Twisp/Wintrop

Brian and I took a little road trip and headed east for a few days. The weather was hot, the towns were VERY small and all there was to do was relax, eat, drink, read and enjoy the scenery. Just what we needed. Some tidbits...

Roasted Salmon with Green Herbs

Up here in Washington we are pretty spoiled when it comes to seafood. Last year I discovered copper river salmon. You can't go anywhere for 4 weeks without seeing signs in grocery stores, restaurants, etc. that say "Copper River Salmon Is Here!" I've never seen anything like it! So I figured this is something I need to try. What can be so great about this salmon?? Salmon is salmon. Oh no. It was so good that Brian and I practically binged on all the salmon we could get our hands on for 3 weeks straight. So here I am craving salmon and copper river salmon is not available, so I guess I'll "settle" for the other stuff. :) This recipe is from Ina Garten who I really haven't tried many recipes from so I was very happy it turned out great. 

Ingredients:

• 1 (2-2.5 pound) skinless salmon fillet (I happened to have 3 small fillets w/ skin)
• Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup minced scallions, white & green parts (4 scallions)
• 1/2 cup minced fresh dill
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
• Place the salmon in a roasting dish and season it generously with salt & pepper. Whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice and drizzle the mixture evenly over the salmon. Let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• In a small bowl, stir together the scallions, dill and parsley. Scatter the herb mixture over the salmon, turning it so that both sides are generously coated with the green herbs. Pour the wine around the fish. 
• Roast the salmon for 10-12 minutes, until almost cooked in the center at the thickest part. The center will be firm with just a line of uncooked salmon in the very center. Cover the dish lightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. 
• Serve with lemon wedges

 Sorry for the horrible picture quality...every time I actually remember to take a picture it happens to be in the awful kitchen lighting when it's dark outside.

Lately

Here are a few pictures that I have accumulated over the past month or so...

Spent some time in nature at the cabin in Chelan

Painted our front door red!

Wine tasting? Sure!

My 10 year old girl dreams came true...Brian made me a flower bracelet. Truth be told, I never learned how to make them and was a bit embarrassed that Brian whipped this one up in a matter of 5 minutes

 Saw Yann Tiersen play

 To celebrate my birthday we went on a dinner cruise in Seattle. Probably the youngest people on that whole boat and it was a little cheesy but you know what? We had a blast

I'm Back!

I just realized how long it's been since I last posted something...much too long! I guess I was feeling lazy. But I was very happy with a meal I made so I thought I'd share. 
I have always been curious about lemon chicken but never tried it because I'm not really THAT into lemon. So a whole dish bombarded with lemon just didn't really sound all that great. But here we are heading into summer and I saw this picture on pinterest and thought...hmmm that looks pretty good!

And not to mention I don't really cook chicken breast anymore because it's typically on the dry side and lacks flavor. I always use the thigh meat or roast the whole chicken. But here I am making lemon chicken breasts. And you know what? It was absolutely delicious!! Yes, it was very lemony, but it was refreshing and the meat wasn't dry at all. I couldn't believe it. For me it's a perfect summer meal. I paired the chicken with roasted rosemary potatoes and an arugula salad. 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 3 tbsp minced garlic (9 cloves)
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 boneless chicken breasts

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
• Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don’t allow the garlic to turn brown. Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 X 12-inch baking dish. (I used my dutch oven)
• Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken. (I used the lemons that I zested) 
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn’t browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices. 

Yesterday I turned 30. So I thought I would celebrate by eating this yummy meal outside in the backyard with some french wine, enjoy my own company and my birthday. It was perfectly relaxing and I feel ready to take on a new decade.
Cheers!