Chicken Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

This is such a great summer salad. I never make it because Kevin hates cilantro (ridiculous, huh?) I guess this will be one for me to enjoy with my sisterwife.

I bought a whole chicken and had it cut into smaller pieces so it would bake faster. I used lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper for the marinade and baked it on 365 for about 30 minutes. I just pulled that apart and used it on the salad. You could use grilled chicken breasts or no meat, and this recipe would still work.

For the salad, toss together:

Lettuce
cherry tomatoes
Red onion
Grilled corn, shaved from the cob
Red or orange bell pepper (I roasted mine in the oven for five minutes- yum!)
Avocado,  diced
Tortilla strips
Salsa for garnish

Dressing:

1 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1-2 whole chipotle peppers (canned in the ethnic foods section of the store. I have also used a small can of jalapenos in addotion, depending on how spicy and tangy you want the flavor)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 clove garlic
Juice and zest of 3 limes
Pinch (less than 1/8 tsp) cumin
Salt and pepper (I used cayenne pepper for a kick)
3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

Combine everything except the oil in the fiid processor and blend u til smooth. Slowly add the oil while on high. Cover, chill, and use within 5 days.
Coat the salad in this dressing. If serving later, keep the dressing separate from the salad to avoid it getting mushy.

And of course, you should pair this with white sangria;-) Delicious!

Ginger Cilantro Salmon with Cucumber Relish

Busy Mama Recipes



This is another recipe I got from my mom.  It was one of my favorites when I was younger because I love Salmon and ginger.  I was thinking about it today, and I'm bummed- Kevin dislikes cilantro AND ginger (I know, he is weird), so I can never make this dish:-(  The only time I make it is when we have the kids (Stewart loves it) AND there is leftover pizza for Kevin to eat.

My mom made this a lot, and I'm not exactly sure where she got the recipe... maybe in her head, maybe a cookbook... who knows.  But, it's delish:

Start with the salmon.  Choose salmon that is pink and not gross looking (I can't handle when fish looks slimy and weird).   Thank God for Nessa in my seafood department, otherwise I don't know what I would do:-) 

I usually get half a salmon, just one fillet with the skin still on.  It feeds my family and we have a little bit leftover for some lunch the next day.  You can adjust the amount, though, depending on how many you're feeding.  (BTW, I have no idea how many pounds that is... haha)

Put the salmon fillet, skin down, on a foil lined cookie sheet or casserole dish.

Ginger Cilantro Marinade:

1 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only, chopped
about 4-8 tbs fresh grated ginger, depending on how much you want
1 1/2 tsp Sesame oil
3 tbs olive oil, blend oil, or grapeseed oil
salt and white pepper

Blend it all in the food processor until it makes a paste similar to pesto.  You can add more oil or water to make it thinner if you need to.  It's very important to make sure the mixture is blended with no big chunks, because fresh herbs will burn in the oven unless pureed completely. Paint it on the salmon and let it sit in the fridge while you prepare the rest (or, let it sit overnight- I have found the longer it sits, the less "fishy" it tastes).

Cucumber Relish:

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced (I prefer English cucumbers, which you don't have to peel)
1 red bell pepper, diced (you can use yellow or orange too, but red is prettiest)
1/2 - 1 red onion, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
1 1/2 tbs Rice Vinegar (if you don't like rice vinegar, you can use lime juice instead)
salt and white pepper to taste
*I have added dill a few times because my grandparents dry it so I have an overabundance each year.  It was never a part of my mom's recipe, nor is it really necessary, but it's yummy.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Bake the salmon with the ginger cilantro mixture on it for about 30 minutes.  Then, turn the oven on broil low and cook for another 3 minutes or so, watching to make sure the top doesn't burn.  Take the salmon out and serve with the cucumber relish on the side.  It's a very refreshing dish.  

I usually serve it with cilantro lime rice or spring rolls.  It makes a great bbq meal too, if you grill the fish instead of broiling it.

Leftover Idea:

Toss the leftover relish and salmon pieces with noodles.  If needed, add a dressing made with sesame oil, blend oil, lime juice, sugar, salt, and pepper.  Add some chopped broccoli and make it into an Asian style pasta salad, served with crunchy noodles.

Wine Pairing:

Sake, of course;-)

Alternative:

A lot of people don't like salmon (which is sad because they obviously don't know what they're missing).  I have had this relish and marinade on pork chops.  We made everything the same and then grilled the pork and served it with an Asian style rice salad.  It was great for a bbq! 

Orange Rosemary Shrimp

I can't take complete credit for this recipe.  My mom actually made it a long time ago, and it's been a favorite in the family ever since.

My kids, for some reason (because they're awesome) LOVE shrimp.  Stewart called it "fish" when he was little, and Knox thinks it's "chicken", but regardless, they would eat a pound each if I let them.  No contest, it's Stewart's favorite food (maybe toss up between this and my homemade truffled mac and cheese, but he usually opts for this).

Photo credit: unknown

The original recipe was supposed to be "lemon rosemary shrimp" but my mom has a disease where she can't tell the difference between lemons and oranges (lol sorry Mom! Love you).  So, this dish was made from oranges instead.  As I very well know, accidents make the best things sometimes!

I'm having this for dinner tonight! I will post the picture directions later.  For now, here's the recipe:

In a bowl or gallon size ziploc bag, add all of the ingredients:

Zest and juice of one large orange*
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary, the needles only, chopped
3-4 tbs olive oil or grapeseed oil
salt and pepper
1 pound of shrimp (raw, peeled and deveined)

*Learn how to properly zest an orange here.

 Let the shrimp sit in the marinade for at least 30 minutes before you cook it.  Whenever my dad makes shrimp of any kind, he soaks it in some milk before preparing it because he says it takes the "fishy" taste out.  I have no idea if this is true, but I do it out of habit, because that's what we did growing up.

I have also let the shrimp sit in the orange marinade overnight in the fridge.  The longer it sits, the less fishy it tastes.  Also, adding more orange will cut the fish flavor out.

Saute the shrimp in a large skillet.  You may add more oil if you need, and can add more of any of the other ingredients if you feel the need to.  The amounts aren't rules, just guidelines.  I like to add a little dry white wine towards the end, only about 1/4 cup or so... then drink the rest;-)

Saute until the shrimp is pink and curled, but not too long because it will become rubbery in texture.

I always serve this with either a pasta dish or potatoes and steamed vegetables.  I also like to pair it with this recipe for Asparagus, which could also be broccoli or Brussels sprouts, too..  It's great because of the different flavors and textures.  Also, if you grill everything (grill basket is the best thing ever) instead of broiling or frying, it makes a great bbq dinner (something different from traditional burgers and chicken).  Be careful adding wine if you grill!

There is always an easy way to change this recipe.  Changing the acid is easy:  substitute a lemon or lime for the orange, or use balsamic vinegar instead.  If you are like one of my crazy friends that dislike rosemary, try fresh parsley, fresh cilantro, or dried oregano instead.  Marjoram and basil together are AMAZING too!

I have made this with scallops, too!  I love them mixed: half scallops half shrimp, but Kevin isn't a big scallop fan.  Boo.  I only make it with scallops when I'm mad at him.

If you love shrimp but aren't a big fan of this recipe, try my recipe for Shrimp Florentine.  It's seafood but without the acidic/ herby sauces.  Plus it has bacon:-)

Pair this with the wine you used in the recipe, like Chardonnay and for those who want to live outside the rules a little, Pinot Grigio will work too.

Meat and Veggie Soup *then magically* Beer Stew!!!

It's freezing outside, so it's time for some soup recipes.  I love soup because 1. It warms everyone up. 2. It's filling. 3. It's usually fairly easy and inexpensive to make. 4. It's easy to make it healthy and "hide" vegetables and other things in it. 5. Leftovers! 6. You can make it in a stockpot or a crockpot, which requires hardly any effort and almost no cleanup. 7. Easy to make adjustments, like omit pepper and add eggplant, for example. 8. SO EASY to make allergy friendly!  I have so many friends and relatives that can't have gluten, dairy, sugar, etc. Soup is easy to make without pesky ingredients that your family can't have.

Oh yeah, and you can freeze the leftovers for a quick dinner someday when you don't feel like cooking (I'm stocking up for maternity leave).  I did it when I was pregnant with my son and it was SO worth it.  Brilliant.

This recipe is pretty basic.  It follows the Paleo diet too, which wasn't on purpose, but can't hurt, right?  My grandfather makes a version of it, but usually uses lamb and adds barley.  I love potatoes right now, so skip the barley and sub the elk meat that I have in my freezer, and this soup is almost free:-)

You'll need:

1 quart of canned tomatoes (I used more- one quart plus some more.  I can my own tomatoes so I always have extra in the fridge.  You can also use fresh if you'd like)
2 quarts broth (I used beef broth because that's what I had.  Again, I usually make my own and freeze it, so I have used vegetable stock and chicken stock in place and it tastes fine).
About 1-2 pounds of meat of your choice, chopped into bite size pieces.  I LOVE lamb, but I don't always have it.  Beef is great, as is deer or elk (the other flavors get rid of the "gamey" taste.  You could also omit the mat for a vegetarian/ vegan soup).
5 potatoes of your choice, diced (I used medium sized Yukon Golds, so if you use larger potatoes like Russets, or smaller ones like Reds- my fav- just adjust to how much you want).
3 cups of green beans (This is a guess, as I used frozen beans from the garden, so I'm not sure exactly how much it was.  You can use fresh or frozen, but keep in mind the frozen don't take as long to cook).
1 bell pepper, diced (I like green and Kevin likes red.  It doesn't matter which you choose)
2 carrots, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
1 or 2 onions, diced
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
Salt, pepper, oregano, parlsey, and a little thyme (I used all dried and just added until I though it tasted right)

Per usual, saute the carrots, celery, onion, pepper, and garlic in a little olive oil until softened.  Add the potatoes and meat and saute until browned.  Add all of the rest of the ingredient except the beans and spices.  Bring to a boil then simmer for about an hour, covered.  Add in the beans and spices and simmer until the beans are done.

Turn down to low and cover.  Keep warm until you are ready to eat.

You can also do this in a crockpot, although you may have to half this recipe if you don't have a large crockpot.  Just add everything except the beans and cook on low for about 4 hours.  Add the beans and cook for another hour.  I like this method because i can get it ready the night before and have it cook while I'm at work during the day.  Dinner is ready when i get home and there is hardly any cleanup.

Now comes the exciting part.... TA-DA!!!

The next day, instead of having the same thing again, make it into something even cooler by adding a few things.

Warm the soup on the stove and add (what I call) "butter balls".  I call it that mostly because it's funny, and parlty because I don't know what these things are actually called.  What you do is you take equal parts butter and flour and roll it together in your hand until it forms a tiny ball.  You can add these little balls to anything to thicken it, which is what we are doing to this soup.  If you used marble size butter balls, you will probably add between 7 and 12, depending on how much soup you have leftover.

Of course, this is the perfect opportunity for some trickery:  Puree steamed vegetable like spinach, kale, zucchini, red pepper, and add them in as well.  Your kids won't know that its extra- healthy and you score mom points for preventing illness;-)

Then, add half a can of beer.  It doesn't matter which kid as long as it's not some weird flavor, like pumpkin ale.

Serve this thickened stew with shredded cheddar cheese (or smoked cheddar) on the top.  YUMMMMM...

And of course, the leftovers will pair well with.... beer! The first one will pair well with a red wine like merlot.

Peach and Balsamic Cranberry Sauce

A sweeter version or my previous posts, this one is my Grandma's favorite.  

1 peach, peeled and diced
4 cups of fresh cranberries
1 cup Chardonnay or peach juice
1 1/2- 2 cups light brown sugar (depending on how sweet you want)
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tsp ground cinnamon 
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

Heat the cranberries and peaches in the Chardonnay until the popping stops.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Simmer for twenty minutes.  Take off the heat and serve warm or cold with your holiday dinner. 

Will, of course, pair well with Chardonnay

Sweet & Spicy Cranberry Sauce with Mango, Cilantro, and Goat Cheese

This is a different take on the traditional cranberry sauce.  Instead of being sweet, it is more savory with sweet and tart notes.  The goat cheese pairs well with the mango and cilantro.  The onion brings out the flavors and the celery adds some texture.  Because it's baked with the cheese on top, it makes for a beautiful side dish to the holiday dinner table.

4 cups of fresh cranberries
2 tbs butter
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
Juice and zest of two limes
1 1/2- 3 cups sugar (depending on how sweet you want)
1 mango, peeled and chopped
2 tbs dried cilantro
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced with the membrane removed
4 tbs crumbled goat cheese

Preheat the oven to 350.  

In a saucepan, saute the onion and celery in the butter.  Add the wine and cranberries.  When heated (you'll know because the "popping" will stop), add the remaining ingredients, except for the goat cheese.  Let it simmer to thicken for a few minutes.  

Remove from heat.  Pour into a small casserole dish and crumble the goat cheese on top.  Bake in the over for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.

Mashed Potato with Feta Cheese and Parsley

Mashed potatoes, or potatoes of some sort a usually a staple at the holiday dinner table.  I have many, many different recipes for mashed potatoes, so I'm going to share one of my favorites (also, it was a special request from my cousin, Tracy<3).  It is sort of like a twice baked potato recipe, but is much faster and easier than stuffing potato skins.  One of the reasons I love this recipe is because it pairs well with any protein- chicken, fish, beef, lamb, or pork.  Also, you don't need any gravy for them, they are delicious they way they are.

To start, you'll need:

7-9 large russet potatoes (or the equivalent weight of a different variety or a mix... it's up to you!  The last time I made this I used red potatoes because the boys like the skins)

4 cloves of garlic, peeled

1/2 a yellow or white onion, chopped very finely

1/2 bunch of fresh parsley, leaves only, chopped finely

1 stick of butter

8 oz cream cheese, yogurt, or sour cream

1 1/4 cup +/- of milk or half & half

1 1/2 cups feta cheese, crumbled (Or substitute a mix of bleu cheese and white cheddar)

Black or cayenne pepper to taste

First, wash the potatoes very well and rinse thoroughly with water.  I always wash mine because I leave the peel on (it's healthy and adds flavor).  Cut into cubes and place in a large pot of cold water with the garlic (no need to press the garlic, just add it in whole).  Bring the water to a boil.  You may add a little salt or oil to the water to prevent it from foaming over.  Use a fork to test a peice of potato, and drain when they are done.  They shouldn't be firm anymore.

Preheat oven to 365.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the onion to it.  Cook on medium for a few minutes, stirring constantly and adjusting the heat to prevent burning.  Add the milk or cream, and when heated add 3/4 cup of the feta or white cheddar and heat.  Once heated thoroughly, remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to whip the potatoes and garlic.  Add the milk mixture and whip.  Using a wooden spoon, stir in the parsley and pepper.  The mixture should be light, which is good because it can be very rich depending on the cheese you use.

Spread into a 9x13 inch casserole dish with at least one inch sides (You can grease the pan with butter if you'd like.  Crumble the remaining feta (or bleu cheese) on top.  Bake for 30 minutes and serve hot.

I also like to use a mix of paremsan and white cheddar cheese if the people I am serving are not fans of feta or bleu cheese.

WINE PAIRING:

If using bleu cheese, I would suggest a Cabernet Sauvignon.  Sometimes, bleu cheese can overpower a light, fluffy wine, so it's better to use a more bold wine.  If you are a fan and have the right food pairing with this recipe, a strong Port would be good, too.

If using feta, of course there is he obvious- Retsina or Ouzo.  But, for Americans like me who don't like either one of those (I can't stand either very much), then a good Charddonay would be good if looking for a dry wine.  Pinot Gris of Sauvignon Blanc would also pair well because of the stronger garlic flavor.

If you use cheddar, Cab Sauv works well (and especially if using a mix of bleu cheese and white cheddar).  If you are like me and can't get enough of it... Merlot won't hurt:-)  

Perfect Fall Pasta with Wine Pairing

Yum!  I might make this for dinner.

What you need:

One zucchini
One large tomato
Fennel Bulb (you won't use the whole thing)
Feta Cheese
Box of pasta
Olive Oil 
Salt, Pepper, Thyme, and Oregano if you want

Julienne the whole zucchini into long strips (use either a mandolin or a peeler). Seed and dice the tomato. Sliver about 1/4 a cup of Fennel Bulb (save the rest for a different dish).  Saute the vegetables in about 2 tablespoons of oil for about five minutes, or until they are starting to brown and they are tender.  You can add a couple cloves of crushed garlic if you want.  

Toss in salt, pepper, and other spices (you can use whatever you would like.  I am in a Thyme mood, but Basil sounds good, too).

Serve tossed with pasta (I prefer spaghetti or angel hair) and top with feta cheese (or parmesan).  

Yum! 

Pairs well with Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or a Chardonnay.

The photo below is the pasta I made tonight (in progress).  It's the same recipe except I added asparagus instead of tomato, and I ended up using mozzarella cheese instead of feta because it's what I had one hand.  I also added carrots since my grandpa's garden is full of them.  My motto: Eat seasonally! It's cheaper and healthier.

BTW, ignore the cut quality on the veggies.  My seven year old step son cut them up for me.  Cute<3

ADDITION:  We served this with Stuffed Chicken (click for recipe).  They paired very well together, and it was a lot of fun to make!