recipes...

I have had a couple of requests for me to include recipes.... I will have to experiment with different ways to make this work... if I were good at the linking thing.... I would link over to the recipes... but I am not so much of a computer geek....so for now, I will try putting the recipes at the end of the blog so you don't have to read them if you are not interested.


As you see above, I tried the pesto-crusted fillet of salmon.... it was outstanding. This recipe is from the McCormick and Schmick (M&S) cookbook... it shouldn't have been too bad on the calories... and of course the big plus is the omega 3's from the salmon! M&S does not put the calorie counts in their cookbook.


I made my red onion relish ahead of time and used a jar of pesto (cheated and did not make my own...) but it was still delicious! and I used jasmine rice in my rice cooker.


For dessert - we tried a recipe given to me by a friend chocolate zucchini cake..... yum. I am always trying recipes in which I can sneak a few more vegetables into my kids diet... well, it didn't work this time. For some reason, they didn't like this one. I did! The zucchini made it very moist. I probably could have gone with fewer chocolate chips... 4 cups was a lot!

Last night - we had our tried and true - beer can chicken! - Love it because not only does the chicken always turn out moist, but EASY!! Beer can chicken is quick to make - but it does take about an hour on the grill and works best with a gas grill. I take a whole chicken and clean it up - pull the skin away from the meat and slide down spices in between the skin and the meat. My favorites are either the greek seasonings or the turkish seasonings from Penzeys Spices.... put the chicken over half of a can of beer... I think that is the neck side you stick it on... the chicken will be standing up on the can.... they have little stands at Bed, Bath & Beyond if you want... We have found it works best to put the whole thing (chicken and beer can) on an old cookie sheet that we have lined with tin foil and put that on the grill. Probably about medium heat for around an hour. A lot of the fat drips off onto the cookie sheet (which keeps it from flaming up and burning). Again, I don't know calorie count.... but my intuition tells me that as long as you don't eat the skin... it probably isn't too bad.

Since I spent my morning at the dmv..... ugh... ($1200 later) therefore, I decided I needed simple tonight. So I turned around and used part of the chicken that was leftover and tried the zesty chicken-noodle casserole from the Weight Watchers (WW) cookbook. I knew it was going to be $600 but was a little surprised at the $1200 - didn't realize that when we bought hubbie's new car - we only paid sales tax and not property tax! The husband and daughter both thought it (the chicken) was a little "blah". I thought the dmv was really "blah", the chicken on the other hand, was okay. Reminded me of tuna noodle casserole....was it good enough for 414 calories a serving??? Probably not. For 414 calories... there are some other recipes that look yummier to me. Is it worth $1200 to drive our cars for another year.... well, I have to admit I am rather attached to my car. I used these noodles that I absolutely love... they are Amish noodles. They are in the regular pasta area of my grocery.... but I really like them.

With our chicken noodle blah casserole, we had some acorn squash that I picked up at the Farmer's Market.... very good! I have a butternut squash that I am trying to find a good recipe to try....surprisingly there wasn't anything except soup in the WW cookbook. Maybe M&S has something....

Since we weren't overly impressed with the chicken recipe, I am not going to include it - but if you want it - please feel free to leave me a comment and I will include.

pesto-crusted fillet of salmon

2 ounces of pesto
1 salmon fillet
1 ounce vegetable oil
3 ounces fresh spinach
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons white wine
1 tablespoon cold butter
3/4 cup cooked rice

Coat the salmon with the pesto in an even layer. Heat the oil in a teflon saute pan. Sear on medium high heat pesto side down for 3 or 4 minutes. Turn the fish over, add the garlic, spinach and white wine to the pan. Cover it and reduce heat to low. Allow the fish to cook and the spinach to wilt for 3 or 4 minutes (I think mine took closer to 5 or 6). Remove the fish and set aside. Place the spinach in the center of the serving plate and return the pan to the heat. Add the butter and swirl to mealt. Place salmon fillet on the spinach and top with Red Onion Relish. Drizzle butter around the plate and serve with rice.

red onion relish

1 finely diced medium red onion
2 finely diced garlic cloves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon sambal oelek - some kind of hot sauce - I just used hot sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3/4 cup red wine
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ounce capers
salt and pepper

Gently saute onion and garlic until tender. Remove from heat and set aside. In a separate pot, reduce red wine to 1/4 cup. Combine all the ingredients and toss well. Salt and pepper to taste.

acorn squash

Cut acorn squash in half. Clean seeds out. Cook inside side down in a baking pan (like a 9x13) with about 1/2 inch of water for 30 minutes at around 350 degrees. Pull out of oven, turn over - add butter and brown sugar (maybe a teaspoon of each) and then put back in the over for another 30 minutes. (can add about 1/2 teaspoon of finely chopped onion also if desired)

chocolate zucchini cake

1/2 cup soft margarine/butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sour milk
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
4 Tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups shredded zucchini
4 cups chocolate chips

Cream margarine, oil & sugar. Add eggs, vannila & sour milk; beat with mixer until smooth. Mix together all dry ingredients & add to creamed mixture; beat well with mixer. Stir in zucchini. spoon batter into greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle top with chocolate chips. (This really needs NO frosting!) Bake @ 325 for 40-45 minutes.