Orange Teriyaki Salmon

My new recipe of the week--SUCCESS!!!

This really was SO yummy. We always grill our salmon, so this was a nice change. Great flavor.

*TRULY*

Recipe and photos from Ourbestbites.com

about 2  pounds salmon; one large filet or 2 smaller ones

3/4 C orange marmalade

4 Tablespoons butter

1/2 C orange juice

3 Tbs bottled teriyaki sauce

6 Tbs soy sauce

1 Tbs worshershire sauce

2 Tbs vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs brown sugar

1/2 tsp liquid smoke

1/8 tsp ground red pepper, or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

several cracks black pepper

2 Tbs chopped dry onion, or 1/4 C minced fresh onion

3 Tbs dry parsley or about 1/2 C fresh

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Layer a piece of heavy duty foil over a large baking sheet  Lay on one more sheet in the opposite direction, leaving about 8″ of overhang on all sides.

Place marmalade and butter in a small microwave safe bowl and heat for about 30 seconds, or until butter is melted.  Whisk until smooth.  Combine this mixture with all ingredients (except fish) in a bowl and stir until smooth.  Rinse salmon in cold water and pat dry.  Place skin side down on baking sheet.  Pour marinade over fish.

Starting from one end, gather the foil overhang together and roll them together to seal a tent-like pouch.  Bake in oven for about 25 minutes. Fish should be opaque and flake easily with a fork.  Test fish and return pan to oven for an additional 5-10 minutes if necessary.  Serve salmon with sauce spooned over top.

Grill instructions: Preheat gas grill to 325. Place foil pouch on upper rack if you have one, or on indirect heat on the main rack.  Follow the same baking instructions as if it were in the oven.

Fish can also be cooked in a foil tent over a camp fire. Season the fish as desired (you can also add a couple of tablespoons of water to help it steam in the hot fire) and close up your foil tent. Nestle your foil pouch into the glowing embers where the heat isn’t as intense as the flames. Cooking time may vary depending on the size and variety of fish, so check it after 10 minutes. If it’s not done, check at 2-3 minute intervals after that.

Homemade Granola Bars

These are my new FAVORITE things to make.  SO easy and so much better than the ones in the stores.  AND without all the preservatives and fillers.  If I lived closer to you, I'd give you a sample.  SO GOOD!

 GRANOLA OAT BARS:

1c raw cashews

4T coconut oil (melted)

4T honey

2c fresh medjool dates

3c thick oats

Place ingredients in food processor and blend for about a minute.  Pour contents into a bowl and mix in desired 'add ins' with clean hands.  (Trader Joe's sells the cheapest coconut oil...it's SO good)

My favorite granola bars have:

(and you can be creative, mixing in whatever you like)

1c chopped pecans

1/2 bar dark Belgian chocolate
(finely chopped)

1c shredded coconut

Place mixture in a large, glass baking dish (11x9) and press down with hands.  Stick in the freezer for about 10 minutes...cut into bars and place back in freezer for another 10 minutes.  Remove from freezer and place in individual snack bags and they keep best in freezer.  This pan above makes about 15 bars, perfect for my 3 school kids for 5 school days.  

YUM!

Bon Bon

Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry

(I forgot to add the cornstarch part, and it was still great...if you like Indian food, I think you'll enjoy this)

*TRULY*

recipe and photo from tastykitchen.com

Preparation Instructions

1. Place chicken cubes inside the slow cooker.

2. Place therest of the ingredients (except chili peppers, cornstarch, water and coriander) in a food processor bowl and process together until the mix is smooth(ish). Pour sauce mix on top of the chicken, mix well, add hot peppers if using any, then close the lid. Cook on low for 6 hours.

3. An hour before serving, mix together water and cornstarch until the cornstarch is completely disolved. Add to the chicken curry and mix well. Place the lid back on for the rest of the cooking time.

4. Serve on top of steaming white rice, something wonderfully aromatic like jasmine or basmati rice. Decorate with lots of chopped coriander. So good!

Ingredients

• 2 or 3lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, Cut Into Large Cubes
• 1 whole Onion, Peeled And Halved
• 2 cloves Garlic, Peeled
• 1 whole Small Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Quartered
• 1 can (15 oz Can) Tomato Paste
• 1 can (about 400ml Can) Coconut Milk
• 1-½ teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Curry Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Garam Masala (Indian Spice Mix)
• 2 whole Dry Red Chili Peppers (optional For Extra Heat))
• 2 Tablespoons Water
• 1-½ Tablespoon Cornstarch
• 1 bunch Coriander (optional, For Decoration)

SEVEN LAYER DIP!

SEVEN LAYER DIP!

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans (traditional variety)
• 1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice for avocado layer
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt
• 3 avocados, halved, pitted, flesh spooned out
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup salsa (I used the homemade salsa from earlier this week)
• 3/4 cup sliced canned black olives, drained
• 1 cup grated pepper Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup thin sliced scallion greens, green part only

Directions

1. Mix beans, chiles, 1 Tb. of lime juice, chili powder, cumin, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. In a second small bowl, mash avocados with a fork; stir in remaining 2 Tbs. lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to make guacamole (I added a little  the fresh salsa to my guac). In a third small bowl, mix sour cream and mayonnaise.
2. Spread bean mixture, then guacamole, then sour cream mixture, and finally salsa (i added diced tomatoes here too) over the bottom of a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate or similar size pan. Sprinkle with olives, then cheese. (Dip can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days) To serve, sprinkle with green onions. (i skipped the green onions, didn't have any on hand)
3. *TRULY*

I tried 2 new salsa recipes this week. 

I prefer the 1st one, but I think they're both good.

Grab some chips!

(photo from cookingclassy.blogspot.com)

FRESH SALSA

Ingredients:

5 Roma tomatos

1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes with green chilis, undrained

2 green onions

3 Tbsp yellow onion

2 serrano peppers, stems removed (use less or omit if you don't like spicy foods)

1/3 cup fresh cilantro (about a handful)

1 clove garlic

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp ground cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and chop until all ingredients are finely chopped. Alternately, if you don't have a food processor finely chop veggies then pour into a mixing bowl, add canned tomatos, lime juice, chili powder, cumin and season with salt and pepper to taste and stir. Serve with tortilla chips. Store in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Easy Blender Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1- 10 oz can orginal Rotel
• 1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1/2-1 jalapeno, seeded or not (depends on how spicy you like it)
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• small to medium size handful of cilantro, washed
• juice of 1 lime

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in the base of a food processor or good blender and pulse to combine for 30 seconds or so until all the ingredients are finely chopped and salsa is desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust to taste. Serve with chips or over tacos.