Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon

We were surprisingly gifted a filet of salmon, so I needed to find a delicious and quick week-night worthy recipe for it. I shouldn’t be surprised that my search brought me to The Way the Cookie Crumbles and Bridget’s recipe for this great dish. Not only was it a great way to enjoy our newly acquired fish, it was also an opportunity to use my find of Tabasco Brand Soy Sauce. The mix of sweet and heat was a perfect complement to the fish. I highly recommend giving this a try soon.

Ingredients:

Marinade:

• 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  
• 1 Tbsp Agave Nectar
  
• 2 Garlic cloves, smashed
  
• 2 tsp Ginger, finely grated
  
• 2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
  
• 1 Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  
• ½ tsp Kosher Salt
  
• ½ tsp White Pepper, freshly ground
  
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets
  

Glaze:

• 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  
• 1 Tbsp Agave Nectar
  
• 1 Garlic clove, minced
  
• 1 tsp Ginger, finely grated
  
• 1 tsp Lemon Zest, finely grated
  
• ½ cup Pomegranate Juice
  
• Salt
  

Directions:

1. Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a large, shallow dish. Add the salmon fillets and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, turning a few times.
   
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix all of the glaze ingredients except the pomegranate juice. In a small saucepan, simmer the juice over medium-high heat until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Stir into the other glaze ingredients.
   
3. Adjust an oven rack to 4 inches below the broiler; heat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil; arrange the salmon fillets, skin side down, on the prepared pan. Season with salt and brush with half of the glaze. Broil for about 3 minutes, until the fillets begin to brown. Brush the fillets with the remaining glaze and broil for about 3 minutes longer, until richly glazed and the fish is just cooked through. Serve immediately.

Blue Cheese Cheesecake with Pear-Onion Jam

It’s funny how tastes change. If you would have told me 10 years ago that I would be excited about making this recipe, that I found on Pink Parsley, I would have said you were crazy, that blue cheese was gross, and possibly added in that onions mixed with pears sounded weird. Oh, but changed they have. When I saw this recipe I knew immediately that I wanted to make it a part of my appetizers to bring for Christmas Eve. I thought it turned out beautifully. The cheesecake was savory, and the cream cheese balanced out the blue cheese, so it wasn’t too in your face with flavor, but a nice saltiness that paired well with the pear-onion jam.

Now, I will say this wasn’t the hit my Rumaki were, but that’s the thing with different tastes. Everyone generally loves bacon, but may be a little wary of a cheesecake not for dessert with fruit and onions on top. I get that. With that in mind, I may try converting to a 4″ cheesecake for the next go around so it still challenges people to give it a try without leaving me with a full-sized cheesecake to try to repurpose after the party.

Ingredients:

Cheesecake:

• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  
• 8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
  
• 6 ounces Asiago cheese, shredded
  
• 4 large eggs
  
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
  
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  

Pear-Onion Jam:

• 4 cups onions, diced
  
• 2 tsp olive oil
  
• 2 cups peeled and chopped pears
  
• 2 Tbs raspberry or pear vinegar
  
• 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
  
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  
• pinch cayenne pepper
  

Directions:

Cheesecake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
   
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese, asiago, and blue cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the cream and pepper and mix to combine.
   
3. Pour the mixture into the springform pan and bake uncovered, in a water bath, until browned on top and barely set in the center, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely and refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.
   

Pear-Onion Jam:

1. Sauté onions in the oil over medium heat until softened and browned. Reduce heat and cook an additional 10-15 minutes, until they are beginning to caramelize. Add the pears, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and cayenne. Cook until pears are slightly softened but still crisp.
   
2. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pears and onions from the skillet into a medium bowl, leaving behind as much of the liquid as possible. Increase heat to medium and cook until the mixture has thickened into a glaze. Mix into the pears and onions, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
   

 

1. To serve, pour the pear-onion jam over the cheesecake, and then remove the sides of the springform pan. Serve with crackers, bread, or apple slices.

Apple, Blue Cheese, and Candied Pistachio Salad

As I’ve mentioned before, we’ve been enjoying, as Jim calls them, fruit and nut salads a lot recently. They’re a great weeknight meal, and it’s great how widely the flavors can vary depending on the green/fruit/nut/dressing/cheese combination you go with. I made this one on Friday to go along with a seafood gratin I was serving for dinner, and was told that this interpretation of the European Salad from Pistachio Health was Jim’s favorite. Go me! J

Ingredients:

Dressing:

• 1/3 cup Orange Juice
  
• 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  
• 2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar, I use white
  
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
  
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

Pistachios:

• 1 Egg White
  
• ¼ Sugar
  
• 1 cup Pistachios
  

Salad:

• 6 to 8 cups Salad Greens
  
• 1 large Granny Smith Apple, chopped
  
• ½ cup Craisins
  
• ½ cup Blue Cheese, crumbled
  

Directions:

Dressing:

1. Whisk together all dressing ingredients and drizzle desired amount over salad.
   

Pistachios:

1. Preheat oven to 375⁰. In a small bowl, whisk together egg white and sugar. Fold in 1 cup whole Sunkist Pistachio Kernels.
   
2. Spread pistachios in a single layer on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, stirring halfway through baking time or until sugar looks bubbly.
   
3. Loosen pistachios and let cool for 10 minutes. Store in airtight container until ready to use.
   

Salad:

1. In large bowl, toss half the candied pistachios with the salad greens, ¾ of the apples, craisins, and cheese. Arrange onto salad plates; sprinkle with remaining apples, craisins, blue cheese and candied pistachios.

Meg’s Harvest Salad

This recipe is quite famous. Well, famous within our family. My cousin Megan, who is a fairly well-known equestrian and owner of Vintage View Farms in Mequon (plug, plug), came up with this delicious mix, and we started to request it so often that she finally wrote it down for us. I hadn’t had it in a while, but when Jim recently requested, “One of those fruit and nut salads you’ve been making lately” for dinner, this mix of nuts, cheese, and cranberries popped into my head.

This was just as yummy as I remember, maybe even more so, as I’ve developed a love for blue cheeses that I didn’t have 5 years ago. I made only slight changes such as using white balsamic and toasting the nuts to bring out their flavor. Make a batch of the dressing, and keep it in the refrigerator for this and any other salad you can whip up, as the flavors are quite versatile.

Ingredients:

Dressing:

• ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar, I prefer white
  
• ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  
• 2 Tbsp Honey
  
• 2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds
  
• 2 Tbsp Chives, finely minced
  
• ½ tsp Salt
  
• ½ tsp Pepper, freshly ground
  
• 1 tsp Lime Juice, fresh
  

Salad:

• ¼ cup Pine Nuts
  
• ¼ cup Walnuts, chopped
  
• ¼ cup Sunflower Seeds
  
• ½ cup Gorgonzola, crumbled
  
• ½ cup Dried Cranberries
  
• ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
  
• 1 to 2 heads Romaine, washed and torn
  
• 2 to 4 cups Lettuce Mix: your choice of escarole, green leaf, red leaf and/or parsley, etc.
  

Directions:

Dressing:

1. Add all ingredients into a lidded jar. Seal tightly and shake until combined and slightly thickened.
   

Salad:

1. In a dry skillet, lightly toast the pine nuts and walnuts. Add in bowl with dressing and all other ingredients except for lettuce. Let sit for up to 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.
   
2. To serve, place lettuce in a large serving bowl and top with dressing mixture. Toss and enjoy.    

    

Dressing: Servings – 12 / WW Points – 3 pts per serving per 2 Tbsp serving

Salad: Servings – 8 / WW Points – 4 pts

Lime Angel Food Cake with Lime Glaze and Pistachios

Did you know I love to cook and entertain? I really, really do. Even if there is no one around, I’ll plate food as if I was on a cooking show. If it’s just our family, I see nothing odd about making a three course meal complete with dessert. I know for some, okay most, this is weird, but to me, it’s fun and relaxing. So, the fact that I woke up on a Sunday morning to make this cake for no particular reason other than wanting to, should not be surprising for anyone who knows, or is just getting to know, me.

When I was planning our weekend meals, which are usually a little more involved than those on weekdays since I have more time, I thought Sunday would be a good day for a nice summer meal of Spiced Chicken Bites, Corn on the Cob, Watermelon, and this cake from Bon Appétit’s April 2010 issue. Turns out that, when I’m right, I am right on. Although it was a little time consuming, this cake was delicious, and the perfect complement to a hot day and a spicy lunch. The cake itself is not overly sweet, with a slight tang from the lime zest. Then you get an extra zingy sweetness from the lime simple syrup and glaze, and finally a crunch from the pistachios. Perfection.

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1 cup Cake Flour
  
• 1 ½ cups Superfine Sugar, divided
  
• ¼ tsp Salt
  
• 10 large Egg Whites, room temperature
  
• 2 tsp Lime Zest
  
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  
• 1 tsp Cream of Tartar
  

Lime Syrup & Glaze:

• ½ cup Sugar
  
• 4 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice, divided
  
• ½ cup Unsalted Raw Pistachios (about 2 ounces), finely chopped in processor or with a rolling pin and some muscles
  
• ½ cup Powdered Sugar
  

Directions:

Cake:

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Sift flour, 1/2 cup superfine sugar, and salt into medium bowl; repeat sifting 3 times.
   
2. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites, lime peel, and vanilla on medium speed in large bowl until frothy (mixture may turn neon green but color will change when remaining ingredients are added). Add cream of tartar; increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form.
   
3. Gradually add remaining 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle 1/3 of flour mixture over whites and gently fold in until incorporated. Fold in remaining flour mixture in 2 more additions just until incorporated. Transfer to ungreased 10-inch angel food cake pan with 4-inch-high sides and removable bottom (do not use nonstick pan); smooth top.
   
4. Bake cake until pale golden and tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 38 minutes. Immediately invert cake onto work surface if pan has feet, or invert center tube of pan onto neck of bottle or metal funnel and cool cake completely.
   
5. Using long thin knife, cut around cake sides and center tube to loosen. Lift out center tube with cake still attached; run knife between cake and bottom of pan to loosen. Invert cake onto rack, then turn cake over, rounded side up. Set rack with cake atop rimmed baking sheet.
   

Lime Syrup & Glaze:

1. Combine sugar and 3 tablespoons lime juice in small saucepan; stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Brush syrup all over top and sides of cake. Immediately press pistachios onto top and sides of cake, pressing to adhere.
   
2. Stir powdered sugar with remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice in small bowl until smooth. Drizzle glaze over top of cake. Let stand until glaze sets, about 10 minutes. DO AHEAD Cake can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.
   
3. Transfer cake to platter; cut into wedges and serve.

 

Servings – 12

WW Points – 5 pts per slice

Mixed Berry Cobbler Pie Bars

This is another of those recipes that came into my inbox that immediately made me start to drool. Joy the Baker posted these on her blog back in May, and I knew they would need to make an appearance at the height of berry season. I added them to the menu for Jim’s birthday party, and I was overwhelmed with how delicious they were. They work with a variety of berries, but, as Joy notes, I would stick with the less juicy varieties, as you want a crisp, not soggy, crust for your bars. I will definitely be making these again.

Ingredients:

Crust & Topping:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  
• zest of two lemons
  

Berry Filling:

• 4 large eggs
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
• 1 cup sour cream
  
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
• pinch of salt
  
• 2 (16-ounce) packages frozen mixd berries, defrosted and drained
  

  *You can also use 6 cups of fresh berries, or 1 (16-ounce) package frozen berries and 3 cups of fresh berries. If you’re using frozen berries, be sure to defrost and drain the excess liquid. Place the frozen berries on a plate in the refrigerator overnight. They’re defrosted and ready for bar baking!
  

Directions:

Crust & Topping:

1. Preheat the oven to 350⁰. Grease a half sheet baking pan (12×17-inch) with butter or cooking spray and set aside. If you use a 9×13-inch baking pan you’ll have thicker bars.
   
2. Zest two lemons. Measure out the sugar onto a clean work surface. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar with a bench scraper or the back of a spoon. Rubbing the zest into the sugar will release oils from the zest and create a lemon scented sugar.
   
3. Combine lemon sugar, flour, salt and butter in an electric mixer fit with a paddle attachment. Beat the ingredients on medium speed until the mixture looks dry and crumbly.
   
4. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the crust mixture to use as the topping. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake the crust for 12 to 15 minutes until it is golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes while you make the filling.
   

Berry Filling:

1. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the sugar, sour cream, flour and salt.
   
2. Gently fold in the berries. Spoon the mixture evenly over the crust. You may have to distribute the berries evenly around.
   
3. Sprinkle the reserved crust mixture evenly over the filling. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until the top is lightly browned.
   
4. Cool for 1 hour before slicing.

Amaretto Blackcherry Press

This weekend we went to Water Buffalo in Downtown Milwaukee for dinner. When I was reviewing the menu before we ate, I knew immediately I wanted to try their Amaretto Blackcherry Press. It was delicious. Light, refreshing, not too boozy, and perfect for enjoying on a patio in the summer sun. Unfortunately, the wait was too long for us to sit on the patio, but I could just imagine what sipping this lovely libation on a patio would be like. Now, I don’t have to imagine, since I recreated this drink at home and will be sipping it on my very own patio sometime soon.

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. Blackcherry Vodka
  
• 4 oz. Amaretto
  
• 6 oz. Lemon-Lime Soda, diet works here
  
• 5 oz. Club Soda or Seltzer, I use diet as well
  
• Juice of ½ Lime
  1 Lime, cut into wedges
  
• Maraschino Cherries
  

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients, except lime wedges and cherries, into a cocktail shaker.
   
2. Shake well to chill and strain into a highball glass over ice.
   
3. Garnish with lime wedge and cherry. Enjoy!

Margarita Cupcakes

When I was looking for a recipe for a margarita cupcake, I asked the ladies of a message board I frequent for their recommendation, and I got multiple replies pointing me to Confections of a Foodie Bride’s recipe for Margarita Cupcakes. I didn’t change anything about the cupcakes themselves, but I did brush them with margarita simple syrup to up the margarita flavor, and keep them moist. Also, the flavor in the original buttercream was a little too subtle for me, so I increased the quantities of lime juice and tequila, and added some triple sec as well, for a truer margarita essence. Finally, what’s a margarita without salt? I wanted a slight saltiness to the final cupcake, just like when you’re sipping an ice cold margarita, so I sprinkled the tops with a combination of sanding sugar and salt, and topped with a lime slice.

Ingredients:

Lime Cupcakes:

• 3 cups flour
  
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
• 4 eggs, at room temp
  
• Zest of 3 Limes
  
• 3 oz Lime Juice, about 3 to 4 Limes or bottled juice
  
• 1 cup buttermilk
  

Margarita Simple Syrup*:

• 1 cup Sugar
  
• ¼ cup Tequila
  
• ¼ cup Triple Sec
  
• ½ cup Lime Juice, fresh or bottled
  

Margarita Buttercream:

• 2 cups sugar
  
• 8 egg whites
  
• 3 sticks butter, room temperature
  
• 3 ½ Tbsp Lime Juice
  
• 2 Tbsp Tequila
  
• 1 Tbsp Triple Sec
  

Decoration:

• Green Sanding Sugar
  
• Coarse Margarita Salt
  
• Limes, sliced thinly and then into halves
  

Directions:

Lime Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 325. Prepare muffin tins with paper liners or baking spray.
   
2. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside. Cream butter and sugar on a high until pale, light, and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly before adding the next one. Add lime zest and lime juice. Turn mixer to the low. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in two batches. Mix only until just incorporated.
   
3. Fill each muffin cup ~3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer shows only moist crumbs attached, rotating the pans at the halfway point. Allow cupcakes to cool completely in the pans before removing.
   

Margarita Simple Syrup:

1. While cupcakes are baking, bring sugar, tequila, triple sec, and lime juice to a simmer and allow to cool.
   
2. When syrup and cupcakes have cooled, brush tops with margarita syrup.
   

Margarita Buttercream:

1. Place the stand mixer bowl over a simmering pot of water; the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. Whisk the sugar and egg whites until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture registers 160 degrees with a candy thermometer, or you cannot feel any grains of sugar when you rub the mixture in-between you thumb and forefinger.
   
2. Place bowl on the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until the mixture is cool and holds stiff, glossy peaks, approximately 10 minutes.
   
3. Change to the paddle attachment and beat in one tablespoon of butter at a time on medium. The mixture might appear curdled but keep going, it will pull back together.
   
4. Add lime juice, tequila, and triple sec. Increase speed to high and beat until the frosting reincorporates and is smooth and fluffy.
   

Decoration:

1. Mix 2 parts sanding sugar with 1 part coarse salt.
   
2. After frosting cupcakes, sprinkle with about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of the sugar/salt mixture, and press in a lime slice.
   

*Extra margarita simple can be used to make a delicious and refreshing “Mock-arita”: Fill a glass with ice, pour in 3 oz of margarita simple syrup, top with Sprite and a slice of lime.

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

I have been looking for a new cupcake to make for Mothers’ Day. Personally, I would like something deep, dark, rich, and chocolaty like these, but I figure I should appeal to the masses on this one. Given that it’s May, and finally above 50⁰ here in Wisconsin, I started thinking about warm weather and summer, and lemonade seemed like the perfect flavor.

This recipe, from Confections of a Foodie Bride, brought it over the top with the addition of fresh strawberries in the buttercream topping off the lemonade cupcakes. I’ve adapted it slightly by switching from a Swiss meringue buttercream to a basic buttercream. I also brushed the top of my cupcakes with lemon syrup to keep them from drying out and adding another layer of lemon flavor. Finally, I added some gel food coloring to both the cupcakes and the frosting to really make them pop.

These were a total hit, despite the fact that by the time I was ready to make these cupcakes the weather had turned and we were told to expect snow, and I’m already dreaming up ways to alter the flavors into different combinations: cherry/lime, raspberry/orange, blackberry/grapefruit …

 

 

Ingredients:

Lemonade Cupcakes:

• 3 cups Flour
  
• 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
  
• ½ tsp Salt
  
• 1 cup, 2 sticks, Unsalted Butter, at room temp
  
• 2 cups Sugar
  
• 4 Eggs, at room temp
  
• Zest of 3 Lemons
  
• 2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
  
• 1 tsp Vanilla
  
• 1 cup Buttermilk
  
• Lemon Yellow Gel Food Coloring, optional
  
• 1 cup Lemon Juice
  
• 1 cup Sugar
  

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting:

• 16 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
  
• 8 to 9 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
  
• 4 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  
• Zest of 2 Lemons
  
• ¾ cup Strawberry Puree, from about 6 medium, hulled strawberries
  
• Red Gel Food Coloring, optional
  

Directions:

Lemonade Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 325. Prepare muffin tins with paper liners or baking spray.
   
2. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside. Cream butter and sugar on a high until pale, light, and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly before adding the next one. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Turn mixer to the low. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in two batches. Mix only until just incorporated.
   
3. Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer shows only moist crumbs attached, rotating the pans at the halfway point. Allow cupcakes to cool completely in the pans before removing.
   
4. While cupcakes are baking, bring lemon juice and sugar to a boil and then allow to cool. When syrup and cupcakes have cooled, brush tops with lemon syrup.
   

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting:

1. In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds.
   
2. Add 4 cups of the sugar; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Add 4 more cups of sugar and continue mixing until combined.
   
3. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add lemon juice and strawberry puree ¼ cup at a time, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, between each addition.
   
4. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice. If you notice the frosting isn’t as stiff as you would like, add in the last cup of sugar, beating on low until combined, and then finishing on high for 2 to 4 minutes.
   

 

Yields: 24 cupcakes

Grapefruit Margaritas

The fresh squeezed grapefruit juice at The Fresh Market spoke to me. It said, “Take me home and make a deliciously refreshing cocktail out of me.” Being the sweet girl I am, I was happy to oblige. These paired beautifully with the Tequila Chicken Burgers and sweet potato fries I made for dinner.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Lime Juice
  
• 4 oz. Grapefruit Juice
  
• 2 oz. Triple Sec
  
• 4 oz. Tequila, white is best
  
• Ice
  
• Lime, cut into wedges
  
• Raw Sugar
  

Directions:

1. Place first 4 ingredients over ice into a cocktail mixer or shaker. Shake or stir vigorously.
   
2. Rub lime wedge over the rim of two cocktail glasses and press into raw sugar.
   
3. Fill glasses with ice, strain in margaritas, and serve with a lime garnish.