Feta-Spinach Salmon Roast

Ingredients
3 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup crumbled feta
2 scallions, thinly sliced, including the crisp part of the green
1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped
2 skinless salmon fillets of roughly equal size and shape, totaling 3/4 pound
Olive Oil

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Combine the cream cheese and feta, mashing and stirring with a fork until well blended.  Add the scallions and spinach.  Combine well.

3. Spread the mixture evenly over one salmon fillet. (The filling will be abou5 3/4 inch thick).  Top with the second salmon fillet.  Brush both sides with olive oil, turning the whole thing over carefully with a spatula.

4. Place the loaf on a shallow baking pan, and bake for 20 minutes.  Slice carefully with a sharp, serrated knife.

Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pie

1 lb thawed boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbs olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 carrots, diced
3 Tbs all-purpose flour
1/2 C dry white wine
2 C 1 percent milk
1 10oz package frozen peas
1 Tbs fresh thyme
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 9″ store bought piecrust, thawed if frozen

- Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook the chicken in a pot of simmering water until cooked through, 10-12 minutes; let cool, then shred.

- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, 6-8 minutes (do not let them darken). Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

- Add the wine and cook until evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and simmer until the sauce thickens, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the chicken, peas, thyme, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Transfer to a shallow 1 1/2 – 2 quart baking dish.

- Lay the crust on top, pressing to seal. Cut several vents in the crust. Place the pot pie on a baking sheet and bake until bubbling and the crust is golden, 30-35 minutes.

Brined, roasted chicken

From America’s Test Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 roasting chicken, 3.5-4 lbs
1 cup kosher salt or 1/2 cup table salt
1/2 cup sugar
1.5 Ts olive oil

2.5 pounds roasting potatoes, russets or Yukon Golds
3/4 ts salt
ground black pepper
1 Tb olive oil

Compound butter:
2 Tb butter
1 clove garlic, mashed
1 Tb dijon mustard
1 ts minced fresh thyme
ground black pepper

Brine chicken in solution of 1 cup kosher salt (or 1/2 cup table salt) and 1/2 cup sugar to 1/2 gallon (8 cups)  water for 1 hour.

Pat chicken dry. Cut out backbone (their website has illustrations) to butterfly chicken. Flatten breastbone (just push down firmly).

Mix up compound butter – the website has some other compound butter recipes. With your fingers, loosen skin across breast and as far down drumsticks as you can, do not tear skin. Spoon butter under skin and work across as much of the chicken as possible. Rub 1.5 Ts olive oil over chicken.

Slice potatoes 1/8″ to 1/4″ inch thickness. Salt and pepper lightly, toss with 1 Tb oil.

Line bottom of grilling pan with heavy-duty aluminium foil. Spread potato slices across pan evenly.

Place grilling rack over potatoes. Arrange butterflied chicken on top, folding drumsticks inward so they cover part of the breast. Roast at 500 degrees for 20 minutes, turn pan around, roast for another 20 minutes or until internal temperature in breast is 160.

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Take grilling rack off, pat potatoes which will have a fair amount of oil on them. Potatoes may stick to foil, peel as much off as possible. Cut chicken up and serve with potatoes. That’s it.

Turkey loaf

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onoin
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb turkey
1 large egg
1/4 cup parmesan
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons dry unseasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (1 teaspoon dried)
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Position rack in center of oven.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Lightly oil a 4-5 cup loaf pan.  Heat oil in medium skillet until fragrant.  Add onions and garlic.  Cook until onions browned, 5-7 minutes.  Remove to medium bowl and add rest of ingredients.  Thoroughly combine the mixture, then pat into the prepared pan.  Bake until the center feels firm when pressed, about 35 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes, then unmold from pan if desired.  Serve hot.

Hash brown casserole

Ingredients

• 2 lb thawed hash browns
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/2 tsp dill weed
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 can undiluted cream of chicken soup
• 2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup chopped onion, sauteed until soft
• 2 cup sour cream
• Potato chips, crushed

Combine all ingredients except potatoes and chips.  Mix in potatoes.  Spread in 13 x 9 pan.  Top with crushed chips.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbly.  Do not let chips get too brown.

Tater tots and ground turkey

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground turkey
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cans cream of celery soup (undiluted)
• 1 lb tater tots

Spread ground turkey on bottom of casserole dish.  Sprinkle with chopped onion.  Pour soup over turkey and top with tater tots.  Bake 1 hour at 300 degrees.

Best Ever Lasagna

Ingredients

• 6 long lasagna noodles, uncooked
• 1 pkg ground turkey
• 2 tsp bottled or fresh minced garlic
• 1 jar (28 oz) fat free or regular spaghetti sauce
• 1 container (15 oz) light or part skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano ceese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tbs dried
• 2 cups (8 oz) reduced fat shredded mozarella or Italian bread cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook noodles according to package directions.  Meanwhile, crumble turkey in a large skillet; add garlic and salt.  Cook over medium heat until turkey is no longer pink, stirring occasionally.  Add spaghetti sauce; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and basil; mix well.  Spread 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.  Layer half of noodles over sauce; spoon half of ricotta cheese mixture over noodles.  Top with 1 cup sauce; sprinkle 1 cup mozarella cheese.  Repeat layering with remaining ricotta cheese mixture, noodles and sauce.  Cover with foil; bake 50 minutes or until bubbly.  Sprinkle remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Paremesan cheese over lasagna; return to oven and continue baking 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Best Ever Meatloaf

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pkg ground turkey
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup catsup
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Heat over to 350 degrees.  Melt butter in a small skillet over medium high heat.  Add onion and garlic; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Transfer mixture to a large bowl; cool 5 minutes.

Add turkey, bread crumbs, egg, 3/4 cup catsup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to onion mixture; mix well.  Pack into an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan.  Spread remaining 1/2 cup catsup over top.  Bake for 50-55 minutes or until no longer pink in center and internal temperature of loaf reaches 165 degrees.  Let stand at room temperature 5 minutes before slicing.

Nutty tuna salad pitas

Ingredients

• 1 6 oz can tuna, drained and chunked
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced celery
• 1/2 cup diced apples
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tbs chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tbs dried tarragon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 pita breads, halved
• 2 cups mixed greens

In a medium mixing bowl combine tuna, feta cheese, celery, apples, nuts and tarragon; mix well.  Stir in salt and pepper.  Line each pita bread pocket with 1/2 cup leaf lettuce, fill with 1/4 cup tuna mixture.

Seared tuna with mango salsa

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra for searing
• 1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion (2 onions)
• 2 teaspoons peeled, minced fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 ripe mangos, peeled, seeded and small diced
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 to 2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeno pepper, to taste (1 pepper)
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh mint leaves
• 2 tuna steaks

Directions
Saute the olive oil, onions, and ginger in a large saute pan over medium low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Add the mangos, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 more minutes.  Add the orange juice, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and jalapeno; cook for 10 more minutes, until orange juice is reduced, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat and add the mint.  Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Heat a saute pan over high heat for 5 minutes until very hot.  Season the tuna liberally with salt and pepper.  When the pan is very hot, add a drizzle of olive oil and then the tuna steaks.  Sear for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until the outside is browned, but the inside is very rare.

Serve the tuna on top of the mango salsa.