Simple Citrus Salmon

On my days off, I'm a sucker for lengthy, complicated, and impressive-looking meals. During the week, my cooking style can go quite the other way. By the time I get home, I'm usually pretty tired and hungry. I want something healthy and quick like this citrus salmon served with an equally healthy chickpea and spinach salad. With just a handful of ingredients, you can have this on the table in no time at all!


Simple Citrus Salmon
an "Apple a Day" original
printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients:
4 (6 oz.) salmon filets, skin off
2 TBSP olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 orange, cut into thin rounds
2 lemons, one cut into thin rounds
2 TBSP chopped fresh mint

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place salmon in a foil-lined baking dish.

2. Drizzle oil over salmon, then salt and pepper to your taste. Lay citrus rounds over the filets, overlapping them and alternating lemon and orange slices.

3. Place salmon in the oven and bake for about 16 minutes, or until salmon is firm and opaque.

4. When salmon is done, remove from oven and squeeze juice of remaining lemon over the filets. Sprinkle mint over the top and serve.

one year ago: pasta puttanesca

Chickpea and Spinach Salad with Orange-Yogurt Dressing

A while back, I was bookmarking healthy recipes to try. I tagged this one without even giving it a second thought. The combination of ingredients was so interesting to me. Many of them-chickpeas, orange, yogurt, and mint-are among my favorites. I'd never thought of combining them into one dish, but I'm so glad Ellie Krieger did!

This salad was not only healthy, it was fresh, quick, and packed with nutrients. I loved it as a side to my citrus salmon, though it would also be great alongside beef, or as a vegetarian entree.


Chickpea and Spinach Salad with Orange-Yogurt Dressing
from Ellie Krieger, The Food You Crave
printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients:
1 (15.5 oz.) can low-sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 TBSP chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/4 c. diced red onion
2 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. lemon zest
3/4 tsp. ground cumin pinch cayenne pepper
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
3 TBSP plain lowfat or nonfat yogurt
1 TBSP fresh orange juice
1/4 tsp. orange zest
1/4 tsp. honey
2 oz. baby spinach leaves (I used closer to 4 oz.)
1 TBSP coarsely chopped fresh mint

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine the chickpeas, parsley, and onion.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Pour over the chickpea mixture and toss to combine.

3. In another small bowl, stir together the yogurt, orange juice, orange zest, and honey.

4. To serve, place spinach on a salad plate and spoon chickpea mixture on top. Drizzle desired amount of orange-yogurt dressing over the top. Garnish with the mint.

one year ago: buttermilk cookies
two years ago: oatmeal cookies with cranberries and dark chocolate

Sour Cream Muffins with Cranberries and Walnuts

For the past twenty five years, my mom and step dad have taken an annual vacation to Garland's Lodge, a beautiful, perfect, serene getaway tucked back into Oak Creek Canyon, just outside Sedona. Not only is it peaceful, the food is fabulous! The head chef, Amanda makes the most amazing breakfast and gourmet dinners. Every day at Garland's is a culinary treat. You leave relaxed, refreshed, and completely stuffed.

Amanda has muffins, rolls, or scones of some kind hot and ready for each breakfast and afternoon tea. Several of the muffins come from this sour cream muffin recipe base. She uses various add ins, depending on what's fresh, local, and in season. Many of the ingredients are grown right there on the Garland's property.

I'm so pleased to be taking M up to Garland's this spring. It was my Christmas gift to him and I know he'll just love the balance of seclusion (no phones, tv, or Internet in the guest cabins!), pampering, and world-class cuisine. I hope Garland's will become as special to us as it has been to my mom and step dad.


Sour Cream Muffins with Cranberries and Walnuts
from Amanda Stine and Mary Garland, Sharing the Table at Garland's Lodge

Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. all-purpose unbleached flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. canola oil (I used 1/3 c. unsweetened applesauce)
1 1/2 c. sour cream (I used low fat)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray muffin tin with baking spray or coat with oil. Recipe will yield approximately 18 standard-sized muffins.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder and set aside.

3. In another bowl, beat the egg, sugar, and oil (or applesauce) together. Stir in sour cream.

4. Make a well in the dry ingredients and mix in the wet ingredients until the batter coheres. The consistency will be closer to that of a biscuit dough, rather than muffin batter. Take care not to overmix.

5. Gently fold in any additional ingredients. *See below for options.

6. Spoon batter into muffin tins, using a standard-sized scoop if possible. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

*Maple Bran Muffins: Add 1/2 c. bran flakes and substitute 1/2 c. maple syrup for sugar.

*Corn Muffins: Add to the basic recipe 2/3 c. cornmeal, 1/3 c. frozen corn kernels, 1/3 c. sugar, and additional 1/4 c. sour cream.

*Lemon Blueberry Muffins: Add 1 c. blueberries and 1-2 tsp. lemon zest.

*Sour Cream Peach or Apricot: Add 1 c. chopped fresh or drained canned fruit. Add a dash of nutmeg, if desired.

*Cranberry Muffins: Add 1 c. dried cranberies (reconstituted in orange juice, then drained well), 1 tsp. orange zest, and 1 c. chopped walnuts. (I also added 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.)

one year ago: Memories from Mexico--easy, healthy fish tacos.

31 While 31--English Muffins

Two weeks ago, I posted my Thirty Things to Make While I'm Thirty list. This morning, I finally conquered my first recipe off the list. Being the breakfast lover I am, I knew I wanted to start with a breakfast recipe. After reviewing the list, I knew English muffins would be the way to begin.

I was staying the night at my mom's house and my step dad LOVES English muffins. These did not disappoint. They smelled amazing, had a dense yet soft texture, and had a perfectly flaky crumb. We all enjoyed the fresh-baked yeasty taste. I will absolutely be making these again!


English Muffins
seen on The Mess Pot
originally from Peter Reinhart, The Bread Baker's Apprentice
printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c. bread flour

1/2 TBSP sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 tsp. instant yeast

1 TBSP unsalted butter (at room temperature)

3/4 – 1 c. milk (at room temperature)

cornmeal for dusting

Directions:

1. Stir together the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in the shortening and 3/4 cup milk until the ingredients form a ball. If there is still loose flour in the bowl, dribble in some of the remaining 1/4 milk. The dough should be soft and pliable, not stiff.

2. Sprinkle flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter and knead Alternately, mix on medium speed in your stand mixer using the dough hook. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes by hand or eight minutes in the mixer. If necessary, sprinkle in more flour to make a tacky, but not sticky, dough.

3. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise for about an 60-90 minutes or until the dough doubles in size.

4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter or pastry mat. Divide into six equal pieces and roll the edges under to shape into balls.

5. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, mist the parchment paper lightly with oil, and dust with cornmeal. Transfer the balls of dough to the sheet pan, spacing them three inches apart. Mist them lightly with spray oil, sprinkle loosely with cornmeal, and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a towel.


6. Proof at room temperature for 60-90 minutes, or until the pieces nearly double in size and swell both up and out.

7. Brush a pan or griddle with oil and heat to medium heat. Also, pre-heat the oven to 350 F.

8. Gently transfer muffins to the pan or griddle. Fill the pan so that the pieces at are at least one inch apart. Cook both sides for five to eight minutes each. They should be a rich golden brown and flattened.

9. When the dough will not brown any more without burning, transfer the pieces back to the parchment or Silpat-lined sheet pan and place in the oven. Bake five to eight minutes. While these are cooking, return to the uncooked pieces and cook them, hen bake them as you did the first round.

10. Transfer the baked muffins to a cooling rack and let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing or serving.

Chocolate Pancakes

Still looking for a perfect breakfast in bed for your valentine? Look no further. These decadent chocolate pancakes are simple to put together and present beautifully.

And since these chocolate pancakes will have you in a dessert mood all day, head on over to Confessions of a Bake-a-holic! to see all the other delicious Valentine's Day-inspired treats! Happy Valentine's Day!


Chocolate Pancakes
adapted from Recipe Zaar
printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients:
1 c. milk
1 egg
2 TBSP butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. Dutch process cocoa powder
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
lightly sweetened whipped cream, powdered sugar, chocolate chips, chocolate syrup, berries, or any other desired garnish

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, combine milk, egg and butter; whisk until blended.

2. In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt; mix well.

3. Add milk mixture; whisk just until dry ingredients are moistened. (Batter will be slightly lumpy.)

4. Heat griddle over medium heat until hot. (Drops of water will sizzle, then evaporate.) Spray with cooking spray. For each pancake, pour scant 1/3 c. batter onto griddle. For heart or other shaped pancakes, use a pancake mold or metal cookie cutter sprayed with cooking spray. Be sure to use tongs to remove the mold or cookie cutter as it will be hot.

5. Cook 2-3 minutes on the first side or until several bubbles begin to surface. Carefully turn over pancake. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes or until pancakes are cooked through.

6. Keep pancakes warm in a 200 degree oven. Garnish and serve as soon as the last pancake is finished.

one year ago: monkey muffins and French onion soup

Perfect Party Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

In keeping with my Valentine's enthusiasm, this post is entirely about things I love. Some things would be considered simple joys. Like these super cute cupcake liners from Crate and Barrel. As if cupcakes aren't fun enough already! Wouldn't you love getting a tasty homemade cupcake in one of these babies?


On the subject of great cupcake things, how about my new commercial-size muffin tin? Oh yeah. 24 muffins or cupcakes at once. Sweet. Just one of the advantages of having a mom who works at Williams-Sonoma.


I also love my empire red KitchenAid stand mixer. I've named her Rosie. Here she is, hard at work making some buttercream. (And yeah...I'm keeping it real. My kitchen isn't spic and span while I'm in the middle of baking. Notice the powdered sugar everywhere.)


Some of the things I love are so fantastic. Like M. I am totally, completely, head over heels, I'll make you your favorite meal every night of the week even if I don't really like it, in love. Here we are in Mexico this past Thanksgiving. Isn't he cute?!?

One more thing I love is Bridget's blog, The Way the Cookie Crumbles. She's super sweet, takes great pictures, writes with such personality and voice, and does the most fantastic comparisons. She's basically a one-woman version of America's Test Kitchen. Last year around Valentine's Day, she crowned me queen of red velvet cake. I was beyond flattered that someone with a blog of her caliber would even read my blog, let alone make one of my recipes and like it! This year, to thank Bridget, I'm making two recipes I've found on her blog--Dorie's Perfect Party Cake and an adaptation of Cook's Ilustrated's Easy Vanilla Buttercream. Both were wonderful, of course.

I can't wait to give one to M who, when asked what his favorite kind of cupcake is, answered white cake. "Seriously?" I asked him. "Of all the kinds of cake I could make, you want white cake?" (I mean, who answers white cake when there's chocolate mousse, carrot, and all the others?) But like I said, I'll make him favorite foods every night of the week. I love him that much.


Dorie's Perfect Party Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream
cake recipe from The Way the Cookie Crumbles
frosting recipe adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles, originally from Cook's Illustrated, April 2007
printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients:
For cake:
2¼ c. (9 oz.) cake flour
1 TBSP baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1¼ c. whole milk or buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1½ c. (10½ oz.) sugar
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 stick (8 TBSP or 4 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ tsp. pure lemon extract

For the buttercream:
20 TBSP (2 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 ½ c. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/8 tsp. salt
1 TBSP raspbery liquer of 1 1/2 tsp. raspberry extract
2 TBSP heavy cream gel food coloring, if desired

Directions:
For the cake:
1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9 x 2 inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet. For cupcakes, prepare a muffin tin with liners and spray with baking spray to ensure the tops will release.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.

4. Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.

5. Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2- minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated.

6. If making a layer cake, divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean. If making cupcakes, fill each well evenly. (I like to use a standard-sized cookie scoop.) Bake cupcakes from 20-25 minutes, or until tops are lightly gold and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

7. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes. After this, remove cupcakes and allow to cool completely. For rounds, run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unfold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up (the cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months).

For the buttercream:

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attacment, beat the butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds.

2. Add confectioners' sugar and salt. Beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until the mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds.

3. Scrape bowl, add liquer or extract, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about ten seconds. If using gel food color (I used Wilton burgundy for this buttercream) add at this time.

4. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about four minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

one year ago: garlic and herb pork chops and roasted broccoli and butternut squash

Cherry Brownie Bites

I'm really in the Valentine's spirit this year. I've just been itching to get into the kitchen and cook up some delicious lovey-dovey treats. Perhaps it's the adorable Valentine's mini cupcake liners I found at Michael's. Perhaps it's the plates I found at Crate and Barrel. Or maybe, just maybe, it's the fact that I'll be spending my first Valentine's Day with someone I love very, very much. (I'm thinking that last one's the kicker.)

Either way, with Valentine's Day just around the corner (yay!), I've been baking up a storm in my teeny tiny apartment kitchen. My teeny tiny apartment kitchen with no dishwasher, by the way. It went out three weeks ago and my maintenance men have been taking their sweet time fixing it. Yeah...I've been washing every. single. dish. by. hand. and it's about to get ugly.

Luckily, these little cuties didn't require too many dishes or utensils to make. They're a tasty, yummy, and easy to transport little treat that's just perfect for taking to your office or sending to school with your little ones. Just remember to save one or two for you and your sweetheart!


Cherry Brownie Bites
from www.williams-sonoma.com
printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients:
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1⁄4 c. all-purpose flour
1⁄4 tsp. baking powder
1⁄8 tsp. salt
1 egg
1⁄3 c. sugar
1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract
1⁄3 c. dried cherries, chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat an oven to 325ºF. Line a mini muffin pan with twelve to 15 liners or spray with baking spray.

2. In a small heatproof bowl or double boiler, combine the chocolate and butter. Set the bowl over but not touching simmering water in a small saucepan and melt the chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally, until smooth and blended. Let cool slightly.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.

4. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar and vanilla until light in color and doubled in volume. Whisk in the chocolate mixture and then the flour mixture just until combined. Stir in the dried cherries.

5. Divide the batter evenly among the wells of the prepared pan. (I used a small cookie scoop.)

6. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 18-20 minutes.

7. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and set on the rack.


one year ago: roasted apple brown betty

Summer Corn and Vegetable Soup

Summer is far, far away, but I didn't even think twice about making this soup once I read the ingredient list. Not only is it chock full of many of my favorite ingredients, it's vibrant, healthy, and filling. Served with a slice of crusty bread, it made an easy and warm winter weeknight meal that has me looking forward to summer's best farm stand ingredients.


Summer Corn and Vegetable Soup
adapted from Ellie Krieger, The Food You Crave
printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients:
4 c. fresh corn kernels or 1 (16-oz.) package frozen, thawed
2 c. lowfat or nonfat milk
1 TBSP olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced (about 2 c.)
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 1 c.)
1 medium zucchini, (about 1/2 lb.) diced
2 c. low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 (15.5 oz.) can yellow or white hominy, drained
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
3/4 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 c. fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, bell pepper, and zucchini and cook, stirring until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the hominy and the broth and bring to a boil.

3. Meanwhile, put the thawed corn and milk into a blender or food processor, until smooth.

4. Add the pureed corn and tomatoes and cook until warmed through, but not boiling. Add the salt and season with pepper. Serve garnished with the basil ribbons.

one year ago: fresh honey lemonade
two years ago: Martha Stewart's soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies

Homemade Chai Tea

I'm a coffee drinker. And not the kind that slugs back a cup because they need the caffeine jolt just to function (though, admittedly, I do need the caffeine to function). I enjoy my coffee. It's a comfort food to me. I don't need a fancy, frilly coffee drink with a faux-Italian name that is six or seven or eight words long. Just give me a good quality cup of joe with a splash of half-and-half and I'm a happy girl.

Sometimes, however, I crave something with a different flavor. I still want my warm comfort in a cup, especially on chilly, overcast days like yesterday. This easy and delicious chai hit the spot. As an added bonus, now that I've made up a small container of the spice mix, I can have a warm cup of chai in a matter of minutes!



Homemade Chai Tea
adapted from Sprouts Farmers' market, Sept/Oct 2009
printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 c. whole or reduced fat milk (I used 1%)
1 c. water
1 tsp. honey or natural cane sugar
2 tsp. black tea, such as Darjeeling
1/4 tsp. chai spice mix (equal parts ground ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg)

Directions:
1. Place milk, water, and honey or sugar in a medium pot. Bring to a boil and let boil for 30 seconds.

2. Add tea and spice mix. Remove from heat and allow to steep for five minutes.

3. Strain into your favorite mug or cup and enjoy!

one year ago: chunky vegetable soup
two years ago: vanilla kipferl (Austrian almond cookies)

Thirty Things to Make While I'm Thirty

I can't believe it, readers. I'm thirty today. How in the world did that happen? It feels like just yesterday I was ponying up to the bar to order my first legal drink on my 21st birthday! My how things change. For the better, I might add. I'm so happy now and can only see my life getting even better. What a great feeling!

My life's going to get tastier, too. I've decided that this year, to celebrate being thirty, I'm going to make all thirty items on this list. Some things I chose as challenges. Some were chosen because I want learn certain, specific techniques. I chose a couple because I want to find the ultimate recipe. And some were chosen because they have sentimental value either to me, M, or both.

I can't wait to get started on these recipes. I hope you'll enjoy my work, as well!

Thirty Things to Make While I'm Thirty

print this list

1. oatmeal raisin cookies
2. whole wheat bread
3. pita bread
4. homemade pasta
5. tabbouleh
6. chocolate mousse (white chocolate mousse with strawberries)
7. Southern buttermilk biscuits
8. challah
9. English muffins
10. sugar cookies with royal icing (chocolate peppermint cookies with royal icing)
11. creme brulee
12. salsa verde
13. flank steak
14. soft pretzels
15. berry pie (bumbleberry pie)
16. lasagna
17. mint chocolate chip ice cream
18. gelato (raspberry)
19. pizza dough
20. coconut cream pie
21. carnitas
22. Swedish meatballs
23. pad thai
24. peach cobbler
25. tiramisu (sweet tea tiramisu)
26. ebelskivers
27. focaccia
28. souffle
29. chocolate budino tart
30. eclairs

I've got my work cut out for me, but I can't wait to get started. If you've got incredible recipes, send them my way. I'd love to see them. Time to get cooking. Stay tuned!