Fast Nourishing Dinner Inspo
Life is hard; food doesn't have to be #167 [vol5, 5.1]
Ever been in a grocery store without a list just hoping for dinner inspiration? That was me Monday after school in Costco. Uninspired yet dinner loomed. I’ve dropped off the meal plan train for no reason in particular.
The deep red wild caught salmon called to me. I’ve been watching
on Instagram. She preps dinner for the week in a few hours like a prep cook in a restaurant. A new-to-me follow, and I often wonder how I could copy her ways for a family (she does it for two people). Salmon bowls is an easy copy-cat.As soon as I walked in my house the day I bought salmon, I preheated the oven to 400 because I wanted to roast potatoes (actually smashed) as well as sliced bell peppers. Once those were on their way, my attention went to the salmon.
How I Cooked Delish Salmon
bought a slab of wild caught salmon (here’s an article I wrote on buying fish)
if it’s frozen, let it thaw.
sprinkle with dill, fresh or dried or none.
sprinkle with sea salt and pepper
slice a lemon and lay the lemons on top
bake in a preheated 400* oven for 10 minutes. When the timer rings, you should see bits of white all over the fish as evidence that it’s cooked. Insert a butter knife or fork into the fattest part of the fish. If the flesh looks raw or gooey, give it 2 more minutes. The time all depends on the thickness of the filet, beginning temperature, the type of pan and your oven. When the filet flakes, or pulls apart in consistent doneness, bon appétit!
While the salmon baked I charred shredded cabbage in a hotttt cast iron skillet.
Why don’t we eat salmon more frequently? It’s easy, fast, and relatively fail proof. *Note to self: buy salmon again soon.
Philly Cheesesteak
Back at Costco, dragging my feet through the freezer section, hoping to discover something my family would eat (could? because husband is gluten-free), my eyes saw for the first time Gary’s Quick Steak. It’s sections of 4oz shaved beef. Perfect for Philly cheesesteaks, bulgogi, or French dipped sammies.
Maybe you buy this shaved beef all the time… but I was stoked to see the seasonings were separate (because my husband is also highly sensitive to MSG, a frequent additive in seasonings.) AND IT COOKS FROM FROZEN IN MINUTES?! Yes, it’s true and I do not apologize for screaming.
I’d roasted onions and peppers the night before {thank you
for the inspo) so this meal came together quickly. Except the buns, which you could definitely buy — I just love this easy no-knead brioche bun and had the time at home to make them.If you have a Blackstone please look for Gary’s Quick Steak at your grocery store. Looks like they have shaved chicken too.
For the love — if you buy this beef and don’t use the seasoning package, please use adequate amounts of salt and pepper. Rule of thumb is 1teaspoon of salt per pound of protein.
Detroit Style Pizza
Obviously, this is not a fast dinner.
I pre-ordered
’s Pizza Night to unlock pizza dough frustrations. (I have a portable outdoor oven.) While waiting for the book to be printed, she made a reel of a Detroit Style Pizza on Instagram. Which immediately caused me to pine for a special steel pizza pan. Eventually I caved and bought the pan just before the cookbook arrived. Did not disappoint.Also - have you tried Norwex’s netted dish cloth? A friend gave me one and it is a GAME CHANGER for getting sticky dough off the counter. Highly recommended.
10 Tips for Garden Center Buying
This spring, I’m again working very part time at a locally owned garden center. Last year I wrote tips for you based on my experience helping people there. It’s the most wonderful time of the year!!!
The KY Derby is Saturday!
My husband likened Derby festivities to “hosting the SuperBowl every year in your town.” We jumped in to the festivities this year and still missed several (oh well, there will be next year!) Whether or not you watch the Derby, you may want to make a Derby Pie. It’s like a pecan pie (made with walnuts) with chocolate and if you imbibe, bourbon. Another famous Kentucky dish is the Hot Brown: an open faced turkey sandwich with Mornay sauce (a creamy cheese sauce) topped with crispy bacon and slices of Roma tomatoes. Here’s a recipe for a twist on the original - a tart.
In the last letter I shared he was doing an outdoor challenge at GCU to see who could live outside the longest. After fourteen days of sleeping on the ground, the final three contestants called a truce for finals. He finished his sophomore year, is on a wild-west road trip and currently somewhere in Colorado or Wyoming. It was two years ago this week that he had a crazy mountain bike wreck and spent a week in the hospital with three subsequent surgeries. He flies home Monday for two weeks then back to Colorado to serve as a backpacking guide at a kids’ camp. I think our family is going to take a quick to trip to St. Louis while he is home so hit me up with your recommendations besides the Arch and City Museum.
I’m working on a summer reading list for my kids and thought I would share this week but this letter is long enough. Would love to know what your kids are reading.
Life is hard; food doesn’t have to be.
Julie
Thank you, Julie :) :) :)
Wonderful post! What do you do for your husband when you make rolls? Do you have a GF substitute for him or does he just eat the meat dish?