Simple Holiday Meal

Even though I was out of town for Christmas Day, I still wanted to make a holiday meal for the fun of it. The meal ended up being simple, healthy, and not over the top which is exactly what I needed after all those Christmas cookies fell into my mouth over the weekend. I did a bunch of searching online and came up with three dishes: roast turkey with gravy, garlic mashed potatoes, and roasted brussel sprouts. Each one was delicious, and I followed each recipe exactly, so I'll just provide a link to where I got them.

For the roast turkey, I used Martha Stewart's butter/white wine/ cheesecloth method.
http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/how-to-roast-a-turkey
Since this was only the 2nd time I've attempted a whole turkey, I loved the step-by-step instructions complete with pictures. Turkey for Dummies! :) I didn't feel like putting in the work to brine the turkey, and it turned out that I didn't need to, the turkey was super moist and flavorful without it. It looked pretty too. I also used her gravy recipe made from giblet stock, absolutely fantastic. No stuffing though, it's not my thing!

The garlic mashed potatoes were from Steamy Kitchen's blog...so easy and delish.
http://steamykitchen.com/12025-roasted-garlic-mashed-potatoes.html

By far the most interesting dish on the table was the roasted brussel sprouts with a pistachio-cranberry pesto, also from Steamy Kitchen.

http://steamykitchen.com/9035-roasted-brussels-sprouts-cranberry-pistachio-pesto.html

I prepped everything while the turkey was cooking, then when the turkey was done and out of the oven, I stuck 'em in to roast while the turkey rested. Great timing. I hadn't had brussel sprouts since my mother made them in '88 and my husband has never had them, so it was a gamble (and I think I won!). These had a yummy sweet/salty contrast from the pesto, and the texture of the sprouts was crisp on the outside, tender on the inside. Just perfect.

I hope you try some of these and like them as much as I did!

Baked Salmon with Tomato-Caper Sauce

I got this recipe from my awesome chef friend, Erica, a long time ago and finally decided to try it for a girls' dinner that I was hosting. It was the first time a few of my friends had sampled my cooking, so I really wanted to impress. :) It definitely didn't disappoint in both presentation and taste. Sides of roasted asparagus and mashed sweet potatoes rounded out the meal. One thing needed for this recipe is a good oven-proof skillet. Luckily, a few weeks before the dinner I received a fantastic All-Clad stainless saute pan from Crate & Barrel as a very generous gift.

RECIPE:

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon drained capers
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 center-cut salmon fillets with skin (about 7 ounces each)
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 tablespoon chopped basil

Preheat oven to 425F. In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with the shallot, capers, vinegar and 1/2 tsp of salt. In a medium ovenproof skillet, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet, skin side up. (Depending on how big the skillet, you may be able to fit more than one fillet in the pan, but don't crowd!) Cook over moderately high heat until well-browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the fillets. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until the salmon is cooked through, about 7-10 minutes. Transfer the fish to plates and pour off any fat in the skillet. Cover with foil to keep warm. Place the skillet over moderate heat and add the tomato mixture along with the cumin, canola oil and remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil. Cook, scraping up any bits stuck to the skillet, until the tomatoes just soften, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the salmon, sprinkle with fresh parsley and basil, and serve immediately.

Turkey Bean Chili

This chili was quick, easy, and delicious. I got the recipe from Cooking Light magazine's "Favorite 20 minute recipes" section. Usually I think of chili simmering for hours, so I was a bit skeptical that good chili could only take 20 minutes. To be honest, it took a bit longer to prep everything, and I let it simmer for about 30 minutes since I had the time. I'll be making it again for sure!

RECIPE:
1 cup red onion, chopped
1 poblano pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1+ lb ground turkey
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
salt & pepper to taste
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
14.5oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
14oz can low sodium chicken broth
fresh cilantro, chopped
lime wedges
avocado, chopped
sour cream
shredded cheese

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add first 4 ingredients; cook for 6 minutes or until turkey is done, stirring frequently to crumble. Stir in chili powder, and next 8 ingredients (through broth); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer at least 10 minutes. Top with your choice...avocado chunks, sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, squeeze of lime. Enjoy! Makes 6 servings. (per serving: 211 cals, 6.5g fat, 16g carbs, 22.5g protein)

Salmon Burger

These burgers were sooo good on the grill! I eat baked salmon all the time but this was a nice change for summer and just as healthy. The recipe came from Cooking Light magazine. The writers did a great job of figuring out how to keep the burgers from flaking apart on the grill without adding egg or fillers. Turns out this can be done by making a salmon puree then mixing in the chunks of salmon to get the texture just right. Impressive! I also like the suggested combo of Dijon mustard and honey to slather onto the bun instead of the usual ketchup and mustard.

RECIPE:
1 lb skinless center-cut salmon fillets, cut into large chunks
2 tbsp Dijon mustard, divided
2 tsp grated lemon rind
2 tbsp fresh tarragon, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 tbsp honey
1 cup arugula or other tangy lettuce
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
splash extra-virgin olive oil
pinch kosher salt
pinch freshly ground pepper

Place ¼ lb salmon, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, and lemon rind in a food processor; process until smooth. Spoon puree into a large bowl. Place remaining ¾ lb salmon in food processor; pulse 6 times or until coarsely chopped. Fold chopped salmon, tarragon, shallots, salt, and pepper into puree. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, gently shaping each into a ½ inch thick patty. Cover and chill until ready to grill.

Preheat grill to medium heat. Combine the remaining 1 tbsp Dijon and honey into small bowl, and set aside. Combine arugula, onion, lemon juice, and oil in a medium bowl to make the burger topping.

Lightly coat both sides of burgers with cooking spray. Place patties on grill rack; grill 2 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly toast buns on grill. Carefully turn patties and grill for another 1-2 minutes until done.
Spread Dijon honey mixture onto bun, top burger with arugula-onion mixture. Serve with grilled fresh summer vegetables such as potatoes, cob corn, or summer squash.

Maryland Crab Cakes

After a failed first attempt at making crab cakes, I found a winning crab cake recipe. Both were from Cooking Light, but for some reason this one worked MUCH better. I liked the texture of the crab and the flavors from all the spices and herbs mixed in.

One thing I didn't skimp on too much while making these is the oil. Now I didn't go overboard, but a nice slick in the bottom of the pan worked great. If you don't have enough oil, you won't get the crispy outer coating from the panko and you'll probably burn them (which is what happened last time, and it was a real bummer). Crab is fairly expensive so you don't want to mess it up!



The recipe called for lump crabmeat, but it turns out that lump meat is really, really pricey. I was ready to give up until a local Marylander who worked at the store told me that special crab would work just as well and was half the price. It consists of the leftover bits of crab meat once the big chunks are removed. See this website for an explanation of types of crab meat: http://www.phillipsfoods.com/recipes-cooking-tips/understanding-crabmeat.aspx. I also added some Old Bay seasoning to the crab cake mixture and sprinkled some on top while cooking. I thought it gave a more authentic Maryland taste.

RECIPE:
1 lb lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 ½ tbsp mayonnaise
1 large egg
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
½ tsp grated lemon rind
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper to taste
Old Bay seasoning to taste
Olive oil

Combine chives, parsley, mayo, egg, lemon rind, lemon juice, pepper, and Old Bay in a large bowl. Add panko and crab, tossing gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Form crab cakes by filling a 1/3 cup measuring cup with mixture, turn over onto work surface, and press gently into a patty of uniform thickness. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook cakes 4 minutes on each side, or until golden on outside.

The recipe also included a creamy Remoulade sauce as a topping, which I really liked so I’ll add it here.


¼ cup light mayo
1 tbsp shallots, chopped
1 ½ tbsp capers, drained and chopped
2 tsp spicy mustard
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and cayenne to taste

Combine all ingredients and stir with whisk. Serve crab cakes with a bit of sauce on top and a fresh veggie or salad on the side. Makes 4 servings of 2 crab cakes each.(per serving: 292cals, 22g fat, 5g carbs, 19g protein)

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

This lasagna takes some extra time and many pans, but it is so delicious that it's worth it. I like the wide variety of veggies that get layered up between the noodles, it keeps every bite interesting! It is a great dish to make on a Sunday and eat all week for lunch.

RECIPE:
1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/4" rounds
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
3 small zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4" slices
2 red bell peppers, cut length wise into strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15oz container low fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg
1 26oz jar meatless spaghetti sauce (I like Newman's Own Tomato & Basil)
whole wheat lasagna noodles
3 tbsp fresh basil, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Spray 3 baking sheets with cooking spray. Spread eggplant slices on one baking sheet. Sweat eggplant by sprinkling salt on both sides of each slice and letting sit for 20 minutes. While eggplant sweats, prep other vegetables. Eventually beads of liquid will form on the eggplant. Rinse salt off eggplant and place back on baking sheet. Heat oven to 400F. Place zucchini and red pepper on another baking sheet. Place mushrooms on the third baking sheet. Combine a small amount of olive oil with minced garlic and lightly brush onto vegetables. Vegetables will take 30-45 minutes to roast in the oven, so turn halfway through and check often to make sure they don't burn.

While vegetables are roasting, combine ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a bowl. Coat 13x9" baking dish with cooking spray. After taking veggies out, lower oven temperature to 350F.

Layer 1: Spread about 1/4 cup pasta sauce in the bottom baking dish.
Layer 2: Noodles
Layer 3: Ricotta cheese mixture.
Layer 4: Roasted vegetables - make sure there's a good variation in each layer.
Layer 5: Pasta sauce
Layer 6: Sprinkling of mozzarella cheese and fresh basil

Repeat layers 2-6 2x and top with noodles and pasta sauce. Cover and bake at 350F for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake for another 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Porcini Mushroom Risotto

This is my first risotto! It turned out amazingly well, and I'm so proud! I kept hearing how tedious and difficult it is to make risotto, and maybe it is for the fancy restaurant versions, but this one was surprisingly easy as long as you have enough time to be patient in preparing it. This recipe was in Cooking Light, and I didn't change much at all. Since I was serving this risotto as a main dish, I added about 1/4 cup more fresh chopped baby 'bella mushrooms to make it a little heartier. The mascarpone cheese was a nice topping, but the dish is creamy enough without it.

First of all, here are my vital tips for making risotto:

1) Find yourself a good stool on which to perch,

2) Find yourself a good magazine to keep you from complete boredom while stirring,

3) Make yourself a cocktail because you're going to be there awhile.

Your risotto preparation should look something like this:

RECIPE:

2 cups boiling water
1 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 ounce)
1 (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth
Cooking spray
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
3/4 cup chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used leftover Chardonnay)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) mascarpone cheese
Fresh thyme leaves (optional)

1. Combine 2 cups boiling water and mushrooms; let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain through a colander over a bowl. Reserve 1 1/2 cups soaking liquid; chop mushrooms.

2. Bring soaking liquid and broth to a simmer in a small saucepan (do not boil). Keep broth mixture warm.

3. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add rice, shallots, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine, and cook until liquid evaporates (about 2 minutes).

4. Add 1 cup broth mixture to rice mixture; cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of the broth mixture is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Add mushrooms, grated cheese, chopped thyme, salt, and pepper; stir gently until cheese melts. Spoon 1 cup risotto into each of 4 bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon mascarpone and thyme leaves, if desired. Makes 4 servings. (per serving: 369cals, 15g fat, 48g carbs, 12g protein)