Tonight's Specials Are...

Stuffed Salmon & Grilled Asparagus and Melon Salad

... and a little BirdMan Wine!
Who needs a restaurant when you have your house?
What a yummy dinner on my patio. After several hours of yard work, it was a perfect dinner outside. Plus, I got to test out the salad recipe that I will use on the Graduation Luau Menu.

With a mix of cantaloupe and prosciutto, the salad was sweet and savory... add some green (asparagus) and white (Parmesano reggianno) and the dish was beautiful.

I found some amazingly pink wild sockeye salmon at the grocery store and stuffed with goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes and served with a garlic spinach.

No Cupcake Wine at the store so I chose BirdMan that was very earthy with grapefruit undertones... very good but if I were choosing for this dish again I would pick the Cupcake... A girl does love her Cupcake.

At the end of the night I had a surprise visit from my good friend, LB... celebrating her birthday with neighborhood visits. You know if I would have known she was coming I would have had cake. Cheesecake. Oh no... now I want cheesecake. I guess I will have my share at the Luau Party.

Grilled Asparagus and Melon Salad
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 small melon (about 12 ounces), peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
Shaved Parmesean
Directions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the prosciutto in a
single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes
until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Chop the prosciutto into 1/4-inch
pieces.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal
grill. In a medium bowl, toss together the asparagus and 2 teaspoons
olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes each
side until crisp-tender. Cut into 1/2 inch sections on an angle

In a medium bowl, combine the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the
melon, asparagus and Parmesan cheese and toss until all ingredients are
combined.Drizzle any remaining vinaigrette over the top. Sprinkle the prosciutto.

*See previous entry for salmon*

Chaos and Coconut????

I am contemplating a name change due to my new love of this fruit... I am digging it way more than chicken. Hold on, is coconut even a fruit?

I am preparing to make appies and desserts for a graduation Luau on Saturday. I am using lots of new recipes and a lot are filled with coconut. I must sample them before the real deal... right?

Today's sample is: Coconut Crab Dip. Yes, that is right- coconut and crab. Delicious.
I think that I will serve this in coconuts but I am still contemplating on the chip... baked plantains? Pita?Coconut Crab Dip
Ingredients:
1/3 cup well-stirred unsweetened canned coconut milk
3 scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh jalapeño chile, including seeds
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
1 lb jumbo lump crab meat, picked over and coarsely shredded
1/4 cup shredded coconut

Preparation
Blend coconut milk, scallions, jalapeño, and 1/4 cup cilantro in a blender until smooth and pour into a bowl. Whisk in mayonnaise, juice and remaining 1/4 cup cilantro until just combined. Stir in crab and salt to taste and serve spooned on ____________.

To be continued...

Watch out Grill... Here I Come!

You know what I love the most about summer?

My patio and grill! Well, and a glass of pinot grigio...

I need a new umbrella, huh? Mr.
Peabody... Mother's Day is coming up!

Last weekend Scott refueled that grill and I am ready to go. Ah... nights of grilled
veggies, fish and maybe a buffalo burger or two. The other night I tried a new salmon
recipe that I think I will make again tonight (you know me, a little OC about new recipes).
It is all about the food processor and a few minutes on the grill... great for summer night!

Salmon Burgers

Ingredients for burger:
Salmon Fillet
2 tablespoons per 4 ounce salmon Cream Cheese
Salt, Pepper, Dill
Capers
Scallions
1 slice of bread (roasted garlic)
Sesame oil

Ingredients for spread:
Garlic
Creme Cheese
Roasted Red Pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place bread in processor until you create crumbs. Then add salmon (remove skin), cream cheese, seasoning, capers, scallions. Pulse until mixed. Form into patties and brush with
sesame oil. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes each side.

(Create spread in food processor).

I served open face on greens with avocado and cucumbers. So yummy and taste goods with a crisp Pinot! And full of Omega-3s. Omega-3s cross out the wine, right?

Stuffed with Stuffed Salmon!

Yes, another Salmon recipe that gets Scott into my favorite seafood.

Stuffed Salmon is a weekly staple!

I take a filet of salmon and cut at a diagnal and stuff with the following:

Spinach

Tomatoes

Garlic

Cooked, crumbled bacon

Creme Cheese (2 tablespoons)

Saute in pan with EVOO and then stuff.
I prefer to grill it as salmon can stink up house. Depending on cut takes anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes. Watch it... I do hate an overcooked salmon!

Scott's Gone + Seafood + Mojitos= Too Much Fun

This Saturday, Kate and Jess came over for Seafood and Mojitos.

Yum! Yum! Yum! Though I am not quite ready for a Mojito tonight

I will recreate the scallop dish now that Scott is home. . .

Summer Seafood Soup

Ingredients

Sea Scallops

Chopped Tomato

Basil

Garlic

Butter

Olive Oil

Lemon

Salt, pepper and lemon the scallops. Sautee Scallops with Garlic in Butter. At the same time, reduce tomatoes with olive oil and chopped basil. After scallops are brown then add the rest of mixture and remaining lemon juice. Serve with Crusty Bread and Salad!

Stacey Style Mohito

(Since I do not like rum, I make my mohitos with Vodka... A special thanks to Linda H for all the mint :))

Muddle mint in fresh juiced limes. Mix with equal parts vodka, simple syrup, tonic. Serve with a splash of champagne on top

*Warning- engaging in Mohito drinking might lead to dancing, crying and charades... Oh, and hangovers :)*

My New Favorite Recipe

Okay, so before Ellie on the Food Network endorsed canned salmon I was a little scared.

This recipe was so tasty and really easy. Would be great with that three bean asian salad I

made lastweek. With a rushed schedule and my new frugalness, I simply made a mixed greens

salad with edamame and topped with lime juice and EVOO. This was so good we ate it for two nights in a row.

Asian Salmon Cakes

6 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread
2 (15-ounce) cans salmon, drained, skin and bones removed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
5 scallions
1/2 cup finely chopped canned water chestnuts
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
Creamy Ginger-Sesame Sauce, recipe follows

Remove crusts from the bread, break into pieces, and process in a food processor until you get a fine bread crumb. In a large bowl, flake apart the salmon with a fork. Add the egg and mix well. Finely chop 4 of the scallions and add to the bowl. Add the water chestnuts, cilantro, pepper, and the bread crumbs and mix well. Shape the mixture into 12 patties.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil over a medium heat. Add 6 patties and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the cooked patties to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil to the pan, and cook the rest of the salmon cakes, 5 minutes on each side. Chop the remaining 1 scallion. Serve salmon cakes with the sauce and garnish with scallion.

Creamy Ginger-Sesame Sauce:
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt, or 6 tablespoons nonfat Greek-style yogurt 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
If using regular yogurt place the yogurt in a strainer lined with a paper towel. Put the strainer over a bowl and place in the refrigerator to drain and thicken for 30 minutes. Place drained yogurt or Greek-style yogurt into a small bowl. Add mayonnaise, ginger, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Whisk until smooth.
Yield: about 2/3 cup

Longtime No Post!

With Spring has come a lack of baking and more grilling... thus less entries!
Sorry for taking a month off! Let me condense my cooking into a list....

Top 10 things made recently:
10- A mess :) I made cupcakes last night for my employee Katie's last day.
Straight from a Stonewall Kitchen box with Nutella Creme Cheese Icing. Kitchen
remains a mess

9- Blue Cheese Burgers- Have been feeling comfort foodie and made burgers (with 97% fat free
meat) stuffed with onions and blue cheese. Made up a YUMMY topping sauteing mushrooms, blue cheese, fat free mayo and a little water. Served on whole wheat! (Scott LOVED them)

8- Wasabi Grilled Pork- With Spring/Summer comes more grilling so I go into MEAT MODE.
Lately I have been marinating pork in wasabi with lime juice, salt and pepper and placing on grill. Serve with grilled asparagus and you barely have any dishes to do.

7- Smoothies- I have been making Mango Spinach smoothies from a recipe that I got on another
foodie blog: http://www.happyfoodie.com/

6- Avocado, Black Bean and Corn Salad- This is SO EASY. Chopped avocado, can or rinsed black beans, can of rinsed corn, lime juice, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. YUM! and so fresh

5- Watermelon and Feta Salad- Need I say more? (Add red wine vinegar)

4- Turkey Avocado Burgers- Again, I told you, salad, meat and fruit my recent diet!
Lean Turkey mixed with onion soup seasoning, cumin, pepper grilled. I top it with Monterrey Jack Cheese, Avocado and Tomato. I serve on one slice grilled garlic bread!

3- Gourmet Pizzas- We have been eating these ALOT. I take a Low Carb Flatbread and grill with olive oil and garlic. Simultaneously I reduce down tomato, garlic and evoo (basil if I have it). This is the sauce. Then top with veggies-- preferably artichoke, spinach, onion and mushroom and mozzarella cheese. Back on top grill shelf for 5 minutes to melt.

2- Frittata- The easiest meal I could ever make! I saute onions, asparagus and mushrooms in a pan. I add 5 whisked eggs, salt, pepper and goat cheese. Put back on the eye and them in the oven on broil until egg rises and slightly brown.

1- Cabbage Broccoli Salad- This is my take on Cole Slaw and Broccoli Salad. I chop broccoli, red cabbage, red onion and mix in a Cole slaw dressing (fat-free mayo, red wine vinegar and sugar). Set in the fridge for an hour to marry the flavors! This is by far my FAVORITE new concoction!