baked salmon II

This salmon was delicious.   Two of my kids who I didn't expect to eat fish ate it and enjoyed it very much.  My husband thought it was fantastic.  I'll be making this again soon.

baked salmon II (adapted from allrecipes.com)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon oil (cut back from 6 tablespoons oil!!)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
4 salmon fillets

Prepare marinade by mixing everything but the salmon.
Place salmon fillets in a dish and cover with marinade.  Marinate 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place fillets in foil, cover with marinade and seal the foil.  Place sealed salmon in a glass dish and bake 35 minutes or until salmon easily flakes with fork.

vegan chickpea curry

I wanted to make something to accompany salmon so there'd be something for my little vegetarian to eat.  This was PERFECT!  This dish is SOOOOOO good.  Unbelievably good.  We all really enjoyed it.  Even my son.  And he even ate a few bites of salmon.  

vegan chickpea curry (adapted from HurryTheFoodUp)
2 onions, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons curry paste (I used 1 Tbsp red curry past and 1 Tbsp curry powder)
1 can coconut milk
2 cans chickpeas
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup fresh basil (I used a tablespoon freeze dried basil)

Chop the onions, garlic, basil and juice the lime.
Put the oil and onions into a large pan and cook on medium heat until the onions start to soften and turn clear.  Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Add the curry and the coconut milk, stirring until the curry is dissolved.  Add a pinch of salt.
Add the chickpeas.  Cook on medium heat, bringing the curry to a boil.  If it starts to burn, reduce heat.  Add the chopped tomatoes, basil, soy sauce and lime juice.  Gently simmer the curry for a few minutes.
Serve with brown jasmine rice.

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one pot chicken and noodles

The theme for tonight's meal was comfort food- chicken & noodles and chocolate chip cookies.  The chicken & noodles turned out as delicious and as comforting as I thought they would.  Everyone in the family enjoyed them so this recipe is a keeper.  We have plenty of opportunities for comfort food where we live.  The gray skies and drizzle seem to go on forever.  And ever.

one pot chicken and noodles (adapted fromBetter Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, page 402)
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
4 cups water
1/2 cup chopped celery leaves
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
2 cups sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
3 cups wide noodles (I used whole wheat rotini)
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
freshly ground pepper, as a garnish

In a 4 1/2 quart pot place chicken, water, celery leaves, parsley, ba leaf, thyme, salt and pepper.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add onions, carrots, and celery.  Cover and simmer about 30 minutes more or till chicken is tender and no longer pink.  Remove from heat.  Discard the bay leaf.  Remove chicken; cool slightly.  Chop the chicken and set aside.
Bring broth mixture to boiling.  Add noodles; cook for 5 minutes.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups milk.
In a screw-top jar combine the remaining 1/2 cup milk and the flour.  Cover and shake till smooth; stir into noodle mixture.  Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly.  Stir in chopped chicken.  Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes more or until mixture is heated through.  Grind some fresh pepper over each serving.  Makes 6 servings.

homemade crunch wrap supremes

My oldest introduced the family to Taco Bell's Crunch Wrap Supremes.  My kids LOVE them.  I'm not a fan of fast food so we're making them at home.  I love when my oldest cooks for us.  She's good at making these.

crunch wrap supremes (my oldest got the idea from Taco Bell)
large tortillas
tostada shells
light sour cream
chipotle dressing
taco bell hot sauce
extra lean ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning and a can of tomato sauce, cooked
shredded lettuce
diced tomato
shredded cheddar cheese
olives

My daughter heated a large tortilla in the microwave and placed it on the counter.  She smeared on some refried beans, sour cream, chipotle dressing, taco bell hot sauce, ground beef, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and olives.  She folded the sides of the tortilla up then turned it over and placed it in the pan.  She browned it on both sides then rang the dinner bell and her sisters and brother came running to see whose was done first.

grilled lemon yogurt chicken

We really liked this chicken but what I thought was even better was the leftovers!  I put a chicken breast on a toasted slice of Ezekial bread with some light mayo, grilled lemon yogurt chicken, lettuce and fresh tomato slices.  It was a delicious lunch!

grilled lemon yogurt chicken (allrecipes.com)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
chicken pieces (I used chicken breasts only)

sauce (spicy)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon harissa
1 pinch salt

Add the following to a gallon sized ziplock bag: 1/2 cup yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, garlic, paprika, herbes de Provence, 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper.  Add chicken, coat with marinade, squeeze out excess air and seal the bag.  Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
Combine the 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and harissa in a small bowl.  Set aside.
Remove chicken from bag and grill on the preheated grill.  Grill, turning often, with lid down until well browned and no longer pink in the center.
Serve the chicken with the yogurt harissa mixture on the top or side.

lamb pitas with yogurt sauce

I enjoyed my pita meat on the side but the rest of the family actually wrapped the "lamb" in pitas.  I couldn't find lamb because I didn't look very hard and wanted to use pork anyways.  This was a delicious dish and I particularly enjoyed the tomato base which was different than what I've had before.  The meat was tender and delicious and I was more than completely satisfied with our meal.  The whole family enjoyed it.

lamb pitas with yogurt sauce (taste of home)
2 tablespoons oil
2 pounds lamb stew meat
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup broth
1 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 medium cucumber
1 cup plain yogurt
pita pocket halves
4 plum tomatoes, sliced

In a large skillet, heat oil.  Brown lamb in batches.  Transfer to slow cooker.  In drippings, saute onion 4-6 minutes.  Add garlic and tomato paste.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Stir in broth, 1 teaspoon salt, basil.  Add to lamb.  Cook on LOW 6-8 hours.

spinach and rice (spanakorizo)

This dish was impressive.  So full of flavor and very authentic according to the reviews.  I loved putting two pounds of spinach into the dish and watching my kids eat it right up.  It was absolutely delicious paired with the meat dish and cucumber yogurt sauce I found to go with it.  No need to dine out!

spinach and rice (spanakorizo) (adapted from allrecipes.com)
1/4 cup oil (I will try to cut back a little more next time)
2 onions, chopped
2 pounds spinach, stems torn off
8 ounces tomato sauce
2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dill weed
1 teaspoon dried parsley
salt and pepper
1/2 cup uncooked rice (I used brown jasmine and cooked the dish twice as long)

Heat oil in a large skillet.  Saute onion until soft and translucent.  Add spinach then pour in tomato sauce and water.  Bring to a boil, season with parsley, dill, salt, pepper.  Stir in rice, reduce to low, simmer 20-25 minutes.
Sprinkle feta and lemon juice before enjoying.