Miso-Ginger Marinated and Grilled Salmon

Tags

Asian, food, ginger, grill, miso, salmon, summer

When I was in Japan, I had some of the most amazing salmon. It was so fresh and had a unique flavor I was unfamiliar with. Now that I have become more experienced with flavors, I learned that flavor was miso. Love that flavor! We really enjoyed this salmon. I intend to make this recipe in the future!

Miso-Ginger Marinated and Grilled Salmon (thanks to Bobby Flay)

• 1/4 cup white miso
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons minced green onions
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 4 salmon fillets, 8 ounces each
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine the above ingredients and marinate the salmon for at least 30 minutes.

Grill as desired.

Chive and Parmesan Orzo

Tags

cheese, chives, food, garlic, orzo, sides, vegetarian

This orzo is a grown-up version of mac’n'cheese. It is tasty and a nice addition to most meals. I recommend using a good quality cheese and not skimping on the butter.

Chive and Parmesan Orzo

• 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
• 1-1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (sometimes I use more)
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 2 tbsp fresh chives, snipped
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain. In a large skillet, saute garlic and thyme in butter until tender. Add the orzo, Parmesan cheese, cream, chives, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through.

A Grownup Raspberry Lemonade

Tags

beverage, cocktail, lemonade, raspberry, Southern, summer

This past weekend was so hot and miserable. Gotta have a nice, cold drink to cool down. I created this after thinking about those typical summer flavors- grilled foods, mayo based salads, citrus, fresh fruit. This is a really refreshing drink and one I will be drinking all summer long.

Grownup Raspberry Lemonade

• 2 lemons, juiced
• 6 raspberries, muddled
• Water
• Sugar
• Ice
• 1 shot of vodka (citrus vodka would be nice)

Combine the lemon juice and raspberries with the water, sugar and ice. When you reach the desired lemonade flavor, add your shot of vodka. Makes one serving. Enjoy!!!

Happy Memorial Day!

Tags

BBQ, celebration, food, grilling, Memorial Day, patriotic, summer

On a day traditionally known for it’s BBQs and days spent on the lake or by the pool, I hope we all take a minute to be thankful for all those men and women who have served this country. It is also a good time to remember those who have passed on and to decorate their graves with new, fresh flowers.

On a hot day like today (it is in the 90s here), firing up the grill and serving mayo based cold salads seems like a great way to celebrate the summer season.

Maybe you will consider serving some of these tasty grill inspired recipes~

Chili Rubbed Pork Chops with Grilled Pineapple Salsa 

Bacon & Blue Cheeseburgers

Smoked Pork Tenderloin

Grilled Peel ‘N’ Eat Shrimp with Old Bay, Basil and Lemon

Most Excellent Meat Marinade

I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day!

With Love From My Family to Yours!

Fruity Sun Tea

Tags

beverage, fruit, summer, sun, tea

Nothing say summer more than sun tea. It is super easy to make and rather fun, especially if you are a kid (or are a kid at heart). I love adding fruit to mine. It adds extra pizzazz and a unique flavor. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Fruity Sun Tea

• 5 Lipton tea bags
• 2 peach flavored herbal tea
• 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
• 8 fresh raspberries
• Sugar to taste

In a 1 1/2 gallon pitcher, add water, tea bags, and lemon slices. Set out in the sun for 8 hours. Time will vary depending on how strong you like your tea. I prefer mine out all day. You may have to move the pitcher as the sun moves. When you reach desired strength, break the raspberries into small pieces. Stir in the berries and the sugar. Serve over ice.

Be sure to drink this tea quickly. It does not keep as long as regular ice tea.

Carne Asada

Tags

asada, carne, Dinner, food, gluten free, grill, marinade, Mexican, steak, summer, Supper

I am always on the lookout for a new, yummy Mexican dish. This one fits the bill. It was super easy to make and full of flavor. Thanks Rufus for the inspiration.

Carne Asada (adapted from Rufus)

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice from two limes
• Juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 chipotles packed in adobo, rinsed and diced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 pound flank or skirt steak

Combine the first 8 ingredients. In a ziploc bag or a small glass dish, marinade the steak for 4 to 6 hours.

Grill to desired doneness. Serve thinly sliced (against the grain) in corn tortillas with cilantro, avacado, black olives, sour cream, and cheese.

Real Caesar Dressing

Tags

caeser, dressing, food, homemade, salad, summer

I have always wanted to try making my own caesar dressing but always was put off by the use of anchovies. Everyone I know swore you can’t taste them so I decided to just give it a go. The worse that could result was an inedible dressing that I threw in the trash. Might as well try it. Thanks to this AllRecipes.com recipe, I have a wonderful dressing that does not taste fishy. I am glad I made the effort

Real Caesar Dressing

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3-1/4 anchovy fillets, minced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Ground black pepper to taste

Whisk together the above ingredients. Chill before serving. Makes about 1/2 cup of dressing.

Mushroom Dip

Tags

appetizer, dip, Italian, mushroom, vegetarian

I found inspiration for this dip from a Ranting Chef post. We ate this dip with Italian bread slices. Next time, I will probably spread the dip on the bread slices, sprinkle with parm cheese, and broil. It would also be an excellent mushroom pesto for pasta or my Mushroom Pesto Pizza.

Mushroom Dip

• 1 (10 oz) package of baby portabello mushrooms
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• Olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, quartered
• Juice of 1 half a lemon
• 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, plus some to sprinkle the top with
• 1/8 cup mayo
• 1/8 cup cream cheese, softened
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet, saute the thyme and mushrooms in olive oil until tender. Drain off the juice. In a food processor, combine the mushroom mixture with the garlic cloves. Add the other ingredients and pulse until combined. In a greased oven safe dish, add mushroom mixture. Top with desired amount of parmesan cheese. Bake on 375 for about 15 minutes or until heated through.

Serve with bread.

Garlic, Lemon, and Herb Yogurt Cheese – Part 2

Tags

appetizer, cheese, DIY, food, herb, homemade, lemon, yogurt

Many of you may remember my previous post Garlic, Lemon, and Herb Cheese.  I was pretty excited to see the results, especially in light of my friend David’s fantastic cheese.

The results are in! And it was a success…

Though there will be some future changes. Finished cheese on a bagel chip….

Texture- The texture was creamy and smooth, just like I expected it to be. I let the cheese drain for 3 days. That was the longest I thought it needed to work. But after the cheese sat in a container for a day, a surprising amount of liquid had seeped out. Next time, I will either allow it to sit longer or I will use a sieve instead of a strainer to hold my cheese.

Flavor- The flavor is garlicy, lemon-y and herb-y. Maybe a bit too garlicy. I had hoped for a more subtle garlic flavor. Instead, it tasted a bit raw. Next time, I intend to roast a head of garlic and mash a few cloves into a paste. The thyme and lemon were right on. I have recently become obsessed with lemon zest, which I love in this cheese.

Overall, I will certainly make this again. My in-laws like it very much when they came to visit. It would also make a nice appetizer for work functions, for presents, for appetizers.

Crunchy Pea Salad

Tags

food, pea, picnic, salad, side dish, summer

This recipe is one of our family favorites. You will find it at most every family reunion, picnic, or birthday party.

Like our cookout we had today-

Even people who do not like peas like this salad. The peas add only sweetness not an overwhelming pea flavor. I bet you will like it if you try it!

Crunchy Pea Salad

• 10 oz frozen peas, thawed
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced cauliflower
• 1/4 cup diced onions
• 1 cup chopped cashews
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 to 1 cup bottled ranch dressing
• 4 slices of bacon, fried and diced

Mix all ingredients except the bacon. Top with bacon bits. Refrigerate until cool then serve.