orange pineapple teriyaki salmon

as part of my new job as super nanny, i have taken on the role of house cook (i won’t call myself a chef until i have the degree).

i really lucked out with these kids – they will eat just about anything. as was making this last night the 4-year-old exclaimed “I LOVE SALMON!” i almost choked. when i was 4 i’m pretty sure i was throwing a hissy fit on my kitchen floor (probably half naked) screaming for more french fries. these kids are saints.

i got this recipe from cooking light. it’s so so easy to make that you probably have most of the ingredients in your cabinet already. serve it with some brown rice and lemon green beans.

ingredients:
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon orange zest
6 oz pineapple juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 6oz salmon filets
evoo

directions:

combine first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan over high heat. bring to a boil. reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 15 minutes). set aside.

preheat oven to 400 degrees.

heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. season salmon with salt and pepper on both sides. add fish to hot pan and cook 3 minutes. turn fish over and place in oven. bake at 400° for 3 minutes. remove from oven and brush 1 tablespoon sauce over each fillet. return to oven, and cook 1 minute or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

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steamed asian chicken packets

cooking chicken in foil "steam packets" is one of my favorite go-to weeknight dinners. it produces great results every time and the chicken always comes out perfectly moist. it's easy and really versatile. you can add whatever seasonings you're feeling that day - whether it be tex-mex, greek, italian, etc..  you can also add whatever vegetables want (or do as i did and use up whatever you have in the fridge). the chicken will take on whatever flavors you give it. i went for an asian theme and served it over brown rice. simply perfection.

ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
red pepper flakes (you be the judge)
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
assortment of vegetables - bell pepper, carrots, onions, water chestnuts, snow peas

directions:
heat oven to 350 degrees. in a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, garlic cloves, honey, ground ginger, dark sesame oil, and red pepper flakes.

tear off 2 sheets of aluminum foil that are large enough to wrap each around chicken individually. place your assortment of veggies in the middle of foil. top with chicken. drizzle half of marinade over chicken/veggies and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top. gather foil loosely around chicken and fold over to seal. repeat with second piece of chicken. place foil packets on cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

remove from oven and let cool for a couple minutes. be careful when peeling apart and use oven mitts to protect hands from hot steam. serve over brown rice with a drizzle of soy sauce.

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sweet & tangy meatballs

this normally isn't like me - but i have another asian recipe coming your way! i made these meatballs for my friend's bridal shower this weekend (that post is coming later) as an appetizer. i turned the leftovers into a weeknight dinner by adding brown rice and some veggies. theses little guys were extremely flavorful, moist, and sweet with a kick of spice. the best part is that you cook these in the slow cooker so there is really no cooking involved!

adapted from my recipes
ingredients:
1 lb ground beef, turkey or pork
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
3 scallions, chopped
1 egg
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup bbq sauce
1/4 cup chinese plum duck sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons hot chili garlic sauce
sesame seeds, for garnish

directions:
combine meat, panko, scallions egg, soy sauce, ginger and garlic in a large bowl. mix with your hands and form into 1-inch balls.

spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. add meatballs.  in a small bowl, whisk together bbq suace, plum duck sauce, hoisin and hot chili garlic sauce. pour over meatballs and gently stir, making sure to coat each one. cover and cook on low for 3 to 5 hours.

serve over brown rice and your favorite green vegetables - i chose a medley and added a little soy sauce to both. garnish meatballs with sesame seeds and eat up.

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asian chicken pizza

i found this recipe over at stephanie's cooks.  my roommates are pretty obsessed with anything asian-flavored so i decided to try this pizza out on them. i ended up tweaking the recipe a little bit to make the sauce a little thicker. i think next time i would add a vegetable to balance things out - maybe red pepper strips or broccoli - but overall it was really delicious. i added a lot of red pepper flakes, so use your own judgment here.

ingredients:
pizza dough ( i always buy the trader joes brand)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 1/2 tablesoon. honey
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup mozzarella cheese
evoo
sesame seeds (optional)
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon water

directions:
preheat the oven to 450.

roll out pizza dough onto baking sheet. drizzle with evoo and cook for 5 minutes. remove from oven and set aside.

meanwhile, combine red pepper flakes, soy sauce, honey, and vinegar. heat skillet over medium-high heat with evoo. add chicken and cook about 5-7 minutes, until fully cooked through. remove from pan and set aside.

pour the sauce mixture into the pan. in a small bowl, whisk flour into water. beat until there are no more lumps of flour. add to pan and cook until sauce thickens and becomes syrup like, about 10 minutes. add the chicken, toss well.

top pizza dough with chicken/glaze mixture. make sure to cover every inch! top with cheese and sprinkle with sesame seeds. bake for an additional 5-7 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. serve immediately.

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garlic teriyaki edamame

i made this tonight as a quick easy appetizer while we were cooking dinner. they were sweet, tangy and salty - all in one bite. it is seriously so easy and a great way to spruce up your favorite soybeans. i found the recipe over at allrecipes.com and tweaked it a little bit.

ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package frozen edamame in the pod

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 teaspoons garlic powder

kosher salt

directions:

combine teriyaki, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil and garlic powder in a bowl.meanwhile, cook edamame according to package directions (i bought the kind you can microwave).

heat large saucepan over medium high heat. add cooked edamame and teriyaki mixture. cook and stir constantly until the sauce has thickened and coats the edamame, about 4 minutes. sprinkle with sesame seeds and kosher salt to serve. enjoy!

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asian steak fajitas

i know it seems a little silly to be posting another fajitas recipe, but this one was different. this was a fusion between asian and meixcan flavors. let me explain.

denise (meagan's mom) had us over for dinner on monday night. she made grilled asian flank steak and her signature hashbrown casserole (seriously you guys must make this asap.) she sent us home with leftover steak to eat up this week. meagan and i were craving something mexican so we decided to make fajitas. i sauteed up some sweet bell peppers and onion, re-heated the beef and topped it off with our favorite extras - sour cream, monterrey jack cheese and pre-made guacamole salsa from wholly guacamole.

i was a little skeptical at first to be mixing the two cultural flavors, but it actually turned out pretty delicious. the sweetness from the asian marinade paired nicely with the creaminess of the guacamole salsa and sauteed onions and peppers. below is the recipe for the steak marinade. it's best to let it sit over night to get the maximum flavors.

ingredients:
1/3 cup canola oil

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup diced scallions
s&p
2 pounds flank steak

directions:

combine the marinade ingredients together in a plastic resealable bag with steak. coat well with the marinade and chill/marinate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. preheat the grill (indoor or outdoor) with high heat. take the steak out of the marinade bag and sprinkle generously on all sides with coarse s&p. grill about 5-10 minutes on each side, depending how rare/cooked you like it. meanwhile, make another batch of marinade. cook on stove over low heat while meat is cooking. 

remove steak from grill, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for at least 20 minutes. make very thin slices, against the grain, and at a slight diagonal so that the slices are wide. serve with reserved marinade.

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