Maple Glazed Salmon With Grilled Green Beans & Mushrooms

Sometimes you just stumble onto a new recipe that really *Wows* everyone and baby, this is it. The maple syrup glaze is the perfect compliment to the salmon and the grilled vegetables are the perfect side dish, for a nice, light dinner. I found this recipe at a wonderful blog called Closet Cooking. I pretty much made up the recipe for the green beans.


When I made this for dinner Saturday night, there wasn't even a morsel left on either of our plates. Frankly, I was ready to lick the remaining maple syrup off my plate, but restrained myself. I can't begin to tell you how delicious this is! So, you just need to try it for yourself.
 

Ingredients:  

For The Salmon:
1 large Salmon filet
1/4-cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons of light soy sauce
1 teaspoon of grated ginger (optional)  

Directions:

1. Marinate the salmon in the maple, soy sauce, ginger, mixture for 20+ minutes.

2. Cook the salmon in a preheated oven set to broil for 5 to 10 minutes. Pour maple mixture over salmon several times during cooking.

3. Place individual servings of salmon on plate and pour over the top of salmon, letting it drip down onto the plate.  

Ingredients:

For The Grilled Green Beans & Mushrooms:
1-cup of chopped onions
1 large Portobella mushroom, chopped
1/2 pound fresh green beans, washed & trimmed
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
olive oil (garlic flavored)

Directions:

1. Take an extra large sheet of aluminum foil and make a tray with sides. Spray bottom with cooking spray.

2. Pour garlic oil into tray and add veggies.

3. Gently toss veggies with your hands until all are lightly coated with garlic oil.

4. Sprinkle with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.

5. Add another piece of doubled foil to the top and seal all the way around.

6. Place package of aluminum foil on preheated grill and cook for 15 minutes.

7. Turn the package over and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

8. Be careful when opening package as the hot steam builds up during cooking.

Grilled Shrimp And Asparagus Over Linguine Alfredo... Quick, Economical, And Healthy

Yesterday I played golf and didn't get home until after 5:00 PM, so I had to come up with a quick, easy dinner. Luckily, I had some fresh linguine, some shrimp and some Alfredo Sauce in the freezer. I also had a small bunch of asparagus in the fridge, so I knew what I had to do.

While the coals were heating up outside in the chimney, I thawed the shrimp and the Alfredo sauce, then started the pan of water for the linguine.

Next, I skewered the shrimps and the asparagus, brushing them with olive oil and sprinkling salt & pepper about. When they were almost done, I began heating the frozen Alfredo sauce in the microwave and threw the linguine into the pot of boiling water.

By the time the shrimp and asparagus were done, the pasta and Alfredo were ready as well. After draining the pasta, I returned it to the pan and poured the Alfredo sauce over the pasta. I then added the asparagus and topped with the shrimp.

Total prep time: 30 minutes Total cooking time: 15 minutes

Easy peasy. A quick, economical, and healthy dinner for two.

Quick & Easy Spinach Souffle Deluxe

Today I decided to make something special to go with our Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Shrimp that I had planned for dinner. I perused the Internet until I located just the right recipe (which included the only ingredients I had on hand, because I hate to go to the grocery store). Yup, if you look hard and long enough, you can find just about any recipe you want, to match the ingredients you have on hand. For this, I adore the Internet. I did change up a few things in order to make it mine, like adding the onion and a dash of cayenne. However, I have a hubby that watches..... food TV. He has become a complete "know it all" since he started watching Alton Brown. I'm not sure which one I'd rather get rid of first... Alton or the hubby!


Anyway, in my constant effort to to "Wow" the hubster, I peruse recipes. But I'm not a total tramp. At least I go with recipes that call for the only items I have on hand. Frankly, I consider myself a rather resourceful girl lady, thank you very much!


So.... I made the most divine Spinach Souffle that was absolutely the easiest recipe ever. I've tried to make it in the past but hubby always said it was a "nice try" or a "good effort". Tonight, he was blown away, and actually I was too. Since I basically FLUNKED home economics in high school, who woulda thunk I could tackle something as difficult as a souffle with so little effort? Well, my friends, I'm here to tell you that it's all thanks to the Internet. (Oh - and Mrs. Richardson, if you're still alive, I just want to say that I'm not the complete idiot in the kitchen that you said I'd be... you WITCH!) I could out-cook, out-broil, and out-grill your boring ass any day of the week. So sorry... just shaking loose a bit of baggage there. The picture of my finished product is above & the recipe lies below. ENJOY....

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. butter 
2 tsp. all-purpose flour 
1/2 c. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
Dash of Cayenne
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
1/2 c. cooked, chopped spinach, pressed dry
3 tbsp.
Parmesan cheese, grated


Directions:

1. Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; blend in flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in milk, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly 6 to 8 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in salt and pepper.

2. Saute the onion and spinach until desired doneness and set aside to cool. Once the mixture has cooled, put it on a chopping board and press paper towels to the mix, until most of the moisture has been soaked up by the towels.

3. Beat the egg yolks. Gradually stir about one-fourth of the hot mixture into the beaten yolks, stirring well. Then stir the yolk mixture into the white sauce.

4. Add the spinach and cheese; stir well.

5.Beat the egg whites (at room temperature) until stiff, and carefully fold into the spinach mixture. Spoon into a lightly greased 1 quart souffle dish.

6. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes, or until firm. Serve immediately. Serves 4 generously.