Grilled Salmon Marinated with Soy Sauce

Ingredients:
2 one pound salmon filets
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tbs sesame oil
2 tbs rice vinegar
1 tbs brown sugar
salt
pepper



Instructions:
1. Heat a pan over medium heat

2. Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, and rice vinegar until brown sugar dissolves

3. Lightly season salmon with salt and pepper

4. Place salmon in a large plastic zip lock bag

5. Pour soy sauce mix into bag with salmon

6. Marinate for at least 1 hour

7. Grill salmon for 5-7 minutes on each side (depending on thickness)

8. Serve with grilled corn and your favorite beer

Sesame-crusted Seared Ahi Tuna

Ingredients:
2 one pound ahi tuna filets
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tbs sesame oil
2 tbs rice vinegar
1 tbs brown sugar
1/4 cup white sesame seeds
1/4 cup black sesame seeds
salt
pepper
avocado
wasabi horseradish (optional)













Instructions:
1. Mix black and white sesame seeds in a bowl

2. Heat a pan over medium heat

3. Heat a separate pan on high

3. In the medium heat pan mix soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, and rice vinegar until brown sugar dissolves

4. Lightly season tuna with salt and pepper

5. Dip the tuna in the sauce mixture (do this quickly, do not let the tuna cook)

6. Coat the tuna with black and white sesame seeds

7. Place the sesame-coated tuna in the pan on high heat (for 90 seconds)

8. Flip the tuna and sear for another 90 seconds

9. Sear the sides and edges of the tuna for 45 seconds each

10. Place the tuna on a cutting board and cut into 1/2 inch slices

11. Lay tuna slices across the dinner plate

12. Thinly slice avocado and place a piece between each tuna slice

13. Lightly spread wasabi horseradish across tuna and avocado slices
14. Serve with rice and edamame

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Truffle Oil

Ingredients:
1/2 pound brussel sprouts
drizzle of truffle oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
grated parmesan cheese
1/4 of a lemon









Instructions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 350.

2.  Rinse the sprouts and cut off the brown ends or leaves.  Cut the brussel sprouts into quarters, or may even sixths.

3.  Coat the sprouts in olive oil, about 2 tablespoons.

4.  Roast the brussel sprouts at 350 for 15 minutes.  Then turn the oven to broil and leave the door cracked open.  Broil for about 8 more minutes or until sprouts are turning golden brown.

5.  Remove and put in a bowl.  Squeeze lemon juice on sprouts.  Drizzle with truffle oil.  Sprinkle parmesan on top.

Inspired by: Table 6 Restaurant, Denver

Crockpot Meatballs

Ingredients:
Meatballs
2 pounds ground beef
1/2 minced onion
dash garlic salt
2 1/2 tsp Worchester Sauce
1/3 cup carnation milk
2 eggs
1 tsp liquid smoke
12 halves or 24 square soda crackers, crushed
salt and pepper


Sauce
2 cups chili sauce
2 cups catsup 
1 tsp tobasco 
1 1/2 teaspoon Worchester
1 tsp liquid smoke
dash garlic salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
salt and pepper





Instructions:
1.  Put sauce ingredients into crockpot, stir, and cook on high while preparing the meatballs.


2.  Mix meatball ingredients and form small balls on cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees until brown.  Pour off excess grease.


3.  Put meatballs into sauce.  Cook on low for 4 hours.  Serve and enjoy!

Calamari Fra Diavolo

Ingredients:


1/4 c. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 clove crushed garlic
2 cups chopped canned tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1 1/2 c. dry white wine
1 3/4 lb. cleaned squid

NOTE: you need a slow cooker for this recipe

Instructions:


1.  Put oil in a pan and cook onion until softened.  Add garlic and stir a few minutes longer.

2.  Transfer to slow cooker and add tomatoes, tomato paste, red pepper, and oregano.

3.  Pour wine in the pan and bring to a boil by turning heat on high.  Reduce by one third (meaning make 1/3 of the wine evaporate).  Add to the crock pot.  Cover and cook on low for 1 1/2-2 hours.

4.  Cut calamari into pieces, about 1/4 thick by 1 1/2 inches long.  When cutting, tilt the knife at an angle so you are not cutting straight down.  Add calamari and continue to cook on low for at least 45 more minutes.

5.  Serve over pasta or with crispy bread.

Adapted from:  Not your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook

Steamed Artichokes

Ingredients:


1 artichoke per person
dipping sauce (we use dijon mustard and wasabi-sesame dipping sauce)

NOTE: you need a steamer for this recipe

Instructions:


1.  Fill the bottom of the steamer 1/2-1/3 full with water.

2.  Cut the tips off of the artichokes with a pair of kitchen scissors.  To do this, you take each leaf and cut the top prickly part off by cutting horizontally.

3.  Put the artichokes in the top of the steamer.  Cook for approximately 50 minutes if you have 2 artichokes.

4.  Remove and serve with dipping sauce.  To eat, you pull a leaf out, dip the thick end in the sauce and use your teeth to pull the "meat" off the end.

Green Chili

Ingredients

2 lbs. pork tenderloin (lean lower calorie option) or pork butt or shoulder (better tasting option), cubed
1 cup chopped onion
14 oz. Swanson chicken broth
10 oz can or bottle of green salsa
2 1/2 cups diced green chiles

3 tsp garlic (minced or mashed)
2 ½ Tbsp chicken bouillon (they come in cubes)
1 tsp celery salt
1 Tbsp flour
2 tsp oregano
1 Tbsp cumin
3 Tbsp diced jalapeno pepper
1 Tbsp dried cilantro (Pendries powder or 3 Tbsp fresh finely chopped) 

Green tabasco (optional)

NOTE: We do this in our slow cooker on low, but you can also do it in a big pot if you don't have a slow cooker

Instructions:

1.  Brown pork and drain.

2.  Add the onion and the chicken brother.  Simmer (or cook on low) for 1 hour and stir occasionally.  

3.  Add the garlic, green salsa, chicken buillon, celery salt, flour, oregano, cumin, jalapenos, and cilantro.  Simmer (or cook on low) another hour, stirring occasionally.

4.  Add green chiles and tobasco if you want any.  This recipe is really spicy to begin with, so beware.  Simmer (or cook on low) for another hour or more and then serve.

Adapted from: Gambler's Green Chili by Lauren Ray

Pork Ribs Flavored with Chiles and Beer

Ingredients:


1 12 oz. bottle of beer of your choosing (we use Negro Modelo)
1/8 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard (the powdered kind you find in the spice aisle)
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 c. bbq sauce of your choosing (we use Rufus Teague Touch O Heat)
1/4 c. rice vinegar
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. yellow mustard (we buy the cheap stuff)
1/2 orange, cut into 1/4 inch rounds (we take the rind off first)
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 pickled jalapenos, cut into 1/4 inch thick rings (you can get these in a can or a jar)
1 can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, drained and chopped (these are at King Soopers in Denver)
3 lbs. pork ribs (you want about 1/2 a rack per person, or a full rack if its a big guy who eats a lot)
Sea salt and ground black pepper

NOTE: you need a slow cooker for this recipe

Instructions:


1.  Mix beer, brown sugar, dry mustard and garlic powder in a bowl.

2.  Add bbq sauce, vinegar, yellow mustard and honey and stir until smooth.

3.  Put the orangle, onion, jalapenos and chipotle ppers at the bottom of the slow cooker.

4.  Season the ribs with salt and pepper and put them in the slow cooker.

5.  Pour the sauce on top.  If your ribs do not fit on one layer, then alternate layers (first the ribs, then pour some sauce, then more ribs, then sauce, etc).

6.  Cover and cook on low for 9 hours or more.

7.  Take the ribs out and serve on platter.  You may want to skim the fat off the top of the sauce if you are going to serve it separately, but that hasn't been necessary for us.

Adapted from: Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook

Steamed Mussels with Bleu Cheese

Ingredients:
2 lbs mussels (for dinner for two)
1 shallot
1 bundle green onions
blue cheese crumbles

NOTE: you need a steamer for this recipe

Instructions: 


1.  Fill bottom of steamer about 1/3-1/2 full of water.  Place mussels in steamer.

2.  Chop the shallot and green onions and sprinkle on the mussels.

3.  Steam the mussels until they are open and firm, about 15 minutes.

4.  Remove and top with bleu cheese crumbles.  Serve.

Steve's Asparagus

Ingredients:

Asparagus

Sea salt

Cracked black pepper

Olive oil

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Cut the ends off of the asparagus (you don't want to see anything white).  Lay out in a baking dish.

3.  Drizzle with olive oil and roll asparagus until coated (You will need less olive oil than you think to do this).

4.  Sprinkle sea salt and pepper over the asparagus and place in oven.

5.  Flip asparagus after about 12 minutes.  Cook another 12 minutes on the other side.

Baked Eggplant

Ingredients:


1 eggplant
1 large hunk of mozzarella cheese (can be bought at the grocery store)
garlic (optional)
1 can of pasta sauce (whatever you prefer)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Crushed red pepper (optional)

Instructions:


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Chop eggplant into 1/2 - 1 inch rounds.  Arrange in baking dish.

3.  Drizzle olive oil over the top of the eggplant.  If you would like, sprinkle or spread some garlic over the eggplant.  Bake until eggplant begins to brown and soften.

4.  Remove eggplant.  Slice mozzarella and lay on top of eggplant slices.  You can stack the eggplant if you want.

5.  Pour the can of pasta sauce over the eggplant and cheese until it is all covered.  Bake until cheese is melted.

6.  Remove and serve.  We like to sprinkle crushed red pepper over the top to give it a little spice.

Adapted from: Katelyn Werner

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

3/4 pound cream cheese
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/4 c. heavy whipping cream
Garnish: chocolate shaving and raspberries

Instructions:

1.  Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until blended and fluffy.

2.  Reduce speed and add cocoa a little bit at a time (or else it will go all over the place).  Mix until well blended.

3.  In a separate bowl, whip the cream with an electric mixer until peaks form (meaning when you remove your mixer, peaks stick up where you pulled it out).

4.  Slowly fold the cream into the other mixture a little at a time until no white streaks are left. (Folding means to mix without stirring, so its good to use a rubber spoon and slowly fold the mixture over itself until blended).

5.  Spoon into serving cups.  Can garnish with chocolate shavings or strawberries.

Attributed to: Nordstrom Entertaining at Home Cookbook

Oreo Truffles

Ingredients:

1 package of oreo cookies
1 package of cream cheese
3 packages of bakers chocolate of your choice: (I usually do 2 packages of semi-sweet and then use white
chocolate for the drizzle)

Instructions:

1.  Crush oreos with a pestal or hammer.  You can put them in a big bowl or a big ziplock bag, or even try to keep them in the package at first.

2.  Make sure that your cream cheese is soft enough, and then combine with oreos and mix well.

3.  Roll oreo mixture into 1 inch size balls and put on cookie sheet with wax paper.  Place in refrigerator to harden (about 20 minutes).

4. Once the oreos are hardened, remove them from the fridge.  Melt chocolate on low in a pot.

5.  Dip the oreo balls into the chocolate mixture (which for me is semi-sweet usually) one at a time until covered and place back on the pan.  Place back in the refrigerator to harden (about 1 hour)

6.  If you have different colors of chocolate, you can melt the other color (white chocolate) in the pot slowly.  Take a fork and drizzle the other color over the hardened truffles.  Put back in the fridge and let harden.

Attributed to: Nancy Liberman

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

1 tsp. garlic, minced
2 cups fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
1-2 chicken breasts
1 dash salt
1 dash pepper
1 package penne pasta

Instructions:

1.  Blend garlic, basil, pine nuts, salt, and pepper in a blender.  Drizzle olive oil once well-blended.

2.  Scrape everything off the sides and add the cheese.  If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon of water.

3.  Chop chicken into 1 inch pieces.  Cook chicken in pan with a tablespoon of olive oil until cooked to desired temperature.

4.  Mix the chicken with the pesto and pour over pasta.

Tasty Teriyaki Chicken with Pineapples

Ingredients:

20 oz. can pineapple chunks
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic
2 tsp. powdered ginger
2 chicken breasts

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine pineapple juice from the can, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger in a bowl and mix well.

3.  Place chicken in baking dish (or plastic ziplock) and pour sauce over chicken.  Marinate at least 1 hour.

4.  If not already in baking dish, but chicken in baking dish and add pineapple chunks to sauce.

5.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.  I usually serve this with Jasmine rice and the pineapples.

Attributed to: Jeanette Homsher

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients:

2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. butter
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and butter in large bowl and stir until well mixed.

2.  Put mixture into lightly greased 9x9 pan (you can use a larger or smaller one, but I find this size works best to get the best thickness).

3.  Melt the chocolate chips however you want.  I usually use the microwave, but you can use a pot or double boiler, just be careful not to burn the chocolate.

4.  Pour chocolate over the peanut butter mixture.  Put in the refrigerator to harden, and viola!