How to cook salmon

I love Salmon but every time I would try to make it, it would either be way too done (never good for fish) or not done enough.  Or burnt on the outside and not done in the middle..... NEVER perfect.  Until I discovered this way of making it.  It turns out perfect every time!

First, preheat your oven to 450°.
Then, rub olive oil all over your salmon and season one side with salt/pepper or a seasoning of your choice.  I love the lemon grill seasoning for fish!

Heat up an oven safe pan on the stove on high.  Once it's hot, add the salmon seasoned side down and season the other side.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Flip over, cover, and put in oven for 4 minutes.  You can look on the sides to see if it is ready.  If the dark pink is gone, it's perfect!

Enjoy!

Macaroni Noodle Casserole

While most kids dream of having pizza, ice cream and cake for their birthday, I dreamed of having this casserole. Yes, I am a dork - but I just really love cheese, macaroni, and chili powder!




Mix together the following on Medium heat:


-1 lb browned and drained hamburger meat
-2 cups macaroni noodles cooked to al dente (2 cups before cooked)
-1 cup of shredded cheese (you will need 1/2 cup later)
-2 cans tomato soup
-1 to 2 tsp chili powder (not pictured)









Heat on medium heat for about 10 minutes until warm. If you want you may eat it at this point (preferably not straight out of the pan, although I will admit one time I was super hungry and just grabbed a spoon and started eating - less dishes right? )  . . .

-- OR --


Put in a greased casserole dish, sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese on top, and bake 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. I like putting it in the oven when I'm in a "crunchy dinner" type of mood.

Frozen Chocolate Mud Pie

Today was a VERY hot day in our un-air-conditioned apartment. When I was softening the cream cheese to make this I left it out for 5 minutes and it was already melting when I started to mix it in! Yes you may now feel sorry for me, thanks for asking...

Lets start cooking

Recipe Adapted from Right@Home

Make the crust by mixing together:

1 1/2 cups crushed cookies or graham crackers
         - I used 1 cup crushed Nilla Cookies and 1/2 cup
           Grahams because that is what I had
3 TBSP Butter
1 TBSP water

Mix together until crumbs start sticking together. Press into the bottom of a greased pie pan or greased springform pan.

Cook 350° for 12-15 minutes. It smells like you are cooking Nillas in your house! AMAZING...

Let cool completely. If you don't you will melt your chocolate mud.

Now to make the chocolate mud. Mix together:

3 oz cream cheese (at room temp)
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla


Mix until completely creamy and no clumps exist.


Mix in 1/3 cup cocoa powder and 1/3 cup milk alternately being sure everything is mixed in completely.




Fold in 8 oz cool whip and 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips.


Spread into cooled pie crust.

Cover and leave in freezer for 8 hours or over night.

Lets be honest - who wants to wait that long? I let it freeze for 2 hours and it was perfect. If you freeze it for longer make sure you take it out 15 minutes before serving so you can cut it.

Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top for a garnish. I also drizzled with chocolate sauce.

 YUMMM.

Chocolate Sauce

 It is now time to share my yummy chocolate sauce recipe. It is referenced in many different places online, but I don't know where I got this exact recipe from (sorry). You can use fat free ingredients if you are into that stuff - but I wouldn't. I believe dessert is made to yummy, not healthy. Enjoy...

-1 cup Milk Chocolate Chips (good quality)
-1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk (not evaporated milk)
-1/2 cup Butter (1 stick)
-1 1/2 tsp Vanilla



Melt together in sauce pan on medium heat. Stir constantly and do not let it boil. Serve immediately. Put extra (if there is any) in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, uncover and microwave in 30 second intervals stirring until smooth.

Drizzle on ice cream, cream puffs, cheesecake, pie, cake, or anything else you would put chocolate sauce on.

How to Cut a Watermelon

I found these two cool ways to cut a watermelon.






First you want to cut the watermelon into fourths. It is easiest to work with only 1/4 of the watermelon at a time.







You are going to cut the watermelon fourth in three different directions. (see pictures)

1.  Cut parallel to the first cut side.

2.  Cut parallel to the second cut side

3.  Cut it perpendicular to the rind.

Turn the watermelon fourth over and dump cubes into a bowl.


You may need to take your knife and run it quickly along the rind (between the white and the red) to get any extra cubes that didn't fall out (or give it to your kids or hubby with a spoon - much easier).






The second way to cut this watermelon is to cut a 1/4 to 1/2 inch slice off one of the fourths of the watermelon.



Using a cookie cutter, cut out different shapes (I made stars).








Put them on bamboo skewers, then stick them in the watermelon bowl for extra decoration. It would also look cool if you alternate them with cantaloupe, grapes, star fruit or any other colorful fruit.

Sweet and Spicy Shredded Chicken

We also have a Taco Tuesday celebration every week at our house. Most of the time we have taco salad, but we just tried a yummy shredded chicken taco that I have to share with you. It is perfect to make in the heat of the summer since there is not a lot of cooking involved - just throw it in the crock pot and let it cook!

Ingredients:
-1 can diced tomatoes (I used the chili flavored)
-1/3 cup brown sugar
-2 chicken breast halves (about 1 pound total)







In a crock pot mix together 1 can of diced tomatoes and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Mix until all sugar has dissolved. Add in two chicken breasts halves and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Cook time is the same for frozen or thawed chicken, I don't know how it works but its the magic of the crock pot!


OPTIONAL - if you want to spice it up add red pepper flakes to taste.





 About 1/2 hour before you want to eat shred the chicken using two forks. Try not to eat it all before dinner!

Serve in a taco shell, over chips, in a tortilla, enchiladas, or in a burrito. Mix with cheese, beans, shredded lettuce, avocados or guacamole, sweet rice, or any thing else you like with your Mexican food!




This serves 4 adult humans. Enjoy!

Raspberry Syrup

Lately I have been wanting a good raspberry lemonade or raspberry limeade. I was able to find a great recipe that is perfect and can be used for many different things including: raspberry drizzle for desserts, raspberry lemonade or limeade, ice cream toppings, etc.

Start by mixing:

12 ounce bag of frozen Raspberries
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water


Heat in a pan until raspberries start "melting" and letting go of their juices (about 5-7 minutes). Mash the berries with the back of a spoon or a potato masher to help the berries break down.


If you are going to make a raspberry lemonade or limeade add in the juice from 1 lemon or 1 lime, respectively (optional)


Simmer until thickened (another 5-7 minutes). If you want to use it more as a heavy sauce let it thicken a little more, if you want to use it for lemonade or limeade, 6 minutes will be perfect (depending on your simmering amount).



Run through a mesh strainer to catch all the seeds and big raspberry pieces. Make sure you put a bowl under the strainer to keep all the good juice! Use the back of a spoon to get out any extra juice hiding in the raspberry pieces.


I strained half the mixture at a time so my strainer wouldn't get clogged with seeds. Discard the seeds and raspberry pieces.







Refrigerate the syrup for at least 30 minutes before using it.


To make a lemonade or limeade, add 3 Tablespoons (more or less to taste) to pre-made lemonade or limeade.

I cheated and just added 3 T to a can of sprite.
SOO GOOD!  It was the perfect drink for a hot summer day.

**Also** you can freeze 1 T water and 1 T raspberry syrup in ice cube trays to make raspberry ice cubes. Add to any drink that would taste good with a raspberry flavor!

Enjoy!

Skillet Baked Ziti

A few months ago I was lucky enough to receive my great grandma's cast iron skillet. We figure it is about 70+ years old and was used for about 35 years. I have been looking up and trying a lot of skillet based recipes and this is one of my favorite!

You will need a 12 inch oven proof skillet along with:

-1 T Olive Oil
-6 Cloves Garlic, minced
-1/4 t Red Pepper Flakes
-Salt and Pepper to taste
-28 oz Canned Crushed Tomatoes
-3 cups water
-12 ounces Ziti or similar noodles (I used a trio of noodles)
-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
-1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
-1/4 cup minced Fresh Basil (or 2 t dried basil)
-1 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese




Sauté garlic, red pepper and salt in olive oil.

You don't want the garlic to get too brown, just until it starts to become fragrant, about 1 minute should do it.

Add in pasta, water, crushed tomatoes and 1/2 t salt. You will want to add them in this order so the water and hot oil doesn't splatter. Turn on oven to 475 F and set the oven rack in the middle position.

Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed to maintain a vigorous simmer, until pasta is almost tender. 15-18 minutes. If you don't have a lid for your skillet the bottom of a cookie sheet works wonders!

While this is cooking, measure out cheeses, cream and basil.




Stir in cream, parmesan and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over pasta. Transfer skillet to oven to bake until cheese has melted and browned, about 8-10 minutes.


*If your skillet is not oven-proof, put pasta mixture in a greased casserole dish before sprinkling on mozzarella cheese. Bake the same in the oven.









Serve with a yummy salad and seasoned french bread.

Enjoy!