This was a nice change to classic potato salad and was a better combination than I expected.  It was refreshing, light and didn’t heat up my house to make it since I cooked it on the BBQ.  Original recipe came from #142 Aug 2020 of Cuisine At Home.  It used fresh corn, red onion and parsley vs basil.  I used what I had on hand.  

I served this with Grilled Salmon sprinkled with Everything Bagel Spice.

GRILLED POTATO CORN SALAD

1 lb. bag baby red and fingerling mixed colored potatoes
1 white or red onion, Cut into 6 wedges, leaving root in tact
15 oz. can fire roasted corn, drained
1 C. grape tomatoes, cut in half
Dressing
3 T. sherry vinegar
2 T. EVOO
1/4 C. fresh basil
1 T. fresh oregano, minced
1 t. Dijon mustard
1/8 t. coarse black pepper
1/8 t. Kosher salt

Preheat BBQ to 250F.  Toss potatoes and onion chunks in oil.  Skewer potatoes, leaving about an inch or two of space between each potato.   Add to grill along with onion chunks.  Cook 20 minutes, flip half way.  

In mason jar add dressing ingredients.  Shake to mix.  When potatoes are done, cut into bite size pieces along with onions.  Slice tomatoes in half.  Drain corn.  Add everything to a large bowl, toss with dressing.

Note:  I only used 12 potatoes since it was just the two of us but the dressing can handle the entire bag.

SALMON BURGERS, A SURPRISING TREAT

Last nights dinner was quite the treat especially for someone who didn't use to like salmon but now we eat it weekly👏.  I will definitely make again.  I haven’t purchased bread in over a year because I bake weekly since the start of the pandemic so the fresh #artesano buns were soft and delicious and paired perfectly with the thick spicy salmon burger.  I pan grilled them and they held together with no problems even though I used slightly less salmon.  I also used 2 T. pickles vs relish but I had to sweeten it with a little sugar because it was way too tart.  The pickled onions added some extra tang and crunch and spinach added some needed veg.  I also liked that I could make it all ahead and cook when ready to eat.  Original recipe came from Cuisine at Home magazine, #118, Aug. 2016, pg. 62.

 SALMON BURGERS

1 C. panko bread crumbs
1/2 C. celery, chopped
1/4 C. red onion, chopped
1/4 C. fresh chives, chopped
1 egg white
1 T. Sriracha
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. Kosher salt
1/2 t. coarse black pepper
1 lb. skinless salmon, large dice
4 hamburger buns
Caper Mayo:
1/2 C. mayonnaise
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. capers, chopped
1 sm. sweet pickle
1 sm. dill pickle
1 t. sugar
Toppings:
pickled onions (recipe in Sauce Section)
spinach/lettuce
tomatoes

Chop capers and pickles.  To a small bowl add caper mayo ingredients.  Mix.  Store in refrigerator till ready to use.

To the food processor add panko, celery, onion, chives, egg white, Sriracha, lemon, salt and pepper.  Pulse to combine.  Add chunked salmon and pulse a couple of time to combine but not too much.  You want to have chunks of salmon in the burger.  Shape into 4 patties and refrigerate until ready to cook.  Oil burgers.  Grill on a BBQ, grill pan or fry pan. Grill your buns also to toast.

Note:  Two salmon filets were a total of 14 oz. vs 16 oz. but it didn’t really matter.  If you don't like it spicy reduce the Sriracha.

Serving Suggestions:  Serve on hamburger buns or a bed of lettuce.

Variation:  Use What You Have:   Instead of 2 T. pickles and 1 t. sugar use 1 T. relish.

Leftovers:  An egg yolk, chives if you bought the clam shell package, 2 buns and some mayo.  I tossed my yolk but will be looking at options to use it next time, like Caesar dressing or hollandaise sauce are possibilities.

I originally tried this on 10/2017 a friend found it on  “Eat Fat, Get Thin.”.  I loved it and rated it a 5, salty, scrumptious, umami soy flavored soup.  It was thin, I used the whole can of broth, 3 additional ounces so you can thicken it by using less broth.  I was surprised at the amount of flavor, however I was on a cleanse😀. Yesterday 4/14/2021 I changed it up because I found some new recipes and zucchini was cheaper.  I reduced the EVOO to a drizzle,  used 4 zucchini instead, omitted the coconut milk and oil, added garbanzo beans, 3 red potatoes and topped it with green onions and served with Parm.  I wouldn’t say R5 this time and no umami soy flavor but a great make ahead Meatless Wednesday meal served with homemade focaccia dipped in oil and balsamic.

SUMMER SQUASH SOUP

1/4 C. EVOO
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 (1 lb.) yellow crook neck summer squash, cubed
3 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz. can chicken broth or 2 C. homemade stock
1/2 can (8 oz.) full fat coconut milk
1 t. lemon juice
1 T. coconut oil
2 t. sea salt
Topping:
3 T. chives, sliced

Slice onion, chop squash.  Sauté onions in oil 4-5 minutes or till golden brown.  Add squash and saute for an additional 3-4 minutes.  Stir in garlic, cook another minute.  Add stock.  Cover and simmer until tender 10-12 minutes.  Pour in the coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes.  Puree with an immersion blender.  Add lemon juice and coconut oil.  Blend until smooth.  Fold in salt and chives.  Serve.

Variations:

• Use What You Have:  Use 1/2 t. Kosher salt; 1/2 C. cream instead of coconut milk or omit the milk and coconut oil for less fat; 4 zucchini squash but it has less flavor, 2 green onion tops.  
• Additions:  

• 15 oz. can drained garbanzo beans, 3 red pealed diced potatoes, 2 C. more of homemade stock and 1 T. lemon pulp.
• Lemon zest
• Topping:  
• Parmesan cheese
• Pulse 1/2 C. loosely packed herbs (basil, parsley, chives) with a pinch of salt, EVOO and lemon juice.  Swirl into soup.
• Zucchini Soup Combo: Drizzle EVOO,  4 zucchini, omitted the coconut milk and oil, added 1 T. lemon pulp, 2 more cups homemade stock, drained rinsed garbanzo beans, chopped red potatoes, 1/4 t. coarse black pepper.  All pureed.  Topped with green onions and served with Parm. 

New "for me" Recipe and it's a winner, Chicken Tretrazzini

Chicken Tetrazzini has been on my list of dishes to try for awhile and last night was it.  It was excellent!  I wasn’t sure if the flavor would be complex enough.  I tend to like a spicy full flavor dish but what I didn’t realize was it is like a version of mac and cheese, a great comfort dish.  The lemon gave it a subtle tartness and the homemade stock added lots of flavor even though it was stock from boiling only a rotisserie chicken caucus, nothing more.  I haven’t seen shredded provolone so I used what I had, a combination of sliced provolone and grated jack.  I also used regular spaghetti even though it said thin was best.  I don’t see how it can be better.  Original recipe came from parade.com.  If you need some comfort, give this a try.

 CHICKEN TETRAZZINI

12 oz. spaghetti or angel hair
Saute:
12 oz. mushrooms, sliced
4 C. chicken, rotisserie or sauteed
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Cheese Sauce:
4 T. butter
1/3 C. flour
3 C. homemade chicken stock
1 T. lemon juice
1 C. ½ and ½
½ C. 2% milk
1 t. Kosher salt
¼ t. coarse black pepper
1 C. Jack cheese
4 slices provolone, torn up
¼ C. parsley leaves, chopped
Topping:
1 C. Parmesan cheese, shredded
¼ C. sourdough bread crumbs

Put a large pot of water on to boil.  Add pasta, slightly less than a one pound box and cook to al dente, according to package directions about 8 minutes.  Drain.  Set aside.

Grease a large casserole or 9x13” pan.  Dice onion, slice mushrooms and mince garlic.  Cube chicken if using raw breasts or thighs vs. rotisserie chicken.  

To a medium saute pan add a drizzle of oil and sliced mushrooms, cook to brown about 5 minutes.  Add to casserole dish.  To same skillet add a drizzle of oil and diced raw chicken.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Saute till browned and no longer pink about 8 minutes.  Add onions half way through and cook with chicken till softened or saute onions alone till soft.  Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds.  Add to casserole pan.  To same skillet, add butter, melt.  Add flour, stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add stock, lemon juice, salt, pepper, whisk until smooth.  Add milk, bring to a simmer.  Add cheese, stir to melt.  Add parsley.  Add to casserole dish, toss.  Add cooked pasta and toss with tongs to mix pasta and sauce.

Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.  Cover with foil or glass lid.  If your dish is full place a piece of foil on oven rack, and place casserole dish on top incase it bubbles over, if full it will.  Bake 350F for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes.  Serves 8.

Variation:  Use What You Have:  1 ½ C. whole milk or a combination of cream and milk; any type of chicken, raw or  rotisserie; all shredded Provolone; chicken broth or stock; baby bella or white mushrooms; any thin pasta.

New Recipe: Polenta Soup with Kale and Parmesan

This quick soup was perfect for lunch this morning and better than I thought it was going to be but I wanted to try kale again and I found a cornmeal soup intriguing.  It was scrumptious.  Original recipe used water and 4 oz. Parmesan which they equated to 2 C. but a smidge under 1 C. shredded was 3.21 oz and 2 C. seemed excessive.  The one thing I don't like about adding the Parmesan is how the cheese gets stuck to my spoon, yuk. I also used homemade rotisserie stock instead of water which only enhanced it.  Original recipe was from Jan. 10, 2021 newspaper insert, adapted from Milk Street: Cookish.  Almost every time I get a rotisserie chicken from Costco I make stock even if it only has the chicken bones and no other aromatics it is still better than canned broth.  Also one of my favorite things is making food out of garbage.  It gives the chicken bones a second life and me a second meal.

POLENTA SOUP WITH KALE AND PARMESAN

3 T. olive oil, (drizzles)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. fresh rosemary, minced
2 t. Kosher
1 t. coarse black pepper
8 C. homemade rotisserie chicken stock
3/4 C. coarse stone-ground yellow cornmeal (see note)
1 bunch lacinato (Tuscan) kale, stemmed, leaves torn into bite size pieces, 1”
15.5 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
1 C. Parmesan

In a large stock pot add a few drizzles of oil.  Dice onions, mince garlic.  Add to pot along with salt and pepper.  Stir for 3 minutes until onions are soft.  Stir to soften onions.  Add broth or water.  Whisk in cornmeal; bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to low; cook, uncovered 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to scrape bottom so it doesn’t stick.  Tear kale into small bite size pieces, stir.  Drain and rinse beans, add to soup.  Cook, stirring for 5 minutes or till kale and cornmeal are tender.  Stir in Parmesan to melt.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Note:  I used yellow cornmeal from Quaker Oats for baking and breading because it is what I had on hand.  It didn’t indicate the type of grind but it worked just fine.