Since most of us spend a good portion of summer holidays doing some type of cooking or grilling, I thought that this was a good time to give you some simple and fast recipes after all of the celebratory cooking. We will be making an antipasto Caesar salad, which is my favorite variation of the classic salad. Then we are cooking wild salmon with a wonderful Asian marinade and some really killer green beans. To finish, I’m going to show how to use a ready-made mix which makes a delicious dessert. The whole meal can be prepared in 45 minutes.

In This Menu:

• Antipasto Caesar Salad
• Sesame Crusted Wild Salmon with Szechuan Green Beans
• Calhoun’s Cherry Crumb Crunch

INGREDIENTS

• 1, 4 oz. log of creamy goat
  cheese

• 4 oz. hard salami, cut into thin
  strips

• 1 large Arkansas tomato, diced
• 1 head of romaine lettuce
• 1, 12 oz. can whole artichoke heart cut in half lengthwise
• 1, 7 oz. can of sliced black
  olives

• 1 cup of your favorite croutons
• ½ to 3/4 cup of your favorite Caesar dressing

PREPARATION

Place goat cheese in freezer before you begin to prepare salad. Cut romaine into 2-inch squares, wash (if necessary) in very cold water and spin dry. Place lettuce in a bowl and add the salami, tomatoes, black olives, and ½ of the croutons. Remove goat cheese from freezer and package. Cut cheese into ¼ inch dice and add to bowl. As you probably figured out, freezing the cheese makes it easier to cut and it will thaw in a matter of minutes. Add enough dressing to salad and toss to coat evenly. Divide onto four salad plates or bowl. Arrange artichoke hearts around salads and top with remaining croutons.

Serves 4

For the Salmon:

• 4 fillets wild salmon
• 4 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 cup San J Tamari Sesame Dressing

Place salmon fillets in a shallow pan with the dressing and toss to coat evenly. Let salmon marinade for at least two hours. Place salmon on baking sheet and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in a 450° oven for about 8 minutes for medium or cook to desired doneness.

For the Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.

For the Beans:

• 1 cup peanut oil
• 1 lb. fresh green beans, stems removed
• Heat oil in a large saucepan until hot for frying, 350°

Place beans in hot oil and fry, turning frequently for 3 to 5 minutes or until cooked but not limp. Drain on paper towels. Place cooked beans in the bowl with the sauce and toss to coat with sauce. Serve warm with salmon.

You will find the Calhoun mixes in our baking aisle. These are exceptional products that will help when you are in a crunch for time and need a dessert! Follow the package directions and then serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

In This Menu:

• Cioppino
• James’ Crab Dip a la the “Temp”
• Raspberries with Cream and Sugar

I first heard of this dish (the French version is called Bouillabaisse) when I was managing an excellent restaurant in Tulsa called LaCuisine. Basically, this is a fish soup or stew depending on how thick you make it. At LaCuisine we used to serve it with a thick piece of toasted French bread covered with red pepper aioli (garlic mayonnaise) and floated the bread on top. I liked the addition of the bread because it thickened the sauce which then made me think about serving the dish over a bed of pasta. I’m sure the “true” Italians would skin me alive for doing so, but I really like the way the angel’s hair soaks up the broth and gives one a feeling of having had a meal rather than a bowl of soup.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon gremolata*
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 tablespoons basil pesto
• 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
• 1 (12-ounce) can whole tomatoes
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 cups fish stock**
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ pound cherrystone clams, scrubbed
• ½ pound sea scallops
• ½ pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 pound tilapia or salmon, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 lb. angel hair pasta, cooked
• Parmesan cheese

PREPARATION

*Gremolata is simply a mixture of very finely minced lemon zest, parsley, and garlic. The Italians use it liberally boosting up the flavor of any dish they are making. Most Cioppino recipes call for garlic alone. I added the gremolata because the parsley and lemon zest give you a nice flavor “pop”. To make, remove the zest from one lemon using a zester, knife, or grater. Peel 3 garlic cloves. Pick 3 or 4 big sprigs of parsley from a bunch. Chop the three ingredients together on a cutting board until very fine.

**A light chicken broth can be substituted

Heat the oil in a very large pot over medium heat. Add the fennel, onion, tomatoes, and salt and sautè until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in the gremolata, pesto and sun-dried tomato paste. Crush the tomatoes then add them with their juices, wine, fish stock and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the flavors blend, about 30 minutes.

Add the clams and mussels to the cooking liquid. Cover and cook until the clams and mussels begin to open, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and fish. Simmer gently until the fish and shrimp are just cooked through, and the clams are completely open, stirring gently, about 5 minutes longer (discard any clams and mussels that do not open). Season the soup, to taste, with more salt and pepper.

Divide pasta into 4 bowls and ladle the soup over the pasta into bowls. Top with Parmesan and a sprinkle of gremolata and serve.

My wife’s parents own a condo in Southwest Florida on a beautiful and quaint island. There is a restaurant that has been there since the 1930s called the Temptation or the “Temp” as the locals call it. The first time I went to the Temp, I ordered the hot crab dip, which in turn started a tradition of visiting the Temp every time we go to Florida and it always includes an order of their famous crab dip! I have tried to recreate the dip, and mine is good, but it seems like I’m still missing something. I think it is the salty air and the view of the sandy beaches!

INGREDIENTS

• 12 oz. crab meat from King Crab legs
• ½ cup minced onion
• ½ cup Hellman’s Mayonnaise
• ½ cup Daisy sour cream
• Juice of one lemon
• 3 tablespoons chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown mustard
• 1 heaping tablespoon horseradish
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan cheese
• Bread crumbs

PREPARATION

Mix the first 8 ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir in the 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Pour dip into an oven proof, shallow, baking dish. Lightly sprinkle top with some bread crumbs and remaining Parmesan. Bake at 375° for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly brown on top and bubbling. Serve with toast points.

My grandmother had a house on Fremont Avenue in the middle of Springfield and I used to love to go there for the weekend. One thing I could count on in the summer was fresh raspberries. She had a big vine in her backyard and we would pick them in the morning, then she would wash them and serve in china bowls with sugar and cream. This maybe kind of old school, but heavenly!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pint of fresh raspberries
• ¼ cup of half-and-half
• 2 tablespoons sugar

PREPARATION

Split raspberries between two small bowls or glasses and pour some cream and sugar on top of each one. If desired, garnish with fresh mint.

Yep, that’s right! Winter is over and it is time to shed some of those holiday and cold weather pounds. This week’s menu is low fat and healthy, and most importantly, it tastes good! If you try and eat better and the food does not satisfy you, chances are that you will go back to your old ways.

If you are cutting carbohydrates, you can leave the bread crumb topping off of the salmon and don’t serve it with the rice. In the same manner, you can leave the croutons off of the Caesar salad. I think your kids will love the smoothie, which is also a very healthy alternative to the usual sugar-packed dessert.

In This Menu:

• Salmon with Parmesan Crust
• Simple Asparagus
• Knorr Mushroom Rice
• Low-fat Caesar Salad
• Pineapple and Strawberry Smoothie

• 4-6 oz. filets of salmon
• ½ cup Dijon mustard
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lemon

Spread a thin layer of the mustard over each piece of salmon. In a small bowl or pan, mix the bread crumbs with the cheese, salt, and pepper. Place the salmon, mustard side down into the bread crumb mixture. Press gently to evenly coat the top of salmon. Place salmon in a lightly greased baking dish, breaded side up. Bake at 400° for 10 to 15 minutes or until salmon reaches desired doneness. Salmon can be eaten medium rare and I like to cook it to the point that the middle is slightly translucent. Serve salmon with rice and asparagus.

• 2 quarts of water
• 1 large bowl of ice water
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Bring the 2 quarts of water to boil over high heat in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium. Remove rubber bands form the asparagus and place in the boiling water. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from pan and immediately plunge in ice water. When completely cooled, remove from ice water and drain well. This can be done up to 2 days ahead of time. When ready to serve, heat olive oil in a medium skillet and toss asparagus with salt and pepper until warmed through.

Follow package direction for cooking rice. Keep warm until ready to serve.

To plate:

Place ½ cup of the rice in the center of the plate, then place a piece of salmon on top of the rice. Lay 4 to 6 asparagus spears at an angle on the side of the fish. Cut 4 thin, round slices from the lemon and cut each round ½ way through. Twist the lemon rounds and place on top of fish. Squeeze remaining lemon juice over the top of fish and asparagus.

• 1 cup non-fat yogurt
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon coarse, black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon anchovy paste (optional)
• 1 bag Dole Leafy Romaine Lettuce
• 2 cups croutons (optional)

In a large bowl, mix yogurt with next seven ingredients using a wire whip. Add lettuce to bowl and toss until the lettuce is evenly coated. Top with croutons.

• 1 fresh pineapple, cored, skinned, and cut into 1″ pieces
• 2 pints strawberries, tops removed and cut in half
• 1 cup orange juice
• 3 packages sugar substitute like “Equal” or “Sweet n Lo”
• 2 cups of ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend on high speed until the ice is crushed and the texture is completely smooth.

I’ll never forget the first time I tasted fresh fish from Alaska. It was a Copper River Coho salmon and it was one of the best things I had ever tried. I soon began ordering fresh, wild salmon from Alaska every season (which started in May and ran through September) and was always disappointed when the season was over. That is until someone sent me some Steelhead salmon which are caught all the way through winter – an unbelievable fish.

INGREDIENTS

• 4, 8 oz. portions Steelhead salmon
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Pepper

For the sauce:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto (available in our Plus stores)
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot or white onion
• ¼ cup white wine
• Pinch Kosher salt
• Pinch coarse pepper

PREPARATION

Heat a grill or sauté pan until very hot. Brush fish with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Grill or sauté to desired degree of doneness. I prefer Steelhead done medium at most. Any more than that and it tends to dry out.

To make the sauce:

Combine all ingredients in a heavy bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and continue to simmer, uncovered until sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Nap sauce over fish and serve with any green vegetable and light pasta.