Cedar Plank Salmon

This recipe is just as tasty on the grill or in your oven!  When it's too cold outside to fire up the grill, or you just don't have a grill, pop it in the oven.

-1 fillet of salmon
-Salt
-Lemon pepper
-1 lemon finely sliced
-3 green onions, chopped finely
-Olive oil
-1 lemon for garnish (optional)
-1 cedar plank

**NOTE**  You must submerge the plank in liquid for at least 1 hour, up to 24.  Water, juice and wine work best.

Preheat oven or grill, if using an oven, preheat to 350.  If using on the grill, make sure to close the lid to get more smoke and increase the flavor of the fish.  If cooking in oven, place plank on cookie sheet to prevent smoking.

Dry the plank in the oven set at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or place in the middle of the grill that has been preheated for 5 minutes.  Rub both sides of the plank with olive oil.  Place salmon skin side down on the plank.  Salt and lemon pepper the fish to taste.  Sprinkle onions over the fillet.  Place lemon wedges over the onions evenly. 

FOR THE GRILL: Place on the hot grill and turn gas to medium heat.  Cook for 10 minutes trying not to lift the lid if possible, which may cause flare-ups.  Anytime you open the grill, be prepared with a squirt bottle of water and douse any part of the plank that is on fire.  This will preserve the plank while increasing the amount of smoke, thus enhancing the meat flavor.  Turn the gas grill to low heat for an additional 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.  Garnish with fresh lemons if desired.

FOR THE OVEN:  Place the cedar plank on a cookie sheet and put in a preheated oven.  Cook for 10 minutes for every inch of thickness. Garnish with fresh lemons if desired.

Chocolate Cake and Icing

This is Jeff's mothers famous chocolate cake recipe.  The odd ingredient is coke, who would have thought of it?

For the cake:

- 2 sticks of butter, room temp
- 4 T cocoa
-3 eggs
-1 1/2 C sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/4 C flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 can of coke
- 1 C canned evaporated milk
- 1 TB vinegar

Preheat oven at 375.  Beat butter for about 3 minutes to get nice and fluffy.  Add cocoa and blend well.  Next add sugar and beat for another 3 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time making sure mixed in well.  Add vanilla, salt, baking soda, vinegar, milk and coke.  Slowly add in flour and mix well.
Pour in a well greased pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. 


For the icing:

- 3 T cocoa
- 1 stick of butter at room temp
- Powder sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp salt
- canned milk

You may notice there are no measurements for the powder sugar or milk, that is because you use as much as is needed for your cake.  I use I would say about 1 1/2 C at the most of sugar to make mine.  Blend the butter for 3 minutes and then start to add your powder sugar and cocoa.  While mixing the sugar, add the salt, vanilla and milk to reach the consistency you are looking for.  Smooth on a completely cooled cake.

Italian-Style Soup with Turkey Sausage

**I used Italian Hot and Mild Sausage mixed because that is what I had at home.  I also used a different noodle, Rigatoni to make it. The point is, you can use what you have in your home most cases and it will turn out just as delicious, if not better!

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces sweet or hot Italian-style turkey sausage, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (32 ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth
1 can (15 1/2 ounces) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) no salt added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon Oregano Leaves
1 teaspoon Rosemary Leaves, finely crushed
1 teaspoon Thyme Leaves
1 package (6 ounces) baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup uncooked small pasta, such as mini bowties or elbows

1. Heat oil in large saucepan on medium heat. Add sausage; cook and stir 3 minutes. Add onion; cook and stir 3 minutes longer or until onion is tender and sausage is browned.

2. Pour chicken broth, beans and tomatoes into saucepan. Stir in oregano, rosemary and thyme. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes.

3. Stir in spinach and pasta. Return to boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until pasta is tender.

This is how mine turned out:

Mardi Gras Cake

I found this on Pinterest a year ago and tried it out.  It was very yummy and super easy!

Makes 16 servings
2 (8-ounce) cans reduced-fat crescent rolls
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven 350°F. Coat 10-inch round pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Separate crescent rolls at perforations, into 16 slices. Place slices around prepared pan with points in center. About halfway down from points, press seams together.
3. In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Spread on dough in center where seams have been pressed together.
4. In another small bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon with fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over cream cheese. Fold dough points over filling, then fold bottom of triangle over points forming a circular roll like a king cake.
5. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly, drizzle with colored Mardi Gras Icing.

Mardi Gras Icing:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1-2 tablespoons skim milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pink, Lime green, Light blue food colorings
1. In small bowl, combine all ingredients, except food color. Divide mixture into three bowls.
2. In first bowl, add a few drops of pink food coloring. In second bowl, add a few drops of green food coloring. In third bowl, add equal amounts of drops of blue food coloring (to create purple).

Below are ones I did with the colored sugar- it reminds me more of home. :)

3. Drizzle over baked cake.