Easter Fish!

While I was flipping through one of my magazines, I noticed an Easter dinner that featured a glazed ham with horseradish cream as well as a roasted salmon with mint caper pesto. When I was reading the directions, it was mentioned that the horseradish cream also went well with the fish so I  thought maybe our Easter dinner would be: Fish with Two Sauces?  As always I usually change recipes a bit from how they're written. Not because I think I'm such a hot shot but usually because I don't have all the right ingredients. Then, it's a challenge to still make the dish with what I have on hand. Hey, we all get our kicks different ways, right? I have to say that today's effort was a success--this dish really tasted like spring! We here in Michigan can always hope that spring really will arrive sooner or later.

Roasted Salmon with Spring Onions

1 lb salmon
olive oil
bunch of green onions, keep whole but slice long ways
salt and pepper
2 lemon wedges

Horseradish Cream

make early in day to let flavors meld

1 cup non-fat greek yogurt
1 T dijon mustard
1 T prepared horseradish
salt and pepper
1 T cider vinegar

Mix all together and refrigerate

Mint Caper Pesto

Can get this all prepared but don't process until time to serve.

2 cups fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup drained capers
pepper
2 T chopped almonds

Put all ingredients in food processor and purée before ready to serve.

Preheat over to 400

Toss green onions with some olive oil, salt and pepper and spread on baking sheet. Put into oven for about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, rub salmon with some olive oil, salt and pepper--heat a heavy oven proof skillet and when good and hot sear/brown the salmon for a few minutes to give it some color. You can remove the green onions and let them sit and put the fish skillet into the the oven and finish roasting for about 20 minutes (depending on thickness of your fish). While fish is cooking, whirl up the pesto.

Serve fish garnished with onions, lemon wedge, and the two sauces. I also roasted some asparagus while the fish cooked. Nice with a sliced baguette and a dry white wine.

This was delicious!

Passover Brisket

• My mother-in-law always made the best brisket and I was a little intimidated to try one but I took the leap and was rewarded for the effort! She always said to buy "first cut" which I did. She also said to make at least a day ahead so you can slice the meat and put back in the juices. The fat also congeals after refrigeration so  you can more easily remove that as well. Also, it makes dinner easy as the main course is already prepared and you just need to reheat. I served roasted carrots and turnips and fresh green beans along side. This brisket was quite "toothsome" if I do say so myself. 
• 
  
• 1 tablespoons tablespoon sweet paprika, preferably Hungarian
• 1 tablespoon hot paprika
• 1 tablespoon tablespoon kosher salt (or 2 teaspoons regular salt)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 4-pound beef brisket, patted dry
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large onions, peeled and sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 cups water
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 350°F 

  Mix together paprika, salt, cinnamon and pepper and rub all over brisket. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide ovenproof 6- to 8-quart heavy ovenproof pot over medium heat and brown meat on both sides, about 10 minutes. Add onions, garlic and water, then bring to a simmer. Cover pot and transfer to oven. Braise until meat is very tender, about 3 hours. I used a large roasting pan and covered with foil.
  Brisket always tastes better if made up to 1 or 2 days ahead. Cool meat uncovered in sauce, then slice meat and transfer to a 13- by 9-inch baking dish and top with sauce. Chill, covered. Reheat in a 350°F oven, about 45 minutes.

  This makes a lot and unless you have many mouthes to feed, you can freeze for later (which is what I did)
  
  
  

It all started with a bag of slaw........

I had a bag of slaw in the fridge and I wasn't feeling like making cole slaw. So, I rummaged around in the fridge and pantry and determined that I would put together a soup and it actually turned out quite tasty.

3 carrots, diced
1/2 onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
bag of slaw
1 and 1/2 cups broth (I had beef, but veggie or chicken would work)
1 large can of  peeled tomatoes
1 14 oz can of tomato sauce
1 cup farro  (barley would also work)
some dried thyme 1 t
some dried sage 1/2 t
salt and pepper
some Tabasco sauce 2 t or more if you like spicy.

Sauté onions and carrots in olive oil in large soup pot. Add garlic, all the spices. Stir in slaw, the tomatoes, the tomato sauce, one 14 oz can of water, and the broth. Stir and bring to boil then cover and simmer and hour. This makes a thick soup--you can always thin with more broth if you prefer.

How Do You Like Your Ramen?

There are so many ways you can jazz up a bowl of Ramen. Here I used chili flavor Ramen and added a cut up leftover pork chop, some scallions, and a sunny side up egg. Delish! Served Trader Joe's Pot Stickers first.  As my daughter-in-law says, "When in doubt, put an egg on it"! And, don't forget the Sriracha sauce, either :-)