Salmon with Lime Butter

BEST OF THE TASTY CHEAPSKATE

Remember how I promised to post something that was NOT chocolate or bread this week. Well, I almost broke that promise because I am a dirty liar. And because I made this little beauty of a cake for a reading I participated in. It wasn't even expensive.

But then I remembered that I am an individual of strong moral character who does not only eat chocolate. In fact, I don't usually eat chocolate cake. (It's just that when I do, it's very good chocolate cake and I always want to share it with you.)

Anyway, I was this close to breaking my promise and becoming a person of low moral character (the horror!).

But then I remembered this salmon with lime butter. It is so beautiful, so decadent-without-breaking-the-bank. And I thought that maybe, maybe you could also still love me if I posted this amazing salmon instead of another chocolate recipe. Try the salmon, and I think you will.

The great thing about salmon is that it's almost indisputably healthy. Low-carbers, low-cal-ers. Natural foodists. A lot of people can get behind it.

It is not the cheapest meat on the market, but I can quite regularly find wild-caught salmon between $4-6/pound. Anymore, that's not so much more than plain, old ground beef.

And if I still haven't convinced you, let me say this: You can get this fish, plus rice, plus roasted broccoli on the table in 20 minutes. And for such a meal that you would drop a good amount of change for at a restaurant (as in close to $100 for 4 people), you will pay a mere $7.00 to feed your family of four ($5--salmon, $.50--2 cups rice, $1.50--1 pound broccoli. I just googled the Walmart prices at grocery.walmart.com so I'm not even making this up). That's $1.75/person.

Salmon with Lime Butter
Adapted from 365 Ways to Cook Chicken
Serves 4
Prep and cook time: 15 minutes
Cost: $5.00
(salmon: 4.00, butter: .50, lime: .50)

1 Tbsp olive oil
4 salmon fillets
6 Tbsp butter
juice from one lime (about 2 Tbsp)
zest if desired
dill and chives for garnish

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add fillets and cook about 4 minutes on each side. When fish is cooked through and can be easily flaked with a fork, take it off the heat.

Remove the salmon to a plate and keep warm (I usually just put another plate over top of it.) Wipe out pan. (This is necessary. If you leave the drippings from the oil, the butter-lime concoction will separate.) Allow the pan to cool for a minute. If you don't do this as soon as you add the lime juice it will bubble up and evaporate.

Return your pan to the burner on low heat. Add the lime juice. When it begins to bubble, stir in the butter (and zest if using). Raise the heat a bit and stir until the butter runs clear (or nearly so). This takes a couple of minutes. Remove it from the heat. If you let it get much hotter, the butter will separate.

Pour it over the salmon. Garnish with chives and dill and serve.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Secret Recipe Club--Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage rolls aren't exactly glamorous, but I've been wanting to try them for a long time. So when I found them on my Cookin' Mimi--my Secret Recipe Club blog for the month--I knew I'd found my recipe, though I almost abandoned healthy dinner in lieu of these peanut butter oatmeal cookies.

When I made these, I told my kids: "This might not look pretty, but I think you'll find that it tastes pretty good." I got some moans and groans and one comment, "Usually if it's not pretty, it doesn't taste good." But then (drum roll please), they tasted it (minus the cabbage if I'm being totally truthful). And (more drum rolling) they were like, "Actually, you're right--it tastes really good." Each one of them went through this and it was kind of funny--the unbelief followed by the conversion.

And these were perfectly perfect in every way. They were made for a slow cooker, but I put making dinner off so long that I ended up cooking them on a lower temp in the oven for a few hours and that worked too.

I love that they're a complete meal (except that my kids picked off the cabbage) and it's super simple and only takes five minutes to throw together (though cook time is long).

Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls
adapted from Cookin' Mimi
Serves 6
Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 2-8 hours
Cost: $6.40 (about $1.10/serving)
cabbage: 1.00, beef: 3.00, rice: .05, onion soup mix: .40, cheese: .25, egg: .10, tomato juice: 1.50, onion: .10

1 head cabbage
1 pound ground beef
1/2 C rice (dry or cooked--both will work)
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/4 C grated Parmesan Cheese (or something sharpish)
1 large egg
pepper
48 oz tomato juice
1 large onion, sliced (I totally forgot this until after it was cooked and it was still delicious)

Carefully peel the cabbage leaves off. Cut out the thick ribs. My cabbage was big so when I cut out the thick ribs, I just cut the leaves in half and this made nice-sized cabbage rolls.

Combine the beef, rice, onion soup mix, cheese, egg, pepper and ONE cup of the tomato juice into a bowl and mix it up.

Put a plop of this into each leaf and roll it up.

Place it in a baking dish or crock pot. Then pour the tomato juice over the top. If you don't totally forget the onions, add them too.

Cover and cook on low in a crock pot for 6-8 hours, or put (covered with foil or in a Dutch oven with a lid) in a 300 degree oven for 1 1/2- 2 hours (a little closer to the 2 hours for softer rice; I did mine for 1 1/2 and the rice was a wee bit al dente, but still totally good).

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Chicken Enchiladas

These are our favorite enchiladas. And I've never gotten them onto this blog because when I'm hungry I'm a lazy picture taker. And after we've eaten these, they look like a heard of monsters came through and scooped out enchiladas with their hands (which is mildly--though not entirely--accurate). At any rate, I decided it was time to share even if I never have that perfect picture of that perfect bite (which inevitably went into my mouth as soon as it hit the spoon).

These can utilize leftover chicken should you happen to have any.

Chicken Enchiladas
makes 6 large enchiladas
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 25-30 minutes
Cost: $7.00
enchilada sauce: 2.00, tortillas: .75, cream cheese: 1.00, green chilies: .50, chicken: 2.00, cheese: .75

2 cans (10 oz) mild green enchilada sauce
6 medium or large flour tortilla shells
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 oz can green chilies (these can be left out if you hate any heat or worry that your minions will rebel about little green chunks of anything, but I like them)
1 lb chicken, boiled and shredded
1 1/2 C cheddar cheese, shredded

First boil your chicken. One thing I love about boiling chicken is that you can do this even if you forgot to de-thaw your meat (which I always always do) and it's not big deal. After it's done cooking, shred it.

In a pot set to medium heat, combine the shredded chicken with the cream cheese, green chilies, and about 1 C of the cheddar. Mix it up until your cheeses are melty.

Once the filling is ready, pour a bit of the enchilada sauce into a 9x13 inch pan--just enough to coat the bottom of the pan.

Then put some enchilada sauce on a plate. Put your tortilla on the plate and coat it in the sauce on both sides (this is an extra step, but I love how it makes the enchiladas taste--no dry nasties). After your tortilla is coated, add a spoonful of filling and roll it up. Then place it in the pan.

Repeat this until all your tortillas are stuffed. Pour any remaining enchilada sauce over your enchiladas and top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has just started to brown a bit.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

One Pot Curried Chicken with Coconut Rice

Coconut milk and I have a sort of love affair. We met later in life after years dating that boring old skim milk, which my parents totally approved of. Skim milk, parents? Seriously? Thank goodness we don't do arranged marriages in this country. I haven't seen skim milk in ages and I don't intend to ever again (his handsome older brother, cream, well, that's another story; and raw whole milk and I are totally friends). But anyway, enough metaphors with sordid milk references. This recipe is seriously good. The chicken's great. The rice is great--coconut rice, where have you been all my life?. It's a one-pot meal that's fairly easy to put together. The coconut milk gives it a creamy, hint-of-sweet,-while-still-feeling-wholesome-and-good kind of taste, which I love.

Here's what you do:

One Pot Curried Chicken with Coconut Rice
Adapted from The Bad Girl's Kitchen (which adapted it from Everyday Food)
Serves 6-10
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50-60 minutes
Cost: $8.65 (that's about $.86/serving)
chicken: 6.00, curry powder: .25, garlic: .10, onion: .20, tomato paste: .10, coconut milk: 1.50, rice: .50

Note: I halved this as I do with many new recipes. It made plenty for our family, but we're not huge eaters. If you guys are big eaters or have older kids, make the full recipe. Halving it made it easier to cook the chicken all at once and reduced the cooking time somewhat for the recipe. I liked that.

Note on chicken: You can use a whole chicken cut up or dark or light meat; I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts because Kip likes them better and because they cook faster than chicken on the bone.

4 lb chicken
4 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (ours was closer to 1/4)
salt
1 Tbsp vegetable oil (I used olive)
5 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp minced garlic (about a 3 inch piece)
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 C rice (I used boring old white)
1 can coconut milk (the cheap stuff is okay in this recipe)
2 C water
fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 350. Toss chicken with curry powder, cayenne pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt. Heat oil in a Dutch oven (what I used) or another oven-safe pot (with an oven-safe lid). Cook chicken until browned on all sides. It should be nearly done, though it doesn't have to be cooked entirely through because you'll be cooking it more. Note: If you want this meal faster, cut your chicken into strips or pieces. If you have large breasts, thighs or whatever (by which I mean not you personally, but the chicken with whom you have chosen to work), it could add an extra 30 minutes of cooking time to this recipe. So if you want a 45-minute meal, then cut your meat into strips.

While your chicken is cooking, grate/mince your garlic, ginger, and onion (I always grate my onions because Kip hates big pieces of it. Then I can grate the ginger too).

Remove chicken and set on a plate. In the remaining oil/drippings (add more oil if you need to), cook your onion for 5-6 minutes or until it's translucent. Add garlic and ginger and cook for a minute. Add tomato paste and stir till combined. Add rice, coconut milk, and stir. Add 2 cups water. Stir to combine. [Note: This makes a lightly coconut-flavored rice. If you want more coconut, try using 2 cans coconut milk and 1 C water. I haven't tried this, but fully intend to the next time I make this because I heart coconut.]

Bring this to a boil.

Reduce to simmer. Put chicken on top of rice. [Note: If your chicken has the skin on, place it with skin side up.] Cover with a lid and put in your oven for another 20-30 minutes (again--I halved the recipe--if you're making this full recipe, it could take longer--I'm guessing 40 minutes).  [Another Note: Want to decrease your cooking time? If your chicken is nearly cooked through anyway, let the rice simmer covered for a couple minutes stove top. Then add chicken and add it all to the oven. Could you do it all stovetop? Um, probably, but I haven't, so I can't make promises.] You want to cook it until the liquid is absorbed into the rice and the chicken is cooked through (160-165 degrees).

Remove from oven, add salt to taste, and serve garnished with cilantro. I suppose you should serve this with a vegetable on the side if you are a good person and whatnot, though I cannot entirely promise that we did this. I think peas would be a nice compliment, though if we ate a veggie with it, it was probably broccoli.

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Stuffed Pretzels

I first discovered homemade pretzels last October. Because it was National Pretzel Month (like, duh). And because I had three cute 4-year-olds at my house. What wouldn't you do for cute 4-year-olds?

And I discovered that homemade pretzels are not too hard to make. They are a quick 2-steps past making a regular old loaf of bread. I can make bread. I can make Playdough snakes. This is the skill set you need for pretzels. But bread/pretzels does not itself a dinner make. (Unless of course you're only serving 4-year-olds, in which case, you're good.) If, however, you are serving people who are not 4-year-olds, people we will, for illustration's sake, call grown men, well, you might need something more. Possibly something with meat. Or cheese. (Vegetables are still optional). You see, man does not live by bread (or pretzels) alone. And your man will probably complain if that's all your make for dinner. Or at least he will go out later and buy a burger and shake while he's at work (nope, still no vegetables).

Yet, making pretzels--while it need not be considered impossible or daunting--is not exactly a 15-minute process. So...how to make your pretzels and eat them too? In other words, how to have fun making pretzels with your kids and still wind up with a dinner to put on the table? You stuff them of course. Everyone wins. In fact, if you make enough, everyone can win the next day (or the day after that) too because these needn't be served hot and are therefore perfect for lunchboxes or snacks or meals one grabs on the go.

I made a few plain pretzels for the breadatarian among us. I also made pizza stuffed pretzels and hot dog stuffed pretzels. I was thinking today how fun a Mexican stuffed pretzel or a jam and cream cheese stuffed pretzel would be.

Here's what you do:

1. Make this recipe. Or double it.
Note: I've tried a couple of different recipes since October and I still like this one the best. However, I have learned that you can greatly reduce your baking soda bath if you wish. I cut it in half for my recipe, but some recipes just put a couple teaspoons baking soda with a a cup of water in the microwave and let it get really hot. This came out not quite exactly the same, but pretty close. And it was less hassle. So don't skip the baking soda bath, but feel free to reduce and/or nuke it.

2. Chop up whatever you plan to stuff. Unless it's something already skinny like a hot dog (or cheese stick or pepperoni stick). I chopped up my pepperoni and added shredded mozzarella cheese. I could have mixed a little sauce in, but instead we chose to dip our pretzels in sauce (easier and it doubles the fun--men and children alike love dipping).

3. Roll your dough into a long snake as your would if you were making a regular pretzel and then flatten your dough into a 2 or 3 inch wide rectangle (my "rectangles" would have displeased my geometry teacher, but they worked for pretzel-making).

4. Add the stuffing and seal the stuffing inside by pressing the dough together (perhaps with a bit of water on your fingertips).

5. Make whatever pretzel-y shape you wish. I couldn't get mine into bonafide pretzel shapes so I went for rings. The hot dogs I just made into, um, hot dog shapes.

6. Do the baking soda bath/boil.

7. Sprinkle with salt, cheese, herbs, or whatever seems appropriate for your stuffed pretzel.

8. Bake per the recipe.

Ideas for Types of Stuffings (that I have either tried or think would be great)

1. Pizza Pretzels. (Tried and true) Mozzarella and chopped pepperoni sealed in the pretzel and served with sauce for dipping. You can sprinkle some Parmesan or some Italian herbs on top.

2. Hot dogs. (Tried and true--Kip loved these) You can dip in ketchup or mustard or whatever.

3. Cooked sausages, string cheese (or any long cheese), pepperoni sticks.

4. Mexican pretzels. Chop some cheddar, olives, and peppers. Dip in sour cream or guacamole.

5. Chicken broccoli pretzels. Chop chicken and broccoli (chop it small) and mix it with some cream cheese, salt, and pepper.

6. Sweet fruit pretzels. Spread cream cheese on your "rectangle," then spread it with a good jam. Seal up, twist, and bake.  Go all out and sprinkle with some chunky sugar.

7. (And while we're spreading things...) I bet you could even do a PBJ pretzel with peanut butter and jam spread on your rectangle, then sealed, twisted, and baked.