Salmon Stir-fry with Peanut Sauce

A new pat-coction. Threw this together for dinner this evening. Loved it!

2 filets of salmon, cut in 1 inch pieces (you could also use chicken or shrimp)
1 tbsp chili oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 pkg Birds Eye Asparagus Stir Fry
3 scallions, sliced, including green part
1-2 tbsp dry basil
Chopped cilantro
Red pepper flakes

Peanut sauce
3 tbsp smooth peanut butter
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Fish sauce
1/4 lime, juiced
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbsp honey

Stir fry salmon 3 minutes on each side in chili oil and sesame oil. In the meantime, combine all ingredients for peanut sauce and microwave until peanut butter melts. Stir. Mixture should be somewhat thick.

Add Birds Eye Asparagus Stir Fry (includes a mix of veggies and noodles), scallions, cilantro (reserve a couple tbsp for garnish), red pepper flakes, basil, and stir fry approx 5 minutes (or cover and steam) until veggies are hot.

Add peanut sauce and coat fish and vegetables.

Serve with chopped cilantro garnish.

White Chili

This is soooo easy and yummy. Made this for dinner tonight. Tons of leftovers! This makes great lunch for the rest of the week.

1 large onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 16-oz cans white beans (great northern)
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast or a 2 lb rotisserie chicken diced
juice of 1 lime
1 (4 oz) jalepenos
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional)
4 cans chicken stock
3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese (I used pepper jack today)
Sour cream
Chopped fresh green onions

Heat olive oil in stock pot and add onion and saute for about 10 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic, jalepenos, cumin, and saute for 10 minutes.

Remove meat from rotisserie chicken and cut into bite sized pieces. Add to pot. Add beans and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add lime juice. Reduce the heat and simmer about 30 minutes.

Add grated cheese to pot reserving a bit for garnish.

Ladle into bowls and serve with remaining cheese, chopped green onions, and sour cream. Salt to taste.

Holiday Biscotti

Holiday Biscotti
adapted from GoodThingsCatered

I made these yesterday and my spousal unit loves them.

I always adapt recipes to suit my taste and what I have on hand. In this one, I used mostly whole wheat flour just because I wanted it to be a smidge healthier. I also substituted Penzey's Cake Spice for the spices. Then, because I didn't have brandy, I used triple sec, and instead of just raisins I had dried cranberries and cherries on hand. I also had no pecans so I used almonds. The recipe makes about 2 dozen.

Ingredients:
2 c. whole wheat flour and 1/4 c. unbleached flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger (in place of cloves, cinnamon and ginger, I used 1 ¼ tsp penzey's Cake spice.)
1/4 tsp ground white or black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 c. sugar
2 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 c. mixed raisins, craisins, dried cherries (or any combo of dried fruit you like), soaked in 1/4 c. brandy (I used triple sec) for 1 hour
1/4 c. pecans, or almonds, chopped

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment or use non-stick baking sheet with non-stick baking spray.
-In medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt to combine thoroughly; set aside.-In large bowl, whisk eggs, yolks, and sugar until light in color.
-Whisk in vanilla.
-Sprinkle dry ingredients over wet and fold in, add raisins and pecans (and soaking liquor) and fold until just combined.
-Halve the mixture, pat into a ball and turn onto baking sheet.
-Pat and stretch into about 13x3 inch loaf and repeat with remaining mixture, placing loaves about 3 inches apart.
-Place baking sheet in oven and cook until beginning to crack on top, about 35 minutes.
-Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.
-Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
-Using wide spatula to transfer to cutting board, with a serrated knife, carefully sliced loaves diagonally into 1/2 inch slices.
-Lay slices about 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets (you will need a second to fit them all), cut side up.
-Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes, flipping biscotti half way through cooking time.
-Remove from oven and let cool completely on wire racks.

Quinoa (keen-wa) and Veggie Bake

Quinoa is actually an herb but behaves like a grain. Use it like you would cous cous or rice. You can find it in the health food section of the grocery store. Dry, it looks almost like barley. It's quite tasty and I've used it in soup but otherwise this is a pretty new ingredient for me. So far, my husband and I both LOVE it. It's got a nutty taste and almost a crunchy-soft texture. You can substitute whatever veggies and herbs you like for this recipe. I just made it up on the fly.

Quinoa and veggie Bake

1 cup quinoa (raw)
2 cups beef or chicken stock
Olive oil or cooking spray
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tsps each of thyme, basil, and tarragon
2 oz cheese (i used half parmesan and half sharp cheddar)

Cook quinoa according to package directions using chicken or beef stock as the liquid. It cooks a lot like rice. It's done when all the liquid is absorbed.

When the quinoa is almost done, saute the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini and garlic in skillet with olive oil or in non-stick skillet with cooking spray until all veggies are al dente to just soft. Add herbs and salt/pepper.

Mix quinoa and veggies. Either transfer to an oven safe dish or keep in skillet. Top with cheese and bake off for about 20 minutes til cheese is melted.

Banana Sour Cream Waffles

These are my grand-daughter's favorites. I often make these on Sunday mornings (I did today!)when she visits.

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
1 or 2 ripe banana, sliced
1 large egg, separated
1/2 cup milk
1/2 stick (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

(Note: Yields approx 6 waffles. This recipe can be doubled. I've doubled it by using 1/4 cup wheat germ and 1/4 cup ground flax seed in place of 1/2 cup of the additional flour.)

Spray waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray (even if iron is non-stick). Preheat waffle iron according to manuf. directions.

In medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Whisk the egg white until foamy, then in another bowl, mix together sour cream, sliced banana, egg yolk, milk, and butter breaking up bananas with a fork -- leave some semi large pieces. Fold in egg white.

Make well in center of flour mixture and pour in banana mixture. Mix with spatula with a few strokes to evenly moisten batter, do not overmix.

Pour approx 3/4 cup batter per waffle. Close lid and bake until waffle is crisp and well browned, about 4-5 minutes.

Remove from iron. Serve immediately with a mixture of warmed maple syrup, honey, and melted butter.

Split Pea Soup

Made this today. Yum.

2 tblsp olive oil or butter
1 1/2 cups dried split peas
2 carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 shallot, diced
1/2 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tsp thyme
2 cans low sodium chicken stock
1/2 lb ham, ldiced
1/4 cup real bacon bits

Saute carrots, onion, celery in olive oil or butter til soft. Add chicken stock, peas, ham, bacon (reserve at bit of the ham and bacon for the end), herbs. Bring to boil, then simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Add more water or stock as needed. Soup is done when the peas are a thick puree. Add the reserved ham and bacon at the end.