Thanksgiving Left-Overs

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

If you cooked as much food as my family and I did this past week, you are probably up to your eyeballs in turkey, stuffing, and potatoes.  I took a cue from one of our favorite restaurants in Carlsbad, Tin Leaf, and recreated their sandwich, Thanksgiving on a Bun.  I think that the secret to this sandwich is in the cranberry mayo.  While I'm sure that everyone has their own favorite recipes for the turkey and its accouterments, I will include the Cran-Apple Relish that I made.  It's... ridiculous.  If you believe that you do not like cranberry relish, you need to try this recipe.  It's so simple, and we couldn't stop eating it.

Thanksgiving on a Bun
Adapted from Tin Leaf Fresh Kitchen's sandwich

Here's what you need:

Rolls

Turkey

Stuffing

Gravy

Lettuce

Sliced red onion

1 Tbs. Cran-Apple Relish (recipe below)

3 Tbs. mayonnaise

1. Heat up the turkey, stuffing and gravy
2. Whisk together the Cran-Apple Relish and mayonnaise
3. Spread the cranberry mayo on one side of the rolls
4. Pile the stuffing on top of the roll
5. Drizzle some of the gravy on top of the stuffing
6. Top the stuffing with a layer of turkey
7. Next place the red onion, and top everything with a leaf of lettuce
8. Enjoy!

Cran-Apple Relish

Adapted from Bon Appétit

Ingredients:

2 cups apple cider

1/2 cup sugar

Bag of fresh cranberries (12 oz.)

3 small granny smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped

1 tsp. lemon zest

Juice from 1 lemon

1. Bring the apple cider to a boil in a small saucepan and reduce until you have a little over a half cup
2. Add the sugar to the saucepan and stir over medium heat until it's dissolved
3. Take the syrup off of the heat and stir in the lemon juice
4. Allow to cool in the refrigerator for about an hour
5. Add the cranberries, apples, and lemon zest to the bowl of a food processor
6. Pulse, gradually adding the syrup, until chopped finely
7. Chill until ready to serve

Gordita Salad with Baja Sauce

It's time for a confession.

My husband and I love Taco Bell.  There, I said it.  I'm not proud.
Once every few weeks the husband will come home and we'll look at each other, silently speaking with questioning eyes.
Next thing we know, we're in the car and on our way to copious amounts of fried food and squeezable nacho cheese.
Words are not necessary.

My absolute favorite food from Taco Bell is the beef gordita.  I was heartbroken when they took the baja sauce from the menu, but they still have it if you ask and throw in a wink.  Our Taco Bell is very accommodating.

Anyway, I recently figured out a way to make gorditas at home.  If you break it down, it's fried bread, ground beef, and taco toppings.  The base of my recipe comes from an Indian Taco recipe I found on Savory Traditions.  I found that the fried bread was a little difficult to fold, so we ate them with a fork and knife.  The Baja Sauce recipe that follows is truly amazing in how fresh it tastes.  I ate the left-overs with tortilla chips.

Please be careful when frying the bread.

Gordita Salad with Baja Sauce

Adapted from Savory Traditions Indian Tacos

Ingredients:

1 lbs. ground beef

15 oz. can of pinto beans, drained

1 yellow onion, diced

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. garlic powder

Tapatío or Tabasco to taste (whichever you prefer)

2 eggs
1 cup milk
4 cups all-purpose four
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
Canola oil for frying

"Baja Sauce" (recipe below)

Grated cheddar cheese

Shredded lettuce

Chopped tomatoes or fresh salsa

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the ground beef, onion, cumin, coriander and garlic powder
2. Brown the meat, and then turn the heat to low and add a few shakes of the hot sauce and pinto beans
3. Allow to simmer while you make the bread
4. Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a large bowl and whisk to aerate
5. Whisk the eggs and milk together in a separate bowl
6. Create a well in the center of your dry ingredients and pour in the liquid; mix until you end up with a dough, adding a little bit of water if the dough is too dry
7. On a floured surface, roll the dough to approximately 1/8" thick
8. Cut the dough into 6" circles (I used a small plate)
9. Use a fork to poke holes through the rounds of dough to allow the oil to come through and help reduce bubbles
10. Using a cast iron Dutch oven, add enough frying oil to be 1/2" deep and add a frying thermometer
11. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches a temperature of around 350°F, making sure it doesn't go above 400°F
12. Carefully fry the circles of dough in the hot oil for 2-3 minutes until golden brown, turning once halfway through cooking, and draining on paper towels
13. Top the fried bread with the meat and bean mixture, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, and "Baja Sauce"

Baja Sauce

Ingredients:

Half a red bell pepper, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

2 Tbs. onion, minced

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1 Tbs. white vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

Chopped cilantro

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl
2. Cover and chill until ready to serve

Colcannon

Sorry I haven't posted in a week, Halloween was my 2nd wedding anniversary!

Colcannon is one of my absolute favorites, and it's become a staple in our house.  You can easily adapt it to fit vegetarian needs, as we did when friends came to visit from up North (and now I hear that it's a staple in their house as well!).  

This is a traditional Irish dish that I first had on St. Pat's Day a few years ago when my roommate (and friend) Esme decided to make it.  I could not believe how flavorful and ridiculously good the potatoes were, and the mustard pork that went with the potatoes were just as delicious.  I was surprised to find out that colcannon is traditionally a fall dish associated with Halloween, and would have a ring hidden in it predicting a marriage in the coming year for the person who found it.  I've always felt that hiding small things in my food that could cause choking was a bad idea, but who am I to argue with tradition?  

At it's core, colcannon is basically mashed potatoes with additional items mixed in.  Some recipes add bacon, others Canadian bacon.  Sometimes it's green cabbage, some times it's curly kale.  Chives, green onions, or yellow onion.  Really, choose what you like and run with it.  I did!

"Did you ever eat Colcannon, made from lovely pickled cream?

With the greens and scallions mingled like a picture in a dream.

Did you ever make a hole on top to hold the melting flake

Of the creamy, flavoured butter that your mother used to make?"

Colcannon

Ingredients:

3 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

Salt and pepper

2 Tbs. butter

1/4 cup milk

Dollop of sour cream

4 strips of bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces

Half of a small red onion, sliced

3 leaves of curly kale, chopped

Hand-full of parsley (flat or curly, whatever you prefer)

1. Place potatoes in cool, salted water over medium-high heat and boil until soft, about 15-20 minutes
2. Drain the cooked potatoes and place back into the pot
3. Add the butter, milk, and sour cream, and mash the potatoes
4. Meanwhile, place a skillet over medium-high heat and add the bacon; cook until crispy and then remove and drain on a paper towel
5. Add the onion to the skillet with the bacon grease and cook until soft
6. Add the kale to the skillet and cook until wilted
7. Add the bacon, onion, and kale to the mashed potatoes and mix until well combined
8. Top with the parsley and serve

Mustard Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

1 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat and silver skin

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 tsp. dark mustard seeds

3 Tbs. brown mustard

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F
2. Place the tenderloin on a baking sheet and drizzle it with the olive oil; rub the olive oil to coat the meat
3. Rub the tenderloin with the salt and pepper, garlic, mustard seeds, and brown mustard, making sure to keep it an even coat
4. Transfer the pork to the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the center of the tenderloin reaches 145°F
5. Remove the pork from the oven and let rest for about 5 minutes before slicing

Beef and Bacon Pie

A little over a year ago I found out that I am a huge George R.R. Martin fan.  I also realized that I binge read.  In one fell swoop I watched the first season of Game of Thrones on HBO, and read my way through the entire series of A Song of Ice and Fire.  Previously, I binged on The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion, and currently I am making my way through Marion Zimmer Bradley's Avalon series (One more to go!).  I can promise that there are a ton of fantastical, literature and game based recipes in this blog's future.

A friend of mine turned me onto a blog, Inn at the Crossroads, run by Chelsea and Sariann, two foodies that went about re-creating a number of dishes found throughout the world of A Song of Ice and Fire.  They also released a cookbook by the name of A Feast of Ice and Fire which I highly recommend.  If you are into medieval history and food, and also a fan of G.R.R.M.'s writing, go buy this book.  It's separated into the different regions, which actually correspond to the seasons, if you think about it.  The Wall and The North for winter, Dorne for summer, and so on.

You can find a medieval, slightly sweet version of beef and bacon pie on Inn at the Crossroads, but the version that I made is from their cookbook.  Try it!  You will not be disappointed.

Beef and Bacon Pie

Recipe adapted from A Feast of Ice and Fire, 

by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel and Sariann Lehrer

Ingredients:

12 strips of bacon (I only had 9, and it turned out to be the perfect amount!)

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 celery rib, diced

1 russet potato, peeled and cubed

1 1/2 pounds stewing meat, cut small

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup beef broth

Salt and pepper

1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary

1/2 batch of Medieval Pastry Dough (recipe below), or enough pie dough for a 9" pie, unbaked

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F
2. Weave the bacon strips into a lattice, making it as wide as possible
3. Place the woven bacon on a rack placed on a high rimmed baking sheet, so that the oil can drain (I use a cooling rack that is oven safe).
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy
5. Set aside the bacon to cool, and leave the oven on
6. Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat
7. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and potato to the pan and cook until soft and golden 
8. Coat the beef in the flour, shaking off excess, and add to the pan with the vegetables
9. Cook the beef over low heat for approximately 5 minutes, or until browned
10. Stir in any extra flour and cook for a minute longer to thicken the juices and dissolve the flour
11. Add the broth, salt, pepper, and rosemary, scraping the browned bits off of the bottom of the pan
12. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until a gravy has formed
13. Take the meat mixture off of the heat and allow to cool
14. Place your empty pie pan face-down over your lattice of bacon, and cut around the pie pan with a very sharp knife until you have a circle of lattice, and crumble the left over bacon into your meat filling
15. Grease the inside of your pie pan
16. Roll out the pie dough to about 1/4" thickness and line your pan, allowing any extra dough to drape over the edge of the pan
17. Pour the cooled meat filling into the shell of the dough
18. Cover with the bacon lattice, pinching off any excess, and fold the extra dough over the sides of the lattice to secure it
19. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden

To make the Medieval Pastry Dough

Ingredients:

Pinch of saffron threads

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 egg yolks

1. Steep the saffron in the water and set aside
2. In a mixing bowl, rub the butter into the flour with your fingers until crumbly 
3. Add the egg yolks and the saffron water to the flour
4. Mix until incorporated, adding water if needed, until the dough sticks together

A Take on Vitello Tonnato

My grandmother gave me this amazing cookbook for Christmas, and I have to admit that I haven't tried nearly enough recipes out of it.  The cookbook is A Year in My Kitchen by Skye Gyngell and it takes you through the seasons with such splendor that I unfortunately rarely have the time to piece together these extraordinary recipes.  Usually they are weekend projects that my husband and I end up rating as to whether or not the taste was worth the effort.  It's become a rather regular hobby that I am proud to take part in.

Anyway, I decided that I was going to make Vitello Tonnato, which sounded rather spectacular and gave me the excuse to go and visit the amazing butcher that is close to our home.  I was lucky enough to have the owner behind the case, and when I told him that I needed a cut of veal to poach, he was very appalled.  Apparently the Germans don't enjoy poaching their veal as the Italians do (or so I was led to believe by this cookbook).  I should also note that the owner of this particular butcher shop and European deli is a German man in his 70-80's, and when you buy his meat, you do what he says.  So when he told me that I should slow roast this veal, that's exactly what I did.

This recipe includes an amazing homemade mayonnaise recipe, that you flavor with tuna and anchovies.  The result is this amazing salty dressing for your veal and salad.  Seriously.  Like, I'm never going to eat salad dressing that doesn't include fish again.  Also, my husband and I have decided that we are never buying mayonnaise again.  I may be lying, but how would you know?

Here is my German-Italian adaptation of Vitello Tonnato.

Vitello Tonnato Insalata with Homemade Tuna Mayo

Ingredients:

Veal

3 lb boneless veal breast

2 cups of beef stock

1 onion, peeled and quartered

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper

Tuna Mayonnaise

3 egg yolks

2 lemons, juiced and divided

2 tsp Dijon mustard

salt and pepper

3/4+ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 7oz. tin of good quality tuna, drained

2 tbsp capers

3 canned anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained

Basil Oil

3 large bunches of fresh basil (Think lush, hand-fulls from the garden.)

1 clove of garlic

salt and pepper

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

To Assemble 
3 ripe Roma tomatoes
arugula leaves
lemon juice
olive oil
olives (The original recipe recommends Niçoise or Ligurian, I'm partial to kalamata.  It's not like we haven't already deviated from the original "Italian" version, I don't think anyone will blame you if you choose an olive you enjoy.)
1 tbsp capers
3 tbsp basil oil

1. Set the oven to 325ºF with the rack in the middle.
2. Season the veal with salt and pepper and place in a deep baking dish.  Add the onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, and beef stock to the baking dish around the roast.  Cover loosely with foil and bake in the oven for an hour, basting with the liquid 2-3 times.
3. After an hour, remove the veal from the oven and allow to rest on a cutting board until you are ready to assemble.
4. While the veal is roasting, prepare the mayonnaise.
5. Place the egg yolks in the bowl of a food processor and add the lemon juice from 1 lemon, mustard, and the salt and pepper to taste.  Pulse briefly to combine.  While the food processor is running, drizzle the olive oil through the feed tube in an even stream until it is all incorporated and the mixture emulsifies (It should resemble a yellowish, slightly runny mayonnaise).  Pour the mayonnaise out of the food processor into a bowl and set aside.
6. Add the tuna, 2 tbsp lemon juice, capers, anchovy fillets, and a grind or two of pepper to the food processor and pulse until smooth.  Add the mayonnaise back to the food processor with the tuna mixture and process until incorporated and smooth.  Pour the tuna mayonnaise out of the food processor and set aside until ready to assemble.
7. While the veal is finishing roasting, wash out the food processor and prepare to make the basil oil.
8. Rinse the basil and place it into the bowl of the food processor with the garlic, salt, and pepper, and process until the basil and garlic is minced.  Drizzle the olive oil through the feed tube and continue to blend until you have a uniform green purée.  Taste and adjust for seasoning, then set aside for assembly.
9. When you are ready to assemble the plates, slice the veal as thin as possible.  Cut the tomatoes into uneven chunks.  Toss the arugula with some of the remaining lemon juice and olive oil.  
10. Layer the arugula, tomato, and slices of veal on a plate.  Spoon the mayonnaise on top of the veal.  Scatter the plates with the olives and capers.  Drizzle the basil oil over everything.  Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Potato Pancakes and Roasted Beets with Citrus and Feta

Last night's dinner was a big win. I mean, BIG. The salad was so fantastic and fresh, and the potato pancakes turned out better than expected. Although not an entirely vegetarian meal (I fried the onions in bacon fat), it would be extremely easy to make it so. If you were to make anything from this post, I would highly suggest the salad. Even if you don't like beets, give it a try. It's fantastic! The salad came from Bon Appetit magazine, and the pancakes came from Cooking Light.

Roasted Beets and Citrus with Feta

4 servings

Prep time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Vinaigrette

3 Tbs balsamic vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp finely grated orange peel

2 tsp finely grated grapefruit peel

1 tsp honey

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad

4 medium sized unpeeled beets, tops trimmed

1 Tbs olive oil

6 oz baby spinach

2 small pink or ruby red grapefruits, all peel and pith trimmed away, segments cut from between membranes

2 oranges, all peel and pith trimmed away, segments cut from between membranes (I used honey tangerines which gave an added sweetness to the salad, and next time I would like to try blood oranges.)

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Vinaigrette

1. Whisk vinegar, mustard, citrus peels, and honey in a small bowl.
2. Gradually whisk in oil.
3. Season with salt and pepper.

Salad

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Toss beets and oil in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Wrap each beet in foil and place directly on the oven rack, roasting for 60 to 70 minutes or until tender.
4. Open foil and cool for 30 minutes.
5. Rub off skin and cut each beet into 8 wedges.
6. Place spinach in a large bowl and toss with 2 Tbs of vinaigrette, then divide among plates.
7. Add beets and citrus segments to the same large bowl and toss with 2 Tbs of vinaigrette.
8. Add beet mixture on top of the spinach and sprinkle with cheese and chives.
9. Serve, passing remaining vinaigrette.

Smokey Potato Pancakes

4 servings

Prep Time: 45 minutes

2 slices of bacon (or 2 Tbs bacon fat, as I did)

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup thinly slices leek

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 1/2 lbs. shredded peeled baking potato (about 2 large potatoes)

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 large eggs

cooking spray

1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 425° F
2. Cook bacon, if using, in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp.
3. Remove bacon from pan using a slotted spoon and crumble.
4. Add onion to drippings in pan, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add leek and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Combine onion mixture, grated potato, cheddar, 3/4 tsp salt, black pepper, and 2 large eggs in a medium bowl, stirring well.
7. Divide potato mixture into 8 equal portions and shape each into a 1/2-inch thick patty.
8. Coat patties lightly with cooking spray
9. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden and set.
10. Top with bacon and sour cream.

Jerk Swordfish with Mango

Fell a little bit behind on updating this thing... So let me start with last nights dish. Soooo Goood... The grocery store that we frequent, Ralph's, was having yet another sale on swordfish, so I decided to try my hand at making a jerk rub since we couldn't seem to find a prepackaged version. The following recipe made the perfect amount for the swordfish, so I suppose I'll give you that recipe first.

Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 teaspoons ground thyme
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1. Mix together (easy enough, right?)

Jerk Swordfish with Mango
2 servings

2 swordfish steaks, 8 oz each
2 sprigs of fresh cilantro
Jerk Seasoning from above
1 ripe mango

1. Prepare the swordfish by trimming off the skin and cutting each steak into 2 even portions.
2. Garnish each portion of swordfish by pressing a sprig of cilantro into the meat.
3. Generously rub the fish with the jerk mixture.
4. Lightly oil a hot medium saute pan.
5. Cook the fish for about 3-4 minutes on each side.
6. Peel the mango and using the seed to guide you, slice off the meat from each side. Slice each half into 3 pieces, lengthwise. Sear the mango alongside the swordfish.
7. Serve the swordfish alongside the mango.

I served this alongside coconut rice, which has become one my favorite sides. A really easy way to make coconut rice is by using Minute Rice, and replacing the water with coconut milk. So simple, and so yummy! For an awesome drink combo, try ginger beer, or my favorite, the Dark and Stormy!

Dark and Stormy

8 oz ginger beer
2 oz Gosling's Black Seal rum

1. Pour rum over ice, add ginger beer, and stir.

Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage and Wild Mushrooms

Being that it is currently fall (my favorite time of year) and October (my favorite month), I decided to try out another Rachel Ray recipe. Pumpkin may sound like a strange pairing with pasta, but this dish is fall incarnate. For the wine in the recipe, I used Yellowtail Riesling, mostly because we had it on hand, but also because it's one of our favorites. I will warn, this recipe makes an ungodly amount of food, so you may want to halve it. I kind of wish I had, because I'm sure that 4 days from now, we will never want to smell pumpkin again...

Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage and Wild Mushrooms
serves 4

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lbs ground sweet Italian sausage (I just took the casings off of links... it's the same thing)
1/4 lbs shiitake mushroom caps
2 portobello mushroom caps, halved and thinly sliced
(I also added a 1/4 cup oyster mushrooms because I had them and I didn't want them to go bad)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 14 oz. can of pumpkin puree (Or fresh! Carve a Jack O'Lantern and be slimy!)
1/2 cup cream
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
a pinch of cinnamon
1 lbs penne or cellantani pasta
grated Parmigiano-Reggiano to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
2. Meanwhile, heat a deep skillet (I used a wok) over medium-high heat.
3. Add the olive oil and sausage. Brown the sausage and crumble it with a wooden spoon.
4. Move the sausage to one side of the pan and add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic to the other side of the pan. Cook until the mushrooms are brown, then season with salt and pepper.
5. Combine the sausage and vegetables and deglaze the pan with the wine.
6. Add the chicken stock and heat for 1 minute.
7. Stir in the pumpkin and incorporate; it will be thick.
8. Stir in the cream, sage, nutmeg, and cinnamon and adjust the salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low.
9. Add salt and the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the pumpkin mixture.
10. Top with cheese and chives.

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1.03.01

Indonesian Satay Chicken Strips with Peanut Sauce

So last night I made some amazing chicken satay. The only problem was that it wasn't spicy enough for Nick and I, so you might want to kick up the heat a bit, depending on your tastes. These recipes come from "The Everything Tapas and Small Plates Cookbook". I also made some quick and easy coconut rice to go along with it, which was so easy it was almost ridiculous. Basically, get some Minute Rice and replace a cup of water with a cup of coconut milk.

Indonesian Satay Chicken Strips

2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut milk (If you get it from a can... don't forget to shake it up.)
1/4 teaspoon Thai red curry paste (I used a marinade, because I couldn't find paste. I believe that this is why it didn't get spicy enough.)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
12 chicken tenders
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 cup ground peanuts
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup butter, melted (or more...)
12 bamboo skewers (I left these out... it didn't seem necessary when it was just Nick and me)

1. Mix peanut butter, coconut milk, oil, and curry paste in a bowl. Marinate the chicken tenders in this mixture for several hours in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
3. Combine breadcrumbs, peanuts, sesame seeds, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
4. Coat the chicken tenders with the breadcrumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken strips on the foil.
5. Pour the melted butter over the chicken and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Push the skewers into one end of each strip going 2/3 of the way up into the chicken strip. Serve hot.

Indonesian Peanut Sauce

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon minced red chili pepper (jalapeno or serrano)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts

1. Heat the peanut butter and water in a sauce pan over low heat, whisking to smooth out the peanut butter.
2. Add the chili pepper, garlic, brown sugar, ginger, and lemon juice and continue to cook over low heat for a few minutes, stirring to prevent scorching.
3. Stir in the soy sauce and remove from heat.
4. Stir in the chopped peanuts.
5. Serve with a variety of things such as skewered shrimp, chicken, beef, or pork.

Lime-and-Honey Glazed Salmon

Ok, so... I love Rachel Ray. Not watching her necessarily, but her recipes are usually really delicious. So here is one that I tried out tonight from her "365: No Repeats" cookbook. It was awesome, especially with the deal we got on salmon fillets at Ralph's. $2.33 for 2 wild caught fresh fillets! Insanity. I served it with a variation of her Warm Black Bean and Corn Salad... minus the corn, because I didn't realize that we had none. Surprisingly, Nick ended up finishing my salad after he cleaned off his plate. He loved it!

Lime-and-Honey Glazed Salmon
serves 4

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper
4 6-oz salmon fillets

1. Preheat a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil.
2. In a shallow dish, combine the lime juice, honey, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Add the salmon fillets and toss to coat thoroughly.
3. Add the seasoned salmon to the hot skillet and cook until just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes on each side.

Warm Black Bean and Corn Salad
serves 4

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper
juice of 1 lime
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 10 oz. box or bag of frozen corn kernels, defrosted (RR also suggests fresh corn if you have it... we had none, so I left it out. It was still awesome!)
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
1 15 oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained
2 to 3 tablespoon of fresh cilantro, chopped (Uncle Steve, I know you will omit this)
6 cups baby spinach

1. Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat with the olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
2. Add the bell peppers and corn and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the chicken stock and cook for 2 more minutes.
4. Add the black beans and cook until the beans are heated through.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the lime juice, cilantro, and spinach. Toss to wilt the spinach and adjust seasoning if needed.