY WEEKEND!

Eggs Pipérade

Pipérade is a quintessential Basque dish, originating in the far-most southwest of France, on the border with Spain, below the Atlantic Pyrenees.  It combines the traditional regional ingredients with a little quandary.  Is it a side dish, or a meal on its own?

Absolutely, the recipe holds true to the region, using produce that was available at the time ~ bell peppers, tomatoes and onions.  The addition of garlic, eggs, ham, prosciutto, chicken or seafood makes it a more substantial dish.  If you want a little bite, add a pinch or two of paprika.

This is one of those dishes we all love; quick and easy to prepare, with each cooks’ version being slightly different from the rest; swap what you want.  This is a simple dish that doesn’t require exactness!  It seems to me, it can even be considered Southwestern fare…

Eggs Pipérade

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil

¾ cup chopped green bell pepper

¾ cup chopped red bell pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon dried chives

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon seasoned pepper

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

4 large eggs, beaten lightly

½ cup cheddar cheese, grated

Method:

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add peppers and sauté for 5 minutes, or until tender.

Add garlic and chives, sauté for one minute.

Season with salt and pepper.

Pour tomatoes into mixture and cook a couple of minutes, or until liquid almost evaporates.

Gently stir in eggs.

Cover and cook 3 minutes until set.

Garnish with cheese.

Cut into 4 wedges and serve.

No matter what it is, it’s essentially simply a dish of savory scrambled eggs!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, My Kind of Cooking.  She has Tuesday tips and Friday recipes for you!

Cheesy Smashed Potatoes with Garlic and Chives with Snow

I’m a potato lover from way back, but not crazy about mashed potatoes; even Mom’s years ago.  Mom always got rave reviews for her mashed potatoes and she never allowed any one else in her kitchen to assist in the process.  I never knew her secret for them… 

On the other hand, Bill loves lumpy mashed potatoes like his mom used to make.  I could tolerate them a little better since there was more texture to them.  Then along came smashed potatoes.  

Smashed potatoes are perfect for us!  I like the consistency and Bill gets the lumps!  This is a great side dish of cheesy smashed potatoes flavored with garlic and chives.  

There is a plethora of ways to make smashed potatoes and this is our favorite.  Simply delicious potatoes!

Cheesy Smashed Potatoes with Garlic and Chives   

Ingredients:

                                                                                                                      

4 Idaho baking potatoes, peeled or unpeeled and cut into cubes

3 garlic cloves, quartered

1/3 cup warm buttermilk

½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon chopped chives

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon seasoned pepper

Method:

Place potatoes and garlic in large saucepan, adding enough water to cover and bring to a boil.

Boil gently 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes break apart easily when pierced with fork.  Drain well.

Return potatoes and garlic to saucepan.

Shake saucepan gently over low heat for 1 or 2 minutes to evaporate any excess moisture.

Mash potatoes and garlic with back of spoon or potato masher, leaving some potato pieces in chunks.

Add all remaining ingredients and mix gently.

YUM!

By the way, we have 6” of very heavy wet snow this morning and we just got rid of some of it…

If it's 80 degrees and sunny where you are, I wish we were there with you!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and recipes.   She’s having an awesome giveaway now!

Crunchy Parmesan Encrusted Tilapia plus… a Surprise Visit from Fairy Hobmother

I used to be leery of eating fish way back when and only ate fresh bluegills that Dad and friends caught at the lake.  With time, I tried more varieties.   

So, I was pleased to have my first tilapia experience at a restaurant with my boss and co-workers when I was in the working world not so long ago.  I saw tilapia on the menu but had never heard of it.  I was curious and then thankfully someone before me ordered it.  I was saved a lot of embarrassment as I would’ve definitely called it “till-up-eeee-uh!”

This dish is delicious with a capital “D!”  The crouton crumbs are crunchy to begin with and combining them with the cheese and cayenne pepper makes a perfect crunchy topping for the slightly firm flaky texture of the tilapia.  It’s a quick dish to prepare that we really like.  It’s a winner!  And I hope you will try it and think so also!

Crunchy Parmesan Encrusted Tilapia

Ingredients:

4 tilapia fillets

¾ cup finely crushed garlic-flavored croutons

4 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

2 tablespoons dried chopped chives

1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning, or to taste

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons each, olive oil and melted butter

Method:

Combine croutons, cheese, chives, chipotle seasoning and salt.

Set aside.

Coat tilapia fillets with butter and olive oil mixture on both sides.

Lightly coat both sides of tilapia in the crouton mixture.

Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until tilapia is opaque and flakes easily when tested with a fork.

ENJOY!

One thing I’m not leery of is the Fairy Hobmother ~ you’ve probably seen her sprinkling her fairy dust like crazy all over the web lately! 

Recently, I left a comment on my friend Linda’s, My Kind of Cooking, great blog and soon after, was happy to see the Fairy Hobmother’s dust had landed in my email ~ in the form of an Amazon gift card for $25.    The funny thing is, I had just been looking at Amazon, considering something I can’t tell you about now for a Christmas gift.  So, Woo Hoo!  I’ve started my Christmas shopping early for a change!

If you too would like a visit from the Fairy Hobmother, simply leave a comment here on this post and you never know…   Fairy Hobmother just might visit you with an Amazon gift card of an undetermined denomination!

Good Luck to you and thanks again, Fairy Hobmother, for your generosity!  

German Breslauer Steaks with Egg Noodles and a Fine Midwest Cookbook

Oh my gosh!  We flipped over this dish, big time!
  
It was a beautiful cool fall day yesterday and Bill was busy working up an appetite burning brush in the back yard.   Much later, he was one happy man when I served him this incredibly delicious hearty dish for dinner. I was happy with it too!  Woo hoo! 

The other day, I had a great surprise when I read an email.  Travis, at The Harvard Common Press, had contacted me and asked if I would like a review copy of Prairie Home Cooking by Judith Fertig. 

He explained as a way of celebrating a growing focus on regional American cooking, The Harvard Common Press has re-jacketed its classic America Cooks series, including this cookbook by Fertig.

Travis further stated that Patricia Wells praised it as “pure inspiration.”  That really drew me in as I’m a huge fan of Wells and have a lot of her cookbooks.  

Here’s what Patricia went on to say about the cookbook:  “For those of us who grew up with cherry trees and fresh raspberries, corn and tomatoes fresh from the garden, bushels full of peaches and apricots from the farmers’ market, and all those homemade layer cakes, pies, and yeast rolls, Prairie Home Cooking is much more than a nostalgic journey.  It is pure inspiration, encouragement to head back into the kitchen and recreate the bliss of our childhood."

Prairie Home Cooking is truly a great collection of tasty American Midwest recipes and is no small book.  There is nothing fancy about it, no glossy food shots in color. 

But, it does contain a plethora of old-fashioned recipes and new ones too, informative cooking tips and heartwarming, charming stories about the people and places of the heartland; an area that has sadly been overlooked by both the east coast and west coast food writers.

Fertig’s cookbook is chock full of comfort food dishes; the ones just like my Grandma used to fill her table with.  

I’m a breakfast lover and by coincidence that is the section I first opened the cookbook to ~ St. Louis Gooey Butter Coffeecake.  That’s definitely a gooey St. Louis standard and one of my favorites to bake and enjoy.  

Move on to Old Country Sour Cream Breakfast Crêpes, or how about Amish Friendship Pancakes slathered with melted butter and maple syrup, or maybe a couple of spoonfuls of Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Fresh Herb Bread Pudding or a savory Ohio breakfast of Smoked Turkey Hash.

Dinner would be mouthwatering with Old-Fashioned Pan-Fried Chicken with Gravy or Prairie-Style Hay-Smoked Grilled Steak; even Fish Schnitzel or Bill’s favorite, Rich and Creamy Oyster Stew.  

And at last, on to dessert:  a couple of dainty Thumbprint Cookies, a slice of Lemon Verbena Pound Cake with Lemonade Glaze, Blitz Torte, Honey Custards with Warm Spiced Berries or one that sounds just like my favorite cake from childhood that Mom baked:  Black Walnut Applesauce Cake.  YUM!  The trick for me now is finding someone wanting to share a stash of black walnuts!

Judith Fertig

So, as you have probably surmised, this excellent cookbook of Ms. Fertig’s is just like the people of the Midwest ~ a melting pot; a beautiful mosaic of German, French, Polish, Dutch, Scandinavian, Italian, Czech, Russian, just to name a few heritages. 

Whether you are:   From a farming family which produces harvests of crops for the “breadbasket” section of the country, a gardener with a green thumb, someone who is fond of lake-caught delicacies, or maybe a Michigan cherry lover like me, or a Spam lover like Bill, or if you’re someone who is curious about Midwest cooking and traditions, or maybe you are just a person who likes to eat delicious robust and comforting food ~ this is the cookbook for you to peruse.  

As I’ve said, “I have a weakness for cookbooks and read them like many women read a romance novel, always looking for new creations and interesting facts.”  Prairie Home Cooking is not only packed with delicious recipes that will excite your taste buds, it’s a good read!

There are so many outstanding recipes in Prairie Home Cooking that I will be trying, and posting for you in the future, with the following being the first one I made:  German Breslauer Steaks with Egg Noodles.  I’ll let Judith Fertig describe it for you:  “Brought by northern German immigrants to Iowa and Nebraska, this dish is a cousin of Swedish meatballs; in both dishes, nutmeg flavors the meat among other similarities.  Serve with a steamed green vegetable or a simple green salad, either of which will provide a break from the heaviness of this dish.”

Believe me ~ this dish is mouthwatering delicious to say the least and the cookbook is a wonderful thing.  I’m not saying this just because Travis kindly offered the cookbook to me:  anyone who knows me, knows I am not afraid to voice my opinion and my opinion is exactly what I think.  You should be adding Prairie Home Cooking to your collection soon!  For me, it’s like my new best friend!

Enough said for now!  Here’s the recipe:

German Breslauer Steaks with Egg Noodles

Ingredients:

1 recipe Homemade Egg Noodles (page 259), or 12 ounces packaged egg noodles

1 pound ground veal

1 pound ground pork

3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

1/3 cup minced onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ pound mushrooms, sliced thin

¾ cup chicken stock

½ cup heavy cream

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Method:

If you are using homemade noodles, prepare them up to the point at which they are ready to be cooked.

Mix together the veal, pork, chives, onion, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a bowl.

Shape the mixture into 4 large or 6 medium patties. 

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Pan-fry the patties for about 5 minutes on each side, or until they are cooked through.  (cut to the center of a patty with a knife to see that there is no pinkness left in the meat).

Transfer the patties to a plate.

Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the drippings left in the pan.

Add the mushrooms, and sauté them until they begin to brown and give off their juices, about 5 minutes.

Add the stock and cream, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, transfer the steaks back to the pan and simmer gently, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles in a pot of boiling water, according either to the recipe for homemade noodles or to the package directions.

Drain them in a colander, run them under cold water for a few seconds, and transfer them to individual plates.

Top with the steaks, spoon the mushroom sauce over all, garnish with parsley and serve.

ENJOY!!!

Excellent explains it all!  Thank you again, Trevor and The Harvard Common Press and Judith Fertig for a fine cookbook!

Chicken Breasts Dijon

I like to try different ingredients with chicken as it’s so versatile and I’m a huge fan of Dijon mustard so this recipe is a winner for me. 

This is a simple recipe that ends up being a savory gratifying dish.  The Dijon mustard, chives and lemon juice add a piquant flavor to the chicken cooked with the mushrooms.  A tablespoon of capers adds a bold taste. 

Serve with a crunchy salad and cheese grits for a fast mouthwatering weeknight meal.  Chicken breast Dijon has the best taste ever!

Chicken Breasts Dijon

Ingredients:

4 large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

1 pound button mushrooms, sliced

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons chives, chopped

2 tablespoons lime juice

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

3 teaspoons Dijon mustard

¼ cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon capers

Method:

Heat 1 tablespoon each, oil and butter in a large skillet.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

Cook chicken breasts until browned and no longer pink, about 20 minutes, depending upon size.

Remove to a warm platter and set aside.

Add remaining butter and olive oil.

Sauté mushrooms on medium-high heat until tender.

Add chives, lime juice, parsley and mustard, whisking well.

Stir in broth and combine.

Return chicken breasts to skillet, add capers and heat thoroughly.

Remove to serving platter, spooning sauce over top.

Serve

ENJOY!!!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips, recipes and cookbook giveaway! 

Cheddar and Chive Scones

The first time I made scones was a disaster.  It was years ago and they were inedible.  They were dry as a bone, crumbling into a hundred pieces.  Looking back at the recipe, I realized there was no liquid in it and that surely must have been the problem.  Now, I have moved on this to this great recipe and thankfully they are moist and hold their shape. 

The scone is a small British quick bread that is popular in North America also and can be sweet or savory.  The early recipes were made with oats, prepared into a large round cake and baked on a cast iron griddle in an open hearth.  To make it easily divide into portions, they were deeply scored before being baked. 

A scone is a wonderful thing:  buttery, soft yet firm with being very easy to make.  They are a lot like biscuits but do tend to get hard once they are cold, probably because the dough is on the dry side.  That’s OK though; just dunk them in a cup of coffee or tea!

This scone recipe includes lots of cheddar cheese, butter and chives.  I think maybe even a little lemon zest would give them great additional flavor.  One taste of these will tell you just how delicious they are!

Cheddar and Chive Scones

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1¼ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 stick butter, cut into ¼” slices

2/3 cup heavy cream, plus 1 tablespoon for brushing

1 cup cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon fresh chives

Method:

Heat oven to 425 degrees. 

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper.

Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until mixture becomes like coarse crumbs.

Stir in 2/3 cup cream.

Add cheese and chives and combine with hands, dough will be crumbly.

Knead dough until it comes together.

Form into a ball and flatten slightly to 1” thick.

Transfer to a baking sheet.

Slice into quarters and then cut each quarter in half.

Brush tops with remaining cream.

Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve warm

Delicious!!!

Breakfast in a Basket

Here is a unique twist on bacon and eggs for breakfast and is one of our favorites!

It kicks up an ordinary breakfast a notch and hits all the right buttons.  The crescent roll dough, filled with scrambled eggs, crumbled bacon, mushrooms, chives and cheese is delectably delicious.  

This dish does not need much tinkering but, you could make it with sausage for a change of pace.  It’s a fantastic, delicious way to freshen up breakfast and I guarantee you will be making it more than once!  

It is scrumptious!

Breakfast in a Basket

Ingredients:

1 tube crescent rolls

4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

4 eggs

3 t. chives, chopped

1/3 c. canned sliced mushrooms, drained well

Salt and pepper, to taste

Cheddar cheese, shredded

Method:

Cook bacon till crisp, crumble.

Open crescent roll tube and divide into 4 rectangles.

Using an extra large muffin pan, arrange rectangles of crescent roll into 4 cups, leaving a little over-hang at the top.

Scramble eggs in skillet with mushrooms, salt and pepper until moist, do not cook dry.

In small bowl, combine egg mixture, crumbled bacon and chives.

Divide egg mixture into 4 crescent roll lined muffin cups.

Top with plenty of cheddar cheese, till almost full.

Pull dough to just over top edges of mixture, being sure to keep cheese inside. 

DO NOT CLOSE TOPS TIGHTLY!

Bake at 375 degrees for 13-15 minutes, till tops are golden.

Remove from muffin pan carefully with small rubber spatula. 

ENJOY!