Quick Fix: Basil and Salmon Sandwich

Some call it bagel and lox.  I simply call it a bagel and smoked salmon sandwich.  Po-TAY-to, po-TAH-to.

Whatever you call it, it simple and tastes pretty darn good.  Viva simplicity!

COST PER BAGEL (2 open sandwiches/1 serving): $4.00

Dinner in a Flash: Salmon with Fennel, Bell Pepper, and Orange

BEFORE (above)...

Twenty minutes from start to finish.  I kid you not.

Chop some veggies and fruit, throw on some salmon, sprinkle salt and pepper, and then broil.  Drop some olives on top and... that's it!  Dinner is done in flash.

Who knew healthy eating could be so fast -- and delicious?!

AFTER (below)... 

Don't thank me, thank Everyday Food.  Unfortunately, they no longer have a print version of their magazine (yes, a tear almost slid down my cheek...), but I hear they are keeping the love of good, wholesome food alive online.  I will for sure be following along.  You should, too.  Either way, I will be eating good tonight... :)

Salmon with Fennel, Bell Pepper, and Orange

Recipe from Everyday Food, Dec. 2012

Prep: 10 Min    Total Time: 20 min    Servings: 4

ingredients

• 1 navel orange
• 1 large bulb fennel, cored and thinly sliced, 1/4 cup fronds reserved
• 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 skinless salmon fillets (4 to 6 ounces each)
• Salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup pitted black olives, quartered

directions

1. Heat broiler, with rack 8 inches from heat. Grate 1 tablespoon orange zest, then cut orange into wedges. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss together orange zest and wedges, fennel, bell pepper, and oil and arrange in an even layer. Add salmon and season vegetables and salmon with salt and pepper. Broil until vegetables are browned in spots and salmon is opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with olives and fennel fronds to serve.
   ( You can eat the cooked oranges (peel and all) or squeeze the juice over the fish.)

COST: $10.40   COST PER SERVING (4): $2.60

A Perfect Day... (Honey Mustard Salmon)

Today was one of those days...

No, not 'one of those days' said with an Eeyore voice.

It was truly a perfect day.  You know, one of those days.

Sometimes you sit down at the end of the day and you think, "Nothing too out of the ordinary happened today, but I am more than content."  The sun was out (which, as you know, is possibly my favorite thing), I spent some time at a job that suits me perfectly (and is filled with children who love to give hugs), and then came home to see my man.  Like I said, nothing out of the ordinary, no surprises or big news or adventures... but when I stop and look at it, I realize this is exactly where I want to be.

And then I got to eat honey mustard salmon tonight.  If my day wasn't great to begin with, this would have put it there.

I mean, really, how can life be bad when you have this food in front of you?  Yeah, that's what I thought... it's pretty much impossible.

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food, September 2012 (Not up on the website YET)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 Tablespoon honey
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 Tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced and rounds separated
• 1 lb. salmon, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1 lb. green beans, ends trimmed off

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.  Line baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Mix honey, mustard, vinegar, olive oil, and some salt and pepper together to create a vinaigrette.  Mix 1/3 of the vinaigrette with the onions and spread on baking sheet.  Bake for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, remove 1 Tablespoon of remaining vinaigrette and set aside in medium bowl (to mix with green beans later).  Mix bread crumbs with the rest of the vinaigrette.  
4. Pull onions out of oven when five minutes is up, and place salmon pieces on top of onions.  Then, cover with the breadcrumb mixture.  Place baking tray back into oven and bake for seven minutes until fish is cooked.  Bread crumbs should be lightly golden brown.
5. Meanwhile, boil salted water and drop green beans in, cooking for about four minutes.  Drain green beans and mix with the vinaigrette that was set aside in the medium bowl.
6. Serve onions and green beans together, and salmon on the side.  Enjoy!

COST: $11.55   Cost per serving (says 4, but we got 3): $3.85

Open-faced Smoked Salmon Sandwich

Um, yum.

What else can I really say about this?  Not much.  I was eating this stuff by the spoonful before I had the bread toasted.  I had to stop myself so my husband would be able to have some for his dinner.  Trust me, I could have easily eaten the entire bowl in one sitting.

And what a simple and perfect meal idea for summer.  I don't know about you, but the last thing I want on a warm evening is something heavy.  But ya know, you still need to feel full.  Enter these open-faced sandwiches and you have summer-meal gold.

The best part is it EASY.  Smoked salmon, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, cucumber, and some dill... mix it up and enjoy.  Pair it with some cooked, small red potatoes lightly seasoned and dinner is served. 

Adapted from Smoked Trout Sandwiches in Everyday Food, June 2012

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 English cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
• 5 T of plain Greek yogurt
• 2 T chopped fresh dill or 2 T dried dill
• juice of two lemons
• 1/2 lb. of smoked salmon, flaked with two forks
• 1 small head romaine lettuce, leaves separated
• toasted, crusty bread (whatever size you want)
• Olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat broiler.  Brush olive oil lightly over one side of each slice of bread.  Broil, oil side up, until crisp and lightly browned. 
2. Combine cucumber, yogurt, dill, and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.  Gently stir in salmon. 
3. Top each bread slice with a few lettuce leave and salmon salad.  Enjoy.

COST: $10.35      COST PER SERVING (4 -- 2 small or 1 large): $2.59

ADD POTATOES FOR FULL MEAL: about $3.00 per serving

A Week of New Recipes -- Day 6: Salmon with Lemon-Dressed Veggies

Veggie lovers, behold!  I have found the perfect summer dinner.  Perfect.  And there is no exaggeration there.

This was, by far, the easiest and most tasty recipe this week.  The asparagus soup is probably the one that could give a run for its money on the tasty side, although I am not sure which one would actually win, but this meal, WOW.  Great taste, fresh ingredients, and super quick and simple.  So simple, in fact, that it was a little like A B C or 1 2 3... 4.

ONE --  Cook the potatoes       TWO -- Make a simple vinaigrette 
THREE -- Roast the potatoes and asparagus         FOUR -- Toss all together

And FIVE I guess -- Add cooked salmon on top.  Ta-da!

This seriously took me about 25 minutes from start to finish, and half of that time was free time waiting for things to cook.  My only disappointment was my salmon.  I am a great salmon cook-er.  Usually I just sprinkle some lemon-pepper on top and broil it on high for about 7 minutes.  EXCELLENT salmon, my friends.  This recipe had me bake it, which I think would have been OK except I went all cheap-o and bought frozen salmon.  The cheapest frozen salmon, not the kind I usually buy.  Tried to save a buck and I was met with lots of white ooze on my salmon (which is why you will see no close-up the fish itself, I want to spare you).  So next time I will make these veggies, broil my salmon -- FRESH SALMON -- like normal, and enjoy one of the freshest meals mother nature has to offer.

My trusty sidekick for this week.

One more day of this new recipe week and I will be done... so far so good.  Let's see what the next meal has in store for me! 


But for now, enjoy this on a nice summer evening.  You will not regret it. 
Scores?  10 and 10. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound small red-skinned potatoes (about 6), quartered lengthwise
• 2 cups white mushrooms (about 5 ounces), halved
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 bunch asparagus, cut crosswise into thirds (about 2 cups)
• Four 6-ounce salmon fillets with skin
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• Grated peel and juice of 1/2 lemon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large, ovenproof skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Stir in the asparagus and roast in the oven until the asparagus is crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, rub the salmon all over with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the salmon, skin side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet; roast until opaque in the center, about 10 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the parsley, garlic, lemon peel, lemon juice and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Toss with the roasted vegetables and serve with the salmon.

(Recipe from rachaelray.com)

COST = $14.70        PER SERVING (3) = $4.90

The future is looking bright...

My husband has been out of town for the past few days and won't be back for a few days more.  With him being gone it is certainly different around here.  Quiet, for one.  Not because he talks a lot -- more like I have no listening ear available for me which means I cannot do my usual amount of talking.  Except when I talk out loud to myself... 

Anyway, moving on... 

I think the time I realize his absence the most is around dinner time.  I have no one to cook for and no one to eat with.  (And no one to do the dishes... hahaha!)  I have been eating really simply.  No worries, I am getting my greens and my food groups are all represented, but it is definitely much simpler food.  Less of it, too, because I just do not enjoy eating as much when I am sitting by myself.  I need him to come back for many reasons, but one is so I can have good food to both cook and eat again!

When he does, this is what I want to make:

(All photos courtesy of rachaelray.com)

ONE: Salmon with Lemon-Dressed Vegetables

TWO: Crunch on Top Tuna Burger

THREE: Roast Chicken with Panzanella

FOUR: Spinach and Mushroom Pasta with Walnut Pesto

Can you tell I have been spending some time looking through a Rachael Ray mag?  Go ahead, click on a link above to be taken to a recipe and if you try it before me, let me know it goes.  Otherwise, look for an update hopefully soon!

(A wife that not only misses him, but misses feeding him, too.  Isn't my husband a lucky guy?)