Salmon and Sausage Coddle

I'm really enjoying the recipes that Publix shares in their sales paper each week. The best part is when shopping at the store, many times an employee is right there preparing the dishes.  And directly beside the cooking demonstration is a refrigerated case with all the ingredients for the featured dish ready to put in your cart!

This week's recipe is Salmon-Sausage Coddle. A "coddle" is an Irish dish made up of leftovers. Usually, it will contain sliced sausages, chunky potatoes, and herbs.  I served over steamed brown rice with rolls. The salmon was a surprise ingredient to my mind, and I wasn't sure how that would pair with the sausage, but this is definitely a keeper.

I used the following chicken sausage with kale, but you could easily use Italian ground sausage.

1 t. olive oil

1 lb. chicken sausage with kale, removed from casings

1 (12 oz.) bag matchstick carrots

1 leek (white part only) cut into quarters and chopped

1 T. fresh thyme, finely chopped

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup water

1 (24 oz.) bag baby gold or red potatoes, sliced

1 bunch fresh kale, stem removed and leaves chopped

1/2 t. kosher salt

1/2 t. pepper

1 lb. salmon fillets, skin removed and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 T. fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

1 T. red wine vinegar

1 T. Kerrygold Garlic-Herb Butter

Preheat large pot on medium for 2 - 3 minutes. Add oil and sausage and brown 4 - 5 minutes, stirring to crumble meat and cook until no pink remains.

Stir in carrots, leeks, and thyme; cook 2 - 3 minutes or until leeks have softened. Stir in stock, water, potatoes, kale, salt, and pepper; bring to a simmer and then cover and continue to simmer 25 - 30 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.

Gently stir in salmon, parsley, and vinegar.  Bring mixture to a simmer, then cover and remover from heat. Let coddle stand for 5 - 6 minutes until salmon is cooked through and has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.  Stir butter in gently and serve. 

Corned Beef Slider

If you cooked corned beef for St. Patrick's Day and you have leftovers, how about making a slider?

I used a small potato bread roll, started on the bottom bun with spicy brown mustard, piled on the shredded corn beef, topped with kraut and swiss cheese, put 1,000 Island dressing on the top bun and voila!  A delicious, easy-to-eat Corned Beef Slider!  

Instant Pot Cooking: Corned Beef Dinner

Happy St. Patrick's Day to Everyone! I took the opportunity to enjoy a relaxing Sunday afternoon on the deck and to try out the Instant Pot for preparing our corned beef dinner.  I was thrilled with the results.  So easy to load up the cooker, set the timer, and let it do the work.

1 (3 1/2 lb.) corned beef

1 T. minced garlic

4 cups of water

1 medium cabbage, cored and quartered

8 oz. carrots, peeled and sliced in 3 - 4-inch pieces lengthwise

12 oz. baby potatoes, halved

Place trivet into Instant Pot and add four cups water.  Rinse corned beef and place on trivet along with garlic and seasoning packet included with the corned beef.

Place cover on Instant Pot and move the valve to sealing position. Use the meat/stew option and set to cook for 90 minutes.  When time is up, quick release the pressure. Place corned beef on platter and cover with foil while you prepare the vegetables.

Remove corned beef from Pot and let the liquid remain.  Place cabbage, carrots, and potatoes onto the trivet. Cook at high pressure for 4 - 5 minutes.  Quick release the pressure and place the vegetables around the corned beef on your serving platter.

Enjoy!

Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Champagne Vinegar Vinaigrette

We enjoyed grilled hamburgers tonight and I realized I had a half an English cucumber, a handful of grape tomatoes, and a few slices of red onion. Instead of a pile of fries or onion rings as our side dish, in minutes I had mixed up a very simple, delicious salad.

1 cup English cucumber slices, quartered

1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise

1/4 cup finely chopped red onions

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T. Champagne vinegar

2 T. olive oil

a few grinds of black pepper

1/4 t. salt

Place vegetables in a medium bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk together the Champagne vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Pour vinaigrette over vegetables and stir to combine. Serve immediately.

Mushroom Ravioli with Spinach Artichoke Heart Alfredo Sauce

Today has been hectic and full of deadlines and responsibilities. It would have been SO very easy to stop for takeout on the way home. While that does happen occasionally, I try to keep a fairly well-stocked pantry and refrigerator for nights such as this.

See those beautiful plates above? This is what I started with tonight. In 18 minutes we were ready to dine.  I have sat in drive-through lines longer than that!

1 T. olive oil

6 oz. portabella mushrooms stems and ribs removed and chopped

14 oz. can of artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped

5 oz. baby spinach stems removed

1/3 cup white wine

1 jar Alfredo Sauce (I used Bertolli Garlic Alfredo)

1 bag refrigerated mushroom ravioli

Bring water to a boil for the ravioli.

While water heats, add olive oil to a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and lightly salt. Let cook 2 - 3 minutes until mushrooms brown.

Next, add in artichoke hearts and let cook 1 - 2 minutes.

Spinach in the pot just until it wilts.

Add in the wine and deglaze the pan. When wine evaporates, add in the Alfredo sauce and lower heat to low.

Add ravioli to boiling water and allow to cook for 4 - 5 minutes. When ravioli is cooked, drain and add to the sauce mixture and stir carefully until thoroughly coated with sauce.

Serve with garlic bread and enjoy your delicious homemade meal!

Linguine with White Clam Sauce

I saw this recipe in last week's Publix sales paper. While buying groceries, there was a nice woman preparing this dish and providing samples.  Sweet Harold and I made the immediate decision we wanted this for dinner one night this week. This is another perfect weeknight meal.  It was ready in 30 minutes!  I used canned clams.  Your choice to use either clams in the shell or out of the shell.

16 oz. linguine pasta

10 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped

1/4 bunch fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1 t. kosher salt

3/4 cup dry white wine (or clam juice)

36 fresh littleneck clams (or 12 - 16 oz. chopped shelled clams)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring water to boil for pasta, then cook linguine following package instructions.  Chop garlic and parsley.

Preheat large saute pan on medium heat 2 - 3 minutes. Place oil and garlic in pan; cook 2 - 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until softened, but not browned.  Add red pepper and salt; cook 30 more seconds, then pour in the wine or clam juice.

Increase heat to high and add clams; cover and cook 5 - 6 minutes, shaking the pan periodically until all the clams are opened. (Discard any clams that haven't opened).

Drain pasta; add to pan and toss to combine.  Top with parsley and Parmesan, if desired; serve immediately.

Philly Cheesesteak Wraps

For those of you who love Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches, think outside the bun! This is an excellent spin on the traditional sandwich. Banana Pepper rings add a different taste and texture as well.

2 T. olive oil
1 cup EACH chopped green peppers and onions
2 T. minced fresh garlic
1 lb. ribeye steak, thinly sliced, seasoned with salt and black pepper
1/2 cup banana pepper rings
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
salt and black pepper to taste
4 (10 inch) flour tortillas
8 oz. shredded provolone

Preheat broiler to high with rack 6 inches from element.

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and onions; cook until softened, 5 minutes.

Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add ribeye and cook until browned on both sides, 3 minutes. Stir in pepper rings and Worcestershire until heated; season with salt and pepper.

Arrange tortillas on a baking sheet an sprinkle 1/2 cup provolone onto each; broil until cheese melts, 1 - 2 minutes.

Divide filling among tortillas; roll up burrito-style to enclose filling.

If you don't have tortillas, how about a Philly Cheesesteak Tostada? I actually preferred this version! The crunchiness of the tostada was a nice contrast to the steak and veggies.

From Cuisine at Home Issue #133 January/February 2019

Spicy Beef Fried Rice

Isn't that a colorful wok of deliciousness?  If you don't want to use beef, you could certainly substitute pork, chicken, shrimp, or tofu! You can up the heat level by increasing the hot chili paste of course.  Cooking in a work is so much fun.  Make sure you have all your ingredients prepped before you begin to cook. Once the wok is hot, you'll need to have everything in order of their turn in the wok.  

For the sauce:
Whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 T. EACH hot chili paste and sesame oil

1 T. vegetable oil

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 T. vegetable oil

1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen classic mixed vegetables

1/4 minced scallion whites

1 T. minced fresh garlic

1 T. minced fresh ginger

1 T. vegetable oil

1 T. flank steak, thinly sliced and seasoned with salt and black pepper

3 cups cooked and chilled long grain rice

1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed

1/2 cup sliced scallion greens

Heat 1 T. vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat; swirl to coat. Add eggs; stir-fry until scrambled, then transfer to a bowl.

Add 1 T. vegetable oil to the wok and increase heat to high; stir-fry the mixed vegetables until softened, 3 - 5 minutes. Add scallion whites, garlic, and ginger; cook 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to bowl with scrambled eggs.

Heat 1 T. vegetable oil in the wok. Add steak and stir-fry until browned on both sides, 2 - 3 minutes.

Add stir fry sauce and toss to coat. Add rice, green peas, scallion greens, scrambled eggs, and stir fry vegetables; cook to heat through.

From Cuisine at Home Issue #131 September/October 2018

Bourbon-Bacon Mac and Cheese

Let's see.  Some of my favorite things?  Bourbon? Check.  Bacon? Check. Mac and Cheese? Check!

And when they're all combined in a cast iron skillet? Oh my goodness.  This was a decadent comfort food meal. Today has been chilly and rainy and gray. How better to bring warmth and goodness into your life than comfort food.  

8 oz. bacon, chopped

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 T. all-purpose flour

1 T. chopped fresh thyme

1 1/2 t. kosher salt

1 t. ground black pepper

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

3 cups whole milk

1/2 cup bourbon

2 cups shredded Gouda cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded smoked Cheddar cheese, divided

1 (16 oz.) pkg. chiocciole pasta (I used small rotini), cooked according to package directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon using a slotted spoon, and let drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet.

Add onion to skillet, cooking until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, thyme, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, cook for 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and bourbon.

Bring to a simmer; cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in Gouda and 1 cup cheddar until smooth. Stir in cooked pasta and half of bacon; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar and remaining bacon.

Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Garnish with thyme, if desired.

From Southern Cast Iron Magazine Jan/Feb 2019

Shrimp Tostadas

This is a great recipe when you need to feed a crowd. A pound of shrimp goes a long way when topping the tostadas. If you're pressed for time, you can certainly use packaged tostadas.  Shop wisely when purchasing your shrimp.  If at all possible, always buy U.S. wild-caught shrimp!

¼ cup vegetable oil

8 corn tortillas (6-inch)

Kosher salt

1 bag angel hair coleslaw (4 cups)

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 T. distilled white vinegar

3 T. olive oil, divided
2 t. taco seasoning

12 oz. medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, chopped, and seasoned with salt and pepper
2 t. minced garlic

2 T. fresh lime juice

Tabasco sauce to taste
½ cup minced white onion, rinsed and patted dry

1 avocado, diced

Chopped cilantro for garnish

Heat vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat to 350 degrees F.  Fry tortillas, one at a time, until crisp, flipping halfway through, about 1 minute; drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and season with salt.

Toss together coleslaw, cilantro, vinegar, and 1 T. olive oil; season with salt.

Toss shrimp in taco seasoning. Cook shrimp in remaining 2 T. olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, 2 – 3 minutes, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in lime juice until absorbed, then season with Tabasco.

Top prepared tostadas with coleslaw, onion, avocado, and shrimp.

Adapted from Cuisine at Home Issue No. 128 March/April 2019

Roasted Salmon with Asparagus and Parsley Salad

This recipe caught my eye and I knew I wanted to try it this week. I had sockeye salmon in the freezer which I let thaw in the fridge today.  We all appreciate those meals which come together quickly. The salmon roasted in the oven while I mixed up the salad. This is definitely a 30-minute meal. The asparagus salad is amazing and remember to get a bite of salad with every bite of salmon!  So healthy and fresh tasting.  Yum!

For the salad dressing:

2 T. EACH white wine vinegar and olive oil

1 T. EACH minced shallots and fresh tarragon

1 t. EACH Dijon mustard and raw honey

For the salad:

1 bunch asparagus (1 lb.), trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 cup fresh parsley leaves

For the salmon:

4 skinned wild salmon fillets (4 - 6 oz. each)

1 T. olive oil

Salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with foil.

Whisk together, the vinegar, oil, shallots, tarragon, Dijon, and honey for the vinaigrette.  Season with salt and pepper.

Blanch asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, 30 – 60 seconds; transfer to an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Drain and pat dry.

Toss asparagus and parsley with vinaigrette just before serving.

For the salmon, pat fillets dry; rub both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper.

Arrange fillets on prepared baking sheet.  Roast fillets until the thickest part are still translucent and a thermometer inserted into center registers 125 degrees for medium-rare; about 8 minutes.

Top fillets with salad.

From Cuisine at Home Issue No. 134 March/April 2019

Three Cheese Italian Sausage Pizza

Yes, I could eat pizza every day. I love pizza! This version is unique in that ricotta and mozzarella are mixed together are the base for all the delicious toppings. The pizza sauce goes on TOP of the cheese. Find your favorite chicken Italian seasoned sausage and don't forget to add those dollops of pesto right before serving!

1 purchased thin pizza crust (12 inch)

1 T. olive oil

1/3 cup part-skim ricotta

1/3 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella

Salt and black pepper to taste

½ cup purchased pizza sauce

12 cup shredded fontina

½ cup seeded and thinly sliced mini sweet pepper

1 link Italian-style chicken sausage (2 oz.) sliced

6 slices fresh tomato

1 – 2 T. purchased refrigerated basil pesto

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. with a baking stone on bottom rack.

Place crust on a baking stone and brush with oil.

Combine ricotta and mozzarella, season with salt and pepper and spread on the crust, leaving a 1-inch border.  Spread pizza sauce on top of ricotta mixture, then top with fontina, peppers, sausage, and tomatoes.

Bake pizza on stone until cheese is bubbling and crust is brown, 15 – 20 minutes. Dollop pesto over hot pizza.

From Cuisine at Home Issue No. 134 March/April 2019

Pork Chop Suey

Pork Chop Suey is generally considered to have been invented by Chinese Americans.  It's another time-saving meal because this was ready in about 25 minutes.  That even beats "carry out" ordering time!

You'll want to cook the onions just enough to soften them and remove the raw taste, but not too long or they'll be mushy!  Shitake mushroom stems can sometimes be tough. Cut them off and discard or you can save them for stock.

It's essential to prepare the pork and vegetables before you begin cooking.  Once you start cooking, things go quickly!

2 T. peanut oil
1 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into bite-sized pieces and seasoned with salt and pepper
2 cups stemmed and sliced shitake mushrooms
1 cup bias cut celery
1 cup sliced white onions
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. minced fresh garlic
1 T. cornstarch
Cilantro for garnishing

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add pork and stir-fry until browned, 3 - 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add shitakes, celery, and onions stir-fry until onions soften, about 4 minutes.

Whisk together broth, soy sauce, garlic, and cornstarch. Stir into work and boil until thickened, 1 - 2 minutes.

Stir in pork and any residual juices into wok until heated through. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

From Cuisine at Home Issue 128 March/April 2018

Bean Sprout Salad with chow mein noodles

Bean sprouts and chow mein noodles are both common ingredients in chop suey and this salad makes an excellent, crunchy side dish to serve alongside the chop suey.  Remember that bean sprouts are susceptible to spoilage, so keep them refrigerated and rinse them thoroughly before using. 

Let's make the vinaigrette first:

2 T. rice vinegar

1 T. soy sauce

1 T. toasted sesame oil

2 t. sugar

1 t.chili garlic sauce

Whisk together all ingredients.  Set aside.

For the salad, you'll need:

2 cups fresh mung bean sprouts

1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper

1/2 cup bias-sliced scallions

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup chow mein noodles

Combine all ingredients (except chow mein noodles) in a large bowl. Toss with vinaigrette just before serving and mix in chow mein noodles.

From Cuisine at Home Issue 128 March/April 2018

One Pot Ragu with Italian Sausage

We all love one pot meals. When that one pot meal is a pot of comfort food that's a great bonus!  This dish will take about 30 minutes to prepare.  Remember this recipe for those hurried weeknights when you need dinner on the table in a hurry.  

1/2 cup EACH chopped carrot, celery, and onion 

2 T. olive oil

1 lb. bulk Italian sausage

1 (28 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, seasoned with basil and oregano

3 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 T. Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz. spaghetti (noodles broken in half)
2 T. tomato paste

salt and black pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Mince the vegetables in a food processor.

Heat 2 T. olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

Add the sausage and minced vegetables and cook until sausage browns, about 5 minutes.

Stir in diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and the spaghetti noodles.  Make sure the noodles are submerged in the broth.  Bring liquid to a boil. Add tomato paste.  Cover pot, reduce heat to medium/low and cook ragu until pasta is al dente, and sauce thickens, 8 - 10 minutes. Season ragu with salt and pepper.  Stir in chopped basil.

Adapted from Cuisine at Home Issue No. 133 September/October 2018

Frontier Soups: White Bean Chili with Pork

Sweet Harold received a gift basket which included a white bean chili mix from Frontier Soup Mixes.  The packaging suggested that ground turkey and artichoke hearts be added to the mix when preparing.  We discussed it and decided to use ground pork instead and omit the artichoke hearts.  Here is the result!

Our thoughts?  Ease of preparation was a 10/10.  I especially enjoyed the seasoning blend. Not too much of any one flavor, but every spice had a great balance with the others.

I might add a can of Rotel tomatoes next time, but this was a great pot of chili!  I'm anxious to try some of their other soups.

The cornbread was entirely different than what I usually make, but we enjoyed it.  It was baked in an 8 x 8-inch baking pan.  The cornbread had a sweet taste, but it paired nicely with the chili.

Instant Pot Cooking: Great Northern Beans

With my Instant Pot, I didn't need to babysit a pot of Great Northern Beans on the stove top all day. A quick rinse and sort, a 7-hour soak, and 10 minutes of cooking in the Instant Pot and the beans were tender and flavorful.  You can certainly add smoked sausage or a ham hock to the beans while they cook. For this batch, I added about a T. of ham base.

1 lb. Great Northern Beans, rinsed and picked over to remove any debris

water to cover

1 T. ham base (Better than Bouillon brand)

Place beans in a large glass bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight or several hours. Drain water.

Place beans in Instant Pot. Cover with water by about 2 inches. Add 1 T. ham base. 

Place the Instant Pot cover on, lock the lid, and set the pressure valve to steam. Set the cooking time for 10 minutes on high pressure.

When time is up, press "cancel" and let the steam naturally release. When the pressure has been fully released, carefully remove the lid with it facing away from you.  Serve these delicious beans over your favorite cornbread.

 

The Little Ones' Snowmen Table

I always enjoy setting the grandchildren a snowmen and snowwomen table during January each year.  

A white tablecloth with a snowflake motif is the perfect snowy backdrop for the table. Rattan chargers and wood handled silverware bring a touch of the outdoors to the table. The dark navy blue napkins are a perfect match for the Cobalt blue Fiestaware plates with the snow "people" salad plates.

I love this pitcher with the coordinating salt and pepper shakers and the larger snowman and woman.

How about a fun miniature wooden sled for the centerpiece?

And I dearly love these Beanie Babies!