Our Favorite Summer Meal

Despite the Texas heat, summer is truly one of my favorite times of year.  I love the way afternoons turn into long evenings that slowly fade into night, being outside, trips to the farmer's market, and, of course, summer food.  This summer we have been enjoying lots of fresh zucchini, heirloom tomatoes, and delicious Texas peaches. Our favorite recipe so far?  This Halibut with Tomatoes, Zucchini and Summer Squash baked in parchment packets.  It's as simple as it is delicious.

Image via Bon Appetite.

Fish Fillets with Tomatoes, Squash and Basil

from Bon Appetite

2 cups very thinly sliced assorted summer squash (we use zucchini + yellow crookneck)

1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots

1/4 cup thinly sliced basil, plus 1/4 cup basil leaves

20 cherry tomatoes, halved (we love buying small heirloom tomatoes)

4 T dry white wine

4 T EVOO

s+p

4 6 oz filets Halibut (or other flaky white fish)

For the packets, cut four big squares of parchment paper, fold each square in half and cut to form half heart shape (so that when you unfold you have a large heart shaped piece of parchment).    

Divid squash among parchment sheets, arranging on one side of sheet in thin layers.  Sprinkle shallots and sliced basil over squash.  Scatter tomato halves around squash (almost creating a frame where the fish will go).  Drizzle each packet with 1 T wine and 1/2 T EVOO.  Season with s+p and place fish atop each portion.  Season fish with s+p and drizzle 1/2 T EVOO over each.

Fold parchment over crimping edges tightly to seal the packet.  Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes.  Serve straight out of the packets and garnish with basil leaves.

*The packets can be assembled up to four hours in advance and then refrigerated, which makes this such an easy meal to serve for company.

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we have!

Lemon Butter Salmon

I saw a picture of this recipe while scanning through Pinterest a while back and decided to add it to my list of recipes to try.  It's as simple and summery as it sounds.  Delicious salmon infused with subtle hints of lemon and butter.  And thanks to the foil packets, clean up was a breeze.

2, 4-6 oz salmon fillets (Personally, I like to remove the skin prior to cooking, but K loves the skin so we leave it)
1-2 tbsp butter
1 lemon, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
s+p
foil 

Place lemon slices on top of salmon fillets and top with small slice of butter.  Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  Fold your foil packet and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Here's a shot of the salmon before I folded up the foil into a packet for baking.

I think I like this preparation for salmon because it lets salmon be salmon with just an ever so slight touch of seasoning provided by the lemon and the butter.  A light and refreshing meal perfect for our hot San Antonio summer.  Enjoy!

Paleo Man

K and I entered uncharted territory this week.  After the latest PT test and a confrontation with some numbers he'd rather not see again, K has decided to go Paleo.  No, that doesn't mean he's going to act like a caveman; but he does plan to eat like one.  Kind of.  I'm still trying to figure out what this new food plan entails (and how long it's going to last).  Apparently it's about limiting carbs and sugars, and eating more lean protein.  I'm all about trying to find delicious meals that are also healthful, so I'm kind of liking the challenge of this new Paleo-esque diet.  Here's what we came up with for dinner last night . . .

Grilled Chicken with Avocado Salsa and Black Bean and Corn Quinoa.

It kind of looks like a hot mess, but it was a delicious combination of flavors and we enjoyed every bite.

Grilled Chicken with Avocado Salsa

chicken breasts
s+p
Tony Chachere's Spice n' Herb Seasoning (a gift from some sweet friends that we are loving!)

Season your chicken with s+p and some Tony Chachere's and throw it on the grill.  Once it's cooked let it rest for a few minutes to let the juices settle, slice and top with avocado salsa.  I totally cheated and used something store bought -Wright's of Texas Fresh Green Salsa- but, y'all this is seriously the most delicious salsa you have ever tasted.  If you live within 20 miles of a Central Market, I suggest you head on over and grab a jar.

Black Bean and Corn Quinoa

1 tsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
s+p to taste
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat vegetable oil over medium high heat in a medium saucepan.  Add onion and garlic and sauteed until browned.  Stir in uncooked quinoa and pour vegetable broth to cover.  Add cumin, cayenne and s+p to taste and bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.  Stir in frozen corn and simmer for another 5 minutes until corn is heated through.  Stir in black beans and cilantro and serve hot.

Wish me luck as I try to cook Paleo (or low carb or whatever) for the next month or so!  Considering night two of the Paleo man diet consisted of pasta, I think I'm going to be a bit of a stumbling block to K's new diet ; )

Turkey, Kale, and Brown Rice Soup

We had this soup tonight for dinner and it was deeeelish! Healthy, hearty, full of fresh ingredients and flavor AND there are plenty of leftovers for lunches and dinner later this week. The recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis here.

Ingredients

2 tbsp EVOO
5-6 large shallots, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped (I used about equal parts of the shallots, carrots, and pepper)
8 oz ground white turkey meat (I used the entire package)
1 tbsp herbes de Provence
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
1, 15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 small bunch kale, coarsely chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup Parmesan

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, carrots and bell pepper and saute, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to brown and soften slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the ground turkey and stir until the meat turns white and begins to color very slightly around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the herbes de Provence and stir, 1 minute. Add 4 cups broth, tomatoes and rice. Bring to a boil. Stir in the kale and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and the freshly ground black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Serve with parsley and parmesan.


I've been holding onto this recipe for a while and am so glad I finally made it. Hope you enjoy!