Feta and Tomato Salad with Lemon Mint Dressing

There is a coffee shop/bakery across the street from the restaurant where I work. The guy who runs the bakery always brings us the day old bread he cannot sell anymore, so I had an abundance of delicious bread I needed to use. My favorite thing to do with it was make croutons. They ended up being perfect for this recipe.

Salad
half a loaf of yummy crusty bread (i used ciabatta, but sourdough would work too)
3 large tomatoes, diced into large pieces
2 large heads romaine lettuce torn and washed.
1 container of crumbled feta

cut the bread into 1 inch cubes, and toast in the oven at 350 until crisp and toasted.
combine all ingredients in a bowl

Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
2tbs red wine vinegar
1tbs lemon juice
1tbs mayo
about 4 or 5 sprigs dried mint, crumbled. If you roll in in your palms it breaks down nicely
slightly less than 1 tbs honey
salt and pepper
whisk dressing until well combined and pour over the salad, toss the salad with tongs until everything is well coated. Serve immediately.
The feta combined with the lemon and mint is perfect for summer.

Glazed Salmon with Brown Butter Fingerling Potatoes and Bacon Brussel Sprouts

Maple, Honey, and Hoisin Glazed Salmon

Fresh Salmon
2 tbs each of Maple Syrup, Honey, and Hoisin Sauce
Salt to taste
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Ginger Powder
1tsp Siracha hot sauce

Mix all of the ingredients together and brush onto the fish. Bake at 350 for approx 15 minutes depending on the size of your filets. Re-apply the glaze once or twice during cooking.

Brown Butter Potatoes

1 lb fingerling potatoes cut in half length wise
fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves
2-3 tbs butter

Boil the potatoes until tender. Dice the garlic and remove the thyme leaves from the stem. Put the garlic, butter, and thyme over low/medium heat and cook until the garlic is slightly browned and the butter has turned a golden brown color. Toss the butter mixture over the potatoes and salt and pepper to taste

Bacon Brussel Sprouts

1lb brussel sprouts
4 slices bacon, chopped
1/4 cut red onion chopped
olive oil

slice the sprouts in half. Cook the butter and onions together until bacon just begins to render. Toss the sprouts in olive oil and salt and pepper. Spread onto baking sheet. Add the bacon and onion mixture to the baking sheet and toss all together. Cook on 350 for about 15-20 minutes then increase temp to 450 and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes until bacon is crisped. Enjoy!!

Easy Grilled Pork Tenderloin

So pork tenderloin is super easy to cook and pretty healthy and cheap. enjoy

1 pork tenderloin
3 cloves garlic, cut into "sticks"
rosemary
thyme
olive oil
balsamic vinegar

Poke holes in the pork tenderloin with a thin knife. Take the garlic sliced into sticks and shove it into all of the holes you have made. Rub the pork with S & P, rosemary, and thyme. Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar so coated and let sit a couple or hours or overnight. Cook on a grill until just done, don't overcook it or it will get dry!!
Let the pork sit about 5 minutes after removing from the grill and slice to serve.
Serve with your favorite sides or it is also delicious on sandwiches or in a panini.

The Best Salad Ever

so this recipe is courtesy of my Aunt Judi, she is the best at cooking

cleaned and torn romaine, use the green part more so than the hard white part and make sure it is very clean and very dry
approx 2 cloves pressed garlic, (the garlic you use will depend on how much salad you are making)
about 1 cup grated parmesan (do not use the crap from a plastic shaker you buy already grated)
olive oil
balsamic vinegar

before you put the romain in the salad bowl rub the pressed garlic along the sides of the bowl.
add lettuce and TOSS THE SALAD TILL THE GARLIC IS WELL MIXED.
add about a large salad serving spoonful of olive oil, TOSS VERY WELL.
add more oil if necessary
add balsamic vinegar, about on spoonful and TOSS VERY WELL.
add parmesan cheese, TOSS VERY WELL.
The dressing should be very light and the parmesan should coat every leaf. Clearly they key is to toss it well. Enjoy!

Green Beans with Lemon Zest, Feta, and Mint

This is the perfect way to do green beans in the summer time

Green beans, trimmed, however much you are cooking for
zest of 1 lemon
chopped mint
1/4-1/2 cup crummbled feta cheese, depending on how many beans you are cooking
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped

heat oil in a pan
saute the beans in the oil, then add garlic
when almost done add the mint and lemon zest, toss through a couple times
when beans are done (darker green yet still very crisp) add the feta and toss through then serve immediately.

BBQ Burgers with Slaw

A different way to enjoy a classic burger

Burgers:
1 lb lean ground beef
your favorite BBQ sauce
liquid smoke, a tiny capful
thick cut cheddar cheese slices
buns, of course
Slaw:
1 bag cole slaw mix
1/2 cup light mayo
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tbs dijon mustard
2 tbs sugar
1 tbs lemon juice

Mix burger meat with BBQ sauce, liquid smoke (USE SPARINGLY) and whatever else you prefer in your burger mix (A1, worsteshire, steak seasoning, etc).
Form patties and cook to your liking over a charcoal (preferably) grill.
When almost done add cheese until just melted

To make the slaw simply mix all ingredients together and refridgerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Toast the buns and stack the burger pattie with some cole slaw and extra bbq sauce. Or if you like your cole slaw on the side do it the lame way. Like a pulled pork sandwich but a burger!! Serve with fries or your favorite southern side.

Veal Scallopini with Lemon Butter Sauce and Roasted Peppers

So I made this for Barret his last night in town because he is my hubby :) I wish I had a picture to share.

Veal Scallopini
approx. 4-6 ounces of meat per person
1/2 cup flour for dredging
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 lemon
3/4 cup white wine
2 tbs butter
2 tbs olive oil

Pound the veal cutlets to about 1/4 inch thin
Mix the flour, salt and pepper, and parmesan
coat the veal cutlets in flour mixture, make sure they are well coated
melt butter and olive over medium/high heat and when nice and hot add the veal to the pan
sear until brown then flip once and sear other side. THE KEY IS NOT TO OVERCOOK THE VEAL, IT WILL GET TOUGH AND TASTELESS.
when done remove veal from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm

To make sauce add more butter to the pan and let melt, then add the lemon juice and white wine, and a pinch of salt. heat until just boiling and the sauce begins to thicken.
To serve spoon sauce over the veal and enjoy!!

Roasted Peppers
the sweetness of peppers went perfectly with the veal and they are so easy to make.
3 peppers, your choice of color, red or yellow or orange go best
olive oil
seasoning of your choice
Heat oven to 400
Cut peppers into about 1 inch pieces and toss with olive oil and seasonings
Roast for about 15-25 minutes or until tender
Enjoy!