The Best Mushroom Kebobs

Earlier this week, I found ribeye steaks on Manager's Special at Kroger.  They were a little over $5 each and normally priced around $10.  Score!  We maybe eat steak 3 times a year, mainly because of price, and secondly, because I'm just not a big fan of red meat.  So anyways, I knew I wanted to make a corn recipe a friend had shared, but wanted something else to grill.  We made a medley of grilled veggies last week and the mushrooms were my favorite, so I decided to just do mushrooms this time.  I googled a grilled mushroom recipe and the first one I looked at on Taste of Homes' website was this one and I had all the ingredients.

The case:

Mushroom Kebobs
Adapted from:  Taste of Home

Ingredients:

• 16 oz mushrooms
• 2 sticks butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 lemon
• 1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese  (buy from the deli refrigerated section)

Directions:

1. Clean mushrooms.  Pull out stem.
2. Skewer mushrooms.  
3. Mix butter, garlic salt, dill, and juice from 1/2 lemon.  Brush over both sides of mushrooms.
4. Grill over medium high heat for 15 minutes, turning and basting with leftover marinade every 5 minutes.
5. Sprinkle with cheese.

The ruling:

Absolutely amazing!!!!  Best mushrooms I've ever had.  The only problem with this recipe is that I should have made a lot more and I mean a lot more.  My 18 month old ate these like they were candy, which didn't leave near as many as Michael and I wanted.  Speaking of which, have I mentioned that I am the luckiest woman alive?  I sampled one of these while we were waiting on the steaks to rest.  Soooo good.  Then Michael said, "You know what would be really good?  What if we sprinkled some of the Parmesan over them."  I'm telling you he is pure genius!  Well, at least he has his moments, and this was definitely one!  

Stars: 5 definitely

Make again? Tomorrow sounds go

Lemon Thyme Salmon

My first recipe for 2014 comes from Jessica Seinfeld's new cookbook, The Can't Cook Book, that I received for Christmas.  I have SO many recipes marked to try in this book.  Of the 4 new cookbooks I got for Christmas, this is my favorite.  I by no means consider myself a novice cook and I learned so many tips and tricks from in here.  More than anything this is a cookbook for anyone wanting to cook simple, delicious, healthy food.  Her recipes are very straight forward and use real, basic ingredients.

 

Salmon is my absolute favorite fish.  If I'm eating fish, it's salmon 90% of the time.  The main reason I was excited to try this recipe was the cooking method.  Right now the only way I cook salmon is either on the grill or baking it in the oven.  This recipe is broiled in the oven.

Lemon Thyme Salmon 

Altered slightly from Jessica Seinfeld via The Can't Cook Book

Ingredients:

• 4 lemons
• 24 sprigs Thyme
• 4, 6 oz boneless, skinless salmon fillets
• Drizzle extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat the boiler with the rack 4 inches from the top.
2. Slice the lemons.  Arrange on a rimmed backing sheet in 4 sections.  Wash and dry the thyme.  Place thyme over lemons.
3. Lay each salmon fillet on a bed of thyme and lemon.  Tuck the thyme under the salmon so it doesn't burn.  
4. Drizzle the olive oil and rub to coat salmon fillets.  Sprinkle salt and pepper over top.  
5. Broil for 7-8 minutes, until top is golden brown and salmon flakes easily with a fork.

The ruling:
This salmon was perfectly cooked.  Besides grilling, this just might be my new favorite way to bake salmon.  It didn't get dried out like I feel it usually does when I bake it.  The only thing I will change next time is the seasonings.  I simply think it needs more on top.  Make sure you squeeze some lemon over this!  It adds volumes of flavor.

Check out my favorite salmon flavoring ever:  Dill Cedar Plank Salmon.  I bake it in the oven as well and the flavor is out of this world.  I can't wait to try it with this broiling method!

Rating: 4 stars
Make agin?  Absolutely, but with different seasonings.

New Year's Resolution Number 2

Another one of my New Year's Resolutions is to eat at home more, therefore eating out less.  There are two reasons behind this.  First, we are trying to eat more whole foods and less of the processed junk.  Now, I am not the type to say I will never cook with a can of cream of mushroom soup again.  In fact one of my favorite soup recipes has cream of mushroom, and I plan on making it several times this winter.  But obviously the more real foods you're eating, the more fruits and veggies you're eating, the healthier you're eating, and that is definitely my goal.  

The other reason is to save money.  I only work part time and my husband is fairly new at his job so saving money is a big priority for us these days.  (Another resolution to come)

I love to cook.  Wanting to cook is not my problem.  My problem is realizing it's 4 o'clock and I have no plans and feel too worn out to think about it, which results in calling Michael to grab a pizza on the way home.  

So, in order to eat at home more and save money, I'm committing to sitting down every weekend and meal plan for the week.  I'm really trying to use what we already have in our freezer and pantry for the next few months.

Enter May Books.  Oh May Books.  How I love May Books.  Seriously, if you haven't heard of May Books, you're missing out.  May Books are little notebooks you design yourself.  I got several for Christmas, including a blank one, one for my lesson plans, a budgeting book, and a meal planner book.

Here is the 2 page spread inside.  The left is for your meal plan and the right is a place for a grocery list and notes.

Don't they just want to make you get organized?