Oven Poached Salmon with Lentils

I recently discovered how much I like lentils. Lentil soup, lentil sides. Lentils simply taste great and are good for you. So when I found this recipe I was excited...it combines two of my "new found" favorite health foods...salmon and lentils!

My husband and I both really enjoyed this. The salmon pairs perfectly with the lentils and makes for a hearty, healthy meal. I love oven poaching the salmon...it's so easy and results in a flavorful, tender fish. This entire recipe is also very easy to prepare which makes it great for a weeknight.

Ingredients
Lentils adapted from Simply...Gluten Free
Salmon adapted from Eating Well

1 cup green lentils, rinsed thoroughly
2 cups chicken stock (for lentils)
1 tbsp. chicken stock (for salmon)
5 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 small shallot, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced in about ¼ inch dice
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
2 – 8 ounce salmon fillets
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Lemon wedges for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Put lentils in a medium saucepan with the chicken stock and garlic gloves, season with about 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cover the pan, leaving the lid slightly ajar and reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 – 25 minutes or until the lentils are almost tender and the chicken stock has evaporated. Set aside when done.

While the lentils are cooking, place salmon, skin-side (or skinned-side) down, in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the salmon with chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper, and just a bit of fresh lemon juice. Cover with foil and bake until opaque in the center and starting to flake, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on thickness.

While salmon is baking and after the lentils are cooked, in a medium skillet over medium high heat, add the olive oil. Then add the carrots and cook for 5-10 minutes, until carrots are tender. Add the shallot and a pinch or two of salt and pepper and cook for about 3 minutes or until the shallots just start to brown

Fish the garlic cloves out of the lentils and mash with a fork. Add to the skillet with the carrots and shallot and mix well. Add the lentils and cook for another 10 minutes or until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Add lemon juice and stir.

Spoon a mound of lentils on each plate, top with the cooked salmon and serve with some lemon wedges if desired.

Salmon with Lemon Ginger Sauce

I found this recipe at Mon Petit Peche Mignon when I was looking for a new salmon recipe to try. I think this recipe pushed me from an "I don't like salmon" kind of girl to an "I like salmon" girl. This was a great recipe. As per the comments on the blog, I cut the sauce recipe in half and even then I still had a ton of sauce! But the sauce was so good, I'm glad I had a lot. But I definitely suggest cutting the sauce in half if you are only making one or two filets. This recipe was fresh, light and healthful. I really enjoyed it and will certainly be making it again.
Ingredients
Source: Mon Petit Peche Mignon

Skin on salmon filets (however many you need; I just used one for myself)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
juice of one lemon
1 cup chicken stock
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh ginger (I used 1 tsp. ground ginger as that was all I had on hand)
1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce (I omitted)
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
4 tbsp cold water
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper
handful of fresh cilantro or chive (I used thyme)
Directions
Prepare Salmon as you normally would. I preheat oven to 425°F, coat a baking dish with cooking spray and place salmon, skin-side (or skinned-side) down, in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with a bit of low sodium chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper, cover with foil and bake until opaque in the center and starting to flake, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on thickness.

To make the sauce, heat olive oil in a medium saucepan, add onion and cook until onion starts to get translucent. Add lemon juice and continue cooking 1 minute over low heat. Pour in chicken stock, Tabasco, ginger, and season well. Bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch with water in a small dish and then stir into sauce and cook for 1 minute over low heat. Add milk- if your milk is cold, spoon some of the hot sauce into it before adding to the pot so that it does not curdle. Bring to a quick boil, then remove from heat. Throw a handful of cilantro or other fresh herb into the pot and stir to distribute.

Correct the seasoning and spoon generously over salmon.

Mini Lemon and Lime Tartlets

I can't take credit for finding this recipe. I can't even take credit for making it. But I can take credit for eating it!

Last week my mom had my husband and I over to celebrate my birthday and she made these to go along side our cake. Of course, she sent me home a few of my own along with the recipe!

These were really great and totally refreshing. This would be the perfect dessert to have at a barbecue over the summer! At first I thought I liked the lime ones best...but then changed to lemon after having one of each! Either way, the lemon or lime is delicious!
Ingredients
Source: Nestle

1 pkg. (16.5 oz.) refrigerated sugar cookie dough (I would make my own dough)
1 can (14 oz.) Sweetened condensed milk
1 pkg. (8 oz.) 1/3 less fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel) or regular cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups thawed fat free, reduced fat or regular frozen whipped topping
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/4 cup lime juice
2 teaspoons grated lime peel
Additional lemon and lime quarter slices, peel curls or grated peel (optional)

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 325º F. Paper-line 24 muffin cups.

CUT dough along pre-scored lines; place one piece of cookie dough in each muffin cup.

BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cookies will be puffy. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

BEAT sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese in large mixer bowl until smooth. Gently fold in whipped topping. Divide mixture into two medium bowls. Stir lemon juice and lemon peel into one bowl and lime juice and lime peel into other bowl.

POUR about 3 tablespoons lemon cream cheese mixture over 12 cookie cups. Repeat with lime cream cheese mixture and remaining cookie cups. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Decorate with lemon and lime quarter slices, curls or peel, if desired.

Shrimp Scampi

I haven't always liked shrimp. In fact, when I was younger, I really disliked it. I never hated it (like mushrooms...yech!) but I never ordered it out either. But lately I have been craving it. When I went to Florida, I refused to get any chicken because I make it at home so much and I really like to try regional cuisine when I travel. I ended up getting shrimp quite a bit and really found that I enjoyed it.

So I was anxious to try Shrimp Scampi, and went with Tyler Florence's recipe. It was absolutely fantastic!!! I couldn't get over how easy it was to make, and it resulted in an absolutely fantastic meal! The flavors worked so well together...and did I mention it was easy?! Plus, all of the ingredients are things that I almost always have on hand! This was a great recipe, one that I will most certainly make again!

Ingredients
Source: Tyler Florence

1 pound linguini (I used dried homemade fettuccine - and probably not a pound's worth!)
4 tablespoons butter (I used 2)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling (I used 2)
1 large shallot, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, sliced
Pinch red pepper flakes, optional (I omitted)
20 large shrimp, about 1 pound, peeled and deveined, tail on (mine were on the smaller side)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used more like 3/4 cup)
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves (I omitted)
1 tsp cornstarch mixed/dissolved in a splash of water (I added this)
Directions

For the pasta, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When it has come to the boil, add a couple of tablespoons of salt and the linguini. Stir to make sure the pasta separates; cover. When the water returns to a boil, cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the pasta is not quite done. Drain the pasta reserving 1 cup of water. (I omitted this...I think the sauce would have been too thin with an extra cup of water)

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper; add them to the pan and cook until they have turned pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan; set aside and keep warm. Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. I added the cornstarch mixture at this point, to thicken the sauce up. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil (I omitted this step, I didn't think the extra butter/oil was necessary). When the butter has melted, return the shrimp to the pan along with the parsley and cooked pasta and reserved pasta water (I omitted adding the extra pasta water, I think the sauce would have been much to thin with it). Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a bit more olive oil and serve immediately.

Mediterranean Turkey Burgers

Now that the weather is half way decent up here in the north, my husband and I have been craving burgers on the grill. However, I'm not the kind of girl that can have a regular beef burger a lot...I get bored. So to switch it up I've been making different kinds of turkey burgers. Much healthier and you can really get creative! So when I saw these Mediterranean Turkey Burgers on Vintage Victuals, I was anxious to give them a try. Unfortunately, I didn't have any Greek Seasoning so I did a lot of subbing with some fresh herbs and added quite a few other things that happened to be in my kitchen but the result was really fantastic! I put a slice of gouda cheese on my burger for extra cheesiness (and because it's probably going to go bad soon), but to be honest it didn't add much because the burger itself was so flavorful. That being said, these burgers are loaded with flavor in every bite and totally hit the spot. They were the something different I crave, relatively healthy, and absolutely delicious. Overall, a great turkey burger!

Ingredients
Adapted from Vintage Victuals

1 lb. ground turkey breast

2 ounces feta cheese, cubed or crumbled (I used fat-free crumbled)

1/2 shallot, minced
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 sprig fresh rosemary, minced
2-3 sage leaves, minced
1/2 onion, sliced

Salt
Pepper
pinch of sugar
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon, very lightly juiced (About 1-2 tsp.)

2 hamburger buns

Directions
In a large bowl, combine turkey, shallot, garlic, rosemary, sage, salt, pepper and lemon juice until thoroughly combined. Form into 4 equal sized thin patties, and in the center of 2 patties sprinkle as much feta cheese as desired. Put remaining 2 patties over the patties with feta and completely seal edges. Grill burgers until cooked throughout. Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan add olive oil and onion slices. Sprinkle with sugar. Cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes until caramelized, stirring frequently. Server burgers on toasted buns and top with caramelized onions.

Caramelized Onion and Roasted Garlic Focaccia

Focaccia Bread has been on my list of things to make for a while now, so as soon as I saw this recipe on Good Things Catered, I printed it out and made it on the earliest day possible and I'm so glad I did! I mean, how can you possibly go wrong with bread, caramelized onions, roasted garlic and lemon? You can't! There is no possible way! My husband and I absolutely loved this bread. And in addition to being absolutely delicious, it was one of the easiest breads I have ever made which is a huge plus!

Whether you make this for company or just dinner for two, you will be so glad you did. It will most certainly dress up your table and your meal.

Ingredients:
Source: Good Things Catered

1 Tbsp active dry yeast
1/2 c. warm water, 110 degrees
1 1/2 c. milk, room temp
4 Tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tsp for onion
5 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp fresh thyme, minced (I didn't have thyme, so I used a full sprig of rosemary and it was just wonderful!)
2 small yellow onions, peeled, halved and sliced (I used about 1 1/2 onions, but they were very large)
5 garlic cloves, roasted (or roasted while dough is rising) and halved from end to end
1/2 lemon, sliced very thin
kosher salt

Directions
-In medium bowl, combine warm water and sprinkle with yeast.
-Let stand until frothy, about 5-10 minutes.
-Meanwhile combine flour, salt and thyme in bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment.
-Once yeast mixture is frothy, add milk and olive oil and stir to combine well
-Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and turn mixer on low to combine well.
-Fit mixer with bread hook and knead until mixture is not sticky, but springy and elastic, about 5 minutes.
-Remove dough from bowl, wipe out, spray with non-stick spray, knead dough on counter into a ball.
-Place dough back into bowl, cover with a cloth and let sit in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
-Meanwhile, in a small pan over medium low heat, add an additional olive oil until hot.
-Add onions to pan as well as a hefty pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, on low until caramelized, about 25-30 minutes.
-Place in bowl and set aside.
-Once dough is risen, spray a large jelly roll pan with nonstick spray.
-Punch dough down and spread out over jelly roll pan evenly.
-Top with caramelized onions, halved roasted garlic, and lemon slices.
-Cover with towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
-Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
-Using finger tips, make small indentations across the dough.
-Drizzle very lightly with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle top with kosher salt to taste, and place in oven to bake.
-Bake until turning slightly golden brown, about 25-30minutes.
-Remove from oven, let cool for at least 5 minutes, cut and serve.

Herb Roasted Cornish Game Hens

Sometimes I buy something at the store, not knowing what I'm going to do with it or how I'm going to make it. It keeps me on my toes. Anyways, this was one of those times. My husband mentioned that his mom used to make Cornish Hens on special occasions and he really liked them, so I got them without knowing how I was going to make them.

I chose to simply roast them, like I would do for a chicken or a turkey so I didn't use a recipe, and they came out quite good! I sort of felt bad for the little hen because it was so small and was probably really cute, but that's just the former vegan in me coming back out!!! In my opinion, you either eat animals or you don't and I made the conscious decision to eat meat so I just needed to get over myself!

These were really easy to make (I don't think you need to wait for a special occasion to make them!) and packed with flavor. The herbs de Provence really added a lot to flavor the meat which was wonderfully tender.
Ingredients
2 Cornish Game Hens, thawed if necessary and dry
1/2 lemon, cut in half
1 sprig sage
1 sprig rosemary
1 tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp Herbs de Provence
salt
pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stuff lemon, 1/2 sprig of sage, 1/2 sprig of rosemary, and a dash of salt and pepper into the empty cavity of the hen. Place on a roasting pan or dish sprayed with non stick spray, and rub 1/2 tbsp. of softened butter over each hen. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and Herbs de Provence and rub into skin. Bake uncovered for 1 hour. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, bring the oven temperature up to 400 degrees to brown the skin. Just make sure that they are in the oven for an hour total or until juices run clear. Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

Lemon Cake with Fresh Raspberry Mousse Filling

A coworker requested a lemon cake for my next Wilton class cake and I was certainly very happy to oblige! I went straight to Good Things Catered....I knew Katie was a big lemon fan so I assumed she had a lemon cake in her blog and sure enough I was right!

This cake is just fabulous...do you need proof? Well I work in an office with only 8 other people besides myself, it's 10am, and 3/4 of it is gone. I really wanted the lemon to stand out in this cake, so I added 1 more lemon then what was called for which worked out great. The cake is not too tart but the lemon flavor is definitely in the forefront. The raspberry mousse is something that I just made up as I went along but it worked out great! I made sure to make it a bit on the sweet side to contrast to the strong lemon flavor of the cake. This cake is really perfect for springtime; it's light and fresh, with just the right amount of sweet!

Ingredients
Source: Good Things Catered

2 1/2 c. cake flour (I used AP flour, sifted very well)
1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp meringue powder
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 extra large organic lemons, washed thoroughly then zested and juiced separately (I used 3 lemons)
2/3 c. milk
1/3 c. vegetable oil
3 egg whites, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two cake pans.
-In bowl of electric mixer sift and add flour, sugar, baking powder, meringue powder, salt, and zest of one lemon.
-Stir with mixer to combine, about 30 seconds.
-Add milk, oil, juice from two lemons, beaten egg whites and extract.
-Beat on medium to combine thoroughly, about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes.
-Remove from mixer and stir with silicone spatula to thoroughly combine (making sure there is no flour mixture left unincorporated at the bottom of the bowl.
-Fill prepared pans 2/3 of the way full and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean (about 25-28 mins for 8 inch pans)
-Remove from oven, let cool 15 minutes in pan and then turn onto wire racks to cool completely.

Raspberry Mousse

Ingredients
-aprox. 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
-about 1/2 - 1 cup fresh raspberries, mashed with a fork
-aprox. 4 tsp granulated sugar
-1/4 - 1/2 tsp. raspberry extract (If needed)
-1/4 cup water
-1/2 packet Knox Gelatine

Directions
Whip the heavy cream to medium peaks. Add sugar to mashed raspberries and combine thoroughly. Meanwhile, sprinkle Gelatine over water and let sit for about 1 minute. Add Gelatine to the raspberry mixture and stir to combine. Fold raspberry mixture into the whipped cream, and add raspberry extract if desired. Spread on the top of the bottom layer of cake, and then put the top layer of cake over the mousse. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve so the mousse sets up.

Lemon Chicken with Oregano and Feta

The other day I happened to find this recipe while browsing through FoodGawker, and thought it looked really good and fresh...perfect for this time of year. I hate being weighed down by "heavy" winter foods when it starts getting nice around here, so this looked like a great option and it really was! It definitely had a Mediterranean feel to it, and the flavors worked very well with each other. Plus, I've totally been craving lemon like crazy lately so this was another great way to sneak it in! The only thing I'd do differently next time is add a bit more feta, I was admittedly skimpy with it to try and save calories! Other then that, this recipe was a winner!

Ingredients
Adapted from Gina's weight watchers recipes

2 Boneless skinless Chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness and patted dry
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
Oregano to taste (aprox. 1 tsp)
salt
pepper
Feta cheese, crumbled

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a baking dish with non stick spray. Place chicken breasts in dish, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic and oregano. Squeeze lemon liberally over both breasts. Cover dish with foil and bake for 55 minutes. Remove foil from baking dish and sprinkle feta over both breats. Broil chicken for 2-3 minutes or until feta is golden brown.

Healthy Lemon Cranberry Muffins

I was going to name these muffins "The best muffins on the face of the earth" but I thought Lemon Cranberry muffins was a more descriptive title. Seriously though, these muffins are amazing. It's like all of the sweet, tart and fresh flavors of Spring came together in this little muffin for a perfect combination that will delight your senses. AND there is no sugar, but through the honey they are perfectly sweet. Anyways, if you actually want to taste spring, I encourage you to try this muffin. They are wonderful!

Ingredients
Adapted from Cooking Books
Originally from Canyon Ranch Cooking

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup agave nectar (I pretty much knew I would not find this in any of my local stores, so I used Honey instead. It worked perfectly!)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2/3 cup non-fat milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

3/4 cup fruit, diced if needed (I used dried cranberries. In addition, I am going to use a full cup next time because I love me some cranberries!)

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest (I used the zest of half a lemon)
Juice of half a lemon (I added this)
Directions

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees and oil your muffin tin or use paper liners.

Mix the flours, baking powder and salt in a medium-large bowl.

In another medium bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, honey, juice of half a lemon and butter until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and add the cranberries and lemon zest. Fold everything together until just combined.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 of the way full and bake for 20 minutes. Halfway through cooking, rotate the pan. You might want to keep an eye on them after 15 minutes... make sure a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out dry. Cool slightly and move to a wire rack.

The original recipes yields 7 muffins, however I got 12. I do make smaller muffins though, because I don't want anything too filling in the morning!

Enjoy!

Lemon Curd

I've actually never had lemon curd before, but I thought it would make a very nice addition to my tea party. I'm SO glad I made it, it was delicate, mildly sweet and perfect for my cream scones. I'm actually not certain how I've lived without it for so long. My guests ate it right up. And the great thing is, is it's easy to make and keeps well in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Ingredients
Source: Joy of Baking

3 large eggs
Juice of 3 lemons
1 tbsp lemon zest
3/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, diced and at room temperature

Directions
Whisk together eggs, lemon juice and sugar in a bowl over a double boiler. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick and is the consistency of sour cream (160 degrees F), about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and pour through a fine meshed strainer into a medium bowl. Immediately whisk in butter until all of it is melted and incorporated into the sauce. Add zest and let cool. Serve immediately or pour into an air-tight container. If you decide to store the curd, make sure to put plastic wrap directly on the curd itself to prevent a skin from forming. Then cover with the lid of the container and refrigerate for up to a week. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Chicken Francese

This is my favorite chicken dish. If it's on the menu when we go out, I get it no matter what. It's always a winner in my book, and I've never had a bad version of it. However, I've yet to make it myself! So I tried it last night and it was *so* good. My husband absolutely loved it, as did I. This recipe is wonderful...so easy to follow and it was all done in less than 20 minutes. You have to love that on a Monday night! I modified this recipe to work for 2 people.

I'm not exactly sure how to cite the source of this recipe...my coworker's wife gave me a copy of her Vodka Sauce recipe from a cut-out in her local newspaper, and this recipe was right next to it! So I really don't even know what paper it's from! It was written by a man named Frank Costanzo...and that's all I know! So thanks Frank for the great Recipe!!!

Ingredients
2 Boneless Skinless Chicken breasts, pounded thin
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 Large Egg
1 tbps Milk
1/2 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Chicken Brother
1/2 Cup White Wine
2-3 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice (I used the juice of 1 lemon and it was pleanty)
3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 tbsp. Butter
1 tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
Lemon Wedges

Directions
Place chicken cutlets between two sheets of plastic wrap. With a meat pounder, gently pound the slices into 1/4 inch thickness. Make sure the chicken breasts are dry. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and set aside. Put egg into a shallow bowl with 1 tbsp of milk and season with salt and pepper. Beat with a fork or whisk until well blended. Spread flour on a plate. In a seperate bowl, mix the broth, wine and lemon juice. Heat the oil and butter in a skillet until sizzling. Dip cutlets ingo egg mixture, into flour and then again into egg mixture. Place in skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown (I put mine on medium heat and cooked for aprox 4-6 minutes per side). Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm. When all of the chicken has been cooked, add the broth mixture to the pan. Raise the heat and cook, stirring until the sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in the parsley. Return the chicken cutlets to the skillet and turn them over once or twice in the sauce. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.