Sugar Glazed Salmon

This was a great recipe that I adapted from the cookbook by Cynthia Nims called "Salmon" (part of the Northwest Homegrown Cookbook Series from WestWinds Press (2005) - Picked it up at ALA Midwinter in Seattle.

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1-2 salmon fillets (about 14 oz total)
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tbs kosher salt
pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Get a piece of aluminum foil that will be big enough to wrap the salmon with a small air pocket.
3. Drizzle the oil on the middle of the foil. Place the salmon, skin side down, in the middle.
4. Sprinkle the salt over the salmon and add pepper to taste.
5. Spread evenly the brown sugar over the salmon. Fold up the foil to it covers the salmon and creates a light seal.
6. Cook for 20 minutes or so.

Serve with rice and vegetables.

Lentil Stew

OK...make your Lentil jokes (see this MST 3000 entry). This is a great low-fat and filling stew. I serve this over brown rice and it is a great lunch. Very easy to make. Could also be used as a side-dish (I suppose) in smaller portions.

Ingredients

1 cup Dried lentils (use plain brown lentils and rinse them before putting in the slow cooker)
1 cup Carrots, diced
1 cup Celery, diced
1 cup Onions, diced
3 tsp (or cloves) Garlic, diced
1 tsp Basil, dried
1 tsp Oregano, dried
1/2 tsp Thyme, dried
2-3 Bay leaves
4 cups Broth (vegatable or chicken)
1 14.5 oz Can of petite diced tomatoes

Directions
1. Place all the items in the slow cooker and gently stir a few times.
2. Cook all day 10-12 hours on low setting.
3. Discard bay leaves and enjoy.

Serving suggestion, serve over brown rice (1/2 cup per serving or so).

Cherry Almond Chicken Salad

OK...everyone has a Chicken Salad recipe, but this is really great. I will not call it the best chicken salad or the pen-ultimate chicken salad, but it is pretty darn close.

Ingredients:
2 cups Chicken, cooked and diced (great use of chicken from this recipe)
2 stalks Celery, diced
1/2 cup Dried cherries
1/3 cup Almond thin slices (raw are best, but use what you have)
1/2 cup Mayo or Miracle Whip (use to taste)
Kosher salt and pepper to taste.

Directions
1. Throw everything in a bowl and mix like mad! (NOTE: If you are using the chicken from the chicken soup, then it will break apart as you stir. This is quite alright. If you are using grilled chicken, then it will hold its shape. Either way, it is fantastic.)

Seriously, that is it.  Enjoy!