Sentimental Sangria Spritzer

The way my husband and I met was pretty much like something out of a romance novel. We were both new to San Diego and had signed up for a salsa class at Cafe Sevilla in the heart of downtown. The following would be my husband's description of that fated encounter: He saw me from across the room, taking into account every detail of my presence...from the tiny barrette clipped neatly just above my ear, right down to the tiny heart applique on my toenail. As I approached the bar to order a drink, he leaned over and asked if I would like to join him for a Sangria. The rest, folks, is history.

Every so often, I like to remember that special day and enjoy a Sangria with my husband. Last night, however, was the first time we made it from scratch.... and after pairing it with our red wine marinated mushrooms and pan seared scallops, it will certainly not be the last!!

Most Sangria recipes will call for Triple Sec, Cognac or some other type of Brandy, but I didn't use any of those. Here is my super easy & simple recipe for Sangria Spritzer -

Ingredients:
1 - 1.5L chilled bottle of any rose wine or sweet red wine (I chose a white Merlot because the color is a little deeper than a traditional rose wine)
simple syrup, to taste
1 California orange, thinly sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
sliced lime, for garnishment and a splash of taste
fresh mint, for garnishment (and smell!)
Club soda


Directions:
In a large pitcher, combine wine and fruit. Add simple syrup, just a small amount at a time, until desired taste is achieved. Stir well. Cover with lid and refrigerate for at least an hour, but up to one day. When ready to enjoy, pour liquid into a chilled glass and scoop in a generous amount of fruit. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs and a slice of lime. Add a splash of club soda, if so desired.

I highly recommend this drink. It is SUPERB!!

Barefoot in the Summertime

My husband and I never get out of the house for dates, so we arrange to have them at home in our very own kitchen! After watching an episode of Barefoot Contessa and 30 Minute Meals by Rachael Ray, I found my new inspiration and was ready to have another "kitchen" date night! On this particular occasion, we successfully pulled off our date night by having an early dinner and putting our two year old down for a very late nap. In the meantime, our 12 year old was spending time with a neighbor and our two boys were occupied with a movie -- upstairs and away from the kitchen. :)

So, I made a quick trip to the grocery store this morning to pick up fresh herbs, lemons, salad greens and pork tenderloin, among other things. I also bought three bunches of fresh flowers. When I got home, I cut the stems really short and arranged in a clear drinking glass. Then I stuffed a few springs of thyme in my flower arrangement for a nice herbal touch.... and voila! I had a cute little centerpiece for my table.

Below is the recipe for lemon herb marinated pork tenderloin, courtesy of Barefoot Contessa.

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Ingredients:
1 lemon, zest grated
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 to 6 lemons)
high quality olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
3 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard, and 2 teaspoons salt in a sturdy 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork tenderloins and turn to coat with the marinade. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and discard the marinade but leave the herbs that cling to the meat. Sprinkle the tenderloins generously with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork tenderloins on all sides until golden brown. Place the saute pan in the oven and roast the tenderloins for 10 to 15 minutes or until the meat registers 137 degrees F at the thickest part. Transfer the tenderloins to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Carve in 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. The thickest part of the tenderloin will be quite pink (it's just fine!) and the thinnest part will be well done. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm, or at room temperature with the juices that collect in the platter.

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I was quite pleased with how my pork tenderloin turned out. It was very tender and juicy, almost to the point of melting in our mouths. Yes, it was very pink in the center, but pork is SAFE to eat if cooked to an internal temperature of at least 137 degrees Fahrenheit.

(For further information on the subject of pork, please check with the National Pork Board at www.theotherwhitemeat.com)

I served my tenderloin with arugula salad & lemon dijon vinaigrette, and Summer corn goulash (I will link up those recipes soon!). It was fantastic, I must say! As my husband finished his third helping, he commented that I was a "cocina sin fronteras".....that would be a "kitchen without borders." Isn't he just the best??

Fresh Salmon Patties with Lemon Herb Cream Sauce

I have been preparing salmon for our family for several years now, but I have never ventured farther than a baked or grilled piece of whole fish alongside rice and asparagus. I remember eating salmon patties as a child and to be quite honest, I don't think I was ever crazy about them. However, my taste has changed quite drastically as an adult and so I figured it was time to put my culinary skills to the test once again and create something new! After my husband took his first bite, he told me I "hit a new high." SCORE!!! :)

After getting a few pointers from my mother and reading through several recipes, I tweaked the information into my very own recipe for salmon patties with lemon herb cream sauce.

Ingredients for Salmon Patties:
1.5 to 2 pounds fresh salmon filets
small bell pepper, diced
small yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tblsp. lemon juice
2 eggs
1.5 to 2 cups herb seasoned bread crumbs (I used Progresso)
2 cups Panko bread crumbs
2 eggs
vegetable oil
1.5 tblsp. olive oil
1 tblsp. water

Directions:
If your salmon still has skin, I would suggest NOT attempting to remove with a knife unless you completed culinary school. No need for severed limbs. So, simply place large pan on stove top and bring to high heat. Place salmon filets (skin side down) in pan and allow to cook for approximately 30 seconds or just long enough for skin to stick to pan. Using a spatula, carefully slide between salmon filet and skin. The fish should easily peel away. You do not want to cook fish, only remove the skin.
Cut or dice salmon into small chunks, maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch. In large bowl, combine salmon, bell pepper, onion, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, 1 egg, herb seasoned bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly with hands. Taking a small handful at a time, form into patties and place on a shallow pan lined with parchment paper. If the patties fall apart, you may need to add more breadcrumbs. Once your pan is lined with patties, place into freezer for 15 minutes so as to allow them to firm.
Once patties are firm, pour vegetable oil (1/2 inch or so) in saute pan and bring to high heat. While pan is heating, beat remaining egg and add olive oil & water. Set egg mixture alongside plate of Panko breadcrumbs. Take one patty, dip in egg mixture allowing excess to drip. Gently cover with Panko breadcrumbs, being sure to maintain the form of the patty. Carefully set patties in pan and cook for 3 minutes or so, until deep golden brown. Turn with spatula and cook another 2-3 minutes or until deep golden brown. Transfer patties to a paper towel covered plate to absorb remaining grease. Serve with lemon wedge and a dollop (or two or three) of lemon herb cream sauce.


Ingredients for Lemon Herb Cream Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tblsp. Italian parsley leaves, minced
1 tblsp. thyme leaves, minced
1 shallot, white & green part, minced
2.5 tblsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
ground black pepper

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in bowl. Cover and set in refrigerator to chill.

Eggs Benedict (with turkey & toast)

This morning, I was in the mood for eggs benedict. Oh, the beck and call of fresh Hollandaise sauce... I have made them the "regular" way before (with Canadian bacon and an English muffin), but today called for a little improvisation. We used sliced turkey in the place of Canadian bacon and wheat toast in the place of an English muffin. I almost think I prefer it this way. The toast seemed lighter than an English muffin and turkey is certainly healthier than Canadian bacon. It was a quick breakfast and I wasn't planning on adding it to my blog (as you can see by my use of paper plates), but it was too delicious not to share! By the way, I don't own an egg poacher, so I will give you step-by-step instructions using common items that can be found in your kitchen.

Ingredients:
eggs
wheat bread
turkey slices
1 tsp. vinegar (most recipes call for white distilled vinegar, but you can substitute - I used sherry vinegar)
bowl of cold water

Ingredients for Hollandaise sauce:
4 egg yolks
1 tblsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup butter, melted
salt & pepper

Directions:

(Hollandaise sauce) -
Using a double boiler, fill the bottom part-way with water and bring to a boil. In the top, whisk together egg yolks & lemon juice. While stirring constantly, add melted butter. (Do not stop stirring or mixture will start to clump!) Stir for approximately 20 seconds, just long enough to warm Hollandaise sauce. Remove from heat, transfer sauce to bowl and season to taste with salt & pepper. Set aside.

Cook turkey slices in pan over medium heat, just until light brown. Set aside. In a sauce pan, bring 2-3 inches of water to boil. Add vinegar and turn off heat. Working with the eggs one by one, break into small ladle or cup. With ladle at surface of water, gently drop egg into water. Once all eggs are in pan, cover for 2-3minutes. Eggs will poach from the residual heat. Meanwhile, toast wheat bread and arrange on plates. Cover bread with turkey slices. When eggs are poached, transfer with slotted spoon to bowl of cold water (this removes any vinegar taste). You can remove vinegar from the process if you like, but the vinegar helps the egg whites to congeal more easily. Using slotted spoon, transfer egg from water and gently place on top of turkey slice.

Finally, pour Hollandaise sauce over eggs. We like to add a little pepper. ENJOY!

Pesto Chicken Over Greens

Thanks to a conversation with my friend Tammi, I made my first batch of basil pesto sauce tonight. I decided to toss it with grilled chicken and serve over mixed greens for a delicious salad. I looked at several recipes before attempting my new sauce and this is what I came up with!

Ingredients for basil pesto sauce:
3 cups basil leaves
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup pine nuts
1 cup olive oil
salt & pepper to taste



Directions:
Put basil leaves, garlic, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts in blender. Slowly pour in olive oil and blend until smooth. Transfer to bowl. Add salt & pepper to taste.

You can either grill or pan saute a few boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Once thoroughly cooked, chop into chunks and mix with several (large) heaping spoonfuls of basil pesto sauce.

For the salad, I filled a bowl with Romaine lettuce. I then scooped a generous portion of pesto chicken and placed it in the middle. I dressed the salad with dried cranberries, blue cheese, red grapes, cucumbers, strawberries and croutons. Judging from the empty bowls sitting next to the kitchen sink, it was a hit!

The Little Bald Dude

For my 2 year old's birthday, I took it upon myself to create a Caillou cake topper. For anyone who has never heard of Caillou, he is a 4 year old cartoon character....with no hair. He is my Solana's absolute favorite character in the world. So, Caillou it was! Solana's cake was chocolate with homemade buttercream icing and fondant decorations. Caillou was completely made of gumpaste. All edible. It took me five hours to make him, as I had to attempt it three times -- due to the quick drying nature of gumpaste, it kept cracking on me. He was not perfect by any means, but Solana could not have loved him more.


"I'm just a kid who's four
Each day I grow some more
I love exploring, I'm Caillou
So many things to do
Each day is something new
I'll share them with you, I'm Caillou
My world is turning
Changing each day
With Mommy and Daddy
And finding my way!
Growing up is not so tough
Except when I've had enough
But there's lots of fun stuff
I'm Caillou...
Caillou, Caillou, I'm Caillou...
That's me!"

Tom Yum Soup (with coconut milk)

Ahh, Tom Yum soup. This is by far my favorite Thai dish, and is also the most popular soup in Thailand. The health benefits are excellent, as this soup has immune boosting power for cold and flu viruses.
Many recipes you will find on Tom Yum Soup will call for lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. I went to great lengths to find both of these ingredients with no luck. So, I doubled the quantity of lime juice and I eliminated the lemongrass from the recipe altogether. Perhaps someone from Thailand would notice the difference, but my family loves my improvisation just fine!



Ingredients:
6 cups chicken stock
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 red chilies, finely sliced, OR substitute 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. dried crushed chili
2-4 serrano peppers, stems removed (keep whole)
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
a generous handful of shitake mushrooms or regular mushrooms
12 medium raw shrimp, shells removed
1/2 can coconut milk
2 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lime juice
coriander
Vegetables - cherry tomatoes, broccoli, bean sprouts, or other favorites


Directions:
- Pour stock into a deep cooking pot and bring to a boil.
- Add lime juice
- Add garlic, red chilies, and mushrooms
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer 1-2 minutes.
- Add the shrimp & cook until pink, then add remaining vegetables
- Reduce heat to medium-low, add the coconut milk & fish sauce
- Stir well to combine and gently simmer until hot
- Test the soup for salt and spice (Add more fish sauce instead of salt, or more chilies as desired. If too sour, add 1/2 tsp. sugar. If too spicy for your taste or if you'd like it creamier, add more coconut milk. If too salty, add another squeeze of lime juice.)
- Serve in bowls with fresh bean sprouts & coriander sprinkled over
- For extra spicy soup, add some Thai chili sauce (as pictured on left)
- I threw a fresh lime slice and serrano pepper on top for fun :)