Although I grew up in Boston, my parents were both raised in Louisiana. The result is that I’m some sort of weird mix of New England and Southern culture — the kind of person who loves the Patriots, the Red Sox and gay marriage, but who also says “Sir” and “Ma’am” and knows how to cook a beautifully golden-brown Creole roux.
I’m of the Rachel Ray school of people who love to cook but don’t much care for baking or desserts (mostly because I’m bad at it). I like old-fashioned warm, spicy, hearty dishes — and I always prepare something really old-school and delicious on Sunday night for dinner. On the other hand, I’m also into eating healthy (lean protein, low fat, whole grains, and lots of veggies) so I also like to share any dishes or ideas I have for cooking quick, good-for-you dinners during the week.
This page will hopefully help you navigate the recipes I’ve covered before and also give you a chance to comment down below - if you have any questions, requests, suggestions, or your own recipes to add.
Cheesy Potatoes, Steaks, and Baked Squash
Chicken and Vegetable Curry by Nick
Hamburger Steaks and Mashed Potatoes
Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes, Basil, and Spicy Sausage
Shepherd’s Pie with Ground Turkey
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January 15, 2008 at 5:16 pm
fightingwindmills
That’s my style of cooking too. I don’t like to cook anything inside the oven, but I’m a big fan of the range top–spicy and hearty. You could add your McGyver shrimp pasta to this list. My family really likes that one!
February 28, 2008 at 6:13 pm
joe
I swear this is my last comment today! I just find your site a fun refuge from work.
OK, you can make this quickly in your oven, it’s healthy, low-fat and provides you with perfect leftovers for breakfast.
Quick salmon and asparagus
Buy two half-pound fillets of fresh salmon and a pound of asparagus spears.
Cut the woody ends off the asparagus, the spears should be about five inches long or so. Soak them in very cold water for a half-hour. Pat them dry and place them on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and fresh black cracked pepper. Roll them around to distribute oil and seasoning. Place aside.
Take your salmon fillets, rinse in cold water, pat dry. Put aluminum foil on a cookie sheet and place the fillets skin-side down. Rub them with olive oil, season with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place aside.
Heat the oven to 500 degrees and place the rack in the top position. Put the fillets in and set the timer for 14 minutes. After six minutes have ticked off, put the asparagus in. When the timer goes off, your salmon should be cooked through but not too dry. The asparagus should be al dente, a little crisp with a nutty flavor. I usually serve this with boxed mashed potatoes, the roasted garlic flavor.
Awesome salmon and asparagus eggs - I am considering calling these ‘Eggs Newport’ and pretending I didn’t make up the recipe.
You make EXTRA salmon and asparagus as above, then promptly wrap in foil and set aside to cool and refrigerate later.
Take out your leftovers and cut the asparagus into inch segments. Flake or cut the salmon into small pieces. Melt butter into a skillet (I never said the eggs were going to be low-fat). Chop shallots, about a quarter-cup and saute in the butter. Add the asparagus and salmon, heat well, stirring and turning. Beat six whole eggs and a quarter-cup of cream, half and half or milk. Skim doesn’t work so well. Dump into the pan with the salmon, asparagus and shallots and scramble it up. Don’t cook too long! You want them to be a little soft, not like the yellow rubber chunks you get with a free hotel breakfast.
Serve immediately with English muffins, rye toast, buckwheat pancakes, muffins, whatever you got.
I really do think this is the best reuse of either salmon OR asparagus I have ever come up with.
Bon Appetit!