Everyone in my family LOVED this recipe. The potato cake is crispy on the edges and dense and moist on the inside. The salmon pairs perfectly with it. We served this with sour cream, which I think it needed. Other than that, it was perfect. This is from July Cooking Light.

Potato Cake with Smoked Salmon

 

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Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 6 cups grated peeled baking potato
• ½ cup thinly vertically sliced onion
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 5 ounces ⅓ less fat cream cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 1 3.5 ounce package smoked salmon
• Dill sprigs

Instructions

1. Place an 8-inch round metal cake pan in the oven and preheat to 425 (leaving the pan in).
2. Combine potato and onion in a large bowl. Combine salt, pepper, cream cheese, and eggs in a bowl.
3. Stir the egg mixture into the potato mixture.
4. Remove the pan from the oven and spray with cooking spray. Place the potato mixture into the pan and pack down slightly. Bake for 50 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
5. Invert onto a plate (I just cut mine while in the baking pan).
6. Cut into 8 wedges and top with salmon and dill (we added sour cream here).

3.2.1249

Everyone in my family LOVED this recipe. The potato cake is crispy on the edges and dense and moist on the inside. The salmon pairs perfectly with it. We served this with sour cream, which I think it needed. Other than that, it was perfect. This is from July Cooking Light. Potato Cake with Smoked … Read more →

This site started out as MarthaAndMe, where I unofficially apprenticed myself to Martha Stewart for a year. I learned a lot in that year and still have an appreciation for all things Martha. In the June issue of Martha Stewart Living, there’s a recipe for One-Pan Pasta.  The article that accompanied it explained that the editors came across a chef in Italy who made pasta dishes in just one pan, cooking pasta, vegetables, seasonings, etc. all together at the same time – no boiling pasta and making a separate sauce. The water cooks out, the pasta cooks and the sauce is created. It sounded too good to be true.

I halved the recipe and I also substituted gluten-free rotini for the linguine. It worked. It was magical. No testing the pasta to see if it’s done. No draining of hot water. No attempts to combine sauce and pasta. It was just as easy as was promised. The pasta was perfectly cooked (and I knew I was taking a risk using gluten-free pasta in this!). The sauce was really creamy and flavorful. I would add more basil next time and some oregano. Other than that, it was truly perfect.

This site started out as MarthaAndMe, where I unofficially apprenticed myself to Martha Stewart for a year. I learned a lot in that year and still have an appreciation for all things Martha. In the June issue of Martha Stewart Living, there’s a recipe for One-Pan Pasta.  The article that accompanied it explained that the … Read more →

When I was a kid, my parents liked Kentucky Fried Chicken (a brief note here: my parents were part of the “gourmet” movement of the 70s – the precursor to today’s “foodies”, yet they have an appreciation for fast food – go figure) but it was a luxury we couldn’t afford often. So my mom went about making her own. Her recipe is a bit vaguer than mine. “Put some flour in a bag and dump in a whole bunch of different herbs and spices.” She also uses chicken with skin on it while I prefer boneless, skinless breasts. This is my version of mom’s chicken.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Mom's Shake and Bake

 

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Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free)
• ½ teaspoon each of:
• pepper
• salt
• cinnamon
• oregano
• poultry seasoning
• Italian seasoning
• celery salt
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• dry mustard
• thyme
• paprika
• rosemary

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a baking sheet. Place the flour and seasonings in a bag. Shake the chicken in it, one piece at a time then place on the baking sheet. Allow it to rest a few minutes, then shake each piece again. Spray each with cooking spray thoroughly. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is 165 degrees.
2. Serve with bleu cheese dressing for dipping.

3.2.1249

When I was a kid, my parents liked Kentucky Fried Chicken (a brief note here: my parents were part of the “gourmet” movement of the 70s – the precursor to today’s “foodies”, yet they have an appreciation for fast food – go figure) but it was a luxury we couldn’t afford often. So my mom … Read more →

Suddenly I’m in love with fruit for dinner. Here’s my latest creation. This will work with any grilled white fish. I used snapper, but feel free to substitute anything. Grill the fish as you normally would, then serve with the salsa. The salsa is also really good with tortilla chips (that’s how our leftovers got used up the next day!). You can also use these ingredients to make fish tacos.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Grilled Fish with Watermelon Salsa

 

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Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1½ cups cubed watermelon
• 1 nectarine, pitted, diced
• 1 small cucumber, peeled, diced
• ½ small onion, diced
• 1 tbsp green chilis (substitute fresh jalapeno if you like - I used canned. Also use more if you like your food spicy - we don't)
• 4 basil leaves, chopped
• juice of half a lime
• zest of one lime
• ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ tbsp sugar

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Allow to rest for at least 20 minutes before serving so the flavors meld.

3.2.1230

Suddenly I’m in love with fruit for dinner. Here’s my latest creation. This will work with any grilled white fish. I used snapper, but feel free to substitute anything. Grill the fish as you normally would, then serve with the salsa. The salsa is also really good with tortilla chips (that’s how our leftovers got … Read more →

My pal My Kids Eat Squid recently posted about Hungry Girl’s 2 ingredient brownie recipe. Obviously I had to try it! The recipe is so simple. Mix one box chocolate cake mix (I used gluten-free) with one 15 ounce can of canned pumpkin (I used organic). Mix it and divide among 12 muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes at 400. Here is the range of opinions in my house:

– College age daughter: “I like these! I can’t tell there’s pumpkin in them.”

– Teenage son: “What is wrong with these? It tastes like bread or something.” Then I disclosed the recipe. He said it did not taste like pumpkin, but he didn’t like it.

– Me: I think these are a decent substitute for brownies if you’re trying to make them healthier. You do NOT taste the pumpkin at all. I kept them in the fridge and I think it made them taste a little better. If you want easy brownies, just make a mix – this isn’t really all that easier and you do have to scoop into muffin tins.

My pal My Kids Eat Squid recently posted about Hungry Girl’s 2 ingredient brownie recipe. Obviously I had to try it! The recipe is so simple. Mix one box chocolate cake mix (I used gluten-free) with one 15 ounce can of canned pumpkin (I used organic). Mix it and divide among 12 muffin cups. Bake … Read more →

I made this dish for dinner one night, but it’s also perfect as an appetizer since it is definitely finger food. The recipe is very easy.

You need 1/2 piece of prosciutto for each stalk of asparagus. Cut the prosciutto the long way. Lay the strip of prosciutto down and spread a small amount of goat cheese on it (see my photo): you don’ t need much. Then wrap the prosciutto around the stalk in a spiral, so it goes from bottom to top. Place the stalk seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Bake on the top rack at 400 degrees until the asparagus is tender and the prosciutto is browned (about 20 minutes), turning the stalks over once halfway through.

The end result gives you tender asparagus, crunchy prosciutto, and a gentle tang from the goat cheese. Truly fabulous.

I made this dish for dinner one night, but it’s also perfect as an appetizer since it is definitely finger food. The recipe is very easy. You need 1/2 piece of prosciutto for each stalk of asparagus. Cut the prosciutto the long way. Lay the strip of prosciutto down and spread a small amount of … Read more →

This simple method of cooking carrots produces silky, sweet carrots without any effort. Here’s the drill. Place your carrots in a small pot – it doesn’t matter if you use baby carrots or carrots you’ve peeled. Put enough water in the pot to come up about halfway up the carrots. Then add some butter. 1/2 tablespoon was what I used for enough carrots for 4 people (add as much butter as you would put on the carrots when serving). Simmer the carrots until the water evaporates and the carrots are shiny and glazed. Stir in some freshly cut herbs (such as chives, mint, or thyme) and season with salt and pepper.

This simple method of cooking carrots produces silky, sweet carrots without any effort. Here’s the drill. Place your carrots in a small pot – it doesn’t matter if you use baby carrots or carrots you’ve peeled. Put enough water in the pot to come up about halfway up the carrots. Then add some butter. 1/2 … Read more →

I did a meatless Monday recently and used Portabella mushrooms for our main course. This recipe is super simple and you can make it in the oven or on the grill. Rub your mushrooms with oil (I had a wild mushroom and sage oil I used that was wonderful) and season with salt and pepper. Grill them or bake them until they are tender.  Place a slice of fresh mozzarella on each mushroom, 2 leaves of fresh basil and 1-2 tomato slices (depending on the size of your tomato). Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and return to the oven or grill to melt the cheese.

I did a meatless Monday recently and used Portabella mushrooms for our main course. This recipe is super simple and you can make it in the oven or on the grill. Rub your mushrooms with oil (I had a wild mushroom and sage oil I used that was wonderful) and season with salt and pepper. … Read more →

This is a fun go-to when you simply can’t face another green salad and you don’t want to cook a vegetable for dinner! I like to use whole carrots for this when I have them, not baby carrots because I think they have more flavor.  When I made this recently though all I had were bagged baby carrots – I used about 3/4 of the bag in this recipe. If you use whole carrots, use one bunch.

Peel the carrots (if using whole) and grate them (I used the food processor to do this job). Put them in a bowl. Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the carrots – maybe 1 1/2 tablespoons. Season with salt and pepper. Add about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon sugar (you’ll want to taste it to adjust it to your sweetness factor). One capful of bottled lemon juice (use fresh if you want – about 1 tsp). Then chop up about 2 tbsp fresh mint. Toss it all together. Allow the salad to sit for about an hour to get the most flavor. That’s it!

This is a fun go-to when you simply can’t face another green salad and you don’t want to cook a vegetable for dinner! I like to use whole carrots for this when I have them, not baby carrots because I think they have more flavor.  When I made this recently though all I had were … Read more →

I like to grill shrimp, but I don’t enjoy threading them onto skewers, so I usually end up tossing the shrimp onto a grill pan so they won’t fall through the grates. On a recent night, I doctored my shrimp up to make it into a delicious Italian dish.

Italian Shrimp on the Grill

 

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Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp Italian herbs
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 clamshell cherry tomatoes

Instructions

1. Toss all ingredients together in a bowl and allow to marinate at least one hour, up to four.
2. Cook on a grill pan over a hot grill, until the shrimp are cooked through and the tomatoes start to break.

3.2.1230

I like to grill shrimp, but I don’t enjoy threading them onto skewers, so I usually end up tossing the shrimp onto a grill pan so they won’t fall through the grates. On a recent night, I doctored my shrimp up to make it into a delicious Italian dish. Italian Shrimp on the Grill   … Read more →