Lemon Basil Grilled Salmon

Summertime is grilling season around here, and this is one of the best grilling recipes we've ever come across! The salmon is so flavorful and just perfect for a light, summer meal.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegtable oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger root
2 tbsp honey
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp finely chopped shallots
1 salmon fillet with skin (about 2-3 pounds)

Directions:
1. Cover a cookie sheet or large pan with two layers of foil. Lay the salmon fillet, skin side down, on the foil.
2. In a small bowl, mix together oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, ginger, honey, basil, and shallots. Pour mixture over the salmon.
3. Preheat a grill for medium-low heat while the salmon marinates. When the grill is ready, slide the foil with the salmon onto the grill. Grill fillet for about 20 minutes, or until salmon flakes with a fork.
4. When serving the salmon, use a spatula to separate the salmon from the skin (which will stick to the foil).

(salmon inside a double layer of foil)

(marinade mixture)

(marinating salmon)

(after grilling)

Ta-da!

Enjoy!

Cinco Leches Cake

So this is a recipe for tres leches ("three milks") cake, but it actually requires not three, but five different milks/creams, so we've been calling it "cinco leches" cake around here! There must be some correlation between the number of milks and the deliciousness of the cake though, because this cake is just absolutely delightful!

Recipe from my coworker, Marisol.

Ingredients:
Cake:
1 box yellow cake mix
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 cup softened butter
Milk Mixture:
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 can (7.6 oz) Nestle table cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
Topping:
16 oz heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp sugar

Directions:
1. Follow directions on the box to make the cake in a 9x13 pan, but use milk instead of water.
2. When the cake has cooled, use an ice pick or meat thermometer to poke little holes all over the cake. The more holes the better!
3. Mix all of the milk mixture ingredients together in a blender. Pour or spoon the mixture all over the cake slowly, allowing it to soak into the holes. Refrigerate the cake.
4. Mix heavy whipping cream in a stand mixer on medium speed. Add vanilla extract and sugar and beat on high until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream generously on top of the cake.

Cake with MANY holes. The more holes the better!

This is what the canned milks/creams look like. You might have to look in the Mexican foods section for the "table cream."

(milk mixture)

(after pouring the milk mixture on)

(whipped cream topping!)

Ta-da!

Enjoy!

Baja Chicken Sliders

This is a really delicious recipe - yummy little chicken sliders, topped with a flavorful southwestern version of coleslaw (I don't like coleslaw, but I love this!) and a zesty sour cream lime sauce.

Recipe adapted from this book.

Ingredients:
{sour cream lime sauce}
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp lime zest
1/2 tsp fresh lime juice
{slaw}
4 tsp fresh lime juice
2 cup broccoli slaw mix
1/2 sweet red pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
4 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped
2 tsp sugar
{sliders}
2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into 16 slider-size pieces
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
16 hawaiian rolls, sliced down the middle
16 small tomato slices (optional)
16 small lettuce leaves (optional)

Directions:
1. To make sour cream lime sauce, combine sour cream, lime juice, and lime zest in a small bowl. Refrigerate.
2. To make slaw mix, combine all slaw ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and refrigerate.
3. Flatten chicken breast pieces to be 1/2-inch thick. Season with cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Grill for 4-7 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.
4. To assemble sliders, serve chicken on hawaiian rolls and top with lettuce, tomato, sauce, and slaw.

(sour cream lime sauce)

(slaw)

(grilled chicken)

Ta-da!

Enjoy!

Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad

Here's a quick-and-easy one-dish dinner recipe! If you go easy on the dressing, it's pretty healthy too!

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can sweet yellow corn, drained
2 roma tomatoes, diced
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 large romaine hearts, chopped
crushed tortilla chips
{dressing}
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 packet ranch dressing mix
2 tbsp taco seasoning
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2-3 tbsp milk

Directions:
1. To make the dressing, stir together the mayo, sour cream, ranch dressing mix, taco seasoning, lime juice, and milk in a medium bowl. Mix until smooth and completely combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the bell pepper, beans, corn, tomatoes, green onion, and cilantro. Add the chicken and lettuce.
3. Pour the refrigerated dressing over the salad and toss.
4. Top with crushed tortilla chips (and lime wedges and additional cilantro, if desired) and serve!

(dressing ingredients)

(finished dressing)

(salad!)

Ta-da!

Enjoy!

Mini Polenta Pizzas

The biggest Kroger in Texas opened a while back pretty close to our house (and RIGHT next to our church!). It's by far my favorite grocery store. I could spend hours just wandering up and down the aisles! I always seem to come home with something fun and new - recently it was a tube of polenta.

There are probably about a million things you can do with polenta, but we made little pizzas! So yummy. 

Recipe idea from here.

Ingredients:

116-oz tube of polenta (I used the garlic flavored kind!)

3/4 cup pizza sauce

Italian seasoning

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

handful of pepperoni

Directions:

1. Slice the polenta into eight circles. Lightly spray a baking dish with olive oil spray and put the polenta circles in the dish, adjacent to each other.

2. Spread pizza sauce over each polenta circle. Sprinkle Italian seasoning over each one, then add cheese and pepperoni.

3. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and browned. 

(polenta circles + sauce + seasoning)

(topped with cheese!)

(...and pepperoni!)

(out of the oven!)

Ta-da!

Enjoy!

Strawberry Lemonade Cookies

These cookies are the perfect little springtime treat. They're easy to make and pretty cute too!

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 box lemon cake mix
1 box strawberry cake mix
4 eggs
2/3 cup canola oil, divided
2 tsp lemon juice, divided
2 cups powdered sugar, divided
1-2 tbsp milk

Directions:
1. Put each cake mix in a large bowl. To each bowl, add 2 eggs, 1/3 cup oil, and 1 tsp lemon juice. Mix until combined.
2. Refrigerate dough for 20-30 minutes.
3. Form cookies by taking a piece of each dough and rolling into a ball.
4. Put 1 cup of powdered sugar in a bowl. Roll each dough ball in the powdered sugar before placing on a baking sheet.
5. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Cool on a wire rack.
6. When cookies are cool, make a glaze by whisking together 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 tbsp milk until combined. Add additional milk if necessary to reach desired consistency. Drizzle glaze over the cookies.

(lemon dough)

(strawberry dough)

(ready for the oven!)

(fresh out of the oven!)

(drizzled with glaze)

Ta-da!

Enjoy!

Valentine's Pretzel Kisses

Here's another Valentine's Day treat! These pretzel kisses are super quick-and-easy, and they're perfect for little gift bags!

Recipe idea from my friend Jennifer. 
Ingredients: square pretzels Hershey's hugs, unwrapped Valentine's Day M&Ms
Directions: 1. Place square pretzels on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat. 2. Place a Hershey hug on each pretzel. 3. Bake at 200 degrees for 5 minutes, or until chocolate is softened (NOT until it's melty and messy - take them out before you get to that point!) 4. Place an M&M in the center of each hug and push down a bit to spread the chocolate.  5. Cool completely.
(pretzels)
(Hershey hugs)
(M&Ms on top!)
Ta-da!
Enjoy!

Strawberries & Cream Whoopie Pies

Valentine's Day wouldn't be complete without adorable baked goods, right? I think half the fun of Valentine's Day is getting to make treats that are pink or red or heart-shaped, or just plain sweet! These adorable little whoopie pies are perfect for your sweetheart! :) 

Recipe adapted from here.
Ingredients: 1 package Pillsbury Moist Supreme strawberry cake mix 2 eggs 3/4 cup shortening 8 oz cream cheese, softened 4 tbsp butter, softened 2 tsp vanilla 4 cups powdered sugar
Directions: 1. Mix together cake mix, eggs, and shortening until well combined (dough will be thick). Roll dough into balls (about 25-30 of them), and place balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 2. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. 3. In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar until smooth.  4. Once cookies have cooled, make whoopie pies by spreading the cream cheese mixture onto cookies and sandwiching cookies together (try to pair each cookie with another that is close to the same size).  
(cake mix)
(thick dough)
(out of the oven!)
Ta-da!
Enjoy!