Peach Freezer Jam

Well, week 38 came and is just about gone. 

Tomorrow I'll be into my last week 

- give or take - 

since my 2 big boys both showed up late.

On Sunday we crashed some friends' date and met up with them for a 

matinee of the new Bourne movie. 

I think it's been years since we went to a movie together. 

Haha!

Then yesterday, our sweet neighbours brought over a big box of peaches from their tree.

There's nothing quite like being 39 weeks pregnant to motivate you to get 

some of those can't wait projects done - just in case.

So this morning I watched Olympic Gymnastics while 

peeling, slicing, and cooking up a big batch of freezer jam. 

Here's the recipe:

No-Pectin Peach Jam

We ended up with well over 10 lbs of jam!

All for a just few hours work. 

And now I'm just waiting ever so impatiently for it to cool off so 

I can slice and butter up a thick piece of fresh bread to douse in jam. 

Happy Saturday!

The Week of the Salad

I can feel that Spring is in the air.

I'm so ready for green, warmer weather, and a break from our winter hibernation.

Last week I decided our dinners needed to reflect the fresh aspect of this upcoming season, 

so I casually called it 

The Week of the Salad.

I'm blessed with an awesome husband who puts up so well with these kinds of crazy ideas. 

And gives great feedback.

Our first dinner wasn't actually a salad, but it incorporated some yummy fresh ingredients and was pretty healthy - basically a salad in my books.

BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad

I was in Reno for the day and just picked up a rotisserie chicken that was ready to go.

This was quick and delicious for a super fast dinner prep.

Our next dinner was beautiful.

The picture definitely caught my eye on Pinterest.

Thai Steak Salad

with sweet and spicy tahini dressing and sesame child-lime cashews

Isn't it beautiful?

Just a word of caution:

If you're thinking 

'throw a few things in a bowl and toss them together for a quick salad'

like I was,

this is NOT the salad for you

From toasting cashew to boiling and peeling eggs, this is a time consuming work of art.

And I even skipped the fresh mint.

If I had known how long it would have taken I might have skipped out on it.

But a delicious end to all of that work!

Up next was a

Thai Chicken Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce

This one was delicious and a lot less involved.

Plus, Braden grilled the chicken, so less mess and cleanup for me!

Just because we were eating salads didn't mean we were about to forego our beloved bacon.

Uncured and nitrate/nitrite free, of course. ;)

BLT Chop Salad

with corn, feta, and avocado

I mixed this one up and actually swapped quinoa in place of the lettuce, 

adding extra olive oil to the dressing.

It tasted even better as leftovers the next day.

On the menu tonight:

Chickpea, Pesto, Tomato, and Mozzarella Salad

I have a few grilled chicken breasts left over from the weekend to round out the meal.

Who else is feeling like Spring?

Feel free to pass along your fresh dinner inspirations!

The Taste of Summer

Teaching three piano lessons during my prime dinner making hours this afternoon inspired me to do something light and easy for dinner.

Leftover steak from the Summer Supper Club, a few fresh peppers, and basil from our garden for a nice bright pesto to dress up a few paninis. Besides, who wants to cook when the temperature hits triple digits?

Roasting peppers over an open flame was a first for me. My husband walked through the kitchen while I was at work and raised an eyebrow, but everything turned out well. 

It just took a dry paper towel to strip the charred skin off and the peppers were cored and diced for our steak sandwiches.

If you're looking for a fail-proof homemade bread recipe, here's what I use. It only takes three ingredients (flour, salt, yeast) and requires no kneading! We go through at least one loaf a week. 

I'd have included a picture of the final product - peppers, pecan basil pesto and all - but I had a couple of hungry boys and a baby to feed in a short amount of time. So, I'll just leave you hanging here. 

And, as I begin this week, I'm working off of my second written weekly plan. I have appointments and goals for most days to help me prioritize tasks and stay motivated. 

A Good Fish Dinner

Did any one else read this book as a child?

For some reason, it was one of my favourites growing up. The hungry fox takes a fish from the back of the wagon headed for market and when his fox friend sees and smells the delicious fish dinner, he decides to get some fish for himself. Unfortunately, he can't stop at one and as he is stealing fish after fish for himself, the wagon driver catches him and ends up with a fox pelt to sell at the market along with his fish.

This is totally unrelated to todays post, but I thought of the title while putting together my recipe of salmon cakes that we had for dinner last night. See, a good fish dinner it fits. Ha!

Tired of the same old same old grilled salmon I usually make, I did a little Pinterest-ing last night and found a yummy looking salmon cake recipe. And since it's been a while since I shared a recipe...

Doesn't everything taste better battered, breaded and fried?

That's what my husband said at least.

Anyhow, my recipe was loosely based off of this one by Aubrey who blogs at Homegrown & Healthy.

Fresh Salmon Cakes

Ingredients
1.5 lbs salmon filet
2T butter
3 eggs beaten
1C bread crumbs (I don't usually have Panko, so day old or toasted bread blended or food processed works well)
Zest and juice of 1 lemon + 1T
2T fresh parsley minced
2t chill powder
2T olive oil

Directions
1. Melt butter in a hot skillet and cook the fish through - about 5 minutes per side depending on the thickness.
2. While the fish cools, mix the rest of the ingredients together - leaving out the olive oil. Chill for a minimum of 30 minutes.
3. Divide the salmon mixture into 6 equal portions and form a patty with your hands, packing it together quite firmly. Return to the fridge for 45 minutes to an hour.
4. Heat the olive oil in your skillet and brown the cakes on both sides. It may take 2 batches, depending on the size of your skillet.

I recommend serving them hot on caesar salad (what we did) or on a brown rice and veggie bowl (what we're doing with the leftovers). Even my boys loved them. Delish!

Oh, and here's my baby sitting up. Where has the time gone?