mmm cookies

Today I am writing not to share my dinner but to share a cookie recipe.  I am sure you will laugh when you read this but man are these good.  I am also sure you have all made them but I don't care they are just soooo good!  My dinner by the way will be spaghetti.  Not fancy spaghetti, sauce from a jar and noodles from a box.  Speaking of boxes... these cookies also come from a box.  They are cake mix cookies! So easy and so yummy!  I  will put the link below if you would like to make them.  They seriously took me about 40 minutes from start to finish.  Fast, easy and, delicious!  Have a good weekend all! :)

http://www.vanessachristenson.com/2011/04/v-and-co-cooks-cake-cookies-with.html

Soy glazed salmon with sweets and beets

I am very excited to share this "recipe" today... It was sooo good.  I am totally not a salmon person but once in a blue moon it just tastes so good to me.  Today was that day. 
It is super easy, quick, and oh so good!

I started by peeling and chopping up some sweet potatoes and beets.  I kept them separate because the sweet potatoes cook a little quicker than the beets.  I tossed the beets with a little olive oil, balsamic, and some salt and pepper.  I put them on half of a foil lined sheet pan and baked them for 15 minutes in a pre heated 400 degree oven.  Then I added the sweet potatoes to the other side of the pan.  I just tossed the sweets in a little olive oil and salt before doing that.  Then cook the two of them together for another 40-50 minutes or until they are deliciously caramelized and yummy looking.  Here is what they look like while baking...

Next: the salmon...
 I just had some random salmon in the freezer so that's what I used but fresh would have been even better.  The glaze makes enough for 2lbs of salmon.
Glaze ingredients:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons white wine (i used water because I had no wine)
1 large clove garlic minced
i just mixed them all together until the sugar was dissolved
place the salmon on a foil lined sheet pan and pour glaze over the salmon.  Bake the salmon for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees.  I basted the salmon a few times to keep glaze on the top.  I also briefly put it under the broiler at the last minute to brown it up.

the salmon halfway through cooking

My original plan was to make quinoa and mix it with the beets and sweets but I over cooked the sweet potatoes so I didn't end up mixing them together.  I just ate them together and it tasted amazing.  I just made a cup of quinoa and used beef stock instead of the water. 
Here is what I ended up with...

I will close with a quote from my lovely husband.  This is what he said when he was done eating.  "that meal was tasty, healthy, and left me feeling full"  I took that as a major compliment especially because he usually tells me that quinoa looks like maggots.  On that note I hope you try this recipe!

Lemon Pasta with Shrimp

Tonight I did something that I don't normally do.  I followed a recipe!  Well kind of... I only changed a few things. It turned out pretty darn good.  I must admit if you are not a lemon person it probably is not for you.  Here is the recipe...

Serves 4 to 6

Let the dish rest briefly before serving so the flavors develop and the sauce thickens.

Ingredients

• Table salt
• 1pound spaghetti
• 1/4cup extra virgin olive oil , plus more for serving
• 1medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1/4cup heavy cream
• 2teaspoons finely grated zest and 1/4 cup juice from 3 lemons
• 1ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving
• Ground black pepper
• 2tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves

Instructions

1. 1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water; cook, stirring frequently, until al dente. Reserve 1¾ cups cooking water, drain pasta into colander, and set aside.
2. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallot and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook until shallot is softened, about 2 minutes. Whisk 1 1/2 cups of reserved pasta cooking water and cream into pot; bring to simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat, return pasta, and stir until coated. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
3. 3. Cover and let pasta stand 2 minutes, tossing frequently and adjusting consistency with remaining 1/4 cup reserved pasta water if necessary. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, drizzling individual portions with oil and sprinkling with cheese.

The only things I did differently were... I used whole wheat bow tie pasta, onion instead of shallot (only because I didn't have a shallot on hand), and I also did not have any basil so I used spinach.  I strongly suggest using finely grated parm.  All I had was shredded and it was kind of a mess.  It turned into a big clump of cheese when added.  I made it work though.  It really doesn't thicken up if you let it stand too!
Thanks :)

Breakfast Burrito

Good Morning!
 I feel like I haven't cooked in days!  I have been crazy busy and I actually had half of the weekend off of work.  Here is my breakfast...  It tasted quite delicious!

All I did was...
sauteed a little onion, two turkey sausage patties and some spinach.  Added 2 eggs, scrambled it all around put in in a tortilla and sprinkled it with cheese.  Then I folded it up and set it in a dry hot pan just to get a little crunch on the outside. This is what it looked like...