Taco Seasoning

We are doing a taco salad potluck tomorrow, but i have not bought taco seasoning in over a year. Instead I make my own, and it looks a little like this:

1Tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red peper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons of cumin
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper

Normally I brown my 'ground meat of choice' up with an onion. Afterwards, I add this to it with about a cup of water per pound. You may only need half of the mix per pound, depending on how spicy you like your food ;)

Sweet Lemon Salmon

The 'kids' have been making dinner ever since I came home to Oregon. So to continue, I looked up a recipe for orange salmon, but then Katie asked me to do something with lemon in stead. So this is what I found (and it turned out pretty good!): 

4 Salmon Fillets

Juice of an entire Lemon

1 Tb Lemon Zest

2 Tb Brown Sugar

1/4 C of Water

Salt/Pepper (to season fillets)

1 Tb of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Warm oil in skillet with salmon salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Brown Salmon fillets on both sides for about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a baking dish. 

In a small sauce pan, put lemon juice, water, and brown sugar. Cook on low until sugar is dissolved. Pour over top of salmon and cook for 10-15 minutes. Serve while hot and drizzle some of the brown sugar sauce from dish over salmon. 

***Changes made: I split up a clove of garlic over the 4 fillets. ***

Recipe from: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=250781

Citrus Chicken with Soy Sauce

We had an impromptu celebration for Cinco De Mayo and one of our neighbors brought this amazing chicken. Last we had the missionaries over and we decided to try to recreate it. It was good the way we baked it, but I think it would be better if we had grilled it. Either way, try it! It is so so good!

1/3 C soy sauce (I used the Shoyu sauce)

Juice of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 lime

Juice of 1 orange 

1/2 an onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 TBS cilantro

1 teas cumin

1/3 C soy sauce

1 teas paprika

1/2 teas white pepper

Chicken (3--4 lbs)

Combine all ingredients except chicken. Add chicken, cover and marinate in fridge 2-4 hours.

Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Serve. (Could also grill.)

Leftover Roast Beef

Sweet and Sour Leftover Roast Beef

I varied this recipe to meet my own taste and to reduce the volume as I was making it for only one person.  I did substitute a large carrot for the green pepper as I am not fond of green peppers.

1 C. diced roast beef or pork

1 onion, sliced lengthwise

1 clove garlic, crushed (I used about 3)

Oil

½ C. water

½ Tbs cornstarch

½ Tbs vinegar

1 Tbs soy sauce (I used Aloha brand)

1 Tbs brown sugar

1 green pepper (I substituted one large carrot, julienned)

1 tsp Accent (I did not add this)

Additionally, I would add mushrooms, maybe water chestnuts, maybe ginger, or any of a myriad of other possibilities.

Heat frying pan (recipe calls for a heavy frying pan; I used a 12” non-stick frying pan.)

Add oil, meat, garlic, and onion cook until onions caramelize

Mix water and cornstarch, add to pan

Add remaining ingredients

Cook for 20 minutes

Serve with rice (used noodles)

Mandarin Pork Potstickers

We made these on New Years Eve this year. Probably more fitting for Chinese New Years, but I think I would them any time. The original recipe came from Simply so good but we made a few changes to her original recipe

2 1/2 cups napa cabbage, thinly sliced

8 to 10- oz ground pork or chicken

1/4 cup chicken stock (or water mixed with chicken bouillon)

1 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon scallions, minced

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

40 - 50 potsticker or gyoza wappers

oil

water

Place cabbage in bowel and sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Squeeze cabbage tightly to remove the excess liquid.

In the bowl of a food processor add the pork, stock, soy sauce, cornstarch, scallions, ginger, salt, pepper and cabbage. Process until mixture is well combined and no large chunks are visible. Alternately, combine all ingredients and stir to combine.

Fill each wrapper with a teaspoon of the meat mixture. Seal by lining the edge of wrapper with a small amount of water and folding together. Heat a large frying pan over medium until hot. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Add about 12 potstickers, seam side up and cook until bottoms are golden brown, 3-4 minutes.  Add 1/3 cup water, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until water has evaporated, 5-6 minutes. Remove potstickers and keep warm.  Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, the repeat process until all of the potstickers are cooked.

Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon

Tonight I wanted something that was still pretty mild, from being sick, but also not as rich as all of the holiday foods we typically have. This recipe is based loosely off of a recipe from our old bishopric member, Brother (and Sister) Wright.

4 T Brown Sugar
4 T Butter

Melt and stir together. Then add the following until fully incorporated:

4 t Honey
3 T Mustard
4 T Soy Sauce
1 Green Onion (cut up)

Line baking pan with foil and then place baking rack on top. Spray with pan spray or use a paper towel to oil the rack and prevent the fish from sticking to it.

Poke holes with a fork in the thawed salmon (if not using fresh fish). If the skin is easy to remove from salmon, do so at this point, if not, then place salmon skin side down on rack. Drizzle 2/3rds sauce over the salmon or enough to cover it the pieces of salmon.

Bake at 350 uncovered for 20-25 minutes or till fish is done. Then drizzle the remaining sauce over the fish. This sauce was enough sauce for about 5-6 large pieces of salmon. I turned the oven off and let them stay warm in side while I finished the rest of dinner. (Cinnamon yam/potato dish and steamed broccoli).