Hey, there.

Hey, there. Remember me? I remember you. I think of you often, but things and stuff and more things keep getting in the way of me reaching out with a new blog post. But, here I am, trying to give this a go again.

So, what is on my plate? Over the course of the past year or so, Hubs and I have developed a Sunday Brunch ritual. I am not a morning person, and unless traveling, we have never done breakfast together. But, on Sundays, Hubs' schedule usually lightens up a bit and he comes home after completing the morning feeding chores at the farm. It opens a perfect opportunity to share breakfasty foods that normally get neglected.

Today's menu was Smoked Salmon and Spinach Quiche with a hash brown crust, fruit salad (that was just odds and ends of this and that I threw together), Blueberry Muffins from Dessert for Two's Comfort and Joy cookbook, fresh squeezed orange juice (because I had a bowl of oranges on the counter starting to get hard), and iced coffee.

The star ingredient in the quiche was salmon that I had prepared in the smoker a few weeks ago. Every couple of months, I smoke whole salmon fillets, portion, wrap, and freeze to add to quiches and other egg dishes, pasta, dips, and just as an alternative to lox with cream cheese and bagels. This isn't the cold-smoked or cured salmon of lox; it is hot-smoked and cooked through. It flakes just like your dinner entree salmon fillet, but it has a delicious smoked flavor. You should be able to find similar salmon pieces near where the lox and fake crab are sold at your grocery. If not, check out some specialty markets, they have smoked salmon in a can similar to tuna. It works for this, as well.

I am not a hash brown fan, but this crust paired with the eggs and salmon is pure perfection. It is so delicious that there isn't even any cheese in this quiche. Now, if you are a purist that demands a quiche have cheese, throw some in. This time, though, I am going to pass.

Oh! And you know how I told you just a few minutes ago that Hubs' schedule eases up on Sunday? Well, the exception to that is planting season...and the second exception to that is haying season...and after that there is harvest. And, you guessed it, it is planting season. So, all of that brunch got packed up today and taken to the field. Hubs took a quick break and ate on the tailgate of my car, and we still got to brunch together.

I packed the OJ, coffee, and fruit in wide-mouth Mason jars. A pro tip would be to not pack the butter for the muffins with the warm muffins. It can melt into the dish towel before you get to the field. My cast iron pan kept the quiche warm during the journey. It wasn't piping hot, but quiche is good even at room temperature​.

So... that's what I have today: brunch. Even in all the hectic mess that has consumed my time, brunch has pretty much been a constant​, and it seems like a good place to get back to On My Plate.

Smoked Salmon and Spinach Quiche

(with a hash brown crust)

(Adapted from Country Cleaver)

2 Russet Potatoes, baked

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 ounces smoked salmon (NOT Lox)

1 cup fresh baby spinach

3-4 thin slices red onion, pulled into rings

6 eggs

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons flour

Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large skillet melt butter and olive oil over medium heat.
Shred the baked potatoes (can be baked a day ahead of time, or done in the microwave just before needed...your choice)
Add the shredded potatoes to the melted butter and oil.
Season with salt and pepper.
Spread potatoes out into a thin, even layer and allow to crisp on one side.
When browned and crispy, flip with a spatula to brown the other side.
Meanwhile, coat a medium cast iron skillet with cooking spray.
When fully cooked, press potatoes into the cast iron skillet to form a crust on the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
Arrange a layer of flaked salmon in the bottom of the crust.
Next, add half of the spinach and some rings of red onion.
Then, another layer of salmon and more spinach and onions.
Beat the eggs with the cream and flour.
Season with salt and pepper. (Watch the amount of salt that is already in he salmon.)
Pour egg mixture over the salmon and spinach in the crust.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, until set and cooked through. (Serves 6.)

In Hot Water

A couple of weeks ago, I shared Poached Salmon with Homemade Tarter Sauce over at South Dakota Magazine. Along with the recipe, I talked a little about how contributing to their website requires me to keep more of a schedule than what I do for this blog. Obviously. It has been three weeks since I had time to post anything here.

I am not going to commit the cardinal sin of bloggers and apologize for my absence. I am just going to tell you that along with a lot of wild craziness, I have been cooking, taking pics, and trying to think of things to say. When the words start screaming so loudly that I have to get them out of my head, I am sure I will be back here, On My Plate. In the meantime, South Dakota Magazine will be keeping me in hot water with deadlines that I will try to meet with more delicious recipes.

Poached Salmon with Homemade Tartar Sauce - In Hot Water

In Favor of Butter

There are some people that are shocked at my unashamed use of butter. They question the saturated fat content, bring up the issue of heart disease, and try to lure me to the world of artificial fats. Sorry. I am not going there. I love my butter.

I grew up with margarine. I don't remember real butter ever appearing on my mother's table (not to say that it might not have from time to time; the huge tubs of Country Crock are just ingrained in my brain). I was fine with margarine and even continued to use it when on my own. Then, I finally tried real butter. Nothing compares. Instead of the slabs of fake saltiness spread on my toast, just a little smear of real butter offers a perfect creamy flavor. Its richness sets baked goods apart. Real butter is the real deal for me.

That isn't to say that I just grab sticks of the stuff straight from the fridge and chow down. Ew. Everything in moderation is really the key to a healthy lifestyle. I try to eat a balanced diet of whole grains, lots of fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins. I indulge in ooey gooey treats from time to time, but I do try keep the number of doughnuts and Klondike Bars that I eat to a minimum. Really, I believe it is about moderation and not making any one item of food a villain. All life and all foods (except possibly marshmallow fluff...GAG) are to be enjoyed and savored. I truly do savor butter.

Someone else that absolutely savors butter is Paula Deen. That lady has more than earned the title of Butter Queen of the Food Network. I don't often watch her show, but I can't recall a time that I haven't seen her rolling a stick of butter from its paper wrapping into her mixing bowl. She is absolutely in favor of butter, which is what makes it so funny that when I finally decide to try one of her recipes, IT DOESN'T INCLUDE BUTTER. Truly. I was just as shocked as you.

I had salmon fillets defrosting and remembered that I had seen a couple of different Food Network chefs make Salmon Burgers. I wasn't searching for butter or Paula when I stumbled onto her recipe, but it seemed to hold promise and most importantly, used ingredients that I had on hand. After chopping the salmon and combining it with the peppers, onions, and soy sauce, the aroma from my mixing bowl tempted me to dig in right then. Instead, I formed the patties and fried them up in a little olive oil on my grill pan. Of course, I had to sample one right away without the Sesame Mayonnaise. Delish. Piling the patties on toasted whole wheat buns with the recommended sauce, lettuce, and tomato was flawless. Even a devoted butter lover like me can be incredibly happy when I have Salmon Burger with Sesame Mayonnaise On My Plate.

Salmon Burgers with Sesame Mayonnaise

Salmon Burgers

1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, diced

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds salmon filets, finely chopped

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

olive oil

8 toasted whole wheat buns

8 lettuce leaves

8 slices tomato

Sesame Mayonnaise

1 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

In a medium bowl, combine peppers, panko, garlic, and salmon.
Add beaten egg, soy sauce, lemon juice, and salt, tossing gently to combine. 
Form mixture into 8 patties.
Lightly coat a grill pan with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat.
Grill patties, 5 minutes per side, or until desired degree of doneness. 
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine all Sesame Mayonnaise ingredients. 

Spread sauce evenly over toasted buns. 

Top each with a lettuce leaf, tomato slice, and salmon patty. 

Cover with tops of buns.(Serves 8)

Taco John's Is Closed

The area Taco John's is closed. It has been for quite awhile...so long that I don't even remember when it happened. A year ago? More? Who knows. All I know for sure is that Taco Tuesday, 6-pack and a Pound, and Nachos Navidad (in season) are no longer available to clog my arteries. I must now get my Mexican fix at home. 

Not that creating homemade meals is a bad thing. After all, cooking is my passion, and, of course, most things that come out of my kitchen are infinitely tastier and more healthy than the Taco John's menu. In fact recently, a taco recipe from Food & Wine magazine caught my eye. Chipotle-Rubbed Salmon Tacos calls for simple ingredients that I almost always have on hand, and while Hubs is not a fruit salsa fan, even he had to admit that the Apple Cucumber Salsa was a perfect pairing. Both dishes earn bonus points with me for coming together quickly...almost in less time that it would have taken me to travel to the next town, hit the drive-thru of Taco John's, and return with a bag of that greasy dinner. I might even dare to say that Taco John's can stay closed when I have Chipotle-Rubbed Salmon Tacos On My Plate. 

Chipotle-Rubbed Salmon Tacos

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

2 teaspoons sugar

1 pound skinless salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces

1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

8 corn tortillas

kosher salt
1 avocado, mashed

Apple Cucumber Salsa (recipe below)

1 cup shredded cabbage

Preheat oven to 350°. 

Whisk the mayonnaise with the lime juice. 

Combine the chipotle powder with the orange zest, sugar, and season with salt to taste. 

Rub each piece of salmon with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and then with the chipotle-zest mixture. 

Let stand for 5 minutes.

Wrap the tortillas in foil and bake for about 8 minutes, until they are softened and heated through.

Meanwhile, heat a grill pan. 

Season the salmon with salt and grill over high heat until nicely browned and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.

Gently break each piece of salmon in half. 

Season mashed avocado with a little salt.

Spread the mashed avocado on the warm tortillas and top with the salmon, Apple Cucumber Salsa and the cabbage. 

Drizzle each taco with the lime mayonnaise and serve right away. (Makes 8 tacos)

Apple Cucumber Salsa

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced

1/2 English cucumber, diced

1/2 small red onion, diced

1/2 small red pepper, diced

1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

kosher salt, to taste

Toss the apple with the cucumber, onion and pepper. 

Stir in the vinegar and sugar, season with salt.

Back to Business

Hey! How I have missed you all!

More and more people are making a point of telling me how much they miss the little peeks into my personal insanity and what is On My Plate. I feel as if I have really let you all down during my unplanned hiatus. This entry could detail all that has transpired, but for now, I will just say that since my last post in October, I have experience sickness and health, life and death, chaos and calm, and bouts of cooking madness countered with frozen pizzas thrown into an oven that wasn't even preheated. Life has run the gamut for me and will probably never be the same, but it is time for me to find some balance and get back into the swing of things that are important to me...and in case you hadn't figured it out by now, food ranks pretty highly in my list of important things. Sharing it through this blog has been a surprisingly fun and enriching experience. I miss this and want it back. It is time for me to get my brain back in gear and to get back to business.

If I want my brain to pull itself from the squalor that kept me from babbling here, I need to feed it well. Salmon is a perfect brain food. High in Omega-3 and low in saturated fat, it is a smart protein choice that will only make you smarter.

I feel especially smart when I whip up Spiced Glazed Salmon. It is as simple as mixing a few simple pantry ingredients, rubbing the salmon, and roasting. That allows for a great meal and time to deal with all of the other craziness that occurs in our (my?) lives. It is easy to get Back to Business with Spiced Glazed Salmon On My Plate.

Spiced Glazed Salmon

2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon melted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine the paprika, chili powder, ancho, cumin, garlic powder, and brown sugar.
Place salmon on lightly sprayed sheet pan. (I cover mine with foil or parchment for easier clean up.)
Sprinkle the salmon with salt, then rub with spice mixture.
Combine melted butter and maple syrup; drizzle each fillet with the mixture.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until salmon flakes with a fork.
(Can garnish with chopped green onions, if desired.) Serves 4.

New Year, New Foods

There is never a down day on the farm for Hubby. Livestock can't be ignored. Even on Sundays, chores need to / have to be done. On a good day with no problems, this often takes all morning. Following this, there are usually other tasks to be completed in preparation for the work of the coming week. These days, if he is home by 2:00 or 3:00pm on a Sunday, I consider myself lucky. But, it never fails, when he arrives he is starved. It's an odd time of the day...too late for lunch, too early for dinner. Often, snacks fill up the void and then compete with any dinner I may prepare.

Today, I decided to offer something different from his usual cheese and crackers, popcorn, chips or veggies and dip, or can of soup snacks. I had seen a New York Breakfast Sandwich on a popular website, and picked up the ingredients the other day during a visit to the grocery store. It seemed a perfect Sunday brunch item, even if the clock was approaching dinner time. I thought the bright flavors would satisfy his hunger, but still be a lighter option to leave room for dinner.

Smoked salmon is not new to me. I am a major fan of bagels and lox, and sometimes even snip it into my favorite egg salad (and toss in some capers). Most every Christmas season sees me preparing a smoked salmon spread for snacking with crackers. However, until now, it has mostly been a solo indulgence for me. While I did believe that Hubby would appreciate the savory flavor, I usually prepare heartier options for meals with him. It's a new year, and I think it is time to give him some new options on his plate.

He cautiously watched me prepare the first open faced sandwich. I layered on the ingredients and refused to listen to his request to omit the paper thin slices of cucumber. A couple of slices of cucumber weren't going to make him burp any more than the Mountain Dew that he was guzzling. He took a first uncertain bite, then another, and by the third chomp, I knew that I had won him over. I had just completed my own sandwich preparations when he joined me at the cutting board to make another for himself. I think that lighter options, like the New York Breakfast Sandwich, will be appearing On Our Plates a little more often in the new year.

New York Breakfast Sandwich

8 slices pumpernickel bread
1/4 cup whipped cream cheese
8 oz. thinly sliced smoked salmon
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 English cucumber, thinly sliced
2 medium ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded, and diced
2 tsp. chopped green onions
2 tsp. capers
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Toast the bread.
Spread 1-1/2 tsp. of cream cheese on top of each slice.
Put a slice of smoked salmon, a couple of slices of onion, a slice or two of cucumber, and about 1 Tbs. of chopped tomato on top.
Sprinkle with the green onions and capers.
Season with salt and pepper. (Serves 4)

One Plate Leads to Another

Yesterday, I received an email from ArcaMax with the recipe for a Warm Salmon Salad with Crispy Potatoes. When I read that the salad used arugula (which I finally have on hand after a trip to Hy-Vee last week), I couldn't get it out of my mind. I had to make it for lunch today. I didn't have the canned salmon on hand, but did have a pouch of pink salmon that worked well in the downsized-for-one version of the recipe. The salad was remarkable! The potatoes fried up crispy on the outside and tender on the inside of the thin slices and provided a hearty balance to the slightly tangy dressed salmon and the spicy arugula greens. I was in love...so much in love that my lunch plate has led to our dinner plate.

I am preparing a simple broiled salmon fillet for dinner (with a garlic cream sauce to serve on the side) just so that I can use the leftovers to make this Warm Salmon Salad with Crispy Potatoes again for lunch tomorrow. I think it is that good. Sometimes, one plate does lead to another.

Warm Salmon Salad with Crispy Potatoes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 small “new” potatoes, cut into 1/8-inch slices
½ teaspoon salt, divided
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
¼ cup buttermilk
2 (7 ounce) cans boneless, skinless salmon, drained
4 cups arugula

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and cook, turning once, until brown and crispy, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and season with ¼ teaspoon salt; cover with foil to keep warm.

Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, shallot and vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in buttermilk. Place salmon in a medium bowl and toss with the warm dressing. Divide arugula among 4 plates and top with the potatoes and salmon. (Serves 4.)