Salmon Adventures, Part II (Blackened Salmon Fillets)

So, we finally got around to another salmon recipe. (See Salmon Adventures post). There was one new recipe in the middle made by the hubby, but we both agreed it was not too tasty. So, technically this Part II is really Part II.5. This recipe was the only one I could find that only involved things in the pantry. I was worried about masking the delicious flavor of the salmon, but it had to be done. It smelled great and tasted fantastic! The spicy flavor was perhaps a little too much for both the hubby and myself, so we will tone down the original recipe next time as shown below.

Blackened Salmon Fillets

2 tablespoons ground paprika
1/2 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
4 salmon fillets, skin and bones removed
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted


1. In a small bowl, mix paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, salt, white pepper, black pepper, thyme, basil and oregano.

2. Brush salmon fillets on both sides with 1/4 cup butter, and sprinkle evenly with the cayenne pepper mixture. Drizzle one side of each fillet with 1/2 remaining butter.

3. In a large, heavy skillet over high heat, cook salmon, butter side down, until blackened, 2 to 5 minutes. Turn fillets, drizzle with remaining butter, and continue cooking until blackened and fish is easily flaked with a fork.

Pioneer Woman's Baked Mac & Cheese

Disclaimer: I am from Wisconsin, and I LOVE cheese.
Don't let that affect your opinion of this dish, though. It is delicious! (Just ask my husband). It makes a LOT of macaroni, so we were eating it off and on for almost a week. Luckily, it reheats very well! This is a good compromise on kid-friendly comfort food with a very adult twist. This would go really well with ham, if you don't want this to be your main dish. The original recipe can be found here.

Macaroni & Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

4 cups dried macaroni
1/4 cup (1/2 stick, 4 tablespoons) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 heaping teaspoons dry mustard (more if desired)
1 egg, beaten
1 pound cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (more to taste)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
(optional) dashes of: cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme

Cook macaroni just until very firm. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, melt the butter and whisk in flour. Cook for five minutes over medium-low heat, whisking constantly and being careful not to burn. Pour in milk and add mustard. Whisk until smooth. Cook 5 minutes or until very thick. Reduce heat to low.

In a small bowl, beat egg. Temper the egg by slowly adding 1/4 cup of the warm sauce, whisking constantly until smooth. Pour the egg mixture back into the sauce, whisking constantly until smooth.

Add cheese, and stir to melt. Add salt, pepper, and spices until seasoned to taste. Add drained cooked macaroni to the pot and stir to combine.

Pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

Zucchini Ravioli Lasagna

This is a great recipe that I stumbled upon and was instantly intrigued by. Historically, I haven't been a huge fan of lasagna, but that changed the minute I tasted this. First of all, the preparation was (I think) much easier than a traditional lasagna. Then you add zucchini and it takes it over the top! I found the original recipe here, and I wouldn't change much about it, except maybe adding an extra zucchini. Perfection.

Zucchini Ravioli Lasagna

2-3 medium zucchini, cut lengthwises into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 pkg (26 oz) frozen large cheese ravioli
3 t olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
8 oz lean ground beef
1 jar (26 oz) tomato-basil sauce
1 c shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheet with paper towels. Grease 2-quart ceramic baking dish (or 9x13).

2. Heat large covered pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add zucchini and cook 5 minutes. With tongs or slotted spoon, remove zucchini and lay out on prepared cookie sheet to drain. Return water to boiling, and add ravioli. Cook until ravioli rise to top (see package for approx time).

3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat 2 t oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 8-10 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Transfer to small bowl. In the same saucepan, add remaining oil and cook beef over medium-high heat 3-4 minutes or until browned, breaking up beef with spoon. Stir in tomato sauce and onion. Heat to boiling.

4. Drain ravioli; return to saucepot. Add meat sauce to ravioli and stir until combined.

5. In prepared baking dish, arrange half the zucchini; top with ravioli (arrange as carefully or randomly as you prefer); sprinkle with half the mozzerella and half the Parmesan. Repeat layers. Bake 20 minutes or until hot in the center and golden and bubbly on top.

Salsa Chicken

This quick and simple recipe came from my mom, the original master of all things kitchen. It went together really quickly and had a nice hint of sweetness. The salsa chicken is only as spicy as the taco seasoning you add, so don't be afraid of it! Or, if you like a little extra kick to your dinner, I would recommend adding a sprinkle of cayenne. It would go really well with some rice! I ended up substituting grape jelly for the apricot preserves, since it's what was in the fridge...and it was delicious!

Salsa Chicken

1-1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in strips
2 T oil for cooking
1 pkg taco seasoning
1/3 c apricot or peach preserves (or whatever you have)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

In a resealable plastic bag, toss chicken with taco seasoning to coat. Heat the oil in a large skillet, and cook the chicken 5-6 minutes or until done. Stir in tomatoes and preserves. Cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Rolled Flank Steak

This is one you have got to try. It's got something for everyone: steak, cheese, veggies...and it all comes together for one tasty meal. It presents nicely, too! (I know, I need to start adding pictures...in time!) The original recipe can be found here. The one minor comment I had regarding the original is that with the soy marinade and the bacon, it is a pretty salty taste (I had even used low-sodium soy sauce). It was a very good taste even still, but I think next time I might try turkey bacon to see if it cuts down on the saltiness. The other change I made was cutting the steak in two. It was a failed attempt at butterflying, but it turned out well. I ended up with 2 smaller rolls, and they cooked perfectly.

Seriously, this is one that is worth the splurge for some flank steak. I promise!

Rolled Flank Steak

2 lb butterflied flank steak
1/4 c soy sauce
1/2 c oil
8 slices thin provelone
6 strips thick cut bacon
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
spinach
sliced mushrooms

Marinate the steak in the soy sauce and oil for 4 hours.
Lay the steak on the counter, with the grain running horizontally (not away from you). Layer the steak with the provelone, bacon, spinach, and veggies. Roll steak away from you so the side is a pinwheel. Tie with twine every 2 inches. (I didn't have twine, so I used skewers to hold it together). Cook in a greased 9x13 baking dish at 350 for 1 hour, or until 145 degrees. Let the steak rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting into 1-inch pinwheels to serve.

Beer Burgers!

Last night, we had a taste for burgers...but not just any burgers. We wanted something different. Something worthy of sitting on a plate with the sweet potato fries we made. This burger had to be...the beer burger! We threw some beer-sauteed mushrooms and some swiss cheese on the top, and dinner was served! My husband tried one burger with dijon mustard and one with barbecue sauce. Barbecue sauce definitely won his vote!

The original recipe for "Zippy Burgers" was found online here. I did not like all the chili powder, and will experiment next time with other seasonings.

Beer Burgers

1 lb ground beef
1/4 c beer
1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
2 T Worcestershire
1 t onion powder
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
Seasoning to taste (I may try cayenne next time)

Mix all ingredients except the beef. Add the beef and mix well. Form 4 patties, and grill to taste. Top with sauteed mushrooms and swiss, and barbecue sauce if desired (mozzerella would taste excellent on this as well). Enjoy!