A New Adventure for Kohlton and Excitement for Ellie + Recipes

This weekend Ellie took Kohlton for a mountain bike ride. Kohlton knows how to ride a bike, but this was a different experience for him. He was all smiles when he returned. They've gone on a ride every day since then. Yeah!


It is handy that Kohlton happens to be the same size at Ethan. Thanks to Ethan for loaning him stuff to give mountain biking a try.

Here's a nice, simple and quick dinner I made recently.

Warmly Spiced Pork Tenderloin with (served with Peas and Homemade Applesauce)

1 Pork Tenderloin, cut into bite size pieces (the tenderlion I used was intended for BBQ)
1 teaspoon kosher sea salt
1/2 tea Black Pepper, freshly ground
1/2 tea Cinnamon
1/4 tea Turmeric
1/4 tea ground Cumin
1/4 tea ground Coriander
1/4 tea ground Cardamom
Pinch Ground Cloves
Pinch Cayenne Pepper

2 TBL Olive Oil or Bacon Drippings
1 cup Homemade Applesauce

Mix all of the spices. In a large baggie toss in some of the diced pork. Sprinkle them with some of the spices and shake the bag. Repeat this until all of the diced pork is lightly spiced. Let this sit for at least 30 minutes.

Heat the oil/bacon drippings in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork until browned, about 3 minutes per side.Be sure to not crowd the pork or it will sweat instead of cook. Saute the meat in batches, if necessary. Lower the temperature to medium-low; cover and continue to cook until the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145 F, another 3 to 5 minutes.

In another pot boil water for the peas. Cook the peas with a small bit of Rosemary. Drain when done and add a touch of butter. Serve with the spiced pork and applesauce.

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Here are some cookies that Ellie made this weekend. They are soft, nice and not too sweet.

Soft Brown Sugar Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting
via: Susie QT Pies Cafe blog

2/3 c. butter, softened
1-1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
2-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. sour cream

Blend together butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time; blend well. Add vanilla; beat until light. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream; mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto non-stick or lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove to a wire rack; cool. Frost with Browned Butter Frosting. Makes 2 dozen

Browned Butter Frosting

1/4 c. butter
1-1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 T. Milk

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it turns golden. Watch carefully as this will happen quickly. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and enough milk to make a spreading consistency.

Valentine's Day Dance at AVS

I made a fun jello dessert for the party. It was a hit. I usually make it in the colors of the rainbow (ROYGBIV), but wanted to stay with the party colors. Although I used many colors and flavors of jello, it was more monotone than I had expected.

Here's the recipe from another blog. (I am reposting it here since it is from 2007 and I worry that the link will go dead soon.)

Rainbow Jello Dessert
via: Tip Junkie via Rachel Perlow on the EGullet forums.

Plan on it taking about 3 hours to make, the day before you need it. It only takes a few minutes every 20 minutes or so, but you can't let a layer set for hours before adding the next one, or you risk the layers sliding apart after unmolding. Ideally, you want the finished mold to set up at least over night. However, I made it that morning and it was finished 5 hours before the party. It was still fine and unmolded perfectly.

People ask what it tastes like. It tastes like Jell-O. Since you are eating many flavors at once, it's hard to differentiate, so it doesn't matter which flavor of red you choose, except that Watermelon is too light in color and Black Cherry is too dark. The kids, along with some adults, like to eat it layer by layer. It is really kind of fun.

Begin with the color that you want to show at the top of your mold. Be thoughtful about what colors you will end with since the bundt pan flares towards the bottom you will need to make double batches of the last few colors. If you don't do that, the layers will be very thin. You don't have to use Jell-O brand gelatin. If you can't find all the colors you need in one brand, it doesn't really matter if you substitute a store brand . If you want to get fancy, you can use unflavored/unsweetened gelatin and make your own flavors with juice, but the colors will be hard to achieve without a lot of food coloring, so I just go with the boxed stuff.

The original recipe calls for 3 Tbs yogurt for each layer, I go with 2 Tbs, or really just a big soup spoonful, otherwise the creamy layers are too pale. I use the regular Cool Whip. The Extra Thick Cool Whip does not mix in as easily as the usual stuff.

Recipe:

8 x 3/4 c Boiling Water
7 pkg flavored Gelatin, 1 each of the 6 different colors of the rainbow, plus one extra, either red or purple* (I used 5 colors)
1-1/4 c Vanilla Yogurt (smooth and creamy works best), or sour cream, or cool whip (I used Cool Whip)
Whipped Topping or Cream for service (optional)


Line up your boxes of gelatin in rainbow order (remember ROY G BIV?), next to 5 large cups, and one quart sized bowl. Put each flavor of gelatin in its own bowl or cup, use the larger one for the double batch. Stir 1.1/4 cups boiling water into each flavor at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved (do one at a time, to make sure each is completely dissolved), use 2.5 cups for the double batch.


Lightly spray a 10 cup Bundt pan with cooking spray, wipe out excess with a paper towel. Beginning with your first color, pour 3/4 cup of the dissolved gelatin into the bundt pan. Refrigerate about 15-20 minutes or until set but not firm (gelatin should feel tacky and stick to finger when touched).

Meanwhile, stir 2 Tbsp. of the yogurt or Cool Whip into the 1/2 cup of dissolved gelatin remaining in the cup, use a small whisk or fork to get out all the lumps. Refrigerate this remaining gelatin about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened (consistency of unbeaten egg whites). Leave the rest of the flavors at room temperature, lightly covered with plastic wrap.

Spoon the creamy gelatin over the set, but still tacky gelatin in pan. Refrigerate about 10-15 minutes or until gelatin is set but not firm (gelatin should stick to finger when touched).

Repeat this with each remaining gelatin flavor. If the gelatin waiting to be used sets at room temperature, fill a bowl the cup will fit into with hot water and stir to loosen it up again. Refrigerate gelatin as directed to create a total of 12 alternating clear and creamy gelatin layers. See tips below.

Refrigerate overnight until firm. Unmold. Garnish servings with whipped cream (optional).

TIPS FOR SUCCESS:

When making all the gelatin at once, instead of using bowls, the gelatin can be made in large, individual, plastic cups (facilitates cleanup). Mark each cup with its flavor and line the cups up in the order they are going into the mold. Put each color of gelatin in its own cup. This saves having to reboil water every 1/2 hour. Leave the gelatin waiting to be layered on the counter, at room temperature, lightly covered with plastic wrap.

Mold type and size: This is a versatile recipe, and special molds aren't needed, but a bundt cake pan makes a beautiful mold. To calculate the mold's volume, fill it with water to measure it. Plan on 1-2/3 cup of gelatin per box. For a 10-cup mold, seven boxes of gelatin work well. If you are using a smaller mold, use less of each flavor, fewer colors, or make a second "sampler" serving. Even for a large mold, making a small sampler in a clear glass will hit the spot after taking 3 hours to make this and not being able to have any until the next day.

Order: For a nice look the colors of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet) are most commonly used, but variations can be beautiful. For example, school colors for a school banquet or bake sale, or colors appropriate to a holiday, i.e. red and green at Christmas.

Setting: To set properly, the gelatin must be cold and not warm when it is put in the mold. It is also important that the layers are tacky to the touch and not solidly firm, as each successive layer is added. Otherwise the layers may not stick to each other. To prevent the layers from cracking as each layer is added, pour the gelatin over a spoon to break the fall, close down to the set gelatin. Each time the mold is put into the refrigerator to set, give it a quarter turn. This will keep the layers even. It takes less time for each progressive layer to set.

Unmolding: For best results, unmold just before serving. Fill a larger container or clean sink with warm water, not too hot (otherwise it will melt). Rub a few drops of water onto the serving plate, this will facilitate adjusting the mold after unmolding, if necessary. Either use a plate with a large lip and just a little bit bigger than the diameter of the mold, or use a larger platter, at least 2-3 inches larger than the mold, because it will spread when unmolded and cut. Dip the mold almost to the edge into the warm water for just a few seconds. Wipe off with a towel and check the edges to see if they are loose, if not, repeat the dip for just a few seconds. Invert serving plate on top and flip quickly. Having a spotter brings peace of mind!

Lemon Chicken and New Red Potatoes

Here's a recipe that I adapted and served for dinner recently:

Lemon Chicken
Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

4 Chicken Breast, skinless and boneless, cubed
3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound small red potatoes, sliced into coins
2 lemons, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices and seeded
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Cappers (to taste, perhaps 3 TBL. would be good if you like them, if not, omit them.)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves

1. Begin by sauteing the chicken in olive oil or butter.

2. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add potatoes to pan; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook potatoes on each side or until browned. Remove potatoes from pan. Add lemon slices to pan; cook 1 minute on each side or until browned. Remove lemon from pan. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add the garlic; sauté 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine and chopped fresh thyme; cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. (I did these parts ahead of time and finished constructing the dish later.)

3. Return potatoes and lemon slices to pan. Add 2/3 cup stock, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 2 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Combine remaining 1/3 cup stock and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture and cappers to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in lemon juice and butter, stirring until butter melts. Return chicken to pan, turning to coat; sprinkle with parsley.

Thanksgiving Prep - Turkey Gravy, Brussel Sprouts with Onion & Bacon, Stuffing & Brining

Turkey Gravy - Made Ahead of Time, Mostly

Turkey Stock -

5 pounds turkey wings
1 turkey neck
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or Olive Oil
1 red onion, cut into chunks
3 carrots
2 celery stalks
10 Peppercorns, whole (Tellicherry)
3-5 Bay leaves
3-5 stalks of Fresh Thyme

Preheat oven to 450°. Spread turkey wings, turkey neck and onion in a large heavy roasting pan which has sides. Lightly coat the turkey wings with oil; roast until browned, about 1 hour. Flip half way through.

Once the turkey wings are cool enough to handle, tear the skin and meat from the bones. Place all of the turkey, skin and bones, along with the roasted onion in a heavy pan with 8 cups of water.Place the carrot, celery, peppercorns, bay leaf and thyme in the pan.

Now, back to the pan which was used for the roasting. If there is an excess of fat, pout it off. (Mine did not have this issue.) Place the roasting pan on the stove top, pour in two cups of water and bring it to a simmer. After simmering for about 5 minutes, carefully hold the pan and scrap the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon in order to remove the caramelized bits on the pan. Once this process is complete, pour this mixture in the pan with the turkey, veggies, water and herbs.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered, skimming surface occasionally, for 3-4 hours. The goal here is to reduce the stock to 6 cups, intensifying the flavor.

Let the broth cool and then strain it. This stock can be kept for up to 3 day in the fridge, or frozen.Strain into another pot; boil until reduced to 2 quarts, about 30 minutes longer.

Turkey Gravy -

4 TBL unsalted butter or turkey fat
4 TBL all-purpose flour
6 cups turkey stock, warm
2 tablespoons Madeira (optional)
Kosher salt

(Optional Add-In, as suggested by Bon Appetit Magazine)
For every 6 cups of Turkey gravy, add:
1 1/2 cups Dry White Wine that has been heated and reduced to 1 cup.
or
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce & 1 tsp. Soy Sauce
or
1 cup + 2 Tsp. Apple Cider (simmer for 5 minutes before adding to the gravy.)


Melt butter or turkey fat in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. The roux will become smooth and golden brown. Keep whisking! Within 2–3 minutes it will be the color of caramel or café au lait. Gradually whisk in the warm turkey stock, bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the gravy's at a bare simmer. Add Maderia (if using) during the last few minutes before adding the turkey pan drippings. Season with kosher salt and serve. Or keep the gravy warm until the turkey is finished and take it one step further... Transfer your turkey to a cutting board and strain the drippings from the pan into a measuring cup. Skim the fat; add enough water to measure 1-2 cups. Place the pan across two burners set on medium-high heat. Add the drippings mixture and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Strain into the gravy; simmer until slightly thickened, 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and serve.

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Apple and Sausage Stuffing
via: Handle the Heat Blog
YIELD: 8-10 servings

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound spicy pork bulk sausage
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced peeled and cored Granny Smith apples
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
1 bay leaf

1 (1-pound) loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (with crusts)
1 cup whole milk
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large eggs, beaten to blend

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and saute, breaking up into pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage to a large bowl. Add the celery, onion, apple, garlic, parsley, sage, and bay leaf to the skillet and saute until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Add the vegetable mixture to the sausage in the large bowl. Can be made 1 day ahead of time, cover and refrigerate. Reheat to lukewarm before using.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Add the bread to the sausage mixture. Whisk the milk, broth, and butter in a large measuring glass or small bowl to combine. Add to the stuffing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in the eggs then transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake uncovered for about 50 minutes, until cooked through and browned.

From Bon Appetit

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Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Onion
via: Jelly Toast Blog
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
2 small red onions, sliced
5 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
4 strips of bacon, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
(1/2 cup Pecans, finely chopped)
2-4 Tablespoons of good quality, aged balsamic vinegar (if you don’t have a good quality aged vinegar, you can boil regular balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan, and reduce it until it becomes syrupy)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss together Brussels sprouts, onions, garlic and bacon. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat. Spread veggies into a single layer.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing once halfway through cooking. Veggies should be tender and golden at the edges, and bacon should be cooked through.

Remove from oven, drizzle with balsamic vinegar (and pecans). Toss to coat and serve!


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Brown Sugar, Citrus and Salt Brine
adapted from a recipe from Goodlife Eats Blog


For a 16 - 20 lb. Turkey:
1 cup kosher salt
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
4 bay leaves
5 stems fresh thyme
3 stems fresh sage
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 cup loosely packed parsley (stems ok)
3 Oranges or Tangerines
3 Lemons
10 Garlic Cloves, crushed
peel of 3 tangerines or oranges (optional)
1 gallon boiling water
8 pounds ice cubes


Combine the salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, bay leaves, thyme, sage, rosemary, parsley, garlic, and tangerine peel together in a large stock pot. Add 1 gallon of water. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, remove from heat.
After removing from heat, steep the mixture for 45 minutes. Then, add in enough ice to bring the brine amount up to 2 gallons (2 gallons = 32 cups). This is very important otherwise you will have an incredibly salty turkey.
For smaller stock pots, you may have to allow the brine to cool and add the additional amount when pouring the brine into the bag in the following step.
Place the turkey in a large zip-top bag. I recommend the Ziploc Big Bags (size large). Put the bagged turkey in a clean cooler. Pour the brine over the turkey, in the bag, making sure the breasts are fully submerged. Zip the bag closed. Place the cooler in a cool place, such as your garage or, and allow the turkey to soak in the cold brine for 12-24 hours.
Use gel ice packs or bagged ice around the zipped bag inside the cooler, if necessary, to keep the brine below 40°F. (Adding more ice directly to the brine would only dilute it.)
Alternatively, if you have room in your refrigerator, you may place the bagged turkey in a large foil tray rather than a cooler and store it on the fridge shelf.
After the brining process, transfer the turkey to a roasting pan and discard the brine. Roast according to your preferred method.
Note: For a smaller turkey you may make less brine; however, be careful to do so with the original proportions of ingredient still intact. Too much salt will leave you with an incredibly salty turkey. Also, birds less than 10 pounds will likely not need to soak for the full 24 hours to achieve the desired results.

Mediterranean Chicken Soup with Olives

I really like soup and I find that it is an easy way to get my veggies. Plus, I tend to make low fat soups. Here's an adapted recipe I made for lunch this week:

Mediterranean Chicken Soup with Olives and Vegetables
6 to 8 servings

4 boneless chicken breasts, cubed

Ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped (I used 2 small red onions)

1 1/2 cup of baby carrots, diced

1 1/2 cup Broccoli florets cut into small pieces

3 medium cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika (Next time I will use 1.5 tea.)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1-½ teaspoons dried Herbes de Provence or dried basil, crushed; divided

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 can Artichoke Hearts, quarter (This was not part of the original recipe)

1 large bunch of Kale, leafy sections removed from the stem and torn into small pieces

Optional: 1 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed (omitted)

1 tablespoon finely chopped preserved lemon or chopped lemon zest

1 cup pitted olives, preferably a mixture of green and black, chopped

Salt to taste (omitted)

1. Saute the chicken n a 6-quart pot heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Brown well on all sides.(The browning gives the soup a rich color and flavor.)

2. Saute the onion until translucent stirring occasionally. Add carrot and garlic; continue cooking 4 minutes. Add paprika, cumin and 1 teaspoon of the herb, stirring 1 minute.

3. Stir broth or water, remaining vegatbles and crumbled saffron into the pot. Bring to the boil. Add chicken, stirring well. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes or until chicken is just cooked through.

4. Remove soup from heat. Add remaining ½ teaspoon dried herb, and olives. Simmer 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper if needed.
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Chicken Fried Rice
via: The Feed Zone Cookbook from Skratch Labs

This recipe is exactly as Allen presented it to his class in the third grade and exactly as he serves it to athletes at training camps, races, or impromptu dinners at his place in Boulder, Colorado. At the 2010 Tour de France, this was Lance Armstrong’s favorite post-race dish.

1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
2–3 green onions, diced
or thinly sliced
3 eggs
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup boneless chicken thighs (2–3 pieces)
1 cup frozen peas and corn

OPTIONAL ADDITIONS
Sriracha sauce
sesame oil

1 Bring a lightly oiled sauté pan to mediumhigh heat. Add the garlic and green onions
and sauté for about 1 minute.
2 In a small bowl, beat the eggs and soy sauce vigorously and pour into the hot pan. The pan should be hot enough to cause the eggs to fluff. Stir the eggs to cook them quickly.
3 Add the rice and cooked chicken thighs and fry the mixture for 5–6 minutes.
4 Add the peas and corn and cook until the vegetables heat through and are vibrant
in color. Season to taste with salt, Sriracha sauce, and additional soy sauce or sesame oil.
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Melon Cucumber Smoothie
via:Dash of East blog

1 cup honeydew melon, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup garden cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup plain yogurt (I used coconut milk)
1 tablespoon agave
3-4 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients in a blender.
Pour into a glass and enjoy!
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Pan Seared Honey Glazed Salmon with Browned Butter Lime Sauce

Pan Seared Honey Glazed Salmon with Browned Butter Lime Sauce
Yields 4 servings
via: Cooking Classy Blog

4 (6 oz) salmon fillets, rested at room temperature 20 minutes
8 tsp flour, divided
2 Tbsp honey, divided
zest of 1 - 2 limes (I like it with a generous amount so in my opinion 2)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 recipe Browned Butter Lime Sauce, recipe follows

Working in batches of two salmon fillets at a time (or using two skillets, because you don't want to overcrowd the salmon when cooking it on the stove-top so it cooks more evenly), place salmon fillets on a cutting board or plate and sprinkle 1 tsp flour over each side of the salmon fillets and spread flour to evenly coat. Evenly drizzle 3/4 tsp honey over each side of the flour coated salmon fillets.* Drizzle 1 Tbsp olive oil into a 10 inch non-stick skillet, swirl pan to evenly coat bottom and heat over medium heat. Once oil it hot, carefully place salmon ) in pan and cook over medium heat, 3-5 minutes per side until salmon has cooked through and bottom has nicely browned. Plate salmon immediately, drizzle each fillet with 1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp Browned Butter Lime Sauce and sprinkle with lime zest. Serve warm.


*note that once you remove the salmon from the plate some of the flour and honey coating will stick to the plate so I'd recommend just scraping it up with a spatula and adding it to the salmon once it's in the pan, alternately you could just coat one side with the flour and honey then after adding it to the pan you can coat the top side with flour and honey. Either way works I'd just say don't waste any of that delicious coating.

Browned Butter Lime Sauce

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp salted butter, diced
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Place butter in a small (light colored) saucepan. Cook over medium heat, swirling pan occasionally, until butter is fragrant and has turned a tan shade (for a step by step tutorial on how to brown butter see link here, although I would recommend not to stir constantly rather swirl pan occasionally). Remove from heat and add browned butter along with lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper to a blender. Blend on low speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute until well blended. Pour sauce into a small glass dish (note: whisk butter mixture with a fork before pouring onto salmon as it will separate, rewarm if needed).
I

Spiced Salmon with Mango Salsa and Zucchini Tart

Caribbean Jerk Salmon Bowl with Mango Salsa
via: Pinch of Yum blog
time: 20 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 30 mins Serves: 4


1 lb. wild caught salmon filet with skin (in one or several pieces)
1 teaspoon oil
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon curry
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
2 cups cooked white rice
1 12 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 mangoes, peeled and diced
1/2 large red onion, diced
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 squeeze lime juice
1 avocado (optional)


Stir the spices together. Rub over salmon filets (on the meat and also the skin if you want). Sprinkle with sea salt.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add salmon, starting skin side down, and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add more oil as necessary to prevent from sticking. Flip the salmon and cook another 3-5 minutes on the meat side. The salmon will start to get a brown crust on the outside from the spices.

When salmon is mostly cooked, pull off the skin, leaving just the pieces of meat in the skillet. Break up into smallish pieces and leave on heat until completely cooked through (not translucent). Once the pieces are cooked, remove from heat – salmon dries out quickly if you overcook it.

Combine mangoes, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and avocado in a small bowl and stir until combined. Season with sea salt.

Stir together rice and beans and season with several pinches of salt, adding a tablespoon water if necessary.

Divide between bowls, layering the rice and beans, salmon, and salsa into each bowl.

Notes
The reason I take the skin off is because I never have good luck cooking whole salmon filets and it allows me to make sure all of the fish is cooked through. Also, it makes for great texture in the bowl!

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Zucchini Tart
via: Kitchen Konfidence blog
Crust adapted from 101 Cookbooks, filling adapted from Saveur.

(I made this without the crust due to our avoiding gluten, but I've included it here for those who would like to try it.)

Cornmeal Tart Crust:

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
scant 1 cup medium coarse corn meal
¾ teaspoon fine grain salt
1 ¼ cups cold unsalted butter, cut in cubes
1 large egg yolk
¼ cup – ¾ cup cold water

Zucchini, Ricotta, Feta Cheese Filling:

4 – 5 medium zucchini, trimmed (about 2 ½ lbs.)*
2 tablespoons butter plus 1 tablespoon melted butter
3 shallots, finely chopped
10 cherry tomatoes, finely chopped, drained of excess moisture
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
½ cup ricotta
2 tablespoons chopped dill (or to taste)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten

Begin with the cornmeal tart crust. Combine flours, cornmeal and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add cold butter cubes and continue to pulse until the butter is coarsely mixed in (stop pulsing when the mixture forms bits roughly the size of peas). Pulse in the egg yolk and ¼ cup of water. Trickle in more water if needed, just until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and form a ball. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, shape each into a ball, press into a flat disk and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place one rack in the middle of the oven.

Once the dough is chilled, place one of the disks on a lightly floured surface (I used a Silpat). and roll out until the dough is large enough to line your tart pan. You can also lightly flour your rolling pin if you find the dough is sticking. Try to complete this process quickly since the dough is easier to work with when it is cold. Transfer the dough to the pan. Working your way from the center out, press the dough along the bottom of the pan, then to the edges and finish with the sides. Trim any excess dough. Keep the scraps handy to patch any tears. Place the pan in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.

Take the pan out of the refrigerator and pierce the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Place the circular tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the pie weights and finish baking for another 5 minutes or until the crust is just barely starting to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

To make the filling, start by grating one of the zucchini into a large bowl (use the large holes of a box grater). Add 1 tablespoon of salt, toss well and let sit for 30 minutes. This will draw all of the moisture out of the zucchini. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and wring out thoroughly.

During this 30 minute period, slice remaining zucchini into rounds with a mandolin (to ensure even slices). Blanch slices in a large pot of salted, boiling water for 1 minute. You will need to do this in several batches. Drain and transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet.

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add shallots and cook until soft (about 5 minutes). Add drained, grated zucchini and cook until just beginning to brown (about 6 minutes). Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.

Stir tomatoes, ricotta, half of the feta cheese and dill into the zucchini-shallot mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the egg and spread the mixture evenly onto the cornmeal crust. Arrange zucchini rounds on top (get creative here!). Bake for 15 minutes, then brush the top with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Continue to bake for another 10 minutes. Let cool slightly and finish with a sprinkling of feta cheese over top.

Serves 4 – 8 based on if this a side dish or main course.