Braised Asian Salmon

In the summer, we eat it grilled. In the winter, baked braised or seared. Year-round we eat it raw or smoked. We? Are a salmon family. All six of us love it, and eat it on a regular basis... For that reason I have developed a multitude of different ways to eat it, here's one of our favorites...


Ingredients:

2 T sesame oil
2 small shallots
3 cloves of garlic
4 boneless salmon fillets
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup Trader Joe's ginger beer

Directions:

In large saute pan heat sesame oil (should just coat bottom of the pan) on medium-high. When warm add shallots and garlic. Heat until shallots are translucent. Add salmon. Sear each side of the salmon fillets. Turn heat to low, add soy sauce and ginger beer. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Italian Flag Minestrone

extra virgin olive oil
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic
6 links of sweet Italian chicken sausage, remove casing
28oz can of diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
3 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into half moons
1 package frozen spinach, rinsed, drained, and wrung out in kitchen cloth
1 1/2 cups of frozen peas
1 1/2 boxes of vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups of uncooked pasta o's

In large stockpot, bring salted water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente.

Coat bottom of heavy stockpot with olive oil. Add rosemary and thyme. Heat on medium. Once warm, add garlic and onions. Cook until onions are translucent, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add salt and pepper.

Add chicken sausage. Once sausage in browned add in diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir to coat. Add zucchini, spinach and peas. Add salt and pepper. Add stock, bring to boil. Turn down heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add pasta and serve.

Rosemary Garlic Potatoes

Ingredients:

12 Baby Red potatoes, halved then sliced in thirds
2 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves stripped, then minced
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Scrub potato skins thoroughly before slicing (leave skin on). Place cut up potatoes in an oven-safe glass roasting pan, 9x13. Add rosemary, garlic, olive oil and a generous amount of salt (a salty potato is a yummy potato). Toss to coat. Place pan in oven. Cook for 20 minutes.

Using tongs, toss potatoes . Place in oven for 10-20 minutes more. Potatoes are ready when easily pierced by a fork.

Salsa

1 1/2 heads of garlic, roasted in oven for 20 minutes @ 400. Slice off bottom and drizzle with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper - wrap in tin foil.
2 red peppers, roasted in oven for 20 minutes @ 400. Turn half way. Peel off skin.
3 large tomatoes
1 small white onion
large handful of fresh Italian parsley
1 T of whole black peppercorns
Sea Salt

Combine ingredients in Food Processor. Pulse until creates a thick 'soup'. Add salt to taste.

Aloha Chicken Stir-Fry

1/2 1lb bag of spaghetti noodles

extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 small onion, chopped

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced

2 Packages fresh broccolini

1/2 of a fresh pineapple, cored and sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 cup baby carrots, sliced in rounds

1 cup cherry heirloom tomatoes

Trader Joe's Ginger Beer, 12oz (split use)

1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth (split use)

1 Tbs low sodium soy sauce

1 Tbs brown sugar

Sea Salt, to taste

Cook pasta noodles in boiling water, drain and set aside.

Coat the bottom of a large frying pan with olive oil and heat on low. Add onions and garlic. Saute until onions become opaque, stirring frequently. Add chicken. Raise temperature to medium. After chicken has browned add 6oz of Ginger Beer and 1/4 cup chicken broth. Leave over low heat, while cooking the vegetables.

Heat a large stock pot over medium heat. Coat the bottom with olive oil. Add broccolini and carrots. Stir to coat with olive oil. Add peppers, tomatoes, and pineapple. Stir. Saute for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining Ginger Beer, chicken broth, soy sauce and sugar. Cook until vegetables are just tender. Add cooked chicken and noodles to stock pot. Salt to taste, and combine.

San Diego 'Mexican' Rice

I love Mexican food. And really, living close to the Mexican border, it's not so much a cultural food in our town, but a way of life, and part of our normal eating regime.  'Mexican' food here, is simply FOOD. And, it's very different than in other parts of the country, where it's not quite as authentic. My kids clamber for quesadillas, tacos, taquitos, beans and rice; just as often as they do for hamburgers, hot dogs, and fries. Taco Tuesday is a common local special, and we do our own in-house version weekly (although not always on Tuesdays).

One of my favorite go-to sides, is Mexican rice. Mine uses local influences, along with my kids' taste preferences, but is a solid representation non-the-less.

Ingredients:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 of a sweet yellow onion, diced
1 cup chopped carrots
3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 T chili powder

1 T cumin

1 tsp salt

1 3/4 cups of short grain, white rice
2 T tomato paste
1 box of chicken stock (4 cups)

1 c fresh peas
2 ears of corn, kernels removed

2-4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and sliced (depending on their size, you want about 1 1/2 cups)

1 can green chilies (can be omitted if your guests don't like spicy... I tend to use only a 1/2 can or non at all when cooking for just the kids)

1/2 can of tomato sauce (I prefer San Marzano)

Directions:

Coat the bottom of a large, rounded-bottom, sauce pan with olive oil. Heat oil until slightly smoking. Add onions and carrots, stirring frequently, and cook until onions are translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic, salt, cumin, and chili powder. Once the spices have been incorporated add rice, continuing to stir frequently. When rice has started to brown and stick to the bottom of the pan a little bit, add in the tomato paste. Stir for an additional 3 minutes. Add fresh tomatoes and chicken stock. Cover. Turn heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, occasionally lifting the lid to stir and check the broth level. When about 3/4 of the broth has been absorbed add in peas, corn, chilies and tomato sauce. Cover and cook for 5-10 more minutes, until broth is completely absorbed. Add additional salt and cracked black pepper to taste. 

* You can, and I have on occasion, substitute frozen peas and corn for fresh, if neither is in season.

Vanilla Bean Pancakes

When my eldest were little, they were diagnosed with severe milk and egg allergies. We went completely milk and egg free for the better part of two years... until they were retested, and had aged out of the allergies (very common where milk and egg are concerned). But for two years, I cooked and used all types of substitutes, and recipe variations. Most have been abandoned as we introduced milk and egg back in our diets, many were resurrected when my youngest two faced the same issue... and a select few made it into our cooking arsenal for good.

This pancake recipe I developed is one of those I still prefer to use today. Although we cook with actual milk and real eggs these days, I prefer the batter consistency that the recipe gives by using rice milk.  I will use real eggs, but only because it's easier. Weird I know... but oh so good! If you want, you can use real milk and/or the eggs substitute... but really, try it this way once, and you just might not go back.

Ingredients:
4 c. flour
5 T sugar
1 t kosher salt
2 1/2 T baking powder
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1 box Rice Dream (or 4 cups of whole milk)
1 t vanilla
1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeded
(if you don't have vanilla bean, or you want to make your life easier- substitute 1 t vanilla paste in lieu of both vanillas)
2 eggs (Substitute:  3 T veg. oil, 3 T oil, 2 t baking powder, whisk before adding)

Directions:

Preheat griddle over medium heat.

Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. In a separate bowl whisk rice milk, vanilla, vanilla bean seeds, oil, and egg. Whisk until blended.

Turn griddle to medium low. Using a 1/8 measuring scoop up mixture drop on ungreased griddle. Flip when top is completely bubbly.

*If you use real eggs, increase the amount of baking powder from 2 1/2 to 3 T. No other changes are necessary.