Samurai Salmon Wrap

Difficulty Level: Easy

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Burrito cravings come often...sometimes too often. This led us to devise a healthier more nutritious take on one of our favorite foods...and BONUS this one won't leave you in a food coma! Feel free to substitute certain items as desired for your own take on this reinvented burrito. We chose whole wheat handmade tortillas, freshly grilled salmon, quinoa, avocado, fresh pico de gallo, steamed spinach, garnished with some lime and sriracha for a good kick. Turn your kitchen into you own Chipotle prep line, by preparing each food item and setting them aside in serving bowls for wraps made to individual desires.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups quinoa

2 avocados

3 filets of fresh salmon

2 limes

6 cups of spinach (pre-steamed)

2 whole tomatoes

1/2 white onion 

1 garlic clove

handmade wheat tortillas

Sriracha

1. Cook the quinoa, spinach and salmon (separately) and set aside in three separate bowls for serving.

2. Slice the avocado, sprinkle with a little salt and set aside on a plate for serving.

3. For the pico de gallo: dice the tomatoes and the onion and mince the garlic. Stir together and set aside in a serving bowl. 

4. Dig in and create your very own Samurai Salmon Wrap!

5. Enjoy!

Happy Tasting, 

Paul/a

Red, White & Blue Shortcakes

Difficulty level: Easy

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Have you ever wondered what the best dessert is to eat while watching the Olympics? Ever wonder how you could eat something that has British roots but is dominated by American pride…? We introduce to you the All-American Shortcake! The only way to feel more Olympic pride for Team USA during the summer games in London is to be eating this while high-fiving a bald eagle and Michael Phelps at the same time.

We hope you enjoy this gold-medal winner while rooting for the Red, White, and the Blue (American Style). 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup flour

2 tsps baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ tbsp sugar + extra sugar to sprinkle

2 tbsps cold butter

½ cup half and half

Strawberries – washed and sliced

Blueberries - washed

1 cup cold heavy whipping cream

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

*Kitchen Note: Using a Kitchen Aid Mixer makes life much easier.

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.  Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and ½ tbsp of sugar.

3.  Cut in the butter and mix together.

4.  Mix in the half and half, until well incorporated (this should make the consistency like drop a drop biscuit mixture)

5. Drop the mixture by large spoonfuls onto a baking sheet to make 4 separate biscuits (parchment paper helps with clean up).

6.  Sprinkle the tops with sugar (turbinado or raw cane sugar is best for this part).

7. Put the biscuits in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

8. While the biscuits are baking, mix together the heavy whipping cream and the vanilla extract in a mixing bowl.

9. Use an electric mixer, on high speed, to whip the cream to form stiff peaks (this is your homemade whipped cream).

10. Once the biscuits are out of the oven and cooled, use a fork to open the cake into two halves (top and bottom).

11. Serve the biscuit with the whipped cream and berries.

12.  Enjoy!

Happy tasting,

Paul/a

Freshly Baked

Today seemed like a perfect day (but what day isn't) to enjoy some delicious freshly baked cookies. There is no better chocolate chip cookie recipe then the one concocted by the Barefoot Contessa herself: Ms. Ina Garten. The recipe is simple, but the result is quite extraordinary. Mix this quick recipe together and 15 minutes later you are left with the most perfect balance between sweet and salty coupled with a crispy shell and and warm gooey center. The combination of these things makes these cookies impossible to resist. We've provided the recipe below for you to try them out and enjoy.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 lb unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 lbs semisweet chocolate chunks

2 tsps pure vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp kosher salt

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and the two types of sugars until they are light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time, and mix well.

3. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add it to the butter mixture. Mix on a low speed until combined.

4. Fold in the chocolate chunks.

5. Dampen your hands (so that the dough doesn't stick to them) or use a dampened rounded tablespoon to scoop the dough in to golf ball-sized rounds (about 1 1/2-inch-diameter). Place the scooped dough on the cookie sheet and flatten it slightly.

6. Bake for exactly 15 minutes.

7. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool partially on the baking sheet. Then, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely.

8. Enjoy!

Happy Tasting,

Paul/a

Happy Belated National Grilled Cheese Day!!!

We are a few days late, but we wanted to give everyone a good reason to whip up some delicious grilled cheese sandwiches this lovely Sunday afternoon! We made a couple versions of this savory sandwich, including adding fresh tomoatoes and avocado to the classic sourdough bread and swiss cheese combo. We hope you will all indulge in celebrating this belated but very important holiday!

Happy tasting,
Paul/a

Sweet Potato Grits

Difficulty level: Moderate
Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Cook time: 45-60 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Sweet potatoes are a serious super food which are as good to your taste buds as they are to your health. This starchy root vegetable is a rich source of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and dietary fiber. It is low in calories, especially when compared to other starches and contains no saturated fat or cholesterol. The sweet potato is a complex carbohydrate, which means it slowly raises your blood sugar and satiates you for longer. On a similar healthful note, grits are also a delicious and nutritious food with very low fat (about 1 gram per serving) and no cholesterol. Put these two foods together to make our sweet potato grits and you have a powerhouse in taste and nutrition.


INGREDIENTS


2 cups water
2 cups low-fat or whole milk
1 cup stone-ground grits
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
1/4 tsp ginger
1 tbsp unsalted butter
coarse salt
white pepper
pinch of ground cinnamon


1. Heat a large, heavy sauce pan to medium-high heat.


2. Combine the water and milk and bring to a gentle boil.


3. Slowly add the grits, whisking constantly.


4. Add the sweet potato and season with salt and white pepper.


5. Decrease the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until the grits are creamy and thick, about 45-60 minutes.


6. Taste the grits and sweet potato to make sure they are cooked and tender. Add the ginger, cinnamon, and butter. 


7. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and white pepper.


8. Serve immediately.


9. Enjoy!


Happy Tasting,


Paul/a

Garlic Glazed Mahi Mahi

Difficulty Level: Easy
Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook Time: 8-12 minutes
Serves: 2

Looking for a quick, delicious and healthy dinner option? Look no further than our delicious Garlic Glazed Mahi Mahi recipe. The trick to making this fish jump is in the flavoring–we used butter, garlic, lemon, shallots and white wine to create a sumptuous sauce. To add a little more punch we lightly tossed the fish in Panko bread crumbs, which gives it just the right amount of crunch. We recommend a side of fresh cooked spinach or kale, drizzled with lemon juice and garlic.


INGREDIENTS

2 mahi mahi filets (about 1lb)
3 tbsps butter
1/3 cup shallots, minced
3 tbsps garlic, minced
1/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1. Heat a pot on medium-low heat and melt butter.

2. Add the minced garlic, shallots, salt, and pepper and let cook for 6-7 minutes or until shallots become translucent. Stir consistently.

3. Add the lemon juice and white wine, continue to stir. The sauce will reduce rapidly.

4. Heat a pan on medium heat and lightly coat with olive oil.

5. Add the mahi mahi, sprinkle the Panko breadcrumbs over both sides of the filets, and pour the sauce over them.

6. Cook 4-6 minutes on each side and serve immediately. The sauce should be completely reduced by now, so simply scoop the shallots, Panko and garlic and serve on top of the filet.

7. Enjoy!

Happy Tasting,

Paul/a

Gameday Guac!

Difficulty Level: Easy

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Serves: 8

In honor of football playoff season, this week we present our Gameday Guac! This quick and easy recipe is always a fan favorite and it's pretty healthy too. This recipe was inspired by Ina Garten's guacamole from her cookbook, "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook" . We've tossed a few laterals, made it our own, and it won't be long before you are shouting it's praises--taste bud touchdown!

INGREDIENTS

4 ripe Haas avocados 

1 large tomato, small-diced

1 small red onion, small-diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 lime

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper

1. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits and scoop the flesh into a large bowl.

2. Add the lime juice, salt, pepper, garlic and onion to the avocado.

3. With a sharp knife, slice through the avocados in the bowl until they are finely diced.

4. Add the small-diced tomatoes and mix well.

5. Enjoy!

Happy tasting (and Go Niners!),

Paul/a

Follow Us On Twitter!

Hey Everybody,


We are officially on Twitter, so make sure to follow  us @tablespoonTBSP  for even more updates and foody tips! If you are already signed up on Twitter than you can just hit the "Follow Me" button on the right-hand side of this page.


Happy tasting,


Paul/a