Donna's Grilled Thai Salmon with Sweet Chili Sauce Glaze, Smoked Paprika Spicy Roasted Potatoes, and Gluten Free Blueberry Polenta Cake

17 July 2016 Update:  Also see directions for Raspberry-Blueberry Polenta Cake version!

2 July 2016:  With family arriving for the long weekend, a quick dinner was in order to feed the crowd.  While the potatoes cooked in the oven, the grilled salmon was easy to prepare and cooked fast on the grill so that the meal came together in a flash.  I used a prepared sweet chili sauce to make the preparation even simpler.  The blueberry polenta cake was significantly adapted and converted to gluten free from a Nigella Lawson recipe and although it took a little time to prepare, the flavor was well worth it.  The cake is also delicious for breakfast in place of blueberry pancakes!  Enjoy, Donna:

Donna's Grilled Thai Salmon with Sweet Chili Sauce Glaze

Ingredients:

4 pounds salmon fillet

Salt and pepper to taste

One 10 ounce jar Maggi Sweet Chili Sauce

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

1/2 cup almonds, sliced

Method:

Preheat grill or oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray a large piece of heavy foil with cooking spray and place fillet on top.  Season fish with salt and pepper to taste.  Carefully pour the chili sauce evenly on top of fish.  Sprinkle with basil and almonds, and spray with cooking oil.  Grill or bake for 15 - 20 minutes and serve immediately.  

Serves 6 - 8.

Donna’s Smoked Paprika Spicy Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:

3 pounds small red potatoes, cubed

2 Tablespoons rosemary garlic (or other) seasoning

Smoked paprika to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Mix all ingredients in large bowl and place on baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking oil.  Bake for 30 minutes, turn potatoes, and cook for another 5 - 10 minutes until cooked through.

Serves 6 - 8. 

Donna's Gluten Free Blueberry Polenta Cake*

*Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s Blueberry Polenta Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients:

1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons raw turbinado sugar, divided

3 cups blueberries 

2 large eggs

1 cup white sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

2/3 cup orange juice

2/3 cup olive oil (extra virgin is preferred)

3/4 cup polenta

1 cup gluten free flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a 9 inch square pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking oil.  Sprinkle 1/3 cup raw sugar on top of paper and top with blueberries.  

Mix together the eggs, 1 cup white sugar and lemon zest until mixture thickens.  Add orange juice and oil and mix well.  In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients and incorporate into the egg mixture, mixing well.  Pour on top of blueberries in prepared pan and sprinkle top with 2 Tablespoons raw sugar.

Bake for 45 minutes.  Cool for 5 minutes, remove parchment paper and place on cake plate to serve.

Serves 8 - 12.

NOTE:  To make Raspberry-Blueberry Polenta Cake, use 3 cups raspberries and 1 cup blueberries and replace the 9 inch pan for a springform pan lined with parchment, if desired.

Copyright 2016.

Donna’s Cod Tacos with Corn and Green Salsa

Summer Greetings!  Having returned home from grocery shopping after a full day's work, I wanted to make a quick meal and these cod tacos came to the rescue!  The addition of chopped onions, peppers and corn to the fish and salsa rounded out the meal so that a side of quinoa was all that was needed.  Ole!  Donna:

Donna’s Cod Tacos with Corn and Green Salsa

 Ingredients:

2 pounds cod fillet

Salt and pepper to taste

1 green pepper, thinly sliced

1 sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 cup corn kernels

One 16 ounce jar Hertz green salsa

Taco shells

Cheddar cheese, shredded

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a large baking pan with foil and spray with cooking oil.  Place fish on top of foil and season with salt and pepper.  Mix together the pepper, onion and corn and spoon on top of fish.  Pour green salsa on top and cover with additional foil and seal top.  Bake for 20 minutes or until fish is cooked through, white and flaky.   Spoon into taco shells and top with cheese, if desired.

Serves 4.

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Donna’s Grilled Cod Bruschetta and Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad with Smoked Paprika Aioli

26 June 2016:  Dear Friends, I try to use the ingredients I have on hand to make our meals and Sunday's result was a riff on traditional bruschetta using cod as the base with the tomato topping also including crunchy croutons.  The corn salad came about after having a delicious Grilled Street Corn at a newly reopened local restaurant and I wanted the same flavors included in an easier to eat version that can be served at room temperature or chilled.  I hope you enjoy these new creations!  Best, Donna:

Donna’s Grilled Cod Bruschetta 

Ingredients:

2 pounds cod fillet

Salt and pepper to taste

12 ounces cherry tomatoes, multi-colored if available, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

1 Tablespoon garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 Tablespoons basil leaves, chopped

1 cup croutons, preferable homemade

Method:

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.  Spray a large piece of foil with cooking oil and top with fish that has been seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.  Fold up sides slightly before adding remaining ingredients.  

Mix together remaining ingredients except croutons.  Spoon 2/3 of mixture on top of fish and seal foil on all sides.  Grill for 15 or more minutes until fish is white, flaky and cooked through.  Serve fish immediately with the rest of the tomato mixture on top and sprinkled with croutons.

Serves 2 - 3.

Donna’s Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad with Smoked Paprika Aioli

Ingredients:

4 ears of corn, husked

1/4 cup mayonnaise (I prefer canola-based mayo)

1 Tablespoon garlic, minced

1 teaspoon lime juice

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

5 ounces queso fresco cheese

1 Tablespoon cilantro leaves, chopped

1 Tablespoon parsley leaves, chopped

Method:

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.  Spray corn with cooking oil on all sides and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Grill about 10 - 12 minutes, turning every 3 minutes or so to allow the corn to slightly char.  Remove from grill and allow cobs to cool to room temperature.

When corn is cool enough to handle, remove kernels into large bowl.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.  Serve immediately or chill until serving time.

Serves 6.

Copyright 2016.

Donna’s Baked Penne Pasta Pie

25 June 2016:  Hi Everyone!  Summer is finally here but there are still days, at least in the North country, where it can be chilly.  This simple dish can be prepared from scratch or with leftovers, as is the case here, i.e., see my 2 June 2016 post for Donna's Slow Cooked Penne Pasta.  With a wedge salad on the side, you have a complete comfort food meal in less than an hour.  Cheers!  Donna:

Donna’s Baked Penne Pasta Pie

Ingredients:

4 cups gluten free penne pasta, cooked

2 large eggs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided into two 1/4 cup portions

2 cups pasta sauce

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray a round casserole baking dish with cooking oil.  Mix together the pasta, eggs and 1/4 cup of cheese and place into bottom of prepared dish.  Top with sauce and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.  Cover and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove cover and bake for 15 more minutes.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Copyright 2016.

Donna’s Grilled BBQ Beer Can Chicken and Summer Berry Nut Salad with Tarragon-Champagne Vinaigrette

To my Culinary Friends, it is almost summer and salads topped with protein are one of our go-to meals.  This recipe was created after I saw a similar salad with many fewer ingredients in our local grocery store but it inspired me to come up with a hearty dinner salad perfect for a summer time meal.  Try it with my homemade vinaigrette which is very quick to make, and a side of Grilled Beer Can Chicken.  Salud!  Donna:

Donna’s Grilled BBQ Beer Can Chicken

Ingredients:

One 4 pound organic chicken

2 cups barbecue sauce (or 1 cup sauce plus 1 cup Italian dressing)

1/2 cup Rosemary Garlic Seasoning or other spice rub

One 12 ounce can beer

Method:

One day before grilling, place chicken in bowl and cover all sides with sauce.     Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 24 hours.  When ready to grill, dip chicken on all sides in spice rub sprinkled on large pan using tongs.

Grill for about 1 hour until breast meat registers 165 degrees F and thigh meat is at 180 degrees.  Remove to platter, allow to stand 10 minutes, then carve before serving.

Serves 4.

Donna’s Summer Berry Nut Salad with Tarragon-Champagne Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

Salad:

4 ounces baby spinach and spring mix leaves

8 -  10 strawberries, stemmed and chopped

1/2 pint raspberries

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 red onion, chopped 

1/2 cup whole raw pecans

1/2 cup gluten-free croutons

1/4 cup Bleu cheese, crumbled

2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup honey

3 Tablespoons Champagne vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon tarragon leaves

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Method:

Prepare salad by layering on large platter, or individual plates, in order given.  Mix together dressing ingredients and chill.  Top salad with dressing and serve immediately.

Serves 3 - 4.

Copyright 2016.

Donna's Rainbow Quinoa Salad with Tarragon-Champagne Vinaigrette and Hawaiian Barbecued Shrimp

Hello Friends, I've been away from the kitchen lately but had a chance to make dinner tonight at home and just had the best time creating this quinoa salad with lots of fresh vegetables and fruits.  The vinaigrette is easy to make and the shrimp take only minutes on the grill.  This is worth a try! It was inspired by a salad I saw at the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award event for John Willams on 9 June.  Best, Donna:

Donna's Rainbow Quinoa Salad with Tarragon-Champagne Vinaigrette and Hawaiian Barbecued Shrimp

Ingredients:

Shrimp:

1 pound raw shrimp (21/26 count), peeled and tails removed

One 18 ounce bottle Sweet Baby Ray’s Hawaiian Style Barbecue Sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Salad:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed in cold water (1/2 cup red and 1/2 cup white if possible)

1½ cups water, microwaved on High for 2 minutes

2 Tablespoons butter

2 cups baby spinach leaves

1/2 English cucumber, peeled and chopped

8 ounces small red and yellow tomatoes, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

3/4 cup blueberries

8 dried apricots, chopped

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup honey

3 Tablespoons Champagne vinegar

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon tarragon leaves

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Method:

Using 5 skewers, place 5 shrimp on each skewer and lay on bottom of pan.  Pour barbecue sauce over the skewers and turn to assure sauce on each shrimp.  Marinate in refrigerator for about 2 or more hours and, meanwhile, prepare salad.  

Spray rice cooker with cooking spray and add quinoa, water and butter.  Cook until done and mix gently with remaining ingredients.

Prepare grill, season shrimp with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes total time, turning half way through.  Immediately serve on top of salad that has been dressed with vinaigrette.

Serves 3 - 4.

Copyright 2016.

Donna’s Slow Cooked Penne Pasta

01 June 2016:  Hi Friends, cooking away from your own kitchen can be a bit more challenging but using a slow cooker helped in this case!  Although there are many variations of pasta sauces out there, this particular  recipe, inspired by one from Taste of Home, came together quickly and was hearty and delicious.  Give it a try!  Ciao, Donna:

Donna’s Slow Cooked Penne Pasta*

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 pound fresh mild Italian sausage

1 large onion, chopped

8 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced

1 quart stewed tomatoes, preferably home-canned

One 15 ounce can tomato sauce

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

One pound box Barilla Gluten Free Penne Pasta, cooked

Parmesan cheese, shredded

Method:

Spray slow cooker with cooking oil and preheat to High setting.  Heat oil in large frying pan and saute meat until cooked through.  Drain and place in slow cooker.  Stir fry onions and mushrooms in pan and add to slow cooker.  Add rest of ingredients to slow cooker except basil, pasta and cheese.  Cook on High for 2 hours, then turn to Low for 2 - 3 hours.  Stir in basil just before serving.  Spoon sauce over cooked penne and sprinkle with cheese, serving immediately.

Serves 6.

*Inspired by Taste of Home’s Family-Favorite Pasta Sauce Recipe

Copyright 2016.