A benefit of my "day" job is getting to go to different cities for training. For example, this week I went to Cleveland, Ohio. Some may think Cleveland? What's in Cleveland? It's a beautiful city that takes after my heart.  Cleveland is a foodie paradise. There are bistros, pubs, fine dining and food trucks everywhere. I was in heaven.

Cleveland is also known for their perogies. I made it my personal mission to introduce my new friend Pete to perogies and to other edible delights such as chocolate martinis. Cleveland also provided me with the opportunity to check off one of my bucket list items; to eat at an iron chef restaurant. If you're not familiar with Iron Chef, it's a cooking competition on the Food Network. The participants are some of the most celebrated chefs to grace a kitchen. Michael Symon is such a chef and to my excitement he has a restaurant, Lola Bistro, located in Cleveland. 

I can honestly say that I was so excited to dine there I was positively quivering with the thought. My dinner menu consisted of beef cheek perogies, seared sea scallops with heirloom carrots, apple and country ham. A spin on the bacon wrapped scallop. For dessert I opted for the cheese plate rather than something sweet. Paired with a rich Cabernet it was the perfect meal.

Cheese plates for dessert are very European and end a meal with a wonderful earthiness. Choosing cheeses can be a lot of fun and for a few overwhelming.  The presentation is what makes it so special. That and a good wine. If you prefer not to drink wine I encourage you to try a sparking cider, robust beer or other festive drink to enhance the cheeses.

When I put together a cheese plate I always have a minimum of three. One hard like a cheddar, one soft, such as a Brie or goat cheese, and one unique like a good bleu. The accompaniments include fruit (fresh and dried) nuts, crostini and usually a jam or fruit spread.  I also include olives to enhance the salty favors of the cheeses.

An interesting thing about cheese is that flavors can become rich and change based on a drink or other food. For example I have always found that red wine brings out a peppery flavor in bleu cheeses. Likewise a dried apricot paired with a good Parmesan is incredible. Fresh strawberry slices and Brie served on a toasted buttered crostini is out of this world.

I encourage you to try new flavors and pairings. Invite a few friends over to bring a wine and cheese and have a tasting party.

Or surprise your next dinner guests with a cheese plate for dessert. To get you started below is a list of items for a simple cheese plate. I have also included a recipe for blackberry red wine jam.

Until next time...

Eat and enjoy,

Midgi

SIMPLE CHEESE PLATE

4oz sharp cheddar cheese

4oz Parmesan or Spanish Manchego

2oz goat cheese

2 oz Stilton

2 oz glazed pecans or roasted almonds

2 oz dried apricots

Sliced pears

Sliced green apple

Strawberries

Olives

Crostini

Other crackers as desired

BLACKBERRY RED WINE JAM

1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries

½ cup merlot wine

3/8 cup beef broth

2½ tablespoons sugar

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for about 25 minutes until sauce has reduced and is broth is consistency of syrup. Allow to cool before serving. Stores in refrigerator for a week.

Ahhh, the annual vacation. That anticipated rite one eagerly plans, budgets for and looks forward to each year as if their life, their very sanity depends upon it.  For the past two years, my annual vacation has been to Las Vegas to visit my parents and to go to a huge roller derby conference called Rollercon.  This is an event at which several thousand skaters, referees, fans and vendors gather to learn more about this fast growing sport, as well as buy derby related merchandise, watch bouts and generally spend every waking hour immersed in all things roller derby.  I love it.

Las Vegas was hot.  By hot, I don’t mean a tiny bit warm I mean HOT. The average daily temperature was 105.  It seemed like a blessing to leave rainy Juneau for a while and enjoy the warm sun. Except that it was so hot, I couldn’t spend more than a few minutes outside.  Kudos to those who could sit by the pool all day; I’m simply not one of them.  I soon found myself missing the rain and green of Southeast Alaska.

After four days with the parents and five days of derby, and the intense heat I’m ready to head home.  I miss my family, my feather bed and pillow and even the rain.  Most of all I miss home cooked meals.  This is the part where my husband balks, and grumbles, “yeah ,right” because I do enjoy a good restaurant.  But after 10 days of eating out two or three meals a day, one does tend to long for something simple and comforting.

My first day home, there is a wonderful rain storm, with lots of wind.  I watched it rain sideways from my office and simply smiled. It’s time for something warm and soothing.  When I get cold and need something hot and filling I go for soup.  Soups are by far my most favorite thing to cook. There’s something about stirring a big pot of yummy that makes my day.  I didn’t want to spend hours cooking. Which means I want a simple soup; something that can be done in 30 minutes or less.

Taking advantage of a pre-roasted chicken from the grocery store, and a few simple canned goods, I was able to whip up a delicious soup that is warm, earthy and different, and provides a comfort food that satisfies: Chicken Enchilada Soup.  Enjoying a bowlful of warmness and the smiles of my daughter because I was home to cook for the family again, definitely let me know I wasn’t over the rainbow any longer.

Until next time…

Eat and enjoy,

Midgi

CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 28 oz can enchilada sauce

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 14 oz can black beans

1 14 oz can red, kidney or pinto beans

1 14 oz can corn

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 cups cooked chicken

GARNISHES

Sour cream

Avocado, diced

Tomatoes, diced

Cilantro, chopped

Cheese, shredded

Limes

Tortillas

In large pot, heat oil to medium high, add onions, garlic and diced peppers. Cook until onions are translucent, about five minutes.  Add enchilada sauce, crushed tomatoes, beans and corn (do not drain beans or corn).  Stir well to incorporate. Reduce heat and bring to a simmer. Add chili powder and red pepper flakes.  Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove chicken from bone and shred into bite sized pieces.  Add to soup and stir well.  Simmer an additional 10 minutes. All ingredients should be warmed through and ready to eat within 10 – 20 minutes.

Garnish with sour cream, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, cheese and a squeeze of lime.  Serve with warm tortillas.

Fall in Juneau arrived with sideways rain, fierce winds and the departure of the many visitors who come to Alaska’s capital city.  Juneau has experienced an unusual amount of rain this year, which is saying a lot give that it’s situated in a rain forest. 

Locals tenaciously don raincoats, iconic green boots and continue on with their daily lives.  Occasionally, particularly this week, there is a break in the rain and the sun shines brightly casting a spectacular glow across the city and valley.

The irony in the sunny days is the brisk, cold temperatures.  It seems the sunnier the day is, the colder it is.  On these cold days there is nothing I enjoy more than a hot bowl of soup.  I love to make soups. There is something comforting about the chopping, seasoning and stirring a large pot of goodness. One such delicious cauldron of deliciousness is corn chowder.  Corn is a late summer – fall kind of vegetable and a traditional part of fall decorating and cuisine.

Corn is also a versatile ingredient.  I’m told in the food pyramid it’s considered a carb.  But, my mom says it’s a yellow vegetable and when I was growing up, we always had two vegetables, one green one yellow.  Since I’m not a spatial thinker and work within the confines of geometric shape, and I respect my elders, I’ll go with the yellow vegetable theory. 

Chowder in itself is a versatile soup. There’s potato chowder, crab chowder, fish chowder, and of course clam chowder (New England or Manhattan), there’s also my new favorite corn chowder.  

As with many of my recipes I experiment with the cooking process and then change up the ingredients to suit my taste buds.  Corn chowder was no different.  I researched the various methods to cook said chowder, the milk/cream to corn ratio, adding potatoes or not, which vegetables and came up with a fairly simple basic recipe.  Then came the fun part.  Adding those ingredients that stamps MIdgi on it and calling it my own.  There are two ingredients I love above all others, Cajun spices and bacon.  Add one or both of these to just about anything and I’m begging for a place at your dinner table.

This week I present a dish to keep you warm on these cold autumn nights that has the Midgi culinary touch:  Midgi’s Corn Chowder.

Until next time…

Eat and enjoy,

Midgi

MIDGI’S CORN CHOWDER

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 small packs of frozen corn (or 3 cups fresh, removed from cob)

3 stalks celery, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

½ medium yellow or white onion, diced

½ cup diced Yukon gold potatoes

1 cup water

1 cup milk

1 – ½ cups half-and-half

1 -2 tablespoons corn starch

5 strips bacon, cut in to small pieces

2 -3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

In large stock pot, pre-heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add onions, celery, and carrots.  Cook for about 3-5 minutes, until onions are translucent.  Add corn and potatoes.  Sautee’ 3 -5 minutes, stirring consistently to prevent burning. Cover with water.  Simmer for 7-10 minutes until potatoes are partially cooked.  Add milk and stir.  Add red bell pepper, bacon and Cajun seasoning.  Continue simmering for another 5 – 7 minutes.  Gradually add half and half until the broth is creamy. 

Place corn starch in small bowl.  Spoon two tablespoons of broth from the pot into the small bowl.  Mix with cornstarch until well blended.  Pour mixture into soup pot.  Allow to simmer about 5 minutes.  Continue this process until you get the desired consistency you are seeking.  Some like chowder thicker than others.

Blackened Salmon with Nectarine Salsa

Springtime seems to have skipped Juneau.  Oh we did have a few weeks of sunny weather, which was much appreciated by all of us locals, even though the temperatures were still rather chilly.  However, May and June are normally the driest and warmest months here.  Not so much this year. In May we had rain 29 out of 31 days. We even set records for wet and rain and in some cases miserable weather.

I have lived here for only three years and I’m still getting used to the weather cycles. I love rain. In fact, that’s one of the reasons I wanted to live here. The rain makes everything green and moist and lush and beautiful. But 29 days of rain can kind of suck the perky right out of you.

What to do? I need spring! I need something fresh and light. I head to the kitchen and start working. When the salmon run in southeast Alaska, spring is here. Kings and silvers soon after start infesting our water ways providing diners all over the world a feast of spring.

We have salmon, but how should I prepare it? Blackened is always a crowd pleaser. This is a good start, but it needs something. Something light and that tastes of spring.  I know! A light, spicy, fruity salsa with  something different, maybe nectarines. Throw in lots of cilantro and lime juice and viola! A perfect spring time dish.  I set about chopping, dicing and zesting with a vengence.  The smells that soon waft through the kitchen are like sunshine.

For a side I chose to make a simple rice dish, which I call Spring Rice. It too has cilantro and lime, two of my favorite spring and summer flavors.

This week I present a dish that evokes spring and all things warm: Blackened Salmon with Nectarine Salsa.

Until next time…

Eat and enjoy,

Midgi

Blackened Salmon with Nectarine Salsa

4 6oz salmon filets

2 tablespoons blackening seasoning (Old Bay)

½ red onion, finely diced

1 large tomato, finely diced           

2 large nectarines, pitted and diced

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon diced fresh jalapeno (optional)

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine onion, tomato, nectarines, cilantro, jalapeno and lime juice in large bowl.  Add salt & pepper to taste. Set aside and let marinade for 20 – 30 minutes.

In large skillet heat olive oil to medium high heat.  Sprinkle blackening season on salmon and place in pan seasoned side down.  Let it cook until you have a good sear. Turn over and cook 2-3 minutes.  Place in over and cook additional 5 – 10 minutes, depending on thickness, cook until no longer red in center.

Spring Rice

2 cups water

1 cup long grain rice

½ teaspoon salt (or more if you like it salty)

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 large scallions, finely chopped

Zest of one lime

In a rice steamer or pot, put two cups of water and rice. Add salt to taste.  Let cook per package directions.  Place cooked rice in bowl and toss with cilantro and scallions.  Add lime zest and serve immediately. Pairs wonderfully with Blackened Salmon with Nectarine Salsa.

Like most people, I made that obligatory New Year’s resolution to get healthier and to lose weight.  First thing on the list, start exercising:  Roller derby practice twice a week, check.  Eat healthier:  less red meats, more fish and greens, small check.  I’m a red meat lover, so this one was a little harder to stick to, but the salad is a bit easier commitment.

I love salads.  I love making them and especially eating them.  But, my salads need substance.  I don’t want a bunch of lettuce and a few croutons.  I like salads with crunch.  Must haves for me are celery, cauliflower, and some sort of nut. My oldest daughter, Sami has teased me more than once about having some lettuce with my salads.

I mastered the art of salad making when I cooked with my parents a lot. For some reason when they had my family to their house for dinner, I was always assigned the salads.  So, I started adding things that sounded different.  I went from throwing in an apple or pear to adding different cheeses and now I really like to add nuts and bacon.

Salads as a meal should contain enough variety to keep you eating. For example, while I love Caesar salads, they really need more than lettuce, Parmesan cheese and some croutons if I plan on being sated.  Some throw grilled chicken into their salads, which is great, but for some reason, I have a hard time wrapping my taste buds around that.

I confess, I’m like most of America. Iceberg lettuce, a few tomatoes, bottled dressing, Viola! We have salad.  But, what about tossing it up a bit?  Sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun! What about adding some new and “restaurant like ingredients”?  Maybe make your own croutons? Or add a piece of fruit?  Cheese is always good; but maybe something other than shredded cheddar? Bacon bits from a jar?  Cut up a few slices of bacon and make your own, or save a few bits from your breakfast and toss into a salad for dinner or the next day. 

The beauty of salads is the possibilities are endless. You can make them with ingredients you like.  And, if you really want to have fun, host a salad bar dinner party.  Have everyone bring different components to a salad, plus an extra side dish such as potato salad or pasta, and then you all can make the salad you enjoy. Fun and healthy!

The thing about salads is they sometimes don’t travel as well as I would like. I find it very unappetizing if my greens get wimpy or my apples turn brown.  So, I often prepare a few things, including the dressing separately and then put it in a small container for my workday lunch.

This week’s disclaimer: I find it perfectly acceptable to use bottled dressings. It’s often easier and sometimes less expensive to buy a bottle for $4.25 than to spend the $35 on ingredients to make your own.  However, I do strongly encourage reading the labels.  Many bottled dressings have ingredients that one cannot pronounce, let alone would want to eat.

For this recipe, I’ve chosen a salad that travels quite well and has simple, yet sophisticated ingredients.  The crisp apples and candied pecans go well with the tangy goat cheese. Throw in the crunch factor of the celery and cauliflower, and it’s a party in your mouth.

This week I present my Simply Sophisticated Salad. I hope it will help you keep any obligatory New Year’s reservations, too.

Until next time…

Eat and enjoy,

Midgi

Simple Salad

2 cups spring mix lettuces

1 red delicious apple, diced

2 tablespoons soft goat cheese

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped cauliflower

¼ cup diced or small tomatoes

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1½  tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup candied pecans – recipe below

Combine all ingredients, sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil to taste. 

Candied Pecans

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup brown sugar

Course sea or kosher salt

Melt butter in med high skillet.  Add brown sugar and stir until bubbling mixture.  Add nuts and toss gently until all sides are coated.  Remove from pan and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Cook on 400 for 8 minutes turn half way through.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Sprinkle salt on before nuts are completely cool so that salt adheres to sticky coating. 

Add to salads and other recipes as desired. They’re great snacks on their own.

Combining a new job, family, and being in roller derby can make for quite the hectic life.  In fact it gets kind of nuts at our house.

For my job, I’ve had to hit the ground running and take in all that I can in three weeks so that I would be prepared for the first cruise ship.  Part of my new responsibilities is to get out and see Juneau, to take advantage of the great place in which we live, and to enjoy some of the fun adventures visitors to Juneau can participate in.  

However, a couple of these new activities go against the norm for me. Take for example, hiking.  I’m not much of a hiker. In fact, I tend to avoid it like the plague. I’m a city girl. There’s nothing appealing about hiking a trail to who knows where, to see whatever scenery is out there, and then hike back. It’s hard work, sweaty, dirty, exhausting and well, let’s not forget the bears.  I have a healthy fear of bears and I stay indoors, because they’re outdoors.  We have an understanding. I keep to my territory and they keep to theirs.

However, it is not any surprise that about half of the visitors I encounter in my new position want to know about the hiking trails here.  It is rather embarrassing to say “I have no idea, but I’ve heard…”  I was hired to know these things, not to provide hearsay.  So, much to my chagrin I shall be hiking this summer. 

First thing, go get the hiking trails book from one of our wonderful local bookstores.  Then, look for the easiest trail.  Baby, steps, right?  So, I head out to North Douglas and walk the short trail to the rocky beach.  The skunk weed is coming up, a sure sign of spring, which is nice. It’s been a long, cold winter. Of course, I’m ever alert to any bear activity as well. 

Once I get to the beach, I’m enthralled by the amazing view.  And, at low tide it’s so incredibly fun!  I played in the tide pools like an 8-year-old and had the time of my life.  I watched boats passing by, the clouds roll in and out and just enjoyed the serenity of living in Southeast Alaska. 

Naturally, if I’m going to do anything that might require that much energy, I have to bring a snack.  I’m told hikers eat lots of protein and I know that nuts are a great source of protein, so I opted for my Indian Spiced Almonds.  These little jewels are tasty, filling and can travel just about anywhere. 

Sitting on the rocky beach, listening to the ocean waves, smelling the briny sea and feeling the mist of the air on my skin was quite probably one of the most serene moments of my life.  As I crunched my spicy almonds, I cannot help but think how fortunate I am to live in such a beautiful, breathtaking place. 

After my Zen-like visit to North Douglas, I start the not-so-long trek home and ponder on this hiking business. Ok, this isn’t too bad, I can do this.  Maybe next time, Herbert Glacier Trail?  I’ve heard it’s nice. When I tackle that, I’ll be prepared, spicy nuts in my pocket and bear spray in my hand.

This week I present a tasty, quick snack that is easy to prepare and packs lots of protein and energy, Indian Spiced Almonds.

Until next time…

Eat and enjoy,

Midgi

Indian Spiced Nuts 

4 cups raw almonds

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon course black pepper

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon Hungarian Paprika

3 teaspoons curry

2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground red pepper

2 – 3 teaspoons sea or kosher salt

½ cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all seasonings except salt in large bowl, mix until well incorporated.  Add olive oil and mix until a paste is formed.  Add nuts, and stir until well coated.

Spread nuts on lined baking sheet in even layer.  Heat for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. 

Sprinkle with salt while still warm.  These will keep for several weeks in an air tight container. 

NOTE:  Don’t let the red pepper container slip and pour extra into the mixture.  That tends to make the nuts pretty darned hot.

One of the nice things about living in Southeast Alaska is the abundance of seafood.  Crab, shrimp, trout, halibut and of course salmon.  I imagine there are hundreds, possibly thousands of way to cook each of these.

 This week I’d like to focus on salmon.  I recently celebrated my birthday and was given some Alaskan Pure Sea Salt by my dear friend Shonda.  The name I know her by is Money Honey, as we are best friends and roller derby partners.  She knows I love to cook and like most of my friends gives me food items for gifts. I’m thinking it is so that I’ll cook for them, but that’s fine with me. I enjoy having guests for dinner and love cooking big meals.

For my salmon dinner, we had some friends over for whom I had promised to cook salmon and halibut. This was our first annual fish feast. Salmon is such a great ingredient. It’s light and tastes like the ocean and is so versatile. I’ve mentioned before that you can grill it, sear it, fry it, bake it and poach it. The possibilities are literally endless.

I chose a simple recipe to highlight my newest favorite ingredient, Alaska Pure Alder Wood Smoked Salt.   Flavored salts are the new “in”gredient for cooking. I have always used sea salt for cooking, but the new flavors are fun and very tasty.  What is particularly nice is that with a few simple ingredients a delicious meal can be prepared with little effort.

I encourage you to try these new flavored salts. They are wonderful on Artisan breads with butters. Flavored butters are especially fun.

This week, to honor my best friend Money, I present to you a dish that is as delicious as it is easy to make.  Seared Salmon with Alder Wood Smoke Salt.

Until next time…

Eat and enjoy,

Midgi

Seared Salmon with Alder Wood Smoked Salt

4 six-ounce salmon filets

2 tablespoons butter

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon Alder Wood Smoked Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 425^o.   In microwave or small sauce pan, melt butter and add minced garlic.  Preheat large non-stick skillet to med-high heat.  Baste fish with butter mixture. Sprinkle Salt and pepper liberally.  Place in hot skillet seasoned side down. Don’t move fish until it moves on its own.  Let it get a good sear. Season bottom side and flip.  Cook until bottom is seared and crisp.  Finish in over for about 3 – 5 minutes until cooked through, but not dry on the inside.

Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice and serve with roasted mashed potatoes or other favorite side.

There’s something so comforting about roasted chicken. It sends one back to the days of Sunday dinners, iced tea or lemonade and warm summer breezes.  We live in the days of convenience.  If you want a “homemade” lasagna, it’s in the freezer section of your favorite grocery store, or if you’d like something a little more exotic, hop over to the international aisle and grab some tandoori mixture.  Just add your favorite meat. For real convenience, you can even pick up a whole roasted chicken.  Fairly inexpensively as well.  I will confess I’ve done all these myself when pressed for time. 

However, nothing can take the place of roasting your own chicken in your own oven, in your own kitchen. The delicious aroma alone is worth the time.  Not to mention you now possess the drippings to make the gravy, and well, let’s face it folks, chicken without gravy? Perish the thought! 

The beauty of roasted chicken is its versatility.  You can make it just about any flavor combination you want.  Keeping it simple, a little drizzle of olive oil, course black pepper and salt, and you’re ready to go.  Want to make it more earthy? Add a bouquet of fresh herbs such as thyme, oregano, and rosemary to the inside of the chicken; salt and pepper the top.  You can add an Asian twist by basting with teriyaki or a ginger sauce, or western with your favorite barbecue sauce.  The possibilities are limitless. 

For a bright, and warm summer flavor, I chose to go with lemon thyme.  Lemon thyme is my new favorite herb. I use it in my frittata and sometimes with seafood.  For the roasted chicken, I blended olive oil, minced garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper and the lemon thyme.  After the chicken cooked approximately 45 minutes, I basted it with the mixture several times and then made a sauce from the drippings.  Tangy lemon flavors and aromas delighted my taste buds and filled my kitchen.

A roasted chicken can be precooked and reheated in the oven on 350 for about 20 - 25 minutes.  Make sure it’s wrapped tightly so that it doesn’t over cook.  Or, if you’re in the convenient mode, carve your portion and microwave.

This week, I present an easy, homemade meal worthy of your Grandma’s Sunday Dinner, Lemon Thyme Chicken.  It’s a winner!

Until next time…

Eat and enjoy,

Midgi

Lemon Thyme Roasted Chicken

1 3-4 lb whole roasting chicken

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh lemon thyme

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Zest of one 1 lemon

¼ cup and1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon Kosher or sea salt

Additional Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 350^o. Wash chicken inside and out, pat outside dry, Salt and Pepper inside.  Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on top and sides of chicken, sprinkle additional salt and pepper.  Roast for 45 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine garlic, lemon thyme, lemon juice, zest,  ¼ cup olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Baste chicken and continue to cook addition 20 – 30 minutes (basting in 10 minute increments) until internal temperature is 180^o. 

Sauce:

1 tablespoon pan drippings

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon thyme

Combine drippings and four and whisk until well incorporated. Cook about 1 minute. Slowly stir in broth until desired consistency. You may not need all of the broth.  Add lemon juice and lemon thyme, salt and pepper to flavor.

If the sauce is too lemony, add more chicken broth, until it is suitable to your taste buds.

In the dredges of winter, it’s hard to capture the fun and energy of warmer days.  We have less daylight, the temperatures are brittle, and of course the tourists are gone. 

 We’re down to our locals, which is always nice, and makes for a quieter and relaxing time in Juneau. However, I seem to get lethargic in the winter and eat more filling foods like soups and stews.  Heavy foods, combined with lethargy, equal jeans that don’t fit quite so well. Not a good combination.  Nope, not at all. To break out of these doldrums and to save my waistline, I use my mental way back machine and strive to recapture the feeling and tastes of summer.

There’s something about summertime food.  It is lighter in texture and flavor. Fish is more often on the menu, as are fruits and salads. And, for some reason, we tend to move away from citrus and roasted or grilled foods. 

Salmon is an excellent example of a summertime food.  It is also a great way to bring back those warm sensations.  I love it when the salmon are running.  It’s fun to watch how the fish are fighting to get upstream in our various creeks and at the hatchery.  I also enjoy watching the excitement of the tourists who return from a fishing trip at Auke Bay with a few kings or sockeyes in hand.  It’s wonderful to see visitors to our home appreciate Juneau and our community as much as we do.

Salmon is also a versatile ingredient.  It can be broiled, seared, grilled, baked and poached. Oh yes, and fried. In Southeast Alaska alone there are dozens upon dozens of salmon cookbooks containing recipes for stews, dips, main courses and appetizers.  I myself am preparing such a book.  Salmon is also great hot or cold, fresh or as a reheated leftover. The possibilities are quite literally endless.

Recently I prepared broiled salmon teriyaki with stir fried vegetables.  As usual, I had quite a bit of salmon leftover. What to do?  Hmmmm…thinking…thinking…how about salmon burgers??

The beauty of salmon burgers is that you can decide what to put in them. Want them spicy? Add some horseradish sauce.  Leaning towards something a little sweeter? Add a bit of teriyaki sauce into the patties and then baste with the sauce as they cook, top with a grilled pineapple.  Like them to have a bit of a crunch? Add some chopped celery and maybe scallions or other onions.  Whatever your tastes are, you are the chef and can add whatever you like. 

This week’s disclaimer:  Canned salmon is just fine for this recipe. Be sure to pick out all bones and cartilage. I’m also told by locals that one does not use pink salmon.  However, I shall leave that to your personal discretion.

For this particular recipe, I’m feeling more in the spicy mood.  I like rich, spicy flavors, especially those that are reminders of my family and growing up in Georgia.  I immediately go for the Cajun seasonings and horseradish sauce. 

Top your spicy salmon burger with a roasted garlic and red pepper aioli. Oh, and don’t worry aioli is just a fancy word for a sauce that is similar to mayonnaise. There are many varieties. To keep things simple, I lean toward the mayo type. Something rich and cooling to balance the spiciness of the Cajun flavors.

This week I present a taste of summer that will warm your taste buds and reenergize you to make it through the rest of winter. As with all my recipes, I encourage you to mix them up, add or change ingredients to your tastes and likes.  I look forward to hearing about your new summer creation that warms up your winter.

Until next time…

Eat and enjoy,

Midgi

Salmon Burgers with Roasted Garlic & Red Pepper Aioli

3 cups cooked salmon, cleaned and deboned

¾ cup celery, finely diced

3 scallions, finely diced (include green part)

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish sauce

2 eggs

1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs, separated

½ cup Cajun seasoning

1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil

Combine fish, celery, scallions, horseradish sauce, eggs and ¼ cup breadcrumbs. Mix well and form into burger patties. 

Combine remaining breadcrumbs and Cajun seasoning.  Dredge patties in mixture.

Preheat large non-stick still on medium high heat.  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Sear patties on both sides, approximately 2 minutes.  Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook addition 3 – 4 minutes until warmed through. Use additional oil as needed.

 Aioli

1 bulb raw garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ cup roasted red peppers

1 cup mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 350o. Place garlic bulb on foil lined pan. Drizzle with olive oil.  Bake for 20 minutes, remove and cool. 

Combine roasted garlic, red peppers and mayonnaise in food processor or blender.  Mix on high speed until well incorporated and smooth.

Serve on whole grain buns with aioli.  Add favorite garnishes, such as lettuce, red onions or cheese. 

"You learn well, Grasshopper!" This is a phrase uttered around our house regularly when someone, either child or adult, grasps a concept or learns something new.  For those of us who remember television before flat screens and remote controls, Grasshopper will have a nostalgic, almost whimsical meaning.  For the younger crowd, Google Kung Fu and television, and you’ll get the picture. 

Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Salt Lake City to visit my eldest daughter Sami, her sweet husband Brad and my adorable new granddaughter, Lizzi.  Yep, I’m a proud G-ma. Along with spending a lot of time with them, my parents and friends, I also received a most wonderful gift; a cooking lesson from my Sami.

Now, I’m not one of those uppity cooks who thinks those you whipper snappers can’t teach me a thing or two. In fact, I met a young chef on my journey to Salt Lake who gave me a great idea for scallops.  The boy couldn’t possibly be old enough to shave, but he certainly knew food.

I’m proud to say that Sami is the daughter that enjoys cooking. She is quite good at it and was a great hostess during my visit.  She wanted to impress me with her skills, so she took on a recipe I had never tried myself, Manicotti.  So, off to the store we head to purchase the necessary ingredients.

One of the greatest pleasures I have is cooking with someone I love and who also loves food.  Sami has inherited my desire to learn about and cook food. We talk about it, text each other pictures of dishes we’ve cooked or were served in a restaurant and write about it.  Getting the opportunity to cook with her after almost two years was truly a treat.

We chopped, sautéed stirred, boiled and tasted. Added a pinch of this, a dash of that and agreed that we needed to figure out a better way to stuff manicotti.  I suggested using a resealable bag as a pastry tube and fill the manicotti like an éclair.  She tried that and after several attempts resorted to using a spoon to stuff them.  It was a messy job, but my girl got it done.  I was so proud.

This weeks disclaimer:  Use fresh parsley in the cheese filling. It adds such a bright and light flavor.  The meaty tomato sauce brings the zest and the melted cheese adds the creamy, comfort food texture.

I am always eager to learn new dishes, techniques and tips on cooking. However, learning a new dish from someone I taught to cook was inspiring.

This week, I present an old recipe created by a new cook.  I encourage all of us to break out the pots and pans and teach your kids a few things in the kitchen. Who knows? In a few years, they might be teaching you. Needless to say, Sami told me “You learn well, Grasshopper”. 

Until next time…

Eat and enjoy,

Midgi

SAMI’S MANICOTTI

1 8oz package manicotti noodles

Filling

2 lb container ricotta cheese (part skim)

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Dash white pepper

Combine all ingredients set aside.

Sauce

1lb hamburger

1 28oz can crushed tomatoes

¾ cup beef broth

½ cup chopped onions

½ cup chopped green or red bell peppers

½ cup sliced mushrooms

3 cloves chopped garlic

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or Italian blend shredded cheese)

Preheat oven to 350^o.  In large stock pot, boil water and cook manicotti until al dente consistency, approximately 8 – 12 minutes.  Drain and toss with olive oil to avoid noodles sticking together. Set aside to cool. 

In large skillet, sautee’ onions and bell pepper for approx 5 – 7 minutes.  Add hamburger and continue cooking until well browned.  Drain any excess fat.  Add crushed tomatoes, remaining herbs and beef broth.  Simmer for 20 minutes to let spices incorporate. Add mushrooms and cook additional 10 minutes. 

Spray 9x13 inch casserole dish with non-stick spray.  Coat bottom of dish with meat sauce.  Carefully fill the manicotti tubes with the filling and place in the dish.  Cover with remaining meat sauce and bake for 25 minutes. 

Sprinkle shredded cheese on top and return to oven for additional 7 -10 minutes, until cheese is melted thoroughly.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.