Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce

Let's talk about this obsession with pinterest. Pin, pin, pin.  When do we really stop and try these DIY cheats or try those recipes that make us drool just by the pictures? I have tried over 55 recipes thus far off of pinterest and I have only hit a few duds (5-7)  but here's one I have seen on almost everyone's food board, I did not follow the salmon recipe they had because I already have a pretty secure and trustworthy recipe for it. But the cream sauce wasssss amazing (I made the salmon with white rice and a salad) :

Salmon with Creamy Sriracha Sauce

Ingredients for Sauce:

• 1 1/2 tbsp of condensed sweetened milk
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha

Ingredients for Salmon:

• 1lb  Salmon fillets
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
• dash of ground ginger
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• sesame seeds to top salmon

Directions:

• Whisk together soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar and ginger, and pour into a small baking pan. Placing salmon fillets pink side down marinade in pan for about a half hour.
• In a small bowl mix together your sauce ingredients and place in fridge until salmon is ready. 
• Preheat oven to 450. 
• Flip the salmon so the skin is facing down now and bake for about 10-12 minutes.
• When salmon is done sprinkle some sesame seeds on them and then add your sauce to the top. 
• Serve!

Believe me when I say that the condensed milk does not make this sauce taste weird (I must say I was a little put off by the whole idea). Happy Eatings Everyone!

Crab Eggs Benedict

Sunday mornings are my recharge and feel lazy days. Sure I'll do a load of dishes but all I have planned for the day is a bath and maybe a movie, the sun graced us with it's presence yesterday but has gone back into hiding so being lazy doesn't feel all that bad. 

Usually these days I start the morning off with eggs and bacon, just an easy throw it together breakfast but I was feeling a little more adventurous. I don't know why but I always told myself that hollandaise was too fancy to make here at home... I was wrong, I don't even know why I thought it, so my adventure is this wonderfully tasty eggs benedict.

Crabs Eggs Benedict

Ingredients:

• 1 cup crab meat
• 2 poached eggs
• 2 biscuits or english muffins (cook or toast according to package)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 egg yolk
• dash cayenne pepper
• tbsp warm water
• 2 tbsp butter
• pinch of salt
• pepper to taste

Directions:

1. For hollandaise combine, water, yolks, lemon juice, butter, cayenne and salt in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer, whisk well. 
2. Heat up the crab meat in the microwave for about a minute. Then place on biscuit or english muffin. 
3. In another small pot bring water to a boil and poach egg, remove with slotted spoon getting rid of as much water as possible.  Place on top of crab meat or on the other side of the muffin or biscuit.
4. Spoon hollandaise onto meat and eggs, crack some pepper on top and Serve!

So there you have it. Easy, no? Happy Eatings Everyone!

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

As I sit in my living room watching reruns of 30 Rock and hoping for the rain to let up before I have to leave. There's the scent of squash baking in the air. I must say I have come to realize that I am obsessed with food. I love cooking it. I love smelling it. I love looking at it. It is a passion of mine. While patting myself on the back for actually keeping up with this blog idea that I had a few months ago, I grow excited for the recipe I am sharing:

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash, roasted 
• 5 strips of bacon
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/4 cup sliced scallions chopped (extra for toppings)
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1/4 cup bacon fat
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2-4 poached eggs

Look at this beauty!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Cut squash in half and remove the strings and seeds. Place open face down on a cookie sheet and  cook for 45 minutes.
3. In a large frying pan fry up bacon (the crispier the better, trust me). When done place to the side and cut into pieces when cooled.
4. In the same pan that you cooked the bacon, fry your garlic (being careful it can burn easy!) 
5. Then add 3 cups of your squash to the pan and cover it with the garlic and fat. Add your scallions and bacon bits.
6. Crack an egg into a small cup.
7. In a medium pot boiling with water half way up and your vinegar add your egg slowly. Cook for about 2 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon. 

Try this. I mean it. It's delicious and its easier than it looks. Happy Eatings Everyone!

French Lentil Salad

I have heard of so many meatless meals, the one that never caught my eye was 'salad for dinner'. 'That's not dinner,' I would tell myself, but within the last few year I have come to realize that salad doesn't necessarily mean, lettuce and tomato with *enter dressing here*. It can be so much more hearty and can be so much more nutritious than that. Lentils and quinoa are my favorite 'salad for dinner' ingredients they are packed full of nutrients and are hearty as hell. This one filled me up quick, I hope you enjoy it:

French Lentil Salad

*This recipe makes for a family of 4 easy (did not realize that)

Ingredients:

• 1lb shredded brussell sprouts
• 1 large purple onion diced
• 1 large sweet potato or yam, peel and cubed
• 1 cup french lentils
• Balsamic Vinaigrette and Olive Oil for dressing
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Salt to taste
• Cracked pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a large pot cook lentils until soft (about 20 minutes) then toss 2 tbsp vinaigrette.
3. In a bowl toss 2 tbsp olive oil and salt with potato and onion. Then spread mixture on an oiled cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes, flipping them at 15.
4. While baking is happening you can shred your brussel sprouts, I found it easiest to cut the hard end off and then pull the leaves off from the bottom.
5. Toss brussel sprouts and lentils together. When the potato and onion are done baking add them as well.
6. Serve with a vinaigrette and olive oil dressing and some cracked pepper.

Happy Eatings Everyone!

Garlic Parmesan Wings

Chicken wings are one of my favorite comfort foods, I love all kinds and usually when I make them they are HOT. But after perusing the same old spicy asian or buffalo wings I needed something new, so when I found this recipe I just had to try it (the small amount of ingredients/steps also added to my excitement). They were so messy and satisfying I had to share them with you ;)

 Garlic Parmesan Wings

• 12 wings (I used ones with the skin still on)

• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

• 1 clove of garlic (finely chopped)

• 1 1/2 tsp thyme

• 1 1/2 tsp oregano

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

• 1 tsp garlic salt

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Take wings and rinse under cold water, then pat dry. Place in a large zip lock bag and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl mix in all the other ingredients until it makes a paste. Add to zip lock bag, close, and then shake until each wing is coated evenly.
4. On an oiled cookie sheet place the wings and bake for 20 minutes. Turn them over and bake for another 10 minutes. 
5. Serve!

In this recipe rosemary can be used in the place of thyme if you wanted to change the aroma a little. My fiance and I ate all of them... Better go to the gym soon... Happy Eatings Everyone!

Asian Cabbage Rolls

I was feeling ambitious the other day and decided to try my hand at a delightful recipe I found a while ago but never tried due to the longer process. But I rolled up my sleeves and went at it. These cabbage rolls are a smart way to cut calories and are delicious. I think I deserve a pat on the back for taking these on after a 9 1/2 hour work day. Yay me!

Asian Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients:

• 1 small head of napa cabbage
• 1 lb of beef or ground pork uncooked
• 2 carrots (shredded)
• 1 cup cooked brown rice 
• 4-5 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 tbsp ginger (minced)
• 2 stalks green onion diced
• 1 small onion (diced)
• 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp hoison sauce
• salt and pepper
• chili sauce for topping or whatever you may prefer

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large bowl mix all ingredients minus cabbage together.
3. In a large skillet boil water and place large leaves in for two minutes at a time until soft. Use tongs to remove leaves and let cool on a cutting board.
4. Place about a 1/3-1/2 cup of beef mixture a couple inches away from the leafy end of cabbage leaves, fold over leaf end over mixture and continue to roll. I made about 12 rolls with all my ingredients.

      5.  Place tightly in a 9x12 baking pan add a cup of water and bake for 30-35 minutes.

      6.  Place your sauce of choice on top and eat up!

Happy Eatings everyone!

Biscuit Breakfast Bombs

Making breakfast or brunch for a crowd can be a stressful way to start off your day unless you have help. I know because I've done it, I sat down and barely ate afterwards, instead I just sipped on mimosas until guests left and then took long, leisurely nap. This time I am trial testing it. These seemed pretty simple to make and I love anything that involves just popping it in the oven, it allows for a breather. Anyway here they are, I hope you enjoy them!

Ingredients:

• 6 biscuits
• 2 slices of bacon (cooked and cut into pieces)
• 3 eggs scrambled and salted to taste
• 6 cheese slices
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp. water
• Fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Flatten the biscuits with your hands and knead until flatten but not too thin.
3. Top each biscuit with a tablespoon of cooked egg, a few pieces of bacon and 1 slice of cheese.
4. Pull up on each corner to form into a ball, pressing together at the seam so ingredients don't fall out.
5. Place in greased muffin tins.
6. Lightly whisk water into egg yolk and brush over each muffin and grind pepper on top to taste.
7. Bake for 13-15 minutes.
8. Let cool on baking rack and serve warm.

These were really simple to make. I only used a half slice of cheese for each and thought it was too little (I like it cheesy). Another tip I have to give is to cook for the whole 15 minutes, I only did 13 and i felt the insides were a bit underdone, not quite doughy or anything but I like my biscuits flaky.