Grilled Salmon with Fontina-Stuffed Potatoes and Indian-Spiced Squash with Bluberry Crumb Cake

Ah yes, that picture makes me remember how wonderful simply prepared grilled Salmon can be. Look at that crisp top and imagine the delicious flavors of freshly-grilled fish. While this may be enjoyed year-round, the beautiful weather recently certainly encourages a spate of grilling and reminds you how well it pairs with a beautiful evening, fresh air, and some nicely chilled wine.

This was a week of simple dishes with a twist. The Salmon was quite basic straight through, but the potatoes and squash I served with it were not quite what you would think. The potatoes were stuffed potato skins, but with Fontina cheese and a severe lack of frying, heavy oils, or bacon. The squash may be in the squash family, but was an almost pear-like Mexican version you'll have to search for and flavored with Indian spices for a mixed nationality side. Finally, I rounded out the meal with blueberry crumb cake. Spring is the season of blueberries and these ones did me proud. This crumb cake stood true to the test, coming out light and fluffy and moist - and rather healthy yet absolutely delicious.

Time: 2 hrs
Difficulty: easy

Fontina-Stuffed Potatoes

Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:
4 good-sized russet potatoes
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup fat free sour cream
1/8 cup low-fat buttermilk
2/3 cup shredded Fontina cheese
4 tbsp diced chives
1 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp grated parmesan

(this recipe is based upon one from Cooking Light)

Oh potatoes. You are so delicious. And I love you. I mean... well, let's just get to the recipe!

Get your oven pre-heating to 400 degrees. Wash your potatoes well and then pierce them all over with a fork. Place them in a greased baking dish and bake for an hour and fifteen minutes. When that time is up they should be quite tender. If they are not, bake a little longer. (It will vary with size of potatoes.)

Let them cool until you can handle them - probably 10-12 minutes. Cut them in half and scoop out the flesh of the potato, leaving about 1/4" shell all the way around so your skins do not lose their shape. Put the flesh in a large bowl.

Add the milk, sour cream, and buttermilk to your potato mixture in the bowl. Mash well until you reach a mashed potato-type consistency. (Some chunkier bits are okay.) Add 1/2 cup of fontina, chives, butter, salt, and pepper. Mix well. The cheese will probably begin to melt from the warmth of the potatoes, which is fine. Split the mixture evenly among your potato skins and stuff them back in. It should be overflowing by a little in each one. Sprinkle the remaining Fontina and the Parmesan over the tops of each one. Place them on a greased baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes. (Still at 400.) Then broil for 2 minutes. The cheese on the top should get bubbly. Take out and eat as soon as your mouth will allow it!

Indian-Spiced Squash
Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cumin
3 chayote squash
1 red onion
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp sliced mint leaves

(this recipe is based upon one from Cooking Light)

Wash your chayote squash. Cut in half, remove the seed, and cut into roughly 1" cubes. Get your grill or Foreman grill heating.

Slice your red onion into 1" sized pieces as well. Go for the cubes, but obviously they will fall apart a bit. Put the squash in a bowl with the onion. Toss with olive oil, cumin, and coriander until well blended.

Thread the squash and onion, alternating, onto skewer sticks. (Be careful not to accidentally stab yourself with one as I did.) When the grill is hot, put the skewers on it and grill for about 10 minutes, turning once or twice throughout the process to heat evenly. Place the skewers on a plate. Sprinkle with mint and drizzle with lemon juice.

Grilled Salmon
Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 lb Salmon fillet
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp lemon juice

Ready for world's simplest recipe? This reminds us that fresh Salmon has a delicious taste and is often most enjoyed when simply prepared. Make sure you buy a nice piece of Salmon for this meal, however, since it will simply be showcasing the flavor.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat. When the pan is getting hot add the olive oil and swirl to coat. Let the oil get hot as well.

Place the fillet in the pan, skin side down. Sprinkle with black pepper and drizzle with lemon juice. The fillet should be sizzling as soon as you place it in the pan if the pan and oil were hot enough.

Cook for about 5 minutes and flip. Again, the Salmon should be sizzling this entire time. Watch out for little specks of flying oil! Cook for about 7-8 minutes with the skin side up and resist wanting to flip the fill too often. You can take a little peak after the allotted time - the side facing down should be nicely browned and slightly crisp as seen in the picture at the top. If this is the case flip the Salmon back over to so skin side is down again. Cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the Salmon is cooked to your taste. Ideally, you let the skin get crisp at this stage.

Remove and enjoy. Garnish with fresh lemon wedges if desired.

Blueberry Crumb Cake

Time:

Ingredients:
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup stick margarine or butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup low fat buttermilk
1 cup fresh blueberries

Topping
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp stick margarine or butter, softened
1 tsp cinnamon

Now I know that normally I tell you to experiment, but when it comes to baking you really should follow the "rules." Baking is far more precise. Experiment and substitute and the texture will change and things will not turn out correctly. If you want to experiment plan on making mistakes and throwing away a lot of versions before you get there. But follow this recipe exactly and you'll enjoy a healthy, divine dessert. The only trick is not gulping it all down in one serving!

Preheat your oven to 350.

Coat a 9" round baking pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom with wax paper and then coat that with cooking spray as well. I find this recipe works especially well with a springboard pan, but if you do not have one you can use a traditional 9" round.

Beat 2/3 cup sugar and 1/4 cup butter/margarine with a mixer or by hand until the mixture is well blended. Add the vanilla and egg and beat well. (All of this beating helps to give the cake its light, airy texture.) Measure out 1 1/3 cups flour. Combine that separately with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. (Yes, salt, but just a little. In baking it is often necessary since it has rising properties.) Alternate adding a little bit of the flour mixture and a little bit of buttermilk to the sugar/butter mixture, starting and ending with flour. Mix just until well blended. Then gently fold the blueberries into the batter.

Pour the batter into the pan. You'll now need to make the crumb topping. Combine the remaining sugar, flour, butter/margarine, and cinnamon in a bowl. (See the ingredients under "topping" above. Cut the butter into the mixture with two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle evenly over the cake.

Bake for 40 minutes. Double check to make sure it's done by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, you're good to go!

But really - let me know what you think of this one since I find it so delicious!

Spinach-Corn-Sun Dried Tomato Omelette

I know, this is just an omelette. Right? A rather simple, generic food that is most often enjoyed at brunch buffets with delicious "design your own" stations. But it's also a filling, interesting dish you can make in your own home when you have a lot of leftovers and are looking for a quick meal.

Brunch and/or breakfast remains one of my favorite meals, and sadly I have not given it due focus on my blog. I plan to rectify this going forward. Today will feature how to make the perfect omelette, but watch for waffles in the next week or two. And remember, you can always re-read my past posts on pancakes or crepes.

Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: easy-medium (flipping makes it a medium...)

Spinach-Corn-Sun Dried Tomato Omelette
The first thing to remember is that while I will give ingredients for a specific omelette here, the real beauty of these egg creations is that you can put nearly anything in one. Vegetables, meats, cheeses... they can be as simple or as complicated as you would like. This one will include mushrooms, onions, spinach, corn, sun dried tomatoes, and cheese - and that makes it a rather full omelette. But get creative!

Here is some brainstorming by category to help you out if you are stuck on what can go in your omelette. (Remember that this is just a starter list. Let us know in the comments if you have other favorites we should all be trying!)

Veggies: tomato, mushroom, onion, spinach, corn, sun dried tomato, broccoli, bell pepper, zucchini, green onion, potato, salsa, guacamole

Meats: smoked salmon, ham, shrimp

Cheeses: muenster, american, goat, mozzarella, parmesan, asiago, manchego

But now, at last, we'll get to this recipe of the week so you can start making your own delicious creation. Feel free to follow along exactly or experiment as you go.

Ingredients:
1 tsp butter or fake butter
1 cup fresh spinach (if you use frozen use far less since fresh wilts a lot)
1/8 -1/4 cup diced mushroom
1/8 - 1/4 cup diced onion
1/8 - 1/4 cup corn kernels
1/8 - 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
2 eggs
1.5 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp salt
6 tbsp muenster cheese
1 tbsp parmesan cheese

Now, let me say, this will make a HUGE omelette. I have a very bad habit of piling on the veggies and finding out in the end my egg can barely cover them and my omelette will feed me all day long. This is one of those. I put on ranges to try to tone my instinct down since I'm pretty sure I'd use the uppermost of all of those ranges. (It is hard to predict because I never measure with omelettes but just go by how it looks as I move along through the process.)

If the veggies look overwhelming, you have two options. One, simply have a bloated omelette which will taste delicious but probably fall apart when you flip it. Or, have twice as much egg and milk on hand. After cooking the veggies separate out half on a plate. Use the 2 eggs and milk to make one omelette and give it to your favorite person. Then dump the rest of the cooked veggies back in your emptied pan and make the second one for yourself.

So here we go! Heat the butter in a small pan (this is key) over medium-high heat. When the butter melts add the spinach. Stir every few minutes and cook for about 5 minutes or until the spinach has started to wilt. It will continue to wilt as you cook the rest of the veggies so just make sure it has started.

Add the onions and mushrooms. Stir frequently to avoid burning and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the sun dried tomatoes and corn. Cook for another 3 minutes.

In a separate bowl combine your eggs and milk and whip the eggs a bit with a fork to make sure the yolk is evenly mixed into the egg-milk mixture. Use a spatula to push the veggies slightly into the center of the pan, leaving about a finger's width around the edges. Think of it as if your pan was a pizza and the veggies are the topping, so you need to leave a slight crust. Pour the egg mixture over the veggies and turn the heat down to medium. Sprinkle on the salt and pepper. (Salt is optional.)

Let the egg cook for about 3 minutes so it sets slightly. Use your spatula to scrape around the edges to make sure the omelette won't stick to the edge of the pan. Tilt the pan as needed if there are pools of raw egg to get them to run around the pan and cook evenly.

Continue to cook your omelette. It should be getting fairly well set at this point. Wait until the egg is nearly cooked but not 100%. You now have two choices. If you are feeling brave, loosen the edges, slip your spatula underneath the omelette, and flip the entire thing and then continue with the recipe and the placing of the cheese. But, if you generally overload your omelettes and they will no longer flip well, just follow along without flipping. Either way, loosen the edges again!

Slice your muenster into cracker-sized slices if not already divided in some way. Scatter the muenster evenly across the omelette and let the cheese melt as you cook your omelette for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle the parmesan on top and continue cooking.

Your omelette will be done when the egg is fully cooked. The outside should also be a bit browned, especially the bottom if you never flipped it. When your omelette is cooked use your spatula to fold it in half, trapping the cheese in the fold. Push down on the top to make sure it will stick together fairly well. Then, slip the spatula underneath the folded omelette and place on a plate. You're ready to enjoy it!

Servings: 1
Serving size: 1 omelette
Nutrition: calories 618; carbs 25g; fat 42g; protein 45g; sodium 1143mg

Portobello-Walnut Spinach Ravioli with Leek Crisps

Mmmmm.. have I ever mentioned how much I truly LOVE ravioli? I'm not sure what it is about these delicious pasta pockets, but I love them in every form and have loved them so for as long as I can remember. They can be fancy, stuffed with lobster or shrimp or roasted vegetables, or quite simple, of the frozen cheese quality I plop into some boiling water as I heat up a jar of tomato sauce. But the best kind, of course, is always homemade.

In this particular case, however, I cannot take credit for the recipe. In the detailed description below I provide a link to a friend's political blog that occasionally features recipes. He is the one who actually developed this creation and then I eagerly swooped in to try it out - and I am glad I did. These ravioli combine spinach, goat cheese, portobello mushrooms, leeks, and walnuts for a wonderful blend that truly satisfies the palate. So while this is quite the time consuming meal, find a weekend and whip these up. They are worth the effort.

I also chose to serve these with my tomato bruschetta that has been featured before. Because somehow bread just works well with pasta!

Time: 2.5 hrs
Difficulty: medium-hard

Portobello-Walnut Spinach Ravioli with Leek Crisps
Remember, these ravioli take a long time. Plan accordingly. I would suggest that you assemble all of your ingredients ahead of time so you can move quickly once you begin. You'll want to budget plenty of time so you do not feel rushed when you are rolling out the dough or assembling the ravioli. They must be treated with care to achieve the best result.

Although you will no longer find too many links in my blog, you can find the recipe for the ravioli here. The directions are wonderfully laid out, especially as it details how to assemble your actual ravioli. But, of course, I have made a number of changes (most of which revolve around health) so let me fill you in on those.

First, this recipe calls for a lot of olive oil. You'll see 3/4 cup plus another 1/2 cup of walnut oil. No way will a meal I cook use 1 1/4 cups of olive oil! I also cut well down on the salt. So follow through as I walk you through the recipe.

Follow the recipe as it instructs you on how to start putting the dough together. But once you have your dough and it instructs you to coat with olive oil and let it sit, we'll reach our first change. I chose to lightly coat a bowl with cooking spray, then put the ball of dough inside of it. I flipped it around once or twice to make sure the dough was lightly coated in cooking spray - no fat involved.

In the next paragraph you learn how to make the filling - basically sauteing onions and mushrooms and then adding some cheese into the mix at the end. Go ahead, but here it calls for 3 tablespoons of olive oil - I used 1 teaspoon. This made a good dent in the fat and calories involved in the filling. I also used just a tiny sprinkle of salt, about 1/8 teaspoon, rather than the full teaspoon called for here.

You will now move into making the actual ravioli. The post does a wonderful job of walking you through how to correctly construct and build your ravioli, so follow along. They actually are quite easy when you get the hang of it so do not be worried! It was rather fun to "paint" the dough with a brush dipped in water and then press the ravioli together with my fingers. And, as you may have guessed, I had trouble keeping all of my raviolis neat rectangles. Do not worry if they come out slightly funny shaped - make sure your seams are tight and they all taste the same in the end.

So now it's time to make the sauce. And yes, we'll cut down a bit on the olive oil here as well. But while it is easy to cut a lot from the mixture, which I believe does not need a lot of salt or olive oil, here it is far more important since it actually makes up the sauce. We'll just trim a bit off while essentially following along. I used fake butter and just 3 tbsp rather than the full 4. I then used a bit less than 1/4 cup for both types of oil. It was more than 1/8 cup each but less than 1/4... so can we go with 3/16? Obviously, we don't get that specific. Just take a 1/4 cup measuring tool and fill it a few tablespoons below the line. Put equal amounts of both types of olive oil into the sauce. Then, make up the difference by adding a bit more than 3/4 cup of white wine. This just makes the sauce a little heavier on the white wine and a little lighter on the olive oil while maintaining the basic idea.

Finally, it's time for the leek crisps and to assemble the ravioli for eating. I happen to love the taste of leeks and wanted to avoid covering up the taste with salt (or oil.) So when it calls for tossing them with 3 tablespoons, I cut it to about 2 teaspoons. And when it says 1 tablespoon salt....well, to be honest, I left this out altogether. Truly, I am just not a salt fan unless we are discussing french fries. If you need a sprinkle toss it on but definitely keep it to just a quick toss of your shaker, about 1/8 of a teaspoon. (Remember, you shouldn't have more than 1 tsp of salt a day.)

Assemble as instructed and finally enjoy this incredible creation!

(Hint: I had leftover ravioli but it didn't keep/reheat quite as well with the olive oil sauce. So while for the main dinner we ate as described above and in the linked recipe, for leftovers I whipped up some tomato sauce and enjoyed the ravioli that way for lunch. That worked extremely well and once again the ravioli were amazing.)

Mojito Shrimp with Challah and Fresh Berry-Spiced Almond Salad

Mmmmm....... I really need to stop writing these posts when I'm hungry because it really helps nothing at all! But in the meantime, you'll have to trust me that this is actually a delicious meal and not just me saying so in my hunger. The shrimp are absolutely divine, combining the freshness of lime with the sweetness of sugar and the general wonderful zing that comes with a mojito flavor. The challah is light and fresh, eager to be pulled apart, and the berries are sweet and luscious and nicely accented by freshly prepared sweetly spiced almonds.

This would be a perfect meal for a spring or summer evening since the shrimp are so refreshing and berries, even when purchased from Whole Foods, are just better in season. Make this on a weekend night (since the challah takes some time) with your windows open and some nicely chilled white wine for a blissful experience.

Time: 2 hrs 45 min
Difficulty: medium

Challah
Time: 2 hrs 45 min
Yes, the time looks ridiculously long but much of it is rising time. Plan accordingly and the bread can be rising as you take care of other things. No reason to stare at rising bread!

Ingredients
1 package yeast (2 1/4 tsps)
3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp butter (melted but cooled)
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3 cups flour
1 tsp cornmeal
1 egg yolk

Oh, Challah. How good you are. We'll start this by dissolving the yeast in 1 cup of warm water. Once the yeast is dissolved stir in the honey and then let it sit for about 5 minutes.

Then add the butter, salt, and egg. Whisk the mixture to ensure it's well blended. Then add 2 3/4 cups flour and mix with a wooden spoon (or other but it works well) until you have a soft dough. Set the dough aside and let it rest for about 15 minutes.

Now we'll get into the kneading. Spread some flour on a good surface for kneading. I like to use my marble counter and to put flour directly on top of it. Start kneading and very slowly add flour until it is not sticking to your hands or the counter. You'll want to keep adding and kneading until the dough is nice and smooth and elastic-y which should take 5-10 minutes. Then coat a bowl in cooking spray, form the dough in a bowl, and place it in the bowl. Flip once or twice to make sure the cooking spray is on the dough. Cover and let it rise in a warm place for 40 minutes. I just put it in my microwave (when it's off) so it will be free of drafts.

When it has risen enough you'll be able to push two fingers lightly into the dough and the indent will remain. When that happens (after about 40 min) punch the dough down, reshape it, and put it back to rise again for 40 minutes. After that punch it down, reshape, and let it rise for another 15 minutes. Now we're ready to finally continue!

Preheat your oven to 375.

Split the dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece out into a long thin rope that is about 25 inches long. Grease a cookie sheet and sprinkle it with cornmeal. Place the three ropes on the sheet and pinch one end of each together. Then braid the bread just as you would braid anything else. Pinch together at the other end. Now cover and let the dough rise for 20 minutes. It should be about doubled in size.

Beat the egg yolk and add a teaspoon of water. Use a cooking brush (or spoon if you don't have one) to paint the egg yolk over the top of the Challah. Then bake the bread for 30 minutes.

Fun question: Do you tear or cut your Challah?

Fresh Berry-Spiced Almond Salad
Time: 40 min (mostly for the almonds)
This salad is absolutely delicious. I cannot say enough about it - the lightness and freshness, the sweetness and tang of berries mixed with newly minted almonds... It all blends together so perfectly and is topped by a subtle and light vinaigrette that knocks the recipe home.

Ingredients:
1/2 c sliced almonds
1/4 c packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cumin
1 egg white
3 tbsp champagne vinegar
2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp canola oil
mesclun
1/4 c chives, chopped
1 cup strawberries, sliced
3/4 cup raspberries

First you'll need to make the almonds which is the longer part of this recipe. Get your oven preheating to 325. Combine the almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, coriander, and cumin in a bowl and toss well. Add a slightly beaten egg white and mix to ensure the almonds are evenly coated.

Line a cookie sheet with foil and then grease it with cooking spray. Spread the almonds in a single layer on the sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip and mix them and bake for another 15 minutes. They should be crisp when done.

After that the salad comes together right away. Combine the champagne vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and black pepper in a bowl. Whisk until well combined. Then slowly add the oil, whisking the entire time. Set aside for a minute.

Combine the mesclun, strawberries, and raspberries in a large bowl. Whisk the dressing and pour over. Toss to spread the dressing around evenly. Add the almonds on top.

Hint: If you store leftover salad with the almonds on it they will soak up the moisture and lose all crispness. If you think you'll have leftovers just add the almonds to each individual person's serving. Then you can store them separately in an air-tight container.

Mojito Shrimp
Time: 25 minutes
The entree is actually the fastest part of this meal and comes together quite quickly so you can mix it up just as you are nearing the end of everything else.

Ingredients:
1/2 c chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 c sugar
2 tbsp shallots, diced
1/3 c light rum
3 tbsp fresh lime juice + 2 tbsp (separated)
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp grated lime zest
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

Mix together the mint, sugar, and shallots in a bowl. Use a muddler or something with a flat end to smash the mint and shallots into the sugar. Then add the rum, 3 tbsp lime juice, vegetable oil, and lime zest. Mix well.

Mix the shrimp into your mint mixture (I prefer to remove the tails first but you don't have to) and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.

Heat a pan over medium to medium high heat on your stove. Add the shrimp and the marinade after it is done marinating. Pour in another 2 tbsp lime juice. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring on a regular basis. When the shrimp are done they should turn pink and curl up tightly. Remove from heat as soon as this happens to avoid overcooking.

Enjoy this fantastic entree right away.

Green Onion-Soy Salmon with Veggie Fried Rice

That's right, an Asian recipe has spilled over from February! But this dinner features delicious Salmon prepared with green onions, soy, and other Asian flavors paired with freshly-made veggie fried rice. Did I just type the word "fry"? I did, but no worries, it is not truly fried and the oil content stays quite low. Think of a rice stir fry rather than true frying.

With vegetables and starch both covered by the fried rice, I did not serve a separate veggie with this meal. But feeling a little short on vitamins? Stir fry some broccoli or snap peas in a bit of garlic and soy sauce for a tasty vegetable addition to this meal. Just throw those on with about 5-7 minutes to go and your entire meal will easily finish on time.

Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Green Onion-Soy Salmon
Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tsp peeled and diced ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp peanut oil
3/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1 lb Salmon fillet

Preheat your oven to 375.

Mix the ginger, salt, and peanut oil in a small bowl. Combine the onions, soy sauce, and sesame oil in another.

Coat a glass pan with cooking spray. Rub the ginger/salt/peanut oil mixture on both sides of the salmon fillet and place it in the glass dish. Pour the soy sauce mixture over the Salmon. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until Salmon is cooked to your desired amount.

Extra step: If you want to make your Salmon extra beautiful for a fancy presentation, before putting any sauce on it cut it into 3 long, equally sized strips. Use a toothpick to pin the 3 ends together and braid your Salmon. Use a toothpick to secure the opposite end. Then proceed with dressing and baking your Salmon.

Veggie Fried Rice
Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tbsp rice wine
1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1.5 tsp peanut oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1.5 cups chopped green onion
1.5 cups peas (frozen or fresh)
5 cups cooked long-grain rice (chilled)

First, cook your rice and then chill it if you have not done so. Run cold water over it after cooking it and "wash" it off with your fingers to get rid of the waxy coating. This will keep the rice from clumping together and provide a better texture for your fried rice.

Combine the rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, and black pepper in a bowl. Heat the peanut oil in a wok or large pan over medium high heat. When it's hot add the beaten eggs and scramble them for about 30 seconds. They will continue to cook as you add the rest of the ingredients. Toss in the green onions and peas. Stir fry for about 3 minutes or until they are well heated and just starting to cook. Sit for another minute. Add the rice and pour the sauce you had previously mixed on top. Toss well and continue to stir to make sure sauce and vegetables are mixed evenly throughout rice. Stir fry for another 2-3 minutes or until rice is well heated in the mixture. Remove from heat and eat immediately.

Hint: Want to make the fried rice into a full meal? Add shrimp, chicken, or tofu. Stir fry them first, right after adding peanut oil, and then when they are 80% cooked drop in the eggs and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Chipotle-Lime Arctic Char with Squash-Pasta-Parmesan Soup

Sorry for the delay in getting a new post up here! I was off on vacation for the past week, so not a lot of cooking going on during that time. Anyone interested in some excellent restaurant recommendations out in Vail?

But, the good (or perhaps bad for me) news is that I'm back to my real life and cooking away again! This recipe pairs a crisply made Char, a Salmon-type fish, with some delicious, vegetable filled soup. Finally, I rounded out the meal with my Bakery Dinner Rolls that were so excellent last time. Rolls and soup just work together so well! So let's get to it.

Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Squash-Pasta-Parmesan Soup

Time: 25 minutes
We'll start with the soup and get it going, then turn our attention back to the fish. However, unlike most soups this one does not actually take that long to prepare, so keep up with the pace!

Ingredients:
6 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
bow-tie pasta (6-8 oz)
2 cups sliced yellow squash (2-3 squash)
2 cups sliced zucchini (2-3 zucchini)
1.5 tbsp fresh basil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Thyme
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
(1/4 cup sliced fresh Basil - optional)

(this recipe comes from a similar one on Cooking Light)

Bring the broth to a boil with 3 cups of water in a very large pot. I chose to use vegetable broth to keep this vegetarian but chicken broth will also work well. You can also mix them as needed. As usual, I used bouillon cubes to make my broth.

Once the broth/water is boiling add the pasta and cook for 8 minutes, letting it boil and stirring occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom or sides. Add the squash, zucchini, basil, lemon juice, thyme, oregano, and black pepper. Immediately turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring every couple minutes to make sure the soup is well blended.

At this point the squash should be soft. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cheese and the basil strips (optional) for a pretty look! Enjoy - but be careful, it's very hot when it comes directly off the stove.

(Note: While this recipe sounds simple it is actually extremely flavorful so give it a taste before assuming you should add more spice.)

Chipotle-Lime Arctic Char
Time: 20 minutes
This recipe can easily be used with Salmon as well, but with Arctic Char in season in my area, I've been eager to use the fresh, light fish as much as possible. This recipe is made mildly, but you can always add more Chipotle (or mix in some chili spice) if you want a spicier version.

Ingredients:
1 lb Arctic Char fillets
6 garlic cloves, minced or mashed
1/8 cup fresh lime juice
1 tsp olive oil
1.5 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp Chipotle
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
Cooking Spray

Preheat your oven to 350.

Mince your garlic or use a large flat knife to mash the garlic down into a pulp. Mix it together with the lime juice, olive oil, sugar, and Chipotle. The sugar should dissolve at least somewhat in the mixture.

Coat a pan with cooking spray. Place the Char fillets on the pan, sprinkle evenly with the 1/4 tsp salt (optional) and then spread the entire garlic mixture over the Char. Marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes. Make sure not to leave it any longer than that or the lime juice will start to cook the fish.

Place in the heated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until done. If you like your fish on the raw side check after 8 minutes. When it's cooked it should go from darker orange to a light pink and flake easily when tested with a fork or spatula.

Enjoy immediately.