Carrot, Cucumber and Rice Noodles with Lime-Ginger Dressing

Having just gone from a 4300 sq. ft. home to a 2400 sq. ft. duplex; one would assume we would not be buying anymore kitchen gagets... Introduce the new spiralizer, thanks to my sister, Simone, and brother-in-law, Mark. New obsession: Pinterest searching for spiralizer recipes. Bought mine on Amazon, Veggetti Pro Table Top Spiralizer, $24, delivered to your door. Bobby Flay created this cold noodle salad. He says it makes 2-4 servings, but really 6-8! Would pair well with just about any main protein. Grilled chicken thighs (lightly pat both sides with olive oil, salt and pepper). Grill at 400-degrees till cooked through. Chop and serve atop the salad. This is the bomb (as my friend Karen would say!) May consider adding some heat with red pepper flakes or fresh jalapeno... Be sure to set salad out at room temperature before serving or heat in the microwave to get the chill out. Best to make a day ahead to allow flavors to meld.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• finely grated zest of 2 limes
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from 4 large limes)
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons tamari
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped, divided
• 1/2 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts,  roughly chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and spiralized
• 1 English cucumber, halved, seeded, spiralized and patted dry on paper towels
• salt to taste
• 8 ounces brown rice noodles cooked according to directions on package, drained and rinsed in cold water (I cut-up a bit with kitchen scissors)

Directions for Dressing:

In a small bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, lime zest and juice, vinegar, honey, tamari and 1/4 cup cilantro. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours (the longer it sits, the better it tastes).

Directions for serving:
Combine all the prepared ingredients, including dressing, in a large bowl and toss with tongs.

Pork with Peach Salsa

This recipe came from the Boulder Daily Camera recipe section. Fabulous way to use fresh peaches and jalapenos. Make extra salsa; spectacular over plain greek yogurt! Cannot go wrong with pork tenderloin; it is well worth the extra price.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound pork tenderloin
• olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried cumin
• 3 ripe peaches
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 small jalapenos
• salt and pepper

Directions:

Remove the silver skin from the tenderloin. Rub with olive oil. Combine oregano and cumin and rub on all sides of the pork. Cover and refrigerate 1-3 hours. Take out of refrigerater 20-30 minutes before grilling.

To make the salsa:

Wash peaches, remove the stones and cut into 1/4-inch pieces.

Mix lime juice, honey cilantro and jalapenos. 

Toss with the peaches. Salt and pepper to taste.

Grill the pork over direct medium heat (400-degrees), 10 minutes per side or until internal temperature is 145-degrees.

Gas Grill Potatoes

Does this not look tasty? Recipe credit is my friend, Cherie Fassbinder. Little did we know, we lived in the same town, LaCrosse, Wisconsin, when we were in elementary school. Our paths crossed many moons ago again in Colorado. Thank you, Cherie for this timeless recipe!
This is one of those recipes you can change up to what you are feeling that day. Yukon gold, red or just plain white baking potatoes, fresh rosemary, no rosemary, thyme, red onion, shallots, white onion, and butter, herb butter, or olive oil. You get the just...

Ingredients:

• 4 large potatoes
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 small onion
• fresh rosemary
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Peel and slice potatoes and the onion.

Chop the rosemary.

Grease 2 large sheets of heavy duty foil.

Divide the sliced potatoes and slice onions evenly between the two pieces of foil. Sprinkle the chopped rosemary on top evenly. Salt and pepper each.

Dot with butter and fold up the foil to create a tight package by first folding over the top and then the sides of the foil.

Place on a 400-degree grill (close the grill top), for about 30 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes.

Be careful when unfolding the foil, very hot... as the steam escapes.

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Creme Brulee

I have not posted much in the last couple of months; that is what a major move will do to you! Now we are all settled in the new duplex in Boulder. Love living in Boulder; so very bike friendly and independent restaurant plentiful, this girl is in her element... This dessert recipe is from the Colorado Collage, a much loved cookbook from the Denver Junior League. We have a butane torch, so the sugar caramelization is a cinch and you get to play with fire! Elegant, easy and yummy all rolled into one. Fresh sliced strawberries add the finishing touch.  Serves 6 lucky guests.

Ingredients:

• 5 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300-degrees. Do not use the convection setting, just plain ole' bake. 

In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar.

In a heavy saucepan, heat cream until simmering over low heat. Temper the yolk mixture by adding a little of the hot cream from the sauce pan, stirring well. About 1/4 cup.

Add the tempered yolk mixture to the hot cream, whisking constantly. Add the vanilla, whisk to blend and set off of the heat.

Ladle the cream into 3/4-cup custard dishes. Place in a 9x13-inch baking pan and add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the cup.

Carefully place the pan in the preheated oven and bake until the center is set, about 55 minutes. Remove from the water (I use rubber gloves) and cool completely on racks.

Cover and chill overnight. 

To serve: sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon sugar over the top of each chilled mixture. Either use a torch or place under a preheated broiler, watching carefully, until sugar melts and browns slightly.

Thai Baked Salmon

I have not added new recipes for quite sometime...  Reason being: our house is under contract and we are moving to Boulder! Well, rent in Boulder; as the inventory is tight. Hopefully, we will find our "down-sized" dream condo, duplex someday.
This recipe is from ifoodreal.com The Thai sweet chili sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for a month or so. Love those homemade condiments that you can just whip out of the frig and your ready to go!
As mentioned before we buy frozen salmon fillets from Vital Choice. The salmon fillets are broiled in this recipe and as promised; fantastic...

Ingredients:

• 2 salmon fillets, deboned and skin off
• Thai Sweet Chili Sauce 

Ingredients for Thai Sweet Chili:

• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

Directions for Thai Sweet Chili:

Dissolve the cornstarch in the water. In a small saucepan, whisk all the ingredients until combined. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes or until thickened. Transfer to a glass jar and use with meats, seafood, vegetables and for dipping.

Refrigerate for up to a few months.

Directions for Salmon:
Wash and pat dry the salmon fillets. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and top with 1 tablespoon each Thai Sweet Chili Sauce. Rub with your fingers to coat fish with sauce evenly on top, bottom and sides. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight is the best. Up to 24 hours.

Turn on the oven broiler on high and position top oven rack 5" or so below the heat source. Place the salmon fillets on a foil-lined baking sheet. Coat with remaining marinade from the dish.

Broil for 8 minutes, rotating baking sheet once. Remove from the oven and brush top of each fillet with 2 teaspoons of Thai Sweet Chili Sauce. Return to the oven and broil for another 5 minutes or until salmon has caramelized.

Sweet Mustard Dressing

This dressing was from Well Fed cookbook which Jesse, my kid,  shared the digital version. I have to laugh because I did not follow the recipe at all! Instead of 1/4 cup homemade olive oil mayonnaise, I used olive oil. Instead of the dry mustard, I used two kinds of refrigerated mustard and instead of applesauce I substituted honey. So I guess you could say this is really my original recipe! It is yum!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I use Newman's Own Organic)
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons raw honey
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon regular mustard (taste may want to add more)
• 1 teaspoon merfs curry honey mustard (purchased at Savory because they sent me a $10 coupon)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine honey and mustards and beat till smooth. Add vinegar stirring well. In a slow steady stream incorporate the olive oil till emulsifies. Add garlic, salt and pepper.

Refrigerate the unused portion. Makes enough for 4 portions.

Paleo Margaritas

Thank you to our friend's Terry and Larry Longseth for turning us on to this amazing, easy, delicious margarita! And thank you Danielle from her blog AgainstAllGrain.com for the recipe. I know what we will be drinking on the patio this summer! One ounce = 2 tablespoons  8 limes = 1 cup lime juice

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces blanco tequila (100% agave)
• 1 ounce fresh squeeze lime juice (one lime equals about 2 drinks)
• 1 ounce honey syrup

Honey Syrup:

Equal parts raw clover honey dissolved in hot 110 degrees (not boiling water). You can make 8-16 ounces and store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to one month.

Directions:

Combine all 3 ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour over fresh ice. Garnish with slice of fresh lime. Salute!

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