Recipe Swap: Poached Salmon with Creamy Piccata Sauce

It's time for Blogger's Choice for this week's swap. I was given the blog Cheese Curd in Paradise, I have made her amazing recipe for Roti de Porc au Lait in an earlier swap, so I was excited to find another great recipe. When C goes out to dinner, this leaves me at home to cook all the fish I care to eat. Salmon is my most favorite fish and the creamy and tangy sauce appealed to me.  Poached Salmon with Creamy Piccata Sauce is spectacular.  I made a quarter recipe of the sauce since it was just me and I wish I doubled it.  It was that good!  I got to use a lemon from my mom's tree, I just wish I had some of her dill on hand as well.

Poached Salmon with Creamy Piccata Sauce

1 pound center-cut salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 4 portions
1 cup dry white wine, divided
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons capers, rinsed
¼ cup sour cream
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Place salmon in a large skillet. Add ½ cup wine and enough water to just cover the salmon. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer, turn the salmon over, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining ½ cup wine; boil until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice and capers; cook 1 minute more. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and salt. To serve, top the salmon with the sauce and garnish with dill.

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Herbed Cheese Buttermilk Biscuits

"What's the green stuff in the biscuits?"  "Next time, make mine without the green stuff!" These biscuits were amazing, but apparently neither C or Miss F like thyme in their cheesy biscuits.  The kitchen was a flour mess once i was done with them, though the effort was entirely worth it.  And the best part?  I get to eat every last biscuit due to the thyme aversion of C and Miss F.  At least Miss F made an effort to pick around the thyme.  C ate half of his and was done.  Thanks to Fine Living for the fantastic recipe.

Herbed Cheese Buttermilk Biscuits

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
¾ cup grated cheese, such as Cheddar, Asiago, or Parmesan, or a mix
1 large egg
1 ¼ cups buttermilk; more if needed

Heat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut or massage the butter into the flour with a fork, a pastry cutter, or your fingers until the mixture looks like cornmeal and the biggest pieces of butter are the size of large peas. (You can also do this in a food processor; just be sure not to overmix.) Add the thyme and the cheese. Break the egg into the buttermilk and stir briefly with a fork to combine. Make a shallow well in the dry mix and pour in the buttermilk. With as few strokes as possible, stir until the mixture is just combined. It should be loose, but if it doesn’t hold together at all, add more buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time.

Generously flour a counter and turn the dough out onto it; it will be shaggy and very soft. Scrape any bits in the bowl onto the mound of dough. Flour your hands. Shape the mixture into a very loose rectangle with the short side nearest you. Using a bench knife, a pastry scraper, or a spatula to help lift the ragged dough, fold the bottom third over the center third, and then the top third over the center, as if folding a business letter. Pat down to shape another rectangle, turn it so the short side is nearest you, and repeat the folding. Pat down again into more of a square shape, ¾ inch thick and about 8 ½ inches square. With a pastry brush, brush off any excess flour. Punch out the biscuits with 2 ½ inch round cutter. Gather the scraps, press them together lightly, and punch out more biscuits until all the dough is used. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet (or one lined with parchment) for 20 to 25 minutes.

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Secret Recipe Club: Smoky Corn Chowder

It's once again time for another entry for the Secret Recipe Club.  This month I received Adventures of the Yankee Kitchen Ninja.  The first recipe on the blog caught my eye, I ended up going through all her recipes, but I kept being drawn back to her recipe for Smoky Corn Chowder.  I have a soft spot for corn.  And chowder.  And bacon.  And when you add cheese to that party, I am in.  I added carrots, bell peppers and a potato to the recipe to make it a bit heartier.  This soup was rich and totally satisfying.  I used frozed corn, but I will be making this next summer with fresh corn.  Delicious!

Smoky Corn Chowder
adapted a couple of times from Soup Makes the Meal by Ken Haedrich

4 slices bacon, chopped
½ onion, chopped
½ yellow bell pepper
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups corn kernels (about 4-5 ears of corn if using fresh ears)
1 russet potato, peeled and chopped
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups chicken stock
½ cup low-fat half-and-half
3 tablespoons flour
4 ounces shredded Gouda cheese (smoked or not, your choice)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Parsley or sliced scallions or crumbled bacon for garnish

In a large soup pot, cook the bacon until nearly done. Add the onion, bell pepper and carrots; continue to cook until onion is soft (about 4-5 minutes), then add the garlic, and cook for another few minutes. Add the corn, potato, stock and salt bring nearly to a boil; lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk the half-and-half and flour and add it to the soup. Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove pot from the heat, add the cheese and stir until melted into the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish if desired.

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Apricot Dijon Glazed Chicken

I have had this recipe from Martha Stewart pinned for the longest time.  It is very similar to the apricot dijon pork chops that I love to make, so I knew my family would enjoy it.  I was right!  Miss F was all about "more chicken!"  This recipe is really easy and I usually have all the ingredients on hand, so it makes for an easy weeknight meal.  We ate it with mashed potatoes and green beans, bribing Miss F with "more chicken" to eat her mashed potatoes.  To her credit, I hated mashed potatoes as a kid as well.

Apricot-Dijon Glazed Chicken

4 chicken thighs
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup apricot jam
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse chicken thighs; pat dry, and transfer to a baking dish. Season well with salt and pepper; set aside. Bring jam, honey, and mustard to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until thickened and reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Spoon apricot mixture over chicken thighs, spreading with back of spoon to coat evenly. Bake chicken, basting with sauce from bottom of dish every 10 minutes, until juices run clear when chicken is pricked with a fork, about 30 minutes.

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Birthday Cupcakes

Miss F has been very into helping in the kitchen, especially when it comes to baking. She wanted chocolate cupcakes with pink frosting for her party at school. I wanted to find an easy recipe that she could really help with. This one-bowl recipe from food.com fit the bill perfectly. I used my go-to back of the Domino sugar box buttercream frosting recipe. I miss those boxes, measuring out powdered sugar is a pain, it was so much easier just to dump the whole box in.  Happy 4th birthday Miss F!

Birthday Party Cupcakes

3 ½ cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
½ cup unsweetened baking cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 regular size muffin cups with paper liners.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, sifted baking cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix with a wooden spoon to combine. In a two-cup measuring cup or bowl whisk together the milk, egg, oil and vanilla. Add the milk and egg mixture to the dry ingredients; mix very well with a wooden spoon to combine well.

Use a ice cream disher to scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Frost with buttercream, recipe follows. Top as desired.

½ cup butter, softened
3 ¾ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 drop of red food coloring

In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, milk and vanilla on low for 30 seconds. Increase the speed of the mixer to medium and beat for a minute or so more until the frosting reaches the desired consistency. Stir in the food coloring.

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Creamy Lemon Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp

I love cooking seafood, especially shrimp, for dinner. With C around, that doesn't happen too terribly often, especially since he hates the smell of shrimp.  But when my parents come over for dinner and C is out to Tonys, I can have dinner on the table in under 15 minutes.  Now the dinner isn't nearly as fancy as Tony's, but I enjoyed it nearly as much as C did his elk, risotto and souffle.  Thanks to Simply Recipes for the inspiration of this quick and delicious meal.

Creamy Lemon Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp

1 pound angel hair pasta
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup chicken stock
¼ cup lemon juice
Salt and black pepper
1 pound raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ cup chopped parsley
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the angel hair pasta to the boiling water. Cook per package instructions.

In a sauté pan, heat the cream, chicken stock and lemon juice to a low simmer. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp to the simmering lemon cream sauce. Stir well and add a pinch of salt and black pepper. The shrimp should cook in about the same time as the angel hair pasta, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the parsley to the simmering lemon cream sauce and let them cook for about 1 minute, add the parmesan and stir until melted. Drain the angel hair and add to the sauce. Divide into servings, and top with the remaining parmesan.

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Baked Chicken Burritos with Sour Cream-Poblano Sauce

The original version of this recipe calls for ground beef, which I am none too fond of. The adapted version called for ground chicken, which I am not crazy about either. So I adapted it once again, using shredded chicken prepped in the crockpot. Firstly, I cannot rave enough about the chicken. I will never use a taco seasoning packet again, this was SO much better. Miss F said, "This is so yummy, Mommy!" I served hers sans sauce and she adored these. She ate two! C ws also a fan, even though he picked the Poblanos from his sauce.  I used fajita size tortillas because it is what I had on hand, but these would be great in big burrito sized tortillas.

Baked Chicken Burritos with Sour Cream-Poblano Sauce
As seen on A Taste of Home Cooking, adapted from Elly Says Opa!

For the burritos:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, diced
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ cup chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
12 flour tortillas
Cooking spray

For the sour cream-poblano sauce:
2 poblano peppers
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 ¼ cups chicken broth at room temperature
½ cup sour cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pour the oil in the bottom of the crockpot. Add the onion, then place the chicken breasts overtop. In a 2 cup measure, whisk together the broth, garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, oregano, cayenne and salt. Pour the broth mixture over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, flipping the chicken halfway through if possible. Remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred with two forks. Return to the crockpot and stir with the broth. Stir in the black beans

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

Place 2 tablespoons of the cheese at the end of each tortilla and then spoon some of the chicken and bean mixture over the top. Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla in, and then roll the tortilla up, from the end closest to you, to the top. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet and lightly spray the tops of the burritos with cooking spray. Bake for about 20 minutes, until tortillas are golden brown and crispy.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Place the poblanos directly over a gas burner. Using tongs, turn occasionally until skin is blackened on all sides. Place in a bowl and top with plastic wrap or a clean towel, until cool enough to handle. (Alternatively, you can roast the peppers under the broiler until all sides are well-charred.) Peel the peppers, remove the stems and seeds, and dice them.

Heat a small sauce pan over medium heat and melt the butter; stir in the flour and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and then the diced poblano; continue to simmer, whisking frequently, until thickened. Stir in the sour cream/yogurt and warm through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the sauce over the baked burritos.

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Rich Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting

This cake is sweet. I am not a milk drinker, but this cake merits a tall glass. This is the final post from my autumn dinner party, I am already trying to figure out when I will be able to host another. I love having friends over for dinner (and wine!) and I wish I could do so more often. And now that there is a "secret" board option on Pinterest, my guests won't be spoiled as to what I am preparing for our dinner.  The cake is Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate cake and the frosting is from Sally's Baking Addiction.

Rich Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting

2 cups sugar
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Salted Caramel Frosting, recipe follows

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8” cake pans. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Evenly distribute the batter between the two cake pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes.

Salted Caramel Frosting

½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
¼ tsp salt
2-3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Start with the frosting by melting the butter in a small saucepan. Once melted, add brown sugar and heavy cream. Stir constantly over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add salt. Allow to bubble for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, until you reach desired consistency.

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Glazed Pork with Roasted Root Vegetables

The inspiration of my autumn dinner part was a recipe for Glazed Pork Shoulder in Bon Appetit.  Instead of greens, I decided to serve it with roasted root vegetables.  This pork is totally worth the time.  It is amazingly tender, as it should be for the 12 hours it takes to make.  There is minimal hands on time, which makes for a perfect dish to serve at a dinner party.  Everything can be prepped in advance and the meats falls off the bone when you are ready to serve.  It serves quite a crowd, I had twelve people and there was some pork leftover.

Glazed Pork Shoulder with Root Vegetables

1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
¼ cup kosher salt plus more
¼ cup sugar
1 7–8-lb. skinless bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt or picnic)
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
Freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped
1 pound parsnips, peeled and chopped
3 to 4 russet potatoes, chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Crush fennel seeds and peppercorns with the bottom of a heavy skillet, or use a mortar and pestle. Transfer spices to a small bowl; add ¼ cup salt and sugar. Rub mixture all over shoulder. Place in a large glass baking dish, cover, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Brush off spice rub from meat and place pork in a deep roasting pan; discard excess spice rub and any liquid in dish. Add 1 cup boiling water to roasting pan; cover pan tightly with foil. (Create a tight seal to lock in the steam and juices.)

Transfer pan to oven and roast until meat is very tender and falling off the bone (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center without touching the bone will read 195°), about 5 ½ hours.
Remove pan from oven; discard foil. Increase heat to 450 degrees.

Toss the carrots, parsnips and potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring twice.

Transfer pork to a rimmed baking sheet; cover with foil and set aside. Pour liquid into a fat separator. Pour the de-fatted liquid into a small saucepan, stir in the vinegar and brown sugar. Bring liquid to a boil and cook, until a thick, syrupy glaze forms, about 15minutes. Season glaze with salt and pepper and pour over the pork shoulder. Serve the pork with the roasted root vegetables.

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Mixed Greens with Candied Creole Bacon

If Miss F would eat salad, this would be the salad for her. Topped with sweet and spicy bacon, it is her dream. Be sure to watch the bacon closely when baking. I had a couple pices get over cooked because I wasn't paying enough attention to them. This was after I drained off the bacon grease in a bowl. The same kind of bowl that I warmed the honey in. Do you see where this is going? I basted the bacon with what I thought was the honey, but it turns out that was still in the microwave. And I had just brushed the bacon in its own grease. Fun times. Thanks to Zatarins for the inspiration (even though I used Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning, I think Old Bay would work as well.)

Mixed Greens with Candied Creole Bacon

8 ounces thick-cut bacon slices
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon Creole Seasoning

¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil

6 cups mixed greens

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange bacon slices in single layer on foil-lined baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until the bacon edges begin to curl. Remove pan from oven. Drain drippings. Microwave the honey and Creole Seasoning in small microwavable bowl on high for 30 seconds, stirring after 15 seconds. Brush bacon with honey mixture. Bake 10 minutes longer or until bacon is browned and crisp. Cool bacon on wire rack. Break into bite-size pieces. Set aside

In a small food processor, combine the vinegar, honey and mustard. Stream in the olive oil with the processor running. Run until smooth and emulsified.

Toss the mixed greens with the dressing, sprinkle bacon pieces over top.

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Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

I love butternut squash soup, but I have made this version for friends before.  I needed something new and different.  This butternut squash and apple soup from Martha Stewart fit the bill.  I was really wary of the apples in the soup, I was positive it was going to be too sweet.  I was completely wrong.  The cumin brings out all the savory notes of the squash and apple, it is an amazingly smooth and rich soup, with no cream necessary!  This is going to be my new go to butternut squash soup.  It has the texture that I look for, unlike my usual recipe that can get too thick.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and chopped
4 red or golden apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ½ cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock, plus more if needed

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add squash, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes.
Add apples, salt, cumin, coriander, ginger, cayenne, black pepper, and stock. Add more stock if the vegetables aren’t covered. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until vegetables are very soft, about 30 minutes. Puree in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth, and return to saucepan. Heat over low, thinning with more water if necessary. To serve, ladle into shallow bowls

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Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

I adore stuffed mushrooms, so much so that we have them for dinner every once and awhile. When I make them for dinner, they have to be stuffed with sausage or else C and Miss F might revolt. When there are 12 girls together for a dinner party, there is no threat of revolution and my favorite stuffing crab gets to make an appearance. I had to make my own mayonnaise because it just isn't something I keep in the house, I am not a fan. Luckily a mini chop, egg and oil make a magnificent mayo, so the day was saved. Thanks to For the Love of Cooking for the most amazing recipe.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

12 button mushrooms, stems removed
2 teaspoon olive oil (divided)
2 tablespoon sweet yellow onion, finely diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
½ cup of lump crab meat
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (divided)
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice, optional
¼ cup of panko crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a round baking dish with cooking spray.

Remove the mushroom stems and dice them finely. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat then add the onion and diced mushroom stems. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until tender and soft; add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Combine the crab meat, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, most of the fresh parsley, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, and a dash of lemon juice in a bowl. Add the cooked mushrooms and onion mixture then gently stir until well combined. Fill each mushroom with the crab filling until overflowing; repeat with the remaining mushrooms. Place the mushrooms into the prepared baking pan.

Combine the panko crumbs with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil and the last bit of parsley then mix until well combined. Sprinkle the panko crumbs evenly on top of each mushroom.

Place into the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and the panko is golden brown. Serve immediately.

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Autumn Dinner Party

C was headed to Six Flags Fiesta Texas for the weekend with his brother-in-law and two pre-teen nephews, needless to say they rode a lot of rides. So I was home alone for the weekend, which provided the perfect opportunity to host a dinner party for my girlfriends. I had read an article in Bon Appetit about a fall dinner party, the main course was a glazed pork, which looked amazing. I knew it had to go on the menu. We started with crab stuffed mushrooms and brie with grapes & baguette slices. The soup was butternut squash and apple, which was suprisingly savory. The soup was followed by a salad of mixed greens with balsamic dijon vinaigrette and candied Creole bacon. The entree was the glazed pork from the magazine alongside roasted root vegetables. For dessert, we shared rich chocolate cake with salted caramel frosting. I will post all the recipes over the next couple of weeks. I decided to challenge myself and try all new recipes for the party, which worked out amazingly well, I was very pleased with the outcome.

There was lots of wine, food and friendship. It was such a lovely evening with the girls, I am very lucky to have so many amazing women in my life. One of my dearest friends was not able to join us for the evening, her mother had passed away the day prior. All of our thoughts were with her and her family, we know she will join us at the next one.

I kept the decor very simple for the party. I ordered burnt orange napkins from Amazon. I got small grapevine wreaths from Hobby Lobby to act as napkin rings. I added some silk fall foilage to each wreath and the napkins were ready. The centerpiece was an arrangement of gourds on a gold runner with more leaves scattered about. I didn't even bother with fresh flowers, they didn't seem to fit the autumn them at all and the gourds were a lot cheaper. I am planning on re-using most everything for our family Thanksgiving celebration.

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