Spinach Stuffed Salmon

This is my all-time favorite salmon recipe. After the salmon recipe is the recipe I used for homemade pesto. The pesto can be frozen for up to three months because you won't use the whole batch for the salmon. Store-bought can be used, but it is cheaper (and yummier) to make your own. Also, in many specialty stores, you can purchase bulk sun-dried tomatoes for a minimal price. When purchasing your salmon fillets, make sure that they have a substantial thick area that can be sliced for the stuffing.

This recipe is easily halved or doubled and is adapted from the South Beach Diet Cookbook.

Spinach Stuffed Salmon

• 2 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each)
• salt/pepper
• 5 ounces fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon prepared pesto
• 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In the thickest part of the salmon, make a large slit, but be sure to not cut all the way through.
3. Sprinkle the salmon very lightly with salt and pepper.
4. Separately, combine spinach, pesto, tomatoes, and pine nuts.
   
5. Carefully, stuff the salmon pocket with as much of the spinach mixture as possible. If necessary, hold the filling in with 1-2 toothpicks.
6. Place salmon on baking sheet and cook for about 10 minutes.
7. Enjoy!

Homemade Pesto

All of these ingredients can be adjusted per taste.

• 2/3 cup packed bail leaves
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon each salt/pepper
• approximately 1/3 cup olive oil

1. Combine all ingredients except olive oil in food processor or blender (preferably food processor)
2. Turn on lowest speed and allow ingredients to coarsely chop for a few seconds.
3. Add olive oil in a steady stream until desired consistency is achieved.
   
4. Freeze unused portion and use with three months.
   

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

This is my favorite recent find! It is so easy to succumb to the boring ol' grilled fish, but this manages to add a lot of flavor while keeping the fish a lightweight meal! I served with a side of steamed brown rice and green peas. And mayo haters, be of good cheer...you can't taste it a bit. Half the recipe if you like; we had enough for dinner and lunch the next day.

• 1/2 c Parmesan
• 1/4 butter, room temperature
• 3T mayonnaise
• 2T lemon juice
• 1/4t dried basil
• 1/8 t onion powder
• 1/8t celery salt
• 2 lbs tilapia fillets

1. preheat broiler and line cookie sheet with foil
2. mix Parmesan, butter, mayo, and lemon juice thoroughly, then stir in seasonings
3. arrange fillets on foil and broil 3 minutes per side
4. spread cheese mixture over tops of fish, then broil 3 more minutes
   

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

This was a big hit! To make preparation time a breeze, make sure chicken is cooked ahead of time. Use whatever pizza crust you like. My favorite is the Pillsbury thin crust that I spread on a 9x13 cookie sheet and baked for 5 minutes.

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
• 2T melted butter
• 2 oz hot sauce
• 8 oz Ranch dressing (bleu cheese could be used, but I'm from Texas and we put Ranch on everything) ;)
• 16-inch pizza crust
• 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

1. combine melted butter and hot sauce; toss chicken in mixture
2. spread dressing over pizza crust, then top with chicken, then sprinkle cheese over the chicken
3. bake at 425 for 8 minutes.
   

Grill Time!

This is one of my newer favorites! One nice thing about this is that both the butter and the spice mixture can be done ahead of time. Then, when it's about 30 minutes away from dinner time, just rub the spices into the meat and throw on the grill! I double the butter and put some on top of mixed vegetables. This is spectacular grilled but also good made inside in the skillet.

London Broil with Bleu Cheese Butter

• 3T bleu cheese
• 2T soft butter
• 1T black pepper
• 1t garlic salt
• 1t onion powder
• 1/4t cayenne pepper
• 2lb London Broil
• 2T olive oil

1. mix cheese and butter in bowl (fork works best)
2. in a second bowl, combine pepper, garlic salt, onion powder, and cayenne
3. when ready to cook the meat, preheat grill at a low setting
4. rub steak with olive oil-coat with spice mixture on both sides and rub in by hand (try not to breathe in the spices!)
5. lightly oil grill grate and grill for 10-12 minutes per side
6. let steak sit for 10 minutes after removing from grill--serve with dollops of bleu cheese butter
   

Easy Baked Chicken

Me and mine have been sick this week...thank you Texas allergy season. This cut down on my cooking this week a lot...and when I did cook, it was easy peasy sandwiches or pasta with some pre-made sauce.

I did, however, cook two great meals. This chicken recipe is one of M's favorites, even though whenever I cook it he thinks it's the first time I've made it. I usually serve it with mashed potatoes and green beans. Make plenty so you have leftovers for lunch the next day!

It is equally good cooked with chicken breasts or chicken tenders.

• 2/3 cup flour
• 1 t salt
• 1 t paprika
• 1/2 t rosemary
• 1/2 chervil
• 1/2 marjoram
• 1/4 t pepper
• 2/3 c butter, melted
  
• 3 pounds chicken breast or tenders

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees
   
2. combine all seasonings, then mix into flour
3. pour half of the butter into 9x13 baker
4. dip each piece of chicken into butter and then flour, then place in pan
5. pour any remaining flour over chicken and moisten with remaining butter
6. cover securely with foil and bake for 20 minutes
7. remove foil and cook for 15 minutes longer
   

Fresh (and Easy) Strawberry Pie

Posted by request from WWL and ND. ;)

• 1 8-inch pie crust, baked
• 1 lb fresh strawberries, washed and trimmed, large berries halved
• 1 c sugar
• 2 T cornstarch
• 1 c water
• 1 3-oz package strawberry gelatin
• 1 t vanilla
• whipped cream (optional)
  

1. bring water to a boil in saucepan
2. whisk together cornstarch and sugar
3. add sugar mixture to boiling water and whisk constantly until thick, 3-4 minutes
4. remove from heat and add gelatin and vanilla; let mixture cool to room temperature
5. place strawberries evenly in cooled pie shell
6. pour cooled mixture over berries and refrigerate until set
7. serve with whipped cream if desired
   

My Simple and Delicious Easter Menu

This is my first holiday to host in our new home, and I am excited! It is so easy for me to go completely overboard with not just too many dishes, but too many complicated dishes. The more I cook, though, the more I learn the times that sometimes the easiest recipes can be the most delicious.

I was the only person in my family who enjoyed a holiday ham, so while Thanksgiving and Christmas are both turkey holidays in my family, Easter is strictly for roast beef. I discovered this Crock Pot pot roast recipe last year. I usually avoid using cream of anything soup in my cooking, but since I only cook roast beef on holidays and since it is the best roast I've ever had, I make an exception.

Hope you enjoy my Easter dinner of roast beef, mashed potatoes, and green beans.

• 2 (10.75) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup (this amount can be approximate)
• 1 (1 oz) package dry onion soup mix
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 5-6 lb pot roast

1. in slow cooker, mix first three ingredients with wire whisk
2. place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture
3. cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 3-4 hours

Now on to the side dishes. Since this is my blog, I'm going to brag on myself a little here: I make the best mashed potatoes I've ever had, and now no one in my family even attempts to make them; them just have me bring them. Personal preferences for potatoes, of course, vary somewhere, so these amounts are starting points ready for personalized tweaking. I usually make a much smaller batch than this recipe, but this would make a holiday-sized bowl of mashed potatoes.

• 1 5-lb bag russet or Idaho potatoes
• water
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 1/2 cup half-and-half, warmed slightly in microwave
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel potatoes and cut into halves or quarters. Place in large stockpot and cover with water. Add bay leaf and 1 teaspoon salt.
   
2. Bring to a boil for about twenty minutes or until very soft.
   
3. Drain, reserving about 1/4 cup of the water but discarding bay leaf
   
4. Add potatoes to mixing bowl with butter, half-and-half, baking powder, salt, and pepper
5. Beat with electric mixer until smooth, tasting frequently and adding salt and pepper as needed

And now, lastly, the favorite green vegetable in my house: green beans

• 1 lb fresh green beans, washed and trimmed
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 c water or chicken broth
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in large skillet; add garlic. Saute until slightly brown.
2. Add green beans. Make sure all beans are coated in oil. Saute for about 5 minutes or until some beans are slightly charred.
3. Add salt and pepper
4. Pour in water or brother; bring to a boil.
   
5. Let simmer for about 5 minutes or to desired texture (we like our still a little crispy); remove from heat immediately.
   
6. Do not rinse as this will wash away the garlic flavor

Man Pleasin' Ribs

I'm not as much of a rib person as M is, but this has to be the easiest recipe known to mankind. I have to give credit where credit is due, though: M is actually who taught me how to make these!

• one rack of ribs (we like babyback)
• dry barbeque seasoning (we like Rudy's Rub, https://rudysbbq.com/store/c-3-spices.aspx)

1. prehead oven to 400 degrees
   
2. unwrap ribs and rinse; put in plastic oven bag
3. open seasoning and liberally sprinkle over both sides of ribs, rubbing in with hands (it takes more seasoning than you may think; I would estimate half a cup per side but I eyeball it)
4. tie bag and put on baking sheet; bake for about 50 minutes
5. let cool in bag for about ten minutes; pour onto baking sheet and let sit for another ten minutes
6. cut into individual ribs and serve