Recipe of the Day: Cedar-Planked Salmon with Barbecue Spice Rub

I thought I'd include a great recipe that we tried recently. We love to grill fish, and this is a really tasty way to make it on the BBQ. Enjoy!


(a pic of our secret spice rub & cedar planks)

Cedar-Planked Salmon with Barbecue Spice Rub


1 (15 x 6 ½ x 3/8-inch) cedar grilling plank
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
¾ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
¾ teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
¾ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (3pound) center-cut salmon fillet, skinned

1. Immerse and soak plant in water 1 hour or longer, drain.

2. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

3. Place plank on grill rack. Grill 3 minutes or until lightly charred. Carefully turn plank over; place fish on charred side of plank. Cover and grill for 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Cut fish crosswise into 8 (4 ½ oz) pieces.

* We use this recipe on all sorts of fish and it would probably be great on steak or chicken too. Its also great used in grilled salmon tacos the second day.

Note: Look for cedar planks in gourmet markets or large supermarkets. Or, you can purchase untreated cedar shingles from lumberyards or hardware stores, and have them cut to a specified size.

Yields: 8 servings

Recipe of the Day: Tomato & Canellini Bean Bruschetta

A great take on summery bruschetta that makes it work for just about any season.

Tomato & Bean Bruschetta

1 16 oz can canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 T torn or thinly sliced fresh basil
1 tsp chopped fresh garlic

Combine above ingredients in bowl.

Vinaigrette:
2 T sundried tomato pesto
2 T red wine vinegar
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in bowl. Mix vinaigrette & tomato/bean mixture together. Serve atop toasted bread slices. Savor & enjoy!

Recipe of the Day: Ginger-Soy-Lime Marinated Shrimp

Today's recipe of the day is inspired by my favorite local seafood market, and my husband's favorite chef, Bobby Flay. Bon appetit!

Ginger-Soy-Lime Marinated Shrimp

2 large shallots, peeled and chopped
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup peanut oil
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 pounds large shrimp

Place shallots, ginger, garlic, soy, lime juice, and sugar in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the green onion and oil and blend until combined. Season with black pepper, to taste. Place shrimp in a large bowl, pour the marinade over, and let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Preheat grill to high. Remove shrimp from marinade and grill for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side.

Recipe of the Day: Artichoke and Tuna Panini with Garbanzo Bean Spread

Today's recipe is a favorite sandwich in our household. Bon appetit!

Artichoke and Tuna Panini with Garbanzo Bean Spread

Garbanzo Bean Spread:
* 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
* 2 cloves garlic
* 1/4 cup fresh mint
* 2 teaspoons lemon zest
* 3 tablespoons lemon juice
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Panini:
* 1 cup pitted black olives, finely chopped
* 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 (5 1/2-ounce) cans tuna, drained
* 1 (13 3/4-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
* 8 mini baguettes, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise
* 2 cups arugula

Directions:
To make the Garbanzo Bean Spread: Combine all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

To make the Panini: Combine the black olives, olive oil, salt, pepper, tuna, and artichokes in a bowl. Lay out the sliced baguettes. Spread the Garbanzo Bean Spread on both halves of the baguettes. Spoon the tuna mixture over the bean spread. Top with the arugula and close the sandwich.

Favorite Dinner - Make Your Own Pizza Night

Last night, we had our make your own pizza night at home. Ever since I started shopping at Trader Joe's again, we've been making pizzas. They sell pizza dough there for just over $1, so it saves us a ton of dough (pun intended) vs. ordering in. Thought I'd share a few pics from our fun night!

Lots of ingredients we had on hand to choose from: pesto, olives, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, peppercini, fresh tomatoes, parmesan cheese, fresh mushrooms, and goat cheese. There was a lot more inspiration in the refrigerator, but only so much can fit on one pizza. yum!



my pizza certainly looks tastier, doesn't it? at the very least, it looks more artistic (maybe I've missed my career calling). the pizzas were fantastic and now off for a game of chess (which I just learned) and an episode of Arrested Development.