This and that

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Highlights of 2013

2013 has seem to come and go so fast. In a blink of eye it is over. When I look back to what I have accomplished and what I have done it seems very small and that I haven't accomplished my goals from last year. I do know that I have you my readers to thank for the continued support that you have given me this past year. I enjoy reading all your comments, I love that you are pinning my recipes and crafts. These things are what brings me pleasure, that you do enjoy my blog and what I have to offer to you. My goal over the next year is to hopefully to continue to grow, to bring you great recipes, great reviews and increase my crafts.

Roasted Salmon with Grapefruit and Avocado Salsa

Today I decided to do some major housecleaning in my kitchen. I haven't done that in a while. One of things that I have been meaning to do is move my cookbooks. I have them over the stove and they are getting mighty greasy. So, I took them down, washed all the covers (good thing they are all hardback cookbooks) and moved them so that hopefully they won't get as greasy and dirty.

Of course when I take my cookbooks down, I have to read a few of them. I found my cookbook called Weeknight Fresh + Fast by Kristine Kidd. I had bought this one a while ago at a book sale at work and really hadn't read it yet. Long story short I found this recipe for Roasted Salmon with Grapefruit and Avocado Salsa that sounded interesting. I planned on making salmon for dinner and I had a grapefruit and avocado in the fridge. Perfect....

Well this meal was fantastic. I loved the flavors of the salsa ~ tangy and sour of the grapefruit, sweet of the avocado with a hint of hotness from the peppers. It worked well with the salmon. I did have to change the recipe slightly but I think the way I did it worked. I will write the ingredients that she had and then what I used.

Roasted Salmon with Grapefruit and Avocado Salsa

Ingredients:

3/4 lb salmon 1 1/2 inch thick (I used about 1 1/4 lb)

olive oil

course kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Ancho chile powder (I didn't have this so didn't use)

fresh lemon juice from a Meyer lemon about 1/2 lemon used (I add this ingredient)

1 large grapefruit

1 small, firm but ripe avocado - pitted peeled and cubed

1/2 large jalapeno chile ~ seeded and minced (I used about 1 tsp of a hot pepper)

3 tablespoon red onion diced (I used 1/4 cup)

2 tbsp fresh cilantro minced (I used 1 tsp ground)

1 tbsp fresh lime juice (I used fresh lemon juice)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place parchment paper on small cookie sheet. Place salmon on parchment paper, skin down.

Brush flesh of salmon with olive oil.

Add salt and pepper to taste. If you have ancho chile powder add it here.

Squeeze juice of 1/2 Meyer Lemon over salmon. I just used my hand and then cut the lemon in slices and place over salmon.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 18 minutes until almost opaque in the center. (Once it is easy to flake it is done).

While salmon is cooking, peel and remove white part of grapefruit. Over small bowl, using a sharp knife cut between the membrane to remove grapefruit. Squeeze membrane to get all the juice. Cut grapefruit in small pieces.

Add avocado, hot pepper, cilantro and lemon juice. Mix gently.

To serve add salsa on salmon and enjoy.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Foodie Friends Friday ~ Best of 2013 Linky Party

This year is coming to an end and we would love to see what recipes are your best, either what you think is the best or what your viewers think are the best. I am excited to see what is your best recipes. The recipe that has had the most views in 2013 for me is my Apple Caramel Oatmeal Cookies. This is one of our favorite cookies too.

Apple and Cranberry Pork Tenderloin

Happy Boxing Day

Boxing Day is celebrated on December 26th in Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Malta, Hong Kong to name a few of the countries. It was the day after Christmas when the servants and tradesman would get their gift, known as Christmas Boxes from their bosses or employees. It is a bank day in Canada and an observed holiday. It is also considered a great shopping day, like Black Friday where stores put sales~ a great day to get some wonderful Christmas sales. It is also a day to return the gifts that you don't like or want ~ hence the name Boxing Day... possibly not really the reason for the day but it is something that I like to people when they ask me what Boxing Day is about.

So, if you are from a country that observes Boxing Day, I hope that you have a wonderful day of shopping, returning gifts, packing up your Christmas decorations, eating leftover Turkey or possibly making something new like this recipe ~ Apple and Cranberry Pork Tenderloin.

This recipe came about when I wanted to make some tenderloin, and had extra cranberries to use up. I did a search for cranberry pork tenderloin and found this recipe called Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Cranberries. As I was reading the recipe, I remember that I had my gingerbread spice from the recipe that I made for a Crazy Ingredient Challenge ~ Seared Gingerbread Tenderloin and this recipe happened. I have to apologize for pictures as they aren't very good... but we were hungry and this recipe was fantastic and we ate every morsel up. It was a recipe that we both agreed we would eat again if I made it. A sweet and tangy dish where the meat is tender and juicy.

Apple and Cranberry Pork Tenderloin

adapted from Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Cranberries

Ingredients:

1.5 lb pork tenderloin

1 apple sliced thinly (I used a gala apple as that is all I had)

1/2 -3/4 cup fresh cranberries

1 tsp gingerbread spice

1 tbsp sugar (Zulka Morena Pure Cane Sugar)

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In small roasting pan, spray with non-stick spray.

Arrange tenderloin in pan.

Slice apples and arrange around tenderloin, sprinkle cranberries over apples.

Pour apple cider vinegar over tenderloin and fruit.

Sprinkle salt, sugar and gingerbread spice over tenderloin.

Cook for 30 -40 minutes, basting about half way until thermometer reaches 155-165 degree F (per your preference).

Let sit for 5- 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Enjoy

Linked up to: You're Gonna Love it Tuesday

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Merry Christmas and Finnish Prune Tart

We woke up to a wonderful beautiful day this morning.. The sun was shining brightly and the snow was glistening...

A perfect Christmas Eve Day!

picture taken this morning.

This Christmas season I didn't do as much baking or even candy making. Last night I did make some tarts, so that we would have a little Canadian and Finn in our Christmas. I made some Butter Tarts and also some Finnish Prune Tarts called Joulutorttu. Some of the tarts I put Apricot Jam in them, along with prunes.

Finnish Prune Tarts

Ingredients:

7 oz Prunes

water to cover prunes

1/8 cup sugar

1 pkg Puff Pastry sheet

1 egg white beaten

Directions:

In small saucepan, place prunes, sugar and enough water to cover prunes. Cook on medium-low until prunes are soft and water dissipated . At this point you can blend the prunes or mash them with a fork. Set aside.

Roll out Puff Pastry and cut each sheet into 9 squares. Cut slits into each corner of each square.

Add a teaspoon of prune filling in the center of the square and fold one end of pastry to center so that it looks like a pinwheel.

Brush top with beaten egg white.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes until pastry is slightly brown.

Let cool.

Make glaze with 1/4 cup of powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp of vanilla and enough milk to make glaze runny. Pour glaze over top of tarts.

Cook's note:

You can also use apricot jam instead of prune filling. I usually make some of each.

Tray of tarts to give to the neighbors

Wishing All a Merry Christmas!

Thank you for all of your support.

Linked to these great parties:
Craft Frenzy Friday, Twirl & Take A Bow

Monday, December 23, 2013

Pretzel Salad

Pretzel Salad has been a tradition at my house for years. It wouldn't be a holiday meal without it. If there is turkey there is this salad. Over the years I have changed it slightly, using different flavours of strawberry jello like strawberry banana and I have also used raspberry jello with raspberries.

Dollar Tree Christmas Wreath

One of my favorite bloggers and friends Cynthia of Feeding Big made this wonderful Christmas wreath from using material that she bought at the Dollar Tree. I have been obsessed with the Dollar Tree and spend a lot of time going through the aisle. I buy dishes, crafts, some food items and my cleaning items from there. So when I saw her wreath I knew that I had to make one too.

By the time I got to the store a lot of the Christmas decorations where gone but I did find some. I also cheated just a little bit as I bought some of the ornaments from Walmart as they had a package with a green ornament that I wanted. I liked them as it brought a little bit of different colour then the gold and red. For my base I used an evergreen wreath that I twisted the evergreens to make them tight around the wire. This I bought from the Dollar Tree too.

Dollar Tree Christmas Wreath

I thought that I took a picture of the materials that I used but I either deleted them or put them in a file that I can't find.

Materials:
16 evergreen wreath
Assorted sizes and colour ornaments
1 sprig holly berries
ribbon to make bow - approx 1 foot in length
hot glue gun

Directions:
I twisted the evergreens around the wire wreath so that it was solid. Don't worry if some are showing as you can see some of the every green in my wreath.
Glue large ornaments to wreath with glue gun covering 3/4 of wreath. (I realized that I hadn't bought enough balls and decided to leave room for a bow.)
Continue to glue ornaments in random arrangement over the wreath. Try not to leave to many holes.
Pull holly berries off sprig and glue to bottom of the wreath. I tried to glue them all about the same distance apart.
Tie a 4 loop bow and glue to wreath where there are no ornaments.