Grandma's Kitchen Table

Cookbook Countdown #13: Fish Fillets in Foil Packets with Curried Vegetables and Middle Eastern Brown Rice

       This month for Cookbook Countdown #13 I have chosen to use The New American Heart Association Cookbook (8th Edition). The recipes that I have made for this week are Fish Fillets in Foil Packets with Curried Vegetables (p. 170) and Middle Eastern Brown Rice (p. 471).      
        Ingredient list:  For the fish and vegetables - salmon, freshly ground pepper, green onions, thinly sliced red and yellow bell peppers, curry powder, white wine, lemon juice, olive oil (I used this instead of margarine which I never use); For the rice - olive oil, onion, celery, brown rice, water, chicken broth, raisins, orange zest, orange sections, and ground cloves.

        Cooking fish in foil (I use parchment) is nothing out of the ordinary here but I was interested in trying the variations in the cookbook as they had several with various combinations of veggies and spices.  You do cook the veggies in their sauce for a little bit before adding to the packet so they were nicely done as the packet itself only takes 12 minutes to cook.  I liked the texture of the peppers and onions cooked this way and the sauce flavored the salmon nicely.  Definitely worthy of a repeat.
        To go with the flavors of the fish packet, I found this rice recipe in the book, and I'm very happy I did as it was such a nice "go with," complimenting the fish, veggies, and sauce just right.  Mark is not the biggest rice fan, but he likes it if it has different seasonings and flavors, so this was a hit with him as well.  The bits of veggies and fruits were really good, the taste of cloves gave mid-eastern flair  Definitely worthy of a repeat.

        I have enjoyed getting to know this cookbook this month and cooking various recipes from it.  I will continue to explore and cook from it, and it may show up here at Cookbook Countdown again this year.  I would recommend this cookbook for its lovely recipes, whether you are looking to improve your heart health or not.  Well worth the price of the book to have it in your collection.
        To see what the others have cooked this month, click here.  It is the policy on this blog not to publish recipes that are not mine, the people who publish recipes go to a lot of time, trouble, and expense to do so and I like to honor that by encouraging others to purchase the book or check it out from a lending library.  Thank you for understanding.  I do post the general ingredients for each recipe so perhaps you can have a go at it from that alone.

 

IHCC: Potluck (Tessa Kiros) - Yiaourti Me Meli (Greek Yogurt, Honey, and Nuts)

      The theme for this week for I Heart Cooking Clubs is Potluck (Cook any dish from any of the selected IHCC chefs).  The recipe I chose for this week is Yiaourti Me Meli (Greek Yogurt, Honey, and Nuts) from Tessa Kiros' cookbook Food From Many Greek Kitchens, on page 303.  The recipe can also be found online here.

      The ingredient list:  Greek yogurt, walnuts, cinnamon, and honey. 

      What could be more simple or more delicious for a little sweet bite at the end of the meal?  I'm sure it would be great any time of the day, but I have been choosing to have a little of this in the evening after dinner and it satisfies that longing for just a sweet nibble to end the day.  All the flavors work so nicely together, the tangy bite of the yogurt, the crunch of the nuts, the warmth of the cinnamon, and the sweetness of the honey.  It is reminiscent of eating baklava, but without the guilt. Definitely a repeat.  

     Please visit I Heart Cooking Clubs to see what the others made, just click on their photo entry to link to their post.  Next week:  January 30-February 5:  Heidi Swanson: Something to Sip.

 

Cookbook Countdown #13: Snapper with Fresh Tomatoes and Capers, Stuffed Mushrooms, and Greek Pasta Salad

       This month for Cookbook Countdown #13 I have chosen to use The New American Heart Association Cookbook (8th Edition). The recipes that I have made for this week are Snapper with Fresh Tomatoes and Capers (p. 168), Stuffed Mushrooms (p. 25), and Greek Pasta Salad (p. 114). (Note:  The mushrooms look very dark in this photo for some reason, but they weren't at all overdone or this dark.)      
        Ingredient list:  For the Snapper - snapper, green onions, tomatoes, capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, and salt; For the Mushrooms - mushrooms, olive oil, garlic, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, green onions, whole grain fresh bread crumbs, egg white, Parmesan cheese, and salt-free Italian seasoning; For the Greek Pasta Salad - rotini, peas, red bell pepper, cucumber, green onion, fat-free feta cheese, fat-free cottage cheese, fat-free yogurt, light mayonnaise, dill, ground pepper.

        Snapper is not something we make a lot of, but this Sunday I deviated from the typical salmon to use this recipe in the book for snapper and was rewarded with a wonderful fish dish with a gorgeous and delicious sauce.  I will be making this one again.  Definitely a repeat.
        Mark loves mushrooms so when we first got this cookbook, he went through it and put stars by all the recipes that he wanted me to make...every single mushroom recipe was starred, so I have been working my way through those.  This was a really good stuffed mushroom, full of flavor and cooked nicely, not at all mushy...really, it did not look this dark in person.  Definitely a repeat. 
       We like Pasta Salad as a general rule, but I wasn't too certain of this one as we don't usually make creamy pasta salad as a general rule, preferring olive oil based pasta salads much more.  And such was the case with this recipe, it was nice, it tasted good, but I think I could take the same ingredients and use olive oil instead of the creamy bits and be more than happy with the result.  I'm glad I made it, but I probably won't make this one again and if I did I would lessen the amount of raw green onion as it was a bit much.  It was a nice addition to the meal but nothing outstanding.
       To see what the others have cooked this month, click here.  It is the policy on this blog not to publish recipes that are not mine, the people who publish recipes go to a lot of time, trouble, and expense to do so and I like to honor that by encouraging others to purchase the book or check it out from a lending library.  Thank you for understanding.  I do post the general ingredients for each recipe so perhaps you can have a go at it from that alone.

 

Eating with Ellie: Soup's On: Red Bean Stew with Walnuts and Pomegranate

       The 87th recipe I made with the Eating with Ellie group is Red Bean Stew with Walnuts and Pomegranate, and can be found in Ellie Krieger's book Weeknight Wonders, on page 233.  The theme for the week was chosen by Margaret:  Soup's On!  

       Ingredient list: onion, canola oil, garlic, kidney beans, ground coriander, red pepper flakes, pomegranate juice, walnut pieces, chicken broth, salt, pepper, parsley, red wine vinegar, and pomegranate seeds.  
       It's definitely soup weather here in Indiana.  Not as cold as it has been in years past, but still with the chill in the air, soup is a welcome companion for lunch or dinner in January.  This stew is full of flavor and delicious, it's very thick without much liquid, but I didn't mind that as it truly ate like a stew and not a soup.  I liked the kind of sweet and sour flavor it had going on with the nice tangy taste of the vinegar, which always makes beans just wake right up in my opinion.  The walnuts gave it a nice meaty crunch.  Definitely worthy of a repeat. 

       If you wonder how the others did this week, click here to follow their post links.  You can also find the recipe schedule there for the coming weeks.  Next week's recipe theme was chosen by Gaye and is Mexican Madness.  Please come and join us at any time, just leave the link to your post that week so that week so we know where to find you.

        Note:  In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Ellie Krieger's book as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes.  You can also find her recipes at her site here, at her weekly newspaper article here, her recipes online here, and at her current tv show site here.  We know that you will enjoy using Ellie's books again and again and that you will feel your money was well spent.

 

Wednesday with Donna Hay: Lovely Legumes - Chickpea, Feta, and Carrot Fritters

       My 151st recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is Chickpea, Feta, and Carrot Fritters, was chosen for the theme, Lovely Legumes, and is found in Donna Hay's book Simple Dinners on pages 68-69.

       The ingredient list: chickpeas, carrots, cilantro (I used parsley), feta, eggs, rice flour, baking powder, black pepper, vegetable oil, lemon wedges, yogurt, and spinach.

       First off, I had to look up what exactly qualified as a "legume" to make sure I was in the right arena.  Chickpeas are legumes, so I was good to go with this recipe which looked interesting and delicious for a nice lunch option for me (the husband does not like, he always claims, chickpeas, so refuses to participate in anything chickpea-related).  The fritters are just "fried" in a tiny bit of oil in the pan to give them a nice crisp crust so they were not at all greasy, which is always a good thing.  They had a nice gentle flavor tasting both of chickpeas and carrots, which are both kind of mild in taste, so if you wanted to jazz them up a bit, you could hit them with some hot sauce that would also compliment the feta cheese in it. I liked them just fine squirted with the lemon and dipped in the yogurt.  Definitely a repeat.

       Wonder what the others made?  You can find that by clicking here.  Next week's theme is Soup's On!  Join us and leave a link to your post at the website, no commitment required.
        NOTE:  In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Donna Hay's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes. There are also many of her recipes at her site here.  We know you will enjoy using Donna's books again and again as we all do and that your money will be well spent. 

 

IHCC: Heidi Swanson - Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa & Pomegranate Yogurt Bowl

      The theme for this week for I Heart Cooking Clubs is Face the Day (Choose a Heidi Swanson breakfast or brunch recipe that gives you energy to face the day!).  The recipes I chose for this week are Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa (above), and Pomegranate Yogurt Bowl (below).  They can be found on Heidi's blog here and here.

      The ingredient list:  For the Quinoa Recipe: low-fat milk, water, quinoa, blackberries, cinnamon, pecans, and agave nectar; For the Pomegranate Bowl: Greek yogurt, pomegranate juice, honey, granola, sunflower seeds, and pomegranate seeds. 

      Maybe twice a year we sit down to a full breakfast, usually at a restaurant, and I can't think the last time we did this as we aren't really full breakfast people generally, so maybe not even once or twice a year actually.  My point being, breakfast is never a big deal here, especially now that it is just the two of us at home.  Breakfast is simple and usually fairly healthy, so it was fun to peruse Heidi's blog for breakfast recipes as I figured she would be all about that as well.  So many selections to choose from, so I chose two and had lovely breakfasts this morning.
       The first recipe I chose was the Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa because, as I said last week, I'm trying to figure out the whole Quinoa craze at the moment.  The recipe was easy and absolutely repeat-worthy delicious.  Better than oatmeal with berries.  Better than cereal and berries.  Better than...well, better than most breakfast anything actually, I absolutely loved it and will be making this one fairly often. The quinoa is soft but not what I would call mushy, the berries sort of melt into it the longer it sits and makes it fruity, and the cinnamon and agave sweeten it all up in a warm way.  Really, try this one, you will love it.
      
       The second recipe I made was Pomegranate Yogurt Bowl and I chose it because I'm trying to figure out the whole pomegranate craze as well as the quinoa craze.  I love the taste of pomegranate as it is sweet and bitter at the same time. It was a perfect choice with the yogurt and granola drizzled with honey.  The seeds added a fun nutty crunch.  This one is also definitely a repeat here, and often.  I've already made it three times. 
       Looking at all the breakfast recipes on her blog, I will keep working my way through the list as they all look wonderful and delicious.  What a find!

      Please visit I Heart Cooking Clubs to see what the others made, just click on their photo entry to link to their post.  Next week:  January 23-29nd: Potluck.

 

Eating with Ellie: It's Cold Outside, Let's Warm It Up - Pork Chops with Carrots, Parsnips, and Sage

       The 86th recipe I made with the Eating with Ellie group is Pork Chops with Carrots, Parsnips, and Sage, and can be found in Ellie Krieger's book Weeknight Wonders, on page 121.  The theme for the week was chosen by me:  It's Cold Outside, Let's Warm It Up.  

       Ingredient list: pork loin chops, canola oil, salt, pepper, carrots, parsnips, sage, apple cider, chicken broth, Dijon, and honey.  
         When it is cold outside, I love firing up the stove and oven and making something with substance and depth.  When I was growing up in Iowa, the winter months were always very cold, snowy, icy, windy, and just no place you wanted to be after dark, which comes early in the winter.  There was always something magical about the oven and stove top hosting wonderful meals that seem to just bring comfort and security from the warmth and fragrance emitting from them.  This week seemed like a great time to create something along those lines with maybe just a tad more lightness in the carbs/calorie/fat contents.  Enter Ellie with this homey comforting pork chop dinner that would be welcome on any Iowa dinner table in the midst of these cold winter days...and just as welcome at our Indiana table as well.  The flavors are excellent and the parsnips with their light creamy color make it seem like you are having potatoes with the carrots. The cider kept the pork chops moist and tender, the mustard so delicious with the pork.  We served a salad alongside and loved this meal.  Definitely a repeat. 

       If you wonder how the others did this week, click here to follow their post links.  You can also find the recipe schedule there for the coming weeks.  Next week's recipe theme was chosen by Margaret and is Soup's On.  Please come and join us at any time, just leave the link to your post that week so that week so we know where to find you.

        Note:  In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Ellie Krieger's book as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes.  You can also find her recipes at her site here, at her weekly newspaper article here, her recipes online here, and at her current tv show site here.  We know that you will enjoy using Ellie's books again and again and that you will feel your money was well spent.

 

Wednesday with Donna Hay: A Taste of Citrus - Lemon Chicken with Tomato Salad

        My 150th recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is Lemon Chicken with Tomato Salad, was chosen for the theme, A Taste of Citrus, and is found in Donna Hay's book Fresh and Light on pages 64-65.

       The ingredient list: heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella, mint leaves, lemon- poached chicken (lemon, chicken stock, peppercorns, thyme, and chicken breast), lettuce, lemon zest, sugar, olive oil, salt, and lemon juice.

       I had this salad for lunch one day when I accidentally stumbled upon some heirloom tomatoes at the market that smelled like ripe tomatoes before I even picked one up to check it out.  What are the chances of that in January in Indiana???  I truly love DH's method of making lemon poached chicken and used it many times over the years, it is so moist and delicious with a slight lemon/pepper taste.  The lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and chicken with the dressing were a perfect lunch and one I could repeat over and over in tomato season.

       Wonder what the others made?  You can find that by clicking here.  Next week's theme is Lovely Legumes.  Join us and leave a link to your post at the website, no commitment required.
        NOTE:  In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Donna Hay's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes. There are also many of her recipes at her site here.  We know you will enjoy using Donna's books again and again as we all do and that your money will be well spent. 

 

TWD Dorie's Cookies: Breakfast Biscotti

       For January, the Dorie's Cookies group participants can chose from one of two recipes to post, one on the first Tuesday and the other being the post for the third Tuesday.  I chose to make the Breakfast Biscotti for this third Tuesday.  This recipe can be found in Dorie's Cookies on pages 98-100 and also online here.

       Ingredient list:  flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, butter, sugar, salt, orange zest, eggs, old-fashioned rolled oats, granola, almonds, and dried cranberries.   
       I am not a fan of biscotti, just to say right offhand, as I don't care for the hardness of the cookie.  I don't drink hot beverages that lend themselves to dunking a hard cookie to soften it, i.e coffee and hot chocolate, so they have never been something I would go in search of, or even help myself to if they were right in front of me.  Mark, however, was willing to take one for the team and totally embrace the biscotti consumption expectations this week.  I made a quarter of a batch which gave me 10 cookies.  They are small, so I'm confident in his ability to pelt these away in a few sittings. 
       I will say that this recipe is easy to follow and didn't require a lot of work, only the baking process took any real time commitment, and not very much.  Since Mark loves cookies, almonds, cranberries, and oatmeal, this was certainly a winner.  Although Dorie commented in the book that she wasn't encouraging anyone to actually have these cookies for breakfast, my cookies-for-breakfast-eating husband did not see a problem with that at all.  Definitely a keeper, definitely something he would like to eat again. 
       The Tuesdays with Dorie group is now baking from Dorie Greenspan's new book, Dorie's Cookies.  The posts will be the first and third Tuesdays of the month and can be linked at the main Tuesdays with Dorie website here.  You can also find the information on joining in and/or see the posts from those in the group baking along at this location. 

Cookbook Countdown #13: Ginger-Walnut Salmon and Asparagus, Tangy Carrots, and Mushrooms with White Wine and Shallots

       This month for Cookbook Countdown #13 I have chosen to use The New American Heart Association Cookbook (8th Edition). The recipes that I have made for this week are Ginger-Walnut Salmon and Asparagus (p. 159), Tangy Carrots (p.  438), and Mushrooms with White Wine and Shallots (p. 451). (Note: While this looks like a huge plate of food, it all actually is resting on a salad plate.  The salmon is a 4 oz. portion size so you can kind of use that as a reference.)

        Ingredient list:  For the Salmon - salmon, asparagus, brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, cornstarch, gingerroot, walnuts, and crystallized ginger; For the Carrots - carrots, shallot, Dijon, lime juice, pepper, salt, and parsley; For the Mushrooms - mushrooms, shallots, white wine, parsley, and pepper.
        Sticking with Salmon on Sundays, and wanting to try as many of the salmon recipes in this book as possible, I picked this one as it is cooked in foil/parchment with a little sauce.  I love cooking fish in parchment and 90% of the time, that is how I make fish here.  I don't do too many sauces, but I think this book likes to focus on giving flavor to food without added fat and salt, so this seems to be a great way to do that with this sauce.  We did like the taste very much, although the next time I will make half the sauce stated as it was quite a bit more than we needed.  The walnuts and crystallized ginger were really good, giving it a nice little texture and crunch. The instructions were to cook the asparagus in with the salmon (the salmon on top of the asparagus) but I don't like my vegetables touching my fish while they are cooking, so I just roasted the asparagus separately in the oven with the salmon packet.  Definitely a repeat.
        The sides were equally easy and pleasing.  The carrots received their flavor from the mustard and lime juice, which really did taste nice together.  The mushrooms were great with a shallot/wine sauce that reminded me of my old days cooking in Whisk Wednesdays with all the French combinations, minus the copious amounts of butter.  All in all, these three recipes were delicious, easy, and definitely ones to be repeated, with this much flavor, we really didn't miss the salt and butter we normally would have used in these recipes. 
       To see what the others have cooked this month, click here.  It is the policy on this blog not to publish recipes that are not mine, the people who publish recipes go to a lot of time, trouble, and expense to do so and I like to honor that by encouraging others to purchase the book or check it out from a lending library.  Thank you for understanding.  I do post the general ingredients for each recipe so perhaps you can have a go at it from that alone.

 

IHCC: Heidi Swanson - Lemon-Scented Quinoa Salad

      The theme for this week for I Heart Cooking Clubs is Monthly Featured Ingredient: Lemon.  The recipe I chose for this week is Lemon-Scented Quinoa Salad Recipe, and it can be found on Heidi's blog here. 

      The ingredient list:  quinoa, water, salt, garbonzo beans, cilantro (or parsley), red onion, garlic, tahini, lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil.  

      I've been trying to figure out quinoa and recipes using it as I'm hoping to use it more often, so when I saw this recipe that used both lemon juice and lemon zest, I figured it would be a good one for this week.  (Well, a healthier recipe no doubt than the one I really wanted to make for this week, which was Heidi's recipe for Limoncello Macaroons.)   I like little salads like this that I can assemble and have ready to add to a meal or eat just on their own.  That said, this was not a hit for me as  the raw onion and raw garlic proportions in it are just way too much for my taste.  They definitely overpowered everything else going on in the salad and after a couple of bites, I decided to morph it all into a sort of "fried rice" type of thing so I could cook the onion and garlic and relieve some of that pungent taste.  That worked well.  Definitely not a repeat recipe as written, at least for me.  At some point, I will be making those Limoncello Macaroon cookies!

      Please visit I Heart Cooking Clubs to see what the others made, just click on their photo entry to link to their post.  Next week:  January 16-22nd: Face the Day  (Choose a Heidi Swanson breakfast or brunch recipe that gives you energy to face the day!)

 

Eating with Ellie: Barnyard Fun - Almond-Crusted Chicken Tenders With Apricot-Mustard Dipping Sauce

        The 85th recipe I made with the Eating with Ellie group is Almond-Crusted Chicken Tenders With Apricot-Mustard Dipping Sauce, and can be found in Ellie Krieger's book You Have It Made, on page 176.  The theme for the week was chosen by Peggy:  Barnyard Fun.  

        Ingredient list: yogurt, thyme, garlic powder, salt, pepper, chicken tenders, whole-wheat panko, sliced almonds, olive oil, lemon zest, apricot preserves, and Dijon.  
         Fried chicken is something I never make here at the house.  I don't like the mess it makes and I don't think we need to be making a whole lot of fried food here, especially now that Mark is trying to nix that out of his diet completely.  When I saw this recipe for a baked chicken tender that sorta kinda maybe looked like a piece of fried chicken, it caught my attention and this week seemed to be a good time to give it a go.  It's very good. Does it taste exactly like the Colonel's recipe with that drippy oozy moist chicken and breading, well, no, it does not, but it is still very good.   It makes you feel like you ate a piece of fried chicken and takes away the craving you might be having for fried chicken so I'm counting this a rounding success.  The dipping sauce was very nice and easy to make, so a little of that did make me feel like I was having a special treat.  Definitely a repeat. 

       If you wonder how the others did this week, click here to follow their post links.  You can also find the recipe schedule there for the coming weeks.  Next week's recipe theme was chosen by me and is It's Cold Outside, Let's Warm It Up.  Please come and join us at any time, just leave the link to your post that week so that week so we know where to find you.

        Note:  In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Ellie Krieger's book as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes.  You can also find her recipes at her site here, at her weekly newspaper article here, her recipes online here, and at her current tv show site here.  We know that you will enjoy using Ellie's books again and again and that you will feel your money was well spent.

 

Wednesday with Donna Hay: A Chicken in Every Pot - Preserved Lemon Chicken with Kale

       My 149th recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is Preserved Lemon Chicken with Kale, was chosen for the theme, A Chicken in Every Pot, and is found in Donna Hay's book Fresh and Light on page 76-77.

       The ingredient list: vegetable oil, preserved lemon rind, garlic, slivered almonds, brown rice, chicken breast, and kale.

       The best thing about this recipe is that is healthy and leftovers make great fried rice the next day.  Despite the garlic, lemon rind, and almonds, all of which I love, the whole thing was a bit bland.  I added a tiny bit of salt and a good amount of pepper and still it seemed a bit bland.  The kale was really good cooked this way.  I'm not sure how to improve upon the blandness...it just needs a punch of something that makes you want to eat it again next week.  Or even the week after.  That said, it was a healthy and filling meal and we had a tomato and mozzarella side salad with it which was delicious, delicious heirloom tomatoes this time of year, who knew?  Is this one a repeat?  Not in it's current form, but I could play around with the ingredients and come up with something to make it stand out.

       Wonder what the others made?  You can find that by clicking here.  Next week's theme is A Taste of Citrus.  Join us and leave a link to your post at the website, no commitment required.
        NOTE:  In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Donna Hay's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes. There are also many of her recipes at her site here.  We know you will enjoy using Donna's books again and again as we all do and that your money will be well spent. 

 

Cookbook Countdown #13: Baked Salmon with Cucumber Relish, Orange Sweet Potatoes, and Green Bean and Tomato Toss

       This month for Cookbook Countdown I have chosen to use The New American Heart Association Cookbook (8th Edition). The recipes that I have made for this week are Baked Salmon with Cucumber Relish (p. 160), Orange Sweet Potatoes (p.  467), and Green Bean and Tomato Toss (p. 93). (Note: While this looks like a huge plate of food, it all actually is resting on a salad plate.  The salmon is a 4 oz. portion size and the sweet potato is half of a small one so you can kind of use that as a reference.)

        Ingredient list:  For the Salmon - salmon, pepper, salt, yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, cucumber, red onion, jalapeno; For the Sweet Potatoes - sweet potatoes, orange zest, orange juice, brown sugar, cinnamon; For the Green Beans - green beans, tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon, pepper, and salt.
       We almost always have salmon for dinner on Sunday so I am thinking these are the recipes I want to try first from this book.  It is nice to have different seasonings and sauces to try with the salmon.  The salmon was cooked simply with just a bit of pepper and very little salt, I baked mine in parchment in the oven that way.  The yogurt mixture was quick and easy, same with the cucumber/onion/jalapeno relish, each took only a few minutes and added a nice taste and texture to the salmon, cooling and fresh with a bit of kick from the jalapeno.  Definitely a repeat.
        The sides were equally easy and pleasing.  The sweet potato I just roasted in the oven with the salmon (cut it in half lengthwise and lay it cut side down on a baking tray after scoring the cut side in a grid pattern...I put it in while the oven is preheating and by the time the oven is ready and I put the salmon packet in, the sweet potato finishes at the same time as the salmon).  After it roasted, I scooped it out and mashed it with the flavorings in the recipe. This is really delicious, the flavor of orange and cinnamon with the sweet potato is marvelous.  Next time I would leave out the brown sugar as we felt the sweet potato is sweet enough without it, however it does add a little depth of the sweet flavor with its caramel undertones.  The green beans and tomatoes are a straight up dish with the added mustard giving them a little punch of flavor that went nicely with the salmon.  All in all, these three recipes were delicious, easy, and definitely ones to be repeated. 
       To see what the others have cooked this month, click here.  It is the policy on this blog not to publish recipes that are not mine, the people who publish recipes go to a lot of time, trouble, and expense to do so and I like to honor that by encouraging others to purchase the book or check it out from a lending library.  Thank you for understanding.  I do post the general ingredients for each recipe so perhaps you can have a go at it from that alone.

 

Cookbook Countdown #13: Orange Cookies with White Chocolate Chips

        As I was visiting around looking at the various contributions this week at Cookbook Countdown, I noticed a sweet little cookie recipe made by Kimmy, Orange Cookies with White Chocolate Chips, and her description of it sounded just right, i.e. "not too sweet...I left out a lot of the sugar." 

       I had all the ingredients on hand, figured I could whip them up in no time, and straighten up my pantry cupboard while they baked. I made a quarter of a recipe and it gave me 9 smallish cookies, perfect for just a little nibble or two when you are wanting something a little sweet, a little orange, and a little vanilla. The recipe went together perfectly as she said, I let them bake a couple minutes longer as I like cookies with crispy edges. Definitely a keeper, thanks, Kimmy. 

       Kimmy has great photos and the recipe if you want to hop on over and check it out here.

Cookbook Countdown #13: Sesame-Orange Salmon

       Last January my good friend and food blogging buddy, Margaret of Tea and Scones, told me about a new group that was starting up, one in which you could not only choose your own recipe, but could also select your own cookbook each month.  I was intrigued and hoped to join in right away.  Last year being what it was, that didn't happen, so now I am regrouping a year later and sallying forth with the intention/hope of being a fairly regular participant at Cookbook Countdown.  Cookbook Countdown was started by Joyce of Kitchen Flavors and Emily of Emily’s Cooking {Makan2} Foray. The concept for the group is to encourage participants to truly use the cookbooks they own and might not be using as much as they like.  This sounds like a great idea to me as I have many cookbooks that I wish I was cooking from a bit more and I figure that this might be a way to make that happen.  Each month one can choose whichever cookbook seems inspiring and cook one or as many recipes from that book as desired, posting and linking to the main site. 

       This month for Cookbook Countdown I have chosen to use The New American Heart Association Cookbook (8th Edition).  In August our son Alex died at the age of 23.  Two weeks later my husband had a heart attack brought on by intense grief and stress.  As part of his rehab, it was recommended that he follow a heart-friendly diet and we have been embracing that these past four months, hoping to follow a healthy cooking plan for the most part, and using the not-so-healthy items as a once-in-awhile-in-small-amounts kind of thing.  Choosing this book for this month feels very good to me, a chance to explore healthier recipe options of foods we already enjoy, and a place to share my findings.  The first recipe I have chosen to make from the book is Sesame-Orange Salmon, found on page 166.

        Ingredient list:  salmon, fresh orange juice, orange zest, sesame seeds, salt-free lemon pepper, soy sauce (lowest sodium possible), and toasted sesame oil.
       We usually eat salmon once a week, so this seemed a fine place to start as the heart-healthy diet recommends fish 2-3 times a week.  The added benefit of cooking fish is that it is quick and easy.  Most of the time we just add a little seasoning and are good to go, and many times I do serve it with lemon. The idea of using orange juice and zest sounded good to me and it was, especially with the addition of the Asian flavors that I enjoy.  The sauce was light and not overpowering.  Definitely a repeat, this is one I could make over and over and not tire of it.
       To see what the others have cooked this month, click here. It is the policy on this blog not to publish recipes that are not mine.  It always seems to me that the people who do publish recipes go to a lot of time, trouble, and expense to do so and that I should honor that by encouraging you to purchase the book or check it out from a lending library.  Thank you for understanding.  I do post the general ingredients for each recipe so perhaps you can have a go at it from that alone.

 

Eating with Ellie: New Year Celebration - Black-eyed Peas, Greens, Eggs, and Ham

        The 84th recipe I made with the Eating with Ellie group is Black-eyed Peas, Greens, Eggs, and Ham, and can be found in Ellie Krieger's book Weeknight Wonders, on page 124.  The theme for the week was chosen by Gaye:  New Year Celebration.  

         Ingredient list: onion, celery, ham, canola oil, garlic, canned black-eyed peas, kale, Creole Seasoning, chicken broth, eggs, and hot sauce.  
         It is customary, I am told, that one serves something called Hoppin' John in the south for New Years.  I grew up in Iowa and have lived my adult life in Indiana, so this is not so much a tradition for us but many friends do serve it and I thought this year I would give it a go.  The recipe first caught my eye when Gaye chose it earlier and posted it for Breakfast for Dinner week back in April of last year, click here.  You will note that Gaye had no trouble finding black-eyed peas in a can in Australia, but that I could not for the life of me find black-eyed peas in a can in Indianapolis.  Okay, my search was two stores, which is my limit generally as I am not a shopper.  So, I did substitute some nice Northern Navy Beans in a can which I happen to love and seem to me to look like their southern neighbors, minus that little black eye.
        This is a really good recipe, the flavors are delicious, they work so nicely together (love kale in anything), and I am now a fan of this Hoppin' John style New Years tradition.  (Plus it is a very good way to use up any leftover Christmas ham that you have hanging around.)  Using canned beans means that it doesn't take very long and you can assemble things as you go as you do a little of this and that between adding it to the pan.  I took the photo in the pan because...well because in my mind this dish was complete as far as Ellie was concerned, but there is no way I am eating a runny egg, so as far as I was concerned, this needed a few additional minutes of cooking time.  Well worth every single bit of the process.  Just maybe this is going to take center stage next New Years here as well.  Definitely a repeat. 

       If you wonder how the others did this week, click here to follow their post links.  You can also find the recipe schedule there for the coming weeks.  Next week's recipe theme was chosen by Peggy and is Barnyard Fun.  Please come and join us at any time, just leave the link to your post that week so that week so we know where to find you.

        Note:  In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Ellie Krieger's book as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to guy her books to get the recipes.  You can also find her recipes at her site here, at her weekly newspaper article here, her recipes online here, and at her current tv show site here.  We know that you will enjoy using Ellie's books again and again and that you will feel your money was well spent.

 

IHCC: Heidi Swanson - New Year Noodle Soup

       The theme for this week for I Heart Cooking Clubs is Food Goals (Cook a Heidi Swanson recipe that shares or includes your healthy food goals for the new year.)  The recipe I chose for this week is New Year Noodle Soup, and it can be found on Heidi's blog here. Heidi states that this recipe is one she adapted from another recipe she found and enjoyed.

      The ingredient list:  olive oil, onion, long red chili, turmeric, cumin, black pepper, vegetable broth, brown lentils, chickpeas, borlotti beans (I could not get these so I subbed in light red kidney beans), salt, thin egg noodles, spinach, cilantro (I used parsley), dill, lime, butter, sour cream, and walnuts.  

      Well, well, it's been awhile since I showed up here at I Heart Cooking Clubs to join in the fun of discovering and exploring two different chefs a year.  I was last here in December of 2013 so it is time to resurface for a bit perhaps and learn about Heidi Swanson for a couple of months. Fortunately the people here are generally very nice and patient about me just dropping in now and again.

      This soup recipe is an excellent way to start a new year, no doubt about it.  The list of ingredients is long, but I don't know that I would leave any of them out as the combination is just delicious.  Soups always work in well with my game plan for healthy eating as most of the soups I make are broth based, not cream based, and soup is such a great thing to have on hand for lunches...when I have soup at hand, I can make a quick and healthy lunch and not be grabbing for something to nibble on or something between two slices of bread for lunch.  This soup is just as good, if not better, warmed up throughout the week.  Definitely a repeat.

      Please visit I Heart Cooking Clubs to see what the others made, just click on their photo entry to link to their post.  Next week:  January 9-15th: Monthly Featured Ingredient/Dish - Lemons!  (Make any recipe containing lemons, or any citrus, from any of our past or present IHCC chefs.)

 

Eating with Ellie: It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas - Open Faced Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches

       The 83rd recipe I made with the Eating with Ellie group is Open Faced Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches, and can be found in Ellie Krieger's book Weeknight Wonders, on page 82.  The theme for the week was chosen by me: It's Beginning To Look A Lot  Like Christmas.  

        Ingredient list: zucchini, red bell pepper, red onion, olive oil, baguette, mozzarella, basil pesto.  
        I'm certain you are wondering what my recipes choice has to do with the theme this week, and my only explanation is that the recipe has the traditional colors of Christmas in it, so that looked pretty seasonal, and the fact that when one is running around getting ready for Christmas, recipes like this that are quick and easy (and healthy) are much appreciated.  It went together quickly, tasted fresh and inviting, the pesto gives it a bit of a deep exciting flavor, and it worked out as a great lunch for us both on a busy day. Definitely a repeat. 

       If you wonder how the others did this week, click here to follow their post links.  You can also find the recipe schedule there for the coming weeks.  Next week's recipe theme was chosen by Gaye and is New Year Celebration.  Please come and join us at any time, just leave the link to your post that week so that week so we know where to find you.

        Note:  In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Ellie Krieger's book as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to guy her books to get the recipes.  You can also find her recipes at her site here, at her weekly newspaper article here, her recipes online here, and at her current tv show site here.  We know that you will enjoy using Ellie's books again and again and that you will feel your money was well spent.

 

Eating with Ellie: Fowl Weather - Chicken Romesco

       The 82nd recipe I made with the Eating with Ellie group is Chicken Romesco, and can be found in Ellie Krieger's book Weeknight Wonders, on page 151.  The theme for the week was chosen by me: Fowl Weather.  

        Ingredient list: slivered almonds, onion, olive oil, garlic, roasted red peppers, smoked paprika, fire-roasted canned diced tomatoes, sherry vinegar, salt, pepper, chicken breasts, olive oil, and parsley.  
         This sauce is delicious...it kind of seeped into the chicken a bit as you can see from the photo, but nevertheless, it was such a nice texture and taste for the chicken.  Although there are several steps and ingredients, it all really did come together quickly (you use jarred roasted red peppers to help that along as she suggested).  Definitely a repeat. 

       If you wonder how the others did this week, click here to follow their post links.  You can also find the recipe schedule there for the coming weeks.  Next week's recipe theme was chosen by Gaye and is New Year Celebration.  Please come and join us at any time, just leave the link to your post that week so that week so we know where to find you.

        Note:  In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Ellie Krieger's book as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to guy her books to get the recipes.  You can also find her recipes at her site here, at her weekly newspaper article here, her recipes online here, and at her current tv show site here.  We know that you will enjoy using Ellie's books again and again and that you will feel your money was well spent.

 

Wednesday with Donna Hay: Beef, It's What's For Dinner - Grilled Steak with Green Salsa

       My 148th recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is Grilled Steak with Green Salsa, was chosen for the theme, Beef, It's What's For Dinner, and is found in Donna Hay's book Fresh and Light on page 107.

       The ingredient list: smoked paprika, salt, pepper, steak, zucchini, parsley, garlic, green chili,cider vinegar, sugar, and olive oil.  (The recipe suggested serving it on slices of grilled zucchini which was very nice.)

       Yes, we like our steak very rare here so I tried to cover up a good deal of it in the photo with this salsa sauce and that turned out to be a good thing as this salsa sauce is very tasty with a bit of a kick from the chili and a nice tang from the vinegar.  It's blended together in the food processor like a pesto but the flavors are slightly different, it tastes more freshly green, the photo makes it look darker than it actually was, it was much greener in hue. I liked the smoked paprika on the steak, the smokey taste really did come through which was nice since I was using an indoor stovetop grill, gave it a little more outdoorsy essence. This is definitely a repeat as it gave the steak a little jazz and kick.

       Wonder what the others made?  You can find that by clicking here.  Next week's theme is A Chicken in Every Pot.  Join us and leave a link to your post at the website, no commitment required.
        NOTE:  In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Donna Hay's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes. There are also many of her recipes at her site here.  We know you will enjoy using Donna's books again and again as we all do and that your money will be well spent. 

 

TWD Dorie's Cookies: World Peace Cookies

       For January, the Dorie's Cookies group participants can chose from one of two recipes to post, one on the first Tuesday and the other being the post for the third Tuesday.  I chose to make the World Peace Cookies for the first Tuesday.  This recipe can be found in Dorie's Cookies on pages 335-337 and also online here.
       Ingredient list:  flour, baking powder, baking soda, butter, brown sugar, sugar, salt, vanilla, and bittersweet chocolate. 
      This is what I call one of Dorie's signature cookies.  The recipe is easy and simple with common pantry ingredients, the only thing of note is that it does require some resting time in the refrigerator or freezer so it's best to plan ahead to fit all that into the mix. 
       I am not a chocolate lover...not at all, so this one was FMO (For Mark Only), much to his delight as he loves chocolate and anytime he can come home to a chocolate treat is a great day for him.  I made half a recipe and that worked out well.  Mark was very happy with his chocolate treat, he thought these cookies were just wonderfully delicious.  Definitely repeat worthy.
       The Tuesdays with Dorie group is now baking from Dorie Greenspan's new book, Dorie's Cookies.  The posts will be the first and third Tuesdays of the month and can be linked at the main Tuesdays with Dorie website here.  You can also find the information on joining in and/or see the posts from those in the group baking along at this location.