dijon crusted salmon.

I pin fish recipes all the time with the full intent to make them. And then, I just never do. I am particular about the kind of seafood I want – I’d rather have none than previously frozen or farm raised.  Fresh and wild-caught is where it’s at, friends. Don’t settle for mediocre seafood.

Anyway, I happened to see some wild-caught fresh Alaskan Coho salmon this weekend, and decided we’d have fish for supper. It was a nice treat and Matt and I both loved this.

Dijon Crusted Salmon.
adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything 

2 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
1/8 cup dry bread crumbs
1/8 cup very finely chopped pecans
2 (6 ounce) fillets salmon
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 and prepare a small baking sheet with foil and quick spray of Pam. Place two fillets of salmon, skin side down, on the sheet.

In a small bowl, combine the butter, mustard and honey. In another small bowl, combine your bread crumbs and pecans. (pee-cans, say it with me.)

Brush a layer of the honey mustard on each piece of fish, season with salt and pepper, and top with breadcrumb/pecan topping.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish, as well as your desired doneness.

This is an easy, quick way to prepare fish at home, and baking (as opposed to broiling) did not leave my kitchen smelling like fish for 4 days… which, let’s face it, is another reason I tend to stay away from cooking fish indoors. I do think you could get away with skipping the butter in this, if you were so inclined.

A brief post is better than none, right? I mean, you’re here for the food not the personality,
jcristg

mini honey mustard and white cheddar meatloaves.

Happy Monday!

I’ve had this recipe pinned for probably a year now, and just never added it into our meal rotation. I guess I thought I had enough meatball/meatloaf recipes, but boy was I wrong. This is a delightful, delicious addition. It’s like a little cheeseburger on your plate…. especially when you consider I misread the recipe and put the entire cup of cheese in with the beef and did not reserve any for the topping. It is a mistake that I will make next time, too.

 

Mini Honey Mustard and White Cheddar Meatloaves.
via Martha Stewart

2 tbsp honey mustard
2 tbsp ketchup
1 pound ground beef chuck
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup panko
1 cup shredded white cheddar (about 4 ounces)
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Preheat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with foil, and grease of your choice. Mix together ketchup and honey mustard in a small bowl and set aside.

Combine beef, egg, panko and the cheese in a medium bowl. Season well with salt and pepper. (Alternately, you can put half the cheese in with the meat, and top the loaves with half the cheese. Suit yourself.)

Form 4 meatloaves on your baking sheet, and top with the ketchup/honey mustard mixture. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until loaves are done.

I made this with Ina’s mustard roasted potatoes and fruit (the Social Pig’s lettuce selection yesterday was dismal at best and I have quit going to 3 stores to find one decent head of lettuce). If you still haven’t tried those potatoes, this is a perfect dish to make them with.

2 out of 3 ain’t bad, Gamecocks…
jcristg

ina’s blueberry crumb cake.

A couple weekends ago, I got the baking bug. I don’t know what got into me! Matt was off hunting something and I had the house to myself with a pantry full of ingredients.  I pulled out some of my BFF Ina’s cookbooks and got to work. I love when berries are in season and you can pick up a couple packs for $5. Gone are the flavorless $5 pints that you have to be crazy to buy… hello, sweet, delicious, inexpensive berries! Welcome back into my kitchen.

Anyway, I deemed this crumb cake the greatest thing I’d ever made. Seriously. And it was easy to boot. Win!

you’d think i’d managed to get a better photo. but you’d be wrong.

Ina’s Blueberry Crumb Cake.
via Barefoot Contessa At Home (also on Food Network) 

For the streusel:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

For the cake:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 stick)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350, and butter and flour a 9-in baking dish.

Combine streusel ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. (this makes almost too much streusel in my opinion. you’ll see.)

Cream the butter and sugar in your mixer on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add the eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla, sour cream and lemon zest, and mix until just combined. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. (sift if you feel the urge. I never do.) Gradually add the flour to the bowl of the mixer, mixing until just combined. Remove mixing bowl from the mixer and fold in blueberries.

Spread batter in prepared baking dish, and top with streusel. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.

This is wonderful. Make it this weekend… I just might make it again.

GO COCKS,
jcristg

warm potato salad with goat cheese.

Happy (rainy) Tuesday!

Matt and I have been patting ourselves on the back for the good meals we made this weekend. I’m lucky in that my husband loves to cook when he has time, and so we spent Saturday and Sunday nights each making a component for supper. It’s fun for us, though it does throw off our whole “you cook, I clean up” rule. On Saturday night, he cooked some chicken halves he’d had marinating since Friday and let me tell you, that boy can cook a barbecue chicken. Look at them!

I’d tell you how he did them but he won’t even tell me his secrets (though it does involve a Pee Dee bbq sauce most of you couldn’t find anyhow). Anyway, it was my job to make the sides and so I pulled out a recipe I’ve had pinned for ages and lo, it was a winner. A Make This Now sort of potato salad. I will say too, I had some the next day and it was just as good cold. Matt was shocked this potato salad didn’t have any mayonnaise in it; it was just as creamy and thick as if it did!

Warm Potato Salad with Goat Cheese.
via Martha Stewart

2 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed well and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp white wine vinegar (I used champagne vinegar because I was out of white wine vinegar)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 ounces crumbled goat cheese (1/2 cup)
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, optional

Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Season liberally with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overcook (easy to do if distracted). Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon cooking liquid. Let potatoes cool for 5-10 minutes.

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, and reserved cooking liquid. Add oil slowly, whisking constantly until emulsified.

Transfer potatoes to a bowl, and toss with vinaigrette. Gently stir in goat cheese, celery, shallot, and parsley if using. Season with salt and pepper.

Do you cook with your significant other? Am I in the minority?
jcristg