Sweet 'n Hot Glazed Salmon

Sweet 'n' Hot Glazed Salmon  (adapted from Allrecipes.com)

Not only is this recipe delicious, it has the added bonus of being an very healthy dish. Great for dinner parties, paired with rice pilaf, green beans, and salad."

Ingredients:

1 cup apricot jam 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 (3/4 pound) salmon filet without skin

Directions:

1.	Preheat your oven's broiler, and grease a broiling pan.
2.	In a saucepan over medium heat, mix together the apricot jam, water, honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, cinnamon and cayenne. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until reduced by about half. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Remove 1/4 cup of the glaze for basting, and set the remaining aside.
3.	Place the salmon filet on the greased broiling pan, and brush with glaze. Broil 3 inches from the heat for 8 to 12 minutes, or until salmon flakes easily with a fork. Gently turn over once during cooking, and baste frequently during the last 4 minutes. Serve with remaining glaze.

Easy Peach Cobbler

We've been able to enjoy many fresh fruits and veggies from our garden this year but the squirrels got our peaches....so imagine my delight when an old neighbor from Huntsville sent us home from our visit with fresh peaches from their trees :) I'm planning this for dessert tonight after a yummy main course of chicken pesto pasta.   I love you summer!

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch salt
1 cup milk
4 cups peeled, pitted and thinly sliced fresh peaches (5 to 6 medium peaches)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Several dashes ground cinnamon or ground nutmeg (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Pour the melted butter into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, 1 cup sugar, the baking powder, and the salt and mix well. Stir in the milk, mixing until just combined. Pour this batter over the butter but do not stir them together.
4. In a small saucepan combine the peaches, lemon juice, and remaining cup of sugar and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Pour the peaches over the batter but do not stir them together. Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg if desired.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the top is golden-brown. Serve warm or cold.

Simple Almond Pesto

After ignoring the basil in my herb pot for much too long I think it's time to whip up something yummy...and simple.   Because it's summer and I refuse to slave away in the kitchen.  My time is much better spent at the pool with a MEGA MARGARITA don'tcha think?  AND I get to use my food processor, yippee.  
You can use this pesto for hot pasta, marinating/baking/grilling chicken, pork, or fish. Also good as a spread for sandwiches or wraps.  I highly recommend freezing whatever you don't use immediately in ice cube trays ... super for popping into other recipes later.
This recipe makes 16 -2 Tbsp servings.

Ingredients
3 cups Basil leaves, roughly chopped 
1/2 Cup Slivered, unsalted Almonds, toasted
3 Cloves Garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2-3/4 Cup of Olive Oil
1 Tsp Salt

Directions 

1. In the bowl of your processor put garlic, basil, and almonds. Pulse until uniformily chopped, stopping to scrape sides, as necessary.
2. Add Parmesan Cheese, pulse to mix in.
3. Measure out 1/2 cup of Olive Oil, while running processor slowly stream oil into bowl, stopping at the right consistency and using an additional 1/4 cup in needed..

Freezer Mega Margaritas

Freezer Mega Margaritas from Beach Bunco

Mix together all ingredients in a BIG bowl!

4 cans of limeade concentrate, thawed (minute maid is best)
3 qts water
750ml bottle of tequila
750ml bottle of triple sec


Transfer to 4 gallon size ziploc freezer bags and freeze.
Top off with sprite when serving

Easy White Bread in the breadmaker

White Bread (breadmaker)

makes one 1 1/2 pound loaf

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cups bread flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions

1. Place water, sugar, salt, oil, bread flour and yeast into pan of bread machine.
2. Bake on White Bread setting. Cool on wire racks before slicing.

Sausage, Pepper and Onion Bake (with mushrooms)

SAUSAGE, PEPPER AND ONION BAKE

I found this recipe on one of my favorite blogs but adapted it for our family (it originally called for Rosemary leaves but we're just not big fans)

 

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 12 -13 oz package smoked sausage, sliced
• 1½ pounds red potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 5 medium)
• 1 bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 large onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp Lawrys Seasoned Salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400º F.
2. Parboil the potatoes then drain (boil for 10 minutes until softened).
3. Mix potatoes with 1 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp butter
4. Gently mix potato mixture with all remaining ingredients in a large baking dish or Dutch oven.
5. Bake at 400º F for 45 minutes (20 minutes covered, 25 minutes uncovered) until the veggies are softened and lightly browned.

Serve with crusty bread and a salad!  So yummy

Hello? Anyone still out there?

Wow!  Has it really been 9 months since my last post?   It's been a whirlwind for sure...a crazy awesome adventure actually.
The movers loaded us up last June and we moved to Florida. 
Our household belongings were put into storage while we lived with Jims parents for a few months.   We had purchased a piece of land and the plan was to build another dreamhouse...but unfortunately (or fortunately really) it turns out it's cheaper to buy an existing home closer to the beach!  So DUH...that's what we did.   The land went back on the market and we closed on a cute little house in the heart of Destin, Fl last September.   This house is exactly what we need, nothing more and nothing less.   Certainly smaller than our last abode...and older...and not as custom, but we're working on it and I love it.    
Seems like a good time to empty some of the pictures from my phone, enjoy.

The new house

Hastings loves having so many kids her own age in the neighborhood!  (mommy likes it too!)

turns out, Weston is just as crazy as me

laundry still sucks...even when you live at the beach

Weston enjoys having the neighbors over to play

no caption needed

Hastings got a cute new haircut

Jim and I enjoy date nights almost every weekend (YAY for living near grandparents/free babysitters)

Chunkamonka

Adding new shutters to the house

our gardens/greenhouses

It seems like Hastings gets her facepainted almost every weekend

fruity beverages are best enjoyed daily

loving the warmth

bike riding is a new favorite activity

coloring

It's happening

Movers are packing and loading us up...

launch of The Lau Eng

The amazing 50ft sailboat my uncle built back in the 70s has been re hulled and is ready to sail again!