A Lobster Boil!

A couple weeks ago we were invited to our very first Lobster Boil!  We had only attempted to attack a whole lobster once before, and while it was a lot of fun, I think we had massacred the lobster more than we got to actually eat the poor things.  As a result we were really looking forward to learning the 'correct' way to enjoy a full lobster and get to see some friends that we hadn't seen in a while.

The set-up was impressive! There were two large coolers full of lobsters, I couldn't believe it. It was quite a sight for us newbies.

Smoked Salmon Wrap

Close by where I work there is a little cafe that serves fresh soup, sandwiches, salads and pasta that is prepared daily. My favourite things to order when I decide to treat myself there are the wraps.  They are massive, grilled to perfection in the panini press, and full of fresh vegetables.


Right now my favourite thing is their smoked salmon wraps. They are amazing!


When we received several cans of tasty smoked salmon recently (straight from BC!) I knew I had to re-create the flavours of that wrap at home. I just love how all of these flavours come together!

This makes four wraps.


Smoked Salmon Wraps

• 400 grams smoked salmon
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• cream cheese
• mixed greens
• raspberry vinaigrette 
• 4 whole wheat tortillas or pita bread

1. Spread some cream cheese on each of the wraps
2. Add 1/2 to 1 cup mixed greens each, and top with the sliced red bell pepper
3. Top with the smoked salmon and drizzle on the raspberry vinaigrette
4. Wrap it up, and enjoy!

Note: If you have a panini press, definitely finish it off in there. The wraps are amazing when they have that little crunch from the panini press

Lemon Dill Salmon - baked in parchment!

The other night a girlfriend (who just got engaged recently! woohoo!) and I had a hot tub evening to catch up and we decided to do dinner as well.  I grabbed some salmon on my way through the grocery store and had no clue what I was going to do with it until I got home.


I had seen a couple recipes online that had baked salmon in parchment in order to keep it moist, and I thought that would be perfect because then I could top the salmon with some fresh lemon slices and not have to worry about them charring under the broiler.

I placed each piece of salmon on a piece of parchment and then topped them with some salt and pepper, dill, and fresh slices of lemon.  I then wrapped it all up into a little package, baked them for 20 minutes at 425 F (my oven is running excessively hot lately, so 450 F would probably be perfect in a normal oven) and out came delicious and perfectly moist salmon!


So for this meal, the original recipe is from me! Since we were so busy visiting, I only got the two pictures of our main dish before we gobbled it up.


Lemon Dill Salmon - baked in parchment

• 2 pieces of salmon (individual portions)
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 2 tsp fresh dill
• salt and pepper to taste
• parchment paper

1. Preheat the oven to 425 - 450 F and lay out two pieces of parchment (about 16" x 16" each)
2. Place each piece of salmon on a square of parchment each, and sprinkle with salt and pepper
3. Evenly sprinkle the dill over each piece, and then top with the lemon slices
4. Fold over the sides of the parchment over each piece of salmon, and then close it up tight
5. Place on a baking sheet, and bake for about 20 minutes or until salmon flakes when pulled by a fork
6. Enjoy!

Baked Crab Dip

The other day I was baking up a storm, and realized I had missed lunch completely! My house was over-run with sugar, so I was on the hunt for something on the savoury side.


I remembered this recipe (Baked Crab Ragoon) was sitting on my 'to-try' list after I had see it on mybakingaddiction.com.  My won ton wrappers were in the freezer, and I wanted something delicious asap, so I decided to bake up a dip instead!

This was not only ridiculously easy to make, but it was delicious! Such a perfect appetizer, snack, or in my case lunch! I cut up some corn tortillas and baked them to have something to dip with, and the worked perfectly.


I'm definitely making this again, and soon! 


Since I was home alone when I made this, I had quite a bit leftover.  This made an excellent toasted sandwich the next day with some lettuce, yum!

Baked Crab Dip

• 1 can crab meat (about 6 oz)
• 125 g cream cheese (1/2 a package) (I used light and it worked great)
• 2 tbsp light mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce
• 2 tsp chopped green onion
• pepper
• smoked paprika

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F
2. Drain the crab meat and roughly chop it up
3. Place the crab meat, cream cheese, mayonnaise, hot sauce, chopped green onions, and some pepper in a bowl and mix well
4. Place the dip in an oven-safe dish, and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until cooked through
5. Sprinkle with smoked paprika before serving
6. Serve with crackers or chips to dip!
7. Enjoy!

Fish Tacos with Lime Coleslaw

Here is a quick and easy dinner that can convince you that it is finally spring outside!  This was so easy to throw together, and it made for an awesome lunch the next day too.


These remind me of the delicious meals we had in Mexico, oh how I miss the sun and sand!


I found this recipe on eatingwell.com, and it will definitely be made again in this house!

You can use any type of mild fish in this recipe.  They recommend mahi-mahi or halibut, but all I usually have available in the grocery store at this time of year is tilapia or cod and those work great.

After you rub the fish with the spices, you can whip up the coleslaw, set the table, and the fish is already ready to cook!


This coleslaw is delicious on it's own too.  The tangy flavour would go over really well at any summer BBQ

Fish Tacos with Lime Coleslaw

• 2 pieces of mild fish
• Spice rub for the fish:
• 4 tsp chili powder
• Juice of 1 lime (or 2 tbsp lime juice)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• Lime Coleslaw
• 3 cups shredded cabbage (I used a bag of prepared coleslaw mix)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp sugar
• dash of salt
• pepper to taste
• Corn tortillas

1. Combine all of the spices, lime juice, and olive oil in a small bowl. 
2. Generously rub the fish with the spice mixture and then let the fish sit for about 20 minutes
3. Combine the mayo, sour cream, lime zest and juice, sugar, salt, and pepper in a bowl.  
4. Mix the dressing with the cabbage and place in the refrigerator until the fish is ready
5. When ready to cook, head up a frying pan over medium-high heat, and when hot add the fish
6. Cook for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through
7. When cooked, remove fish from the frying pan and chop it into large pieces
8. To serve, place some lime coleslaw in a corn tortilla and top with the tasty fish
9. If you like, you can also top these with salsa, avocados, cilantro, etc
10. Enjoy!

Spicy Broiled Salmon

When we came back into town on Sunday we were famished but didn't want to eat out.  We picked up some salmon on our way home and I quickly found this amazing marinade on allrecipes.com. I made some changes based on what we had in the house, and it was great!


This marinade was quick to make, and was perfect with the salmon. I let it marinate for about an hour as we unpacked, and it was ready to go! I love when a slightly spicy flavour is paired with salmon.

I served this with some sauteed asparagus, and made some quick 'garlic bread' with some buns that I buttered, sprinkled with garlic powder, and threw under the broiler during the last few minutes that the salmon cooked.  This marinade would easily be enough for 4 generous pieces of salmon.


Spicy Broiled Salmon

• 2 salmon fillets
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup soya sauce
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 4 green onions, white and green parts chopped
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp salt

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, soya sauce, vinegar, green onion, brown sugar, ground ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, and salt
2. Place the salmon in a glass dish, and pour the marinade on top
3. Cover and let marinate for at least one hour, flipping after about 30 minutes
4. When ready to cook, cover a cookie sheet with tin foil and turn on the broiler
5. Place the salmon on the prepared cookie sheet, and discard the marinade
6. Broil for 8 - 15 minutes (depending on the thickness of the salmon), until the fish is cooked through
7. Enjoy!

Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon & a Cucumber Salad

Today is a special day, two recipes in one post! It is almost like getting something on sale, and who doesn't love a great sale?


The salmon is quick and easy, and the same goes for the cucumber salad.  Both of these recipes are from the eatingwell.com website, and I will definitely make both of them again!

The salmon marinade is perfect for 4 pieces of salmon, and the cucumber salad can be prepared while the salmon marinates and cooks! This is a great (and healthy) weeknight supper.


Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon

• 1 green onion, diced
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1 lb of salmon, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

1. Mix together the green onion, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and ginger
2. If the salmon has skin on it, remove the skin and discard
3. Place the four pieces of salmon in a bag, and add about 3 tbsp of the marinade
4. Place the salmon in the refrigerator to marinate, and put the rest of the sauce aside for now
5. While the salmon marinates, pre-heat the broiler and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, and spray the paper/foil with baking spray
6. After the salmon has marinated for about 15 minutes, place it on the prepared baking sheet (and discard the marinade that was in the bag with the salmon)
7. Broil the salmon for about 8 - 12 minutes, or until cooked through
8. While the salmon is broiling, prepare the cucumber salad (below) and toast the sesame seeds (you will also need to toast 2 tbsp of sesame seeds for the cucumber salad, so you might as well toast them all at once :D)
1. Note: to toast the sesame seeds, place them in a dry frying pan that has been heated on medium on the stove top. Shake the sesame seeds around for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown
9. When the salmon is done, spoon some of the remaining marinade on top of the salmon, and sprinkle on some sesame seeds

Cucumber Salad

• 1 large seedless cucumber, or two medium seedless cucumbers
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds (see above recipe for how to toast the sesame seeds)

1. Peel the cucumbers in sections, to leave stripes down the length
2. Slice the cucumbers into very thin slices, and place the slices on paper towels to remove the excess moisture
3. Mix together the rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and toasted sesame seeds in a medium bowl
4. Add the cucumber slices, mix together, and serve immediately with the salmon
5. Enjoy!

Cedar Planked Salmon with a Maple Glaze

If there is one thing that always tastes amazing on the BBQ, it is salmon! We bought some cedar planks at the grocery store at the beginning of this summer, and have been on the lookout for a good recipe for salmon to use them with.  We found this on epicurious.com, and the original recipe can be found here.


The glaze was really easy to make, and the leftover glaze makes an awesome sauce to put on top of your salmon and any veggies you are having with it.  We cut our salmon into pieces before glazing and cooking it, because we wanted to get as much of that delicious glaze on each piece as we could!

Cooking with the cedar plank was really neat, and gave the salmon an extra dimension to the flavor that was so good!  I think next we are going to try cooking our veggies on a cedar plank to try to infuse that yummy flavor into them as well.

We served our salmon with grilled asparagus and some perishke's that we had picked up at the farmer's market that day.  The remaining glaze was delicious on our asparagus as well.


Cedar Planked Salmon with a Maple Glaze

• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1 tbsp grated gingerroot
• 4 tbsps lemon juice (with 1 tbsp set aside)
• 3 tbsps soya sauce
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• untreated cedar plank
• 2 to 2 1/2 pound salmon filet, with our without skin

1. Soak your cedar board in water for half an hour
2. In a small saucepan, bring the first 5 ingredients to a bowl (leaving the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice aside for now), and then let it simmer on low for about half an hour
3. Place your soaked cedar board on the grill for a couple minutes to heat up
4. While the cedar board is heating up, cover the salmon (skin side down, if it has the skin on it) with about half of the glaze.
5. Transfer the glazed salmon to the cedar board, and cook until the salmon flakes apart with a fork (cooking times vary depending on the thickness of the salmon)
6. While the salmon is cooking, heat the remaining glaze again and add the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice to make the sauce
7. Enjoy on a patio in the warm sun!