Salmon with Roasted Brussel Sprouts

This is a really weird week for me.  I only teach 3 out of the 5 days because tomorrow there is an ACT for the 11th graders so I am just proctoring and on Friday we have Student Led Conferences where students present about themselves to their parents.  It is a nice change of pace, but it gives a weird momentum to what we are working on in class.  Because of this, on Thursday, we are doing a "fun" activity where students are going to work in teams to investigate a "murder."  The idea is you can figure out the time of death of a body based on its rate of cooling.  I'm pretty excited to 1. see the students act out the murder story and 2. see them work together to solve a real world situation with math! 

Also, we are TEN DAYS away from closing and moving into our condo.  I can't believe it is finally so close! We have boxes EVERYWHERE (which Benny and Nigel are big fans of) and we still have so much more to do.  I am so excited!  

I just adore brussel sprouts.  They are super fantastic.  I was never a fan growing up because my mom didn't like them either! Now, both of us love them!  Go figure!

This dish is super duper easy to make and it has become one of my go-to dinners for a weeknight when I don't have a ton of time or feel tired after school.  All you do is throw everything onto a pan, stick it in the oven, and I make enough for a couple nights so that I have another dinner or lunch for school!  

Salmon with Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:

2 pieces of teriyaki glazed salmon (5 oz each)

1/2 lb. brussel sprouts, halved

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp dijon mustard

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 and line a pan with tinfoil.  Lightly grease the tin foil

2. Place salmon on the pan and brussel sprouts around the salmon.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Drizzle with honey, mustard, and lemon juice.

3. Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the salmon is done.  About halfway through, toss the brussel sprouts around so that they flip and don't stick. 

Enjoy :)

Eggplant Involtini

I have a recent obsession with America's Test Kitchen.  Everything that I have made from their site has been crazy delicious and easy to do!  This recipe was no exception.  It was like an eggplant parmesan meets a lasagna roll-up and it was super yummy.  It didn't take very long to make and it ended up yielding a ton of leftovers.  Who isn't a fan of that?

I'm also pretty pumped because today is Friday and I survived my first week back at school after winter break!  Tonight we have a holiday party for school and we are going to see a show at Second City!  I can't wait! 

So, while I will be dining out tonight and seeing a show, I figured you might be looking for a special dinner to make and this one is a must!

Eggplant Involtini

Follow the link for specific instructions, but here are a few things that I changed/noticed while I was cooking:

1.  I ended up with more lasagna rolls than they said I would (like 18 instead of 12)

2. Instead of white bread, I used whole wheat breadcrumbs

3. Instead of whole-milk ricotta, I used 8 oz of part-skim ricotta

4. So, instead of using a food processor, I simply mixed the breadcrumbs, ricotta, parmesan and basil together in a bowl.  

Other than this, I followed the instructions exactly and my eggplant involtini came out amazing! 

Enjoy :)

Salmon Burgers

I had a bit of a crazy weekend.  Friday night was nice since I got to hang with my co-workers at a bowling alley after school and then I went to Half Acre with some friends.  Then, Saturday morning I went for a lovely 8.5 mile run.  I got home, showered and then Bri and I packed our laundry into my car and headed out to do our laundry at my parent's house (I know we are so not adults).  Anyways, while we were on the highway, we were cut off by another driver who was changing into our lane.  His car clipped mine and we lost control.  The car spun and hit the median.  By some miracle, we were totally fine and my car was still drivable.  The other guy was also uninjured, but his car was totaled.  He was blamed for the accident so I thankfully don't have to pay for the repairs on my car.  Overall, I am incredibly grateful to be alive, healthy, and able to back to school tomorrow.  

I think the weirdest thing about our weekend was how normal everything else was.  Laundry, book club, cooking, and so on.  It was just a very simple weekend aside from our crazy car crash.  I made these Salmon Burgers recently and they are super tasty.  I'm going to celebrate being alive and normal by eating them :) Oh, and I made a crazy tasty Siracha Greek Yogurt Spread to put on my salmon burgers! 

Salmon Burgers

Ingredients:

1 lb salmon

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

1-2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1 shallot, chopped

2 tbsp chopped Seafood Blend Herbs

1/4 cup non-fat, plain greek yogurt

2 tbsp dijon mustard

1 egg

Directions: 

1. Cook the salmon: Place the salmon on a piece of tinfoil and preheat oven to 400.  Drizzle a little olive oil over the salmon and sprinkle salt and pepper on it.  Drizzle with a tsp or two of lemon juice.  Then, wrap in the foil and place on a baking tray.  Cook for 20-25 minutes or until salmon is cooked through.  Let cool.

2. Once salmon is cooled, use a fork to flake pieces of the salmon into a bowl.  Add in the breadcrumbs, herbs, greek yogurt, and mustard.  Stir to combine.  Then, add in the egg and stir to combine.

3. Lightly grease a pan and form a salmon patty.  I made 6 patties with this mixture.  Place in pan and cook over medium for about 4-5 minutes.  Then, flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes.  

4. Serve with a bun or over a bed of greens and if you want, spread some Siracha Greek Yogurt Spread on top! 

Enjoy :)

For the Siracha Greek Yogurt Spread: Use 1/4 cup of yogurt, 1-2 tsp of siracha, 1 tsp lemon juice, and 1 clove garlic (minced).  Stir everything together and you are good to go! 

Caprese Avocado Toast

I have been super into avocado toast lately.  I know that it is "trendy" and it should be.  It makes for a great, quick meal and it is full of healthy goodness :)

I start with mashing up an avocado in a container and then sprinkling in some salt, pepper, and lime or lemon juice.  This is all "to taste."  Then, I just think about what I'm craving and throw that on top of the toast!

I use whole wheat toast, spread some of my avocado on top, and for this guy, I chopped up 3-4 grape tomatoes, sliced about 1 oz of fresh mozzarella cheese, and drizzled some balsamic syrup over the top.  YUM!

I found my balsamic syrup at Mariano's, but you can totally make your own! I think it should be a staple in every pantry.  It is so good! Use it for sandwiches, salads, pasta dishes and so on.  

I hope you are all drooling over this yummy avocado toast idea.  Go make some!  Me, I have to go get ready for another great day of high school!  On today's docket: Calculus quiz, absolute value problems in pre-calculus and some quiz writing for me! 

Enjoy :)

Spinach Pesto with a Twist

I love pesto.  Like I have a serious obsession.  If I am at a restaurant and they have anything on the menu that has some sort of pesto in it, I am all in!  So, I decided to make some to have in my fridge to incorporate into recipes.

This spinach pesto came to me after I ended up with a ton of extra spinach.  I didn't have all the typical pesto ingredients on hand, so I played around with some other options and the end result was amazing!  I have been making things like Spinach Pesto Stuffed Avocados and Spinach Pesto Eggplant Burgers.  I want to make some Spinach Pesto Broiled Salmon.  I mean, the options are endless and all delicious.

I just ran 3 miles at 5 in the morning, so now I am making my lunch and just drooling over this spinach pesto!  I might have to incorporate it into my breakfast!

Spinach Pesto

Ingredients:
2 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup basil
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
1. Place everything except for the olive oil in a food processor and pulse to combined.
2. While the food processor this pulsing, slowly add in olive oil, 1 tbsp at a time, until you have a desired consistency.

Enjoy :)

Foodie Friends Friday: Picnic Party!

This week, Foodie Friends Friday is back!  This week is all about Picnics! Picnics during the spring and summer are so much fun! Just follow the rules and link up some recipes that are perfect for this party! Also, host favorites will be featured on Daily Dish!  This week I'm linking up Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownies, Chocolate Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Lemon Brown Butter Pasta Salad with Arugula, Tomatoes and Pine Nuts.

Most Clicks:

1. Rustic Christmas Candle

2. Homemade Christmas Ornaments

3. Old Fashioned Christmas Fudge

And Host Favorites!

Welcome to Foodie Friends Friday!

Please take a moment to read through the rules before getting started, Thank You!

*By linking up you agree that you read these rules and all photos/recipes are original and belong to you. You agree to allow Foodie Friends Friday and any of it's affiliated websites or publications (Social Girls Media, LLC) to use photos, links, and recipes for reprint and/or republishing and distribution without monetary compensation to you. If photos & recipes are used, proper link backs to you will be included.

Adding Links back to Foodie Friends Friday and our Button is our only form of advertising to bring in more people to see YOUR recipes.

Please remember to do this. It benefits you! To thank you, we will continue to feature those with links throughout the year on various outlets.

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An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up

Lemon Brown Butter Pasta Salad with Arugula, Tomatoes, and Toasted Pine Nuts

I have fantastic news to share!  I passed!!!

I took TWO more teacher tests recently so that I can become certified in Illinois as well as Wisconsin and I just found out that I passed! So, I am one step closer to being a full-fledged certified teacher!  This is both very excited and a little scary, but I am so glad that I passed those dang tests and now I can relax!

Today I am sharing a fun recipe that I found while watching Giada on the Food Network.  I love Giada and her food always looks so good!  This pasta dish sounded amazing and so I made it right after I watched her show!  Instead of warm pasta, I served it as a chilled Pasta Salad and it was a huge hit!

Lemon Brown Butter Pasta Salad with Arugula, Tomatoes and Toasted Pine Nuts (adapted from Giada's Recipe)

Ingredients:
1 box whole wheat penne pasta
4 cups arugula
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 cup italian blend shredded cheese
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
Dressing:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, making the dressing.  Pour olive oil in and then zest the whole lemon and put that in.  Next, juice the lemon and add that to the mixture.  Finally add in salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Set aside.
2. Place pine nuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5-6 minutes at 350 degrees.  They should be fragrant and lightly browned.
3. Cook pasta to al dente according to directions.  Drain and place back into the pot.
4. In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Continue to cook the butter, stirring occasionally  until browned and fragrant.  Turn off the heat, add in the pasta, arugula, tomatoes, pine nuts, cheese, and dressing.  Toss to combine.  The arugula will wilt.
5.  Serve immediately as a hot dish or chill in the fridge to serve as a pasta salad.

Enjoy :)

Veggie Pasta with Red Peppers and a Cheesy Avocado Sauce

I can't believe they did it again! The Hawks won the Stanley Cup! I have a great evening last night where a bunch of my girl friends came over and we watched the game.  We were all pretty into it and got super nervous right at the end.  It was a lot of fun, I provided tons of snacks, and I even baked some awesome cookies (get excited for that recipe post).   It was a fun night and now I am way too tired for camp, but also very happy that my hockey team won!

I will be sharing that new cookie recipe soon, but first I wanted to talk about a new find of mine:   Barilla Veggie Pasta.  I made this pasta, tossed it with smashed avocado, pepperjack cheese, a splash of lemon and other veggies and I had one amazing meal.  Plus, the pasta has a whole serving of vegetables in it! This was one of my last meals in Madison with Bri because we needed to clean out my fridge.  What seemed like a random assortment of ingredients turned into a really yummy pasta dish.  Seriously, this dinner is so easy and so tasty!

Veggie Pasta with Red Peppers and Cheesy Avocado Sauce

Ingredients:
1 Box Barilla Veggie Pasta
1  avocado
1 red pepper, sliced
1 cup shredded cheese (I used a blend of pepperjack and cheddar)
1 tsp lemon juice

Directions:
1. Make pasta according to directions until al dente, drain and place back in pot.
2. While pasta is cooking, peel the avocado and place it in a bowl with the lemon juice and cheese.  Mash every thing together.
3. In a small pan, saute the red pepper slices with a little olive oil until translucent.
4. Mix the avocado mixture and red pepper slices into the hot, drained pasta.  The cheesy will become melted and the avocado should coat the pasta.

Enjoy :)

Fresh Rhubarb Crisp

Have you ever just had one of those weeks where you know you are crazy anxious, but not sure what it is about?  I have been so weird this week! Camp started on Monday, I applied for an apartment with Bri on Tuesday, and I keep having weird dreams that combine camp with the first day of high school.  It's weird.  I think that I just have so much going on right now and it is making me act weird.

However, I am excited that summer is here! Camp has started, MNL is back on (Monday night frozen yogurt with my girl friends), and I am back on with my traditional work out routine that includes Pilates and Zumba as well as after-camp-work outs.  All of these exercises are things that I love and I am super excited because my friend, Alyson goes with me to Pilates and Zumba and Anna comes to work out with me after camp.  It's always better to have someone to work out with and Alyson and Anna are awesome.

I have taken to running 3 or 4 miles before camp.  I am a big fan of this since I feel much more motivated in the morning than I do after camp.  I like to use our treadmill at home since then I can make sure that I can get into the shower quickly and be ready for camp in time.  The problem with this, is now the treadmill needs to be repaired and I can't use it for a week! I am such a running addict and I am nervous about going outside and potentially being late.  I suppose I will just have to figure it out.  All this exercise is helping me to stay positive and not get too nervous about all the changes coming up in my life.

While I was back in Madison, Bri and I went to the Farmer's Market one Saturday and got some fresh rhubarb! It looked beautiful and we decided to make a Rhubarb Crisp with our beautiful rhubarb!

Fresh Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients:
1 lb. rhubarb, chopped
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tbsp unsalted butter
lemon juice

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place chopped rhubarb in a 13 by 9 inch pan or 8 by 8 inch pan.
3. In a food processor, process the oats, cinnamon, ginger, flour, and brown sugar.  Add in the butter and process until combined.  Sprinkle topping over the rhubarb.
4. Drizzle lemon juice over the top and place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes or until topping begins to brown and dish is a little bubbly.  Serve warm or with ice cream.

Enjoy :)

Vegetarian Spinach Carbanara

Today's recipe is yummy vegetarian version of the typical Carbanara.  Instead of prosciutto, you use spinach and it is super yummy.  But first, I want to tell you about my interviews!

I am waiting to hear back from some places, but I have interviewed a few times now and I think it gets a little easier every time. The catch is that every place is different! Something that I had never heard of was a school coming to watch you teach in the classroom where you are a student teacher as a second round to the interview.  That was a nerve-wracking experience! I have also had interviews where a committee of five people are there to listen versus one where there was only one person.  Then, the times have varied from 15 minutes to a whole hour! I also have had to write writing samples explaining my ideal school or a letter home to parents introducing myself. I have always been nervous, but I think that trick is to be over-prepared.  I have dressed in an adorable and simple dress with a blazer, worn comfortable-yet-cute shoes, brought a binder with some of my work as a sample portfolio, and arrived about 30 minutes early.  You never want to be running late! While, the school may be accommodating  it will make you feel sick to your stomach.  In terms of the sample portfolio, build it as if you could direct the interview.  What do you want to showcase about yourself?  If you were asking the questions what would you want to share?  Here is what I included:

• My Educational Philosophy
• An example lesson that incorporates Discovery Based Learning
• An example lesson that incorporates Technology
• A classroom management strategy that I use
• A few of my favorite lessons that were successful
• A few worksheets that I created
• A sample of student work
• Letters of Recommendation and an Observation

I have shown something from this portfolio in all of my interviews except for one.  if it doesn't feel right to show something  don't force it.  It is just good to have these things on hand just in case.  Also, in each of these I include explanations, connections to standards, and pictures if I have them.  So far, I have felt that I have done basically my best.  There are always a few moments that I wish I could re-do or re-word my answer, but at the end of the day I have been overall pleased with how these are going.  Now, I just have to wait and see!

Vegetarian Spinach Carbanara (adapted from Drizzle & Dip)

Ingredients:
8 oz whole wheat angel hair pasta
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup creme fraiche
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 cups baby spinach
zest of one lemon
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Prepare pasta according to directions until al dente.  Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water, drain the rest and place pasta back in the cooking pot.
2.  While the pasta is cooking, get your other ingredients ready.  Lightly beat the egg yolk.
3. Once pasta is drained and back in the pot, place the baby spinach in with the reserved water and let cook until wilted.  Stir in the egg yolk and then the creme fraiche, parmesan, and lemon zest.  Season with salt and pepper (I just did pepper).

Enjoy :)

Amazing Lemon Bars

The weather up here still feels a lot like winter.  So, to compensate, I have been craving spring recipes! I had never made lemon bars before and they were on my food bucket list.  This recipe was absolutely amazing.  I found it on the Food Network and I ended up with great lemon bars.  I even brought them to school and everyone agreed that they were great! Maybe if I keep making spring like foods, the weather will start to reflect them?  A girl can hope!

Amazing Lemon Bars

Ingredients:
For the Crust:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 tsp salt
For the Filling:
6 eggs
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 tbsp lemon zest
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup flour
powdered sugar for topping

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease 2 9 inch round cake pans.

2. For the crust: In a medium bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the flour and salt.  Divide the dough into two balls and place one in each pan.  Press into the pan and up the sides.  The crust should go about 1 1/2 or 2 inches up the sides of the pan.  Freeze for 15 minutes.  Once chilled, bake the crust for 20 minutes.  Let cool.

3. Make the filling: In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until pale yellow in color.  Beat in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour.  Divide mixture among the two pans.  Bake in the oven at 350 for 35 minutes or until the filling is no longer wobbly.  Let cool.  Dust with powdered sugar and cut into slices.

Enjoy :)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-bars-recipe/index.html

Guest Post: Honey Mustard Breaded Chicken

Today I am very excited to share a wonderful guest post with you.  I have been so busy teaching that I really don't get a lot of time to cook.  However, Bri's roommate has been cooking up a storm and even invented his own recipe! He is here today as my special guest to share his new and exciting dinner with you!

Hi everybody, I'm Stephen Hayes-- Bri's roommate back in St. Louis. I've been following the cooking blog for a while now, and just recently I developed a recipe that is pretty much all my own so I thought I might share it with you all.

Every week or so, I try out a new dish for my girlfriend's parents (who live in town) to thank them for the constant stream of food, gifts, and support they send my way. Last week, I tried out a baked shrimp scampi meal that, while delicious, was so garlicy and spicy that I was literally tasting and smelling it for days afterward...not the most fun experience. So, this week I decided to try something a little more mellow: baked chicken. The way I figured it, there's no way that baked chicken could go too far wrong. After looking online at everything from Weight Watchers to Paula Deen, I found a couple of recipes that I thought might be relatively tasty. One mentioned marinating the chicken beforehand, which I thought might be a great idea, and one recommended using bagel chips for a change in texture. After Frankensteining several recipes together, I developed one that I was relatively happy with, but I wanted to throw in my own personal flair as well. The recipe called for Dijon mustard, which is all well and good but I thought that there might be a better way to really amp up the flavor: honey mustard. So, I used honey mustard and mayo to soak the chicken, threw them in a batter of Corn Flakes (which I'd used with fish before), bagel chips, and a couple of spices, and baked them. Turns out, it was pretty tasty. The tartness of the lemon juice from the marinade went really well with the sweetness of the honey mustard. This recipe serves 4, but can easily work for more or less people. Enjoy!

Honey Mustard Breaded Chicken 

Serving Size: 4

Cooking Time

Preparation: 30 minutes (with minor prep required 2 hours before)

Cook: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups Corn Cereal (I used Kellogg's Corn Flakes)

1 cup Broken Bagel Chips

1 cup Skim Milk

2 Lemons (or 4 tbsp lemon juice)

1 tsp Granulated Sugar

1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper (1/4 tsp. for marinade, 1/4 tsp. for crust)

2 tsp Rosemary

2 tsp Kosher Salt

1/2 tsp Sweet Paprika

1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1/2 cup Light Mayonnaise

1/2 cup Honey Mustard

1 Large Egg

4 Large Skinless Chicken Breasts (or more, depending on desired serving size)

Directions:

1. Squeeze the juice of the lemon into a medium bowl. Whisk in the milk, sugar, and cayenne until the sugar and cayenne are dissolved. Add rosemary. Pierce each chicken piece several times with a fork, add to the milk mixture, turning to coat well. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours. 

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Preferably, set a rack on a foil lined baking sheet and spray the rack generously with cooking spray. You can use just a baking sheet, but a rack helps reduce grease without sacrificing flavor.

3. Finely grind the cereal and bagel chips in a food processor (or crush with hands and/or a rolling pin if you don't have one handy). In this particular case, I didn't have bagel chips, so I put a bagel in the oven at 300 degrees for 30-40 minutes to get the same effect. Transfer crumbs to a large gallon size plastic bag. Add the salt, cayenne, paprika, and ground pepper and toss to mix thoroughly. 

Making Bagel Chips

The Breading

 4. Whisk the light mayonnaise and honey mustard together with the egg in a medium shallow bowl. Add chicken to honey mustard mix and turn to coat all the pieces evenly. 

Honey Mustard and Mayo

All Mixed Together

 5. Drop the chicken into the plastic bag, seal and shake until each piece is evenly coated. 

Chicken Breaded and in the Oven

6. Place coated pieces on the prepared rack. Spray the chicken pieces evenly with cooking spray, and bake until the coating crisps and browns and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the pieces registers 160 degrees F, which should take roughly 32-37 minutes. Take the chicken pieces out of the oven, drizzle with honey mustard, then serve.

Yum.
Enjoy :)

Bellini Italian Restaurant

Today is the first day back at school for the university.  That means that campus finally looks like it is back to normal.  Everyone has returned from winter break and the house is back to its usual bustle.  While it is nice that everything is back to normal and this huge house that I live in doesn't feel so empty anymore, it was really nice to spend the last few weeks exploring Madison when it was quieter.  One of my favorite parts was exploring some of the restaurants!

I am in my last semester here in Madison and that means I want to make sure I "do it all" before it's time to graduate.  One of my missions is to explore as many restaurants as I can.  Madison has a ton of to offer when it comes to food and, while it is a daunting task, I do want to get to as many new restaurants and then be able to tell you about them!

My best friend and I went out for an amazing dinner last week at a restaurant called Bellini.  We had one of those Living Social coupons to use there and it was great.  We went on a Wednesday and that was fun since they do "wine Wednesdays" and you get a free glass of their house wine with your meal.  It was also nice because we are both such foodies and were able to narrow down our entree choices to our two favorites and then we split.  On top of all this, we just HAD to get dessert because we needed to spend enough to use the coupon.  It was a perfect meal!

We ordered the Tortellini alla Maria and the Gamberi al Forno to split. And, for dessert, the cheesecake.  The tri-colored tortellini was delicious and came tossed in a light lemon cream sauce with veggies.  The shrimp was a great dish that I usually don't eat on my typical college diet and it came sautéed in a garlic, lemon and white wine sauce with spinach and mashed potatoes.  Splitting a pasta dish with a shrimp dish was a great way to get the best of two worlds.  Then, the cheesecake topped with fresh whipped cream and berries was truly the cherry on top of an amazing meal!  I would definitely go back.  Aside from these amazing dishes, they have pizzas, salads, tons of pastas, and a salmon dish that has my name written all over it.  If you are ever in the area, this is a great choice for dinner!

Maple Glazed Salmon

In yesterday's post on Roasted Vegetables, I included this not-so-fantastic photo at the end of it. 

This was one of my dinners back in Madison and it was amazing! I had the Roasted Vegetables as a side with some Maple Glazed Salmon.  I LOVE salmon.  It is so good and so easy to make.  Basically throw whatever you want on top and stick it in a pan or the oven until it is cooked.  This salmon recipe was done in the salmon and ends up being super flavorful and delicious.  It is sweet from the maple syrup and savory from the mustard.  It is simply perfect! Last night I had my last piece and I am sad to see it go.  I will have to whip up another amazing salmon dish soon!

I'm also excited to share that I am feeling pretty good today.  Last night, I got to see some of my best girlfriends at Forever Yogurt and then today, I had a good day teaching and yet another good day working.  We are wrapping up our Looking for Pythagoras Unit in math and it is fun to see how far the students have come since day one.  We went from learning about square roots, to discovering the theorem, to applying the theorem.  Tomorrow we are doing a great activity where the instruction is differentiated and students can work on problems that vary from hard, to harder, to hardest.  They get to choose their level of difficulty, but all of the problems are about the Pythagorean Theorem.  I am excited to see how it goes!

Work was strange today because it was my last shift at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery.  I still have one more shift at Union South, but it was still sad to think that I am almost done with this job.  I have loved working for VIP and I will miss all of my co-workers very much. I learned a lot through this job about working with others and providing excellent customer service.  I also learned a ton about the University in general.  This job has truly made me feel more at home on this campus, more connected to the campus, and even more in love with Madison.

Tonight, I am excited because I was invited over to Tamara's house for a home-cooked meal! I can't wait! It is always so nice to be in a  house with a yummy dinner.  It is going to feel a little bit like going home for an evening and I can't wait! Maybe that is why I am so excited to share this recipe for Maple Glazed Salmon, it also makes me feel like I am home :).

Maple Glazed Salmon

Ingredients:
2 lbs. salmon filet
2 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 fresh lemon juice

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 and line a pan with parchment.  Wash the salmon, pat dry and place on parchment.
2.  Cook the salmon for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven.
3.  While salmon is cooking, place the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.  After 10 minutes, spread the mixture over the salmon.  Place the salmon back in the oven for about 20 minutes or until done.

Enjoy :)

Roasted Vegetables

So I am here to tell you about a super fun thing to do if you are ever in Madison.  The Comedy Club on State Street is a great place and it is so cool to have something like this in Madison.  They do shows Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.  Tickets are anywhere from $8-$10 and you get to see 3 comedians.  It is a truly fun evening, the cocktails are excellent, and it is an inexpensive way to laugh super hard with your friends.  I went this past Friday for the first time and I can't believe it was only my first time.  I had such a fun night and I hope that I get to go again before I graduate.  

Anyways, I also have a yummy recipe for Roasted Vegetables.  This one is great because you can literally use any veggies that you want.  I made a big batch all for myself and I've been eating these amazing veggies with my dinner every night.  Gotta stay healthy in the new year right?  Right!  This recipe is so simple and it's one that my mom uses and is always a hit.  I'll tell you what I used, but feel free to customize as you wish!

Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

2 lbs. red potatoes, quartered

1 lb. brussel sproats

1 lb portabella mushrooms, sliced

1 onion, quartered

1 red, 1 yellow, and 1 orange pepper, sliced

1/2 cup olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp rosemary

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475 and lightly grease a large glass dish.

2.  Place all the veggies, except for the peppers in the dish. 

3.  Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and rosemary.  Pour this mixture over the veggies and toss.

4.  Place in the oven for 30 minutes, occasionally tossing.  After 30 minutes, add in the peppers and continue to cook, occasionally tossing, for another 30 minutes.  .

College Dinner?
Maple Glazed Salmon and Roasted Vegetables

Enjoy :)

Simple Oven Poached Salmon

Game Day Spread

My mom and I went to town with our little football party over break.  After all the appetizers and dips, we made this poached salmon as an entree.  This was great because it was so simple and went great with our dips.  We had Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip and Baked Cheesy Crab Dip.  Many people use dill dip and this would go great as well.  This is the perfect dinner for when you need to whip something up fairly quickly and don't want to make a complicated dish.  With only a few simple ingredients, you will end up with an amazing salmon dinner!

Simple Oven Poached Salmon

Ingredients:
2 lbs. salmon
1 cup dry white wine (we used Sauvignon Blanc)
4-6 slices of lemon
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper
1/2 onion, sliced

Directions:
1.  Lay a sheet of tinfoil in a 13 by 9 inch baking dish.  Place the salmon on the foil.  Rub the butter over the salmon.  Pour in the wine and place the lemon slices over the salmon.  Season with salt and pepper.  Lay onion slices around the salmon.  Take the ends of the foil and crimp them together so that the salmon is sealed.
2.  Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes.  This will depend on the thickness of the salmon.

Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Cranberry Sauce Topping

This is the perfect Christmas Cheesecake.  It was absolutely amazing!  I was shocked at how creamy this guy was, but also how light it was.  Plus, the beautiful cranberry topping put this cake over the top.  I am going to make this again!  However, I am celebrating Christmas at my aunt's house and she is lactose intolerant.  Maybe cheesecake isn't the best dessert to bring over there...

Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Cranberry Sauce Topping (adapted from Dash of East)

Ingredients:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
4 tbsp unsalted butter, browned
16 oz low-fat cream cheese
12 oz goat cheese
1 cup sugar
zest of one lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
12 oz fresh cranberries, rinsed
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 and lightly grease a 9 inch spring-form pan.
2. Brown butter in a saucepan: over medium  heat, melt butter and then continue to swirl for a few minutes or until it is lightly browned and fragrant.
3.  In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, oats, and brown butter together.  Press the mixture into the bottom of your pan.  Bake in the oven for about 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove and let cool.
4. Reduce the oven heat to 325.
5.  In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese with the goat cheese until well combined.  Scrape down sides and add in the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice.  Beat until well combined.  Scrape down sides and mix in the eggs one at a time until well combined.  Beat in the vanilla.  Scrape down sides and continue to beat for another minute or two.  Pour mixture over your crust and bake in the oven for about 60 minutes.  Sides should be firm and middle can be slightly wobbly.  Remove and let cool.  Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
6. Make the cranberry sauce: Place the cranberries, orange juice, sugar, and spices in a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat.  Stir and bring to a boil until all the cranberries have popped.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Mixture will thicken.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Top cheesecake with the cranberry sauce.

Enjoy :)

Daring Cooks Challenge July 2012: Cooking "En Papillote"

I am taking a short break from my dinner party to update you on other news and share a fun recipe that I made for dinner on a random Tuesday night!  It is a good time to take a break as I just shared the main course: Boeuf Bourguignon.  At this poing in our meal, we were all so stuffed that we actually took a break and spent quite a bit of time chatting and trying to feel less full so that we could enjoy dessert. The recipe I'm sharing today, was inspired by watching the Food Network (while working out...yes I get hungry) and the July Daring Cook's Challenge!

In other food news, this weekend is the Taste of Chicago and last night me, Bri, Michael, and Maddie headed downtown to partake in all the delicious fun.  It was raining while we were on the train, but by the time we got to the Taste it cleared up and became a lovely night.  The taste was a little smaller this year, but still absolutely fantastic!

This month's challenge was brought to us by Sarah from All Our Fingers in the Pie.  The challenge was to cook something "En Papillote" which means to cook in parchment.  Sarah shared with us some history and information on this type of cooking.  It is great because you don't need fats to cook the food since the parchment allows the foods to steam.  Plus, when you undo the parchment you get a very exciting rush of steam that smells so yummy.

One of the recipes that Sarah shared was a pasta recipe with scallops.  Then, while watching the Food Network I saw the Barefoot Contessa make a great pasta dish with shrimp.  I decided to go the scallops route, but to use some of the flavors that the Barefoot Contessa used.  And so, I give you, Lemon Pasta with Seared Scallops.

Lemon Pasta with Seared Scallops Cooked "En Papillote"

Ingredients:
12 oz whole wheat angel hair pasta
1 1/2 lbs. bay scallops
2 lemons
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
dash of red pepper flakes
shredded parmesan for serving

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.  Drain and set aside.
3. In a large skillet pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat.  Saute the garlic for about 2 minutes.  Add in the scallops and saute for 3-4 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Mix in the pepper, parsley, and red pepper flakes.  Zest half of a lemon and add in the lemon zest.  Squeeze out the juice from 1 1/2 of the lemons into your scallops. With the remaining 1/2 lemon, slice two thin slices and add those to the scallop dish.  Squeeze out the remaining juice into the mixture and stir.  Mix the scallops into the drained pasta.
4. Place parchment paper on a baking dish.  Pour out the pasta mixture onto the parchment and wrap the parchment around the pasta by pulling up the corners and tying with a string.  Place the parchment wrapped pasta in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.  Serve with shredded parmesan on top.

The Taste of Chicago

Enjoy :)

Olive Oil Lemon Cake

I have been home for almost an entire week, so that means I think it is time to go on a little vacation!  Today, I am up bright and early because Bri and I are going on the road again to good ol' IOWA! Woo! We are off to visit Bri's twin brother in Iowa and apparently he has quite the adventure planned for us.  I have never been to Iowa and I am not quite sure what to expect.  I will have to keep you all posted on my crazy Iowa adventure, but until then, I have a great recipe to share!

When I was still in Madison, I was trying to use up a bunch of my supplies via baking.  This is one of the creations I made: Olive Oil Lemon Cake.  I was skeptical because of the olive oil, but I would be able to use up my lemon juice, powdered sugar, and olive oil so I decided it was worth trying.  It turned out really great and the small twist on taste due to the olive oil was really very good.  This recipe is light and lemon-y and perfect for a summer picnic or even breakfast!

Mini Olive Oil Lemon Cakes (adapted from Completely Delicious)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 cup flour
5 egg yolks
4 egg whites
3/4 cup + 1 tbsp sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1-1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease 3 small loaf pans (the original recipe was for one large loaf pan, but I didn't have one).

2. Mix zest with the flour in a small bowl.

3. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with 1/2 cup of sugar for about 3 minutes or until mixture is stiff and very pale.  Slowly beat in the olive oil and 1 1/2 tbsp of lemon juice. Add flour mixture and fold in with a spatula.

4. In a separate large bowl, beat the egg whites on high until foamy.  Beat in 1/4 cup of sugar and continue to beat on high until a soft peak forms. Fold the egg whites into the other mixture with a spatula. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pans and sprinkle with some sugar. Bake until inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.

5. Make the glaze: In a medium bowl, mix the powdered sugar with about 1 tbsp of lemon juice.  Add lemon juice until you have a desired consistency and taste.  Drizzle the glaze over the cooled lemon cakes.

Enjoy :) 

LC2 Ladies Night

It's Ladies Night! Tonight all the beautiful women of learning community two are getting together for a good ol' pajama party.  There are about fifteen of us and we are all future secondary education teachers.  Each subject area was assigned a different dish to bring.  English is dessert, Science is appetizers, and Social Studies/Math is Main Course/Salad.

I am Math so I had to come up with some sort of main dish or salad.  I'm thinking about making a dessert as well just for kicks.  This event reminded me of Progressive Dinner with my coworkers at VIP.  I thought about what people brought for the main course for that and remembered the amazing quiche that Leigh put together.  I decided that I would make a similar one because it is a great dish and pretty healthy!

Cheesy Spinach and Tomato Quiche

Ingredients:

1 russet potato, peeled and thinly sliced

8 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp italian seasoning

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3 cups packed baby spinach

2 large roma tomatoes, sliced

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup low-fat, mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9 inch pie pan.

2. Peel, wash and slice the potato into slices about 1/4 inch thick.  Place potatoes on the bottom and sides of the pie pan. Bake for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are translucent. Set aside.

3. Beat eggs and milk until well combined.  Mix in seasonings.

4. Place the spinach on top of the potato crust and sprinkle the feta cheese on top of the spinach.  Pour the egg mixture over everything.  Finally, place the tomatoes on the top.

5. Bake quiche for 30-40 minutes or until it is no longer jiggly.  During the last 10 minutes or so, sprinkle the mozzarella on top of the quiche and let it continue to bake.

Enjoy :)

This event is super cute and I can't wait for tonight.  Of course, I am also going to share everyone else's dishes! I think that all teachers should have opportunities to have events such as this one.  It requires very little work to put together as everyone brings a dish and it helps everyone get to know each other and get closer to each other.  I am so excited to spend tonight with these ladies.  

Learning Community 2 has become a huge part of my life.  We take almost all of our classes together in the School of Education and we get to share our teaching experiences with each other.  You can learn a lot from hearing other's experiences and we have gotten very close through this process.

I hope you enjoy everyone's recipes!

Appetizers:

Meat and Cheese Tray

By: Kristin

Ingredients:
Cheddar Cheese Squares
Crackers
Pepperoni

I also brought cole slaw...all from Target (great store)

Caprese Salad Sticks

By: Courtney

1. Cut your own ke-bob sticks or use tooth picks
2. Place 1 cherry tomato, 1 basil leaf, and a slice of mozzarella cheese (I used string cheese!) on each stick.
Enjoy :)

Chips and Salsa
By: Shannon

I got Donkey chips and Frontera Salsa
Enjoy :)


Main Course:

Cheesy Spinach and Tomato Quiche (See above)

Baked Mostaccioli
By: Lauren

Ingredients:
2 cups spaghetti sauce
Ground beef, cooked
3 cups mostaccioli noodles, cooked according to box
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated, plus more for the topping
Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13 x 9 inch pan.
2.  Mix in the cooked ground beef to the spaghetti sauce. Mix sauce/meat with the mostaccioli and 1 cup of mozzarella.  Pour into the prepared pan.  Top with more mozzarella and parmesan (as much as you would like)
3. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is brown and sauce is bubbling.
Enjoy :)

Emily's Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
1 red pepper, diced
1 ball of mozzarella, cubed
1 summer sausage, cut into small pieces
1 box of Bowtie Pasta
Your favorite Balsamic Vinaigrette, to taste

Directions:
1. Make pasta according to the directions on the box.  Drain and let cool.
2. Place pasta in a large bowl and toss with the rest of the ingredients.  Top with your favorite balsamic dressing.
Enjoy :)

Tamara's Pasta Salad (adapted from Multiply Delicious)

Ingredients:
1 20 oz package of cheese tortellini
1/2 cup (or so) of your favorite Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
1 tsp Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
2 cups firmly packed baby spinach, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing and mustard together. Set aside
2.  Cook pasta according to directions, drain, and place in a large bowl.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and let cool for about 10 minutes.
3. Toss the pasta with the spinach, basil, tomatoes, and peppers.  Toss with the dressing.  Serve immediately or let chill in the fridge before serving.
Enjoy :)


Jenny's Salad with Raspberry Poppyseed Dressing (also known as: Northern Light Garden Salad)

Ingredients:
For the salad:
8-12 oz fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
2 cups strawberries, halved
8 oz Brie, cut into small pieces
For the dressing:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tbsp poppyseeds
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp minced onion

Directions: 
1. Prepare the dressing: in a small saucepan, whisk the sugar and vinegar over low heat until the sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat and whisk in the oil.  Whisk in the remaining dressing ingredients. Place in fridge until ready to use.
2. Toss salad ingredients in a large bowl and drizzle dressing over everything.
Enjoy :)

Dessert:

Cake Batter Cookies (adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff)
By: Tamara

Ingredients:
1 18.25 oz box yellow cake mix
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
sprinkles

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a few baking sheets.
2. In a medium bowl, stir the cake mix and baking powder.  Add eggs and oil and mix until blended.
3. Stir in chocolate chips and sprinkles. Drop by spoonfuls on the cookie sheets. Top with more sprinkles if desired.
4. Bake for 10 minutes.  Allow cookies to cool completely.
Enjoy :)

Peanut Butter Cookies

By: Natalie

Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Blend all ingredients together in a medium bowl.
3. Drop tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. (Makes about 15 cookies).
Enjoy :)

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

By: Hillary

Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups dried cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add in eggs, mixing well.
3. In a medium bowl combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add to the butter mixture in several additions, mixing until just combined.  Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.
4.  Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
Enjoy :)

Puppy Chow

By: Heather

Ingredients:
9 cups chex cereal
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/2ish cups milk chocolate chips
2 tsp vanilla
2 ish cups powdered sugar


Directions:
1. Microwave butter, peanut butter, and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl for about a minute.  Stir to melt completely and add in vanilla.
2. Place chex in a large bowl and pour in chocolate mixture.  Stir with a wooden spoon.
3. Once the cereal is coated completely (you might want to add in more chocolate/peanut butter mixture), place it in a plastic bag with the powdered sugar and shake the bag to coat the cereal with the sugar.  Again, you might want to add in more sugar.
Enjoy :) ...and try your best not to eat it all at once (like I did...)