Half Assed Kitchen

Smoked salmon pasta

This year we pulled out a smoked salmon on Christmas Eve and noshed on it. The filet was huge, though, and we ended up with leftovers. Not people to waste a perfectly great and extremely spency fish, we combed the internet looking for how to use smoked salmon other than smearing it on crackers with cream cheese.

Of course, we ran across Elise's recipe for smoked salmon pasta at Simply Recipes. She has everything on her site. And it all tastes delicious!

The credit for this smokey, savory concoction goes to her, with just a few tiny modifications made by us.

Rating: Truly 1/2 assed

Here's what you need and how to do it

8 ounces pasta

1/4 cup pine nuts

2 Tablespoons oil (canola, grapeseed, or olive)

1/2 cup shallots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup cream (we used Silk non-dairy creamer)

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons lemon zest, divided in half

3 Tablespoons capers

1/2 cup dry white wine (like chardonnay)

Handful of fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon dried dill

4-6 ounces smoked salmon, broken into bite-sized pieces

Black pepper

Salt

1 cup of pasta water, set aside after pasta is done cooking

In a medium to large pot, heat water to boiling. Add pasta and cook until al dente (fork tender but not mushy).

Meanwhile, roast the pine nuts by spreading them across a skillet and cooking at medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Make the sauce by adding oil to another skillet (or waiting until the pine nuts are done and using that same skillet), heating to medium, adding shallots and garlic and cooking for 2 minutes, then putting in white wine, lemon juice, capers, and half of the lemon zest.

Let cook down by half. Then add cream and heat through.

Drain pasta (saving 1 cup of the liquid). Add pasta to sauce. Add in pasta water (little by little) if mixture seems dryish.

Add salmon, pine nuts, dill, parsley, and last Tablespoon of lemon zest. Season with black pepper (preferably freshly ground) and salt if desired.

For a printable version of this recipe, go here.

Bruschetta

We've been wanting to make bruschetta for a long time. Like forever. We don't know what was stopping us. We've done tomato, basil, mozzarella skewers as well as caprese salad and other variations on the tomato/basil combo.

Recently we've been perusing The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen and came upon a bruschetta recipe. We thought, Let's do this!

So, we finally did.

Our recipe is a variation on the one found in the book. Served on thick slices of toasted sourdough bread, it was gobbled up within hours.

Here's what you need and how you do it

Effort required: Truly 1/2 assed

2-3 medium sized ripe tomatoes (or 4 to 5 plum/roma tomatoes), chopped

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped

1/3 cup basil, finely chopped

1-2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients together in bowl. Let sit for an hour to blend flavors. Drain if necessary.

Serve on toasted bread of your choice.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Forget to thaw your turkey?

Photo courtesy My Recipes/Sunset

Here are some links for getting that bird ready to cook.

The USDA has a great list of charts and instructions, as well as ample advice about handling your poultry safely.

TLC says you can cook your turkey frozen, even if you forgot to thaw it. Just make sure you allow a lot of extra oven time.

Find out the proper way to carve your turkey from the New York Times.

And, finally, our absolute favorite turkey recipe that has never, ever failed us is Martha Stewart's. Hint: It's all in the cheesecloth.

Skillet fried bok choy

We've recently discovered how delicious baby bok choy can be when sautéed in garlic- and ginger-infused oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Also known as Chinese cabbage, bok choy is rich in Vitamins A, C, and folate and a one-cup serving only has only 10 calories. Of course, when you add oil, the caloric count goes up. But so does the tastiness.

We adapted our recipe from the spectacular Steamy Kitchen and it makes a quick and super nutritious side.

Effort required: Truly 1/2 assed

Here's what you need and how you do it

Several small bunches of baby bok choy (we use 3 to 4)

2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated (do you have a microplane yet? If not, put one on your Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa list. The best kitchen tool for grating and zesting ever!)

Salt and pepper

Sesame oil, optional

Heat oil, garlic, and ginger in a skillet or wok until garlic and ginger turn slightly golden. While it's heating, chop the very bottom off each bok choy bunch. It's okay to separate leaves or leave the bunches intact.

When oil is heated, add bok choy, and coat with oil by turning with tongs. Let cook on medium high until leaves are slightly wilted (3 to 4 minutes).

Remove from heat and, if desired, drizzle with a little sesame oil.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Poached salmon with mojito sauce

We've been looking for a great salmon recipe to give you. All the rubs and marinades we've tried recently have not thrilled us. A few weeks ago, we picked up Trader Joe's Mojito Salmon. We liked it, but thought we could do it better ourselves. So here is our copycat recipe.

This mojito sauce adds a ton of savory zing to salmon and could be used on any fish. If you go with a flaky white fish, you may need to roast it rather than poach, as we don't know how it will hold up in roiling water.

Effort required: 3/4 assed (but it's tasty and extremely healthy!)

Here's what you need and how you do it

1-1/2 to 2 pounds salmon (King, Sockeye, or other fish)

8 tomatillo peppers

1 Tablespoon canola oil

1/2 red bell pepper, minced

1 shallot, minced

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Splash of apple or orange juice

Juice from 1 lime

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

Black pepper

Fill shallow pan or skillet half way with water. Wash salmon fillets, add to water and bring to boil. Lower heat, cover and let simmer 20 minutes or until salmon is cooked through.

In the mean time, heat a sauce pan of water to boiling and add tomatillos. Boil about 10 minutes, or until skin peels off easily and peppers are very soft.

While salmon and tomatillos are cooking, heat canola oil in a small skillet. Add red pepper and shallot and cook until vegetables are softened. Add salt, pepper, apple juice, and lime juice.

When tomatillos are done, peel off skins, and chop the peppers. They will be mushy. Add tomatillos to red pepper/shallot mixture. Stir until all is heated through. At the very end, add mint and cilantro.

Serve sauce over warm salmon. Should be enough for 4 adults.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

 

Sausage, onion, and roasted potato hash

We hit upon this satisfying, comforting combination one night while frantically searching for dinner ideas. You know that scramble, right? The, oh-crap-it's-5:30-and-the-hungry-beasts-will-descend-any-minute panic. Yeah.

So we threw all this together. It was so good and easy, we made it again two nights later. We're now adding it to our regular rotation.

You can change the flavor/spiciness factor depending on what kind of sausage you choose. We went with a mild sun-dried tomato chicken version, but a hot Italian might elevate this to fantastico! (Note our restraint. We are not making a joke about sausages and hot Italians).

Effort required: Truly 1/2 assed. Truly!

Here's what you need and how you do it:

1 package pre-cooked sausages, sliced into thin coins

Olive, canola or grapeseed oil

1 medium onion sliced thinly

1 pound small potatoes, chopped into quarters

Salt

Pepper

Thyme (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Microwave potatoes for 5 to 8 minutes to par-cook them. This will greatly reduce the time required to roast them.

Arrange par-cooked potatoes on a cookie sheet and spray or brush lightly with oil. Sprinkle with salt (course salt if you have it). Put in oven and cook for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes start to turn golden.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil in pan and add onions and sausages. Cook until onions are soft and sausages are heated and preferably a little crispy on the outside.

Grind pepper over sausages and onions and add thyme if using.

When potatoes are done, toss all ingredients together and serve.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Pineapple upside down cake

We know we should be posting apple crisps and pumpkin tarts right about now, but frankly, our heads are still a little stuck in Hawaii, where we spent a good chunk of August (we know, you can hate us.)

While there, we attended a luau and had succulent kalua pig, haupia, and pineapple upside down cake. For weeks after we came home, our son begged us to recreate the upside down cake.

Upon locating a recipe that sounded good, we set about baking and adapting.

And then...and then...we lost the recipe and can't remember how we did it.

We're sorry.

To make amends, we're linking to a few pineapple upside down cakes that sound decadently delicious.

Here's Paula Deen's take on PUC. As you might expect, lots of eggs and buttermilk.

We like the looks of this Duncan Hines version because, hello!, cake mix.

Nigella Lawson discusses how uncouth, but delicious, pineapple upside down cake is in this video.

Amazon even sells a pineapple upside down cake pan.

So go forth and try this old-fashioned, un-chic cake. And let us know how it turns out.

Lentil Shepherd's Pie

This is a hearty vegetarian take on traditional shepherd's pie.

A meal that was necessary we whip up. It's extra rainy and cold here in Seattle again. Time for comfort foods that contain lots of potatoes and preferably some gravy.

If you're looking for a meal low on fat but high on stick-to-your-ribsedness, this is for you.

Effort required: 3/4 assed

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 large onion, chopped

3 large carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 cups crimini/button mushrooms, sliced

2 Tablespoons canola oil

2 cups cooked lentils (follow directions on bag, or buy pre-cooked)

1 cup garbanzo beans

1/2 cup mushroom, veggie or chicken broth (which obviously renders this non-vegetarian)

3 Tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh parsley

 

For Mashed Potato Top:

2-3 russet potatoes, cut into chunks, peeled if desired

1 Tablespoon butter

Splash of milk

 

Cook potatoes in boiling water for 20 to 25 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain. Mix in butter and milk. Then mash with handheld mixer until smooth.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a little canola oil, sauté onions, carrots, celery, and mushrooms in skillet until carrots are close to soft. In a large bowl, mix lentils, garbanzo beans, and onion-carrot-celery-mushroom combination.

Whisk flour in with broth. Pour into bowl with other ingredients.

Add thyme, salt, pepper, and parsley.

When mixed, spread into pie plate. Top with mashed potatoes.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Would be delicious with Spinach Apple Salad.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Roasted potatoes with truffle oil

We realize that truffle oil isn't something everyone has lying around the house. It requires a trip to a fancy grocery store, or at least a fancy aisle of a normal grocery store. It also requires a small investment. We think our teensy bottle cost something like $12.

In case you didn't know, according to our exhaustive research, truffle oil doesn't come from the actual fungus from which it's named. It's actually made of chemicals that impart the taste and aroma of real truffles.

That kind of sucks.

But it doesn't change the fact that truffle oil is delicious. So, if you can get your hands on some, do. We also love it sprinkled over popcorn.

This recipe came from Elise of Simply Recipes. The combination of ingredients is fairly standard, but we like to give credit to our inspirations, and she's been an inspiration to us for a long time.

Rating: 1/4 assed

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 pound small potatoes (white, red, purple, etc.), cleaned and chopped into bite-sized chunks

1 medium onion, sliced thinly

Several Tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

Generous drizzle of truffle oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spread potatoes across a rimmed cookie sheet or baking dish. Add onion, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat.

Bake for 45 minutes or until potatoes are golden and tender.

Drizzle truffle oil over the top, stir and serve.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Pumpkin pie crockpot pudding

We saw this on Shine a few days ago and knew instantly that the pumpkin pie pudding had to be ours. It's creamy and spicy/sweet. So satisfying. Pumpkin pie without the crust. We made a few modifications since we try not to buy Bisquick anymore. And it was spectacular. A must make for this fall.

Effort required: Truly 1/2 assed (dump all ingredients into the slow cooker and go)

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 15-ounce can mashed pumpkin

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk (or regular/rice/soy milk)

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup biscuit/baking mix OR 1/2 cup flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt mixed

2 eggs, beaten

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

2-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice OR the equivalent of cinnamon, ginger, and allspice

2 teaspoons vanilla

Whipped cream/topping (optional)

Lightly oil inside of crockpot. Combine all the ingredients except whipped topping in a large bowl. Transfer to slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, or until pudding is somewhat set and temperature hits 160 degrees.

Serve with whipped topping sprinkled with cinnamon. Mmmm.

For a printable version of this recipe, go here.