Cedar plank salmon with tomato basil relish over grilled squash and polenta

So I can't take full credit for this dinner, but I definitely made it my own. One of the clinics I interviewed with took me out for dinner at a restaurant called Turkey Red in Palmer, Alaska. It's a organic, wholesome ingredient restuarant with some amazing dishes. I had pan-seared salmon over plain poleta with grilled asaragus and the tomota relish. I think mine was better! Justin agreed, but he wasn't there for the first one. :D



This was dinner tonight - sooo good!

Cedar Plank Salmon

I bought a wild pink salmon 1lb filet and cooked it over a cedar plank for flavor.

• 1 cedar plank (6 by 14 inches)
• 1 - 1 1/2 pound salmon filet (my preference is wild, not farm-raised)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp olive oil 

Soak the cedar plank for at least 4 hours, I did overnight in a shallow baking pan. Rinse the salmon then pat dry. Place on plank and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Prepare the sauce in a bowl, then when it is ready for the oven, gently brush half the sauce over the fish. Bake at 350' for about 10 minutes, depending on how thick your salmon is. I brush the rest of the sauce on about half way through cooking. Once the fat looks white and it flakes with a fork it's done!

I topped it with tomato basil relish. 1 1/2 vine tomatoes diced, about 1/4 cup minced red onion, 2 Tbsp fresh basil chopped, and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I prepare this ahead of time for the juices to mix and soften the onion flavor.

Spicy, cheesy polenta

• 3 cups water
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups quick polenta
• 1 teaspoon  black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
• 1 cup grated Parmesan

Boil the water and salt, then slowly whisk in the grits. Stir constantly about 3 minutes, then add the seasoning, butter, and cheese. Take off the heat and finish stirring. Generously butter a dish (something shallow enough you can cut and serve the polenta) and pour into the dish. I used a glass pie dish that I could put back into the oven to stay warm while the salmon was cooking. I'm not talented enough to have everything finish together all at the same time!

Yellow squash and zucchini - I just sauteed these with some olive oil in a large skillet for about 15 minutes. Gentle sprinkle of black pepper. No salt needed.

Greens - I tossed the baby romaine in a little olive oil, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar. I would have added some slivered almonds or feta, but we didn't have any and I didn't think that far ahead.... next time.

Enjoy!!

Black beans and car dents

I've been reading about some of the best nutrition-packed foods, and black beans are up there on the list. Lots of fiber and protein, and very low glycemic index. So last night a poured a bag of beans into a big bowl of water to rehydrate them. After an hour the beans were almost twice as big. I let them sit over night (and added more water as needed as the beans expanded) and then boiled them for about an hour and fifteen minutes to cook them. Justin actually stirred them a bit in the middle because I had to run to the store for some final ingredients for dinner and some beer.

So I'm walking out to my car from Hy-Vee (man, am I going to miss Hy-Vee up in Alaska!!) with my purchases. I following this guy and his 3 kids down the isle, and they apartently were parked next to me. The oldest kid of the three ran for the front passenger door beating his siblings and flung the door open. I was just at the back bumper of my car and then "thunk!!" That brat dented my front fender with the door!! My mouth just dropped and the father yelled at the kid. I don't think he saw me standing there at that point, so I cleared my throat a little just to imform my presence. "Oh ma'am....I guess I'll be paying for your car." Damn right you will! I got his information, tossed my groceries into the back, then walked down the strip mall to Wine and Spirits. Much needed at this point.

So I get back home and make dinner. I stongly believe that cooking is therapeutic. Sauteeing vegetables is one of my favs. I tossed some sliced green pepper and onion into the cast iron and went to work. After about 15 minutes of slowly tossing the veggies, all better! A couple stirs of the black beans that are just about tender and gathering the rest of the ingredients. And... voila. Veggie tacos! Today was green pepper and onion, black beans, diced tomato and some jalapeno, sour cream and cheese, sliced green and cilantro. Yummy sweet cilantro. Hands down my favorite herb... wait - basil. But a close second! And to pair with it - one of my favorite wheat beers, Blue Star from North Coast Brewing Co. I first had this at El Bait Shop in downtown Des Moines. I remember I was with my friend Emily and the wall which was actually a garage door was open and it was a great summer night. I think I had a few Blue Stars that night if I remember correctly... :D

And I got some more fresh flowers as well. My sister has got me started on this kick of having fresh flowers around all the time. She worked as a florist for a while and was always bringing home fresh flowers. My mom is absolutely spoiled - several times a week my sister would be scrounging for another vase and filling the counters and tables with arrangements. I would have liked to add a few more greens to this, but they didn't have any! I LOVE bells of Ireland, but my Hy Vee doesn't carry them. Or large tea leaves. Whatever, they still look nice.

I've also started another knitting project. I'm making socks. I've never knit a pair, and I've always been told they are super easy. This pattern has me using size 2 needles, so this could take a while....